2021-08 Hyattsville Life & Times

INSIDE NEED A LAUGH? Read our HyattsKIDS Summer Comics Edition. P. 4 THE CITY ELECTION ISN'T OVER: See our Ward 1 Special Election Guide. P. 7

VOL. 18 NO. 8

HYATTSVILLE’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

AUGUST 2021

Housing construction booms near Prince George’s Plaza

By Rebecca Marx Home prices in Hyattsville were up 16% in June compared to last year, according to Redfin, despite housing stock growth of roughly 20% since 2000. Demand is outpacing supply as buyers priced out of Washington, D.C., and nearby Maryland

suburbs look to Hyattsville.

Three new developments are slated for the Prince George’s Plaza Metro area, on a total of 66 largely wooded acres north of University Town Center and west of Adelphi Road. These three developments — the Dewey Property, the Landy Property and the Clay Property — would add

almost 700 apartments, upwards of 150 condos and more than 500 townhouses to the area. Of the three, only the Clay Property includes plans for below-market rate housing, but this site plan has not been approved as of press time.

The Landy and Clay properties are part of the 140-acre tract that builder

Herschel Blumberg bought in the mid1950s, long before the Metro station was built in 1993. Blumberg aimed to build a mixed-use complex, and he lived to see part of that vision realized when University Town Center opened in 2007. Though Blumberg died in 2013, his family is still SEE PLAZA ON 13

Homegrown Olympian plays tennis in Tokyo

City urges continuation of virtual courts

By Chris McManes

By Sophie Gorman Oriani

In tennis scoring, love means nothing. But to Frances Tiafoe, the love he felt growing up at the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) in College Park meant everything.

After producing one of his finest performances in a Grand Slam event, Tiafoe returned to JTCC to prepare for the Olympics. He felt right at home.

“I spent so much of my life here,” Tiafoe said. “I love coming back here, not only to practice but just being here in general.

“So many great memories of guys I grew up with. Just a lot of love here, all around.”

Tiafoe, 23, spent many nights sleeping at JTCC when not at his family’s apartment just outside Hyattsville city limits. He now lives in Boynton Beach, Fla. When in Maryland, he stays with his twin brother, Franklin, in Beltsville.

Franklin played tennis three years at DeMatha Catholic High School prior to graduating in 2016.

Frances Tiafoe recorded his first victory over a world Top 5 player when he defeated No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 on June 26 in the opening round of Wimbledon.

Following the win, Tiafoe moved up five spots in the world rankings to No. 52. He was ranked as high as 29th in 2019.

In the second round, Tiafoe broke Vasek Pospisil’s serve three times en route to a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory. He was knocked out of the tournament in the next round when he lost to Karen Khachanov, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. Tiafoe was pleased with his play in the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world.

“Very much so,” he said. “I thought I had much more potential to go even further than I did.

I didn’t play a great match in the SEE TENNIS ON 12 

Frances Tiafoe training in College Park on July 9 before heading to the Tokyo Olympics COURTESY OF THE JUNIOR TENNIS CHAMPIONS CENTER

School and work weren’t the only things that went virtual in Hyattsville during the pandemic — the courts did too. The court system initially provided both audio and video access to proceedings, and currently provides audio access.

Some citizens think that virtual proceedings should continue to be offered as we move forward into the new normal. At the July 19 and Aug. 2 city council meetings, members debated sending a letter to the Circuit Court Chief Judge Sheila Tillerson Adams supporting permanent virtual access. At both meetings, Hyattsville residents who volunteer as court watchers spoke up in support of virtual access.

The Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution establishes a SEE COURTS ON 6 

CENTER SECTION: The August 10, 2021 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — in Español too!

HYATTSVILLE MD PERMIT NO. 1383

Reach every consumer in Hyattsville ... for less! Contact advertising@hyattsvillelife.com or 301-531-5234

Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

Page 2

SECONDHAND NEWS

‘Retired’ Hyattsville resident crafts guitars from salvage

By Lauren Flynn Kelly

P

ete Malinoski doesn’t want you to know what he does for a living.

Flying under the radar for the last two decades in Hyattsville, the skilled craftsman has been making one-of-a-kind electric guitars. They might even be made with remnants of your home. But rather than answer questions about why he doesn’t make acoustic guitars or why he won’t build something to your specifications, Malinoski just says he’s “retired.”

Luckily for me, he pretended not to be retired one day and gave me a tour of his workshop.

It’s just your “basic woodshop,” he modestly told me, pointing to the table saw, sander, planer, joiner and numerous intimidating tools. Hanging above us were hundreds of templates, many of which were made from IKEA particleboard shelves he found on the curb. “When you’re making a guitar, you have to have a lot of accuracy,” he said. “I can’t just whittle ’em out on the fly.”

Pete Malinoski, shown demonstrating a bass guitar, likes to mix found objects with regular raw materials. LAUREN FLYNN KELLY

Malinoski’s passion for building guitars began in college when his work-study job cleaning floors afforded him a key to the woodshop. Though he

wasn’t a guitar player, he picked one up and said, “This is basically a boat paddle. I could make one of these.”

He eventually obtained a Master of Fine Arts degree in wood (his second master’s degree), but after stints in teaching and museum work, Malinoski quickly realized he just wanted to make stuff for a living. He said he approaches building a guitar much like tinkering with a car or making furniture.

“What I’m making is closer to a chair than anything. It’s just basic woodworking.” But with names like Hornet, Saturn and Tattoo — and boasting sinuous shapes and striking patterns — these guitars are anything but basic.

Building a guitar requires certain types of wood — like African mahogany or North American maple — for what Malinoski explained is essential “structural rigidity.” But Malinoski said he’s always been a bit of a dumpster diver and likes to incorporate found materials in his work. In a stack of materials

in his shop, he showed me a few rafters he salvaged from a nearby house and marveled at the tight grain of the old-growth Douglas fir.

Malinoski said he prefers to work with found objects because they are what he considers loaded materials. “They have a lot of meaning to begin with — what they are, how they are used, all the baggage we give them from our own idea or memories of what they are,” he explained. “I like to use these found objects in ways that they were not meant to be used or just as raw materials, which manipulates the expected loaded understanding of these things. This gives the viewer a more personal experience.

“The trick for me is how to use them in a manner that takes advantage of that power, and also to mix them with normal raw materials like wood, metal or paint and make it all work together as a composition,” he continued. Examples of other found objects he said he’s used include upholstery, animal hides, horns and bones, fake fur, blue tarp, signs, vinyl banners, stamps and “paper detritus of all types.” Malinoski even showed me a few lamps he made using thrifted items such as a toaster oven and a bowling ball.

At busier times in his career, he’s made 40 guitars in one year, but they each take several weeks to make, and it’s easy to get burned out with the process. In recent years, he’s scaled back the operation a bit while fixing up old guitars for resale, too.

Malinoski’s handcrafted guitars start around $2,000, and his customers are typically collectors “who have gone through the phase of picking up old Fenders and Gibsons and want something unique … people who just love to play and collect,” he said. He crafts each guitar to his own liking, and he doesn’t take orders or custom requests. Having played one of his creations at a friend’s house, I can tell you firsthand that they feel and sound great.

You can see what’s new or in the works on Malinoski’s Instagram and Facebook pages, but he conducts most business through his Reverb store, which he described as “a concentrated Etsy for guitar collectors.”

Check out his guitars and other works at www.petermalinoskiart.com.

Residential Parking Permits Program

HYATTSVILLE WARD 5

Community Chats & Clean-ups Join Hyattsville Councilmembers Rommel Sandino and Joseph Solomon as they connect with community members and clean up areas in need in Ward 5! *clean-ups begin immediately following the meetings*

Sat, August 14 starting at 10 AM Via Zoom and at Trinity Grill Restaurant Register for Zoom meeting at hyattsville.org/calendar

Upcoming Dates: Sat, August 14, 10AM Sat, November 13, 2021, 10 AM Sat, February 19, 2022, 10AM Sat, May 14, 2022, 10AM Sat, August 13, 2022, 10AM

Email Ward5@hyattsville.org for questions

Residential Parking Permits are required for onstreet parking in zoned parking areas, indicated by street signage. Parking in a zoned parking area without a permit can result in a citation.

Get your permit today! Find more information and apply at hyattsville.org/res-permits.

Parking Permits How-To: Visit hyattsville.org Select PARKING Select Residential Parking Select Residential Parking Permit Online Portal Log in or create account Select View a permit Complete the requested information Upload proof of residency and/or vehicle documents Select Agree to the Parking Guidelines Select Checkout to complete the process!

Email parking@hyattsville.org or call (301) 985-5017 with questions

Lauren Flynn Kelly is the secondhand columnist for the Hyattsville Life & Times.

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

Page 3

City partners with nonprofit for vaccination outreach

By Melena DiNenna The Hyattsville City Council approved a partnership on July 19 with the Hyattsville Community Development Corporation (HyCDC) to aid the city government’s COVID-19 vaccination outreach efforts.

The proposal for the partnership, submitted by HyCDC Director and former City Council President Stuart Eisenberg, outlines an outreach program aimed at educating Hyattsville residents about the vaccines and registering them for shots.

The first phase of the outreach program involves hiring, training and deploying a team of up to eight canvassers to knock on doors at five apartment complexes in the area, according to Eisenberg.

“We’re training our canvassers to be sensitive [and] to not answer questions as if they’re doctors,” he said, “but rather to refer to experts or to dispel misinformation with information that’s printed … in Spanish and English.”

