10-2022 Hyattsville Life & Times

Hyattsville Elementary in proposed school builds list

By Sophie Gorman Oriani

On Sept. 22, the Prince George’s County Board of Education voted unanimously in support of a second round of schools to be rebuilt using alternative construction financing, and Hyattsville Elementary School (HES) is on the list. The county school system has started to use alternative construction financing, or a public-private partnership, to rebuild schools. The first six county schools, including Hyattsville Middle School, to be built using this financing model are still under construction and scheduled to

open for the 2023-24 school year.

While the first set of schools focused primarily on middle schools, this group includes building four elementary schools and two K-8 schools. The county Educational Facilities Master Plan considers all six as Cycle 1 schools, meaning they are the highest priority to be replaced.

Dozens of area parents submitted written public comments to the board in support of using alternative construction financing to rebuild these particular schools. “HES teachers, staff and administrators have done an amazing job keeping an ancient and crumbling building

Welcome Home Neighbor harnesses local generosity

By Heather Marléne Zadig

For families moving from homeless shelters to stable housing, setting up a household can seem like an insurmountable task. Enter Welcome Home Neighbor, a new direct-aid project organized by Hyattsville residents Mark Betancourt, Jamila

Larson and Alison Spain.

“So much quality stuff is shared [here],” Betancourt said, referring to the local listservs and Facebook groups, “but a lot of the people who need it most don’t have access.” Welcome Home Neighbor aims to channel this local sharing economy

A look at the county’s pit bull ban

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

functional, but there are no more quick fixes or creative solutions,” wrote Sarah Weber, an HES parent. According to the accompanying presentation, the HES building, which was built in 1935 and received additions in 1962 and 1979, has passed its useful life and should be replaced rather than renovated. It is also overcrowded, operating at 127% capacity. The new school will be rebuilt at the same location on 43rd Avenue.

Concerned HES parents mentioned sewer backups, power outages, crumbling walls and overheated class-

CULTURAL CONNECTIONS

Strong faith saved Salvadoran priest from war and destruction

By Julia Gaspar-Bates

The Rev. Vidal Rivas hails from the city of San Sebastian, in the central zone of El Salvador. Growing up in the countryside, he spent happy early childhood years living in paradise on a “finca,” or farm. (The following interview was conducted in Spanish.)

“The earth was very fertile, and we cultivated oranges, coffee, coconut, pineapple, sugarcane, corn, rice,” explained Father Vidal. “At age 7, I began working with my father in the fields. I woke up every day at 4 a.m. to collect water. Then I went to work at 6 a.m. until noon, and then I began to study in the afternoon.”

Although neither of Father Vidal’s parents could read or write, his mother was determined that her 10 children receive an education. And she eventually arranged for her eldest son, Vidal, to go to seminary.

“I wanted to become a pilot. I loved to watch the airplanes pass overhead. One day, I was at Mass, and I felt called to speak with the priest and enter the seminary. After six months, I became a student leader. I showed a lot of discipline and character, so I advanced quickly.”

In 1977, the Salvadoran Civil War broke out, and life became very difficult for Father Vidal and his community. “The war impacted me a lot because we lived in a very violent city.

Every day, three to five people were killed in their houses by the army. It was a horrible experience. A city close to me, San Lorenzo, was completely destroyed. Only the bones were left in the houses.”

The military often targeted priests, who were defending the poor. Father Vidal witnessed numerous killings and recounted three of his own harrowing escapes from death.

“I was attacked by seven people. They broke my teeth with the point of their gun. They

hit my head and my shoulders, and I lost a lot of blood,” he recalled. “The year before, I was detained by an armed group who stole my car, and they asked me not to denounce them. I was defending a young man the military wanted to kill. They put a rifle to my throat and were going to kill me; however, a higher-ranking officer arrived. He was a relative and saved my life. It was extremely traumatic and scarred my life. Thanks to God I am still here.”

Father Vidal came to the U.S.

for the first time in 1991 to visit relatives living in Rockville. In the following years, he had the opportunity to visit several other U.S. cities and states.

Following a third attack, Father Vidal realized he had to permanently leave El Salvador. In 1998, he received work documents from the Archbishop of Washington and was assigned to a small church in Northwest D.C., Saint Gabriel Catholic Church, where he celebrated one Mass a week.

Father Vidal said that, unfortunately, a local cardinal found him to be too much of a revolutionary; he was removed from his post in 2001. “It was terrible because the cardinal and Archdiocese of Washington were insensitive, deaf and blind to people who were crying.”

The Washington Post ran a story about the controversy. For two months, people protested nightly outside the Archdiocese of Washington, which was planning to send Father Vidal back to El Salvador. “This impacted me a lot. But I didn’t leave the area. I preferred to stay to help the poor people with the unions, at Casa de Maryland to organize them.”

Eventually Father Vidal left the Roman Catholic Church because, he said, it was too conservative, and he was received into the Episcopal Church. In 2008, his Spanish congregation became tenants of St. Matthew’s Parish in Hyattsville. “We started with 35 members, but today we have more than 500 members,” he said. “We have a lot of solidarity. We are always helping immigrants and fighting for the poor.” Today the church is often referred to by its Spanish name, San Mateo.

Father Vidal indicated that he experienced culture shock upon first encountering Americans’ regard for private

property. On two occasions, he was chased away by property owners — once by someone with a pistol when Father Vidal had stopped to sit on a door stoop in downtown D.C. “Here people are more preoccupied with appearances and buy lots of things. They want to consume a lot. I was used to a simple and poor life without a lot of complications. It’s another culture.”

Yet, Father Vidal appreciates “the order, the punctuality and the cleanliness of North American people.” He added, “Also, the discipline in school and the rules. The children learn this when they’re very young.”

Father Vidal explained that he likes Hyattsville a lot, especially because of its sanctuary city status. “I like the conviviality and sharing in the community. [And] that there is not racial discrimination based on language, religion or culture.”

“Cultural Connections” is dedicated to bringing forth the voices of Hyattsville’s international residents. Interested in sharing your story? Please contact culturalconnections@ hyattsvillelife.com.

The Rev. Vidal Rivas COURTESY OF VIDAL RIVAS

“We started with 35 members, but today we have more than 500 members. We have a lot of solidarity. We are always helping immigrants and fighting for the poor.”

The

Rev. Vidal Rivas

St.

Matthew’s Parish

County curfew violated by few

By Greg Morton and Lisa Wölfl

Prince George’s County’s youth curfew, announced in a Labor Day press conference by County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, was a response to the 17 homicides that occurred in the county during August, a record number despite years of falling crime rates.

Proponents of the curfew say that it puts the onus on parents to play a larger role in combating juvenile crime, introducing fines of up to $250 for parents of teens who repeatedly violate the curfew. The curfew, which was meant to last at least 30 days, mandates that children under 17 stay out of public places between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. on weekdays, and 11:59 p.m. and 5 a.m. on weekends, with several exceptions, such as going to or from work, school or church.

“I know this isn’t a popular thing to say, but the truth of the matter is, it’s a fair question: Where are their parents? Where are their aunties, where are the uncles, and other family members who are responsible?” said Alsobrooks in announcing the policy.

However, after four weeks, the curfew’s effectiveness is in question, as police departments saw almost no violations.

The Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) only encountered three teenagers violating the curfew in

the first four weeks of enforcement, according to Alsobrooks, who has been posting updates on the curfew on Twitter since it was announced.

Municipal police departments are also tasked with enforcing the curfew. Violations are rare or nonexistent in some of them.

In Hyattsville, the local police didn’t see a single violation of the curfew, said police department spokesperson Adrienne Augustus. Police Chief Jarod Towers clarified the department’s approach in a statement on Facebook: “Our officers will never be permitted to stop someone for the sole purpose of verifying their age in response to the county executive’s announcement.”

