10-2022 College Park Here & Now

Trader Joe’s to open this fall

By Alice Carlson

Trader Joe’s is coming to College Park this fall, offering students and residents a new grocery store option. Part of a national chain of more than 560 stores, the new Trader Joe’s will be the first of its kind in Prince George’s County. The store will occupy just under 15,000 square feet of the ground-floor retail space at the Aster apartment complex, located at 4400

Calvert Road, just west of Baltimore Avenue.

Terrapin Development Company (TDC), the real estate and economic development enterprise collaboratively formed by the University of Maryland (UMD) and the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, was instrumental in bringing Trader Joe’s to College Park.

According to Ken Ulman, TDC was formed “with a mission … to create a walkable, diverse,

Residents concerned redistricting will separate core neighborhoods

By Will Beltran

The College Park City Council’s ongoing redistricting debate continued at city hall on Oct. 5, with residents and councilmembers questioning the Redistricting Commission about their proposals.

The commission proposed five maps, each of which would separate the four core District 3 neighborhoods — Old Town, Calvert Hills, College Park Estates and Yarrow. The proposed maps would remove College Park Estates and Yarrow from District 3, and two of them would also remove Old Town from the district, as well.

District 3 resident Kathy Bryant has attended multiple redistricting meetings. She said she is concerned with the possibility of

her district being broken up.

“[The commission] kept saying ‘we follow the numbers,’ but it’s disregarding long term neighborhood connections that I feel are very important,” she said.

A consultant hired by the commission created 12 additional maps, two of which would move College Park Estates and Yarrow out of District 3 and into District 2. The commission did not include these maps in their initial presentation and made them available only after receiving requests from the public that they do so.

Bryant, who is president of the Old Town Civic Association, said she heard complaints from numerous residents about the commission’s ignoring the consultant’’s maps.

vibrant, university community that helps us attract and retain students, staff and faculty.” Ulman is TDC president and head of economic development at the university.

“For us to be able to manage all the density that we have, it's really important that we have amenities like grocery stores nearby and that benefits the environment [and] that benefits our quality of life. It's helpful in many ways”

Mayor Patrick Wojahn said.

Conveniently located, the new Trader Joe’s will be within walking distance for many residents. Ulman confirmed that the store will have customer parking, as well.

Ulman also noted that bringing Trader Joe’s to College Park sends a message to other retailers about opportunities in the city and surrounding community. “And so having a Trader Joe's do the work to understand the market is also opening up

other retailer’s eyes to say, ‘Oh, maybe I should think about bringing my concept to College Park,’” he said.

Trader Joe’s offers shoppers unique products, about 80% of which carry Trader Joe’s private brand labels. The stores, which stock seasonal offerings and a unique selection of frozen foods, aim to give shoppers not only products they love but a shopping experience that is fun, as well.

The College Park Trader Joe’s is due to open in October; as of press time, the date had not yet been announced.

ties

By Jessica Harden

Berwyn Day, hosted by the Berwyn District Civic Association (BDCA), was back in full swing for the first time since 2012, with everything from arts and crafts to lawn games. Lines snaked to tables for SEE BERWYN ON 11 

A cool breeze rustled the leaves on the trees while the aroma of grilled hamburgers and hotdogs wafted through Berwyn Neighborhood Park as residents celebrated on Sept. 24.

FROM WHERE I STAND

Photographing the Queen

By Kathy Bryant

As I watched Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, I was transported back to May 16, 1991, when I photographed Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip as they toured Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home near Alexandria, Va. I was hired to photograph them as the Queen unveiled a plaque dedicating the newly restored

wharf.

As the day dawned, I was extremely nervous — but thrilled beyond words — to photograph the Queen. I dressed up in a fashionable outfit, but wore Reeboks, so I would not fall when I walked backwards in front of them the 100 feet or so toward the wharf. I was the only person working that day cleared by the Secret Service and British

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

I am a regular reader of the College Park Here & Now and look forward to it every month. I am writing because I was disappointed in a recent article, “Neighborhood Association discusses two possible housing developments,” by Mathew Schumer. This article covered a presentation by a developer regarding two planned housing developments in an undeveloped, wooded area in North College Park.

Overall, the article quoted extensively from the developerpresenter, Mr. Tedesco. For example, Mr. Tedesco's lengthy comments about the developer’s efforts to address traffic access were quoted. However, the article gave few specifics of residents’ concerns voiced at the same presentation, such as the potential for flooding and access to public transportation. The article stated that Mr. Tedesco assured residents that removed trees would be replaced with new trees planted

elsewhere in College Park. I was at the meeting and was not reassured. In addition, the article misleads readers into thinking that the city's new tree ordinance applies to developers. It does not; county law does. I am concerned about the loss of College Park’s tree canopy for a development that benefits the developer at the expense of local residents and the environment. I am also concerned that the Here & Now prioritized covering developers over residents.

Sincerely,

Caroline Wick

Embassy to walk wherever I wanted.

Three of my photographs are on display at Mount Vernon, two in the Education Center and one at the wharf. All three belong to the Mount Vernon Ladies Association.

One might easily wonder how I was honored to receive such an incredibly important photography job; it fell into my lap through a series of fortunate

Nature phone app opens a whole new world

I’d like to thank Rick Borchelt for his recent article in the College Park Here & Now about the various phone apps for sharing nature observations.

I walk daily around town, mostly at Lake Artemesia and on the University of Maryland campus, and I've been taking photos of plants and animals on my walks for the past 10 years or so. Learning about the iNaturalist project (inaturalist.org/home), from Rick’s article, has really fired me up. In just the past few weeks, I've learned so much about plants and animals from sharing observations and commentary on the iNat website. It's exciting. Thanks again for pointing us to this resource and helping open my eyes to how much natural beauty surrounds us here in College Park.

Best,

Jeff Davis

connections. I was the photographer with National Colonial Farm in Accokeek, Md., which provides a bucolic and protected view from Mount Vernon across the Potomac River. Years earlier, I had met Neil Horstman, resident director of Mount Vernon. He helped me choose photographs for three exhibits at the site. As plans were being made for Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Mount

Vernon, he offered me the job. Years earlier, and coincidentally on my birthday, I was at the same University of Maryland football game that the Queen attended; my seat was on the 50-yard line, just several rows behind hers. Also coincidentally, my mother’s funeral occurred at the same time as Princess Diana’s. My sentimental ties to the British royal family run deep.

Kathy Bryant has won local, state and national awards for her journalism.

University students grapple with housing

By Auzinea Bacon

On Sept. 30, the University of Maryland (UMD) dedicated its newest residence for students, Johnson-Whittle Hall, in the university's newly constructed Heritage Community. The hall is named for Elaine Johnson Coates, the first African American woman to earn an undergraduate degree at the university, and Hiram Whittle, the first African American man admitted to the university, in 1951.

Johnson-Whittle Hall is evidence of the university’s TerrapinSTRONG initiative, which strives to uphold and celebrate the university’s traditions of inclusivity and diversity. The building joins two others in the Heritage Community: the Pyon-Chen residence hall and Yanhentamitsi Dining Hall. Johnson-Whittle Hall houses 450 students.

“I am thrilled to be a part of the university’s honor, recognition and promotion of diversity and inclusion,” Johnson Coates said at the dedication.

campus housing, a private room and bath may cost more than $12,500.

Students aren’t guaranteed on-campus housing after their freshman year, though, and off-campus housing is in high demand. The Nine and Tempo College Park opened this fall to offer more affordable student housing. Rents in Terrapin Row range from a low of around $1,300 to a high of $1,440, depending on size, degree of furnishing and amenities, whereas rents at either off-campus complex would range from $1,039 to $1,150.

While these complexes bill themselves as upscale, some residents question that claim. Sobechi Nwankwo, a junior microbiology major, has an apartment on the sixth floor of the Nine and said that the elevators are regularly broken. She also complained that the facility isn’t cleaned on a regular basis and that the trash rooms are frequently dirty.

