03-2022 College Park Here & Now

Council OKs purchase of Old Town property

By A.R. Cabral

At their Feb. 22 meeting, the College Park City Council approved a contract of sale to purchase a property in the Old Town neighborhood for $1.7 million. The council’s approval is particularly significant, as there are few properties available for purchase in this part of the city.

The property, 4704 Calvert Road, is a parcel of 13,000 square feet subdivided into 5 lots. It is currently owned by Calvert Road, LLC.

Prince George’s Audubon Society partners with homeowners

By Michael Purdie

Spring is right around the corner, and the Prince George’s Audubon Society is resuming their Wildlife Habitat Program to encourage homeowners to create wildlife-friendly habitats in their yards.

Kathy Shollenberger and Barry Stahl, directors of the program, which is a free service available to all county residents, spoke

By Taneen Momeni

Like all of us, councilmembers serving on the College Park City Council have been challenged over the past two years. In addition to navigating a full range of pandemic restrictions, they have also had to flex and adjust to meeting in different places and in different ways. The College Park Here & Now spoke with four city councilmembers about their experiences navigating these challenges.

Councilmember Denise Mitchell (District 4) served from 2009 to 2015 and was

reelected in 2017. When she first joined the council, meetings were held in the old city hall building on Baltimore Avenue. Then in 2019, council meetings moved to Davis Hall while the old building was torn down and the new city hall was built.

“I will say I definitely did not prefer being in Davis Hall because it was so cramped,” she said.

Councilmember Maria Mackie (District 4), who joined in 2019, never experienced the old city hall, as the council was already meeting in Davis Hall when she was elected. Mackie echoed Mitchell’s point

Celebrating the women of Lakeland.

Long days continue for middle schoolers busing to Bowie. P.4

about how compact Davis Hall was. She noted, too, that the tightness of the room had some advantages.

“Davis Hall was very close, and your neighbor was right next to you. You could just whisper a question or something like that,” Mackie said. “It was more informal, which probably differed a lot from being in city hall.”

Mackie attended council meetings in Davis Hall for just a few months before the meetings shifted to a virtual platform, due to the pandemic.

District 4 councilmembers Denise Mitchell and Maria Mackie at the Feb. 22 city council meeting. TANEEN MOMENI

Celebrating the women of

Lakeland

More than a decade ago, a group of neighbors in College Park’s Lakeland community had a conversation which birthed the Lakeland Community Heritage Project and the Lakeland Digital Archive. Over the years, these projects have collected images, documents and oral histories to tell the story of a small community experiencing devastating change.

While women have been formally recognized since the first International Women’s Day, in 1911, Women’s History Month was established in the U.S. by President Jimmy Carter, in 1980. As we mark and celebrate Women’s History Month each March, many of us think of prominent women in society, politics and education. But women walking among us are also everyday heroes, women who make a difference in the lives of their families and communities. The women of Lakeland are surely members of this worthy group.

By Maxine Gross

Lakeland was founded around 1890, along with neighboring communities that later incorporated, in 1945, as the City of College Park. Our region was strictly segregated into the 1970s, and Lakeland was the Black community in a city with an overwhelmingly white population. It was a community of working-class people. The first generation of Lakeland women were homemakers and also worked as laundresses, cooks and cleaners. Their daughters were teachers, tradespeople, clerks and government workers. These noble, industrious women built a safe and secure community in which to raise not only their own children, but a whole village of them. They worked to nurture and shield those children from the world around them while preparing them to enter that world as strong and capable young adults.

Lakeland’s earliest generations were religiously obser-

Managing Editor Mark Goodson mark@hyattsvillelife.com

vant, gathering regularly in each other’s homes for prayer meetings. They soon went on to found First Baptist Church of Lakeland, in 1890, and Embry African Methodist Episcopal Chapel, in 1903; notably, both congregations still exist today, as First Baptist Church of College Park and Embry African Methodist Episcopal Church. Lakeland’s first school opened in 1903 as well. Just as these institutions — church and school — were the cornerstones of the community, women were an essential and sustaining force,

Advertising Sales Manager

Miranda Goodson

a force that made things happen. As they nurtured a village of children, they also taught young and old, served as administrators, facilitated ceremonies, organized celebrations, prepared feasts and raised the money to support congregations. They did all these things —and uplifted spirits — with a special style and flair. In the outside world, many of these women were housekeepers and cooks. In Lakeland, they were titled nobility.

A nationally-recognized 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 Streetcar Suburbs Publishing., 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. streetcarsuburbs.news

Associate Editor Nancy Welch nancy@hyattsvillelife.com

Writers & Contributors Jason Belt, A.R. Cabral, Maxine Gross, Josie Jack, Prakhar Mishra, Taneen Momeni, Sophie Gorman Oriani, Michael Purdie, Katharine Wilson.

Layout & Design Editor Ashley Perks

Web Editor Jessica Burshtynskyy

Advertising

advertising@hyattsvillelife.com

301.531.5234

Business Manager Catie Currie

Board of Directors

Joseph Gigliotti — President & General Counsel

Chris Currie — Vice President Stephanie Stullich — Treasurer Rosanna Landis Weaver, Gretchen Brodtman, Debra Franklin, T. Carter Ross, Emily Strab, Reva Harris, Maxine Gross Mark Goodson — Ex Officio

Kit Slack — 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.

Many of Lakeland’s women served their church and community throughout their lives, and the most respected of them were honored, in their golden years, with the title, Mother of the Church. This role is unique to the Black church, and is a role that exists to this day. A Mother of the Church is at least 70 years old and is appointed by the pastor. She is recognized for spirituality and character as well as her years of devotion to faith and to the good of others.

The Mother of the Church is a treasured diamond and serves as a role model within the community. She is mother to all, with the rights and privileges of a parent to love, nurture, encourage and admonish. While

some congregations may have a number of women serving in this role at the same time, Lakeland’s churches more typically have a single woman serving as mother. Amy Potts, Agnes Randall, Audrey Smith, Elizabeth Adams, Harriett Morgan, Hattie Sandidge, Julia Pitts, Mary “Mamie” Weems, Rose Cager Adams and Vera Claiborne have all been honored as mothers of Lakeland’s congregations. You will meet some of them and their sisters in these images.

These women were honored at Embry AME Church on December 2006. Front left to right are Dorothy Tolson, Elizabeth Adams, Agnes Randall and Fannie Douglas. Behind them are Audrey Smith, Elizabeth Campbell Adams and Elizabeth Aires. Blocked from view are Mary Day Hollomand and Saxoline Campbell. Three of these women held the role, Mother of Embry AME Church. COURTESY OF LAKELAND COMMUNITY HERITAGE PROJECT

Using some of that material, we bring you Women of Lakeland.

