May 2013 Hyattsville Life & Times

RETURN OF THE NATIVES

BUSY IN ANNAPOLIS

LIKE THE PLAGUE

Miss Floribunda’s guide to the May 18 Hyattsville Elementary School native plant sale. PAGE 6

Local delegates reflect on session’s accomplishments. PAGE 9

The cicadas are coming. Are you ready for the Brood II Crew? PAGE 12

Top city jobs filled

City administrator, HR director join staff

by Susie Currie

The Hyattsville City Council has approved two key additions to city staff, including the top job.

Newly appointed City Administrator Jerry M. Schiro and Director of Human Resources Vivian Snellman are both set to begin work this month.

The council approved Schiro’s contract at its April 15 meeting and Snellman’s on May 6. Schiro, who starts on May 15, will report to the council. He will supervise the seven department directors and through them, more than 100 employees.

The two new hires have decades of experience between them.

Snellman worked for more than 25 years in Honeywell’s humanresource department before becoming an HR consultant in 2008. Her background with Honeywell includes manufacturing, commercial and government contracting. Snellman becomes the city’s second human-resources director; its first, Chris Vermillion, left in March after a year.

Her first day will be May 20.

Schiro brings to the job more than 35 years of public service, 11 of them as the village manager of Chevy Chase, Md. The rest of his

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HIRES continued on page 8

Hyattsville Life&Times

Vol. 10 No. 5

Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper

History, homes & gardens Annual house tour honors suffragettes

by Rosanna Landis Weaver

seats were open in the same election. (The ward’s senior councilmember, Ruth Ann Frazier, had already announced she would not seek re-election.)

In Ward 1, Bart Lawrence easily beat William Jenne 177 to 47. In Ward 2, Hiles, the sole incumbent running, lost to Croslin 281 to 128. Patrick Paschall, who ran unopposed in Ward 3, still earned 103 votes. Ward 4 voted 96 to 12 for Edouard Haba over Ross Gateretse.

Ward 5’s seats went to Clayton Williams, who takes Frazier’s seat for a four-year term after getting 77 votes, and Joseph Solomon, with 50 votes,

House tours are always something of a stroll through history as much as a stroll through homes. The Hyattsville Preservation Association’s 34th Annual House Tour, to be held on May 19, will highlight a footnote in Hyattsville history by dedicating the tour to suffragettes.

The event brochure explains: “Almost a hundred years ago the women of the Suffragette movement and their supporters were welcomed at Magruder Park by Mayor Harry W. Shepherd. To celebrate their achievement we dedicate this year’s tour to the many courageous women and men that took us all a step closer to equality.”

The nine homes open this year reflect a variety of styles and periods, from Tudor to Victorian to Cape Cod. Addresses are kept secret till the day of the event, but organizers say the tour will span a radius of approximately 1.5 miles.

Several of the featured homeowners take particular pleasure in the dedication.

“If those women had not done what they did, how would I be living? What would be available for me and my daughter?” pondered Jennifer Mendenhall. She and her husband, Michael Kramer, are actors, and Mendenhall notes that their life reflects a flexibility in gender roles that would not have been possible 100 years ago. Depending on the perfor-

ELECTION continued on page 5

TOUR continued on page 13

PHOTOS BY SHANI WARNER AND SUSIE CURRIE Scenes from Election Day. Top left: Ward 5ʼs two new representatives, Joseph Solomon and Clayton Williams, await election results with Ward 4 winner Edouard Haba in council chambers. Top right: Bart Lawrence and Patrick Paschall, who won seats in Wards 1 and 3, spent the rainy day outside polling places.

Above: After winning the Ward 2 seat, Robert Croslin joins the afterparty at Franklins with wife Dyann Waugh and Paschall.

Voters elect six new councilmembers

by Susie Currie

Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781

May 2013

On May 7, Hyattsville voters elected six new councilmembers in an unprecedented wave of political change. In the most heavily contested race, and the one with the highest turnout, three-time candidate Robert Croslin defeated council vice president David Hiles by a margin of more than two to one.

Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms, with half of the 10 council seats on the ballot every two years. But the resignation of Ward 5’s Nicole Hinds Mofor earlier this year put a sixth council seat in play, marking the first time ever that both ward

Included: The May 15, 2013 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section

Page 2

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

FromTheEditor

Looking back while moving forward

by Susie Currie

Between the ceiling rafters and the fresh drywall of Franklins’ new toy room lies a strip of history. The addition shares a wall with the general store, once the former home of the Hyattsville Hardware Co., and owner Mike Franklin has left exposed traces of that long-ago past: ghost signs, those fading advertisements painted on the side of a building during a former use.

“We try to preserve whenever it makes sense,” said Franklin.

It’s a visible reminder that the future builds on the past — especially as it coincides with another sign of revitalization. The

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.

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May 7 city election, as you can read in our cover story, was a watershed event that will bring six new councilmembers to the dais after the swearing-in ceremony on May 20. If their campaigns were any indication, they will bring much-needed enthusiasm, energy and engagement to council chambers.

Those who can’t remember the past, the saying goes, are condemned to repeat it. But maybe the key is deciding what to remember; perhaps it’s best for all involved if we draw a veil over the public bickering, power plays and empty chairs of the city council’s last two years.

It shouldn’t be too hard for the incoming council to make a fresh start; five of the six winners on election night were first-time campaigners, and most have lived in Hyattsville for less than

five years. (The exception, Ward 2’s Robert Croslin, has amassed a variety of civic experience in his 24 years here, including two previous runs for city council.)

With Ruth Ann Frazier’s retirement, Paula Perry becomes the most senior member of the council by 10 years. She was first elected in 1999. Tim Hunt took office in 2009, then won another four-year term in the 2011 election. Candace Hollingsworth and Shani Warner were both elected in 2011.

Given that so many of the councilmembers are new to the job and many are fairly new to the city, it seems essential that they attend the Maryland Municipal League convention, held each June in Ocean City. When city department heads are looking for ways to trim at least 12 percent from their budgets, sending elected of-

ficials to the beach for four days may seem like a logical cut. But those days are full of workshops that often constitute the only training our councilmembers get. Topics this year include the limits of municipal enforcement, the problem of blighted properties, an orientation for the newly elected, and my personal favorite: “Most Information is Public ...

Don’t Think It’s Not.” Certainly no conference or workshop can transfer instant experience, but it may give attendees the tools to gather it more quickly.

Nina Faye, chair of the code enforcement advisory committee, has been civically active since she moved to Hyattsville in 1989. “Over the last two elections, we’ve lost a lot of people with deep backgrounds, who know the people and the players

and the sides, who know what’s worked and what hasn’t.”

