UMD student runs for city council, P.3
Voters Guide: 12 run for county exec, P.4-5
Route 1 in line for additional improvements, P.12
College Park Volunteer Fire Department turns 100
By IJEOMA OPARA
The College Park Volunteer Fire Department will host a series of events in early April to mark its 100th anniversary.
Festivities will include an invitation-only awards banquet and an event featuring a public display of antique fire apparatus and modern equipment, intended to be the highlight of the celebration, according to the department’s president, Pete Piringer.
“It’s a special time. … 100th anniversaries are a big deal,” Piringer said.
The anniversary comes a year after the city’s oldest fire station, Branchville Volunteer Fire Co., turned 100.
Founded in 1925 after local residents agreed at a meeting to establish a fire department, the College Park VFD doubled as a gathering place for community members, said Fire Chief
Parkdale parents start PTA without school’s support
By EMELY MIRANDA-AGUILAR
Parents of College Park students who attend Parkdale High School said they would like to start a schoolsanctioned PTA but their efforts have been thwarted by a lack of cooperation from school officials.
In addition, some parents said their efforts to volunteer to help with fundraising and other activities have not been welcome.
As a result, a group of parents and community members connected with Free State PTA, an organization that helps form parent-teacher organizations, and started their own, which the school reportedly does not recognize.
“It’s frustrating because we know there are good students,” Victoria-María MacDonald, a College Park resident, said. “There’s great teachers and staff at Parkdale, and it just doesn’t make sense, you know? Why don’t you want to collaborate with parents who are trying to start something?”
The high school has an informal parent group, led by Principal Tasha Graves, who reportedly is not in favor of an official PTA led by parents.
Colleen Cooke, a College Park resident whose daughter will attend Parkdale in a few years, said the school used to have a PTA, run by Pastor Michael S. Dickson II, but it went defunct in 2020.
In early 2023, Cooke said, she tried to connect with Parkdale faculty to become more involved with the school after she saw a post on Nextdoor, a social networking service for neighborhoods, made by a student about missing doors on bathroom stalls in at least one
Residents ‘shake’ from fear over new executive orders
By SHARON O’MALLEY
A College Park resident who works for the federal government said this week she has been “shaking like a leaf every day” since President Donald Trump announced his dramatic plan to slash the federal workforce by tens of thousands of employees.
Documented migrants who live in College Park have told the city’s mayor, Fazlul Kabir, that they have started carrying their
passports with them everywhere they go in case an immigration agent questions their right to be in the country.
And federal agencies located in College Park, like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and the National Archives are following orders to dismantle their diversity, equity and
The College Park Volunteer Fire Department displays its equipment for an event from long ago. The VFD turns 100 this year. COURTESY OF COLLEGE PARK VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Former College Park mayor dies at age 81
By KATELYNN WINEBRENNER
Former College Park Mayor Michael Jacobs, who served as an elected official in the city for two dozen years, died on Jan. 13. He was 81. Jacobs, who worked for the National Security Agency (NSA) for 38 years, juggled the responsibilities of his career with his duties as a member of the College Park City Council for two decades before becoming mayor in 1997. He served until 2001.
“His day job was super demanding, but he was pretty much at almost every meeting,” Prince George’s County Councilmember Eric Olson (District 3), who began serving on the College Park council when Jacobs became mayor, said. “I mean, there were a few times when he had a work thing, but by and large, he was present in the city and at our meetings. … It’s amazing. I don’t know how he did it.” NSA inducted him into its
Hall of Honor in 2018. According to the agency’s website of historical figures, he helped expand the NSA’s data and communications capabilities, while modernizing the Department of Defense’s cybersecurity strategies. Outside of work, Jacobs was passionate about cryptology, the study of codes and cybersecurity. He co-founded the
Two Centering Prayer Groups
Hyattsville and College Park, MD
Calm your inner clamor!
Mondays at 7:00 PM
St. Marks Catholic Church
Hyattsville, MD
Wednesdays at 9:30 AM
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church College Park, MD
For details, contact facilitator Donna Chacko at 301-277-2970 or serenityandhealthdc@gmail.com
To learn more about Centering Prayer, go to https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/centering-prayer-method/
A nationally-recognized community newspaper
chronicling the here and now of College Park.
Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781
College Park Here & Now is published monthly by Streetcar Suburbs
Publishing., 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. StreetcarSuburbs.News
Managing Editor Sharon O'Malley sharon@streetcarsuburbs.news
Associate Editor Jalen Wade jalen@streetcarsuburbs.news
Contributors
Emely Miranda-Aguilar, Sam Gauntt, Lillian Glaros, Josephine Johnson, Giuseppi LoPiccolo, Ijeoma Opara, Nicole Pilsbury, Katelynn Winebrenner
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Web Editor Jessica Burshtynskyy
Advertising advertising@streetcarsuburbs.news 301.531.5234
“He always kind of provided that mentorship for anybody that wanted to receive it. He enjoyed being able to take the next generation of cybersecurity folks and help them develop their capabilities and help do the right thing to keep the U.S. government and cybersecurity, in general, safe from threat actors.”
Adam Meyers
CrowdStrike’s senior vice president of intelligence
National Cyber Security Hall of Fame, which inducted him in 2023. He was a long-time member of the National Cryptologic Foundation.
Not only did Jacobs play a profound role nationally, but he had an important role in city politics.
“He was the dominant mind in College Park politics in the 1990s,” former College Park Mayor Andrew Fellows said.
As mayor, Jacobs played a large part in establishing relations with the University of Maryland following the founding of the College Park City-University Partnership in 1997, Olson said.
Jacobs, who lived in College Park Estates during his time on the council and later relocated to Ocean City, was also one of the leaders of the Quality of Life Committee, focused on updating city codes like noise ordinances, according to Olson.
“I used to call him at 9 o’clock on Friday nights and get in a conversation with him,” Kathy Bryant, a College Park resident, said. “He was never too busy to talk to me, or I’m sure, to anybody else who wanted to talk to him. He was always available, and he talked sometimes for two hours about issues. He’d let me argue with him if I had a different opinion, and he didn’t make me feel bad.”
Watching Jacobs balance his professional and political roles inspired Fellows to run for city council and later for mayor.
Hyattsville and College Park, MD
Calm your inner clamor!
“If he can be the deputy director of the National Security Agency, one of the top,
although completely unseen, positions in the government, and still have time to be the mayor, I think I can be on the council and do what I was doing,” Fellows said.
After leaving NSA, Jacobs joined the private sector to work as vice president and director of the Cyber and National Security Program for SRA International, a private IT contractor, between 2002 and 2007. There, he led and mentored many, such as CrowdStrike’s senior vice president of intelligence, Adam Meyers.
“He always kind of provided that mentorship for anybody that wanted to receive it,” Meyers said. “He enjoyed being able to take the next generation of cybersecurity folks and help them develop their capabilities and help do the right thing to keep the U.S. government and cybersecurity, in general, safe from threat actors.”
At age 58, Jacobs declined to run for re-election.
“He didn’t have to be a local official. He had enough on his plate with his day job, but he enjoyed public service and he wanted the best for his community,” Olson said.
Jacobs’ visitation and memorial Mass will be held March 8 at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church starting at 10 a.m.
Jacobs was also open to talking with residents one-
Advertising Sales Manager Miranda Goodson
Business Manager Catie Currie
Executive Director Kit Slack
Board of Directors
President: Marta McLellan Ross
Vice President & General Counsel: Michael Walls
Treasurer: Joe Murchison
Secretary: Melanie Dzwonchyk
Bette Dickerson, Nora Eidelman, Joseph Gigliotti, Maxine Gross, Merrill Hartson, T. Carter Ross, Stephanie Stullich
Ex Officios: Katie V. Jones, Griffin Limerick, Sharon O'Malley, Kit Slack
Circulation: Copies
Former College Park Mayor Michael Jacobs died in January at age 81. COURTESY OF GASCH’S FUNERAL HOME
UMD student to run for City Council
By SHARON O’MALLEY
A University of Maryland (UMD) junior is running for the District 3 College Park City Council seat vacated by Councilmember Stuart Adams in January.
