The word “transparency” was used a lot during budget presentations at the April 2 city council meeting, by city staff and residents alike. At the start of the meeting, when emphasizing that the newly proposed fiscal year 2026 budget is merely a draft that will be subject to updates and modifications, City Ad-
By STELLA GARNER
This January, the Prince George’s County Planning Board voted to approve the detailed site plan for a McDonald’s on East-West Highway and Ager Road, a massive step forward for a project that has been mired in controversy and repeatedly stalled by opposition from local residents. But the fight isn’t over yet. After an April 1 county council
By KIT SLACK
On March 12, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took Kilmar Abrego Garcia, age 29, of Beltsville, into custody. They stopped him in Baltimore while he was driving home from picking up his 5-year-old son at the child’s grandmother’s house.
On March 16, just four days later, Abrego Garcia’s wife saw him in a photo of men in a maximum security prison in El Salvador called CECOT, one of the largest prisons in the world, housing up to 40,000 inmates. Though the men were crouched, with shaved heads bowed and hands behind their necks, she recognized the tattoos on Abrego Garcia’s arm and the scars on his head.
Abrego Garcia is being held in El Salvador without the ability to communicate with the outside world. His lawyer said that Abrego Garcia has never been charged with any crime in the U.S. or El Salvador and that no one has been able to make contact with him.
On Friday, April 4, in Greenbelt, Federal District Court Judge Paula Xinis ordered the federal government to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S. by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 7, as this paper goes to press. The Trump administration immediately appealed.
In an unusual hearing, Erez Reuveni, who is a career attorney with the Department of Justice, said his clients in the federal government did not contest any of the facts presented by Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, Abrego Garcia’s
lawyer. Reuveni also conceded that he had no evidence of any lawful basis for Abrego Garcia being taken into custody March 12, and no evidence to support the Trump administration’s claim that they have no contract with El Salvador to hold prisoners.
“Why can’t they get him back?” Judge Xinis asked.
“When this case landed on my desk, I asked that very question,” Reuveni answered, “and I have not gotten an answer to my satisfaction.” Reuveni has since been put on indefinite leave with pay, according to The New York Times. Abrego Garcia crossed the border into the U.S. in 2011 at the age of 16.
ministrator Tracey Douglas told attendees, “We will be completely transparent with the public as, and if, we make any adjustments.”
City Treasurer Ronald Brooks, who has recently been under fire for the city’s audits being years behind schedule, expressed his support for the new city Audit Committee, stating that the committee will “provide more transparency [emphasis Brooks’], if you will, to our financial report.”
The buzzword might have been a response to citizen and council complaints about city finances in recent months, both on the online HOPE listserv and at the equally online city council meetings. It is budget season, after all; cuts are in the air. The people are out for ink, and ink, it would seem, is thicker than blood.
I will be transparent with you. The morning of that April 2 council meeting, the City of Hyattsville informed the Life & Times that our contract with them will be cut by nearly a third, from $44,388 to $30,000, for FY 2026.
This was not a belated April Fool’s joke. The change was already in the budget proposal, released the afternoon of April 1. What may seem like a small amount to the city, who recently dropped $80,000 — no questions asked — on a new police drone, or even to you, the reader, who — along with your neighbors — pays the city more than $20 million in taxes each year, is a significant hit for us. As a nonprofit, our money comes from a few sources: your donations, two or three grants, meager advertising, and the city contract. Such a cut to our funding might mean the end of a newspaper for us, and an emptier mailbox for you.
In exchange for their $44,000 each year (roughly 18 cents a month for Hyattsville taxpayers), the city receives four pages in
A community newspaper
chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781
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Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Streetcar Suburbs Publishing Inc., a 501(c) (3) nonprofit corporation. Editors welcome reader input, tips, articles, letters, opinion pieces and photographs, which may be submitted using the mailing address above or the email addresses provided.
the center of the newspaper for their insert, The Hyattsville Reporter, which contains city announcements and an event calendar. We’ve always been happy to run it. Yet, this is not the only edition of the Reporter. The city mails very similar content independently each month on glossy paper to every mailbox in Hyattsville, same as the Life & Times, at a significantly higher cost — a seemingly redundant act.
These cuts are not in stone, however. The future never is. Toward the end of the four-hour-long council meeting (thank you to those who stuck around: council, staff and residents), councilmembers Joanne Waszczak (Ward 1), Emily Strab (Ward 2) and Danny Schaible (Ward 2) spoke out against the cut. Waszczak, the first to do so, advocated for the paper’s ability to make sense of local happenings in an otherwise unstable political environment. “I think that residents are really counting on trustworthy news sources, and are seeking out news sources that they feel good about,” Waszczak said. Strab asked the city to view the paper as something more than advertising and part of the communications budget, and look at it instead, “as patronage for journalism.”
“Cutting the paper’s contract by a third puts them in a position where Hyattsville might not have a paper,” Strab said, “and I don’t think that’s something we want to do, or force into being.”
Earlier, during the public comment period at the start of the meeting, resident Lina Parikh (faceless on Zoom, as all constituents have remained before their council for five years now, with only councilmembers prompted to use their cameras) suggested the city look for other avenues to reduce the media budget, perhaps even altering how the Reporter is distributed. “We don’t necessarily need glossy print anything being
sent to the city,” Parikh observed. And, already, so many of you readers and donors who were notified by our executive director, Kit Slack, have reached out to your councilmembers to express your support for our paper. Thank you. We hope you continue to do so. Douglas said at the meeting that the budget won’t be adopted until May or June, so your feedback in the near future will help shape the more distant one.
I don’t mean to imply that we are the only institution facing cuts, or that we have been wronged more than others. Residents and councilmembers at the meeting voiced concern over a stipend freeze for the city’s committee members, as well as a cut to the cost-of-living allowance given to employees. Solidarity to all those facing the paper-bladed guillotine. We are not unique, but we may be nothing at all if you don’t speak out.
At the meeting, on one of her slides, Douglas symbolically placed “Hyattsville Residents” at the top of her organizational chart — included in each department’s budget presentation to show chain of command — above her own job as city administrator and that of the mayor, implying that citizens, not staff, hold the power. For us, this is not a symbolic gesture. From your donations, to your emails of story ideas and concerns, to your “From Where I Stand” opinion pieces, to the volunteer writers, columnists and photographers who create our content each month — the Life & Times is a paper for and by the residents of Hyattsville, which is to say “you.” We prefer it that way.
So tell your representatives: If the City of Hyattsville wants to be transparent, it should support the only published entity that can objectively report on its inner dealings to the community.
Griffin Limerick is the managing editor of the Life & Times
Business Manager
Catie Currie catie@streetcarsuburbs.news
Advertising Sales Manager Miranda Goodson
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 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.
NEWS BRIEFS
ARPA INITIATIVES TO COST CITY $1.9 MILLION NEXT YEAR
City projects and additional staffing that were added into the city budget using federal pandemic funding — money from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) — will cost the city almost $1.9 million in its upcoming fiscal year, according to a March 24 presentation to the city council. (Hyattsville’s next fiscal year, FY 2026, runs from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.)
Five city staff positions were created using ARPA funds, including an intellectual technology (IT) manager and a manager of affordable housing programs and initiatives. According to the presentation, sustaining these positions will cost the city $625,000 in FY 2026. An additional $759,000 will cover increased salaries and benefits following a onetime bump up in pay for some positions that the city determined were underpaid.
In addition to covering personnel costs, Hyattsville used ARPA funding to start a number of new initiatives, including providing students with city camp scholarships. Funds were also directed to complete infrastructure projects that have ongoing maintenance expenses. Projects in this category include tree canopy programs; an annual contract with Throne Labs for the high-tech public restrooms located in Driskell, Hyatt, Heurich and 38th Avenue Neighborhood parks; and maintenance of community messaging boards. Combined, these will cost the city $514,000 next fiscal year.
The almost $18 million that Hyattsville received from its ARPA grant — money distributed during the pandemic to help states and municipalities with public health and economic recovery — had to be assigned to programs by the end of the 2024 calendar year. ARPA funds must be spent by the end of this calendar year.
HOW WILL UNCERTAIN FEDERAL FUNDING IMPACT CITY PROJECTS?
Congress set aside hundreds of thousands of dollars for several City of Hyattsville projects that may stall for lack of funding, according to Route One Finance. However, city spokesperson Cindy Zork told the Life & Times, “City staff have not received any indication that the grants are affected by recent executive orders or other directives from federal leadership.”
In fiscal year 2022, Congress earmarked $870,000 for Hyattsville’s lower Ward 1 stormwater project, which aims to update city infrastructure to manage flood risks and improve water quality. The plan includes, for example, installing channel drains, removing pavement and planting trees in specific areas. As noted in a March 3 presentation to city council, the stormwater project budget is $1,087,500. This includes the $870,000 grant expected from the federal government and $217,500 from the city. The city planned to submit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant application March 2025, with funding expected this July, according to the presentation.
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According to the city’s website, the remaining dates for Hyattsville’s FY 2026 budget process are as follows: April 21, city council budget amendments; May 5, public hearing; May 19, first reading; June 2, adoption of new budget.
On March 3, however, the Trump administration stipulated that EPA spending contracts of $50,000 or more must be approved by a Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, member. Zork said that city public works staff met with the EPA on April 4 to review the application. “Based on that feedback,” Zork said, “[the city] will finalize the application and submit as soon as possible.” Hyattsville reportedly received two other federal earmarks in FY 2022: $400,000 for the Driskell Park redesign and $100,000 for an upgrade to the police department’s evidence lab equipment. The Department of Housing and Urban Development, which manages the park redesign award, told Route One Finance that the city hadn’t submitted any progress reports or received any funds, as of mid-March. Zork told the Life & Times that the city does not have any indication that the funding is at risk and “is currently soliciting for a contractor to perform the work.” She said that the evidence lab equipment was ordered in December 2023 and the city has already been reimbursed for the purchases.
Let’s make our own methane
By ANNE PETROV
It was with great interest that I read the article by Paul Ruffins, “A landfill full of food is a recipe for methane,” in the March Life & Times. I trained in nuclear physics at George Washington University, but I found that type of energy to be bad for our planet: water, land, animals and people. Nuclear physics research brought me to France, where I switched to studying renewable energies, and stayed to teach and have my career — building wind farms and working with cities and rural areas on their waste management, renewable energy infrastructure and other sustainable development projects.