In Laurel, where a separate youth curfew ordinance is already on the books, police have noticed no significant changes in juvenile crime or crime more broadly. They did not cite a single teen for a violation in the first weeks of the curfew, according to Laurel Deputy Police Chief Mark Plazinski.

“The general way we put it to our officers is we didn’t want to change the way we do business,” said Plazinski, when asked about the policy in an interview.

“We don’t want to be out there just looking for juveniles after 10 p.m. We’re still driven by where crime is occurring,” he added.

In Riverdale Park, there has been only a single incident in the first two weeks of the curfew, during which police took a minor home and issued a warning to his parents, according to Rosa Guixens, the acting chief of police.

Other municipalities, including Bowie, are unable to enforce the curfew because their local laws or city charters contain rules against enforcing county ordinances. Still, the curfew presents challenges

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for police departments trying to minimize the number of negative interactions between officers and citizens.

“The conversation recently has been about limiting potential for conflict, especially with juveniles in communities of color,” said Bowie Police Chief John Nesky during a phone interview.

This concern echoes the concerns of activists who worry about the policy’s potential negative impacts.

“Unnecessary police interactions and exposure to the Department of Social Services harms Black and brown children,” said the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland in a statement following the policy’s announcement.

Other experts on the subject question whether the policy can be effective in accomplishing its goals. Jillian Carr, an assistant professor at Purdue University, studied the youth curfew in Washington, D.C., using the variation in starting hours to identify the policy’s effect. She found that when the curfew started earlier, the number of gunshots went up during the first hour of the curfew.

“Essentially, you are taking away all your potential innocent bystanders, as well as your witnesses,” Carr said during a phone interview.

Measuring the effects of curfews is hard, she warned. There might be a reduction in reported crime, despite the fact that crime levels are the same or going up, she explained, “just because there is no one there to witness and report it anymore.”

The PGPD told DC News Now that the curfew would expire on Oct. 10.

In Hyattsville, the local police didn’t see a single violation of the curfew, said police department spokesperson Adrienne Augustus.

Stories of the enslaved echo at Riversdale

By Lisa Wölfl

When he was 7 years old, the Rev. Jerome Plummer-Fowler realized that his ancestors had been enslaved. In September, Plummer-Fowler spoke at the fourth annual Echoes of the Enslaved commemoration, held at the Riversdale House Museum this year. His great-great-grandfather Adam Francis Plummer was enslaved at this former plantation in Riverdale Park. As part of a Sept. 16 panel of descendants of the enslaved, Plummer-Fowler talked about his great-great-grandfather, who was born into slavery in 1819 and started working for the Calvert family, who owned Riversdale House, when he was 10 years old. In secret, Plummer learned to read and write, and he kept a diary until his death, documenting the births and lives of other enslaved people on the plantation. He managed to earn some money, even while working as a slave, and once he was emancipated, he bought property and built a home for his family.

During the panel discussion, PlummerFowler shared the stage with Tina Wyatt, a descendant of Harriet Tubman; Joan Gaither, who creates quilts that document history; and Joe McGill, founder of The Slave Dwelling Project, a nonprofit based in South Carolina. The MarylandNational Capital Park and Planning

Commission Office of Archaeology hosts

Echoes of the Enslaved in partnership with The Slave Dwelling Project to address the lasting legacies of chattel slavery in Prince George’s County, according to Samantha Ferris, Riversdale House Museum’s assistant director.

The panel discussion took place on the museum’s lawn, with the sounds of crickets in the air and the setting sun as a backdrop. Panelists discussed their ancestors’ stories and talked about the importance of studying the past to understand the present. Gaither urged the audience to use their voices to call atten-

tion to their ancestors’ history.

Wyatt drew a connection between Black people being silenced in the past and efforts to control the way teachers discuss slavery and racism in schools today. “Now they want to change what you can call racism. How dare you?” she said during the discussion. “How dare you change our story? Our story has to be told by us.”

Ruth Driver, 79, attended the event with her two granddaughters. The retired teacher is working on a memoir to share with her family. “They are interested in knowing about where we come from, how we got there, where we are now,” she said. Her granddaughter Alani Nelson traveled from the District for the event. It was worth it, she said.

According to Riversdale House Museum Director Mara Davis, the lives of enslaved people have routinely been rendered invisible at historic sites for a long time. She told the Hyattsville Life & Times in an interview that the Riversdale House Museum used to focus primarily on the story of the Calvert family, who owned the plantation. Davis said that the staff are now part of a trend among museums nationwide to adopt a more comprehensive and honest approach to presenting the history of slavery in the U.S.

“We are currently changing the perspective of how we collect, document and

preserve what we’re doing here at the site,” Davis said.

The Riversdale House Museum’s exhibits now depict scenes of daily life that include members of the Calvert family and the individuals they enslaved. Visitors can view the Calverts’ study, a dining room with leftovers from a dinner party, and the room where the Calvert children were nursed by an unnamed slave. Signs honor the work and lives of the slaves who took care of the premises: Lucie, a chambermaid; Will Scott, a coachman; Sarah, who was most likely a maid. An 1833 tax assessment accounts for 41 men, women and children who were enslaved by the Calvert family that year.

Plummer-Fowler’s great-great-grandfather, who was enslaved at Riversdale, died in 1905. His story, however, lives on. His daughter, Nellie Arnold Plummer, continued writing in his diary, adding commentary and context to his entries. Thanks to his ancestors, PlummerFowler knows his family’s history and recounts it at events like Echoes of the Enslaved. During the discussion at Riversdale House, he called the audience to action: “What has happened in the past, with people being unjustly condemned and hated, can happen very easily again. It is up to every one of us to stop these actions while we can.”

The Rev. Jerome Plummer-Fowler addresses an audience during the 2022 Echoes of the Enslaved commemoration. COURTESY OF KHALIL GILL, MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION

ZERO WASTE OF TIME

A few tricks for an environmentally friendly Halloween

By Juliette Fradin

I’ll admit it, I am not a big fan of Halloween (sorry, Lauren Flynn Kelly).

The holiday is a horror movie in itself, and since I am scared of being scared, I find it exceedingly difficult to enjoy this spooky season.

Growing up in France, I never celebrated Halloween as a child. I never celebrated Thanksgiving — a quintessentially American holiday— either, but it has, nonetheless, become one of my favorites (though don’t get me started on Black Friday or Cyber Monday).

Halloween is a typical wasteful holiday, filled with excess, stress and unhealthy candies stuffed with palm oil. It has become a giant costume-and-candy party that has lost its connection to warding off ghosts and evil spirits. This celebration — which is not an official religious or federal holiday — does not promote togetherness, quality time or the sharing of a good meal with people you love.

That being said, I’ve done it all to keep the fearless magic alive for my kids: I’ve carved pumpkins (that became soggy in the rain), put together costumes (that my kids refused to wear after 15 minutes), and gone trick-or-treating in our super Halloween-friendly neighborhood (too crowded for my introverted self).

To me, the spookiest thing about Halloween is the amount of waste it generates and the toll it takes on the environment. My witchy eyes can’t detach from the flimsy mass-produced costumes, single-use decorations, oodles of plastic wraps, and toxic makeup. After this onenight event, many households will throw out the decorations, pumpkins, candy wrappers and even the treats themselves.

It’s difficult to eliminate waste from this holiday completely, so don’t pressure yourself to be perfect. Instead, have fun while working toward sustainability. Take these simple tips to have a lowerwaste Halloween.

