Prince George's County

‘The Sky’s The Limit’ Mural Enhances the Hyattsville Landscape

WI Staff Report

The city of Hyattsville will feature a colorful mural to enliven an area that’s part of the Prince George’s County’s arts district.

A mural called “The Sky’s The Limit” will prominently display on the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center for three years as part of the city’s Corridor Investment Grant program.

A program description summarizes the program provides funding for three different activities include: up to $1,500 for programming for a series or one-day event; up to $2,500 for exterior improvements such as planters, flower boxes and public art/murals; and up to $5,000 for business consulting, workshops, or a one-time commercial tenant subsidy for a small business.

Muralist John Ortiz, who has a studio at Pyramid Atlantic, summarized the artwork as “soothing” and “organic.”

“I thought about how sky’s the limit with printmaking, it’s experimental, adventurous, and there is really no limit to what you can do,” he said.

Pyramid Atlantic, founded in 1981 by artist and teacher Helen C. Frederick, seeks to create an artistic hub in Hyattsville to help inspire local and international artists, elevate the local arts scene and enhance the quality of life for artists.

Besides workshops and other activities, the center also provides free art education classes called “Snag It” for those ages 14 and 22 who reside in Prince George’s. Participants will need to pay for certain materials toward the class.

Summer internships will be offered next year for college art students and those who recently graduated. The interns will help maintain studios, assist in projects, one free workshop and a critique session from an artistic director and visiting artists. The application deadline is Feb. 18.

Kate Taylor Davis, executive director of Pyramid Atlantic, praised Ortiz’s mural to showcase the center’s creative talent.

“It works on a couple levels, both as a vibrant landscape and also as a hint of what can be done at Pyramid,” she said. “In addition to inspiring a few selfies, I hope it also inspires curiosity.”

For more information on the art center, go to www.pyramidatlanticartcenter.org. WI

4 The Eclipse

International Reggae

Band performs at a free outdoor concert

July 10 at the Bladensburg Waterfront

Park. Prince George’s

County Parks and

Recreation will offer free concerts every

Sunday in July to DISTRICT24 celebrate National Park and Recreation

Month. (Robert R.

Roberts/The Washington Informer 5 A mural called “The Sky’s The Limit” created by John Ortiz will be featured in Hyattsville for three years as part of the city’s Corridor Investment Grant program. (Photo courtesy of the City of Hyattsville)

Prince George’s Celebrates Parks Month in July

WI Staff Report

ARETHAPrince George’s County Parks and Recreation will host free outdoor concerts in July as part of National Park and Recreation Month. The concerts will be held every Sunday at 6 p.m. at Bladensburg Waterfront Park. Each week features a different genre starting with a reggae band July 10; dance July 17; blues and soul July 24; and jazz and R&B July 31. Those interested in outdoor movies can see “Little Giants” for free at 7 p.m. July 20 at Watkins Regional Park in Upper Marlboro. The park showcased two other movies this month on Wednesday. Parents and guardians with children can participate in “Kids Day in the Park” from 4 to 6 p.m. July 14 at Walker Mill Regional Park in Capitol Heights.

The annual celebration held since 1985 seeks to promote health, explore walking trails, participate in outdoor recreation and other activities. The National Recreation and Park Association has a legislative platform for parks officials and advocates to help local, state and federal officials incorporate legislation based on three pillars: health and wellness, equity and 3 People attend an conservation. outdoor concert July 10 at the Bladensburg Waterfront Park. The Eclipse International Reggae Band performed as part of Prince “Parks and recreation is a vital part of our community. We help preserve and protect more than 28,000 acres of parkland, strive to keep our community healthy, George’s County Parks and provide quality programs and Recreation cele- for people of all ages,” Bill Tyler, bration National Park director of the county’s Departand Recreation Month ment of Parks and Recreation, in July. (Robert R. said in a statement. “We’re exRoberts/The Washington cited to celebrate our impact in Informer) Prince George’s County.” WI

VOTING from Page 1

with her “I voted” sticker on her shirt. “I’ve taught it to my children. They get questioned every day, ‘Did you vote?’ There are no excuses.”

With some officials retiring and others seeking other positions, Maryland voters in this year’s primary election will choose new people to manage statewide offices including governor, attorney general and comptroller.

Alvin and Katie Blunt of Kettering voted early Monday and spoke highly of the following candidates: Rep. Anthony Brown for attorney general; Bowie Mayor Tim Adams for comptroller; and Wala Blegay to represent Prince George’s County Council’s District 6 area.