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

Managing Editor Mark Goodson

mark@streetcarsuburbs.news

Associate Editor Nancy Welch nancy@streetcarsuburbs.news

Writers & Contributors

Auzinea Bacon, Kathy Bryant, Will Beltran, Rick Borchelt, Alice Carlson, Jessica Harden, Aanisah Husain, Fatema Hosseini, Lilly Howard, Caroline Wick, Jeff Davis, Paul Ruffins

Layout & Design Editors

Ashley Perks, Valerie Morris

Web Editor Jessica Burshtynskyy

Advertising

advertising@streetcarsuburbs.news

301.531.5234

Advertising Sales Manager

Miranda Goodson

Business Manager Catie Currie

Board of Directors

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

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 and the Institute for Nonprofit

Johnson-Whittle Hall offers amenities that are more similar to luxury apartments than most of the other residence halls on campus. Each floor has lounges and study spaces, laundry facilities, and bathrooms with private rooms for showers and toilets.

Housing prices at the university fluctuate, depending on the type of room, number of occupants and whether a unit has amenities — even what could be considered basic amenities like air conditioning. A double room at Johnson-Whittle costs about $9,000 this year. In other

Mia Lulli, a junior Spanish and psychology double major, said that Tempo didn’t live up to its billing, and that some promised furnishings weren’t provided at move-in. She also noted that the complex, which opened to residents this fall, was not fully ready for residents when she moved in.

Amenities, location and cost are all important factors as students consider living offcampus after their freshman year. The university understands that searching for housing can be complicated and offers tools to help students in this process, including a database listing available housing. For more information, go to ochdatabase.umd.edu

Residents need more voice for concerns on development

A look at the county’s ban on pit bulls

By Paul Ruffins

The Prince George’s County ban on owning pit bulls has been controversial since it was enacted more than a decade ago. In 2008, after several horrific attacks by dogs that were classed as pit bulls, the county council voted to ban three breeds: Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers and American pit bull terriers. These breeds, along with the American bully and the similar but larger American bulldog, are generally classed as pit bulls. The American bully and American bulldog were not specifically named in the county’s ban, though mixed-breed dogs that may have pit bulls’ typical physical characteristics were included.

The ban generated fierce resistance on the parts of pit bull owners who felt their pets had been unfairly maligned. Many local and national animal welfare organizations also opposed this kind of ban, which is known as breed-specific legislation (BSL). The Maryland Court of Appeals upheld the county’s ban after a 2012 challenge, characterizing pit bulls as “inherently dangerous” in the ruling. In 2019, a group of pit bull owners introduced a recall measure to the county council; the council rejected the measure in a 7-4 vote. There are widespread myths and misconceptions about pit bulls — that they have locking jaws, that they bite markedly harder than other breeds, that they’re inherently vicious. While the myths listed here don’t hold up under study or scrutiny, they persist and affect perceptions about these dogs. Some of these myths may be influenced by their breeding history. In the early 1800s in the United Kingdom, cross-breeding produced muscular, agile and tenacious dogs that were used for bull and bear baiting — and eventually for dog fighting in the U.K. and U.S. In 2007, Congress passed a law banning interstate activities related to dog fighting; that same year, Michael Vick, then an NFL quarterback, pleaded guilty to a single federal felony related to his involvement in a dog fighting ring operating out of a property he owned in Virginia. Much as myths about pit bulls persist, so do statistics that bear out some of the dangers these dogs may pose.

A 2015 article by surgeons who treat head

and neck injuries and published in the American Journal of Otolaryngology examined 334 incidents of dog bites that were treated in a Michigan hospital over an 18-month period, starting in January 2012. One-third of the bites were caused by pit bulls, and these bites required five times more surgical interventions such as stitches and skin grafts. The study also stated that pit bulls are more prone to aggression: “Unlike all other breeds, pit bull terriers were relatively more likely to attack an unknown individual, (+31%) and without provocation (+48%).”

A 2019 study presented in the International Journal of Pediatric Otolaryngology also concluded that pit bulls had a disproportionately high risk of causing serious injuries. The study did not address whether the documented biter knew its victim or if it was provoked. The study also allowed that some of the dogs who were documented biters were difficult to classify as a specific breed and may or may not have been pit bulls.

In September 2022 the county temporarily suspended enforcement of the county’s ban, pending the outcome of a class action lawsuit filed in federal court by Richard B. Rosenthal, an attorney who co-founded The Center for Animal Litigation. Rosenthal’s suit has strong support from a number of local pit bull owners, including county resident Caitrin Conroy. Conroy, who was appointed to the county’s animal control commission in July 2022, is also an active member of PB Proud (pbproud.com), an organization whose goals include that was formed with the goal of forcing the repeal of the county’s ban. An avowed pit bull enthusiast, she described her mission to the Here & Now: “My most important goal is to dispel the false myths that cause people to be irrationally prejudiced against these wonderful animals.”

Conroy may have a steep climb, though. While myths about pit bulls persist, these dogs were bred to bait and fight, and they inherently carry genetically-linked characteristics that may, under some circumstances, pose real and dangerous risks.

Paul Ruffins is a citizen scientist and professor of curiosity.

Community helps Afghan refugee families resettle

By Fatema Hosseini

It has been nearly six months since the University of Maryland (UMD) welcomed 25 Afghan families who, fearing persecution or worse, fled their home country and immigrated to the U.S. These families are now living in campus housing and have mentors who help them adjust to life in College Park.

“I love this place; it’s beautiful and people are kind,” said Madina Muhib, 13, whose 7-member Afghan family now lives at the university. Muhib speaks English well, and she’s set her sights on becoming a fashion designer or a doctor. Science comes easy, she said.

The university has been hosting the families through a partnership with the International Rescue Committee, which has been instrumental in helping them secure jobs, education

and the support of various social services. It has been more than a year since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban and thousands of Afghans fled, including individuals at high risk due to their positions as interpreters, drivers or other support for foreign militaries and organizations while the previous government was in power. Afghans make up the largest refugee population in the DMV.

Brian G. Gilmore is a senior lecturer in MLaw Programs, the university’s programming for undergraduate law students. The department has been supporting the Afghan families since their arrival in April 2022.

“There are various reasons people come to this country. Refugees come here for a better life; they come here to escape persecution and starvation,” he said.

MLaw Programs has scheduled events focusing on refugees and immigrants during the

fall semester. MLaw students are required to attend these events and volunteer to partner with families living on the campus.

“We have already learned a lot about refugees, and that’s what pretty much our entire program is based on. This is a chance for us to learn what’s going around in the world,” said Erin Lagervall, a freshman MLaw student.

Olivia Castelli, also a freshman MLaw student, spoke about her experience helping one of the refugee families. “We met with a family at a little apartment complex, and we were helping the mom pick school uniforms for her kids. We asked her about her kids’ age and sizes for the clothing; she was not speaking English, and we had to use [gestures]. It took a lot of patience,” said.

Although it can be difficult for refugees to adjust to life in the new country, kids often adjust

relatively easily and learn a new language as they engage with other students in school. And at UMD, they have mentors who help them with English.

Lagervall has made a point of playing sports with refugee kids, and she has been impressed by their ease with a new language. “Many kids surprisingly speak both English and their native language, which was really impressive. The kids speak English, but their parents don’t. It was really cool and exciting to see them smile,” she said.

While more than 76,000 Afghans have evacuated to the U.S. since August 2021, the U.S. is now preparing to welcome up to 100,000 refugees displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“The refugee issue is a big issue in our country, especially when it comes to treatment and reactions toward refugees and even minorities,” said Ayodotun Banjo, a senior MLaw student. “I think if there were more events like this everywhere, a lot of changes could happen. There’s a lot that we need to do to make [refugees] feel welcome and give them more resources so that they can have as many privileges as American citizens have.”