Candy packaging is probably the hardest Halloween waste to manage. Choose candies that are packaged in cardboard or foil, like chocolate coins. Collect foil wraps together and make a ball (the tiny bits are otherwise too little to be recycled). Buy treats in bulk, and wrap them in mini brown paper bags to hand out. Support farmers by purchasing mini chocolate bars from Equal Exchange, an online fair-trade food company. Consider giving out fewer but healthier treats, if your budget allows.

Fruit is an excellent alternative to treats (and it’s allergy friendly): clementines with jack-o-lantern faces drawn on, tangerines, apples, or boxes of raisins. If you decide to give away non-candy

treats, don’t raid the Halloween section at Target, as you’d replace candy with plastic treats that are just as harmful to the planet. Shop your toy box first!

You can rent, borrow, swap, reuse or buy second-hand costumes. Dress your kids in costumes that can be used again by others, or serve double-duty (like animal onesies). For trick-or-treating, use one of the tote bags you already have and decorate it.

Keep the house decorations minimal, ditch the plastic and go au natural. If you already have items that you bring out year after year, use these! Look for straw bales or dried corn stalks that you can leave up through Thanksgiving. Build your own scarecrow with bamboo poles, straw and clothes you already own. It will look way better than expensive plastic inflatables that waste electricity and end up in a landfill after a couple of years.

After the frightful festivities, compost as much as possible. This will provide value to your soil, complete the circle of life, and perhaps provide new pumpkins for next year’s Halloween. Speaking of pumpkins, save the seeds and roast them with spices in the oven. And consider composting whole pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns through the city’s free curbside composting program: The city picks up compost buckets every Monday, or you can drop them off in compost bins located in several city parks. Pumpkins must be free of paint, candles or wax.

By putting a little bit of thought into your decorations, costumes and treats, you can make a big difference in how much waste you generate — without taking anything away from the spooky spirit of the holiday. Start planning your plastic-free Halloween today!

Juliette Fradin writes about sustainability for the Hyattsville Life & Times

Foster parents aren’t replacements — they’re extra support for children and their families in need.

Gaspard has been a ninja for the past five years, and Garance wears her $0 costume in 2021. JULIETTE FRADIN PHOTOGRAPHY

NEWS BRIEFS VISIT STREETCARSUBURBS.NEWS FOR MORE

LOCAL ARPA SPENDING VARIES WIDELY

Different communities are taking different approaches to how they spend American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds, leading to significant differences in current spending totals.

The City of Laurel, for example, has approved a wide variety of programs for their nearly $22 million, ranging from COVID-19 test kits and ballot drop boxes to accessible playground equipment and food pantry support.

In a Sept. 13 email to the Hyattsville Life & Times, Haley Cifizzari, Laurel’s emergency management specialist, said that the city has obligated about three-quarters of the money the city has received, and spent about one-third of the obligated money.

The City of Hyattsville, on the other hand, is taking a phased approach to spending its approximately $18 million in ARPA funds. Only about $4.5 million has been approved for specific projects, including vaccine incentives, IT cabling and emergency relief programs for residents and businesses. According to a January 2022 presentation, the city plans to distribute the remaining $13.4 million during 2023 and 2024 based upon public input and evaluations of the effectiveness of the first round of expenditures;

the city council must vote on any use of the ARPA funds.

According to a November 2021 presentation, the City of College Park plans to spend all their nearly $22 million in ARPA funds by June 2023. That presentation detailed a plan for how the city was designating about $13 million, with slightly more than half the funds dedicated to lost revenue recovery and about $5.5 million for financial assistance and grants for residents and businesses. As of press time, the city had not responded to an email request for an update on its spending status.

All ARPA funds must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024, and spent by Dec. 31, 2026. To apply for a relief program in the city of Hyattsville, visit hyattsville.org/rescueplan.

PGCPS SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION

On the general election ballot in November is the District 3 school board seat. Incumbent Pamela Boozer-Strother’s responses to our voter guide questions are online at streetcarsuburbs.news/ pgcps-board-member-district3-election-candidates/.

Varinia Sandino, the other registered candidate for the race, told the Hyattsville Life & Times she had discontinued her campaign, although she will still appear on the ballot.

NEARBY An early Halloween horror

EMILY STRAB WINS WARD 2 ELECTION

Emily Strab won a tight threeway special election to fill the vacant Ward 2 city council seat. According to the official results posted by the city, Strab received 280 votes of the 698 complete ballots, edging out Lisbeth Melendez Rivera, who received 263, and Kelly Burello, who received 152. (There were also three write-in votes.)

The Ward 2 seat was vacant after former Ward 2 Councilmember Robert Croslin’s election as mayor in a June special election following former Mayor Kevin Ward’s death in January. This is the city’s third special election since the May 2021 regular municipal elections.

Strab, who served on the board of the Hyattsville Life & Times and took a leave of absence during her campaign, will step down in order to serve as a Ward 2 councilmember.

Strab joins Councilmember Joanne Waszczak (Ward 1) as the only other woman on the 10-member council.

The election results were certified by the City of Hyattsville Board of Supervisors of Elections on Oct. 6. Strab will take the oath of office in King Park (4205 Gallatin Street) on Oct. 20, at 6 p.m.

By Fred Seitz

On a damp, coolish evening mid-September, I was returning from my short evening walk with my wannabe fierce dog. As we approached the front steps to our home, I noticed a strange darkcolored 6- to 7-inch tube-like form on one of the shingles.

After escorting my mutt inside, I went back out with a flashlight. The tube-like creature turned out to be a homeless snail, without a shell — alternatively known as a slug.

For sure, it was the biggest one I’ve ever seen, but then I don’t go looking for them too often. The beastie’s size suggested that it might be Limax maximus, which translates to “biggest slug.” Indeed, this beast is one of the larger garden slugs in the world. L. maximus is native to Europe but has hitched rides to many other parts of the world, clearly including Hyattsville. (Technically the Limax cinereoniger, or ash-black slug, is actually the largest land slug, which leads me to think the L. maximus just has a better publicist.)

After staring at him for a minute or so, I noticed that he (or she) seemed to begin moving down the shingle, perhaps to avoid my flashlight’s glare (which would be typical slug behavior). About 2 inches away from this whopper, I noticed a second, slightly shorter and thinner slug, who also seemed to be avoiding the spotlight.

Gardeners usually dislike slugs because of their tendency to eat many different types of vegetables and plants. Slugs have thousands of microscopic teeth, which they use effectively in their crusade against gardeners.

I have noticed that many of my hosta leaves have been rather intensely gnawed, which I’m attributing to the efforts of slugs.

Slugs like to hang out in dark, damp places. I believe that this adaptation is to avoid drying out or being devoured by a bird, turtle or some other wandering critter. Also, they rely on their production of slippery mucus to help them get around.

The two pointy extensions on the head of the slug are called tentacles and serve sensory and reproductive functions. Upon learning of the reproductive function of slug tentacles, I wondered if the two slugs on the side of my house might have been out for a romantic evening. Slugs are hermaphrodites but will partner up to produce little slugs. Their eggs appear in clusters, which may comprise several hundred young ones.

While slugs may not qualify as Halloween horrors to most humans, excepting hosta lovers and hardcore gardeners, they have been cast as creepies in a couple of TV shows and films. Creepy as we may find them, turtles and a few other of our local critters are glad to see slugs and have them (literally) for dinner.

As a public service announcement, I should mention that if a dog — including my wannabe fierce pup — eats a slug, it can do some really nasty things to their intestines. So if these hosta-gnawing horrors wander near your dogs, definitely shield Rover from taking a bite.

Fred Seitz writes about nature for the Hyattsville Life & Times.

NATURE

The Hyattsville Reporter

Ward 2 Special Election Results!

