96-year-old pharmacist is
for Hyattsville. P. 2
Magruder?
City asks citizens to reimagine park
By Kit Slack
On the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 26, down at Magruder Park, about 100 kids ages 4 to 14 took advantage of a break in the rain to get in a short soccer practice before another thunderstorm broke and turned the grass into marsh.
Meanwhile, inside the park’s concrete bunker-style rec center, two dozen Hyattsville residents, including three members of the city council, talked together about how they used the park,
MAGRUDER continued on page 14
Despite delays, city library thriving in temp location
By Ben Simasek
Reconstruction of the Hyattsville branch of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS) has been delayed as the county has sought to secure sufficient funding and select a contractor. Now expected to open in late 2020 at the earliest, the new library will be a 40,000 square-foot, onestory facility with additional study rooms, community meeting spaces and parking.
The Hyattsville library is one of 10 construction/renovation projects slated for the county library system, for which $63.8 million has been budgeted
LIBRARY continued on page 15
GAS STATION ROBBERIES
Police still searching for culprits of gas station robberies. P. 10
Hang retires a er 13 years as Hya sville re chief
By Elliott Davis
After more than 23 years with the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department (HVFD), including 13 years as the department’s third longest-serving fire chief, Dave Hang retired from his position on Sept. 3.
According to the department, Hang spent his last shift celebrating with fellow HVFD
members, alumni and friends.
“I was completely blown away on my last shift at the firehouse with all the meals prepared by the duty crew, all the visitors, phone calls, [text] messages and [Facebook] postings,” Hang said in an email. “The support I have received over the years have truly made this job memorable.”
The HVFD Board of Directors selected Mitchell Kannry as the
interim fire chief. Kannry, a former deputy chief and 17-year veteran of the department, assumed the position upon Hang’s retirement, according to HVFD Vice President Dave Iannone.
Thomas Falcone, HVFD president, said that a new chief will be elected by HVFD members at the end of the year.
Hang accomplished a lot during his tenure. He oversaw a
full replacement of the HVFD’s fleet, the development of its Advanced Life Support program and growth of the department’s overall recruitment, according to the HVFD website.
Falcone, who served with Hang for over 20 years, said that he will miss his leadership and considers him “a lifelong friend.”
COURTESY OF THE HYATTSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Dave Hang joined the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department in 1994, became its chief in 2005
HANG continued on page 12
FromTheEditor
By Heather Wright
In this edition, you’ll see an article by Alfred Lawson, a 96-yearold pharmacist, expressing his gratitude to Hyattsville for the success of his business, Lawson’s Pharmacy, which he sold to Richard Sabatelli in 1986. In a cover letter to the Hyattsville Life & Times (HL&T), Lawson wrote that he noticed Sabatelli was still advertising in the paper, provid-
A community newspaper chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781
http://HyattsvilleLife.com
http://facebook.com/HyattsvilleLife
http://twitter.com/HvilleTimes
Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Hyattsville Community Newspaper, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonpro t 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 below.
MyTwoCents ere’s no news desert here
Managing Editor
Maria D. James maria@hyattsvillelife.com
Associate Editor
Heather Wright heather@hyattsvillelife.com
Digital Editor
Krissi Humbard
krissi@hyattsvillelife.com
Webmaster
Lindsay Myers
lindsay@hyattsvillelife.com
Layout & Design Editor
Ashley Perks
Copy Editor
Nancy Welch
Advertising advertising@hyattsvillelife.com
301.531.5234
Writers & Contributors
Victoria Boucher, Colleen Curran, Elliott Davis, Julia Gaspar-Bates, Adam Glass, Kaanita Iyer, Ben Simasek, Kit Slack
Board of Directors
Joseph Gigliotti — President and General Counsel
Chris Currie — Vice President Emily Strab — Treasurer
Rosanna Landis Weaver, Gretchen Brodtman, Debra Franklin, T. Carter Ross, Reva Harris, Maria D. James and Krissi Humbard — Ex O cios
Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. mail to every address in Hyattsville. Additional copies are distributed to libraries, selected businesses, community centers and churches in the city.
Total circulation is 9,300.
HL&T is a member of the National Newspaper Association.
ing Lawson a monthly reminder of his connection to Hyattsville’s history.
Lawson’s gratitude to one of our advertisers and to the Hyattsville community reminded me of my ongoing thankfulness for this city and the chance I’ve been given to help chronicle its history. The decline in U.S. newspaper circulation, both print or online, has been welldocumented. The Pew Research Center, for example, noted a decline of about 10 percent in U.S. daily newspaper circulation from 2016 to 2017 alone. University of North Carolina (UNC) researchers found a net loss of 1,500 local daily and weekly newspapers in the U.S. from 2004 to 2016.
UNC researchers also continue to document the spread of “news deserts,” areas that no longer have local “credible and com-
prehensive” newspapers, as well as the rise of “media barons,” big investment firms that own more and more local newspapers, but are less invested in communities and their readers than in courting and keeping advertisers. Whether local news outlets are publishing online or in print, researchers argue, matters less than whether or not residents can reliably get news about city council meetings, school and library construction projects, local elections and so on.
What’s the problem with becoming a news desert? Research indicates that, without useful current news, civic engagement typically drops. For example, from 2008 to 2009 following the closures of the Rocky Mountain News and Seattle Post-Intelligencer, civic engagement declined in Denver and Seattle, respectively. Similar declines were not seen
in other major U.S. cities that retained their newspapers. If you don’t have consistent access to news about your city — upcoming events, local government, proposed development, and your fellow residents — you are likely to feel less invested. If you’re less invested, you’re less likely to participate in civic opportunities and responsibilities, including voting.
Because of readers’ engagement, advertisers’ investment and a mainly volunteer force of reporters, the HL&T continues.
And with the availability of other local news sources, like The Sentinel and The Hyattsville Wire, and with a national publication, The Washington Post, touching on our local news from time to time, Hyattsville is not currently in danger of becoming a news desert. In this edition, alone, you’ll read about the library reconstruction,
learn why some residents want to change the name of Magruder Park, meet a man who escaped political upheaval in Venezuela and brought his home country’s cuisine to Hyattsville, and learn about some unsolved thefts at gas stations. By immersing yourself in the life and times of Hyattsville, you can strengthen your ties to the community and help determine its direction.
So thank you for reading. Thank you for responding to articles, for sending in letters to the editor, for submitting news leads and suggesting topics you think we should cover. And a thank you to our advertisers, as well. Without your financial support, we could not tell the ongoing story of Hyattsville, its residents, its businesses, its politics. And, finally, thank you to Mr. Lawson, for reminding me of how good it is to be here and to be engaged in this community. And of how it’s possible to keep working and doing what you love until 96 and, hopefully, beyond.
Thank you, Hya sville! A tribute from 96-year-old pharmacist Alfred Lawson
By Alfred Lawson
You may wonder why I am thanking Hyattsville. I never lived there, and I didn’t go to school there, but I did spend a lot of time there.
I feel that I owe my long and happy life to the time I spent working there and the success in business I had there.