This is not to say, though, that experience alone is critical. Faye, for one, was relieved when she actually heard what the crop of candidates had to say at an April forum sponsored by Hyattsville Aging in Place. “I was very impressed with how they answered the questions,” she said. “I thought, ‘Now this is a great group of people.’ ” Since many of the new councilmembers are (or soon will be) parents of young children, they are bound to visit the newest toy room in town sooner or later.

Maybe, seeing the story written on the century-old brick above the clean slate of new drywall, they will remember that they, too, can keep the best of what they have inherited while building a legacy for the next generation.

University Church Nursery School donates auction proceeds to family medical fund

by Rosanna Landis Weaver

City Clerk Laura Reams describes the first full week of May as one of the longest in her life.

Not only did she play a key role in the logistics of the city election, but her husband had surgery the following day. This was a followup surgery, reclaiming and reattaching a piece of his skull that was taken out during emergency surgery after a head injury in midMarch. The injury, likely caused by a fall down the basement stairs, resulted in brain swelling and required that a piece of bone be taken out, and this was put in his stomach until this week. “It is very science-fiction-esque,” notes Reams, who says, “I know so much more about [head injuries] than I ever wished to know.”

The May 8 procedure went well, which was a great relief. Franco is expected to get out of the hospital soon and will continue physical, occupational and speech therapy from home.

The week had other high points too: On Sunday, May 5, University Church Nursery School (UCNS) held its fourth annual silent auction and May Fair as a fundraiser for the family. The auction at the school, where

GOFUNDME.COM/DUSTINFRANCO Dustin Franco, with his wife, Laura Reams, and their children.

three-year-old Maddie attends, raised $10,256 for Dustin Franco’s Wellness Fund, with the church donating an additional $2,400. Reams says her entire family is “in awe, humbled, and very, very grateful to the commu-

nity at UCNS.” UCNS Director Carole Trone noted that there are only 52 students at the school, which makes the amount raised even more amazing. “I have never been so proud of our UCNS family,” says

Trone, “watching them step up to support one of our own!”

Friends have set up a site to assist the family with medical bills during the long road to recovery.

To donate, visit www.gofundme. com/DustinFranco.

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

Page 3

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Franklins expansion forms new toy store

by Susie Currie

This month, Mike Franklin will unveil the biggest change to his namesake establishment in 11 years: a 900-square-foot addition to the store that contains nothing but toys.

Franklin has owned the building next door to his restaurant since 1995, when he bought it from longtime local jeweler Julian Hanley. For a while he rented space to a tailor, but for the most part it has served as storeroom. Most recently, it served as a staging area for the installation of “Hyattsville After Dark,” the one-of-a-kind kinetic light mural that became the city’s latest public art in April.

Now, storage has been relegated to a small backroom as the front is readied for the public — especially the younger members. In contrast to the current store’s exposed brick and low lighting, this new area is white and bright.

“Originally, this was going to be a party room,” said store manager Leni Lewis on a recent afternoon as she unpacked board games and craft kits while shelves were being installed nearby. “But I’ve worked with Mike for long enough that I know Plan A always turns into Plan Q.”

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Lewis (official title: “retail goddess”) has been manager since Franklins 1.0, the single-story deli and toy/gift store that opened in December 1992. Ten years later, a major expansion added the fullmenu, two-story restaurant and brewery that has become a landmark on Baltimore Avenue. At that time, the store expanded as well, filling much of the former deli’s digs with displays of wine and beer.

With this latest expansion, Franklin said, he considered moving the beverages into the newly rehabbed room. But “the space didn’t lay out right,” and in the end, the toys won out.

Toys and games had been taking up about 600 square feet of space at the front of the store. Moving them into a space that is 30 per-

cent larger, he said, will allow for less crowded displays.

The “kitchen-gadget section,” Franklin said, will take their place, while the wine and beer section in the back will be beefed up. He is also considering ways to carve out space for books by local authors.

In a way, the new space represents Franklin coming full circle. When he and wife Debbie moved here in 1991, he was a veteran toy salesman, and topshelf toys have always been a part of the business.

Although it wasn’t the intention, Lewis pointed out that the toys will no longer be visible from the restaurant. Instead, people waiting for a table will see “a wall of hot sauce, with maybe a bottle of wine here and there.”

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Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

Liquor board delays decisions on Mi Patio permit, violations

by Susie Currie

At the Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners’ meeting on May 1, a hearing on Mi Patio’s alleged violations was postponed after the board chairman recommended additional citations.

Franklin D. Jackson’s ruling came after testimony from Chief Liquor Inspector Albert J. Fanelli about his visit to the Dominican restaurant, located at 5420 Queens Chapel Road, in the early hours of Saturday, February 2. Fanelli said that he was responding to a noise complaint when he arrived at 2:55 a.m. to find both front and back doors locked with customers inside, which is forbidden by the fire safety code.

Jackson said that if the restaurant was open at that point, it was “operating past the hours that were approved by the board” – another violation. He directed that the charges be amended to include this new offense and continued the hearing to June 12.

Meanwhile, Mi Patio’s application for a Special Entertainment Permit – the original reason it was on the docket – was delayed at the owners’ request until October 2. Owners Danny Medina and Yanira Merlos had applied for the permit so they could host DJs and live bands.

Mi Patio currently operates under an

exemption that, according to the application form, is for establishments that are “in the principal business of providing family entertainment.” With this exemption, a business may not impose a cover charge or “provide entertainment that is clearly secondary to the dining experience.”

In the September 2012 letter granting the exemption, Jackson reminded the owners that Mi Patio was prohibited from, among other things, charging admission and carding or searching patrons at the entrance.

But as recently as April 19, according to Mi Patio’s Facebook page, it hosted a cabaret with a $23 admission fee. The page identifies it as a “lounge” with hours from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Pictures show ads for hookah nights, bands and DJs. An undated advertisement for “Domingos Millionarios” mentions drink specials and the fact that to enter, patrons must show an ID to prove they are over 21.

Council President Matt McKnight, during an April 15 council meeting, said the socialmedia site proves that Mi Patio is “clearly not marketing itself as a family restaurant.”

Nearby neighbors, who turned out in force to the city’s April 1 public hearing, agreed. At the outset, Medina’s lawyer, Gene Pitrof, said that he understood “noise is the issue with the city and the residents around the restaurant.”

Several residents, both old and new, echoed that point. One woman, who moved into her house across Queens Chapel Road six months before Mi Patio opened, said, “I’m hard of hearing. But last night, I could hear the music from my living room, with the windows closed and the TV on.”

Police Chief Douglas Holland told the council that over the last 23 months, police have responded to 54 calls for service at the restaurant, nearly half of which were noise-related. The majority of calls, he said, are between midnight and 3 a.m.

Some councilmembers also get calls during those hours. Paula Perry (Ward 4) and Tim Hunt (Ward 3) each recalled driving over after midnight when residents called them to complain of the noise.

“I was sitting in my car across Queens Chapel Road and my car was vibrating,” said Perry.

