04-2024 College Park Here & Now

Hollywood Farmers Market opens as city council considers its future

By SHARON O’MALLEY

The Hollywood Farmers Market in North College Park will open for the season on April 13 as planned, despite concerns from city staff about its cost.

Assistant City Manager Bill Gardiner suggested in February that the city council consider whether spending more than $20,000 per season to keep the market afloat is worth it.

“In the big scheme of our budget, it’s not very much money,” Gardiner noted, but added, “At the same time, in terms of comparable farmers markets, it’s still unusual.”

The city is considering increasing the market’s budget to $30,000 next year for staffing, entertainment, permits and other expenses.

Gardiner said Rockville, La

Most displaced Campus Village shops remain without homes

By KATELYNN WINEBRENNER

Plata, Bowie and Greenbelt spend “substantially less” on their farmers markets than College Park does. He suggested that the council consider pausing the market or looking into alternatives to continuing to prop it up. Suggestions from councilmembers included combining the Hollywood market with the College Park Farmers Market at the Herbert W. Wells Ice Rink, moving it to a larger location that would allow it to expand, and recruiting a produce vendor to supply a more robust selection of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The decade-old fresh-air market at the Hollywood Plaza Shopping Center sells meat, summer produce, crafts and baked goods every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until midNovember and is one of three

Four businesses — Mr. Fries Man, Taqueria Habanero, Hanami and the UPS Store — have been invited to reopen at the now-vacant site at 8147 Baltimore Avenue. That property is slated to be converted from a strip mall to a student apartment complex, scheduled to open in 2027.

The rest have closed temporarily while they look for new spaces or have gone out of business for good.

City considers 1st residential property tax hike in 10 years

By SHARON O’MALLEY

Of the 16 businesses that once had storefronts in the Campus Village Shoppes on Route 1, one has relocated to a suite in a commercial building and two have set up food trucks outside of their old locations.

“I think all of the merchants wanted to stay [in the city],” Michael Williams, College Park’s director of economic development, said. The Office of Economic Development has funding available through its Business Attraction and Retention

College Park officials in April will propose a 13% increase in residential property taxes starting with the next fiscal year, which begins on July 1.

The proposed increase of 4 cents per $100 of a home’s assessed value would add $156 a year, or $13 a month, to the property tax bill of a $390,000 home, which is the approximate average value of a residence here, according to city ad-

ministrators. If the city council approves the proposed increase, the tax bill for that average College Park home would be $1,333 per year. The corresponding tax bill was $1,170 in 2024.

The new rate would reflect an increase in property taxes from 30.18 cents per $100 of assessed value to 34.18 cents.

“It’s a reset,” Gary Fields, the city’s finance director, said at a day-long city council budget workshop in late March.

The fresh-air Hollywood Farmers Market features seafood, meat, local crafts and produce from area farms such as Blue Berwyn Farm. COURTESY OF JULIE BEAVERS

State set to finish 1st phase of Route 1 improvements

By JONATHAN IACOVACCI

Construction on the first phase of a project to add bike lanes, raised medians and turn lanes to Route 1 will finish this spring after a year-long delay, according to a Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) engineer.

Derek Gunn, SHA’s District 3 engineer, said a combination of staffing and supply shortages during the pandemic slowed construction on the state road, which had an original finish date of spring 2023.

Gunn said the project is more than 74% complete.

“We have a little bit of work ahead of us,” Gunn said. “We’ll be … pouring concrete for the new median north of Lakeland [Road] and we’ll be doing some streetscaping finishing up.”

The project, which began in

2020, will widen the street to make room for bike and turn lanes going north and south.

Work also includes adding pedestrian lighting, resurfacing the road, landscaping the medians, painting wide-striped crosswalks, upgrading drainage, and curb, gutter and sidewalk construction.

The first phase of the project involves the stretch of Route 1 between College Avenue and Greenbelt Road. The second phase, which has not started and is not yet fully funded by the state, will cover Route 1 between Greenbelt Road and the Beltway.

