Home damaged by tree finally gets repaired, P.7
New steakhouse opens in Cambria, P.11
Moose Lodge looks for another location in city, P.12
Summer fun begins even as students clear out
By JALEN WADE
College Park may clear out once University of Maryland (UMD) students head home for the summer, but city officials say they’re doing their best to entertain the permanent residents who live here year round.
To that end, the city and some of its neighborhood associations will host almost a dozen community events between May and September, including a street fair and a Taste of College Park restaurant promotion–both for the first time.
“We are a college town, but we’re not just a college town, so it’s important that we do things throughout the year for all of our residents,” Ryna Quiñones, the city’s communications and events manager, said.
The Spring Street Fair at Davis Hall on May 18 will feature artisans selling handmade goods, and food trucks, live music and wandering performers. The day will include an arts class, cooking demonstrations and a dogfriendly booth by the dog park.
Lisa Cohen, who lives in the city’s Yarrow neighborhood, said she is looking forward to the fair.
“So there’s food, but there’s vendors, there’s restaurants that people become aware of,” said Cohen, who noted she has enjoyed at-
Made in Maryland, a store on the street level of City Hall that sells local art and goods. The year-round market grew to host more than a dozen vendors every other Saturday evening before the city evicted it.
By OLIVER MACK
City officials shut down a flea market on College Park’s City Hall plaza in March after it had operated for nearly a year.
University of Maryland (UMD) alumnus Ethan Pham, who graduated in 2024, started the market, CP Flea, last May in collaboration with Shop
College Park City Manager Kenny Young cited Pham’s lack of permission as the main reason for shutting down the market. He also said vendors were driving their cars on the plaza, where the owners of streetlevel businesses complained the market blocked their stores and created parking and traffic
By SHARON O’MALLEY
Residents who live on or near Edmonston Road parallel to Kenilworth Avenue are asking the city to plant noise-absorbing trees between the two streets to replace the ones removed to make room for a sidewalk. They also plan to ask the state to conduct a sound study to determine whether a barrier wall,
better speed enforcement on Kenilworth Avenue or another solution might tamp down noise that some say is so loud in the evenings that they cannot have conversations when they stand in their yards.
“I can’t hear my neighbor talking to me,” said Maria Cordone, who lives on Edmonston Road in the city’s Yarrow neighborhood and has written to the
governor, to city, county and state officials, and to the police about the noise. “I can’t even sit out in the yard because of the noise.”
A group of residents in April met with City Councilmember Ray Ranker (District 3), who lives in College Park Estates, the community next to Yarrow. He said he sometimes hears noise
COLLEGE PARK’S AWARD-WINNING COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
summertime concert series on the plaza outside of City Hall draws crowds for music and food. Shown, a 2024 Friday Night Live! event.
Now is the time to support local news
By KIT SLACK
Saturday, May 3, was World Press Freedom Day, established by the United Nations more than 30 years ago to remind us that a free press is essential to a functioning and ethical society and is a critical force for public good. That focus feels more essential than ever before in our area as attacks against
the press increase and funding for public media is threatened.
If you believe you have a right to know about what elected officials and your local government are doing, or how your tax dollars are being spent, then you care about press freedom. If you want to know if politicians are living up to campaign promises and listening to the
General Assembly funds College Park projects
By SAM GAUNTT
It was a busy 90 days in the Maryland General Assembly.
The state entered its annual legislative session with a projected $3 billion budget deficit, a rapidly evolving federal environment, and ballooning costs in education, Medicare and child care.
In the three-month session that ended April 7, legislators focused their efforts on bringing the state out of its shortfall, while also tackling issues including energy and education.
Here’s a look at how this year’s legislative session could affect College Park residents.
STATE BUDGET
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and the General Assembly’s top leaders agreed on a budget deal that is projected to bring the state out of its deficit—but it didn’t come without sacrifices.
The plan closed the budget gap by generating about $1.5 bil-
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lion in new revenue, primarily through an increase in income tax on the state’s top earners and several new fees, and more than $2 billion in spending cuts. Among those cuts were more than $100 million from the University System of Maryland.
But funding for local school systems was preserved—and saw an increase over last year’s allocation, according to College Park state Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel).
“We want to protect education, we want to protect health care, we want to protect public safety,” Rosapepe told College Park Here & Now.
Still, the county school system may see a decrease in funding after the Legislature trimmed the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future—the state’s sweeping education reform plan passed in 2021.
Rosapepe said legislators added “Trump triggers” to the new state budget. If there are sig-
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Your monthly gift will help keep hyperlocal news coming to every home in College Park. We are looking for 100 new donors who can give $10 a month, starting this May, to allow us to strengthen and deepen our coverage during this critical time.
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nificant further federal spending cuts or state revenue drops, the triggers will require Maryland’s budget department and executive branch to come back to the General Assembly with a plan to tackle the issue.
Several bond initiatives to fund construction projects in and around College Park made it into the approved budget, including $325,000 to install a fire suppression system for the Attick Towers apartment complex and $250,000 to renovate the city’s Youth & Family Services department’s building.
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Other bond bills in the state budget include:
• $3 million for renovation of the College Park Airport and $2 million to support properties near it
• $5 million for graduate student housing in College Park
• More than $1.7 million to fund the construction of a new gym and multi-purpose space at College Park Academy
TAX INCREASES
Some College Park residents may see a change to their tax bill next year after the state made two new, higher tax brackets for its top earners and consolidated others.
Under the plan, the state will create two new income tax brackets: 6.25% for earnings between $500,000 to $1 million, and 6.5% for earnings more than $1 million.
Moore said the new tax system will result in a tax cut or no change at all for 94% of Maryland residents.