Amy Potts, Mother of Embry AME Church. COURTESY OF LAKELAND COMMUNITY HERITAGE PROJECT

Ladies at First Baptist Church posed for this photo during the church’s anniversary celebration in the late 1950s. The ladies are, from left to right, (first row) Mamie McCorkle, Mary Brooks, Alice Briscoe and Maria Dory; (second row) Lucy Gordon, Mary Johnson Weems, Rose Cager Adams, Patricia Barber, June Jackson, Harriet Smith, Mary Rustin, (unidentified person), Jeanette Brooks and Julia Pitts; (third row) Alice Branson, Mattie Cameron, Emma Conway and Patty Hawkins. Three held the role of Mother of First Baptist Church of College Park. COURTESY OF LAKELAND COMMUNITY HERITAGE PROJECT

At Embry AME Church, from left to right, stand Audrey Smith, Bettye Greene, Shirley Anderson, Gloria Battle, Naomi Carter and Janet Gillens. COURTESY OF LAKELAND COMMUNITY HERITAGE PROJECT

to

OF

Maria Lomax Dory, Fannie Williams, Annabelle Stroud, Ellen Lomax Briscoe and Ellen Randall Gray, circa 1955.

The Mothers of First Baptist Church of College Park: Mary “Mamie” Weems, Rose Cager, Hattie Sandidge, Vera Claiborne and Julia Pitts. COURTESY OF LAKELAND COMMUNITY HERITAGE PROJECT

Ella Falls and Maggie Brooks. COURTESY OF LAKELAND COMMUNITY HERITAGE PROJECT

Jacqueline, Janet and Agnes Randall. COURTESY OF LAKELAND COMMUNITY HERITAGE PROJECT

Mrs. Ellen Randall hosts a children’s party at home. COURTESY OF LAKELAND COMMUNITY HERITAGE PROJECT

Mary Brooks, Elsie Moody and Maria Lomax Dory. COURTESY OF LAKELAND COMMUNITY HERITAGE PROJECT

Left

right,

COURTESY

LAKELAND COMMUNITY HERITAGE PROJECT

Long days continue for Hyattsville middle schoolers busing to Bowie

By Josie Jack and Kit Slack

Hyattsville Middle School (HMS) students have been sent to three different locations as the new HMS building is constructed, and the buses that transport them are often delayed.

School is in session every weekday from 9 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. On Feb. 28, four out of 12 buses delivered students to the temporary Meadowbrook site, in Bowie, at 9:24 a.m. or later. Four buses left the same location at 5 p.m. or later, according to a partial log of arrival and departure times kept by the school administration. In February, up to 75% of buses going to Meadowbrook arrived late.

“My own child’s bus late arrival means that he misses math pretty much daily,” said parent John Rigg, who is a councilmember for the City of College Park’s District 3. Sarah Christopherson, who is the president of the school’s PTSO, said instruction in her child’s science class often starts half an hour late due to late bus arrivals.

Rigg said that many families don’t have the means to drive their children to school. He and his wife carpooled in the fall, but as they’ve returned to working in person, they have had to rely on buses.

Rigg credited school board member Pamela BoozerStrother (District 3) for her effective advocacy, noting some recent improvement in bus arrival times.

Boozer-Strother said that a bus driver shortage means drivers have double routes, which leads to delays throughout the county. She stressed that busing HMS students should be a priority, though, because they are also dealing with other disruptions to their education during construction of the new school.

School officials say the new HMS building is on track to be completed by July 2023. In the meantime, the middle school’s sixth grade students go to Thomas Stone Elementary School, in nearby Mount Rainier, and seventh and eighth graders are divided between two more distant schools. Students in the HMS

creative and performing arts (CPA) program share a building with Robert Goddard Montessori School (RGMS), in Seabrook, and non-CPA seventh and eighth graders travel to Meadowbrook, the most distant temporary site, in Bowie.

Following construction of a large modular building on the RGMS campus, seventh and eighth graders will be united in Seabrook. However, that construction has taken longer than anticipated. Christopherson said that in March, parents will discuss the pros and cons of moving the Meadowbrook students to RGMS after spring break or waiting until fall 2022.

Unreliable bus transportation

may be contributing to a decreased attendance rate and declining enrollment at the school.

As of late January, Hyattsville Middle School had an 89% attendance rate for the current school year, compared with a rate of 94% during each of the preceding four years.

At the beginning of this school year, there were 859 students enrolled in the middle school; as of March 1, there were 717, according to county school officials.

Boozer-Strother said some students have moved away, others are homeschooling and some are participating in the new Prince George’s County Public Schools Online Campus.

“We are a more disadvantaged population. So for us to be broken up across multiple campuses hits extra hard,” said Christopherson. “This cohort of middle school kids for Hyattsville — they’ve been asked to carry all of the sacrifices and none of the gain.”

Boozer-Strother said that the team of dedicated bus drivers should be thanked for their commitment as they work under stress during the driver shortage. “Our current bus driver staff have been performing at an outstanding level of attendance, and showing a real commitment to make this work.”

She also noted that the county school system is holding job fairs twice each month to recruit new drivers. The next scheduled fair will be on March 16.

For more information about the hiring of school bus drivers, contact hros.transportation@ pgcps.org or Nicole Eubanks at Nicole.Eubanks@pgcps.org, or contact PGCPS Human Resources at 301.952.6134.

Josie Jack is an intern with the Hyattsville Life & Times.

School officials say the new Hyattsville Middle School building is on track to be completed by July 2023. KIT SLACK

Renewal of College Park RISE zone proposed

By Sophie Gorman Oriani

On Feb. 15, the College Park City Council discussed a proposal to renew the city’s participation in the Greater College Park Regional Institution Strategic Enterprise (RISE) Zone.

According to the Maryland Department of Commerce, a RISE Zone is “a geographic area that has a strong nexus with a qualified institution and is targeted for increased economic and community development.” A RISE zone is designated for five years, at the end of which it may be eligible for renewal for an additional five years. Any given county in the state may have a maximum of three zones at any one time.

The Greater College Park RISE Zone spans 470 acres and includes the University of Maryland, along with portions of College Park and Riverdale Park. College Park’s initial RISE zone designation expired in late December. The proposed renewal would maintain the zone’s original boundaries.

New businesses in the RISE zone will be eligible for tax reductions

on the increased value of their property. Businesses in high tech industries, such as aerospace and virtual reality, are eligible for the largest reductions, paying only half of the usual property taxes on the increased value of their property for five years. Other businesses would be eligible for the same 50% reduction the first year, and then would receive a 10% tax reduction on the increased value of their property for the next four years. Retail, grocery, and hotel or motel businesses are not eligible for these reductions.

According to College Park Economic Development Manager Michael Williams, no new businesses have participated in any RISE zone in the state since the program started in 2015. “What we think is that start-up companies and new companies are generally trying to get going and not trying to buy or purchase a building,” Williams said in an interview with the College Park Here & Now. “If you’re a start-up, you’re thinking about investing every nickel you can into whatever product you’re making.”

