2021-10 Hyattsville Life & Times

INSIDE MEET JO WAZ: Hyattsville’s newest city council member.

HyattsKIDS, P. 4 ZONING LAWS ARE CHANGING: Who wins and who loses? P. 5

VOL. 18 NO. 10

HYATTSVILLE’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

OCTOBER 2021

First round of COVID-19 relief funds arrives

By Sophie Gorman Oriani At the Sept. 20 city council meeting, the first steps towards a spending plan for Hyattsville’s COVID-19 relief funds were up for a vote.

The City of Hyattsville will receive $17.9 million in relief funds from the federal government under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), which is slightly more than the previously anticipated $15 million.

For non-metropolitan cities SEE FUNDS ON 13 

Councilmember Rommel Sandino represents fellow immigrants, minority residents

By Winter Hawk Rommel Sandino’s family is proud of him, and for good reason. Sandino, who represents Ward 5 on the Hyattsville City Council, recently said that his life story “is a representation of what one can obtain in this great country.”

He was meeting with a group of Spanish-speaking residents at a SEE SANDINO ON 12 

Bus pickup times are steadily improving for Prince George’s County Public Schools.

KYLE HEFLINGER

Schools roll on with pandemic challenges

By Winter Hawk About 10% of students at Prince George’s County Schools (PGCPS) don’t need transportation to school because they are learning from home this fall.

Even so, the county struggled to transport students to school in September. CEO of county schools Monica Goldson issued an email plea to parents on Sept. 15 asking them to help out by carpooling and driving kids to school.

So far, despite the transportation challenges, the pandemic has not stopped most kids from attending school.

The county has reported outbreaks at a handful of schools since the start of the school year. Hyattsville’s Saint Jerome Academy, a private Catholic school, reported the largest outbreak in the county, with 20 cases.

Students there returned to in-person school Oct. 5, following a 12-day shutdown.

WAITING FOR THE BUS Zora McCarthy has a son who is a seventh grader at Hyattsville Middle School’s Bowie location, and a daughter who is a 10th grader at Northwestern High School.

While the pandemic is causing bus driver shortages nationwide, McCarthy points out

that such shortages are not new for PGCPS. “At least the last three years, the bus drivers have been leaving,” she said. “I talked to the bus drivers all the time, and a lot of them have been around since [my kids] were in elementary school. They just were tired of it because they were saying [schools] were cutting hours, not paying them, overworking them because already then they didn’t have enough bus drivers.”

In 2019, county schools were short 150 drivers in mid-October. This year, they are still looking for more than 200 drivers.

PGCPS is offering bus drivers up to $25.39 SEE SCHOOLS ON 13 

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Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

Page 2

SECONDHAND NEWS

The legend of GoatMan Hollow: Locals recall former Hyattsville haunt

By Lauren Flynn Kelly

H

alloween starts early in my house, and this year I kicked it off by researching a local urban legend. Growing up in New Jersey, I was always fascinated by tales of the Jersey Devil, the winged and cloven-hooved 13th “child” of the Leeds family who supposedly roamed the Pine Barrens. But did you know that we have our own Jersey Devil right here in Prince George’s County?

The Goatman.

While the stories seem to vary, the most popular version (as researched by my internet-savvy daughter, June) seems to be that this goat-headed creature was an experiment gone wrong at the Beltsville Research Agricultural Center and spent the 1970s decapitating dogs, terrorizing lovers and generally stoking fear in the woods near Fletchertown Road in Bowie.

This was explored in a Hyattsville Wire article that ran earlier this year, and it appears the U. S. Department of Agriculture just

wishes the rumors would die.

But that’s not what this story is about. This story is about GoatMan Hollow, a former haunted attraction (yes, with an uppercase “M”) that terrorized locals for nearly a decade before mysteriously shutting down in 2011.

From what I can piece together, based on stories from people who attended or worked there and news stories, GoatMan Hollow started in 2002 as a theatrical haunted attraction and first operated in a wooded area next to the alley behind Hyattsville Middle School. The story was based on the Goatman experiment and revolved around his fictional creator, Dr. Fletcher, but had a different twist each year. Guests would arrive and say, “We’re looking for the GoatMan,” then search the woods and outbuildings, including Dr. Fletcher’s lab. After three successful seasons in the woods, the haunt outgrew the neighborhood and riled the neighbors, according to a Washington Post article. As one source told me,

it was basically “kicked out” by the city. In subsequent years, the haunt moved to two other locations in Riverdale, one of which was the building that preceded Town Center Market. It gained so much attention it was even featured on the Travel Channel’s “America’s Scariest Haunted Attractions.”

There were plans to reopen at the 94th Aero Squadron building in College Park in 2011, but according to a YouTube video posted in 2012 by one of the event’s founders, volunteers never got the chance to perform for the public, and it closed “due to circumstances beyond our control.”

Meanwhile, the last active GoatMan Hollow Facebook post was in 2018, when the event’s organizers posted, to the dismay of many fans, that they were still not ready to reopen. To this day, the closing remains a mystery, perhaps one perpetuated by the founders, who declined to be interviewed for this story.

So what was it like? Well, ev-

eryone I could find with a connection to GoatMan Hollow praised the story-driven aspect of the event and its attention to detail.

“GoatMan Hollow wasn’t like the other haunted houses, not even the really good ones,” recalled Mike Johnson, a sideshow performer who drove down from Baltimore every year to visit the attraction. “Everyone involved was giving it their all. No other haunt was so story-driven … . A couple [of] years, I went more than once; there was nothing else like it.”

Johnson said his favorite thing about GoatMan Hollow was the use of special effects, from the classic Pepper’s Ghost trick — which relies on lighting and a reflective surface to create a hologram-like effect — that made a “glowing ghost sit up from a tomb” to zombies clawing their way out of the grave, “with actors partially buried under a built-up surface of foam or something,” said Johnson. “It really looked like the dead rising.”

Local artist Karl Lista, who

went to the attraction as a teenager, also described it as diverging from your typical haunted house walk-through. “It was really immersive and artistic. … You never saw anyone break character, even when being teased by drunk crowds,” they said. In one of the final turns of the wooded walk-through, Lista recalled being chased by a masked performer on stilts, “which must have been a real challenge in the dark and on the overgrown terrain.”

Former Riverdale resident Becky Archer, who also went to GoatMan Hollow as a young teen, said she ended up acting in the event for several years and appreciated its theatrical production elements. “It wasn’t exclusively endeavoring to scare people with shock or gore or anything of that nature.

There was a genuine narrative,” she noted. Actors would often rotate roles during the season, following a loose script but with much improvisation.

“There was one year I played a suicidal science experiment/ ghost figure, which meant I was constantly dripping in blood.

It was a lot of fun,” Archer recalled. Actors wore a variety of (mostly thrifted) costumes, wigs and prosthetics, and a special effects makeup artist was on site to assist with the ghoulSEE GOATMAN ON 7 

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

Page 3

City law aims to lower RUFF count of dog attacks

By Melena DiNenna On June 8, Hyattsville resident Camille Edwards Bennehoff was walking with her husband, Yohannes, and her sheep dog, Ziggy. Turning a corner, they were alarmed to see a loose dog approaching.

“The dog just didn’t even look at us [but] went straight for Ziggy,” she said.

In those few seconds, her husband scooped up Ziggy, who weighs 37 pounds, as the loose dog closed in, its teeth bared.

“It was almost like slow motion,” said Bennehoff. “I thought he actually bit my dog.”

The dog got a hold of Ziggy’s long hair and yanked hard, but didn’t break skin, though Ziggy did end up with bruises, she said. If Ziggy hadn’t been small enough for her husband to pick up quickly, he might have been more seriously injured.

Bennehoff had heard about dog safety issues in the city even before this scare. Indeed, two years prior, a group of Hyattsville residents who were concerned about loose animals started attending monthly po-

lice and public safety committee meetings.

After years of research and advocacy, the work of Hyattsville’s Residents United for Furry Friends (RUFF) paid off.

On Oct. 4, the Hyattsville City Council approved the drafting of an Animal Welfare and Community Safety Act that would amend the city code to address animal safety, related code enforcement and public awareness of these issues.

The amendment, which will mirror existing county animal welfare law, will prohibit tethering an animal for over an hour, total, in any given day. It will also prohibit leaving a pet unaccompanied outside for more than 15 minutes in severe weather conditions — below 30 degrees F or above 90 degrees F. RUFF members have seen the effects of poor treatment of dogs. After negative encounters with a few, Camille Bennehoff and Adrianne Powell now carry dog deterrent spray when going for walks. Jeanne Benas would walk around with a long stick, and so did her neighbors, she said.

The approved council motion anticipates a new part-time non-police animal control liaison for the city. In council discussion, City Administrator Tracey Douglas clarified that she would try to find existing staff who could help the city comply with the new city code

before staffing a new position.

RUFF members are also concerned about insufficient community awareness about how to file an animal complaint.

RUFF member Mary Sue Twohy noted that the procedure for reporting a dog bite, for example, is confusing and difficult.

“You’ve got the county to call, you’ve got the police to call, and you’ve got to go to the vet [and sometimes] the hospital. So there’s four things right there. …

How do you manage the trauma of all of this?” she said. “So a lot of people get so overwhelmed SEE RUFF ON 7 

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Hyatts KIDS

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

Page 4

A FRESH TAKE ON AN OLD BIRD

Created by contributors in grades K-8, the HyattsKIDS Life & Times features local news, columns, and comics from our city’s youngest journalists.

