09-2022 Hyattsville Life & Times

WARD 2 RESIDENTS: Special election guide, P.7 HELLO, GOODBYE: Newspaper comings and goings, P. 15

Late mayor Kevin Ward accused of $2.2 million theft

By Sophie Gorman Oriani and Kit Slack

On Aug. 29, seven months after former Hyattsville mayor Kevin “Scooter” Ward’s sudden death by self-inflicted gunshot wound, a federal civil lawsuit was filed, alleging that Ward stole over $2 million from KIPP DC.

KIPP DC is a network of public charter schools in the District that serves 6,800 students at 18 schools.

According to the lawsuit,

A hip Hamilton Street and other visions for West Hyattsville

By Dan Behrend

Some future weekend, after shredding the nearby mountain bike skills park, residents may admire the public art, new apartment buildings, and expanded parks, as they head to a street festival next to a favorite local business on Hamilton Street.

“While change may seem sudden, it rarely happens overnight,” said Scott Rowe, a

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Cherry Blossom Special, featuring Justin Heath, Mari Carlson, Nick Cameron, Gabby Cameron and Sophie Chang, plays the sidewalk in front of Red Onion Records during Porchfest, held Saturday, Sept. 10. COURTESY OF ROBERT HARPER

Northwestern tackles football fi eld security

By Kit Slack and Mark Betancourt

Dr. E. Carlene Murray, Northwestern High School’s principal, said that when the school was vacant during the pandemic, the football field became a community gathering spot.

Despite a school policy forbidding students to go to the field without supervision, gatherings of dozens of students and other residents continued daily on the field throughout the 2021-22 school year.

School staff and students interviewed, as well as the Hyattsville Police Department (HPD), were concerned about the safety of youth spending time on the field during the school day, and about the presence of adults on the field. School policy is that community members can use the field only with permission from the school.

Some days as many as 200 teenagers and young adults, students and non-students, gathered there, according to Lt. Zachary Nemser, who supervises HPD school resource officers.

Northwestern staff did not take a punitive approach to the problem last year, as they implemented a new countywide policy emphasizing supportive responses in the handling of student offenses like cutting class. School staff talked to students about why they were on the field and connected them with services and programs in the building.

Staff were also sensitive to stressors facing students returning from virtual school. This school year, because of ongoing safety concerns, school security or police are visiting the field hourly, according to Murray. She said that these and other measures mean

that fewer students are gathering there so far this fall.

KIDS NEED TO GET OUTSIDE, NOW MORE THAN EVER

Nemser, in an interview about adolescents and young adults on the field, said, “What we’re learning is that these students are different than they were two years ago.” Students found on the field have expressed anxiety about being inside the school, according to Nemser and Murray. Some have said they’re uncomfortable eating lunch with a large number of other students in the cafeteria, and that walking outside makes them feel better.

“The socialization that they missed for almost two-plus years, it’s hard to reintegrate,”

Two bets on public bathrooms

By Paul Ruffins

Hyattsville and Mount Rainier are experimenting with two radically different technologies to answer the ancient question “Where to find a bathroom?”

In September 2020, the Hyattsville City Council authorized $240,000 to purchase two Portland Loos for Heurich and Hyatt parks.

And, right outside Mount Rainier City Hall, near 34st Street and Rhode Island Avenue, stands Maryland’s first semi-permanent test site for the Throne. The Throne is a solar-powered hightech public toilet engineered in California, but manufactured in nearby Brentwood.

Jessica Heinzelman, a co-founder of Throne Laboratories, explains that “bathroom access is a much worse problem in the U.S. than Europe or Japan because their citizens are used to paying to use public toilets. We think that public bathrooms should be free, but they are terribly underfunded, so they’re difficult to find.”

An Aug. 30 Google search for “Hyattsville Md. public bathrooms” found zero within city limits. Despite our greater local knowledge, the Hyattsville Life & Times could only identify four public restroom locations: the Hyattsville Municipal Building, the library on Adelphi Road, the community center near 40th Place in Driskell Park, and a portable toilet east of the 38th Street Neighborhood Park.

Public bathrooms are rare because they’re expensive. At best, they must constantly be cleaned and resupplied with toilet paper and soap. At worst, they’re filthy magnets for crime and vandalism.

However, there is a growing workforce that doesn’t operate from home or offices, such as Uber and Amazon delivery drivers, who need restrooms. Security concerns often make strangers unwelcome in public buildings like fire houses or police stations.

In 2008, Portland, Ore., developed its patented Portland Loo to address serious problems with unattended public bathrooms.

Twenty-four years earlier, Seattle paid $5 million for five high-tech public bathrooms that purportedly cleaned themselves after every use. However, by 2008, The New York Times wrote that the Seattle bathrooms “had become so filthy, so overrun … that although use was free of charge, even some

of the city’s most destitute people refused to step inside them.”

Part of the problem was that they provided a lot of privacy for illegal activities, and people left so much trash in them that the automatic floor sweepers couldn’t work. Seattle sold the million-dollar toilets for an opening bid of $89,000 each. The Portland Loo, pictured at left, was deliberately designed not to be too private or comfortable, but functional, nearly indestructible and easy to clean. It’s made of stainless steel with angled louvers at the bottom and open louvers at the top. The most basic model has no mirror to be smashed and no inside washbasin, so people can’t use it to wash their clothes. These Loos are in use in approximately 20 different cities.

So why are Hyattsville’s Portland Loos still in storage? Sales materials drastically underestimated the cost of installation, noting, “Utility work (water, sewer, electric) $22,000-$25,000 — Foundation work runs $7,000 to $9,000.”

In June 2021, the city council approved $20,614 for a firm just to survey the exact locations for the Loos. In August 2022, it received a bid of $185,000 to attain permits for and design the water and sewer hookups. The bid did not include the cost of constructing the cement foundations, installing plumbing, or electrical work. Hyattsville Department of Public Works Deputy Director Hal Metzler reports installation costs are an eligible expense to be reimbursed under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The city

hopes to have the Loos installed by the first half of 2023.

In contrast, the Throne bathroom in Mount Rainier is not indestructible stainless steel. The interior resembles the comfortable bathrooms on trailers people rent for large parties. Like a porta-potty, the Throne requires no electrical or sewer connections and can easily be moved by truck. Because it was developed during the pandemic, it is touchless; solar-powered sensors open and close the door, turn on the lights, run the water and flush the toilet. It’s so much like a residential bathroom, the question is how will it possibly survive?

Heinzelman says, “A very small number of users create the vast majority of problems. The Throne is free, but you need a cell phone to unlock the door, and everyone is asked to rate the cleanliness of the unit after every use. If a cell number is abusing the facility we can lock them out.”

The unit can monitor if it is malfunctioning, or being vandalized or if someone is inside for a suspiciously long time. At the request of the Mount Rainier police, it closes at 11 p.m.

Heinzelman notes that, in the future, an optional card reader

could allow homeless people to use the Throne through access cards issued by churches or social service agencies.

What about the cost? Heinzelman estimates it would sell for approximately $70,000 or about half the cost of a Portland Loo, which she points out, might cost another $150,000 to install. The Throne must be regularly pumped out, cleaned, and restocked approximately every 100 flushes. That might run $25,000 a year; the maintenance on a Portland Loo is estimated at $11,000 to $12,000 a year.

Mount Rainier City Councilmember Jimmy Tarlau feels that so far, the Throne has been a success. “It’s free to the city as a demonstration project, and the bus drivers particularly seem to love it,” he said. “They had an arrangement to use city hall, but the Throne is open much later.” Tarlau does note some downsides. “It isn’t ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] compliant, so we can’t use it indefinitely, but the company is working on an accessible model. ... But these things can all be worked out. I’m happy we’re at least trying to solve a problem that other places have ignored.”

Right outside Mount Rainier City Hall stands Maryland’s first semipermanent test site for the Throne. PAUL RUFFINS

A Portland Loo installed in Harvard Square, in 2016, at a total cost of approximately $320,000 COURTESY OF THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, MA.

Late summer cooking in Hyattsville

By Imke Ahlf-Wien

Ahh, late summer! The vegetable gardens of my friends and neighbors are overflowing with produce. Just strolling through the neighborhood and peeking into front yards, I can see tomatoes, squash and peppers, raspberry bushes and fig trees. Folks in Hyattsville grow food everywhere, from small beds next to the sidewalk to generous, tended patches in backyards and large community gardens.

At the Riverdale Park Farmers Market, just a 10-minute walk from my house, a half dozen local farmers (local meaning that their farms are less than 100 miles away) pile produce high on their tables — greens and beans, tomatoes and potatoes, berries, peaches and apricots, corn and cabbage, zucchini and peppers. I try to come every week to stock up on local produce, as well as eggs and meat. I love chatting with farmers and other vendors; I love hearing how their food is grown, how

the weather affects their crops and what’s in season next. That’s how I heard from farmer

Brady Griest that tomatoes at McCleaf’s Orchard didn’t turn red until late this year, but, for reasons unknown, blueberries were a bumper crop, with two separate harvests this summer. It feels good to be connected, both to the people who grow the food and to the food itself. There are well-known benefits to eating locally grown produce. First, locally means seasonally, which in turn means the food will be more flavorful and more nutritious, and oftentimes more affordable. Buying locally grown food supports the local economy and benefits the environment, in part by shortening supply chains and creating less waste. Just one example: Each week I return my egg cartons and berry containers to the farmers at the market, and they will continue using them as long as possible.