Going forward, the state has expanded the RISE zone program to provide rental assistance to businesses that don’t own their own buildings. For every dollar the city contributes to a business’ rent, the state would contribute three, Williams said.

Williams said he does not anticipate that the county would receive so many applicants that renewal of this zone would be jeopardized. He noted, too, that the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation collaborated in the applica-

tion for renewal.

“We’re excited to implement the RISE zone program with the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation and the Town of Riverdale Park, as well as the University of Maryland,” Williams said.

Finding community through outreach

By Prakhar Mishra

Community Connect Calvert Hills (CCCH) launched a food distribution project at the onset of the pandemic with the simple goal of supporting the community. The initiative largely serves immigrants and senior citizens but organizers hope to include students at the University of Maryland, too.

Eighty-year-old Carol Nezzo, a former Spanish teacher with a background in gerontology and public administration, and Christal Batey, who works for the City of Greenbelt, were instrumental in launching the initiative.

Early on, Christal sourced produce for CCCH to distribute. As the program grew, so did demand for produce, and Carol turned to the Riverdale Christian Life Center to better meet the community’s needs. The center supports local food distribution efforts in addition to running its own food pantry and distribution program.

I came to College Park from Bereilly, a city near the Himalayan mountains in northern India, in December 2020 and found my rental at Carol’s home through Craigslist. I started helping with

CCCH’s monthly food distribution program and soon felt part of the dedicated and energetic band of volunteers working under Carol’s leadership. The stark cultural difference between the U.S. and India, regarding the plight of older people, surprised me. In northern India, family members take care of their elderly relatives. There is no need for the sort of social systems like you have here in the United States.

CCCH currently serve more than 100 people every month, and we accomplish a tremendous amount through teamwork, but individuals’ contributions are vital to the program’s success, too. Irazema Fuentes unloads trucks and connects with local Hispanic and Latino communities to reach those in need. Volunteers Jim Barns and Al Fu have been distributing produce since the beginning of the program, first moving donations from the Greenbelt distribution center and now from the Riverdale Christian Life Center. Jim, who was deeply moved by the dire circumstances of Afghan refugees who relocated to our area, has opened not only his heart to

them, but also his home, providing them with produce, but with shelter, as well. Marsha Reynolds works on quality control, efficiently sorting good produce from bad and coaching other volunteers on how to create appealing displays. Emily Mattes offers her technological expertise to the growing program, and with her support, CCCH now has an automated reservation system. And leftovers? Sue Cook makes sure that extra produce goes to Martha’s Table. What great team work!

“Even though it’s food distribution and help, the overall objective is to connect people” Carol told me. Mission accomplished. Carol has already given me, an Indian student at the university, a great opportunity to connect with the City of College Park.

To make a reservation to pick up produce on the third Thursday of each month, email connectporfavor@ gmail.com or call 301.864.527.

Prakhar Mishra is from northern India and is completing his second year as a grad student in engineering at the University of Maryland.

Organizer Carol Nezzo and volunteer Al Fu assist with food distribution in January. PHOTO COURTESY OF PRAKHAR MISHRA

COLLEGE PARK POST

2022 YOUTH SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIP

Apply for a grant of up to $400 for your Rising K-12 Student!

e City of College Park is o ering our annual summer camp scholarships for the 2022 summer season.

Apply at www.collegeparkmd. gov/2022summercampgrants.

Youth (rising K-12 students) who reside in the City of College Park are eligible to apply. Scholarships are granted up to a maximum of $400 per student. Students are eligible to receive a scholarship for one camp session only. Priority is given to youth who did not receive a City of College Park scholarship in previous years.

Last summer (2021), the City extended use of the scholarship to include camps hosted by Prince George’s County Department of Parks & Recreation and Prince George’s Community College. is same option is available for 2022 camp scholarships.

Please note that updated summer camp information may not be available currently. Several camps (including Prince George’s Parks and Recreation and Prince George’s Community College) are

still nalizing camp plans for the summer. Please check the websites frequently for updates.

For more information, including FAQs and the application link, please visit www.collegeparkmd. gov/2022summercampgrants.

Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on March 29, 2022.

Have questions? Contact the City’s Department of Youth, Family and Senior Services at families@ collegeparkmd.gov or 240.487.3550 extention 1.

SELECTED FAQS

More FAQs are available at www.collegeparkmd. gov/2022summercampgrants

I have more than one child. Can each child be awarded a scholarship?

Yes. However, please ll out a separate application for each child.

My child is home-schooled, can I still apply?

Yes, if the child is entering grade K-12 (2022-2023 school year) and lives in the City of College Park.

Do I need to register with the camp or will you?

When you are contacted by the City of College Park that your child has received a scholarship, you will receive information about the next step of registering your child for the camp.

Do you provide transportation to the camp?

No, you are responsible for the transportation to and from the summer camp.

e camp my child wants to attend is more than $400, can I still apply?

Yes. However, if a camp costs more than $400, you are responsible for paying the di erence.

TerpQuest Summer Camp

M-Power Tools Summer Camp

cleanup Saturdays & Shredding Event

APRIL 2*, 9, 30, AND MAY 21, 2022 | 7:30 A.M. TO NOON DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

9217 51ST AVENUE

The City of College Park Public Works facility will be open for City residents to drop off bulky trash, white goods, electronics recycling, brush, and yard trim. You must be a resident of the City of College Park and bring proof of City residency to participate, although anyone can buy compost or wood mulch during this event.

DURING CLEAN-UP DAYS, THE FOLLOWING WILL BE COLLECTED:

• Household batteries for recycling (small quantities): includes rechargeable batteries such as Li-Ion, Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, Ni-Zn; Single-use alkaline batteries such as AA, AAA, 9V, C, D button cell, and lithium primary. No damaged batteries; no automotive batteries.

• Fluorescent light bulbs and tubes: (small quantities) must be intact. Includes U-shaped or circular fluorescent lamps, High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps, Ultraviolet (UV) lamps, Incandescent Bulbs, Halogen or Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL’s).

• Block Styrofoam for recycling: coolers and large blocks of packing material only.

• Electronics that may be recycled include, but are not limited to: TVs, computers, monitors, keyboards, mice, speakers, VCRs, CD, DVD & MP3 players, cell phones & PDAs, printers, scanners, fax machines, telephones, radios, stereos, electric tools, game systems, handheld games, microwaves, and cords/cables.

THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS DOES NOT ACCEPT: Bricks, concrete, rock, hazardous materials such as shingles, propane tanks, car batteries, paint, etc.

DOCUMENT SHREDDING

APRIL 2 FROM 8:00 A.M. TO NOON

Bring your old tax records, medical paperwork, and any other confidential information to be shredded while you wait. All paper will be recycled. You must be a resident of the City of College Park and bring proof of residency to participate.

ITEMS FOR PURCHASE

You don’t need to be a resident to purchase any of the products except yard waste carts. Check the website for latest information regarding availability.