Gannon Sprinkle, who served as UMD’s deputy student liaison to the council during the 2023-2024 school year, said he wants to represent the student community and “bridge the gap” between student residents and long-time residents of the city.
If he wins the election, Sprinkle would become the first undergraduate student to serve as a councilmember.
“I do believe that students deserve a voting member of the city council,” Sprinkle, who is executive vice president of UMD’s Student Government Association, told College Park Here & Now. “I also believe in creating inroads to the long-term residents, shaking hands, knocking on doors. I do intend to meet every long-time resident.”
Gannon, 20, is one of three can-
didates who registered to run for the vacant seat. Michael Meadow, an engineer and lifelong resident of College Park who lives in Old Town, and Ray Ranker, UMD’s Lutheran chaplain who has lived in College Park Estates for a dozen years, also announced their candidacies. Profiles of Meadow and Ranker appeared in the January edition of College Park Here & Now. Review them at https:// tinyurl.com/3b773syt.
District 3 residents may vote by mail or in person on March 11 at city hall.
Gannon, a government and politics major, has spent his three years at UMD laying a foundation for a career in that field. He worked as a legislative intern for County Councilmember Eric Olson (District 3, which includes College Park) and interned with Maryland Delegate Adrian Boafo (District 23).
“I wish to bring that experience and representation to the city council,” Gannon, who lives in Terrapin Row, an apartment building on Hartwick Road, said. Gannon, who is from the Pitts-
burgh area, noted that he is applying to UMD’s master of public policy program for after his 2026 graduation.
“I wish to be here long term,” he said. “I’m very dedicated to spending the next years of my life to what the College Park residents would like to see out of their city council. I think local government is increasingly important.”
As a student leader, Gannon said, he advocates for students with the UMD administration. He co-founded the College Park Tenants Union to try to lower the cost of rent, help improve living conditions and address maintenance issues for renters in the city.
As a councilmember, he said, he would continue that effort. In addition, he said he also would work toward achieving “food equity” for residents by advocating for affordable fresh grocery options.
He said he also would focus on increasing bicycle and pedestrian safety, especially on Route 1 and “all across College Park in residential settings, on-campus settings and off-campus settings,” and pro-
mote an increase in green space, bike trails and public recreation areas.
Gannon said he opposes additional residential property tax increases—the city council raised those taxes in 2024 for the first time in a decade. He said he opposes increasing the terms of councilmembers from two to four years—an option that sitting councilmembers shot down earlier this year—and would not support the formation of a city police force.
DISTRICT 3 FORUM
College Park Here & Now will host a forum on Feb. 26 for the three candidates for the vacant District 3 College Park City Council seat with moderator Shawn Anderson of WTOP.
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 26
Time: 7:30-9 p.m.
Place: City Hall, City Council Chambers
2025 Prince George’s County voter guide: Choose a new county executive
By STREETCAR SUBURBS STAFF
Prince George’s County residents are getting ballots in the mail for a March 4 special primary election for the next county executive. Because the county is overwhelmingly Democratic, that primary election will almost certainly determine who the winner will be.
College Park residents who live in District 3 also will vote on March 11 for a new city councilmember to fill a vacant seat. The three candidates are engineer Michael Meadows, who lives in Old Town, Lutheran pastor Ray Ranker, who lives in College Park Estates, and University of Maryland student Gannon Sprinkle, who lives near the campus. Information about those candidates is available on Page 3 of this newspaper and at https:// tinyurl.com/3b773syt.
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks stepped down as county executive Dec. 2, following her election to the U.S. Senate in November.
Streetcar Suburbs and The Bowie Sun reached out to all of the candidates who are competing to replace Alsobrooks. We asked each candidate two questions:
• What have you accomplished for your community that makes you most proud, as a public servant, leader or advocate?
• What do you most hope to accomplish during your first term?
Their responses are below. Take a look.
Read more in our online version of this guide, which includes endorsements and candidates’ thoughts on spending and the county budget: https://shorturl.at/O4Mjt.
MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE
Return your ballot in the mail or at one of the drop boxes listed on the county board of elections website: shorturl.at/ EVuTN.
Vote in person during early voting from Feb. 26 to March 3, at one of the locations listed at shorturl.at/i44Gi, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day except Sunday, when the hours are noon to 6 p.m. Polls will be open on March 4 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Find more details and voter registration information at elections.maryland.gov/elections/special_elections.html.
Learn more about the candidates by attending or watching a candidate forum. The Bowie Sun, bowiesun.com, has compiled a list of the many forums taking place around the county.
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES
Aisha Braveboy Residence: Upper Marlboro Age: 50
Accomplishments. I’m proud of earlier service, and most proud of delivering historic crime reduction for
county residents in homicides, carjacking and intimate partner violence, and for having positioned the office for success after me by launching three results-oriented units
— The Narcotics Intelligence, Firearms and Digital Evidence units.
First-term goals.
• I will not raise taxes.
• My focus will be strengthening our finances, expanding our commercial tax base and supporting local businesses, and keeping county residents safe.
• I will prioritize county services with a government that is available and responsive, a top-notch school system, wellmaintained streets, a focus on the needs of seniors and a permitting system that works.
• Realizing development around our Metro stations will attract first-time homebuyer professionals and families.
• We must confront the $171 million budget deficit. I know how to partner with our federal and state partners and how to ask for what we need. And I will be a true partner with our school board and our county council; we cannot serve as a divided government.
Marcellus Crews
Residence: Upper Marlboro Age: 53
Accomplishments. I was honored to receive the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from [for-
mer] President Joe Biden for my dedication to service. Our efforts have included building churches and schools, raising $6.6 million to combat homelessness, and organizing bone marrow drives, which resulted in two life-saving matches within the Black American community.
First-term goals. By prioritizing economic and workforce development, the county has the potential to lead the nation in education while creating a seamless pipeline to high-paying jobs for its workforce. Spending. I believe our county faces significant challenges with waste and underperformance. One of the greatest losses occurs when projects are started but left unfinished, highlighting a critical area in need of improvement. Accountability is missing.
Calvin Hawkins
Residence: Upper Marlboro Age: 63
Accomplishments. Over my 30 years in government in Prince George’s County, I have shaped or led many significant advancements, including the National Harbor, the Purple Line and the 14 new schools that have been built over the past six years.
I was county council chair during the pandemic, and I passed legislation that allowed businesses to stay open, spared renters from being evicted and expanded access to quality health care for seniors.
First-term goals. We will take the tax burden off homeowners and bring more commerce to Prince George’s County.
My administration will take a public health approach to tackle the root causes of crime like poverty, social exclusion and education.
We will work to ensure schools are safe and modern with robust support for educators and students through ongoing professional development and resources.
We will work to ensure those who are often overlooked have what they need to thrive, including seniors and veterans.
Ron Hunt
Residence: Mitchellville Age: 63
Accomplish-
ments. Worked with police department, seniors and children in the Arthur Cappers Carrollsburg community D.C., 20 years. Worked with D.C. Councilmember Sharon Ambrose and the citizens advisory committee to the police department. Also rewrote laws for the ABC [Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis] control division during that time period.
First-term goals. Stop violence on our educators and secure all schools. Affordable housing and health care for our seniors. Add more police officers and help rewrite laws for our police department. Our police officers are acting as janitors, meaning, they only arrive after something happens. There must be more community policing. Believe me, if elected, I will get the job done.
Jolene Ivey Residence: Cheverly Age: 63
Accomplishments
• Founding Mocha Moms.
• Funding Child Resource Connects that benefits all Prince Georgian families.
• Ensuring that UM Capital Region Medical Center had equipment to ensure in-county sickle cell treatment.
• Passing universal design bill incorporating inclusive designs in new buildings.