Eating locally may be safer for us, too. Food produced close to home goes through far fewer

handling steps before reaching your dinner table than does food shipped in from distant locations, and less handling lowers the potential for contamination. And eating locally connects us with each other — with farmers who grow the food and with our loved ones, too, as we purchase, prepare and try new foods together.

But don’t we all find ourselves in a rut, running out of ideas and resorting to one of the wellstocked supermarkets along the Route 1 Corridor? This question inspired my idea for a new column: I could write about our many sources for local food, especially produce, and also introduce simple recipes that get you and your family excited to cook and eat together!

In late summer, it’s easy to satisfy your hunger: Just a handful of zucchini, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers and onions make for a delicious, plant-based dinner. To get into the mood for cooking, watch the Pixar movie “Ratatouille” — and start chopping your veggies!

Ratatouille (serves 6)

Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 45 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

This recipe can easily be prepared by older children, supervised as necessary. The ideal size for the vegetable chunks is about ½ inch, but you don’t have to be rigid about it. You can also double the amounts and freeze leftovers. Packed in a thermos, ratatouille is perfect as a simple, nutritious school lunch.

Ingredients:

2 small eggplants

2 medium zucchini

3 medium tomatoes

2 bell peppers

2 onions

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons sea salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Wash vegetables and herbs.

2. Trim ends from eggplants and zucchini. Cut them in half lengthwise, slice halves into strips, and then dice into ½-inch pieces.

3. Stem and core the tomatoes, and then cut them in half. Cut peppers in half and remove seeds. Dice both into ½-inch chunks.

4. Peel the onions and cut into ½-inch pieces.

1 bouquet garni (2 bay leaves and a few sprigs of parsley and thyme, all tied together by their stems or a cotton string)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup water

5. Place all vegetables in a large pot.

6. Peel and mince garlic, add to the pot.

7. Add the oil, salt, pepper, herbs and water; stir well. 8. Put on the stove, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook on medium-low for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft.

9. Remove the bouquet garni before serving.

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Hyatts KIDS

THE ZOMBIES ARE COMING TO HVL!

By Maxwell Miller, age 11, and Zachary Miller, age 9

The zombies are coming! The Hyattsville Zombie Run is a great way to fundraise for schools, get exercise, and have a fun time while doing it. The 2022 Zombie Run will take place at Driskell Park on Saturday, Oct. 15. There are three races: a 5K (the longest), the 1 mile, and the 1K Family Fun Run. Our good friends Matt Gembecki and Kristen Wares help coordinate this event, along with tons of volunteers. Here is the web link for the event to register and get more details: runsignup. com/Race/MD/Hyattsville/ HyattsvilleZombieRun.

The reason why I, Maxwell, and my brother, Zachary, love it so

much is because it’s a great community event to raise money for our schools (Hyattsville Elementary and Hyattsville Middle School), as well as other area schools. Our dad, Alex Miller, designs the shirts, which is pretty cool. Our dad says that he likes to volunteer to design the shirts because “I have been working on neighborhood beautification since 1978. That’s what I love to do.”

While you’re waiting for your race, you can buy stuff like sweet treats from Shortcake Bakery or artwork from creADDive Lessons. There is even a contest for a kid’s bike from Arrow Bicycle for the highest individual kid fundraiser!

I hope you are looking forward to the race on Oct. 15 as much as we are. This is Maxwell and Zachary Miller. Goodbye for now! And don’t let the zombies eat your brains!

ART WORKS NOW CAMPERS CELEBRATE FRIENDSHIP, ART AND NATURE

Courtesy of Kaz King and Art Works Now

A NOTE FROM THE ADULT

RILEY, AGE 9: Something I loved about camp was how close we got with the counselors. They were so funny and interactive. I usually don’t like camp, but I had so much fun making art all day. My favorite project was making collages of wildlife because the teachers did it with us and we were all in it together. Art Works Now is my favorite camp of the summer! I also loved the marbled ink notebooks. Ms. Gabby and Mr. Evan showed us how to use materials creatively, like using oil-based ink in water to create awesome art.

 FIONA, AGE 11: My favorite project was making the bugs, but the best part of camp was the friends I made.

SETH, AGE 7: My favorite part of camp has been painting wildlife and going outside with my friends. I liked learning about Keith Haring and using inspiration from his work to make exciting drawings.

SEBASTIAN, AGE 9: I have made friends! I like the snails we made. But mostly, I like my friends.

PASCALE, AGE 9: I love Art Works! It’s so cool that we have so much fun and freedom to make what we want and let our creative minds EXPLODE! The bug project was one of my favorites because I got to make my bug into a rockstar! Art Works is my favorite camp!

MAURA, AGE 7: My favorite project was the ink dip notebook because it turned out so pretty! I also loved weaving with my friend. We had so much fun.

SASHA, AGE 8: My favorite parts of this week were making friends and bugs!

By Mary Frances Jiménez, age 41

HyattsKIDS debuted in the Hyattsville Life & Times (HL&T) in September 2020. What started as a pandemic experiment aimed to help homebound kids connect with their neighbors continued as a well-loved monthly feature for two full years. September 2022 marks our last official page, and on behalf of the many kid writers, artists and editors who worked hard to produce each issue, I want to thank HL&T readers for their warm reception. Thanks, also, for the enthusiasm and support of managing editor, Kit Slack, who thought up the page and kept it running.

Working with the student journalists and illustrators who contributed each month was a personal joy. Their diligent efforts and creative prowess made my job easy. If you ever have a chance to spend time with kids from Hyattsville, take it.

Created by contributors in grades K-12, the HyattsKIDS Life & Times features local news, columns, and comics from our city’s youngest journalists.

Pictured at the 2021 Zombie Run, Maxwell (left) and Zachary Miller (right) are lifelong Hyattsville residents who love their community. COURTESY OF MEGAN MILLER

Stay classic, Hyattsville — this is me signing off

By Lauren Flynn Kelly

By the time you read this, Hyattsville, I’ll no longer be a resident. I know, I know — how could I leave!? This was where I purchased my first home, sent my two children to grammar school, met scores of interesting friends and neighbors, and had the opportunity to write a column dedicated to efforts by locals who share my love of thrifting and repurposing. For my final column, I leave you with a somewhat rambling goodbye letter, highlighting some of the various businesses and happenings I’ve profiled over the years and a few of the good people I’ve encountered.

My very first “Secondhand News” column was about the opening of Sarah’s Treasures, a thrift store located at 5307 Baltimore Avenue. While the shop didn’t stay for long, the location eventually became home to another woman-owned business, Three Little Birds Sewing Co. When owner Katie Blattner was in her former location near Vigilante Coffee Co., I easily connected with her and will always be grateful for her afternoon gab sessions, evening sewing classes and kindness to my children.

I was especially impressed with her ability to thrive and adapt to the needs of the community during the pandemic, offering online classes and sharing funny unboxing videos of new merchandise.

During the aforementioned pandemic, I profiled how other businesses adapted with online orders and curbside pickups. I had previously profiled Red Onion Records when it relocated from D.C. to Hyattsville, and I know I’m not the only one who hit it off with shop owner Josh Harkavy while picking up records from him in a parking lot. When the shop reopened, Josh and I would frequently meet to discuss the latest show we were binge-watching (“White Lotus,” “Physical” and “Yellowjackets,” to name a few). Then came the occasional TV watch party or firepit hang with his wife, Alyssa, who I also befriended while taking online yoga classes with fellow Hyattsville Life & Times (HL&T) columnist Julia Gaspar-Bates. It’s nice to know you can still make new friends as an adult.

Not every moment was rosy, though. I’ll never forget the time I tried to cover furloughed residents actively cleaning out their closets during a government shutdown and getting accused of “predatory journalism” by a Hyattsville Barter & Trade Facebook group user. That piece didn’t make it into the print edition, but you can still find the online version. Turns out I was onto something: The Washington Post published a similar article a week later.

When the pandemic hit, people not only started purging their closets, but some turned it into a business venture. For instance, the HL&T was approached by a local who’d started a thrifty home design business and helped clients adjust to life in shutdown by reorganizing their home offices and creating relaxing getaway dens.

I scheduled the interview via Zoom and learned halfway through the meeting that

Denise J. Hart — creator of the Furaha design method — was practically in my backyard. We’d never had the chance to meet until then and laughed that we could wave to each other during the call. The next day, she showed up with homemade cookies that my daughters ate before I could! Now, that’s how you thank a volunteer newspaper columnist.

I’ve also used this column to share my own struggles with overstuffed closets. In December 2021, I wrote about the conundrum of Christmas shopping when my kids already have so many toys they’re not using, and I praised the merits of giving handmade gifts and edible treats.

Two months later, in a column that my husband said made him better understand how my brain works, I wrote ”Confessions of a self-proclaimed recluttering expert.” It told the story of one woman’s quest to declutter and clean out her attic in a month, while facing (or perhaps seeking out) multiple distractions.

My neighbor Daphne Coles texted me immediately after she read this article, saying she saw something of herself in there and LOL’d at every word. Thank you, Daphne. You and your family have been wonderful neighbors, and I regret not having profiled your love of thrifting in this column.

I did, however, get to speak with Daphne’s late father, David Driskell, for another one of my favorite articles, ”Art on the front lawn? That’s ‘classic Hyattsville.’” He told me about the origin of his sprawling front yard’s renowned bottle tree, while another neighbor, Joel Martin, recalled making a mosquito sculpture out of used car parts and shovels.