• Rain Barrels $72, limited number available

•Compost Bins $20 resident, $40 nonresident

• Yard Waste Carts $30, (residency required)

•Smartleaf Compost $28 a cubic yard

• Wood Mulch $12 a cubic yard

ARPA Assistance Programs Applications Now Open

City Business & Non-Pro t and Individual & Family Assistance Grants

e City has established two programs to assist businesses, non-pro ts, and residents address negative nancial impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

e American Rescue Program Act (ARPA) has provided funds that the City is using for these and many other projects.

Each program is summarized below. e goal of these programs is to help our residents, businesses and non-pro ts get back on their feet and better prepared to be nancially successful in the future.

For additional information, please visit collegeparkmd.gov/ arpa. Have questions? Email arpa@collegeparkmd.gov with questions for any of the City’s ARPA assistance programs.

2021 ARPA BUSINESS & NONPROFIT ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM

Grants up to $25,000 for Operating and Small Capital Expenditures

is program can provide eligible small businesses and non-pro ts with nancial assistance for a wide range of operating expenses and capital investments, such as new equipment, website/ online shopping enhancements, façade improvements, and other costs associated with COVID-related business impacts.

Businesses and non-pro ts must have a physical presence in the City of College Park, employ 75 or fewer full-time (or equivalent) sta , and have been in operation as of November 1, 2021.

Certain age-restricted stores are excluded, and national franchises with local owners will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

For additional details, as well as the application form and required documentation, please visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/ arpa#business.

2021 ARPA FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS & FAMILIES

Grants up to $5,000 per applicant

e purpose of this program is to provide nancial assistance to eligible College Park individuals and families who have a demonstrated nancial hardship created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eligibility is determined by residency in the City of College Park and proof of need. Applicants are required to provide proof of residency, proof of hardship, and provide certain information/ documentation so the City’s review committee can ensure the request ful lls the program requirements.

e maximum nancial assistance per applicant is $5,000 for eligible expenses (vendors will be paid directly). Assistance for groceries will be in the form of gift cards to College Park stores. Only one application per household.

For additional details, as well as the application form and required documentation for resident assistance, please visit www. collegeparkmd.gov/arpa#resident.

No-Mow April Help our Local Pollinators!

e City of College Park is encouraging its residents to reduce or refrain from mowing their lawns in support of local pollinators during the month of April.

e pilot “No-Mow April” is an initiative of the City’s Bee City USA Committee and was sanctioned by Mayor and Council to encourage

lawn mowing, you can help their populations grow and thrive.

Want to participate? City residents who wish to participate in the City’s No-Mow April initiative must register at www.collegeparkmd. gov/nomowmonthform.

Once you register, you can pick up

PUBLIC SAFETY Community Meetings

Please join City Elected Officials, Police, Department of Public Services staff, and your neighbors from all around the City, for an informative monthly community meeting.

This meeting takes place every second Monday of the month via zoom.

This community meeting will discuss City-wide crime statistics, recent incidents of public interest, neighborhood watch tips, and special public safety related topics.

Tech Literacy Workshop

Have Questions about your Technological Devices?

Want to learn how to use programs like Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Excel? Take advantage of this Technology Literacy Workshop, hosted by the City of College Park and the UMD College Park Scholars in Action program.

Students in the Science, Technology, and Society College Park Scholars program at the University of Maryland will be on hand to answer all your questions

about issues with your electronic devices. Reserve a spot at techliteracyworkshop2022. eventbrite.com. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Parking is available at the Downtown College Park parking garage. Free Parking permits will be provided by email to those who register for the event; parking passes will be available at check-in for walk-ins.

COVID-19 Test Distribution

COVID-19 At-Home Test Kit Distribution for City Residents

e City of College Park began distributing more than 1,000 athome COVID-19 test kits to City residents in early February.

If you are a City resident and would like a FREE COVID-19 AtHome Test Kit, you must ll out the reservation request form at https:// cityofcollegepark.formstack.com/ forms/covid19testkitrequest.

e form will be active while supplies last; once we run out for the week or in general, the form will no longer work. If and when supplies are replenished, the form will go live and be updated with new pickup dates/times. Notices about the form and pickups will be posted on our website at our COVID-19 page (www. collegeparkmd.gov/covid19).

City residents can receive up to two (2) kits per household. Supplies

City Announcements

More information: www.collegeparkmd.gov

SPRING IS A GOOD TIME TO PLANT TREES

Trees provide many bene ts such as reduction of cooling and heating costs, interception of rainwater, increasing property values and improving air quality. e City o ers a few ways to help. More information is available at www. collegeparkmd.gov/trees.

• REQUESTS FOR STREET TREES: e City has a program that provides for street tree planting in the rightof-way area, which includes the grass strip between the curb and sidewalk. Visit the site for details.

• TREE CANOPY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (TCEP): City of College Park property owners can apply for reimbursement of up to $150.00 annually, for approved tree(s) planted on their residential lot. e completed application should be sent to balexander@ collegeparkmd.gov for review and approval. Visit www. collegeparkmd.gov/trees for a link to the guidelines and application.

SAVE THE DATE: AARP COMMUNITY MEETING

Monday, March 14, 2022

7:00 p.m.

Virtual Community Meeting: Making College Park a more Livable, Age-Friendly Community

Meeting information, including Zoom links will be posted on our website closer to the event date. For more information, email: livablecommunity@ collegeparkmd.gov or visit: www.collegeparkmd.gov/ livablecommunity.

PGCPS COMPREHENSIVE BOUNDARY INITIATIVE

Interested in learning more about the Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) Comprehensive School Boundary Initiative? Visit https://www.wxyplanning.com/ pgcps-boundary-tool/ to put in your address and see three possible scenarios that may pertain to your K-12 students. In some cases, there may be no changes to the current schools your children go to. For more information visit, https:// www.pgcps.org/boundary or en español: https://www.pgcps.org/ es/boundary.

are limited on a rst-come, rstserve basis; test kits are available only while supplies last.

To reduce lines and increase convenience, residents can select a location (City Hall; Department of Public Works; and Youth and Family Services) most convenient to them to pick up the test(s). Test kits will not be provided to residents without a reservation.

All test kits must be picked up during the pick-up days/hours at the location chosen within the time frame given. We cannot make changes after the form has been submitted. Any test kits not picked up by the end of the pick-up date window will be forfeited.

For more information, or to request a kit, please visit https:// cityofcollegepark.formstack.com/ forms/covid19testkitrequest.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Chuck Wilt’s “Grass is Green.” Visit The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland to experience choreographer Chuck Wilt’s original show inspired by the cycles of destruction and rebirth within our world, from the AIDS crisis to the current wildfire crises. Donations accepted at the door. March 10 and 11, 8 p.m. Reserve your seat by calling 301.405.2787.