Mr. Ruffins aptly describes methane. It is a gas, like helium in a balloon, but it is heavier, containing carbon and hydrogen.
Methane comes out of every oil well. It is the gas that we use to run our furnaces and gas stoves. It burns cleaner than coal and oil, although it is still a polluting energy source. It is not cheap, as we know if we own a gas furnace.
Our current president thinks oil companies should not sell the methane gas from their oil wells, but should torch it while drilling — or let it float into the air
and crud up the atmosphere.
That is bad business.
The methane gas that is a by-product of oil drilling is coming from deep beneath the Earth’s crust, from decayed prehistoric plants and dinosaur poop.
A runaway greenhouse effect happened already on Earth. It killed eras of previous life, including our Jurassic dinosaurs.
What is a runaway greenhouse effect? It’s when our atmosphere gets so crudded up that the Earth heats up until all bodies of water evaporate. Without water, everything dies. The Earth becomes as lifeless as Venus or Mars.
How can we prevent this? Oil companies dredge up old methane gas from rotted Jurassic forests and dinosaur poop. But we can make it fresh, with our own plant, organic waste, and livestock poop. This is helpful for two reasons.
First, you don’t coat the atmosphere with more climate-changing crud. When a plant grows, it absorbs climate-changing crud out of the atmosphere — a mix of carbon and oxygen. And when that plant decays on your compost heap, it gives off exactly as much carbon and oxygen as it pulled out of the atmosphere while it grew.
This is called a net zero effect. Net zero is a great effect to promote when you want
When a plant decays on a compost heap, it gives off exactly as much carbon and oxygen as it used while it grew. This is called a net zero effect. PEXELS
to make clean, cheap energy and keep your landfills from overflowing. The second reason to make our own methane is that it’s cheap.
If you make and harness your own methane, you don’t have to pay for fracking rigs or for the millions of barrels of water and the toxic chemicals that are needed to blast our Earth’s crust. You don’t have to buy drilling rights or pay to clean up the land and drinking water supply you’ve saturated with toxic fracking chemicals.
If you decide to make your own methane, people will bring you their organic
waste. And while doing so, you help keep landfills from overflowing. What’s more, the methanization process makes the best compost you have ever used — a commodity that will greatly serve our farmers.
Go get a few truckloads of landfillmethanized compost and double your crop productivity.
Sounds smart right?
In other countries, people have been using this process for the last 60 years. When I first started teaching in France, I asked my students to debate the pros and cons of French nuclear energy production vs. Danish farm-produced methane production. That was in the early 1990s. Today, city waste management plants make their own methane gas and sell it to the utilities. In France, even deep in the country, the buildings at municipal landfills make their own methane and run their own furnaces for free.
We are three generations behind the eight ball in the U.S.
Mr. Ruffins might whisper a hint to his friends at the county landfills: Quit wasting your money. Take our waste and make your own methane gas, then use it or sell it.
Come on, America. Let’s go net zero. Zero wasted money. Zero overflowed landfills. Zero crud in our atmosphere. Let’s make our own methane.
Anne Petrov is a resident of Bladensburg.
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CITY OF HYATTSVILLE ELECTION
Hyattsville’s election day is May 13. Hyattsville residents will elect one councilmember for each of the city’s five wards. Ballots will start arriving in the mail mid-April. Find out which ward you live in with the city’s interactive map: hyattsville. org/541/City-Election-Wards.
You don’t have to be a U.S. citizen to vote, only a City of Hyattsville resident age 16 and older who has lived in the city for at least 30 days. In-person voting and same-day voter registration will be available at the Hyattsville Municipal Building (4310 Gallatin Street).
Registered voters who receive mail-in ballots may vote by mail or deliver their ballots to drop boxes at the Hyattsville Municipal Building, the Hyattsville Branch Library (6530 Adelphi Road) or Heurich Park (2900 Nicholson Street). The ballot box at the library is inside and accessible only during library hours. Ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on May 13 to be counted.
The Life & Times (L&T) reached out to all candidates registered to run in the city’s 2025 election. You’ll find their statements in this section. Wards are listed in numerical order; candidates are listed alphabetically by last name within each ward.
WARD ONE
Greg Barnes Age: 54
Day Job: Principal, TwinLogic Strategies; CEO/founder, Benjamin Martin Foundation
Community Involvement: Current member of the Hyattsville Planning Committee;
president of the Arts District West Homeowners Association; previous member of the Hyattsville Compensation Review Committee
Statement to Voters: Hyattsville has experienced a tremendous amount of growth over the course of the past decade or so. A key to the city’s recent progress has been forwardthinking, capable community leaders with an unquestionable
love for the city. Now is not the time to turn back the clock.
I’m running for city council because I firmly believe I can build upon the city’s recent success. If elected, I’ll start by focusing on fiscal responsibility. Ensuring that our future spending is not only transparent and accountable, but also matches the top priorities of Ward 1 residents. In addition to fiscal responsibility, I also plan to champion such issues as pedestrian and traffic safety, affordable housing, and environmental sustainability.
I have a proven track record of success. In terms of my educational background, I received my bachelor’s degree in economics from Morehouse College, a JD from Washington University School of Law, and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University. My professional career has spanned nearly two decades and primarily focused on advising several of the nation’s leading tech companies on some of the most challenging legal questions involving intellectual property.
During my brief time out on the “campaign trail,” I’ve met several new friends and enlisted many new supporters in Ward 1. On May 13, I hope I can count on your support, as well!
Stuart Eisenberg
Age: 61 Day Job: Outgoing executive director, Hyattsville Community Development Corporation Community Involvement: Board member, Hyattsville Preservation Association;
CITY OF HYATTSVILLE ELECTION
Maryland Arts and Entertainment District Advisory Committee member; IOOF [Independent Order of Odd Fellows] Oriole #47 Lodge brother Statement to Voters: Why run? To improve fiscal discipline and focus on the council, to deliver budget discipline so that the most important, the essential city services, are their finest and we can afford to maintain our roads and parks properly and proactively. The small business climate still needs improvement, as does the city’s working relationship with its business owners. I will continue fostering resident entrepreneurship locally. Why vote for me? Service, Representation, and Leadership: Those are the job requirements for a councilmember. I served the community a robust tenure on council before (20012005), redirecting its efforts towards revitalization and focusing on becoming a destination. The next 20 years were spent on the job running a nonprofit tasked with ensuring that our residents were able to make Hyattsville ever cooler, more self-sustaining, and welcoming at every possible level. With my experience, I can help serve the community to deliver great local events, better public spaces, and keep Hyattsville the place so many of you were looking for
and wanted to come home to. Knowing where the city’s interests need representing, and showing up in those places at the right time is key to being a good representative, and again I have the most experience in this candidate pool to help make that happen. Lastly, my efforts will be focused locally. While I care about a great many things, my service will not be issue-oriented, and I don’t want to change your mind about anything. I can certainly give you a speech if that’s what you want, but I’d rather pave your roads, plant more trees, build public art, and fix the trip hazards on your block, while I pick up the stray trash. See you round the campus.
Scott Wilson
As of press time, Scott Wilson had not responded to the Life & Times’ requests for information.
WARD TWO
Lisbeth
Melendez Rivera
Age: 58
Day Job: Hola, I am a 58-yearold cis female male of the center who is the resident chef at the Festival Center in Adams Morgan, and
the owner of Vegigante Foods, a catering company focused on feeding the social justice movement’s body, mind, and soul one person at a time.
Community Involvement: For the past 40 years, I have committed myself to pursuing justice and equity in a transparent and accountable manner. Since moving to Hyattsville, I have actively addressed infrastructure challenges such as water management and overdevelopment, advocated for stronger representation of non-English speakers, and developed resources for those in need within our community. I played a key role in establishing the Hyattsville Pickleball League and have been a strong supporter of ranked choice voting, sanctuary city status, and the protection of undocumented immigrants, women, and LGBTQ+ residents living in our great city.
Statement to Voters: After much consideration and my deep concern for today’s political climate, I have decided to set aside my quiet voice to run again for city council. I am dedicated to ensuring that our residents have a strong voice, attentive ears, and a justiceoriented mindset in their next city councilmember. I believe this is especially important in a time when our democracy is
under attack and many of our neighbors are suffering due to various issues, from their status as immigrants to the loss of their jobs as federal employees. If elected, I will advocate for a transparent budget and a focused council dedicated to serving ALL the people of Hyattsville while safeguarding the most vulnerable in our community by standing firm against county, state, and federal encroachments on our selfdetermination as a city. Most importantly, I will strive daily to fulfill my commitment to ensuring that Ward 2 remains an inclusive and participatory local democracy for all our residents.
Emily Strab Age: 40 Day Job: I’m a music teacher and school administrator at a private, independent high school in D.C. I started my teaching career in Prince George’s County Public Schools 18 years ago.
Community Involvement: I’m currently serving my first term on the Hyattsville City Council. Before that, I served two terms on the city’s Police and Public Safety Citizens’ Advisory Committee, and for over 10 years, I ran Ward 2’s longest-running
neighborhood watch. I’ve coached T-ball, administered babysitting co-ops, organized meal trains, and volunteered for the Life & Times. Statement to Voters: Since my election in 2022, I have put my time and energy into representing the interests of Ward 2 residents. I’m resolved to continue to bring the voices of our residents to the fore of the conversation on the dais. Residents are concerned about our budget and late audits; last year, I was the only councilmember to move to cut expenditures, and my motion for the audit committee passed earlier this year after time and effort spent building consensus with council and staff. Hyattsville will now have resident oversight of its financial internal controls, processes, and policies, and I will continue to work on financial guardrails and transparency. Residents are worried about affordability. Seniors want to stay in their homes, families want the city to develop sustainably so they don’t get priced out, and everyone wants quality services and to live in a safe, connected, vibrant neighborhood. I will balance the many needs in a diverse community by listen-
CITY OF HYATTSVILLE ELECTION
ing to all sides to provide a nuanced solution, keeping in mind that when the city works with our state, county, and private partners, we get more accomplished without increasing the tax burden on our residents. Tell me more (cuéntame más) at emilystrabforhyattsville.com, and Vote for Experience (¡Elige Experiencia!) by voting for Emily by May 13.