It was back in 1926, almost a century ago, when my father, Dr. Arnold Lawson, opened his drugstore in Cottage City, a neighboring town. I was only 4 years old then, but as I grew and finished high school, I chose to follow my father’s footsteps and become a pharmacist. By 1945, I finished my education, which had been interrupted by WWII, and worked briefly for my father in his drugstore prior to opening my own pharmacy. I chose Hyattsville as the location to open my practice in a small medical building owned by a renowned ophthalmologist, Dr. Oscar Lavine, and located on Baltimore Avenue just north of Phil Lustine’s new Chevrolet agency. By that time, my father had established a large prescription business, and the name Lawson had become synonymous with service, knowledge and integrity. That was the
reason that I included “Lawson” in the name of my new pharmacy, Lawson & Sons, Pharmacists. I wanted to take advantage of the reputation he had established. My new pharmacy prospered and grew. My new customers quickly learned that business associated with the name Lawson represented good service and reliability. After 14 years, I relocated the business to Hamilton Street in West Hyattsville to improve parking availability. In 1986, after 40 years in business, I sold the pharmacy to Rick Sabatelli who wisely decided to let the name Lawson remain in the title of his pharmacy.
I am honored to have my name associated with the pharmacy business in Hyattsville and surrounding areas today and for the past 92 years. I worked hard and long hours, often 80 hours a week, during my many years there. I thank the many customers and friends I had, and now the children and grandchildren of my original customers that still live in the area. These people allowed me to succeed and have a happy and contented life. Despite my age of 96, I continue to work as a pharmacist, but only part time. I will always remember, it was Hyattsville that framed my destiny.
COURTESY OF ALFRED LAWSON AND DAKOTA SNOW
Various iterations of pharmacies owned by Alfred Lawson and his father over the years
LettersToTheEditor
Since early April, neighbors from the Clearwood and Castle Manor subdivisions have expressed concerns about the proposed new nursing home to be built on the Sacred Heart property, particularly about the proximity of the planned structure to homes on 37th and 38th Avenues.
We attended meetings of both city and county boards, visited neighbors, gathered more than 100 signatures for a petition and wrote letters.
Our concerns included these issues:
• The loss of privacy, and increase in the potential for noise and light pollution and other nuisances
• Destruction of a wooded area on the southeast side of the property to make room for the new structure and retaining walls
• Problems with stormwater runoff in the neighborhood. Retention ponds proposed for the new development appear inadequate, based on neighbors’ experience with the retention pond built to contain runoff from Independence Court
• Incompatibility of the pro-
posed structure with the residential character of the neighborhood
• Rumors that the existing Sacred Heart Home may be converted to other uses
• The process for notifying the community, particularly the neighbors in Clearwood and Castle Manor, was inadequate. When we walked the streets of the area, talking to neighbors and gathering signatures for a petition, most residents were unaware of the proposed development.
Despite the fact that the nursing home is reducing the number of beds in the new facility, the proposal was approved by the county with only minimal revisions. Neighbors never asked that the proposal to build a new nursing home be scrapped, only that their concerns be heard and taken seriously.
Sadly, this did not happen, and all who care about preserving the character of our neighborhoods are the worse for it.
Mark Graham is a resident of Hyattsville and lives on 38th Avenue.
27 Easy fix up tips to give you the competitive edge when selling your Hyattsville area home
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CulturalConnections
Political turmoil in Venezeula caused resident to move to US
By Julia Gaspar-Bates
Cooking became a passion for Hyattsville resident and entrepreneur Mickey Torrealba when he was 12. Growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, Torrealba loved the smells and tastes of his mother’s cooking and began to help her in the kitchen, particularly during the holiday season when lots of family members would help make tamales. Unfortunately, his father disapproved of him cooking and encouraged him to study law at university. “In Venezuela the father controls everything because it’s a very macho country,” stated Torrealba. After two years at university, Torrealba realized that law was not his true path, and he announced that he was quitting. Since his father refused to con-
tinue paying for any further studies, Torrealba moved out of his family home to forge an independent life for himself. This was a rather unusual practice in Venezuela, where people usually live with their parents until they get married. “I have two uncles in their 60s who never married and lived with my grandmother their whole lives until she died at 92.”
After leaving home, Torrealba started to work in restaurants to raise enough money to study at culinary school. After completing these studies, he worked as a chef in a successful restaurant owned by a Cuban entrepreneur.
The political situation in Venezuela began to change dramatically after Hugo Chávez was elected president in 1998.
“When Chávez came into power, everything changed because the
government became Communist and took over all the private businesses. The situation became worse and worse. Chávez choked the country. You need to live in a society where there is progress, but when people live off the government, there is no progress.” In 1999, Torrealba’s boss predicted that Venezuela would follow a similar path as his native Cuba and decided to sell his four restaurants in Caracas and leave the country. At the time, Torrealba was young and poor, and also decided to leave. His boss introduced him to family in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where Torrealba lived for the next eight years. The cultural adjustment was not too difficult, as San Juan was in many ways similar to Caracas.
CULTURAL continued on page 12
JULIA GASPAR-BATES
Mickey Torrealba
Hya sville patrol car stars at electric vehicle celebration on National Mall
By Adam Glass
On Sept. 16, over 30 electric vehicle (EV) owners parked their cars between the National Gallery of Art and the Hirshhorn Museum and opened up their trunks, doors and hearts to curious passersby as part of the fifth annual National Drive Electric Week (NDEW) celebration on the National Mall.
The battery-powered vehicles on display ranged from the Zero S all-electric motorcycle, with a base price of $10,995 and a top speed of 91 mph, to the Tesla Model X 100D, which has a base price of $96,000 and a top speed of 155 mph. Plug-in hybrids were also represented, from the trusty Toyota Prius Prime to the exotic BMW i8, a hybrid supercar with butterfly doors that added a touch of James Bond flair to the mix.
But perhaps the rarest vehicle of all was driven by Sgt. Richard Hartnett of the Hyattsville City Police Department (HCPD). Hartnett was on hand to demonstrate his all-electric patrol car – the first Chevy Bolt
continued on page 13
ADAM GLASS
Sgt. Richard Hartnett exhibited Hyattville City Police Department Patrol Car #28 at the Washington National Drive Electric Week event on the National Mall, Sept. 16. ELECTRIC
JERSEY MIKE’S FAMOUS PHILLY
CHIPOTLE CHEESESTEAK
BIG KAHUNA CHEESESTEAK
MEATBALL AND CHEESE
MissFloribunda
Dear Miss Floribunda,
Maybe it’s because Halloween is near, but as I walk my dog in the alleyways, I am unsettled by the sight of a couple of older ladies pulling out various plants and putting them in bags. They seem pleasant enough, but I can’t help wondering if they might be witches who are using these plants to make elixirs, philters, potions, notions, nostrums, brews, embrujos, aphrodisiacs, sortileges, possets, cossets, charms, amulets and who knows what else? Probably none of this is illegal, but once when I happened upon the two pillagers whispering together, I felt there was something conspiratorial going on. Even if not, is it legal for them to despoil our alleyways? Is there anything the city can do about it?