Congratulations to our newly elected Ward 2 Councilmember Emily Strab! Ms. Strab will serve the remaining term of the vacant Council seat previously held by Mayor Croslin until June 2025. A big thank you to all the candidates for stepping up to serve our community and to all the Ward 2 voters for making their voices heard! You can find the certified election results at hyattsville.org/electionresults.

Ms. Strab will take her Oath of Office at a public ceremony in King Park, 4205 Gallatin Street, at 6PM on Thursday, October 20. All community members are encouraged to attend and welcome Councilmember Strab to her new role!

EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDS FOR HYATTSVILLE INDIVIDUALS & FAMILIES

Rescue Act fund applications for Hyattsville individuals and families to apply for emergency financial relief are expected to be available later this month! Funding will be available for up to $2,500 per individual, regardless of legal status, with an additional $1,250 for each dependent child, not to exceed $5,000 per household. Applicants will be asked to provide proof of residency in the City of Hyattsville and demonstrate financial need caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more at hyattsville.org/rescueplan.

¡Resultados de la Elección Especial

del Distrito 2!

¡Felicitaciones a nuestra recién elegida Concejal del Distrito 2, Emily Strab! La Sra. Strab cumplirá el mandato restante del puesto vacante en el Concejo que anteriormente ocupaba el Alcalde Croslin hasta junio de 2025. ¡Muchas gracias a todos los candidatos por dar un paso al frente para servir a nuestra comunidad y a todos los votantes del Distrito 2 por hacer que se escuchen sus voces! Puede encontrar los resultados certificados en hyattsville.org/electionresults.

La Sra. Strab tomará su juramento en una ceremonia pública en King Park, 4205 Gallatin Street, a las 6 p.m. el jueves 20 de octubre. ¡Se anima a todos los miembros de la comunidad a asistir y dar la bienvenida a la Concejal Strab a su nuevo cargo!

FONDOS DE AYUDA DE EMERGENCIA PARA INDIVIDUOS Y FAMILIAS DE HYATTSVILLE

¡Se espera que las aplicaciones de fondos de la Ley de Rescate para que las personas y familias de Hyattsville soliciten ayuda financiera de emergencia estén disponibles a finales de este mes! El financiamiento estará disponible hasta por $2,500 por persona, independientemente de su estatus legal, con $1,250 adicionales por cada hijo dependiente, sin exceder los $5,000 por hogar. Se les pedirá a los solicitantes que proporcionen prueba de residencia en la Ciudad de Hyattsville y demuestren la necesidad financiera causada por la pandemia de COVID-19. Obtenga más información en hyattsville.org/rescueplan.

Mrs. Thelma Driskell, alongside family and the Hyattsville community, cut the honorary ribbon at the David C. Driskell Community Park re-naming celebration! ¡La Sra. Thelma Driskell, junto con familia y la comunidad de Hyattsville, cortó la cinta honoraria en la celebración del cambio de nombre del Parque Comunitario David C. Driskell!

ANNOUNCEMENTS | ANUNCIOS

MAKE THE SWITCH!

Hyattsville is switching from gas-powered to electric leaf blowers! All gas-powered leaf blowers used in City limits must be electric-powered by August 2024. The City is holding a trade-in event on October 22, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., at 4633 Arundel Place, for residents and contractors to trade in their gas-powered blower for reimbursement up to 75% on the purchase cost of an electric blower! Learn more at hyattsville.org/leafblower.

COVID-19 UPDATE

The City’s vaccination clinic at the First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville is offering the new BA-5 COVID-19 vaccination booster on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. The booster is approved for anyone 12 and older, if it has been at least two months since their last COVID-19 vaccination. Learn more at hyattsville. org/covidvaccine.

KING PARK IS GETTING A MAKEOVER!

Starting November 1, Robert J. King Park at 4205 Gallatin Street will be closed until Spring 2024 for a major renovation. In the meantime, residents are encouraged to explore our nearby surrounding parks. Visit hyattsville.org/parks for a list of the City’s parks and locations!

JOIN THE COMPENSATION REVIEW COMMITTEE!

The City is seeking volunteers to review the current compensation rates for City Council and set Council and Mayor salaries for a period of three to six years beginning in 2025. The Committee will begin meeting in November 2022, wrapping up in February 2023. Volunteers must apply by November 1, 2022. Details at hyattsville.org/committees.

CALLING ALL VETERANS!

Veterans living in the City of Hyattsville are encouraged to fill out the form at hyattsville.org/veterans to be added to a veteran’s specific e-mail list. We’ll use the list to share resources and programs available to our veteran community. Please also save the date for November 14, from 1-3 p.m. at the Hyattsville Branch Library, 6350 Adelphi Rd. for a presentation on resources from the Prince George’s County Office of Veteran’s Affairs.

TEEN CENTER

The Teen Center services are back at Driskell Park! You can learn more & sign up for the free after-school programs at hyattsville.org/teen-center.

LEAF IT ALONE!

Weekly leaf collection for residential streets within City limits will begin in November and continue through mid-January. Commercial and multi-family properties are not included. Collection is weather dependent as heavy, wet leaves harm the machinery. To learn more, visit hyattsville. org/leaves or call (301) 985-5032.

If raking leaves to the curb is not your idea of fun, try mowing them into your lawn for a natural mulch instead! Leaves can also be left curbside in yard waste bags for pick up on Mondays.

¡HAGA EL CAMBIO!

¡Hyattsville está cambiando de sopladores de hojas a gasolina a eléctricos! Todos los sopladores de hojas a gasolina que se usen dentro de los límites de la Ciudad deben tener ser eléctricos antes de agosto de 2024. La Ciudad sostendrá un evento de intercambio el 22 de octubre, de 10 a. m. a 1 p. m., en 4633 Arundel Place, para que los residentes y contratistas intercambien su soplador a gasolina para obtener un reembolso de hasta el 75 % del costo de compra de una sopladora eléctrica. Más info en hyattsville.org/leafblower.

ACTUALIZACIÓN DE COVID-19

La clínica de vacunación de la Ciudad en la Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida de Hyattsville ofrece la nueva vacuna de refuerzo BA-5 COVID-19 los martes de 11 a. m. a 7 p. m. y los sábados de 9 a.m. a 1 p.m. La vacuna está aprobada para cualquier persona mayor de 12 años, después de que hayan pasado al menos dos meses desde su última vacuna contra el COVID-19. Más información en hyattsville.org/covidvaccine.

¡KING PARK ESTÁ RECIBIENDO UN CAMBIO DE IMAGEN!

A partir del 1 de nov, el parque King Park en 4205 Gallatin Street estará cerrado hasta la primavera de 2024 para una renovación importante. Mientras tanto, animamos a residentes a explorar nuestros parques cercanos. ¡Visite hyattsville.org/parks para obtener una lista de los parques y ubicaciones de la Ciudad!

¡ÚNASE AL COMITÉ DE COMPENSACIONES!:

La Ciudad está buscando voluntarios para revisar las tasas de compensación actuales para el Concejo Municipal y establecer los salarios del Concejo y el Alcalde por un período de tres a seis años a partir de 2025. El Comité comenzará a reunirse en noviembre de 2022 y terminarán en febrero de 2023. Los voluntarios deben aplicar antes del 1 de nov de 2022. Detalles en hyattsville.org/committees.

¡LLAMANDO A TODOS LOS VETERANOS

Se alienta a los veteranos que viven en la Ciudad de Hyattsville a completar el formulario en hyattsville.org/veterans para agregarlos a la lista de email específica para veteranos. Usaremos la lista para compartir recursos y programas disponibles para nuestra comunidad de veteranos. Guarde también la fecha para el 14 de noviembre, de 1 p. m. a 3 p. m. en la Biblioteca de Hyattsville, 6350 Adelphi Rd. para una presentación sobre los recursos de la Oficina de Asuntos de Veteranos del Condado.