“The changes, once it’s happened, will make Route 1 very nice,” College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir said.“ I know it’s a pain. … It’s very congested.”

Kabir said city officials are working with the federal and

state governments to try to raise money for Phase 2.

Former Gov. Larry Hogan funded the project in 2015 as part of a $1.97 billion statewide investment in roads and bridges. Construction on Phase 1 of the Route 1 project came in with a price tag of $28.7 million, according to the Maryland Department of Transportation, which estimated a cost of $50 million for the entire first stage of the project.

Former Maryland Transportation Secretary Gregory Slater said in 2020 that the Route 1 improvements, combined with the construction of the Purple Line, would make College Park “a model for Maryland’s vision for safe and efficient multimodal access and mobility.”

Kabir agreed.

“It’s not about making the street pretty,” Kabir said. “It’s more than

that. … It’s for our safety.” Managers of Route 1 businesses said the project has had its pros and cons.

“Bike lanes would be nice; [this] is definitely not a nice place for bikes to ride,” Kieran Leonard, manager of Sweetgreen, said.

But Kayla Scott, manager at Looney’s Pub, said construction has been disruptive.

“They would have to turn off our water because they were doing construction,” Scott said. “It’s been, what, three years?”

Beyoncé’s new album opens country music’s door to Black artists

By KATELYNN WINEBRENNER

Beyoncé’s new album could break down the barrier that separates Black audiences and artists from country music, according to a University of Maryland (UMD) music specialist.

The venerated music icon experiments with country music on “Cowboy Carter,” a 27-track album that many of her 75.6 million monthly Spotify listeners are paying attention to, ethnomusicologist Stephanie Shonekan, UMD’s dean of arts and humanities, said. Because she is at the forefront of contemporary popular culture, Beyoncé’s foray into the genre also could make country more appealing to younger

listeners, Shonekan said. The album, which Beyoncé released on March 29, showcases “African-American connections and deep roots in country [music], asking really critical questions about the exclusionary practices in country culture,“ Shonekan said. “It offers us an opportunity to reflect on a difficult past in the United States.”

The track list includes her take on “Blackbird,” a highly political song that the Beatles wrote in 1968 as an homage to the Little Rock Nine — nine teenagers who became the first Black students to enroll in Central High School in Little Rock, Ark.

The song opens with the lyrics, “Blackbird singing in the dead of night/ Take these broken wings and learn to fly.”

Beyoncé’s selection of this song “reminds us that she has evolved,” Shonekan said. “In her [2016] album ‘Lemonade,’ she came out as an artist who is also an activist, who is also thoughtful about what is happening in the United States.”

Her version, stylized as “Blackbiird,” with a double letter i, features four Black female country artists, including Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tierra Kennedy and Reyna Roberts.

“I love that this is the track that she invites young, up-andcoming Black country artists to work with her,” Shonekan said. “I’m hopeful that this will be an opening, and there’ll be other artists to join the [ones] that are

already doing some really wonderful work in country music.”

Beyoncé also covered country icon Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” on the album. Recently, the song was covered by Parton’s goddaughter, Miley Cyrus, who makes a guest appearance on another “Cowboy Carter” song.

“It’s not simply a cover; she actually changes the lyrics and brings it up to the 21st century and to Gen X and maybe Gen Z, as well,” Shonekan said. “There’s a lot of excitement among young African Americans.”

Beyoncé adds new lyrics to “Jolene,” like, “Shoot your shot” and “You don’t want no heat with me.”

“Those are vernacular phrases that are very particular to this generation of young people,” Shonekan said, “so I love what she did with it — refreshing it and revising it and bringing it to a new generation.”

Not only do some of the changes make the song more palatable to younger listeners, but they also reflect a more feminist narrative, the dean said.

“She extends the progress of women, in a sense,” Shonekan said.