“This is what good governance looks like,” Moore said during a press conference announcing the new taxes on March 20. “It is responsible, and it hits every requirement that we laid out at the start of the session.”
The state will also impose a new 3% fee on data and information
technology services, and add an additional 2% tax on capital gains income of more than $350,000.
FINES AND PENALTIES
Several new laws will affect the amount of local and state fines.
One bill, sponsored by Rosapepe, will raise the maximum amount municipalities can charge for infractions of local ordinances or resolutions from $1,000 to $5,000.
Another will raise the penalties for speeding violations from $50 to a maximum of $425.
STABILIZING UTILITY PRICES
The General Assembly also approved measures to attempt to limit utility companies from charging significant fee increases.
Rosapepe told College Park Here & Now the General Assembly will tackle the issue by expanding Maryland’s renewable energy production and battery capacity.
“We’re way behind other states, and that will help bring down these rate increases,” he said. “And then also, we have a whole lot of regulatory changes to the powers of the Public Service Commission to crack down on these rate increases.”
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The Maryland Legislature adopted several new laws that could affect College Park. SAM GAUNTT
Afghan women raise awareness
By ROBERT STEWART
Sophia Wilcox darts around the room making sure everything’s in place for today’s conference. Her former University of Maryland (UMD) colleagues and some local volunteers are helping out, too.
They’re excited to talk to an audience about the aid program for women they ran in Afghanistan for UMD with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development.
But the April 29 event is bittersweet.
While a handful of Wilcox’s former Afghan colleagues who have immigrated to the U.S. say they’re lucky to be in College Park for the event, the bulk are stuck overseas. They’re engulfed in a bureaucratic waiting game that has grown dire since the Trump administration suspended the refugee admissions program.
“They were entitled to come to the U.S. by working with us,” Wilcox said.
Wilcox, now an agricultural
development specialist based in Costa Rica, and her former colleagues set up the conference at the Stamp Student Union to raise awareness. They said they want to drive home a point–that there’s still a need to get those they left behind to safety.
The university’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics ran the aid program in Afghanistan from 2011 to 2017.
The Women in Agriculture program trained close to 2,000 women throughout Afghanistan. They learned modern techniques to enhance their gardening skills that would improve food security and health for their local communities.
The program employed staff and interns to help translate, drive, provide logistical support, run the finances and teach the gardening techniques to other women.
When the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan under the Biden administration and that country’s government crumbled, the resurgent Taliban regime targeted
people who worked with Western governments. Their targets of retaliation included Afghans who participated in aid efforts like the Women in Agriculture program.
Wilcox, who was the in-country director for the duration of the program, helped collect the paperwork to get the staff and interns to the U.S.—a list of roughly 100 people. She said 30 people have made it so far.
In the Atrium Room at the university’s student union, Naveen Hashim volunteered at the hot tea station near the doors.
She has a background in chemistry and policy and was the women’s program coordinator for eastern Afghanistan, helping Wilcox with training and research from Nangarhar province.
“It feels very nice to see them after a long time,” Hashim, who drove hundreds of miles to share her experiences at the conference, said.
“I want people to know our story,” she said. “I don’t want the world to forget us.”
Tamana Mahmoodi, who was an office assistant in Wilcox’s Kabul office, flew from the West Coast to speak at the conference.
She said she was happy to be in College Park.
“I missed them,” Mahmoodi said about her colleagues.
The last time most of the women saw each other in person was eight years ago in Afghanistan.
This was Hashim’s and Mahmoodi’s first time in College Park.
Hashim, Mahmoodi and other Afghan colleagues spoke about the skills they learned from the
program, Taliban threats they received, the long process of getting approved to come to the U.S. and the pressing need to get their colleagues to safety.
“They were supporting the same program that we were involved in, and now,” Hashim said, “they’re facing the same threats.”
After the conference they got together to discuss what they can do next to help their colleagues stuck overseas, and they also relished the reunion. Several said they could never have imagined this day.
In this year’s
UMD seniors help with city projects
By OLIVER MACK
University of Maryland (UMD) students have been working to preserve the history of College Park’s Lakeland community and help city-based organizations through their senior capstone projects.
Several capstone classes—project-based courses that seniors complete before they graduate— have collaborated with the Lakeland Community Heritage Project to enhance the organization’s digital archives and have helped other city groups develop websites and environmental plans.
“It is helpful for us to see what [the students are] thinking about, and … it’s helpful for them to see how the things that they learned about in a classroom actually work with real-life projects,” Maxine Gross, chair of the heritage project, said.
The heritage project aims to collect, preserve, interpret and honor the history of African Americans who contributed to, lived in or were connected to the Lakeland community in College Park, according to its website.
Gross said students have helped organize the digital archive and present different parts of it in new ways, such as building a genealogy database for the community.
She also worked with a capstone class of graduate students to create proposals for restorative justice for the community to present to the city. Lakeland lost 104 of its 150 homes to urban
renewal during the 1960s and ’70s.
The projects benefit both the students and the community organizations they support, Gross said.
“The community organization gets the benefit of hearing what the current thought is on a particular subject,” Gross said. “Then, we try to look at what the community’s needs are and how those needs could be met.”
Students in capstone classes have also collaborated with Explorations on Aging, an organization that engages senior citizens with classes, events and resources, according to organizer Mary Anne Hakes.
The students are creating an easy-to-use website that will consolidate information on events, restaurants, attractions and other local information into a simple platform for the city’s senior population.
Students worked on the website over three semesters to prepare it for the seniors’ group to populate with information and then launch for the community, Hakes said.