But supporters of the restaurant were skeptical of the noise complaints, wondering aloud if perhaps the music was coming from Sahara Oasis or Lee’s, two nearby businesses that already have Special Entertainment Permits. One 24-year-old nurse who emigrated from the Dominican Republic 11 years ago, says that she usually can’t hear anything until she opens Mi Patio’s door. “Sometimes, I’m not even sure they’re open.”

Several others praised the restaurant for

facebook A poster advertises a cabaret at $23 a head at Mi Patio on April 19, weeks after a public hearing drew patrons who described it as a “family restaurant.”

providing jobs and a “home away from home” for the Dominican community.

Pitrof said his clients are “willing to forgo the Monday through Thursday entertainment” as well as eliminating live bands “if necessary.”

After a meeting with city staff, Pitrof asked for a delay on the hearing, to give the owners time to foster relations with their neighbors and address problems that were raised. The city went on record opposing the delay on April 16, but by that time it had already been granted.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

ELECTION

continued from page 1

who will serve out the remaining two years of Mofor’s term. In that race, Pastor Herrera came in a distant third with 15 votes.

This election may also be the first time that five of the six seats being contested were open. In addition to Frazier and Mofor, councilmembers Eric Wingard (Ward 1), Matt McKnight (Ward 3) and Carlos Lizanne (Ward 4) did not run for re-election. Wingard had registered to run on the last day, but soon dropped out, citing changing work obligations and frequent travel.

The meeting-attendance records of Wingard, Lizanne and Mofor had been under increasing scrutiny since at least March 2012, when a meeting they didn’t attend had to be cancelled after councilmembers could not pass an agenda. Six of 11 votes were needed, but only seven members were present.

Whatever problems the new council will face, absenteeism is not likely to be one of them.

Some councilmembers-elect have been attending more council meetings of late than the incumbents they will replace.

The voters, may also have a growing problem with absenteeism: Turnout was the lowest in at least four elections.

According to the 2010 census, Hyattsville has 17,551 residents. On May 7, 986 of them voted for registered candi-

Page 5

dates, according to unofficial results. (Of these, over 400 were in Ward 2.)

That day’s near-constant heavy rains probably had something to do with keeping people away from the polls. But it continues a downward trend.

Turnout is higher during a mayoral election year, but the last two, 2007 and 2011, drew 2,430 and 1,760 votes respectively. In 2009, the last off-year election drew 1,103 votes.

The six new elected officials have to hit the ground running when they are sworn in on May 20. Mayor Marc Tartaro has not yet presented a budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1, saying that he is waiting for council action on changing the structure of retirement benefits for city staff. He has proposed keeping the property-tax rate at $.63 per $100 of assessed value.

But the council narrowly voted against doing that on April 22, citing the need to see budget specifics first.

This vote became an issue in the election when Hiles sent a letter contending that his opponent was affiliated with councilmembers who did not vote to cap the tax rate, taken by some as an insinuation that they intended to raise it. This sparked considerable debate on local listserves, and shortly afterward two councilmembers mentioned in Hiles’ letter, Candace Hollingsworth (Ward 1) and Tim Hunt (Ward 3) sent a letter endorsing Croslin for the Ward 2 seat.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

MissFloribunda Dear Miss Floribunda, I hear that the Hyattsville Elementary School PTA will probably have another native plant sale this month, though I don’t have the details.

I like what I got at past sales, but don’t need more of the same. Is the sale returning this year, and if so, is anything new being offered?

Seeking Novelty on Nicholson Street Dear Seeking Novelty, You will find 10 new plant varieties at the Hyattsville Elementary School PTA Fourth Annual Native Plant Sale, which is set for Saturday, May 18 at the school (5311 43rd Avenue). The sale starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m., or sooner if sold out. I have to warn you, demand is high.

Certainly the prices are low, ranging generally from $3 to $12 a plant, the highest being $16, and new groups of gardeners have gotten wind of it.

For example, the three varieties of native roses have attracted the attention of the Potomac Rose Society and the Arlington Rose Society, those notorious hotbeds of rosemania. In case you are wondering, “rosemania” is a real term applied to those who love the queen of flowers so

much that they contrive to tuck 100 or more rosebushes into their gardens. I am myself a self-confessed rosemaniac, and I plan to be among those who acquire at least one each of the three native roses being offered. They will grow anywhere, are immune to all disease – even the dreaded Rose rosette disease – and are deliciously fragrant.

They extend the blooming season by coming into flower at different times. Rosa carolina, more familiarly known as the “pasture rose,” leads the way in late April, followed by Rosa palustris, the “swamp rose,” and then comes Rosa virginiana, the classic five-petalled pink flower that may well have been the one Edward MacDowell celebrated in his lyric piano piece, “To a Wild Rose.”

Other must-haves for the shaded areas of the garden are two new shrubs that do well without full sun. Rhododendron coryi, or swamp azalea, bears sweetly scented flowers of pristine white for a much longer period than any other azalea. In autumn its foliage flames forth in an incandescent spectrum of oranges and reds.

Another new offering this year, the Viburnum trilobum, or American highbush cranberry, has not only beautiful golden leaves in fall but also edible red berries.

It is not a true cranberry, but the berries

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS The rose mallow can be up to seven feet tall, with enormous flowers in bold colors.

do have a similar flavor and make good jelly. You may not wish to allow the birds to have them all. The white flowers that bloom in May look much like lace-cap hydrangeas or Queen Anne’s lace. These attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

Two new ferns make their debut at the sale. Matteuccia struthiopteris, or ostrich fern, has shoots that can serve as gourmet additions to salads. Thelypteris palustris, the swamp fern, is the only fern I know of that prefers sun to shade.

Other new offerings, more colorful than the ferns, are the wrinkleleaf goldenrod, Solidago rugosa, and the marsh marigold, Caltha palustris. I suppose you are aware the former has been upgraded from weed to wildflower, and completely cleared of the calumny of aggravating allergies. (The real culprit is ragweed.) The latter, with its glossy petals of saturated yellow, is obviously no true marigold but is a member of the ranunculus family. About two feet high, it looks like a buttercup on steroids.

Even more spectacular is the rose mallow, Hibiscus moscheutos, up to seven feet tall with enormous flowers in bold colors. It can be seen making dramatic statements in parks on Capitol Hill.

For a full list of plants that will be at the sale, go to www.nativeplantsale.org.

If after the sale you want to discuss your acquisitions with other gardeners, please come to the next meeting of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society on Saturday, June 15, beginning 10 a.m. at the home of Jeff and Marsha Moulton, 6122 42nd Avenue.

Spring Mingle Sunday, June 2, 2 - 5 PM Hyatt Park @ Hamilton Street & 36th Avenue (the site of the Hyattsville Community Garden) Parking is available at 3505 Hamilton Street (former BB&T Bank)

Elections are over and now the work begins. Come meet your new Hyattsville City Council and let us know what’s important to you!