Many Latinos and other minorities live at the five apartment

complexes — Kirkwood Apartments, North Point Apartment Homes, Belcrest Plaza, Plaza Towers Apartments and The Plaza Apartments — according to the partnership’s proposal.

These groups have low vaccination rates compared to others in Hyattsville, according to George Escobar, the chief of programs and services at CASA de Maryland, an immigrant advocacy organization with an office in unincorporated Hyattsville.

“A lot of folks that are living in [Hyattsville] communities are undocumented and don’t have access to health care,” said Escobar. “You [have] to address the hesitancy questions … [and] the trust questions.”

The city initially reached out to CASA de Maryland. However, the organization did not have enough staff to take on the project due to prior commitments, according to Hyattsville Emergency Operations Manager Reggie Bagley.

Bagley said he then reached out to the HyCDC given their previous census outreach work.

The HyCDC is a nonprofit or-

ganization that supports development, community and leadership in the city, including promoting the arts, local businesses and public spaces, according to its website. “[The partnership] will help us tremendously, in terms of being able to target people, document how many people we’re contacting, and then, in the vaccination efforts that follow, we’ll be able to compare numbers with how many people we’ve talked to versus how many folks actually showed up for vaccination,” Bagley said.

To address any vaccine hesitancy among Latino and other minority groups in Hyattsville, Eisenberg said, HyCDC canvassers inform residents that staff at the vaccination clinics held in the city do not ask for identification or ask questions about immigration status.

Three of the targeted apartment buildings — Belcrest Plaza, Plaza Towers and The Plaza Apartments — are outside incorporated Hyattsville borders.

The grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the partnership speci-

The first phase of the outreach program involves hiring, training and deploying a team of up to eight canvassers to knock on doors at five apartment complexes in the area, according to HyCDC Director Stuart Eisenberg.

fies that outreach may include Hyattsville “and immediate surrounding communities,” according to City Administrator Tracey Douglas.

“The more we can reach, the better,” she said. “We’re trying to meet people where they are, and get as many people … vaccinated [as we can].”

Eisenberg said “borders matter less” when addressing emergencies such as the coronavirus.

“People’s idea of where they live is [also] … where they shop or work,” he said. “Whatever it is you’re dealing with is felt in your community even if it happens … to someone nearby.”

Eisenberg said they are continuing to assemble a team of canvassers, who will then spend at least two months knocking on apartment doors during the first phase of the project. The second phase will include canvassing at local grocery stores and laundromats, he said, and setting up mobile clinics.

As the delta variant, the most transmissible variant to date, spreads throughout Maryland, Eisenberg sees vaccine outreach as more crucial than ever.

It's Still a Seller's Market... ...but it takes more than a lawn sign to sell for top dollar. If you're considering selling and want to maximize your net, it's critical to present your home in the best light. We have a proven system for doing just that. We provide our clients: Free Home Staging Professional Photography Custom Brochures

Social Media Promotion 3D Matterport Home Tours

Thinking about your next move? Call us for a free consultation. We'll help you navigate what's next!

SOL

SOLD!

!

SOLD SOLD!

D!

SOLD! OLD!

5101 Baltimore Ave., Hyattsville, MD 20781 301.565.2523 | info@GoBrent.co | www.GoBrent.co

Hyatts KIDS

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

Page 4

Welcome to the Summer Comics issue of HyattsKIDS! Our editors are Evan LeFevre and Claudia Romero Garvey. To participate, contact adult adviser Mary Frances Jiménez: mf_jimenez@yahoo.com.

MURPHY’S LAWS OF CAMPING BY EVAN LEFEVRE

FROZEN FRIEND

BY TALIKA GORSKI

BETSY, SHIRK

BY NORA MARX

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

Page 5

AT HOME IN HYATTSVILLE

Studying the universe, staying down to earth

By Reva G. Harris Not all renowned people who happen to live in Hyattsville take an interest in our local nonprofit community newspaper. I recently spoke with a world-renowned Hyattsville resident, though, who connects with our community in a humble and supportive way. My conversation with Dr. John C. Mather — astrophysicist, cosmologist, and 2006 Nobel Prize in physics laureate (he shared that honor with George Smoot) — was down-to-earth and delightful.

John grew up on a research farm at Rutgers University, part of the university’s New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, in Sussex County, N.J. “It was beautiful and isolating,” he said. “All of my childhood was spent reading, writing and thinking — I had a decent introduction to science.

“It was a natural progression for me to go to college,” he continued. John attended Swarthmore College and majored in physics. “I turned out to be one of the few students at Swarthmore who really liked physics.”

While in graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley, John had to choose a thesis topic. “I asked around for ideas.

Someone said, in a random conversation, ‘We want to measure Big Bang radiation.’ I worked with that group for four years.

The instrument we designed did not function.” Although his thesis project failed, John did receive approval to write about the work and design for the instrument to complete his doctoral studies.

After receiving his doctorate in 1974, John got a job with NASA, in New York. He was on a team of seven who wrote a small book proposing to redo his thesis project.

John also met Jane Hauser in 1974. He explained, “I was a young scientist in New York City, and Jane was a ballet teacher.

We met while taking a class on reevaluation counseling. It’s a course on how to listen and help another person. There was one rule: ‘Do not date the people in your class.’” Mather violated that rule when he moved to Greenbelt, in 1976, to work at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. In 1979, Jane moved to Maryland — they were married in 1980, by a minister friend. “In attendance were 80 scientists and 30 dancers,” he said.

Dr. John C. Mather studies the universe while staying down to earth.

COURTESY OF CHRIS GUNN

Finding the right home to purchase proved to be a challenge.

“I am a tall guy, at 6 feet 5 inches,” John explained. “We looked at about 50 houses. Sometimes I would bump my head on the ceilings. We almost gave up, but we remembered a house located in Hyattsville. I wanted to see if it was for sale — it was not. We slipped a note to ask the owners if they would sell; they did. It’s a 1938 Georgian-style brick cube with windows on all sides. The neighborhood is like living in the country.”

At Goddard, John was a member of a team of engineers and scientists appointed to develop the COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer) satellite. “This fall will

be the 32nd anniversary [Nov. 18, 1989] of the COBE launch,” he said. “It was beautiful." John explained that the COBE satellite measured cosmic background radiation. “We confirmed that the Big Bang theory was right,” he added.

Mather reminisced about receiving the Nobel Prize: “When I heard that I was receiving the Nobel Prize, I said to myself, ‘Don’t mess up. Everyone is watching you.’ Winning did not change much about my life. In 2007, my wife and I established the John and Jane Mather Foundation for Science and the Arts.

We gave away all of the money to other foundations that already knew what to do. We sponsored

choreographers and dancers, and we gave scholarships to scientists and engineers. ... Lots of brilliant people had the opportunity to travel and show off their talents to the world.

“I worked hard, and I had a lot of luck. However, these discoveries are team driven. It felt weird when I know 1,500 people made it [COBE] happen. In the book, ‘The Very First Light’ [written with John Boslough], I list those people.”

Since 1995, John has worked as senior project scientist on the James Webb Space Telescope, which is scheduled to be launched in November 2021.

“The hope is that we will be able to understand how stars and galaxies formed right after the universe began to expand,” he said.

At the close of our conversation, John discussed the politics of science. “I think the issue is important,” he noted. “Con-

gressman Bill Foster [IL-11] is the only member of Congress who has a Ph.D. in physics. He [Foster] told me his story. I told him, ‘I would like more people like you running for Congress.

I can sponsor undergraduate students through the American Institute for Physics [AIP] summer intern program to work on Capitol Hill.’” (The AIP interns work on congressional committees to help shape public science policy.) “We [scientists] try to work out answers to life’s great challenges like what do we do when it gets too hot, or when we run out of coal or oil,” he noted. “That’s where we come in.

Science is behind it.”

Find more about Dr. John C. Mather’s important work in physics and a complete biographical sketch at www. nobelprize.org/prizes/ physics/2006/mather.

YOU ARE WELCOME HERE

UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH

www.uccmd.org

we are the church at the intersection

6800 Adelphi Road Hyattsville MD 20782

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

Page 6

Lawson’s Pharmacy

Richard Sabatelli, R. Ph

301-864-4043

All Major Insurance Accepted. We Deliver!

3415 Hamilton St, Hyattsville

Loving Care Pediatrics Janet V. Johnson, MD

6525 Belcrest Road Suite #203 Hyattsville, Maryland 20783 Tel: 301-403-8808 Fax: 301-403-1341

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

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

International Travel Vaccines 6525 Belcrest Road Suite #203 Hyattsville, Maryland 20782 (301) 403-8808

Yellow fever, Typhoid, Cholera, Hepatitis A, Malaria, Polio, etc.

Combine & Save.

Paul Dougherty Ins Agcy Inc Paul Dougherty, Agent 3420 Hamilton Street Hyattsville, MD 20782 Bus: 301-927-1391

Good things happen when you combine your home and auto insurance with State Farm®.

Like saving an average of $894.* Plus, you’ll have a good neighbor like me to help life go right.

CALL ME TODAY.

*Average annual household savings based on 2016 national survey of new policyholders who reported savings by switching to State Farm.

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company • State Farm Indemnity Company, Bloomington, IL State Farm County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas, Dallas, TX • State Farm Lloyds, Richardson, TX State Farm Fire and Casualty Company • State Farm General Insurance Company, Bloomington, IL 1606203 State Farm Florida Insurance Company, Winter Haven, FL

Taunya L. Jenkins, DDS, LLC

General Dentist 6525 Belcrest Rd Suite 201 Hyattsville, MD 20785 • RCT • Veneers • Crowns • Dentures • Bleaching • White Fillings Emergencies Welcome Most Insurances Accepted

Tel 301-779-0522 Fax 301-927-1815 M-Thu 9-5 Sat by Appt.