In Parton’s original, the lyrics include, “I’m begging you/ Please don’t take my man.” Instead, Beyoncé sings, “I’m warning you/ Don’t come for my man.”

“It’s a really nice twist,” Shonekan said. “It gives a more powerful voice to this protagonist.”

Construction is winding down on Route 1 this spring. JONATHAN IACOVACCI

COURTESY OF PARKWOOD ENTERTAINMENT

NEWS BRIEFS

STATE OF THE CITY

In his annual State of the City address on March 19, Mayor Fazlul Kabir underscored what he called the “exponential growth” College Park experienced in 2023. As evidence, Kabir pointed to the opening of 10 businesses during the year, which he estimated would bring 250 new jobs to downtown, midtown and North College Park. And Kabir said the city is expecting nearly 20 new businesses and restaurants to open in the coming year.

Through grants and partnerships, the city will add two student housing complexes — Aspen and Union on Knox — and three affordable housing complexes this year. And with the remnants of pandemic-era American Rescue Plan Act funding, 68 College Park businesses and nonprofits got $2.2 million in grants last year, while 85 households received a combined $260,000.

The city made sizable donations to community organizations last year, the mayor noted,

including $300,000 to the three fire companies that serve the city and $500,000 to five local food banks, including Meals on Wheels of College Park.

Kabir also called out the city’s efforts to improve sustainability, diversity and safety.

The full text of the State of the City address is available at tinyurl.com/yjydju2h.

BIG WINNER

A College Park woman won $11,300 on Wheel of Fortune on March 20, finishing second out of three contestants on the TV game show.

Melinda Smith, of College Park Woods, held her own against contestants Pamela Davis, of California, and winner Berto Borroto, of Minnesota, who walked away with $21,917 cash plus a cruise.

During the Marvel-themed episode, Smith said her favorite comic book character is Misty Knight, who has a bionic arm and superhuman strength.

NEW SITE

The city has unveiled a redesigned website (collegeparkmd.gov).

The updated site features a menu bar highlighting the mostused sections, including a payand-apply button that links to instructions for paying parking tickets and property taxes, applying for grants, and obtaining permits and licenses. The menu bar also allows residents to sign up to receive alerts and notices of city actions and report noise violations, stray pets and fallen trees through the site.

Ryna Quiñones, the city’s communications and events manager, said the site makes it easier for residents to find College Park City Council documents, news and announcements, and public alerts.

Mayor Fazlul Kabir called the redesigned site, which offers translation into 130 languages, “fantastic.”

INVESTIGATION

The city is investigating its racial

equity officer, Kayla Carter, after news reports revealed she posted what some might consider offensive remarks on her personal social media accounts.

Fox News Digital and the New York Post reported on March 13 that Carter, who works with the city’s Restorative Justice Commission, used social media to call police “white supremacists” and to post other race-related comments and complaints about her job.

Carter’s accounts have since been moved to protected status, which means they cannot be viewed by the public.

City officials declined to comment on the investigation except through a press release from City Manager Kenny Clark, which said, “Ms. Carter’s views expressed on her personal accounts do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and core values of the City of College Park and its mayor and council.”

Carter was hired as the city’s first racial equity officer in 2022,

when the city adopted a resolution to renounce systemic racism.

Her job is to examine city policies and programs for barriers to equal participation and to identify opportunities for Black residents.

STUDENT REGENT

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has appointed the 2023-24 student liaison to the College Park City Council to a seat on the University System of Maryland’s Board of Regents for the next school year.

University of Maryland student Dhruvak Mirani will replace outgoing student regent Farah Helal, a University of Maryland, Baltimore County student whose term on the board expires on June 30. Mirani’s term as an adviser to the city council will expire at the end of the spring semester.

Mirani majors in computer science and government and politics.

VIEWPOINT

Meditation can keep you on track

By DR. DONNA CHACKO

Stress, anxiety, depression, suicide, addiction and violence are too common in our world. Sadly, many of us have first-hand experience with some of these. Suffering like this can make us feel distraught and helpless.