Creeped Out on Crittenden Street
Dear Creeped Out,
If the city does do anything, the appropriate thing would be to give the ladies medals. They are trying to prevent the squirrels, birds and breezes from turning our alleys back into forestland. The squirrels do not find all the acorns they bury each fall. Acorns become
seedlings that grow into mighty oaks capable of overturning fences and cracking roadways. The birds eliminate the seeds they eat from mulberry trees, bush honeysuckles, English ivy, poison ivy and — Public Enemy No. 1 — the beautiful but invasive porcelain berry vine. In addition, birds’ fluttering in trees breaks open pods, such as those of the mimosa, causing the seeds to disperse far and wide. Worse, the wind blows the helicopter-like samaras of maples,
catalpas, American elms and ash trees all over creation. These seeds sprout where they land, and before you know it, they become large trees. As an example, the spring seedlings of the rose of Sharon shrub and the redbud, which are also propagated by windborne seeds, can grow to 8 inches by fall and almost 2 feet by the next summer!
The ladies you observed have made it their mission to pull up invasive seedlings that are still
young and easy to dig out. Both Dr. Arnica Tugwell and Granny Gripweed are good friends of mine, and I can assure you they do not concoct any of the arcane things you name. Dr. Tugwell, a botanist with knowledge of herbal medicine, has no interest in what she terms “the so-called sciences of the occult,” and Granny is a staunch churchgoer who would never dream of dabbling in the dark arts. She has two ginger kitties named Hansel and Gretel, but they are in no danger of being baked into gingerbread.
Both ladies are avid gardeners dedicated to responsible ecology. They are limited by laws against trespassing, of course, so they work only in the alleys. They have asked me to communicate their concern that so many tree seedlings and invasive vines they see in Hyattsville gardens are allowed to thrive. Even the most conscientious householders — those who keep their lawns mown and their hedges trimmed — are not always knowledgeable about the comparative perniciousness of weeds. There are those who work tirelessly to keep charming and soil-enhancing clover and dandelions out of their lawns
while ignoring the potentially destructive tree seedlings developing at the foundations of their homes and property lines. They would be wise to look online or in a reference book for photographs of the vines and seedlings that truly menace their gardens and that require backbreaking labor to eradicate once they cause readily apparent problems. If some of these seedlings seem like gifts from Mother Nature because you actually like the trees, you can dig them up and replant them in places far away from fences, hedges and foundations. If you have extra seedlings, please bring them to the next plant exchange of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society, Saturday, Oct. 20, at the home of Kimberly Schmidt, 5011 42nd Avenue. There will be a brief meeting at 10 a.m, after which lots will be drawn for a choice of donations. You can make new friends with gardeners grateful to get a free oak, Japanese maple or redbud, and, in exchange for what you offer them, you might acquire other plants you’d like to introduce to your own garden. At noon, Dr. Schmidt will lead a one-hour walk past the most interesting neighborhood gardens.
Public Enemy No. 1 is the beautiful, but invasive, porcelain berry vine.
Celebrating 20 years of business in Hyattsville!
Joseph McDonald, owner of Kut Klose and a United States Army veteran, first showed an interest in cutting hair while in the U.S. Army. “I didn’t like the military haircuts so I would try to fix my hair by cutting it myself,” he said.
Once leaving the military Mr. McDonald went to barber school because he had developed a passion for cutting hair and wanted to get better. Once completing barber school and working at a couple of barber shops, he started to envision owning his own business, which he did after working four years in the Industry. “I wanted to be my own boss and be in control of my own destiny, because I knew working 9 to 5 wasn’t for me,” he stated.
Now, 20 years later, Mr. McDonald is still cutting hair and also owns several other barber and beauty salons in the Maryland area. According to him: “When you find something you love to do, it’s not work anymore — even after 23 years in the business. The gratification I get from what I do, and what has kept me in business, is the people in Hyattsville, Md., and the surrounding areas who have supported Kut Klose for the past 20 years. Without them and all the past and present hairstylists and barbers, this day wouldn’t be possible.”
One of the keys to Kut Klose’s success is great, friendly customer service which has resulted in serving generations of families and building long-lasting relationships. Says Mr. McDonald: “It has been a wonderful 20 years and we look forward to many more serving the community and we like to say thank you again for your support.”
At Kut Klose Unisex Salon, we are celebrating 20 years in business in Hyattsville, Md.
Hyattsville Reporter the
Teen Program
The City’s free afterschool program is back with even more recreational and academic activities for middle - and high-school students. The program is open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3 – 8 p.m., and Fridays, 3 – 10 p.m., at the Magruder Park Recreation Center (3911 Hamilton Street). To learn more, stop by or contact Saarah AbdulRauf at srauf@hyattsville.org or (301) 985 - 5065. Want to serve as a tutor/mentor to one of the students? Contact Anthony DeSantis at adesantis@hyattsville.org or (301) 985-5020.
Free Transportation
Hyattsville residents can ride all the University of Maryland Shuttle Routes for FREE! Route 113 loops through Hyattsville, stops at the Prince George’s Plaza Metro, and then heads to the University. To get a pass to ride, bring photo ID and proof of residence to the City Building, 4310 Gallatin Street, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Passes are issued the same day. Route maps and schedules are available at www.dots.umd.edu.
Movin’ with the Mayor
Mayor Hollingsworth and JM3 Health & Fitness invite you to more fun-filled strength and conditioning training! Sessions will take place every Wednesday until October 24, 5 – 6 p.m. All ages and exercise levels are welcome. To RSVP, email epreston@hyattsville.org or call (301) 9855006. If the class is at capacity, you can be added to our waitlist for potential future sessions.
Zombie Run
The Zombie Run is just around the corner and we need volunteers to make it a success! Visit https://runsignup.com/Race/ Volunteer/MD/Hyattsville/HyattsvilleZombieRun to see the many ways you can help in the days leading up to the race, on race day itself (Saturday, October 13), and on the day after the race. It’s a great opportunity for clubs, sports teams, student groups, and other organizations to serve together – and the PTA will also have the Prince George’s County Public School Student Service Learning Verification forms on hand.
Ward One Check-Ins
Hyattsville City Council Members Bart Lawrence and Kevin Ward invite those who live, work, and play in Ward One to come learn more about what’s happening in their community. This month’s Ward One Check-In will take place on Wednesday, October 17, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., in the first floor Multipurpose Room of the City Building (4310 Gallatin Street). See you there!
Non-Native Plant Removal
Join us on October 20, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., to learn how to identify and properly remove non-native, invasive plants from Magruder Woods. A set of safety guidelines and cotton work gloves will be provided. Volunteers should dress for the elements, with sturdy boots or shoes, long sleeves and long pants. Don’t forget water and sunscreen. Warning: You will get dirty and have fun, too! Please note that participation helps to satisfy the State of Maryland Student Service Learning Requirement. To register, please call (301) 985-5057 or email caistis@hyattsville.org.
