FROM THE EDITOR
Meet our new associate editor, Sophie Gorman Oriani. P. 2
Environment commi ee opposes HMS build on parkland
By Lindsay Myers
Three members of the Hyattsville Environment Committee (HEC) rose during the public comment portion of the Aug. 5 city council meeting to speak out against the potential relocation of Hyattsville Middle School (HMS) to Magruder Park. Jim Groves, acting chair of the HEC, spoke on behalf of the group, with Theresa Goedeke and Richard Canino standing beside him. Groves emphasized the importance of advocating for the environmental
Love Yoga Studio changes owners
By Anna Walker
The word “serendipitous” could be used to describe the recent change in ownership of Love Yoga Studio on Baltimore Avenue. As Mimi Novic, lifestyle coach and author of Guidebook to Your Heart, says, “Throughout this journey of life we meet many people along the way. Each one has a purpose in our life. No one we meet is ever a coincidence.” Changing studio ownership from Monica Corry, the studio’s founder, to Asia Vianna Leak and her mother, Vicki Mack, reflects this view.
MY TWO CENTS
EFTF chair suggests re-examining our public schools through children’s eyes. P. 2
Next steps for HMS depend on PGCPS
By Sophie Gorman Oriani
Excitement is mounting over the possibility of building a new Hyattsville Middle School (HMS), but some confusion over the process still remains.
As reported by the Hyattsville Life & Times in June, the current school is in a state of extreme disrepair — bathrooms
lack doors, fire alarms don’t work properly and the building suffers significant mold issues. In a presentation to the Hyattville City Council on June 3, Daniel Broder, chairman of the city’s Educational Facilities Task Force (EFTF), said that students and teachers report negative health effects from the state of the building.
County Councilmember Deni Taveras (District 2), announced in an Aug. 8 email to the H.O.P.E. (Hyattsville Organization for a Positive Environment) email group that HMS will officially be added to the public-private partnership, or P3, list. With this new pilot program,
Hyattsville’s
HEC continued on page 9
YOGA continued on page 13
COURTESY OF ACTING SGT. DANIELLE GRAY/ /HYATTSVILLE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
A young Hyattsville resident shows off her colorful hands after helping cover the police car with handprints during National Night Out on Aug. 6. See more photos on page 12.
FromTheEditor
Many thanks for the warm welcome!
By Sophie Gorman Oriani
Hello to all you Hyattsville Life & Times (HL&T) readers! I am so happy to have joined the paper as the new associate editor. Thank you very much for the warm welcome you’ve already extended to me. I never thought I would end up covering city council happenings for the local newspaper, but life sure has a way of leading in unexpected directions. Let me tell you a little about how I got here.
A community newspaper chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781
http://HyattsvilleLife.com
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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.
Managing Editor
Maria D. James maria@hyattsvillelife.com
Associate Editors
Sophie Gorman Oriani sophie@hyattsvillelife.com
Heather Wright
heather@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, Julia Gaspar-Bates, Fred Seitz, Anna Walker
Board of Directors
Joseph Gigliotti — President and General Counsel
Chris Currie — Vice President
Reva Harris — Treasurer
Rosanna Landis Weaver, Gretchen Brodtman, Debra Franklin, T. Carter Ross, Emily Strab
Maria D. James — Ex O cio
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.
My first experience with local journalism was as a child in Bowie. My sister and I got our first jobs delivering a weekly newspaper, the Bowie Blade News. Although we grew up and moved on to other jobs, I never forgot that first job. My family moved from Bowie to Hyattsville while I was attending college. I lived at home and was excited to see that Hyattsville had a local newspaper similar to Bowie’s. More importantly, I quickly fell in love with the friendly and welcoming Hyattsville community.
After my husband and I got married, we moved to Gaithersburg. It took less than six months for us to decide that we had made
a mistake and that we missed the friends we had already made in Hyattsville. As soon as we could get out of our lease, we moved back. Initially, we lived in an apartment, but we quickly purchased a fi xer-upper, which we are learning to repair and improve. It turns out that construction is slower than YouTube makes it look, especially when you’re hampered by first one and then two little daughters!
Over the years, I have gradually become more involved in Hyattsville’s community activities. I teach at St. Jerome Academy’s Montessori Toddler Room. After I found out about the HY-Swap, I began volunteering at their sort-
MyTwoCents
ing parties to help organize the piles of donations that residents drop off on porches all across Hyattsville. I also began tending a garden plot in the Hyatt Park Community Garden and eventually became involved in garden leadership as a plot monitor. This year I am one of the garden co-leads. Last spring, I took my community involvement a step further and decided to run for city council in Ward 5. While I didn’t win, I had a great experience and learned a lot about the residents and what I can do to help them thrive in our community.
When I was offered this position with the HL&T, I was ex-
cited to accept. Covering city council and other hard news for the HL&T seems like a logical way to stay involved with city happenings. I enjoy reading the monthly print edition and news stories online, and I’m especially impressed by the quality of the writing and editing given that the HL&T team is largely made up of seriously dedicated volunteers. Since joining the paper in July, it has been even more fun to learn about our city through writing my own stories. I am extremely excited to join this amazing team and to stay connected to the community that welcomed me so heartily nearly six years ago.
A look at school through the eyes of our children
By Daniel Broder
I felt an overwhelming sense of joy and relief as my daughter entered our world on the morning of April 30, 2017. After nine months, she was here: happy, healthy and with a full head of hair. As I was holding her and enjoying my first few hours of fatherhood, I began to feel something different, something powerful and novel: a sense of responsibility. That sense has guided me to work as hard as I can to be a good father in my home and to learn as much as I can about the conditions of the community outside of my home, the community in which my daughter will grow up.
When I began to explore her future educational options, I took a close look at our public schools. When I saw the physical condition of the school buildings, it left me horrified and outraged. When I learned that this problem was a systemic issue within Prince George’s County Public Schools, I felt compelled to take action. Something had to be done to fi x this problem.
Prince George’s County has an $8.5 billion backlog of needs for school maintenance and construction. That number alone is eye-popping, but it’s hard to grasp what that number means unless you tour Hyattsville Elementary School, Hyattsville Middle School or any other of the dozens of outdated, dilapidated schools in Prince George’s County.
Pipes are covered with mold and are exposed in classrooms and hallways. Bathrooms do not have doors due to lack of other adequate ventilation. Rodents run rampant in areas where students and teachers eat.
Schools are overcrowded by several hundred students. The pictures speak for themselves: They tell a story of deep inequality and a moral miscarriage. What makes this a heightened injustice is the fact that many schools in Hyattsville are Title I schools, meaning there is a high
concentration of poverty among students enrolled at these schools. The majority of these students are eligible for free or reduced lunches. The majority of them come from communities of color that deal daily with racism and discrimination. The fact that they must go to school in a physically unsafe place is yet another mark of that oppression. These school buildings are wholly inadequate for a city that purports to value racial equality and education, much less for a growing population of students. They must be replaced with new, safe, healthy school buildings.
As frustrated as I am about the decades of bad and nefarious policy and bureaucratic neglect that got our schools to this point, I am far more heartened by the brilliance and passion of our amazing grassroots volunteers who have stepped up to tackle this problem. They have participated in our PTAs and PTSOs and spoken at meetings of the Hyattsville City Council, Prince George’s County Council and Prince George’s County Schools Board of Education. They have lobbied our state legislators in Annapolis. As a community, we are capable of delivering the buildings all of our children deserve. In order to do this, we must value all of the children who attend our public schools as we value our own. They are the future neighbors, co-workers and friends of Hyattsville. We owe them schools that will encourage them to thrive.
Daniel Broder is Maple Broder’s dad. He’s also the chairman of the City of Hyattsville’s Educational Facilities Task Force.