I learned from my decades practicing medicine that some problems are bigger than we are, and too often there is not a simple solution. What we can control, though, is how we let the woes of the world affect us personally. Meditation is one way to keep ourselves on track in a world that sometimes seems off the rails. Meditation is the general name that describes an intentional, usually silent, practice that is done in different ways and for various reasons. Buddhist and Hindu meditation practices have deep roots in philosophy, spirituality and religion and seek things like balance, clarity, happiness, calmness or detachment. Transcendental meditation, or TM, is described as a journey to inner

peace, clarity and wellness. Christian contemplative prayer, like all of these practices, involves intentional silence, but its intention is closeness, and even oneness, with God. Nature meditation is loosely described as simply resting in silence while outside in nature, savoring the peace and healing it offers. Other types of meditation include guided, loving kindness, breathing and movement. Each of us can take a valuable first step to healing ourselves and our world by introducing silence into our days. The 17th century mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal presciently said, “All men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.” Science has confirmed that spending time in silence improves mental and physical health.

I learned of Centering Prayer, a Christian contemplative prayer practice, when studying the science of meditation. The mental and physical health benefits from meditation are extraordinary. Research done on long-term meditators demonstrates reduced stress response, less reactivity to

pain, faster recovery from stress, and enhanced ability to process emotions and live in peace. The amygdala, the part of the brain that processes emotions, is less active. Inflammation and blood pressure are lower.

These health benefits motivate many people to meditate. My personal reason for starting Centering Prayer was to open myself to the healing presence of God. The benefits I’ve experienced are a bonus. I gradually started to feel more calm, less stressed by traffic and less reactive to others. I thought I was becoming a better listener, which family members confirmed. My meditation practice has brought me great joy, satisfaction and peace as I’ve surrendered my time in this way to God. It’s helped me realize how much time I’ve spent in my head worrying about the past and trying to plan the future. The practice is helping me let go of these thoughts so I can stay in the present moment.

What type of silence or meditative practice beckons you? You

may want to learn more before you begin.

I suspect you’re thinking you don’t have any time to be silent or start a meditation practice. You are fretting about the things you will not get done if you devote time to meditation, like completing your to-do list or sleeping more. But if we are honest, we all know we fritter away many minutes during our day. The hardest part about a meditation practice is making the decision to do it. I’m convinced doing so will bring you many rewards and help you engage with our messy world in a mindful and healing way. Can you set your alarm 15 minutes earlier? Or pause in your car or office for a few minutes of quiet time before starting your day? Or meditate while you walk? Dedi-

cate a specific time every day for precious silence, even if it’s only 10 minutes. You spend way more time than that scrolling on your phone, watching TV or playing computer games. Borrow just a little of that time for yourself. It could be the most important thing you do all day.

University Park resident Donna Chacko is a retired radiation oncologist and family doctor.

A blogger and author, Chacko participates in Centering Prayer groups on Wednesday morning at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in College Park and Monday evening at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Hyattsville. Contact Chacko at serenityandhealthdc@gmail.com.

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Snakes in the suburbs: Black snakes are not all the same

By RICK BORCHELT

Spring is the time we’re most likely to see snakes in the D.C. suburbs; warmer temperatures lure them out of their winter shelter to bask in sunny spots, regulating their body temperature as they prepare to mate. Of the species we’re likely to see here, black snakes are the most commonly spotted.

But saying “black snake” is like saying “red bird”; that bird could be a cardinal, a house finch, a scarlet tanager — or any other bird with red in its plumage. Similarly, saying “black snake” could suggest either of two common, but very different, snakes that are, indeed, often black: the eastern rat snake and the eastern racer.

There’s a saying among herpetologists (people who study reptiles and amphibians) that if you see a snake in a very strange place, it’s probably a rat snake. Rat snakes are members of the genus Pantherophis, which includes about 10 North American species also commonly known as corn snakes and fox snakes. The species we’re likely to see here is the eastern rat snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis).

