2021-05 Hyattsville Life & Times

INSIDE ANDRE LEE: Northwestern High School’s television production teacher is legendary. P. 7

VOL. 18 NO. 5

HYATTSVILLE’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

PANDEMIC CARJACKING: It’s happening in Hyattsville.

P. 8

MAY 2021

The science of the city: Tough choices to calm traffic

By Paul Ruffins Just as communities are embracing the health and social benefits of walkable neighborhoods, the Governors Highway Safety Administration has bad news.

Nationally, pedestrian deaths increased about 55% from 2009 to 2018. And in the first half of 2020, the pedestrian fatality rate per billion miles traveled increased 20% compared to the same period in 2019.

In Hyattsville, some residents are nervous about walking, bikSEE TRAFFIC ON 13 

Outgoing city councilmembers on why they ran, what they learned

By Sophie Gorman Oriani Both of the women serving on the Hyattsville City Council served a single term and decided not to run for reelection. The Hyattsville Life & Times (HL&T) interviewed outgoing councilmembers Carrianna Suiter (Ward 3) and Erica Spell Wolf (Ward 5). (Interviews were conducted separately, and answers have been edited for length and readability.)

Hyattsville’s Department of Public Works staff removed the park’s name plaques after they were vandalized last summer.

CITY OF HYATTSVILLE

Goodbye Magruder, hello Driskell Park After 3 years of discussion, Hyattsville City Council votes 9-1 to rename Magruder Park after noted resident David C. Driskell

By Sophie Oriani and Kit Slack At their May 3 meeting, the Hyattsville City Council voted 9-1 in favor of renaming William Pinkney Magruder Park. The park will soon be named David C. Driskell Community Park.

Driskell was an artist, curator and scholar of African American art. He lived in Hyattsville from 1976 until his death on April 1, 2020. Driskell died of complications of COVID-19. He was 88.

Driskell’s grandson, David Errick Driskell, represented the family in a virtual public hearing about the renaming on April 5. He spoke of his

grandfather’s love for the City of Hyattsville and its people, and said that his grandfather was an example of the hard work and determination that characterizes Hyattsville’s residents.

The University of Maryland (UMD) held an event, on Feb. 12, to honor Driskell’s 22-year affiliation with the university’s art department. Former students spoke about the influence he had on their lives. “I feel that he awakened me to the power of words and images,” said Preston Sampson, a 1984 UMD graduate who is now a painter.

“To this day, it’s not easy to look out

in the world and find a Black male mentor. Driskell resembled the kind of person I could look to or attempt to be in his composure, in his scholarship and his kindness. To have someone like him in the art world is immeasurable,” added Shaun Leonardo, a multi-disciplinary artist.

Councilmember Bart Lawrence (Ward 1) voted against the motion, noting that he was hesitant to name the park after any individual. He said that his vote was “certainly not a vote against David C. Driskell.” Lawrence had supported naming the park after SEE DRISKELL ON 12

SEE COUNCIL ON 9 

CENTER SECTION: The May 11, 2021 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — in Español too!

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Hyatts KIDS

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

Page 2

AMAZING ART AT HYATTSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Created by contributors in grades K-8, the HyattsKIDS Life & Times features local news, columns, and comics from our city’s youngest journalists. Our editors are Evan LeFevre and Claudia Romero Garvey. To participate, contact adult adviser Mary Frances Jiménez: mf_jimenez@yahoo.com. We also invite readers’ questions for an upcoming “Ask a HyattsKID” column.

BEARDO BY MASON VOSMEK

By Teresa Gembecki Art is special in Hyattsville.

While walking around, you can see huge, beautiful murals, sculptures, and lots of other art in our community.

Hyattsville Elementary School (HES) is very lucky to have a wonderful art teacher, Taylor Pestorious. Ms. P has lots of creative ideas for her classes, in person and virtually. She says, “Pinterest is a godsend! ... I [also] love talking about art history with kids. A lot of the projects are inspired by historical artists who I think [HES students] might enjoy.” In our class, we created Jazz trumpets, Pablo Picasso faces, and paintings inspired

by Faith Ringgold. When we were learning about Piet Mondrian animals, she even taught my 4-year-old sister to draw an owl when my sister watched my virtual art class with me.

Ms. P started doing art at a very young age. Ms. P told me, “My grandma is an artist, and she pushed me to sketch everything, and to draw upside down, [if I could]. It helped me a lot to break things down into basic shapes, so I could build them back up into complex drawings.”

Ms. P is amazing because she makes all her classes fun. “The best way to be an artist is to share the joy of art with others. That’s why I love being an art teacher!”

On a brick wall alongside the HES playground, there are paintings of animals found in or

Third graders waiting eagerly for the start of a hybrid learning day outside Hyattsville Elementary TES SCHOOLEY

near the Anacostia River. This is a project showing HES fifth graders’ amazing work, with help from Art Works Now and the Anacostia Watershed Society. Ms. P told me, “We’re talking about the animals living in the Anacostia watershed and drawing a few of them. A local artist, Rachel Cross, will take a few of these student-made

By Evan LeFevre and Irene Vaidyanathan When you see the word “pho” you might think of “foe” — an enemy — or maybe “four,” pronounced Business Manager Catie Currie catie@hyattsvillelife.com

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Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Streetcar Suburbs Publishing Inc., a 501(c)(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 provided.

BANANA BLOSSOM BISTRO DELIGHTS WITH PHO

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designs and paint them on the panels along Jefferson Street.”

Another upcoming project is painting the bird in front of the entrance doors of HES. “Right now, the PTA is working with Ms. P and Art Works Now to refresh the bird so it will look beautiful next year,” says HES Vice President Kristen Wares.

“My favorite thing about HES is the families who made me feel so welcome here,” says Ms. P. “There is a love for art in Hyattsville that you can’t find everywhere. Somehow I was lucky enough to end up here!” We’re lucky to have her here!

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Board of Directors Joseph Gigliotti — President and General Counsel Chris Currie — Vice President Stephanie Stullich — Treasurer Emily Strab — Secretary Rosanna Landis Weaver, Gretchen Brodtman, Reva Harris, T. Carter Ross, Kit Slack and Mark Goodson — 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.

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by your little brother who can’t say his r’s yet. But pho (pronounced “fuh”) is actually a Vietnamese soup made from the bones of cows. After being roasted, they are added to the broth, giving it a rich flavor, which is then enhanced with salt and other seasonings.

This staple of Vietnamese cuisine is usually served with meat and rice noodles, which are added to the very hot broth, although sometimes people drink the broth on its own for breakfast. In short, pho is a delicious meal for any time of the day.

Located in Riverdale Park, the Banana Blossom Bistro serves a rich, savory and filling pho. Protein options include beef, pork, shrimp, chicken and more. But soup isn’t the only thing on the menu. HyattsKIDS also tried the Banh Mi sandwich, which has tender grilled meat along with pickled veggies and a creamy sauce.

Not only was the food a delight, but so was the experience. The staff are incredibly nice and accommodating when it comes to food allergies. As someone who’s allergic to peanuts and sesame (two very common ingredients in Vietnemese cooking), our writer can attest that the chefs take allergies very seriously and ensure food-allergic patrons can enjoy their food along with everyone else. Not only that, but our food didn’t take long at all, and the broth was still warm when we got home. Overall, this was a great experience, perfect for kids, adults and everyone in between.

ART WORKS NOW CLASSES

By Evan LeFevre Sometimes, school art classes feel like they limit your creativity. In kindergarten, I had a

teacher who made us draw gingerbread people and famously said, “You can draw any nose you want, but it HAS TO BE A CHOCOLATE CHIP.” So when I signed up for an extracurricular art class, I didn’t really know what to expect.

The Art Works Now Portfolio Development class (currently taught over Zoom), is led by Robyn Holl, a professional artist who specializes in abstract art. Robyn is like the Wizard of Art: She can give you really useful advice but also always has something encouraging to say about your work. Even if you don’t think that drawing or painting is for you, I promise that you’ll fit right into this class. Much of the process focuses on getting down the forms of what you’re drawing and focusing on shapes and shading, rather than small details or outlines.

But we didn’t just refine techniques. Perhaps an even more important aspect to having success in this field is knowing how to present yourself and your work. Whether you are applying to a high school, college, or a job, anyone can benefit from lifelong interview and presentation skills. In Robyn’s words, “This class is a really great opportunity for teens not only to explore their potential as artists but also to convey it to others — both students and professionals.”

The class is open to everyone from 11 to 18 years old, but younger kids still have plenty of other Art Works options available to them. Maybe you’ll take this class and end up painting the next Sistine Chapel, or maybe not. But at the very least, you can be assured that your gingerbread people don’t have to have a chocolate chip nose.

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

Local watershed do’s and don’ts, courtesy of the Girl Scouts

By Liliana McGee Recently our Hyattsville Girl Scout Troop #6899 worked on our Ambassador Water Badge.

A large portion of the badge involves learning about and enjoying water close to home.

Our troop reached out on the HOPE (Hyattsville Organization for a Positive Environment) email group to recruit local water scientists, and, in an only-in-Hyattsville way, three such scientists agreed to join us for a virtual Friday night meeting. After learning about their work and educational journeys, we took a deep dive into water issues that affect our area and how we might affect change.

While major infrastructure and legislative changes are the best ways to help our water, there are still many ways that we as individuals can help improve our water quality.