Free Clothing, Toys & More Shop the HY-Swap for FREE infant, chil-
Twice a week, volunteer tutors help students in our community reach new heights in school. Dos veces a semana, tutores voluntarios ayudan a estudiantes en nuestra comunidad a tener más éxito en sus escuelas.
dren’s and maternity clothing, toys, and gear. On October 20, doors will be open 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the first floor of the Hyattsville City Building (4310 Gallatin Street). The HY-Swap is organized by local parents dedicated to sharing items within the community, helping families save money and reducing waste. Large items (strollers, car seats, cribs, highchairs, etc.) can be donated the morning of the event (October 20), starting at 9 a.m. No other items will be accepted by the HY-Swap on October 20, but DC Diaper Bank will be on hand to accept donations of diapers and sanitary items. For more information about when and where to donate goods or how to volunteer, contact hyswap@gmail.com, or visit www.hy-swap.com!
StonyFIELD DAY
Join us in Magruder Park on Sunday, October 21, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., for FREE BBQ, music, and yogurt! Yes, you read that correctly. We’re celebrating because Hyattsville has been awarded a grant from Stonyfield Farm to begin doing organic field management. That means we will be using soil-based fertilizers without harmful pesticides to care for our fields. StonyFIELD Day’s activities will include crafts, games, face painting, and a special live performance from the Jimi Smooth Band! For more information, please visit www. stonyfield.com/hyattsville.
Sunset Movie Series
We’re screening Monster House in Heurich Park (2800 Nicholson Street) on Friday, October 26, at 7 p.m. Bring your blankets or chairs and come enjoy this FREE movie in the park!
Fall Cleanup Days
Community Shred-it Event: Great news, we’ve rescheduled! On Saturday, October 27, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., residents
can bring any paper documents they need shredded for FREE to the City Building parking lot (4310 Gallatin Street). Please separate and remove the paper from binders, clips, and other large metal pieces. If you have any questions, please call (301) 985-5000.
Mary Prangley Cleanup Day: Place all of your bulk trash items curbside after 6 p.m. on Friday, October 26, for collection that Saturday morning. FREE of charge, rain or shine, the City will pick up mattresses, box springs, chairs, tables, room doors, grills, swings, cabinets, empty paint cans, TV carts, bathtubs, sinks, toilets, and wall units. Questions? Call (301) 985-5000.
Spooky Fest
Join us Saturday, October 27, 1 – 3 p.m., in the University Town Center (6515 Belcrest Road) for a spooky fun time! We’ll be having scary stories, seasonal crafts, a costume contest (for ages 12 and under), a photo booth, and tons of music and dancing. Visit www.hyattsville.org/spooky to learn more about the FREE fun!
Memory Cafe
Hyattsville Aging in Place and the City of Hyattsville invite you to the Memory Cafe, a comfortable gathering place for people with memory problems and their caregivers. Join us every third Thursday of each month, 1 – 2:30 p.m., at the Hyattsville City Building (4310 Gallatin Street) for social interaction, games, music, crafts, seated exercises, and more! Registration is required. To learn more and sign up, please call Nancy Quarles at (240) 467-3833.
Halloween Decoration Competition
Ready for a spooktacular competition, Hyattsville? Between now and Sunday, October 21, we invite City residents to show off their BOO-tiful Halloween decorations on
the City of Hyattsville’s Facebook page (@ cityofhyattsville). Be sure to use #HVLHalloween2018 and tag us so that City staff can select the finalists! You and all of our followers will then be able to vote on your favorite finalists in a Facebook poll. First, second, and third place winners will be awarded some pretty FANG-tastic prizes just in time for Halloween! So, whether you’re getting ghoulish with the decorations or creepin’ it real this year, stay tuned to our social media for competition updates! If you have any questions, please call (301) 985-5020.
Citywide Tree Work
Hey Hyattsville! Did you know this is our 27th year recognized as a “TreeCity” by the Arbor Day Foundation? We receive this honor each year because we provide dedicated tree care and routine maintenance to our City’s tree canopy. Now it’s the time of year for our state-certified contractor to remove any City-owned, diseased and dead trees that make our streets and sidewalks unsafe. Trees slated for removal are labeled with a white sign. The signs are posted a minimum of two weeks in advance of tree removal. This gives residents the opportunity to ask questions about the viability and removal of a tree. If you have any questions, please contact our City Arborist at (240) 487-0290. For more information about tree maintenance by the City and Pepco, please visit www.hyattsville.org/trees.
We’re Hiring
Serve your community by working for our local government! We’re currently seeking police officers and a Department of Public Works Solid Waste Supervisor, Teen Program staff and a bus driver. Visit www.hyattsville.org/jobs today to learn more and apply today!
A New Way to Volunteer
Sign up for event-specific and ongoing volunteer opportunities with the City of Hyattsville at https://hyattsville.galaxydigital.com. To learn more, please email caistis@hyattsville.org.
Cards for Veterans
Did you know that many veterans staying in hospitals and rehabilitation centers can’t access greeting cards to send their loved ones? Join us on Saturday, November 10, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., at the City Building (4310 Gallatin Street) as we decorate blank greeting cards to help veterans send well wishes to family and friends. Veterans who want to share their experiences serving our country are more than welcome at the event. All groups and ages are welcome! Light refreshments will be served. If you are a veteran and want to share your experiences serving our country at this event, please fill out our online form at www.hyattsville.org/veterans. If you have any questions, please call (301) 985-5021 or email cverhhart@hyattsville.org.
Wanted: Compensation Review Committee Members
Residents who want to give back to our community are encouraged to apply for the Compensation Review Committee. Members can review and make recommendations for the compensation of both our Mayor and our 10 City Council members. To learn more and apply, please visit www. hyattsville.org/committees. If you have any questions, please email cityclerk@hyattsville.org.
Reportero de Hyattsville el
Programa de Adolescentes
El programa gratis extracurricular de la Ciudad está de vuelta con más actividades académicas y recreacionales para estudiantes en las escuelas secundarias. El programa está abierto los martes y jueves de 3 – 8 p.m., y viernes de 3 – 10 p.m. en el Centro Recreacional del Parque Magruder (3911 Calle Hamilton). Para aprender más, contacte a Saarah Abdul-Raul al (301) 985-5065 o vía srauf@hyattsville.org. ¿Quiere ayudar a uno de los estudiantes como un mentor y tutor? Contacte a Anthony DeSantis al (301) 9855000 o vía adesantis@hyattsville.org.
Transportación Gratis
¡Residentes de Hyattsville pueden tomar todos los autobuses de la Universidad de Maryland GRATIS! La Ruta 113 pasa por Hyattsville, con paradas en la estación de metro de Prince George’s Plaza y al fin en la Universidad. Para obtener su pase para el autobús, presente una identificación con foto y prueba de residencia a la Ciudad en 4310 Calle Gallatin, lo que está abierto lunes a viernes, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Le podemos dar el pase el mismo día de su visita. Mapas y horarios de la ruta del autobús se los puede encontrar en www.dots.umd.edu.
Acción con la Alcaldesa Alcaldesa Hollingsworth y JM3 Health & Fitness los invitan para más sesiones de entrenamiento y acondicionamiento llenas de diversión. Las sesiones toman plazo cada miércoles hasta el 24 de octubre, de 5 – 6 p.m. Gente de cualquier edad y nivel físico están bienvenidos. Para hacer RSVP, por favor mande un correo electrónico a epreston@hyattsville.org o llame (301) 985-5006. Si la clase está llena, puede ser agregado a la lista de espera para sesiones potenciales en el futuro.