CENTRO DE JÓVENES

¡Los servicios del Centro de Jóvenes están de vuelta en Driskell Park! Puede obtener más info e inscribirse en los programas extracurriculares gratuitos en hyattsville.org/ teen-center.

SERVICIO DE RECOLECCIÓN DE HOJAS

La recolección semanal de hojas para calles residenciales dentro de los limites de la Ciudad comenzará en noviembre y continuará hasta mediados de enero. Las propiedades comerciales y multifamiliares no están incluidas. La recolección depende del clima, ya que las hojas húmedas dañan la maquinaria. Para obtener más info, visite hyattsville.org/ leaves. Si juntar las hojas hasta la acera no es su idea de diversión, ¡intente cortarlas en su césped para mulch natural! Las hojas también se pueden dejar al lado de la acera en reciclables para la recolección de residuos de yarda los lunes.

CALENDAR | CALENDARIO

GROWING GREEN!

Join us October 15, 10 AM – 2 PM, to help clean & beautify 38th Avenue Park! Sign up by emailing caistis@ hyattsville.org or calling (301) 985-5057.

ZOMBIE RUN

The 6th annual fundraising race event organized by the Hyattsville Elementary PTA is back October 15! runsignup.com/hvlzombierun.

PUBLIC HEARING

A virtual public hearing on the City’s redistricting process will be held on October 17, at 6 PM. You can review the two proposed Ward maps & offer feedback at hellohyattsville.com.

SENIOR TECH WORKSHOPS

The Hyattsville Library is hosting 2 FREE Senior Technology Training workshops on October 17 and 31, from 1 PM. to 3 PM. Registration required. Register by emailing seniors@hyattsville.org or calling (301) 985-5000.

FRESH PRODUCE DISTRIBUTION

The City is hosting a produce distribution October 18 at noon, at Driskell Park. No registration is required. Produce is available first come, first served.

SENIOR TRIPS!

Check out the our upcoming seniors trips! Call (301) 985-5000 by 2PM. the day before the scheduled trip to reserve a seat.

Oct 20, 9 AM – 3 PM:

Arundel Mills Mall

Oct 24, 11 AM – 1 PM: Lunch & Lecture at City Building

Oct 27, 9 AM – 3 PM: Millers Market & Farm

NIGHT OWL SERIES

There are still spaces for parents to register their little ones for our Night Owl sessions at Driskell Park from 6 – 9 PM on October 21 & November 18! hyattsville.org/nightowls.

SHRED-IT DAY!

Shred your unwanted paper documents for FREE at the City Building (4310 Gallatin Street) from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. on October 22

FALL PREVENTION WORKSHOP

The City and partners are offering a free fall prevention workshop October 24, from 11 AM – 1 PM, at the City Building. Register by emailing seniors@hyattsville.org or calling (301) 985-5000.

DRUG TAKE BACK!

The Hyattsville Police Department will be accepting unwanted, unused, or expired prescription drugs at the City Building on October 29, 10 AM - 2 PM, as part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

HALLOWEEN IN HYATTSVILLE!

Join us for a boo-tiful good time on October 29 with our Treat-O-Rama and Trunk-Or-Treat! A candy giveaway and spooky activities at Driskell Park will take place from 4 – 6PM. The fun then shifts over to the Northwestern High School parking lot from 6:30 – 8:30 PM. with our Hyattsville Police Department’s Trunk-Or-Treat! Details at hyattsville. org/calendar.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEEK

October 24 – 28 is Maryland Economic Development Week! Follow us on social media all week as we highlight local businesses and development in the City.

The next Business Roundtable will take place during Economic Development Week on October 25 from 8:30 - 10 AM at Flavors. View the schedule of events for the week and pre-register for the roundable breakfast at hyattsville.org/econweek.

SEMANA DE DESAROLLO ECONOMICO

¡Del 24 - 28 de oct es la Semana del Desarrollo Económico de Maryland! Síganos en las redes sociales durante toda la semana mientras destacamos los negocios locales y el desarrollo que sucede en la Ciudad de Hyattsville.

La próxima reunión de negocios tomará plazo durante la Semana del Desarrollo Económico el 25 de oct de 8:30 - 10 AM en Flavors. Vea el programa de eventos de la semana y regístrese para la reunión en hyattsville. org/econ-week.

¡CRECIENDO VERDE!

¡Acompáñenos el 15 de oct, 10 AM - 2 PM, para ayudar a limpiar y embellecer el Parque 38th Avenue! Regístrese con caistis@ hyattsville.org o llamando al (301) 985-5057.

CARRERA ZOMBI

¡La sexta carrera anual de recaudación de fondos organizada el Hyattsville Elementary PTA regresa el 15 de oct! runsignup.com/ hvlzombierun.

AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA

Una audiencia pública virtual sobre el proceso de redistribución de distritos de la Ciudad tomará plazo el 17 de oct a las 6 PM. Puede revisar los dos mapas Ward propuestos y ofrecer comentarios en hellohyattsville.com.

TALLERES DE TECNOLOGÍA

La Biblioteca de Hyattsville está organizando 2 talleres GRATUITOS de entrenamiento en tecnología para personas mayores el 17 y 31 de oct, a partir de la 1 p. m. a las 3 p. m. Se requiere registro. Regístrese envicon seniors@hyattsville.org o llamando al (301) 985-5000.

DISTRIBUCIÓN DE VERDURAS Y VEGETALES

La Ciudad está organizando una distribución de verduras y vegatales frescos el 18 de oct al mediodía en Driskell Park. No es necesario registrarse. Los productos están disponibles por orden de llegada.

VIAJES

¡Vea los próximos viajes para personas de la tercera edad! Para reservar un espacio, llame al (301) 9855000 antes de las 2 p.m. el día antes del viaje.

20 de oct, 9 AM – 3 PM: Viaje a Arundel Mills Mall 24 de oct, 11 AM – 1 PM: Almuerzo y Lectura en Edificio Municipal

27 de oct, 9 AM – 3 PM: Mercado y Granja Millers en Clinton, MD

SERIE DE PADRES

¡Todavía hay espacios para que los padres registren a sus pequeños para sesiones de Night Owl en Driskell Park de 6 a 9 PM el 21 de oct y 18 de nov! hyattsville.org/ nightowls.

DÍA DE TRITURAR

Triture sus documentos en papel no deseados GRATIS en el edificio de la ciudad (4310 Gallatin Street) de 10 AM - 1 PM el 22 de oct

TALLER DE CAIDAS

La Ciudad y sus socios ofrecerán un taller gratuito de prevención de caídas el 24 de oct, de 11 AM - 1 PM, en el Edificio Municipal. Regístrese con seniors@ hyattsville.org o llamando al (301) 985-5000.

CYCLOCROSS

El Departamento de Policía de Hyattsville aceptará medicamentos recetados no deseados, no utilizados o vencidos en el Edificio Municipal el 29 de oct, de 10 a. m. a 2 p. m., como parte del Día Nacional de Devolución de Medicamentos Recetados.

¡HALLOWEEN EN HYATTSVILLE!

¡Únase a nosotros para pasar un buen rato el 29 de oct con los eventos de Halloween Treat-O-Rama y Trunk-Or-Treat! El regalo de dulces y actividades espeluznantes en Driskell Park se llevarán a cabo de 4 - 6 PM Luego, la diversión se traslada al lote de parqueo de Northwestern High School de 6:30 - 8:30 PM con el evento Trunk-Or-Treat del Departamento de Policía de Hyattsville! hyattsville.org/calendar.