We should never take water as a resource for granted, and most of us have heard that we should take shorter showers and turn off the tap when brushing our teeth. But we can

all do a little bit more very easily. These are some key points we learned: • Pick up your pet’s poop! Domestic animal waste is a big contributor to bacteria in our water. One of the best things we can do to improve the health of our water is clean up after our animals.

• Litter and trash are easily transported to our waterways during storm events. The trash can end up in the stomachs or tangled on the limbs of sea creatures, so pick up any litter you see.

• Sweep any soil that is loose on your sidewalks back into your yard so it does not contribute to soil erosion. Do not wash it down the drain.

• In Hyattsville, stormwater is not treated like the water leaving our homes. Wastewater from your home goes to the sewage treatment plants. However, stormwater goes directly to the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay, so the soap you wash your car with does not get treated like the soap from your SEE WATER ON 9 

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CULTURAL CONNECTIONS

A passion for conservation links Costa Rican to the United States

By Julia Gaspar-Bates

J

orge Bogantes Montero grew up in a middle-class suburb outside San José, Costa Rica’s capital. His teacherparents instilled in him a love for adventure and nature through frequent travels throughout the country. Bogantes reported, “I was lucky because I got to experience different parts of the country — from the coast and mountains to the rainforests — and to see all the wildlife. My aunt has a property in the highlands northeast of San José. We used to go there and hang out with the locals. I called them the ‘cloud forest people.’ We used to hike and would go to a nice river, called the Rio Sucio (Dirty River), because it gets sulfur and other chemicals from Irazu volcano, so it’s brown — hence the name. You can [also] find cultural differences, such as the Guanacaste Province, that used

to be part of Nicaragua. The southern Caribbean coast has a strong Afro-Costa Rican and Indigenous population. I got to see the different people.”

One notable advantage to growing up in Costa Rica is the lack of military presence, which contributes to a more harmonious country. Bogantes explained, “In 1948, Costa Rica abolished the army, and it has marked many generations.

There may be violence because of the inequality, but not having an army helps, because that money is spent somewhere else, and you don’t have to worry about things that could lead to violence. Our values are more conducive to peace.”

Another factor that strongly marked Bogantes’ development is the country’s emphasis on conservation. After studying natural resources management at university, he became an ecotourism guide in the Osa Peninsula, in

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a lot of exposure to American culture previously through his wife and tourists visiting Costa Rica. However, he was surprised by how multicultural American society is — and a few other aspects of American life startled him, too. “There are people from Ethiopia, [and from] all over Latin America. It was also surprising that not everyone drinks coffee.

Everything revolves around cars.

People have breakfast in their cars. Also, everything is big in the suburbs — big houses with big lawns.”

Bogantes and his wife discovered Hyattsville thanks to their realtor’s suggestion while they were house hunting eight years ago. “It’s a really nice community. There are so many things going on, like the vine crawl and different community events — and the mentality of the people.

It’s a nice place to raise a family.”

At the same time, Bogantes reported, “I have the [homesick] syndrome, as many immigrants have. I would eventually like to go back. I don’t know when, but it’s a pipe dream. The economy is better here, with more jobs in the nonprofit environmental sector.

You would think there would be a lot in Costa Rica, but most of the good jobs are taken. I might be able to get a job in a rural area, but that would be far from my family, and the schooling might not be the best. Now is not the time but maybe down the road.”

COURTESY OF JORGE BOGANTES MONTERO

southern Costa Rica, close to the Panamanian border. “Ecotourism was relaxing, but I wanted something that was more ecological restoration ... My last job before moving here [to the U.S.] was a project in Saraquipi, halfway between the central highlands and Nicaragua. I worked there on a conservation project with Chiquita, where we were planting trees.”

Bogantes met his wife, who is American, when his family hosted her during her college exchange program. He traveled abroad for the first time to visit her in 2007, after she had left her native North Carolina for a job in Washington, D.C. He joined her permanently the following year.

Bogantes recounted, “I loved the city. I thought it was great — very cosmopolitan with lots of green areas, but not overwhelm-

ing. When I moved here in 2008, I had to wait for a work permit. I got an internship at AWS [Anacostia Watershed Society] and then got hired. I’m a natural resource specialist, so I work on freshwater mussel restoration to propagate mussels to help filter and clean the river water. Environmental planning in urban spaces is rather deficient in Costa Rica. The conservation of biodiversity in the pristine national parks and the production of energy from renewable sources are important accomplishments, but the country is not doing a good job in other environmental issues, such as waste management, marine conservation, etc. Attitudes are changing, but there is still a lot of work to do.”

Upon moving to the U.S., Bogantes did not experience too much culture shock because he had

“Cultural Connections” is dedicated to bringing forth the voices of Hyattsville’s international residents. Interested in sharing your story? Please contact culturalconnections@ hyattsvillelife.com.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

Page 5

NATURE NEARBY

A whole lot of holes

By Fred Seitz

I

recently received an email with a photo and the question “What is this?” As I looked at the photo of an approximately 4-inch-tall tower in the mud, my immediate thought was, “It’s a crayfish tower.”

Upon further reflection, I experienced an odd sense of absence, as such towers used to be a common sight in our local swamps.

While I’m not sure why our local crayfish appear to be far less common, several studies in the U.S. suggest pollution and development are likely causes. While crayfish may not be cute and cuddly, they are an interesting local resident and provide food for other critters, including birds and raccoons.

These towers form because crayfish throw mud up around their exit holes while burrowing. After seeing that photo, I got to thinking about how there are a whole lot of holes emerging around us.

A couple of weeks earlier, during a stretch of exceptionally warm weather in late March, I noticed several early cicada nymph holes — they’re about 1 inch wide and maybe 1½ inches tall. When the weather warms and stabilizes, typically by mid-May, these holes will be abundantly obvious in yard soil, mostly at the base of trees. You can spot them in Magruder Park and similar areas where oaks and sycamores are abundant.

These little cicadas have been waiting 17 years for their dates to show up and accompany them to a nice overlook for their serenade, which can be 85-100 decibels in volume, and a grand night of passion.

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Unfortunately for these romantic climbers, a lot of them won’t be alone with their dates. Many of them will likely be accompanied by a fungus which partially takes over the little romantics in their ascents. These fungi chaperones

are acting in their own interest; the cicadas’ climb helps the fungi scatter their spores. I guess you could categorize this as a weird kind of double date.

Also during this massive time of visitation and courtship, birds

and other critters — and even the neighborhood dogs — will be smiling while they pig out on cicadae. Oddly, this, too, is part of the cicada’s survival strategy, and it’s referred to as predator satiation. Their sheer numbers provide so much food for predators that cicadas that aren’t consumed may survive long enough to produce enough eggs for the

next generation’s appearance in 2038. And about those dogs?

Although incidental cicada consumption probably won’t harm them, cicada exoskeletons can be difficult to digest, potentially blocking the intestinal tract and creating some serious problems.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

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AT HOME IN HYATTSVILLE

‘Most towns don’t have community; Hyattsville does’

By Reva G. Harris

M

ay 3 marked the 38th anniversary of Janet and Christopher Griffin’s move to Hyattsville. I sat outside with Janet to begin what I hope will become the first in a series of profiles of long-time Hyattsville residents.

Janet’s front porch is lined with a swing and several wicker chairs that seem to beckon neighbors to stop for a chat. I was invited to try out the swing before we began discussing life in Hyattsville and her plans since retiring, in March, as artistic producer and director of programming at the Folger Shakespeare Library.

Born in Mississippi, Janet attended Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn. In 1975, she headed to Dublin, Ireland, for a master’s program in Irish literature at University College, where she met Christopher, an Irish native. Janet and Christopher were married in 1981 after he immigrated to the U.S. to further his studies.

Janet began her career at the Folger in 1977. O.B. Hardison, then director of the Folger and now namesake of its preeminent poetry series, hired her. In 1983, Elizabeth Pearson, Janet’s friend and colleague, told her about a house for sale near where Pearson lived in Hyattsville.

“It’s in a great location — well positioned, near the city — just a 6-mile drive from my house to the Folger,” said Janet. Moving day sounded fun, with the Griffins sharing a moving company with another Folger couple, the Mowerys, who were also relocating from Capitol Hill to Hyattsville.

Janet noted that they have had many of the same neighbors for over 30 years. “We have a lot of really good neighbors.

One month after we moved to Hyattsville, John Sheridan and Sue Slotnick moved across the street,” she said. “My parents always said that we could never move anywhere else because we couldn’t get along without generous John, Mr. Fix-it.”

Janet connected with other neighbors through community gardening and activities of the Hyattsville Preservation Association.

“I believed in my job,” Janet said. “It was a joy. At the Folger,

Janet Griffin

COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER GRIFFIN

“It’s a great feeling to know that I can knock on my neighbors’ doors to ask for help or to chat.”

we focus on many writers, but Shakespeare is what we chiefly brought to the stage. His work is alive and relevant. It still stands.”

This year, Janet led a virtual discussion, hosted by Hyattsville Aging in Place, about a filmed “Macbeth” she produced. “‘Macbeth’ is a play almost everyone can enjoy,” she said. “The ambition and power in that play are absolutely relevant.”

Janet reminisced about some of the changes that have come to Hyattsville in her 38 years of residency. She remembers Hyattsville Hardware, still a landmark now as Franklins Restaurant, Brewery and General Store. “I like how Mike [Franklin] kept a lot of the feeling of the hardware store. I don’t know what would have happened to the building if someone else had bought it.”

