January 2015 Hyattsville Life & Times

INVASIVE TREES

FELEGY TRAFFIC

BACKYARD VISITORS

What is the city doing about Bradford Pears? Read a guest editorial from Director of Public Works Lesley Riddle answering that question. PAGE 2

Traffic concerns at Felegy Elementary have city officials, the police, and the school system working together to make sure students are safe. READ MORE ON PAGE 3

Possum or opossum? Fred Seitz explores the history of this critter, including its name, in the latest Nature Nearby.

PAGE 9

Resident to create hockey documentary

by Mark Goodson

This February, Hyattsville resident Boe Leslie and his brother, Nate, will face a challenge like no other in their field. They will coach ice hockey in a country with no indoor rinks and fewer skates than skaters. The international coaches will be travelling to Mongolia, the country that ranks dead last in the International Ice Hockey Federation’s rankings, to film a documentary preliminarily named The Ice at the End of the Earth.

Boe, his brother Nate and his father Bob were all once professional skaters themselves. The Leslies have each dedicated their lives to passing on skills and wisdom to the youth of Europe, Canada, America—even New Zealand. But these are all countries with well established ice hockey traditions and plenty of indoor ice arenas.

Mongolia is a newcomer to the game, which the Soviets introduced during communist occupation in the 60s and 70s. The nation frequently declines international tournament invitations due to a lack of equipment and funds. The country’s topography is one of extremes, from the Altai mountain range in the west to the Gobi desert regions in the

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Vol. 12 No. 1

Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper

EXCLUSIVE: Legal troubles continue for property owners

by Rebecca Bennett

rent director. It creates opportunities for disadvantaged Prince George’s County youth to gain critical skills in theater technology in order to prepare them for employment in that industry.

“We started the program because a significant number of young adults inquired about employment at Joe’s,” said Cathy Smith, the program’s recruitment and outreach coordinator. “We wanted to create more jobs and training opportunities in the arts and in other sectors.”

Local business owners Amrik and Ravinder Melhi received another setback this month when the Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners revoked the liquor license of an Adelphi restaurant, The Golden Bull, which they allegedly control. Last August, the board ordered their business, Tick Tock Liquors in Langley Park, to stop selling alcohol.

At Tick Tock, located at 1820 University Boulevard East, although the website still lists store hours as 7 a.m. to midnight, a handwritten sign on the door says, “We close.”

The store has a sordid past. Tick Tock Liquors and its owners Amrik and Ravinder Melhi were implicated in the 2010 indictment of former Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson, who pled guilty to accepting bribes from developers, conspiracy, and extortion. Johnson was sentenced to seven years in prison and is scheduled to be released in 2018.

Amrik Melhi admitted to conspiring with Johnson and a Prince George’s County Police officer to transport and distribute untaxed alcohol using extortion. In Dec. 2011, a U.S. District Court sentenced 52-year-old Melhi to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release, according to the FBI. He was released on March 18, 2014, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

The FBI says Ravinder Melhi, 49, plead guilty to illegally accessing a protected Maryland Motor

THEATER continued on page 13

TICK TOCK continued on page 12

JOE’S MOVEMENT EMPORIUM Program participants Julio Q., Zachery F., and Taisa M., practice during a sound training session with instructor Adriel W.

Theater program helps prepare teens to enter workforce

by Scarlett Salem

Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781

January 2015

The programs offered through Joe’s Movement Emporium in Mount Rainier usually promote education, production, and artist services with an emphasis on dance and movement. The Theater Tech Program (TTP), which began in 2008, has a slightly different goal.

“TTP is a workforce development initiative that provides instruction in theater tech, operation, and digital media to at-risk, low-income youth, ages 16 to 21,” said Shonique McBayne, the program’s cur-

Included: The January 2015 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section

Page 2

Hyattsville Life & Times | January 2015

MyTwoCents

The Bradford Pear: Beauty or beast?

by Lesley Riddle

About this time of year, we start to long for the first petals to bloom on our city’s many flowering trees. Among them is the Bradford Pear, once the county’s official tree, which usually grows 25 feet tall with a canopy nearly as wide, giving it a lovely round form. The tree blossoms dependably each spring, displays wonderful fall color, and has virtually no insect or disease problems.

A community newspaper chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781 http://HyattsvilleLife.com http://facebook.com/HyattsvilleLife http://twitter.com/HvilleTimes Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Hyattsville Community Newspaper, Inc., a 501c(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 below.

Managing Editor Caroline Selle caroline@hyattsvillelife.com 410.991.9209 Editor and Web Manager Rebecca Bennett Editor Mark Goodson Production Ashley Perks

Unfortunately, that’s where the good news ends for Bradford Pears. And the bad news about the trees outweighs the good, which is why we as a city are slowly but surely removing these pears from our streets and parks.

The Bradford Pear is a cultivar of the Callery Pear, which was imported to the United States several times beginning over a hundred years ago, according to the National Park Service. (It was planted at Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum in 1909.)

The Bradford was cultivated around 1950 for its ornamental aesthetic, and sold and planted widely. It has lined the streets of Prince George’s County cities and towns for decades.

But it turns out the trees often experience major stem and trunk failure as they age, causing some to split down the middle, and making nearby areas unsafe. Also, the tree’s seeds spread and take root easily, and have integrated into margins of woodlands, fallow sites, and anywhere they can find footing.

The trees that grow are not technically Bradfords – which can only reproduce through grafting – but a different genotype that form dense thickets. They choke out many native species by blocking

The City of Hyattsville is already controlling and removing the Bradford Pear trees.

them from sun, water and soil, which in turn starves our native birds, insects and mammals of their food and habitat. For these reasons the Callery and Bradford Pears have been deemed an invasive species. Control may soon be mandated by federal, state, and county officials.

Meanwhile, we at the City of Hyattsville are already controlling and removing the trees.

We are doing so responsibly, to prevent the creation of more significant environmental problems and ecosystem imbalance.

We are measured in our removal

CITY VOTING AGE LOWERED TO 16 At almost 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 5, the Hyattsville City Council voted 7 to 4 to pass a charter amendment sponsored by Councilmember Patrick Paschall (Ward 3) that will allow 16and 17-year-olds to vote in city elections. The vote came after an hour long public hearing and additional discussion during the council meeting on whether or not the issue should be outright voted on or put on the ballot.

The meeting agenda set the council up to first vote on the issue as an advisory referendum, which needed eight votes to pass. If that motion did not pass, a second motion to vote on outright lowering the voting age to 16 years old was scheduled, which only needed six votes to pass.

According to the council proceedings, 16- and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in the next city election, which is scheduled for May 5.

