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Hyattsville Life & Times | April 2013
FromTheEditor Get out and vote in May! by Rosanna Landis Weaver
This is our last issue before the city’s biennial election on May 7, so as we have in the past, we decided to let the candidates speak for themselves. This is a decisive race, with six seats on the ballot – and only one incumbent, David Hiles (Ward 2), among them. Eric Wingard, who currently holds the Ward 1 seat that is being contested, dropped out of the race less than a week after filing as a candidate. (See cover story.) That left 10 residents vying for six seats. We invited each candidate to submit 300 words of their choosing. They could, we
A community newspaper chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781 Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Hyattsville Community Newspaper, Inc., a 501c(3) nonprofit corporation. Interested reporters should send their e-mail addresses to the editor to be reminded of deadlines and receive internal news. Articles and news submitted may be edited. The deadline is the last week of the month for the following month’s issue. Letters to the editor and opinions are encouraged. For all e-mail correspondence with HL&T: news, features, tips, advertising and business write to hyattsvillelifeandtimes@gmail. com. To submit articles, letters to the editor, etc., e-mail susie@hyattsvillelife.com. Executive Editor Susie Currie susie@hyattsvillelife.com 301.633.9209 Managing Editor Rosanna Landis Weaver rosanna@hyattsvillelife.com 301.277.5939 Editorial Intern Scarlett Salem Production Ashley Perks Advertising advertising@hyattsvillelife.com 301.531.5234 Writers & Contributors Victoria Hille, Molly Parrish, Valerie Russell, Fred Seitz, Hugh Turley Board of Directors Joseph Gigliotti - President and General Counsel Chris Currie - Vice President Susie Currie - Secretary Peggy Dee, Karen J. Riley, Valerie Russell Rosanna Landis Weaver - Ex Officio Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. Mail to every address in Hyattsville. Additional copies are distributed to libraries, selected businesses, community centers and churches in the city. Total circulation is 9,300. HL&T is a member of the National Newspaper Association.
told them, use the space to make their cases to the voters, explain their platforms or share why they’re running. Nine of the candidates were able to respond by press time, and no matter what ward you are in we encourage you to read each of the profiles. Whether these men (and, no, we don’t know why they’re all men this year – but that’s a discussion for another time), become your elected representatives or not, they are your neighbors. And good ones at that. If you read through what each of them took the time to write you may see, as we do, certain themes emerging. Although the candidates on the ballot range in age from individuals in their 20s to one in his 60s, there are
words that come up repeatedly. It is striking, for example, how many mention the importance of a family-friendly community: more than one candidate explicitly states that they moved here when they were looking for the ideal place to raise their children. Another theme we’re delighted to see is that of inclusivity: Two candidates used part of their 300 words to reach out in Spanish. There’s also an emphasis on civic participation and communication. You’ll find some different emphases in each of course, from specific ideas on creating safer commutes, to ideas about positive local development, yet the overarching theme is one of great hope.
LEARNING ABOUT WWII
PHUOC HONG NHAN Northwestern student Kaila Butler poses in an interactive model World War II probe model at the National Museum of the U.S. Navy. With her is Naval Science Instructor Sergeant Major Efrem Wilson, the sponsor of the the Northwestern Navy JROTC field trip. The purpose of the trip was to inform the NJROTC Cadets about Naval history, weapons, and military knowledge, as well as to expose them to a broad view of the power of the U.S Navy. Cadets were intrigued by both the information they picked up and their experience with the interactive models, and requested a re-visit to the museum soon!
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR David Hiles for Ward 2 As a 20-plus year resident of the City of Hyattsville, I am writing in support of David Hiles to continue his excellent record as Ward 2 Councilmember. I have known David personally for many years prior to his current term as Ward 2 Councilmember and have worked closely with him during his tenure. He is a progressive thinker who has a vision for Hyattsville. He listens, learns, communicates and acts in the best interest of his constituents and Hyattsville as a whole. His record of attendance at City Council meetings is one of the best, not counting the dozens of community and Council-related meetings he has attended. His record of accomplishments, actions and votes on Council have earned my vote for David Hiles for Ward 2. I’d also like to say that I have the utmost respect for all candidates running and those currently sitting on Council. Thanks goes to each and every one of you for your dedication to the City of Hyattsville, win or lose. Our City is only as great as its community, so please, get involved, join a committee, help out your neighbors and this May 7, vote! Jim Groves 39th Avenue
“Regular” schools important too I just finished reading the March column concerning issues at schools [“How we talk about our schools and why it matters,” by Rosanna Landis Weaver]. I have always tried to tell people that the teacher in the building was more important than what happened in Upper Marlboro. Thank you for defending the “regular schools” that do a fantastic job of
educating our students despite the negatives about the system as a whole. Cathy Burch Adelphi
Mi Patio owners defend permit In a front-page article in March 2013 issue of the Hyattsville Life & Times [“Mi Patio asks to host nightly DJ, live music,” by Susie Currie], there were misleading reports of the plans of the owners of the Mi Patio restaurant regarding its application for a Special Entertainment Permit. At no time did Mi Patio ever ask the Board of License Commissioners for the right to allow dancing in the restaurant, or apply for a County Dance Hall Permit. Mi Patio Restaurant did not request to have any other type of entertainment, such as that which you have unfairly associated with the Mi Patio restaurant, specifically stand-up comedy and exotic dancing performed by a stripper. The Mi Patio restaurant caters to families. It is a safe place where patrons can come to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and similar special events in their lives, or just to enjoy a good meal and listen to music. If we are awarded a Special Entertainment License, we plan to have karaoke-style sing-along entertainment. That license will also allow us to search patrons if we feel the need to do so. Mi Patio Restaurant is a good corporate partner to the City of Hyattsville and its residents. Mi Patio donates 100 meals every Tuesday to Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church [in Takoma Park] to distribute to those who cannot afford to buy food. For several years we have sponsored a boys’ baseball team from Hyattsville, and plan to continue to do so. Mi Patio currently sponsors a
local men’s league basketball team. We have contributed money to the athletic program at Northwestern High School, and will do so again this year. The owners and employees of Mi Patio resent the unfair comments about the restaurant in your March issue. Danny Medina and Yahira Merlos Owners, Mi Patio Restaurant Susie Currie responds: It is true that Mi Patio’s application for a Special Entertainment Permit did not seek permission to allow patron dancing – but neither did it ask to host the “karaoke-style singa-long entertainment” mentioned above. The paragraph from my story uses language taken directly from their application: “The Mi Patio application requested permission to host a ‘DJ playing music from the Dominican Republic’ up to seven nights a week, from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., in addition to a live band ‘once or twice a month,’ on Friday night.” The same application asked to host 100 or so annual special events, which may be where the karaoke is intended to happen. In referring to comedians, strippers and dancing customers, I was not speaking specifically to Mi Patio’s application, but trying to convey the range of activities covered by this permit, which is issued by the liquor board. The Annotated Code of Maryland, in laying out the conditions of the Special Entertainment Permit, says that “entertainment is broadly defined,” and gives as examples the activities mentioned in the article. On the application, the business must specify which of these activities it wants to host, what days, and what times. It also has to answer whether it intends to impose a cover charge or allow patron dancing. (Mi Patio answered “no” to both.)