Our editors are Evan LeFevre and Claudia Romero Garvey. To participate, contact adult adviser Mary Frances Jiménez: mf_jimenez@yahoo.com.

PUMPKIN RUN BY TALIA GORSKI

By Teresa Gembecki, age 8 For a couple of years the bird in front of Hyattsville Elementary School (HES) wasn’t doing its best, so the PTA decided to hire someone to paint the bird.

It’s already looking really good.

It’s exciting because we have an alumna of HES refreshing the bird! Hazel Hayashi graduated from HES in 2017.

Hazel is now in tenth grade at Eleanor Roosevelt High School.

Hazel has been doing art for as long as she can remember. Her time in the Hyattsville Middle School visual art CPA program really helped Hazel to focus her ability, and over quarantine she started to develop her own style. Hazel explained, “I draw inspiration from all over. Nature, the people I see, and especially looking at other artwork.”

Hazel’s parents are both artists, and they started Hazel on her journey by providing materials and encouragement.

“My favorite art to create is portraits in acrylic paint, and I like to include detailed backgrounds so I can paint many different things,” she said.

Debbie Van Camp, vice president of the HES PTA explained to me, “Hazel’s parents helped fix up the Little Free Library in front of the school a few years ago, and Hazel offered to help us refresh the bird sculpture.”

Hazel’s design for the bird started with an idea to paint a book on the chest of the bird.

“Once I started drawing squiggles on the pages to resemble words, I quickly realized that they looked like birds in flight, and the rest of my idea came to me from there.”

Hazel’s process for working on the bird is this: First, she sketched her idea out. Then Hazel prepped the bird by chipping off paint, sanding and priming. Afterwards, she sketched her designs onto the bird and then traced them with a paint brush. Then Hazel began putting down layers of paint and adding detail. When she’s done, Hazel will apply multiple layers of varnish to seal it.

Hazel doesn’t have a definite timeline for the bird but believes the painting will be done in a few sessions and the varnish in a few sessions after that. “When I am able to actu-

do: summer camp, picnics, biking trails, hiking trails, and a lot of other exciting sports. I think a lot of us agree on that.

The next question was about family. Something really special about her family is that she has a granddaughter and a daughter only four years apart. She lives at the corner of 45th Avenue and Jefferson Street with her husband, daughter and dog Homey. She moved here eight years ago and loves Hyattsville.

My final question was about her goals for Hyattsville. She told me that she wanted to bring back the teen advisory group. The teen advisory group is like the city council, but for teens. Then we talked about storm water management and how it should be improved.

Several Hyattsville houses have flooded during big storms.

Waz had her swearing-in ceremony on Oct. 4 at King’s Park.

Jo Waz seemed kind and considerate, and I’m glad we have a Ward 1 city councilmember who likes children so much.

Hyattsville Elementary’s bird statue received a facelift from an alumna.

COURTESY OF KRISTEN WARES

ally work on it depends on the weather and how much schoolwork I have, but I’m definitely trying to have it finished by the end of September.”

Josie Gembecki, HES kindergartener, says, “I am so excited to see it!”

WAZ’S IDEAS FOR HYATTSVILLE

By Virginia M. Berry, age 9 At Joanne “Waz” Waszczcak’s swearing-in at King’s Park, on

Oct. 4, she made a speech about how children inspired her to run for city council. After the ceremony, she had her very first interview with me for the children’s page. During her interview, I asked her about sports, parks, and a few other questions.

First, I asked what her favorite sports were. She answered, “I like biking on the Trolley Trail and the East and West Branch trails.” She also likes yoga. Her favorite park is Driskell Park because it has so many things to

PYRAMID ATLANTIC CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY

By Evan Muynila, age 9 Pyramid Atlantic Art Center reopened their gallery and studios on Saturday, Sept. 18, with an event called “Reflecting Back To The Future,” celebrating the center’s 40th anniversary. On display were different prints, all created at the art center itself and curated by Helen C. Fredrick, the founder of the art center.

One of the most interesting and clever prints on display was Shadow Fishing ll by Kenneth Polinskie. It was a print of a pair of hands making a shadow puppet of a fisherman. It was

made using linocut, a kind of printmaking where a sheet of linoleum is cut into shapes and pressed onto paper or fabric.

Both the linocut and the paper were made at Pyramid Atlantic.

The art center has played a big role in the arts community, providing the studio space and equipment for people that want to make contemporary art, prints, and books. The artistic director, Gretchen Schermerhorn, shared that “The organization is nationally known for its printmaking, paper making and book making. … People all over the country come over and learn how to work as an artist at Pyramid Atlantic.”

When asked about tips for young artists, Schermerhorn said, “It’s good to always be curious! Always be exploring, asking questions, and always researching and finding out things if there is something you like … yes, talent may help but asking questions and always learning about things that interest you is a good place to start. … The biggest tip is to practice — always keep doing it!”

The art center hosts many affordable workshops people can participate in if they want to learn more about making prints, and the gallery event is free and open to visitors until Nov. 14.

HYATTSKIDS SEEKS ART SUBMISSIONS Are you a kid artist who’d like to see your artwork published in the Hyattsville Life & Times?

HyattsKIDS seeks original artwork to feature in an upcoming issue. Submit photos of your work, along with your name, age, address and the name of your school to mf_jimenez@ yahoo.com.

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

Page 5

Route 1 communities push back on countywide map amendment

By Brandon Fastman On Sept. 29, the door closed on public feedback on the Prince George’s County’s Countywide Map Amendment (CMA). The CMA is in the second and final phase of the years-long process of the Zoning Rewrite Ordinance Project.

The project aims to update and simplify the county’s existing ordinance, a Byzantine document which was first written in 1949 and has been amended dozens of times per year.

According to the county website, “The CMA process is a non-substantive, technical exercise that transitions a property’s existing zone district to the most comparable zone district that is in the new Zoning Ordinance.”

The CMA reflects new names of zones, but it should not designate new land uses for those zones. As Hyattsville Councilmember Danny Schaible (Ward 2) explained, the public feedback process “is for those who feel there was an error in the new way their zone was designed.” In other words, the CMA should not reflect substantive changes in zoning.

Schaible and a number of activists, however, are concerned that the process favored developers, or at least created loopholes by which developers could game the system to sneak in zoning intensifications.

Meanwhile, in College Park, legislators and community activists are concerned that the zoning reflected in the CMA will substantively change the character of their neighborhoods.

College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn sent a letter to the county council lamenting that city council and staff did not have more input into the zoning decisions made prior to the release of the CMA. They pointed out 10 possible discrepancies that would limit development in the dense downtown areas and that would allow overdevelopment of more residential areas in the northern part of the city.

“I am concerned that these new zoning classifications are going to set developers up so that they can create a new density in our area,” said Mary Cook, president of the North

College Park Neighborhood Association. Cook lives west of Route 1. She noted that her neighborhood is home to the largest contiguous green space in the city, and she is concerned that it will be replaced with businesses.

On Sept. 27, a coalition of 21 organizations, including the North College Park Civic Association and Sustainable Hyattsville, sent a letter to the county council and planning board, echoing concerns expressed in a letter sent earlier in the month.

“You chose not to inform the public that developers may use the CMA process to seek to intensify the zones on their properties, and that they could file their zoning applications right up until the close of the CMA public comment period,” the letter reads.

“You chose not to inform county residents, community associations, and municipalities that the Council had received thousands of pages of ethics affidavits, applications, attorneys’ letters, and other relevant documents, and you failed to inform the public of where and how people can view those essential public records.

“You failed to inform the

public that Planning staff are already proposing changes to the proposed CMA, and you failed to inform the public about where to find those proposed changes.”

The letter includes a list of demands, including a second set of joint public hearings on applications to intensify zoning on specific properties, along with various measures to better inform the public about rezoning requests.

In a guest commentary on the Maryland Matters website in April, Prince George’s County Councilmember Todd Turner (District 4) wrote, “Advancing the county’s new zoning ordinances and countywide map amendment process to completion was included as a high priority in the December 2020 joint legislative priorities letter from Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.”

Both activists and elected officials worry that the county’s desire to move quickly on its priority came at the cost of transparency.

Environmental and community activists are concerned that the CMA is a vehicle for developers to rezone without undergoing public review or notifying surrounding com-

Legislators and community activists are concerned that the zoning reflected in the Countywide Map Amendment will substantively change the character of their neighborhoods.

munities. Hyattsville Councilmember Schaible noted that many developers — including Werrlein, the firm behind a controversial residential development at the former Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission headquarters adjacent to Driskell Park — participated in a virtual public hearing on the CMA which took place Sept. 13 and 14.

Schaible was on the speaker list also, but he was not able to participate because of technical difficulties. He did submit a letter before the window for feedback closed on Sept. 29.