CONGRATULATIONS TO HYATTSVILLE NATIVE & JTCC ALUMNUS FRANCES TIAFOE

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACKIE HICKS

The refugee issue is a big issue in our country, especially when it comes to treatment and reactions toward refugees and even minorities.

... There’s a lot that we need to do to make [refugees] feel welcome and give them more resources so that they can have as many privileges as American citizens have.”

Ayodotun Banjo senior MLaw student

Resident Shelby Byrd embodies singer Audra McDonald in neighborhood concert

By Aanisah Husain

College Park resident Shelby Byrd performed her original program, “A My Name Is Audra,” on Sept. 18 as part of the College Park Arts Exchange’s (CPAE) Porch Play concert series. Byrd’s performance brought in an enthusiastic crowd of neighbors on a perfect fall afternoon in College Park Woods.

In her performance, Byrd explored the challenges of juggling “your art, your job and being a parent,” a story of her personal struggle that seemed to resonate with the audience. She named her piece for Audra McDonald, the Tony Award-winning actor and singer who is the only person to have won in all four of the award’s categories. Byrd admires McDonald and emulates her, in part because she thinks their voices are strikingly similar. “It’s a way to share and practice my craft, give back to the neighborhood, give back to the community and have some fun,” said Byrd, of her participation in the concert series.

Melissa Sites, CPAE executive director,

knew Byrd prior to the concert and was eager to promote her performance. The organization offered logistical and promotional support and loaned equipment to Byrd for the performance.

“[The arts exchange] is all about making people think about the possibilities

College Park Voter Guide

Dear College Park neighbors,

For the past four years, we have represented you in the Maryland legislature. We’ve done our best to help working and retired families and keep College Park a good place to live.

We’re running for re-election on the Democratic ticket along he with great nominees for federal, state, and county offices, listed here. We would appreciate your support.

Of particular importance to College Park is the School Board.

We and so many College Park leaders back Jenni Pompi, wife and mother of students at College park Academy and Roosevelt High School, as well as a former PTA President. She’ll work with College Park families to improve local schools. Finally, there are important county bond issues for roads, libraries, schools, and public safety, and changes to the state constitution and county charter. We support all of them.

If you have questions or would like to discuss any of the candidates or ballot questions, email 21stDistrictDelegation@gmail.com or call us at 240-712-4646.

Many thanks!

Ben, Jim, Mary, Joseline

Bonnie McClellan hosted the concert not on a porch but in front of her garage. She said that the concerts serve as a reminder that “life is good. That people care about one another … It also supports the arts. We all love music and are happy to support Shelby.”

McClellan truly enjoyed working with Byrd and described her as “easy, fun, exciting. She's very high energy. She's delightful." Byrd, who is from Arlington, Va., was an only child, and said this fed her love of the arts.

for the arts in their own neighborhood. Our job is to say yes,” Sites said. “We just want to put the message out there that anyone in College Park who has any idea that is related to the arts, and they just don’t know how to get started … contact us, and we will help make it fly.”

“I was my own playmate,” she said. “It was basically me and my imagination.” Byrd relied on that imagination, as well as her clear vocal abilities, to carry her through school and into performing. By day, she works in the University of Maryland’s human resources department; by night, she takes to the stage as often as she can.

“The arts is a crucial outlet for people who need to find their voice, who need to find their place, their talent, their will to pursue … and to find their strength and to find their community.”

Judge of the Orphans’ Court

Wendy Cartwright

Governor/ Lt. Gov.

Wes Moore and Aruna Miller Attorney General

County Council

Eric Olson – District 3

21st District Democratic Team Sample Ballot Comptroller

Mel Franklin and Calvin Hawkins – At Large

Jason DeLoach

Athena Malloy Groves Sheriff

John D.B. Carr

Anthony Brown

Brooke Lierman US Senator

Judge of the Circuit Court

Carol Ann Coderre

Jenni Pompi

STATE BALLOT QUESTIONS

US Representative

Glenn Ivey

Chris Van Hollen State Senator

Jim Rosapepe

House of Delegates

Ben Barnes

Mary A. Lehman

Joseline Peña-Melnyk

County Executive

Angela Alsobrooks

Judge Court of Special Appeals At Large

Stuart Berger and

Terrence Zic – Yes For Continuance in Office

State’s Attorney

Aisha Braveboy

Clerk of the Circuit Court

Mahasin El Amin

Register of Wills

Cereta A. Lee

1. Renames Maryland Court of Appeals - FOR

2. Residency requirements for legislators - FOR

3. Jury trial/civil cases - FOR

4. Legalizes adult use of marijuana - FOR

5. Howard County Orphans Court - FOR COUNTY BOND ISSUES

Questions

Questions

Shelby Byrd performs in College Park Woods on Sept. 18. AANISAH HUSAIN

Be an informed voter on Election Day, Nov. 8

By Joe Murchison

This fall, College Park voters will help elect a new governor for the first time in eight years — possibly the state’s first African American governor — and will help decide whether recreational marijuana use is legalized. There are numerous other federal, state and county races on the ballot, although an unusual number of candidates are unopposed.

The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 18. To register, order a mail-in ballot or verify your polling place, go to princegeorgescountymd.gov/559/Board-of-Eections.

Early voting runs from Oct. 27 to Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the College Park Community Center, 5051 Pierce Avenue. There also is a drop-off box at that location for mail-in ballots. General Election Day is Nov. 8. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The following information is taken from candidates’ websites:

GOVERNOR-LT. GOVERNOR

Republican Dan Cox is a lawyer and state delegate. He pledges to end vaccine and mask mandates, stop race and transgender indoctrination in schools, support police, lower taxes and ensure election security. His running mate is Gordana Schifanelli.

Democrat Wes Moore is an Army veteran, author and national nonprofit executive. He pledges to work for world-class public schools, increase health-care access, advocate for equity and social justice, develop clean energy and protect reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights. His running mate is Aruna Miller.

COMPTROLLER

Republican Barry Glassman is a former Harford County executive and state senator. He touts his governmental experience and pledges efficiency and opposition to new taxes.

Democrat Brooke Lierman is a civil and disability rights attorney and state delegate. She vows to lend support to small businesses, save money on state procurements, address the state’s racial wealth gap and protect the state employees’ pension system.

GENERAL ATTORNEY

Democrat Anthony Brown is a congressman and former lieutenant governor. He pledges to expand voter access, legalize cannabis, protect reproductive rights and limit gun violence.

Republican Michael Peroutka is a lawyer and former Anne Arundel County councilman. He pledges to prosecute public officials who illegally limit citizens’ freedoms, protect gun rights, oppose abortion, restore election integrity and fight illegal immigration.

U.S. SENATOR

Republican Chris Chaffee is the owner of a building and contracting business. He pledges to work for smaller and more efficient government, strengthen the military and defeat ISIS, cut off the entry of refugees pending better vetting, protect gun rights, eliminate the Affordable Care Act and get government out of education.

Democrat Chris Van Hollen is an attorney and incumbent U.S. senator who previously served in the Maryland General Assembly and U.S. House of Representatives. His priorities include improving the state’s infrastructure, protecting the Chesapeake Bay, improving schools, preventing gun violence, increasing access to health care and making the economy more inclusive.

CONGRESS – DISTRICT 4

Democrat Glenn Ivey is an attorney, former congressional staffer and former Prince George’s County state’s attorney. He pledges to work for well-paying jobs, a more equitable economy, access to affordable health care, and housing and criminal justice reform.

Republican Jeff Warner is a church pastor. He pledges to work for lower inflation and lower taxes, job growth, crime reduction, school choice and renewing the nation’s spiritual heritage.

STATE SENATE – DISTRICT 21

Republican Lee Havis is a former college professor and founder and director of the International Montessori Society. He vows to assure election integrity, promote school choice, reduce regulation, combat illegal immigration, support strict enforcement of laws and increase freedom to choose health care.