COURTESY OF DANIEL BRODER
A bathroom at Hyattsville Middle School. The above picture and many others like it speak for themselves.
HCPD RESPONDS TO HOMICIDE ON BURLINGTON ROAD
On Aug. 1, the Hyattsville City Police Department responded to a report of a shooting in the 4600 block of Burlington Rd. According to a media advisory, officers located an adult male, who was later identified as 38-year-old Dante Campbell of Hyattsville, suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body. The officers provided life-saving measures until the victim was transported
to a local hospital, where he died shortly afterward. The Prince George’s County Police Department’s (PGPD) Homicide Unit assumes investigative responsibility for homicides that occur within the city. Anyone with information about this crime should call PGPD’s Homicide Unit at 301.772.4925. Callers who wish to remain anonymous should call Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).
BRIEFS continued on page 6
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CulturalConnections
From Mexico to Maryland
By Julia Gaspar-Bates
Growing up in the small colonial town of Cotija, Michoacán, in central Mexico, Paulina Valencia Quiroz recounts a peaceful upbringing among “houses built 500-600 years ago and horses that would sometimes wander in the streets.” Valencia grew up in a large family of 11 children and was fortunate to have friends and neighbors who all lived really close. She said in an interview, “I never felt afraid of going out because I had connections with everyone who surrounded me and who would greet me.” Her parents were small business owners — her father owned the only fabric and crafts store in town and her mother, a clothing store. Valencia spent part of her childhood working for them, which reinforced her strong sense of community.
Life in Cotija was full of festi-
vals. Valencia recalls celebrating many holidays throughout the year.
“In June there is a big festivity where the town paints wood chips, and [people] walk through town making prayers and singing. The streets are decorated. In December, there is the cheese festival where they sell mezcal.”
Cotija also attracted many foreign visitors and religious pilgrims.
in religious camps for a year in Tabasco, Valencia returned to Cotija to resume work in her father’s store. In her spare time, she began coursework with an online university and decided she wanted to learn English — a decision that changed the course of her future.
“I found a website where you can do a language exchange. I made a lot of friends there, including my husband, Andrew. We talked for 10 months via email and Skype, and then he came to visit me in Cotija over my birthday in November 2015. We decided to get married in January 2016.”
“I always had a bad feeling about the U.S. Many of the people from my town came to the U.S. illegally, passing through the desert in northern Mexico, so they had very rough stories. ... They just worked and saved their money to come back to Mexico.”
However, Valencia had a better experience. “It was very different from my experience coming to the U.S. ... Living here was so different for me because I came with my husband. I understand that if I lived by myself it would be a rougher life.”
Despite her more privileged circumstances as an immigrant, Valencia still experienced her share of culture shock.
“My parents welcomed a lot of foreigners to our house. I think that it opened my mind and my curiosity to learn about different cultures and languages.”
After doing a stint at university in Sonora and volunteering
After living for a year with her family in Cotija, the couple returned to Maryland, where Andrew grew up. Although this was her first experience abroad, Valencia had heard much about the U.S. through stories of community members who had immigrated north, mostly to Texas.
Our kids need great schools and great
Our kids need great schools and great
Our kids need great schools and great parks.
“When I came to the U.S. I felt that I didn’t have skills. I didn’t know how to connect with people. I didn’t understand jokes. In Mexico, a lot of people say ‘Hi,’ and kiss the cheeks. When I tried to do that here a lot of people would move back and it felt strange. I had to re-adapt. I
The good news is that Hyattsville Middle School, which is in terrible shape, will soon be replaced with a new building Now, the bad news To most people’s shock, a Hyattsville city council task force offered Magruder Park as a possible site for the new school. If we don’t act now a large part of Magruder Park may be wiped out as soon as next year!
The good news is that Hyattsville Middle School, which is in terrible shape, w replaced with a new building Now, the bad news To most people’s shock, a H council task force offered Magruder Park as a possible site for the new school now a large part of Magruder Park may be wiped out as soon as next year!
The good news is that Hyattsville Middle School, which is in terrible sha replaced with a new building. Now, the bad news. To most people’s shoc council task force offered Magruder Park as a possible site for the new sc now a large part of Magruder Park may be wiped out as soon as next yea
Save Magruder Park!
Our kids need great schools and great parks.
What’s this about?
need great schools and great parks.
Yes! Kids in our community do not need to sacrifice their park to get a school The current school lot on 43rd & Oglethorpe is available. Like other schools in our county, HMS can be rebuilt on its current site or outside of Hyattsville
ddle School, which is in terrible shape, will soon be he bad news To most people’s shock, a Hyattsville city Park as a possible site for the new school. If we don’t act may be wiped out as soon as next year!
The good news is that Hyattsville Middle School, which is in terrible shape, will soon be replaced with a new building. Now, the bad news. To most people’s shock, a Hyattsville city council task force o ered Magruder Park as a possible site for the new school. If we don’t act now a large part of Magruder Park may be wiped out as soon as next year!
Can they build somewhere else?
Yes! Kids in our community do not need to sacrifice their park to get a sc school lot on 43rd & Oglethorpe is available Like other schools in our co rebuilt on its current site or outside of Hyattsville
Yes! Kids in our community do not need to sacrifice their park to get a schoo school lot on 43rd & Oglethorpe is available Like other schools in our county rebuilt on its current site or outside of Hyattsville
The good news is that Hyattsville Middle School, w shape, will soon be replaced with a new building Now, the bad news T shock, a Hyattsville city council task force offered Magruder Park as a possib ew school If we don’t act now a large part of Magruder Park may be wiped ou t year!
Magruder Park is unique with playing fields, a swimming pool, picnic areas, a forest and river, all right here in our community. More than half of our park would be gone, much of it buried under pavement, concrete and steel. Ball fields, trails, and natural areas may also be completely or partly paved over to build parking lots We, the residents of Hyattsville and our neighboring communities, would suffer a devastating permanent loss to our way of life
Yes! Kids in our community do not need to sacrifice their park to get a school The current school lot on 43rd & Oglethorpe is available Like other schools in our county, HMS can be rebuilt on its current site or outside of Hyattsville
need to sacrifice their park to get a school. The current vailable Like other schools in our county, HMS can be of Hyattsville.
Yes! Kids in our community do not need to sacri ce their park to get a school. The current school lot on 43rd & Oglethorpe is available. Like other schools in our county, HMS can be rebuilt on its current site or outside of Hyattsville.
How would building a school at the park affect me and my family?
pool, picnic areas, a forest and river, all right here in our community. More than half of our park would be gone, much of it buried under pavement, concrete and steel. Ball elds, trails, and natural areas may also be completely or partly paved over to build parking lots. We, the residents of Hyattsville and our neighboring communities, would su er a devastating permanent loss to our way of life.
Magruder Park is unique with playing fields, a swimming forest and river, all right here in our community More th would be gone, much of it buried under pavement, concr trails, and natural areas may also be completely or partly p parking lots We, the residents of Hyattsville and our neig would suffer a devastating permanent loss to our way of li
Magruder Park is unique with playing fields, a swimming pool forest and river, all right here in our community. More than ha would be gone, much of it buried under pavement, concrete an trails, and natural areas may also be completely or partly paved parking lots We, the residents of Hyattsville and our neighbor would suffer a devastating permanent loss to our way of life
How would this impact nature?