College Park Councilmember Fazlul Kabir (District 1) was able to comment at the public hearing. He expressed concern about zoning classifications that would create SEE ROUTE 1 ON 6 

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Page 6

PORCHFEST 2021

ROUTE 1 FROM PAGE 5

Top: Hyattsville band Sense of Wonder plays a Hyattsville front yard. Bottom: New Jersey band Tula Vera plays a Hyattsville backyard. KYLE HEFLINGER

too much density in areas of the city that cannot support it, like the Hollywood commercial district along Rhode Island Avenue. Kabir is not opposed to any development at all, but he is concerned that too much building and population growth will overstress infrastructure. That infrastructure could include water, utilities and roads but also school capacity and public safety.

“If you invest in the public area, that will attract private investment. There’s no need to upzone and take all the risk of negative consequences,” Kabir told Streetcar Suburbs Publishing.

Hyattsville Director of Community and Economic Development Jim Chandler explained that, in terms of development, the county rezoning process focuses on adaptive reuse, main street development and Metro development.

Much of the Route 1 Corridor is zoned as Neighborhood Activity Center (NAC). According to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, NAC “[p]rovides for lower-density, small-scale, mixed-use centers intended to serve surrounding neighborhoods. Vertical mixed-use

development, with groundfloor retail, service, or office uses and residential above, is encouraged.”

Mark Ferguson, a planner and Hyattsville Community Development Corporation board member, explained that the new zoning ordinance simplifies the process of building on undeveloped land, but it complicates the process of modifying existing properties. According to Ferguson, this will be especially burdensome for small business owners. “It will have a chilling effect on investment and redevelopment,” he said.

He is also concerned that some existing businesses, including the auto repair shops east of Route 1 in southern Hyattsville, will not conform with NAC uses. Although they can remain in place, these businesses may not be eligible for renovations or upgrades.

RRR Automotive Group President and CEO Richard Patterson testified at the Sept. 13 public hearing. He owns a Toyota dealership in Hyattsville and three businesses in College Park. Patterson said that the new zoning would not impact his Hyattsville store, but would impact his College Park businesses. He worried that he could lose his franchises if the zoning precludes him from renovating.

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

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Camille Edwards Bennehoff with her dog Ziggy

RUFF

FROM PAGE 3

and may not even make any report.”

Councilmembers agreed that the legislation would help gather more accurate city-level data on animal control problems.

The animal control liaison will coordinate with the Prince George’s County Animal Services Division and city staff to collect data. The liaison will also be a point of contact for reporting and information, said Councilmember Danny Schaible (Ward 2), a sponsor of the act. “[They’re] a responsible party, an accountable party that could answer the phone … that could make a home visit,” he said. “Someone that could pro-

GOATMAN FROM PAGE 2

ish transformations.

The prosthetic was especially important for Dr. Fletcher, whom Archer described as having “quite a grotesque visage.” I met with Dr. Fletcher himself, Riverdale Park resident Steve Wilhite, who coincidentally is a scientist specializing in genetic engineering. Wilhite confirmed much of what I’d read about the event, including that it was founded by a pair of Hyattsville residents and a Riverdale couple who’d had somewhat competing backyard haunts before deciding to join forces. Wilhite, who’d never acted before, was invited to join the production

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KYLE HEFLINGER

vide testimony to an adjudication hearing for determining if an animal’s dangerous or not.”

Other responsibilities for the liaison will include promoting community awareness about animal care and safety through outreach and events.

Some community members, however, expressed concerns about the proposal’s potential effectiveness. Stuart Eisenberg, director of the Hyattsville Community Development Corporation, said in the Oct. 4 council meeting that the amendment resembles past attempts to employ a dog catcher that “rarely, if ever, resulted in anything.”

“I’ve been the victim of dog attacks in this community, as well,” he said. “I don’t believe I’ll be any safer with my dog with

this ordinance operating in this year or five years from now.”

Residents organized RUFF four years ago, and initially advocated for the reinstatement of the position of animal control officer, a position that the city discontinued in the early 1990s.

Some councilmembers, including Rommel Sandino (Ward 5) and Joanne Waszczak (Ward 1), voiced concerns about the risk of over-policing.

At the suggestion of Councilmember Daniel Peabody (Ward 4), the city will conduct a oneyear evaluation to assess the progress made after enacting the legislation.

Much of the work that went into this amendment, Schaible said, is thanks to the advocacy of RUFF members.

by his neighbors and described its genesis as “kind of an organic thing.” He ended up playing Dr. Fletcher for the entirety of GoatMan Hollow’s run.

Of those first few years in the woods, Wilhite said, “That was our element; it was pretty special. We had a lot of really creative people, there were a lot of cool effects, and we came up with some really good sets.”

Wilhite recalled working on his own set, a room with a refrigerator that had a tube with fake blood, connected to a mannequin. He would hide and wait for guests to check out the mysterious subject, and then he would emerge screaming, “Get away from her!”

No one I spoke with could say

with any confidence why GoatMan Hollow closed, although sources suspected the condition of the Aero Squadron building caused its cancellation in 2011. The event wasn’t a moneymaker, and it required a lot of creativity and energy — organizers may have simply been tapped out by the end of the run. But if GoatMan Hollow were to rise from the dead, a lot of people would celebrate its return.

Lauren Flynn Kelly writes about thrifting and secondhand goods for the Hyattsville Life & Times.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

the

Hyattsville Reporter Notices & Updates

No. 403 • October 12, 2021

www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000

Welcome Chief!: The Hyattsville Police Department officially welcomed new Police Chief Jarod Towers to the force on October 3, 2021! Chief Towers was formerly the Police Chief for the Town of Cheverly, and has expressed a commitment to community engagement, active listening, officer training and wellness, and transparency and accountability for his new role in Hyattsville. You can learn more about Chief Towers from the press release announcing his selection at hyattsville.org/pressroom.

COVID-19 Guidelines & Vaccine: Prince George’s County expanded the indoor mask mandate on October 6 to include children ages 2 to 5. Now anyone 2 and older must wear a mask in public indoor settings and while on public transit.

Community members that are 12 and older can protect themselves, their family, and friends against this deadly virus by receiving a free COVID-19 vaccine – regardless of insurance or immigration status!

The County Health Department clinics and the Hyattsville vaccine clinic offer COVID-19 third dose booster shots for residents with weakened immune systems.

The City’s vaccine clinic at the First United Methodist Church on Belcrest Road is open regularly on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with occasional Saturday pop-ups.

Learn more at hyattsville.org/covidvaccine.

Residential Parking Permits: The City of Hyattsville uses a license plate parking permit system for on-street residential parking as indicated by street signage.

Parking in a Residential Zone without a permit can result in a citation! If you’ve recently moved to the City or did not renew your parking permit, you must apply for a permit online. You can find the application portal and a list of instructions at hyattsville.org/respermits. For questions or concerns, please call (301) 985-5027 or email parking@hyattsville.org.

WSSC Financial Programs: Are you struggling to pay your WSSC water and sewer bills? Avoid late fees and cutoffs by signing up for a financial assistance program! WSSC offers short- and long-term assistance like payment plans, bill adjustments and credits, and fee exemptions.

To learn more, call (301) 206-4001 or visit wsscwater.com/assistance.

Rental Assistance Program: The County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program remains available to assist households having difficulty paying their rent and utility bills due to COVID-19. Eligible owners, landlords or property managers can also apply on behalf of their tenants to receive financial assistance for past due rental payments dating back to April 1, 2020.

Visit hcd.mypgc.us to apply. Applicants who need assistance with the application or have not heard back can call the program hotline at (301) 883-6504.

Upcoming Street Closure: Replacement of a WSSC water main on the 4000 block of Gallatin Street will result in a temporary road closure. Work is expected to begin on October 18 and should be completed in approximately four weeks. More information about this project will be posted as it becomes available on hyattsville.org/streets.

Special Environment Feature!

Sustainability Best Practices: We’re

(From left to right) City Mayor Kevin Ward and Community Action Team’s Acting Corporal Chris Evans and Nola extraordinaire joined the new Hyattsville Chief of Jarod Towers for National Coffee with a Cop! (De izquierda a derecha) ¡El Alcalde de la Ciudad Kevin Ward y el Corporal Interino Chris Evans y Nola acompañaron al nuevo Jefe de Policía de Hyattsville Jarod Towers para el Día Nacional de Cáfe con un Policía! celebrating all things environment this October! Learn how the City is working towards more sustainable operations at hyattsville.org/environment. You can also find resources to help reduce waste, protect and restore local habitats, and maintain healthy and active lifestyles!

New Electric Trash Truck: The City’s new fully electric trash truck will begin service this fall! The truck is the first electric refuse truck in Maryland and the first model of its kind in the country! In addition to the environmental and employee health benefits provided by a zero-emission vehicle, the City anticipates significant savings in fuel purchases and vehicle maintenance.

E-Recycling & Paint Drop-Off Day: The City is hosting an E-Recycling and Paint Collection Day on Saturday, October 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Residents can drop off old, broken electronics for free at the DPW Operations Center, 4633 Arundel Place. Old cans of wet paint can also be dropped off and recycled with Yuck Old Paint for $5 a can.

Learn more at hyattsville.org/recycle.

Tree Tours & More: Celebrate all that trees do to protect us and our environment on October 23 in Driskell Park. Take your pick of “forest bathing” nature relaxation sessions, tree tours, and park clean-ups in a day dedicated to our tree pals! Events offered in both English and Spanish. Find details and register at hyattsville.org/enviro-education.

