PUNK in motion
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New York dance company brings rebellious spin to Clarice Smith center. B-1
The Gazette SERVING NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY COMMUNITIES
DAILY UPDATES ONLINE www.gazette.net
Thursday, October 31, 2013
CHILDHOOD OBESITY IN PRINCE GEORGE’S
THE
25 cents
picture big County has fifth highest percentage of overweight and obese youths in the state
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Second county animal shelter gains support n
BY JAMIE
BY CHASE COOK STAFF WRITER
See OBESITY, Page A-9
For Prince George’s residents who have long complained that the county needs more than one animal shelter, a solution may be on the way. Adam Ortiz, director of the Department of Environmental Resources, under which animal control falls, said the county and municipalities could open a second shelter in the northern part of the county. The current shelter is in an unincorporated area in Upper Marlboro. “We’re open to that. We have too many animals that are adoptable, and we need to get them out the door,” Ortiz said during a meeting of the Four Cities Coalition, which includes Greenbelt, College Park, Berwyn Heights and New Carrollton. “We’re open to any good ideas, and a partnership makes a lot of sense. A Four Cities partnership with the county to secure space — we’d be open to that.” The four municipalities meet quarterly to discuss issues of importance to the communities. Ortiz had been invited after a discussion in July between the four cities on animal-control efforts. Greenbelt runs a small no-kill shelter, and College Park has a small shelter that is not accessible to the
See SHELTER, Page A-8
INSIDE:
STEPS TO HEALTH
n Where Prince George’s stands in a county-bycounty look at youth obesity rates in Maryland, Page A-8 n Can’t break the fast-food habit? A guide to healthier eating at the drive-through, Page A-8
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE
‘Ketchup is no longer a vegetable’ Students adjusting to healthier food in schools n
BY JEFFREY LYLES AND CHASE COOK STAFF WRITERS
BILL RYAN/THE GAZETTE
Marcus Bushrod (left), 16, stands with his aunt, Irene Hymon, and uncle, Wilbert Hymon, at their home in Largo. Irene Hymon said she purchases healthier snacks and urges Marcus to play outside to encourage a healthy lifestyle.
NEWS
LISTEN UP
Prince George’s County listening session yields an earful of development concerns.
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ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER
M
arcus Bushrod, 16, of Largo never thought of himself as unhealthy, and it wasn’t until his aunt took him for a routine physical that health concerns surfaced. “He had high blood pressure,” said Marcus’ aunt and guardian, Irene Hymon of Largo. “I knew he needed more exercise. ... He would come home after school and go straight upstairs to play his game or watch TV.” Marcus’ story is not unique in Prince George’s County. In 2010 — the most recent data available — 34.7 percent of county youths aged 12 to 19 were overweight or obese, according to Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Prince George’s has the fifth highest rate of overweight or obese youths in the 12 to 19 age range in the state. Somerset County ranks No. 1, with 38.5 percent. Obesity is determined by a person’s body mass index, which is calculated for children by factoring in height, weight, age and gender, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. BMI often correlates with the amount of body fat a person has and can be used to identify healthy weight ranges and whether excessive body fat exists that could lead to health problems.
Four Cities Coalition suggesting county partnership to improve access
Just a few years ago, Edward Burroughs III said being a vegetarian meant there were some days he wouldn’t be able to eat what was served in the school cafeteria. Now the 21-year-old Prince George’s County school board member said he is pleased with the steps the school system has taken to provide healthier dining options, and he has received positive feedback from students and faculty. “In several schools that I’ve visited, the students are actually requesting more healthy options,” Burroughs said. “The student gov-
SPORTS
FINDING A BALANCE Bishop McNamara lineman puts his family first while he tries to live up to lofty expectations.
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FOR PARENTS
ernment at Oxon Hill High School wants to have the salad bar expanded.” About 35 percent of Prince George’s County youth ages 12 to 19 are obese or overweight, according to 2010 Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Services data, the latest information available. County schools have been trying to change those numbers by instituting the Healthy Schools Program — started in 2009 — which is run in partnership with Alliance for a Healthier Generation, nonprofit focused on improving children’s health, said Briana Webster, the program’s sustainability manager. Schools are using the program to promote physical activity and get healthy food options into schools, Webster said.
See STUDENTS, Page A-9
Automotive
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Calendar
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Classified
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Community News
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Entertainment
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Opinion
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Sports
A-12 Please
RECYCLE
Let’s Move!, a national initiative launched by first lady Michelle Obama to end childhood obesity, offers the following tips to help children adapt healthier lifestyles: 1. Keep fresh fruit in a bowl within your child’s reach to grab as a quick snack. 2. Take a walk with your family after dinner. 3. Plan a menu for the week. Get children involved in planning and cooking. 4. Turn off the TV during meals and share some family time. 5. Talk to the principal about organizing a school health team.
FOR CHILDREN 1. Move every day 2. Try new fruits and vegetables 3. Drink a lot of water 4. Do jumping jacks to break up TV time 5. Help make dinner
SOURCE: LET’S MOVE!
MUNICIPAL SCENE
Businesses fear they won’t survive Purple Line plan n
Owners say $2.2B light rail construction will hinder revenue, drive up rent BY
ERIC GOLDWEIN STAFF WRITER
Businesses in the Langley Park and Takoma Langley Crossroads could benefit from the proposed Purple Line, said Jorge Sactic, president of the Langley Park Small Business Owners Association. That is, he said, if they survive the anticipated rent increases and revenue losses during construction of the $2.2 billion light rail system, expected to open in 2020. “We’re worried,” said Sactic, who has operated businesses in La Union Mall on University Boulevard in Langley Park since 1999. “What are we going to do? Where are all these people going to go?” Sactic said Langley Park businesses already have seen their rents rise because of the Maryland Transit Authority’s 16.2-mile Purple Line, which will extend from Bethesda to New Carrollton and include a Takoma/Langley Transit Center Station. The increased access to the area will drive up rent prices, and many businesses won’t be able to survive the loss of business caused by construction challenges, he said. The Langley Park Small Business Owners Association was one of 22 neighborhood organizations to sign a letter urging the MTA to address residential and small business displacement. Ronald Wineholt, vice president of government affairs for the Maryland office of the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington, said the Purple Line stations would increase the
See PURPLE LINE, Page A-8
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