Another change Janet sees are the many young families in Hyattsville. “We were in the first round of raising children here,” she said. “Our daughter attended area public schools

through high school, and then the University of Maryland. We found the wonderful Starting Point [dance school] in College Park, and Deirdre started dancing at age 2. When she attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School, she was released at 12:30 p.m. each day to go to the Washington Ballet. We looked at private schools near the ballet studio, but we are glad she stayed with the science education available at Eleanor Roosevelt. Deirdre not only had a dance career but is now a soil scientist teaching at Washington State University.”

“Since retiring, I’m trying to change my focus,” Janet announced. “Right now, I am enjoying time to choose what I want to do.”

The Griffins love to visit the National Arboretum and the Riversdale Garden, and Janet continues to think about retirement activities. “I hope to find time to paint. Maybe I’ll take a few classes,” she mused.

“Also, I’ve had a community garden plot for the last five years or so. It’s fun to meet interesting people in the process of growing food. The garden plots are a community effort,” she explained. “Studies show that for overall health and wellbeing, having community is important. Most towns don’t have community. Hyattsville does.

It’s a great feeling to know that I can knock on my neighbors’ doors to ask for help or to chat.

Plus, the porches in Hyattsville are great.”

“At Home in Hyattsville” is our new series profiling long-time residents.

Please send your ideas for people you’d like to see featured in this column to kit@hyattsvillelife.com.

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

Page 7

Northwestern students praise ‘legendary’ teacher

By Maristela Romero Northwestern High School’s Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) program boasts a host of alums that have found success in the entertainment, communications and media industries. Its well-funded budget and endless support from Northwestern’s administration have allowed students in the competitive program to flourish.

Most of all, students credit Andre Lee, the school’s television production teacher, for creating an environment in which they have the freedom to explore visual storytelling and other avenues of creativity.

Lee has been teaching in the VPA program since it began in 2001. When Lee was a student, he interned for urban radio station 102.3 FM and graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a degree in radio, television and film. Lee worked as a technician for the Interactive Television Program at the Bonnie F. Johns Educational Media Center prior to being recruited by then-Principal William Ritter to become the television production teacher for Northwestern.

“A lot of kids have dreams and aspirations, but you always try

Matt Orchowski (bottom) serves as a virtual guest speaker for Andre Lee’s (top) television production class. COURTESY OF MATT ORCHOWSKI

to encourage them … and every kid marches to his or her beat of the drum,” Lee said in an interview. “And what I try to do is to create an environment that’s conducive to learning, and be flexible so the kids can basically develop in their own special way.”

Lee stressed that Northwestern’s leadership has given strong support to the program over time. He noted that the

school constructed a television studio and ensures that equipment is up to date. And in the early 2000s, the program purchased camera equipment and computer editing software that had just hit the market.

Matt Orchowski, a 2003 alum, was one of the first students to participate in the VPA program.

He is now creative director of content for a media company.

“We didn’t have phones or

cameras just in our pockets at all times, so to have access to a camera was a huge deal,” he said.

Orchowski and his fellow classmates worked on film projects that required them to write scripts, find actors and organize entire productions after school and on weekends.

“YouTube didn’t come out until I was in college, so there really wasn’t a place for these things to exist,” Orchowski said. “You make a video, and it ends up on a VHS tape. … [Lee] was so great at showcasing your work and showing it to the classes.”

Lee gives superlatives to his students, calling them high school “legends” and “greats,” to give recognition to their achievements within and beyond the VPA program.

“He talks so much about his legendary students, but I think the unsung hero there is definitely [Lee,] himself. He’s reached legendary status as a teacher. I hope he recognizes that,” Orchowski noted.

Lee sees graduating seniors Alexa Figueroa and Gabriela Duran-Ramirez as potential rising stars in the field of media production.

Through the VPA program, Figueroa has competed in four film festivals and developed a

specialty in creating documentaries focused on social issues such as gun violence, kidnapping and immigration.

She participated in the Princeton Summer Journalism Program last year and credits Lee for giving her broad exposure to collaborative aspects of broadcast journalism. Prior to joining the VPA program, Figueroa had participated in Hyattsville Middle School’s performing arts program.

“I was so used to doing things on my own,” she said. “I didn’t know that there are more people who share my interests.”

Figueroa hopes to represent Hispanic voices as a broadcast journalist.

For Duran-Ramirez, the VPA program served as a platform for her to explore her storytelling abilities.

“I’m not really that good of a writer, so [VPA] has really helped me tell stories and put it into visuals,” she said. The 17-year-old said she appreciated Lee’s critiques of her projects, which prompted her to improve her skills.

“When I succeed out there, he’ll be the one person I’ll be thanking,” she said.

Maristela Romero is an intern at the Hyattsville Life & Times.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

the

Hyattsville Reporter Notices and Updates

No. 398 • May 11, 2021

www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000 table on Tuesday, May 25 at 10 a.m. Business owners are invited to participate in discussions on the topic of business innovation, highlighting the creative adaptions businesses have made during the pandemic. Find details and the link to register at hyattsville.org/business-roundtable.

Election Results: The Board of Supervisors of Elections will announce the unofficial results of the Hyattsville vote-by-mail City Election on the evening of May 11.

Please note, results will be unofficial until all ballots are counted. The Board will certify the election results by May 17, and Council will accept the results at their May 17 meeting. Residents can view the Council meeting on cable channels (Comcast 71, Verizon, 12) and live stream at hyattsville. org/meetings. The newly elected Mayor and Councilmembers will then take their Oath of Office on June 7.

Services Update for Memorial Day Week: City offices and the COVID-19 Testing Site at the First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville will be closed Monday, May 31 for Memorial Day. There will be no yard waste or compost collection the week of May 31 – June 4. Regular trash and County recycling routes are not affected.

Magruder Park Renaming: At its May 3 meeting, the Hyattsville City Council passed a motion to rename Magruder Park as David C. Driskell Community Park. This new name honors former Hyattsville resident Dr. David C. Driskell, a preeminent artist, historian, curator, and scholar of African American art. City Council will pass the official resolution to change the Park’s name at their May 17 meeting. Background and more details on the Park’s renaming can be found at hyattsville.org/namethepark.

COVID-19 Vaccine: All Marylanders 16 and older are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of insurance coverage or immigration status! The County’s Vaccine Equity Team is currently door-to-door knocking in Hyattsville to provide accurate vaccine information and help residents schedule their vaccine appointments. Canvassers will follow COVID-19 protocols and have proper ID and yellow safety vests You can find a list of vaccination registration links and phone numbers, including the local site at the First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville, at hyattsville.org/covidvaccine.

Tree Planting Pilot Project: Score another win for the City’s sustainability efforts! Work on a tree-planting project for the 3100 Block of Nicholson Street is expected to begin this May with the installation of silva cells, an underground structure that increases bioretention and stormwater management. The tree planting will take place later in the Fall. To learn more about this project and other tree-friendly initiatives, visit hyattsville.org/trees.

Metro Station Closures: As part of Metro’s Accelerated Platform Improvement Project, the West Hyattsville, Prince George’s Plaza, College Park-University of Maryland, and Greenbelt Stations will be fully closed with limited or relocated parking from May 29 to September 6. Free shuttle service and parking will be offered during the closures. Affected commuters can find alternative travel routes by visiting wmata.com.

Mosquito Control: The State of Maryland will resume residential mosquito spraying operations this summer. A start date has not yet been assigned for our area. Mosquito spraying only occurs when certain risk thresholds are met. To report a problem area in your neighborhood or request an exemption from mosquito control services, visit hyattsville.org/pests or call (301) 985-5032.

Compost Bins: New bulk compost bins are available at Magruder Park, Heurich Park, the University Hills Duck Pond, and the City’s Department of Public Works Operations Center! These friendly

Graduation Signs Now Available!: Celebrate your soon to be graduate by picking up a City of Hyattsville “Congratulations Graduate” yard sign from the City Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. The signs are located in the first-floor entry hall; just use the intercom to let staff know you are picking up a sign.

On Arbor Day, Hyattsville Administrator Tracey Douglas and Arborist Dawn Taft teamed up with volunteers and County partners to plant trees and shrubs at 38th Avenue Park; El Día del Árbol, la Administradora de la Ciudad de Hyattsville Tracey Douglas y la Arbolista Dawn Taft se asociaron con voluntarios y socios del Condado para plantar árboles y arbustos en el 38th Avenue Park. green bins are open for residents to drop off compostable items like food scraps, pizza boxes, paper towels, coffee grinds, and more. If your home is not serviced by the City’s regular Monday compost pick-up, or if your bucket is just not going to make it until next Monday, stop by one of the green bins! A full list of acceptable items and a how-to compost video are available at hyattsville.org/compost.

Residential Parking Permits: Avoid citations and renew your Residential Parking Permit! The renewal portal for Group 3 (Zones 1, 8, 10, and 11) and Group 4 (Zone 9B) is open until May 31 at hyattsville.org/ res-permits. Group 1 & 2 permit holders whose permits recently expired must now complete a new permit application. Have questions? Contact (301) 985-5027 or visit hyattsville.org/res-permits.

Programs, Services, and Events

Hyattsville COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Site: The COVID-19 vaccination site at the First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville (6201 Belcrest Road) is now accepting walk-up vaccination requests on Tuesdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., as supplies allow. However, the City continues to encourage residents to make an appointment as it is still the most reliable way to receive a vaccine. An appointment can be made by completing the Luminis Health pre-registration form at hyattsville.org/covidvaccine or by calling (443) 481-5852.

