07-2020 College Park Here & Now

Uprooted resident remembers the Lakeland that once was. P. 4

Farmers Markets enter new phase of reopening with restrictions. P. 12

University in third year of police training partnership

By Mark Goodson

Implicit bias rises from unconscious beliefs and stereotypes, associations and feelings that we are not aware of but that impact our day-to-day interactions. These biases can lead to positive outcomes: You strike up a conversation with someone who’s wearing your favorite team’s jersey, and that conversation leads to friendship that lasts for years. But implicit bias can also have difficult, even dire consequences: You’re passed over for a promotion because you’re

Deforestation along the Paint Branch Trail draws criticism from residents

By Anuoluwapo Adefiwitan College Park residents and members of the city council felt misled by the MarylandNational Capital Park and Planning Commission’s (M-NCPPC) presentation in early February on the tree trimming and removal that was performed as part of the county’s College

College Park’s parkrun goes viral

By Alexandra Radovic

Every Saturday morning of the year, hundreds of people lace up to run a 5k. But instead of running side by side, these participants are now using Zoom, Facebook and other online platforms to share how they are keeping active during the pandemic.

Andrea Zukowski and her husband Colin Phillips founded the city’s parkrun group

in 2016.

While their interest in running came from different places — Phillips has been running competitively most of his life, and Zukowski only began running when she was 49 — the couple was inspired to organize runners after seeing parkruns in the United Kingdom.

Since parkruns went virtual, about 130 to 230 runners and walkers are using an online

platform each week to stay connected and share photos and logs of their fitness accomplishments.

Parkrun is a worldwide movement promoting free 5k events that are open to all. Participants can walk, run or jog, and events have no time limits. Parkrun is all about community, activity and having fun; as the website says, “no one finishes last.”

Janice Bernache, Colin Phillips, Andrea Zukowski, Dwayne Hudson and Aaliya El-Amin start their parkrun at a socially responsible distance.

It happened here

By Maxine Gross

You need only turn down Lakeland Road to see what is left of my hometown, Lakeland, which was founded around 1890. By 1903, Lakeland was flourishing, a place where Americans of African descent had built a community with two churches and a school. When College Park was incorporated in 1945, Maryland legislators added Lakeland within the city’s boundaries. As children, in the 1960s, we walked to class at Lakeland Elementary School, bought candy at Black’s Store and Mack’s Market, and at Easter, got a press and curl at Miss Gertrude’s. There were carnivals at the Elk’s Home and parties for the grown folks at The Hall on Navahoe Street. Few roads were paved, but there were streetlights to signal time to go home for dinner. Most everyone worshipped at Embry AME, First Baptist

or Little New Zion Holiness, which was across the tracks. Lakeland was one family. We children knew that notice of our misdeeds would arrive home so quickly that the tongue lashing or switch would be ready when we hit the doorstep. While the rest of the city was white, the people of Lakeland were a rainbow of browns, from pale cream and teasingly tan to midnight.

Childhood innocence ended one day after Mom set us down for “the talk.” She showed us an article in a Washington newspaper that described Lakeland as a slum. Mom explained, through her own anger, “You do live in a ghetto; you do not live in a slum.” A ghetto is a location imposed on “the other” in a society. The fact that Lakeland was labeled a slum allowed people to avert their eyes while a community was destroyed. You see, the new city’s new housing laws had no room for homes built by African Americans, peo-

ple who had little access to well-paying jobs or regulated mortgage loans.

Parents and grandparents had been talking for a while about what could be done to meet the new city’s housing codes, to get roads paved and stop the flooding that invaded some homes and blocked Lakeland’s entrance when it rained hard. Our families asked their city government for help. They then worked with the city for years, eventually agreeing to a plan. But the city did not live up to the vision of that plan. They did something quite different.

My mind goes back to that newspaper headline, “Slum.” They felt our community had no value and used the disadvantages society imposed on us as a tool to take our land and diminish our futures.

They produced something shiny and new.

We should be happy? No, we still mourn.

At a recent meeting, the College Park City Council discussed passing a resolu-

tion concerning Black lives in College Park. The language proposed included no recognition of the harm the city did to the African American community of Lakeland. I testified during the meeting, reminding the mayor and council of the damage done to Lakeland by the city. I also underscored that those actions were an outgrowth of systemic racism. Resolution 20-R-16 was amended and passed with new language, which included a general recognition of wrongdoing and an apology to Lakelanders.

Words make a good start. The city still has the moral responsibility to recognize how the city’s actions impacted the Lakeland community and, with Lakeland residents and Lakeland’s diaspora, to carry out a program of restorative justice.

Maxine Gross is the chairperson of the Lakeland Community Heritage Project, which seeks to preserve the history of African Americans in College Park.

Interested in writing a letter to the editor? Email Mark Goodson at Mark@ HyattsvilleLife.com.

English Conversation Partners launches virtual exchange

By Alexandra Radovic

What does home really mean?

This is what language facilitator Philip Aronson asked a small group of international students enrolled in his class at the University of Maryland (UMD). Aronson is a volunteer with the university’s English Conversation Partners (ECP) program. He was referred to the program by the University of Maryland Senior Volunteer Service Corps.

Aronson met with his six students for the first time on June 15, which also marked the launch of the program’s new virtual platform. The novel coronavirus pandemic is keeping students out of classes and at home.

Students meet on Zoom for

weekly discussions, in English, about things like food and family, and to share photos that remind them of home. This is the first time the university is offering ECP during the summer term. Aronson said that the program, which is part of the university’s International Student & Scholar Services, helps students (and their spouses) practice English and learn about American culture.

“I’m more culturally enriched by them,” Aronson said.

Participant Mohamed Fares said that meeting with the class online was not as effective as participating in person. Fares said that language learning is all about “face to face communications.”

But he added that the coordinator of the program, Cameron Busacca, is doing his best to give students a smooth transition into virtual learning.

But Busacca acknowledged that it can be hard to feel warmth in an online conversation.

“With that said … one benefit may be that the use of technology is that much easier, so groups can watch short clips together or read an article online at just a click away,” he said.

Busacca believes that, regardless of the medium, the ECP program brings people together.

“There is a real desire for intercultural conversation and groups where people can engage with and learn different perspectives from each other,” he noted.

Managing Editor Mark Goodson mark@hyattsvillelife.com

Advertising Sales Manager

Brian Escobar

Business Manager

Catie Currie

A community newspaper chronicling the here and now of College Park Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781

The College Park Here & Now is published monthly by Hyattsville Community Newspaper, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Editors welcome reader input, tips, articles, letters, opinion pieces and photographs, which may be submitted using the mailing address above or the email addresses provided.

Associate Editor Nancy Welch nancy@hyattsvillelife.com

Writers & Contributors

Anuoluwapo Adefiwitan, Zamir Courtney, Lily Fountain, Maxine Gross, Violetta Sharps Jones, Eric Maring, Pierce Panagakos, Alexandra Radovic, Anjali Ravi, Philip Van Slooten, Steve Young

Layout & Design Editor Ashley Perks

Advertising advertising@hyattsvillelife.com, 301.531.5234

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 Mark Goodson — Ex Officio Maria D. James — Ex Officio Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. mail to every address in College Park. Additional copies are distributed to popular gathering spots around town. Total circulation is 9,600.

CPH&N is a member of the National Newspaper Association.

“Online meeting has advantages, as you stay at home or any place just [with] internet access,” Fares said. “No need for transportation, and surely more safe due to COVID-19 outbreak.”

The university’s ECP program has been around for more than a decade, according to Busacca, who revived it in 2016. He said the program was named English Conversation Partners two years ago to reflect new objectives.

“People like to converse in person,” Busacca said. “We follow each other’s facial cues and body language as much as we hear each other.”

While many traditional language programs refer to a teacherstudent relationship, ECP uses the concept of facilitators and participants. The program’s philosophy is that “there is no hierarchy of learning, everyone has an equal opportunity to learn from one another, facilitator included,” Busacca explained.

He said the three main things that ECP gives participants are friendship, a place to build confidence in speaking English and opportunities for cultural exchange.

“I have seen, over the course of a few weeks, participants go from shy and reserved, to speaking English happily, smiling and joking, sharing stories about what they did during their weekend with new friends,” Busacca said.

Students and their spouses can also schedule hour-long, one-onone sessions with facilitators for a more individualized session.