Democrat Jim Rosapepe is incumbent state senator and former U.S. ambassador to Romania. His priorities include working for better schools, more affordable college, safer streets and more jobs in the community.

UNOPPOSED

The following candidates are unopposed:

State House of Delegates – District 21

Ben Barnes

Mary Lehman

Joseline Peña-Melnyk

Prince George’s County Executive

Angela Alsobrooks

Prince George’s County Council – At Large (Elect two)

Mel Franklin

Calvin Hawkins

Prince George’s County Council – Dist. 1

Tom Dernoga

Circuit Court Judge – Circuit 7

Carol Ann Coderre

Judges, Court of Special Appeals At Large (Elect two)

Stuart Berger

Terrence Zic

State’s Attorney

Aisha Braveboy

Clerk of Circuit Court

Mahasin El Amin

Register of Wills

Cereta Lee

Judge of Orphans’ Court (Elect three)

Wendy Alise Cartwright

Jason DeLoach

Athena Malloy Groves

Sheriff John Carr

COLLEGE PARK POST

College Park Day Returns on Saturday, October 15

Celebrate the community with free fun and activities for all ages; event from 12 to 6 pm at the College Park Aviation Museum

Join us for College Park Day on Saturday, October 15th from 12:00 to 6:00 pm at the College Park Museum and Airport (1985 Corporal Scott Dr. College Park, MD 20740)! This annual festival will have free activities and entertainment for all ages. Hosted by the City of College Park, this annual event celebrates community.

Live entertainment on two stages will feature a variety of music and kids’ performers. You will hear everything from rock to reggae to cajun brass bands on the main stage. Be there to hear the Wild Anacostias, East River Band, Groovalicious, and Monsoon S.T.O.R.M. perform live! Check out the family stage for familycentered performances by Sense of Wonder, the Great Zucchini, and Barry Louis Polisar.

The day’s other special guests include clowns, mimes, jugglers, stilt walkers, and face painters. There will also be a climb wall, bounce houses, inflatable obstacle

course, dunk tank, pumpkin painting, and axe throwing for adults. Aviation enthusiasts of all ages will enjoy browsing the airport museum’s extensive exhibits and helicopter fly-in. Young aviators can even test their flying skills in the paper airplane competition!

College Park Day not only brings one-of-a-kind experiences but also unique eats. Food vendors this year highlight the diverse offerings of local restaurants. Check out eats from Taim Mediterranean Kitchen, Big D’s Wings, Kodi’s Grill, Mr. Magic, Taqueria Habanero, Bills Backyard BBQ, Amity Kitchen, Cocineros, Cakelady Deserts, Tatak Al-Pinoy, and Turtle’s Tasty Treats. Beer provided by Denizens and Franklin’s Breweries will also be available for adults.

You can also connect with the College Park community on College Park Day! Visit one of our community exhibitors during the event.

Like College Park, this event has

something for everyone. Don’t miss the chance to connect with your community and have fun! Free parking available nearby including at the College Park-UMD metro garage. Bike racks available for those utilizing nearby paths. Find more information including performance schedules, parking information, directions, and more at www.collegeparkday.org.

OCTOBER CLEANUP SATURDAYS AND SHREDDING EVENT

October 22, 2022 - 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Location: Public Works, 9217 51st Avenue, College Park

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.

Bulk trash brought to DPW on cleanup days does not count toward bulk trash limits, nor are any fees applied for appliances, televisions, or monitors. There is a $4 fee for all tires.

PUBLIC WORKS DOES NOT ACCEPT: Brick, concrete, rock, propane tanks, hazardous materials such automotive batteries, ammunition, automotive fluids/fuels, cleaning agents, cooking oil, mercury, insecticide/herbicide, fertilizer, oil -based paints, pool chemicals, photographic chemicals, roof shingles, smoke detectors, solvents, sealants, varnishes and stains.

FREE WOOD MULCH ON CLEANUP SATURDAYS!

College Park residents can get up to 5-cubic yards of wood mulch per cleanup day for FREE!

We can load open bed trucks or trailers, or you can dig your own smaller amount (bring a shovel, and containers and wear sturdy footwear).

Free wood mulch is only available during the two cleanup Saturday events, and you must be a resident of the City of College Park and bring proof of City residency to get material for free.

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 $80, limited number available

• Compost Bins $20 resident, $40 non resident

• Yard Waste Carts $30, residency required

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

• Smartleaf Compost $28 a cubic yard

• Wood Mulch $12 a cubic yard (Free during event for College Park residents)

• Household batteries for recycling – limit 6 This 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 – limit 4. 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). No packing peanuts, cups or plates.

Upcoming City Events

Details & Calendar at www.collegeparkmd.gov

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNITY MEETINGS

Monday, October 10th at 7:30 p.m., zoom.us/j/96168994626

October 9-15 is National Fire Prevention Week. This year will focus on the need to prevent fires ,and escape quickly if one occurs. The theme is “Fire Won’t Wait, Plan Your Escape”

The City’s October community public safety Zoom meeting will feature public fire safety educator Ms. Teresa Crisman, Director of Public Affairs, Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office. Ms. Crisman will present life saving information about fire prevention, and escape from home fires.

COLLEGE PARK DAY

Saturday, October 15 from 12-6pm College Park Aviation Museum

Get ready for the City of College Park’s signature event! This fun-filled day include unique activities, exhibitors, vendors, food, drinks, and sweets. There will be entertainment available for all ages. To check out featured preformers and ctivites, visit www. collegeparkday.org

GHOSTLY GATHERING AND MOVIE NIGHT

Friday, October 28, 5:00 - 8:30pm

Join us for a fun-filled night celebrating Halloween - No need to be afraid! We’ll be screening the original Ghostbusters movie when it gets dark enough (around 6:30PM), so bring blankets or a chair to sit in. Before then, we will have a bounce house, an insect petting zoo, apple cider and treats, plus some tricks as well!

We will be awarding best costume prizes for individuals and families, so come dressed!

PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST

October 10 - 31

Let’s give College Park PUMPKIN to talk about with the City of COLLEGE PARK Pumpkin Carving Challenge! Residents have from Oct.10 through Oct. 31st to carve their best Jack-O-Lanterns and submit their entries online. To make a submission, take two photos of your work, one while it’s being carved with all your helpers in the photos and the other when your creation is finished and submit it to www.collegeparkmd. gov/pumpkincarving2022.

We will post our favorites on the City’s Facebook account and website, and will be awarding 1st place prizes to our favorites! Make sure to like your favorites!

VETERANS DAY OBSERVANCE

The City of College Park will celebrate Veterans Day to honor all veterans who have served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, both in times of war and peace. Join us at the Veterans Memorial in College Park on November 11 to celebrate the men and women who dedicated themselves to serving our country.

GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY

November 12, 8:30 am - 12:00 pm

Good Neighbor Day is a collaborative partnership between the University of Maryland, the City of College Park, and the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC).

Registration has opened. Register now at goodneighborday.umd. edu.

Curbside Food Scrap Collection

Divert food scraps from local landfills

The City of College Park is rolling out a new curbside food scrap collection program this fall!

According to the EPA, nearly 24% of trash that is collected contains food scraps that can be composted. Diverting food scraps from the trash will reduce harmful greenhouse gases emitted from organic decomposition in landfills.

If your household currently receives curbside trash and recycling collection with the City of College Park, then you are eligible to participate. There is no fee for collection, but residents must contribute 50% of cost for collection container and all material must be placed in a costshare container. Food scraps must be put in compostable bags, before

placing in collection container - no plastic bags allowed

HOW DO I SIGN UP?

Residents can sign up online and choose container(s) (resident contributes 50% of container cost). Participants are required to select either a 12-gallon wheeled cart, or a 5-gallon bucket. You can also choose to purchase a small kitchen pail to store food scraps inside your home. Must use only compostable bags, and place only accepted items in the container. Households can register by filling out the online form at collegeparkmd.gov/ CurbsideCollectionApp.