COURT FROM PAGE 1

right to a public trial for criminal proceedings. Prior to the pandemic, courts were open to the public in person with a few exceptions involving children and specific privacy and security concerns. Many courtrooms did not allow filming, though members of the public could generally request audio recordings or transcripts.

During the pandemic, live virtual access to the same hearings that used to be accessible in person has made it easier for volunteers who watch court.

Many states and counties have court watching organizations, which train and organize volunteer court watchers. Locally, the organization Courtwatch PG primarily watches bond hearings in Prince George’s County.

It is part of Life after Release, a prison abolition organization in the greater D.C. area founded and led by formerly incarcerated Black women.

Court watchers sometimes observe proceedings to support a particular person. Generally, though, they are there to watch for what Hyattsville resident Caitlin Fitzpatrick called “abuses of power, egregious acts — anything that strikes us as a flag.” If court watchers note something that seems off, such as a bail set unfairly high or a report that may point to police brutality, they write a letter to a relevant authority.

Fitzpatrick, who got involved in court watching during the pandemic, was one of about half a dozen residents who spoke to the city council in support of virtual court access.

She told the story of a Hyattsville resident, whose bail was set at $500 with a 10% option, meaning he had to pay $50 to be released prior to his trial. He

Court watchers are generally there to watch for what Hyattsville resident Caitlin Fitzpatrick called “abuses of power, egregious acts — anything that strikes us as a flag.”

Edwuan Whitehead, of Courtwatch PG, told the city council that volunteers with the organization have watched approximately 150 Hyattsville residents, most of whom were minorities, in court proceedings over the past six months.

“We want to continue this judicial transparency as long as we can possibly have it,” said Whitehead.

On Aug. 2, the council discussed a revised letter clarifying that the judge would retain the ability to close sensitive proceedings. While most councilmembers supported the motion, Ben Simasek (Ward 3) suggested amending the motion language to remove the specific reference to access for observers. Even with this amendment, Croslin voted against the motion. “I do applaud folks who are pushing for more transparency in government,” he said, but added he had consulted with several attorneys, including the city attorney, who were all personally opposed to the motion.

Currently, only audio access is provided for the court hearings. “We’re just trying to keep the access that we have,” Fitzpatrick said, although she is hoping the courts will restore video access as well, which would allow court watchers to see body language and other nonverbal communication. The letter from the city council also expressed a desire to restore video access.

“To me [virtual court access] is not different than body cams on police, you know — it just gives an extra set of eyes,” said Fitzpatrick. “I think a lot of people would be very surprised at some of the things that go on in the courtroom.”

could not afford to pay $50, so the judge required him to stay in jail, rather than reducing his bail. “Clearly it was not a very serious crime if the bail was set at only $500,” Fitzpatrick noted.

At the July 19 meeting, Councilmember Robert Croslin (Ward 2) expressed concern that virtual court hearings could make it much easier to record sensitive court proceedings from home. Councilmember Edouard Haba (Ward 4), who is one of the sponsors of the motion to send the letter to Tillerson Adams, noted that a judge can decide to close a hearing to protect the privacy of those involved. Some councilmembers, including Daniel Peabody (Ward 4) and Sam Denes (Ward 1), expressed a desire for more information about the potential risks.

Sign up for a Wednesday orientation at courtwatchpg.com to get involved in court watching.

A-1 YARD SERVICES Complete Lawn and Property Maintenance LAWN & YARD SERVICES

• LEAF REMOVAL • GUTTER CLEANING • WEEDING, MOWING & MULCHING • TREE & BUSH REMOVAL, TRIMMING

HAULING SERVICES

• APPLIANCE, FURNITURE & DEBRIS REMOVAL • ATTIC, GARAGE & BASEMENT CLEANING • YARD CLEANING

YOU CALL, WE HAUL?

CALL RON AT 202-431-1236

CALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE!

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

Page 7

City Council Ward 1 Special Election T he Hyattsville Life & Times reached out to all candidates registered to run in the City of Hyattsville’s Ward 1 Special Election. In the election, Ward 1 residents will elect a city councilmember to replace Kevin Ward, who was elected mayor this spring.

You’ll find the statements of the registered candidates competing for the empty Ward 1 seat in this section in alphabetical order.

CANDIDATE FORUM AUG. 12 Join us Thursday Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. as the Hyattsville Life & Times poses your questions to the candidates. The virtual event will be moderated by Managing Editor Emeritus Maria James.

You can access the livestream at facebook.com/hyattsvillelife.

MAI ABDUL RAHMAN Age: 55 Day Job: I am currently working with a group of researchers to assess the impact of school closures on public school systems.

Our data will be drawn locally (Prince George’s County Public Schools and District of Columbia Public Schools).

Our research is focused on students, school principals, teachers, school counselors and psychologists. We are also examining the effect of school closures on organized local systems.

Community Involvement: Since 2018, I have had the privilege of serving on two

Hyattsville city advisory committees: the Education Committee and Police and Public Safety Committee. After the lockdown, I joined the Maryland Responds Reserve Corps and the COVID-19 Task Force to control the spread of COVID-19 in Hyattsville, address the nutritional and basic hygienic needs of residents who tested positive and quarantined, and serve at the various vaccine sites within Hyattsville. In other words, before and during the pandemic, and to date, I choose to stay connected to the needs of Hyattsville on the ground, putting the needs of my neighbors and community first.

Statement to Voters: This past year has been incredibly difficult for all of us. But the perseverance I have witnessed has been nothing less than awe-inspiring. Our communal resilience through this most difficult experience is an asset that will help us get through the next phase of recovery.

While we are still dealing with the pandemic and its related difficulties, we must begin building the necessary frameworks and the right support structures to recover robustly and in an equitable, just way.

This requires setting the necessary supports now, before problems become too difficult to reverse. Responsive, thoughtful and creative solutions would expand our tax base, reduce the tax burdens of home and business owners, and strengthen sensible rent policies. This serves the interest of residents, families with young children, local businesses, and would attract visionary innovators and entrepreneurs. All of which would make it possible for us to grow and thrive together. In short, I am running to improve the quality of life for all residents (renters, home and business owners). For more details, please visit maiforward1.com.

SEE ELECTION ON 8 

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Page HR1

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

the

Hyattsville Reporter Notices & Updates

No. 401 • August 10, 2021

www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000 on Thursday, September 2, 6 - 8 p.m., at the future Teen Center site, 5812 40th Ave. We’ll also have treats to cool everyone down, music, and details about the Center’s building plan! Visit hyattsville.org/ back2school for more information.

Ward 1 Special Election: The special election to fill the Ward 1 vacant Council seat will be held by mail this September!

Registered voters living in Ward 1 can expect to receive a ballot and election guide by mid-August. Ballots can be returned by mail or at secure drop boxes located at the City Building (4310 Gallatin Street) and Hyattsville Middle School (6001 42nd Avenue). If you live in Ward 1 and do not receive your ballot by mid-August, visit hyattsville.org/vote to check your registration status. Same-day voter registration and inperson voting will be available on Election Day, September 14, 7 a.m. – 8 p.m., at the City Building. If you have questions, contact the Clerk’s office at (301) 985-5001 or email cityclerk@hyattsville.org.

Hyattsville Expungement Fair: The Hyattsville Police Department and the Office of the County State attorney are hosting a FREE Expungement Fair on Saturday, August 28, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at the First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville, 6201 Belcrest Road. The event is open to all residents who are seeking to have their Maryland charges and convictions removed. Pre-registration is highly encouraged and can be completed at hyattsville. org. For questions, please email cevans@ hyattsville.org or call (301) 985-5060.

Meet the Special Election Candidates: The Hyattsville Life & Times will host a virtual Candidate Forum for the Ward 1 Special Election on Thursday, August 12.

The Forum begins at 7 p.m. can will be livestreamed via facebook.com/hyattsvillelife. The City does not endorse this or any forum. However, to help inform residents, the City will broadcast the Forum on cable channels 71 (Comcast) and 12 (Verizon) and stream online at hyattsville.org/meetings and on facebook.com/cityofhyattsville.

Can’t make the Forum? Ward 1 Councilmember Sam Denes will host a Ward 1 Check-In on Tuesday, August 31 at 6 p.m. to meet the special election candidates.

You can find the pre-registration link at hyattsville.org/calendar.

COVID-19 Guidelines: As of August 8, Prince George’s County is requiring vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals to wear a mask when in an indoor public space. This is due to the rise of COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant. Like previous mask mandates, indoor spaces include but are not limited to restaurants, retail stores, and businesses, office settings.

Masks continue to be required when using public transportation. For full details and additional County guidance, visit mypgc. us/reopen.

COVID-19 Vaccine: Prince George’s County is experiencing rising rates of COVID-19, similar to the trend across the U.S. as the highly contagious Delta variant of the virus spreads. Vaccination remains your strongest defense against severe illness and death from the virus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends wearing masks in public indoor spaces, as recent data shows that even vaccinated people can pass the virus to immunocompromised or unvaccinated individuals, like children. Anyone 12 and older can receive a vaccine free of charge, regardless of insurance coverage or immigration status.

The City’s vaccine clinic at the First United Methodist Church on Belcrest Road is open Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for walk-ups and appointments. Learn more and find other vaccination clinics near you at hyattsville.org/covidvaccine.