Members of ECP join Philip Aronson (far right) for dinner before the program went virtual. COURTESY OF PHILIP ARONSON

Following national protests, city discusses policing, Lakeland

By Philip Van Slooten

City councilmembers discussed community policing and College Park’s troubled past with Lakeland’s historic Black community during June meetings and a community forum. While those present at the forum agreed that Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) officers had a good rapport with citizens, the state’s attorney noted that state law poses problems in firing some individuals or prosecuting others.

“The Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights gives law enforcement protections from criminal prosecution,” said Aisha Braveboy, the state’s attorney for Prince George’s County, at the June 15 community forum. “Some legislators in Annapolis are looking at overhauling this law, which is the most protective in the country. There were some efforts last year, but because of the condensed session, it didn’t move forward. But there seems to be interest in having it move forward now.”

At the June 9 council session, participants discussed police reform, and Mayor Patrick Wojahn read a draft resolution in defense of Black lives. Longtime Lakeland resident and historian Maxine Gross narrated a moving presentation documenting the lives and losses endured by the community, particularly during the city’s urban renewal campaign of the 1960s and ‘70s.

The 8 Can’t Wait project is a police reform initiative promoted by Campaign Zero, which organized following the 2014 unrest in Ferguson, Mo., after police there shot and killed Michael Brown. According to Campaign Zero, this push for concrete police reforms includes banning chokeholds and requiring officers to intervene when they witness misconduct; these measures are currently in place in Prince George’s County. (For more information on 8 Can’t Wait, go to 8cantwait.org.)

Capt. Katina Gomez, an assistant commander with PGPD, stated at the June 15 public forum that while their policies have “surpassed the threshold of other police departments in the nation,” current Maryland law does make it difficult for the department to immediately fire officers.

“I think we have, by and large, a really good police department,” Braveboy said at the forum. “However, there are improvements that can be made.

I’m still finding far too many instances where particularly Black men are profiled and are treated differently than we would want to be treated if we are stopped.”

At the June 9 council session, Councilmember John Rigg (District 3) supported the 8 Can’t Wait initiative and the draft resolution denouncing systemic racism.

“We need to strike the right balance between acknowledging the critical role law enforcement plays, and promoting the goals of social justice and protecting our constitutional rights,” Rigg said. “[The 8 Can’t Wait Initiative] is a pragmatic and forward-looking approach already in common practice in more progressive police departments. A note of caution as we proceed is I don’t want us to overlook the critical role of law enforcement in keeping our community safe.”

The state’s attorney and community members present

echoed Riggs’ support of current community policing efforts in College Park, in particular. Participants also expressed concern about national calls to defund police programs and reallocate those funds to social services in economically challenged communities.

“I don’t care what anyone says, defunding our police is a disaster,” said Councilmember Robert Day (District 3). “We need to work with our law enforcement agencies to get the solution right. I think a town hall is something we need to have. We need to look at this as a holistic solution for College Park … [by] having a real conversation.”

Mayor Wojahn and other councilmembers agreed that a town hall meeting could serve as a constructive step to promote discussions with the community about policing and Lakeland restorative initiatives.

“I’m not looking for anything complicated,” said Lakeland resident Pastor Stephen L. Wright Sr., of the First Baptist Church of College Park. “I’m just asking that [police] see me as a person. But the land-

use issue in Lakeland … You’re talking about a truly historic community. Two historic churches sitting there, and we feel boxed in. I hope this extends out further from this forum because more is going to be needed. There are people who are hurting.”

Councilmember Fazlul Kabir (District 1) said that a community policing meeting will be held on the second Monday of every month and that the city council is planning another public forum. He noted that faith leaders will hold an interfaith prayer vigil, as well.

Wojahn invited more discussion on the city’s treatment of the Lakeland community. A prayer vigil took place on June 23, and a public forum on policing and systemic racism took place on June 29.

“I’m not an expert on the history,” he cautioned. “But we do have experts.”

“This is just the beginning,” said Councilmember Denise Mitchell (District 4) at the close of the June 15 forum. “We have a lot to work on as a community in College Park, but we will prevail.”

“The landuse issue in Lakeland … You’re talking about a truly historic community. Two historic churches sitting there, and we feel boxed in. I hope this extends out further from this forum because more is going to be needed. There are people who are hurting.”

Pastor Stephen L. Wright, Sr. First Baptist Church of College Park

From the top: Rev. R. H. Baddy of Embry AME Church officiates at the July 6, 1968, wedding of Violetta Sharps and Billy Jones, the University of Maryland’s first African American basketball player; Circa 1940, the Brooks sisters (Cecilia, far left and Gertrude, far right) stand with friends in front of the home that their family bought in 1904; Sisters Pamela and Violetta Sharps celebrate their 8th and 10th birthdays together at a family cookout in September 1956 at what was then Lakeland East. COURTESY OF VIOLETTA SHARPS JONES AND MARY HAMLETT HARDING

Lakeland: The forgotten community of College Park

By Violetta Sharps Jones

When you visit College Park’s Lake Artemesia, you are also visiting the old neighborhoods of Lakeland, an African American community that spanned both sides of the B&O Railroad tracks at Lakeland Road.

The Lakeland community grew as the vision of Edwin Newman, who subdivided this land in 1890 and invited his wealthy friends to build summer homes in the community he designed around a number of small lakes. Newman’s friends purchased the land and built their homes in search of a good place to live, with opportunities for employment and a better quality of life. Lakeland proved to be just the place. African Americans found work with the railroad, the College Park Airport, and the Maryland Agricultural College (which later became the University of Maryland). Others did domestic work or toiled as farmers and building laborers. Families moved to Lake-

land from surrounding counties and as far away as North Carolina, and the newcomers were often family members or friends of residents. As Lakeland grew, Newman’s initial dreams of a resort community for white residents faded. The panic of 1893 and the resulting economic depression made it difficult, at best, for many to buy into Newman’s dream. More African Americans took advantage of the decline in sales to whites and rented homes on both sides of the railroad tracks.

By 1903, Lakeland was a vibrant African American community, and that same year, residents built the first school, where Lake Artemesia is now. In 1917, Lakeland replaced that school with a larger one, and then, in 1925, built Lakeland Elementary. Education was always a priority for Lakelanders. Religious practice was, too. The community’s oldest congregations, First Baptist Church of Lakeland (now First Baptist Church of College Park) and Embry African Methodist Chapel (now Church) began in homes that no longer exist. As more African Americans moved up from the South during the Great Migration and the two World Wars,

Lakeland continued to grow.

In the 1960s, the City of College Park targeted the Lakeland community for redevelopment. Residents were told they would have to sell their homes and their land, and leave. The city promised Lakelanders that they could return and buy new homes once an overpass spanning the railroad tracks was in place. Families were forced out in the 1970s, and the project was slated to take a few years.

Homes in Lakeland were burned to the ground as practice blazes for local firefighters, and for many years, the land simply sat. But these vacant lots held large quantities of high-value gravel, and Metro was under construction. The City of College Park, WMATA and the MarylandNational Capital Park and Planning Commission struck a deal: The city offloaded land they had no use for, WMATA gained gravel they needed for construction and the commission was given a park. Everyone wins?

“I’ve run through rain, heat, snow and on some beautiful days, and I began to develop friendships with other Parkrunners. Even with the Parkrun on hold during this COVID pandemic, I gather weekly with a small group of Parkrunners to run on Sunday mornings, and new friendships have been most welcome.” — New Carrollton Mayor and parkrunner Duane Rosenberg

“I was a habitual gym goer before they shut down and all my kids’ sports seasons tanked. ... Having a Virtual parkrun gives another push to get outside and exercise … being connected electronically [shows] that, while we’re all separated, the community still exists.” — parkrunner Misha Bernard

“With the start of the virtual parkrun, I was motivated to get out to exercise more - even during the week. … The wonderful idea of a joint distance goal has even had me recruiting other friends and family members who have never participated in parkrun to be a part of our ’journey across the US’ in May and our ’civil rights trail’ in June.” — parkrunner Anna Tinnemore

“Someone wrote a ‘Happy Birthday’ message to my 4-year-old daughter on her trail, [and] she got cheers from the team on Zoom. … The whole point is fun, there is no judgement.” — parkrunner Erin Schneider

“It’s been so nice to have the virtual connection with the parkrun group. ... Now that we are doing the virtual trips together, it’s given us some good homeschool lessons as well.” — parkrunner Tara Mease

“The joys of the [virtual] trail are the miles, mother duck and her ducklings, the frog chorus concerts, the gifts of Mother Nature and

the greeting of an occasional fellow virtual park runner.” — parkrunners Bonnie and Mike McClellan

“We first ’traveled’ across the country as they logged our collective distance, and we got to hear about ’stops’ along the way, and we are currently following a US Civil Rights history trail and getting wonderful historical geography lessons about the civil rights movement. This is an extraordinary thing to see in from a group that is essentially taking a weekly walk/jog in the park.” — parkrunner Clark Ridge

“People say ‘thank you for giving us our Saturdays back.’ ” — Coordinators Andrea and Colin Zukowski

When I remember Lakeland’s Eastside, I also remember those brave, early residents who made this beautiful community. Today, there are only a few faded signs marking the homes of these African Americans. The fruits of their labor were washed away, and their footprints are gone. I do remember them all because they were part of my life. My greatgrandparents James and Nannie Johnson bought their Lakeland home in 1907, and five generations of my family lived here. I was born in that house and got married in its garden. When my family’s Lakeland home was destroyed, there were thirty other homes — each holding its own generational memory — that were destroyed, as well.