WARD THREE
Gopi Dhokai Age: 37 Day Job: Behavioral health subject matter expert, Point32Health; owner/clinician at private practice
Community Involvement: American Red Cross, disaster mental health volunteer — National Capital Region; Prince George’s County Board of Elections, election judge; University of Maryland Alumni Association, member Statement to Voters: Since moving to Ward 3 in 2023, I have had the opportunity to engage with my neighbors and community members in Hyattsville through many com-
munity meetings, social events and individual conversations. This inspired me to serve as an election judge in the general election in November, where I met folks from all over Prince George’s County and more intimately learned about our election process.
My experience as a mental health counselor has taught me the value of active listening and amplifying voices. I will bring this same approach to city council, working closely with residents to understand their concerns and champion solutions that reflect our shared progress. As the fastest growing ward in the city, I will embrace Ward 3’s diversity as I make decisions about the budget, future development projects, public safety, sustainability, housing equity, and additional emerging issues to represent Ward 3 residents. Please learn more about my campaign at: gopiforward3hyattsville.com or my social media: @gopiforward3hyattsville.
Desde que me mudé al Distrito 3 en 2023, he tenido la oportunidad de relacionarme con mis vecinos y miembros de la comunidad en Hyattsville a través de muchos eventos y conversaciones individuales.
En cada reunión comunitaria y evento social, he conocido a personas que quiero conocer mejor. Esto me inspiró a servir como jueza electoral en las elecciones generales de noviembre, donde conocí gente de todo el condado de Prince George’s y aprendí más profundamente sobre nuestro proceso electoral. Hay muchísimas oportunidades para el compromiso cívico y para animarnos unos a otros en nuestra comunidad. Por favor visite mi sitio web para obtener más información sobre la campaña: gopiforward3hyattsville.com.
J. Clemonts
Jr.
Age: 36 Day Job: Cyber director for OnyxPoint; president of The Clemonts Family Foundation, a nonprofit charity; captain in U.S. Army Reserves with 18 years of service Community Involvement: For the last seven years, I’ve helped feed hundreds of Hyattsville families by teaming up with local organizations, such as Hyattsville Initiative Partnership and both Edward M. Felegy Elementary and Nicholas Orem
Middle schools, among others. My wife and I donate our preloved clothes and household goods to the local Lutheran Church. I served on the Editors Park HOA Board for three years and helped develop relationships with the Hyattsville Police Department.
Statement to Voters: I’m running for city council because I feel that decisions our city has made the last couple of years have benefited businesses more than Hyattsville residents. Hyattsville already has a rent stabilization bill drafted; as a city councilmember, I will bring it to a vote so our neighbors who are struggling to pay rent can get the relief they need. I’ll work to increase the safety in our city, from getting crosswalks in our communities, to lighting on our numerous walking paths, to easily implemented safety protections at our mall. I understand these things will take hard work. With your vote, I’d draw on nearly 20 years of teamwork experience that I’ve learned in the military to make these things happen. Hyattsville is a wonderful city, and I’d work to make sure it’s one where everyone is given a chance to thrive.
WARD FOUR
Eduoard Haba
As of press time, Edouard Haba had not responded to the Life & Times’ requests for information; he is running unopposed.
WARD FIVE
Michael Angeloni
7105 Pony Trail Lane, Hyattsville: Spacious brick rambler with gorgeous wood floors, updated windows and a new roof! 4 BR, 3 baths and a 2-car garage! Listed for $645,000. OPEN HOUSE: April 12, Noon - 2 PM
3931 Madison Street, Hyattsville: Super sweet 3 BR 1.5 bath property. Open kitchen with granite counters, SS appliances and 2 renovated baths! Lovely fenced lot overlooking Madison St! Listed for $425,000 with an ASSUMABLE VA LOAN!
DID YOU KNOW?
6521 Parkway Court, Hyattsville: Classic rambler with 2 finished levels 3 BRs, 2 baths. Solar panels too! Listed for $400,000. Seller received multiple o ers!
SECRETS DON’T SELL HOMES: Thinking of listing your home privately? You may want to think again. Limited exposure leads to limited competition. All data supports that publicly listing a home yields the best return to the seller –homes sell 18% higher and 3x faster.
Age: 37
Day Job: Advocacy engagement senior manager with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Community Involvement: Member of the Hyattsville Education Advisory Committee since 2022; volunteer for Pamela Boozer Strother’s campaign for school board; community theater actor for the last decade throughout the D.C. area, including several shows in Hyattsville
Statement to Voters: I am running for the Ward 5 seat on the Hyattsville City Council because I believe in fostering a community where every resident feels empowered, safe, and connected. My vision encompasses enhancing public
education, promoting community-centered public safety, advancing environmental sustainability, and strengthening accessibility and inclusion for all.
Investing in our schools and youth is pivotal for our city’s future. I aim to increase school funding, expand after-school programs, and bridge the digital divide, ensuring every child in Ward 5 has the resources they need to succeed.
Public safety should be rooted in trust and collaboration. I support a community-first approach that includes increased mental health crisis response resources, stronger neighborhood watch programs, and greater engagement between law enforcement and residents to build lasting relationships of trust.
Environmental sustainability is crucial for our community’s well-being. I will advocate for green infrastructure projects, such as rain gardens and solar initiatives, and the expansion of bike lanes and walkable neighborhoods.
True representation means ensuring all voices are heard and valued. I am committed to making city services more accessible for people with disabilities, enhancing language access services for non-English speakers, and creating more opportunities for residents to participate in local decision-making through regular town halls and listening sessions. Together, we can build a more inclusive, sustainable, and empowered Hyattsville. I hope to earn your support to turn this vision into action.
Kelson Nisbett
CITY OF HYATTSVILLE ELECTION
Age: 42 Day Job: I spent two decades in military service with a focus on military space operations. I now work for a private company leading their space program.
Community Involvement: My involvement includes being a committee member on my neighborhood HOA, attending city council open forum meetings, and cleaning our neighborhood. Lately, I’ve been speaking with the residents of Hyattsville and directly engaging with our community leaders. My goal is to gain their perspective to start making an impact on my first day. Remember, I work for you.
Statement to Voters: I am running because Hyattsville is my home, and it is my duty to protect my home. I believe in the safety and prosperity that we can achieve together. I plan to create a profitable budget, prevent tax increases, maintain affordable housing, and keep our streets safe. Safe communities are happy communities, and happy communities create prosperous communities. We should ensure our law enforcement, fire and ambulances have the resources to keep us safe. We should create business strategies that support small businesses. Let’s give incentives to local businesses who prioritize hiring residents of Hyattsville. Let’s invest in programs that teach our residents about business and financial literacy. Let’s also invest in programs dedicated to STEM education.
We should also develop West Hyattsville as a metro “destination location” and a beacon of prosperity. This means building restaurants and retail stores near the metro and investing resources to refurbish the Hamilton stores. The goal is to have people from other cities spend their money in Hyattsville, NOT the other way around. I want to build a safe future for everyone in Hyattsville. Please visit ElectKelson.com to help me build “A Safer, Stronger Hyattsville for All.” Para español, por favor visite mi sitio web.
Daniel Amador Renard
Age: 33
Day Job: Manager at Deloitte LLP
Community Involvement:
Co-chair of the Race and Equity Task Force; member of the community planning committee; and active member for Ward 5, namely around development and transportation issues Statement to Voters: Daniel Amador Renard is running for Hyattsville City Council to work on government transparency and accountability, housing affordability, and equitable and sustainable economic growth. I want to engage with residents differently and ensure that everyone has the support they need to express their concerns and get the services they need. I want to explore ordinances that will promote housing affordability for renters and owners as well as create sustainable infrastructure and businesses to ensure our local economy thrives.
CANDIDATE FORUM APRIL 24
Join us April 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the Hyattsville Municipal Building’s multipurpose room as the Life & Times asks candidates your questions.
Visit tinyurl.com/wz5b2fh2 to submit your questions for candidates by April 21.
Watch the livestream on facebook.com/hyattsvillelife. This event will be moderated by Managing Editor Griffin Limerick and Streetcar Suburbs News Executive Director Kit Slack.
Video of the answers to each question will be available at StreetcarSuburbs.News after the event.
Offering: Traditional Funerals Memorial Events Life Celebrations Caskets, Vaults, Urns Memorial Services Event/Meeting Center Direct Cremations Catering Events Memoriam Remembrance Day
301-927-6100
A Q&A with exiting Ward 1 Councilmember Denes
By HANNAH MASSEY
Sam Denes has served as the city councilmember for Hyattsville’s Ward 1, which stretches from east of Baltimore Avenue to west of 42nd Avenue, since 2021. As he nears the end of his first and only term, Denes spoke with the Life & Times (L&T) to reflect on his four years in office, discussing his achievements, challenges and future goals.
A passionate advocate for sustainable urban planning and community engagement, Denes ran for council with a focus on expanding bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, improving street safety, and promoting responsible governance. He said his commitment to these issues is fueled by his love for the outdoors and a desire to make Hyattsville a more connected and livable city.
Before joining the council, Denes was involved in the city’s Health, Wellness and Recreation Committee, served as president of the Arts District Hyattsville Master Homeowners Association, and regularly volunteered with the city’s food distribution program. He also works in environmental policy for a federal agency, specializing in offshore energy development.
Denes credits former Ward 1 Councilmember Bart Lawrence with “planting the seed” for his eventual candidacy, and he now reflects on his time in office as he prepares for the next chapter.
L&T: If you were to describe Hyattsville in one word, what would it be?
Denes: If I were to describe Hyattsville in one word, it would be “community.” I’ve lived in a number of states around the country, and this is the most I’ve ever felt a sense of community. I’ve never had this much connection to my neighbors in any of the places I’ve ever lived before, and I love it.
L&T: Did you meet your goals as a councilmember?
Denes: I could say unequivocally that I did reach some of my goals, particularly when it comes to projects focused on vulnerable road users, pedestrians and cyclists. Rather than viewing streets as just ways for cars to move quickly, we’ve shifted the community’s focus to being able to exist outside of a steel box and get around in a way that’s not reliant on cars. More crosswalks have been painted, more bike lanes and bike trails have been created, and lighting has been im-
proved on trails and sidewalks. I’m really excited to see that happening.
L&T: Were there any goals you set for yourself that you didn’t achieve?
Denes: I wanted to see ranked
choice voting come to Hyattsville. I still think it should. I talked to the Board of Elections and clerks a couple of years ago about making it happen, but it didn’t pan out. Since then, Councilmember [Danny] Schaible [Ward 2] has
really taken up the mantle. I also wanted to see changes to our tax code. Right now, we tax commercial and residential property the same way, and that doesn’t really make sense. I think we can create a more equitable system for collecting revenue if we implement additional changes to our property tax program.