Programs, Services, and Events

Hyattsville Zombie Run Parking Reminder: A reminder that roads will be closed and there will be no on-street parking along the Zombie Run route from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 16.

The City encourages residents to plan accordingly by parking in their driveway or outside the race course. You can view a map of the course and register for this fun-

draising event that benefits local schools at https://runsignup.com/hvlzombierun.

Volunteers Needed: The City is seeking volunteers to assist with the weekly Tuesday morning food distributions at Driskell Park. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old, be able to lift at 30-pound boxes, and must sign a volunteer release form. To receive additional details and a copy of the release form, call (301) 985-5000 or email caistis@hyattsville.org.

Drug Take-Back Day: No questions asked, our City Police Department will be accepting all unwanted, unused, or expired prescription drugs at the City Building on Saturday, October 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Questions? Call (301) 9855060.

Economic Development Week: October 25 – 29 is Maryland Economic Development Week! For more than 10 years, municipalities all over the state have recognized this Week by celebrating the projects and places that make our state a great place to live, work & play. Follow us on social media all week as we highlight local businesses contributing to a vibrant local economy.

On Wednesday, October 27, the City will host a virtual Business Roundtable from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., focused on local business retention. Additional details and registration information can be found at hyattsville.org/econ-week.

Halloween in Hyattsville!: Save the date for a spooky good time on Saturday, October 30! Join the City for a Treat-ORama in Driskell Park from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. with drive-thru or walk-up candy pick up options! Then, starting at 6:30 p.m. the Hyattsville Police Department will be hosting a Trunk-or-Treat in the parking lot of Northwestern High School! Come show off your boo-tiful costumes! COVID-19 safe masks that cover your nose and mouth are required.

ESL Classes: Prince George’s Community College is offering free English as a second language (ESL) career exploration classes! Non-native English speakers can sign up for job preparedness classes or earn culinary and childcare certificate programs. Fall classes begin on October 12, and the winter semester begins on January 18. For requirement details and to register, call (301) 546-8350, or email boggsrx@pgcc.edu.

Youth Services

Teen Center: Give your teens a place to build community! The City’s Driskell Park Teen Center is open Monday – Thursday, 3:30 – 8 p.m., offering STEM activities, game and movie nights, college and career readiness events, and special events like a Halloween party on Friday, October 29.

The Center is open to Hyattsville students in grades 6 – 12. In-person and online and tutoring and homework help is also offered for students in grades 4 – 12. Visit hyattsville.org/teen-center to learn more and to sign up for a free membership!

Age-Friendly Services

Medical Equipment Re-Use Program: The Maryland Department of Aging is providing new or gently used medical equipment at no cost to residents in need. Community members can give or receive items like wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, and hospital beds. All donated items are sanitized and repaired. To learn more and to find the nearest location site, visit aging. maryland.gov or call (240) 230-8000.

Make your Home Fit your Needs: Did you know that AARP has a free HomeFit Resource Guide that gives more than 100 tips and suggestions to make you or your loved one’s home safer and more comfortable? Recommendations are for all housing types, regardless of ownership status.

To view and download the free guide, visit aarp.org/liveable-communities/housing.

Page HR2

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

el

Reportero de

Hyattsville

No. 403 • 12 de Octubre, 2021

www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000

Avisos y Noticias

que contribuyen a la vitalidad de Hyattsville.

El miércoles 27 de octubre, la Ciudad organizará una reunión virtual de Expansión y Retención de Negocios de 10 a.m. a 11:30 a.m. Puede encontrar detalles adicionales e información de registro en hyattsville.org/ econ-week.

¡Bienvenido Jefe!: ¡El Departamento de Policía de Hyattsville dio la bienvenida oficialmente al nuevo Jefe de Policía Jarod Towers a la fuerza el 3 de octubre de 2021! Chief Towers fue anteriormente el Jefe de Policía de la Ciudad de Cheverly, y ha expresado un compromiso con el compromiso de la comunidad, escucha activa, entrenamiento y bienestar de los oficiales, y transparencia y responsabilidad por su nuevo papel en Hyattsville. Puede obtener más información sobre el Jefe Towers en el comunicado de prensa que anuncia su selección en hyattsville.org/pressroom.

Directrices y Vacunas de COVID-19: El Condado Prince George’s amplió el mandato de máscaras el 6 de octubre para incluir a niños de 2 a 5 años de edad. Ahora cualquier persona de 2 años o más debe usar una máscara en espacios interiores públicos y mientras está usa transportación pública. Los miembros de la comunidad que tienen 12 años o más pueden protegerse a sí mismos, a su familia y a sus amigos contra este virus mortal al recibir una vacuna COVID-19 gratuita, ¡sin importar el seguro o el estatus de inmigración!

Las clínicas del Condado Prince George’s y la clínica de vacunas de Hyattsville ofrecen vacunas de COVID-19 de refuerzo de tercera dosis para residentes con sistemas inmunológicos debilitados. La clínica de vacunas de la Ciudad en la Iglesia First United Methodist en Belcrest Road está abierta regularmente los martes de 9 a.m. a 5 p.m., con días emergentes ocasionalmente los sábados. Obtenga más información en hyattsville.org/covidvaccine.

Permisos de Parqueo Residencial: La Ciudad de Hyattsville usa un sistema de permiso de parqueo con matrícula para estacionamiento residencial en la calle, según indicado por señales de las calles. ¡El estacionamiento en una Zona Residencial sin permiso puede resultar en una multa!

Si recientemente se ha mudado a la Ciudad o no ha renovado su permiso de parqueo, debe solicitar un permiso en línea.

Puede encontrar el portal de aplicaciones y una lista de instrucciones en hyattsville. org/respermits. Para preguntas, llame al (301) 985-5027 o envíe un email a parking@hyattsville.org.

Programas Financieros del WSSC: ¿Tiene dificultades para pagar su factura de agua del WSSC? ¡Evite multas y los cortes de servicio registrándose para un programa de ayuda financiera! WSSC ofrece asistencia como planes de pago, ajustes y créditos de facturas y exenciones. Para obtener más información, llame al (301) 2064001 o visite wsscwater.com/assistance.

Programa de Asistencia de Alquiler: El Programa de Asistencia de Alquiler de Emergencia del Condado permanece disponible para ayudar a personas que tienen dificultades para pagar sus facturas de alquiler y servicios públicos debido a COVID-19. Los propietarios o administradores de propiedades elegibles también pueden solicitar en nombre de sus inquilinos que reciban asistencia financiera para pagos de alquiler debidos pasados de hasta el 1 de abril de 2020. Visite hcd.mypgc.us para solicitar. Los solicitantes que necesiten ayuda con la solicitud o que no recibido una respuesta pueden llamar a la línea directa del programa al (301) 883-6504.

Cierre de Calle: La sustitución de una línea principal de agua del WSSC en el blo-

¡Halloween en Hyattsville!: ¡Guarde la fecha para pasar un rato terrorífico el sábado 30 de octubre! Acompañe a la Ciudad para el evento de Halloween Treat-ORama: Parte 2 en Driskell Park de las 4 p.m. a las 6 p.m. con opciones para recoger dulces en el auto o caminando! Luego, a partir de las 6:30 p.m. el Departamento de Policía de Hyattsville organizará un evento de Trunk-or-Treat en el estacionamiento de Northwestern High School! ¡Ven a lucir sus bonitos disfraces! Se requieren máscaras seguras de COVID-19 que cubran su nariz y boca.

Hyattsville Council President Croslin swears in Ward 1 Councilmember Joanne Waszczak at the Special Election Oath of Office ceremony. She will serve the remainder of Mayor Kevin Ward’s former council seat term until 2023 and joins Councilmember Sam Denes in representing Ward 1. El Presidente del Concejo de Hyattsville Croslin jura a la Concejal del Distrito 1 Joanne Waszczak en la Ceremonia de Juramento a Cargo de la Elección Especial. Ella servirá el resto del mandato anterior del Alcalde Kevin Ward hasta el 2023 y se une al Concejal Sam Denes en representar al Distrito 1. que 4000 de la Gallatin Street resultara en un cierre temporal de la carretera. Se espera que los trabajos comiencen el 18 de octubre y se completen en aproximadamente cuatro semanas. Más información sobre este proyecto será publicada a medida que esté disponible en hyattsville.org/streets.

limpieza de parques en un día dedicado a nuestros amigos de los árboles. Loa eventos serán ofrecidos en inglés y en español.

Encuentre los detalles y regístrese en hyattsville.org/enviro-education.

¡Destaque Especial Medioambiental!

Recordatorio de Parqueo de Carrera Zombi: Un recordatorio que las carreteras estarán cerradas y no habrá movimiento de parqueo en las calles de 6 a.m. a 11 a.m. sobre la ruta el sábado, 16 de octubre. La Ciudad alienta a los viajeros a planificar en consecuencia estacionándose en la entrada de su casa o fuera del campo de carreras.

Puede ver el mapa de la carrera en https:// runsignup.com/hvlzombierun.

Mejores Prácticas de Sostenibilidad: ¡Estamos celebrando todo lo relacionado con el medio ambiente este octubre!