As you come to Lake Artemesia and enjoy this recreational landscape, consider the Lakeland East families who built a thriving community where the lake now sits. Take a moment to remember these families that called Lakeland home, and think about the sacrifices forced on them by the city. Let me speak their names: Hill, Weems, Johnson, Braxton, Harrison, Davis, Giles, Sharps, Smith, Brooks, Fields, Edwards, Blue, Campbell, Hamlett, Howard, Falls, Lomax, Branson, Thomas, Sellers, Green, Gross, Briscoe and Lancaster. These families were my family. Together, we prayed. We worked, we laughed, we celebrated — we lived.

Carlos and Diana Gough (holding her dog Ruby) are regular parkrunners and volunteers. COURTESY OF DIANA GOUGH

A step-by-step journey to being a green commuter

By Steve Young

Nine years ago, I relocated from Pennsylvania to Maryland to begin my new job with the University of Maryland (UMD). I’m an academic advisor, and, as such, I’m also a course scheduling connoisseur, a GPA repair technician and a graduation requirement guru. No one ever says that they want to become an academic advisor when they grow up. It’s just one of those careers that you kind of stumble into.

I remember how excited I was to move to the DC area. I was intrigued to have such easy access to restaurants, stores, and, well, traffic. In Pennsylvania, my bright orange TREK 3600 mountain bike owned the road, but I had a good cry when the reality of biking in College Park set in. I wondered how I’d survive biking among the wall-to-wall cars. I forced myself to adapt to the traffic tremors that accompanied my morning commute.

My adaptation and integration into the university and College Park communities was rather seamless, once I let go of a few horse-and-buggy memories from my childhood in Pennsylvania Dutch country. But It wasn’t until I stumbled into Bike to Work Day that my wheels really began to turn about an alternative, economically friendly means of commuting. (If you aren’t familiar with Bike to Work Day, it’s an annual event in mid- to late-May designed to convert casual bicyclists like me into daily commuting cyclists.)

I recall how inspiring it was to meet adults of all ages, cultures and fitness levels who were committed to decreasing traffic congestion on the city’s streets, even if it was just for one day. This was the impetus I needed to get my commute back on course. The following Monday, I cancelled my campus parking, and my new life as a green commuter was born.

I define a green commuter as anyone whose primary means of getting around doesn’t include a mechanical engine. Regardless of how one defines it, green commuting has one essential goal: fewer cars on the road.

For me, green commuting means taking a solid oath that I will not use any engine-powered transportation to get to work.

Yep, no planes, trains, or automobiles for this guy! My battery, or engine, depending how you look at it, is my legs.

I am fortunate in that I live in North College Park, just three miles from campus, so I can alternate between biking and walking to work. Yes, there are days when I wake up and don’t feel like putting one foot in front of the other to make the trek into campus. It’s too hot. It’s too cold. But I keep my tank top and pair of thermal underoos handy.

As a green commuter, I get to experience College Park through a multitude of lenses and landscapes. My trips up and down the Route 1 Corridor give me a sneak peek at our changing city. I’ve observed firsthand the countless number of new hotels popping up. I can tell you about seesawing gas prices and where to go for the best deal on unleaded — not that I drive much. And for all you foodies out there, let’s talk about patio dining, now that summer’s here and restaurants are starting to reopen. As a walking warrior, I get to stop, look, listen and consume all the greatness that College Park has to offer.

Interested in becoming a green commuter? Visit commuterconnections.org for more information.

Steve Young commutes on two wheels to the university, where he works as an academic advisor.

University outlines reopening plans for fall semester

By Pierce Panagakos

In a May 29 letter to students and an email distributed more broadly on June 15, former University of Maryland (UMD) President Wallace Loh detailed plans for reopening the university for the fall semester. The university has developed plans to address student housing, classes and other aspects of campus life as students return at the end of August. Loh noted, “For several weeks, dozens of faculty and staff divided into seven work-groups – Safety and Health; Education; Research; Student Life; Human Resources; Fiscal Planning; and Intercollegiate Athletics – have been planning a phased reopening of on-campus activities this fall.”

On-campus student housing will be reconfigured to reduce density, and dining halls will have limited seating and will offer takeout. Outdoor recreation will be encouraged, but plans for university sports are still in the works.

Classes with 50 students or more will largely be conducted online. The university is weighing options for how smaller classes will be conducted, how individual student’s interests will be addressed and how the university will respond to a reemergence of COVID-19.

“Work continues to determine exactly which courses will be offered in-person, online or in a blended format and what the room assignments and daily schedule will be,” Loh said. “Faculty are also preparing contingency plans to move entirely to online instruction after Thanksgiving break, should there be a resurgence of the pandemic in late fall.”

Loh also made sure to note that reopening is a fluid situation and that the university will adjust plans in accordance with guidance from national, state and local governments, and the University System of Maryland (USM).

“UMD is working with USM and public health officials on having the appropriate protocols, equipment, and personnel on campus for diagnostic testing, screening, and contact tracing. These measures will be in place before the fall semester and announced in the next few weeks,” Loh wrote.

The university has developed robust plans directly addressing public health and safety, as well. Students will be required to observe social distancing guidelines and will be required to wear face coverings. Staff and faculty will have free access to testing, and testing may be required for students. A positive test will lead to mandatory isolation and contact tracing.

Will there be Terrapin football and other sporting events in the fall? Still to be determined. Loh said that Damon Evans, UMD’s athletic director, and his staff are developing plans to bring athletics back safely, with required testing for COVID-19 and provisions for individual training. The NCAA, though, will have the final word.

The joys of native landscaping

By Lily Fountain

Like many of you, I’ve spent a lot of hours of this pandemic spring in my yard. I’m bringing more of my garden alive with native plants. Gardening with native species has big benefits: These plants usually self-seed easily and are adapted to the climate, so they do not need much watering or weeding. This year, my blue false indigo plants have tripled in number and are dotted with butterflies, which flock to plants that they evolved with — specific butterflies vastly prefer specific plants. Butterflies are the foundation of the food web for wildlife, so pollinator-friendly flowers help sustain the wildlife in our neighborhoods. My coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, bee balms and milkweed are also thriving and spreading in their sunny locations.

I turn to Dr. Douglas Tallamy for his expert advice along my landscaping journey. Tallamy wrote the classic, Bringing Nature Home, and leads the flourishing native landscaping movement. Although he is an entomologist, Tallamy has focused on the ef-

fects of non-native plant species on insect populations. He has found that non-native ornamentals — species that did not evolve in our Maryland ecosystem — do not feed insects, and they crowd out native plants that do. Determined to make my backyard a wildlife habitat, and with Tallamy’s guidance, I poured the extra time my retirement provided into transforming my home’s landscape.

In my yard, I had tons of two

non-native plants that are invasive and crowd out host species for wildlife: bush honeysuckle and English ivy. These two are common in College Park and are bullies of the plant world.

On a trip to the National Cathedral’s Flower Mart, I saw, first hand, how English ivy impacts wildlife. I passed a yard with wall-to-wall English ivy, and it was totally silent. Not a single birdsong or buzz of a bee was to be heard, unlike at the house next

door, whose yard was brimming with native plants and trees, and was full of birds and insects. Dr. Tallamy writes, “Life begins with natives and ends with aliens.”