L&T: What is something you learned while being a councilmember that surprised you?
Denes: I was surprised by how much consensus there is on the council. There’s not a lot of dissent. We work really hard to get everyone to support something or to make it a reasonable process. Sometimes that means things get slowed down, but it was surprising how many unanimous votes we had.
L&T: How involved was the public in the city’s decisionmaking during your term? Denes: I hear from community members constantly. When I’m out walking my dog, I’ll have someone come up and ask about a city issue. We get a lot of emails and phone calls. There are people who are very involved and very concerned about the city, and they want to see Hyattsville improve.
L&T: How was communication among councilmembers? Denes: Councilmembers are people. Some people you vibe with, and you communicate
Outgoing Ward 1 Councilmember Sam Denes COURTESY OF SAM DENES
THE CITY OF HYATTSVILLE
The Hyattsville Reporter
FY 26 Budget Update
Hyattsville City staff presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget at City Council meetings on March 24 & April 2. The budget reflects estimated revenues and proposed expenditures for the period of July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026.
This fiscal year presents challenges as the rising costs of goods and labor have outpaced revenue growth. To close the gap, City staff identified costs that could be reduced without significant impact to the City’s core services.
The budget includes funding for essential operations like sanitation and public safety, programs and resources to support community members and local businesses, and maintenance and improvement of City parks, roads, and buildings.
A full breakdown of the proposed budget is available at hyattsville.org/budget. Council will continue budget discussions and consider adjustments and amendments throughout April & May. Read below for ways you can be a part of the process!
Actualización del Presupuesto del Año Fiscal 26
El personal de la Ciudad de Hyattsville presentó el presupuesto propuesto para el Año Fiscal 2026 en las reuniones del Concejo Municipal del 24 de marzo y el 2 de abril. El presupuesto refleja los ingresos estimados y los gastos propuestos para el período comprendido entre el 1 de julio del 2025 y el 30 de junio del 2026.
Este año fiscal presenta desafíos, ya que el aumento de los costos de los bienes y la mano de obra ha superado el crecimiento de los ingresos. Para reducir la brecha, el personal de la Ciudad identificó costos que podrían reducirse sin afectar significativamente los servicios básicos de la Ciudad.
El presupuesto incluye fondos para operaciones esenciales como limpieza y seguridad pública, programas y recursos para apoyar a la comunidad y a los negocios locales, y el mantenimiento y la mejora de los parques, carreteras y edificios de la Ciudad.
Un desglose completo del presupuesto propuesto está disponible en hyattsville.org/budget. El Concejo continuará las discusiones presupuestarias y considerará modificaciones y ajustes durante abril y mayo. ¡Lea a continuación cómo puede participar en el proceso!
ANNOUNCEMENTS | ANUNCIOS
ARAB AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
Join us in honoring the rich cultural and historical contributions of Arab Americans this April! Discover local events and resources at hyattsville.org/aam.
PARKING PERMIT RENEWALS
All residential parking permits are due for renewal in 2025! Zones 2, 6, 9A, & 13 are currently open for renewal through April 30. Find the renewal portal and upcoming zone renewal periods at hyattsville.org/parking.
IN WELLNESS WE THRIVE: YOUTH EXPRESSIVE ARTS COHORT
Teens are invited to relax and express themselves through art, music, games, and mindfulness at the In Wellness
We Thrive-Expressive Arts Group. This program offers a creative, supportive space for students in grades 6-12 every Tuesday from 5-6 p.m through May 6. Register and learn more at hyattsville.org/teen-center.
CFI GRANT APPLICATIONS OPEN ON APRIL 14
Apply for a CFI grant between April 14 - June 20! This program offers grants up to $35,000 to business and property owners within the City of Hyattsville to enhance their building’s exterior. Details at hyattsville.org/biz-grants.
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK
In honor of National Volunteer Week (April 20 -26) the City would like to shout out its volunteers for making Hyattsville a truly special place! Keep your eyes out for volunteer highlights on City social media! If you have time to give, please visit hyattsville.org/volunteers to learn about the City’s wide variety of volunteering opportunities!
TRANSPORTATION FOR OLDER ADULTS
Find free and reduced rate transportation options for older adults and people with disabilities in the Age-Friendly Transportation Guide, available at hyattsville.org/seniors.
The City’s Call A Bus is free for Hyattsville’s older adults and people with disabilities to make trips to medical appointments and grocery stores weekdays between 9 AM – 4 PM. Reserve by calling (301) 985-5000 before 2 p.m. at least one business day in advance.
MES DE LA HERENCIA ÁRABE AMERICANA
Únase a nosotros para rendir homenaje a las ricas contribuciones culturales e históricas de los estadounidenses de origen árabe este mes de abril. Descubra eventos y recursos locales en hyattsville.org/ aam.
RENOVACIÓN DE PERMISOS DE ESTACIONAMIENTO
Todos los permisos de estacionamiento residencial deben renovarse en el 2025! Las zonas 2, 6, 9A y 13 están actualmente abiertas para la renovación hasta el 30 de abril. Encuentre el portal de renovación y los próximos periodos de renovación de zonas en hyattsville.org/ parking.
CON BIENESTAR PROSPERAMOS: GRUPO DE ARTES EXPRESIVAS
Los adolescentes estan invitados a relajarse y expresarse a través del arte, música, juegos y la atención plena con el programa Con Bienestar Prosperamos- Grupo de Artes Expresivas. Este programa ofrece un espacio creativo y de apoyo para estudiantes de los grados 6 a 12 todos los martes de 5 - 6 p.m. hasta el 6 de mayo. Inscríbete y obtén más información en hyattsville.org/teen-center.
LAS SOLICITUDES DE SUBVENCIÓN CFI SE ABREN EL 14 DE ABRIL
Solicite una subvención CFI entre el 14 de abril y el 20 de junio. Este programa ofrece subvenciones de hasta $35,000 a propietarios y empresas de la ciudad de Hyattsville para mejorar el exterior de sus edificios. Más información en hyattsville.org/biz-grants.
¡SEMANA NACIONAL DEL VOLUNTARIADO!
Con motivo de la Semana Nacional del Voluntariado (del 20 al 26 de abril), la ciudad quiere felicitar a sus voluntarios por hacer de Hyattsville un lugar verdaderamente especial. Esté atento a las noticias más destacadas sobre los voluntarios en las redes sociales de la ciudad. Si tiene tiempo para dar, visite hyattsville.org/volunteers para conocer la amplia variedad de oportunidades de voluntariado de la ciudad.
TRANSPORTE PARA ADULTOS MAYORES
Encuentre opciones de transporte gratuitas y a precios reducidos para personas mayores y discapacitadas en la Guía de Transporte Adaptado a las Personas Mayores, disponible en hyattsville.org/ seniors.
El servicio Call A Bus de la ciudad es gratuito para que las personas mayores y discapacitadas de Hyattsville puedan acudir a citas médicas y al supermercado los días laborables entre las 9 de la mañana y las 4 de la tarde. Reserve llamando al (301) 985-5000 antes de las 2 p.m. con al menos un día hábil de antelación.
Join your neighbors at Driskell Park on April 26 for the City’s 139th Anniversary! Enjoy live music, games and activities for all ages, and food and drinks from local vendors. Festivities begin at 4 p.m. with fireworks starting at dusk! Learn more at hyattsville.org/anniversary.
Flag Raising Ceremony: Council adopted a new City flag at the end of 2024, designed and voted on by members of the community! Please join us at a special ceremony to raise the new flag at the Anniversary Festival, starting at 6 p.m. Learn more about the flag at hyattsville.org/newflag.
¡Únete a tus vecinos en Driskell Park el 26 de abril para celebrar el 139 aniversario de la ciudad! Disfrute de música, juegos y actividades, y comida y bebida de vendedores locales. Los festejos comenzarán a las 4 p.m. y los fuegos artificiales al anochecer. Más información en hyattsville.org/anniversary.
Ceremonia de Izado de Bandera: El Concejo adoptó una nueva bandera de la ciudad a finales del 2024, ¡diseñada y elegida por los miembros de la comunidad! Únete a nosotros en una ceremonia especial para izar la nueva bandera en el Festival del Aniversario, a partir de las 6 p.m. Obtén más información en hyattsville.org/newflag.
CALENDAR | CALENDARIO
FREE ZUMBA CLASSES
Wednesdays from 4 - 5 PM at the City Building! Details at hyattsville.org/wellness.
SEATED EXERCISES
Older adults can join seated exercise classes on Wednesdays, 10 - 11 AM. at the City Building, 4310 Gallatin St. Contact 301-985-5000 or seniors@hyattsville.org to register.
BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
Join local business and nonprofit leaders for resource updates and networking on April 8 from 9 – 10:30 AM at Marleys, 6450 America Blvd. hyattsville.org/roundtable.
LANCER & LONGFELLOW TRAFFIC CALMING
Join us on April 9 at 6 PM to discuss traffic calming strategies for Lancer Dr. and Longfellow St., on the block of 36th Ave between Lancer Dr. and Longfellow St.. Provide feedback: hellohyattsville.com until April 25.
CERAMICS WORKSHOP FOR TEENS!
Create your own ceramics masterpiece with friends! On April 9 & 23 from 5 - 6 p.m. at the Hyattsville Teen Center, 3911 Hamilton St. hyattsville. org/teen-center.
NIGHT OWLS
Drop off your little one(s) in grades K-5 at the Driskell Park Rec Center from 6 - 9 PM on April 11! Kids participate in fun activities while you get a night out! hyattsville.org/nightowls.
HVL IN BLOOM!
Celebrate Spring on April 12 from 10 AM - Noon at Driskell Park, 3911 Hamilton St.! Join us for a DJ dance party, science show, and egg hunt starting at 11:30 AM! hyattsville.org/bloom.
FOOD FOREST TOUR
Take a tour and discover the diverse, edible plants at the Emerson Food Forest, 4515 Emerson St., on April 14 from 3:30 - 4:30 PM! hyattsville. org/foodforest
FREE PRODUCE
A free produce distribution is taking place on April 15, First United Methodist Church, 6201 Belcrest Rd. starting at noon.
COFFEE WITH A COP
Connect with the HPD at Coffee with a Cop on April 16 from 8 - 9:30 AM at Hyattsville Crossing Metro! Officers will be outside with coffee. Everyone is welcome!