Carrera de Zombis
¡Necesitamos voluntarios para hacer la Carrera de Zombis un éxito! Visite https:// runsignup.com/Race/Volunteer/MD/Hyattsville/HyattsvilleZombieRun para ver las diferentes maneras que puede contribuir. Los días antes de la carrera, el día sí mismo (sábado, 13 de octubre) y el día después de la carrera. Es una excelente oportunidad para clubes, equipos deportivos, grupos de estudiantes y otras organizaciones para servir juntos. La PTA también tendrá formas de horas comunitarias de parte del Condado Prince George´s en el sitio.
Reunión del Distrito Uno
Miembros del Consejo Municipal de Hyattsville Bart Lawrence y Kevin Ward invitan a la gente que vive y trabaja en el Distrito Uno para aprender sobre lo que está pasando en su comunidad. La reunión de este mes tomara plazo el miércoles, 17 de octubre, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., en el primer piso del Edifico Municipal (4310 Calle Gallatin). ¡Nos vemos allí!
Removiendo Plantas Invasivas y No Nativas
Acompáñenos el sábado, 20 de octubre, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., para identificar y ayudarnos a remover de los Bosques Magruder plantas invasoras y no nativas. Una orientación de reglas de seguridad y guantes de algodón serán provistos. Se les recuerda voluntarios de vestirse para los elementos, incluyendo mangas y pantalones largos y botas o zapatos resistentes. ¡No se olviden de traer agua y bloqueador de sol! Participación puede ayudar a satisfacer el requisito de aprendizaje-servicio del Estado de Maryland. Para inscribirse, por favor llamen al (301) 9855057 o manden un correo electrónico a caistis@hyattsville.org.
¡Ropa, Juguetes Y Mas Gratis!
Venga de compras en el HY-Swap, un intercambio comunitario GRATIS para ropa de infantes, niños pequeños, ropa de maternidad, juguetes y bienes. El 20 de octubre, las puertas se abrirán de 12 p.m. a 3 p.m. en el primer piso del Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville (4310 Calle Gallatin). El HY-Swap está organizado por un grupo local de padres dedicados a compartiendo bienes dentro de la comunidad, ayudando familias y reduciendo el desgaste. Se recolecta bienes que ya fueron mencionados y estén en buenas condiciones desde ahora hasta el 7 de octubre. Bienes más grandes como cunas, sillitas de paseo y sillas infantiles no serán colectadas hasta el día del evento (20 de octubre) empezando a las 9 a.m. El HY-Swap solo colectará los bienes grandes el 20 de octubre, pero la organización DC Diaper Bank estará presente para aceptar donaciones como pañales y artículos sanitarios. ¡Para más información acerca de dónde y cómo puede donar bienes o para convertirse en un voluntario, contacte a hyswap@gmail.com o visite www. hy-swap.com!
Día StonyFIELD
¡Únase a nosotros en el Parque Magruder el domingo, 21 de octubre, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. para comida BBQ, música y yogur COMPLETAMENTE GRATIS! Si, está leyendo esto correcto. Estamos celebrando porque la Ciudad ha sido premiada una subvención de parte de StonyFIELD Farm para empezar el mantenimiento de los campos orgánicamente. Esto significa que estaremos usando fertilizantes sin pesticidas que no dañen para el mejor cuidado de nuestros habitantes. ¡Actividades del Día StonyFIELD incluyen artesanías, juegos, artistas que pintan las caritas y un concierto en vivo por parte la Banda Jimi Smooth! Para más información, visite www.stonyfield.com/hyattsville.
Serie de Películas al Atardecer
Estamos proyectando la película Monster House en el Parque Heurich (2800 Calle Nicholson) el viernes, 26 de octubre, a las 7 p.m. ¡Traiga sus mantas o sillas y venga a disfrutar de esta película GRATIS en el Parque!
Días de Limpieza
Evento Comunitario para Triturar
Documentos
¡Buenas Noticias, hemos reprogramado el evento! El sábado, 29 de septiembre, 9 a.m.
– 12 p.m., residentes de la Ciudad pueden traer documentos de papel que necesiten ser triturados GRATIS al estacionamiento del Edificio Municipal (4310 Calle Gallatin). Por favor remueva los papeles que quiera triturar de los encuadernaros, sujetapapeles y otros objetos metálicos que estén unidos antes de venir. Si tiene preguntas, por favor llame al (301) 985-5000.
Día de Limpieza Mary Prangley: Dejen sus basuras grandes en el bordillo después de las 6 p.m. el viernes, 26 de octubre, y la Ciudad la recogerá GRATISMENTE la siguiente mañana. Se puede dejar colchones, bases de cama, sillas, mesas, puertas, parrillas, columpios, gabinetes, latas vacías de pintura, televisores, carretas, bañeras y lavamanos. ¿Preguntas? Llame al (301) 9855000.
Spooky Fest
Vamos a tener una tarde fantasma-tico el sábado, 27 de octubre, empezando a las 3 p.m., en University Town Center (6515 Belcrest Road). Tendremos historias miedosas, artes, un concurso de disfraces para niños menores de 12 años, una cabina fotográfica y mucha música y baile. ¡Visite a www.hyattsville.org/spooky para ver más sobre la diversión GRATIS!
Memory Cafe
La organización Hyattsville Aging in Place y la Ciudad de Hyattsville los invitan a la Memory Cafe, un cómodo lugar para reunirse junto a personas con problemas y a sus cuidadores. Acompáñenos cada tercer jueves del mes, 1 – 2:30 p.m., en el Edifico Municipal de Hyattsville (4310 Calle Gallatin) para interacciones sociales, juegos, música, artesanías, y ejercicios sentados. Es requerido la registración. Para más información e inscribirse, por favor llame a Nancy Quarles al (240) 467-3833.
Competición de Decoraciones para Halloween
¿Están listos para una competición terrorífica Hyattsville? Desde ahora hasta el domingo, 21 de octubre, invitamos a residentes de la Ciudad a mostrar sus decoraciones de Halloween en nuestra página de Facebook (@cityofhyattsville). Acuérdense de usar #HVLHalloween2018 para que empleados de la Ciudad puedan elegir los finalistas. Después, usted y todos nuestros seguidores en Facebook votaran por sus favoritas decoraciones en una encuesta de Facebook. ¡El primer, segundo y tercer puesto recibirán re-
galos buenísimos justo a tiempo para el día de Halloween! Manténganse sintonizados para más actualizaciones de la competición. Cualquier pregunta, por favor llamen al (301) 985-5020.
Estamos Contratando
¡Sirvan a su comunidad y trabajen para nuestro gobierno local! Estamos buscando oficiales de policía, un Supervisor del Departamento de Trabajo Público, personal para el Centro de Adolescentes y un conductor de autobuses. Para obtener más información y solicitar, por favor visiten a www.hyattsville. org/jobs.