While you may see some birds, if there aren’t native plants to feed the caterpillars those birds need to feed their young, you will eventually have fewer birds. When I understood the disastrous impact of non-natives, I enlisted my husband’s help, and we cut down or pulled up or pick-axed out the invasives in my yard.

I’m fortunate to have native trees in my yard: pine, hickory, beech and red-twigged dogwood. A neighbor gave me a redbud sapling from another neighbor, who had rooted her own tree from a fine old redbud in Berwyn. This redbud hosts at least six species of caterpillars, and I’m looking forward to baby birds in my yard being well fed. Although my trees are a success, I have learned some hard landscaping lessons along the way. Consider important factors when you choose plants — sun versus shade, wet versus dry — these elements are im-

portant. Place tall plants where they won’t cast shade over lower ones, and if a plant needs soil that drains well, think about planting it on a slope. Learn about when plants bloom and plant accordingly, so you get blossoms from early spring into the fall. By choosing plants that fit naturally with your yard, you can largely avoid a lot of watering, weeding and fertilizing.

As my garden’s evolved, I’m seeing Mother Nature find her way in, too. My dog, Sierra, recently discovered a box turtle crawling among the elderberry, chokeberry and serviceberry bushes I planted earlier this spring. I’ve lived in this house over 43 years, but have never seen a turtle in my yard before. What a reward for all my hard work! I hope you discover the ease and joy of native landscaping, and reap such bounty, too.

Lily Fountain is a longtime resident of College Park and director of the Berwyn District Civic Association.

Native and wildlife-friendly plants in Lily Fountain’s College Park garden, including yarrow, moss phlox, blue hyssop, woodland sunflower, coral honeysuckle, purple passionflower, azalea and cardinal vine. COURTESY OF LILY FOUNTAIN

COLLEGE PARK POST

The City of College Park believes that BLACK LIVES MATTER and has resolved to seek out and confront systemic

Black Lives Matter in the City of College Park

Acknowledging and Supporting our Residents and Communities of Color

On June 9, 2020, the City of College Park’s Mayor and Council passed Resolution 20-R-16 Renouncing Systemic Racism and Declaring Support of Black Lives.

The resolution states that the Mayor and Council believe that Black Lives Matter

The resolution states that the City’s Mayor and Council acknowledge that certain public policies have created wide disparities of wellbeing and opportunity among Black people in College Park and throughout the United States that have led to systemic racism. This includes the past practice and policy by the City that has disadvantaged Black residents and historically Black community of Lakeland.

It also recognizes the targeting, profiling, injury and murder of Black lives by law enforcement throughout the country at

inexplicable rates.

The City’s Mayor and Council has resolved to explicitly, directly, consciously, and painstakingly seek out and confront systemic racism as well as acknowledge and apologize for the City’s past history of oppression. The City will actively seek opportunities for accountability and truthtelling about past injustices and aggressively seek opportunities for restorative justice.

On Tuesday, June 30, the City held its first town hall by bringing together a cross section of our community to discuss race relations and healing.

The virtual forum entitled “Continuing the Conversation” had panelists from the City, Prince George’s County, State, police, University of Maryland and our community discuss the importance of real change and

how to move forward.

Panelists included Mayor Patrick Wojahn, Delegate Joseline PenaMelnyk, Prince George’s County Council Members Dannielle Glaros and Calvin Hawkins, University of Maryland Professor of African-American Studies and Anthropology Dr. Joseph Richardson, Prince George’s County Police Deputy Chief George Nichols and Captain Katina Gomez, University of Maryland Chief of Police David Mitchell, City residents Dr. Fannie Featherstone and Rashida and Demitri Tyler as well as University students Rachelle Wakefield and Taylor Green.

The panelists discussed issues such as police funding, community initiatives and police-community relations in the City and Prince George’s County. Panelists also asked each other questions and discussed current activities

and future actions by government and police entities for further transparency and increased racial equity.

The town hall is a step for the City to listen to residents, analyze its practices, and build racial equity in College Park.

Since late 2019, City staff have joined and participated in the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE). The Alliance is a national network of government entities working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. On July 7, during a Mayor and Council worksession, staff will discuss GARE’s approach to creating racial equity and projects staff have started.

A recording of the virtual forum as well as the complete Resolution can be found on the City’s website at www.collegeparkmd.gov/ blacklivesmatter.

I see what's possible when we recognize that we are one American family, all deserving of equal treatment.

Barack Obama

racism.

Family Fun Calendar to Boost Mental Health in

Looking for some fun this July while maintaining physical distancing? Need some help coming up with activities and ways to engage your children? This monthly calendar

created by the City’s Department of Youth, Family and Senior Services is here to help!

Family Fun to Boost Mental Health! – July 2020

Created by our clinical staff who are

experts in play and child therapy, below are 31 different ideas and suggestions of indoor and outdoor family-friendly activities will help boost spirits at home.

There are seven categories of activities - sharing, cooking, dancing, playing, connecting, creating and adventuring. Try one with your kids today!

1 2 3 4

Build a fort indoors using pillows, blankets, chairs and whatever else is on hand.

Each share a rose (positive thing), a thorn (challenging thing), and a bud (something you’re working on).

Create a family logo or symbol together to represent what your family values.

Take a trip to walk around Lake Artemesia. How many different kinds of animals can you find?

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Grown- ups, share a favorite summer memory from your childhood.

Make homemade popsicles or frozen treats together!

Play Freeze Dance to a favorite song. Take turns being in charge of the music.

Play red light/green light!

Draw a picture of 3 things you are each grateful for. This can also be done molding with playdoh or

Look up the word resilient together. Each family member draws a picture of a time they were resilient.

Visit the PG County African American Museum & Cultural Center online. Try a virtual program tour!

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Children, make up a story about your family going on an adventure together. Act it out and have grown-ups guess what is happening!

Grown- ups, teach children a favorite family recipe. Have everyone help make it in some way.

Body drum jam! Each make a fun sound using only your body and create a simple beat. Jam together!

Build an indoor or outdoor obstacle course using chairs, pillows, sidewalk chalk, recycled boxes etc.

Talk together about what helps you to feel safe when you’re feeling worried or scared.

Scribble with crayons on paper. Tear the paper up and glue the pieces onto a different page to make art!

Walk, bike, or scooter around The University of Maryland’s campus. How many different trees or flowers can you find?

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Tell a story together –one person begins with 1 sentence, each person adds another sentence…

Bake a special treat for a neighbor or friend. Everyone comes up with a dance move that others have to copy in turn.

Play Hide-and-Seek or Hide-and- Seek Tag! Search online for a 1-2 kid-friendly minute meditation to do together.

Reuse cardboard cereal boxes and cut out mask shapes. Draw or glue on items to decorate.

26 27 28 29 30 31

Grown- ups, tell a story about a relative or ancestor. Discuss the positive qualities your child/ren share with this relative

Invent a signature family snack. Come up with a creative name and write down the recipe!

Shake your sillies out ! Put on a timer or short song and shake your body from head to toe.

Find a fun “min ute-towin-it” game on the internet to try as a family.

Talk about a time someone helped you. Find a way to connect with that person to say thank you.

Children, plan a scavenger hunt of your neighborhood. Have a grown-up try it out with you.

Gather some rocks from outside, rinse off and dry. Using markers or paints, decorate one each with a symbol representing family.

City Coronavirus Update - Playgrounds & Fit Lots Reopen

On Thursday, June 25, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced that the County will begin a full Phase Two re-opening effective, Monday, June 29 at 5:00 p.m.

Phase Two includes the reopening of playgrounds and fitness centers, as well as updated guidelines on gatherings.

Unless specifically stated in the Executive Order, social, community, spiritual, religious, recreational, leisure, and sporting gatherings and events (“large gatherings and events”) are limited to one person/family unit per 200 square feet, or a maximum of 100 persons – whichever is lower – at

all locations and venues. Planned larger gatherings and events must be canceled or postponed. CDC and MDH physical distancing protocols must be followed.

In response to the County Executive’s announcement, effective Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at 8:00 a.m., the following City services and facilities will resume and reopen as follows:

• City playgrounds and fit lots will reopen to the public. All visitors must adhere to physical distancing guidelines.

• The City has installed hand sanitizing stations at all City playgrounds. For playground safety guidelines from the

CDC, please visit the CDC”s website at www.cdc.gov.