“The intergenerational experience, I think, for both of us, was just wonderful,” Hakes said. “We met with them about once a week and stuck to business, but they respected our opinions. We certainly appreciated what they had done, and we were able to supply them with information that I think they welcomed.”
Hakes has also been working with a group of students from the university’s School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation to design plans for making College Park a “15-minute city,” part of a nationwide effort to ensure all residents can access essential services, like grocery stores, with-
in a 15-minute walk or bike ride.
Hakes said the students will present their final plan to the College Park City Council in May.
Student capstone partnerships between UMD and the city have expanded significantly over the past decade.
Andrew Fellows, a senior faculty specialist at the university and a former mayor of College Park, has led many of these initiatives.
“It’s about making sure that students have the opportunity to get engaged in the community that they live in,” Fellows said.
Fellows, who served as mayor from 2009 to 2015, said he has consistently worked to increase collaboration between the city and the university.
“When students come to the University of Maryland, they’re mostly on campus, and they typically don’t know that much about the area around them,” Fellows said. “So from a College Park perspective, [it’s about] making sure that students have opportunities to get engaged in the community that they live in.”
Many of the projects involve students from the university’s College of Information, specifically the iConsultancy Experiential Learning Program. The program partners with public- and private-sector organizations to deliver solutions tailored to clients’ needs while giving students real-world experience, preparing them for the workforce, TJ Rainsford, director of the iConsultancy program and a lecturer in the
College of Information, said.
“We’re not here trying to research some sort of issue or problem and looking for the city to participate in that,” Rainsford said. “It’s actually the other way around. We’re a service provider. We’re not telling the city or local organizations what projects we’re going to do for them. We’re asking them, ‘What are your problems? Let us help you address those problems.’”
College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir said the city works closely with the university to come up with ideas for capstone projects across the government and private sector.
Students have also contributed to several sustainability-related projects with the city in recent years, including researching ways to reduce stormwater pollution, planning and proposing a new park, surveying food resource accessibility during COVID and conducting a data analysis of how firefighter shortages affect the community.
The goal for both the city and the university is to continue expanding collaborative programs for the benefit of students, local businesses and College Park residents, participants said.
“We are so grateful to have the university within the city boundary,” Kabir said. “We call ourselves the home of the University of Maryland because we consider them as an asset, contributing in many ways to the College Park community.”
27th annual Maryland Day draws thousands
By AUDREY BENGTSON
Officials and staff from College Park participated in the 27th annual Maryland Day at the University of Maryland (UMD) on April 26 by handing out information about the city.
The event included more than 400 free, family-friendly events and activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., including a book giveaway, a trivia game and button-making at the city’s tent, and “a lot of fun stuff for people to come and enjoy and talk to us and learn more about the city of College Park,” said Ryna Quiñones, the city’s communications and events manager, who helped staff the tent on McKeldin Mall.
Also at the booth were representatives of the College Park Arts Exchange and the Education Advisory Committee. The city’s animal control officers staffed another tent and talked to
participants about how to adopt pets.
“It’s building community, bringing people together in one place and showcas[ing] how strong we are as a community,” College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir said. “We are not divided. You know, in many other university towns, you see, there’s a tension between the university and the long-term residential community, which is not a good thing. College Park actually, unfortunately, used to have this kind of environment many years ago. But thankfully, over the years, we’ve come a lot closer.”
City staff and officials attend the event every year to share information “to not only current students, but to prospective students and their families, so that they can get to know the home that they’ll be living in for the next four years or so,” Quiñones said.
The outdoor event is UMD’s springtime open house, featuring
ice cream and hot dogs,the RedWhite 2025 football scrimmage and tents from each academic department.
“It’s a special day,” language professor Manel Lacorte, who has taught at UMD for 25 years, said. “When I had my children and they came here for the first time, I could see how special it is. Now they remember, and it’s one of the memories they are going to have forever.”
Molly Rubinstein, a 1975 UMD graduate who lives in Greenbelt, said she has visited every Maryland Day for six years.
“It gives the surrounding community an idea of what the University of Maryland does, besides holding classes,” Rubinstein said. “Whatever the City of College Park can do to make students feel welcome, not only on campus but throughout the community, is very important.”
University of Maryland seniors have contributed research and IT assistance to city-based organizations, including the Lakeland Community Heritage Project.
LILLIAN GLAROS
So long. Chick-fil-A’s Little Blue Menu at 7242 Baltimore Ave. has closed for renovations and laid off 91 employees.
The test kitchen, which takes digital orders only for delivery and pick up and has no indoor dining room, filed a notice of the layoffs with the U.S. Department of Labor.
The two-year-old eatery, which has some outdoor seating, serves wings, burgers, vegetables and other fast food, alongside Chick-fil-A favorites like chicken sandwiches and waffle fries.
A Chick-fil-A spokesperson told the Washington Business Journal that the restaurant will reopen in the fall.
The restaurant’s name is a throwback to the early menus at Chick-fil-A, which were blue, according to the company.
Promotion. The 2023-24 University of Maryland student liaison to the College Park
City Council will be president of the school’s Student Government Association during his senior year, starting in the fall.
Dhruvak Mirani, who helped create a short-lived pilot project for the city to give subsidies to student renters, won a landslide victory in the April election. The school’s student newspaper, The Diamondback, reported that this year’s SGA elections drew 6,000 undergraduate voters, more than any year since 2020. Mirani, a government and politics major, also serves as a student member of the University System of Maryland’s Board of Regents.
Public hearing. The College Park City Council will hold a public hearing on May 6 on the city’s proposed $29.6 million fiscal year 2026 budget.
The proposal, which would increase the budget by 0.9% over the previous year, would add three full-time staff members to City Hall but would not raise residential property taxes, which increased by 11% last year.