The lawn art feature was inspired by something funny my real estate agent, Dylan Hanna, had said when we were first looking at homes in Hyattsville. Fast forward 10 years, and Dylan has just sold my house for me. While on a summer visit to the New Jersey beach where my aging father lives, I had a moment of clarity and a sudden urge to search nearby properties on Zillow. The next thing I knew, I was bidding on a historic home in Toms River, N.J. It was an impulsive life decision, but I was following a gut instinct, and it forced me to finally clear out the dreaded attic and purge my closets. Trust me, there’s still plenty sitting in a storage space, but we’ll get to it. This fall, I’m looking forward to exploring the thrift stores and architectural salvage yards of Ocean County, saving a different watershed (Barnegat Bay), perhaps telling the stories of other local people, and, of course, celebrating Halloween.

And you, Hyattsville, keep putting art on your lawn, exchanging your unwanted items, supporting small businesses, and stay classic!

Lauren Flynn Kelly writes about secondhand culture for the Hyattsville Life & Times — this month, for the last time.

Apartments now under construction by Safeway

By Claire Panak Tombes

A new apartment building is going up at 6400 America Boulevard, the site of a parking lot between the Safeway and the Family Dental Group building on East-West Highway in the Prince George’s Plaza Transit District. Some tenants may occupy apartments there as soon as summer 2024, according to The Washington Post. The detailed site plan of the development includes 75 studio, 173 one-bedroom and 68 twobedroom apartments, for a total of 316 units.

Three-quarters of those apartments will have rents under $2,500, initially, according to Perseus TDC, the D.C. area real estate investing and development company overseeing the project. This corresponds to the rental market in the city, where fewer than 5% of apartments rented for $2,500 or more in 2020, according to census data.

On Aug. 4, Mayor Robert Cros-

lin, city staff and other local officials joined Perseus TDC at a groundbreaking ceremony for the apartment building, which will be called Residences at the Six.

Councilmember Ben Simasek (Ward 3) said that the new building “is a big opportunity to activate University Town Center, to improve the walkability of that area, and generally [make] it more attractive.”

MARKETED AS AFFORDABLE, THOUGH MARKET RATE

On Aug. 4, the city tweeted that Perseus TDC “has also committed to designate at least 75% of the units as affordable to low- and middle-income households,” in accordance with a 2019 recommendation from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

The developer told the Hyattsville Life & Times that apartments will be available to all prospective residents, not only

those who qualify with low or moderate income. In response to a question from Councilmember Rommel Sandino (Ward 5) at the council’s July 2021 meeting, Christopher Hatcher, an attorney for Perseus TDC, said that the project was “meant to be a fully marketrate community.” Hatcher also noted that there is no city or county requirement to include affordable units.

This stands in contrast to Montgomery County and the District, which require that new developments include a certain number of affordable housing units set aside for qualifying low-income residents. Due to the region’s high median income, a family of four making less than $113,850 qualifies as a low-income household.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS IN HYATTSVILLE

In 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated Hyattsville’s median

family income at $86,847. That’s 69% of the median family income for the Washington metropolitan area, as calculated by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

According to Census Bureau data, in 2020, 48% of renting households in Hyattsville were cost-burdened, meaning tenants paid more than 30% of their income in rent. This represents a 20% increase from 2015 in the proportion of households that were cost-burdened.

According to the same federal survey, median rent in the city was $1,440 in 2020.

The percent of households in Hyattsville with an annual income of over $125,000 increased from 14% in 2013 to 23% in 2018.

The city’s housing action agenda, released in April 2021, projects that 40% of renters will be in this income bracket by 2030.

THE SIX JOINS CONSTRUCTION BOOM NEAR MALL

The Residences at the Six joins other recent transit district developments, including 3350 at Alterra, Mosaic at Metro, and The Edition. Monthly rents for a one-bedroom apartment at these developments start at $1,802, $1,810 and $1,999, respectively.

Apartment buildings to replace the parking lot by the old JCPenney, part of the parking garage next to the library, and the parking lot north of University Town Center are all proposed, as well. None currently have affordability requirements.

RETAIL AND AMENITIES

Nihar Shah, a partner at Perseus TDC, said that part of the 2,000 square foot retail space has been configured for possible kitchen use, though a retailer for this space has not yet been secured. Hatcher, the developer’s attorney, said in a November 2021 county planning board meeting that they had considered options including a coffee shop or dog groomer.

The new building will feature amenities including a pet spa, yoga studio and rooftop pool, and will be the first in the county to meet the Gold certification level of the National Green Building Standard.

The building will also be decorated with murals. Shah said, “We wanted to respect the arts community in Hyattsville and the Arts District by creating more murals on the interior and exterior of the building. Hyattsville has great murals downtown, and we wanted to contribute by commissioning work to local muralists.”

CITY OF HYATTSVILLE WARD 2 SPECIAL ELECTION

The Hyattsville Life & Times reached out to all candidates registered to run in the city’s 2022 Ward 2 special election to fill the vacant councilmember seat previously held by Mayor Robert Croslin. You’ll find their statements in this section, listed alphabetically by last name.

Election day is Oct. 4. City of Hyattsville residents age 16 and older are eligible to vote, regardless of immigration status. Residents can register in person on the day of the election at the Hyattsville’s Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street.

Registered voters who receive mail-in ballots may vote by mail or deliver their ballots to drop boxes at the Hyattsville Municipal Building or Driskell Park, 3911 Hamilton Street.

KELLY BURRELLO

Age: I am comfortably over 50.

Day Job: For the past 22 years of my career, I have been a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practitioner. I design and facilitate DEI training and other peace and conflict resolution interventions for private organizations, local, state and federal government agencies, and schools, to name a few. Currently, I am full-time technical assistance staff with the

American Institutes for Research (AIR). I believe and practice AIR’s mission: to generate and use rigorous evidence that contributes to a better, more equitable world.

Community Involvement: Volunteering and donating to causes that matter to me remain my lifelong mission, among which includes Food & Friends, youth empowerment, advocacy for senior citizens and animal rights. I’m most proud of the annual Ward 2 block party that Lance (my husband) and I have hosted since we moved here in 2017. It’s a fun way to bring our neighbors together

in fellowship. Through these events, we are comforted to know that we live in a community with so many others who are selfless givers.

Statement to Voters: I’m running for Ward 2 city council because I am politically, socially, culturally and economically invested in Hyattsville, Ward 2. Lance and I have made Hyattsville our forever home, so I feel responsible for contributing to the success of the city. In addition, I’m running for the Ward 2 council because I have the right skills required for the role. I’ve earned a professional and personal reputation

LISBETH MELENDEZ RIVERA

as an action-oriented connector and bridge builder. As a trained mediator, I have sharpened my listening, critical thinking, compromise and problemsolving skills. Most importantly, I speak with my neighbors, and I have learned that many of us are equally aligned on what community means to us, and what we want for Hyattsville. Honestly, I don’t know all that awaits me as a Ward 2 council person, but I am confident that I have the necessary skills and authenticity to make this a community a place where we all can be proud to say we live.

Age: 56 Day Job: I am a full-time student seeking my doctorate of ministry for theology and social transformation, and at 56 years of age, I continue to learn from people, both old and young, how to be a better person. I hope to be an amplifier of community voices, and I will work as hard as possible to be representative of the community and the betterment of the city we ultimately call home.

Community Involvement: In the City of Hyattsville, I coordinate the pickleball pick-up league operating out of Driskell Park, a group I helped launch after advocating for the court creation.

Outside of Hyattsville, I just ended a four-year term as a student representative for

Over the last 15 years in Hyattsville, I have served our community as a music educator, as captain of my neighborhood watch, as member and vice-chair of the Police and Public Safety Committee, as a volunteer reporter covering education, development, and the community. Through those experiences I have come to know my neighbors, the issues important to them, city council and staff, and about the role and function of our municipal government. I plan to use this experience to continue to serve the residents of Ward 2 and Hyattsville.

United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, where I attend remotely. There, I helped give voice to students and worked with the administration around curricula and student aid.

I am an active member of the League of United Latin American Citizens, UNIDOS US, the LGBTQ+ Task Force, The National Organization for Women (national and local), and Call to Action, a progressive Catholic movement.

I am a member of these Boards of Directors: UCC Proyecto Bienvenida — member; UCC Open and Affirming Coalition — member; The Freedom Center — Building Justice Movements in the DMV; Waves Ahead PR, Inc — The Aging: LGBTQ+ Organization of Puerto Rico — chair Statement to Voters: My name is Lisbeth Melendez Rivera. I am running for city council, representing Ward 2. I decided to run for Hyattsville City Council’s Ward 2 because I believe all politics are local. When democracy is threatened by forces inside and outside our spheres of influence, we must work within our sphere to create a world where equity and justice are our primary focus.

Our students deserve an excellent education. An education that leans into their

strengths in today’s competitive industries. Our residents deserve affordable housing. I will work to balance new residents and new housing with affordable units through a strong community presence and increased communication with the county will help Hyattsville remain the haven that it is.

EMILY STRAB

Age: 37 Day Job: I am a music teacher, and I also act as the enrollment director at the high school where I teach. I began my teaching career in Prince George’s County Public Schools and have taught many Hyattsville students in their homes and mine. I’ve taught students from age 0 to 70+. My job as enrollment director is primarily about communication and building relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and making sure they feel at home in our school.