• City parks remain open for personal fitness, fitness classes, and low contact sports.

• Ball courts remain closed.

As a reminder, City office and facilities have reopened to the public. All visitors must wear proper face coverings and maintain physical distancing. Signs have been installed with reminders of CDC guidelines.

City facilities are cleaned and sanitized daily Monday through Friday, with special attention given to high contact areas. Hand sanitizer is provided at each

location and restrooms are stocked with soap and paper towels.

For all COVID-19 related City information, please visit the City’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage at www.collegeparkmd.gov/covid19. The website has information related to which essential local businesses remain open to the public, as well as other resources and information for residents and businesses.

Please sign up for the City’s emails (www.collegeparkmd. gov/cpconnect) and follow the City’s Facebook (www.fb.com/ collegeparkmd) and Twitter (@ collegepark_md) for the latest and most up-to-date City news.

COVID-19 ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Assisting our Residents and Business Community

City COVID-19 Programs for Residents and Local Businesses

Show your City Pride!

Contest Extended to September 30, 2020!

Incorporated on June 7, 1945, the City of College Park is turning 75 this year! College Park has been a center of education, innovation, and exploration and has made its mark in history; a place where creative minds pursued innovations and firsts in agriculture, flight and education.

Today, the City of College Park is a thriving home to more than 30,000 residents, an internationally renowned university and the world’s oldest continuously operating airport.

While we are unable to celebrate in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we still want to celebrate with you! During this pandemic, we have seen so much amazing community spirit that we would like to continue showcasing it through the Show Your College Park Pride Contest!

We want to see and hear your stories and pride for College Park! Submit your videos, drawings and photos of your College Park spirit. All video and image entries will be made into a video collage to showcase our wonderful residents and their favorite memories. We can’t wait to see your creativity and what you’ll send!

By submitting your favorite memories, you will be entered to win a $50 gift card from the College Park business of your choosing (as long as the business you choose has the capability to issue a gift card, certificate, voucher, etc.). Winners will be randomly selected.

For more information on how to enter and contest rules and guidelines, please visit our website at www.collegeparkmd. gov/75thanniversary.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the City has created programs to address resident, business, and non-profit organization needs.

The Council and staff have developed a plan with more than $1,500,000 in COVID-19 assistance to help those experiencing financial hardship during this difficult time. The goal of these programs and initiatives is to help our residents and businesses get back on their feet as the recovery process begins.

Currently, there are two programs that eligible College Park businesses can apply for: the Small Business Assistance Grants Program and the Modified Business Assistance & Façade Improvement Program.

The purpose of the City’s Small Business Assistance Grants Program is to assist small businesses and non-profits with 25 or fewer full-time equivalents (FTEs), with direct economic support for costs of business interruption caused by: required closures, voluntary closures to promote social distancing, or decreased customer demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each business/owner can receive up to a maximum grant of $15,000 from this program.

The Modified Business Assistance

& Façade Improvement program is similar to the existing program except that it does not require matching funds. For more information about these programs or to apply, please visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/ covid19assistance#businesses.

The City has also created a program to provide financial aid for residents in need. The purpose of the City’s Emergency Financial Aid to Residents Program is to provide financial assistance to families, senior citizens and other individuals who have been directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Financial assistance may be provided for eligible expenses such as rent/ mortgage payments to avoid eviction or foreclosure, unforeseen funeral costs, utility payments, and other emergency needs as deemed necessary.

Each eligible family/person can get up to a maximum of $5,000 per household for indirect payments to applicable payee (landlord, lender, Utility Company) and/or gift cards for eligible expenses from this program. For more information about this program or to apply, please visit www.collegeparkmd. gov/covid19assistance#residents. Together we will get through this difficult time.

Free Municipal Parking

The City is providing FREE parking in the Downtown Parking Garage, City-controlled lots, and on metered City streets during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The City is providing FREE parking in the Downtown Parking Garage, City-controlled lots, and on metered City streets until the beginning of the UMD fall semester.

Help support our local businesses with take-out and curbside pick-up options!

Look for signs on City meters and pay stations for further details and restrictions. This promotion lasts until the beginning of UMD’s fall semester and is subject to change by the City.

Help support our local businesses with take-out and curbside pick-up options!

Mayor Patrick Wojahn showing his birthday card to College Park in a video

Serve on a City Advisory Board

Volunteers Wanted!

Are you interested in serving on a City advisory board?

The application period has been extended until August 1, 2020. Serve your community, lend your talents, and meet your neighbors. The following advisory boards have vacancies:

• Advisory Planning Commission -1 Vacancy (District 1 or 4)

• Animal Welfare Committee - 4 Vacancies (District 2, 3 or 4)

• Bee City USA - 9 Vacancies (all Districts, or someone who works in the City)

• Board of Election Supervisors - 1 Vacancy (at large)

• Committee for a Better Environment - 13 Vacancies (all Districts)

• Education Advisory Committee - 2 Vacancies (District 1 & 2)

• Ethics Commission - 1 Vacancy (District 4)

• Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Committee Between 1 – 5 vacancies (District 3 and 4)

• Noise Control Board - 1 Vacancy (District 2)

• Recreation Board 2 Vacancies (District 1 & 2)

• Seniors Committee - 2 Vacancies (any District)

• Veterans Memorial Committee - Up to 7 Vacancies (2 members from District 2; 1 member from Districts 3 and 4 all districts)

Interested in volunteering?

Please complete and submit an application (www.collegeparkmd. gov/boardapp) to jsmiller@ collegeparkmd.gov or to your City Council representative by August 1, 2020.

For detailed information on City advisory boards, please visit our website by going to www.collegeparkmd.gov/boards.

For additional information regarding vacancies, please contact the City Clerk’s office, your City Council representative or visit our website at www.collegeparkmd.gov/boards.

New City Economic Development Manager

City Manager Scott Somers announced on July 2 that Bridgette

L. Johnson has been selected as the next Economic Development Manager for the City of College Park. This position has been upgraded from Coordinator to Manager for Fiscal Year 2021. Somers stated that “the City is excited about the expanded role the new Economic Development Manager will have. We welcome Bridgette to the team.”

With a total of 17 years in economic development for local governments, Johnson will bring an extensive knowledge to this position.

Johnson is currently the President & CEO of Bridgeline Solutions, LLC where she serves as an Economic Development Consultant to the City of Havre de Grace, Maryland. She previously served as Senior Economic Development Associate for Harford County’s Office of Economic Development and as the Manager of Economic Development for the City of Havre de Grace, Maryland. Johnson also served in the United States Army as an Equipment Records and Parts Specialist.

Johnson is expected to start on August 10, 2020.

PEPCO Electric Power Line Neighborhood Inspections

PEPCO planners continue to work in various College Park neighborhoods inspecting only overhead power lines for vegetative growth encroaching the space near the lines.

The Maryland Public Service Commission requires specific clearance distance around the power lines based on their voltage to maintain reliability standards to consumers. The line inspection occurs cyclically on a four to five year schedule to maintain the required clearance distance surrounding the power lines.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the review process has been altered from the previous ride-along process. Currently, only requested or planned tree removals are being reviewed and discussed via an emailed list from the PEPCO planner and an independently conducted inspection by City staff.

Specific tree pruning locations have not been identified to City

staff. PEPCO planners indicated that detailed maps will be shared with the City, and will include all planned line clearance work, (brush cutting, pruning and removals) prior to work beginning.

Areas that have been planned or are in the planning stage are College Park Estates, Yarrow, North College Park, Calvert Hills, and Old Town neighborhood.

City staff has reviewed the list of requested tree removals in College Park Estates and Yarrow neighborhoods; however, work in this area has yet to be scheduled.

Line clearance planning is continuing in North College Park and is nearly complete in Calvert Hills and Old Town neighborhoods.

Residents are encouraged to respond to the PEPCO planners that have left door hangers related to planned private tree work for power line clearance.

Fill out your 2020 U.S. Census!

Did you know that College Park was under-counted in the 2010 Census? There’s still time to fill out your Census! It’s easy and takes only minutes to complete.

The Census population statistics are used to determine how

to spend billions of dollars in federal and state funds annually. The City of College Park urges all households to fill out the form online, over the phone, or by mail.

For more information, visit collegeparkmd.gov/census2020.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

All information is current as of July 6.