• As a delegate, voting in favor of marriage equality and sponsoring legislation that enabled some undocumented immigrants the ability to obtain their driver’s licenses.
First-term goals. My top priorities are tackling the housing affordability crisis, improving our schools, supporting local businesses, reducing crime through strong community and police partnerships, and creating an economic environment that attracts industries that align with our county’s vision. I have heard from residents about the inefficiencies plaguing every aspect of our county: code enforcement, permitting, trash pickup and roadway maintenance. These challenges prevent economic investments and growth, which impacts our school system, public safety and overall quality of life for our residents.
will require strategy, vision and time to execute. We need to think ahead and lay the groundwork for where we want Prince George’s County to be and work collaboratively with our federal, state and municipal counterparts to realize our goals.
Albert Slocum
Residence:
Landover Age: 55
Accomplishments. I have been involved with putting out fires and being a part of solutions, following through with neighborhood complaints regarding lack of street lighting or involvement with neighborhood watch on crime.
I have sat on ministries and nonprofit boards, being that conduit to legal support and fundraising to help feed and provide clothing to thousands of underprivileged and underserved families throughout the year.
As a professional in financial education and retirement planning, I helped thousands of Prince George’s County employees with retirement solutions and readiness.
Proudly served on Prince George’s County Association of Realtors Legislative Committee advocating for homeowners and real estate professionals.
First-term goals. Within my first 12 to 18 months:
• implementing an economic and crime-reduction plan.
• proposing legislation on zoning and floor area ratio.
• establishing a central business district.
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• attracting larger corporations.
• building commonsense development that supports existing and future community benchmarks.
• creating blueprint for curfew protocols and enforcement.
• deploying the workforce and local market partnership initiatives, which will focus on vocational and technical training and job security by giving Prince Georgians first right of refusal.
• funding from county proprietary ventures and partnerships will help cover underperforming and under-budgeted areas, such as educational initiatives and quality living for seniors.
Tonya Sweat Residence: Accokeek
Age: 52
Accomplishments. In 2016, I led the effort to re-establish the PTSA chapter at Oxon Hill High School. During my tenure as president, Oxon Hill High School was named a National PTA School of Excellence. I understand the PTSA of Oxon Hill High School continues to thrive and has grown to over 100 members. It is a testament that parents want to be engaged in their children’s education and only need a safe and welcoming space. First-term goals. I hope to make local government more transparent and accountable to the people.
Alonzo T. Washington Residence: Greenbelt Age: 41
Accomplishments. As state senator and delegate, I have secured record funding for public education, affordable housing and economic development throughout the county. Some of these accomplishments for our community include:
• Providing tuition-free community college to PGCPS [Prince George’s County Public Schools] graduates.
• Bringing the FBI Headquarters to Greenbelt.
• Creating $1,000 tax breaks for Maryland seniors.
• Building six new PGCPS schools, with several more on the way.
• Creating the Affordable Housing Investment Trust Fund.
First-term goals. I’m running for county executive because our county is headed in the wrong direction. I’ll increase community policing, expand child care and pre-K, and stop new gas stations, smoke shops and liquor stores. I’ll also fix the 311 system and make sure the county senior tax credit actually works. I will be a transparent, accountable and accessible leader that our community can trust.
RUSHERN BAKER did not submit responses to our questions by our deadline.
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES
Jesse A. Peed
Residence: Upper Marlboro Age: 65
Accomplishments. He has been married to his high school sweetheart for 40 years, raising their children, and building a life rooted in family and community values. He owns and operates a small business, where he has gained firsthand insight into the challenges facing small business owners and residents in Prince George’s County. Peed has been a member of the Republican Central Committee for 12 years and is serving his third term as chair. First-term goals. His concerns for our county are protecting civil liberties, strengthening education, ensuring fiscal responsibility, fighting corruption, promoting accountability and championing small businesses.
Jonathan White
Residence: Upper Marlboro Age: 51
Accomplishments. With 30 years in the U.S. Air Force and public service, I have worked to improve Prince George’s County. As co-chair of the Special Education Citi-
zens’ Advisory Committee of Prince George’s County Public Schools, I focused on enhancing outcomes for students with special needs. I have also volunteered as a coach and mentor, helping young men develop character, discipline and leadership. Additionally, I have supported initiatives related to public safety, parental rights in education, road improvements, litter removal and senior citizen support. My work prioritizes people over politics in the decisionmaking process. First-term goals.
1. Strengthening public safety: Increase law enforcement support, improve training and add more officers and firefighters.
2. Enhance education: Work with parents, teachers and the community to prioritize students’ needs and respect parental rights.
3. Fix the basics: Address infrastructure issues like road repairs and litter removal to ensure a cleaner, safer environment.
4. Fiscal responsibility: Eliminate wasteful spending, increase transparency and focus on essential programs benefiting residents.
5. Support vulnerable populations: Expand resources for seniors and improve access to critical services.
GEORGE MCDERMOTT did not submit responses to our questions by our deadline.
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Our calendar includes many events and meetings sponsored by the City of College Park and local nonprofits, including arts organizations and performance venues, occurring between Feb. 12 and March 11. For additional events and meetings organized by the city, see the College Park Post newsletter in this paper’s centerfold. Find more local events all month long in our new continuously updated online calendar, streetcarsuburbs.news/events. Please send notices of events taking place between March 12 and April 8 to jalen@streetcarsuburbs. news by March 1.
FEB. 12
Jaha Koo: Cuckoo Theatermaker Jaha Koo and his AI-enhanced rice cookers take you on a journey through the last 20 years of Korean history, combining personal experience with political events and his own reflections. $25. 8 p.m. Kogod Theater (8270 Alumni Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/3bandt4h. Repeats on the 13th.
FEB. 13
Nature’s Healing Power: A Grief Support Group Series
A free, nature-informed program that will include immersive, gentle walks in nature to contain and express the grief
experience. Free. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Lake Artemesia Natural Area (8299 55th Ave.). For more information email griefinfo@ chesapeakelifecenter.org.
FEB. 14
Spring M.F.A Dance Thesis Concert
The Spring M.F.A. Dance Thesis Concert showcases stunning and provocative choreography by Kevin Clark, Mher Kandoyan and Kae Lawrence in the UMD School of Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies. $25. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Clarice Dance Theater (8270 Alumni Dr.). For more information visit https:// tinyurl.com/mu8avvym. Repeats through the 16th.
FEB. 15
Cupid’s Twist Adult Mixer
Enjoy an evening of cardio tennis, fun competition, delicious food and giveaways hosted by the Junior Tennis Champions Center. $36. 7-9 p.m. (5200 Campus Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/bp7zfbd6.
DIY Sugar Scrub & Relaxing Essential Oil Blends w/Enn Skin
Learn the art of creating your own shower scrubs by using essential oils. $38. 3-5 p.m. Shop Made in Maryland (7401 Baltimore Ave.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/ yjajdk6m.
FEB. 16
Crafting Herbal Smoking Blends
Discuss herbs that support relaxation, respiratory health and stress relief, and how to create a blend. $45. Vital Traditions (4912 Berwyn Rd.). For more information visit https://tinyurl. com/yz96y5r3.
FEB. 18
Zoom Book Club
Take part in a riveting discussion with this book club over Zoom. This month’s book is “Our Hidden Conversations: What Americans Really Think About Race and Identity,” by Michele Norris. Free. 7-8 p.m. College Park Community Library (9704 Rhode Island Ave.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/ybm7stza.
FEB. 20
Lecture by Dr. Nikki Greene
Attend a lecture by scholar and writer Dr. Nikki Greene as she discusses her recent book, “Grime, Glitter, and Glass: The Body and the Sonic in Contemporary Black Art,” which examines how contemporary Black visual artists use sonic elements to refigure the formal and philosophical developments of Black art and culture. Free. 4-6 p.m. The David C. Driskell Center (4095 Union Ln.). For more information visit https:// tinyurl.com/2p8y94v9.