Free, non-appointment COVID-19 testing at the First United Methodist Church also continues to take place on Mondays,

Thursdays, and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., or until capacity is reached. Residents can call (301) 985- 5000 for vaccine and testing site questions.

Food Distributions: The City of Hyattsville continues to host food distributions on Tuesdays, starting at noon, at Magruder Park (3911 Hamilton Street). Walk-ups and drivers are served as supplies allow.

No ID or city residency is required.

Volunteers are needed to help with the weekly distributions! Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and be able to lift 30+ pounds. Contact Colleen Aistis at (301) 9855057 or caistis@hyattsville.org to learn more.

Bike to Work Day: Bike to Work Day, a nationwide event that promotes a cleaner and healthier way to commute to work, is back on Friday, May 21! Visit biketoworkmetrodc.org and sign up to make a pit stop in Magruder Park that morning between 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. before “going” to work. Staff from Arrow Bicycle will be there handing out free t-shirts! COVID-19 safety protocols will be enforced. We’ll see you there!

Community Shred-It Day: Shred paper documents for free at the City Building parking lot (4310 Gallatin Street) on Saturday, May 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. All participants must wear face coverings and practice social distancing. Please ensure that binders, paper clips and other large metal pieces are removed from paper prior to arriving. For more information, call (301) 985-5000.

Virtual Business Roundtable: The City is hosting a Virtual Business Round-

Mental Health First Aid Class: The City is offering a free, virtual Mental Health First Aid class on Saturday, June 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. p.m. Mental Health First Aid teaches you to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

The 20-participant Class is limited City residents only. Participants are required to complete two hours of online, self-paced training prior to the 5-hour instructor-led course on June 5. Registration opens on May 17. To register, please send an email with your name, address, email, and phone number to cmanzano@hyattsville.org.

Youth Services

Teen Center: Looking for free tutoring or fun and safe activities before the school year is over? Check out the City’s Teen ECenter May and June schedule! Registration instructions are available at hyattsville.org/teen-center.

• Tutoring and Homework Help: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 6:30 – 8 p.m. *last day of tutoring is June 3* • Boys & Girls Club: Monday, May 17, 5 p.m.

• Real Talk: Friday, May 14, 5 p.m.

• Teen Night: Friday, May 28, 5 p.m.

• In-Person Teen Night: Weather permitting, celebrate the last day of the Teen ECenter before summer programming begins with a special in-person event on June 4, 5 – 7 p.m., at Magruder Park. Trivia, outdoor games, and a raffle are just some of the fun activities planned – see you there!

Camp Staycation: Rising 6 – 12 graders have a chance to get out of the house this summer by signing up for Camp Staycation! Offered by the City’s Youth Programs Team, tweens and teens can enjoy free, weekly trips to Hyattsville areas of interest and DMV attractions! Space is limited and COVID-19 protocols will be in place. Registration for former Camp Staycation participants opens on Wednesday, May 19. General registration opens on Friday, May 21.

Visit hyattsville.org/teen-center for more information.

Summer Camp: In-person summer camp is back in Hyattsville from June 21 to August 20! Slots are currently full, but a waitlist has been added if County mandated indoor capacity restrictions increase. Visit hyattsville.org/summer-camp to sign up for the waitlist.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

el

Reportero de

Hyattsville

No. 398 • 11 de Mayo, 2021

www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000 lace para registrarse en www.hyattsville. org/business-roundtable.

Avisos y Noticias

Resultados de la Elección: La Junta de Supervisores de Elección anunciara los resultados no oficiales de la Elección de voto de correo de Hyattsville la noche del 11 de mayo. Por favor note que los resultados no serán oficiales hasta que todas las boletas sean contadas. La Junta certificara los resultados antes del 17 de mayo, y el Concejo aceptara los resultados en su reunión del 17 de mayo. Residentes pueden ver la reunión del Concejo por los canales (Comcast 71, Verizon 12) y en hyattsville.org/meetings. El recién elegido Alcalde y los Concejales tomarán su juramento el 7 de junio.

Renombramiento de Magruder Park: En su reunión del 3 de mayo, el Concejo aprobó una moción para renombrar Magruder Park a Davic C. Driskell Community Park. Este nuevo nombre rinde homenaje al ex residente de Hyattsville Dr. David C. Driskell, un artista preeminente, historiador, curador y alumno del arte afroamericano. El Concejo pasara una resolución oficial para cambiar el nombre del parque en su reunión del 17 de mayo. En hyattsville.org/namethepark puede encontrar antecedentes y detalles sobre el cambio de nombre del parque.

Vacuna COVID-19: ¡Todos los residentes de Maryland de 16 años o más ahora son elegibles para la vacuna COVID-19, sin importar su estatus migratorio o cobertura de seguro medico! El Condado actualmente esta tocando de puerta a puerta en Hyattsville para proveer información y ayudar a residentes a programar sus citas para la vacuna. Los encuestadores seguirán los protocolos de COVID-19 y tendrán ID y chalecos amarillos de seguridad. Puede encontrar una lista de enlaces de registración de vacunas y números, incluyendo la del sitio local en la Iglesia First United Methodist Church de Hyattsville, en hyattsville. org/covidvaccine.

Proyecto Piloto de Plantación de Árboles: ¡Marque otra victoria para los esfuerzos de sostenibilidad de la Ciudad! Se espera que el trabajo en un proyecto de plantación de árboles para el Bloque 3100 de la Nicholson Street comience este mes de mayo con la instalación de silva cells, una estructura subterránea que aumenta la bioretención y el manejo de aguas pluviales. La plantación de árboles tomara plazo más tarde en el otoño. Para obtener más información sobre este proyecto y otras iniciativas amigables con los árboles, visite hyattsville.org/trees.

Cierres de Estaciones de Metro: Como parte del proyecto acelerado de Mejora de la Plataforma de Metro, las estaciones West Hyattsville, Prince George’s Plaza, College Park-University of Maryland y Greenbelt estarán cerradas con estacionamiento reducido o reubicado del 29 de mayo hasta el 6 de septiembre. Se ofrecerá servicio de transporte y estacionamiento gratuito durante estos cierres. Los viajeros afectados pueden encontrar rutas de viaje alternativas visitando wmata.com.

Control de mosquitos: El estado de Maryland reanudará las operaciones residenciales de fumigación de mosquitos este verano. Aún no se ha asignado una fecha de inicio para nuestra área. La fumigación con mosquitos solo ocurre cuando se cumplen ciertos umbrales de riesgo. Para reportar un área problemática en su vecindario o solicitar una exención de los servicios de

Actualización de Servicios para Semana Memorial Day: Las oficinas de la Ciudad y el Sitio de Pruebas COVID-19 en la Iglesia First United Methodist de Hyattsville estarán cerradas el lunes, 31 de mayo para el Día Conmemorativo, Memorial Day. No habrá recolección de residuos de yarda ni de compostaje la semana de 31 de mayo a 4 de junio. Las rutas de basura regular y reciclaje del Condado no son afectadas.

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, Hyattsville City officers and staff are wearing green ribbon awareness pins to help break the stigma tied to mental illness and demonstrate the importance of discussing mental health and mental wellness in the community. En reconocimiento del Mes de la Conciencia sobre la Salud Mental este mes de mayo, los oficiales y el personal de la Ciudad de Hyattsville están usando broches de conciencia de cinta verde para ayudar a romper el estigma asociado a la enfermedad mental y demostrar la importancia de discutir la salud mental y el bienestar mental en la comunidad. control de mosquitos, visite hyattsville.org/ pests o llame al (301) 985-5032.

Contenedores de Compostaje: Hay nuevos contenedores de compostaje en Magruder Park, Heurich Park, la Universidad Hills Duck Pond, ¡y el Centro de Operaciones de DPW! Estos contenedores están abiertos para que residentes puedan dejar artículos como restantes de comida, cajas de pizza, toallas de papel, residuos de café, y más. Si su casa no es atendida por la recogida regular de compostaje los lunes por la Ciudad, o si su cubo no va a hacerlo hasta el próximo lunes, ¡haga un pare por uno de los cubos! Una lista completa de artículos aceptables y un video sobre el compostaje esta disponible en hyattsville. org/compost.

p.m. o hasta que se alcance la capacidad.

Los residentes pueden llamar al (301) 9855000 para preguntas sobre vacunas y sitios de pruebas.

Distribuciones de Alimentos: La Ciudad continua a sostener distribuciones de alimentos los martes a mediodía, en Magruder Park (3911 Hamilton Street).

Personas a pie y conductores se sirven a como duren los suministros. No se requiere ID o residencia de la Ciudad. ¡Se buscan voluntarios para ayudar con las distribuciones semanales! Voluntarios deben de tener por lo menos 18 años y poder levantar cajas que pesan 30 libras o más. Por favor contacte a Colleen Aistis al (301) 985-5057 o aistis@hyattsville.org para obtener información adicional.

Permisos de Parqueo Residencial: ¡Evite multas y renueve su permiso de parqueo residencial! El portal de renovación para el Grupo 3 (Zonas 1, 8, 10 y 11) y el Grupo 4 (Zona 9B) está abierto hasta el 31 de mayo en hyattsville.org/res-permits.

Los residentes de la Ciudad de permisos del Grupo 1 y 2 cuyos permisos expiraron recientemente ahora deben completar una nueva solicitud de permiso. ¿Preguntas?