Health Resources

Prince George’s County Health Department Coronavirus Hotline (8 a.m.8 p.m.): 301.883.6627

Maryland Department of Health Coronavirus Hotline (8 a.m. - 8 p.m.): 877.319.1525. After hours hotline: 410.795.7365

Maryland’s Helpline is available 24 hours, 7 days a week to callers in need of crisis intervention, risk assessment for suicide, homicide or overdose prevention, support, guidance, and contact information for community behavioral health providers. Call 211, option 1, or text the word HOME to 741741

Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation Online Resource Center. Check out a variety of virtual indoor activities at pgparks.com/ 4841/Online-Resource-Center

Prince George’s County Health Department offers free COVID-19 tests for all Maryland residents. You do not need to have symptoms or a doctor’s referral to get tested, and insurance is not required. Results take from 3-7 business days. The department’s hotline operates daily between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. at 301.883-6627. Locations near College Park include the Laurel Beltsville Senior Activity Center and the First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville. (The CVS on Baltimore Avenue in Beltsville is not a county testing site and follows different guidelines.) Visit cvs.com/minuteclinic/ covid-19-testing for more information.

Helpful websites

Centers for Disease Control (CDC): cdc.gov/coronavirus

Maryland Department of Health: health.maryland.gov/ coronavirus

Prince George’s County Department of Health: health. mypgc.us/coronavirus

State and County Resources

Prince George’s County Economic Development

Corporation: 301.583.4650

Employ Prince George’s Inc.

COVID-19 Hourly Employee Relief Fund: employpg.org/ covid19 or 301.618.8445

Food resources in the county: princegeorgescountymd. gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1632 or 301.909.6343

Details concerning Prince George’s County’s phase two reopening, which initiated on June 29, and the latest news on the county’s reopening can be found at princegeorgescountymd.gov

The 21st District Delegation (Sen. Jim Rosapepe and Delegates Ben Barnes, Joseline Peña-Melnyk and Mary Lehman) welcomes questions, thoughts and requests for help from all College Park constituents. If you are out of work and have applied for unemployment insurance but are experiencing trouble securing benefits, please call 301.858.3141 or email 21stDistrictDelegation@ gmail.com.

City of College Park

For updates on the City of College Park’s response to COVID-19 and a list of resources, go to collegeparkmd.gov/ covid19 or call 240.487-3500

College Park City-University Partnership: For information about local business support and resources, go to collegeparkpartnership.org

Neighbors Listening was established to create a community of volunteers to provide a safety net for our aging residents and help them to stay in their homes. Email neighborsconnect2neighbors@

ance at gradschool.umd.edu

For fee credit information, email billtalk@umd.edu

Food Sources and Resources

Meals on Wheels of the College Park Area: 301.474.1002

UMD Campus Food Pantry: campuspantry.umd.edu

Prince George’s County food pantries (searchable map): princegeorgescountymd. gov/1679/Food-Assistance or call 301.909.6343

Adult chair yoga for all bodies, all ages, all levels. Simple yoga movements to increase resilience, improve fitness and promote mindfulness; no experience necessary. Classes taught by Amalie Malochée, RYT 200, CPR-AED certified. $25 for 5 weekly sessions. For more information, email yogiamalie@gmail.com

Art/Music/Books

Prince George’s County Memorial Library System is offering a wide variety of online programs for children, teens and adults. For more information, go to pgcmls.info

gmail.com or call 301.864.5267. If your call isn’t picked up, you won’t be able to leave a message, but you will get a sameday call back.

The City of College Park has extended the application deadline to join a city advisory board or committee to August 1, 2020. To view which boards and committees have vacancies and to submit an application, visit collegeparkmd.gov/186/ boards-commissions

University of Maryland

The UMD Student Crisis Fund supports students in financial distress. To apply for aid or to donate, go to crisisfund.umd.edu

Graduate students with questions can see FAQs and get guid-

Rotary International has organized volunteers throughout the DMV to help individuals who are in need of groceries and/or medication but are unable to leave home. Call 240.781.6586 for more information. For live assistance, call between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Recreation and Exercise

Posh Cycling & Fitness. Free courses. See Facebook page: facebook.com/pg/poshcyclingandfitness.

OpenBarre online courses. Streaming for $15/month. View the schedule and find out more at openbarrestudios.com/ online.

Numi Yoga. Zoom courses for a low drop-in fee. Find out more and sign up at numiyoga. com.

Orangetheory Fitness. Daily classes online at orangetheory. com/en-us/athome

The College Park Arts Exchange will host a virtual belly dance event on July 18 at 7:30 p.m., and the book club will discuss Rough Magic: Riding the World’s Loneliest Horse Race, by Lara Prior-Palmer on July 21 at 7:00 p.m. For more information and registration, visit cpae.org/ arts

Join College Park’s own Eric Maring’s singalongs for children and livestreamed concerts Saturdays at 9 p.m. at maringmusic.com

To help make and donate masks, go to weneedmasks.org and route1maskmatch.org

Contribute to a College Park card-writing campaign with a message of thanks to an essential worker. Send your cards to Essential Cards, 4815 Calvert Rd., PO Box #29, College Park, MD 20740. For more information, go to essentialcards. weebly.com

To help make and donate masks, go to route1maskmatch.org and weneedmasks.org. COURTESY OF PEXELS

Not all hope is lost for the Purple Line

By Zamir Courtney

College Park residents may see the Purple Line sooner than they think. Despite many delays, construction is continuing while parties negotiate the terms of additional funding, according to Maryland State Sen. Jim Rosapepe (District 21).

“This is a normal contract dispute; this is just huge because it involves the Purple Line,” Rosapepe said. He added that Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is applying pressure to ensure an agreement is reached.

Gregory Slater, MDOT transportation secretary, provid-

ed brief updates about the line during a Prince George’s County Council meeting on June 16.

Slater told councilmembers that he has been in daily conversations with contractors, and discussions have been productive.

He added that both sides are taking the time to understand each other’s viewpoints and added that they are working on “the best way to resolve and solve the issues so that we are not back here, and [so we are] continuing to make progress.”

Prince George’s County Councilmember Dannielle Glaros (District 3) expressed concern that the project is

moving forward slowly and she believes that the state needs to take action.

“At the end of the day, the state needs to step up and has got to address this and must, in my opinion, keep this project moving,” Glaros said during the meeting.

The deadline for an agreement to determine who will pay additional costs of the project was June 20.

Rosapepe commented on the dispute, saying it is mainly about financial matters rather than issues related to construction.

“It will get built,” he said. “It’s a little later than we hoped, but we are very focused on making sure this dispute does not delay the line any further.”

Construction of the line is about 40% complete. According to state officials, the line will open in two phases.

The first phase is scheduled for late 2022 and will include six operational stations from New Carrollton to College Park.

The remaining stations will open during phase two, with the line fully operational by mid-2023, according to purplelinemd.com.

Community Advisory Teams (CATs) are in place to establish communications with communities around the project’s construction zones, and updates are at purplelinemd.com.

Recent posts by the University Boulevard CAT report that traffic on the Northwest Branch Bridge is currently redirecting to the southern side of University Boulevard East. This phase one traffic shift is due to end in August.

Phase two is expected to begin this summer and shift traffic to the northern side of University Boulevard East. This shift will be in place for about a year.

Traffic patterns will change, as necessary, for the duration of the project.

To receive notices on closures, visit purplelinemd. com.

SERVICES INCLUDE

- Leaf Cleanup/Gutter Cleaning

- Landscape Spruce Ups/Clean Ups

- Bed, Weeding, Edging and Mulching

- Pruning/Trimming (Natural or Formal)

- Tree and Shrub Removal

- Planting Trees, Shrubs, Perennials and Bulbs

- Mulch/Topsoil/Compost/Gravel

- Transplanting Small Trees, Shrubs and Perennials

- Seasoned Split Firewood Available

- Lawn Cutting, Aerating and Fertilizing

- Grading and Drainage Projects

- Storm Cleanup and Debris Hauling

Christian Science Society

Christian Science Church

Maryland State Sen. Jim Rosapepe: “It will get built. It’s a little later than we hoped.”

Music, the ultimate peacemaker

By Eric Maring

My wife and I moved to Calvert Hills in College Park in 1999, after wandering around India with backpacks and a guitar for six months. We wanted to make our home in a place that grounded us, and we fortunately found a house that we still live in to this day. One of my early memories of the neighborhood that first fall was hearing joyous group singing emanating from a nearby neighbor’s backyard. They sang song after familiar song that evening, and filled me with feelings of welcome and togetherness. “I’ve arrived in the right place,” I remember thinking.