Building on a park in the Anacostia river floodplain will seriously harm the environment The natural beauty and importance of Magruder Park is why the forested area is protected by the State of Maryland There will be increased water and noise pollution, a higher risk of flooding, hundreds of trees will be chopped down, and the habitats of birds, deer, foxes and other animals will be destroyed
nique with playing fields, a swimming pool, picnic areas, a right here in our community More than half of our park h of it buried under pavement, concrete and steel Ball fields, eas may also be completely or partly paved over to build e residents of Hyattsville and our neighboring communities, stating permanent loss to our way of life
Magruder Park is unique with playing elds, a swimming
Magruder Park is unique with playing fields, a swimming pool, picnic areas, a forest and river, all right here in our community More than half of our park would be gone, much of it buried under pavement, concrete and steel Ball fields, trails, and natural areas may also be completely or partly paved over to build parking lots We, the residents of Hyattsville and our neighboring communities, would suffer a devastating permanent loss to our way of life.
Building on a park in the Anacostia river floodplain will seriously harm the envir natural beauty and importance of Magruder Park is why the forested area is prot of Maryland There will be increased water and noise pollution, a higher risk of f of trees will be chopped down, and the habitats of birds, deer, foxes and other an destroyed.
Building on a park in the Anacostia river floodplain will seriously harm the natural beauty and importance of Magruder Park is why the forested area is of Maryland There will be increased water and noise pollution, a higher risk of trees will be chopped down, and the habitats of birds, deer, foxes and oth destroyed
Building on a park in the Anacostia river oodplain will seriously harm the environment. The natural beauty and importance of Magruder Park is why the forested area is protected by the State of Maryland. There will be increased water and noise pollution, a higher risk of ooding, hundreds of trees will be chopped down, and the habitats of birds, deer, foxes and other animals will be destroyed.
Learn more at: www.ProtectHyattsvilleParks.org
learn how to
On that website you can sign a pe learn how to contact city and county officials to le w how much you love Magruder Park!
and
On that website, you can sign a petition, and learn how to contact city and county o cials to let them know how much you love Magruder Park!
ver floodplain will seriously harm the environment. The gruder Park is why the forested area is protected by the State water and noise pollution, a higher risk of flooding, hundreds
Building on a park in the Anacostia river floodplain will seriously harm the environmen natural beauty and importance of Magruder Park is why the forested area is protected by of Maryland There will be increased water and noise pollution, a higher risk of flooding, hundreds of trees will be chopped down, and the habitats of birds, deer, foxes and other animals will be destroyed
officials t know how much you love
COURTESY OF PAULINA VALENCIA QUIROZ
Paulina Valencia Quiroz
BRIEFS
continued from page 3
On Aug. 5, the Hyattsville City Police Department (HCPD) used its Facebook page to respond to two separate acts of vandalism. One occurred at a building in the University Town Center area of the city, and the other occurred at a former synagogue in the 6700 block of Adelphi Rd., which is currently owned by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. The vandalisms both
showed depictions of male genitalia and and images of swastikas. HCPD is working closely with Prince George’s County Park Police to identify a suspect. Anyone with information is asked to contact the HCPD Criminal Investigations Section at 301.985.5060. Tips can also be emailed to police@hyattsville.org.
SHOP MARYLAND TAX-FREE WEEK RUNS AUGUST 11–17
This year’s Shop Maryland TaxFree Week runs Aug. 11 through Aug. 17. During this week, qualifying apparel and footwear $100 or less, per item, are exempt from state sales tax. The first $40 of a backpack or book bag purchase
is also tax free. Accessory items, except for backpacks, are not included. To view the list of taxexempt items, visit https://taxes. marylandtaxes.gov.
VIE MANAGEMENT INVESTS $5 MILLION IN RENOVATIONS FOR VIE TOWERS APARTMENTS
Vie Management, a student housing real estate investment company, has invested $5 million in renovating their Vie Towers high-rise student housing property, located at 6515 Belcrest Rd. According to a press release, Vie Management acquired the property in 2018 to better serve students from Howard University and the University of Maryland.
The 910-bed community offers newly renovated units including two-, three- and four-bedroom options which come fully furnished and include kitchen appliances and washers and dryers. Each apartment has new faux hardwood floors, electronic key fobs, and complimentary highspeed internet and cable. Vie Management will host a grand opening celebration of Vie Towers on Sept. 19. For more information about Vie Towers, visit vietowers.com.
COURTESY OF NUTRITION 301
Nutrition 301 welcomed a packed house during the grand opening event on Saturday, Aug. 3.
WEST HYATTSVILLE CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING OF NUTRITION 301
can’t be the same person. It’s a small thing but also a big thing.”
“Another thing that shocked me is all the diversity,” Valencia continued. “There are lots of Muslims, Indians and black people, and I never saw that in Mexico prior to coming to the U.S. Here, I had to think about who I am in this world and how people would identify me as a Mexican.”
Valencia and Andrew moved to Hyattsville shortly after arriving in the U.S. to share a house with Andrew’s childhood friend and his family. The inclusive Hyattsville community made the transition to American life a little bit easier.
“Because we live with our friends, we met a lot of people more quickly. I really like the strong community here. Things like the vine crawl, the mom’s clothing swap, the Zombie Run and all the international festivals. I feel there is always something happening in Hyattsville
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without extra problems to alleviate stress
West Hyattsville has a new business on the block: Nutrition 301. Located at 5406 Queens Chapel Rd., the business specializes in special gourmet shakes and teas and nutrition products. On Aug. 3, the grand opening event welcomed over 200 people in nine hours. For more information about the business, visit facebook.com/nutrition301.
“I had to re-adapt. I can’t be the same person. It’s a small thing but also a big thing.”
Paulina Valencia Quiroz
throughout the whole year. You also feel [included]. People are very warm.”
Despite her welcoming Hyattsville community, there are many aspects of home that Valencia still misses.
“I miss the small local businesses and connecting with the people. I miss my family and friends. I miss La Plaza [the main square] because a lot of people meet there to talk or have ice cream. In Mexico, the streets are more alive. I miss my language and being more relaxed when I speak Spanish. I can use colloquial words [there], and people understand my jokes.”
Valencia hopes to one day return to Mexico with her family. “We now have two places to live. It will always be a challenge to live far from our families. We’re not rushing, but when the moment arrives, we will have to decide.”
“Cultural Connections” is devoted to bringing forth the voices of immigrants and other foreigners who have settled in Hyattsville.
NatureNearby
Pending blessed event in Magruder Park
By Fred Seitz
Early on a warm day in June, I was walking my pseudo-fierce dog in Magruder Park. As we ventured downhill, I spotted a common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina, for Latin buffs) depositing a number of cream colored, ping pong ball-sized eggs into a hole in the ground. While pseudo fierce wanted to investigate, in the interests of motherhood and not having my dog’s nose snapped, I restrained him and watched Mom Turtle attend to her maternal task. When I returned later in the day, the hole was covered with dirt — presumably Mom had finished and returned to her swamp or one of the streams in the park. I have returned to this egg laying location frequently since that day, though hatchlings may not emerge until mid-August or early September. Interestingly, I have not seen evi-
dence of egg or hatchling predators (foxes, herons, other turtles and sometimes crows) near the nest. These usual suspects may be waiting for the hatchlings to emerge.
While snapping turtles have reputations as being aggressive, they are more likely to avoid what they perceive as potential threats by simply returning to their watery homes. They consume a lot of aquatic invertebrates, such as small frogs and other turtles — pretty much whatever they can find and swallow. The adults can weigh more than 20 pounds. Though there have been reports of much larger snappers weighing in around 75 pounds, let’s hope our locals don’t turn into local Godzillas.
While specific documentation is sparse, some snappers have been estimated to be nearly a century old. In winter, they typically remain in water or mud, oc-
FRED SEITZ
casionally sticking their snouts up for air.