Contacte a (301) 985- 5027 o visite hyattsville.org/res-permits.

Montar en Bici al Trabajo: El Día de Montar en Bici al trabajo, un evento nacional que promueve una forma más limpia y saludable de viajar diariamente al trabajo, ¡está de vuelta el viernes 21 de mayo!

Visite biketoworkmetrodc.org y regístrese para hacer una parada en Magruder Park esa mañana entre las 8 a.m. y las 10 a.m. antes de “ir” a trabajar. ¡El personal de Arrow Bicycle estará allí repartiendo camisetas gratis! Se aplicarán los protocolos de seguridad COVID-19. ¡Nos vemos allí!

Programas, Servicios y Eventos

Día de Triturar Documentos: Triture documentos de papel de forma gratuita en el estacionamiento del Edificio Municipal (4310 Gallatin Street) el sábado, 22 de mayo, de 9 a.m. a 2 p.m. Todos los participantes deben usar cubre bocas y practicar el distanciamiento social. Asegúrese de que los cuadernos, clips de papel y otras piezas metálicas grandes se retiren del papel antes de llegar. Para obtener más información, llame al (301) 985-5000.

Sitio de Vacunación y Pruebas COVID-19 de Hyattsville: El sitio de vacunación COVID-19 en la Iglesia First United Methodist de Hyattsville (6201 Belcrest Road) ahora esta aceptando a solicitudes para vacunas sin cita los martes entre las 9 a.m. a las 5 p.m. mientras los suministros permitan. Sin embargo, la Ciudad sigue a alentar a los residentes a que hagan cita ya que sigue siendo la forma más segura de recibir la vacuna. Una cita puede ser hecha completando el formulario de preregistración de Luminis Health en hyattsville.org/covidvaccine o llamando al (443) 481-5852.

Las pruebas de COVID-19 gratuitas y sin cita en la Iglesia First United Methodist también continúan tomando plazo los lunes, jueves y sábados, de 9 a.m. a 3

Reunión de Negocios Virtual: La Ciudad de Hyattsville esta sosteniendo una Reunión de Negocios Virtual el martes 25 de mayo a las 10 a.m. Se invita a los dueños de negocios a participar en discusiones sobre el tema de la innovación empresarial, destacando las adaptaciones creativas que las empresas han realizado durante la pandemia. Encuentre los detalles y el en-

Clase de Primeros Auxilios de Salud Mental: La Ciudad de Hyattsville esta ofreciendo una clase virtual, gratuita de primeros auxilios de salud mental de el sábado, 5 de junio de 9 a.m. a 3 p.m. Primeros auxilios de salud mental le enseña a identificar, entender y responder a los signos de enfermedades mentales y trastornos por consumo de sustancias. La clase de 20 participantes es limitada a residentes de la Ciudad. Los participantes deben completar dos horas de capacitación en línea y auto guiada antes del curso de 5 horas dirigido por un instructor el 5 de junio. La registración se abre el 17 de mayo. Para registrarse, envíe un correo electrónico con su nombre, dirección, email y número de teléfono a cmanzano@hyattsville.org.

Programas para Menores

Centro de Jóvenes: ¿Esta buscando para ayuda con una materia o actividades divertidas antes de que se acabe el año escolar? ¡Eche un vistazo a los programas del E-Centro de Jóvenes de mayo y junio!

Instrucciones sobre como registrarse están en hyattsville.org/teen-center.

• Tutoría y Ayuda con Tarea: martes, miércoles y jueves, 6:30 – 8 p.m. *ultimo día es 3 de junio* • Club de Chicas y Chicos: lunes, 17 de mayo, 5 p.m.

• Conversaciones Reales: viernes, 14 de mayo, 5 p.m.

• Noche de Jóvenes: Friday, May 28, 5 p.m.

• Noche de Jóvenes en Persona: Si el tiempo lo permite, celebre el último día del ECentro de Jóvenes antes de que comience la programación de verano con un evento especial en persona el 4 de junio de 5 a 7 p.m., en Magruder Park. Trivia, juegos al aire libre, y una rifa son sólo algunas de las actividades divertidas planeadas – ¡los vemos allí!

Camp Staycation: Los estudiantes de grados 6 a 12 tienen la oportunidad de salir de la casa este verano inscribiéndose para Camp Staycation. Ofrecido por el personal de programas para menores de la Ciudad, preadolescentes y adolescentes pueden disfrutar de viajes gratuitos, ¡semanales a los lugares de Hyattsville y atracciones del DMV! El espacio es limitado y los protocolos COVID-19 estarán en su lugar. La inscripción para participantes anteriores de Camp Staycation se abre el miércoles 19 de mayo. La inscripción general se abre el 21 de mayo. Visite hyattsville.org/teen-center para obtener más información.

Campamento de Verano: ¡El campamento de verano en persona está de vuelta en Hyattsville del 21 de junio al 20 de agosto! Los espacios están llenos actualmente, pero se ha agregado una lista de espera si aumentan las restricciones de capacidad interior impuestas por el Condado. Visite hyattsville.org/summer-camp para inscribirse en la lista de espera.

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

Page 8

Carjackings climb during pandemic

By Heather Wright On May 6, the Bowie police found a red Alfa Romeo Giulia parked along Governor Bridge Road in Bowie, according to the Hyattsville City Police Department. Area police had been on the lookout for the hard-to-miss car; it was the second of two vehicles carjacked in Hyattsville on Feb. 15 by the same suspects.

The first Feb. 15 carjacking took place at 1:30 p.m on the 4800 block of Rhode Island Avenue, when armed suspects took a silver Chevrolet Suburban, according to police. Soon afterward, the Chevrolet crashed into another car at the intersection of 40th Avenue and Jefferson Street.

The driver and passenger fled on foot.

About 3:30 p.m., the same suspects carjacked the Alfa Romeo in the 4500 block of Garfield Drive, according to police. Victims were not injured in either incident.

The Alfa Romeo recovered May 6 was the only vehicle still missing of those stolen in a surge of carjackings that have taken place in the city of Hyattsville in 2020 and 2021. When a vehicle is stolen in the presence of the victim, which usually involves force or the threat of force, police categorize it as a carjacking (vs. a stolen vehicle). Carjackings in the city have increased 400% during the pandemic, from three incidents in 2018-19, to 15, so far, in 2020-21.

Carjackings in the city have increased 400% during the pandemic, from three incidents in 2018-19, to 15, so far, in 2020-21.

Although overall crime in Hyattsville was down in 2020, carjacking and stolen vehicle reports increased, and are continuing to frustrate city residents and the police department in 2021.

A February Washington Post article describes increased carjackings as a nationwide problem during the pandemic. Acting Hyattsville Police Chief Scott Dunklee agreed in a May 3 interview, “We really are just part of the larger community, the DMV, and then the country. It seems to be a nationwide trend.”

The most recent carjacking incident, the sixth in 2021, occurred on April 28 in the parking lot of the Mall at Prince George’s

along the 3500 block of the East-West Highway. According to a police press release, one of the suspects pointed a gun at the victim, demanding the 2020 Toyota Camry and the victim’s cell phone. The two adult male suspects then fled toward Belcrest Road in the victim’s car. The victim was not injured.

According to Dunklee, there did not seem to be trends in timing, location or type of car involved in the carjackings.

“It seems pretty random,” he commented. “I don’t think these things are really planned out. If they were, I don’t think we’d be recovering the cars.”

Dunklee said that the fact that most carjacked vehicles are recovered also indicates that they’re not being taken for resale. “My guess is to get from point A to B and maybe for the thrill of it, too, if you consider that thrilling, to take someone’s car away from them and drive off.”

Dunklee emphasizes that carjacking victims should not attempt to fight or resist carjackers: “It’s not worth risking your safety or your family’s safety by fighting over your car.”

According to the city police department’s 2020 annual report, 2020 generally saw lower crime rates in Hyattsville.

Overall crime was down about 25.5% from 2019 ( from 1288 incidents in 2019 to 960 in 2020). Theft was down 33.5% ( from 996 in 2019 to 662 in 2020), and

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theft from autos was down 7.6% ( from 317 in 2019 to 293 in 2020).

However, stolen vehicle reports increased 11.5%, from 61 in 2019 to 68 in 2020. This trend has continued and worsened at the beginning of 2021. The first quarter of 2021 report indicated a 94.4% increase in stolen vehicles compared to the same time period during 2020 ( from 18 incidents in 2020 to 35 in 2021).

Police records indicate that 30 stolen vehicles were recovered in 2020. As of May 6, 40 vehicles have been stolen in Hyattsville in 2021, and 12 stolen vehicles have been recovered.

Dunklee noted that while some of the stolen vehicle incidents seemed opportunistic — someone would happen upon an empty car running, jump in and drive off — other instances involved some planning: someone at a gas station purposely waiting for a driver to exit the car leaving the keys inside, for instance.

To deter thieves, lock your valuables in the trunk, lock your car and take your keys, even if you’re just leaving your car for a short time, said Dunklee. Park your car in a well-lit area and keep aware of your surroundings. If you have a doorbell camera and park your car outside your residence, the video evidence may be helpful to the police in case of carrelated theft or vandalism.

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

COUNCIL FROM PAGE 1

HL&T: What initially got you interested in running for city council?

ESW: I always knew that at some point in my life I’d run for office; I guess I just didn’t think it would be this soon in my life.