Lucky for me, I soon got to know that neighbor, the banjo-playing Rocky, and we’ve delighted in many years of shared concerts and sing-alongs, often with the hallmark moment of his leading us in “This Land is Your Land.” Those are moments of magic that all of us have remembered for years. While Rocky and I are of different generations, we’ve found a great deal of common ground in the songs we share — with each other, and with all the people who sing with us. On Halloween, families know that they can find Rocky and his wife outside, playing songs for trickor-treaters. And the players of the College Park Youth Music Traditions know that having the elder musical-statesman Rocky play with them at a performance is a special treat.

Musicians and the music they create are an integral part of their community, and certainly the serious musicians of Calvert Hills are noteworthy. Talented, driven and varied, we are an

extremely special glue in our community. Rocky represents the folk tradition of Greenwich Village in the ‘60s — think Pete Seeger. College Park boasts some immensely talented classical players: there’s Kathy, a renowned violist and professor at the University of Maryland, and Claudia, mentor to young orchestral players and concert master of numerous prestigious ensembles (The Washington Post featured a photo of her, performing, on June 23). We have Gabriel, an internationally recognized composer and pianist; Allison, singer and leader of several chorales; and Mia, Leo, and Theo, all young and extraordinarily gifted players. And they are just a few of the musicians in our community.

When I think about these musicians and the value they offer all of us, I also reflect on how music is about making peace. A musician may spend years learning how to make meaningful sounds, sounds that tell a story, that bring us together in a place of peace. In times of protest, music gives us a common message, and it demands that we listen. Young children learn by watching musicians play; you can all but hear the gears turning as they react with, “Ah, that’s how people are. That’s something I want to do, too, and that’s something I CAN do.” For me, this is the ultimate peace-making.

This pandemic has cancelled live performances and prevents us from some of the best things about music: our abilty to create and share it with each other, near each other, together. But we musicians are here, and we will be there, on the other side, waiting.

Eric Maring livestreams sessions for young children and families every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Links to recent sessions are on his website, maringmusic.com. Do a simple search for Eric Maring on YouTube to watch performances.

CEMETERY LAWN CRYPT FOR SALE

National Harmony Memorial Park

7101 Sheriff Road, Hyattsville, MD 20785

Offered for only $7,000 (a $9,000 value)

Contact Ms. Moore at 252-643-2165 or nover1159@gmail.com

In times of protest, music gives us a common message, and it demands that we listen.

Park Airport Safety Project, which launched in May 2019. Under the initiative, tree trimming started last November.

College Park City Councilmembers and residents initially understood that M-NCPPC would simply reduce the height of trees. Instead, they witnessed a complete removal of trees at the east and west ends of the airport, and along the Paint Branch and Indian Creek streams.

City Councilmember P. J. Brennan (District 2) called the scene a “deforestation.”

Christine Fanning, division chief of Natural and Historic Resources with the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation, admitted that the department’s initial presentation failed to adequately describe their tree trimming goals to the city. “When we presented the plan originally, we really focused more on airport operations and the safety aspect of it and did not give enough time or visibility into our environmen-

tal plans,” she said. However, Fanning upholds that M-NCPPC followed regulations and only trimmed “the absolute minimum required by law,” which, she said, impacted approximately 3,000 trees.

The College Park Airport, which M-NCPPC has owned since 1973, is the oldest continually operating airport in the world. Previously, M-NCPPC trimmed trees around the air-

port every seven to eight years, in accordance with state code and Federal Aviation Administration regulations.

According to the M-NCPPC, regulations governing obstructions to air navigation are stricter now than during the last trimming, which was done in 2012. Fanning indicated that the canopy in Old Calvert Road Park was 20% less dense in 2012 than it is now, and due to stricter requirements, the M-NCPPC had to trim 7.2 acres more than they had to trim in 2012. “Perhaps if we had trimmed four years ago, there would have been less impact to trees,” she noted.

Brenda Alexander, assistant director of the College Park Public Works department and the city’s horticulturist, said that many of the recently trimmed trees may not survive because they were pruned so severely. Decreasing the canopy increases sunlight in the understory, which inevitably impacts wildlife in the area, as well. This is a two-way street, as wildlife also impacts tree growth and survival.

A-1 YARD SERVICES

“One of our concerns is that there is a very large population of deer and they contribute to the decline of newly planted trees and or shrubs … that’s going to be a problem in getting these trees to survive,” Alexander said.

Alexander also said that new construction projects have made it difficult for College Park to maintain a sufficient tree canopy, and that a 2019 assessment indicated that the city’s canopy is in decline. “This [the trimming] directly was adverse to maintaining the tree canopy and probably contributed to more canopy loss,” Alexander noted.

Brennan pointed to the role that the trimmed trees served in improving water quality. “Their actions serve to destabilize the soil and erode that soil into the waterway, which leads to the Anacostia tributary system, which leads to the Potomac river,” he noted.

To mitigate negative impacts of tree trimming in this area, M-NCPPC installed bales of staked straw along the Paint Branch Trail. They also committed to doing additional work along the trail and near the CSX/Metro underpass on an annual basis, and to protecting new plantings from deer.

“Our plan is to replant lower growth trees near the runway, but we will replant trees farther out to restore the canopy. Fully 70% of our replanting includes canopy species trees in areas that don’t have height restrictions,” Fanning said.

Since early May of this year, M-NCPPC has been planting trees in a 4:1 ratio of new trees to the number of trees removed. This work is being done in accordance with a plan reviewed by the Maryland Department of the Environment and three additional county regulatory agencies, the Town of Riverdale Park

and the City of College Park. Work under the plan will continue until the fall of 2021 in a phased approach across eight zones in Riverdale Park and College Park.

The project will also include installation of an upgraded disc golf course and two permanent shade structures in Old Calvert Road Park.

M-NCPPC will foot the bill for replanting 1,510 trees, which is 900 more than required by state regulations.

Starting this year, modest to heavy tree trimming will be done every four to five years instead of the previous seven to eight to reduce impacts to trees. M-NCPPC will monitor trees twice each year. Frequent, regular monitoring may reduce the need to remove trees in the future.

Brennan believes that MNCPPC’s initial decision not to involve the city government and community in this process damaged their relationship. Brennan said that clear communications would have allowed for proactive remediations while the project was underway.

Fanning allowed that, “perhaps some of this confusion could have been addressed if we had worked more closely with our community partners.”

In a presentation by Fanning about the restoration project, M-NCPPC committed to rebuilding its relationship with the City of College Park, the Town of Riverdale Park, the University of Maryland, and the Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation “by creating a shared vision and collective action plan to increase canopy trees, address storm water management and enhance the habitat.” Their commitment will include quarterly meetings with all parties to develop strategies and report on progress.

VIRTUAL FITNESS CLASSES

According to M-NCPPC, regulations governing obstructions to air navigation are stricter now than during the last trimming, which was done in 2012.

female, you lose an election because you’re shorter than your opponent, you’re stopped by the police for no apparent reason. Maybe you were stopped simply because you’re Black.

The Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) began partnering with the University of Maryland (UMD) in 2012. In 2015, the report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing recommended inservice implicit bias training for officers, and PGPD Inspector General Carlos Acosta reached out to the university’s Sociology Department for help.

Associate Professor Dr. Kris Marsh responded to Acosta and quickly immersed herself in the police department’s culture. As she went on ride-alongs and joined cookouts, she developed a program to train all 1,700 PGPD officers as part of their mandatory 2018 in-service hours.

Early on in her work, Marsh met Rev. Tony Lee, the founder of Community of Hope A.M.E. Church in Hillcrest Heights. Lee started working with PGPD in 2003, when Melvin High became the department’s chief. Lee described his collaboration with High, and each subsequent chief, as a “community policing thought partnership.”

Lee spoke often with former chief Stawinksi. (Stawinski resigned from his position on June 18). Lee said that Stawinski believed that the implicit bias training could be revolutionary. “He was excited to approach the problem with something that held some sort of academic vigor,” said Lee. “He felt his hands were tied on the administrative side, but something like this [collaborative approach] would be more than just going through the motions.”

In the 2018 press conference announcing the training program, Stawinski said, “Every decision I make is weighted against how we preserve and enhance the public trust. My long-term goal is to change the expectations of this community about the Prince George’s County Police Department.”