Abolishing Racism: Creating a Future without Race
The “Abolishing Racism: Creating a Future without Race” conference is a groundbreaking event that brings together a diverse range of speakers, scholars, artists and activists who advocate for racial eliminativism. Free. 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Virtual. For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/5fd9yw4t.
FEB. 28
John McWhorter: Why Most Humans Talk in Two or More Ways
Join linguist John McWhorter from Columbia University for a talk and Q&A on why humans speak in multiple ways. The talk will explore how people worldwide switch dialects, languages and vocabularies depending on the situation, challenging the assumption that we speak consistently and offering a new perspective on “code-switching.” 1-3 p.m. Free. Hoff Theater (3972 Campus Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl. com/2wzt8m5j.
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: Mahler’s Fourth Symphony Mahler’s epochal symphony is performed by one of the classical world’s most respected ensembles and one of Maryland’s most significant cultural
institutions: the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The program includes Dvorák’s Concert Overture and Jessie Montgomery’s Five Freedom Songs. Montgomery, in collaboration with soprano Julia Bullock. $50, $35, $20. Dekelboum Concert Hall (8270 Alumni Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl. com/42z2j92c.
MARCH
1
Mardis Gras Party
Mardis Gras Party with food and a performance by the band Johnny Seaton and Bad Behavior. $25. (9218 Baltimore Ave.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/3y8te2z7.
REPEATING
Story Time for Children Storytelling session geared to infants and older. Free. Every Wednesday. 9:30-10 a.m. American Legion (9704 Rhode Island Ave.). For more information email bokays100@juno. com.
The 2nd Thursday Book Group
Take part in a discussion of books ranging from nonfiction to fiction and historical fiction. Free. 7-8:30 p.m. College Park Community Library (9704 Rhode Island Ave.). For more information email bokays100@ juno.com.
Line Dance
Jessie’s Soul Line Dancers offers a class with step-by-step instruction, and students then perform dances to soul, gospel and pop music. Free. Every Friday from 10-11 a.m. Zoom. For more information and the registration link email info@ cpae.org.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS
Calvert Hills Citizens Association
Meeting date TBD. For more information email CalvertHillsCitizensAssn@gmail.com.
North College Park Civic Association
Second Thursday of the month. 7:30-9 p.m. Davis Hall (9217 51st Ave.). For more information email NCPCivic@gmail. com.
Berwyn District Civic Association
Regular meetings of the BDCA are held on the third Thursday of each month. 7:30 p.m. For more information email bdcaboard@myberwyn.org.
COLLEGE PARK POST
Resources for Immigration & Mental Health
Whether you’re looking for legal aid, assistance, or mental health support, here are some reources that may help:
The recent federal policy changes may have created feelings of uncertainty and concern. We want to assure you that the City remains dedicated to our diverse community. We will continue to help our community’s wellbeing, supporting resident needs, and ensuring a welcoming environment for all. We are proud to be a welcoming community that celebrates diversity and inclusion.
In line with this commitment, we are sharing a list of resources that may be of help to you, a neighbor, a family member, or a friend. Whether you’re looking for legal aid, assistance, or mental health support, here are some resources that may help:
1. Prince George’s County Public Schools created a list of immigration resources and help for the community. Learn more about their commitment to safe and supportive schools and helpful resources at https://www.pgcps.org/ offices/superintendent/
messages/our-commitmentto-safe--supportive-schools.
2. The City’s partnership with Care Solace can connect those experiencing food/ housing insecurity, medical needs, stress, and mental health issues to a variety of resources confidentially. Visit collegeparkmd. gov/caresolace. for more information.
3. Prince George’s County Council has a list of resources for immigrants in the region: https://pgccouncil.us/756/ Resources-for-ImmigrantCommunity.
Los recientes cambios en la política federal pueden haber creado sentimientos de incertidumbre y preocupación. Queremos asegurarles que la Ciudad sigue dedicada a nuestra comunidad diversa. Continuaremos ayudando al bienestar de nuestra comunidad, apoyando las necesidades de los residentes y garantizando un
entorno acogedor para todos. Estamos orgullosos de ser una comunidad acogedora que celebra la diversidad y fomenta la inclusión.
Durante la reunión del Consejo del 21 de enero de 2025, el alcalde Kabir leyó y firmó la Proclamación One College Park, que afirma el compromiso de la Ciudad con la diversidad, la equidad y la inclusión. Esta proclamación es una declaración de que estamos comprometidos a crear un entorno acogedor para todos, independientemente de la raza, la etnia, la identidad de género, el estado socioeconómico o cualquier otra característica. Puede leerla aquí.
En línea con este compromiso, compartimos una lista de recursos que pueden ser de ayuda para usted, un vecino, un familiar o un amigo. Ya sea que esté buscando ayuda legal, asistencia o apoyo de salud mental, aquí hay algunos recursos que pueden ayudar: 1. Las Escuelas Públicas del
Condado de Prince George crearon una lista de recursos de inmigración y ayuda para la comunidad. Obtenga más información sobre su compromiso con las escuelas seguras y solidarias y los recursos útiles aquí: https://www.pgcps.org/ offices/superintendent/ messages/our-commitmentto-safe--supportive-schools.
2. La asociación de la Ciudad con Care Solace puede conectar a quienes experimentan inseguridad alimentaria y de vivienda, necesidades médicas, estrés y problemas de salud mental con una variedad de recursos de manera confidencial. Visite www.caresolace. com/md-collegepark para obtener más información.
3. El Consejo del Condado de Prince George tiene una lista de recursos para inmigrantes en la región en https:// pgccouncil.us/756/Resourcesfor-Immigrant-Community.
CONNECT WITH THE CITY
The City of College Park utilizes a variety of communication tools to reach it’s many residents and stakeholders. Seek out the tools you prefer to use to find the information you need, when you need it.
FIND US
City Hall
Youth & Family Services 4912 Nantucket Rd.
Seniors Program 4508 College Ave.
Main City Website collegeparkmd.gov
Social Media
Weekly Bulletin e-newsletter shares updates on programs, services, and events each Friday.
Municipal Scene magazine provides local insights into the latest hot topics at the beginning of each month.
Sign up for e-news at collegeparkmd.gov/connect
College Park Post insert inside of the College Park Here & Now newspaper is delivered to residents at the beginning of each month.
Resident Guide is a bi-annual magazine with local stories and tips for living in College Park.
Television
The City’s cable channel shares City information daily. Check out Comcast Channel 71 or Verizon Channel 25.
The College Park Connect App allows you to access information, submit service requests, report issues, and more!
Summer Camp Scholarship
City of College Park youth (K-12) can apply by March 14
The City of College Park’s annual summer camp scholarship applications are now open!
Youth (rising K-12) who reside in the City of College Park are eligible to apply. Scholarships are granted up to a maximum of $400 per student. Students are eligible to receive a scholarship for one camp session only. Priority is given to youth who did not receive a City of College Park scholarship in previous years.
To apply, visit: www. collegeparkmd.gov/ summercamp2025
The scholarship can be used for camps hosted by:
• University of Maryland
• Prince George’s County Department of Parks & Recreation
• Prince George’s Community College
For updated information and details on camps offered by each organization, please visit their individual websites. Learn more and apply at collegeparkmd.gov/ summercamp2025.
Route 1 and Purple Line Corridor Relief Fund
For retail businesses impacted by construction
Has your retail business been impacted by construction along Route 1 or the Purple Line corridor?
Construction impacts can be tough, but the Retail Reinforcement MiniGrant Program (CPRRG) is here to help you bounce back and grow stronger.
This special grant, powered by PNC Foundation funding, offers $5,000 to $30,000 in quick, accessible financial support for businesses that have experienced operational or financial hardship due to local development activities.
District 3 Special Election
Plan your vote for the District 3 Special Election
The City of College Park will hold a Special Election on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, to fill the District 3 Council vacancy created by the resignation of Councilmember Stuart Adams.
WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES?
The filing deadline for candidates is February 5. Qualified candidates will be announced on February 7. Pictures and brief bios will be posted on the City website: www. collegeparkmd.gov/elections.
VOTER REGISTRATION
Last Day To Register To Vote Is February 20, 2025! If you are already registered to vote with the Prince George’s County Board of Elections at your current City address, you are all set to vote in this City Election.
If you have moved or changed your name since you registered, you must update your Voter Registration information.
How To Register To Vote Or Update
Your Information:
1. Complete an Online Voter Registration Application (Recommended) at https://voterservices. elections.maryland.gov/ OnlineVoterRegistration/
2. Pick up a Voter Registration Application at any City building.
3. Call 240-487-3501 to request a Voter Registration Application in the mail.
Applications must be returned to the Prince George’s County Board of Elections before February 20th at 1100 Mercantile Ln #115a, Largo, MD 20774, Monday-Friday, between 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
PLAN YOUR VOTE
Who Qualifies?
Small, brick-and-mortar businesses within 0.25 miles of Route 1/Baltimore Ave or the Purple Line in College Park.
What Do You Need?
Demonstration of a 10% or greater sales/operations hardship since 2021. Business documentation like licenses, tax returns, and a detailed impact statement.
How to Apply:
Complete the online application form at collegeparkmd.gov/ retailgrant and receive a decision by February 19th.
There are several ways to vote. Please choose the method that is most convenient.
1. Vote By Mail Until February 27.
• Complete the enclosed City’s Vote By Mail application.Download from www.collegeparkmd. gov/181/City-Elections.
• Pick up from any City building.
• Call 240-487-3501 to request a Mail In Ballot Application in the mail.
• Return your completed application by February 27 to the City of College Park, Board of Election
Supervisors, P.O. Box 626, College Park, MD 20741, or to one of our secure Ballot Drop Boxes:
• City Hall: 7401 Baltimore Avenue, on the Yale Avenue entrance side of the building.
• Davis Hall: 9217 51st Avenue, near the front door of building.
2. Between February 27 – March 10, apply for a ballot in person at City Hall, 7401 Baltimore Avenue, College Park, MD 20740 between 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
3. On Election Day: Tuesday, March 11, 2025 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. City Hall, 7401 Baltimore Avenue, 1st Floor Community Room, College Park, MD.
DO YOU PREFER TO VOTE BY MAIL? ARE YOU ON THE STATE’S PERMANENT VOTE BY MAIL LIST?
The State of Maryland now has a permanent Vote By Mail list for anyone who always wants to receive and vote a mail-in ballot. Once you are on the state’s list, we will send you a mail-in ballot for each City election you are eligible to vote in. You won’t have to submit an application for each election. To sign up, please visit the Maryland Board of Elections at: https:// voterservices.elections.maryland. gov/onlinemailinrequest/ InstructionsStep1
RETURN YOUR BALLOT
1. To a Ballot Drop Box, in the envelopes provided (Recommended):
• Drop your voted ballot in a Ballot Drop Box by 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11. Available 24/7 and collected Monday-Friday.
• Locations:
• City Hall, by Visitor Parking on Yale Avenue, 7401 Baltimore Avenue, College Park.
• Davis Hall, 9217 51st Avenue, College Park, MD.
2. By Mail, in the envelopes provided. Ballot must be postmarked on or before March 11, 2025 and received by noon on Thursday, March 13.
For more information about the upcoming City Election, please visit our website or contact Yvette Allen, City Clerk, at 240-487-3501 or cityclerk@collegeparkmd.gov.
City Announcements
More information: www.collegeparkmd.gov
PRESIDENT’SDAY HOLIDAY CLOSURE
All City offices will be closed on Monday, February 17 in observation of the President’s Day holiday. Refuse and recycling will occur one day later than normal during the holiday week:
• Monday collections will occur on Tuesday, February 18
• Tuesday collections will occur on Wednesday, February 19
• Wednesday collections will occur Thursday, February 20
Special collections will only occur on Friday, February 21, of this holiday week.
You must call 240-487-3590 or email publicworks@collegeparkmd.gov to schedule a pickup before setting your items out to the curb.
ENVISIONING PIERCE AVENUE POCKET PARK
A community poll is underway to determine the future of the Pierce Avenue lot in the Lakeland neighborhood. Submit your opinion by February 17, 2025 at www.collegeparkmd.gov/ piercepark.
COUNCILMEMBER ALAN HEW ELECTED VICE CHAIR FOR MARYLAND OF THE MWAQC
The City of College Park is proud to announce that City Councilmember Alan Hew was elected Vice Chair for the State of Maryland on Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s (MWCOG) Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee (MWAQC).
He will serve for the 2025 calendar year. Councilmember Hew has represented District 1 since 2023 and previously served as chair of the City’s Bee City USA committee and District 4 representative from 2013-2015.
“Councilmember Hew has championed sustainability issues for the City, having served on the City’s Committee for a Better Environment and Bee City USA committee;” said City Manager Kenny Young, “and now he will be able to bring this passion to a larger regional committee.”
MWAQC coordinates air quality planning, reviews policies, and adopts an air quality plan for consideration by the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia to ensure a regional approach to air quality. Prince George’s County District 1 Councilman Tom Dernoga is the Chair of MWAQC.
MWCOG is a non-profit association which represents 24 jurisdictions in the region with a membership of 300 elected officials. The City of College Park has been a member for many years.
LAKELAND LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP
The Lakeland Legacy Scholarship Fund will provide scholarships to Lakelanders engaged in selfimprovement programs in three categories: higher education, vocational education, and restorative and transformative justice.
This program aims to strengthen the knowledge base of Lakelanders that was lost through the displacement created by urban renewal.
Recipients of these scholarships will be asked to make a commitment of at least 8 hours to restorative justice or community building efforts to benefit Lakeland within 12 months of the completion of their program.
Individuals must meet both general eligibility requirements as well as those for each specific program for which they are applying.
Applications are due by February 15, 2025.
All applications will be reviewed by a committee comprised of currently appointed commissioners, who will make the final recommendation to the City Manager or his designee. The first class of awards will be made on March 15, 2025.
For more information about the scholarship and to apply, visit collegeparkmd.gov/ lakelandscholarship.
If you have any questions or encounter any issues during the submission process, please email lakelandscholarship@ collegeparkmd.gov.
Childcare Task Force Applications Open
Have experience or interest in childcare programs? Join us!
On January 21, 2025 by Resolution 25-R-04, the Mayor and Council established a Childcare Task Force with the following charge:
• Review and monitor state legislation during the 2025 General Assembly.
• Interview existing childcare providers in or near College Park to identify challenges and solutions to access and cost.
• Research federal, state, county, and non-profit programs that may assist families access and afford childcare.
• Provide updates as needed to the Council and a report on other findings before September 30, 2025.
If you have experience and interest in childcare programs, consider joining the Childcare Task Force!
The Committee will have at least one member from each district. Meetings will likely be a combination of in-person and virtual meetings, with some presentations from providers and/ or researchers in the profession.
The Mayor and Council will make appointments in February, and the Task Force is expected to provide a report to the Mayor and Council by September 30, 2025.
To learn more and apply, visit collegeparkmd.gov/boards.
Coalition seeks increased funding, recruitment for firefighters
By JOSEPHINE JOHNSON
College Park’s mayor and city council on Feb. 4 agreed to sign a letter to the candidates running for Prince George’s County executive asking for funding to hire 150 new firefighters and emergency medical service countywide staff in fiscal year 2026.
The letter, drafted by the Coalition to Support Prince George’s County Fire and EMS, also asks the 12 candidates, who will face off in a March 4 primary election, to support the group’s efforts to reduce barriers to onboarding volunteer firefighters and to increase transparency between the county Fire/EMS Department and local officials.
The coalition includes government and fire officials from multiple cities in the county, as well as some firefighters and residents.