For more information, call 240-4873590 or visit www.collegeparkmd. gov/foodscraps.

City Website in Other Languages

How to Access City information in more than 100 languages

We are One College Park, a welcoming and inclusive home for all. All City news, events, notices, information, and more can be found on our website at www. collegeparkmd.gov. Our website can be accessed in more than 100 languages; just look for the “Select Language” button on the bottom right corner and select the language you need information in!

Somos “One College Park” (College Park Unido), un hogar acogedor e inclusivo para todos. Todas las noticias de la ciudad, eventos, avisos, información y mucho más se puede encontrar en nuestro sitio web en www.collegeparkmd.gov.

Se puede acceder a nuestro sitio web en más de 100 idiomas. Sólo tiene que buscar el botón “Select Language” en la esquina inferior derecha y seleccionar el idioma en el que necesita la información.

City Announcements

More information: www.collegeparkmd.gov

COMMUNITY SURVEY

The City has is partnering with ETC Institute to conduct a comprehensive community survey. This upcoming City of College Park Community Survey will measure residents’ attitudes and opinions on City services like refuse and recycling collection, City facilities and parks, City events, and economic development. This will be the third scientifically representative survey conducted in the City of College Park.

A randomly selected sample of College Park residents will receive postcards from the City notifying them of their selection in the survey process. Mailed paper surveys will arrive later in the month, with a City cover letter and instructions to complete and return the survey. Responses are anonymous. The mailed paper survey will be in English, but a Spanish version of the survey will be available online for the selected respondents. Participation in the survey is very important. The results will help City officials better serve the College Park community, so please complete the survey if your household is selected. Help us shape the future of College Park!

For any questions about the 2022 City of College Park Community Survey, please call 240-487-3501 or email cpcommunications@ collegeparkmd.gov. Stay tuned to the City’s website, facebook and twitter pages for up-to-date news and information.

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month! By increasing public knowledge about the importace of early detection of breat cancer and regular mammograms, we can all join in the fight to eradicate this disease.

ELECTRONICS DROP OFF LOCATION

City residents can bring electronics for recycling to the drop off box near the entrance of the front doors to Davis Hall. No more than 3 items can be disposed of at no cost.

• Accepted: TVs, monitors, mouse pointers, keyboards, microwaves, gaming systems,

computers, hard drives, cell phones, printers, laptops, surge protectors, copiers, fax machines, telephone systems, cable, circuit boards, and toner cartridges.

• Not Accepted: Light bulbs (CFL or Tubes) or batteries of any kind.

ANIMAL FOSTERS

If you have room in your heart and home for a neglected animal, become a foster for the City! For foster requirements and to apply, visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/ FosterApp.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month! Symbolized by the color purple, the month advocates for the elimination of relationship violence. City Hall, the Department of Public Works, and the Youth and Family Services buildings will be lit up in purple lights to raise awareness.

Many people suffer psychological, emotional, and economic stress in abusive relationships and need counseling and support. If you or someone you know is a victim or survivor of domestic violence, find assistance and resources at:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1 (800) 799-SAFE (7233)

• National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline: 866-331-9474

• Care to Stop Violence at UMD

THE CITY IS HIRING!

The City is seeking a part-time Contract Secretary to attend, record, and prepare minutes for evening Advisory Board meetings. This position requires a reliable person with strong grammar and secretarial skills to prepare a summary of the proceedings, make approved revisions, and provide a final set of minutes in a timely manner. This assignment does not require word-for-word reporting. Contract rate is $22.00 per hour, with a guaranteed minimum of two hours per meeting, plus payment for preparation of minutes at $11.00 per half-hour. Submit cover letter and resume to cityclerkoffice@ collegeparkmd.gov. To browse other vacancies, visit www. collegeparkmd.applicantpool. com/jobs.

Protecting Our Tree Canopy

Ordinance 21-O-09

Trees are a vital part of our ecosystem. Ordinance 21-O-09 requires an application to be submitted for approval to obtain a permit to remove or prune a tree on residential land. The City has already begun working with developers and organizations to stem the loss from construction or projects through replacement trees and other methods.

If a property owner wants to remove or prune more than 20% of live branches or wood from a tree that is greater than 36 inches in circumference (measured at 4.5 feet above ground level), they will need to submit a Tree Removal and Pruning Permit application to the Department of Public Works prior to beginning planned tree work.

A requirement of the tree removal/ pruning permit is that urban tree(s) approved for removal are replaced.

The ordinance was enacted to limit the removal of healthy, mature trees as a measure to maintain the City’s tree canopy. The Tree and Landscape Board and City Council held numerous public meetings and incorporated changes to address many concerns and suggestions from residents.

Residents, property owners, and tree and landscape companies may have many questions about this new permitting process.

For details, FAQs, and application, visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/315/ Trees.

featuring a Bounce house, insect pe ing zoo, trick or treat bags, popcorn, cookies, & apple cider!

I ain’t afraid of no ghosts!

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

SAVE THE DATE

College Park Community Library Book Club. The library’s book club will discuss Violin: A Novel, by Anne Rice, on Oct. 13, and Murder at the Vicarage, by Agatha Christie, on Nov. 10. The group meets at 7:00 p.m. If weather permits, the group meets outdoors. In case of inclement weather, participants meet in the lower level of the church with masks and social distancing required. College Park Church of the Nazarene, 9704 Rhode Island Ave. For more information, email Carol Munn at donkinc@msn.com

Virtual Book Club. The College Park Arts Exchange invites you to discuss The Haunting of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story, by Kate Summerscale, on Oct. 18, and Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets, by Svetlana Alexievich on Nov. 15. Free. 7 to 8:30 p.m. RSVP by emailing info@cpae.org

Belly Dance Concert. The College Park Arts Exchange presents a belly dance performance at the Old Parish House on Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. Free. Visit cpae.org for more information.

College Park Day. The College Park Aviation Museum celebrates the city with its annual College Park Day on Saturday, Oct. 15. Noon to 6 p.m. 1909 Corporal Frank Scott Dr. For the latest information, go to collegeparkday.wordpress. com

Learn Brazilian Drumming. The College Park Arts Exchange is hosting drumming classes at the Old Parish House on Oct. 22, and Nov. 5 and 19, from 2 to 5 p.m. Free. 4711 Knox Rd. For more information, email info@cpae.org

How Streetcars Built Our Route 1 Communities. Route 1 Corridor Conversations will host Eric Madison, from the National Capital Trolley Museum, to examine how streetcars developed along the Route 1 Corridor. Free. October 22 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. To register, go to hyattsvilleaginginplace.org and click on Programs and Activities.

Tiny Band Concert. A trio of local musicians will be performing the original songs from band member John Synk. Free. October 23 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Windsock Winedown: Haunted Hanger. Celebrate Halloween at the College Park Aviation Museum on Oct. 26. Enjoy seasonal cocktails and mocktails while listening to some of the airport’s haunted tales. $20 ticket includes one free drink and a meal. For more information, contact jamie. jones@pgparks.com

Paint Branch Creek Concert. Local band will play two free shows at the Old Parish House. Oct 28 and 29, 7 p.m.

ONGOING

Community Meals. Each Tuesday and Thursday, the College Park United Methodist Church’s volunteers cook healthy and delicious meals for all who are interested. You can reserve meals in advance and also donate a meal. For every meal donated, the church gives a meal to a family in need. Pick up reserved meals at 9601 Rhode Island Ave., between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 301.345.1010

Saturday Tap Dance Workshops. Free virtual tap workshop with instructor Elizabeth Gardner every Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. For more information and to register, email info@cpae.org

Ballet Classes for Children. Berwyn Ballet School offers classes this fall in creative dance (ages 3-6) and primary dance (ages 5-7). For registration and fees, go to berwynballetschool.com

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

Berwyn Bonfire. The Berwyn District Civic Association’s annual bonfire will start at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29, at the Berwyn Neighborhood Park.