It was helpful to have Marsh join in on their conversations, Lee said, adding “We were all attempting, from our different areas, to shape this model of how we can improve policing.”

The course Marsh developed included icebreakers and group discussions designed to increase participants’ awareness of biases they held. Marsh remembers breakthroughs, like when certain officers realized that some of their colleagues couldn’t walk into a drug store and buy a Band-Aid in their own skin tone. Officers also gained insight into the subtlety of their biases by wrestling with activities that pitted Redskins and Cowboys fans against each other.

One active officer, who spoke with the Here & Now on the condition of anonymity, went through Marsh’s training in both 2018 and 2019 and noted that the training was challenging and uncomfortable at times. “It wasn’t widely received,” he said, adding, “Which probably speaks more to the culture in place.”

As Marsh pressed forward with her training, another side of the PGPD came into the spotlight. In December 2018, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, on behalf of several plaintiffs, charged the department with condoning racist conduct described as “persistent.”

That officer who chose to remain anonymous, due to the sensitive nature of this reporting, described the PGPD culture as imbued with “cronyism” and “nepotism.” Of Dr. Marsh’s

efforts, he said, “She was completely professional and intentional in her approach, defining racism as a system, as opposed to the traditional definition of an overt act.” The officer added, “For a woman to come into a male work environment, it’s a lion’s den, especially considering all the prejudices and biases that have been well documented.”

This is the sort of reaction Marsh, Lee and Stawinski were looking for, Lee said. He added that Stawinski told him that the department needed to do more transformational things like this in order to grow, and acknowledged that growth can be difficult.

This is the third year that Marsh’s program has been a mandatory component of PGPD’s in-service training. Partnering with a university makes this training a pioneering endeavor in the DMV, according to Jennifer Donelan, former PGPD media relations manager.

“I do recall there being some

We have envelopes for correspondence, work orders for the job, proposals for the quote, brochures for advertising, directories for the club, newsletters for the newsworthy, postcards for the announcement, posters for the event, tickets for the show, programs for the concert, menus for the hungry, and stickers for identification.

Free parking and a free cup of coffee!

hiccups at the start,” she added. In 2018, Marsh’s colleague Dr. Rashawn Ray was conducting police training at the university. Ray is a professor in the university’s Department of Sociology and executive director of the Lab for Applied Social Science Research.

Several sources confirmed that many officers in Ray’s training were uncomfortable. While the classroom training was mandatory, officers had the option of voluntarily participating in a virtual reality simulator; this required them to sign a waiver permitting data collection. When officers expressed misgivings that data was being collected, former police chief Stawinski began coming to the sessions to explain the data collection, which was not mandatory. Marsh said, “Every Tuesday morning, he would come in and say, ‘be respectful, listen. This will make us better officers.’”

Officers at the June 5, 2018 training were particularly uncomfortable that unidentified people were observing the session. Sergeant Kevin McSwain, who oversaw advanced officer training for the PGPD in 2018, said that officers were concerned that the unidentified students might record the training on their computers or phones, which would be in violation of Maryland’s two-party consent laws.

In an email to Ray and others, McSwain wrote, “To address this issue, please advise all interns that this training is a part of the officers in-service training and therefore precludes unauthorized individuals from attending without expressed permission for the Prince Georges County Chief of Police.”

McSwain said that he did not receive a response to his email.

Unidentified people were again present at a training one week later, on June 12. Officers at that training contacted McSwain during a break, and he gave them permission to leave.

“I focused on protecting the troops,” said McSwain. “That was my job.”

NBC4 broke an exclusive story on the incident, claiming that officers walked out of the training because department leadership discouraged them from completing it.

McSwain said, “The training wasn’t the issue. The issue was the unidentified persons present and the [possible] collection of data.”

“There was no walkout,” said Donelan. “Certain criteria that had been agreed upon between the university and the department was not being honored by Professor Ray.”

When the news of Stawinksi’s resignation broke on June 18 of this year, NBC4 cited its exclusive reporting of the incident at the training on June 12, 2018. Ray told NBC4, “We have one of the most innovative police decision-making programs in the United States based on our corporate sponsors, and they chose not to use it,” referring to the virtual reality simulator.

After the issues with data collection, Ray stopped training officers, but the training program continued. The department moved the bias training to its own facility, with the intent of reassuring officers that their data would not be collected. Marsh became the sole instructor.

Entrusting training to a civilian unaffiliated with the police, like Marsh, was a first in McSwain’s 29 years of duty. “It gives us a different approach to understand how we are viewed,” he said.

Collaborating to create this training was something that excited Lee, Stawinksi and Marsh. According to Lee, they even discussed collaborating on a book about transforming community policing. Of the media coverage, Lee said, “I am concerned that the intentions of some of these programs and involvement of the police department are not being fairly depicted.”

Marsh’s 2020 program focuses on the impact of social media. Helpful training, no doubt, because police — who routinely conduct themselves in the public eye — are also subject to the court of popular opinion.

Dr. Ray did not reply to a request for an interview from the College Park Here & Now.

Marsh remembers breakthroughs, like when certain officers realized that some of their colleagues couldn’t walk into a drug store and buy a Band-Aid in their own skin tone. Officers also gained insight into the subtlety of their biases by wrestling with activities that pitted Redskins and Cowboys fans against each other.

Farmers markets reopen — with some restrictions

By Anjali Ravi

The arrival of summer is bringing more fresh produce and other items to farmers markets in Prince George’s County. On May 28, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks lifted the county’s stay-at-home order, allowing farmers markets to operate with restrictions. According to a notice from the Prince George’s County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement, vendors and workers must wear masks and gloves, and follow social distancing guidelines. Permits require appropriate spacing and hand-sanitizing stations in vending areas. Many items for sale are prepackaged, so customers can get what they need without lingering.

Hollywood Market opened

on May 2 with drive-through service only. Customers preordered from vendors, and upon arrival at the market, they opened the trunks of their cars so that vendors could place items inside. Offerings included red apples from Sharrah Orchards, Guatemalan coffee beans from Alcoba Coffee, and naturally raised beef, pork, and lamb from the Waltz Family Farm.

College Park Farmers Market at Paint Branch Parkway (CPFMPBP) also opened on May 2. Located at 5211 Campus Drive, this market was established in 1979. Phil Miller, of Miller Farms, has been there since its inception. Miller Farms is family-owned and offers fruits, vegetables, pies, bacon, firewood and flowers. Miller’s sister currently manages the nursery, and

his wife runs the bakery and makes seasonal soft serve ice cream. Millers’ two sons help out on the farm.

On July 20, the Hollywood Market opened for its first walkthrough vending of the season.

Julie Beavers, market manager, claimed it a success. “Vendors are loving this new layout and prefer to have their customers shop during the market more so than online,” Beavers wrote in an email. She added that it will take time for patrons to adjust to social distancing guidelines in the market. “We’ll help by drawing arrows on the ground,” she wrote. With high levels of personal interactions, these markets create community. Miller recognizes his regulars even through their facemasks, calling to them by name. Noting social distanc-

ing signs posted around the markets, people chat with each other from afar.

“I try to encourage contactless payments,” said vendor Katie Cote, who has been selling jewelry at CPFMPBP to aid women in Haiti. Her shop, While Waiting, also offers hair accessories, tea infusers, wine charms and bookmarks. “I have a lot of one-of-a-kind items that people used to like to dig through to find what they wanted. Now I only set out a select few, and in a way that people don’t need to touch before they buy.” Cote has been selling more hair accesso-

ries. The market is currently her only opportunity to sell items in person.

Adapting to new market concerns is the nature of small business. Joe Castillo, of Alcoba Coffee at the Hollywood Market, said that his business has been doing well, noting, “people are drinking more coffee from home.”

To support local farms and businesses, shop at one of College Park’s farmers markets. Both are now open each Saturday; Hollywood Market’s hours are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and CPFMPBP is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Dear

As your representatives in the Maryland state legislature, we work closely with the Mayor and City Council, the University, community groups, residents, and businesses on issues from traffic and sustainability to local schools and health.

Please let us know if there are other issues you have questions or thoughts about. And, of course, feel free to be in touch if we can be of help to you Just email 21stDistrictDelegation@gmail com or call

Phil Miller, of Miller Farms, offers visitors to his market at Paint Branch Parkway ice cream and a variety of locally grown produce. COURTESY OF ANJALI RAVI