Conozca cómo la Ciudad está trabajando hacia operaciones más sostenibles en hyattsville.org/environment. ¡También puede encontrar recursos para ayudar a reducir desechos, proteger y restaurar los hábitats locales y mantener estilos de vida saludables y activos! ¡Nuevo Camión de Basura Eléctrico!: ¡El nuevo camión de basura totalmente eléctrico de la Ciudad comenzará a trabajar este otoño! ¡El camión es el primero de su tipo en Maryland y es el primer modelo de este tipo en el país! Además de los beneficios ambientales y de salud de los empleados proporcionados por un vehículo de cero emisiones, la Ciudad anticipa ahorros significativos en la compra de combustible y el mantenimiento del vehículo.

Día de Reciclaje Electrónico y Pintura: La Ciudad está organizando un Día de Recolección de Reciclaje Electrónico y Pintura el sábado 23 de octubre de 9 a.m. a 1 p.m. Los residentes pueden dejar sus aparatos electrónicos viejos y rotos de forma gratuita en el Centro de Operaciones de DPW, 4633 Arundel Place. Las latas viejas de pintura selladas también se pueden reciclar con Yuck Old Paint por $5 por lata. Más información en hyattsville. org/recycle.

Recorridos de Árboles y Más: Celebre todo lo que los árboles hacen para protegernos a nosotros y a nuestro medio ambiente el 23 de octubre en Driskell Park.

Tome su selección de sesiones de relajación de la naturaleza, paseos por los árboles y

Programas, Servicios y Eventos

Se Busca Voluntarios: La Ciudad está buscando voluntarios para ayudar con las distribuciones de alimentos semanales de los martes por la mañana en Driskell Park.

Los voluntarios deben tener al menos 18 años, poder levantar cajas de 30 libras y deben firmar un formulario de autorización para voluntarios. Para recibir detalles adicionales y una copia del formulario, llame al (301) 985-5000 o envíe un email a caistis@hyattsville.org.

Día de Devolver Medicamentos Peligrosos: Sin hacer preguntas, nuestro Departamento de Policía de la Ciudad aceptará todos los medicamentos recetados no deseados, no utilizados o vencidos en el Edificio Municipal el sábado, 23 de octubre de 10 a.m. a 2 p.m., como parte del Día Nacional de Devolución de Medicamentos Recetados. ¿Preguntas? Llame al (301) 985-5060.

Semana de Desarrollo Económico: ¡Del 25 al 29 de octubre es la Semana del Desarrollo Económico de Maryland! Durante más de 10 años, los municipios de todo el estado han celebrado esta Semana destacando los proyectos y lugares que hacen de nuestro estado un gran lugar para vivir, trabajar y divertirse. Síganos en las redes sociales durante toda la semana mientras destacamos los negocios locales

Clases de Aprendizaje de Ingles: ¡El Colegio Comunitario Prince George’s está ofreciendo clases gratuitas de exploración de carrera en línea gratuitas! Las personas quienes el inglés es su segundo idioma pueden inscribirse para clases de preparación para el trabajo u obtener programas de certificación culinaria y de cuidado infantil.

Las clases de otoño comienzan el 12 de octubre y el semestre de invierno comienza el 18 de enero. Para obtener detalles sobre los requisitos y para registrarse, llame al (301) 546-8350 o envíe un email a boggsrx@pgcc. edu.

Servicios de Menores

Centro de Jóvenes: ¡Brinde a sus adolescentes un lugar para construir una comunidad! El Centro de Jóvenes de Driskell Park de la ciudad está abierto de lunes a jueves, de 3:30 p.m. a 8 p.m., y ofrece actividades STEM, noches de juegos y películas, eventos de preparación universitaria y profesional y eventos especiales como la fiesta de Halloween el viernes, 29 de octubre. El Centro está abierto a los estudiantes de Hyattsville en los grados 6 - 12. También se ofrece ayuda en persona y en línea y tutoría y con las tareas para los estudiantes en los grados 4 - 12. ¡Visite hyattsville.org/ teen-center para obtener más información y registrarse para obtener una membresía gratuita!

Servicios para la Tercera Edad

Programa de Reutilización de Equipos Médicos: El Departamento de Envejecimiento de Maryland proporciona equipos médicos nuevos o usados sin costo para los residentes que los necesiten. Los miembros de la comunidad pueden dar o recibir artículos como sillas de ruedas, scooters, andadores y camas de hospital.

Todos los artículos donados se desinfectan y se reparan si es necesario. Para obtener más información y encontrar el sitio de ubicación más cercano a usted, visite aging. maryland.gov o llame al (240) 230-8000.

Haga que su Hogar sea más Confortable: ¿Sabía que AARP tiene una Guía de recursos HomeFit gratuita que contiene más de 100 consejos y sugerencias para hacer que el hogar de usted o de su ser querido sea más seguro y cómodo? Las recomendaciones son para todos los tipos de viviendas, independientemente del estado de propiedad. Para ver y descargar la guía gratuita, visite aarp.org/liveable-communitiies/housing.

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

Page 8

AT HOME IN HYATTSVILLE

Clarke Bedford, creator of the Vanadu Art House Balancing eccentricity and responsibility

By Reva G. Harris

I

have often driven past the Vanadu Art House — that elaborately ornamented art house on Nicholson Street — and, occasionally, I have spotted a similarly embellished car cruising along my street.

Recently, I had a conversation with the man who created both: Clarke Bedford, a pensive and affable man, a beloved neighbor, a retiree, a proud father of two adult children — and a notable artist.

“I’ve been living on one side or the other of East-West Highway since 1987. First, I lived in University Park,” said Clarke.

In 2000, when he and his thenwife separated, Clarke moved to Nicholson Street, into a plain bungalow that was built in 1918. “It’s hard to imagine that it was a family home in its day, with its tiny rooms and even smaller kitchen,” he said. According to Clarke, the original owner, whom he termed a firstgeneration developer in Hyattsville, built four identical homes.

The developer lived in one of them and sold the other three.

“When I began to work on my house, in 2002, Hyattsville seemed so informal — almost rural,” Clarke pointed out. “I already had two art cars, and no one cared much about how my house or cars looked. Most of my nearby neighbors still don’t care,” he added. “Now, I have five art cars,” he continued. “All work, are plated, insured and legally parked. When driving, it can be hard to pull into traffic because people slow down and stare, but as a friend said, ‘You can’t put on a show like that and say to people, what are you looking at?’”

“Having both an eccentric and acceptable profile is a balancing act,” Clarke admitted.

“I did not expect the attention.

I put this together for myself just because I wanted to, as expression or therapy, a change from work, whatever,” he said.

“People visit from all over. ...

Some people see my home as fun — some, weird. It breaks a few taboos about suburban neighborhoods, which probably works here [in Hyattsville].

While doing an interview for Roadside America magazine, I was told some readers said that they were afraid to come right up [to the house], in case I was nuts. I think that’s revealing,” he said. “It’s different, and some people have an extreme intoler-

Clarke Bedford

COURTESY OF TRICIA ZIGMUND

ance. ... Other people might see the influences of modernism.

It’s assemblage art, a centuryold form,” he continued. “If you look around my yard, you can probably see things placed in a very deliberate way: the choices made, and the juxtapositions

that come from being around 20th-century art.”

Clarke earned a Masters of Arts in art conservation, and he worked for 33 years as a conservator at the Hirshhorn Museum, retiring in 2013.

He explained, “Conservator

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Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

is a newer word for restorer.

Restoration is a part of conservation, which is the larger task of taking care of art. So I fixed art, documented it, and traveled with it. I made sure nothing happened to it. Being a conservator is an art unto itself. I took lots of science classes, and I have art skills,” he added. Clarke took care of the work of nearly all of the big-name modernists: de Kooning, Rothko and Picasso, among others.

“Now I consider myself to be an independent street artist,” Clarke noted. “I think it would be great if more artists could just do what they wanted in a public way without organizations, which tend to homogenize things,” he opined. “Gateway [Arts District] is real. Lots of creative people are here, and institutions have been established. However, the [Hyattsville] Arts District seems to be about organizational promotion, grants or maybe a tax thing. ... A friend of mine said the [Hyattsville] Arts District is mostly a place where you can get a hamburger for $12, which I thought was kind of funny.”

At the close of the conversation, Clarke noted that he is 74 years old and said that he has a form of leukemia. “This [life] will come to an end,” he said.

“When your friends start dying, you think about death. It’s an interesting point of destination.” And then he reflected on his work: “It’s frustrating to think about what’s going to happen. I think of my children, who are busy doing their own thing. I don’t want to dump it [the art house and cars] on my kids. … I created it, so I will have

Page 9

The Vanadu Art House and one of Clarke Bedford’s art cars

to deal with it.”

The Vanadu Art House is wellrecognized in the media and in travel guides. “Every reference has Hyattsville attached to it,” Clarke noted. “Would the city want to keep it? Will a person or group want it? ... Perhaps a 30-year-old version of myself, with a government job, could move in here. Someone with a blend of responsibility and kookiness. They would have to know how to play ball and pay taxes,” he said, “and make it their own.”

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More HYATTSVILLE and neighboring community homes coming soon!

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6004 43rd St., Hyattsville. Sold for $564,500

4706 Banner St., Hyattsville. Sold for $604,000 3804 Nicholson St. HVL - Listed for $450,000.

4+ bedrooms, 3 baths on 3 finished levels with a screened porch, fireplace & fully fenced lot. Super Cute! Easy walk to Metro!