Returning to Schools: Prince George’s County Public Schools students’ first day of full-time, in-person learning is Monday, September 8! Students will be required to use masks when riding the bus and during school hours. PGCPS also continues to offer free summer COVID-19 vaccination clinics for anyone over the age of 12. Students are not required to be accompanied, but they must bring the consent form signed by the

Thrive Grant: The Thrive Grant program, an initiative of the Health, Wellness, and Recreation Advisory Committee, will open its application cycle from September 1 to October 1! Hyattsville individuals, organizations, and businesses can apply for a grant of up to $500 to support activities that enhance overall community participation in promoting health, wellness, and recreation activities throughout Hyattsville. Applications and more information will be posted on hyattsville.org/grants when available.

Age-Friendly Services Hyattsville Police Department Chief Dunklee and one of the City’s younger residents received an inside tour of the PGCPD Guardian Helicopter at Night National Out - how fun! El Jefe Dunklee del Departamento de Policía de Hyattsville y uno de los residentes más jóvenes de la Ciudad recibieron un recorrido por el interior del helicóptero de PGCPD en la Noche Nacional Contra el Crimen - ¡qué divertido! parent or guardian to the clinic. To learn more about back-to-school plans and of upcoming vaccine clinics, visit pgcps.org.

Residential Parking Permits: A friendly reminder that a Residential Parking Permit is required for on-street parking for zoned parking areas, indicated by street signage. If your parking permit has recently expired or you just moved to the City of Hyattsville, you must apply for a parking permit. Parking in a zoned parking area without a permit can result in a citation.

You can find the application portal and FAQs at hyattsville.org/respermits. Questions? Call (301) 985-5027.

Ward Happenings

Ward 5 Chat & Clean-Up: Join Hyattsville Councilmembers Rommel Sandino and Joseph Solomon as they kick off the Ward 5 Community Chats & Clean-Ups Series on Saturday, August 14, at 10 a.m.!

First, community members can connect with each other and learn about upcoming programs and services from the Councilmembers via Zoom or in person at the Trinity Grill restaurant. Following the meeting, attendees are invited to participate in a clean-up of the surrounding area.

The series will continue once a quarter with the next date being November 13. For questions or to contact the Councilmembers, please email Ward5@hyattsville.org.

Gallatin Street Traffic Meeting: A community meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, August 25, at 6 p.m., to discuss traffic concerns on Gallatin Street between 35th Place and 37th Place. Community members can pre-register for the

meeting by visiting hyattsville.org/calendar.

Ward 3 Check-In: Hyattsville Councilmembers Jimmy McClellan and Ben Simasek are hosting an in-person check-in on Monday, August 30, at 6:30 p.m., at the University Hills Duck Pond Pavilion (3400 Stanford Street). Residents from all Wards are invited to attend as the Councilmembers answer questions and provide updates on recent development projects, pedestrian safety, and more. Unable to attend? Email ward3@hyattsville.org your questions or concerns.

Programs, Services, and Events

Fall Field Permits Meeting: The City of Hyattsville is hosting a field permits meeting on Wednesday, August 18, at 7:30 p.m. Organizations interested in applying for permits to use the fields at Magruder Park, Melrose Park, and 38th Avenue for games and practices this fall should plan to attend. Organizations can find the link to attend the meeting at hyattsville.org/ calendar. For more information, Contact the Department of Community Services at (301) 985-5021 or email ceverhart@hyattsville.org.

Back-To-School-A-Thon: Help local neighborhood students this summer by donating school supplies for their return to in-person learning this Fall! You can drop off backpacks, notebooks, pens/pencils, and other school supplies at the first-floor lobby of the City Building through August 27. The supplies will be distributed along with information about returning to school

Call-A-Bus Services: The City’s CallA-Bus to help seniors and persons with a disability get to medical appointments and grocery stores is operating on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. schedule. Residents who wish to use the free curbside service must make a reservation by calling (301) 985-5000 before 2 p.m. at least one business day in advance.

Sign Up for Senior Mailing List: Are you a Hyattsville senior or individual with a disability who’d like to learn of returning City programs such as the Ageless Grace exercise class, Senior Trips on the Go, and art classes at ArtWorks Now? Call (301) 985-5000 or email bjohnson@hyattsville. org and ask to sign up for the Hyattsville Senior Mailing List! Interested residents are mailed a one-page calendar each month of upcoming City programs and events coordinated by Hyattsville senior services staff – many of which are on a first-come, first-serve basis, so sign up today!

Youth Services

Create a Recdesk Account: Parents and guardians, did you know a Hyattsville Recdesk account allows you access to FREE City youth programs like Creative Minds, camps, tutoring services and much more? Many programs are on a first-come, first-serve basis and fill up fast! Visit hyattsville.recdesk.com to create a free account or double-check your family is listed accurately.

Creative Minds: Creative Minds returns in-person this fall from September 14 through December 7! Parents and toddlers can join us on Tuesdays at Driskell Park for indoor and outdoor programming such as singing, dancing, art-making, and story-telling time! Please note that capacity is limited and, COVID safety protocols will be in place. Registration opens on Tuesday, August 31, via hyattsville.org/ creativeminds. For questions, email program coordinator Veronica at vnegron@ hyattsville.org.

Page HR2

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

el

Reportero de

Hyattsville

No. 401 • 10 de Agosta, 2021

www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000

Avisos y Noticias

Elección Especial del Distrito 1: ¡La elección especial para llenar el vacante puesto de Concejal del Distrito uno tomará plazo por correo este septiembre! Votantes registrados que viven en el Distrito 1 pueden esperar recibir una boleta y un guía de elección a medios de agosto. Las boletas pueden ser retornadas por correo o a una de las cajas seguras ubicadas en el Edificio Municipal (4310 Gallatin Street) y en Hyattsville Middle School (6001 42nd Avenue). Si vive en el Distrito 1 y no ha recibido su boleta a medios de agosto, visite a hyattsville.org/vote para chequear su estatus de votante. La opción de registrarse y votar en persona el mismo día estará disponible el Día de Elección, el 14 de septiembre, 7 a.m. – 8 p.m., en el Edificio Municipal. Si tiene preguntas, comuníquese con la Oficina de la Secretaria al (301) 985-5001 o a cityclerk@hyattsville.org.

Conozca a los Candidatos de la Elección Especial: El periódico Hyattsville Life & Times sostendrá un foro de candidatos virtual para la elección especial del Distrito 1 el jueves, 12 de agosto. El Foro comenzará a las 7 p.m. y será emitido vía Facebook.com/hyattsvillelife. La Ciudad no endorsa este ni ningún otro foro. Sin embargo, para ayudar a informar a residentes, la Ciudad emitirá el Foro en los canales de cable 71 (Comcast) y 12 (Verizon), en hyattsville.org/meetings y en facebook.com/cityofhyattsville. ¿No puede ver el Foro? El Concejal del Distrito 1 Same Denes sostendrá una reunión del Distrito 1 el martes, 31 de agosto, a las 6 p.m., para conocer a los candidatos de la elección.

Puede encontrar el enlace para pre-registrarse en hyattsville.org/calendar.

Directrices de COVID-19: A partir de agosto de 8, el Condado Prince George’s está requiriendo que las personas vacunadas y no vacunadas usen una máscara cuando estén en un espacio público interior. Esto se debe al aumento de los casos de COVID-19 causados por la variante Delta.

Al igual que los mandatos de máscaras anteriores, los espacios interiores incluyen, entre otros, restaurantes, negocios, tiendas y oficinas. Se siguen necesitando máscaras cuando se utiliza el transporte público.

Para obtener detalles completos y orientación adicional del Condado, visite mypgc. us/reopen.

Vacuna COVID-19: El Condado Prince George’s está experimentando tasas crecientes de COVID-19, similares a la tendencia en los Estados Unidos a medida que se propaga la variante altamente contagiosa del virus Delta. La vacunación sigue siendo su defensa más fuerte contra la enfermedad severa y la muerte por el virus.

El Centro para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades de los Estados Unidos también recomienda el uso de máscaras en espacios cerrados públicos, ya que datos recientes muestran que incluso las personas vacunadas pueden transmitir el virus a individuos inmunocomprometidos o no vacunados, como los niños. Cualquier persona de 12 años o más puede recibir una vacuna gratis, sin importar la cobertura del seguro o el estado de inmigración.

La clínica de vacunas de la Ciudad en la Iglesia First United Methodist en Belcrest Road está abierta los martes de 9 a.m. a 5 p.m. para visitas y citas. Obtenga más información y encuentre otras clínicas de vacunación cerca de usted en hyattsville. org/covidvaccine.

Hyattsville y la Oficina del Fiscal Estatal del Condado están organizando una Feria GRATUITA de Eliminación de Antecedentes Penales el sábado, 28 de agosto, de 10 a.m. a 2 p.m., en la Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida de Hyattsville, 6201 Belcrest Road. El evento está abierto a todos los residentes que están buscando que sus cargos y condenas de Maryland sean removidos.

La preinscripción es altamente alentada y puede ser completada en hyattsville.org.

Para preguntas, por favor envíe un correo electrónico a cevans@hyattsville.org o llame al (301) 985-5060.

City staff collected school supplies during National Night Out for Hyattsville’s Back-To-School-AThon event on September 2. Donations are still being accepted at the City Building through August 27. Learn more at hyattsville.org/back2school. El personal de la Ciudad recolectó los materiales escolares durante la Noche Nacional Contra el Crimen para el evento de Regreso a las Escuelas de Hyattsville el 2 de septiembre. Las donaciones todavía están siendo aceptadas en el Edificio Municipal hasta el 27 de agosto. Obtenga más información en hyattsville.org/back2school.