As you might guess, snappers have been a common ingredient in turtle soup, though their exposure to some toxins in the environment may make them a less desirable choice than other spe-
cies of turtles. People sometimes keep them as pets, though I have found them to be nonresponsive to calls of “Here, Snapper!” And their necks are quite long; they can reach back and snap at someone trying to pick them up from behind. Unfortunately, some
people have picked up snappers by their tails, which can seriously damage the turtle’s spine.
Like many of us, snapping turtles have southern relatives. For our local snapper, it’s the alligator snapping turtle ( Macrochelys temminckii ), which is mostly limited to Georgia, Alabama and other southern states. Despite this more foreboding name, the common snapper is allegedly more aggressive than its southern and considerably larger kin.
These local reptiles evolved in North America about 90 million years ago and invaded Europe and Asia about 40 million years ago, but they no longer occupy Europe. I hope that Momma Turtle’s cache of little snappers will successfully emerge in a few weeks and take up residence in our nearby swamp and streams, thus carrying on their long biological tradition.
Hyattsville Reporter the
No. 377 • August 13, 2019
We’re Hiring
Serve your community by working for our local government! We’re currently seeking police officers and a building and grounds supervisor. Visit www.hyattsville.org to apply.
We’re also partnering with Employ Prince George’s to assist Hyattsville residents with background issues or prior offenses obtain job training and employment. Training covers landscaping, pruning, mulching, litter pickup, snow removal, and other tasks, and can lead to a career with the City’s Department of Public Works. Information session on August 14, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 4310 Gallatin. To register, visit www.employpg.org/events or call Employ Prince George’s at (301) 618-8445.
Park(ing) Day Open House
On Friday, September 20, the City of Hyattsville will host its fourth annual Park(ing) Day – a day that parking spaces across town are turned into pop-up parks! Each parking space can be hosted by a local business, group, or organization. To learn more, join us for an Open House on August 15 at 10 a.m. in the City Building, email kpowers@hyattsville.org or visit www.hyattsville.org/
PARKingday
Summer Jam
The Summer Jam Series continues Friday, August 16, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., at the City Building. Boogie down with Jimi Smooth Band, grab a bite from Dogs on the Curb food truck, and sip local adult beverages from Calvert Brewing, Maryland Meadworks, and Sangfroid Distilling. We’ll be debuting our new cornhole boards and you can bring schools supplies to Stuff our Hummer and help the City of Hyattsville Police Department support local schools (they need backpacks, glue sticks, notebooks, pencils, and paper). Visit www.hyattsville.org/ summerjam for more information.
Sunset Movie Series
We’re screening the How to Train your Dragon: The Hidden World on Friday, August 23, at 8 p.m., at Heurich Park. Come enjoy this FREE movie – don’t forget the blankets and chairs!
Trash Collection Changes
City offices will be closed Monday, September 2, in observance of Labor Day. Emergency services will continue. There will be no yard waste pickup that week. Yard waste collection will resume Monday, September 9 and compost will be collected on Tuesday, September 3. If you have any questions, please call (301) 985-5000.
Teen Center Open House
Volunteer as a tutor and mentor at the City of Hyattsville’s Teen Center! We´re currently seeking role models for the upcoming school year who can help with homework for local students in grades 6 – 12. It’s a commitment of a couple hours, one night a week, or more if you’d like. We’re also hosting an open house on Thursday, September 5, 6:30 - 8 p.m., at 3911 Hamilton Street. Come out and see how rewarding volunteering can be! Can’t make it? Visit www.hyattsville.org/tutor to learn more.
Electric Vehicle Car Show
Our
Show is right around the corner! Join us Sunday, September 15, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., at the City Building parking lot as we kick off National Drive Electric Week. Alongside the Electric Vehicle Institute and Studio 3807, our car show will display various electric vehicles from all around the Washington, D.C., area – including Teslas, electric motorcycles, and Hyattsville’s own fully marked Chevrolet Bolt Police Cruiser – the first of its kind in the nation. Admission is free, and all attendants should register for a chance to win $250 and raffle prizes! Visit www.ndew.org to register. Additional volunteers are needed for helping with the event. Participating as a volunteer helps satisfy the State of Maryland Student Service-Learning Requirement. To register, please call (301) 9855057 or email caistis@hyattsville.org.
Bulk Trash Collection Changes
The City of Hyattsville now only collects bulk trash on the first and third Friday of each month, and upon request. To request a pickup, call (301) 985-5086, use the My Hyattsville mobile app, or visit www.hyattsville.org/requests. Pickups must be scheduled by 3 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the first and third Friday of each month.
Capable Home Modification Program
The City of Hyattsville has partnered with Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland and Hyattsville Aging in Place to offer free home modification services to eligible senior residents. Services may include therapy for functional limitations, fall prevention and recovery strategies, and structural modifications and accessories to make homes more age friendly. To qualify, residents must:
• Be at least 65 years old
• Live in a home covered by homeowners’ policy
• Have trouble getting daily activities done
• Have annual income less than $42,500
To learn more, visit www.hyattsville.org/ capable. To request a mailed application,
please contact Habitat for Humanity at (301) 990-0014 ext. 19 or by emailing rebecca.arce@habitatmm.org. For help completing the application, please contact Hyattsville Aging in Place at (301) 887-3101 or HAPCares@gmail.com.
Residential Parking Permits Applications Open
Residential Parking Permit Applications for all zones in the City of Hyattsville are now open. Please note that the fastest way to receive your permits is by applying online at www.hyattsville.org/ res-parking. If you have any questions, please call (301) 985-5027.
Volunteer Drivers Needed for Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels of College Park (which also serves Hyattsville) is currently in need of volunteer drivers to help deliver meals to seniors and people with disabilities. Drivers typically deliver one day a week, and one to four times a month between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on weekdays. If you are interested in helping deliver meals, please contact Danielle Carter at (336) 473-8525 or dscarter86@ yahoo.com.
Mosquito Control Information
From June until September, the State of Maryland monitors adult mosquitos in Hyattsville. If certain thresholds are met, they will conduct spraying operations on Monday evenings. The City will also report issues with mosquitos to the State on a weekly basis. To report a problem in your neighborhood, please call (301) 985-5000, or visit www.hyattsville.org/ pests. You can also request an exemption from adult mosquito control services on that site. Please note that exemptions must be filed each year and must be submitted to not only the Mosquito Control Program Supervisor but also to the City.
Free Transportation
Hyattsville residents can ride all 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 your 2019 shuttle pass, please
bring photo ID and proof of residence to 4310 Gallatin Street, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Passes are issued the same day. Route maps and schedules are available at www.dots. umd.edu.
Invasive Plant Removals
Join us at Magruder Park on Saturday, August 17, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., to learn how to identify and properly remove non-native, invasive plants from Magruder Woods. We’ll provide a set of safety guidelines and cotton work gloves. Just be sure to 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 learn more or confirm if an invasive removal is canceled due to inclement weather, please contact Dawn Taft at (301) 852-8790.
Find the Services You Need
There’s now an easier way to find the low and no-cost service providers you need – whether it’s for food, healthcare, housing, job training, or something else. Visit www.hyattsville.org/resident-resources and check it out!
Download the My Hyattsville App
Did we miss your trash this week? Have you run over the same pothole one too many times? Have no fear, My Hyattsville is here! Download our app or visit www.hyattsville.org/request to report non-emergency issues or request City services. Once submitted, you can track your request with real-time updates from City staff. My Hyattsville is available at the Apple and Google stores.
Save Energy, #GoGreen!
Not sure what’s causing your high electric bill? Use an energy usage meter to find out! The meter can calculate how much energy a device is consuming, and the Hyattsville Library loans them out for free. Call (301) 985-4690 to learn more!
Little readers had plenty of books to choose from as the summer reading program at Rosa L. Parks Elementary wrapped up. Los pequeños lectores tenían muchos libros para elegir mientras terminaba el programa de lectura de verano en Rosa L. Parks Elementary.