The election of Donald Trump to the presidency … was kind of a wake-up call for me, and I just really felt like it was time.

CS: After the 2016 elections, there was an event in Chicago, President Obama’s final speech, and he essentially said, “If you’re frustrated. . . pick up a clipboard and run for office.” And that was the moment that I decided, “If not me, then who?” I had one child then, and I wanted to be a role model for my son: If you’re frustrated with the way things are going, don’t just sit and complain, take action. Find a way to help.

HL&T: What’s been your favorite part of being on city council? Do you have any favorite stories to share?

ESW: Oh man, it’s hard to think of just one! I think that serving on the council has made me ... appreciate local government even more because I don’t think that we have a sense of all the different ways that they impact our life. I’ve been in awe. I think I’ve just been able to get to know my community more, and my neighbors more, in a way that I didn’t in the past.

CS: I’m pretty quiet on the dais.

But for me the thing that I’ve felt most passionately about was the constituent services. Those were the moments where I felt like I was making a difference. It wasn’t council meetings necessarily; it was helping folks navigate the really serious situations they were facing over the last year.

Page 9

HL&T: Why are you choosing not to run again?

ESW: Personally, I have certainly felt the strain of being a mother and a wife and working full time. … That responsibility got really intense … this past year.

I’m a mother of two, and while I wholeheartedly support women who are going into office, I just don’t think at this point in my life that I can continue to serve in the way that this office deserves.

I don’t see it as a negative thing.

I do see it as offering up the opportunity for another voice and another person to sit at the table and make important decisions.

CS: We were working full time, we had two kids home full time, we had online preschool, and it was really challenging. My dad had serious health problems during the fall, and we were home for a month in Ohio, and I guess we just got to the point where we needed some sort of relief. So really for me it was about capacity. I’ve loved the work. I would love to continue to serve. I definitely plan to find ways to continue to be involved and serve the community. I don’t know what that looks like yet, but I definitely don’t plan on stepping away completely.

HL&T: Is there anything you wish had accomplished while you were on the council that you didn’t get around to, or weren’t able to make happen?

ESW: We’ve been getting better and better, I think, about offering opportunities and ways to

engage Ward 5 in particular, but I think we can still do more. [I hope that] that the person who comes to the seat after me will work really hard to make sure that Ward 5 and West Hyattsville is more engaged in our city and our city’s decision making.

CS: It takes a few years to have folks really understand the process in terms of just the budget cycle and how you can accomplish your goals legislatively. [I had] great relationships with my colleagues and the city staff and the directors, and I feel like I was really hitting my stride, so I wish I could have continued for a few more years.

HL&T: Do you have any advice for the person who will be taking your place?

ESW: Do whatever you can to make sure that you remember why you’re there and to not lose sight of that. The second thing is to also make sure that you have people around you who will love you and support you and remind you of who you are. And then the last thing I’ll just say is be bold, and go for it! ... I do see it as a privilege to serve. Don’t just take up space; use the space to push us forward!

CS: Keep in mind why you wanted to do this. Ensure that you are communicating and reaching out to your residents, but also to your colleagues; that’s incredibly helpful when councilmembers have good relationships and strong relationships.

WATER FROM PAGE 1

shower does. Consider using a biodegradable soap or a car wash or washing your car on your lawn, not your driveway.

• When walking or hiking in nature, stay on the path.

Compacting the soil changes our ecosystem and inhibits the soil from filtering our water.

• Lawn fertilizers and pesticides can contribute to harming the environment, so consider a natural alternative, or just let nature take its course.

• Say goodbye to flushable wipes.

They are not really flushable and are causing major damage and blockages to our sewer systems.

If you use them, put them in the trash. Do not flush anything you can put in the trash instead.

Those were mostly don’ts. Here are some do’s: • Drink tap water instead of bottled water! Filter it if you like, but tap is best. Tap water is typically more regulated than bottled water and keeps plastics from polluting our waterways. Consider using reusable bottles and lobbying for filtration water fountains at your school or work.

• Plant native trees and plants to help remove toxins from our rainwater which can improve our waterways naturally. A new dog-

Liliana McGee is a junior at Elizabeth Seton High School and has been a member of Girl Scout Troop #6899 for 11 years.

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It’s the best exercise out there!

wood tree or some Black-eyed Susans, Maryland’s state flower, are beautiful and easy to grow.

• Consider getting a rain barrel. Rain barrels capture water from your roof and hold it for later use on your lawn or garden. Collecting roof runoff reduces the amount of water that flows from your property and is a great way to conserve water.

• Water resources are increasingly strained by urban development, pollution, and continued growth in population and demand. We hope you are moved to make some of these simple changes and help protect and improve our water.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

Page 10

MISS FLORIBUNDA

Breaking the ground rules Dear Miss Floribunda, I moved from California to Hyattsville last autumn, and when spring came, I got to thinking about planting vegetables in the backyard the way my grandfather did.

The tomatoes he used to give me were to die for. Thinking of all that, I bought a spade but soon discovered that soil here is rock hard. Even after a rain. I’m a techie who hasn’t been close to nature, or even a gym for that matter, and don’t think I can handle a pickax.

One neighbor suggested I start out with raised beds, which sounds like both work and skill are needed. Another neighbor thought I might try collecting cardboard from broken-down boxes, put it down on the ground, add newspaper, and wait till next year to plant.

That sounds like work too, and I want tomatoes this year.

OK — I’ve heard of “no work” gardens. Tell me about those!

Techno-Geek on Gallatin Street Dear Techno-Geek, I’m very sorry to have to tell you that a genuinely no-work garden is as mythological a concept as the chimera, phoenix or unicorn. What the term really means is a no-till garden. Instead of disturbing the complex microbial network in the soil and endangering your own safety by wrestling with a rototiller, you mulch your soil heavily and frequently. This keeps down weeds and, eventually, over the course of many years, improves your topsoil to the point that it becomes easy to plant seeds with just a poke of a dibble. Permaculture gardeners plant multiple crops so thickly that there is little room for weeds, and they are careful to choose plants with roots that penetrate to different depths so that there is no competition for nutrients. This takes considerable know-how. The Hugelkultur garden can be described as a compost pile with a base of twigs and branches, and the lasagna garden uses layers of cardboard, newspaper, grass cuttings and compost — not just cardboard and newspaper. None of these methods are effortless.

All gardens require work at first, but in time you can de-

All gardens require work at first, but in time you can develop an easy-care garden.

velop an easy-care garden.

Also, as you garden you’ll reap health benefits from the exercise and may even become enthusiastic about the experience.

Start small — I suggest container gardening for your first summer. You can buy cherry and grape tomatoes in large pots and enjoy them till frost.

Other containers — there are cheap discards that many gardeners will be happy to provide — can be filled with soil and seeds, or seedlings, for bush beans and cucumbers.

If you want to grow corn or eggplant, be careful to have a large enough pot and only one plant to a container. In midsummer, you can start a fall garden by planting radishes, spinach, kale and leeks in window boxes, and cabbages and bok choy in larger pots. If you have the means and a flair for decoration, you might buy some ornamental ceramic pots.

Depending on your finances, you could hire someone to make a frame for a raised bed.

Or just have a nursery come

dump compost on a selected spot that you will dig under next spring. Yes, I advise some digging. Your highly compacted hardpan probably hasn’t got a rich microsystem to protect yet. That doesn’t mean I recommend cardboard or any sheet mulching. Some community gardens will not permit cardboard because of possibly harmful chemicals in its composition. Aside from questions concerning the high cellulose content and the chemicals, cardboard is made tough and thick to protect the contents of the boxes it’s made into. If you’re intent on using it, shred it first. Any thick covering deprives soil of oxygen and water. This not only destroys the microbes that the no-till garden is supposed to protect but also the all-important earthworm.

A number of gardeners, upon seeing loads of wriggling earthworms underneath a lifted cardboard panel, have come to the dangerous conclusion that somehow the cardboard has caused a population explosion. Dr. Green-

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genes, one of my soil gurus, tells me the truth is that struggling oxygen-starved worms have come up to gasp for air.

Instead, give the worms lots of compost to work into the clay soil. They are your most efficient garden helpers and will break up the soil so that the roots of the vegetables you plant can penetrate it.

You don’t have to buy worms.

Compost, and they will come.

Dr. Greengenes bids you to be wary of fads. I agree. For

example, I’d go easy on mulching too thickly. Too much at one time provides a nice habitat for slugs, termites, moles, voles and mice. The Hugelkultur mound might attract even larger rodents. One popular method, using thick layers of hay, provides plenty of weed seeds. I must warn you now that even at best your garden will never be completely weed free. Birds will always be dropping seeds into your soil, and squirrels will be planting acorns in your garden every fall. However, think of the exercise you will get stooping and bending. And since you’re at the computer a lot, you are probably at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome. My Cousin Nerdette swears that the varied motions involved in weeding cured her of hers.

Many members of the Hyattsville Horticulture Society (HHS) have jobs requiring long hours at the computer, and when we resume meeting, you can compare notes with them. Keep looking at the HHS website, hyattsvillehorticulture.org, to find out when that happy day will finally come.

Miss Floribunda is the Hyattsville Life & Times garden columnist.

You may email questions to floribundav@gmail. com.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

Page 11

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Send your event information for the calendar to Kit Slack at kit@hyattsvillelife.com.

B

elow you’ll find community events sponsored by local nonprofits and artists. All information is current as of May 5.