How Music Can Save Our Brains. Route 1 Corridor Conversations hosts UMD professor Dr. Robert Slevic in a discussion of the cognitive processes involved in language and music. Free. November 12 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. To register, go to hyattsvilleaginginplace.org and click on Programs and Activities.

St. Martin’s Day Lantern Festival. Make a German paper lantern and then take a walk with it at twilight. Free. Nov. 13, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 5412 College Ave.

Santa Flies In! Watch Santa land at the College Park Aviation Museum on Dec.

3. Themed craft stations and photos with Santa.

Admission $5 per person. Time to be announced. To register for photos and for more information, email Jamie.Jones@pgparks.com

Produce Available Every Third Thursday. Sponsored by Community Connect Calvert Hills. Make your reservation by emailing your contact information (your name, street address, email and phone) to connectporfavor@gmail. com at least one day in advance of distribution. You can register for a duplicate order and share with others in need. Deliveries available to homebound residents. Pickups between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at a central location. For more information, or to volunteer to deliver, call 301.864.5267

UMD recruiting for paid survey. Do you live or work in Prince George’s County and identify as Latinx? The University of Maryland wants to hear from you. Participate in a 1 to 1.5 hour interview for $50, with other perks included. Virtual or inperson interview in Spanish or English (your choice). For more information, call 301.405.0662 or email rare@ umd.edu

Wellness and Meditation. The University of Maryland’s health center offers a range of programs focused on improving health and well-being, including sessions on time management, interpersonal communications and meditation. For more information, visit calendar. umd.edu

Friday Dance Workshops. Join instructor Karen Stewart, of Jessie’s Soul Line Dancers, every Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. for step-bystep instruction and dance along to soul, gospel and pop music. For more information, go to cpae.org

College Park Aviation Museum. Saturdays at the museum feature a host of programs about aviation — planes, pilots and more. For details, visit mncppc.org/ calendar

College Park Farmers Market at Paint Branch Parkway. Farm stands, local vendors and more. Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. 5211 Campus Dr.

Hollywood Farmers Market. Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Hollywood Shopping Center.

College Park Community Library Story Time. Story time with Micki Freeny every Wednesday from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. If weather permits, gather on the church’s front lawn. If weather forces the event indoors, the library will require masks and respect social distancing. The library will follow Prince George’s County Public Schools for weather-related closures. College Park Church of the Nazarene, 9704 Rhode Island Ave.

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

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

Berwyn District Civic Association. BDCA’s monthly meeting will be on Oct. 20 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 NCPCA will meet on Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit myncpca. org

Lakeland Civic Association. Next virtual meeting is Oct. 13 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. For login 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 meeting is at 7 p.m. on Nov. 30. For more information, go to calverthills.weebly. com or email the board at calverthillscitizensassn@ gmail.com

Food bank holds fundraiser at The Clarice

By Aanisah Husain

Sept. 18 marked the College Park Community Food Bank’s (CPCFB) first benefit recital, which was presented by the University of Maryland’s School of Music and held at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. Graduate fellowship ensembles from the school, including Terrapin Brass, Thalea String Quartet and the IGNIS Woodwind Quintet, participated in the benefit.

Mark Garrett, CPCFB president, welcomed the audience. “You’re here. You obviously care about this community — and listening to good music as well,” he said.

Nathaniel Wolff, oboist with the IGNIS Woodwind Quintet, appreciated the opportunity to perform and support the food bank.

“[The recital] seemed like a project that really [aligned with] our values and our mission statements of wanting to use music to give back to the community and increase access to music,” he said.

“Music is a form of community building and building a community between those two audiences was really rewarding,” he added, noting that the audience included individuals who came to support the food bank and others who came for the classical music.

CPCFB, which started in 2008 as a ministry of the College Park Church of the Nazarene, became an independent nonprofit in 2021.

“As a ministry of the church and even as an independent nonprofit, it has always been

our mission to be a community food bank, not just be something that’s run by a church,” Garrett said.

With the urging of both the city and county, the food bank stepped up from monthly to weekly distributions during the pandemic to address the community’s increased needs. The food bank now serves an average of 300 families every week. CPCFB is a donation-funded nonprofit, and events like the benefit recital have an impor-

tant place in the organization’s ability to serve the community.

“What this benefit concert will do is it allows us to continue to fund a mission that we care very, very dearly about — feeding people, helping people,” Garrett said. “They can pay their bills, have enough gas to get back and forth to school and to work, wherever else, but they need just a little bit extra when it comes to the end of the month or helping them have a little bit more stability.”

In his speech, Garrett talked about the poverty rate in College Park; according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the rate is just above 25%, whereas the rate for the state is just under 10%. Garrett emphasized that “[ statistics] are more than numbers; they’re people.”

Garrett shared an anecdote of a 77-year-old Haitian woman who uses her food bank groceries to provide meals to her neighborhood. According to Garrett , the woman said her house is full every Saturday because of the initiative she has taken to help her community.

She believes that “if all of us were more generous, we could make this world a better place.”

“We are very grateful for the community that has partnered with us and continues to partner with us to keep this mission of ours moving forward,” said Garrett.

Garrett added that he hopes to continue helping the local College Park community. “Hunger is not just an individual problem; it’s a community problem.”

A number of other city initiatives, including Giving Tuesday and Good Neighbor Day, support the food bank, too. This year, Good Neighbor Day will take place on Nov. 12. To donate directly to the food bank, go to collegeparkfoodbank.com/donate.

Terrapin Brass members Emerson Paul Miller (left) and Eusung Choe perform at the benefit recital on Sept. 18. AANISAH HUSAIN

COLLEGE PARK WILD

Welcome to Arachtober!

By Rick Borchelt

For most people, when their mind turns to spiders, they see images of horror, like Shelob in the “Lord of the Rings” movies and Aragog in the “Harry Potter” franchise. Or they imagine the cloyingly cute (but anatomically incorrect) Charlotte and her heroic antics to save Wilbur the pig from slaughter.

Autumn, however, is the best time of year to see some of our Maryland spiders up close and personal without the dramatic special effects. For us spider enthusiasts, we have another name for the month: Arachtober, in honor of the Order Arachnida, which includes spiders and their kin!

One of the reasons spiders are so prominent right now is because many of what we think of as typical spiders — the ones who make the beautiful, symmetrical, orb-shaped webs — are maturing, and we can see their webs hanging across shed doors, under porch lights, and over garden or forest paths. Spider webs like these have but one purpose: They are traps, usually for insects.

Each web can contain more than 150 linear feet of spider silk, a protein strand extruded through special glands called spinnerets on the underside of the spider’s belly, glands that add sticky glue to the thread as it plays out. The spiral webs themselves aren’t sticky until the glue is laid on, and a spider keeps some of the main guy lines on the web dry so she doesn’t get caught in her own web.

Most of these big webs — some can be 6 or 8 feet across — are tenanted by a single female spider. For the orbweavers, there’s a great size difference between the male and female; male orbweavers can be less than a tenth the size of the female. This puts him at a serious disadvantage — and in danger of being eaten — when he approaches her on her web to mate. Each orbweaver species has a special courtship signal that the male makes by plucking the strings of the female’s web in a very choreographed way; if he doesn’t do it right, or she’s just not in the mood for it, he’s a snack. If all goes well, though, they’ll mate, and before frost, she’ll deposit dozens or even hundreds of eggs in a leathery silk sack; the eggs will then hatch in the spring. If he wasn’t eaten in the process, the male spider dies shortly after mating; the female spider will also die when her egg laying is done.