The Hyattsville Police Department recently held a promotional and badge pinning ceremony for several members of the agency. Congratulations, officers! El Departamento de Policía de Hyattsville celebró recientemente una ceremonia promocional para varios miembros de la agencia. ¡Felicidades, oficiales!

¡Haz el cambio!

¡Hyattsville está cambiando de sopladores de hojas a gasolina a eléctricos!

Todos los sopladores de hojas usados en los límites de la Ciudad deben ser eléctricos antes del 2024 de agosto. ¡Los soplantes de gas pueden ser cambiados por un reembolso de hasta el 75% sobre el costo de compra de una soplador eléctrico hasta el 2023 de agosto! Más información en hyattsville.org/leafblower

¿Por qué hacer el cambio? Los sopladores de hojas eléctricos son:

MÁS SANOS Mantenga los humos nocivos fuera de sus pulmones y nuestra comunidad!

MÁS SILENCIOSOS

Mejor para sus oídos y sus vecinos lo apreciaran! MAS BARATOS ¡Ahorre dinero en gasolina!

Escanea aquí para más información

CRONOLOGÍA DEL PROGRAMA DE INTERCAMBIO

Los residentes y contratistas* pueden reclamar reembolsos y deshacerse apropiadamente de sopladores de gas en eventos de intercambio de la Ciudad. USTED DEBE LEER los requisitos en hyattsville.org/leafblower antes de asistir. ¿Preguntas? Llame al (301) 985-5032.

*Los contratistas deben brindar servicio a al menos 10 propiedades dentro de la Ciudad de Hyattsville para calificar para el programa de reembolso de la Ciudad.

EL PRIMER EVENTO el 22 de octubre de 2022, de 10 AM a 1 PM en 4633 Arundel Place

AHORA –31 DE JULIO DE 2023 Intercambie para un reembolso de 75% del costo de un soplador eléctrico, que no exceda los $150 (Contratistas: $300)

1 DE AGOSTO DE 2023 –31 DE ENERO DE 2024 Intercambie para un reembolso de 50% del costo de un soplador eléctrico, que no exceda los $100 (Contratistas: $200)

1 DE FEBRERO DE 2024

–1 DE AGOSTO DE 2024 Intercambie para un reembolso de 25% del costo de un soplador eléctrico, que no exceda los $50 (Contratistas: $100)

1 DE AGOSTO DE 2024 Sopladores de hojas eléctricos son requeridos dentro de los limites de la Ciudad; Programa de intercambio termina.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Our list of events sponsored by local nonprofits, arts organizations and performance venues, occurring between Oct. 15 and Nov. 11; all information is current as of Oct. 1. 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 Nov. 12 and Dec. 16 to managingeditor@hyattsvillelife. com by Nov. 4.

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

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. Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood, 301.277.2863

“Altered Environments” art exhibition featuring work by April Flanders and 24 other artists. Collectively, these artists address the breadth of the aquatic environment — a complex

and fragile ecosystem under daily threat from multiple forces.

Through Nov. 13. Wednesday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pyramid Atlantic, 4218 Gallatin St. 301.608.9101

OCTOBER 15

National Players present Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” Masks and proof of vaccination or testing required. Pay-what-you-wish, starting at $10. 7 p.m. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. Joesmovement.org

Improv comedy group Scriptless in Seattle performs at Maryland Meadworks. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Free, but tipping is encouraged. 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave. marylandmeadworks.com

Opening reception for “Altered Environments” art exhibition (see “Ongoing” entry). Register at pyramidatlanticartcenter.org.

Free. 5 to 7 p.m. Pyramid Atlantic, 4218 Gallatin St. 301.608.9101

OCTOBER 20

Open mic. Sign up to play a three-song set. If time allows, a jam session will follow. Listeners are welcome. Free. 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Archie Edwards Blues Foundation, 4502 Hamilton St. acousticblues.com

OCTOBER 22

Calabash Carnage, pumpkin carving workshop. Free, or purchase a pumpkin for $5. 2 p.m. Register at pgparksdirect.com. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood. 301.277.2863

Corridor Conversations, with Eric Madison from the Na-

tional Capital Trolley Museum, presents a virtual look at Route 1’s streetcar past and how it contributed to the development of the Route 1 Corridor. Register at hyattsvilleaginginplace.org/ events. Free. 2 p.m. 301.887.3101

OCTOBER 23

Family Series: WHO Is Making That Noise?!?! by Yard Dramas. This kid-friendly puppet show weaves together three stories through an Anacostia Watershed community lens. Masks and proof of vaccination or testing required. $5. 2 p.m. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. Joesmovement.org

OCTOBER 29

An action-packed family scavenger hunt using the GooseChase mobile app on your smartphone. Register at pgparksdirect.com. $7 county residents, $10 nonresidents. 5 p.m. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Rd., Bladensburg. 301.779.0371

NOVEMBER 3

Floating in Space at the Publick Playhouse. Heightened by sight and sound, explore a deep state of relaxation through this immersive sound meditation experience to bring about balance and peace. Focused breathing techniques and guided meditation will allow a tranquil start to your relaxation journey. Ages 18 and up. Register at pgparksdirect.com. Free. 2 p.m. Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Rd. 301.277.1710

NOVEMBER 6

Diggin’ Puppets & Paleontology: a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts

and mathematics) event. Join the dinosaurs and their friends as they sing and dance for an entertaining afternoon of family fun at the Publick Playhouse. Register at pgparksdirect.com. Free. 2 p.m. Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Rd. Cheverly. 301.277.1710

NOVEMBER 9

Make colorful mosaic coasters and centerpiece trivets at

the Brentwood Arts Exchange, in collaboration with Arts on a Roll. Professional instructors will be on hand to lead families through the process so you can make a new keepsake that adds flare to your Thanksgiving feast! Register at pgparksdirect.com. Free (coasters provided). 2 p.m. 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood. 301.277.2863

Managing Editor for Life and Times Sought

Streetcar Suburbs Publishing is seeking a managing

for this newspaper, the Hyattsville Life and Times.

The managing editor is responsible for connecting story ideas with writers and photographers, editing copy as it comes in, monitoring beats, and attending city events as needed.

The editor must be able to contribute editorial content, recruit and manage volunteer staffing, and ensure that content conforms to house style and standards.

This part-time contract position is home-office based with flexible hours, but requires some weekend and evening availability.

To receive a full position description, email joemurchison2@gmail.com.

Cover letters and resumes should be sent to joemurchison2@gmail.com, stullich@earthlink. net and bdicker@american.edu.

MISS FLORIBUNDA

Facing the flood plain truth

Dear Miss Floribunda,

I’ve read with great interest about the effects of climate change on home garden planning. I have indeed noticed a “false spring” problem. Are there other aspects of climate change that affect those of us trying to grow a few flowers and vegetables in our own yards? I have heard that melting glaciers are causing a rise in the sea level. Last spring, I visited the coast of North Carolina and was shocked when I saw what people there call “ghost forests” of trees killed by a rise in sea levels. Are only coastal areas in trouble, or does any of this affect those of us who garden inland? I can’t help but wonder because of the ongoing construction on the flood plain next to Driskell Park. Would building there make groundwater come up and flood the rest of us? Would it do anything to the groundwater in general? Any other effects?