Learn Brazilian Samba. Workshops on Brazilian drumming and dance, brought to you by the College Park Arts Exchange. March 12 and 26 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Old Parish House, 4711 Knox Rd. Free. For more information, email info@cpae.org

Kitchen Guild Open House. Visit the Riversdale House Museum and watch kitchen guild members cooking food that was popular in enslaved communities in the region in the 19th century. March 13 from noon to 3 p.m.; registration required by March 10. For more information, call 301.864.0420 or email riversdale@pgparks.com

Brentano Quartet with Dawn Upshaw. Visit The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland to enjoy a monodrama for quartet composed by Melinda Wagner and Stephanie Fleischmann. March 13 at 3 p.m. Reserve your seat by calling 301.405.2787.

University of Maryland Wind Ensemble Concert. Visit The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center to enjoy the music of the university’s first ensemble to be invited to perform by the College Band Directors National Association. March 14 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free. Reserve your seat by calling 301.405.2787.

University of Maryland Repertoire Orchestra Concert. Visit The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center to enjoy the orchestra’s first spring concert. March 14 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free. Reserve your seat by calling 301.405.2787.

Virtual Book Club. The College Park Arts Exchange invites you to discuss Crying in H Mart: A Memoir, by Michelle Zauner, on March 15 and Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, on April 19. Free. 7 to 8:30 p.m. RSVP by emailing info@cpae.org

College Park Community Library Story Time. Story time with Micki Freeny resumes on March 16 and will be held each Wednesday after that from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. If weather permits, the event will be held outside on the church’s front lawn. If weather forces the event indoors, the library will require masks and respect social distancing. The library is located in the lower level of the College Park Church of the Nazarene, 9704 Rhode Island Ave.

Free Film Festival. The University of Maryland is hosting the international film festival Il Cinemato Ritrovato On Tour at the Old Greenbelt Theatre, 129 Centerway, Greenbelt. March 18 at 5 p.m. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative PCR test required for entry. For more information, contact Valeria Federici at federici@umd.edu

Free St. Patrick’s Day Concert. Join Paint Branch Creek, the city’s own acoustic group, for a free concert at 7 p.m. on March 17, at the Old Parish House, 4711 Knox Rd.

Calvert Hills Community Cleanup. Join neighbors for a community cleanup on March 26. For more information, go to calverthills.weebly. com or email the board at calverthillscitizensassn@gmail. com

e Poetry of the Women’s Liberation Movement. Route 1 Corridor Conversations will host University of Maryland professor emerita Deborah Rosenfelt in a discussion of Audre Lorde’s transformational poetry. Free. March 26 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. To register, go to hyattsvilleaginginplace.org and click on Programs and Activities.

Plein Air Painting. Join the College Park Arts Exchange for a free outdoor painting session on March 26, from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring your own supplies. Location TBD. To register, email info@cpae.org

Joshua Weiner’s Book Launch. The University of Maryland’s English department is hosting a virtual book launch to promote professor, poet and translator Joshua Weiner’s translation of Nelly Sachs’ Flight and Metamorphosis. March 31 from noon to 1 p.m. Free. For more information, call 301.405.3809 or email englweb@ umd.edu

Berwyn Easter Egg Hunt. The annual event will take place on April 9 at the Berwyn Neighborhood Park. Time TBD. More information will be provided as it becomes available at myberwyn.org

College Park Community Library Book Club. Discuss e Peacemakers Code, by Deepak Malholtra, on April 12. The group meets virtually (Zoom) from 7 to 8:30 p.m. For more information, email Carol Munn at donkinc@msn.com

Maryland Day. The University of Maryland welcomes you with family-friendly events and interactive exhibits during a daylong celebration of learning and discovery. Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit marylandday. umd.edu

JTCC Champion Celebration College Park’s own Junior Tennis Championship Center will join GEICO, Sandy Spring Bank and the Bisnow Family in honoring International Tennis Hall of Famer Tracy Austin and Tennis Channel CEO Ken Solomon at the Columbia Country Club on May 19. Open to the public; time TBD. Purchase tickets at jtcc. org/gala

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White Album Concert. Local musicians will play the Beatles’ “The White Album” at the Old Parish House on April 7, 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. Your donations at the door will support the College Park Arts Exchange.

with the Here & Now and described how the program partners homeowners with trained volunteers.

“Our approach is to train volunteers in habitat creation and go to people’s homes – and go to places of worship, businesses, municipalities – all to try to get as much empty space turned into habitat as possible,” said Stahl, a retired professional gardener and horticulturist.

Volunteers work with home-

owners to identify actions they could take to attract and shelter wildlife, with an emphasis on the importance of planting native species. Homeowners receive a written report of the visit that includes references to additional resources. Stahl underscored that creating wildlife habitat doesn’t have to be complicated. “This is something simple that anyone can do if they have an understanding of how wildlife is attracted, the needs for wildlife, and how they have more than enough room on their property to set aside for wildlife,” he said.

The Wildlife Habitat Program, which is funded by the Prince George’s Audubon Society, is about a year old, and some 125 homeowners in the county have already participated in it. Volunteers will begin visiting yards in early April; homeowners who would like to participate can request more information by emailing audubonwildlifehabitat@gmail. com

“The idea is really to empower residents,” said Shollenberger, who is also a board member with the Prince George’s Audubon Society. “We’re wanting to leave there not having them say to themselves, ‘Oh, my goodness, I could never do that,’ but instead feel like they know where to look for things, and they know what tools there are to help them.”

The society also received a $5,000 grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust to collaborate with Joe’s Movement Emporium in the City of Mount Rainier to develop a pollinator- and bird-friendly demonstration garden in front of their building. The emporium also plans to incorporate elements of the program in their afterschool and summer programs, teaching children how to propagate seeds and work in the garden, according to Shollenberger.

The Wildlife Habitat Program has teamed up with the Patterson Park Audubon Center, in Baltimore City, to train some 40 volunteers and produce yard signs. The signs, which are in both English and Spanish, designate a property as a bird-friendly habitat. Any resident can apply for a yard sign, and the society then visits the property to ensure that it is bird-friendly before providing a sign.

Most yards have non-native plants, which provide little to no benefit to wildlife. Many yards also have invasive species, which typically outcompete native plants.

“If you look around, you’ll see the same thing,” said Stahl. “You see lawn, shrubs, and flowering plants from Asia and Europe, and most people don’t even know what a native plant is. They think, ‘I see these plants all over my neighborhood; they must be local.’ Well,

no, they’re what Home Depot sells.”

While nature and gardening have always been central to Shollenberger’s life, she shifted her focus from traditional gardening to sustainable, wildlife–friendly practices about 10 years ago. Now, she strives to share her knowledge with other gardeners.

Shollenberger and Stahl came to the Prince George’s Audubon Society about two years ago to see if they would support the project. Nationally, the organization focuses on bird conservation and advocacy, as well as rebuilding and protecting the environment.