Community Involvement:

For over seven years I have been running Ward 2’s longest running neighborhood watch group, which means planning the meetings, moderating our listserv, and planning our block parties. I use the list to try to connect neighbors with the resources they need, like those available from Hyattsville Aging in Place or the city. I’m currently serving my second term on the city’s Police and Public

Safety Committee, one as vice chair. Additionally, I’ve served the community by coaching Tball, administering babysitting co-ops, organizing meal trains, writing and volunteering on the board of the Hyattsville Life & Times, or just cleaning up at the park.

Statement to Voters: Since 2007, My husband, our children, and I have called Hyattsville home and feel very fortunate to have discovered the loving, welcoming community that is Hyattsville. As an educator and long-time city volunteer, I want to bring my experience as a listener, problem-solver, and cooperator to the city council. I feel strongly that we elect councilmembers not only to lead and problem-solve, but most definitively to represent. I am committed to representing the concerns of my neighbors on council and making those concerns take priority — YOU set the agenda. As the candidate with the most experience with volunteering with the city and who has worked with city council and staff, and with a track record of service to my community, I believe that I am the best equipped to take on the responsibilities as councilmember. My neighbors know that I am a person that they can depend upon, and I want to deliver upon that trust. Please contact me: emilystrabforhyattsville@gmail.com, 240.706.7607, or emilystrabforhyattsville.com.

is looking for volunteers age 50+ to serve as volunteer legislative leaders during the 2022 session of the Maryland General Assembly.

Classroom instruction will be in a hybrid format (in-person and virtual) and begin on September 13 and end on December 8, 2022.

Classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information or an application, email wqueen@umd.edu

The Hyattsville Reporter

David C. Driskell Community Park Celebration!

You’re invited to the David C. Driskell Community Park Dedication Ceremony on Saturday, October 1, 2 – 7 p.m., at 3911 Hamilton Street! Help celebrate the park’s renaming with events in honor of the park’s new namesake, longtime Hyattsville resident and artist David Driskell. Join us for family-friendly art activities, a panel discussion, outdoor art gallery, nature tours, music & food! A ribbon cutting will take place at 4 p.m. and the premiere of the City of Hyattsville film “Namesake” will start at 6:30 p.m. Learn more at hyattsville.org/driskellpark.

In preparation for the celebration, we’re painting the park! Volunteer for a community paint day at 3911 Hamilton Street on September 21, 3 – 7 p.m., September 25, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., and September 28, 3 – 7 p.m. No walk-ups; registration required at hyattsville.org/driskellpark.

FRESH PRODUCE DISTRIBUTION

The City of Hyattsville and Capital Area Food Bank are partnering for a monthly series of FREE fresh produce distributions starting Tuesday, September 20, at noon, at Driskell Park. Produce will be distributed to walk-ups only.; Drivers will need to park their vehicles to pick up the bagged produce. No registration or City residency is required. These distributions will take place on the third Tuesday of each month. Questions? Email community@hyattsville.org or call (301) 985-5000.

¡Celebración del Parque Comunitario David C. Driskell!

¡Está invitado a la Ceremonia de Dedicación del Parque Comunitario David C. Driskell el sábado, 1 de octubre, de 2 p.m. a 7 p. m., en 3911 Hamilton Street! Ayude a celebrar el cambio de nombre del parque con eventos en honor al nuevo nombre del parque, el artista y residente de Hyattsville de largo plazo, David Driskell. ¡Únase a nosotros para actividades artísticas familiares, un panel de discusión, una galería de arte, recorridos por la naturaleza, música y comida! Una ceremonia tomara plazo a las 4 p.m. y el estreno de la película “Namesake” de la Ciudad comenzará a las 6:30 p.m. Obtenga más información en hyattsville.org/driskellpark.

En preparación para la celebración, ¡estamos pintando el parque! Ofrézcase como voluntario para un día de pintura comunitaria en 3911 Hamilton Street el 21 de septiembre, de 3 a 7 p. m., el 25 de septiembre, de 10 a. m. a 2 p. m. y el 28 de septiembre, de 3 a 7 p. m. Todos los participantes deben registrarse usando el formulario en hyattsville.org/driskellpark.

DISTRIBUCIÓN DE FRUTAS Y VERDURAS FRESCAS

La Ciudad de Hyattsville y Capital Area Food Bank se están asociando para una serie mensual de distribuciones de frutas y verduras GRATIS empezando el martes, 20 de septiembre, empezando al mediodía en Driskell Park. Las bolsas de productos se distribuirán de persona a persona; Los conductores deberán estacionar sus vehículos para recoger los productos empacados. No se requiere registro ni residencia en la ciudad. Estas distribuciones se realizarán el tercer martes de cada mes. ¿Preguntas? Envíe un email a community@hyattsville.org o llame al (301) 985-5000.

ANNOUNCEMENTS | ANUNCIOS

WARD 2 SPECIAL ELECTION

Hyattsville’s Special Election to select a new Ward 2 Councilmember is next month! Ward 2 residents will be able to vote by mail or in-person at the City Building on Election Day on October 4. Mail-in ballots must be returned by mail no later than September 24 or dropped off to a secure drop at Driskell Park or the City Building by October 4. If you do not receive a ballot by mail by September 20 or need a replacement ballot, you can pick one up by making an appointment with the City Clerk’s office at (301) 985-5001 or by emailing cityclerk@hyattsville.org. hyattsville.org/vote.

SHAPE THE FUTURE OF HYATTSVILLE

The City undergoes redistricting of its five Wards every 10 years following the taking of the U.S. Census. This effort ensures an equitable population distribution amongst the Wards for equal representation on the City Council. The Redistricting Commission is looking for your input to help guide their efforts! Learn more and provide input at hyattsville.org/redistricting.

EMERGENCY RELIEF FOR BUSINESSES & NON-PROFITS

Applications are now open for Hyattsville small businesses, nonprofits, food assistance partners, and childcare providers to receive emergency financial relief through the City’s American Rescue Plan Act funds! Financial relief programs for families and individuals are expected to be finalized later this fall. You can learn more about the types of assistance available at hyattsville.org/rescueplan.

COVID-19 UPDATE

The newly approved BA-5 COVID-19 booster (Pfizer and Moderna) is available at the City’s vaccination clinics at the First United Methodist Church on Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. It is not yet available at the City’s Tuesday vaccinations clinics. Details at hyattsville.org/covidvaccine.

WHAT’S YOUR VISION FOR HYATTSVILLE’S FUTURE?

The City is updating its Community Sustainability Plan for 2022-2026! Come make your voice heard at one of our community engagement sessions this fall. Visit hyattsville.org/sustainability for a list of upcoming sessions.

THRIVE GRANT APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE!

Through this initiative of the City’s Health, Wellness, and Recreation Advisory Committee, individuals, organizations, and businesses can apply for a grant of up to $500 to support health, wellness, and recreational activities that improve community engagement in Hyattsville. The application deadline is October 1. Apply at hyattsville.org/grants.

PLANT NATIVE, HYATTSVILLE!

Native plants are beautiful, require less water and maintenance, and provide shelter and food for local wildlife. Not sure where to start? Habitat advisors from the County’s Audubon Society can help! Email audubonwildlifehabitat@gmail.com to request a FREE site visit and receive suggestions that will put you on the path towards Audubon Bird-Friendly Habitat certification.

If you’d like to make a difference in your neighborhood, the Audubon Society is looking for habitat advisors! Please email audubonwildlifehabitat@gmail.com to learn more about this volunteer opportunity. Volunteer trainings will take place on Sept. 29 & Oct. 6.

ELECCIÓN ESPECIAL DEL DISTRITO 2

¡La Elección Especial de Hyattsville para seleccionar un nuevo Concejal del Distrito 2 es el próximo mes! Residentes del Distrito 2 podrán votar por correo o en persona en el Edificio Municipal el día de las elecciones el 4 de oct. Las boletas deben devolverse por correo antes del 24 de sept o llevar a una caja segura en Driskell Park o Edificio Municipal antes del 4 de oct. Si no recibe una boleta por correo antes del 20 de sept o necesita una boleta de reemplazo, puede recoger una haciendo cita al (301) 985-5001 o enviando un email a cityclerk @hyattsville.org. hyattsville.org/vote.

DA FORMA AL FUTURO DE HYATTSVILLE

La Ciudad se somete a la redistribución de Distritos de sus cinco distritos cada 10 años después del censo. Este esfuerzo asegura una distribución equitativa de la población para una representación equitativa en el Concejo Municipal. ¡La Comisión de Redistribución está buscando su opinión para ayudar a guiar sus esfuerzos! Obtenga más info en hyattsville.org/redistricting.

AYUDA FINANCIERA PARA NEGOCIOS

¡Las aplicaciones están abiertas para negocios, organizaciones sin fines de lucro, socios de asistencia alimentaria y proveedores de cuidado infantil de Hyattsville para recibir ayuda financiera de emergencia a través de los fondos de la Ley del Plan de Rescate Americano! Se espera que los programas de ayuda financiera para familias e individuos finalicen más tarde este otoño. Usted puede aprender más sobre los tipos de programas de asistencia en hyattsville.org/rescueplan.

ACTIALIZACIÓN DE COVID-19

La vacuna de refuerzo BA-5 de OVID-19 recientemente aprobada (Pfizer y Moderna) está disponible en la clínica de vacunación de la Ciudad en Iglesia First United Methodist los sábados de 9 a. m. a 1 p. m. Todavía no está disponible los martes. Detalles en hyattsville.org/covidvaccine.

¿CUÁL ES SU VISIÓN PARA HYATTSVILLE?