Reportero de Hyattsville el
Estamos Contratando
¡Sirva a su comunidad trabajando por su gobierno local! Estamos buscando a oficiales de policía, un supervisor de edificios para el Departamento de Obras Públicas y un Asistente para la secretaria de la Ciudad. Para obtener más información y para solicitar, por favor visite nuestro sitio web www.hyattsville.org/jobs.
También, la Ciudad de Hyattsville y Employ Prince George’s están llevando el Programa de Embajador Limpio & Seguro a la Ciudad de Hyattsville para ayudar a los residentes de Hyattsville con problemas de fondo u ofensas anteriores para obtener empleo. La capacitación cubre paisajismo, poda, mulching, recolección de basura, remoción de nieve y otras tareas de obras públicas. La sesión informativa es el miércoles, el 14 de agosto, a partir de las 6 p.m. a las 7:30 p.m. en 4310 Gallatin. Para registrarse, visite www.employpg.org/events o llame a Employ Prince George’s al (301) 618-8445.
Expo de Dia de Parqueo
El viernes, 20 de septiembre, la Ciudad sostendrá su cuarto anual Día de Parqueo – ¡un día en lo cual espacios de parqueo por toda la Ciudad son convertidos en parques! Cada espacio de parqueo puede ser hospedado por un grupo, negocio local u organización. Todos quienes estén interesados en aprender más, pueden atender un expo el jueves, 15 de agosto, a las 10 a.m. en el Edificio Municipal, contactar a kpowers@hyattsville.org o visitar www. hyattsville.org/PARKingday.
Summer Jam
La serie de Summer Jam continúa el viernes 16 de agosto de 6:30 a 8:30 p.m., en el edificio de la ciudad. Venga a bailar a la música de Jimi Smooth Band, échese un hot dog del camión de comida Dogs on the Curb y disfrute de unas bebidas para adultos de Calvert Brewing, Maryland Meadworks y Sangfroid Distilling. Vamos a estrenar nuestras nuevas tablas de cornhole y puedes traer útiles escolares para Stuff our Hummer y ayudar al Departamento de Policía de la Ciudad de Hyattsville a apoyar a las escuelas locales (con mochilas, barras de pegamento, cuadernos, lápices y papel). Visite www.hyattsville.org/summerjampara obtener más información.
Serie de Películas en el Atardecer
Estamos proyectando la película How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World en el Parque Heurich el viernes, 23 de agosto, a las 8 p.m. ¡Traiga sus mantas o sillas y venga a disfrutar de esta película GRATIS en el Parque!
Cambios en Colección de Basura
Las oficinas de la ciudad estarán cerradas el lunes 2 de septiembre, en observación del Día del Trabajo. Los servicios de emergencia continuarán. No habrá recolección de desechos de jardín esa semana. La recolección de desechos de jardín se reanudará el lunes 9 de septiembre y el compost se recogerá el martes 3 de septiembre. Si tiene alguna pregunta, llame al (301) 985-5000.
Expo del Centro de Adolescentes
¡Conviértase en un mentor y tutor para el Centro de Jóvenes de la Ciudad de Hyattsville! Estamos buscando a personas
Graduated campers received a special SWAT demonstration from Hyattsville’s finest on their last day of Summer D.A.R.E. Camp. Los campistas graduados recibieron una demostración SWAT especial de los mejores de Hyattsville en su último día de verano del acampamento D.A.R.E..
ejemplares para el próximo año escolar que puedan ayudar a estudiantes locales de grados 6 – 12 con la tarea. Es un compromiso de un par de horas una vez a la semana o más si quiere. También tendremos un expo el jueves 5 de septiembre de 6:30 a 8 p.m., en 3911 Hamilton Street. ¡Ven y mira lo gratificante que puede ser el voluntariado! ¿No puedes hacerlo? Visite www.hyattsville.org/tutor para aprender más.
Exhibición de Vehículos
Eléctricos
¡Nuestro cuarto anual exhibición de vehículos eléctricos se está acercando! Acompáñenos el domingo, 15 de septiembre, de 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. en el edificio Municipal para ayudarnos a lanzar la Semana Nacional “Drive Electric”. Junto al Instituto de Vehículos Electrónicos y Studio 3807, tendremos una exposición de varios vehículos eléctricos de todos lados del área de Washington, D.C. Habrá Teslas, motocicletas y el Chevrolet Bolt de la policía de Hyattsville – la primera patrulla eléctrica de este tipo en la nación. ¡La entrada es gratis y todas las personas que atiendan deberían inscribirse para la oportunidad de ganar $250 y premios de sorteo! Visiten www.ndew.org para inscribirse. También se necesitan voluntarios para ayudar con el evento. Participando como voluntario ayuda a satisfacer el requisito de aprendizaje-servicio del Estado de Maryland. Para inscribirse, por favor llame al (301) 985-5057 o mande un correo electrónico a caistis@hyattsville.org.
Cambios de Recolleccion de Basura Grande
La ciudad de Hyattsville ahora solo recolecta basura grande el primer y tercer viernes de cada mes, y con solicitud pedido. Para solicitar una recolección, llame al (301) 985-5086, use la aplicación móvil My Hyattsville o visite www.hyattsville.org/ requests. Las recogidas deben programarse antes de las 3 p.m. el miércoles anterior al primer y tercer viernes de cada mes.
Programa de Modificación de Casa para Gente Mayor
La Ciudad de Hyattsville se ha asociado con las organizaciones Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland y Hyattsville Aging in Place para ofrecer servicios gratuitos de modificación de casa para residentes de mayor edad que sean eligibles.
Estos servicios pueden incluir terapias para limitaciones funcionales, estrategias para la prevención o recuperación de una caída y modificaciones estructurales para hacer la casa más cómoda. Para calificar, residentes de la Ciudad deben:
• Tener por lo menos 65 años
• Vivir en una casa cubierta por política de propietarios
• Tener problemas completando actividades o que haceres diariamente
• Tener un ingreso anual menos de $42,500
Para aprender más, visite www.hyattsville.org/capable. Para solicitar una aplicación por correo, por favor contacte Habitat for Humanity llamando al (301) 887-3101 extensión 19 o mandando un correo electrónico a rebecca.arce@habitatmm.org. Si necesita ayuda completando la aplicación, por favor contacte Hyattsville Aging in Place llamando al (301) 887-3101 o vía HAPCares@gmail.com.
Permisos de Parqueo Residencial
Ahora se están aceptando Aplicaciones para los Permisos de Parqueo Residencial para las todas las zonas en la Ciudad de Hyattsville. Por favor noten que la manera más rápida para recibir sus permisos es aplicando en línea vía nuestro sitio web www.hyattsville.org/res-parking. Sí tiene alguna consulta o pregunta, por favor llame a la Ciudad al (301) 985-5027.
Se Busca: Conductores Voluntarios
La organización Meals on Wheels de College Park (que también sirve a Hyattsville) actualmente necesita conductores voluntarios para que ayuden a distribuir comida a las personas mayores y personas con discapacidades. Conductores normalmente manejan una vez a la semana y de una a cuatro veces al mes entre semana durante las 10:30 a.m. y 1:30 p.m. Si desea ayudar, por favor contacte Danielle Carter al (336) 473-8525 o vía dscarter86@ yahoo.com.