Regreso a las Escuelas: ¡El primer día de aprendizaje en persona a tiempo completo de los estudiantes de las Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Prince George es el lunes 8 de septiembre! Los estudiantes tendrán que usar máscaras cuando viajan en el autobús y durante el horario escolar. PGCPS también continúa ofreciendo clínicas de vacunación COVID-19 gratuitas este verano para cualquier persona mayor de 12 años.

No se requiere que los estudiantes estén acompañados, pero deben traer el formulario de consentimiento firmado por el padre o guardián a la clínica. Para aprender más sobre los planes de regreso a la escuela y de clínicas de vacunas de PGCPS, visite pgcps.org.

Permisos de Parqueo Residencial: Un recuerdo amigable que un Permiso de Parqueo Residencial es requerido para parquearse en la calle en una zona residencial, indicado por letreros en la calle. Si su permiso de parqueo ha expirado recientemente o se acaba de mudar a la Ciudad de Hyattsville, debe solicitar un permiso de parqueo. Parqueando en una zona residencial sin permiso puede resultar en una cita.

Puede encontrar la aplicación y las preguntas más frecuentes hechas en la pagina web hyattsville.org/respermits. ¿Preguntas? Llame al (301) 985-5027.

Ocurrencias de Distritos

Charla y Limpieza del Distrito 5: Únase a los miembros del Concejo de Hyattsville, Rommel Sandino y Joseph Solomon, cuando inicien la Serie de Charlas y Limpiezas de la Comunidad del Distrito 5 el sábado, 14 de agosto, a las 10 a.m. Primero, los miembros de la comunidad pueden conectarse entre sí mismo y aprender acerca de los próximos programas y servicios con los miembros del Concejo a través de Zoom o en persona en el restaurante Trinity Grill. Después de la reunión, se invita a las personas que asistieron a participar en una limpieza alrededor del área. La serie continuará una vez por y la próxima fecha será el 13 de noviembre. Para preguntas o para contactar a los miembros del Concejo, por favor envíe email a Ward5@hyattsville. org.

Reunión de Tráfico de Gallatin Street: Una reunión comunitaria ha sido programada para el miércoles, 25 de agosto, a las 6 p.m., para discutir preocupaciones de tráfico en la Gallatin Street entre las calles

35th Place y 37th Place. Los miembros de la comunidad pueden preinscribirse para la reunión virtual visitando a hyattsville. org/calendar.

Reunión del Distrito 3: Los Concejales de Hyattsville Jimmy McClellan y Ben Simasek están organizando una reunión en persona el lunes 30 de agosto a las 6:30 p.m., en el pabellón de University Hills Duck Pond (3400 Stanford Street). Se invita a los residentes de todos los Distritos a asistir a las preguntas de los miembros del Concejo y a proporcionar actualizaciones sobre los recientes proyectos de desarrollo, la seguridad de los peatones y mucho más. ¿No puede asistir? Envíe un email a ward3@hyattsville.org con sus preguntas o preocupaciones.

Programas, Servicios y Eventos

Reunión de Permisos de Campo de Otoño: La Ciudad de Hyattsville está organizando una reunión de permisos de campo el miércoles, 18 de agosto, a las 7:30 p.m. Las organizaciones interesadas en solicitar permisos para usar los campos en Magruder Park, Melrose Park, y 38th Avenue para juegos y prácticas este otoño deberían planear asistir. Las organizaciones pueden encontrar el enlace para asistir a la reunión en hyattsville.org/calendar. Para más información, comuníquese con el Departamento de Servicios Comunitarios al (301) 985-5021 o envíe email a ceverhart@ hyattsville.org.

Evento de Regreso a las Escuelas: ¡Ayude a los estudiantes locales de la vecindad este verano donando materiales escolares para su regreso al aprendizaje en persona este otoño! Puede dejar artículos como mochilas, cuadernos, bolígrafos/lápices y otros materiales escolares en el primer piso del Edificio Municipal hasta el 27 de agosto. Los suministros serán distribuidos junto con información acerca del regreso a la escuela el jueves, 2 de septiembre de 6 p.m. a 8 p.m. en el sitio del futuro del Centro de Jóvenes, 5812 40th Avenue. ¡También tendremos regalos gratis y detalles sobre el plan de construcción del Centro! Por favor visite a hyattsville.org/back2school para más detalles.

Feria de Eliminación de Antecedentes Penales: El Departamento de Policía de

Subvención Thrive: ¡La subvención Thrive, una iniciativa del Comité Asesor de Salud, Bienestar y Recreación, abrirá su ciclo de solicitud del 1 de septiembre al 1 de octubre! Los individuos, organizaciones y negocios de Hyattsville pueden solicitar una subvención de hasta $500 para apoyar actividades que mejoren la participación comunitaria en la promoción de la salud, el bienestar y las actividades recreativas en todo Hyattsville. Las solicitudes y más información se publicarán en hyattsville.org/ grants cuando este disponible.

Servicios para la Tercera Edad

Servicios de Llame-Al-Bus: El LlameAl-Bus de la Ciudad para ayudar a las personas mayores y personas con discapacidad a llegar a citas médicas y tiendas está funcionando los lunes, miércoles y viernes, de 9 a.m. a 4 p.m. Los residentes que deseen utilizar el servicio gratuito deben hacer una reserva llamando al (301) 9855000 antes de las 2 p.m. por lo menos un día hábil de anticipación.

Inscríbase para la Lista de Correo para Personas Mayores: ¿Es usted una persona mayor o individuo de Hyattsville con una discapacidad que le gustaría aprender de los programas de la Ciudad que regresan, tales como la clase de ejercicio, viajes locales y clases de arte? ¡Llame al (301) 985-5000 o envíe un email a bjohnson@hyattsville.org y pida inscribirse en la Lista de Correo de Hyattsville! A los residentes interesados se les envía por correo un calendario de una página cada mes de los próximos programas y eventos de la Ciudad coordinados por el personal de Hyattsville.

Servicios para Menores

Cree una Cuenta Recdesk: Padres y familias ¿sabían que una cuenta de Hyattsville Recdesk les permite acceso a los programas para jóvenes de la Ciudad como Creative Minds, campamentos, servicios de tutoría y mucho más? ¡Muchos programas son por orden de llegada y se llenan rápido!

Visite hyattsville.recdesk.com para crear una cuenta gratuita o doble chequear su cuenta para asegurar que este actualizada.

Mentes Creativas: ¡El programa Mentes Creativas regresa en persona este otoño del 14 de septiembre al 7 de diciembre! Los padres y los niños pequeños pueden unirse a nosotros los martes en Driskell Park para disfrutar de una programación en el interior y al aire libre, como canciones, bailes, arte y cuentos. Tenga en cuenta que la capacidad es limitada y que se han establecido protocolos de seguridad COVID. La inscripción comienza el martes, 31 de agosto, a través de hyattsville.org/creativeminds. Para preguntas, envíe un email a la coordinadora del programa Verónica a vnegron@hyattsville.org.

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

Page 8 to distribute over 1,000 boxes once a week of USDA fresh produce, proteins and dairy products, nonperishable and perishable items.

MICHAEL BROWN Age: 33 Day Job: Engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Community Involvement: Engineer, veteran and activist Michael Brown first showed interest in politics when he joined Veterans in Politics after enlisting in the U.S. Navy. In addition to his involvement with that group, Brown was deployed to the Middle East where he served his country in uniform with preparation, expertise and confidence. This experience would help shape his commitment to his country and inspire him to serve his local community.

Brown is an emergency food distribution volunteer helping

Statement to Voters: As the next Hyattsville City Council representative for Ward 1, Brown is deeply connected to both Hyattsville and Prince George’s County with family ties to the area that extend over 30 years. Brown’s vision for Hyattsville focuses on the following: 1) Education & Art, 2) Community Enhancement, 3) Transparent & Open Government, 4) Health & Wellness, 5) Economic Development and 6) a Better Hyattsville!

I’ll work to ensure that our city council is more transparent and responsive to the needs of our residents. I believe that public engagement enhances the effectiveness and improves the quality of the council’s decisions. I’ll advocate for a culture of transparency, accountability and communication, and represent the voices of the people.

I’ll champion a dynamic community that celebrates us all.

DANIEL VALLEJOS-AVILA Age: 77 Day Job: I am retired. My careers were licensed attorney and secondary school teacher of government, economics and the law.

Community Involvement: I have no community involvements other than running for city council twice this year; and a little bit of participation in the Hyattsville census count.

Statement to Voters: The most important issue facing Ward 1 is residents’ property taxes rising rapidly. Publicizing the availability of the Homestead Act law to limit the increase of property taxes increases on a yearly basis to no more than 10% per year would be

helpful. Educating all homeowners about this option would be a problem solver. The property value assessments of homes in the Historic District in and adjacent to Ward 1, as well as new housing construction near Driskell Park will influence higher property tax assessments in Ward 1. Housing rental rates will cause landlords to increase rental rates to offset their higher property taxes. The result is increased cost of living. Rent control to keep housing affordable would address this. I am running for office to improve the quality of life in Hyattsville.

VOTE FOR WARD 1 CITY COUNCIL ON SEPT. 14

Daniel Vallejos-Avila Ward 1 Special Election for City Council September 14, 2021

By Authority of Daniel Vellejos-Avila, Candidate for City Council Ward 1

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

JOANNE WASZCZAK Age: 50 Day Job: Special assistant to the chief financial officer, Federal Transit Administration (FTA), within the U.S. Department of Transportation: In 14 years at the FTA, I have supported priorities related to budget, policy, planning, civil rights, public involvement, IT, grants management, safety and emergency response/recovery.