A lot of folklore has grown up around eastern rat snakes, which can range in color from black to gray to yellow across their range east of the Appalachians. They’re known for raiding chicken coops, going after birds and eggs alike — earning them the name chicken snake.

They’re also called pilot snakes in the belief that they lead other snakes (including venomous copperheads and rattlesnakes) to communal winter dens.

Black rat snakes are equally at home on the ground and in trees; rat snakes have scales that are keeled — each scale has a ridge — and the keeled scales can help the snake navigate and climb rough surfaces. But climbing is not without peril: More than a few black snakes have shimmied up a utility pole, clambered into an electrical transformer and shorted it out, with fatal consequences for the snake. They’re also adept at getting into attics and ceilings, and are a major predator of young squirrels and birds in their nests.

Eastern rat snakes are the longest of our snakes in the MidAtlantic, topping out at about seven feet. A snake that long is pretty old; they don’t even reach sexual maturity until they’re about four.

The other black snake we commonly see here in the spring is the eastern (or American) racer (Coluber constrictor). At first glance, racers might easily be mistaken for an eastern rat snake.

Side by side, though, physical differences between these two black snakes become more ap-

parent. Where rat snakes have keeled scales, racers are very smooth, which helps them slip easily through brush and grass. Rat snakes usually look chunky, where racers are thin and streamlined. In cross section, rat snakes are sort of loaf-shaped, while racers are tubular. Racers end up a little shorter at maturity, around five feet long.

Most people see the biggest difference between these snakes in their faces, even at a distance. Eastern rat snakes have vertical black stripes across their lips, where the lips of racers are plain white.

Even though racers have constrictor as their species name, rat snakes tend to be the actual constrictors: They wrap their catch in muscular coils and suffocate it to death before swallowing it whole. In contrast, racers simply pin down and swallow their still-living meals. This means rat snakes can take larger prey than racers typically do. Neither species is venomous, and neither can chew its food, but both types of snake can unhinge their jaws to swallow seemingly impossibly large prey. But that’s where the behavioral similarities end.

Rat snakes are usually quite docile and can often be picked

up and handled without getting agitated and biting you. Racers, on the other hand, are nervous snakes with a temper; they’ll strike repeatedly at you if they are cornered, and while they are not venomous, their bite can draw blood. Racers also vibrate the tips of their tails when alarmed, rendering a reasonable facsimile of a rattlesnake’s rattle when they’re vibrating in dry leaves or grass. (This unfortunate habit often gets them killed by uninformed people.) Racers also tend to move through their landscape with heads held high like a periscope for better vision.

Snakes in our area enter brumation during the winter, a deep torpor from which snakes

can emerge any time the temperature is high enough for them to bask in the weak winter sunshine. Rat snakes in particular might choose your basement or attic for brumation, wrapping themselves around warm pipes or light bulbs or wedging into furnaces or water heaters. They’ll typically leave in the spring the same way they came in. Or a nervous neighbor calls me to move their scaly subletter along.

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

The most commonly spotted snakes during springtime in College Park are black snakes. RICK BORCHELT

Application for student liaison to city council open until April 12

By JONATHAN IACOVACCI

University of Maryland (UMD) students who want to represent the college as liaisons to the College Park City Council have until April 12 to submit their applications to the Student Government Association.

The student liaison and deputy liaison serve one-year terms that turn over every June. These representatives may not vote on city business, but they participate in weekly council meetings. They also conduct research for council discussions and find experts on various issues to speak to the council.

“The ideal candidate would attend the meetings, work with [city council] in a collaborative fashion and who has a genuine concern about College Park on both sides of Route 1,” Mayor Fazlul Kabir said.

The city welcomed its first student liaison in 2002 as “a muchneeded student viewpoint in matters before the city council,”

according to the application for the position.