NARCAN TRAININGS
Attend a free training to learn how to recognize an opioid overdose and administer NARCAN. Trainings are available in both English and Spanish on April 16 at 6:30 PM and April 18 at 10 AM at the City Building, 4310 Gallatin St. hyattsville.org/calendar.
TREE PLANTING
Help plant trees at University Hills Park, 3400 Stanford St. on April 19, 8:30 AM - Noon! Enjoy breakfast from 8 - 8:30 AM followed by a brief training. Register: hyattsville.org/enviroeducation.
CARE PARTNER
SUPPORT GROUP
Join the City’s care partner support group on April 18, 910:30 AM at the City Building. hyattsville.org/calendar.
INVASIVE REMOVAL
Help remove invasive plants from Driskell Park, 3911 Hamilton St from 10 AM - 2 PM on April 19! RVSP to environment@hyattsville.org.
LUNCH & LEARN: MEDICARE 101
Join us for a free workshop on medicare for older adults on April 21, 11 AM - 1 PM, 4310 Gallatin St. Register online using RecDesk; details at hyattsville.org/seniors.
LIFE & TIMES
CANDIDATE FORUM
Get to know the Council candidates at a Forum hosted by the Hyattsville Life & Times on April 24 at 4310 Gallatin St, 7 - 8:30 PM, Visit streetcarsuburbs.news for details and submit questions.
DIAPER DISTRIBUTION
FREE diaper distribution on April 25 at the City Building at 9:30 - 11 AM. Proof of the child’s date of birth is required. hyattsville.org/calendar.
ANNIVERSARY FEST!
Join your neighbors at Driskell Park on April 26 starting at 4 PM for the City’s 139th Anniversary! Enjoy live music, games and food. hyattsville.org/anniversary.
DRUG TAKE BACK DAY
Drop off any unwanted prescriptions, vape pens, and e-cigs at our Drug Take Back Day on April 26 from 10 AM - 2 PM at 6201 Belcrest Rd. Questions? Contact CAT@ hyattsville.org or call (301) 985-5060.
YOUTH FINANCIAL LITERACY CLINIC
Students in grades 6-12 can learn valuable financial skills! April 30, 5-6 PM at the Teen Center, 3911 Hamilton St. hyattsville.org/teen-center.
EARLY VOTING DAY
Save the Date for an Early Voting Day on May 3, 9 AM - 1 PM at St. Matthew’s Church, 5901 36th Ave. Election Day is May 13!
SHRED-IT DAY
Get rid of your unwanted paper documents on May 3, from 10 AM– 1 PM, at the City Building, 4310 Gallatin St.! More info: hyattsville.org/ calendar
ZUMBA GRATIS
Miércoles de 4 - 5 PM en el
Edificio Municipal. Más detalles en hyattsville.org/wellness.
EJERCICIOS
SENTADOS
Adultos mayores pueden unirse a las clases de ejercicios sentados los miércoles de 10 - 11 AM en el Edificio Municipal, 4310 Gallatin St. Registrese: 301-985-5000 o seniors@hyattsville.org.
MESA REDONDA
Únase a los líderes de negocios locales y organizaciones para actualizaciones de recursos el 8 de abril de 9 - 10:30 AM en Marleys, 6450 America Blvd. hyattsville.org/roundtable.
CALMADO DE TRÁFICO
Acompáñenos el 9 de abril a las 6 PM para discutir estrategias de calmado de tráfico en Lancer Dr. y Longfellow St., en el bloque de 36th Ave entre Lancer Dr. y Longfellow St. Dé su opinión antes del 25 de abril en hellohyattsville.com.
¡TALLER DE CERÁMICA
PARA ADOLESCENTES!
¡Crea tu propia obra maestra de cerámica con amigos! El 9 y 23 de abril de 5 - 6 PM en 3911 Hamilton St. hyattsville. org/teen-center.
BUHOS NOCTURNOS
¡Deje a sus pequeños (de los grados K-5) en el Driskell Park de 6 - 9 PM el 11 de abril! hyattsville.org/nightowls.
¡HVL FLORECIENDO!
¡Celebra la primavera el 12 de abril de 10 AM al mediodía en Driskell Park, 3911 Hamilton St.! ¡Únase a nosotros para una fiesta de baile con DJ, un espectáculo de ciencia y una búsqueda de huevos! hyattsville.org/bloom.
TOUR: BOSQUE DE ALIMENTOS
¡Venga a un recorrido para descubrir las plantas comestibles en el Emerson Food Forest, 4515 Emerson St., el 14 de abril de 3:30 - 4:30 PM! hyattsville.org/ foodforest
ALIMENTOS GRATUITOS
Distribución gratuita de productos el 15 de abril en la Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida, 6201 Belcrest Rd., a partir del mediodía.
CAFÉ CON UN POLICÍA
Conéctese con la HPD en Café con un Policía el 16 de abril de 8 - 9:30 AM en Hyattsville Crossing Metro. ¡Oficiales ofreceran café!
NARCAN
Entrenamiento gratuito para aprender a reconocer una sobredosis de opioides y administrar NARCAN. Los entrenamientos estarán en inglés y español el 16 de abril, 6:30 PM y el 18 de abril, 10 AM en 4310 Gallatin St. hyattsville.org/calendar.
PLANTACIÓN DE ÁRBOLES
¡Ayude a plantar árboles en el University Hills Park, 3400 Stanford St., el 19 de abril de 8:30 AM al mediodía! Desayuno de 8-8:30 AM. hyattsville.org/enviroeducation.
GRUPO DE APOYO
Únase al grupo de apoyo para cuidadores el 18 de abril de 9 - 10:30 AM en el Edificio Municipal. hyattsville. org/calendar.
ELIMINACIÓN DE ESPECIES INVASORAS
Ayude a eliminar plantas invasoras en el Driskell Park, 3911 Hamilton St., de 10 AM a 2 PM el 19 de abril. RSVP a environment@hyattsville.org.
ALMUERZO Y APRENDIZAJE:
MEDICARE 101
Únase a nosotros para un taller gratuito sobre Medicare para adultos mayores el 21 de abril, de 11 AM - 1 PM, en el 4310 Gallatin St. Regístrese usando RecDesk; detalles en hyattsville.org/seniors.
FORO DE CANDIDATOS LIFE & TIMES
Conozca a los candidatos del Concejo en un foro organizado por el Hyattsville Life & Times el 24 de abril, 4310 Gallatin St., de 7 - 8:30 PM. Visite streetcarsuburbs. news para más detalles y enviar preguntas.
DISTRIBUCIÓN DE PAÑALES
Distribución gratuita de pañales el 25 de abril en el Edificio de la Ciudad de 9:30 - 11 AM. Se requiere prueba de la fecha de nacimiento del niño. hyattsville.org/calendar.
¡FESTIVAL
DE ANIVERSARIO!
¡Únase a sus vecinos en Driskell Park el 26 de abril, 4 PM para celebrar el 139º Aniversario de la Ciudad! Música, juegos y comida. hyattsville.org/anniversary.
DÍA DE DEVOLUCIÓN DE MEDICAMENTOS
Deje sus medicamentos no deseados o dispositivos de vapeo el 26 de abril de 10 AM - 2 PM en 6201 Belcrest Rd. ¿Preguntas? CAT@hyattsville. org; (301) 985-5060.
EDUCACION FINANCIERA JUVENIL
¡Estudiantes de los grados 6-12 pueden aprender valiosas habilidades financieras! El 30 de abril, de 5 - 6 PM en el Centro Juvenil, 3911 Hamilton St. hyattsville. org/teen-center.
DÍA DE VOTACIÓN ANTICIPADA
¡Día de Votación Anticipada el 3 de mayo, de 9 AM - 1 PM en la Iglesia de San Mateo, 5901 36th Ave! ¡El Día de las Elecciones es el 13 de mayo!
DESTRUCCIÓN DE PAPELES
Deshágase de documentos de papel no deseados el 3 de mayo, de 10 AM - 1 PM, en el Edificio Municipal, 4310 Gallatin St. ¡Más información en: hyattsville.org/calendar!
HIGHLIGHTS | LO DESTACADO
HYATTSVILLE
City Council Election
Elección del Concejo Municipal
Hyattsville’s Councilmembers make decisions on City budgets, policies, and planning. Don’t miss your chance to decide who represents you on City Council.
Los concejales de Hyattsville toman decisiones sobre los presupuestos, las políticas y la planificación de la ciudad. No pierdas la oportunidad de decidir quién te representa en el Concejo Municipal.
VOTE BY MAIL! | ¡VOTA POR CORREO!
Tuesday, May 13: Ballots will be mailed to all registered voters in early April. Return your ballot by 8 PM on May 13—Postmarks don’t count! Martes, 13 de mayo: Las boletas se enviarán por correo a todos los votantes registrados a principios de abril. Devuelva su boleta antes de las 8 PM del 13 de mayo—¡Los sellos no cuentan!
VOTE EARLY! | ¡VOTA TEMPRANO!
Saturday, May 3: 9AM–1 PM, St Matthews Church, 5901 36th Avenue
Sábado 3 de mayo: 9 AM–1 PM, la Iglesia de San Matteo, 5901 36th Avenue
VOTE IN PERSON! | ¡VOTA EN PERSONA!
Tuesday, May 13: 7 AM–8 PM City Building, 4310 Gallatin Street
Martes, 13 de mayo: 7 AM–8 PM el Edificio Municipal, 4310 Gallatin Street
REWILDING ROUTE 1
Tiny tigers on the hunt
By RICK BORCHELT
It’s spring, and tigers are on the hunt in Maryland. Very tiny tigers.
Tiger beetles.
What they lack in size, these pint-sized predators more than make up for in sheer killing power. Even as larvae, these beetles have oversized jaws and lightning-fast reflexes that make them unmatched hunters for their size, in the insect world. They come by their moniker “tiger” beetle honestly.
Maryland has nearly 30 species of these charismatic beetles, occurring in every county in the state. They live in a variety of habitats — forest trails, mud flats, baseball diamonds, lake margins — even hot sandy beaches in the swelter of midsummer.
Most tiger beetles share some distinguishing characteristics. They typically have long, thin legs designed for running after prey — entomologists call this a cursorial leg. Their long legs
provide another advantage, especially for species that run across hot surfaces: They lift the body up off superheated beach sand, shale barrens and the like.