¡LaCiudadestáactualizandosuPlandeSostenibilidadComunitaria para 2022-2026! Provee sus opiniones en una de nuestras sesiones de participación comunitaria este otoño. Visite hyattsville.org/sustainability para obtener las próximas fechas.

¡LAS SOLICITUDES THRIVE YA ESTÁN DISPONIBLES!

A través de esta iniciativa del Comité de Salud y Bienestar e la Ciudad, personas, organizaciones y negocios pueden solicitar una subvención de hasta $500 para apoyar actividades de salud, bienestar y recreación que mejoren la participación comunitaria en Hyattsville. La fecha límite de solicitud es el 1 de oct. Aplique en hyattsville.org/grants.

PLANTE NATIVO, ¡ HYATTSVILLE!

Las plantas nativas son hermosas, requieren menos mantenimiento y brindan refugio y alimento. ¿No estás seguro por dónde empezar? ¡Los asesores de Audubon del Condado pueden ayudar! Envíe un email a audubonwildlifehabitat@gmail.com para solicitar una visita GRATUITA a su hogar y recibir sugerencias que lo pondrán en el camino hacia la certificación Audubon Bird-Friendly Habitat.

Si desea hacer una diferencia en su vecindario, ¡la Sociedad está buscando asesores! Envíe un email a audubonwildlifehabitat@gmail.com para obtener más información sobre esta oportunidad de voluntariado. Los entrenamientos para voluntarios se llevarán a cabo el 29 de septiembre y el 6 de octubre.

CALENDAR | CALENDARIO

PARK(ING) DAY

We’re transforming our parking spots into temporary public parks for PARK(ing) Day on September 16! Wander through interactive public parklets hosted by local businesses & organizations from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. hyattsville.org/parkingday.

SUMMER JAM

Join us for the last Summer Jam of 2022 celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month on September 16, from 5 - 8 p.m., at Hyatt Park! hyattsville.org/summerjam.

ARTS & ALES

The Arts & Ales Festival is September 17, from noon to 6 p.m., in the City’s Gateway Arts District! This event is hosted by the Hyattsville Community Development Corporation. hyattsvilleartsfestival.com.

WARD 3 EVENTS

Ward 3 City Councilmembers McClellan and Simasek are organizing a clean-up of the University Hills Duck Pond Park on September 18, starting at 3 p.m. The Councilmembers are also hosting a check-in on September 30, at 6 p.m., at the Editors Park, 3100 Block of Sentinel Drive. hyattsville.org/calendar.

KING PARK COMMUNITY PLANNING EVENT

Starting Nov 1, King Park at 4205 Gallatin Street will be closed until Spring 2024 for renovations. A community planning event will be held in the park on September 22 from 6-7 p.m. Save the date and bring your ideas!

HY-SWAP

The Fall HY-Swap at Driskell Park originally scheduled for September 11 has been rescheduled to September 25! hyswap.com.

CREATIVE MINDS

Creative Minds is returning this fall from September 27 through November 27! Parents and toddlers can join us on Tuesdays from 10-11:30 a.m. at Driskell Park for indoor and outdoor activities! hyattsville.org/creativeminds.

NIGHT OWL SERIES

On September 23, October 21, and November 18, parents can drop off students in grades K – 6 from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Driskell Park Community Center for an evening of fun while they get away for a few hours! hyattsville.org/nightowls.

MINICAMPS

If school’s out, Mini Camps are in session! Register your student for day camps on Oct 5, 10, 21 and on Nov 8 Sessions take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Driskell Park. hyattsville.recdesk.com.

CYCLOCROSS

The Cyclocross Bike Race, sponsored by the Route 1 Velo Cycling Team is returning October 9! This annual off-road race through Driskell Park benefits the County’s Special Olympics. hyattsville.org/calendar.

ZOMBIE RUN

The Zombie Run organized by the Hyattsville Elementary PTA is back at Driskell Park on October 15! runsignup.com/hvlzombierun.

TEEN CENTER & TUTORING SERVICES

The Teen Center & Northstar Tutoring services are back at Driskell Park starting October 3! Drop-in hours for the Center are from 3 – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday; Tutoring will take place Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 6:30 – 8 p.m. In addition to the normal Teen Center programming, three new programs – Junior Scholars, Queen Bees, and Young Kings will take place starting from 5-6 p.m. You can learn more & sign up for these programs at hyattsville.org/teen-center.

MENTAL HEALTH WORKSHOP

The City of Hyattsville launched the Mental Health 24/7 initiative earlier this year to provide our community with mental health resources year-round. Join us October 7, from 5-6 p.m. at the Driskell Park Recreation Center for another installment in the Mental Health 24/7 series, Fostering Resilience in Difficult Times. Find details at hyattsville. org/mentalhealth.

DÍA DE PARQUEO

¡Estamos transformando nuestros espacios de parqueo en parques temporales para el 16 de sept! Pasee por los parques públicos interactivos organizados por negocios y organizaciones locales de 9 a. m. a 6 p. m. hyattsville.org/parkingday.

SUMMER JAM

¡Acompáñenos para la última fiesta Summer Jam de 2022 que celebrara el Mes de la Herencia Hispana el 16 de sept, de 5 – 8 p.m., en Hyatt Park! hyattsville.org/summerjam.

FESTIVAL DE ARTES

HY-SWAP

¡El HY-Swap en Driskell Park originalmente programado para el 11 de sept ha sido reprogramado para el 25 de sept! hyswap.com.

MENTES CREATIVAS

Regresa este otoño del 27 de septiembre al 27 de noviembre! ¡Los padres y los niños pequeños pueden unirse a nosotros los martes de 10 a.m. a 11:30 a.m. en Driskell Park! hyattsville.org/creativminds.

SERIE DE PADRES

TALLER DE SALUD MENTAL

La Ciudad de Hyattsville lanzó la iniciativa de Salud Mental 24/7 a principios de este año para brindar a nuestra comunidad recursos de salud mental durante todo el año. Únase a nosotros el 7 de octubre, de 5 - 6 p. m. en Driskell Park para otro taller de la serie, Fomentando la Resiliencia en Tiempos Difíciles. Encuentre detalles en hyattsville. org/mentalhealth.

¡El Festival de Artes es el 17 de sept, desde el mediodía hasta las 6 p. m., en el Distrito de las Artes de la Ciudad! Este evento es organizado por el Hyattsville Community Development Corporation. hyattsvilleartsfestival.com.

DISTRITO 3 EVENTOS

Los Concejales McClellan y Simasek están organizando una limpieza del Parque University Hills Duck Pond el 18 de sept, empezando a las 3 p.m. También están organizando una reunión el 30 de sept, a las 6 p.m. en el bloque 3100 de Sentinel Dr. hyattsville.org/calendar.

PARQUE KING

A partir del 1 de nov, el Parque King en 4205 Gallatin Street estará cerrado hasta la primavera de 2024 para renovaciones. Un evento de planificación comunitaria tomara plazo en el parque el 22 de sept de 6 a 7 p.m. ¡Aparta la fecha y traiga sus ideas!

El 23 de sept, el 21 de oct y el 18 de nov, padres pueden dejar a sus estudiantes en grados K-6 de 6 a 9 p.m. en el Centro Comunitario del Parque Driskell para una noche de diversión mientras se escapan por unas horas. hyattsville.org/nightowls.

MINICAMPAMENTOS

¡Registre a su estudiante para los campamentos el 5, 10 y 21 de oct y el 8 de nov! Las sesiones tomaran plazo de 9 a.m. a 3 p.m. en Driskell Park. hyattsville.recdesk.com.

CYCLOCROSS

¡La carrera Cyclocross, patrocinada por Route 1 Velo regresa el 9 de oct! Esta carrera todoterreno toma plazo en Driskell Park y beneficia a las Olimpiadas Especiales del Condado. hyattsville.org/calendar.

CARRERA ZOMBI

¡La carrera de zombis anual organizada por la PTA de Hyattsville Elementary está de regreso en Driskell Park el 15 de octubre! runsignup.com/hvlzombierun.

CENTRO DE JÓVENES Y TUTORÍA

¡Los servicios del Centro de Jóvenes y Tutoría de Northstar están de vuelta en Driskell Park empezando el 3 de octubre! El nuevo horario del Centro es de 3 a 5 p. m. lunes a viernes; Tutorías se llevarán a cabo los martes, miércoles y jueves de 6:30 p. m. a 8 p.m. Además de la programación normal del Centro, se llevarán a cabo tres nuevos programas: Junior Scholars, Queen Bees y Young Kings de 5 a 6 p.m. Puede obtener más información e inscribirse en estos programas en hyattsville.org/teen-center.

HIGHLIGHTS | LO DESTACADO

Various County and State officials joined City Staff for a ceremonial groundbreaking of the Hyattsville Police & Public Safety Building at 3505 Hamilton Street! The building is currently under construction and is expected to be open in 2024.

Varios funcionarios del Condado y Estado acompañaron al personal de la Ciudad para la inauguración ceremonial del nuevo Edificio de Policía y Seguridad Publica de Hyattsville en al 3505 Hamilton Street. El edificio está actualmente bajo construcción y se espera que abra sus puertas en el 2024.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Our list of events sponsored by local nonprofits, arts organizations and performance venues, occurring between Sept. 16 and Oct. 14; all information is current as of Sept. 4. For events and meetings organized by the City of Hyattsville, see The Hyattsville Reporter in the newspaper’s centerfold.

Please send notices of events that will take place between Oct. 14 and Nov. 10 to managingeditor@ hyattsvillelife.com by Oct. 7.