Hosted by Councilmember Candace B. Hollingsworth (Ward 1)

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

Page 7

COMMUNITY CALENDAR May 17

Rain or shine, it’s Bike to Work Day. Stop

by Magruder Park en route, where Arrow Bicycle techs will offer free tune-up services at a City-sponsored pit stop. 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. Magruder Park Pavilion, 4000 Hamilton Street. jbelltower@yahoo.com or 240.461.4560.

May 17 and 24

The Health Ministry of St. Mark the Evangelist Church offers an ongoing yoga class on Friday mornings. All ages are welcome; class is gentle enough for active seniors. $6 per class or $40 for 8-week session. 9 a.m. 7501 Adelphi Road. Next session begins June 7. Contact Sharon Klees at 301.422.7026.

May 18

Today’s A-May-Zing Animal Fest features birds of prey, exotic reptiles, farm animals, a puppet show, food vendors, arts and crafts, and more. Free. Noon to 4 p.m.

Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg. 301.779.0371.

Planning your spring garden? Be sure to stop by the Hyattsville Elementary PTA’s Fourth Annual Native Plant Sale, with nearly 50 varieties available while supplies last. For pictures and information on available plants, visit www.nativeplantsale. org. Free admission, $3 to $16 per plant.

Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hyattsville Elementary School, 5311 43rd Avenue.

301.312.9170 or www.nativeplantsale.org.

May 19

If you love historic houses, you won’t want to miss the Hyattsville Preservation Association’s 34th Annual House Tour, which will showcase homes and gardens throughout the city. $10 in advance (at Franklins or the municipal building) or $12 on tour day; $2 for children. 1 to 5 p.m. On tour day, pick up a detailed brochure guide at the municipal building, 4310 Gallatin Street. 301.699.5440 or www.preservehyattsville.org.

May 20

If you read our cover stories, you know that there are several new faces at City Hall these days. Meet the new City Administrator Jerry M. Schiro and the six new councilmembers at a reception, then stay for the regular council meeting where the new members will be sworn in. Reception begins at 6 p.m. in council chambers, 4310 Gallatin Street. 301.985.5000.

May 22

During A Community Forum on Gun Violence, you can hear from three experts on the subject: Rev. Graylan Hagler of the Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Washington, D.C.; James Atwood, chair of an interfaith movement aimed at

curbing gun deaths; and Hyattsville’s own Police Chief Col. Douglas Holland. The event is sponsored by Washington Community Scholars’ Center of Eastern Mennonite University and the Anabaptist Peace Center.

7 p.m. Howard Zinn Room, Busboys and Poets, 5331 Baltimore Avenue. Contact kim. schmidt@emu.edu.

May 25

The 8th Annual Bike Rally: Rivers to Rockets is named for sites along the 18-mile tour through Riverdale Park, College Park and Hyattsville. Entry fees range from $15 for individuals to $40 for families, and include lunch. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tour begins at Duvall Field, 9100 Rhode Island Avenue, College Park. To register, visit www.eventbrite.com and search “rivers to rockets.”

May 25 and June 8

Want to learn how to play chess, or looking for some new competition? Join the Chess & Checkers Club where you can play, learn or teach chess. All ages welcome. Free. 1 p.m. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd. 301.985.4690.

May 26

The Pan Masters Steelband Jamboree will feature bands from New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, in addition to Brentwood’s own Pan Masters Steel Orchestra. $12 in advance or $15 at gate.

Children under 12 free. 2 to 10 p.m. at the Pan Yard, 4509 Rhode island Avenue, North Brentwood. 301.864.2610.

June 1

Over 21? You’re invited to sample home brews and vote for your favorites at The Art and Craft of Beer, a competition of locally made beer sponsored by the Gateway Community Development Corporation.

Tickets must be purchased in advance. $15; $20 after May 26. Admission includes samples of both home brews and craft beer, light fare and live music. 5 to 9 p.m. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mt. Rainier. 301.864.3860. To purchase tickets, visit www.eventbrite.com and search event name.

June 4

At its last meeting of the school year, the Hyattsville Elementary School PTA will present resources for summer learning. All are welcome, including non-members and children.

6:30 p.m. 5311 43rd Ave. 301.312.9170.

Community Calendar is a select listing of events happening in and around Hyattsville from the 15th of the issue month to the 15th of the following month. To submit an item for consideration, please e-mail susie@hyattsvillelife.com or mail to P.O. Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781. Deadline for June submissions is May 23.

TRASH CHANGES Public Works Trash Collection Changes Summer Schedule for 2013

Senior Fitness Fridays Ageless Grace Exercise Class

Ageless Grace is a fitness and wellness program that consists of 21 simple exercises designed to improve healthy longevity. The exercises are designed to be performed in a seated chair and almost anyone can do them, regardless of most physical conditions.

NEW DATES AND TIMES! Fridays, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Through May 24, 2013

Magruder Park Recreation Building, 3911 Hamilton Street, Hyattsville

Only $2 per session!

SUMMER SESSIONS COMING SOON! Please register by April 15, 2013, by contacting Emily Stowers, Senior Services Coordinator at 301/985-5058 or estowers@hyattsville.org

If your household is served by the Department of Public Works, there are several important schedule changes to note for the next few months. Questions? Please call 301/985-5032.

Memorial Day

No Yard Waste collection week of May 27th

Independence Day

No Yard Waste collection week of July 1st Check June reporter for trash schedule changes for July 4th holiday week

Labor Day

No Yard Waste collection week of September 2nd

Questions? Please call the Department of Public Works at 301/985-5032.

Hyattsville Reporter Page HR1

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

the

No. 264 • May 15, 2013

www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000

Election results The following are the unofficial election results of the City of Hyattsville Election held on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.

A ** indicates the winning candidate of each race. Totals include absentee ballots.

Due to a vacancy, there was an additional 2-year Ward Five seat up for Election on May 7, 2013. The Board of Supervisors of Elections has determined that the winner of the popular vote in Ward Five will receive the 4-year term and the runner up of the popular vote will receive the 2-year term. Therefore two candidates will be designated the winning candidate with ** in front of their names.

The election results will be certified and the newly elected officials will be issued the oath of office at the City Council Meeting scheduled for Monday, May 20, 2013.

Questions may be directed to Hyattsville City Clerk Laura Reams by phone at 301/985-5009 or by email at lreams@hyattsville.org. ________________________________ Ward One William Jenne (47) ** Bart Lawrence (177) Ward Two ** Robert Croslin (281) David Hiles (128) Ward Three ** Patrick Paschall (103) Ward Four Ross J. Gateretse (12) ** Edouard N. Haba (96) Ward Five Pastor Herrera (15) ** Joseph A. Solomon (50) 2-Year Term ** Clayton R. Williams (77) 4-Year Term The community is invited to meet the candidates at a reception at 6:00 PM on Monday, May 20th in the City Municipal Building.