The cicadas are coming. In the warmer weather, we too are climbing red-eyed up out of our holes ... ahem, I mean, stepping out of our houses more often!

Many of us are vaccinated and ready to meet in person again. In small groups, not hordes.

MAY 22

MAY 15

Route 1 Corridor Conversations presents The Great Caterpillar Factory & Backyard Birds. Join science writer and College Park resident Rick Borchelt in a look at common birds that depend on the suburban caterpillar factories of woodlots and mature trees. Free.

2 to 3:30 p.m. To register, visit HyattsvilleAgingInPlace.org/events.

The Bookworm Garden: Tulip Time. Little ones and their caregivers can learn, create and grow together while taking a closer look at what is blooming in Riversdale House Museum’s beautiful gardens. $5/resident child, ages 2-6.

11 a.m. to noon. 301.699.2255.

Registration required by May 12. www.pgparks.com Joe’s Movement Emporium is hosting children’s dance troupe GET Dance Kids and Carolina Hernandez, who will perform “Spring Visits the Seasons,” a narrative dance performance for children. 4 to 5:30 p.m. $8 tickets at josemovement.org. Outdoor performance at 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mount Rainier.

MAY 19 Pyramid Atlantic presents an artist talk by Rose Jaffe, via Zoom.

Jaffe’s work is exhibited in the Pyramid Atlantic gallery this month.

6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. RSVP at pyramidatlanticartcenter.org/natural-connections-exhibition.

SoHy Co-op will host a SoHy Sidewalk Saturday, in which businesses in and around the SoHy area located along the Route 1 Corridor will once again set up shop outdoors for visitors to enjoy safe sidewalk shopping and strolling. The co-op will be collaborating with Just Rock and featuring their Bourbon Street Pull Up live music pop-up event along the corridor. Free. Noon to 8 p.m.

Joe’s Movement Emporium hosts entomologist Kay Taub leading an educational performance for families entitled “Cicadas: Wow, What a Bug!” including theater, dance and music. 3 to 4 p.m. $8 tickets at josemovement.org.

Outdoors at 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mount Rainier. Feel free to bring your own chair.

MAY 28 Opening of Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center’s exhibition “Maps and Mazes,” curated by Andrew Wodzianski. Features work by artists, including Irene Chan and Zophie King, that explore mazes inspired by analog and digital gaming.

4318 Gallatin St.

MAY 28-29

grandfather, Holocaust survivor and Polish immigrant Joseph Badi, and explores parallels between his life and her own. Tickets at joesmovement.org. $20 general admission; $10 seniors, veterans, and children. 7 p.m. each evening.

An outdoor performance at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mount Rainier.

JUNE 5 Art Works Now presents Creative Clay Building, an online event celebrating Father’s Day. Participants make a paperweight sculpture with materials from a kit they pick up, along with a pizza, at Pizza Paradiso. $35-55. 3 to 4 p.m. artworksnow.org A leisurely 2-mile Trolley Trail Walking Tour will go from Riversdale House Museum to the Old Parish House in College Park, with stops along the way to explore how the area has changed over the centuries. Rain date June 12. Ages 13 and up. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Free. Register by June 2. Meet at Riversdale House Museum, 4811 Riverdale Rd. in Riverdale Park.

ONGOING Pyramid Atlantic Art Center presents an art exhibition, “Natural Connections,” by Rose Jafee, through May 23. Jaffe made most of this art in Pyramid Atlantic’s studios over the last year, “inspired,” as she says, “by a journey of reconnection to people, and to the land.” In person and online.

Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. 4318 Gallatin St.

Rebecca Wahls performs a onewoman show, “Joe,” about her

NATURE FROM PAGE 5

to check out bugoftheweek.com, a website by Dr. Michael Raupp, professor of entomology at the University of Maryland. Or, if you’ve only got about five minutes, watch Sir David Attenborough’s “Life in the Undergrowth,” a BBC video on the cicada’s life cycle, which you can find on YouTube.

Getting a little more down to earth, some of the most common holes we’ll be seeing this spring and summer are the welcome ones made by those ubiquitous European imports, earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris). Native North American earthworms vanished during the last Ice Age, and our current cast of little diggers — earth aerators and favorite fisherman’s bait — came from Europe and have spread far and

wide in North America.

Earthworms spend much of their time burrowing. Their holes generally appear quite narrow at the surface, and some will even have a small dirt plug. In forest soil, an earthworm’s hole may also develop some lateral mounds at the surface.

Some worms that resemble our beloved nightcrawlers are anything but benign, though.

These jumping worms (multiple species, all in the genus Amynthas) are native to Asia, and may be found primarily in northern states like Wisconsin and Minnesota. When they’re disturbed, they slither much like a snake and can appear to be jumping, thus their common name. Their overeager gorging on leaf litter and debris depletes soil nutrients and moisture, which has jeopardized some maple forests.

An online art exhibition, “David C. Driskell’s Students,” features works by more than 30 former students of David C. Driskell, professor emeritus of art at the University of Maryland, College Park, who died in April. driskellcenter.umd. edu/david-c-driskells-students The Brentwood Arts Exchange has two art exhibitions on display in May and June, “Happy Mending,” paintings by Kyujin Lee that feature lush color and fantastical imagery, and “From Dusk ’Til Dawn,” a group show with a theme of personal journey from pain to promise, including sculptures by Emily Fussner and pen and ink works by Alex Porter. Free. Open daily 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood.

RECURRING The Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation presents an acoustic blues jam every Saturday 1 to 3 p.m., weather permitting, in the parking lot behind 4502 Hamilton St. acousticblues.com Art Works Now offers virtual weekly art classes in six-week sessions. Kids’ classes include portrait painting, stop motion animation and tie dye. Classes for adults include linoleum printing and sketching. Wheel-throwing pottery offered in person in a small group.

Registration is open now for summer camp, which kids can attend either virtually or in person, or in a hybrid mix of the two. 301.454.0808. www.artworksnow.org

Poetry open mic every Thursday at Busboys and Poets. $5. 9 to 11 p.m. 5331 Baltimore Ave. 301.779.2787. busboysandpoets. com Rise + Rhyme Monday mornings at Busboys and Poets. An engaging storytelling and performance series introducing children ages 5 and under to the performing arts. $5 suggested donation. 9:30 to 11 a.m. 5331 Baltimore Ave. 301.779.2787. busboysandpoets.com Pyramid Atlantic Art Center offers online, one-on-one and two-on-one in-studio classes in a wide range of techniques including tin can papermaking, book illustrating and makeyour-own screen-printed apron. $40 to $300. Hyattsville residents receive 15% discounts. 4318 Gallatin St. pyramidatlanticartcenter.org Riverdale Park Farmers Market is open every Thursday from 3 to 6:30 p.m. in the parking lot near the Riverdale MARC Station, 4650 Queensbury Rd. For more information, contact Jim Coleman at rpkfarmmkt@gmail.com. facebook.com/RPFMarket Three Little Birds Sewing Co. offers virtual classes for a full range of experience and abilities, including making jumpsuits, quilting and learning to sew. $40-$175. 202.246.5396.

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Jumping worms have a white- or light-colored band, or clitellum, near the head. Unlike our holeand-mound builders, jumping worms leave castings that resemble coffee grounds. If you think you’ve seen one, please notify the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service or a local agricultural agency for a positive identification. To learn more about jumping worms, check out an informative video on them produced by the University of Maryland extension program and posted to the university’s “Maryland Grows” blog, marylandgrows.umd.edu.

Fred Seitz is the nature columnist for the Hyattsville Life & Times.

Streetcar Suburbs Publishing, a nonprofit organization, seeks an ad sales manager. Our volunteer-run organization publishes two monthly newspapers, the Hyattsville Life & Times and the College Park Here & Now. Each paper is delivered to every address in the city it covers, for a combined circulation of nearly 18,000.

Our nonpartisan, independent newspapers connect people in our communities, giving all residents free access to information on local government, services, schools, nonprofits, businesses, and the arts. We also introduce residents to each other through profiles.

Advertising subscriptions by local businesses help keep those businesses’ lights on during the pandemic, help residents shop local, pay the newspapers’ expenses, and keep our newspapers independent.

The sales manager handles all advertising sales and earns a commission on all advertising revenue. This includes revenue from existing business and from responding to leads generated by the newspaper itself, on our query form.

This position could be a great opportunity for the right extrovert thwarted by the pandemic, someone who wants to make a bit of money on the side, support community journalism and get to know the local business scene. For more information, contact advertising@Hyattsvillelife.com.

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

Page 12

DRISKELL FROM PAGE 1

the Nacotchtank, Indigenous peoples who once lived in this region of the Anacostia watershed.

Councilmember Erica Spell Wolf (Ward 5) spoke in support of honoring Driskell, whom she called an “extraordinary” person. “In the grand scheme of the impact of Driskell’s work, this is very small,” she said, “but I am so proud to be a part of it.”

The council’s decision to rename the park followed three years of discussion and deliberation. A February 2018 column in the Hyattsville Life & Times noted the presence of a

The formal resolution to rename the park is expected to be officially passed at the May 17 meeting of the city council.

racially restrictive covenant in the 1927 deed through which William Pinkney Magruder gave land for the park to the city.

Magruder was a major landowner and local real estate developer. He was also a politician and a philanthropist, and served as mayor of Hyattsville from 1909 to 1911.

The parkland that Magruder donated to Hyattsville lies just across the river from North Brentwood. North Brentwood, the first African American suburb of Washington, D.C., was incorporated in 1924, three years before Magruder gifted the land to the city.