Earlier in my career, I managed community services for cities in Northern California.

Community Involvement: I have proactively contributed to these pivotal community conversations: • Race and Equity Task Force, City of Hyattsville (member since 2018): We developed an equity plan to help city council preserve the affordability and diversity of our fast-growing community. With input from local experts, we identified top issues facing low- to moderateincome residents — community engagement, policing, housing, transportation, jobs, inclusion of people with disabilities — and recommended specific short-, mid- and longrange actions, many of which the council has pursued.

• Joint Committee on Park Renaming, City of Hyattsville: We vetted 800+ submissions

Page 9

from residents and recommended a concise list of names for council consideration. I reached out to a local Piscataway elder to learn about the name Nacotchtank and about the practice of land acknowledgement to recognize ancestral and existing inhabitants of the land.

• Following the September 2019 officer-involved shooting of Leonard Shand, I provided facilitation recommendations to former Mayor Candace Hollingsworth for the community meeting she hosted for neighbors to grieve together, ask questions and share concerns.

• I planned a weekly coffee meetup for the Curious Moms cohort of Hyattsville Nurturing Parents. We shared our thoughts about family leave, childcare and pre-kindergarten with former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker.

Statement to Voters: I’m ready to level up my service to the city that’s given so much to me and my family these past eight years.

I get things done, lead inclusively and work effectively with others. By forming coalitions with cities along Route 1 and East-West Highway, we can successfully advocate for Hyattsville’s needs at the county/ state levels.

I thrive as a member of leadership teams like council that

engage residents, research and discuss key issues, weigh tradeoffs, and make the best decisions possible.

I am dedicated to ensuring benefits and opportunities are equitable and accessible to all.

Helping Sell Hyattsville

And our Neighboring Community COMING SOON

UNDER CONTRACT

SOLD 4115 Hamilton Street, Hyattsville.

Listed for $750,000.

Edgewood, built in 1888, is a Prince Georges County Historic Site with 9 foot ceilings, 2 over 2 windows, a Parlor and a Library filled with classic details. 4 BRs, 1 1/2 baths and situated on a .35 acre lot with gorgeous trees & gardens, and a wrap-around porch.

4706 Banner Street, Hyattsville. Listed for $575,000. 4 Bedroom, 3 bath home with gas fireplace, Spacious LR with refinished wood floors & vaulted ceiling, gas & granite in the kitchen. Fabulous screened porch off the kitchen with skylights!

UNDER CONTRACT

SOLD

Bladensburg Waterfront Park 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg WashingtonRowingSchool.com

202-344-0886

6117 42nd Place, Hyattsville. Listed for $500,000.

3933 Nicholson St, Hyattsville.

Sold for $575,000.

5018 37th Pl, Hyattsville. Sold for $800,500 4102 Jefferson St. Hyattsville.

Sold for $595,000 3818 Oglethorpe St., Hyattsville.

Sold for $450,500

Ann Barrett Realtor®, ABR, SRS

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

9094 Baltimore Avenue, College Park, MD 20740

cell: 240-938-6060 office: 301-441-9511 ext. 261

email: ann.barrett@LNF.com www.longandfoster.com/ANNBARRETT

5621 Lustine St., Hyattsville. Sold for $519,000.

4219 Nicholson St., Hyattsville.

SOLD for $788,000

FUN, FRIENDS AND FITNESS! All activities are at

Statement to Voters: I’m a curious, intelligent individual who gets involved with the leadership of organizations in which I participate. I have a bachelor’s in political science from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa. I tend to believe less government is better and intend to be financially careful with our funds.

Age: 70 Day Job: I’m retired from daily work requirements. My past service to the city has included 16 years on the city council (past executive board member), member of the Maryland Municipal League Legislative Committee, nine-year member of the Board of Directors of the Local Government Insurance Trust (a company created by cities and counties of Maryland to insure ourselves), member of policy and steering committees of the National League of Cities.

Community Involvement: First and foremost, I’ve been a family man, active in my daughters' lives as they were growing

The air is warm, the foliage lush, and the water is calm.

BEGINNERS WELCOME!

International Human Powered Vehicle Association (past board member). We annually host the World Human Powered Speed Challenge where folks from around the world can set speed records on human powered bikes and trikes.

SCOTT WILSON

COME ROW ON THE RIVER • Adult Learn to Row in Eights • Youth Fall Programs • Learn to Row a Single • Ongoing adult programs

up. I judged science fairs, helped out and attended their HMB sports, high school soccer and volleyball team and club games.

Before, during and after my 16 years on the Hyattsville City Council, I attended numerous committees and organizations in the city. Currently, I try to attend Planning Committee, Health Wellness and Recreation, Environmental Committee, Age Friendly Committee, and traffic-related meetings. I’m also treasurer of the nearby Mount Rainier Bike Co-op, active in the local (Washington, D.C.) chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (past president, vp and program manager), and the

3406 Purdue St., Hyattsville. SOLD for $435,000

Proven Results:

Top-Producing Individual Agent, Long & Foster College Park 2009 - 2020!

5303 41st Avenue, Hyattsville. Listed for $625,000 and SOLD for $785,000 4 BR, 2 1/2 bath custom brick Cape Cod with gorgeous chestnut trim throughout.

5606 43rd Avenue, Hyattsville. Listed for $475,000 and SOLD for $533,000 This renovated 3 BR, 2 bath bungalow received multiple offers!

6004 43rd Street,, Hyattsville. Listed for $525,000. 5 BR, 3 full bath cape cod with gorgeous wood floors, new roof and siding! Updated kitchen & baths. Fenced yard with slate patio.

4920 40th Place, Hyattsville. Listed for $375,000. 3 Bedroom, 1 1/2 bath rambler with finished walk-out basement.

Backs to beautiful views of trees & parkland.

Top Listing Agent, Long & Foster Prince George’s County Southern Maryland Region, 2018-2020 The information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted.

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

Page 10

MISS FLORIBUNDA

Gardening can be a grind Dear Miss Floribunda, I shared your June column about the quickest/easiest ways to have a vegetable garden with my son and his housemates. The idea was that they’d stop raiding my tomato patch and grow their own stuff.

Because they are less-than-athletic “mouse potatoes,” I expected them to go out and buy pots of tomatoes.

Instead, they told me they were looking to the future and were going to prepare an in-ground bed they could use every summer. Well, my digerati are way too high-tech to dig with spades, so they went out and bought a battery-operated

posthole digger. It actually worked well, and the tomato plants they put in are looking good, full of flowers.

I do have a quibble, though.

While they don’t keep a compost pile because they generally eat out or just nuke a pizza or something from a package, they do keep their Nespresso Prodigio coffee machine in almost constant operation, sometimes by using their smartphones when they’re out so they can have coffee as soon as they get home. These caffeine fiends throw mega amounts of coffee grounds directly on their tomato plants every day. I’ve tried to tell

them this isn’t a good idea for their plants, not to mention what the caffeine and acid is doing to them personally. They must have read your last column about soil pH and hydrangeas in the online Streetcar Suburb News, because they sent me the following text: “Ms. Flo says worm dirt OK on mopheads Y not tomatoes?” OK. “Y” or “Y” not?

Grounds for Concern on Gallatin Street Dear Grounds, Actually, your digerati are correct to call coffee “worm dirt.” It makes

St. Matthew’s Parish Day School Openings for ages 2 to 3 Monday-Friday, 7:30am-5:30pm Contact us to arrange a virtual tour Email stmatthews.admissions@gmail.com • call 301-559-1100 • www.stmatthewsdayschool.com Licensed and MSDE approved, vouchers accepted

good mulch, and worms do like those spent grounds. Once used, coffee grounds lose most of their acidity but are still full of such beneficial elements as copper, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus.

They also judiciously release nitrogen and promote the development of important microorganisms in the soil. And while coffee grounds do attract worms, they repel slugs, snails and ants, and I’ve even heard wild claims that in quantity they keep squirrels away. It’s true that over time too many such grounds would lower the soil pH (“potential hydrogen,” or hydrogen ion concentration, and a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of soil) and make it more acidic. However, tomatoes are happy in slightly acidic soil.

Knowing that my cousin Parsimony collects large quantities of grounds from coffee shops each evening to use for mulch, I decided to ask her how much would be too much. She told me stunted growth and blossom-end rot on the tomatoes would be an indication. Parsimony mulches her azaleas, camellias and hydrangeas very heavily but goes more lightly on tomatoes and plants that like neutral soil.

She does not use the grounds at all on peonies, lilies or other plants that like a more alkaline soil pH. Another usually discarded food byproduct she uses is eggshells.

She fills eggshell halves with soil, plants seeds in them — avoiding the cost of expensive peat pots — and puts them directly in the soil when the seedlings are ready

in spring. In summer, she adds washed and well-crushed eggshells to the coffee grounds she spreads on her tomatoes. She surmised that your son might be able to pulverize them finely in a coffee grinder. Eggshells sharpen blades, and some people even toss in bits with coffee while it’s brewing to give it a smoother, less acidic taste. However, you wouldn’t want to swallow sharp pieces of shell, and a fine grind will biodegrade much quicker in the soil.