Control de Mosquitos
La Ciudad participa en el Programa del Estado de Maryland para el Control de Mosquitos, lo que comienza en junio y dura hasta septiembre. Empleados del Estado monitorizan los mosquitos adultos en Hyattsville. Si los mosquitos llegan a un cierto
límite, el Estado realizará operaciones de fumigación los lunes después del anochecer. Además, la Ciudad reportará problemas con mosquitos al Estado cada semana. Para reportar un problema en su vecindario, por favor llame al (301) 985-5000 o visite a www.hyattsville.org/pests. En ese sitio también se puede pedir una exención de servicios de control de mosquitos. Por favor tenga en cuenta que usted debe pedir una nueva exención cada año, entregando la solicitación al Programa de Control de Mosquitos y a la Ciudad, también.
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 del 2019 para el autobús, por favor presente una identificación con foto y prueba de residencia a la Ciudad en la 4310 Calle Gallatin, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., de lunes a viernes. Le podemos dar el pase el mismo día de su visita. Los Mapas y horarios de la ruta del autobús están disponibles vía el sitio web www.dots.umd.edu.
Removiendo Plantas Invasoras
Acompáñenos en el Parque Magruder el sábado 17, de agosto, de 10 a.m. a 2 p.m., para identificar y ayudarnos a remover del Bosque Magruder plantas invasoras y no nativas. Nosotros proveeremos una orientación de reglas de seguridad y guantes de algodón. Solamente le recordamos a voluntarios que se vistan para el clima/ bosque con camisetas mangas largas, pantalones y botas o zapatos resistentes al agua. ¡No se olviden de traer agua y bloqueador de sol! Participación también puede ayudar a satisfacer el requisito de aprendizaje-servicio del Estado de Maryland. Para aprender más o para confirmar si el evento es cancelado debido al clima, por favor contacte Dawn Taft al (301) 8528790.
Encuentre los Servicios que Necesitas
Ahora hay una manera más fácil para encontrar proveedores de bajo o no costo que necesite. Sea para comida, asistencia médica, alojamiento, entrenamiento para el trabajo, o alguna otra cosa. ¡Visite www. hyattsville.org/resident-resources para aprender más!
Descargue la App
My Hyattsville
¿No recogimos su basura esta semana? ¿Le ha pegado al mismo bache tantas veces que ya no se acuerda cuantas veces ha pasado? Tenemos la solución, ¡My Hyattsville! Descargue nuestra aplicación o visite www.hyattsville.org/request para reportar asuntos de no emergencia o solicitar servicios de la Ciudad. Al tener la información, empleados de la Ciudad estarán actualizándoles en tiempo real el progreso del asunto. My Hyattsville ya está disponible en la Apple y Google store.
¡#VamosVerde, Ahorra Energía!
¿No está seguro porque le sale la factura de electricidad tan alta? ¡Use un medidor de uso de energía para averiguar! El medidor puede calcular cuanta energía está consumiendo un aparato y la Biblioteca de Hyattsville los presta gratuitamente. ¡Llame al (301) 985-4690 para más información!
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a private developer would provide the funding to build a new middle school, and Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) would pay the developer back, similarly to the way a mortgage is paid back.
At the Aug. 5 city council meeting, City Administrator Tracey Douglas announced that PGCPS is interviewing architects to perform a feasibility study. This architect, who is to be hired by the first week of September, will assess both of the potential sites where a new middle school could be located and report on the findings. “It is really at this time just a study of the two areas,” said Douglas, who noted that the feasibility study is “just preliminary information.”
When PGCPS approached the City of Hyattsville about the possibility of acquiring P3 funding to rebuild the middle school, the city convened the EFTF to identify parcels of land large enough for a new school. Capital Improvement Program Officer Elizabeth Chaisson explained that PGCPS prefers a 20-acre lot for a middle school, although they are willing to consider smaller parcels within the Beltway.
Broder presented the findings
at the June 3 city council meeting. The task force identified several possible sites, but due to the tight timeline, they were instructed by PGCPS to limit themselves to sites owned free and clear by the city or county. Due to this restriction, there are only two potential sites: the site of the current school on 42nd Avenue and Magruder Park.
Controversy began to mount, as residents reacted on area email groups to the potential loss of parkland which would occur if a new middle school were to be built in Magruder Park. As of press time, over 500 local residents had signed an online petition urging leaders to find a way to replace the middle school while protecting park space. But Broder cautioned in a July 10 phone conversation that nothing is certain. The first step, he said, is to wait until PGCPS puts out a Request for Proposals, or RFP, calling for developers to submit proposals for a new school building.
“This is the mystery. We don’t know what the RFP is going to contain,” said Broder, who clarified that he did not speak on behalf of the city. “This is a pilot program, and I’m not certain what’s going to be piloted in terms of the RFP specifically. We know the outline of the program, but we don’t know … what it’s going to ask for,
such as the location, the cost, amenities, service level agreements. We just won’t know until we see the RFP.”
The RFP was expected to be finished in late July or early August, but as of press time had not yet been produced. While it could specify a site for the proposals to focus on, it may leave both proposed options on the table.
In a July 22 email, Raven Hill, a communications officer for PGCPS, said, “Our standard processes include opportunity for public input.” In a July 24 email, she elaborated, “There are usually a minimum of six opportunities for the public to provide input over the course of the project.”
As residents await the RFP and the results of the feasibility study, discussions continue about what the best location for the new school might be. Some residents are distressed by the thought of losing parkland and about the environmental issues wrapped into building on a flood plain. Others are concerned about the disruption to students and residents in the neighborhood if the new middle school is built on the current school’s location.
People on both sides of the argument can agree on one thing, however: Replacing the middle school is necessary and must happen soon.
COURTESY OF DANIEL BRODER/EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES TASK FORCE
According to Daniel Broder, Prince George’s County Public Schools is considering using some or all of the orange part on the left of the map (which indicates land owned by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission) for a new Hyattsville Middle School. (Green represents land owned by the City of Hyattsville; purple is owned by the Washington Suburban Sanitation Commission.)
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welfare of the city and county and asked the council whether it had received the formal letter of dissent written by the committee on July 18.
“There’s going to be more letters like this,” said Jim Groves. “Not necessarily about the [middle] school, but also other environmental issues impacting the city of Hyattsville and this county. I think this is something we can do as a city ... let the county know that we are watching what’s happening and we are concerned about it.”
Controversy around the relocation of HMS crescendoed on the night of June 3, when the Educational Facilities Task Force (EFTF), chaired by local resident Daniel Broder, presented two potential rebuild locations for the school: the current location on 42nd Avenue and a 20acre swath of Magruder Park.
The task force’s recommendation to build on Magruder Park was not well received by some community members, including the members of the HEC. At the time of Broder’s presentation to council, he was also the HEC chair.
Goedeke, an HEC member since September 2018, said it is the duty of the committee to oppose the development of Magruder Park, citing major environmental, social and health concerns related to the loss of the city’s limited greenspace. She expressed frustration that the HEC had not been consulted when the EFTF began looking for potential sites.
“This [Magruder Park issue] is probably one of the biggest issues, at least in my tenure, that we will face. This is a huge legacy that we will leave behind in this community, and what do we leave behind? Do we say, ‘Well you know…’ or do we say, ‘No, this is so important.’ And if you
had engaged us earlier, as I think they should have, we could have told you. We could have gone and done the research, we could have brought you these ideas, but you didn’t.”
Shortly after his presentation to city council on June 3, Broder recused himself from any of theHEC activities related to Magruder Park and the HMS rebuild. He officially resigned from the committee after it sent its formal letter to Mayor Hollingsworth opposing the relocation of the school to Magruder Park.
On Aug. 2, Broder spoke with the Hyattsville Life & Times to push back on Goedeke’s intimation of feeling blindsided by the presentation.
“We have striven through nine public meetings in a span of three months, two separate public comments hosted by the city council, and myself personally answering more than 20 emails on the HOPE [Hyattsville Organization for a Positive Environment] listserv to operate in a fair, transparent, and honest way. That dedication to operating in this way continues. We will answer any question with the truth,” said Broder.