A lot of orbweavers are only active at night, hiding in a door jamb or leaf tangle near the web during the day. If the web is damaged by rain or a blundering human, the female will usually simply re-ingest the entire web and start over. Protein like this is very precious and metabolically expensive to make, so eating her web to spin

it again makes a lot of sense. At the same time, she’s also swallowing a lot of small gnats, midges and even nutritious pollen grains stuck in the viscous web that were too tiny for her to pounce on and eat the way she does moths and larger flies.

Orbweavers are only one of the many kinds of Maryland spiders. Some studies put the number of spiders in a meadow or hay field at more than one million per acre. Many of these are hunters who don’t spin webs to catch prey, including wolf spiders and jumping spiders that ambush or chase down their victims.

Some spiders build other kinds of webs: Indeed, you can see hundreds of sheet-like webs from funnel weavers and grass spiders in the early morning dew on grassy areas. You’ll typically find the messy tangled webs of house spiders and black widows in dark corners of your garage or basement.

One kind of spider in our area earns the name bolas spider because it spins a sticky silk ball, imbues it with the fake scent of female moths and then slings the ball at male moths who come to investigate.

One web you will not see is that of the Joro spider (Trichonephila clavata), an Asian native now making itself at home

in the southern Gulf states. This spider is large, but not much larger than our common yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia). Even if Joro spiders became established here (which is very unlikely, given our cold winters) they would be harmless, also like the yellow garden spider — to us, anyway. They are only interested in insect prey.

News accounts over the summer predicting hordes of Joro spiders blanketing East Coast suburbia

under their webs were simply nonsense. But as Charlotte famously says to Wilbur, “People are very gullible. They’ll believe anything they see in print.” Or on the web!

Have questions for Rick about the world of nature in and around the city, or suggestions for future College Park Wild columns? Drop him a note at rborchelt@gmail.com.

Our largest orbweaver, the yellow garden spider, can be up to 3 inches across if you count her leg span. RICK BORCHELT

Prince George’s Audubon Society celebrates ‘the coolest thing in the world’

By Lilly Howard

Nature lovers flocked to Lake Artemesia on Sept. 24 to celebrate both the Prince George’s Audubon Society’s (PGAS) 50th anniversary and migration season, the time of year when many birds are heading south. Ginger Deason, a PGAS volunteer supporting the event, said she thinks “migration is the coolest thing in the world.” PGAS, which is headquartered in Bowie, was established in 1972 and is the local chapter of the National Audubon Society.

PGAS Director Teresa Watson said “I’ve been walking this park for decades. … I was bird watching in 2009 with binoculars and met one of the most wonderful and welcoming groups of birders.” Following that chance encounter, Watson joined the chapter

and said she values being part of the organization. “[I] learn so much from spending time with them,” she said.

Kenneth Cohen, president of the chapter, noted that Maryland is “an area rich in conservation science … the level of involvement and commitment in this area is just tremendous.”

He also stressed the chapter’s need for new and younger members and urged young people to educate themselves about birds and the importance of habitat conservation. “The toughest thing is to get more young people active. We need their help to spread the word on social media in order to publicize Prince George’s Audubon Society’s bird walks, talks and monthly meetings,” he said.

Cohen, who hails from Buffalo, noted that the Chesapeake Bay watershed is home to many bird species and is also

an important way station for migratory birds. Since moving to Maryland, he has added many new species to his bird life list.

Paula McNeil is a professional bird trainer with the Watkins Youth Birding Club, which is sponsored by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. McNeil offered a birds-of-prey presentation featuring a broad winged hawk, a barred owl and a red tailed hawk at the event. McNeil uses her expertise as a bird trainer to engage youth in educational activities about birds.

The College Park Aviation Museum participated in the event, as well, highlighting connections between birds and humankind’s passion for flight. Peter Roustson, an educator with the museum, appreciated the parallels. “The Wright Brothers took a lot from the animal kingdom. … We built planes like birds because their principal operations connect,” he noted.

Lisa Garrett, PGAS vice president and coordinator of the event, has been a naturalist for 20 years and tags monarch butterflies to track their migration.

In addition to offering a comprehensive range of educational resources about birds, PGAS has an active program staffed by about 50 volunteers to help homeowners create bird-friendly habitats. The program launched in 2021 and has already supported about 200 homeowners. Karin French, a native habitat advisor with the program, advises homeowners who are just starting out.

“People are interested but don’t know where to start … if you don’t have plants, you don’t have birds, because there is no food,” she said.

Prince George’s Audubon Society hosts monthly walks at Lake Artemesia and at two locations in Bowie, the Fran Uhler Natural Area and the Governor Bridge Natural Area. For more information about PGAS, go to pgaudubon.org, and for information about Audubon’s habitat program for homeowners, email audubonwildlifehabitat@gmail.com.

College Park Day returns Oct. 15

By Auzinea Bacon

After a 2-year hiatus, College Park Day, the city’s signature celebration, is returning on Oct. 15. Festivities take off at noon at the College Park Airport and aviation museum, with about 150 organizations — food vendors and merchants, live entertainment and more — participating in the event.

The city’s biggest celebration launched more than a decade ago, and after being on hold, due to the pandemic, is celebrating its 10th installment this year. Councilmember Denise Mitchell (District 4) recalled for the Here & Now that College Park Day grew out of discussions among Councilmember Fazlul Kabir (District 1), Mayor Patrick Wojahn and a small group of residents. Some 8,000 residents are expected at this year’s event.

An assortment of local food vendors — Cocineros, Taqueria Habanero, Taim, Denizens Brewing Co., Big D’s Wings and more — will offer a taste of the town. The grounds will be hopping with entertainment, as well. Gymkana, a gymnastic and acrobatics troupe at the University of Maryland, will perform throughout the day. The Wild Anacostias, East River Band, Groovalicious and Monsoon & S.T.O.R.M. Reggae Band will perform on the main stage.The Great Zucchini Magic Show will perform on the family stage, where two rounds of The Great Paper Airplane Competition will also take place — one for 6 to 7 year olds and another for 8 to 11 year olds.

The Wild Anacostias, a Louisiana-style party band, will liven up things with their traditional New Orleans and Cajun style music, and Groovalicious, a ‘70s dance and disco revival band, will fill in with funk. Band leader Shawn Sharifi is ready to celebrate the city: “We can’t wait to bring our boogy to College Park Day,” he grinned. There should be something for just about everyone at the College Park Day celebration — even the College Park Here & Now, will have a table at the event. Come on out and meet the editors and contributors who bring you the paper each month and play a game of city trivia with us!

Paula McNeil from Watkins Youth Birding Club showing visitors at Lake Artemesia a broad winged hawk. COURTESY OF LILLY HOWARD

REDISTRICTING FROM

“Everybody’s saying the consultant maps matched more with what exists and preserve the core that already exists,” said Bryant. “So we feel kind of like the commission is disregarding that whole scenario.”

Councilmember Fazlul Kabir (District 1) said that similar issues exist in District 1, which has three core neighborhoods: Hollywood, Oak Springs and Daniels Park. The commission is also proposing to split these neighborhoods. Kabir said that it is important to keep the district intact.

“People don't really differentiate between the boundaries of these neighborhoods; they all think as one cohesive community,” Kabir said. “I cannot stress enough to keep these three neighborhoods together.”

When tasking the commission with redistricting, the city council advised the commission to consider the “preservation of the core of existing council districts.” Residents who question and even oppose the commission’s work are not satisfied that commission members upheld this sentiment while apportioning the districts.

Jordan Dewar, vice-chair of the Redistricting Commission, said the consultant’s maps divided individual neighborhoods more than the commission’s maps did. Dewar said the commission decided to separate clusters of neighborhoods while keeping each individual neighborhood intact. The commission believes this is a superior alternative to separating residents from other residents within the same neighborhood.

“We ended up going with the proposals that would keep neighborhoods themselves united,” he said.

Robert Day, chair of the Redistricting Commission, said this approach is best for College Park.