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in fact a real beast for our natural landscape.

Improving our local ecosystem will take time and effort from everyone. We’re working on a schedule of upcoming tree removals, and when finished we will post it on the City website. Residents landscaping their yards can also help out by buying from nurseries that sell native plants instead of purchasing and planting invasive species.

Lesley Riddle is the Director of Public Works for the City of Hyattsville.

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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.

of the old and dying Bradford cultivars, and more aggressive in taking out the genotypes that have integrated into our natural areas. This keeps our neighborhoods looking good, and gives us time to replace the trees we do remove with more desirable, less invasive native species.

Of course, our region is often invaded by non-native species.

Apples, cherries and most fruit trees are among them, but they have proven to live in harmony with our native plants. The Bradford Pear has not. While it can be a true beauty in the spring, it is

REBECCA BENNETT Harper (left) and Maria (right), juniors at Northwestern High School, came to the public hearing to speak in favor of lowering the city voting age to 16 years old.

PLAN PRESENTED FOR KIPLINGER LAND USE The Jan. 5 Hyattsville City Council meeting also saw a presentation from the attorney and

developers involved in the proposed development at the former Kiplinger Editors Press site, which is on East West Highway across from the Mall at Prince Georges.

According to the presentation, developers are aiming for a cohesive feel between the multiple structures on site and the surrounding area. Luxury apartments and single family townhouses are planned, with the apartments bordering East West Highway and the townhouses towards the rear of the property. Attorney Bill Schiff said retail is still on the site plan, but “it’s trailing behind.”

LIGHTING STUDY A presentation by a representative of Charles P. Johnson and Associates (CPJ), the company from which the City of Hyattsville has contracted a lighting study, said that preliminary findings revealed that much of the city’s lighting does not meet current standards.

The company is evaluating lighting in West Hyattsville and will meet with the city later this month to discuss its finding. CPJ said they expect analysis and recommendation to be completed by April 2015.

Hyattsville Life & Times | January 2015

Page 3

City, school system work together to address traffic concerns at Felegy Elementary

by Caroline Selle

During pick-up and drop-off times at Edward M. Felegy Elementary, school children dart across Nicholson Street while drivers — mostly parents and guardians — make u-turns at the bottom of the blind hill at the intersection of Nicholson and Mayhurst Drive.

“There’s actually a stop sign only heading west, there’s no stop sign heading east,” said Chris Giunta, the manager of code and parking compliance for the City of Hyattsville. “ … [drivers] are pulling out into wrong-way traffic.” When he visited the site in November, Giunta saw four near-accidents in a twentyminute period.

Compounding the danger, he said, is an ice cream truck that “occupies one of the few legal parking spaces that are in the neighborhood.”

“It’s a perfect storm of chaos,” said Assistant City Administrator Jim Chandler, and it’s one that Hyattsville officials are trying to reduce. “Certainly the last thing anyone wants is a kid getting hit in an area that is supposed to be dedicated for walkers.”

Though Chandler said traffic issues are common at neighborhood elementary schools, the city has been voicing concerns since the school’s inception.

When the location of the new elementary school was proposed, initial plans included vehicular access points through both Nicholson Street and East West Highway. City officials say they went to the county school system with requests for modifications.

“At the city’s request,” said Chandler, “the county modified the plans to restrict vehicular access to only access along EastWest Highway.” The primary route for pedestrians was and is intended to be Nicholson Street, with the East West Highway entrance as the primary pick-up and drop-off zone.

For the first couple of school weeks, Chandler said the city had a police officer present to help direct traffic. “Unfortunately, we only have so much staff to dedicate, so we did pull back and noticed immediately we were getting cars doing pick-ups and drop-offs and some other things they weren’t supposed to be doing,” he said.

“We cannot fiscally sustain assigning a police officer there every day” to address parking compliance, Hyattsville City Police Department (HCPD) spokesperson Chris Purvis wrote in an email.

As a result, city and school officials are working to find solutions.

According to Purvis, the city

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administration and HCPD officials “have met with several school officials to discuss some of our concerns about the way in which parents are accessing the site during both the dropoff and pick-up.” In December, HCPD’s Community Action Team planned to conduct a safety assessment before reconvening in January to work on solutions.

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When you put in a crosswalk, you’re indicating to the people walking that this is a safe area, and you don’t want to put that in an area where that may not be true,” he said.

Long term, said Chandler, a crossing guard is “the only measure that can be taken to really make sure it’s a safe situation out there.”

In the meantime, officials encourage parents to use the designated school entrance and exit off of East West Highway at Editor’s Row.

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pedestrian crossing signs. “The city is also considering placing [vertical posts] in the middle of the street, and we have requested a crossing guard from Prince George’s County Police,” said City of Hyattsville spokesperson Jake Rollow.

Chandler said the city has considered installing an additional crosswalk or an extended one.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | January 2015

City temporarily suspends tree trimming by Pepco

by Caroline Selle

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Pepco’s tree trimmings have been temporarily suspended in the City of Hyattsville. According to city spokesperson Jake Rollow, the power utility’s arborist contractor pruned trees without first alerting the city to its plans.

Hyattsville resident Nina Faye said she heard two large trucks outside of her Queensbury Road home early on Saturday, Dec. 27. The vehicles belonged to Asplundh, Pepco’s arborist contractor, and the crews were preparing to prune trees.

“I asked the crew what they were going to do,” Faye said.

“They pointed to all the trees along the sidewalk in front of my house and two neighbors, saying they were going to prune them away from the electrical wires.”

Faye said none of the tree limbs appeared to be close to the electrical wires “as they had all been pruned within the last two years.”

“I also stated that when I received notification of pruning in October from Pepco,” Faye said, “I phoned and left a message and later spoke live to a young man, telling him they did not have permission to prune my small redbud tree. [The Asplundh crew] said my tree was [still] on the list.”

According to Pepco Senior Media Relations Manager Sean Kelly, “Pepco notifies customers of planned pruning activities no less than seven days before the start of work. We knock on the customer’s door in an effort to obtain approval for the work if we need to prune trees on private property. If no one answers, we leave a door hanger that pro-

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rebecca bennett On Dec. 27, Asplundh pruned several trees on Queensbury Road for Pepco.

vides notice of the pending work, includes a name and number to call if there are any questions, and states that we will proceed with the planned work unless we hear back from the customer within seven days. On the day of the trimming, we knock on the customer’s door again. If no one is home, we proceed to trim.”

Faye said her experience was not in line with Pepco’s stated practices. “If I had not been physically present, they would have damaged my tree, which I had specifically told Pepco that they did not have permission to prune,” she wrote.