Alvin Blunt, 82, has a message for all of the candidates.

“The key people I voted for can walk down the street when it’s not election time and just stop by to say, ‘Hi. Mr. Blunt.’ I just want to know what you think about our county and our community,” he said. “You don’t have to do what I say but at least hear me.”

In the meantime, official results could take a bit longer to count because mail-in ballots aren’t permitted to be counted until the Thursday after Election Day.

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in June 2020, nearly 1.4 million of the state’s more than 4 million eligible voters voted exclusively by mail. It marked the state’s first election to offer such a provision.

The General Assembly approved legislation this year to allow the counting of mail-in ballots about a week before early voting.

Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed the measure in May with claims that “election security” can create abuse from mail-in voting verses voting in person.

During the first four days of early voting between July 7 and 10, approximately 58,175 Maryland voters cast ballots in person. About 81,160 voted in person the first four days of early voting in the 2018 gubernatorial election.

As of Sunday, about 115,060 mail-in ballots have been received.

In Prince George’s, at least 40,000 ballots could be received when early voting ends Thursday, July 14.

“There is some shift in how voters are voting,” county Elections Administrator Alisha Alexander said during a virtual board meeting Monday. “It is going to be interesting to see how [voter] turnout looks like on Election Day.”

5 Maryland Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore votes alongside his daughter, Mia, in Baltimore on the first day of early voting July 7. Moore represents one of 10 Democrats on the ballot seeking the nomination for governor. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer) 5 Former Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez places his ballot inside a drop box July 7 at the Silver Spring Civic Building on the first day of early voting in Maryland. Perez represents one of 10 Democrats seeking the nomination for governor. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNCIL

At least four new people will join Prince George’s County Council in December due to term limits in Districts 2, 3, 4 and 6.

Rhonda Billingslea of Bowie declined to say which candidate she will vote for to represent County Council’s District 4 to replace Todd Turner.

Carol Boyer, also of Bowie but who resides in District 6, said Friday she hadn’t voted yet but hopes the new person will be better than former council member Derrick Leon Davis. Council unanimously voted in May to appoint former District Heights Mayor Johnathan Medlock to serve Davis’ remaining term after he resigned in April.

“I hope the new person will look out for the residents in our district,” Boyer said.

Billingslea and Boyer said who they aren’t voting for: at-large council members Calvin Hawkins II and Mel Franklin.

One reason stems from their vote to support a text amendment in 2019 to allow the owners of Freeway Airport in Bowie to construct slightly more than 500 townhouses and single-family homes. The land zoned residential agricultural “would allow a density nine times greater than what’s currently permitted.”

Boyer and Billingslea count as part of Concerned Citizens of Prince George’s County District 4 and the Surrounding Areas, which filed a petition in court to challenge council’s decision.

The case would be moved to Anne Arundel Court to eliminate a conflict of interest in the case. (Note: Bowie Mayor Tim Adams, elected mayor several days after council’s decision in November 2019 who disagreed with council’s decision, is married to Sheila Tillerson Adams, administrative judge in the Prince George’s Circuit Court)

An Anne Arundel County judge ruled in favor of the council last year.

The citizens group appealed to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, which released a written decision June 29 to reverse the court’s decision.

“This case presents a worrisome dynamic between public and private interests,” according to the special appeals ruling. “The airport owners have essentially bullied the Council by claiming that . . . they will intensify the usage, making it more dangerous unless the Council accords them the density of their choice.”

Hawkins and Franklin also voted in November to revamp a redistricting plan and rejected a proposal from a three-member redistricting commission that council created. The state court of appeals ruled in March against the council and for the county to use the commission’s plan.

“I didn’t vote for them in the last election,” Billingslea said about Hawkins and Franklin. “Look at how they voted on various issues, especially for them to be challenged in court. Hopefully people will really look at the candidates.”

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close by 8 p.m. for voters to cast ballots early by Thursday.

The hours are the same on Election Day on Tuesday, July 19. Prince George’s voters can cast ballots at 240 polling locations.

WI @WJFjabariwill

5 Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and his wife, Yumi (left), participate on the first day of early voting July 7 at Annapolis Middle School. The day marked Hogan’s last time voting in the primary election as the state’s leader. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)

4 Theresa Crowdy of Upper Marlboro voted early July 11 at the Kentland Community Center in Landover during her break as a school bus driver for Prince George’s County public schools. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)