Just Asking on Jefferson Street

Dear Just Asking,

Thank you for these very pertinent questions. As the great poet John Donne expressed in “No Man Is An Island,” ev-

He wrote, “If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were.” What happens on the coast has repercussions inland. The coastal ecosystems that aren’t destroyed outright reestablish on flood plains. While many people view flood plains as wasted space just begging to have houses built on them, there is a strong connection between what you saw in North Carolina and why we need flood plains. The ecosystems they preserve contain pollinating insects as well as bats, turtles and amphibians that keep down mosquito populations. Salt water from the encroaching ocean killed the ghost forests you saw. As water flows still farther inland, salt and harmful chemical pollutants are filtered out in flood plains. North Carolina has put in place ambitious plans to protect, restore and develop flood plains — a precedent having been set as far back as the 19th century by the Gullah people who farmed rice in swampland there. Not surprisingly, after the failure of levees during Hurricane Katrina, important flood plain restoration projects were created in Louisiana. Closer to home, the Chesapeake Bay Pro-

watershed organizations, and our local Anacostia Watershed Society are developing similar initiatives.

Sediment deposited on flood plains makes soil especially rich. Flood plain farming is prevalent in many parts of the world and certain areas of the U.S. It is being further developed in areas of the U.S. where increased flooding resulting from climate change has environmentalists seeking alternatives to dams and levees. An example is successful rice farming in the Yolo Bypass of California, where levees were removed five years ago. These flooded fields now also provide a habitat for migrating salmon.

And yes, if housing and impermeable driveways, parking lots and streets built on flood plains impede normal hydrologic function, then downwardflowing stormwater and rising streams will flood adjacent land and structures. Contaminated by building materials, lawn chemicals and runoff from roads, this water will flow into nearby neighborhoods and damage those homes and gardens, as well as the structures actually built on the plains. To date, plans to divert water have been far from foolproof. Be-

tial rain have become more frequent and more severe, periodic flooding is a reasonable expectation. Flood plains have never been needed more. The damage done to the Chesapeake Bay by contaminated stormwater is yet another concern.

Although county, state and federal policies discourage or prohibit building on flood plains, Prince George’s County decision-makers often disregard these commonsense policies and allow developers to build intensively on flood plains. The future is likely to bring lawsuits, and the damages will be paid with tax dollars. A few years ago, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) paid millions of dollars to homeowners in Baltimore County whose houses had to be condemned because of extensive water damage, though homeowners recouped only 75% of fairmarket value. The demolition alone cost more than $1 million. Financial compensation may have been little or no comfort to those who hoped to live permanently in those homes.

So, what can the home gardener do when a protective flood plain disappears? You can spend time preparing your garden as much as possible for that eventuality. Why not install rain barrels? Climate change brings alternating periods of deluge and drought. You can store water during heavy rains that otherwise might seep into your basement and then use it when you need it most. If you have a wet basement, you likely know that there is no substitute for an efficient sump pump, but it’s still a good idea to plant azaleas or some other thirsty shrubs along the foundation of your home. If you can afford to, it would be a good idea to replace your concrete driveway with permeable material. You might also want to turn at least a portion of your lawn into a rain garden.

Please come to the next meeting of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society on Oct.15, at the city’s Department of Public Works facility, 4637 Arundel Place. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m., followed by our fall plant exchange.

Miss Floribunda is visiting her sister Polyantha in Picardy this month, so we are reprinting a previous column that has been updated for relevance and accuracy.

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

Although county, state and federal policies discourage or prohibit building on flood plains, Prince George’s County decisionmakers often disregard these commonsense policies and allow developers to build intensively on flood plains. The future is likely to bring lawsuits, and the damages will be paid with tax dollars.

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.

As much as myths about pit bulls persist, so do statistics that bear out some of the dangers these dogs may pose.

A 2015 American Journal of Otolaryngology article, by surgeons who treat head and neck injuries, 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 forcing the repeal of the county’s ban. An avowed pit bull enthusiast, she described her mission to this reporter: “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.

COURTESY OF UNSPLASH

HYLIFE

Fitness, friends and nature’s beauty

By Jessica Arends

At 5:30 a.m. we gather quietly at the river. Silhouettes in the dark, we follow the commands of our coxswain to synchronize each step: Place one foot in the boat, lower our bodies down, tie into the boat shoes and push away from the dock.

We drift backwards into the belly of the river, a dark warm place that has waited for us all night. The arms of the river banks open, welcoming our narrow eight-person boat along with the day’s first light.

Through the mist, we see shapes at the banks, as if on a stage before the curtain opens. Ghostly white egrets lift their heads to watch us pass. An archipelago of turtles waits for the sun on a dead branch. Splash! An excited fish flashes its white belly. Suddenly, a sweet fragrance.

Our eyes adjust to the dark: The trees are covered with sparkling white blossoms. A veil of tiny clematis stars undulates down each side of the river.

“Arms, back, slide … row!

Arms, back, slide … row!” Over and over, our strokes sync up, beating out a steady rhythm. Leg muscles wake up as we slide our seats and pull the oars through the dark water. With each row and release, row and release, my preoccupations and worries flatline; that boundary between me and my surroundings dissolves a little.

“Way ’nough!” the coxswain shouts, and we come to a stop.

Coach Cindy zooms up in her motorboat and leads us through drills like “cut the cake.” Before

each row, we pause to wave our shiny oars back and forth in the air like a water ballet. The sky is now a generous peachy-orange, everything illuminated by a magical glow.

Back at the dock, we detach from the boat. Our limbs look and feel awkward, like we’re penguins climbing back on land. We are slow to break our meditative silence, still rebuilding our pre-pandemic social skills.

We’re novice members of the Washington Rowing School at Bladensburg Waterfront Park. Each August, as part of the Community Row Challenge, beginning rowers train at the school throughout the month.

The month-long Community Challenge culminates in a race called the Bladensburg Races, in commemoration of the an-

Associate Editor Heather Wright heather@hyattsvillelife.com

A community newspaper chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville

Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781

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Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Streetcar Suburbs Publishing Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

Editors welcome reader input, tips, articles, letters, opinion pieces and photographs, which may be submitted using the mailing address above or the email addresses provided.

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Writers & Contributors

Jessica Arends, Juliette Fradin, Julia Gaspar-Bates, Greg Morton, Claire Panak Tombes, Paul Ruffins, Fred Seitz, Lisa Wölfl, Heather Marléne Zadig

HyattsKIDS Adult Advisor Mary Frances Jiménez

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niversary of the 1814 Battle of Bladensburg.

Cindy Cole previously coached at another local rowing club and noticed how the membership fee and size of the club excluded many community members. She also observed expensive rowing equipment sitting unused during the offseason. In response, she founded the Washington Rowing School in 2006.

The school is a welcoming and inclusive place for community members to enjoy working out and partaking in the beauty of the river. Currently, about 150 adults and youth enjoy this lowimpact team sport at the school each year, sharing equipment year-round.

“Rowing is very pleasurable,” Cole said. “You’re like a big bird

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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 — Ex Officios

Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. mail to every address in Hyattsville. Additional copies are distributed to libraries, selected businesses, community centers and churches in the city.

Total circulation is 9,300.

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— the rhythm. It cures whatever ails you.”

Indeed, this deep satisfaction and healing joy is evident among the novice rowers. Community Challenge rower Celeste O’Neill, who just moved to Hyattsville, had been missing the mountains of Colorado, but said, “[The] river is filling that void.” The regular exercise and social interaction helped her feel more connected. “I really

needed this,” she said.

Hyattsville resident and mother-of-five Allison Lipari said she appreciates the space to do something for herself. After rowing, she said, “I can reset and then come home happy to my household.” Lipari also appreciates the unique challenge of not being able to stop when rowing. She explained, “You have to press through — whether it’s a physical or mental block, you have to keep going.”