“The thing that is different is that we’re taking individual conversations to individual homes,” Stahl said. “Audubon was a natural fit for us because they already had a bird friendly community orientation, but we said, ‘Let’s take it a step further;’ people have a lot of trouble getting started.”

The Prince George’s chapter of the Audubon Society was established in 1972 as a nonprofit with a goal of protecting, conserving, and rebuilding wildlife habitat. The society frequently hosts bird walks and holds speaker events for members. Some members of the organization were active in the Save Guilford Woods protests last fall.

“We’re a bunch of bird geeks that get together,” said Shollenberger.

Ultimately, Shollenberger and Stahl would like to have more bird-friendly communities and what they think of as homegrown national parks in the county, and they see the Audubon Society’s Wildlife Habitat Program as the first step to creating them.

“One of the big things that I’m not sure we realized we were offering, but end[ed] up doing, was just help with building community,” said Shollenberger. “This is a really good way to build community, because people start to talk to each other, and people start to share plants from their gardens. It really is kind of amazing what it does in a community even though that may not be the main goal.”

Uptick in car thefts linked to weather

By Jason Belt

A recent spike in car thefts may be due, in part, to colder temperatures and lack of awareness on the part of owners, local officials said during a virtual public safety meeting on Feb. 14.

According to officials with the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD), by mid-February there had been 466 car thefts and 70 carjackings in the county this year. More than one-third of them occurred while owners left their cars running.

“We usually see an uptick in the winter months when people are warming their car up,” said Brandon Flax, a PGPD detective. As of press time, 37 of the 70 vehicles carjacked this year had been recovered, according to county police.

“Please turn off your car and lock it. When criminals are looking into people’s vehicles, they are looking for valuables,” Flax said. “If you park your vehicle in front of your house at night, just make sure you take out any valuables that are inside.”

Hondas and Toyotas top the list of stolen cars due, in part, to high resale value of parts, including airbags, rims and wheels. Juveniles are common suspects in these thefts; police are under the impression that youth may be sent by adults to scavenge parts from parked cars or steal cars and then sell them to be stripped for parts later.

“Many of my neighbors have had their windows smashed and small things like loose change and charger cords stolen,” said Sommie Atkinson, who lives in Berwyn Heights. “I had my catalytic converter stolen this past fall.”

County police urge witnesses to immediately call 911 if they see any suspicious activity instead of emailing the department or posting to social media.

“If you see something suspicious, I want you to call [911],” PGPD Maj. James Keleti said. “There is valuable information when somebody calls 911 that the call center can take.”

The city hosts regular public safety meetings, which are held every second Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. Revolving topics focus on crime and community safety. Zoom access information is available at collegeparkmd.gov/ publicsafety.

Before and after: A wildlife habitat springs to life. COURTESY OF PRINCE GEORGE’S AUDUBON SOCIETY

Robert Thurston aims to make College Park a livable community

By Michael Purdie

Robert Thurston moved to College Park, in 1989, for two main reasons: He liked the energy of a college town, and he was looking for a young and vibrant community in which to raise a family. But even as the city checked off a lot of boxes for him, it still took Thurston time to feel at home here.

“When I first moved in, I just knew who my neighbors were next to me, because I left first thing in the morning and came back last thing in the evening,” he said. “It was probably about two years before I realized that I lived on a block where I was the only one who wasn’t related to each other.”

Thurston has come a long way since the days of not knowing his neighbors. He’s worked to sink deep roots in the community and strives to help other residents feel connected and supported, too. And as president of Neighbors Helping Neighbors of College Park (NHN-CP), Thurston

demonstrates his dedication every day in everyday ways.

NHN-CP, which was founded in 2018, supports residents over 55 and those with disabilities with a range of free services, including transportation to medical appointments and other activities, assistance with household chores such as light cleaning and snow shoveling, and regular calls and check-ins to lessen isolation.

“Our main mission is to create a community of volunteers to act as a safety net for our senior residents to allow them to stay in their homes,” Thurston said. “It does make a difference.”

Thurston joined the nonprofit in early 2021 and stepped into his role as president in July 2021. The organization currently has close to 20 volunteers, eight of whom are also board members. According to the organization’s website (nhn-cp.org), NHN-CP aims to supplement but not replace existing government services or family assistance

and to support residents who may not qualify for other assistance programs.

In addition to his work with NHN-CP, Thurston serves as an ethics commissioner for the city and is president of the Lakeland Civic Association, an organization in the city’s historically Black neighborhood. As president of the civic association, he also sits on the board of the Lakeland Community Heritage Project, which works to preserve the community’s history.

As if that were not enough civic engagement, Thurston has also served on the city’s Senior Advisory Committee, a group established to advise the mayor and city council on initiatives supporting senior residents. Members of the committee are appointed by the council.

“The reason why I like the [committee] is because it allows the community to address needs, and it’s not just asking the city to make a change … it’s a group of volun-

teers who are looking at these things and trying to see what assets we have in the city and how we can connect those assets so that they are accessible for everyone,” Thurston said.

AARP defines a livable community as one that allows residents to stay in their homes as they age and serves all residents’ needs, regardless of their age or background. To gain credentials through the AARP program, a community must meet goals in eight areas: housing, transportation, civic partnership and employment, communications and information, outdoor spaces and buildings, community and health services, opportunities for social participation, and standards of respect and inclusion.

Thurston underscored that AARP’s approach promotes well-being across generations.

“I think there’s value in being a livable community for all age groups. We all transition – an 8-year-old will someday be 80 years old,” he said. “It all fits together in this concept of not

just thinking about individual age groups, but thinking about it as a continuum.”

Thurston sees addressing transportation needs as integral to both his work on the committee and with NHN-CP. Every community has residents who can’t drive, and some College Park neighborhoods — College Park Woods, for instance — are largely accessible only by car.

Thurston thinks creatively about solutions to transportation problems. He sees walking and biking trails that incorporate parks and playgrounds as a means of connecting residents to their city while connecting generations, too.

“The young parent or kids are just looking for a great playground to play at, the more fit adult is just looking for a good path, and an older person might walk along those paths and may need some place to sit,” said Thurston. “And if we all collectively get together, I think we can benefit everybody.”

City may expand homeownership program

By Katharine Wilson

The College Park City Council is keenly focused on ways in which the city can attract new home buyers and encourage residents who already own homes to stay. Indeed, the council set this focus as a specific goal in the current strategic plan for the city: to “foster and sustain an affordable and stable City for individuals and families to live, work, play and retire here.” The city’s effort is aimed, in part, at achieving a better balance of homes that are rentals and those that are owned by residents.

According to census data, the percentage of College Park’s residents who rent their home increased by 8% between 2010 and 2019; today, the majority of residents in the city (56%) are renters, not owners. In light of this, the council is examining ways to increase the number of owner-occupied homes in the city. “It’s not against the renters. It’s just the added benefit of stabilizing the neighborhood,” Councilmember Fazlul Kabir (District 1) said. Kabir also noted that established homeowners are more likely to invest themselves in their community.

