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Prince George's County
Morningside Mayor Bennard Cann. (Photo courtesy of Town of Morningside)
Prince George’s Municipalities Hold Local Elections
WI Staff Report
Prince George’s County will hold this year’s gubernatorial primary election July 19 but residents in seven of the jurisdiction’s 27 municipalities recently chose candidates in local races.
The contests took place last week in the towns of Berwyn Heights, Capitol Heights, Cheverly, Colmar Manor, Cottage City, Morningside and University Park with several incumbents seeking reelection while others decided to step down.
Here are the results from each municipality.
BERWYN HEIGHTS
Mayor Pro Tem Jodie Kupla-Eddy will become the new mayor of the town of 3,000 residents. Former mayor Amanda Dewey, who served for the last two years, did not seek reelection.
Council member Chris Brittan-Powell will serve as mayor pro tem and Jason Papanikolas will serve another two years on the five-member council.
Two new members will join the body: Shinita Hembry and Faustino Menjivar.
They were sworn-in on Wednesday, May 11.
CAPITOL HEIGHTS
After the mayor’s office being vacant since May 4, 2021, Linda Monroe received 246 votes to become the town’s new mayor. She posted a flier on a Facebook page encouraging voters to choose her and four other candidates to serve on the town council.
Johnathan Medlock Sworn-In ARETHA on Prince George’s County Council
William J. Ford
DISTRICT24 WI Staff Writer Former District Heights Mayor Johnathan Medlock officially became a member of Prince George’s County Council on Monday, May 9.
Medlock will serve through December on the 11-member body to complete the remaining four-year term of former council member Derrick Leon Davis, who resigned last month.
“I feel excited. It’s a great day for myself and Prince George’s County and the District 6 residents,” he said after a nearly 30-minute swearing-in ceremony. “I’m looking forward to really getting in. We have a lot of work to do.”
The biggest item he will jump into deals with the county’s proposed $5 billion fiscal year 2023. According to the council calendar, a spending plan could be adopted May 26.
In the meantime, Medlock received support from his new colleagues, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, state officials and community leaders. He will represent the District 6 area that includes the city of District Heights, Forestville and Largo.
5 Former District Heights Mayor Johnathan Medlock (left) is sworn-in by Mahasin El Amin, clerk of the Prince George’s County Circuit Court, during a ceremony May 9, filling the vacant seat in District 6 until December. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer) DISTRICT 6 Page 33
According to election results May 2, voters choose two of the individuals on Monroe’s slate: incumbent LaTonya Chew and Victor James.
Voters chose four people to serve on the council including incumbent Faith T. Ford, Amanda Anderson, Anita Anderson and Ron Williams.
CHEVERLY
Approximately 543 voters participated in the May 2 election in the town where three of the current officials will remain in office.
Mayor Kaycee Munyeneh easily won reelection with 433 votes.
The town held special elections for Wards 4 and 5.
Joseph Dalaker received 120 votes to maintain representation of Ward 4, defeating Jhonny A. Merino who received 105 votes.
Incumbent Charly Garces, who ran unopposed in Ward 5, received four votes to remain on the council.
COLMAR MANOR
The voters in one of the municipalities that represents the Port Towns in Prince George’s elected a new mayor May 3.
Monica Casańas garnered the most votes with 71, four more than Council member Melinda Mendoza.
Doug Bowles came in third place with 60 votes and current Mayor Sadara Barrow received 46 votes.
An election for the four council members representing four wards will take place in 2024.
COTTAGE CITY
Voters chose three incumbents May 2 to remain on the five-member council in Cottage City.
Artis Moon Amarche and Wanda Wheatley received 40 votes each to continue representing Wards 2 and 3, respectively. Demetrius Givens garnered 38 votes to remain on the council.
MORNINGSIDE
On May 2, voters choose to keep Bennard Cann as the town’s mayor to serve another three-year term.
John Anthony, Jr. and Sharon Fowler will serve on the four-member council for two years in the town of 2,000 residents.
UNIVERSITY PARK
Voters in the town situated in northern Prince George’s had four people ballot from which to choose in the May 3 election.
Council member Joel Biermann, who represents Ward 1, will become the town’s mayor replacing Lenford Carey.
Biermann will be replaced by Ralph O. Dubuya to represent Ward 1 on the seven-member council.
Incumbent Laurie Morrisey will continue to represent Ward 3.
Voters chose William E. Sweet to represent Ward 7 on the council, replacing Roland Stephen.
The mayor and council members serve two-year terms but no one can serve in the same position for more than three consecutive terms. WI
Women Pampered in Style During Mother’s Day Luncheon
William J. Ford WI Staff Writer
Naomi Smith relaxed in a chair while Tequila Butler filed her nails in a makeshift salon at Prince George’s Ballroom in Landover, Maryland.
Smith joined 149 other women who received gifts that included toiletries, a catered lunch, shoes and even a fresh hairdo.
The special treatment took place on Thursday, May 5, during an annual Mother’s Day event hosted by Anew Inspired Change with the theme, “She Rocks Anew Voice!”
Smith and others currently live in various shelters including Oxford House, which has locations in both D.C. and Baltimore, as they make inroads in their recovery from drug or alcohol addiction.
“I feel great,” said Smith, who has two adult daughters and a 10-year-old granddaughter to whom she refers as ‘my sunshine.’ “I’ve been at the Oxford House since 2018. But I don’t plan to stay there forever – I plan to get a nice place of my own.”
The luncheon, now in its 11th year, occurred in person for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic gripped the state in March 2020.
Porshia Everett of Clinton, program director for Anew Inspired Change, received assistance from major companies and other nonprofit organizations in Prince George’s County and Baltimore City.
Anne Arundel County-based Amerigroup Maryland partnered with Anew and helped pay for the rental of the ballroom.
Wegman’s donated food and employees from M&T Bank who helped decorate the more than two dozen tables.
Some women received a massage from Healing Hands Physical Therapy Services, Inc., located in Southeast.
Everett also received a helping hand from family members like her mother who registered attendees, her son operated the sound system, her husband who served food and her sister, Tequila Butler, who donated her skills as a nail stylist.
“It really does take a village to do all of this,” Everett said. “This
is something all of these women deserve.”
The women also received a undergarments and a bag of toiletries. Before departing, each woman would be allowed to select a dessert of their choice including a slice of a three-layered, chocolate cake with white icing or a cake popsicle.
When Marjorie Gleaton looked at the table decorated with gold utensils, she remarked, “This is nice – somebody loves us.”
For the past four years, Gleaton has lived at Hyacinth’s Place in Northeast which supports homeless women diagnosed with mental illnesses.
The mother of two children and grandmother counted Thursday as her second time attending the event.
“I attended pre-pandemic and missed this,” Gleaton said. “It’s a blessing to fellowship with other ladies going through similar circumstances. Being pampered is also a blessing. I’m thankful for this.”
Marion Gray also expressed her thanks, particularly since regaining “a good relationship” with her son during her stay at the Oxford House.
“It’s a haul – every day is a battle,” Gray said. “Some days I could use a drink. I fight it every day. This Mother’s Day event is so needed for everybody here. It boosts your spirits. This is so awesome.” WI @WJFjabariwill
5 Marion Gray strikes a pose on May 5 during an annual Mother’s Day luncheon at Prince George’s Ballroom in Landover. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer) 5 Porshia Everett, program director for Anew Inspired Change, talks with attendees and volunteers as they participate in a hula hoop contest May 5 during a Mother’s Day luncheon at Prince George’s Ballroom in Landover. (Robert R. Roberts/ The Washington Informer)