“We can use this election as leverage to elevate the need for meaningful change, to elevate the conversation,” former Brentwood Vice Mayor Stefan Leggin told the College Park City Council on Feb. 4. “We take it to the top. We want them to know that staffing our fire departments needs to be a top priority.”
6 RECOMMENDATIONS
A coalition of city and fire officials is asking candidates running for Prince George’s County executive to take the following actions to improve the county’s Fire/EMS Department policies:
• Reduce barriers to volunteerism
• Commitment to expedited, large-scale recruitment
• Renegotiate single-role EMS services
• Improved data transparency
• Facility support for volunteer properties and apparatus
• Establish a task force for efficiency and recruitment
The county Fire/EMS Department in June reassigned 55 career firefighters—those paid by the county—from Greenbelt, Berwyn Heights, Bowie and Bunker Hill—to other fire stations in an effort to reduce overtime. Despite pleas from officials from those and neighboring cities for the paid firefighters’ return, the county has restored staff only to the Bunker Hill station.
The letter outlined six recommendations for the new county executive, including reducing barriers to volunteerism, with a suggestion to expand the number of virtual and in-person classes and shorten the time it takes for a volunteer to become certified.
The coalition also asked for
a commitment to large-scale recruitment, improved data transparency—including response times, which multiple officials have said they have asked for but did not receive— and a task force devoted to ensuring sustainable staffing.
In addition, the group asked for paid EMS staff to serve only as emergency medical service providers and not in a dual role as firefighters. Finally, the letter called for equal funding for volunteer fire departments.
County Fire Chief Tiffany Green, who said in a letter to the coalition that she received the recommendations from a third party, responded with a list of actions she said the county has already taken in regard to what the
coalition’s letter characterizes as “deficiencies.”
In her response, Green did not promise or dispute any of the coalition’s claims, except to explain that EMS-only career positions are “not permitted” by the agreement between the firefighters’ union and the county.
College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir and other officials have expressed concern that response times have increased since the career firefighters were reallocated in June.
Even though firefighters from College Park’s two stations were
not moved—one of them, Branchville Volunteer Fire Department, has an all-volunteer staff—Kabir said the lack of firefighters in nearby stations puts the city at risk.
“We are impacted indirectly by the staffing cut in the surrounding jurisdictions, like Berwyn Heights and Greenbelt specifically,” Kabir told College Park Here & Now, “because our firefighters are busy responding to fire calls in other jurisdictions because they don’t have enough firefighters. … Then, we don’t have enough support” from them for calls in College Park.
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Ari Schloss, who started there as a volunteer firefighter 30 years ago when he was a college student.
“There were very few organized areas in College Park back then,” Schloss said. “So community members, many of them members of the fire department, gathered in and around the station.”
The original fire station is now a house on Calvert Road, a short distance from the Metro station. Over time, the fire department has occupied different buildings, including one on Baltimore
Avenue where the University of Maryland Police Department is located, before moving to its current location at 8115 Baltimore Avenue in 1995.
College Park residents of different ages joined the department as volunteers over the years.
One of them was Piringer, who joined in 1969 as a high school student when College Park was “a sleepy little college town that shut down in summertime.”
When Piringer was 10, two of his baseball coaches were volunteer firefighters. His older brother also joined the department through the Boy Scouts.
But as time passed, the number of locals serving as volun-
teers declined.
Gradually, the department’s makeup shifted and volunteer roles previously held by longtime residents were occupied by University of Maryland (UMD) students.
“Society has changed quite a bit,” Piringer said. “Families are so busy. … Public service has changed a little.”
the department.
“It’s not a typical college experience, but it is a noble calling and usually is something that prepares them for life,” Piringer said.
Relying on students to staff the fire station comes with its own setbacks, College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir said.
The original fire station is now a house on Calvert Road, a short distance from the Metro station. Over time, the College Park Volunteer Fire Department has occupied different buildings, including one on Baltimore Avenue where the University of Maryland Police Department is located, before moving to its current location at 8115 Baltimore Avenue in 1995.
truck, two engines and other support units.
About 60 active volunteers and at least seven paid staff are on board, according to Schloss, who said nearly half of the calls to the department are for medical emergencies rather than fires.
“The challenge is, these students are sort of transient students,” Kabir said. “They stay with us only for a few years and the majority of them leave College Park, so the volunteer firefighters need to be recruited on a constant basis.”
Today’s department operates with a combination of paid–or career–firefighters and emergency medical staff, who cover the firehouse on weekdays while volunteers work at their regular jobs and attend classes. Combined with modern technology, having both paid and volunteer staff has significantly reduced response times, Piringer said.
“Back in the old days, the siren used to blow on top of the firehouse and people would leave their jobs or classes and come get on the fire truck,” Piringer said. “That doesn’t necessarily happen these days.”
Though the composition of the team might have changed, one thing that has remained constant is volunteer participation.
Piringer said UMD students have sustained the VFD’s volunteer base, while many other fire departments struggle with recruitment.
He also said training takes longer in Prince George’s County than in neighboring counties, adding that the concern has been raised with county Fire Chief Tiffany Green. (See related story on Page 7.)
Because of that, Kabir said, “Many of our volunteer firefighters would rather go to other counties and volunteer.”
Still, Piringer said many students who graduated have stayed on as long-term volunteers.
A significant achievement in the department’s history was the addition of emergency medical services (EMS).
Schloss said more women serve as firefighters and EMS workers now than when he joined.
“Women firefighters weren’t as prominent when I started,” he said.
He described the job of a firefighter as dangerous, adding that someone reports an injury after almost every fire, noting, “But it’s not often that they are serious.”
One of the major fire incidents Schloss recalled involved a building under construction on Berwyn House Road in 2017.
Piringer described it as “one of the largest fires ever” in the county’s history, requiring equipment and firefighters from multiple fire departments in the county.
“The smoke was so bad they actually closed the university for days,” he said.
Schloss said he recalls his time at the station fondly.
The student volunteers live at the firehouse in exchange for their work. They are expected to remain in good academic standing with the university and attend classes while working at
Piringer said the department got its first ambulance in the mid-1990s and began EMS services at about the same time it moved to its current location.
The department now boasts three ambulances, one ladder
“There was a lot of fun,” he said. “My best friends in college, I met here. We all did things together. I still talk to my friends who are spread out in different places. We get to see each other. The 100th anniversary will be one of the times that we get to do that.”
Firefighters from the College Park Volunteer Fire Department put out a fire in this archival photograph. COURTESY OF COLLEGE PARK VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
of the boy’s bathrooms.
“Thus began a year-long process trying to get connected with anyone and everyone who could help me get involved,” Cooke said. “This may have seemed excessive or aggressive, but it just got increasingly bizarre how difficult it was to get involved.”
Along the way, Cooke connected with other students, parents and community members who were concerned about the school. She also joined a Facebook group called Citizens for Accountability in Governance, which advised her to get involved with the school’s PTA–but Parkdale did not have one.
Cooke, with support from community members, including Richard Potts III, a former Parkdale
student, was already working to create a PTA.
“The sense of community in the school is very robust,” Potts said. “There’s a good community in terms of, like, students and teachers. In terms of faculty and administration, I would say there’s a disconnect between students and faculty, and in terms of parents and faculty, there’s a lack of communication.”
Potts also said that, though the school has an informal parent group, no good line of communication exists between the school and parents. Other community members and parents said they had struggled to connect with the school when they offered to get involved or volunteer.
After a year of trying to connect with the school, Cooke and a group of parents and community members, including MacDonald, obtained a charter via Free State
PTA. By spring 2024, they established a PTA without the school’s support.
Still, in April 2024 the school applied for a $500 grant from College Park to fund “parent activities, events and workshops.” However, the city declined the application after determining no active PTA existed at the school.
The community group continued its efforts to connect with the school before the start of the 20242025 school year, offering to volunteer for back-to-school night or assist teachers with classroom setup. However, members reported receiving either no response or dismissive replies, MacDonald said.