RECURRING

Busboys and Poets hosts an open mic for poets every Thursday. $5. 8 to 10 p.m. 5331 Baltimore Ave. 301.779.2787. Busboysandpoets.com

Weekly acoustic blues jams, in the Piedmont blues tradition. Proof of vaccination required; masks, too, unless singing or playing a harmonica or horn. Free. Saturdays 1-5 p.m. Archie Edwards Blues Foundation, 4502 Hamilton St. acousticblues.com

ONGOING

Through Oct. 1: Material Things Studio presents an exhibition of new woven works by Marylandbased artist Danny Varillas, entitled “we are and will be dust.” Fri. 5 to 8 p.m. and Sun. noon to 3 p.m., or by appointment. 4531 Rhode Island Ave., North Brentwood. materialthingsstudio.com

Through Oct. 2: An exhibition of two- and three-dimensional works of handmade paper, entitled “Looks Good on Paper”; features works by more than 40 artists. Pyramid Atlantic. Wed. and Thurs. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fri., Sat., Sun. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 4318 Gallatin St.

pyramidatlanticartcenter.org. 301.608.9101

Beginning Sept. 19, two art exhibitions at Brentwood Arts Exchange. “Being” features works by Black artists Deborah Renee Grayson, James Terrell and William Watson, and “Innervisions: Dialogues in Self-Portraiture” includes works by six area artists. Through Nov. 26. Mon. to Fri. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sat. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood, 301.277.2863

SEPTEMBER 15

Open mic for acoustic musicians. Sign up to play a threesong set. Jam session will follow if time allows. Listeners welcome. Free. 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Archie Edwards Blues Foundation, 4502 Hamilton St. acousticblues.com

SEPTEMBER 16

Bop to Spanish music, play games, and chalk the steps of the Hyattsville Public Library at this Hispanic Heritage Month kickoff event. 4 to 5 p.m. 6530 Adelphi Rd. 301.985.4690

First day of the fourth annual Echoes of the Enslaved commemoration by the Prince George’s County Office of Archaeology. A panel discussion among descendants of the enslaved featuring Tina Wyatt (descendant of Harriet Tubman), the Rev. Jerome Plummer-Fowler (descendant of an individual enslaved at Riversdale) and Dr. Joan M.E. Gaither (noted story quilter). Moderated by Joe McGill of the Slave Dwelling Project. Conversation circles will follow the 6 p.m. panel. Register at pgparksdirect.com. Free. 6 to 10 p.m. Riversdale House

Museum, 4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale. 301.864.0420

SEPTEMBER 17

Second day of the county’s Echoes of the Enslaved commemoration. Family history, wellness, archeology, music and food honoring enslaved ancestors. Free. No registration required. Noon to 4 p.m. Riversdale House Museum, 4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale. 301.864.0420

Arts & Ales Festival is back after a two-year pause. More than 100 artists and artisans will display their work. Craft beer, food, music and kids activities. Free. Noon to 6 p.m. Downtown Hyattsville, 4300 Block of Gallatin and Farragut streets. hyattsvilleartsfestival.com

Deep Shenoy’s group, Kundalika, will play jugalbandi (Indian classical music) along with bluegrass, jazz and Manding (music from Mali) in this improv session. The six-piece band features the sounds of sarod, djembe, bass, guitar, banjo and Karnatak vocals. Masks and proof of vaccination or testing required. 7 p.m. Outdoors at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. Joesmovement.org

Swing 5 Django Jazz brings music to Maryland Meadworks played in the style of guitarist Django Reinhardt in 1930s France. Two rhythm guitars, slap bass, accordion and fiddle. Indoor and outdoor seating. Free. 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave. 201.955.9644

SEPTEMBER 19

Local graphic novelist Gareth Hinds offers tips and tricks for designing characters and illustrating books. Ages 6 to 12.

5 to 6 p.m. Register at pgmls. info/events. Hyattsville Public Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd. 301.985.4690

SEPTEMBER 23

Singer-songwriter Erin Harpe plays Delta blues — classics and originals — with Jim Countryman. Free. Registration required: Email info@acousticblues.com. 8 to 10 p.m. Archie Edwards Blues Foundation, 4502 Hamilton St. acousticblues.com

Jazz Night at Maryland Meadworks features local jazz musicians, many of them members of the U.S. Airforce’s Airmen of Note. Indoor and outdoor seating. Free. 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave. 201.955.9644

SEPTEMBER 24

Come dance! Fast Eddie & The Slowpokes play classic blues, West Coast swing, Motown and rock ’n’ roll. Masks and proof of vaccination or testing required. Pay-what-you-wish admission starts at $10. 7 p.m. Outdoors at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. Joesmovement.org

SEPTEMBER 26

The Hyattsville Public Library’s independent film series presents “La Manplesa — an uprising remembered,” a film about protests in the District following the 1991 police shooting of Daniel Gomez, a young man from El Salvador. Meeting Room 2. 7 to 9 p.m. 6530 Adelphi Rd. 301.985.4690

SEPTEMBER 30

Final Friday at The Spot, an outdoor space near the Shops at SoHy, off of Route 1 between Busboys and Poets and Franklins Restaurant, Brewery and General Store. Bring a picnic, and listen to a band for free. Details will be posted at sohycoop.com. 6 to 8 p.m. 4505 Hamilton St.

OCTOBER 1

The Hyattsville Public Library sponsors a second annual Festival of Cultures/Festival de las Culturas. Storytimes, crafts, snacks and performances by local artists and musicians. Registration encouraged but not required. pgcmls.info/events. 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 6530 Adelphi Rd. 301.985.4690

OCTOBER 8

Album release party celebrating Tamara Wellons, who sings soul, jazz and house. Masks and proof of vaccination or testing required. Pay-what-you-wish admission starts at $10. 7 p.m. Outdoors at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. Joesmovement.org

OCTOBER 14

Round Robin Night with three singer-songwriters: New Orleans-based Jess Eliot Myhre, Mount Rainier’s Sam McCormally and jazz pianist and singer Sarah Fridrich, of Silver Spring. Purchase $15 tickets through pgparksdirect.com. 8 p.m. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood.

FEATURING:

KIDS ZONE & STAGE

BOUNCE HOUSES

OBSTACLE COURSES

CLIMB WALL PERFORMERS

ARTS & CRAFTS FUN ACTIVITIES

...AND SO MUCH MORE!

COLLEGEPARKDAY.ORG

Para información en español por favor visite nuestro sitio web del evento www.collegeparkday.org

www.collegeparkmd.gov

Girls Rock! Camp builds music skills, confidence for local youth

By Jessica Arends

On a hot August day, I climb the steep steps of a bright yellow building on D.C.’s North Capitol Street, greeted by cheerful rainbow flags in each window. In the lobby, a humble piano, sparkly drum set and green velvet chairs make up a modest seating area. A glass jar of neon yellow earplugs sits at the receptionist desk.

A line of chatty campers streams down the stairs and out to the back patio. A band coach claps her hands and corrals a few 8-year-olds into a tiny brick practice room to rehearse an original song. One starts a cadence on the drums, another in red sequins fingers a melody from the keyboard, the other is barely visible behind a six-string bass and curtain of hair. The rhythm catches, the singing starts and the campers bounce in time — the self-assurance is palpable. This energetic and creative force is the product of Girls Rock! DC.

Each year, Girls Rock! DC serves about 100 youths and 20 adults through summer camps and after-school programs throughout the DMV area. Inspired by the 1990s Riot Grrrl movement, the program started in Portland, Ore., in 2001. It quickly spread, and now there are over 230 camps around the world which remain connected through the international Girls Rock! Camp Alliance.

During each one-week summer session, campers learn a new instrument, play with a band, at-

FILL YOUR FALL WITH ROWING!

The river is lush, the exercise invigorating, and the company the best.

• Youth Fall rowing starting now. FREE

FIRST WEEK! Send your favorite young person to try this unique sport.

• Adult programs, recreational to competitive.

BEGINNERS WELCOME! FUN, FRIENDS, AND FITNESS!

All activities are at Bladensburg Waterfront Park 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg WashingtonRowingSchool.com

202-344-0886

tend life skills workshops and write an original song to perform at a local venue like the Black Cat or 9:30 Club.

Fifteen-year-old Hyattsville resident and camper AG Higgins described the pleasure of playing and collaborating with other campers in the band Potential Dreams: “When I picked up the guitar and started playing it, I just had this look of awe on my face. That’s what this camp is about — this joy of music and connecting with other people.”

Girls Rock! DC program coordinator and Mount Rainier resident Frankie Hellfire is proud to work for the camp as it embodies the values of equity and equality. Instructors include those who identify as ”Black, queer artists, and myself as a trans person from a lower-class immigrant family,” said Hellfire. “We all come to each session with our full selves and really live and teach by example.”

The summer camp life skills workshops explore topics such as housing and transit justice, creating podcasts, running for public office, and setting personal boundaries in relationships. In the songwriting workshop, campers see that their everyday lives and

experiences matter and are “worthy of expressing,” Hellfire said. Female musicians can find asserting themselves in a male-dominated industry intimidating, according to Hellfire. “The workshops teach campers how to speak up to say, ‘This isn’t right’ or ‘This is how the song should sound.’”

Indeed, 64% of female musicians cite discrimination and sexual harassment as barriers to success in the music industry, according to a 2021 Forbes article. Girls Rock! DC aims to change this — through music instruction and self-esteem workshops, those of marginalized genders literally use their voice for change.