The EFTF was formed in March 2019 specifically to identify potential sites for HMS. Between March and the end of June, the EFTF held nine public meetings on the topic. The committee presented twice in front of city council, once on May 6, when they identified four potential sites for the placement of the school, and once on June 3, after the county
narrowed its interest to sites already owned by Prince George’s County Public Schools or the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
Broder took responsibility for any miscommunication between the EFTF and the public over the course of the initial site selection.
“As chairman of this committee,” said Broder. “I cannot specifically speak for the city, but I will say that my understanding was when city council chartered this committee, they did so under the full expectation that we would operate in an unbiased, transparent, responsive manner. And we have striven to uphold those ideals throughout this entire process.”
Broder also acknowledged the
ronmental and social benefits of maintaining urban green space, citing among other things, the “mitigat[ion of] air, water, light and noise pollution,” the mitigation of “global climate change through CO2 absorption,” and the opportunity “for people to exercise, relax, and recreate.”
The letter also raised concerns that the school would be constructed on a known flood plain, which could put Hyattsville at greater risk of extreme flooding like that experienced in Ellicott City.
real environmental concerns of building on the parkland.
“Critiques of the environmental concerns surrounding Magruder Park are completely fair and valid,” Broder said. “The EFTF has striven to frame this as a difficult decision for the community to make because of the lack of resources in both money to build schools as well as urban green space.”
HEC’s July 18 letter to the mayor primarily focused on the envi-
Echoing the sentiments of residents on the H.O.P.E email group and the city’s Speak Up HVL forum who oppose the relocation of the school to Magruder Park, the letter closed by urging the mayor to treat the relocation of the middle school with the same “broader, more holistic view of social issues” that it has used in the past.
“The Committee believes this is another issue requiring more thoughtful and holistic consideration of the implications, impacts, and consequences. This consideration must be undertaken now, before irreparable damage is done to our community by the development of Magruder Park and destruction of associated ecological systems.”
SOPHIE GORMAN ORIANI
The baseball field near 38th Avenue occupies space that could be used if Hyattsville Middle School is relocated to Magruder Park.
MissFloribunda
Dear Miss Floribunda,
Although my neighbors say they approve of my native-plant garden because it provides a haven for pollinating insects, birds and other creatures, they have made some snarky little jokes that disturb me. For instance, one of them watched me work and asked, “Who else would go to so much trouble to turn disorder into chaos?” His wife laughed and said, “They should make a movie about your garden called, Sloppy Sections.” Another neighbor potted up some columbine that migrated from my garden and returned it to me with a quip about it “running away and seeking sanctuary.” I haven’t really tried to make my garden disorderly. What happens is that some of the plants have self-seeded where I least expected it. In other cases, I have found out about a plant that attracts a certain pollinator and run out and bought it without knowing the best place to put it. Furthermore, over the years I’ve gotten most of my plants at the Hyattsville Elementary School native plant sale or at plant exchanges. At sales like this, the plants come in tiny pots that give no idea of eventual size. Over time, I’ve gotten some real surprises, especially with Joe Pye weed that has grown to the size of a small tree. I feel helpless and humiliated.
At plant swaps, you couldn’t have checked out what a plant was going to look like later unless someone told you what to expect. The Hyattsville Elementary School sale, on the other hand, always posted photographs with data to help the buyer make decisions, but sometimes the crush of many customers kept them from being readily noticed. It would have been a good idea when you researched plants favored by your pollinators to have written down the color, height and spread for future reference. That being said, let’s figure out what you can do now. All your plants can be moved, though you will want to wait till the largest ones are dormant to dig them up. The best time to dig out and move them is late February after the soil thaws but before the plant wakes up for spring. Quite a few could be moved this fall, after flowering, and after a few days of rain. Keeping them well-watered is the key to their survival. You have the rest of the summer to think up a good design. The usual garden guidelines apply. For example, tall plants in a mixed border look best in back, with the lowest-growing placed in front. Creeping plants, like wild stonecrop, make a nice edging along a path or sidewalk. If you have a circular bed, the tallest plants should be placed in the center. Care should be taken to always have several varieties in bloom at any given time. Be sure something lovely is blooming during every season from spring through fall. In winter, plants with berries provide color as well as the lovely
flutter of feeding birds. Make a list of what you have and draw charts rearranging them. You might find you want to add new varieties to create the effects you want.
If you have no lawn left at all, you can create coherent patterns through the use of color harmonies. Placement of plants with different colored foliage or flowers should not be haphazard. My redoubtable Aunt Snapdragon used to sniff indignantly whenever someone would say it didn’t matter what colors were planted outside because Mother Nature makes everything beautiful. She’d retort, “Mother Nature has a better eye than you have, and you are about to put her eye out.” If you go out for a long drive in uncultivated country, you will observe different stands of wild plants blending with other groupings to create beautiful drifts of color. In nature, color is influenced by many variables, but consistently so. Deeper greens occur in dark forests, bluer greens in deserts and near the sea, yellow-greens in sunlit meadows, emerald greens in places with much moisture, such as tropical countries or the British Isles. No matter how dramatic the color contrasts may be, they all share color value and intensity.
The great impressionist painter Claude Monet gave careful study to how he arranged his color schemes in his garden in Giverny — not only in his formal garden and his water garden, but also his meadow of French native plants. He greatly admired the sense of continuous distance in Chinese and
Japanese landscape painting and used this expanse to lead the eye of the viewer beyond the confines of the other gardens. At the end of his life he declared, “My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.”
Closer to home, there are other beautiful gardens you could get ideas from. The Smithsonian’s pollinator garden located on the east side of the Museum of Natural History is a good place to start. Close by, next to the Museum of the American Indian, is a native landscape that includes such trees as pawpaws, as well as native flowers, grasses and food crops. A stone’s throw from Hyattsville, the National Arboretum includes an area it calls “natural settings” in Fern Valley and its meadowland. The U.S. Botanic Garden has a pollinator plant section in its National Garden. These are only a few suggestions, and I’m sure you can get guidance from the staff at these gardens about other places to visit.
After viewing these gardens, go home and look at your garden with new eyes. Be ready to make changes. For example, every pollinator garden includes milkweed, so I’m guessing you have included some in yours. If you have only the rangy and drably colored common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), you might consider adding the
pink-flowered swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), and/or the lower growing, more compact yellow and orange butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa). All three of these plants attract the endangered monarch butterfly, and having a blend of height, shape and color increases visual interest. There is no reason you can’t also add a few colorful non-native plants that pollinators favor. Foxgloves in spring; cosmos, zinnias and hollyhocks in summer; dahlias in autumn; and hellebores in late winter all widen the color spectrum. You can also use birdbaths, sundials, and bird, bat and butterfly houses on poles to create focal points in your garden that you can surround with patterned beds or paths. You can make or purchase trellises and obelisks to both highlight and contain potentially sloppy (and invasive) vines such as passion flowers. Use interesting stones, marble slabs, large seashells, even broken ceramic tiles or plates as edgings. There are even whimsical toad houses available that add fairy-garden charm, if you like.
For more clever ideas, come to the next meeting of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17. Your hosts will be Julie Wolf and Corey Twyman at 4008 Hamilton Street.
CORRECTION
In the July print edition, Stuart Eisenberg’s quoted comments on the Washington Suburban Sanitation Commission rezoning case were his own personal observations and did not represent the views of the Hyattsville Community Development Corporation.