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

by the New Dimensions Singers, the group featured in our HCTV featurette on Senior Services. The event is free. Please join us!

Another semester of the City’s Ageless Grace Senior Exercise Class started on Friday, April 19. The class meets Fridays at 10:00 AM from April 19 through May 24 at the Magruder Park Recreation Center, 3911 Hamilton Street. It is low-impact,

June 14 - Cousin John Band July 12 - Uncle Jack Band August 9 - The Roustabouts September 13 - Just Us

events coordinator, at 301/985-5021.

THANK YOU TO THE FAITHFUL ARIS AND SERGEANT BERGLING

Aris, the City’s long-serving K9, was honored at the May 6th City Council Meeting. Aris joined the HCPD in 2004, and retired from service this month.

Aris has been a trusted and valued member of the HCPD’s patrol, aiding with investigations, drug detection, and routine operations. He’s been a dedicated and hard-working member of the force, with his exceptional nose providing support for officers to make numerous apprehensions.

Aris has entered hazardous situations first so that his fellow officers may follow.

Art Works Studio School at the Parent & Child Program – The Spring semester of the Parent & Child Program continues through May 23 at Magruder Park, meeting Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 AM to noon. The program allows parents and caregivers to bring preschoolers to the Rec Center for playtime and crafts.

Children must be accompanied by an adult. On Wednesday, May 22 Art Works Studio School brings in a craft project at 10 AM. $3 per child.

Call 301/985-5000 for details.

34TH ANNUAL HISTORIC HYATTSVILLE HOUSE TOUR

The 34th Historic Hyattsville House Tour takes

Friday, May 17

Historic Hyattsville House Tour, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Monday, May 20

2013 Election: City Council Meeting/Results Certified & Elected Officials Issued Oath of Office City Council Meeting, 8:00 p.m. Certified Election results are accepted by the Council and the newly elected officials are issued the oath of office.

Planning Committee Meeting, 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM

NEW BUDGET CALENDAR EXPECTED

ART WORKS STUDIO SCHOOL Find out more at www.hyattsville.org/summer- COMES TO THE PARENT & CHILD jam or call Cheri Everhart, the City’s recreation PROGRAM ON MAY 23

Asian-Pacific Heritage Month

Tuesday, May 21 place on Sunday, May 19, 2013 from 1 to 5 PM. The tour starts at the City Municipal Building.

Tour area homes and meet your neighbors!

For the convenience of our visitors the City provides a bus that continuously circles the route.

Advance tickets are $10 per person and are on sale now at: Franklin’s Restaurant, Brewery & General Store, 5121 Baltimore Avenue, Monday through Sunday, 11 AM to 9 PM, or the City Municipal Building, Third Floor, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM. Payment is by cash or check only.

Day of tour tickets are available at the City Municipal Building for $12, beginning at 12:30 PM. For information please call 301/699-5440, email hpahyattsville@hotmail.com or visit www.preservehyattsville.org.

The City offers its deepest appreciation to Aris for his exemplary service, and wish him a restful retirement with the family of his long-time partner, Sergeant Thomas Bergling.

May 1 - May 31

Sunday, May 19

IN OTHER NEWS...

We are pleased to announce that the Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam series is back! Special thanks goes to Gregory Kithcart of Outback Steakhouse Hyattsville, located at 3500 East West Highway at the Mall at Prince George’s Plaza, for returning as our signature sponsor.

The Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam Series has become a traditional Friday night event throughout the summer months. Held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the second Friday of the month, this event includes delicious food (burgers, chicken and hot dogs) provided and prepared by Outback Steakhouse of Hyattsville, a beer and wine garden, musical entertainment, the ever popular moon bounce and Mandy the Clown and her very talented face painter. Our thanks to McDonald Auto Body Towing Division for their sponsorship of Mandy’s performance!

Join us at the Municipal Building at 4310 Gallatin Street, rain or shine! We’re outside on Gallatin if the sun is shining. In the event of inclement weather, the Jam moves inside.

Attendance is free and open to everyone. There is a charge for food and beverages.

MAY 2013

Ageless Grace Senior Exercise Class, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Magruder Park

chair-based exercise designed to increase flexibility, balance, cognitive health, and more. It’s also great fun! Learn more about the program at www.agelessgrace.com. $2 per class.

Contact Emily Stowers, Senior Services Coordinator at 301/985-5058 or estowers@ hyattsville.org for more information or to register for all events and activities.

ANNOUNCING THE OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE SUMMER JAM SERIES LINE-UP

CALENDAR

Bike to Work Day - Magruder Park Pit Stop, 6:30 AM - 8:30 AM

May is Older Americans Month

May is Older Americans Month. The City’s Office of Senior Services celebrates the achievements of our residents with a luncheon on Wednesday, May 22 from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM in the City Municipal Building, First Floor Multi-Purpose Room. The theme is Unleashing the Power of Age. The luncheon will feature a performance

Page HR2

The Mayor and Council are expected to announce a revised FY14 City Budget Calendar during the Council Meeting of Monday, May 20, 2013. Be on the lookout for special Wednesday work sessions devoted to the budget. Documents will be available at www.hyattsville.org/FY14 and included with regular Council meeting materials, which can also be downloaded from our website.

BIKE TO WORK DAY IS FRIDAY, MAY 17

May is National Bike Month! There are plenty of ways to celebrate. If you’ve ever wanted to try

commuting via bike, National Bike to Work Day is a great opportunity. Convoys of experienced riders will meet up for Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 17. There’s even a Magruder Park Pit Stop where you can meet up with others going your way. Learn more at www.biketoworkmetrodc.org.

DOGS FOR THE ARTS

Dogs for the Arts returns to Magruder Park on Saturday, June 1 – Magruder Park goes to the dogs on Saturday, June 1 at 9:30 AM. Paw painting, dog tricks, owner-dog look-alike contest, and more.

Fancy dress encouraged! Presented by the Lively Arts in Hyattsville – no admission charge, but donations accepted. Call 301/699-5440 to register.

HYATT PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN

Looking for information on the Community Garden? The Hyatt Park Community Garden just keeps growing! They now have their own website.

For information on the 2013 gardening season, please visit them at hyattparkgarden.org.

MEMORIAL DAY REMINDERS

City Administrative offices are closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. There is no Yard Waste collection the week of May 27. Questions? Please call 301/985-5032.

NIXLE

The City is now using Nixle to send public safety

Wednesday, May 22

A.G.E.S. Workshop: Celebrating Older Americans Month, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Friday, May 24

Ageless Grace Senior Exercise Class, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Monday, May 27

HOLIDAY - Memorial Day City administrative offices closed. No Yard Waste pick-up, City-wide.