The liaison, who earns a $3,600 stipend for the term, and the deputy, who gets $3,000, offer the student perspective on issues like land use, development, city operations, legislative action and neighbor relations, according to the application.

“It is important to bridge the gap as much as we can,” Kabir said. “Anything we do at the city council level that can potentially impact the campus community in any manner … it is important for [students] to learn that as well and get their input on those issues.”

Terms will end in June for this year’s liaisons, Dhruvak Marani, a sophomore computer science and government and politics major, and deputy liaison Gannon Sprinkle, a junior government and politics major.

Marani said the biggest issue the pair worked on this year was a pilot program that would offer lower-income students $1,500 toward their rent for apartments

in the high-rises along Route 1.

“We’ve really been on the front lines of this program,” Mirani said, “from conducting background research to helping develop frameworks and writing a report for it. It was myself and Councilmember Stuart Adams [District 3] who actually presented our initial proposal back to the council.”

This year’s liaisons also worked on behalf of the city outside of council meetings, registering students to vote at the UMD Farmers Market; organizing a campus forum for candidates for mayor and city council; and starting a tenants union for students who live in College Park.

Marani said he would like the city council to give voting status to the student liaisons.

“Our city ought to be responsive to student interests, but sometimes it’s really hard to believe that, see[ing] it play out in reality,” Marani said. “It’s really tough sometimes to be as effective when ultimately our ability to get things done is dependent

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on the willingness of other people to listen to us.”

Still, Marani said, his experience this year has been educational.

The position “taught me how to work effectively with a governing body, how to be an effective advocate for students,” Marani said. “I don’t think you can really learn how to do that without getting the hands-on experience.”

His work this year helped him land his next high-level student job. In March, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore appointed him to serve as one of two student regents on the 21-member Board of Regents for the University

System of Maryland for the next school year.

Marani said the best applicants to fill the city council liaison positions will have strong interpersonal skills, a desire to learn and a willingness to be proactive.

Kabir added that the liaisons must care about College Park residents, including students and non-students.

Applicants for the position will be interviewed by a panel of city and SGA officials. The SGA then will take a vote and appoint the two top candidates as liaison and deputy liaison. The application is here: tinyurl.com/j7caktfk.

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Dhruvak Marani, a UMD sophomore, is one of two outgoing student liaisons to the College Park City Council. ZOE BRUNTON

Parks & Play

Green spaces in the City

Swing into Spring! The City of College Park’s local parks and playgrounds offer both tranquility and adventure. The tapestry of green spaces and recreational havens in College Park beckons residents and visitors to unwind and reconnect with nature. From lush parks to vibrant playgrounds, the City offers an array of outdoor spaces that cater to every age, event, and interest.

Whether you’re exploring the sprawling expanse of Paint Branch Park or enjoying the serene ambiance of Hollywood Gateway Park, nature’s oasis awaits you in College Park. But, it’s not all about swings and slides – College Park’s parks and playgrounds serve as hubs for community engagement and social connection. Look out for spaces with picnic and grilling areas, basketball courts and soccer fields, exercise lots and more!

In recent years, College Park has embarked on an ambitious journey to revitalize community spaces. Since some parks within the City limits are maintained by the Maryland National Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), the City has collaborated with local partners to renovate playgrounds and park grounds. From well-maintained pathways to secure playground equipment, every effort is made to create a safe environment for all.

For families and young adventurers, College Park’s playgrounds offer endless opportunities for exploration and play. Newly renovated playgrounds in Old Town, Calvert Road, Hollywood, Muskogee, Catawba Mews, and Davis Playground offer children of all ages a place for exploration and imagination. Colorful play structures and interactive features inspire children to play and learn.

In addition to new playground equipment, there is also a new clubhouse coming to College Park Woods! This vibrant hub for recreation, socializing, and community engagement will provide indoor space for a variety of gatherings and events. Once completed, the clubhouse will feature two meeting rooms seperated by a noise-reducing, accordion-style divider that can open to combine the spaces.