5303 41st Ave,, Hyattsville. Sold for $785,000

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5606 43rd Avenue, Hyattsville. SOLD for $533,000

7712 Hanover Parkway, Unit 301, Greenbelt. Renovated 2 BR, 2 Bath unit with all new LTV flooring, updated kitchen & baths.

SOLD

Bladensburg Waterfront Park 4115 Hamilton Street, Hyattsville. Sold for $760,000. Edgewood, built in 1888, is a Prince Georges County Historic Site. 4 BRs, 1 1/2 baths.

4526 38th St, Brentwood. Sold for $316,000. Charming 2 Bed, 2 bath bungalow just off the bike path. Deep lot.

3933 Nicholson St, Hyattsville.

Sold for $575,000.

4011 Ingraham St, Hyattsville. Sold for $610,000. Renovated 4 Bedroom, 3 bath Bungalow on 3 finished levels.

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Find more information about Clarke Bedford’s Vanadu Art House and cars on Instagram @acb.123, or search Vanadu Art House or Clarke Bedford for articles and videos.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

Page 10

MISS FLORIBUNDA

The ‘ghost plant’ and other spooky plants to grow Dear Miss Floribunda, Hallowe’en is coming up again, after being pretty much cancelled

by COVID-19 last year, and I delight in fright. I understand trick or treating is not forbidden though not encouraged, and I’ll guess that anybody who does come to my door will be wearing a mask or two. As for me, I plan to dress Goth, hang glow-in-the dark skeletons on the trees in front of my house, set out tombstones and other funky kitsch, drape my doors and windows in spiderwebs and hang black lights outside. Yet

it seems to me that there must be some spooky things I could actually have growing in my garden.

I recently was shown a picture of something called a “ghost plant,” and it was awesome. Will that grow here? Do you have any other suggestions for a fright-festive Hallowe’en garden?

Funky Junky on Jefferson Street Dear Funky Junky, After reading your letter, I immediately got in touch with my cousin Moribunda, and she

didn’t disappoint me. She knew exactly what your ghost plant was. Its Latin name is Monotropa uniflora, and it has other popular names like ghost chimes and corpse flower. A translucent white, it is gorgeous in a ghastly way. The poet Emily Dickinson knew it as Indian pipe, and it was her favorite plant. Moribunda tells me it is all white because it has no chlorophyll, and as a matter of fact, it cannot abide sunlight. Despite its aversion to sunlight, it’s not a vampire plant but a fungus, and only does well in a densely wooded setting. While it is unlikely to grow in your garden, you might try to grow it indoors in pots, and set the pots out each Hallowe’en night. (No sunlight, remember?)

There is a more easily grown succulent also called a ghost plant (Graptopetalum superbum paraguayense) that is too coldsensitive to grow outside but makes a good house plant. It’s other name, mother-of-pearl plant, tells you it is pretty rather than scary. Another easy-to-grow and quite phantasmal plant is Miss Willmott’s Ghost (Eryngium giganteum) — a 2-foot-high sea holly of an icy pallor that glows in the dark. By Hallowe’en its spiky flowers have dropped, but its large, seemingly disembodied seed heads poking through the gloaming look even more star-

Monotropa uniflora is also known as a ghost plant. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

tling. A biennial, it pops up in different places from year to year as it self-seeds, which gives it a ghost’s evanescence.

Speaking of heads, why not have living jack-o’-lanterns? Even if space is limited in your garden, you can grow small pumpkins like Jack Be Little or the white Casperita. Consider leaving them on the vine, maybe draped over bales of straw, and paint faces on with a permanent marker.

You might buy some white spider chrysanthemums; they would be eerily dramatic in the dark.

Opalescent calla lilies would be effective too, if you can find them, but if you can’t, you can buy the rhizomes and plant them next

spring for late summer/mid-fall bloom next year. Another idea for next year would be moonflowers, a vine whose luminous disc-shaped blossoms continue opening till frost. White plumey grasses would look quite spectral, but be sure you have enough room for them. I wouldn’t advise pampas grass because of its sharp edges and invasive tendency. Pallid winter pansies are available now, and in the dusk they’d make a creepy, as well as creeping, edging along your walkway.

Their ghostly gleam might even help guide little feet venturing toward your door.

Moribunda’s own garden is at its best in October, but it’s not clearly visible except in daylight because she favors black — or rather, very dark reds and purples that give the impression of being black. As soon as the soil is warm enough, she plants near-black elephant ears, which pop up as early as July and get enormous

by Hallowe’en. They harmonize beautifully with the dark leaves of her Black Knight Canna and form a striking contrast with the canna’s flame-colored flowers that make them look like torches.

However, it would take an entire column to describe her garden in full, which is strangely beautiful with its harsh dramatics of dark and bright, so I will limit myself now to the seasonally gruesome.

She cultivates varieties of coxcomb, Celosia cristata, that come in pale shades of orange, yellow and pink. It’s impossible to look at the convoluted formation and not think of brain lobes. She also grows a shrub called Hearts-abustin’ (Euonymus americanus).

By Hallowe’en its rough pink pods burst open to reveal glossy scarlet seeds that look like drops of blood.

On a more cheerful note, I’d like to invite you to the Hyattsville Horticultural Society’s Oct. 16 outdoor meeting and plant exchange at the home of Betty Beunning, 5202 42nd Avenue. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. Only the vaccinated should attend, and mask-wearing is encouraged.

(Hallowe’en masks are good too!)

The meeting will be cancelled if the COVID-19 positivity rate ticks up to an unsafe level. Our modernized and beautiful new website, hyattsvillehorticulture.org, will carry that information.

Miss Floribunda writes about gardens. Email questions to floribundav@ gmail.com.

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

Page 11

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Send your event information for the calendar to Kit Slack at kit@hyattsvillelife.com.

Find below events sponsored by local nonprofits, arts organizations, and performance venues. For events and meetings organized by the City of Hyattsville, see the Hyattsville Reporter in the newspaper’s centerfold.

All events are current as of Oct. 8. Please send events scheduled Nov. 10 through Dec. 15 to kit@hyattsvillelife. com for next month’s calendar.

RECURRING The Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation presents an acoustic blues jam every Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. The jam is open to those who bring proof of vaccination and is held outdoors in the parking lot at 4502 Hamilton St. acousticblues.com Classical figure drawing sessions with a live model, beginning with short action poses and ending with one long pose.

Hyattsville Figure Drawing Group. Nine participant limit; first come, first seated. Masks required. Legal guardian consent required for those under 18. $20. Wednesdays, 6 to 9 p.m.

Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, 4218 Gallatin St. Poetry open mic every Thursday at Busboys and Poets. $5.

8 p.m. 5331 Baltimore Ave. 301.779.2787. busboysandpoets.com Riverdale Park Farmers Market is open every Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. in the parking lot near the Riverdale MARC Station, 4650 Queensbury Rd., with live music each week. For more information, contact Jim Coleman at rpkfarmmkt@ gmail.com. facebook.com/RPFMarket

ONGOING Pyramid Atlantic presents their 40th anniversary exhibition

“Reflecting Back to the Future,” curated by founder Helen Frederick, with pieces from the archives. Through Nov. 14. Online and in person at 4318 Gallatin St. Wednesdays and Thursdays: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays: noon to 5 p.m. 301.608.9101. pyramidatlanticartcenter.org Brentwood Arts Exchange will have two art exhibits on display from Oct. 25 through Dec. 25: “Do Not Forget Us,” an exhibit concerning the displacement of people during the war in Syria,

by Helen Zughaib, and “Layers: Cause and Effect,” a group show. Free. Open daily 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood.

OCTOBER 15 Burning Bee drum circle.

Free. 7 p.m. Limited seating.

Proof of vaccination required to sit indoors. Maryland Meadworks, 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 201.955.9644

OCTOBER 16 The Hyattsville Elementary School PTA organizes an annual family-friendly event to benefit local schools, the Hyattsville Zombie Run. Includes a 1K Family Fun Run (8:45 a.m. start), a 1 Mile Kids Run (9 a.m. start), and a USATF certified 5K (9:30 a.m. start). The start and finish line is in Driskell Park ( formerly Magruder). Masks required at the start and finish line. Virtual option. $15 for the one mile and 1K races; $30 for the 5K. Register by Oct. 14 at runsignup.com/Race/MD/ Hyattsville/HyattsvilleZombieRun. Olney Theater presents “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare. Magical fairies, actors in a village play, and escaping, jealous lovers tangle in a forest at night. $20 general admission; $10 seniors,

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veterans and children. Masks required. 7 to 8:30 p.m. Outdoors at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. joesmovement.org

OCTOBER 22 Jazz night featuring the Hyattsville Jazz Collective, with members of Airmen of Note, the jazz ensemble of the U.S. Air Force.

Mike Cemprola on saxophone, Luke Brandon on trumpet, and other artists. Free. 7 p.m.

Limited seating. Proof of vaccination required to sit indoors.

Maryland Meadworks, 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 201.955.9644

OCTOBER 23 SoHy Co-op, in partnership with Sangfroid Distilling and the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation, is hosting an Afghan Refugee Relief fundraiser at The Spot from 2-6 p.m.