“Homeowners simply have more skin in the game than renters, who’d have the

option to move, were the city to decline,” Councilmember Susan Whitney (District 2) noted. College Park has a shortage of affordable housing and a significant population of renters, most of whom are students at the University of Maryland.

The council recently decided to make adjustments to the existing New Neighbor Homeowner Grant Program. These changes would offer potential home buyers $5,000 to offset closing costs, providing they agree to stay in their home for at least five years. The overarching goal is to encourage home buyers to establish themselves in properties that were formerly rentals.

The current program has a number of eligibility requirements that could be modified under the new proposal. To be considered under the existing program, a property has to have been a rental for at least two of the previous five years, or it must be a newly built home, or a short sale or foreclosure. Property owners must meet eligibility requirements, too: County police officers, and university and city employees who buy a home within city limits are eligible to apply.

Under the new proposal, though, any house in the city would be eligible for consideration, not only those that were

previously rentals. An additional $5,000 could be granted if the house had previously been a rental for two of the previous five years or if the house had been owneroccupied and portions of it were rented to more than two people at the same time. The hope is that by easing certain requirements, the grant program will attract more home buyers. However, a number of suggested changes to the proposal are still being discussed by councilmembers.

Some councilmembers did not support eliminating most of the eligibility restrictions. “My concern is that opening the grant to all home buyers intending to live in their homes might quickly exhaust program resources,” said Whitney, who was in favor of limiting eligibility to certain career categories and to individuals who work in College Park or portions of the Discovery District that lie within Riverdale Park.

To adjust for increased distributions through the grant program, the council is planning on increasing the program’s annual budget from $50,000 to $100,000. The program has typically dispersed about half of its budgeted funds, which largely reflects low levels of available housing eligible for inclusion in the program. Sixty-nine homeowners have

received grant disbursements since the program was established, in 2005.

Kennedy said that the new grant program, if approved, would likely be incorporated in the proposed Community Preservation Trust. (Note that Kennedy is chair of the city’s preservation trust workgroup.) The trust would operate under the auspices of the College Park CityUniversity Partnership.

The Community Preservation Trust, if approved by the council, would be funded with a $3 million investment from the city, using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Additional state and university contributions would increase the intended total to $10 million. The trust would purchase homes through the College Park City-University Partnership and match them with qualified buyers, who would be able to purchase the homes at below market-value prices. The trust would get first right of refusal if one of these homes later goes up for sale.

“The purpose of the trust is not really to make money; it is to help the new neighbors to own a home affordably,” Kabir noted.

The grant will be discussed again at the council’s March 15 worksession.

ONGOING

Patuxent Nature Reserve. Looking to enjoy the spring weather? You can do so right in your neighborhood nature reserve! Free programming throughout March and April. For more information, visit fws. gov/refuge/patuxent

Cosmic Bowling at STAMP. Bowl under the stars at the University of Maryland’s STAMP Student Union Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. For more information call 301.314.2695 or go to stamp. umd.edu/terpzone

Wednesday Tap Dance Workshops. Free virtual tap workshop with instructor Elizabeth Gardner every Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m. For more information and to register, email info@cpae.org

Friday Dance Workshop. Join instructor Karen Stewart, of Jessie’s Soul Line Dancers, for step-by-step instruction and dance along to soul, gospel and pop music. Each Friday in March from 10 to 11 a.m. Register by emailing info@ cpae.org

Food Assistance Available. Help by Phone Ltd. operates food pantries across Prince George’s County, with locations at Berwyn Presbetyrian Church (Greenbelt Rd.), University Baptist Church (Campus Dr.), and Trinity Moravian Church (Good Luck Rd). To schedule a pickup, call 301.699.9009, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Produce Delivery Every ird ursday. Sponsored by Community Connect Calvert Hills. Make your reservation by emailing your contact information (your name, street address, email and phone) to connectporfavor.com by the third Monday of the month to receive fresh produce three days later. Individuals may register for a double delivery so they can share extra food with others in need. Pickups between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at a central location. For more information, or to volunteer to help deliver, call 301.864.5267.

Support College Park’s Senior Citizens. Meals on Wheels College Park needs licensed drivers, and all are welcome to volunteer for flexible slots on weekday mornings. Fill out an application at mealsonwheelsofcollegepark. org or call 202.669.6297.

Virtual Homeschool Club. Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission hosts a science club for homeschooled students on March 22, from 10 to 11 a.m. $20. Register by clicking on Parks Direct at pgparks.com/185/ParksRecreation using code 22614288A.

e Hall CP. Open mic nights, Wine Down Wednesdays, live music concerts and more! For the latest information, go to thehallcp.com/events

Extension Courses. Whether you hope to gain lawn-care expertise or refine your smallfarm skills, the University of Maryland Extension, Prince George’s County, offers a wide range of virtual and inperson programs related to these topics and many more. For more information, go to extension.umd.edu/newsevents/events

COLLEGE PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS

Yarrow Civic Association. Membership is free. For more information, email Wendy Kelley at wendybird85@yahoo. com

College Park Estates Civic Association. For more information, email Ray Ranker at rayranker@gmail.com

West College Park Citizens Association. Membership is open to all residents of West College Park over age 18. For more information, email Suchitra Balachandran at cp_woods@yahoo.com

Berwyn District Civic Association. The BDCA’s monthly meeting will be on Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and on each third Thursday of the month after that. To register, email president@myberwyn.org

North College Park Community Association. The next meeting will be on Nov. 11 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be both virtual and in-person at 5051 Branchville Rd. For more information, email ncpcivic@ gmail.com or go to myncpca.org

Lakeland Civic Association. For meeting and registration information, email lakelandcivic@gmail.com

Old Town College Park Civic Association. For more information and to add your name to the listserv, email Kathy Bryant at kdbryant20740@gmail.com

Calvert Hills Citizens Association. Next annual meeting is May 11 at 7 p.m. For more information, go to calverthills.weebly. com or email the board at calverthillscitizensassn@ gmail.com

The council also passed an emergency ordinance which allows the city to start the purchase process immediately instead of waiting the customary 20 days, as with a normal ordinance.

If the city doesn’t complete the purchase before March 17, the price of the parcel will increase to $1.75 million, according to City Manager Kenneth Young.

The Feb. 22 council meeting included a lively discussion between residents and elected officials about the purchase.

“The potential purchase of 4704 Calvert Road makes sense,” said Councilmember Stuart Adams (District 3).

“It aligns with our strategic goals. It’s an incredible opportunity that is being brought to us by owners who live in, and love, College Park. We are getting our first opportunity to purchase it. This could help stabilize the affordable rental that is currently there. It can help us look into a community focused development,” Adams added.

Councilmember Fazlul Kabir (District 1) noted that Tuesday night’s meeting was the first public forum at which the project was discussed. “I will be supporting this, but I am very uncomfortable with how fast this is moving,” Kabir said, referring to the lack of previous public input in the process.