Though Faye was able to stop the crews from pruning her trees,

she was unable to stop the arborists from entering her neighbors’ properties.

“They damaged several of [a neighbor’s] trees by skinning the bark off limbs with their electric saw … They went to another neighbor, where they pruned branches from a ... birch, which again were nowhere near the electrical wires.” Faye said she thought there was major damage done to that tree, because it has very light wood.

In response to an inquiry about Pepco’s pruning practices, Kelly wrote, “Pepco’s vegetation management work in Hyattsville is necessary to maintain safe and reliable service to our customers. Our work is undertaken to comply with state laws and regulations that mandate minimum clearances between trees and power lines … Tree species, its position in relation to our electric facilities and the line voltage are all factors in determining how much limb removal is required.”

Rollow said the City of Hyattsville “[approves] all treetrimmings before they occur.”

The Dec. 27 incident was not on the schedule. “Upon learning of the situation,” Rollow said, “the City called Asplundh and asked them to stop their work immediately. They did so.”

“The City remains concerned by the lack of communication and some of the pruning standards,” Rollow said.

Hyattsville Life & Times | January 2015

Page 5

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Clockwise from left: The Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Departmentʼs Santa poses with volunteers in front of a fire truck; Lt. Chris Purvis of the Hyattsville City Police Department speaks with two sisters during Operation Santa with a Badge; the Ward 2 first place entrant into the Cityʼs annual Claus Applause contest; the Ward 4 second place entrant; an officer and participant pose during Operation Santa with a Badge; the 2014 Mayorʼs Choice Award winner for the Claus Applause contest.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | January 2015

Bricks&Mortar

Local government going green through historic preservation

by Gray OʼDwyer

Sometimes, going ‘green’ doesn’t mean building something new, sophisticated, or state-of-the-art. Sometimes it just means recycling things you already have. In November, Assistant City Administrator Jim Chandler gave a presentation to the city council on ways to meet the increased need for office space in Hyattsville by adaptively reusing historic properties the city already owns.

The suggestion comes after months of debate over the fate of the historic Hyattsville Library with its iconic ‘flying saucer.’

Some residents criticized the environmental cost of building a new library when the existing building was sound, though badly in need of renovation.

Many residents also appreciated the historic value of the library, saying that Hyattsville’s unique building stock was an essential part of its character.

Hyattsville’s historic character is becoming a focal point for discussing how to address the area’s recent growth. A Dec. 2014 Washingtonian article described Hyattsville as “an area [that] has arrived,” and home prices in the area reflect increasing demand.

The city’s administrative burdens

Vigilante roastery have renewed interest in developing neglected Arts District properties.

The Arcade was originally built for the Pinckney Memorial Church ca. 1915, designed by the architectural firm of Hunter and Bell according to records in The American Contractor. In 1917, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington wrote after a visit that “the new Church and parish house are very pleasing and must add greatly to the future success of this important Parish.”

It was expanded and converted to a movie theater ca. 1926, and altered again to become offices prior to 1970. In the mid1990’s, the building was vacated by its last tenant and slowly deteriorated until 2000 when it was donated to the city. Major staCAROLINE SELLE bilization work was done between The City of Hyattsville is looking at future use for the Arcade building 2006-2012, but the building will among others. remain a shell until the city council agrees on a vision for its use. have increased concurrently; the 1 and Gallatin Street) has been The most recent study estimates November presentation indicat- the focus of a long-term devel- it will cost around $2.5 million to ed a need for over 21,000 square opment plan that has been frus- fully renovate the Arcade. feet of additional office space just trated by changing priorities and The former BB&T Bank buildto accommodate existing staff. by the challenges of the building ing on Hamilton Street has also In the past, plans to reuse city- itself. Like many buildings along remained vacant since the city owned buildings such as the Route 1, the Arcade was vacant purchased it for approximately former BB&T Bank building for many years and renovation $1 million in 2008; at the time, and the Arcade have stalled. The costs have been a moving tar- the purchase price was only 40 Arcade building in particular (lo- get. However, new business in- percent of the building’s assessed Gray O’Dwyer is an architectural cated at the intersection of Route vestments, such as the popular value according to the financial historian who moved from her home town of Richmond, Virginia, to join the Hyattsville neighborhood.

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risk statement. The original intent was to use it for “nonprofit centers, schools, or city services,” but there is now a proposal on the table to move the Hyattsville City Police Department there instead.

The bank was originally built in 1955 in the popular Colonial Revival style, then enlarged with an annex in 1964. Moving the police department from the Hyattsville Municipal Building to the BB&T building is projected to cost around $480,000 in immediate renovations.

Overall, a 2011 study approximated $9.8 million over the next 20 years would be needed in improvements to several existing city-owned properties, including the Arcade, BB&T building, and the ca. 1990 Municipal Building on Gallatin St. A city spokesperson told us last month that leasing or selling two of the properties would lower that overall cost.

In comparison, Prince George’s County has already committed $14 million to the new Laurel Branch Library and plans to spend upwards of $11 million for a new Hyattsville Branch Library.

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Page 7

player might not have the financial means, skill level, or time commitment for the elite level, it does not mean that they love the game any less.”

The Leslies planned their trip to Mongolia after Mongolian hockey player Purevdavaa Choijiljav connected with Boe through the family’s online hockey learning platform, www.lgsportsamerica. com. Choijijay, known as Pujee, is a dedicated player: he once rode the Siberian Railroad for seven days in order to attend a Czech training camp because he was unable to afford the airfare required to travel more quickly.

Life’s too

After connecting with Pujee, the Leslie family sponsored the Mongolian Hockey Federation with all they could offer electronically: full access to drills, blogs, video examples, and more. Word of this collaboration began to spread, aided by a CBC Vancouver news story in May 2014. But the Leslies wanted to offer more. To help share their passions in person, they began a Kickstarter campaign in November to fund a documentary about the journey.

The campaign platform, www. kickstarter.com, is an entrepreneurial launch website. The

Leslies had 30 days to meet their goal of $20,000 to cover a cameraman in Mongolia and a film editor. Backers from Hyattsville to Switzerland quickly came to aid, spreading the project’s link globally, but it wasn’t quite enough. With only days remaining, Boe and family dined with Swiss coaches and friends and received the pledge that will make their dream documentary a reality.

Boe returns to Hyattsville on March 3, when the process of finalizing the footage begins. For more information, contact Boe at boe@lgsports.ca.

SHORT to do laundry!

Wash & Fold Service GILLIAN LESLIE Boe Leslie, joined by his son Kailen, and wife Gillian at an outdoor ice rink in Budapest, Hungary.