“We had to look at this not only from our district view but from the city view as a whole,” he said.

Day served as a District 3 councilmember for five terms, from 2011 to 2021. He said this is his third time being involved in College Park redistricting. (Editor’s note: One does not have to serve on the council to participate in redistricting.)

The national census takes place every 10 years, and based on results, governments at all levels are required by federal law to draw new districts to better represent the population. While this process would ideally create districts throughout the country with equal

changed College Park’s population distribution since the last census. Stullich, a District 3 councilmember from 2007 to 2017, said this further complicates redistricting in the city compared to previous processes.

The council continued the redistricting debate without the commission on Oct. 5 at city hall. Each councilmember shared their concerns for their respective district, giving recommendations for new map proposals.

Councilmembers from Districts 1 and 3 again emphasized the importance of keeping their core neighborhoods intact.

BERWYN FROM

baked goods and grilled food, and police with the Maryland National-Capital Park and Planning Commission let residents pet their horses. Nearby, volunteer firefighters gave tours of their firetrucks and ambulances.

Curry and George Hoskey, who moved to Berwyn in 2005, held a garage sale that included clothes and mountains of books. Curry Hoskey, who finds her neighbors warm and friendly, said Berwyn residents are interested in each other’s welfare but are not intrusive.

walks of life,’ but we have retired government employees, we have students, builders, professionals and everybody in between,” Curry Hoskey said.

Sarah Cobau, a junior at the University of Maryland, said she was drawn to the Berwyn neighborhood because renting a shared home is more affordable than living in her own apartment.

“There’s a sense of community, [and] I really like living in a house as opposed to an apartment,” she said. “I feel like sometimes college campuses can feel a little isolating. It’s nice to feel like you’re a [part of a] real world.”

headcounts, it is extremely difficult to obtain this balance. As a compromise, redistricting must result in a headcount within 5%, plus or minus, of the target number.

College Park’s high student population impacts redistricting: Students are counted as residents, even though they are far less likely to vote in city elections. This makes districts with high student populations have lower voter turnout.

College Park adds census data with voter turnout to get a criterion number. The criterion number is used to apportion districts to create more even voter turnout per district.

Streetcar Suburbs boardmember Stephanie Stullich said student housing developments in specific neighborhoods have

Councilmember Stuart Adams (District 3) said residents want to preserve core neighborhoods.

Councilmembers Denise C. Mitchell (District 4) and Susan L. Whitney (District 2) both recognized that their districts are less negatively impacted by the commission’s proposals and that they are willing to work with the other districts. However, Mitchell said that keeping core neighborhoods together would create an imbalance to Districts 2 and 4.

“District 4 will be a team player; we will pivot, we will educate, we will work,” Mitchell said.

“I really like [the neighborhood]; as a matter of fact, we have never found a place that we like better,” Curry Hoskey said. “I love the fact that my son has grown up here. It’s a neighborhood where people look out for [each other’s] children.”

During the storm that pummeled College Park on July 12, Berwyn residents lost power and a number of homes were damaged by downed trees. Curry Hoskey said it felt like almost every third or fourth house had been affected by the storm.

“Everybody came together, [with an] outpouring of support,” she said. “We happened to be away, and people were contacting us … ‘[we] want to let you know about the storm, your house wasn’t hit, but here are some photos.’”

Curry Hoskey said that celebrating with her fellow neighbors and catching up with friends, both old and new, is her favorite part of Berwyn Day .

“It’s old-fashioned to say ‘all

Bob Catlin, BDCA president, has lived in Berwyn for over 30 years. He noted that in recent years investors started buying owner-occupied homes and renting the homes to students, which has changed the makeup of the neighborhood. “That’s one reason we had to get rid of Berwyn Day for a few years there,” Catlin said. “We just lost a lot of the old-timer volunteers that we needed to make things operate. So now we got some new people involved, and things are on the upswing.”

Catlin would like to see this housing trend, which is also impacting Lakeland, slowed or even stopped. The Hoskeys don’t want to leave Berwyn, even though they’ve considered it as they’ll eventually be empty nesters.

“I’d rather improve on my house than try to find a different house because what we’ve got just really fits us,” Curry Hoskey said.

“preservation of the core of existing council districts.”

Voters to decide on legalizing recreational marijuana

By Joe Murchison

Maryland voters could make recreational use of marijuana legal as soon as July 1, 2023, if they approve a constitutional amendment in this fall’s general election.

The Maryland General Assembly passed the ballot measure, Question 4, in April, with most Democrats supporting it and most Republicans in opposition. If voters approve the measure, it would legalize the possession and use of up to 1.5 ounces (42 grams) of marijuana ( cannabis) by people 21 years old and up.

The General Assembly previously had decriminalized possession of up to 10 grams. Users who possessed up to 2.5 ounces (70 grams) also would not be subject to criminal prosecution but could be assessed a civil fine of up to $250. Those possessing more than 2.5 ounces would be subject to punishment of up to six months in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.

If passed, the measure would make Maryland the 20th state in the nation to legalize recreational use of cannabis, ac-

cording to the Marijuana Policy Project, a national advocacy group.

Legal marijuana use is not new to Maryland. In 2017, the state launched a medical marijuana program for physicianapproved users. By the end of 2021, the state had issued 19 grower licenses, 20 processor licenses and 95 dispensary licenses, according to the General Assembly’s Department of Legislative Services.

All four of the District 21 state legislators, who represent College Park in the General Assembly, voted in favor of putting the question on the ballot.

State Sen. Jim Rosapepe said, “Obviously, people have different perspectives on this issue,” and the ballot measure allows them to express their opinion.

Del. Ben Barnes said he supports legalization. “It’s just a nobrainer. The purpose is discouraging any ongoing black market.”

Barnes said that a legalized, state-regulated market will better prevent those under 21 from using cannabis and will end unfairness in the enforcement of present laws. “Clearly we’re

locking young people up in a real disparate way by race and income level,” he said.

He said regulating the use of marijuana is similar to regulating the use of alcohol, which is “much more pervasive” than cannabis and often causes worse domestic abuse and health problems.

Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk agreed that “current criminal-

ization of marijuana has not worked.” She said that, in addition to racially discriminatory enforcement, the illegal, unregulated market can result in overdose deaths from dealers lacing cannabis with dangerous chemicals such as fentanyl, a powerful synthetic drug.

Peña-Melnyk acknowledged that marijuana itself poses health threats, particularly to young people. She said the General Assembly needs to do a “delicate balancing act.” She said that assembly members should study the effects of legalization in order to update regulations where necessary while also conducting education campaigns on the drug’s ill effects.

Del. Mary Lehman agreed that marijuana poses health threats.

“It definitely can be psychologically addictive, where people cannot stop using,” she said, adding “Criminalizing it over many years has been a mistake.”

Lehman said many lives have been disproportionately harmed by the criminalization. Close to half a million Marylanders have been convicted of marijuana possession, she said, and “people with

felony convictions have a really hard time finding a job.”

IIf voters approve the ballot measure, Lehman said, past marijuana-possession convictions will be automatically expunged, and those in jail for possession (if that is their only charge) could petition for release. Lehman noted that the ballot measure would not allow individuals to smoke marijuana in public.

Peña-Melnyk predicted that the ballot measure would pass. “Seventy percent of Marylanders support it,” according to recent polls, she said.

If passed, the measure would also allow people to grow up to two marijuana plants, would create a fund to aid women and minorities in setting up cannabis businesses, and would funnel 30% of any tax revenue from cannabis sales into communitydevelopment projects in lowerincome areas. The General Assembly would be required to develop a regulatory structure for marijuana production and sales during its 2023 session, which runs from January to April.

The general election is Nov. 8, with early voting starting Oct. 27.

Md. Del. Ben Barnes said regulating the use of marijuana is similar to regulating the use of alcohol, which is “much more pervasive” than cannabis and often causes worse domestic abuse and health problems.