July 2013 Hyattsville Life & Times

Page 1

THE WAY TO SAN JOSE Local man makes five-day plane trip from California to College Park. PAGE 3

National Night Out moves to west side

CRICKET CROSSES THE POND America’s Favorite Pastime isn’t in danger of being replaced anytime soon, but the game of cricket is making inroads on a field near you. PAGE 4

The city’s National Night Out Against Crime, scheduled for August 6, moves to Queens Chapel Town Center this year from Magruder Park. It will be the major city-sponsored event in West Hyattsville, replacing last year’s Handmade on Hamilton. National Night Out, held annually on the first Tuesday evening in August, is designed to strengthen police-community ties and promote Neighborhood Watch groups and other publicsafety strategies. More than 15,000 communities participate nationwide, according to the group’s website, www.natw.org. Hyattsville’s event is scheduled for 5 to 9 p.m. along Hamilton Street between Ager and Queens Chapel roads. Afterwards, a Take Back the Night walk will wind through neighborhood streets. The issue of what sort of event to hold in the area – which until two years ago hosted an International Street Festival – has been controversial this year. In May, as part of a budget-cutting plan,

Until 25 years ago, drivers could take Maryland’s Route 500 from the District line to Route 1. What happened? PAGE 11

Hyattsville Life&Times

August event to feature world music and crafts Vol. 10 No. 7 by Susie Currie

THE CLOSING OF QUEENS CHAPEL ROAD

Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper

Budget passes at 11th hour by Rosanna Landis Weaver

At the last minute, on June 28, the City Council passed a budget ordinance that both the mayor and councilmembers were dissatisfied with. But they knew it was their only option to avoid starting the new fiscal year on July 1 without an operating budget. “I would rather pass a bad budget than have the city shut down,” said Councilmember Patrick Paschall (Ward 3) at the time. The council narrowly voted in May to

maintain the current tax rate for the eighth straight year. But lower assessments mean most residents will pay less in taxes and the major source of revenue for the city will be reduced. Expected revenue from property taxes is down over $1 million this year, from $11.32 million to $10.07 million. With revenue estimated at $14.4 million, and expenses at $15.5 million, Hyattsville — for the first time in many years — will need to rely on $1 million from $8.4 million existing fund balance to cover the shortfall in the

budget. The fund balance has built up over several years when revenues exceeded expenses. The general fund budget for 2014 is $13.8 million, lower than it has been for three years. The total budget of $21.7 million includes $1.7 million for debt service and $5.4 million for capital improvements. The Capital Improvement Plan is a five-year plan created in 2012, updated annually, and BUDGET continued on page 13

Plans take root for new Art Works

DC’s Pizzeria Paradiso slated to fill space in former Marche building by Rosanna Landis Weaver

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID EASTON MD PERMIT NO. 43

NIGHT OUT continued on page 12

Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781

July 2013

JULIANA MOLINA Children create at Art Works Studio School summer camps. When the studio moves to Hyattsville next year, it will share space with the fourth Pizzeria Paradiso in the metro area.

The plans are drawn, the capital campaign begun, and Pizzeria Paradiso has announced its intention to share the space. But there’s still a great deal of work left to complete before Art Works opens in its new location in 2014. Of the initial steps, the announcement that has ignited the most appetite among residents is the news of Pizzeria Paradiso. After all, when a restaurant has locations in Georgetown, Old Town Alexandria and Dupont Circle the fourth location has historically been more likely to be Bethesda than Hyattsville. But the owner of Pizzeria Paradiso, Ruth Gresser, is the partner of Art Works executive director Barbara Johnson, as well as a longtime supporter of the arts. While the initial plan had been for a coffee shop in the new location, which formerly housed ART WORKS continued on page 8

Included: The July 9, 2013 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section


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