Councilmembers may decide to hold a work session on May 13 to discuss possible changes to the proposed budget. The council must adopt a budget resolution later this month.
Award. College Park Here & Now (CPHN) contributor Paul Ruffins has been awarded a 2025 MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowship.
Ruffins, who writes a column called “Science of the City,” will write four articles for CPHN’s sister publication, Hyattsville Life & Times, about food composting in Prince George’s County.
His four-article series also will appear on StreetcarSuburbs.news, the website for CPHN, Hyattsville Life & Times and e Laurel Independent, which are published by Streetcar Suburbs Publishing.
Arrest. Prince George’s County police charged a College Park man with murder last week in connection with the fatal shooting of his girlfriend.
Montgomery County police
identified the suspect as Rogerio Palma, 32, and the victim as 24-year-old Brianna Burton of Centreville, Virginia, after Palma allegedly dropped her off at a Silver Spring hospital on April 27 after the shooting.
Police there turned the case over to Prince George’s County after determining that the shooting occurred in the county, according to a press release.
Vote16. Starting with the November election for College Park City Council and mayor, 16- and 17-year-olds will be allowed to vote.
The council voted 5-3 in early April to lower the voting age for city elections from 18 to 16.
Championed by Councilmember John Rigg (District 3), the measure is designed to boost the number of residents
who vote in local elections and, Rigg said, to instill a sense of civic duty in teenagers.
Mayor Pro Tem Denise Mitchell (District 4) said the residents in her part of the city oppose lowering the voting age. Councilmember Maria Mackie (District 4), also voted against the change, saying she would prefer to see the city assemble a youth advisory council to keep on top of the viewpoints of younger residents.
Councilmember Alan Hew (District 1) also opposed the measure, suggesting the city should allow residents to vote on whether to lower the age of eligibility.
Maryland law allows cities to decide the legal age for voting in local elections. Eight cities, including nearby Greenbelt, Hyattsville and Riverdale Park, allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in city races.
COURTESY OF CHICK-FIL-A
COLLEGE PARK POST
Spring Street Fair 2025
Don’t miss our first ever street fair on May 18, 2025 from 1-4pm at Davis Hall (9217 51st Avenue)
As the warmer days of spring arrive, there’s no better way to welcome the season than at the City of College Park’s first-ever Spring Street Fair on May 18,2025 from 1-4pm at Davis Hall (9217 51st Ave.)!
ABOUT THE EVENT
This lively celebration brings together residents, visitors, and local businesses for a day of fun, entertainment, and community connection. Whether you’re strolling through with family, meeting up with friends, or simply soaking in the vibrant atmosphere, this festival is an experience you don’t want to miss!
From handcrafted art to delicious feasts, and live entertainment to interactive experiences, this event has something for everyone! Be sure to check out:
• A unique marketplace: explore our dynamic street market featuring local artisans, crafters, and more offering everything from handmade jewlery and pottery to custom
artwork and unique goods. Whether you’re searching for a one-of-a-kind gift or just browsing, this street fair is a treasure trove.
• Delicious food & drinks: treat yourself to a variety of mouthwatering dishes and refreshing beverages from some of the area’s best vendors! From savory sweet to indulgent desserts, there’s a flavor to satisfy every craving.
• Live music & Entertainment: feel the rhythm of the festival with live acoustic music from local musicians, bringing everything from upbeat tunes to laid-back melodies. The soothing strum of guitars, warm vocal harmonies, and expressive melodies will provide a soundtrack that enhances every moment.
• Interactive experiences & fun: Expect handson activities, including a cooking demonstration, and interactive fun for kids and adults alike. Bring the whole family for a day of fun!
This year, fair-goers can also expect live art classes, a unicorn petting zoo, spring seed giveaway, as well as arts and crafts for adults and kids alike!
Mark your calendar, bring your friends and family, and get ready to experience the sensations of spring!
STREET CLOSURE NOTICE
On May 18th from 10am to 5pm, portions of 51st Avenue by the Department of Public Works will be closed for the City’s Spring Street Fair. The Spring Street Fair will occur between 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Davis Hall (9217 51st Avenue) and 51st Avenue between Cree Avenue to Fox Street, with road closures starting at 10:00 am and ending at 5:00 pm.
To help reduce the impact of the road closures, Indian Lane and Delaware street will be closed at their intersections at 51st Avenue but traffic will be allowed to flow between the two roads. The oneway street of Eutaw Place will
be open to local traffic only, and traffic will be allowed to exit onto Indian Lane. Traffic personnel will be on hand to help residents navigate the area; please follow all traffic advisories and directions. We ask that all vehicles parked on 51st Avenue between Cree Avenue and Fox Street be removed prior to the road closure. Parking will be made available at 51st Avenue for attendees. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
For more information, please visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/ springfair.
A TASTE OF COLLEGE PARK
Hollywood Farmers Market
Explore what’s at the market each Saturday, 10am-2pm
Visit Hollywood Farmers Market (9803 Rhode Island Ave.) from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm every Saturday now through November 22 for fruits and vegetables harvested at their peak!
Located at the Hollywood Shopping Center by MOM’s, this market has seasonal produce, local artists, music, and special guest booths to learn more about what’s happening in College Park.
The market has locally grown and sourced eggs (chicken and duck), meats, cheeses, fish and seafood, honey, plants and seeds (for planting your own fresh produce and flowers), spirits, coffee, readyto-eat delicious food, art, pottery, snacks, and so much more!
Did you know we accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits so customers can purchase fresh produce and locally made products at our market?