The real danger of the soil eventually becoming too acidic is that it would inhibit the intake of calcium. This would result in the blossom-end rot mentioned by Parsimony, a disorder that can spoil part of a tomato. It’s not a fungus or bacteria but the result of nutritional deficiency. Eggshells not only provide calcium, but elevate the soil pH to facilitate its absorption. Additionally, when raked into coffee grounds, the roughly textured eggshells keep them from caking into an impermeable irrigation barrier.

Periodically, Parsimony will also mix in some compost. She advises your son and his friends to start collecting grass cuttings and leaves, and throw in fruit and vegetable scraps. Some of these scraps, such as banana peels and apple cores, can be dug directly into the soil, but citrus fruit peelings have to go into a compost pile first because until they are broken down, they will repel, rather than attract, earthworms.

Parsimony also noted that your son and his friends eat pizza, and because she hates waste so passionately, she wants them to know they can put the empty pizza boxes out every Monday morning in a trash can or brown paper grocery bag for the City of Hyattsville to pick up. Pizza boxes are among the items that don’t go into regular recycling but that can be composted by the county. For more information about this program, which also includes the collecting and composting of fatless meat scraps, bones and garden waste you don’t choose to compost yourself, just go to hyattsville. org/931/Compost-Yard-Waste.

I hope you will come to the next meeting of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society (hyattsvillehorticulture.org), which is cautiously scheduled for October and will be open to anyone who is vaccinated. There will be specifics in next month’s column.

Miss Floribunda is the Hyattsville Life & Times garden columnist.

Email questions to floribundav@ gmail.com.

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

Page 11

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

W

e’d like to give a standing ovation and a big bouquet of August flowers to each performer, artist, venue manager, nonprofit staffer and volunteer who is bringing us the events on this month’s calendar.

Thanks! We don’t take your vision, tenacity and hard work for granted — especially this month, when everything seems a little more tenuous again.

Hope to see you at the market, at the art gallery, around the campfire or on the dance floor this month.

Below you’ll find information on community events sponsored by local nonprofits and artists, current as of Aug. 8.

through Aug. 29. Wednesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday: noon to 5 p.m.

Online and in person at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, 4318 Gallatin St. 301.608.9101. pyramidatlanticartcenter.org

RECURRING

AUGUST 14

The Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation presents an acoustic blues jam every Saturday 1 to 5 p.m., open to the fully vaccinated, and indoors at 4502 Hamilton St. acousticblues.com

Not enough polka? Come back for more Polka Terps on Saturday night at Maryland Meadworks. Limited seating. 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 201.955.9644

Poetry open mic every Thursday at Busboys and Poets. $5.

8 p.m. 5331 Baltimore Ave. 301.779.2787. busboysandpoets.com Riverdale Park Farmers Market is open every Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. in the parking lot near the Riverdale MARC Station, 4650 Queensbury Rd., with live music each week starting at 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact Jim Coleman at rpkfarmmkt@gmail.com. facebook. com/RPFMarket

ONGOING An exhibition entitled “Nine Artists, Nine Months, Nine Perspectives: Birth of 2020 Visions,” features collaborative books by nine Black woman artists created during the nine months between September 2020 and May 2021. Other works by each artist are also on display

AUGUST 13 Polka or picnic on the lawn at Riversdale Mansion while listening to traditional Oktoberfest songs played live by the Polka Terps, as part of the Picnic Pod Concert Series by the Riversdale Chamber Music Society. Free. Leashed pets are welcome. 6 to 7 p.m.

4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale.

301.864.0420

Joe’s Movement Emporium presents Tamara Wellons, an independent American singer, songwriter and producer of soul, jazz and house music. $20 general admission; $10 seniors, veterans and children. 7 to 8:30 p.m. Outdoors at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. joesmovement.org

AUGUST 20 Jazz night at Maryland Meadworks with the Hyattsville Jazz Collective. Limited seating. 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 201.955.9644

Register by Aug. 18 at www. tinyurl .c om /C ampf ire Stories0821. Riversdale Mansion, 4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale.

301.864.0420 Gypsy jazz and swing, led by guitarist James Key and his band, Swing 5, in the style of Django Reinhardt. Slap bass, two rhythm guitars, accordion and fiddle. Limited seating. 7 to 10 p.m. Maryland Meadworks, 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 201.955.9644 UpSpring Studio presents “Summertime,” new aerial choreography on trapeze and sling set to summer tunes. $20 general admission; $10 seniors, veterans, and children. 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Outdoors at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. joesmovement.org

AUGUST 25 Author and podcaster Doretea Burton leads a discussion on themes of infidelity, betrayal, loss and recovery, in her book “Who Told You That You Were Naked?” Free. 6 p.m. Busboys and Poets, 5331 Baltimore Ave. 301.779.2787. busboysandpoets.com

AUGUST 27 Faculty from the University of Maryland will play a woodwind concert entitled “Summer Winds” on the lawn at Riversdale Mansion, as part of the Picnic Pod Concert Series by the Riversdale Chamber Music Society. Come ready to picnic distanced from other groups.

Free. Leashed pets are welcome. 6 to 7 p.m. 4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale. 301.864.0420

AUGUST 28 Poet and music reviewer Reuben Jackson will read from his latest collection of poems, “Scattered Clouds,” and discuss how growing up in the District continues to influence his writing. A Hyattsville resident, Jackson curated the Smithsonian’s Duke Ellington Collection and is an archivist at the University of the District of Columbia’s Felix E. Grant Jazz Archives; he is also co-host of WPFW‘s “The Sound of Surprise.” Free. Virtual. 2 to 3:30 p.m. Register at HyattsvilleAgingInPlace.org/ events.

egal, Guinea, Brazil and Cuba. $20 general admission; $10 seniors, veterans and children. 7 to 8:30 p.m. Outdoors at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. joesmovement.org

SEPTEMBER 2 The Archie Edwards Blues Foundation presents Hubby Jenkins in concert. The Brooklyn-born musician plays old-time American music. As a former member of Carolina Chocolate Drops and the Rhiannon Giddens band, this Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist is among those credited with reviving the Black string-band tradition. 8 to 10 p.m. 4502 Hamilton St. Purchase tickets in advance at acousticblues.com.

SAVE THE DATE The Hyattsville Preservation Association is bringing back Porchfest on Saturday, Sept.

14, from 2 to 6 p.m. Music on porches near you. Watch this space for more details next month.

African dancing and drumming performance by Soul in Motion, inspired by the music of traditional cultures in Sen-

AdirondAck Tree experTs Proudly serving the Citizens of Hyattsville since 1996

AUGUST 21 Listen, around a campfire, to stories and songs about the War of 1812 and the Battle of Bladensburg performed by Ship’s Company. Light snacks provided, or bring your own.

Singing along to sea shanties encouraged. $6. 8 to 9:15 p.m.

Income Tax Preparation “An excellent service at a fair price!”

GETS Financial Incorporated 6213 Balfour Drive Hyattsville, Maryland 20782-1506

By Appointment Only

Michelle A. Goetzinger, President Richard N. Goetzinger, General Manager Notary Public Service Available

301 559 6503 Same Location Since 1959

Recipient of Checkbook Magazine’s “Check of Quality”

REMOVAL • PRUNING TRIMMING

Free Estimates!

301-595-2827 On-Line Coupons

www.adirondacktreeexperts.com FULLY LICENSED AND INSURED Senior Citizen Discounts • Visa and Mastercard Accepted

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

Page 12

TENNIS FROM PAGE 1

third round, by my standards, but my opponent definitely played well. Ultimately, it was a great run.”

On June 20, Tiafoe won the Viking Open in Nottingham, England, which, like Wimbledon, is played on grass. It was his sixth championship on the ATP Challenger Tour, the Association of Tennis Professionals’ secondhighest level of competition behind the ATP Tour. He won five

matches en route to his first tournament win on grass.

“The whole grass-court season was big for me,” he said.

Tiafoe won his opening singles and doubles matches at the Olympics in Tokyo before bowing out in the second round.

Tsitsipas defeated him in singles.

Tiafoe was honored to represent the United States.

“A lot of higher-ranked American guys didn’t want to play, so the opportunity presented itself, and I said why not?” he said. “Even

though it [wasn’t] a traditional Olympic experience, I’m forever an Olympian.”

Tiafoe turned pro in 2015 at age 17. During his career, the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has won more than $4.4 million.

“In 2019, I thought I could have ended in the Top 20, but I got a little complacent,” he said. “I’m kind of in a rebuilding stage and actually think I’m a better tennis player now than when I was ranked 29th. I’ve enjoyed every part of my process and [am]

TRAIN PRINTING COMPANY, INC. Celebrating our 40th year serving the area!

We have envelopes for correspondence, work orders for the job, proposals for the quote, brochures for

“I’m kind of in a rebuilding stage and actually think I’m a better tennis player now than when I was ranked 29th.”

Frances Tiafoe

ready to tap into my prime.”

Tiafoe received the 2020 ATP Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award for his off-court efforts during the pandemic. These included youth outreach, charitable giving and the video he and his girlfriend, Ayan Broomfield, posted to support the Black tennis community following George Floyd’s murder.

Komi Oliver Akli, JTCC’s senior director of player development, has known Tiafoe since he was 2.

He was one of the first coaches to work with him. “Everybody loves Frances,” Akli said. “It doesn’t matter where he goes. Look at Wimbledon, everybody was cheering for him. I can’t wait for him to win something big.”

Chris McManes (mick-maynz) is a former sportswriter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

advertising, directories for the club, newsletters for the newsworthy, postcards for the announcement, posters for the event, tickets for the show, programs for the concert, menus for the hungry, and stickers for identification.

Free parking and a free cup of coffee!