Tiger beetles also use those cursorial legs for a behavior called stilting — raising their bodies off the ground or angling themselves in relation to the sun’s rays. They stilt either to keep cool or, when the weather is chilly or cloudy, to find the right basking posture to absorb the sun’s warmth. In this way, tiger beetles usually maintain a body temperature of around 104 F — no mean feat for a coldblooded insect in early spring.
Cursorial legs have given tiger beetles the undisputed title of fastest running insect on Earth. Top prize among them goes to a tiger beetle in Australia that can travel as fast as 8 feet per second, or more than 200 miles an hour.
Predation starts early in the tiger beetle clan. The female finds a spot with deep soil — preferably clay or packed loam — and lays an egg in a shal-
low hole she constructs. When the egg hatches, the wormlike grub digs a tunnel, usually about a foot deep, where it lays in wait for passing prey like ants or other insects. The grub plugs the tops of the tunnels with its flat head, leaving only its eyes and jaws protruding, to ambush unlucky victims. Tactics like this don’t provide a lot of food, apparently; most tigers take two years or more to metamorphose into adult beetles.
In addition to flat, trapdoor heads, tiger beetle larvae have another adaptation to life as a tunnel terror. About two-thirds of the way down their back, they have a pronounced hump with heavy-duty grappling hooks built into it. That way, if they catch prey that puts up a fight, tigers can just dig in and hold on tight to prevent being pulled out of their holes.
Adult tiger beetles are daytime hunters with excellent eyesight. This visual acuity comes from their large, bulbous eyes made up of hundreds of
facets that give the beetle an almost 360-degree field of vision. As anyone who has ever tried to catch one of these agile insects can tell you, they’re much easier to observe than capture. Here in Maryland, the most prevalent species is the sixspotted tiger beetle (Cicindela sexguttata); they’re easiest to spot in April and May. While only about an inch long, they stand out by dint of their bright metallic green color and penchant for hunting in plain sight
on forest paths or trails. The green is relieved only by a few white spots on the wings — usually six, as the name implies — though some populations are spotless. Six-spotted tigers are common throughout Maryland, including in the D.C. suburbs, as long as there’s a shady wooded area. Females lay their eggs at the side of a trail or path. Maryland also has two federally protected tiger beetles, both of which occur along narrow
Adult six-spotted tiger beetle with its full complement of spots COURTESY OF M. J. RAUPP
He first came in contact with law enforcement in March 2019 outside a Hyattsville Home Depot, where he was looking for work as a day laborer.
That encounter with a detective from the Hyattsville Police Department (HPD) led to Abrego Garcia’s arrest by the Prince George’s Police Department (PGPD) and transfer to ICE custody, all in one afternoon. This transfer happened despite a Hyattsville sanctuary city ordinance forbidding HPD officers from cooperating with ICE and a PGPD policy of not working with ICE unless a criminal warrant had been issued.
ICE held Abrego Garcia in custody from March until October of 2019, while his immigration case was litigated. He was reportedly held without bail because an informant said he was a gang member. While an order of removal was issued against him because he entered the country illegally, a judge granted withholding of the removal, ordering that Abrego Garcia could not be deported to El Salvador because he would be persecuted and potentially tortured by a gang there.
Abrego Garcia is now per-
mitted to work in the U.S. and is a full-time apprentice sheet metal worker, seeking licensure through a program at the University of Maryland. He lives with his wife, who is a U.S. citizen, and three children.
Abrego Garcia’s case has attracted national attention.
While administration officials have admitted ICE made a mistake, they have said Abrego Garcia will not come back, claiming, without offering evidence, that he is a gang member.
State Del. Nicole Williams, who represents District 22, which includes Hyattsville, said
that immigrants in her district are afraid to take their kids to school and have stopped attending library programming because of the current federal immigration enforcement policies.
Total numbers of immigrant removals from the interior of the country have not been high-
er under President Trump than under President Biden, so far, according to the Transaction Records Access Clearinghouse, a data analytics nonprofit. In a February press release and a March 28 social media post, ICE has complained that Prince George’s County does not hold residents at ICE’s request.
Del. Williams is the lead sponsor of the Maryland Values Act, which would prevent local law enforcement from making agreements with the federal government to enforce immigration laws. If passed, the law would end existing agreements in six Maryland counties (not including Prince George’s County) by this summer. The law would also require local law enforcement statewide to give ICE 48 hours notice before the release of prisoners convicted of certain serious crimes.
As of press time, the Maryland Values Act had passed the Maryland House and was in committee in the Maryland Senate.
The HPD confirmed that an incident involving Abrego Garcia and Hyattsville police occurred on March 28, 2019, at about 2:30 p.m. The Life & Times has requested the incident report and interviews related to the incident, which the department did not immediately provide.
Supporters rally outside the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt after a judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia's return.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Find more local events all month long in our new, continuously updated online calendar at StreetcarSuburbs.News/events.
Here’s our list of events sponsored by local nonprofits, arts organizations and performance venues, occurring between April 9 and May 7; all information is current as of April 3. For events and meetings organized by the City of Hyattsville, see The Hyattsville Reporter in the newspaper’s centerfold.
Please send notices of events that will take place between May 8 and June 11 to managingeditor@hyattsvillelife. com by May 1.
RECURRING
Weekly acoustic blues jams, in the Piedmont blues tradition. Listeners welcome! Free. Saturdays, 1 to 5 p.m. Archie Edwards Blues Foundation, 4502 Hamilton St. acousticblues.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. For more information, contact rpkfarmmkt@gmail.com.
Sharpen your drawing skills in a relaxed, informal setting at Hyattsville figure drawing group’s drop-in drawing sessions at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center. Sessions consist of several short warm-up poses and a single sustained pose for the duration of the session. Bring your own art supplies; drawing boards and chairs provided. $20/session or $75/5-session punch card or $15/session for Pyramid Atlantic members. Tuesdays, 6 to 9 p.m. 4218 Gallatin St. hyattsvillefiguredrawing@ gmail.com
Early Bird Serenity AlAnon. Support for friends and families of alcoholics based on the 12-step program. Free, all are welcome. Virtual meetings every Thursday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. For more information and Zoom link, email ebsalanon@gmail.com.
Busboys and Poets hosts an open mic for poets every Thursday. $5. 8 to 10 p.m. 5331 Baltimore Ave. 301.779.2787. busboysandpoets.com
ONGOING
“Members MashUP” is Pyramid Atlantic’s annual members’ exhibition that celebrates a mashup of styles, mediums and price points. Through April 20. Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, 4218 Gallatin St. pyramidatlanticartcenter.org. 301.608.9101
APRIL 10
Experience the extraordinary sisterhood of three women who share an unbreakable bond in “The Color Purple” (2023, 141 min.) Ages 60 and better. $5. 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Purchase tickets through pgparksdirect.com. Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly. 301.277.1710. publickplayhouse@pgparks. com
Practice and enhance your public speaking and leadership skills with the Prince George’s County Women’s Bureau Toastmasters Club on the second Thursday of every month! Free. 7 p.m. For more details and to register for this virtual event, please visit pgcountywomen’sbureau. toastmastersclubs.org.
APRIL 12
The Brentwood Artisan Shop Pop-up and Artist Demos offers a fantastic opportunity to meet local artists, shop for unique handmade items and learn about their creative process through interactive artist demonstrations. Free. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood. 301.277.2863. brentwoodarts@pgparks.com
As part of the Freedom Stories Initiative, Joe’s Movement Emporium presents an author talk and book signing with
APRIL 25
Attend Meet the Honeybee to discover the vital role honeybees play in our environment through hands-on learning and demonstrations. Free. 4 to 5 p.m. Register at pgcmls.info/ events. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd. 240.455.5451
Leslye Penelope, author of Daughter of the Merciful Deep Free. 1 to 3 p.m. Register at joesmovement.org. 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. 301.699.1819
Jon Watkins Music will move your soul at Streetcar 82 Brewing Co. Free. 7 to 9 p.m. 4824 Rhode Island Ave. streetcar82brewing.com
APRIL 17
Want to learn how to make book structures without any sewing or glue? Come to Make + Take: Onesheet Bookmaking. $45. 7 to 9 p.m. Register at pyramidatlanticartcenter.org. Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, 4218 Gallatin St. 301.608.9101
APRIL 18
Explore the incredible properties of raw and polished gemstones at the Gemstone and Crystal Workshop. Ages 7+. $7 county residents, $10 nonresidents. 10:30 a.m. to noon. Register at pgparksdirect. com. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Rd., Bladensburg. 301.779.0371. BladensburgWP@pgparks.com
APRIL 19
Put on your dancing boots and come to Maryland Meadworks for some honky-tonk country music from Karen Collins and the Backroads Band! Free. 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 201.955.9644. marylandmeadworks.com
APRIL 25
As part of Route 1 Corridor Conversations, join Franklins owner Mike Franklin for a discussion of the commercial history of Route 1, starting with the old Hyattsville Hardware Store that is home to today’s Franklins Restaurant, Brewery and General Store. Attendees can join via telephone or Zoom. Free. 2 to 3:30 p.m. Register at hyattsvilleaginginplace.org/ events.
APRIL 26
Ian and Jason Riggs perform at Maryland Meadworks. Free. 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 201.955.9644. marylandmeadworks.com
APRIL 26 & 27
For nearly 50 years, the Dallas Black Dance Theatre has mesmerized audiences with
their spellbinding performances. $35 general admission, $30 seniors and students. Saturday 8 to 10 p.m., Sunday 4 to 6 p.m. Purchase tickets through pgparksdirect.com. Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly. 301.277.1710. publickplayhouse@pgparks.com
APRIL
27
Join the Riversdale Kitchen Guild over the open hearth as they highlight brunch-themed recipes using 19th-century techniques. Free. Noon to 4 p.m. Register through pgparksdirect. com. Riversdale House Museum, 4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420. riversdale@pgparks.com
APRIL 30
UMD Jazz Jams brings Districtbased saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed to perform and lead a community-wide jam! Free. House band starts at 7:30 p.m. Jam starts at 8:30 p.m. Busboys and Poets, 5331 Baltimore Ave. 301.779.2787. busboysandpoets. com
MAY 3
The ‘80s and ‘90s rock band Totoro plays at Streetcar 82 Brewing Co. from 7 to 9 p.m. Free. 4824 Rhode Island Ave. Streetcar82brewing.com
MAY 6
Experience an exciting cultural fusion at Exploring Indian Classical Dance and Hip Hop: An Interactive Dance Class and Demonstration, led by Chitra Subramanian from chitra.MOVES! Free. 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Register at pgcmls. info/events. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd. 240.455.5451
MISS FLORIBUNDA
Out of the blue?