To use SNAP benefits, customers can swipe their EBT cards at the Maryland Market Money table. We will charge the card for any amount requested in exchange for tokens that can be spent with eligible vendors.
WIC is also accepted at the market.
More information about the farmers market is available at hollywoodmarket.org.
Children’s Mental Health Matters
Recognizing the Importance of our Children’s Complex Mental Health Needs
The City of College Park recognizes the importance of addressing the mental health needs of children, youth, and families as essential to the community’s well-being.
May has been designated as Mental Health Matters Month and May 4–10 as Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, aligning with National Mental Health Month.
On April 15, the City’s Mayor and Council issued a proclamation honoring these observances and the impact of mental health on our community and children.
The proclamation emphasizes that mental health issues and substance use disorders can affect any child, regardless of their background. It calls for inclusive, culturally competent services and highlights the importance of community collaboration across public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Additionally, it acknowledges the need to address systemic racism and promote equity as part of supporting mental health.
The Mayor and Council urge all residents to observe this month
and week with compassion and respect for those facing mental health challenges.
If you, a loved one, or a neighbor is experiencing a need for mental health or social services support, the City’s Care Solace program is here to help. Care Solace’s coordination services are free, confidential, and accessible via:
Phone: Call 888-515-7881 at any time.
Website: Search anonymously by answering just a few questions at caresolace.com/md-collegepark.
Damaged Berwyn home to get repairs 3 years after storm
By EMELY MIRANDAAGUILAR
Asheley Thomas, then 21, was home alone with her pets when a fierce thunderstorm blew multiple trees onto her family’s small Berwyn house nearly three years ago, crushing about half of the living space. Her parents were not home at the time, and when they tried to return, they couldn’t reach their street because it was blocked. Her father had to drive over a sidewalk to get to his daughter.
Neighbors, including the one next door, Maryland Sen. Jim Rosapepe (District 21), came out to help Thomas and the pets exit the house. One of the trees that toppled onto the Thomas home fell from Rosapepe’s back yard.
“There were trees down all over the place,” Rosapepe said. “The home behind us, all sorts of other trees down. It was a classic example of an extreme weather event, that is in my judgment, because of climate change. We didn’t have these kinds of extreme
weather events in Berwyn decades ago.”
Nearly three years later, the Thomas family is living under a roof that is patched with a tarp.
Thomas said the home was insured through the family’s mortgage company, Emigrant Mortgage, which assessed the damage to be greater than the balance of the mortgage loan.
Thomas said Emigrant forgave
the home’s mortgage rather than pay for repairs.
So now it’s our problem,” said Thomas, who called the house a “ticking time bomb.”
Typically, when a tree falls on a home, the insurance company that covers the damaged property pays the claim. The owner of the property where the tree fell from cannot make a claim to pay for someone’s else’s damaged home.
Thomas, whose parents are retired, said the family cannot afford to pay for repairs.
She said the family lives off of her father’s Social Security income and what she earns doing odd jobs. Her father, a former contractor, has cancer and is unable to make the repairs himself, she said.
Rosapepe and other neighbors helped the family seek grants from the state and city.
College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir said the city donated $5,000 toward bills and directed the Thomases to apply for other city grants, but the family did not pursue them.
Then, late last year, a Lothian contractor who knows some of the Thomases’ neighbors, agreed to take over the project at no charge. Chris Marshall, who owns The North Star Companies, told College Park Here & Now the work, which was scheduled to begin in late April, should be completed within about a month.
Marshall recalled meeting Terry Thomas, Asheley’s mother, and said she was nearly in tears.
“I just said, ‘Don’t worry about it. We’ll take care of it,” Marshall said. “You gotta help people when you can.”
Marshall said he plans to repair the portion of the roof where one of the trees fell, as well as the section over the front door near the living room and the roof truss over the garage. He also plans to install a heating system in the home’s crawl space. The project could cost more than $50,000, Marshall estimated.
“[I feel] very relieved,” Asheley Thomas said. “It’s been three years, and we’ve had so much hope, and it’s just been [extinguished] so many times, and so we just don’t get our hope up anymore. … [Marshall has] definitely restored our hope and faith in humanity.”
Marshall said he received donations from a “wealthy friend” and from 84 Lumber, and that his company will pay for some of the repairs. Neighbors are setting up a GoFundMe page to help Marshall offset the costs, the contractor said.
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Repairs on a Berwyn home severely damaged during a heavy storm three years ago were scheduled to begin this spring. COURTESY OF ASHELEY THOMAS
tending fairs in other cities.
But Cohen, an artist, said she did not reserve a booth at the fair to sell her jewelry and paintings because the event will only last three hours, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., which she said isn’t long enough to sell the quantity of pieces that would reap her a profit.
Also new this summer will be a Restaurant Week-style Taste of College Park event offering gift cards to local eateries and retail stores to diners who snap photos of the food they order at participating restaurants and post them on an app created by Flave, a Baltimore marketing company partnering with College Park on the event.
Some of the restaurants could offer specials on lunch or dinner during the event, scheduled for the week of July 21.
Derek Battle, co-founder of Flave, said the promotional week will make would-be diners aware of the city’s restaurants.
One of the goals, Battle said, is to highlight restaurants at a time when students aren’t on campus.
“College Park is a very localdriven city,” Battle said. “I think the city has a lot to offer outside of just the university. … But it’s important to just maintain that tourism, maintain the value, so that these restaurants won’t see the dip, because the summer is peak time for a lot of restaurants, but once students leave, we don’t want to see a decrease in sales, etc., during that time.”
May 9 is the start of College Park’s free monthly summer concert series, Friday Night Live!, at the City Hall plaza. Live acts will include hard-rock cover band Whole Lotta Roses, funk and soul group Honest Lee Soul, high-energy cover band
Thunderball and country singer Jimmy Charles.