Black families had settled there beginning in 1887, one

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year after Hyattsville’s 1886 incorporation.

The 1927 deed by which Magruder gave the park to the city stipulated that the park was for the use of white inhabitants only, and that only white nonresidents could apply for a permit to use the park. At the time, sports, schools and housing were all segregated.

In March 2019, Councilmember Joseph Solomon (Ward 5) introduced a motion to explore the legal feasibility of removing the covenant and also of renaming the park.

The City of Hyattsville solicited suggestions for a new name from residents. There were over 800 suggestions, including naming the park after former Mayor Candace Hollingsworth, choosing a sym-

bolic name like Unity Park, and even joke suggestions like Parky McParkface. Some residents preferred to keep the name Magruder.

Hyattsville’s Race and Equity Task Force and Health, Wellness, and Recreation Advisory Committee teamed up to sort through all the suggestions.

They came up with a short list of possible names, including David C. Driskell Park and Nacotchtank Park, discussed at several city council meetings and a public hearing this spring.

The formal resolution to rename the park is expected to be officially passed at the May 17 meeting of the city council.

Maristela Romero, an intern at the Hyattsville Life & Times, contributed to this article.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

TRAFFIC FROM PAGE 1

ing, parking or sometimes even driving on their own streets.

Two recent events illustrate the problem and the city’s approach to a solution.

At 7 a.m. on April 25, city councilmember Bart Lawrence (Ward 1) was driving north on 42nd Avenue and stopped at the stop sign on Queensbury Road. “A car blew past me going about 40 or 45 miles an hour, ran the stop sign and came within inches of Tboning a driver headed west,” he said. “That car zoomed off, but I and the other driver stayed there stunned, because someone just missed getting killed. After years on the City Council, my greatest regret on leaving is that I was never able to get our citywide speed limit reduced from 25 mph … all the research says the slower the speed, the greater the chance of surviving an accident.”

And on March 25, Director of Public Works Leslie Riddle, Deputy Director Hall Metzler and their staff held a virtual public hearing (www.hyattsville.org/ construction). The Toole Design firm, which conducted the 2018 Hyattsville Transportation Study, proposed creating a bicycle boulevard along Jefferson Street from Route 1 to Queens Chapel Road.

Afterward, Chris Davidson, coowner of Arrow Bikes said he felt betrayed. “Why are they calling this a bicycle boulevard when it’s actually a death trap for people on bikes?” he asked. “Slowing traffic by having concrete bump-outs simply forces cyclists into closer contact with cars when the road narrows … I suspect this serves a completely different agenda.”

During the hearing, no one mentioned the safety or convenience of cyclists. Residents complained that traffic moves too fast down Jefferson Street, despite flashing stop signs, speed humps, a temporary bump-out at the corner of 39th

Page 13

Avenue, and flashing signs banning trucks over 10,000 pounds.

Residents didn’t seem to perceive Jefferson as a street “with low motorized traffic volumes and speeds” that would be required for a bike boulevard under the National Association of City Transportation Officials’ Urban Bikeways Design Guide.

Still, Toole’s project engineer, Stacy Desai, a cyclist, insists it’s the best solution to a complicated problem. Project planner Dan Reed acknowledges that the bump-outs will send bikers closer to cars, but argues, “It’s safer to be riding closer to slower moving traffic than slightly farther away from faster traffic.”

THE POLITICS OF REGULATING ROADS Calming traffic requires beating back a snake’s nest of political, social and technological conflicts. Motor vehicles are an intelligent, adaptable enemy with an 80-year home court advantage that started when the streetcar suburbs began tearing out the trolley tracks.

College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn explained that “Governor [Larry] Hogan still has an ideology that prioritizes cars, and there is a lot of political support for that. There is also the State Highway Administration (SHA), a large bureaucracy specifically dedicated to building roads and highways rather than sidewalks or bike paths.”

Lawrence noted, “The SHA’s thousands of rules are so complex that I really couldn’t figure out exactly why Riverdale Park could lower its speed limit and Hyattsville couldn’t. It’s still not clear to me whether it’s because it has a smaller number of square miles, or fewer miles of roads.”

SHA regulates everything from the maximum number of traffic control devices on a block (must be 250 feet apart) to the statewide minimum of 25 mph on most streets, unless those streets are school zones or bi-

A family waits at a broken pedestrian light at a crosswalk in Hyattsville.

cycle boulevards.

Thus, the conflict between two legitimate priorities. Hyattsville wants to slow traffic. The SHA wants to prevent towns from setting their limits artificially low to raise revenues by becoming a speed trap, or to shift traffic burdens into other neighborhoods.

In this game of push and pull, it’s important to note that Metzler directly stated that one goal of the bike boulevard is to stop trucks from cutting through town on Jefferson, a city street, and “force them onto the state roads” of Hamilton Street (MD 208), Queens Chapel Road (MD 500) and East-West Highway (MD 410). “I realize that it’s pretty far out of the way,” Metzler said.

NEW CARS ARE GETTING DEADLIER FASTER THAN THEY’RE GETTING SAFER Theoretically, new automotive technology such as pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking systems could save some lives. But only a small

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number of newer vehicles have this equipment, it’s not mandatory, and AAA’s testing shows it often fails.

However, as a percentage of new vehicles sold, SUVs and light trucks grew from 49% in 2014 to 69% in 2021. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in moderate speed accidents when cars injure pedestrians, a pick-up truck or SUV is almost twice as likely to kill them.

This is because a sedan typically hits pedestrians in the legs. SUVs strike adults in the chest and hit children in their heads.

THE COMMUNITY HAS CONFLICTING PRIORITIES In addition to the political and technological challenges that make it harder to calm traffic, residents often have opposing priorities. Toole’s 2018 traffic survey found that the two biggest traffic concerns among Hyattsville residents were safety (29%) and reducing traffic (24%). Traffic calming may make roads safer, but those who want traffic reduced might not feel so calm driving down the new narrower, slower bike boulevard. And, any measures that slow down traffic also slow down fire engines and ambulances.

During the March 25 hearing,

the public works staff repeatedly stressed that signs and speed humps could only do so much unless police stop and ticket people who break the rules. However, recent events have shown that routine traffic stops can become deadly for minority drivers. And, pulling a car or truck over on a crowded street during rush hour creates its own hazards and delays.

Jefferson Street homeowners could narrow the road and slow traffic simply by choosing to park their vehicles on the street.

“The problem with that,” commented Councilmember Danny Schaible (Ward 2), “is that people are afraid of having their mirrors broken off and their car damaged by passing traffic.”

Riddle explains, “The problem isn’t just speed, it’s density. The transportation study found that 85% of the traffic on Jefferson Street was actually going at or below the speed limit.”

Designating Jefferson a bike boulevard is one of the few options left. If the city can’t slow traffic with lower speed limits, it can try to throttle it into submission with bump-outs. Public works has to manage hard choices to create a walkable, bikeable environment in a community where a typical household might have two, three or even four drivers.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2021

Page 14

County Council: Please honor your co mmitments to Hyattsville On behalf of its residents, the University Hills Area Civic Association (UHACA) asks the Prince George’s County Council to continue to honor its commitment to preserve the current zone designation of the Clay property. We believe the cornerstone of the Council’s integrity and trust is inextricably linked to its willingness to uphold commitments made to its residents. We expect the Council not to renege or renounce its prior assurances and promises.

As the Council knows — after long deliberations, multiple discussions with area residents, and thoughtful planning — the Park and Planning Commission’s July 2016 approved Transit District Development Plan recommended the Clay property remain designated as R-80 and not be rezoned as R-20. The Commission did not see merit in changing the zoning designation which, if permitted, would allow for nearly 200 attached units to be built on this acreage. Park and Planning came to this decision because it recognized that an R-80 designation is consistent with the character and feel of adjacent University Hills — single family detached homes on large lots, many of them wooded.

As past records indicate, and as do Hyattsville city records, on December 21, 2015, Hyattsville’s City Council, based on a thorough and detailed review by City staff, voted overwhelmingly to endorse maintaining the Residential, SingleFamily designation R-80 for the Clay property. The City of Hyattsville conveyed its recommendation to maintain the R-80 designation for the Clay property to the County, which recommendation, in turn, the County Council upheld and supported.

We are convinced it is even more vital now to preserve residential, single-family housing as an alternative in our community — as well as throughout Hyattsville. We wish the Council would envision Hyattsville more as a tapestry composed of unique, yet complementary neighborhoods, rather than as merely the area defined by a radius from a mass-transit node that must be developed to create the maximum possible density, no matter the consequences.

We maintain that zoning modifications to accommodate the building of townhouses ignore the character of the surrounding neighborhood. We further maintain

Red – Clay Property

Blue – University Hills Area

that density proportionality should be the standard. We are also convinced the avalanche of townhouse units currently planned not only violates this proportionality but will also radically and severely change the character, appeal, and quality of life for those who live in University Hills. For many residents, it is a simple and straightforward matter — keep the integrity of the entire University Hills community intact.

On behalf of the residents of University Hills, we urge the County Council to let the Clay Property remain designated as R-80, which means “single family detached homes”. The “best change” will enhance and improve the wellbeing of everybody — not simply increase big, influential property developers’ profit margins, which a zone change will do.

We urge members of the Prince George’s County Council to vote to maintain the R-80 zoning designation of the Clay property.