Monday - Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm 4547 Rhode Island Avenue, Brentwood, MD 20722

301-864-5552 | www.trainprinting.com | info@trainprinting.com

3-Week Membership to JTCC 6 Lessons Over Three Weeks Racquets While You Learn Free Practice Time End of Session Party!

BRICK WORK PLUS Specializing in maSonry & Small concrete conStruction FOr yOur cOnStructiOn neeDS, call uS at

301-864-8161 • Fax 301-864-0013

Office: 4318 Hamilton St. #106 • Hyattsville, MD 20781

George W. Reaves, Owner

Scan the QR code to Register or Visit jtcc.org/adults/beginners

www.jtcc.org | 301.779.8000 | 5200 Campus Dr. | College Park, MD 20740

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

Page 13

PLAZA FROM PAGE 1

involved in developing the rest of the property.

LANDY PROPERTY The Landy Property, north of Dewey and near Northwestern High School, will have a total of 331 townhouses. Plans for 131 of the townhouses (Phase 1) were approved in 2018, and construction is beginning now.

The detailed site plan for 200 of the townhouses on the west side (Phase 2) was approved on July 29, and construction is slated to begin next year, pending permits.

Every unit will have a garage.

A community newspaper chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781 http://facebook.com/ HyattsvilleLife http://twitter.com/HvilleTimes 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.

Northwestern High School

.

RD

The 21.16-acre Dewey Property is a half-mile from the Metro station, the closest of the three developments. It will replace a large parking lot and wooded area immediately north of the University Town Center and provide 850 housing units, including both apartments and condominiums, as well as 1,258 square feet of retail space. The county will maintain a 6.5-acre stormwater retention pond to be built onsite.

The county council approved the detailed site plan for the property in October 2020. Jim Chandler, the city’s director of community and economic development, says construction will begin sometime in 2022.

The Hyattsville City Council had supported the plan, with conditions, including a request to preserve mature trees and plant native shade trees. The county planning board, which reports to the county council, did not take up that request, instead noting that the applicant, Bald Eagle Partners, would be required to do offsite woodland conservation to compensate for acres of woodlands lost.

Landy Property (Phase I)

Landy Property (Phase II)

Dewey Property

Prince George’s Mall

EAST-WEST HIGH

WAY Prince George’s Plaza Metro

Approximate locations of the Clay, Landy and Dewey properties; see satellite image map at streetcarsuburbs.news for more detail.

MAP BOUNDARIES CREATED BY REBECCA MARX/HYATTSVILLE LIFE & TIMES STAFF

The plan also includes a Capital Bikeshare station, a preschool, a playground, a sledding hill and open space “just big enough for little kids to have a game and not have big kids have a soccer game that scares little kids away,” said Mark Ferguson, a senior land planner at RDA/Site Design, Inc., during a city planning committee meeting in February, in which he represented the developer.

The site is one of the largest areas of tree canopy reduction marked in the city’s recent tree canopy report.

CLAY PROPERTY The Clay Property is the furthest north of the three, about one-and-a-quarter miles from Prince George’s Plaza Metro station near University Hills Duck

Pond Park and Ash Hill historic site. Both the City of Hyattsville and the county planning board, which reports to the county council, have recently opposed rezoning the property. The county council will consider upzoning the property in September. Upzoning would allow triple-attached townhouses rather than detached houses with yards.

The site plan presented to the city in May included an offer from developers to moderately price 10% of 137 units. Documents submitted to the county in July specified that those units would be affordable to households earning between 60% and 80% of the D.C. Metro Area Median Income (AMI). The AMI is currently $129,000 for a family of four, or just over $90,000 for

Managing Editor Kit Slack kit@hyattsvillelife.com

Business Manager Catie Currie catie@hyattsvillelife.com

Associate Editors Sophie Gorman Oriani sophie@hyattsvillelife.com

Advertising Sales Manager Miranda Goodson miranda@hyattsvillelife.com

Heather Wright heather@hyattsvillelife.com Webmaster Jessica Burshtynskyy jessica@hyattsvillelife.com Layout & Design Editor Ashley Perks Copy Editor Nancy Welch Writers & Contributors Victoria Boucher, Melena DiNenna, Reva G. Harris, Lauren Flynn Kelly, Rebecca Marx, Chris McManes Advertising advertising@hyattsvillelife.com 301.531.5234

streetcarsuburbs.news

I PH EL AD

DEWEY PROPERTY

Clay Property

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.

Total circulation is 9,300.

HL&T is a member of the National Newspaper Association.

a single person. At 60% AMI, a unit could be affordable to a single person earning $54,200 a year or a family of four earning $77,400.

Developers propose a 50meter tree buffer to separate the development from an older, low-density neighborhood of single-family homes, which is more than the 10-foot buffer required.

The University Hills Area Civic Association opposes upzoning the property, arguing that a zoning modification would ignore the character of the surrounding neighborhood. Yohannes Bennehoff, a member of the city’s volunteer planning committee, disagreed in a meeting in May, arguing that “it’s not ruining the neighborhood.”

Upzoning advocates believe that higher-density development can lower housing prices and, by allowing for more homes on a smaller footprint, leave space for environmental conservation. But City Councilmember Ben Simasek (Ward 3) pointed out in a May 17 statement to the city council that the upzoning as planned would not result in development on a smaller footprint, but rather increase the allowed impervious surface on the property from 30% to 45%.

The current Clay Property plan specifies clear-cutting 11.1 acres of forest. Hyattsville’s tree canopy decreased by more than 30% between 2008 and

2018. In their May meeting, the city planning committee unanimously agreed that as many trees as possible should be maintained, noting that mature, deeply rooted trees can provide natural stormwater mitigation.

In June, the city council voted unanimously to recommend that the county council deny the upzone. Should the county decide to upzone, the city said, at least 4 acres of existing forest should be conserved on the site.

The city council further recommended that units be priced in the 60% to 80% AMI range (and preferably closer to 60%).

On July 15, the county planning board unanimously recommended against the upzone.

William Doerner, commissioner to the Prince George’s County Planning Board, conceded that arguments for higher density and affordable housing development were compelling, but he “could not get past” the deliberate decision the county council previously made to not rezone the parcel when the Prince George’s Plaza Transit District Development Plan was updated in 2016.

The Clay Property rezoning case will go before the county council in September. According to Ferguson, who was involved in the site planning, if the council denies the rezoning, “any future development proposal would necessarily start over from scratch.”

Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2021

Page 14

NEWS BRIEFS VISIT STREETCARSUBURBS.NEWS FOR MORE MEET THE ARTISTS OF THE NEW HYATTSVILLE BRANCH LIBRARY The Hyattsville Branch Library is set to open by the end of the year. The new building will feature a fairy tale-themed children’s play area, an outdoor terrace with a hands-on environmental learning station, a computer lab with a public use 3D printing station, and a café.

It will also feature two brand new art pieces: a mixed-media mural on the history of Hyattsville titled “Hyattsville: Connecting the Faces of History” and a galaxy-themed mosaic mural tiling the floor beneath the flying saucer that local activists fought to save from the old library structure.

Curtis Woody’s mixed-media mural is 8 by 20 feet on the wall inside the main entrance. Woody’s mural takes historical photos of old buildings and people in Hyattsville and merges them with modern photographs. Woody has had a 40year career as an artist in Prince George’s County. He created a piece at the African American Museum and Cultural Center in North Brentwood titled “Struggle for Dignity, An Artistic Exploration of Slavery and Emancipation,” exploring the history of slavery in the county.

Valerie Theburge’s galaxy mosaic will be on the floor beneath the flying saucer outside the main entrance. Spherical planetary sculptures will be scattered around the galaxy floor. Coated in beau-

Valerie Theburge (and her dog) with the planetary sculptures to be installed under the library’s returning flying saucer COURTESY OF VALERIE THEBURGE

tiful mosaic tiles, these planets also serve as seating. Theburge’s main goal of this piece was to invoke a sense of joy in the viewer. “I want people to feel uplifted when they see my art,” said Theburge.

Theburge's works include the county’s correctional facility mural titled “Transformation” and the shad fish mural at Melrose Skate Park.

BACK TO SCHOOL: WHAT TO EXPECT IN HYATTSVILLE With vaccination rates between 69% and 85% for those over 16 in Hyattsville zip

codes, most local students will be welcomed back to familiar school buildings on Sept. 8 — with the exception of middle schoolers.

As part of the Blueprint Schools Initiative, Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) is building six new schools, including Hyattsville Middle School.

In the meantime, middle school students will travel to other area schools for the next two years.

Sixth graders will go to Thomas Stone Elementary in Mount Rainier.

Seventh and eighth graders in the Cre-

ative and Performing Arts (CPA) program will go to Robert Goddard Montessori School in Seabrook.

Non-CPA seventh and eighth graders will start the school year at the former Meadowbrook Elementary School building in Bowie.

Non-CPA students will join their peers at Robert Goddard Montessori as soon as a 10-classroom structure is built to accommodate them; the goal is to have the structure completed no later than January 2022, said Pamela Boozer-Strother, school board representative for District 3, which includes Hyattsville.

The PGCPS website states that all students can attend in person. For grades K-6, there will be limited online instruction for some students who opt in, but only until a vaccine is approved for this age group.

For grades 7-12, the school district accepted applications for students who succeeded with online learning and wanted to continue. Up to 700 students in the district were allowed to choose to take most of their core classes through either prerecorded videos or live online classes, with limited elective courses offered.

Boozer-Strother said that the school district has ensured that students can return safely, and that the decision to move to a full opening is in line with the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.