DOCUMENTARY

continued from page 1

east. Outside of Ulan Bator— Mongolia’s capital — nomadic tribes still roam the land. Such conditions continually stunt the development of a first world

sport like hockey. And this is exactly what inspired Boe. “Unfortunately in youth sport today, I think that there are too many programs and coaches that cater to the elite,” he said.

Hockey is an expensive sport.

“We think that just because a

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Hyattsville Life & Times | January 2015

Hyattsville Life & Times | January 2015

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el

the

Hyattsville Reporter Reportero de Hyattsville No. 302 • January 20, 2015

City Elections

On May 5, 2015, Hyattsville will hold elections for Mayor and five City Council seats. If you are interested in running for office, candidate registration opens February 23. Vote-by-Mail applications will also become available that same day. The City is also plannig to hire election judges. For more information, please visit www.hyattsville.org/elections or contact City Clerk Laura Reams at 301-985-5009 or lreams@hyattsville.org.

City Updates

Did you know that you can sign up to receive email and/or text message updates from the City of Hyattsville? It’s a great way to learn about our programs and events. To sign yourself up, please visit our website – www.hyattsville.org – and click the “Notify Me” button.

Parent-Child Program Launches New Semester

The Creative Minds Parent-Child program features artistic, musical and physical activities to spur the creativity of kids ages 1 to 3 and their parents. The program meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, January 13 - April 2, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Cost is $50 for the entire session, but you can try it out for free. The program operates at Magruder Recreation Center, 3911 Hamilton Street. More informa-

Ageless Grace Exercise Classes

Every Wednesday and Friday through February 27, 10 - 11 AM 4310 Gallatin Street More information: Colleen Aistis, 301.985.5057, caistis@hyattsville.org

Hyattsville City Council Meeting

Tuesday, January 20, 8 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street More information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@hyattsville.org

Hyattsville Code Compliance Advisory Committee

Wednesday, January 21, 7 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street More information: Chris Giunta, 301-985-5017, cgiunta@hyattsville.org

Noticias de la Ciudad

¿Ud. sabia que puede inscribirse para recibir noticias de la Ciudad de Hyattsville por correo electronico y/o mensaje de texto? Es un gran manera para aprender de nuestros programas y eventos.

Para inscribirse visite nuestro sitio de web – www.hyattsville.org – y haga clic en el botón “Notify Me.” Allí puede eligir a recibir mensajes en español.

Programa de Padres e Hijos Abre Nuevo Semestre

Voluntario del Año

Volunteer Services Manager Colleen Aistis with 2014 Resident Volunteer of the Year Mary Banks and artist Eileen Cave

El Premio de Servicio Voluntario de Hyattsvalle se da cada año a alguien que ha estado participando extraordinariamente en los programas de voluntarios de la ciudad. El premio de 2014 fue a Mary Banks.

Banks ha sido por más de 20 años residente de los apartamentos de Friendship Arms, una instalación para mayores y personas con discapacidades.

Desde 2008 ha ayudado con entusiasmo a los voluntarios de

2014 Resident Volunteer of the Year Mary Banks and family in front of “Parked for Literacy” the 2014 Volunteer Service award painted by Eileen Cave.

Preparatoria Católica DeMatha.

Les da juegos y tarjetas, asegura que tienen alguien con quien pueden conectar, y despues supervisa su servicio.

En 2010 Banks también ayudo en ser capitán para el equipo de video-bolos de Wii de Friend-

ship Arms. Patrocinado por la Liga de Mayores Nacionales, el equipo tiene competencias con otros equipos de video-bolos en todo el pais. En Friendship Arms, voluntarios estudiantiles dan entrenamiento y estímulo.

El equipo practica dos veces

cada semana y el año pasado clasificaron para las eliminatorias.

Cada año un artista de Hyattsville esta comisionado a crear arte original como el premio de servicio voluntario. El premio de 2014 fue creado por artista y

El Programa Mentes Creativas de Padres e Hijos ofrece actividades de arte, musica y ejercicio para estimular la creatividad de niños de edades uno a tres y sus padres. El programa se reune los martes y jueves, 13 de enero hasta 2 de abril, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Cuesta $50 por la session, pero lo puede probar gratis. Opera en el Centro Recreativo de Magruder, 3911 Hamilton Street. Más información: Tony Martinez, 240-2998395, tmartinez@hyattsville.org

CALENDARIO

CALENDAR Every Tuesday and Thursday through April 2, 10 AM - 12 PM Magruder Recreation Center, 3911 Hamilton Street More information: Tony Martinez, 240-299-8395, tmartinez@hyattsville.org

residente de Hyattsville Eileen Cave.

El 5 de mayo, 2015, Hyattsville tendrá elecciones para Alacalde y cinco puestos en el Consejo Municipal. Si usted tiene interés en hacer campaña, inscripción para candidatos abre el 23 de febrero. Solicitudes de Votaciónpor-Correo serán disponible la misma fecha. La Ciudad también planea en contratar jueces de las elecciones. Para más información, por favor visite www.hyattsville.org/elections o contacte a la Secretaria de la Ciudad Laura Reams a 301-9855009 o lreams@hyattsville.org.

Volunteer of the Year

Creative Minds Parent & Child Program

www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000

Elecciones de la Ciudad

tion: Tony Martinez, 240-299-8395, tmartinez@hyattsville.org.

The Hyattsville Volunteer Service Award is given each year to someone who has been an extraordinary participant in the City’s volunteer programs.

The 2014 award went to Mary Banks.

Banks has been a resident of the Friendship Arms apartments, a facility for seniors and people with disabilities, for more than 20 years. Since 2008 she has enthusiastically helped volunteers from DeMatha Catholic High School to engage with residents.

She sets them up with board games and decks of cards, ensures they have someone to connect with, and then monitors their service.

In 2010 Banks also stepped up to be team captain for the Friendship Arms Wii Friends Video Bowling Team. Sponsored by the National Senior League, the team competes with other Wii Video bowling teams across the country. At friendship arms, student volunteers provide coaching and encouragement. The team practices twice per week, and last year qualified for the playoffs.

Each year a Hyattsville artist is commissioned to create an original piece of art as the award. The 2014 Volunteer Service Award was created by Hyattsville resident and artist Eileen Cave.

No. 302 • 20 de enero, 2015

www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000

Hyattsville Education Advisory Committee

Thursday, January 22, 6:30 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street More information: Jake Rollow, 301-985-5031, jrollow@ hyattsville.org

Hyattsville Planning Committee

Tuesday, January 27, 7:30 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street More information: Jim Chandler, 301-985-5013, jchandler@hyattsville.org

City Council Public Hearing on Tax Rate

Wednesday, January 28, 7:00 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin More information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@hyattsville.org

City Council Work Session on Budget Priorities

Wednesday, January 28, 8:00 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin More information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@hyattsville.org

Hyattsville City Council Meeting

Mentes Creativas Programa de Padres e Hijos

Monday, February 2, 8 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street More information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@hyattsville.org

Cada martes y jueves, hasta el 2 de abril, 10 AM - 12 PM 3911 Hamilton Street.