The event repeats on June 13, July 11 and Aug. 8 and will feature children’s activities, including a bounce house, arts and crafts, and food and drinks for sale.
On May 26, the city will have its annual Memorial Day observance at the intersection of Route 1 and Greenbelt Road, the site of the College Park War Veterans Memorial.
Participants are asked to bring photos of their loved ones, living or deceased, to the program, which will include music, speakers and a wreath laying in tribute to servicemen and women.
A Classic Rock & Car Show at City Hall Plaza will follow on
June 21. Residents will be able to browse classic car lineups while ordering from food trucks and listening to live music. Kids can play at a craft station and win giveaways while supplies last.
Neighborhood game nights will return this summer on Thursdays, July 17, July 31 and Aug. 14, at the Hollywood, College Park Woods and Calvert Hills neighborhoods. Residents can gather to play lawn games and participate in challenges and giveaways.
The neighborhoods of Lakeland and Berwyn have scheduled their own summer events.
The Berwyn District Civic Association will hold a neighborhood yard sale on May 10
and celebrate Berwyn Day, an annual event with food, music, games and raffles, on Sept. 13.
And on Aug. 23, the Lakeland community will host its annual community day, when neighbors will gather.
Robert Thurston, president of the Lakeland Civic Association, said the event has, in the past, drawn not only current Lakeland residents but people from as far away as Texas who used to live in the community.
Both communities and others will participate in Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail Day on June 14, an event organized by the Anacostia Heritage Trail Area organization. During the annual, full-day event, residents will walk or bike the 3.8-mile
Trolley Trail through College Park, Riverdale Park and Hyattsville, stopping along the way to visit activity hubs and take in local nature.
These events and others, Quiñones said, “bring the community together. They’re great to meet your neighbors, to have fun in your community, and showcase the vibrancy that is College Park.”
Come fall, multiple College Park groups organize festivals in the city. The highlight of that season, Quiñones said, will be the city’s largest event, College Park Day, on Oct. 18.
The day features live music, children’s games, community exhibitors, food trucks and inflatables, among other activities.
Friday Night Live! is a summer concert series that attracts large crowds. This year’s concerts are scheduled for May 9, June 13, July 11 and Aug. 8.
COURTESY OF CITY OF COLLEGE PARK
from motorcycles and speeding cars from his house almost a mile away from Kenilworth Avenue.
Similarly, homeowners brought the issue up at a meet-and-greet event with the three candidates who ran in a special election to fill a vacant District 3 seat. Ranker won that election.
At the April meeting, Ranker explained that getting the state, which owns Kenilworth Avenue, to add a barrier wall in a community whose homes were built after the highway was built or widened might be difficult. He said Kenilworth Avenue was widened into a divided highway in 1958; most Yarrow homes came along starting a year or two later.
And Nicole Freeh, who lives in Yarrow and works as a highway engineer for a private company, said a barrier wall is largely ineffective if the affected homes sit at a higher elevation than the road where the noise is occurring. An 18-foot wall, for example, would dull the noise heard by homes on elevations of about the same height from the road level, so “the first 100 feet benefit the most,” Freeh said. The homes on Baylor Avenue—the street behind Edmonston Road—sit much higher than the highway and would not get much relief from a barrier wall, Freeh estimated. Plus, Freeh noted that constructing a wall would require the removal of additional trees.
Cordone said the thick strip of land separating Edmonston Road from Kenilworth Avenue effectively quieted much of the highway noise before the trees were removed and served as a visual barrier between the neighborhood and the state road. Now, she said, the remaining thin layer of trees, bare in some patches, is inadequate as a noise barrier.
“When I moved here in 2007/2008, we had a nice little forest there, and it did cut down on the noise,” said Cordone,
opment Co. One of them has to sponsor any events on the plaza, Young said.
issues on Knox Road.
“From the city’s point of view, it’s a pretty simple issue for us: They were operating on the City Hall plaza without permission,” Young said. “We can create whatever atmosphere we’d like on the plaza. Not sure that a flea market is kind of what we were looking for there.”
The shutdown was the first time Pham or the Shop Made in Maryland staff had been made aware of any issues, Pham said.
“It just felt completely out of left field, like, I had no idea this was coming,” Pham said. “Shop Made in Maryland and I have been working together to do this market for nearly a year now with no issues.”
Pham started selling clothes out of his apartment during his sophomore year at UMD in 2022. By his senior year, he had been put in touch with the owner of Shop Made in Maryland, who helped him start the market, Pham said. As time went on, Pham began to lead the project more, with the shop taking a back seat, store manager Gabrielle Brinkhoff said.
City Hall and the plaza are owned by three entities: the city, UMD and Terrapin Devel-
Shop Made in Maryland had received permission to host events from Terrapin Development Co., Brinkhoff said. But the assistant city manager, Bill Gardiner, came into the store frustrated one day after seeing a flier for the flea market, Brinkhoff said.
Brinkhoff said this triggered a review of the market by the owners of the plaza. Terrapin Development Co. authorities said CP Flea was within code, and the city said it wasn’t, Brinkhoff said.
Young said the development company had given permission, but only to Shop Made in Maryland’s vendors, which do not include CP Flea.
Pham pled his case at a College Park City Council meeting April 1 and said he has contacted the city multiple times in an effort to work on a solution. He also collected 320 signatures from backers on a petition and published videos on social media to drum up support.
“It’s not like I wanted to come to this in any adversarial way, but it seems like [city officials] might have took it as such,”
Pham said. “That wasn’t a message I was trying to put across.