Live music, food, drink, local vendors and a raffle with prizes from local businesses. Donations go to Lutheran Social Services. sohycoop.com Local rock artists Janine Wilson and Arch Alcantara. Free.

7 p.m. Limited seating. Proof of vaccination required for indoor

seating. Maryland Meadworks, 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 201.955.9644 Uruguayan-Argentine jazz pianist Federico Peña will perform as part of the Emergence Trio, with Mark Prince on drums and Tarus Mateen on bass. Pay what you wish. Masks required.

7 to 8:30 p.m. Outdoors at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. joesmovement.org Laugh House comedy presents Brooklyn comedian A.G. White along with Ashley Mayo and host Clean Ryheam. $50.

Ticket includes two-course meal and cocktail. 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Doors open at 7 p.m. Busboys and Poets, 5331 Baltimore Ave. 301.779.2787. laughousedmv. eventbrite.com

OCTOBER 30 Pan Masters Steel Orchestra will play songs across genres including calypso, jazz, and R&B. Pay what you wish. Masks required. 7 to 8:30 p.m. Outdoors at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. joesmovement.org

Opening receptions for exhibitions at Brentwood Arts Exchange. See “Ongoing” section for details. 5-8 p.m. 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood.

NOVEMBER 6 Corridor Conversations, a virtual series co-sponsored by Hyattsville Aging in Place, presents Puppet Theatre Then & Now. Michael Cayo Cotter will discuss the 1974 founding and subsequent history of University Park-based Blue Sky Puppet Theater. He will also demonstrate five popular puppetry forms. 2 p.m. Free. Register at HyattsvilleAgingInPlace.org/ events.

Uncle Funsy Productions is bringing back “Wombat Drool,” a show performed in the 2015 Capital Fringe Festival. An easily distracted zookeeper, playing himself, talks about wombats, red pandas, naked mole rats, tortoise poop and animal reproduction. $20 general admission; $10 seniors, veterans and children.

For ages 13+. Masks required.

7 to 8:30 p.m. Outdoors at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. joesmovement.org

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Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

Page 12

SANDINO FROM PAGE 1

city-sponsored event.

Sandino immigrated from Nicaragua with his mother and older brother when he was 4 years old.

Undocumented for much of his life, Sandino gained citizenship in 2011 and was inspired to serve those in his community who faced similar life experiences.

ESCAPING NICARAGUA AND EARNING A DEGREE Sandino and his family immigrated to the U.S. to escape Nicaragua, a country that, at the time, was torn by the Contra War — a conflict between the government of Nicaragua and counter-revolutionary forces, which had financial backing from the U.S. Sandino’s parents sought to raise their children in a safe environment.

At the border, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Sandino, his mother and his brother, who was 6 years old at the time. They spent 7 months in family detention.

After their release, they reunited with Sandino’s father, who lived in Maryland. “[Hyattsville] was the only place where my father could buy his first house,” Sandino said. “That’s

Rommel Sandino COURTESY OF ROMMEL SANDINO

what brought us here.”

Years later, Sandino bought the house from his parents. He and his family still live there today.

Sandino first truly felt the weight of being undocumented when he was graduating from high school.

“My friends that I had, at that point, known all my life ... [were] sharing their plans to go off to college out-of-state,” he said. “And I would just lie because the reality was that I just didn’t have any plans … not having a Social Security [number], I just couldn’t pursue the dreams that I had in mind.”

Sandino continued his education at community college, where he studied political science and government. In 2007, Sandino transferred to the University of Maryland (UMD).

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Sandino faced obstacles at UMD, though. “[I] was getting charged out-of-state tuition, regardless of the many years that my parents had been paying taxes,” he said.

“Because of not having the right documentation, I was considered an international student.”

Sandino’s parents put all their savings into their son’s education, and he graduated in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in government and politics and a minor in U.S. Latina/o Studies.

lar candidate, Patricia Page.

The Latino community makes up 37% of the city’s population, according to the 2019 U.S. Census.

Yet, for many years, the Hyattsville City Council hasn’t had a Latino councilmember.

Brayan Perez, the city’s bilingual communications and outreach coordinator, said that Sandino is the city council’s first native Spanish speaker.

SERVING THE COMMUNITY

Sandino says he has three priorities as a councilmember: housing affordability, childcare affordability and aid for those struggling with issues related to mental health and/or substance abuse.

Sandino said he is specifically focusing on addressing the increases in rental and housing prices and the lack of Latino homeownership in the city, as described in the city’s April 2021 Housing Action Agenda.

From 2010 to 2018, Latino homeownership in the city declined by 31%, while white homeownership increased by 11%, according to the agenda.

“There is something that we have to address there, right around homeownership, not only among Latinx but among families of color in the city,” Sandino noted. “My re-

After graduating from UMD, Sandino started volunteering with CASA de Maryland, a Latino and immigration advocacy organization. He joined CASA’s tuition equity campaign to defend the Maryland Dream Act. The act, which was passed in 2011, grants in-state tuition discounts to undocumented immigrants.

Sandino is now a senior organizer for the Fair Immigration Reform Movement, which supports comprehensive immigration reform and the civil rights of immigrants throughout the country.

Sandino first ran for the city council in 2015, earning 51 votes but losing to Ruth Ann Perry by 20 votes. In 2021, Sandino won with 147 votes, 89 more than the next most popu-

SERVING AS A COUNCILMEMBER

sponsibility is to ensure that there is fair and equitable development in our city and in our community.”

Sandino thinks the National Housing Trust Fund could help renters. The fund provides development loans and grants to ensure availability of affordable rental units to very low-income households.

“I think that this could be a very good opportunity for the city to set aside a bucket of funds that could try to tackle and address the housing issues that we are experiencing,” Sandino said.

EXPANDING DEMOCRACY Sandino celebrates that the city allows undocumented residents and youth 16 and older to vote in city elections. He underscored the importance of voting and noted that, during his campaign, “all the houses and all the neighbors were potential voters; every person was a potential voter.”

Sandino is also focused on the inequities posed by the pandemic, noting the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on families of color.

“There are things we can do immediately that could make an immediate difference,” Sandino said.

Winter Hawk is an intern with the Hyattsville Life & Times.

Scan the QR code to Register or Visit jtcc.org/adults/beginners

www.jtcc.org | 301.779.8000 | 5200 Campus Dr. | College Park, MD 20740

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

SCHOOLS FROM PAGE 1

an hour and competitive benefits packages, according to Meghan Gebreselassie, PGCPS acting media relations director.

During a Hyattsville Middle School PTSO general meeting on Sept. 14, Principal Chanita Stamper addressed the late pickup times at Meadowbrook, the Bowie location where seventh and eighth graders are attending school this fall while their school is being rebuilt onsite in Hyattsville.

Stamper advised students to do homework while waiting for the bus.

Bus pickup times are steadily improving; while some students waited for more than two-anda-half hours the first week for a bus to pick them up at school, which ends at 4:05 p.m., the last bus left Meadowbrook at 6 p.m. on Sept. 14 and at 4:45 p.m. on Sept. 23.

Still, many parents are opting to pick their children up.

“Originally I was taking the bus, but it would come like an hour late every day, and it still does it now,” said Isaiah Edwards, an eighth grader who was transferred to Meadowbrook from Hyattsville Middle School, and whose mother picks him up at school.

Jerry Sellers, whose daughter also attends Meadowbrook during the middle school rebuild, said, “The buses are late in the morning, and the kids don’t get to school until [after schools] start … . When the buses come late, it puts the buses in traffic, then the kids get home late; they only have, like, maybe a half an hour or so, or hour, to do their homework. Then, before you know it, they have to eat dinner and go back to sleep.”

Parents are frustrated because driving their kids to and from school puts them in traffic and

A community newspaper chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781 http://facebook.com/ HyattsvilleLife http://twitter.com/HvilleTimes Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Streetcar Suburbs Publishing Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

Editors welcome reader input, tips, articles, letters, opinion pieces and photographs, which may be submitted using the mailing address above or the email addresses provided.

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Page 13

costs more in gas than when the kids walked to Hyattsville Middle School, Sellers added.

While the pickup line at Meadowbrook clears out quickly, other schools have not been as fortunate.

McCarthy, who picked her daughter up at Northwestern High School before driving to Meadowbrook to get her son, said the line was chaotic. It took McCarthy half an hour to get through, and cars were barely scraping by one another.

However, not every parent is able to pick their child up from school.

“I have to be at work at 7 in the morning,” said Nubia Arias, whose daughter goes to Northwestern High School. “I don’t finish until after 5. So, I couldn’t drop her off or pick her up.”

Arias’ daughter, Jacqueline, took public transportation to school for the first week. But, Arias’ concern for her daughter’s safety made her turn to someone who does daily rounds picking up kids and taking them home from school.

“It is $40 weekly,” said Arias.

“An extra bill!”

FIRST CLASSROOM OUTBREAKS On Sept. 22, four schools reported the first COVID-19 classroom outbreaks in Prince George’s County, according to the Maryland Department of Health. Classroom outbreaks occur when at least two positive cases are confirmed within two weeks.

Saint Jerome Academy in Hyattsville closed after a dozen cases suggested school-based transmission. Students attended school virtually during a 12day shutdown.

University Park Elementary School reported four positive cases leading to classroom closures.