El Centro Recreativo de Magruder Más información: Tony Martinez, 240-299-8395 o tmartinez@hyattsville.org

City Council Work Session on Draft Budget

Gracia Eterna Clases de Ejercicio

Wednesday, February 11, 8:00 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin More information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@hyattsville.org

Cada miércoles y viernes hasta el 26 de noviembre, 10 - 11 AM 4310 Gallatin Street Más información: Tony Martinez, 240-299-8395 o tmartinez@hyattsville.org

Reunion del Consejo Municipal de Hyattsville

Martes, 20 de enero, 8 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@ hyattsville.org

Comité de Cumplimiento de Codigos de Hyattsville

Miércoles, 21 de enero, 7 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Chris Giunta, 301-985-5017, cgiunta@hyattsville.org

Comité de Educación de Hyattsville

Jueves, 22 de enero, 6:30 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Jake Rollow, 301-985-5031, jrollow@ hyattsville.org

Comité de Planeación de Hyattsville

Martes, 27 de enero, 7:30 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Jim Chandler, 301-985-5013, jchandler@hyattsville.org

Audiencia Publico sobre La Taza de Impuestos

Miércoles, 28 de enero, 7 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@ hyattsville.org

Reunión de Trabajo del Consejo Municipal sobre Prioridades del Presupuesto

Miércoles, 28 de enero, 8 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@ hyattsville.org

Reunion del Consejo Municipal de Hyattsville

Lunes, 2 de febrero, 8 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@ hyattsville.org

Reunión de Trabajo del Consejo Municipal sobre el Borrador de Presupuesto

Miércoles, 11 de febrero, 8 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@ hyattsville.org

Page 8

Hyattsville Life & Times | January 2015

NatureNearby

Hangin’ out for the holidays

by Fred Seitz

Everyone has experienced it: an unexpected guest shows up at your house around holiday time and just hangs out.

We recently had such a visitor on one of the warmer December days. While I was raking leaves in the backyard, one of my dogs (who had been supervising me) went crazier than usual near the back fence. Wandering back to ascertain the source of his dilemma, I was surprised to see a gray and white cat-sized critter hanging from one of the vines growing up an oak. It was North America’s only marsupial, the Virginia opossum.

Though the animal is known scientifically as Didelphus virginianus, “possum” or opossum — if your English prefers more syllables — comes from the Powhatan name for “white face.”

The plump little fellow was using claws, his thumbs, and his prehensile tail to cling to the vine as he stared somewhat suspiciously at my wannabe predator dog.

I immediately ushered my canine back inside, knowing that a more “personal” encounter between the two would be bad for both participants. Despite my dog’s less than cordial greeting, the possum seemed fairly calm when I returned to his “hangin’ place.” Indeed, the often arboreal dwellers have had family hanging out in North America, since shortly after T-Rex and his often ill-natured cousins departed the real estate nearly 65 million years ago.

Opossums and opossum kin (including kangaroos and our childhood favorite, the Tasmanian Devil) are believed to have evolved in North America, before the latter two migrated to Antarctica, Tasmania and Australia in warmer times. Only our friend, the possum, was left to look after the old evolutionary homestead. Indeed,

FRED SEITZ A possum, or opossum, in the authorʼs backyard.

possums live from Maine to the Midwest, down to Florida, and through Central America. Some species of possum inhabit South America, as far south as Patagonia.

Other species of possum live on some of the Caribbean islands, where they are often caught and prepared as something of a delicacy.

Not that our local variety has escaped the kitchen, especially in the South and some rural areas. I have been told that the flesh has a chicken-like flavor, though I have never eaten one and would be somewhat wary of doing so, given opossum’s diverse, but not always discriminating diet: included are such known delights such as carrion, cockroaches and other insects, spoiled fruits and food, as well as the occasional snake, mouse, rat, shrew or cat.

Indeed, the probable reason my plump, but usually nocturnal friend was hanging out in the sun was to do his winter forag-

ing. The diverse diet of our plump neighbor (up to 14 pounds) has helped with his survival and his evolution from a time when North America was more tropical and has given him resistance to many diseases. Although they may carry rabies, the incidence of this malady in possums is reported to be relatively low.

Even with their 50 teeth and occasionally ominous looking claws, possums are rarely combative with animals or humans.

When threatened, they may hiss and with a chronic snarl be more intimidating than dangerous. Fleeing is their preferred option for tense situations, my backyard encounter, for example, prompted him to climb higher in the tree. Although the animals have long been known for “playing possum,” the reaction is not a conscious choice but more of a seizure that may be accompanied by the excretion of a greenish, odorous liquid which helps de-

ter predators from pursuing the creature further. These episodes may last from a few minutes to over an hour.

When not looking pseudo-intimidating or fainting into fake death, possums are very fond of breeding. They may breed up to three times a year, December to February (maybe my visitor wasn’t foraging), May and August. Gestation takes only about 12 days, after which the bumblebee size infant climbs into the pouch and attaches him or herself to one of the mother’s 13 nipples and nurses up to two months.

One wrinkle in this process is that mom may have up to 20 youngin, so there’s not always enough food to go around.

The young may start leaving the pouch for short periods in about a month, sometimes using mom’s back for transport.

They usually mature at about three and a half to four months. The possum’s sexual anatomy (elaborated in most short writeups about possums, but not here — Reader’s Digest and parents may thank me or accuse me of prudishness) has spawned almost as many folktales as their propensity for feigning death. While my holiday guest stayed around for several hours after my semi-fierce dog was contained, he didn’t hang around for the holidays.

Possums often “move on” nightly and migrate through an area of nearly two square miles. It is not unusual for them to take up temporary residence in sheds, attics, under porches, steps, etc, especially in cooler weather. Should you encounter one in a place you prefer he or she not reside, placing a small piece of fruit in a trashcan laying on its side will likely attract the individual into the can for ready relocation.

Because of the number of less appealing critters (like cockroaches and rats) he consumes, it is probably preferable to let the little fellow visit your lot or home space for brief periods rather than to take more drastic measures.

