HMS FIGHTS TO WRITE
PGCPS meets resistance from parents and students when the creative writing major is eliminated. P. 10
CULTURAL CONNECTIONS Hyattsville resident Julide Dengel shares her story about coming to the U.S. from Turkey. P. 7
Parking woes chase away The Big Bad Woof
PATHWAY TO PURCHASE
Lindsay Myers provides a look into a new first-time homebuyer program for Prince George’s County. P. 4
Life&Times
By Allan Walters
Visitors to Hyattsville’s Shoppes at Arts District are now facing an unwelcome sight. Instead of the expected aisles of organic petfood and unique pet toys, they are met with empty shelves and a “We’ve Moved” sign on the front door of the space formerly occupied by The Big Bad Woof. One of the main culprits? Parking. The Big Bad Woof opened in August 2011, as one of the original tenants in the Shoppes at Arts District, and was an important addition to the mix of retail and restaurants that form the Shoppes’ diverse offerings. Owners Julie Paez and Pennye Jones-Napier were attracted to potential growth in their local customer base and benefitting from the Arts District’s appeal as a shopping and entertainment destination, Jones-Napier said in an interview.
HYATTSVILLE MD PERMIT NO. 1383
NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID
BIG BAD WOOF continued on page 13
Vol. 14 No. 2
Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper
February 2017
Sanctuary city legislation introduced in city council By Quanny Carr
Nine members of the city council introduced an ordinance to make Hyattsville a sanctuary city, despite a recent executive order from the Trump administration aimed at enforcing immigration laws throughout the nation. On Jan. 25, President Trump signed an executive order that called for “direct agencies … to ensure the faithful execution of immigration laws of the United States against all removable aliens.” A hard push for immigra-
tion enforcement is outlined in the order. It also states a penalty for any “sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States [that] willfully violate Federal law in an attempt to shield aliens from removal from the United States.” According to the executive order, any sanctuary jurisdictions “that willfully refuse to comply … are not eligible to receive Federal grants.” With the threat of losing federal funding, Miami-Dade, Fla., has announced their compliance with the executive order.
“There is no amount of money that can convince our local government to spend local taxpayer resources, including our police officers, on targeting our own residents for discrimination.” — Patrick Paschall Ward 3 councilmember
The supermajority of the Hyattsville City Council, however, is not letting that threat stop them. Councilmember Patrick Paschall (Ward 3) introduced the legislation with eight cosponsors: Mayor Candace Hollingsworth and councilmembers Kevin Ward (Ward 1), Bart Lawrence (Ward 1), Robert Croslin (Ward 2), Shani Warner (Ward 2), Thomas Wright (Ward 3), Edouard Haba (Ward 4) and Joseph Solomon (Ward 5). SANCTUARY continued on page 8
Women’s March brings neighbors together
Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781
By Helen Parshall
COURTESY OF CHRISTINE BLACKERBY Some of the members of the Hyattsville group amidst hundreds of thousands of other marchers at the Womenʼs March.
The Women’s March on Washington provided an opportunity for residents of Hyattsville and surrounding communities to come together to reaffirm their commitment to building inclusive, welcoming neighborhoods. Amidst the fear of the Trump administration, the march became a galvanizing point for Hyattsville residents to engage in conversations, said Anke Meyer, one of the women who started the group. “Most of us have similar stories,” said Meyer. “When we woke up the morning after the election, we said, ‘Oh my god this can’t be,’ and we have to do something — but let’s do something for the long-term.” Organizing Hyattsville for the Women’s March started on an email list for the Hyattsville OrMARCH continued on page 12
CENTER SECTION: FEBRUARY 8, 2017 ISSUE OF THE HYATTSVILLE REPORTER — IN ESPANOL TOO!