On Oct. 6, the Benjamin Fou-

lois Creative and Performing Arts Academy in Morningside and the Children’s Guild of Prince George’s County in Chillum also reported outbreaks, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

MORE VIRTUAL SCHOOL THAN EXPECTED Roughly 13,700 K-12 students began the school year in the county’s temporary virtual learning program out of the over 135,000 students currently enrolled in county public schools.

The county admitted all elementary school students who applied for the virtual schooling program. The virtual elementary school program is expected to end once vaccines are available for all grade levels, according to the county public schools’ website.

Some elementary school teachers are teaching hybrid classrooms, with both online and in-person students enrolled.

While over 10,000 students enrolled in the K-6 virtual learning program, only 700 students in grades seven through 12 were admitted to the specialty program.

“If you were in seven to 12, there was a lottery,” said McCarthy. “Nobody I know got picked in the lottery, and the only qualification for that was GPA and absences.”

McCarthy’s son and daughter both wanted to return to school. But McCarthy monitored the cases before sending her kids back to in-person classes on Sept. 23.

Although virtual learning is not possible for all students, the county as a whole is shifting to more online systems.

Electronic systems are used to track students and eliminate paper bathroom passes. Homework and other assignments are also submitted online,

Managing Editor Kit Slack kit@hyattsvillelife.com

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Advertising Sales Manager Miranda Goodson miranda@hyattsvillelife.com Board of Directors Joseph Gigliotti — President and General Counsel Chris Currie — Vice President Stephanie Stullich — Treasurer Emily Strab — Secretary Rosanna Landis Weaver, Gretchen Brodtman, Reva G.Harris, T. Carter Ross, Kit Slack and Mark Goodson — Ex Officio Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly

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Gebreselassie noted.

Edwards, the eighth grader at Meadowbrook, said online submissions were easier, but that his class still takes notes on paper.

Other students also found it easier to complete and submit assignments online.

Gregory Willis, whose son is a seventh grader at Meadowbrook, said although his son seems happy to be back in school, it did not make sense to return to the classroom so soon.

“A lot of the instruction was on the computer,” he said. “So it was almost like, ‘Well, why are we back here?’”

However, for other students,

FUNDS FROM PAGE 1

such as Hyattsville, the ARPA funds were allocated per capita, with a funding cap of 75% of the recipient city’s most recent budget. Larger metropolitan cities receive their funding according to a “modified Community Development Block Grant formula calculation,” which takes into account factors such as population and population growth, as well as poverty levels and the status of housing units.

This difference in funding allocation results in extreme per capita funding discrepancies, with the metropolitan cities of Gaithersburg and Bowie, each approximately three times the size of Hyattsville, having received $11.5 and $4.7 million respectively.

The city has received 50% of the allocation, and the second half is coming within a year.

The city intends to develop a spending plan for the COVID-19 relief funds. In the meantime, though, the city council authorized two items regarding the ARPA funds during the Sept. 20 meeting.

The first item, which was passed without discussion under the consent agenda, authorized an expenditure of $172,800 to a consulting firm, Thomas Michael LLC. This firm will provide oversight and compliance services for the ARPA funds. The expense will be paid with ARPA funds over four years.

Thomas Michael LLC is based in Greenbelt. Michael Himel, who heads the firm, held a variety of leadership roles for Prince George’s County from 2001 to 2018. He was most recently the deputy chief administrator for budget, finance, economic development and administration in the Prince George’s County Office of the County Executive under former County Executive Rushern Baker III, from 2007 to

the return to in-person learning was essential to bring kids back into social settings with their friends and boost their morale.

Jose Gomez, the godfather of a seventh grader at Meadowbrook, noticed a significant change in his godson after he got the vaccine and returned to in-person school.

“When he was doing virtual [school], he was unable to communicate with kids, communicate with other people,” said Gomez. “He was down all the time, but now that he’s here, it’s perfect.”

Winter Hawk is an intern with the Hyattsville Life & Times

2018.

During her regular update to the council, City Administrator Tracey Douglas said that the city chose Thomas Michael LLC out of nine consultants, calling the local firm the best value.

Douglas said the city also plans to hire a temporary staff member to help manage the relief funds.

The city council also voted to appropriate $2.5 million of the ARPA funds into the city’s budget. Treasurer Ron Brooks explained that an appropriation must be made before the city can spend funds, and once they are appropriated, the funds can be used for expenditures like hiring Thomas Michael LLC. While all ARPA funds must be spent on pandemic-related needs, there is no requirement that the funds have to be spent on projects that were conceived of after the funds were received. For example, Douglas clarified that the funds can be used to pay for the planned renovation of the city building’s front office, and installation of the two new bathrooms planned for Hyatt and Heurich parks. Brooks also noted that some of the funds would be used to reimburse information technology expenses, as well as pay for ongoing related costs.

Some of the ARPA allocation will also be used to fund new programs or grants, although the council has not yet decided what those will be or how their funding will be determined. Since certain infrastructure spending, including stormwater management, is allowed, Councilmember Danny Schaible (Ward 2) has proposed dedicating some funds to planting trees across the city, especially in areas with less tree canopy.

The city has until the end of 2024 to make decisions about how to spend the money, and until the end of 2026 to spend it.

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2021

Page 14

NEWS BRIEFS VISIT STREETCARSUBURBS.NEWS FOR MORE CITY TO ASK COUNTY TO OVERHAUL STORMWATER RUNOFF ENFORCEMENT On Oct. 4, the Hyattsville City Council voted unanimously to authorize the mayor to send a letter about stormwater runoff from construction to the county executive and the county council.

City councilmembers Ben Simasek (Ward 3), Danny Schaible (Ward 2) and Jimmy McClellan (Ward 3) cosponsored the motion, which specified that the letter should support recommendations made by Hyattsville’s advisory committee on the environment.

Those recommendations are set forth in a July 13 memo from the advisory committee to the mayor and city council.

The memo says there has been “severe runoff and sediment water pollution” from construction sites in Hyattsville, in particular during six storms in 2020.

According to the memo, when residents reported pollution, county officials found no violations at the sites causing the runoff.

The memo recommends reviewing and updating county rules and enforcement processes that should prevent soil erosion and sediment pollution from construction.

It also recommends allowing cities to enforce county stormwater management requirements.

Finally, the memo calls for increasing

penalties on contractors and establishing a remediation fund for those whose property is damaged by constructionrelated runoff.

COUNTY COUNCIL VOTES TO UPZONE CLAY PROPERTY At their Oct. 4 meeting, the county council voted unanimously (9-0) to upzone the Clay Property at the request of a developer, against the recommendations of the county planning board and the City of Hyattsville. Upzoning will allow for denser development, specifically, construction of single-family, triple-attached townhouses, instead of only single-family detached housing.

During the meeting, County Councilmember Deni Taveras (District 2), whose district includes Hyattsville, proposed approval of the application with amendments recommended by the county planning board and the city. No further discussion or debate ensued prior to the vote.

The 12.87-acre Clay Property is located about one-and-a-quarter miles from Prince George’s Plaza Metro station near University Hills Duck Pond Park and Ash Hill historic site. Developer Marvin R Blumberg Company Inc. plans to construct 137 townhouses and to offer 10% of them at below-market rates, according to documents submitted to the county in July. The proposal also includes a 50-meter tree buffer to separate the develop-

ment from an older, low-density neighborhood of single-family homes.

The current Clay Property plan specifies clear-cutting 11.1 acres of forest, despite the fact that Hyattsville’s tree canopy decreased by more than 30% between 2008 and 2018.

In June, the city council voted unanimously to recommend that the county council deny the upzone. Should the county decide to upzone, the council said, at least 4 acres of existing forest should be conserved on the site.

In July, the county planning board unanimously recommended against the upzone, as well. The commissioner to the planning board cited the county council’s prior decision against rezoning the parcel when the Prince George’s Plaza Transit District Development Plan was updated in 2016.

In August, the developer appealed the planning board’s recommendation. During a Sept. 20 county council meeting, Stan Brown, the zoning attorney to the county council, advised against the proposal and said that the application did not meet the criteria to change the underlying zone.

Although the planning or zoning departments of most other counties and municipalities have the final say on zoning decisions, in Prince George’s County, the county council makes the final determination and has the option of going against planning board recommendations.

HYATTSVILLE’S JUSTICE CENTER IS FOR SALE In 2021, some Hyattsville residents are advocating for replacing Hyattsville Elementary School, and the Hyattsville City Council is looking for ways to build affordable housing on public land.

Meanwhile, the county is seeking to sell a 7.5-acre parcel near Hyattsville Elementary School and the municipal building. The county has been marketing the property since June as suitable for “forsale and rental housing, an art/entertainment venue, and a potential commercial component.”

The property, called the Justice Center and located at 499 Rhode Island Avenue, is a triangular block between Farragut Street, Route 1 and 43rd Avenue.

The county finished a prior $30 million redevelopment of the site in 1990.

The Hyattsville location of Prince George’s County District Court is on the property, along with offices for county police. The site also includes a stately county government services building dating from the 1930s, a large outdoor courtyard, and a grassy area with benches and a small pavilion.

An underground parking lot on the site has 569 spaces. According to the most recent proposed county capital improvement plan budget, the parking lot typically operates at 85 to 95% of its capacity, and needs $6.8 million in repairs, which have been delayed since 2017.