Wednesday, May 29

Code Compliance Committee Meeting, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street.

alerts and information via both email and text message. This system replaces the SafeCity website previously in use. Many of our neighboring jurisdictions also use Nixle to send out information. Please note that Nixle won’t report on every incident – typically alerts are sent when the HCPD needs to alert the public to a potentially dangerous situation, or when we are asking for your help solving a crime. In other cases, Nixle messages relate to road closures, power outages, etc.

If you have a nixle.com account, there is no need to create a new one. Simply log in and add the City of Hyattsville to your wire. New to Nixle? Register at www.nixle.com or enroll using the widget online at http://www.hyattsville.org/stayinformed.

MISSED MONDAY’S MEETING? CATCH THE REBROADCAST

The City’s cable station is now rebroadcasting City Council Meetings at a variety of times. Tune in on Monday at 10 AM; Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 AM, 3 PM, and 10 PM; Wednesdays and Fridays at 7 AM and 9 PM; or Saturdays and Sundays at 12 NOON. We will broadcast the most recent Council Meeting. The City’s channel is 71 on Comcast and 12 on Verizon. Questions? Comments? Please talk to Jonathan Alexander, the City’s cable coordinator, at jalexander@ hyattsville.org or 301/985-5028.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Are you on Facebook? You can now keep up with City events and happenings at www.facebook.com/cityofhyattsville. When you see Vainglorious, the silver metal bird sculpture at Centennial Park, you’ll know you’re in the right place. He is kind enough to serve as the City’s wall photo.

Page 8

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

HIRES

continued from page 1

career has been spent largely in Virginia, where he lives. In Luray, for example, he held a variety of positions: police officer, police chief, town councilmember and – three times – town manager, including one temporary stint last year.

“If not for the Town of Luray, I would not have enjoyed a career in local government,” he told a Shenandoah Valley Now reporter at the time.

Mayor Marc Tartaro released a statement calling Schiro’s skills and background a “perfect fit” for Hyattsville. “Our current economic climate requires strong financial management skills, as

well as a proven track record in economic development. We’re fortunate to have identified a professional who can bring those talents and more to our community.”

Later, in an interview, he praised Schiro’s “experience with municipalities of varying sizes,” adding that “he seems to have a very even temperament, too, which is good.”

Still, he may have his work cut out for him. “He’s going to need to gain the confidence of a staff that has been through a lot,” said Councilmember Candace Hollingsworth (Ward 1).

City staff has seen its share of change in recent years. A major reorganization added departments, while many existing ones saw (or awaited) new leadership.

There has not been a full-time permanent city administrator since Gregory Rose departed in October 2011.

To replace him, the interview process included separate sessions with staff, council and residents.

At a March 23 public meeting at city hall, the eight residents who attended met Schiro and another finalist for the job. They asked preselected questions, many of which addressed how Schiro would handle conflict in a range of situations and how he viewed the role of city administrator in working with stakeholders both inside and outside the city.

“One thing that impressed me were his comments on government transparency and the abil-

ity of citizens to freely access information,” said Nina Faye, who has lived here for nearly 25 years and chairs the Code Compliance Advisory Committee. “He said that if someone was asking for information that could be gained through a [Freedom of Information Act request], there’s no reason not to give it to them. I’m very

strongly in favor of that.”

The community is invited to meet Schiro and the six new city councilmembers during a reception on May 20, before the members are sworn in at that night’s council meeting. The reception begins at 6 p.m. in council chambers, on the third floor of the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street.

KRIS AULENBACH Tom Slezak, President of the Hyattsville Community Foundation hands a check for $500 to Lisa Walker, chairman of the Hyattsville Aging in Place (HAP) board of directors. The grant was given to the organization for its work assisting older residents of the city. The Hyattsville Community Foundation, part of the Prince Georgeʼs County Foundation, presented the check at a meeting of HAP members May 8. HAP is actively seeing volunteers, particularly individuals who may have daytime flexibility to assist residents in getting to doctorʼs appointments. To find out more contact 301.887.3101.

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Wednesday evening testimony meetings — 7:30 p.m.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

Page 9

Legislative review from Annapolis

by Rosanna Landis Weaver

The Maryland General Assembly State Legislature finished a busy season in April, one described by local delegate Anne Healey as “probably one of the most productive sessions we’ve ever had.” There were several big news items: Maryland became the 18th state to eliminate death penalty, and enacted gun control laws that some see as potential models for national reforms. An offshore wind bill passed — the fourth year it was introduced — that paves the way for construction of 40 wind turbines off the coast of Ocean City, potentially powering about 100,000 homes and creating about 2,000 jobs.

These items have all been broadly covered in the national and state media. But given the volume of legislation handled over a relatively short period, it is easy for Hyattsville residents to miss details of what their representatives have been doing.

One perennially important local issue is funding for local projects, and this year legislators from the 22nd District (which includes almost all of Hyattsville) helped arrange $75,000 in funding for the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council Creative Business Incubator located in Hyattsville.

Education is always a critical issue for the legislature. The big news this season was a school management restructuring proposal from County Executive Rushern Baker in

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March. A series of meetings and public hearings resulted in a compromise, passed by the legislature, that gives the county executive the ability to appoint the school superintendent and certain members to the board of education. The plan also allows the County Council to appoint a board member.

Opponents of the compromise, who want to keep an all-elected board, are now attempting to petition the change to a referendum. The compromise will go into effect June 1, unless enough signatures are collected to postpone. Healey is concerned that such a referendum would extend a period of unsettledness. If the petition is successful, no changes can happen until November 2014, and anyone contemplating

applying for the open superintendent position will then necessarily face an extended period of uncertainty.

Another change for Prince George’s County schools, further beneath the radar and somewhat arcane, was a change in how state funding is allocated by county. Healey notes the change is “something we’ve been working on for a long, long time.” The formula that allocates state money to school systems was designed to be based on a once-a-year snapshot on wealth, but IRS changes on the timing of late filing requirements inadvertently ended up reducing Prince George’s County’s share of funding by an estimated $100 million over the last 10 years, says Healey.

Senator Paul Pinsky introduced, and helped move through to passage, an education law to promote college readiness and completion. In his letter to constituents he notes that the law attempts to help students “avoid unnecessary time and expense before enrolling in credit-bearing college classes” by requiring a fourth year of highschool math, assessing readiness by the end of 11th grade and offering transition classes for students who may need them. Pinsky reports that the bill creates incentives for students who have left college just a few credits short of graduation to re-enroll. It also makes transferring between two- and four-year institutions easier.

Del. Alonzo Washington, who replaced Justin Ross in December, listed yet another item in his summary of education-related accomplishments in his constituent letter: the County will Library Capital Project Grant. Washington writes that “Prior to 2013, Prince George’s county was disproportionately required to provide library funding in comparison to other counties.”