Eating Dirt on Decatur Street
August 12–23
Explore Paper Sculpting Camp. Learn paper sculpting. All sessions include materials, a trip to the swimming pool, and a festive exhibition. Before- and after-care is available. Ages 6 to 12. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., M-F. $280/$364. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood. 301.277.2863
August 24
Battle of Bladensburg Encampment. Step back into 1814 with hands-on demos, battle reenactments, children’s activities, tours, & more! Free admission to grounds; $3 fee for house tours. Riversdale House Museum, 4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420. riversdale@pgparks.com
Young Yogi Night Camp. Young yogi will have opportunities to learn yoga poses, breath control and concentration skills that promote selfconfidence. For yogis ages 3 to 9 years old (potty trained). 6 to 9 p.m. Love Yoga Studio, 5111 Baltimore Ave. love-yogastudio.com
September 1
10th Anniversary Community Brunch. Celebrate 10 years of service with the Top Ladies of Distinction of Prince George’s County. $55. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, 3501 University Blvd. East. Email wrightp1000@gmail.com for more information.
September 4
Crafternoon: Back to School. Learn about homework resources and hit the ground running this school year. Crafts are designed for youth ages 5 to 12 years old. 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Free. Hyattsville Library, 6502 America Blvd. 301.985.4690
September 14
HPA Porch Fest. Stroll Hyattsville while listening to your neighbors make music. 2 to 6 p.m. List of locations and performances to be announced online at preservehyattsville. org/events.
September 21
Downtown Hyattsville Arts Festival: Arts & Ales. The festival spans Farragut St., Gallatin St., and Church Alley in downtown Hyattsville. Noon to 6 p.m. 301.683.8267. Hyattsvilleartsfestival.com
September 23
Library Independent Film Series. “Ruben Blades is Not My Name” is an award-winning
International Travel Vaccines
3311 Toledo Terrace Suite C201 Hyattsville, Maryland 20782 (301) 403-8808
Yellow fever, Typhoid, Cholera, Hepatitis A, Malaria, Polio, etc.
documentary about this famous Panamanian singer/songwriter/politician who brought salsa music to an international audience. 7 p.m. Free. University Christian Church, 6800 Adelphi Rd.
October 5
College Park Day. Day of fun for the whole family with live music and bands, awesome kids zones, delicious food and drink, and live performances. Free museum entry during the event. Noon to 6 p.m. College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr., College Park. Collegeparkday.org
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT
Clockwise from top left: Kids pose with characters from the popular Nick Jr. kid’s show, “Paw Patrol”; Hyattsville Mayor Candace B. Hollingsworth joins in on the effort to cover the police car with handprints during National Night Out on Aug. 6; Police officers greet residents during National Night Out; Retired City of Hyattsville Police Chief Col. Douglas K. Holland enjoys the National Night Out festivities.
COURTESY OF ACTING SGT. DANIELLE GRAY/ HYATTSVILLE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
continued from page 1
Monica Corry opened Love Yoga Studio in July 2014 after converting the building from a former hair salon. With a fulltime career in Virginia, Corry began practicing yoga in the onsite gym at work.
“Initially, it was a social activity,” said Corry. “But I really got into the practice when I began feeling the difference before and after work. I found yoga calming [to me] personally and wanted others to experience calmness and peace.”
Focused at first on opening a studio for children, Corry became a certified yoga teacher for children and youth, later pursuing her certification to teach adults.
During a walk one day, Corry came upon the building that would eventually house Love Yoga Studio.
“Five years ago, nobody knew what the studio was,” said Corry with a laugh. “At that time, that particular street in Hyattsville had few businesses. I had a vision and wanted the studio to become a part of the renaissance happening in the community. So I would hand out flyers in the area to let people know about Love Yoga. Our initial students came from word of mouth. The community seemed happy to see a small business open in their neighborhood.”
Corry offered several children’s classes when she first opened her studio. Soon, however, she was getting questions from parents about starting adult classes. To meet this need, she began logging serious hours in the studio in addition to her full-time work.
“For the first year and a half, I taught every single class offered on evenings and on weekends with a rotation of assistants. Eventually, I was able to move more into management,” she said.
Part of Corry’s vision for her studio was to convey a message of inclusivity to the community.
“All are welcome to walk
through the door of Love Yoga Studio — no matter what size, age, race, etc.,” said Corry. “Everyone has an idea of what a yoga student looks like. Our goal was to treat everyone with kindness and politeness. You don’t know what it took for somebody to walk through the door. We sought to create an atmosphere of inclusivity and to help students overcome any sense of feeling uncomfortable or lonely by creating a sense of community. Friendships blossom at the studio.”
Corry also worked to make yoga accessible and affordable for the community, and especially people who might be challenged financially. She offered donation-based classes, sponsorship classes and pay-whatyou-can classes. Corry estimates that the studio has served over 1,200 students onsite and offsite during her tenure. She’s reached some of these students through community outreach sessions at schools and health fairs, and through her connections with other local groups.
With a family and a full-time career, running the studio became challenging for Corry after five years. “Should I close the studio or find new ownership? The community had embraced the studio, and I really wanted the awesome community-focused work to continue,” she said. Enter serendipity in the form of Asia Vianna Leak. Leak became a student at Love Yoga in October 2015 and soon asked to become an assistant. In 2017, she became a certified yoga teacher and is currently registered through Yoga Alliance. Leak also holds a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling and is a licensed professional counselor. To round out her credentials, she is currently pursuing registration as a dance movement therapist.
“I noticed Asia’s drive and enthusiasm and heard a lot of compliments on her teaching style,” said Corry. “She became a [part
of the] fabric of the Love Yoga community.”
Earlier this year, Corry approached Leak about taking over the business. Leak accepted and officially became a co-owner last June with her mother, Vicki Mack, a long-time public school educator.
Leak and Mack are thrilled at the opportunity to own a family business.
“I’m very excited about having a family business intertwined with the profession of yoga. I’ve found the community to be very receptive,” said Mack.
The mother-daughter team plans to uphold Love Yoga’s philosophy of inclusiveness.
“Everyone is welcome — including the non-experienced with yoga, to the very young, to those with limited mobility,” said Leak. “Yoga is about uniting the mind and the body. The practice involves connecting your physical self with your internal self and helps you connect with who you truly are.”
The new co-owners are also seeking to expand their connection with the overall Hyattsville community.
“We have gotten positive responses from area businesses for collaborative networking opportunities that will help promote community development,” said Mack.
Rachel Debuque, a Love Yoga teacher, expressed confidence in the studio’s transition. “I was so proud to be a part of what Monica Corry built with Love Yoga, and I cannot think of a better person to move it to its next phase than Asia Vianna Leak. Asia is the embodiment of the Love Yoga’s inclusive spirit that strives to create a space for all to experience the healing power of yoga. In addition to her yoga teaching, her background in counseling and dance movement therapy offers a nuanced ability to connect with the community on many levels. I am excited to see how Asia will
grow the Yoga studio.”
Corry is supporting the transition in ownership by continuing to teach classes once a week and sharing her institutional knowledge with Leak and Mack.
“This work was a calling,” Corry reflected. “My job is done. I like seeing someone else putting their stamp on it. I got what I set out to do — bring yoga to people who thought it wasn’t for them. The studio reflects the community. I believe the new ownership will bring even more robust programming and be responsive to what students want to see,” she said.
So far, under Leak and Mack, Love Yoga Studio has continued to develop both a love of yoga and a love for the community it serves.
AUGUST ROWING
• Row in Awesome Eights
• Join the Community Challenge
• Juniors check out fall program BEGINNERS WELCOME!
FUN, FRIENDS AND FITNESS!
All activities are at Bladensburg Waterfront Park 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg WashingtonRowingSchool.com 202-344-0886
COURTESY OF ASIA VIANNA LEAK
New co-owners, Vicki Mack and Asia Vianna Leak, take the reins of Love Yoga Studio.
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