Hyattsville Life & Times June 2010

Page 1

FROM FOUR WHEELS TO TWO

BUSBOYS & pOETS OWNER SpEAKS AT HL&T EVENT

gRApE EXpECTATIONS

Residents trade car keys and Metro passes for bike trails during this year's Bike to Work Day. PAGE 9

The Hyattsville Life & Times celebrated its 6th birthday with a party, and Busboys & Poets owner Andy Shallal was the keynote speaker. PAGE 3

Hyattsville resident and Washingtonian food critic Todd Kliman talks about his new book, The Wild Vine. PAGE 5

Carbon monoxide kills three by Alex Scarfone On May 30, three young men died of what appeared to be accidental carbon monoxide poisoning after using a gas-fueled generator to power their Hyattsville home. Mark Brady, a spokesman for the Prince George’s County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, identified the victims as Elon Jones, 21, and brothers Edward Gonzalez, 20, and Henrry Gonzalez, 18 — an unusual spelling confirmed on two forms of his identification. Hyattsville police received a call from Diana Pasig, Edward’s girlfriend, at 9:05 a.m. from the Gonzalez house, on 38th Avenue near Longfellow Street. She told them she had found the three men unconscious when she went to drop off the couple’s 4-year-old son. Friends and family members said that the home was in foreclosure and had been without power since the previous Thursday, due to unpaid utility bills. The young men were apparently using the generator to power the air conditioner and small appliances. More than 20 police officers reportedly responded to the call, as a crowd gathered in front of the modest brick home. Many sobbed as the covered stretchers came down the stairs, behind yellow police tape.

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Hyattsville Life&Times

Vol. 7 No. 6

Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper

FUN FOR ALL AT ARTS FEST

June 2010

Accusations follow city police dept. by Paula Minaert

The Hyattsville Police Department is facing accusations of wrongdoing in two separate instances. The accusations involve racism, abuse by police officers, and attempting to cover up discrimination and abuse. At a June 1 press conference held outside police headquarters, one current and one retired Hyattsville police officer said that they were subjected to retaliation when they spoke out about alleged abuse and racial and sexual discrimination within the department. According to published sources, retired Lt. Gary Blakes and Officer Barbara Smith each said that they had spoken out about an instance of abuse by city photo by catie currie Mandy the Clown delighted children with her balloon creations at the Third Annual Hyattsville Arts Festival on May 22. More pictures on page 11.

Pool opening delayed

POlIce continued on page 10

City will switch to wind power

by Susie Currie

by Kara Rose

For most people, Memorial Day weekend marked the beginning of pool season. But for those wanting to dive into the newly renovated Hamilton Splash Park, it will be pushed back by nearly three weeks, to June 17. Still, the renovations promise to be worth the wait. The Magruder Park pool will have three slides, floatinganimal play structures, a tipping bucket, lily-pad crossings, and an aqua climbing wall. Also, the wading pool will have new splash features and a shaded area. The public pool — like all others run by the MarylandNational Capital Park and Planning Commission — had been scheduled to open on May 29. As recently as May 18, that date was confirmed in a press release from M-NCPPC media officer Craig Kellstrom. But on May 25, just four days before the scheduled opening, Kellstrom circulated a release with an opening

The City Council passed an amendment during its May 24 budget meeting for a three-year plan with energy broker Clean Currents, LLC. The plan would provide, through Washington Gas, 100 percent wind power energy for all city-owned properties. The amendment is expected to pass during the final voting process, scheduled for June 7. If it does, the project would take effect July 1 and last through June 30, 2013. The Bethesda brokerage firm − which has worked with the cities

POOl continued on page 10

photo by kara rose Hamilton Splash Park was still under construction on May 29 — the date it was supposed to open.

enerGY continued on page 10

Included: The June 9, 2010 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section


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