“Sometimes opportunities present themselves, and we have to jump on them,” said Mayor Patrick Wojahn, in response to public criticism of the speed of the process.

Councilmember Kate Kennedy (District 1) indicated that she values the control the city has over this purchase, saying if commercial developers were steering the project, the outcome might be less favorable.

Councilmember Susan Whitney (District 2) supported the purchase, citing the lack of control the city more normally experiences with real estate transactions.

“How many times will the city

have an opportunity such as this?” asked Councilmember Llatetra Brown Esters (District 2).

D.W. Rowlands, a tenant at 4704 Calvert Rd., voiced concerns during the meeting.

“While I often hear anti-renter and anti-rental-property rhetoric from residents and elected officials in the city, I hope that the mayor and council will keep in mind that renters are an important part of the community, that we are not all inherently transients with no stake in College Park, nor are we all the causes of noise complaints,” Rowlands said.

Rowlands, a historian, noted that the house, which was built in 1898, is mentioned as a contributing property, a property of significance, in an application for inclusion in the Old Town College Park historic district. As stated in the application, the house “illustrates the transition of the Queen Anne style to the Colonial Revival style.”

“The reality is that, with the cost of housing in this area, many of us simply cannot afford to purchase property in the community that we call home,” Rowlands added.

Rowlands never saw a rent hike in the seven years she has been a tenant; she believes that the landlord keeps the rent low so that renters will stay longer.

During the city council meeting, Councilmember Denise Mitchell (District 4) underscored the need to act as elected representatives and uphold the transparency they swore to.

“If the City acquires the property, additional community engagement will occur to discuss usage of the property,” Adams wrote, in response to a listserv post by resident Bob Baer.

“Call me crazy,” Baer replied, “but when a municipality proposes to spend roughly $2 [million] with no real plan or defined framework articulated, it beckons the questions of fiscal responsibility.” Baer also thanked Adams for acknowledging and replying to his listserv post.

The city held a public hearing to discuss this issue on March 8, after press time.

Going virtual challenged some councilmembers, who occasionally ran into technical difficulties and also had to adjust to a different kind of interpersonal experience.

“It’s hard to read people over Zoom. I’ve really missed my colleagues, interacting with them, chatting with them before and after meeting,” Mackie said.

But councilmembers noted that meeting virtually had benefits, too. Some found it easier to balance their responsibilities, and others noted that going virtual opened up new avenues for constituents to participate.

Councilmember Kate Kennedy (District 1), who joined the council in 2017, appreciated how going virtual with her council work allowed her to spend more time with her family.

“It’s a lot easier to have work-life balance when you’re at home. It’s a lot easier to have dinner with my family [and] then go to the [virtual] meeting,” Kennedy said. “I understand the value of being in person, and it’s important, but I wish that we wouldn’t do everything in person … That work-life balance does make it easier.”

Councilmember Llatetra Brown Esters (District 2), who joined the council in December 2020, attended meetings virtually for her first year as a councilmember.

“I served for a year, and for a year, [meetings] were virtual,” Brown Esters said. “I think that the virtual option has allowed more people to participate, which I think is important.”

Councilmembers Mackie and Mitchell also noted that virtual meetings offered constituents broader access and promoted increased safety during the pandemic. And councilmembers are weighing the benefits of offering a virtual option, moving forward.

“... It helps us to be able to have a hybrid type of function where you can meet online or you can meet at home,” Mitchell noted. “It’s been a very interesting journey regards to our council meetings and serving in a physical

space for so long … and having to make this pivot due to this COVID[-19] really has taught us that we had to start to think out of the box for our meetings and to be able to accommodate every type of situation that occurs.”

It’s been a long and bumpy road for the city’s councilmembers, and even their move into the new city hall has been challenging. The council met in the new facility in December, reverted to meeting virtually, due to the omicron variant, and then returned to in-person meetings in mid-February. Now settled in at the spacious new city hall, all four councilmembers we spoke with are impressed with the facility.

“I think the new space is gorgeous. It’s nice to be there. Safety-wise, it’s better.” Kennedy said.

“I love the new city hall, I love the chambers. The work definitely feels official when you’re sitting there in person,” Brown Esters said.

And these four councilmembers are grateful for the generous support of city staff, who have supported the council through their many transitions.

Mitchell summed up her appreciation: “The staff have done a wonderful job. And kudos to the former City Manager Scott [Somers], who started the process with the new city hall, and Kenny [Young], for working with staff. They’ve done a marvelous job,” she said.

District 4 councilmembers Maria Mackie and Denise Mitchell noted that virtual meetings offered constituents broader access and promoted increased safety during the pandemic. And councilmembers are weighing the benefits of offering a virtual option, moving forward.

Councilmembers and the mayor at the Feb. 22 city council meeting. TANEEN MOMENI

Local nonprofit gifts meals, school supplies

By Taneen Momeni

A cold winter wind blew as three volunteers worked quickly to deliver school supplies and packaged meals to families patiently waiting in their cars outside of the Al-Huda School. The line of cars on Edgewater Road stretched all the way back to 52nd Place.

Helpers to Good, a program under the auspices of Ansaarul-Birr Community Services Inc., hosted their Kids Fun Festival on Feb. 19 and 20, giving free lunches and school supplies ranging from backpacks and pencil cases to paper and calculators to kids on both days. And that line of cars underscored the event’s success;

Bibi Mohamed, the program’s director, noted that the queue had already formed by the time she and other volunteers arrived an hour before the festival started.

Azad Mohamed, who has been volunteering with Helpers to Good for about a decade, participated because he wanted to help support the community —

and especially students. Classes are in person again, after many months of challenging transitions, and some students may need extra encouragement.

Throughout the afternoon, a

group of about 10 volunteers helped package and hand out meals.

Not long after Saturday’s event began, the organization ran out of meals and supplies —

but there was still a line of cars waiting. Bibi Mohamed and the volunteers decided to repeat the event the next day and invited everyone to come back.

“Most of the time, we usually

have a surplus [of food], and we go through the neighborhood and start giving it out to the neighbors,” Azad Mohamed said. “This is the first time we ran out in a while.”

Thanks to generous contributions, Helpers to Good was able to give out almost 400 meals and 200 gifts over the course of two days.

“The lunch was sponsored by a grant from the city of College Park, and the gift was from one of our [partners], Islamic Relief [U.S.A],” Bibi Mohamed wrote in an email.

Helpers to Good actively supports the local community with programs designed to serve not only students, but seniors, refugees and others in need. As Bibi Mohamed wrote in her email, “We do a different activity monthly to [connect] with our community.” And the popularity of the Kids Fun Fest is proof of how vital community connections can be.

For more information, email info@helpterstogood.org or go to helperstogood.org.

Hanifa Mathur scoops macaroni and cheese into to-go boxes. TANEEN MOMENI