Remember, they were here shortly after T-Rex, so they have stronger claim to squatter rights than many.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | January 2015

Page 9

For more events, visit www.HyattsvilleLife.com

COMMUNITY CALENDAR January 24

Start off the new year by completing those crucial medical documents! Geriatric specialist Dr. Stephanie Trifoglio will speak at today’s Hyattsville Aging in Place meeting at the Municipal Building on Gallatin Street to discuss which documents should be prepped for the new year. Coffee and conversation and 9 a.m.; program from 9:30 to 11:30. Free. For more information, call 301.887.3101 or email hapcares@gmail.com.

January 24 and 25

Caroline Selle Coffee is set up in preparation for a cupping class at the Vigilante Roastery on Gallatin Street.

Boundless Eclectic performs Journey into Freedom at Joe’s Movement Emporium. Homeschooled youth and professional musicians and dancers participate in a multi-generational collaboration blending dance, movement, music, soundscapes, spoken word, and percussion. Tickets and details available at www.joesmovement. org. All ages welcome. January 24 at 8 p.m. and January 25 at 4 p.m.

Theatre Response to #YesToAllWomen at Joe’s Movement Emporium. The performance mines the cast’s personal stories to explore feminine sensuality, strength and vulnerability. $10.

February 6th @ 8:00 p.m., February 7th @ 8:00 p.m.

January 25

February 7

Join the pros at Vigilante Coffee for Brewing 101. Register online or at the Roastery to learn how to make better coffee at home. Participants will take home a sample of coffee beans and receive an instore discount. $25, 4327 Gallatin Street. 4 to 6 p.m.

January 26

The Hyattsville Branch Library screens Forks over Knives (2011) as part of its Independent Film Series. The documentary looks at the effects of animalbased and processed foods on degenerative diseases. 7 p.m.

January 27

Today, the Gateway Dog Club and Hyattsville Community Development Corporation host a Loose Aggressive Dog Forum. The forum will include information and discussion about loose aggressive dogs in the Gateway Arts District and surrounding areas. Officer James Denault of the Hyattsville Police Department and Laura Costas, a local dog trainer specializing in aggression issues, will speak. 7 p.m., 4310 Gallatin Street. 2nd Floor, Prangley Room. Snacks provided.

For more information please contact Joanne Kirsch at 202.499.0911.

January 31

Join the Busboys and Poets Book Club in Hyattsville today from 9 to 11 a.m in the Zinn Room to discuss the latest book choice.

February 6 and 7

Contradiction Dance presents BOUNDARIES: A Dance-

Lake Artemesia, 8200 55th Avenue, Berwyn Heights. Free. 3 to 4:30 p.m. 301.627.7755.

English-Spanish Storytime for ages 3-6: Saturdays, 11 a.m. 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690.

Open Mic at Busboys and Poets, various hosts. Hear live spoken word poetry in the Zinn Room. Thursdays, 9 to 11 p.m.

Rise + Rhyme kicks off the week for the 5-and-under set with storytelling, performances and more. Suggested donation, $5.

Monday mornings from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Zinn Room, Busboys and Poets, 5331 Baltimore Avenue. 301.779.2787.

The Hyattsville library offers a variety of storytimes. Space is limited; free tickets available at the children’s desk. Ages 9-23 months: Mondays, 10:15 a.m.

Ages 2-3: Mondays, 11 a.m. Ages 3-5: Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.

Ages 3-6: Wednesdays, 7 p.m.

Prince Georges Advocates for Community-Based Transit (PG ACT) meetings are held on the second monday of every

month. The advocacy group promotes and encourages accessible transit and livable communities.

This month’s meeting is February 9, 5 to 7 p.m. Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin St. 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 tips@hyattsvillelife.com or mail to P.O. Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781. Deadline for February submissions is January 31.

Janis Kearney, the author of Sundays with TJ: 100 Years of Memories on Varner Road will talk about her memoir concerning the stories of TJ Kearney, wanderer turned family patriarch in southeast Arkansas. 2 p.m.

Ongoing

Art Works hosts Kids Create with POWER Session II: More Power!, January 10 through 31 from 12 to 3 p.m. The four week continuing Saturday class builds on skills learned during the first Kids Create With Power. The series is suitable for new and returning students. Ages 5 and up. $80. For partial and full scholarships or more details, call SOLD 301.454.0808.

Advance registration required.

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Vigilante Coffee hosts Coffee Cupping every Thursday this month! The series gives participants the opportunity to learn how to cup coffee and to taste the roastery’s latest offerings. January 15, 22, and 29, 1 to 2 p.m.

Held at the Vigilante Roastery, 4327 Gallatin St. Free.

Children are invited to STEMtastic: Young Inventors with the US Patent and Trademark Office at the Hyattsville Branch Library. Attendees participate in hands-on activities. January 21 and February 2, 6:30 p.m.

Through March, naturalists will lead a guided hike around Lake Artemesia and the Luther Goldman Birding Trail on the first and third Thursdays of the month.

SOLD

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Recent Activity & Sales: 6101 44th Place, Riverdale Sold for $245,000 4017 36th St., Mount Rainier Sold for $267,000 4116 Hamilton Street Sold for $373,000 4010 Hamilton Street, Hyattsville Sold for $317,000 5600 36th Place, Hyattsville Sold for $300,000

5705 41st Ave, Hyattsville Classic 1924 Bungalow – lovingly renovated – Sold for $330,000

6005 43rd Street, Hyattsville This 3 bedroom 3 bath cape cod style home sold for $281,250

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The information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted.

Page 10

Hyattsville Life & Times | January 2015

SecondhandNews

The Big Hunt A New Year’s guide to shopping and donating at local ‘big’ thrift stores

by Lauren Flynn Kelly

If your New Year’s resolutions include clearing out a closet or two and giving back to the community, patronizing some of the area’s larger thrift stores can help achieve both goals. The following locations allow on-site donations and will give you a receipt to save for a yearend tax deduction. You might even end up with a coupon for your shopping. Happy hunting!

Value Village

2277 University Boulevard, Adelphi, MD 20783 301.422.2406 Open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Deal: I love the University Boulevard store for its impressive selection of everything. And I mean everything. Case in point: I once bought a stack of white ceramic subway tiles that became a 30 dollar backsplash! Furniture and large toys (e.g., plastic playhouses, water tables) are located toward the front and can be really good finds. If you see a larger item you like, put your money down fast; it’ll be gone before you leave the store. While most of the clothes appear to be newer styles, you might score the occasional vintage dress or jacket. Hallow-

een is an especially good time to shop for gently used and brandnew costumes and accessories; anything your child rejects can be used for dress-up all year long!

Discount Days: Everything is 25 percent off on Monday.

Thursday discounts are available with the store’s club card.