One of the bands of 8-year-olds, The Soundtrack Breakers, wrote a song about feeling empowered after being hurt or bullied: “We are the soundtrack breakers / The record makers. / Say what you want / You ain’t gonna fake us / Let alone break us. I’m braver than the people who hurt me. / I’m kinder than the people who desert me. / I deserve better than that. / I am better than that.”

You will be compensated for your time!

Who? Persons 18 - 30 years old with normal hearing

Persons 65 – 85 years old with either normal or mildly impaired hearing

American English must be your first language

Where? University of Maryland, College Park, MD

What does the research involve? You may be asked to listen to sentences, tones, or noise bursts. You will then be asked to react to a particular sound or sentence. This will take approximately 18 to 25 hours, scheduled over multiple weeks

Or you may be asked to complete tasks that involve passively measuring brain activity This will take approximately 2.5 to 4.5 hours.

For further details, contact Ms. Carol Gorham hearing@umd.edu, 301-405-4236

The market is shifting, and at times like this, it is even more important to work with a professional Realtor® who has been through the ups and downs of the market before. Have real estate questions? Just call, text or email me. I would be honored to help you!

More information can be found on the Girls Rock! DC website, girlsrockdc.org.

Casting shade on nonnative trees

Dear Miss Floribunda,

You wrote about silver maples last month, but you didn’t warn that their roots can get into drain/ sewage pipes and cause damage. After paying for expensive repairs, I sold my place and moved. My new front yard has space for a tree, but I want to be sure that any tree I get is smaller and less problematic. I like crepe myrtles because they bloom in summer, they are not oversized, and their flowers come in vibrant colors. However, I’ve heard that because they’re not native to our country, they don’t provide food or shelter for many birds or helpful insects. I hope you can recommend a flowering native tree as gorgeous as the crepe myrtle that is good for the ecosystem.

In Need of Native Intelligence on Ingraham Street

Dear In Need of Native Intelligence,

It’s true that crepe myrtles are not native, and they host no more than 30 species of beneficial insects, whereas the silver maple hosts up to 200. Other maples, tulip poplars, catalpas and native trees top even this — with native oaks coming first with a whopping 2,300 — but like the silver

average home garden.

I’ve learned from my friend Dr. Betula Bower at the National Arboretum that a silver maple should not be planted any closer than 100 feet from a house. Not only will its roots invade pipes and house foundations, the branches often break off and fall. However, she hastened to add that while a silver maple is inappropriate in

ful stabilizer along a stream or in a flood plain, as well as in a forest interacting with other trees to support and shelter insects, birds and wildlife. These arboreal communities provide ecological benefits well beyond their confines. Dr. Bower believes Hyattsville is especially fortunate to have Driskell Park, with its extensive wooded and wetland areas purifying our

This doesn’t mean your own home plantings can’t be ecologically important. Fortunately, there are attractive small- to mediumsized native trees with flowers as beautiful as those of the crepe myrtle. Generally, they bloom in spring.

The exceptions are the summerblooming native sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) and the umbrella magnolia (Magnolia tripetala). They are smaller than most other native magnolias, generally ranging from 15 to 30 feet high. The flowers of the sweetbay have the familiar lemony fragrance of most magnolias, but there is some disagreement about whether the more earthy aroma of the umbrella magnolia is pleasant.

Also in that height range is the April-blooming redbud (Cercis canadensis), with its fluffy flowers resembling those of the crepe myrtle. Its palette of colors is similar, with many shades of pink, mauve and magenta, as well as snow white.

However, for beauty of form, nothing surpasses the dogwood (Cornus florida), which blooms in late April to early May in our area. The native variety usually has white bracts around the tiny green flowers, and the ethereal effect recalls the luminous landscapes of Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot.

The red berries that develop after flowering are beautiful and feed birds well into winter. Generally an understory tree, the dogwood can grow in shade as well as sun — so if your yard is darkened by your neighbors’ trees, it is the best choice.

If you want a small tree with fragrance and fruit in addition to beautiful flowers, you might consider both the crab apple and the serviceberry. Our native sweet crab apple (Cornus coronaria) and southern crab apple (Cornus angustifolia), bloom in May in white or pink, and by autumn, produce delicious fruit more suitable for making cider, jam and jelly than that of the imported cultivars. The Allegheny serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis) provides a spectacular display of pink buds and white flowers earlier in spring, and, like the native crab apple, its fruit is suitable for people, as well as birds. Wait till the red berries turn purple, and you will have a fruit comparable in flavor to blueberries that can be used to make jellies, jams, pies and wine.

Just as you must in your garden, I also must consider space here, so I can’t name all the wonderful native trees you can choose among. To discuss these choices with others, please come to the next meeting of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society on Oct.15, at the home of Betty Buenning, 5202 42nd Avenue. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m., followed by a plant exchange.

Miss Floribunda writes about gardens. Email questions to floribundav@ gmail.com.

The redbud tree puts out fluffy flowers that resemble the crepe myrtle’s. PEXELS.COM

Ward served as senior director of technology for KIPP DC until at least July 2021.The theft is alleged to have occurred between April 2020 and October 2021.

Ward served as a Hyattsville councilmember starting in 2015, and became mayor at the end of 2020, when former mayor Candace Hollingsworth stepped down.

Ward is alleged to have placed fraudulent orders for technology services and devices, paying Tenret Tech, a company he owned, for thousands of items like laptops and tablets, which never arrived. The total value of all the orders placed is $2,229,418.97. The lawsuit notes that some of Ward’s assets were eligible for seizure by the federal government, which, by law, can claim property gained via wire fraud and via theft from programs receiving federal funding. The complaint was submitted by James Curt Bohling, the acting chief for the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.

The lawsuit seeks the forfei-

ture of two properties in West Virginia, as well as 10 vehicles (including a camper and a motorcycle), and arts and sports memorabilia alleged to have been purchased with funds that KIPP DC paid to Ward’s companies. The vehicles and memorabilia have already been seized.

The City of Hyattsville issued a statement asserting that the city is not implicated in any way by the allegations, adding that the city has a “robust, multi-layered approval process” for city expenditures.

In a Sept. 9 email, city officials said Hyattsville Treasurer Ron Brooks and City Administrator Tracy Douglas review and approve vendors and purchases, obtaining legal review prior to entering into contracts. The city follows a formal procurement policy that promotes a competitive process and has standards for employee conduct.

Jim Chandler, the city’s director of community and economic development, reviews the city’s technology purchases; computers bought with federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 have been delivered.

Any expenditure over $10,000

is also approved by the city council in a public forum.

According to Brooks, “The city plans to issue a request for proposal to conduct a compliance audit. That audit will be focused on our vendors, contract compliance and identifying risk liability.”

Brooks said he had previously recommended such an audit during budget discussions, and that he did not make his

recommendation in response to accusations against Ward.

On a local listserv, residents renewed expressions of sorrow at losing Ward and sympathy for his family.

One resident wrote, “Two things can be true at the same time: Kevin could have been the kind and caring person everyone remembers. He could also have made some truly terrible mistakes. The one

does not cancel out or negate the other, in either direction. I truly hope that anyone reading this knows that whatever mistakes or decisions you have made, there are people who will meet you with open minds, forgiveness, and help. You are not alone.”

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

planner in the Prince George’s County Planning Department, in a video describing the county’s long-range community planning.

The Staff Draft West Hyattsville-Queens Chapel Sector Plan, released on July 28, gives the community a preview of the changes the county envisions around the West Hyattsville Metro station — and another opportunity to provide feedback.

The sector plan represents the county’s vision and goals, created with public input collected throughout 2021, for the area centered around the West Hyattsville Metro station over the next 25 years. Shaped like a piece from a challenging jigsaw puzzle, the area covered by the plan extends about 2 miles along Queens Chapel Road, from the border with Washington, D.C.,

to East-West Highway. At its widest point, it spans roughly 1.5 miles, from Hamilton Street near David C. Driskell Community Park’s entrance in the east to the intersection of Chillum Road and 16th Avenue to the west. It includes parts of the City of Hyattsville, the City of Mount Rainier, the Town of Brentwood and the unincorporated Avondale area.

To achieve the long-term vision for the area, the plan outlines dozens of policies and strategies.

The county aims to support mixed-use development within walking distance of the West Hyattsville Metro station. Denser development would center around the station, including redevelopment of the land owned by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and south of Chillum Road.

The plan encourages the creation of more public places for

Managing Editor Kit Slack kit@hyattsvillelife.com

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community gatherings. For example, it recommends making Hamilton Street between Queens Chapel Road and Jamestown Road “a hip, lively, walkable corridor that serves as West Hyattsville-Queens Chapel’s Main Street and is the heart of the community.”

Improvements to Hamilton Street would include reducing the number of lanes between Ager and Queens Chapel roads, adding bike lanes and more space to walk, and temporarily closing the street to car traffic during events like farmers markets, street festivals and music performances. Making the area more walkable is a recurring theme throughout the plan. Planners include strategies to address the challenges faced by people traveling by foot, bike and bus. The plan adopts street design standards that better accommodate the needs of all users, and suggests engineering changes to reduce

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Board of Directors Joseph Gigliotti — President & General Counsel Melanie Dzwonchyk — Secretary Stephanie Stullich — Treasurer Gretchen Brodtman, Bette Dickerson, Nora Eidelman, Maxine Gross, Joe Murchinson, T. Carter Ross Katie V. Jones, Mark Goodson, Kit Slack — Ex Officios Emily Strab

vehicle speeds and increase driver awareness. It also recommends safety improvements, like protected bike lanes on busier roads, continuous sidewalks and improved bus stops.