Dear Miss Floribunda,
I moved to this area from the Pacific Northwest (Washington) three years ago. I have tried but failed to grow my favorite flowers for two of those years. Because I adore the color blue, I’ve always made delphiniums, lupines, forget-me-nots and Himalayan poppies the mainstays of my flower beds. What contrasting colors I added were to make the blues pop. I haven’t been able to maintain these varieties beyond midsummer in my Hyattsville garden, even though I did keep up with watering when there was no rain. Do you or your friends know of any tricks to keep these plants alive and blooming?
Feeling Blue Without Blue on Buchanan Street
Dear Feeling Blue,
I’m afraid your best bet is to look for other blue flowers than those native to your former home. All the flowers you have tried to grow here prefer cool summers with soil that is consistently moist but not soggy. Here we have blistering hot summers with torrential rain storms alternating with drought.
Fortunately, there are lovely blue flowers that thrive in our microclimate. I am not going to recommend larkspur because the “blue” variety is really purple and not the seraphic azure of the Pacific Giant delphinium I suspect you have been trying to grow. However, thanks to our acid soil, Hyattsville hydrangeas usually bloom in many thrilling blue tonalities — ranging from the deep sapphire of stained glass to a diaphanous powder blue. Blue-flowering plumbago and bugloss make wonderful groundcovers. These plants like semi-shade, but for sunnier spots, you could showcase borage, morning glories, bottle gentian and cornflowers. When I checked with my experts, Aunt Sioux confirmed that hydrangeas, as well as the sun-loving flowers mentioned, are good choices for blue bloom in summer. However, she suggested that if you want blue flowers in spring, you might add Siberian iris (Iris sibirica), as well as such bearded iris (Iris germanica) as ‘Caribbean Dream,’ ‘Victoria Falls,’ ‘Babbling Brook,’ ‘City Lights’ and ‘Forever Blue.’
Dr. Greengenes joined Aunt Sioux in recommending our native blue flag iris (Iris virginica).
Dr. Greengenes is also a fan of Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella damascena) as an ethereal backdrop for late-flowering bulbs. Wendy Wildflower recommended a number of trueblue-flowering small bulbs, such as squills (Scilla), spring starflowers (Ipheion), gloryof-the-snow (Chionodoxa) and certain grape hyacinths — Muscari paradoxum and Muscari aucheri ‘Blue Magic.’ However, she warns that you have to go to the trouble of placing chicken wire over any area you plant them in, because our felonious local squirrels will dig
up and appropriate any bulb the size of an acorn.
For other blue flowers in late spring and early summer, Wendy Wildflower grows our native false indigo (Baptisia), woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata), and bluestar (Amsonia illustris) for their stunning blue bloom all through the spring months.
Of course you can’t go, or grow, wrong with native plants:
Aunt Sioux and Wendy Wildflower add to your list such dependable local favorites as the ravishing Virginia bluebell (Mertensia virginica), with its deep sky-blue petals marked with rose pink, as well as fluffy light blue Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium reptans) for spring and blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) for late spring and early summer.
Dr. Greengenes recommends the native spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) for early summer and the cobalt blue cardinal flower (Lobelia siphilitica) for later in summer. The pale blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) blooms in fall.
Beautiful blue-flowering shrubs you might grow are Ceanothus and Vitex, with the warning
that, with time, they can become small trees. Certain viburnums and other shrubs have attractive blue berries in fall. What would help you most is to acquire plants from your gardening neighbors because anything that does well in adjacent gardens will do well in yours. Please come to the next meeting and plant exchange of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society on Saturday, April 19, at the home of Joe Buriel and Dave Roeder, 3909 Longfellow Street. After coffee, nibbles and a brief meeting at 10 a.m., participants in the plant exchange will present and describe their offerings. Each person will then select a plant after their number is called — sequentially till all plants are gone. As a newbie, you need not bring a plant but may choose plants to take home. You will also meet friendly gardeners who can help you adapt to your new gardening challenges.
Miss Floribunda writes about gardening for the Life & Times. You may email her at Floribundav@gmail.com.
The Virginia bluebell is a dependable local favorite. PEXELS
SCIENCE OF THE CITY
Composting, the fertile solution to food waste
By PAUL RUFFINS
This is the second in a series of articles exploring landfills, food waste and methane emissions in Prince George’s County and neighboring jurisdictions. The series is partly supported by an Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowship from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
At the U.S. Composting Council’s (USCC) January convention in Phoenix, Ariz., the entire first day’s workshop examined how organizations already composting garden and agricultural wastes could meet the challenges of incorporating food. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farmers estimate that nearly 49% of the soil used to grow America’s most important crops is eroded or depleted of some nutrients. The production and use of nitrogen fertilizers for growing food accounts for about 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, which is more than aviation and shipping account for combined. However, as the first article in this series explained in March, adding food waste makes compost more nutritious and diverts food from landfills, saving space while reducing the formation of greenhouse gases.
Most attendees of the convention seemed to agree that the industry’s biggest worry is contamination. The ubiquitous plastics, PFAS, and “forever chemicals” in the environment are ending up in compost, attracting the prospect of regulation and possibly posing a small risk to compost farmers themselves. In response, one presenter argued that it was absurd to consider banning PFAS in compost when they are still legal in cosmetics and dental floss. Nevertheless, most of the officials, farmers, environmentalists and manufacturers who attended the convention seemed optimistic that the composting industry will continue its explosive growth of about 10.6% a year through 2029.
The USCC has long recognized the Maryland suburbs of D.C. as national leaders in food composting. In 2022, Ben Parry, CEO of Rockville-based Compost Crew, won its person
of the year award. In 2024, the USCC honored Prince George’s County for its efforts to collect food waste from over 104,000 households (now over 180,000). The county and Compost Crew represent competing visions: large centralized operations versus farm and communitybased composting.
In the 1980s, the Prince George's County Organics Processing Facility (OPF) in Upper Marlboro was created to keep grass, leaves, lawn clippings, trees and other organic matter out of the landfill by turning them into mulch and a profitable compost sold as LeafGro. In 2013, OPF became the largest facility on the East Coast to incorporate food waste into a product called LeafGro Gold. The facility is operated by Maryland Environmental Services (MES) — a state-owned nonprofit corporation.
Steven Birchfield, MES operations manager of its food composting operation, explained that mulch can be made from any untreated shredded wood, including trees and forklift pallets, and is primarily used to retain moisture and prevent weeds. “Compost,” he said, “is legally regulated by the Maryland Department of Agriculture as a soil amendment. It’s similar to fertilizer because it adds nutrition to the soil and must be safe to be used on food crops.”
Making compost requires microbes that grow the best with
ity in America because it had adopted a then-state-of-the-art pilot program to create compost that contained up to 50% food waste. Instead of starting with windrows, OPF placed materials in static piles covered with a breathable Gore-Tex material and force-fed air through perforated tubes. In 2018, the food composting project expanded to include 12 waist-high GoreTex-covered concrete bunkers, which supply air through holes in the floor. After several weeks, the compost is moved and formed into conventional windrows for final processing. The entire process only takes about two months, and the staff says the Gore-Tex covers prevent problems from pests or odors. The OPF also produces compost without food, for a total of approximately 70,000 tons per year. Making compost faster in less space is important because Maryland House Bill 264 requires organizations that produce more than 1,000 pounds of food waste a week, such as universities, grocery stores and restaurants, to divert this waste from landfills or incinerators if they are within
a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of approximately 30:1 by weight. Generally, brown and dry organic matter, such as autumn leaves and wood chips, is higher in carbon. Materials that are moist and green, like grass clippings, are higher in nitrogen.
The Montgomery County Yard Trim Composting Facility, in Dickerson, is typical of a large operation that doesn’t incorporate food into its compost. The facility collects yard trim and grass in the summer, leaves during the fall, and wood yearround. It then mixes them in the right proportions, grinds them, and forms the mixture into long, narrow triangular piles, called windrows, about eight feet high. The windrows are then regularly turned and aerated to reduce the formation of methane.
In any type of composting, the biological reactions should cause the compost to heat up to between 140 F and 160 F, which is hot enough to kill pathogens and unwanted seeds. With the right amounts of moisture and oxygen, turned windrows create compost in about eight or nine months. Adding food can threaten nearby communities by generating terrible odors and attracting birds and vermin. This is why Montgomery County, College Park and other municipalities that make compost don’t include food.
In 2015, the USCC named Prince George’s OPF the best large-scale composting facil-
30 miles of a proper facility that will accept it. To encourage recycling and composting, Prince George’s Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill, in Upper Marlboro, charges $77 a ton (increasing to $85 in July). The OPF only charges Prince George’s County municipalities $25 a ton, while most non-county municipalities and commercial customers pay $48. It recently purchased an $800,000 de-packaging machine to process expired food in plastic containers or cans, which will cost customers $60 a ton.
The Convertus composting facility, in Manassas, Va., which services Prince William County, handles 100,000 tons of food and yard trim a year using a newer process that both blows and sucks air through bunkers covered with partly processed compost (rather than Gore-Tex fabric) to prevent pests and odors. However, this facility is about 34 miles from downtown D.C., compared to the 23 miles from downtown to Prince George’s OPF. An extra 22 miles or more round trip (and a river crossing) is an expensive difference for trucks that
SEE SCIENCE ON 15
Donta Dobbs, left, and Thomas Fazio, right, cleaning out air holes in the ECO City composting bunker PAUL RUFFINS
hearing, Councilmember Wanika Fisher (District 2), who represents Hyattsville, took the plan under advisement, meaning she’ll decide whether the plan will be further approved or sent back to the planning board by the end of the month.
The planning board’s decision to approve the site plan included conditions that the company retain some of the woodland, which would’ve been destroyed in the initial plans; paint a crosswalk in the shopping center; and include a sign in the store that acknowledges the property’s partial location on a former historic plantation where people were enslaved.
But according to Hyattsville residents, these conditions aren’t enough. Several voiced concerns that the proposed land acknowledgement by McDonald’s might be merely a poster.
“You’re going to venerate a bunch of people who were enslaved and died on this property by putting a bunch of posters in a McDonald’s,” local resident Alexi Boado said at the January planning board meeting. “I think that’s crazy; I don’t think that meets a minimum stan-
dard of historic preservation or education for the public, and I’m just really disappointed that that was even considered.”