“My biggest concern is the lack of responsiveness and even hostility that I, and others who want to help, have been treated with,” Cooke said. “It should not be this difficult.”
Prince George’s County Board of Education Vice Chair Jonathan Briggs (District 2), said he intervened with the school on behalf of the community group. He told College Park Here & Now
that Graves claimed there wasn’t much interest from parents in getting involved with the school or starting a PTA.
Graves declined a request for an interview for this article.
Other parents have complained about the lack of opportunities to get involved with their kids’ school.
“When parents are saying, ‘Hey, we want to come in and help where we can,’ and we’re getting a door closed in our face, that’s confusing to me. That doesn’t make sense,” Nicola Netto-White, a Parkdale parent, said. “We’re part of the community. We’re invested. We want the best for our kids. We want the best for Parkdale.”
One parent from a group of Spanish-speaking parents interested in becoming involved with the school said that during the principal’s parent group meetings, she could not voice her concerns about school safety and bathroom policies. She and Netto-White said the meetings had a set agenda with no room for parents and administrators to
collaborate on topics.
Some of the parents contacted College Park City Councilmember Jacob Hernandez (District 1). Hernandez told College Park Here & Now he also experienced difficulties connecting with the school.
“I think Parkdale has an opportunity here by increasing their accessibility, not only to their own student body and to municipal leaders, but to their parents,” Hernandez said. “I recommend there be some sort of liaison for us to be able to build a closer community through strategic partnership opportunities.”
He added: “Parkdale High School has the awesome responsibility, an incredible responsibility, to not only facilitate the graduation of their student body but also to serve as a civic partner and leader to their students,” Hernandez said. “I believe that if we do not address the unwieldy obstacles that exist in our public school system, we will always continue to have challenges across the county.”
inclusion programs.
Just a few miles from the District, College Park is grappling with the fallout from an array of executive orders that are drastically changing life for federal employees, immigrants and the transgender community.
“We’re a part of everything that’s going on in the nation’s capital,” Kabir said. “We’re five miles away.”
Cities like College Park, which get most of their funding from commercial and residential property taxes, along with allocations and grants from the county and state, so far do not have to make changes to their local governments to match what the new administration is requiring of federal agencies.
So College Park, for example, is not doing away with programs that focus on racial equity and restorative justice.
Still, because the city is home to a large number of federal employees—the city does not keep track of how many—and a substantial population of immigrant families, residents are feeling the sting of decisions that could cost them their jobs and disrupt their communities.
“The morale of the community is very low,” Kabir said.
He acknowledged that “there are so many jobs of federal employees at stake,” and added, “The only way we can address it is by supporting each other.”
To that end, the city has published links (https://tinyurl. com/48h4kbn7) to resources from Prince George’s County Public Schools, including an assurance that the system does not track the immigration status of students or their families; from Care Solace, which partners with the city to help those experienc-
ing housing or food insecurity, medical needs, stress or mental health issues; and county resources for immigrants.
In addition, the mayor has issued a proclamation called “One College Park” that focuses on the city’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
It contains a passage that declares the city is committed to “excellence and kindness, with inclusion and hope, with balance and optimism. We will reject and resolve attitudes of fear, pessimism or cynicism.” It finishes with a promise of “our continuing commitment to be an inclusive
community that rejects stigma and bias against individuals because of race, ethnicity, place of origin, physical ability, socioeconomic status, gender identity, sexual orientation, age or religion.”
Prince George’s County’s two congressional representatives, Glenn Ivey and Steny Hoyer, joined county council Chair Jolene Ivey on Feb. 7 at a virtual forum for local federal employees that drew 14,000 participants. They advised the workers to reject any offers to resign, as they do not come with guarantees of severance pay and could prevent
employees from collecting unemployment benefits. Unions and pro-worker organizations, along with some states and counties, are fighting potential job losses through lawsuits, they said. Still, the federal worker who said she shakes every day out of fear of losing her job—and asked not to be named in this article out of the same fear—admitted she and her co-workers are “in sheer panic right now. People are shutting down their Facebook accounts and afraid of using our phones to send text messages. We don’t know how much we are being spied on. We’re so scared we could be targeted for a particular affiliation.”
At the College Park City Council meeting on Feb. 4, Councilmember John Rigg (District 3) acknowledged that what those workers feel is “an anxiety that permeates a lot of populations in our city.”
And Councilmember Llatetra Brown Esters (District 2) reminded residents to take care of themselves by “finding support, mental health and immigration services. … Take time away from the news and other things if you need to, but most importantly, take care of yourself.”
q u a r a n t i k i i s c l o s e d f o r s e a s o n , b u t t h e
g o o d t i m e s r o l l o n i n s i d e . . .
P l e a s e c h e c k o u r F a c e b o o k & I n s t a g r a m f o r u p d a t e s !
N e w , f r e s h , s e a s o n a l f o o d a l l y e a r r o u n d !
c o m e g r a b a b e e r f r o m o u r f a n t a s t i c b r e w m a s t e r j e f f
h a n c o c k ! t h e r e ’ s a l w a y s s o m e t h i n g n e w t o t r y
g i f t s , t o y s , c a n d y , b e e r , w i n e , t h e u n i q u e & t h e o d d
a v a i l a b l e e v e r y d a y i n t h e g e n e r a l s t o r e !
r e s t a u r a n t h o u r s : S u n d a y - T u e s d a y 1 1 a m - 9 p m ,
W e d n e s d a y - S a t u r d a y 1 1 a m - 1 0 p m .
G e n e r a l S t o r e : o p e n e v e r y d a y 1 1 a m - 9 p m !
q u a r
College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir advises federal workers and other city residents to support each other during uncertain times. GIUSEPPE LOPICCOLO
New eateries opening in city
By JALEN WADE
At least half a dozen new eateries will open in College Park this year.
Among the newcomers are Compass Coffee, a Districtbased chain, which opened on Jan. 25, and MidnighTreats, a vegan cookie shop that opened on Feb. 8.
In addition, Primetime, a steakhouse, will come to Cambria Hotel College Park this fall; Raising Cane’s, a fast-casual chicken restaurant, will take over the space once occupied by Nando’s PERi-PERi; and Li Chun Café, by the owner of Northwest Chinese Food, wil open on the ground floor of city hall.
College Park’s economic development director, Michael Williams, said several additional restaurants are in negotiations with the city or exploring a move to the area.
And Duck Donuts and Chopt Creative Salad Co., two national chains that were expected to open in the new Union on Knox student apartment building last fall, are still in discussions to open locations there.
The city’s popularity with restaurants is “just, you know, the population,” Sydney Eubanks, the marketing director for Compass Coffee, said. “It
is a very growing community. And no matter what, you know, UMD is a great school, and there’s constantly going to be a flow of people, whether that’s students or people that establish and start their careers there.”
Compass Coffee’s first Maryland location is at 4210 Knox Road, where baristas have a latte art print machine that can create foam designs as intricate as logos and selfies atop a cup of the brand’s “Real Good Coffee.”
Williams said College Park started growing as a destination for businesses once the University of Maryland (UMD) joined the Big Ten Conference in 2014.
Williams said sports fans often fill local restaurants after the games, spilling over from The Hotel at UMD, which is across the street from campus and houses GrillMarX, a steakhouse, Potomac Pizza, Bagels ’n Grinds and Iron Rooster, to Cambria Hotel up the street.
Cambria lost its flagship restaurant, College Park Grill, in 2023. Primetime is slated to open in that space in the fall.
“We haven’t had a full-service restaurant in [Cambria] for over a year or two,” Williams said. “We are really excited
NEWS BRIEFS
Task at hand. The College Park City Council is forming two citizen task forces—one for childcare and one for affordable housing.
The nine-member Childcare Task Force will keep tabs on state legislation and scout out federal, state, county and nonprofit programs, and report to the council. The group also will interview childcare providers in the College Park area for their input about changes that might lower the cost of care and grant access to more families.