Under the plan, several greenways, or linear parks, will be added. One of the proposed greenways would include a promenade-style bridge across the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River. The bridge would be for pedestrians and cyclists and would connect the area around the Metro station with development south of Chillum Road. The promenade would eventually serve as a replacement for the pedestrian bridge that the Department of Parks and Recreation (PG Parks) closed near this location in September 2020 after severe damage from flooding. While experiencing delays, PG Parks continues to work to replace that damaged bridge in the interim.

The sector plan also grapples with the environmental impacts of development near the Northwest Branch of the Ana-

costia River and its flood plain. Some proposed development would require elevating areas out of the flood plain and offsetting the stormwater issues caused by these changes. The plan recommends that state and local governments coordinate to purchase the commercial properties, including a car sales lot, car wash, and several small businesses on the north side of Chillum Road, close to the riverbank, and convert that land to open space for flood mitigation and natural restoration. The plan also outlines sustainable practices, like reconstructing streets as green streets, adopting other stormwater best management practices to reduce runoff, and pursuing environmental conservation and restoration efforts.

The proposed sectional map amendment, released with the draft plan, would update the zoning for the area to match the uses in the sector plan. With the release of the draft plan, the county planning department has been conducting public outreach and education, including a virtual information session at the beginning of June to explain the purpose of sector plans, zoning, sectional map amendments and the processes related to the development and adoption of sector plans. A recording of the information session and other resources related to the plan are available on the project website at mncppc.org/4931.

In early August, the county planning department also posted a four-minute video summarizing the vision and goals of the plan on Facebook. The Prince George’s County Planning Board and the Prince George’s District Council will hold a joint public hearing on Oct. 11. Interested residents should visit the project website at mncppc.org/4931 for information on how to submit written testimony or to sign up to speak at the hearing.

An Illustration of how the area near the West Hyattsville Metro station could develop over time COURTESY OF AECOM AND THE MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION

said Nicole Isley-McClure, director of instruction for the district’s area administrative office that includes Northwestern.

She noted that Northwestern has many recent immigrants and English-language learners.

Time on the football field may be giving these students an opportunity, Isley-McClure said, “to escape for a few moments ... to be in an environment where you don’t have to feel this pressure.”

SCHOOL COMMUNITY CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY ON THE FIELD

Isley-McClure, along with every other staff member and student interviewed, was concerned about drug use and student safety on the football field.

Fighting and marijuana use were common on the field last school year, according to a teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, and multiple students, who asked the Hyattsville Life & Times (HL&T) not to use their names for privacy reasons.

The teacher and students said school security guards were unable to stop students from heading up to the field on a daily basis during school.

“A gang could probably come up from the back of the school, and you wouldn’t be sure, because the security guard wasn’t there,” said one student who graduated in May.

Mid-morning on Monday, April 25, shots were fired on the field, according to an HPD tweet.

Principal Murray said she can’t require administrators or teachers to go to the field because of concern for their safety. She said she does not have enough security officers to station one on the field at all times.

The HPD intervenes on Northwestern’s football field only when a crime, such as an assault, robbery, weapons violation or possession of larger amounts of marijuana, has been reported, Nemser said.

The department logged 22 crime reports on the Northwestern campus during the 2021-22 school year. County school data shows eight student arrests: three for assault, three for possession or use of a weapon, one for theft and one for a drug charge.

Arrest and HPD crime report numbers were similar in the two years prior to the pandemic, though both arrests and reported crimes had increased during the 2019-20 school year before schools were closed.

Nemser said it was difficult to determine whether non-students were involved in criminal activity on the field. “If there’s 150 people, and 25 aren’t supposed to be there, and everybody runs in every direction, we can’t confirm that a crime occurred.”

Nemser could not confirm reports that drugs were sold on the field last year. He said, however, “That wouldn’t surprise me whatsoever if somebody had some type of business operating up there.”

DISCIPLINARY SHIFT TO SUPPORTIVE INTERVENTION

Beginning with the 2019-20 school year, county schools CEO Monica Goldson directed schools to stop suspending students for some offenses, including disrespect, disruption, loitering and cutting class, according to Raven Hill, a county schools spokesperson. Schools also stopped reporting such incidents.

The move aimed to combat subjectivity and bias in discipline.

As a result, in 2021-22, the total number of student offenses reported at Northwestern went down to around 200, fewer than one-third of the 650 incidents recorded in 2017-18, according to data obtained by the HL&T. Hill said school staff were trained to address problems through restorative approaches, which include facilitated group conversations.

“In some cases, we have to get to the root cause of why the student is choosing to go to the field,” said Murray. “Once we’ve learned that root cause, we do provide wraparound services to the student to support them in reengaging with the building.”

Similarly, while the HPD has the authority to enforce truancy laws, officers prefer not to take that approach.

“The last thing we want to do is start charging a bunch of kids with trespassing or truancy or minor violations. We think there’s a way to get them back into school without going that far,” said Nemser.

NEW SECURITY EFFORTS

“This is something that we do have to get under control, and we will,” Murray said, speaking of the football field.

Administrators have been meeting about the problem, and are working to have fencing improved and repaired to prevent people from accessing the field from the back. The HPD has placed cameras on the field. County schools have reinstated lead investigators in high schools this year, according to a spokesperson. These districtemployed security officers, who have arrest powers and oversee all security personnel within schools, were staffed at lower levels last school year as part of an effort to reform the schoolto-prison pipeline.

NEWSPAPER NEWS: COMINGS, GOINGS

This month, we’re thrilled to welcome two brand new volunteer columnists: Imke Ahlf-Wien, with “Life & Times Locavore” (see p. 3), and Jessica Arends, with our new lifestyle column, “HyLife” (see p. 11).

Lauren Flynn Kelly, our longterm writer of “Secondhand News,” is moving out of town. Read all about it on p. 5. Kit Slack is stepping down as managing editor, following the publication of this September edition. We thank her for her two years and two months of service, and hope to take her up on her offer to continue to write for the newspaper as a volunteer.

Mary Frances Jiménez will also be stepping down this fall after two years of leading HyattsKIDS, a club of student reporters that has given us a kid’s-eye view on Hyattsville since the darkest days of the pandemic.

We thank Mary Frances, and all the HyattsKIDS, for bringing us this delightful page of the newspaper.

As children return to regularly scheduled schools and extracurriculars — and the city has expanded The Hyattsville Reporter to a full four pages — we do not anticipate continuing to publish HyattsKIDS.

This summer, we have welcomed Bette Dickerson from Hyattsville, Nora Eidelman from College Park, and Melanie Dzwonchyk and Joe Murchison from Laurel onto our board of directors.

We are sad to bid farewell to board member Reva Harris, a hard-working treasurer for several years, and Rosanna Landis Weaver, a longtime champion of the paper and former managing editor. Our board secretary, Emily Strab, is on a leave of absence while she campaigns for city council, and will step down if elected. Contact managingeditor@

hyattsvillelife.com if you are interested in applying for the managing editor position or volunteering with our news organization.

NHS GETS $50K GRANT FOR GREENHOUSE, OUTDOOR LEARNING

Northwestern High School won a $50,000 grant to replace their greenhouse climate control system and create an outdoor classroom and gardening education programs, according to Kari Rowe, the Northwestern teacher who wrote the grant.

Rowe is also Northwestern’s green school coordinator and a sponsor of the school’s eco club.

“I think we stood out because of the diversity of the population that we serve,” Rowe said.

Northwestern’s 2,313 students are 70% Hispanic and 26% Black. About 77% qualify for free or reduced price school meals.

Rowe said the grant will help Northwestern offer outdoor programming to students in the school’s food and nutrition class and to members of the eco club, along with children in day care at the school and those with special needs.

Rowe said the greenhouse was “installed 20-plus years ago when the school was rebuilt. … It was usable, but if it was really hot out, the vents and shading weren’t functioning automatically, and when it was really cold, the heater wasn’t turning on.”

The school began the process of making repairs this past January, but struggled to find a contractor. The local experts seem to be more acclimated to commercial work than to something as small as the school’s greenhouse, according to Rowe.

Northwestern got the maximum grant amount awarded in the first year of the Green Lab Grant program offered by the Exelon Foundation, which awarded a total of $1 million in grants in 2022.

To Family, Friends, & Loyal Customers of Lawson’s Pharmacy,

Nearly 40 years have passed since the Lawson family entrusted me with their pharmacy along with its rich tradition of service to the Hyattsville community. As difficult as that was for the Lawsons, it was even more painstaking for me to make the ultimate decision to sell. However, you will be glad to know that I am passing the pharmacy to a young couple, who I am certain will continue the nearly 100 year old legacy of the Lawson name.

It has been my utmost pleasure to serve the now four generations of customers that have passed through my door. I am so proud to have been embraced not only as your pharmacist, but also as a trusted friend. You have all been so loyal throughout the good times (as well as the tough times) and I always strived to match that loyalty with friendly, dedicated service.

I truly look at all of you as an extension of my family and I will treasure the memories of our time spent together forever.

I wish you all health and happiness.

Sincerely,

Richard Sabatelli aka Doc Lawson

Lawson and Sons on Baltimore Avenue circa 1950. The original building was in Cottage City and opened in the 1920’s.

Rich Sabatelli with Al ed Lawson

Current Lawson Pharmacy location on Hamilton Street, opened in 1962