Una Nueva Manera de Ser Voluntario
Inscríbase para eventos que tengan oportunidades de ser voluntario y que sean recurrentes o para un evento especifico con la Ciudad de Hyattsville vía https://hyattsville. galaxydigital.com. Para aprender más, por favor contacte caistis@hyattsville.org.
Tarjetas para Veteranos
¿Usted sabía que veteranos hospedados en hospitales y centros de rehabilitación no pueden acceder o mandar tarjetas de felicitaciones a sus familiares y queridos? Únanse a nosotros el sábado, 10 de noviembre, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., en el Edificio Municipal (4310 Calle Gallatin) mientras decoramos tarjetas de felicitaciones para ayudar los veteranos que quieran mandar buenos deseos a sus familias y amigos. Veteranos que quieran compartir sus experiencias de servir a nuestro país están bienvenidos. ¡Grupos de todas las edades están bienvenidos! También serviremos refrigerios ligeros. Si usted es un veterano y quiere compartir sus experiencias que tuvo sirviendo nuestro país, por favor llene nuestro formulario vía www.hyattsville.org/ veterans. Si tiene alguna pregunta, por favor llame al (301) 985-5021 o mande un correo electrónico a ceverhart@hyattsville.org.
Se Busca: Miembros para el Comité de la Compensación
Residentes que quieran tener un impacto en la comunidad están invitados a servir para nuestra Comité de la Compensación. Miembros revisan y pueden hacer recomendaciones sobre la compensación de nuestra Alcaldesa y nuestros 10 miembros del Concejal Municipal. Cualquier consulta, por favor mande un correo electrónico a cityclerk@ hyattsville.org.
The City’s Electric Vehicle Car Show in September showcased Hyattsville’s own fully marked Chevrolet Bolt Police Cruiser – the first of its kind in the nation. En septiembre, la Exposición de Autos Eléctricos de la Ciudad destacó el propio Chevrolet Bolt de Hyattsville que sirve como crucero policial – el primero de su tipo en la nación. Photo Credit: Vlad Tchompalov
Suspect in gas station the s still at large
By Kaanita Iyer
No arrests have been made in the connected thefts that occured at two local gas stations in September, Hyattsville police said.
The two thefts were reported within minutes of each other
on Sept. 9 at the U.S. Gas and Shell stations on Queens Chapel Road.
The police report filed for the theft at the Shell station, at 5398 Queens Chapel Road, described the suspect as a black male who fled southbound in a black Mercedes CLK with a
stolen temporary tag. This car was also seen during the theft at U.S. Gas.
“I do suspect it’s the same players,” said Lt. Chris Purvis of the Hyattsville City Police Department (HCPD). “We know it’s the same car, but we have no idea who’s in the car.”
HCPD is still unsure of how many suspects were involved in
According to the police reports, the suspect approached both victims, whose names were not released by the police, by exiting his passenger seat and entering the victim’s car as they exited their vehicle to pump gas.
According to surveillance footage from U.S. Gas, at 5320 Queens Chapel Road, the victim pulled up to the pump at 11:55 a.m. and went inside the station at 11:59 a.m., and the suspect exited his rear passenger seat and entered the victim’s vehicle at noon.
While the footage showed the suspect moving in the victim’s car, the suspect can’t be seen because he was crouching, the police report said.
The victim reported that her driver’s license, $300 cash, three unendorsed money orders totalling $420, a cell phone, a credit card, the title to her Nissan Sentra and her Samsung laptop were stolen.
The police arrived at U.S. Gas at 12:13 p.m., one minute
before another police officer responded to the theft at the Shell station.
The police report also mentioned that a brown purse, containing debit and credit cards and a checkbook, was stolen from the second victim at the Shell station.
Hyattsville resident and vice chair of the Police and Public Safety Citizens Advisory Committee, Irma Echeverria, said she is “not surprised” that such an incident took place at the Shell station on Queens Chapel Road and Hamilton Street.
“There have been incidents before,” Echeverria said, mentioning reported fights, gunshots and an attempted carjacking at that Shell. “Gas stations notoriously attract these kind of things that happen.”
Purvis said there is not a trend of such gas station thefts in the city, though.
“At this point it’s isolated,” he said. “It kind of comes in waves, and we did not see one for a year.”
As of the end of September, the two incidents remained under investigation.
October 13
Hyattsville Zombie Run. Sponsored by the Hyattsville Elementary School PTA. 1K Family Fun Run/Walk starts at 8:45 a.m. Cost is $15 plus fee. One Mile Kids Run/Walk starts at 9:05 a.m. Cost is $15 plus fee. 5K Run/Walk starts at 9:30 a.m. Cost is $30 plus fee. Save $10 when you add a race. Registration ends Oct. 12 at noon. Register at hyattsvilleespta.org/zombierun/.
October 14
Family Fun Harvest Festival. Hands-on activities, face painting, pumpkin decorating, treats in the garden and open hearth kitchen. All activities while supplies last. No registration required. $4 per person. Noon to 3:30 p.m. Riversdale House Museum, 4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale Park. riversdale.org
October 20
Fall HY-Swap. Free exchange of infant, children’s and maternity clothing, gear and toys. Noon to 3 p.m. Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin St., first floor multi-purpose room. Park in the lot at the building (except for the spots
marked Reserved for Hyattsville Police), in the lot across Gallatin St. to the south (Lot 4) or in the lot across Route 1 by Franklins (Lot 1). Sign in at hy-swap.com.
October 21
Chamber Music Society. Come listen to UMD’s newest ensemble. Afterwards, enjoy a post-concert reception and mingle with the musicians. Seating is first come, first served. Free. 2:30 p.m. Riversdale House Museum, 4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale Park. riversdale.org
November 11
STEAMuseum. Participate in demos with living history interpreters, test your military skills, measure out rations in the open
hearth kitchen, tour the museum and chat with archaeologists about neat military finds. Capacity limited; register by November 2. $15. 12:15 to 3:15 p.m. Riversdale House Museum, 4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale Park. riversdale.org
November 13
Library Independent Film Series. Thirteen-year-old Aisholpan trains to become the first female eagle huntress in her Kazakh family in 12 generations, in the movie “The Eagle Huntress.” John Spillane, local film editor and producer, will facilitate a conversation about the film. Refreshments provided. 7 p.m. University Christian Church, 6800 Adelphi Rd. 301.985.4690
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HANG
continued from page 1
“We served neck-and-neck, basically,” Falcone said. “I couldn’t ask for a better relationship as far as working together. He’s been exceptional in every aspect.
“He’s someone that anybody could go to. He would listen to anybody.”
Falcone added that Hang’s wife, Fan, also deserves recognition for her commitment, patience and sacrifice during Hang’s busy time as the HVFD fire chief.
Hang, who joined the department in 1994, succeeded Donald Moltrup as fire chief in 2005 after Moltrup’s 30-plus years in the position. With an ongoing career as a director of fire protection and life safety at Marriott International, and through his commitment to HVFD, Hang has made safety and service a big part of his life. When asked what he will miss most about being the fire chief, Hang focused on the mentorship of young members.