McDonald’s representative Edward Gibbs assured board members at the meeting that the markings to designate the restaurant’s location would be “presented artistically and tastefully,” and that an archeologist would be present during the installation.
Updates to the original construction proposal also include more fencing, crosswalks, speed bumps and signage in the parking lot to manage pedestrian traffic around the building.
“I believe that with more pronounced sidewalks, safety features such as stop bars, painting on the surfaces, speed bumps, it definitely will enhance the safety, pedestrian and vehicular,” said Nicholas Speach, a civil engineer hired by McDonald’s to implement planning board recommendations.
However, community members told the board in January that the proposed changes would not be enough to keep pedestrians safe from the inherent danger of constructing a high-traffic venue in an already dangerous area.
“I believe the record indicates
that the traffic estimates provided by the applicant are fanciful,” resident Jeff Cronin said in testimony. “In fact, I believe that the high throughput drive-thru proposed here increases the likelihood that more pedestrians will suffer injuries or fatalities after colliding with a vehicle.”
Multiple members of the county council had similar qualms about exacerbating the existing danger of the area.
Councilmember Eric Olson (District 3) told the council he personally faces the risks of the intersection when driving his daughter to school.
“I’m floored that this proposal would even be before us, frankly, as a frequent driver to that area,” Olson said. “I can’t think of a worse site.”
Residents’ main concerns about the area, however, are more about the impacts of another fast-food restaurant in a community already suffering from a lack of healthy eating options and the effects that pollution from the restaurant could have on students at César Chávez Dual Spanish Immersion School — one-third of a mile from the proposed location.
Attorney for McDonald’s Edward Gibbs argued, with the support of the planning board,
that discussions surrounding the site plan should be focused solely around on-site problems and effects on traffic within the parking center.
“I don’t challenge [the opposition’s] concerns. But the plethora of documents and testimony put in by the applicants all relate to off-site issues,” Gibbs said. “Drainage, impacts on Sligo Creek, the climate control plan, food equity — I don’t quarrel with the sincerity of those objections. But with respect, they are not relevant inquiries to the approval of a detailed site plan.”
According to the community, however, there are myriad factors that must be discussed in order to understand what the effects of the new restaurant would be.
“We’re talking about our children, who go to a school that’s on a major thoroughfare,” said César Chávez parent Rebeca Rios. “They’re already exposed to a lot of traffic-related air pollutants.
… [The McDonald’s is] going to add more air pollutants, and asthma is already a major concern for Prince George’s County.” Rios went on to mention that air pollution can worsen the effects of asthma and lead to susceptible students missing school.
The area surrounding the school, which was previously designated a “food swamp” by the nongovernmental organization Prince George’s County Food Equity Council, is a large point of contention among community members who want more robust food options in such a high-activity area near a school.
“I think I can speak by and large for parents when I say that we want to provide healthy food for our children, and it’s no secret that McDonald’s food is not healthy or high quality,” César Chávez parent Rachel Mulford said. “We really want to avoid a higher density of fast-food restaurants in our immediate surrounding community.”
Before taking the matter under advisement, some of the council expressed apprehension about the intentions of the restaurant to operate differently based on community concerns.
“It does appear that you understand the comments from the residents,” said Council Chair Edward Burroughs (District 8). “It just also appears that you don’t care.”
Stella Garner is an undergraduate journalism student at the University of Maryland.
SCIENCE
only get about 6 mpg. Thus, the OPF also composts most of the food waste collected in Montgomery County, as well as some from the District.
“The Organics Processing Facility has been a great financial success,” explained Maryland Environmental Services project manager Thomas Brewer. “Between our tipping fees and selling all the Leafgro Gold we make, the food composting completely pays for itself.”
So, what are the advantages of smaller organizations, such as Compost Crew?
Compost Crew provides paid compost collection services throughout the DMV and has developed several small-scale Compost Outposts. Its partners include ECO City Farms’ three nonprofit organic farms. ECO City’s 3.5-acre Bladensburg farm features a concrete bunker for receiving and mixing materials, and a composting enclosure approximately the size of a shipping container. The enclosure consists of two cells, with holes in the floor aerated by solar-powered blowers. With some additional processing, ECO City can produce compost in about four months.
ECO City Compost Manager
Tom Fazio explained that one advantage of his operation is helping local communities and businesses save fuel and tipping fees. “In the fall, we encourage towns like Bladensburg and Riverdale Park to drop their leaves here for free, rather than driving to Upper Marlboro. Local landscapers also drop off wood chips at no cost,” he said. The biggest plus may be producing compost with less contamination. For example, the OPF is not supposed to accept yard waste in plastic bags, but sometimes residents hide plastic bags inside paper ones.
Once a non-compostable plastic spoon or other contaminant goes through a grinder, it’s very difficult to get it out. ECO City, on the other hand, doesn’t accept yard trim or use grinders. When Compost Crew’s organic solutions representative, Tim Jenkins, arrives at ECO City with a ton and a half of food scraps, it’s all from ecologyminded paying customers who are much more likely to sort their waste more carefully than the average citizen. Then it’s his responsibility to further remove any other contaminants he sees, such as ketchup packets.
“I consider the Prince George’s composting facility [the OPF] to
be a valuable partner because we often drop off food with them when we collect more than our small operations can handle at one time,” he said. “However, it’s simply unreasonable to expect a huge facility to deliver compost of the same quality as a small organic farm.” Composting is only one approach to food waste. Our next article will explore biodigestion and waste-to-energy incineration, which is widely used in Europe.
Paul Ruffins is a citizen scientist and a professor of curiosity.
REWILDING
beaches of Chesapeake Bay. The Puritan tiger beetle (Ellipsoptera puritana) prefers steep, eroding clay bluffs like those at Calvert Cliffs — the same ones that produce prodigious amounts of shark teeth. Females lay their eggs up on the cliff face, and the larvae burrow horizontally into the clay. Adults patrol the strip of beach below.
The Eastern beach tiger beetle (Habroscelimorpha dorsalis) favors the same narrow beaches along the bay, just minus the bluffs. Their eggs are laid on the upper beach, and the tunnel is the traditional vertical one. Eastern beach tiger beetle grubs can even survive a day or two being inundated at high tide or during ocean storms. Sea level rise and bayside development threaten both species, of course, and several of the few Maryland populations
have already winked out of existence. Even some once-common tiger beetle species are declining from habitat loss, and from compaction of the soil in heavily used recreational areas. The compaction — from hiking, cars, bicycles — makes the ground too hard for the beetle grubs to burrow in.
If you do manage to sneak up on and capture a tiny tiger, be sure to handle it carefully. Those large jaws can deliver a serious pinch to an unwary tiger tamer.
To see a video of a six-spotted tiger beetle hunting and subduing prey, go to tinyurl.com/2yzznwyh.
Rick Borchelt is a local naturalist and science writer who writes and teaches about natural history, gardening and the environment. Reach him with questions about this column at rborchelt@gmail.com.
Covered piles and aeration equipment at Prince George's County Organics Processing Facility PAUL RUFFINS
easily with them to discuss things, even if you don’t always see eye to eye. Different councilmembers have different preferences — some prefer talking on the phone, some want to talk late at night, others prefer email. You just meet people where they are. There are certain councilmembers I talk to a lot, and others I don’t talk to as much.
L&T: Do you regret any of your votes as a councilmember?
Denes: I don’t regret any of my votes. None of them make me concerned about the future of Hyattsville. But there is one area where, if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have been as supportive of a lot of the projects we tried to undertake with our American Rescue Plan [Act of 2021] funds (see p. 2). There were a lot of great ideas put forward, but we as a council asked a lot from staff and dedicated a significant amount of time trying to get these projects done. In hindsight, I think we could have been more judicious with those funds. I don’t specifically regret any of my votes, but I do think we, as a council, could have handled that better.
L&T: Why did you decide not to run for reelection?
Denes: I spent the past year really deliberating over whether or not to run
again. My wife joked that I was changing my mind weekly. I struggled with the idea because I feel like I have more to offer and more that I would like to accomplish. But I also feel that I wasn’t able to be as effective as I wanted to be as a councilmember. For whatever reason, I struggled to make sure the projects I started actually got over the finish line. I want to do more, but I’m not sure I’m the right person to get it done as effectively as I’d like. Up until Jan. 20, I was still undecided, but after the presidential inauguration and the drastic changes to my day-job situation, it just became untenable for me to commit to another four years. I was incredibly stressed, concerned with separate aspects of my life, and unable to devote the time, energy and emotional investment required for the council.
L&T: What advice would you give to individuals interested in running for city council?
Denes: Keep your mind open. Understand that at the end of the day, it’s about relationships and working with people. Focus on the things you want to get done, but be willing to put time and effort into things that others want to get done because, together, more things will get done well. Pay attention to the community, listen to the residents — they know more than you do — and try to have fun. The meetings can be long and challenging, but it’s a lot better when you have a smile on your face. Try to enjoy it.
MICHA H EL E I HAE
We have great residential areas, but what I’d really love to see is three main commercial hubs — West Hyattsville, the Mall at Prince George’s, Hyattsville Crossing — full of people who feel comfortable being out on the street, not trapped in their cars. I want to see more people enjoying those areas along Route 1, hopefully with new restaurants and businesses thriving. I’m really excited for that type of future.
L&T: What do you hope to see in Hyattsville in the next 5 to 10 years?
Denes: I would like to see vibrant, active, comfortable and inviting commercial spaces. We have great residential areas, but what I’d really love to see is three main commercial hubs — West Hyattsville, the Mall at Prince George’s, Hyattsville Crossing — full of people who feel comfortable being out on the street, not trapped in their cars. I want to see more people enjoying those areas along Route 1, hopefully with new restaurants and businesses thriving. I’m really excited for that type of future.
L&T: What do you hope the new city administration will accomplish in the next few years?
Denes: What’s front of mind right now is the budget season. I’d like to see the budget process become less acrimonious. I want the city to be more prepared and more effective at communicating our financial situation. If we can do that, I think the community will have a better understanding of what city staff are trying to achieve. But it’s going to take some time. We’re moving in the right direction.
The L&T also reached out to Councilmember Rommel Sandino (Ward 5) — the only other current city councilmember who is not seeking reelection — for comment, but had not received a response as of press time.
Hannah Massey is an undergraduate journalism student at the University of Maryland.