He also praised the comprehensive transportation plan that he hopes will help build the Purple Line and attract the FBI Headquarters to Prince George’s County.

In the area of economic development, public-private partnerships legislation, spearheaded by Lt. Governor Anthony Brown annapolis continued on page 10

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UPCOMING EVENTS Mount Rainier Farmer’s Market Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm.

May 18th Mount Rainier Day, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Food, fun and family entertainment.

MountRainierBusiness.com • 301.358.5111

Page 10

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

Pearls of Distinction was one of three groups to win a Judge’s Award at the 127th anniversary parade. The two other Judge’s Awards went to Roots and Shoots Hyatttsville and Girl Scout Troop 6899. The Mayor’s Trophy went to a 1949 Pick-up Custom Show truck ownered by Hyattsville resident James Rogers.

PHOTO BY Korey Berg

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annapolis

continued from page 9

make it easier for private businesses to invest in public projects in return for a share of revenue. Gaines writes that it provides an “innovative financing tool [that will help in] stimulating infrastucture development and creating employment.�

Not every piece of legislation of interest to constituents passed, however, including legislation that sought to mitigate a 2012 Court of Appeals ruling that declared pit bulls “inherently dangerous.� That ruling meant that landlords as well as dog owners could be liable in the case of a pit bull biting someone.

As noted by Gaines, this January, compromise legislation was introduced and passed by the House “to eliminate breed-specific laws and prevent people from losing their homes because of the breed of dog they owned,� but uncertainties

regarding insurance implications stalled the bill at that point. Gaines notes that, “The issue will remain a focus of our work during the interim, for consideration again in the 2014 legislative session.�

Another issue, one Healey calls among the most important to her constituents, was an effort to require a fee for plastic bags.

While generally supported in District 22, that measure is controversial statewide. Legislators continue to work to allay concerns that it would be burdensome to low-income people.

Healey predicts that it will arise again next year, and at some point, the legislature “will come up with enough offsets to allay legitimate concerns.�

This year the bill was voted down in house committee, but Senator Pinsky concluded his letter with the statement: “We’ll try again next year.�

Loving Care Pediatrics Janet V. Johnson, MD

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School Physicals • Immunizations • Sport Physicals • Minor Emergency Care • Ear Piercing • Urgent/Sick Child Visit • CPR/First Aid Class

M-F 9 - 6 p.m. • Evening & Saturday hours by appointment Same day appointment available *Most Insurance Accepted*

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

Page 11

Hugh’sNews

Assassination enablers?

by Hugh Turley

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and stories about that fateful day in November 1963 have already started appearing in the American media. It is a popular belief that if there were a conspiracy, someone would come forward and the press would tell us.

Then why is there still no news about Pfc. Eugene Dinkin, a cryptographic code operator for the Army?

Declassified CIA and FBI documents released in the 1990s reveal a strange tale that raises the question: Could Dinkin have learned the details of an assassination plot from the classified documents he handled, or was he a paranoiac who somehow made a number of amazingly accurate prophecies?

On October 16, 1963, when Dinkin was stationed in Metz, France, he wrote a letter to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy warning that the president would be assassinated on or about November 28 and requesting an interview by the Justice Department. Dinkin sent the letter registered mail, and to prevent it from being intercepted, used the return address of an Army friend, Pfc. Dennis De Witt. He did not receive an answer.

Dinkin later changed the predicted assassination date to November 22 and said it would happen in Texas. He believed the military was involved in the plot and that a Communist would be

blamed. The day after the murder, the Washington Evening Star reported that the alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald was a “proCastro Marxist.”

On October 25, 1963, Dinkin traveled to the United States Embassy in Luxembourg to apprise a Mr. Cunningham, the Charge d’Affaires, of the plot to assassinate President Kennedy. He was turned away.

Dinkin was scheduled for a psychiatric examination on November 4, and fearing confinement as a psychotic, he went absent without leave from his unit. He traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, using a false Army identification and forged travel orders. There, he appeared in the press room of the United Nations office on November 6 and 7 and “told reporters he was being persecuted.” Among those who heard his story were the editor of the Geneva Diplomat and representatives of Newsweek and the Time-Life media group.

The AWOL Dinkin was the subject of CIA cables on November 18 and again on November 29, 1963. The latter cable advised the White House, State Department, FBI, and Secret Service of Dinkin’s assassination predictions and of his trip to Switzerland.

Upon returning to his unit in Metz, he was arrested by Army intelligence officers and soon transferred to Walter Reed Army hospital in Washington, D.C., where he was treated for “paranoia,” according to an FBI report.

Afterwards, he was discharged from the Army.

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The FBI interviewed him on April 1, 1964. By then, perhaps fearing prosecution for revealing classified material, Dinkin said his theory came from newspaper articles and acknowledged that it “was extremely ‘wild’ and could be construed [as] ‘crazy’.”

FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and CIA Deputy Director Richard Helms informed the Warren Commission about Dinkin’s predictions about the assassination, but his name was never mentioned in the encyclopedic official record.

The journalists who heard Dinkin’s story in Switzerland may have had it within their power to prevent the assassination of President Kennedy. By writing nothing about his documented allegations, they failed to exercise that power. In addition, they knew that he had been detained after coming forward – but in the wake of the assassination

Eleanor Pernia

with the investigation proceeding, they remained silent. How many other cases like Dinkins remain unreported?

Pfc. Dinkin miscalculated when he went AWOL to contact journalists whom he mistakenly believed were liberty’s guardians. The Roman poet Juvenal asked, “Quis cus-

todiet ipsos custodes?” (“Who will guard the guards themselves?”) It’s still a good question.

As with most opinion columns, those in the Hyattsville Life & Times should be understood to represent the view of the author and not necessarily the publication.

Art Classes/Workshops at the Brentwood Arts Exchange Teens & Adults

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Page 12

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

NatureNearby

They’re BAAACK!!!!!!

By Fred Seitz

At the time of this writing, the redeyed nymphs were just beginning to show themselves by creeping up through the soil. By the time you read this, the molts of the youth (sloppy, like all teenagers), may be all over our trees and the male choruses may have awakened and possibly begun to annoy us. The red-eyed Brood II crew, viewed by some as edible, may have sung their way into our hearts, driven some of us to near madness, or led some to avoid May picnics, weddings and baseball.

Yes, it’s time for the 17-year cicada invasion, coming soon to a backyard near you if it hasn’t already. When it’s all over, millions of them will have emerged, molted, mated and died, but not without cutting into tree limbs and peppering them with the

eggs of their progeny – their way of saying, “I’ll be back.”

When the eggs hatch, the ant-size young will drop into the soil and feed on juices from the roots of the trees for another 17 years. This does not harm mature trees, but young trees may be stressed by the slicing of limbs and sucking of root juices. (Young trees can be protected with light netting.) This will be the legacy of Brood II, which last visited states from New York to North Carolina in 1996. This twoto-six-week melodrama will end as the young disappear into the soil that their parents emerged from

(until 2030).