“Seeing our members excel inside and outside of the firehouse is what makes me smile,” said Hang. “This is what has motivated me over the years.”
Despite his retirement as fire chief, Hang will continue to serve the department in different ways, planning to help on the administrative side and concentrate on
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“Seeing our members excel inside and outside of the rehouse is what makes me smile. This is what has motivated me over the years.”
— Dave Hang
live-in college student recruitment, officer development and fundraising initiatives.
“I don’t think I could totally walk away from HVFD, as they have been an integral part of my life for the past 23 [years],” Hang said. “I wouldn’t be where I’m at today in my personal and professional life without HVFD.”
Iannone and Falcone both echoed that Hang isn’t going far.
“He’s going to help out quite a bit, whether he knows it or not,” Falcone said with a laugh.
CULTURAL
continued from page 4
He met his American wife, Monica, while she was on vacation in Puerto Rico, and, after pursuing a long-distance romance for a year, Torrealba decided to relocate to the U.S. in 2009. Since Monica owned a townhouse in the Arts District, Torrealba moved to Hyattsville.
Although Torrealba had spent many summers visiting the U.S., he was not prepared for some of the differences he encountered when he moved here.
“The weather was the biggest culture shock for me because I came in January. It was too hard. Everything was different. Here, life is much more controlled.
You can’t play music loudly or stay out late. In my country, the parties last all night; neighbors don’t care if you play music very late. Also, the food was really different; there was too much fast food. American people also follow and obey rules and have more structure than the Venezuelan community I grew up in. For example, when I took my driver’s test here, I failed it twice because the driving is so different.” Torrealba continued, “When I arrived in the U.S., I didn’t speak a word of English, and communication was very difficult.”
Despite some of these initial challenges, Torrealba has thrived in the U.S. In 2010, he and Monica opened Café Azul, one of the first restaurants in the area to serve Venezuelan cuisine, including arepas. Torrealba reports enjoying
In 2010, Torrealba and Monica opened Café Azul, one of the rst restaurants in the area to serve Venezuelan cuisine, including arepas.
living in Hyattsville. “I like the historic houses, the people in the neighborhood, the neighborhood festivals and its proximity to D.C.” He also appreciates the relative safety of the area. “You feel safe when you’re walking down the street; you don’t have to worry about being mugged.”
Still, Torrealba reminisces about his home country. “I would like to go back to Venezuela, but only when the country goes back to normal. I miss my family and friends. I miss the food, the day-to-day interchanges. In Venezuela, when you leave work you speak on the streets with your neighbors. Socializing is spontaneous. People here are more reserved.”
“Cultural Connections” is dedicated to highlighting Hyattsville’s rich cultural diversity by sharing the voices of immigrants and other foreigners who have settled here.
COURTESY OF HYATTSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
David Hang joined the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department in 1994.
ELECTRIC
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ever to be converted for police use, and, to Hartnett’s knowledge, the only Bolt adapted for police work and in full-time service as a patrol car in the U.S. Hartnett’s vehicle — parked between a line of food trucks and the other plug-in vehicles on 7th Street, and just a stone’s throw away from the Hirshhorn’s massive sculptures — was a star attraction of the show. With the Bolt’s red-and-blue LED sidelights and light bar flashing, and the rear hatchback open to display an informative poster, Hartnett stood by to explain its unique features to attendees.
Washington’s NDEW, a locallyorganized event, is part of an annual national outreach program to highlight the benefits of allelectric and plug-in hybrid electric cars, trucks and motorcycles. In 2017, there were 276 NDEW events across the U.S., which collectively reached more than 100,000 people and provided more than 8,000 test rides and drives in EVs.
Matt Bearzotti, the 2018 event’s principal organizer and a D.C. resident, describes himself as a defense lobbyist who is transitioning into clean tech. The Electric Vehicle Association of Greater Washington, D.C., a local advocacy group, sponsored previous NDEW events, but last year it looked like the show might not have a sponsor. Bearzotti and some of his friends said to themselves, “That can’t happen,” so they threw an event together at the last minute. Despite their lack of preparation, and in a sign of the increasing popularity of EVs, more cars were exhibited at the 2017 celebration than in any prior year.
This year, Washington’s NDEW had solid backing and was planned well in advance. The Sierra Club and Nissan, maker of the all-electric Leaf, joined with
While the electric patrol car has gained acceptance with the HCPD — and has even been featured on local TV news — it was not an entirely easy sell. When Hartnett rst approached HCPD administration to advocate purchasing an electric car for patrol use, Hartnett reported that they were more than skeptical.
two EV advocacy groups to promote the event. The Sierra Club threw its marketing muscle into advertising the car show, and the district was also an enthusiastic supporter. In addition to granting the permit for street parking on the National Mall, D.C. displayed a brand-new, all-electric circulator bus, one of 14 electric buses acquired by the city last spring.
Before pioneering with his allelectric patrol car, Hartnett , a technology and electric vehicle enthusiast, drove a BMW i3 as
his personal car. Like the more popular Chevy Volt, the i3 is a series hybrid, which means that the electric motor is the only means of providing power to the wheels. The motor draws electric power from either a battery pack or from a gas-powered generator.
Hartnett said he liked his personal EV and saw advantages in using similar vehicles for police work. EVs generally outaccelerate their internal-combustion counterparts, and they are cheaper to operate over time — though they are often more expensive upfront. They also require much less maintenance.
In his trunk, Hartnett displays a poster listing mechanical advantages of a fully electric vehicle:
“No Starter, No Crankshaft, No Muffler, No Fan Belts,” and so on, a long list of maintenanceheavy and failure-prone components in conventional cars.
And the 2017 maintenance record for Patrol Car #28?
“Rotating the tires,” Hartnett said.
While the electric patrol car has gained acceptance with the HCPD — and has even been featured on local TV news — it was not an entirely easy sell. When Hartnett first approached HCPD administration to advocate for purchasing an electric car for patrol use, Hartnett reported that they were more than skeptical.
“They just laughed,” said Hartnett.
At that time, typical EVs had a range of 50 or 60 miles, which was insufficient for patrol work. But then GM announced that it would produce an all-electric vehicle with a range of 200 miles. When that vehicle, the Chevy Bolt, actually went into production, its range was even higher, coming in at 238 miles.
Hartnett went back to his bosses, and this time they were more supportive. If he could find funding to assist with the cost, they would buy the car. Hartnett
secured grant money from the Maryland Energy Administration, and the HCPD pioneered with the first all-electric patrol car in the state, if not the country.
HCPD officers have personally assigned vehicles, so Hartnett takes his patrol car home after work, where he can charge it with power from his 30-panel solar installation. Hartnett keeps a meter that measures the current used by the patrol car and gets reimbursed on an honor system. But lately he finds he rarely needs to charge his police vehicle at home.
That’s because Hyattsville has installed four EV chargers in the municipal garage with Maryland Energy Administration grants which Harnett obtained. Additional chargers have been installed in city parking lots near
the Hyattsville Municipal Building, with high speed “Level 3” chargers in the municipal building parking lot. The chargers are free to the public and are located near one of Hyattsville’s shopping districts, which may provide an incentive for EV drivers to support the local economy.