How to Donate: If you bring bags to the drive-up, on-site donation center, you can usually get a 30-percent-off coupon or a whole coupon book, depending on the time of year. A large red donation bin is conveniently located at the front of the store.

Value Village’s privately held parent company, Savers, has more than 140 “nonprofit alliances” throughout the country, which means donations and purchases in our area could be helping the National Children’s Center and Vietnam Veterans of America.

ter, which supports “people with barriers to employment,” this retail store has a little bit of everything you’d expect to find in a thrift store, including an impressive selection of DVDs (Seasons 1-4 of Dawson’s Creek anyone?) and used vinyl. Be aware that the children’s clothes are not organized by gender or size, so you’ll need extra patience and time if you’re hunting for kids’ stuff.

Discount Days: Healthcare professionals with a valid ID can receive 25 percent off donated goods on Mondays; all donated clothing is 25 percent off the advertised price on Tuesdays; seniors can receive a 10 percent discount every day.

How to Donate: The on-site donation center is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. You can also arrange to have a minimum of eight large items collected for free from your home, but the donation may have to be scheduled up to two months in advance.

Visit www.goodwill.org for more information. Donations enable this Goodwill to continue its Good Samaritan Program, which provides clothing vouchers to people in need through partnerships with local serviceproviding agencies. Purchases help fund Goodwill’s charitable career services.

day through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can also call 1-800-95-TRUCK to discuss a pickup. Not only is donated clothing sold in Salvation Army stores, whose proceeds directly fund the charity’s Adult Rehabilitation Centers, it is directly used in the organization’s Family Service Efforts, Disaster Services and rehab center programs. As long as items are in good condition or easily repairable, the center will accept most furniture.

Visit www.uss.salvationarmy.org.

Value Village LAUREN FLYNN KELLY The author looks through racks of secondhand clothes.

second coming, although I hear people are turning old entertainment centers into wardrobes, so you could luck out! There’s not much in the way of toys or nice clothing, which is all punctured by stapled-on price tags, but you might just get lucky and find a warped version of Michael Jackson’s Thriller on vinyl.

Discount Days: Wednesdays will net you 50 percent off clothing, depending on the color tag.

How to Donate: The on-site donation center is open Mon-

6611 Annapolis Road, Landover Hills, MD 20784 301.341.0001 Open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Deal: I’ve had great luck finding children’s clothes and accessories, especially name-brand kids’ shoes that look like they’ve never been worn, at this location.

Furniture is not usually in great shape, but they have a large inventory of ladies’ and men’s jeans and a decent selection of books and jewelry.

Discount Days: Everything is 25 percent off on Monday.

Thursday discounts are available with the club card.

DC Goodwill Store Salvation Army & Donation Center Family Store 2200 South Dakota Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20018 202.715.2658 Open 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

3304 Kenilworth Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20781 301.403.1704 Open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Closed Sunday

The Deal: Located across from Costco and downhill from the Goodwill Industries Career Cen-

The Deal: This store’s specialty appears to be furniture from the ’80s and ’90s that hasn’t had a

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Hyattsville Life & Times | January 2015

Page 11

MissFloribunda Dear Miss Floribunda, I love to cook and am pretty good at it. To me the secret is good ingredients, and I spend a lot on organic produce. My gardening friends urge me to start a culinary garden in my backyard this summer, but I am brown-thumbed. I am told that I ought to start with herbs because they are easy to grow and can be grown inexpensively from seed. I am now coming to the point of this letter: Will the Hyattsville Horticultural Society have a seed sale this spring and will herb seeds be sold? Which ones?

Brown-Thumbed Gourmet on Gallatin Street Dear Brown-Thumbed Gourmet on Gallatin Street, Yes, the Hyattsville Horticultural Society will have its annual seed and bake sale. This year, our sale takes place on Saturday, February 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is on the same day and in the same building as the weekly Hyattsville Aging in Place meeting. Our sale will take place in the Mary

Prangley Room, on the second floor of the Hyattsville Municipal Center.

Along with the Hart seed selection, so reliable in the past, Landreth Seeds with its wider variety will be sold. Both these companies are very old and reputable, and feature many heirloom varieties of vegetables and flowers.

Heirloom vegetables t e n d to be the tastiest, and thrive in Hyattsville’s climate. For example, our hot summers and long hours of sunlight are propitious for tomato cultivation so you might be interested in the panoply of tomatoes to be presented.

In addition to their culinary uses, herbs are helpful interplanted amongst vegetables to ward off insects. You can include herbs such as Landreth’s Florence fennel and many basils, as well as Thai basil should you

prefer that cuisine to Italian. Hart offers a whole selection of vegetables in its Italian collection, with basil and other appropriate herbs. Do you prefer French cuisine? Hart includes several varieties of thyme, rosemary and parsley. Landreth has introduced the Hamburg rooted parsley, which can be grown as a perennial. Soul food your thing?

You can grow Landreth’s Dwarf Siberian kale all winter.

And the Paul Robeson tomato is one of the tastiest ever developed. Cajun? Choose among bell peppers of many colors and, of course, okra. Mexican?

How about cilantro with your tomatoes? Do you want to make Russian borscht? Try the Landreth Cylindra beet, which does better in our area than most, and the Savoy Drumhead Perfection cabbage.

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry. Hyattsville Horticultural Society members will sit at information tables to answer your

Heirloom vegetables, like these tomatoes, tend to be the tastiest and are more likely to thrive in Hyattsvilleʼs climate.

questions and hand out leaflets on many topics of interest to gardeners. As it was such a hit last year, once again there will be a table devoted to information about conserving and protecting our butterflies and other beneficial insects.

In addition, there is a new feature this year: veteran gardeners from the HHS, in the fashion of

wine connoisseurs, will share their recommendations with you. They will name the varieties that are their favorites, whether flowers, herbs or vegetables, and give tips for growing them. And of course there will be hot soup and baked goods, potted flowers to brighten up the time before spring, and lots of good cheer.

We hope to see you there.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | January 2015

tick tock

continued from page 1

Vehicle Administration computer for commercial and personal gain. She was sentenced to 18 months of probation and ordered to pay a $25,000 fine.

According to the 2010 federal indictment, the Melhis also own the building where Lee’s Liquor sits at 2903 Hamilton Street in West Hyattsville, which was highlighted as a target for forfeiture. A federal indictment alleged the properties were used to carry out illegal activity. The Hyattsville Patch reported in 2010 that Lee’s owner Ajay Sharma said the store was not involved.

Amrik Melhi took a plea deal and agreed to pay a fine of $975,327.32, court records show. In the Sept. 2011 forfeiture consent order, the government required none of the personal properties, business properties or cars listed in the indictment be turned over. That meant Tick Tock Liquors and Hyattsville tenant Lee’s Liquors

could continue operating at their current locations.