I think it’s just miscommunication, and that’s why I wanted
who explained that the noise is loudest between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.
The group’s next move is to meet with the city arborist on May 16 to ask the city to plant large, native trees on that strip of land, and not saplings, which would not offer much protection from the noise until they reach maturity years into the future.
The neighbors also said they will ask the city to support their request for a state-conducted sound study to determine whether a barrier wall is a feasible
more than anything, to, like, have a discussion face to face or over the phone.”
Young said he “could care less” about the social media campaign to bring the market back, saying Pham is circulating “false information” about the reason the city shut down the outdoor shop.
“It’s a private space, and so as owners, we have the ability to allow events to happen there and not happen there,” Young said. “We’re hoping they can find something elsewhere within College Park.”
Ashley Trang, a charm purse artist and frequent vendor at the market, said CP Flea helped grow her business, meet other artists in the community and receive feedback about her products.
“When I first heard about this, I just, like, couldn’t believe it,” Trang said. “It’s kind of like College Park taking this opportunity away from students who want to do entrepreneurship but not on a high level.”
Pham said he is looking for other possible locations to host the market, and added the plaza is an ideal location to connect College Park residents with UMD students, faculty and staff.
Brinkhoff said the shutdown was “really unfortunate because [CP Flea] is a great way
to build community.”
option or whether the state could take other noise-abatement measures, like installing speed cameras on Kenilworth Avenue.
Ranker said pressure from Yarrow residents could convince state and local officials to take action, but noted results could take time.
Still, he said, “You’ve got to start it. It would be easy to feel daunted by these big projects, but you’ve got to get it started to get it going.”
“The turnout for [CP Flea] was always something really special,” Brinkhoff said. “I know that not even just the students,
but people who’ve been living in the area for decades, were really enjoying something happening. It’s really frustrating to not be able to continue with that.”
The strip of land that separates Edmonston Road from Kenilworth Avenue in the Yarrow neighborhood has too few trees to serve as a sound barrier since most of them were removed to make way for a sidewalk COURTESY OF DON FLANDERS
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Our calendar includes many events and meetings sponsored by the City of College Park and local nonprofits, including arts organizations and performance venues, occurring between May 9 and June 7. For additional events and meetings organized by the city, see the College Park Post newsletter in this paper’s centerfold. Find more local events all month long in our new, continuously updated online calendar, streetcarsuburbs. news/events.
Please send notices of events taking place between June 10 and July 9 to jalen@streetcar suburbs.news by May 1.
MAY 9
Sip and Support. Holy Redeemer Catholic School hosts its third annual Sip and Support event. Sample cutting-edge Maryland craft beer, liquor and spirits, and eat some delicious BBQ. $33.85. 6-9 p.m. Holy Redeemer Catholic Church (4902 Berwyn Rd.). For more information visit https:// tinyurl.com/bpbxf5b7.
MAY 10
Alarm Will Sound: Paper Pianos. This evening-length multimedia work theatrically explores displacement, longing and the optimism of refugees. Paper Pianos, composed by Mary Kouyoumdjian, combines narratives from four refugees and resettlement workers with intricate, hand-drawn animations by artist Kervork Mourad that dramatically depict emotions experienced around the world. $30. 8 p.m. Kay Theater (8270 Alumni Dr.). for more information visit https://tinyurl. com/4upcavyp.
World Collage Day Workshop. For those interested in stretching their artistic talents, come to this workshop. $10. 2:30-5 p.m.
Old Parish House (4711 Knox Rd.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/3wenbey6.
Alex and Olmsted : Milo the Magni cent. Performed as a wordless comedy, Milo the Magnificent evokes the spirit of Vaudeville and childhood dreams of stardom while offering chills, thrills and unbelievable spectacle for the whole family. 0-2: free; children: $10; general public: $15. Kogod Theater (8270 Alumni Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/muubam72.
MAY
12
Freundemusik and Voix de Chanson. UMD Choral Activities’ two student-led a cappella ensembles, Voix de Chanson and Frende Musik, present an array of familiar standards and exciting new arrangements. Free. 8-10 p.m. Gildenhorn Recital Hall (8270 Alumni Dr.). For more information visit https:// tinyurl.com/3ktpt8r7.
MAY 14
PGCPS North County Art Exhibit. Students in the north end of Prince George’s County Public Schools will have artwork on display in the lobby of the Clarice from May 13 to May 18. A reception will be held on May 14 from 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Grand Pavilion (8270 Alumni Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/7xsr9psa.
MAY 15
Bike to Work Day. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or just looking to give commuting on two wheels a try, this is the perfect chance to celebrate a healthier and greener way of getting around. By biking to work, you’ll help reduce traffic and emissions. Free. All Day. For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/y869an4p.
MAY 16
Walk With an Arborist & Your Baby. Walk With an Arborist & Your Baby encourages new parents to connect with each other and with the outdoors in a safe space, both physically and emotionally. Based in the Garden of Reflection & Remembrance at Memorial Chapel, participants learn about trees and plants while having their newborns along. Free. 10 a.m. University of Maryland Memorial Chapel (7744 Regents Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl. com/22pn4a9u.
MAY 17
Aviation Community Day. The College Park Aviation Museum celebrates its annual Community Day. A few of the many events included are a musical petting zoo with the University of Maryland School of Music, a community exhibition and a scavenger hunt. Free. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. College Park Aviation Museum (1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/2hxc75ze.
Eastern European Music and Dance. Come experience the mesmerizing songs and lively rhythms of Eastern Europe. Slaveya is a women’s a cappella vocal ensemble that performs folk music from the Balkans and Republic of Georgia. Free. 7:30 p.m. Old Parish House (4711 Knox Rd.). For more information visit https://tinyurl. com/5xmuwfjx.