Hartnett is also, perhaps not coincidentally, the technical services officer for the HCPD. Computers, radios, body cameras and speed cameras — all fall to Hartnett. So Hartnett’s Bolt patrol car often charges in its municipal building parking spot while he does technical work in the office.
That’s not a problem for Hartnett, though, because it leaves his home charging station free for his personal vehicle: a brand new “pretty blue” Chevy Bolt.
MD 20785
MAGRUDER
continued from page 1
and how they would like to use it in the future. Though the small windows darkened rapidly as the storm rolled in, and the planned walking tour got rained out, the conversation stayed bright and hopeful.
The Neighborhood Design Center (NDC), a nonprofit with offices in Hyattsville’s Pyramid Atlantic building, was hosting the fourth in a series of meetings asking Hyattsville park users to “reimagine” Magruder Park. More than 200 residents have now given feedback to the NDC through surveys or focus groups, according to Allie O’Neill, the Prince Georges County program manager for the NDC.
At that Wednesday’s meeting, sticky-note sized pictures of potential uses covered one wall. Images ranged from bird-watching,
to a meditation labyrinth, to disc golf, to outdoor circuit training, to giant chess pieces. Participants could vote “yay” or “nay” with stickers. Pictures of fountains and splash pads quickly became studded with stickers, while the image of biodegradable art puzzled some. Participants added their own ideas to the wall, including a beer garden, a climbing wall, a zip line and a merry-goround. In small groups, participants considered about 20 elements of the existing park, from the water fountain to the nature trail boardwalk, and talked about whether they’d like to see these elements stay, or how they’d like to see them change. Each participant also made a map of a recent trip to the park, marking stops they made — saying goodbye to a kid, pausing in the forest, waiting for a dog — and obstacles they encountered: mud, broken glass.
Some participants wanted to have the name of the park changed, especially once they’d seen a quote taken from a column in the February edition of the Hyattsville Life & Times The quote was blown up on a poster and put on the wall above the station where participants could grab free pizza. It described the racist terms of the donation of the parkland to the public. Both William Pinkney Magruder, who donated most of the park in 1927, and Hillary and Annie Willis, who expanded the park in 1944, donated the land for “Caucasian inhabitants only,” a restriction which courts rendered unenforceable a few years later. City Councilmember Joseph Solomon, who participated in the meeting, believes the name should be changed; his first idea was Free Hope Park. According to Solomon, the Hyattsville Preservation Association recently informed the council that it intends to make a formal proposal for the renaming of the park. Other name suggestions have been circulating on Hyattsville listservs and on the city-sponsored online forum, Speak Up, HVL.
The city first solicited ideas for park redesign in 2016 through Speak Up, HVL. Based in part on the online conversation that unfolded, Mayor Candace Hollingsworth introduced a proposal to the city council in January 2017 “to develop a conceptual design
for the reimagining of Magruder Park,” mentioning NDC as a proposed contractor. In October 2017, Hyattsville put out a request for a proposal for a contractor to conduct community outreach and “develop a design concept” for the park. In February 2018, according to Public Information Officer Jake Rollow, city staff selected the NDC to do the work. O’Neill says the NDC’s bid was submitted in collaboration with Bradley Site Design, landscape architects, and the Rivera Group, which specializes in outreach to the Latino community.
Not all city council members agree that this is the right time to develop a comprehensive redesign plan for the park. Solomon, who is among three councilmembers who expressed concerns about the process at the council meeting in January of 2017, says that while he agrees that “the current facility is not sufficient,” and wants to hear resident input, he fears that the process could generate “false hope.” Given the city’s other construction projects, he worries that the city does not have the operational capacity, funds and “relationship capacity with all of the partners that we would need” to finish the work following a redesign. He also expressed concerns about proceeding with a redesign before the outcome of the Magruder Pointe development project is known.
The NDC conducted a similar
series of meetings focused on the redesign of Hyatt Park in the spring of 2018, culminating in the presentation of a design to the city council. According to Rollow, the city hopes to complete the Hyatt Park renovation in 2019.
As for Magruder Park, O’Neill said that the NDC is still analyzing the data it has collected. According to O’Neill, NDC observers have found that residents most commonly use Magruder Park to spend time with family. O’Neill also said that users are representative of Hyattsville’s overall demographics, with one exception: not many teens use the park, absent targeted programming. According to O’Neill, the NDC is reaching out to teens and exploring ways to change that.
At the meeting, O’Neill said that next steps for the Magruder Park project would include assembling a “Champions of the Park” volunteer working group to do a walking tour and discuss design options. The NDC hopes to present two alternative proposals for redesign this October and aims to finalize a design in November.
Rollow said that the city council “has not yet discussed funding physical changes to the park.” The original Speak Up, HVL conversation explored seeking grants from the state of Maryland which are earmarked for playground and recreational facility upgrades.
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through 2025. The capital improvements budget includes $6 million in 2019, and an additional $9.3 million in 2020 for the Hyattsville branch. Voters must decide whether they want the county to take on debt in the form of bonds to fund these projects.
The Prince George’s County Office of Central Services, responsible for managing architectural design for all of the county’s public buildings, has had challenges finding a contractor to build the library, according to Deputy Director Floyd Holt. The office is currently negotiating with five companies that have submitted bids.
According to PGCMLS Chief Operating Officer Michael Gannon, no pre-construction meetings have been scheduled yet. Remediation of hazardous materials must occur prior to demolition of the existing building.
Gannon estimates that once construction begins, it will take 24 to 30 months before the new building is complete.
Meanwhile, the Hyattsville library remains an active community resource center. The branch temporarily relocated in April 2017 to the plaza in University Town Center, at 6502 America Boulevard.
The community has adjusted well to the change, according to Heather Jackson, West Area manager for PGCMLS, which includes the Hyattsville branch. “In spite of the smaller size, we are seeing very minimal changes to our gate counts and attendance at programs,” said Jackson. “The new location has also allowed us to attract some new customers who had never been to our library before. We have seen new customers receive library cards after spotting us as they went to a movie or during move-in day at the student apartments behind the branch.”
Beyond the importance of providing books and digital resources, Jackson cited the enriching array
of services — support for job seekers, computer and language classes, and a variety of programs and clubs for teens and children — as key elements that make the library critical for Hyattsville residents. Jackson highlighted this year’s Summer @ Your Library program, during which staff outreach resulted in more than 1,000 summer reading program registrations, as an example of the library’s value to the community. “Programs like this have major ripple effects,” Jackson said. “[Participants] develop … so many key life skills, such as the ability to synthesize information to make a prediction or draw a conclusion, research skills for our teens, language skills, problem-solving skills and critical thinking skills. These skills produce better outcomes for these kids, which in turn means better outcomes for their families and the broader community.”
COURTESY OF NESTOR DIAZ/PRINCE GEORGE’S MEMORIAL LIBRARY SYSTEM
Top: A digital rendering of the new Hyattsville library. Bottom: The Libraries Rock! Block Party was held at the Hyattsville library this June.
COURTESY OF THE PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY MEMORIAL LIBRARY SYSTEM
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