Despite being caught up in a major felony scheme, the Melhis and Tick Tock Liquors are still having trouble staying on the straight and narrow.

According to notes from the Jan. 8, 2014 Board of the License Commissioner’s hearing, Tick Tock Liquors was found responsible for “unlawfully purchasing or keeping alcoholic beverages on a licensed premises which were purchased from other than a duly licensed manufacturer or wholesaler ...” The board fined the establishment $5,000 and suspended its license for 10 days.

The license commissioners asked that Tick Tock Liquors show cause for two incidents in March 2014. On March 8, according to a Prince George’s County Police report, officers responded to a stabbing just outside of the restaurant and store. The board fined Tick Tock $5,000 and imposed a 30-day suspension on its liquor license.

“Police resources are unduly taxed by the operation of the

premises. The situation is intolerable and clearly a danger to the community,” license commissioner notes say, citing that the board found approximately 20 percent of recent calls to police in the area involved Tick Tock Liquors. “… The board concludes that the operation of the premises causes a danger to the peace and good order of the community …”

In Aug. 2014, the board held a special session to recommend Tick Tock’s liquor license not be renewed. The license commissioners alleged that even though Ravinder Melhi could no longer hold a liquor license after being convicted of a felony, and that she had technically sold her share to other people, she was still controlling the liquor licenses at Tick Tock Liquors and at Golden Bull, a restaurant located near the intersection of Adelphi Road and Riggs Road.

Ravinder Melhi’s daughter is a stockholder at Golden Bull, according to the license commissioners. “The board finds that these two licensed premises are operated under one management umbrella,” board notes state.

Calling Ravinder Melhi’s actions fraudulent, the board voted to not renew Tick Tock’s liquor license effective Aug. 22, 2014. Edward Leyden, an attorney for the store, filed a petition for judicial review in the Prince George’s County Circuit Court.

Leyden also filed a motion to stay the license commissioner’s decision, claiming it was arbitrary and unsupported by substantial evidence.

Court documents filed on behalf of Tick Tock Liquors stated, “Mrs. Melhi worked unrelentingly and ceaselessly to maintain and grow the Tick Tock business in order to provide the kind of financial legacy for her three children that her own parents could never have dreamed of providing to her.” Tick Tock Liquors grossed revenues of $7.4 million in 2012, according to its lawyer.

In response, court documents filed by the Board of License Commissioners state, “the board’s decision does not cut off all sources of revenue to the petitioner. It does not prevent the petitioner from … providing meals to patrons without the

service of alcoholic beverages.”

Golden Bull, the other liquor license the board alleges Ravinder Melhi controls, has had its fair share of problems this past year, including the alleged operation of a separate liquor store when they were only authorized to sell alcohol in a restaurant. According to Dec. 17 findings of fact and conclusions, the license commissioners also decided to revoke that license effective Jan. 9, 2015.

HL&T staff found the restaurant to be closed.

Leyden, who is also representing Golden Bull, has already filed a request for judicial review with the circuit court. He said the license was revoked with an inaccurate characterisation of Mrs. Melhi controlling both liquor licenses.

Even though Leyden also filed the relevant paperwork for Tick Tock Liquors, he said the primary counsel is Tim Maloney with law firm Joseph, Greenwald and Laake. The Hyattsville Life & Times reached out to Maloney’s office, which by press time had not returned requests for comment.

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Page 13

Crittenden Street house demolished A contractor for the Prince George’s County Department of the Environment began demolishing the house at 4016 Crittenden Street on Jan. 13. The house had been vacant since it was condemned several years ago by the City of Hyattsville. The house was undermined by a storm drain failure on the property in 2003.

The county purchased the lot from the homeowners in 2013. The property has been designated permanently unbuildable by the county.

PHOTO BY chris currie

theater

continued from page 1

joe’s movement emporium Roderick R., a Northwestern High School student, researches colleges in the program’s post-secondary session.

“There was a lot of interest in understanding how theater worked and a lot of interest in acting,� said McBayne.

The program commitment is two years, and enrollment periods are offered twice a year. In the first year, participants receive training at Joe’s twice per week for three hours. “I want to go to an arts school‌ so the films that I make here, I can add to my portfolio. Which is a benefit because not a lot of students have that,â€? said TTP participant and Northwestern High School Senior Rosaura Martinez, “We have the opportunity to use the technology we don’t have at home.â€?

After the first season of training, which generally ends in the spring, participants have the option to either participate in a work-study program, work for Joe’s, or focus on school. If students choose the work-study program, the TTP helps connect them with potential employers, usually area artists. “The

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artists volunteer their time and gain an employer without [us] having to pay them,� said McBayne, because TTP finances the work-study.

The second year of the program shifts to a mentorship for the participants. The TTP typically calls its participants on a quarterly basis and sends a monthly email with local jobs postings and scholarship opportunities. “If they need anything, we are always here for them. We don’t want to bother them, but just want to check in and help them out as needed,� McBayne said.

By the end of the program, participants have accumulated 180 hours of work experience. “I love seeing the students bond with one another, get caught up in learning a skill like photography or digital editing, and learn storytelling and actually tell a story from their life to their peers. These young people don’t have many opportunities to have their voices heard,� said Smith.

This year, the program consists of 20 seniors from Prince

George’s County high schools and 20 participants who are either recent graduates or have dropped out of high school.

The TTP is currently funded through grants, some of which are awarded by Prince George’s County. This allows students selected for the program to participate for free.

McBayne said that enrollment has increased over time the years because more money has been allotted for the program.

In addition to building an arts portfolio, students learn how to create resumes and practice other job-related skills. “They teach us how to present yourself in an interview,� said Gloria S. Argueta, also a current participant and Northwestern High School Senior. “It honestly feels like a family.� “Every year is different,� said McBayne. “Last year’s students were very quiet and this year they are the opposite .... Students call and update [us] regularly about what is going on and I love when students keep in contact, even past their follow up year,� she said.

According to McBayne, “about 70 percent of the TTP’s 2014 graduates continued on to college. Several are majoring in graphics or audio-visual media; one student is enrolled in the military, and the remainder are working on what they want to do.�

Those that do not find work after the program are able to work in the theater at Joe’s until they find another opportunity. “The hours [working at Joe’s] aren’t as much [as full-time work], but we get to keep in touch with them and we meet with them to write out plans and goals and figure out next steps,� said McBayne.

The TTP is actively accepting applications for 20 recent graduates to comprise the winter 2015 cohort beginning in January.

More information is available at www.joesmovement.org.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | January 2015

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