MAY 18
Spring Street Fair. This familyfriendly event will feature a variety of exciting activities for all ages. Stroll through a bustling lineup of street vendors offering unique items and handcrafted goods or grab a bite from the food trucks serving up a variety of mouthwatering options. Free. 1-4 p.m. Davis Hall (9217 51st Ave.). For more information visit https:// tinyurl.com/mrkh9wpm.
MAY 20
Book Club on Zoom. This club’s theme is literary nonfiction by women. Meetings are informal and you are welcome even if you did not finish the book. This month’s book is “Fashionopolis,” by Dana Thomas. Free. 7-8:30 p.m. (9704 Rhode Island Ave.). For more information visit https://tinyurl. com/52zsardh.
MAY 26
Memorial Day Observance. The City of College Park will hold its annual Memorial Day observance. The program will include music, speakers and wreath laying in fitting tribute to the men and women who have served our country. Please bring pictures of your loved ones, veterans alive or passed, to share on our Honors Table. Parking is available near Bowlero at 9021 Baltimore Ave. Free. 11 a.m. Intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Greenbelt Road. For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/ yc3a52pd.
MAY 31
Dvorák’s New World Symphony • NOI Philharmonic. Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 is beloved in the orchestral music canon and an essential work of the classical genre’s evolution. Russell and the orchestra will take you on a lively journey through American history that you won’t soon forget. Price ranges: $25, $35, $45. 7:30 p.m. Dekelboum Auditorium (8270 Alumni Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl. com/3633eb3j.
JUNE 7
Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. A night of musical wonder awaits as NOI+F welcomes back conductor Andrew Grams for a program packed with Shakespearean fantasy and magical flights of fancy. Price ranges : $25, $35, $45. 7:30 p.m. Dekelboum Auditorium (8270 Alumni Dr.). For more information visit https:// tinyurl.com/4m2dbm3k.
REPEATING
Story Time for Children. Storytelling session geared to infants and older. Free. Every Wednesday. 9:30-10 a.m. Amer-
ican Legion (9704 Rhode Island Ave.). For more information email bokays100@juno.com.
e 2nd ursday Book Group. Take part in a discussion of books ranging from nonfiction to fiction and historical fiction. This month’s book is “The Black Echo (A Harry Bosch Novel, 1)” Free. 7-8:30 p.m. College Park Community Library (9704 Rhode Island Ave.). For more information email bokays100@ juno.com.
Line Dance. Jessie’s Soul Line Dancers offers a class with step-by-step instruction, and students then perform dances to soul, gospel and pop music. Free. Every Friday from 10-11 a.m. Zoom. For more information and the registration link email info@cpae.org.
Friday Night Live. The City of College Park hosts a series of free concerts over the summer. Dates are May 9, June 13, July 11 and Aug 8. Free. 6:30-8:30 p.m. City Hall (7401 Baltimore Ave). For more information visit https://tinyurl. com/4s6tu7un.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS
Calvert Hills Citizens Association. Meeting date TBD. For more information email CalvertHillsCitizensAssn@ gmail.com.
North College Park Civic Association. Second Thursday of the month. 7:30-9 p.m. Davis Hall (9217 51st Ave.). For more information email NCPCivic@ gmail.com.
Berwyn District Civic Association. BDCA meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month. 7:30 p.m. For more information email bdcaboard@myberwyn.org.
Moose Lodge looks for new location in city
By LILLIAN GLAROS
The College Park Moose Family Center Lodge #453 on Metzerott Road is preparing to relocate after 75 years but is struggling to find a new location, according to a lodge official.
The organization sold its building four years ago to Iglesia de Dios Pentecostés, Misión el Buen Samaritano, a church, and has been renting part of the building since, Debbie Herbert, the president of the lodge, said.
In December, that church, after filing for bankruptcy, resold the property to Mekane Hiwot Medhane Alem Tigray Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
Herbert said income from membership functions was not enough to cover the lodge’s expenses, leading to the initial sale.
According to Herbert, the lodge attempted to buy the property back, but was unable to afford the selling price. State tax records show that the first church bought the property for $4.475 million in 2020 and sold it in December for $5.4 million.
“I hate it because we wanted to get back our building,” Herbert said.
The lodge’s lease expires on June 30, but Herbert said lodge officials are hoping to extend it while they search for a new property in the city.
According to Herbert, it has
been difficult to find a new site. Available buildings are either too small or don’t have enough parking spots to accommodate lodge events, she said.
“We are saddened that we have to find another place, and it’s a shame that we can’t find anything in College Park,” Herbert said.
community might potentially lose the lodge, and has appealed to the College Park City Council to help the group find a new location.
City Councilmember Denise Mitchell (District 4), said the lodge has been working with the city to find a new location. The lodge’s property abuts College Park’s District 4.
Lucian said the lodge means a lot to him. He and his wife go there often to socialize, and his children often went to the lodge for dances and other activities while growing up, he said.
Robert Lucian, the junior past president of the lodge, said he feels “terrible” about the impending move.
Lucian, who has been a member for 30 years, said the lodge is a place of relaxation where families can get together.
He said he’s upset that the
“I’m hoping that sometime very soon, we will find a place to go to and reorganize and keep our members having a place to go to,” Lucian said, adding, “Moose is a fraternal organization that is dedicated to community service, and I feel bad that we have come to this position.”
Part of a national network, the College Park lodge has more than 400 members, holds events such as shotgun bingo, and donates to food drives and other charitable causes.
The Moose Lodge on Metzerott Road is having trouble finding a new place in College Park. The organization’s lease expires in June. GIUSEPPE LOPICCOLO