Other “broods” of 17-year cicada visited us in 2004 (Brood X), but their range included parts of the Midwest. Their return will be in 2021. Most of the 13-year broods have more southerly visitations. Amidst this plethora, there are annual cicada that emerge every summer in this area with much less fanfare, but considerable sonic capability. The smaller numbers of the annual cicada make them far less noticed.

Like many young folks, they have often been stigmatized. In the cicada’s case, it’s with the nickname “17-year locust.” To clarify, locusts are the ravenous grasshoppers (orthoptera), but our red-eyed cicada friends are “true bugs” (hemiptera) and

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are relatively innocuous if you don’t mind swarms and loud music all the time for two weeks or so.

They don’t bite, sting or eat our veggies. The major hazards are that their sheer numbers “freak out” folks and our pets may devour too many and clog up their digestive tracts. Brides at outdoor May weddings sometimes get resentful, but there are wedding planners who have learned to schedule around the insects or provide alternative venues. The adult cicadas like May for weddings too, but die after the honeymoon.

Scientists do not dispute that the cicada are the loudest insect species. There are three species of 17-year cicada, each with a slightly different song. One, heard mostly in the morning, reportedly sounds like it is calling “pharaoh.” The midday species is reported to sound like a lawnmower and the end of day species is reported to sound like a lawnmower starting. My own listening during past visitations has lumped all the calls into the UFO sound variety.

There are also three species of 13-year cicada, who also have large brood emergences, but the 17-year cicada usually have the largest numbers of nymphs emerging. The “strategy” that Mom Nature came up with for our 17-year broods is that large emergences ensures the preservation of the species, as many other critters enjoy the swarm buffet.

Moles go after the nymphs as they crawl to the surface; fox, raccoons and our domestic pets munch on the nymphs as they cling to the trees; and birds dine on the adults as they search for mates.

The adult males make the “UFOsounding” mating call using two vibrating membranes, called tymbals, on their abdomens. Amplification is provided by air sacs on the body and sound may reach 100 decibels. The “demure” females respond with softer clicks, but get their message across to the male of their dreams.

About 100 species of cicada live in North America, though the 17year swarms are mostly found east of the Mississippi. Other varieties appear in other parts of the country and made their way into Native American legend. Some Asian and European folklore ties the cicada to immortality and some of the insect cases were used to make a tea to quiet noisy babies.

Modern Americans have occasionally indulged in cicada eating frenzies, suggesting that the insects are low in carbs, high in protein. Harvesters of the crawling callers suggest collecting them shortly after they emerge (as their exoskeleton has not hardened and they are not as sharp when swallowed). Recipes are readily available on the internet, though some involve breading – so much for low carbs – whereas others call for sautéing or skewering.

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

Page 13

TOUR

continued from page 1

mance schedule, either might be gone from home six nights a week, and the division of labor is completely upended from the more traditional families they grew up in.

They delight in preparing meals in the kitchen they remodeled in 2009 and 2010, which was part of a larger renovation project that also included adding glass doors on two floors. The effect, says Mendenhall, “is like living in a treehouse.” That was also when the couple, who are both also well-known for recording audiobooks, built an in-home recording studio. (It will not be open for touring.)

Mendenhall is looking forward to showing off the remodeling of their 1928 bungalow. “Anything that connects or informs us about how other people live is a good thing,” she said. “There are so many things that prevent us from connecting, anything that builds community is a good thing.”

Would she have been a suffragist had she lived here 100 years ago? “Absolutely,” says Mendenhall, “and so would Michael.”

Anne Healey, who lives just up the street in another house-tour bungalow, can draw a clear line from the work of the suffragettes to her own career. She has served as a Maryland State Delegate since 1990. During the recent legislative session, she was one of 56 members of the Women’s Caucus of the Maryland General Assembly that marked the centennial of another suffragist march that also stopped in Hyattsville on its way to the nation’s capital. In a special joint session on February 22, the women lawmakers all dressed in black with gold sashes to read proclamations that outlined the history.

Just as society has changed, so

Scott CHappell One of the homes that will be on the tour is this Craftsman-style bungalow on 42nd Place.

have the houses. Anne Healey and her husband, Neal Conway, have lived in the home since 1979, and Healey notes that, “After doing many things – some of them 2 or 3 times – on a very old house, now seemed the time [to participate in the tour].”

One of the projects, getting rid of old paneling, turned up a wellpreserved 1928 building permit inside the wall. It is now framed and hangs by the front door, next to the permit for a 1985 addition. The house was in bad shape when they bought it, and Healey describes that changes since as “an evolution – every year we did a little bit of something.”

Gina DeFerrari’s brick Cape Cod on Oliver Street features another sort of evolution. Six tiles along the front door form a mural depicting creatures such as jellyfish, trilobites and lizards from the Precambrian to the Jurassic eras. DeFerrari made the tiles herself, and she makes the process sound simple enough: “Get a bag of clay, roll it out, carve it,

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glaze it and fire it.” Another tile display is over the fireplace.

She has also added solar panels, a screened gazebo, and ponds with waterfalls. DeFerrari, who attended a Horticultural Society

meeting, was told the house tour was looking for gardens to showcase. When Carol Papagiannis, HPA’s 2013 House Tour Liaison and HPA President Gloria FelixThompson met with her they persuaded her to put her home on the list too. “I was just thinking about displaying the garden when they came and complimented me on the home as well.”

DeFerarri has attended past tours and found it a great way to see what people have done. “You get inspired to do so many things in your own place by what others have done.”

Another garden will be on display at the home of Kevin Oakley and Tony Conto, who have lived in their Craftsman-style bungalow on 42nd Place for 2½ years. When they first looked at the home, the well-established but somewhat neglected garden was a key selling point. There was clearly “purpose to the planting,” notes Oakley. “We love re-establishing the yard as our own.”

Just prior to settlement, Oakley learned that the house was the home of former mayor Mary

Prangley. Prangley joined the city council in 1977, succeeding her husband, and went on to serve in local government for 22 years, ultimately becoming president of the council and then mayor from 1995 to 1999.

Oakley said that hearing it referred to many times as “the Prangley house” made him feel as if they were “inheriting an estate.” Oakley notes that while they appreciate the history, they are participating in the tour more “out of respect and appreciation for the Hyattsville community that binds us all.” As they put down roots, both literally and figuratively, the pair joke that the home may someday be known as the “ContOakley home.”

Homes will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. on May 19. Tickets are $12 or $10 when purchased in advance from locations listed on HPA’s website, www.preservehyattsville.org.

The tour will start at the Hyattsville Municipal Building at 4310 Gallatin Street. For the convenience of visitors, the city will provide a bus that continuously circles the route.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2013

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