Similarly, the Affordable Housing Task Force will research and share data about the city’s housing needs; define “affordable housing”; and propose a program to offer affordable housing to those who qualify.
Members of both committees will be appointed by the mayor and council.
Vote 16. Residents have another month to weigh in on
to get Primetime backed by a very, very experienced and well-funded restaurant group called the George Martin Group.”
The upscale restaurant will sell prime steaks, chops and seafood in a sports-themed atmosphere.
Jeff Brainard, vice president of Southern Management Corp., which owns Cambria Hotel, called College Park “a city in a renaissance.”
“It’s really become a really solid community with grocery stores and shopping and retail, and now upscale dining,” Brainard said, noting Primetime “fits in well with what College Park is growing into.”
Also scheduled to open this year is Raising Cane’s, part of a fast-food chain that specializes in chicken fingers and Texas toast and will be located on the corner of Route 1 and Knox Road.
The owner of Northwest Chinese, the winner of College Park’s 2024 Business of the Year award, will open a new eatery called Li Chun Café in city hall this month.
The restaurant will feature dishes from chef-owner Hua Wang’s hometown of Shenyang City in Northeast China.
Cookie restaurant MidnighTreats opened at 4513 College
Ave. on Feb. 8, awarding the first 20 customers on opening day with free cookies for a year.
Jordan Rutland, owner of the College Park store, said a goal of the franchise is to spread awareness for plant-based foods as a tasty alternative to treats containing eggs and dairy products.
“Our Maryland customers have been vocal about us needing to open a [Maryland] store and we are beyond excited to finally get the opportunity to join the College Park community,” Johnny Nguyen, founder of the MidnighTreats chain, said in a press release.
“We can’t wait to become part of those late-night study sessions, celebrations and memorable moments in students’ lives.”
Williams said the city looks for businesses that fill the city’s needs and residents’ requests.
“During COVID, Maryland residents and anybody who visited here said, ‘Enough piz-
za shops’ to more pizza,” Williams said. “People in the same voices are saying we need … some access to urgent care. We need a little bit upscale, more shopping. We need a better experience as we go into these shopping centers.”
Councilmember John Rigg (District 3) confirmed that residents have asked for more general shopping stores. Rigg said the city has “plenty of attractive commercial space. … We have some decent vacancies, too.”
Rigg added: “I think we’re, if anything, an underserved market in terms of all kinds of retail, but it takes the right type of business to be able to make that work.”
Plus, he said, “I think we need to demonstrate that companies who have a strong concept, who can appeal to a resident base that includes both students and non-students, can be very successful in the city of College Park.
whether they support a move by the College Park City Council to lower the voting age for city elections to 16.
The council was scheduled to vote on the proposed charter amendment at its Feb. 4 meeting, but decided to postpone taking action until after the vacant District 3 council seat is filled on March 11 in a special election.
A couple of residents spoke at a Feb. 4 public hearing to object to the change, while multiple representatives of Vote16, a national organization that advocates for teen voting rights, spoke in favor of it.
In previous discussions, most councilmembers said they would support the change, which has already taken effect in a few neighboring cities, like Hyattsville and Takoma Park.
The council also postponed a vote on a second proposed charter amendment that would allow the mayor and council to appoint a replacement council
member if a seat is vacated less than a year before the next election. Current law requires the city to hold a special election if the vacancy occurs when the end of the term is greater than 180 days from the next election.
Settled. The union that represents workers at MOM’s Organic Market in College Park have settled with workers on a complaint alleging the store discriminated against employees who supported the union.
The complaint accused the 18-store chain of offering pay raises for all employees except those working at the College Park store, which unionized two years ago.
“They tried everything to intimidate us and stop us from exercising our rights, but we stuck together as a union, stood up to management, and won what we were rightfully owed,” employee Laura Jackson said in a union-issued press
release. “It just goes to show what a difference a union can make for workers like me.”
The settlement of $17,302 will compensate 74 employees at the store who were not paid at an increased rate for hours worked on weekends and holidays, according to the union.
Collective bargaining. A proposal working its way through the Maryland General Assembly would grant collective bargaining rights to graduate assistants across the University System of Maryland.
The legislation, sponsored by Del. Linda Foley (District 15, Montgomery County), comes about 20 years after a Maryland law excluded instructors at publicly funded colleges and universities from unionizing. If the legislation passes, graduate assistants—including those at the University of Maryland (UMD)—will be able to unionize to negotiate wages, employee benefits and working
conditions.
According to Henry Hausmann, an organizer with the Graduate Labor Union, about 2,600—more than half of the university’s 4,200 graduate assistants—have signed a union card.
If the bill is passed, graduate workers at UMD could start the union authorization process the day the legislation goes into effect, Hausmann said.
—Sam Gauntt
Local fire. Three Prince George’s County firefighters suffered injuries as they put out a fire in the 9500 block of 49th Place on the afternoon of Jan. 28. All were treated and released from the hospital.
A Prince George’s Fire/EMS Department spokesman said lithium batteries that were charging an electric scooter inside the house started the fire. Four family members inside the house escaped without injury.
University of Maryland student Evan Kim spends time at Compass Coffee, one of College Park’s new businesses near the school. LILLIAN GLAROS
Route 1 construction likely to continue
By SHARON O’MALLEY
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s proposed $67.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2026 includes funding to start planning for improvements to Route 1 from Greenbelt Road to the Beltway.
The second and third phases of a three-prong upgrade could take several years to design and engineer, and even longer before visible construction begins. Phase 1,
which finished in November, stretched from College Avenue to Route 193.
“Route 1 is the front door to the University of Maryland; it’s our flagship university and we want people, when they come, to feel good about the community,” state Sen.
Jim Rosapepe (District 21) told College Park Here & Now “They don’t see the neighborhoods. All they see is Route 1.”
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Kabir agreed. “Route 1 is our Main Street, plain and simple,” he said. “Every community wants to see a very nice Main Street. This project will make it happen.”
Changes along the North College Park stretch of Route 1 are likely to mirror those made during the $56.9 million first phase, which added bicycle lanes, raised mediums, widened driving lanes and upgraded drainage.
At a November ribbon cutting marking the completion of Phase 1, Rosapepe said planning for the project began about 25 years ago, but a lack of funding and the relocation of utilities delayed its execution and completion.
The senator said the upcoming round of construction will be quicker than that, but will still take several years and will not begin until officials reach out to the community for input.
Kabir said the opinions of residents will guide the designers.
“I personally would like to
see bike lanes,” he said, “but if we hear from the community it’s not a top priority for them … the scope of the work will be different” from Phase 1. For example, he added, “If you don’t have the bike lanes, the road won’t need to be widened.”
Median strips, which will force drivers to make left turns at traffic lights instead of in random locations, along with bike lanes and wider and more sidewalks, will make the highway safer for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, Rosapepe said.
As is, “it is not safe to walk on Route 1,” Kabir said. “The sidewalks are very narrow. Plus, they’re not contiguous. They have breaks in different sections.”
And for bikers, he noted, “you have to take your life in your hands.”
Dedicated left-turn lanes and bright green bike lanes will make the roadway safer while improving the flow of traffic, Kabir said.
The project also will up-
grade the appearance of the highway, with updated lighting and landscaped medians.
“All of that is designed to make the visual experience much better,” Rosapepe said.
Kabir credited Maryland Delegate Ben Barnes (District 21), who lives in College Park and chairs the House Appropriations Committee, with fast-tracking the project. Rosapepe noted that he and another District 21 delegate, Joseline Peña-Melnyk, also live in the city.
“The 21st District delegation has been working for years to make Route 1 in College Park safer,” Rosapepe said.
Barnes called the progress “exciting. … This is a big win for College Park, to get our project funded and accelerated. We’re going to be here to make sure it comes to fruition and the road is done in a way that the community would expect.”
The state Legislature is expected to vote on the governor’s budget proposal by March 31.
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