Hyattsvillian Robin Fernkas, who is frequently on the sidelines for her son’s and husband’s sporting events, said she relished the chance to try rowing: “It can be grueling — carrying the boat, getting bruised — but it’s that shared experience that can build friendships.” Fernkas added that she and her son, who is on his high school crew team, now share the language of rowing. The Washington Rowing School offers adult and youth classes, including a Learnto-Scull class, which involves smaller boats and two oars. More information can be found on the Washington Rowing School website, washingtonrowingschoolcom.

Jessica Arends is the arts, culture and lifestyle columnist for the Hyattsville Life & Times.

The Blue Humans surge ahead in the 2022 Bladensburg Races Regatta on the Anacostia River. © WILLIAM MACFARLAND, COURTESY OF MACFARLANDPHOTO.NET

towards those most in need.

Fellow organizer Larson, a licensed social worker and executive director of The Homeless Children’s Playtime Project, explained how a case manager at a local shelter, which had often partnered with the Playtime Project, contacted her in the spring about a single mother with a toddler and 7-year-old boy. They were moving from the shelter into an apartment. Not only did the family have next to nothing, but the boy also used a wheelchair from injuries sustained from gun violence.

Larson immediately posted to local listservs asking for supplies. “We were amazed by the support,” she said. Listserv members provided wish list items and financial donations.

Betancourt, a freelance journalist, had already been helping Afghan refugees resettle in the area when he noticed Larson’s listserv post seeking donations for the family. When Betancourt and Larson realized they were close neighbors, an ongoing

partnership seemed natural. With the help of Larson’s friend Alison Spain and others, the impromptu group filled a rented truck with donated furniture, clothing and housewares to help the family move to their new apartment.

Following this apartment setup, the same shelter referred more families to Larson, she said, including one expecting twins. Larson said she thought

that the shelter assumed Welcome Home Neighbor was a well-established group because it was so thorough in providing for households.

“Just like we’re not going to let a little boy in a wheelchair move by himself, we are not going to let this family have twins by themselves,” Larson said. In this recent case, the team collected diapers, baby clothes, baths, bottles — everything required

to make a home for a double helping of newborns.

So, what is it about Hyattsville in particular that supports this direct-aid model?

“There’s a cohesiveness here where people take responsibility for each other,” Betancourt suggested. “Someone puts the word out that someone needs something, and people here respond.”

For now, Welcome Home Neighbor aims to stay small, local and informal by design, believing that this model allows a more versatile and compassionate approach than bureaucracies can offer.

“When we hear about one family who needs something, we feel that empathy so much more strongly than simply knowing about the millions of families who are in need,” said Betancourt. “And I think people everywhere, not just in Hyattsville, respond to that by asking, ‘What can I do?’ — and doing it.”

The group aims to help one family per week. They are currently seeking dedicated volunteers to help coordinate future setups. They also need space

to store donations — currently stacked in organizers’ garages. Brooms, mops, and even shower curtains are among treasured supplies, Larson said.

“Oh my gosh,” she added — speaking of shower curtains. “This mom didn’t take a [standup] shower for the first six weeks she lived in her apartment,” until the group provided the woman with a curtain.

Toys are also in high demand, according to Larson. When a 19-year-old survivor of domestic violence told Larson she had to take her toddler to the toy aisle of Target to play, Welcome Home Neighbor gathered gently used toys, including a play kitchen, and made the young family’s day.

“We know that it doesn’t make their lives perfect just because they have a kitchen garbage can,” Larson said. But, she added, “it’s a pretty feel-good experience to be able to provide such a concrete fix to some pretty concrete problems.”

To volunteer, donate items or provide storage space, email neighborwelcomehome@gmail. com.

City loses credit rating

By Claire Panak Tombes

On Aug. 29, Moody’s Investor Service, an international credit rating agency, announced the withdrawal of the City of Hyattsville’s Aa2 bond rating, resulting in potentially higher costs to taxpayers if the rating is not restored before the city issues additional debt.

in sufficient time.”

rooms in the current building.

“Think about that for a second: The classroom is hot enough to make crayons melt,” wrote Laura Pillsbury from the HES PTA.

Another area resident, Andrea Mueller, noted that she chose to send her daughter to a different school, partly due to the age and condition of the current HES building.

While all the submitted comments supported the proposed rebuilding plan, many also pleaded for the school system to proactively choose and prepare a swing space, where students would attend during the construction phase. “We would like to avoid a repeat of what happened with Hyattsville Mid-

dle School, in which the population was split among several locations with an extremely disruptive effect,” wrote Weber.

Leigh Higgins, whose two children both attended HES, urged the board to find a way to keep all the HES students together at a nearby location during school construction. “My youngest is currently in the second location of his middle school career, and I hope that the experience of Hyattsville Middle School’s swing space debacle is a learning experience for the staff and the Board,” she wrote.

The presentation indicated that the school system will issue a request for proposals and award an agreement with a firm in the first half of 2024. The schools are all anticipated to open in time for the 2026-27 school year.

The rating, which is a measure of how likely the city is to repay its general obligation debt, was withdrawn for “insufficient or otherwise inadequate information to support the maintenance of the rating,” according to Moody’s website. Moody’s had previously announced the city’s bond rating was under review on July 20, and said that the city had 30 days to provide the necessary information.

Two days prior to Moody’s first notice, the Hyattsville City Council approved the issuance of $11 million in bond anticipation notes (BANs) for the new police building at 3505 Hamilton Street. BANs are a form of shortterm debt, and the ordinance says the BANs may be paid off “from the proceeds of the bonds in anticipation of which the BANs are issued,” but also pledges the city’s “unlimited taxing power” to pay off the debt “if the City is unable to issue the Bonds

City Treasurer Ron Brooks wrote in an email to the Hyattsville Life & Times (HL&T) that Moody’s had requested the fiscal year 2020 audit report, which is currently incomplete due to pandemic-related staffing issues at the city and its outside auditors. Brooks said that the city plans to complete the report within the next two months and provide it to Moody’s. He further shared that “the City will be refinancing various debt issues in about a year from now and will seek to have the [bond] rating restored at that time.”

When the city issues unlimited general obligation debt, it is promising to pay the debt out of the city’s ad valorem, or property, tax revenue and, if that revenue is insufficient, to raise taxes in order to pay the debt, according to city policy and an explanation of municipal bonds from Charles Schwab.

While municipalities can issue unrated bonds, a recent paper from two University of Maryland professors on unrated municipal bonds found that municipalities incurred increased costs due to higher interest rates on unrated bonds than they otherwise would have had if the bonds had been rated.

An Aa2 bond rating is the third-highest credit rating in Moody’s ranking of long-term debt. The city’s debt management policy says, “For any publicly offered long-term general obligation debt, the City will strive to achieve an underlying rating in the ‘A–’ range,” which the prior Aa2 rating fulfilled.

Brooks told the HL&T that the loss of the rating “does not affect the City at this time, because the rates for the City’s last bond issue in 2019 are locked in.” He also noted that in his time with the city, Hyattsville has never missed a bond payment to its investors.

The city charter limits general obligation debt to 2% of the city’s assessable property tax base, which was estimated at $2.6 billion in the city’s most recent budget book. Brooks confirmed that the city currently has approximately $25.9 million in outstanding general obligation debt, including the $11 million approved in July, and is at 50% of the total amount of debt allowed under the charter. The city has an additional $13.4 million in special obligation debt related to the University Town Center project, which is paid for through a dedicated tax on the University Town Center properties.

Welcome Home Neighbor volunteers package donations as neatly as they can to help smooth the transition for homeless families moving into stable housing. COURTESY OF JAMILA LARSON

The new Hyattsville Elementary School will be rebuilt at the same location, on 43rd Avenue. SOPHIE GORMAN ORIANI