LOOKING AHEAD: MAYOR GARDINER TALKS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HYATTSVILLE — Page 2 PLUS: RESIDENTS GIVE THEIR TWO CENTS ON AGING, EDUCATION, ELECTIONS AND PROTESTS — Pages 2-5
Firefighter remembered at banquet By Dave J. Iannone
On February 26, the officers and members of the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department took a brief break from an otherwise very difficult and busy week to recognize the best within the organization at the annual Hyattsville Public Safety Awards banquet at Martin’s Crosswinds in Greenbelt. The event is jointly held with the City of Hyattsville Police and FOP Lodge. The evening started with a moment of remembrance for Deputy Chief Jimmy Hook, 44, who died suddenly on February 23. Members of Jimmy’s family, including his future-firefighter son Tommy, 11, attended this year’s event. Jimmy, who was a member of the HVFD for 10 years this month, was posthumously awarded life membership during the ceremony. With the largest contingent of life members present in recent memory, the department gave out several special legacy awards. Jonathan A. Ransom and Carole Moltrup were presented with 30-year service honors and Donald “Doc” Moltrup received a standing ovation while being recognized for topping 50 years of service this year. Doc was presented with a customized helmet to commemorate the milestone. Jonathan, the longest-serving president, and Doc, chief emeri-
Hyattsville Life&Times
Vol. 8 No. 3
Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper
What’s happening with...? Status updates on some projects and problems in the city
By Paula Minaert and Susie Currie
Former WSSC Building During the night of February 20, vandals struck the building at 4017 Hamilton Street. Two large glass panes next to the Hamilton
Street entry door were shattered, apparently with a fire extinguisher, and inside windows were also broken. The owner, Douglas Development, installed plywood over the large outside windows later the same day. It was only the latest blight to hit
When county contractors set out to replace an ancient, crumbling storm drain that runs underneath Crittenden Street towards the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River, neighbors knew to expect detours and limited parking. But the backhoes and bulldozers, on site since mid-December, have unearthed a surprise: hundreds of antique bottles. Going outside one afternoon to inspect the cavernous hole being made in their side yard, siblings Catie, Peter and George Currie were delighted to find the mound of mud next to it studded with bottles, and rounded up a few of their more adventurous friends to join the excavation. (One mother’s response: “You want my kids to come crawl around in mud and broken glass? Um, no thanks.”) After donning boots and kitchen gloves to guard against shards, the team of budding archaeologists went to work. At first they stuck to the perimeter of Mud Mountain, picking the bottles like cherries; soon, they had devised a bridge of shingles to ford what Peter described as “quickmud.” Children a century from now may find a few pairs
the building. Other broken windows remain both on the Hamilton and Gallatin Street sides, as well as boarded-up windows, the result of firefighters combating an electrical fire in December 2009. Six months after the fire, at a June 23 meeting with residents and city officials, Paul Millstein, representing Douglas Development company, agreed to address security concerns by doing three things: reestablish electrical service to install lights around the building; replace all plywood and broken glass with a shatterproof glass alternative by July 9; and clear away shrubbery to improve visibility and reduce hiding places. The landscaping was done after that meeting and some windows were repaired, but not all. Electricity has not been installed; Millstein said recently that all the gear required for electrical service was removed by vandals. “We hired a consultant to help us put in for a new service from Pepco and do site plans, designs, and so on. It’s quite a process.” He did not know the status of the plan to restore electricity. Meanwhile, residents who live nearby continue to be concerned about the state of the property. Flawn Williams said that Douglas Development never made good on the promises it made last summer, and the new events are just compounding the problems. (See sidebar for another reaction.) Chris Giunta, senior inspector in the city’s Code Enforcement Department, said that up until recently, the property owner was responsive to phone calls but over the past few months, the city has issued a number of citations. “If the violations are not corrected, the city will have no alternative but to seek a court date. We always give property owners a chance to correct any
BOTTLES continued on page 13
HAPPENINGS continued on page 12
Backyard bulldozing turns up treasures for local children By Susie Currie
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 43 Easton, MD 21601
AWARDS continued on page 13
Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781
March 2011
Bottled Up SUSIE CURRIE Siblings Peter, Catie and George Currie found hundreds of antique bottles when contractors began work on the storm drain underneath Crittenden Street.
Included: The March 8, 2011 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section