To learn more about parks and playgrounds in the City, visit www. collegeparkmd.gov/parks.

3rd Annual College Park Parade

Celebrate College Park on May 4th 2024 | 10AM

If you feel a disturbance in the Force, it’s just the excitement building for the 3rd annual City of College Park parade on May the 4th, 2024. College Park - get ready for a cosmic celebration of community that will transcend galaxies!

From seasoned Jedis to adorable baby Yodas, it’s time to gather for a Star Wars parade that will be out of this world! To participate in the parade, visit www.collegeparkmd. gov/cpforce2024 and fill out the form. This is your chance to be the star (wars) of the parade!

Use your Jedi mind tricks to convince your neighbors, friends, and reluctant stormtroopers to join in the fun. We welcome the participation of City-based organizations and groups such as marching bands, military units, classic and custom vehicles, dogs and animals, majorettes, fire and police vehicles, cheerleading squads, motorized floats, girl and boy scout troops, civic organizations, and more!

Our parade is droid and animalfriendly, so bring your mechanical and furry friends to the intergalactic spectacle.

This year’s parade is about coming together as a community to embrace our diverse universe and revel in the joy that Star Wars has bought generations. So don your capes, polish your blasters, and may the parade be with you!

City Announcements

More information: www.collegeparkmd.gov

CITY OF COLLEGE PARK TUTORING PROGRAM

The City of College Park offers free online tutoring for all College Park students during the 2023-2024 school year!

This program is offered through Imagine Learning and offers support with GED, College Prep, reading, and math for residents of College Park.

Complete the interest form at www.collegeparkmd.gov/tutoring.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SUMMER READING CAMP

The Summer Reading Program provides reading instruction and tutoring to children who are experiencing difficulty with reading.

The program is for students in kindergarten through 7th grade in the 2023-2024 school year. Children attend the program from 9AM to 12PM on Monday through Friday from July 8 to July 25, 2024.

The program is taught by certified teachers who are enrolled in or have recently completed the graduate program in reading and literacy in the College of Education at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Register by June 1, 2024 at www.collegeparkmd.gov/ readingcamp24.

SUSTAINABILITY SURVEY

College Park is committed to going green to create a more livable city that has lower impacts on the Earth.

We’d like to hear from you about sustainable steps you are taking and green actions the City can take.

Please take a few minutes to tell us about your activities and views on sustainability before April 19th at collegeparkmd.gov/ sustainabilitysurvey24.

LAWN CARE EQUIPMENT REBATE

Lessen your carbon footprint by purchasing electric or manualpowered lwn care equipment! City of College Park residents can aply for rebates for new lawn care equipment at www.collegeparkmd. gov/lawncarerebate.

RESTORATIVE & REPARATIVE JUSTICE SERIES: LAKELAND AND ROOT SHOCK WITH DR. MINDY FULLILOVE

April 17, 2024 | 7:30PM |

Washington Brazilian SDA Church (8108 5th Ave.)

Residents of College Park and the wider community are invited to join the City of College Park’s Restorative Justice Commission for our spring series of events which will explore the past harms caused by public action and avenues for reparative action.

These events will set the foundation for the coming months when we will look at the actuarial harms committed in Lakeland so we may arrive at proposals for restorative actions.

To RSVP, visit linktr.ee/ rjcommission.

ADVISORY BOARD VOLUNTEERS WANTED

Are you interested in serving on a City advisory board? Serve your community, lend your talents, and meet your neighbors by serving on a City advisory board:

• Advisory Planning Commission

• Airport Authority

• Bee City USA

• Board of Election Supervisors (2-year term)

• Committee for a Better Environment

• Education Advisory Committee

• Ethics Commission

• Noise Control Board

• City Events Advisory Board

• Seniors Committee

• Tree and Landscape Board

Interested in volunteering?

Please complete and submit an application at collegeparkmd. gov/advisoryboardapplication by Thursday, May 23, 2024.

The Mayor and Council will make appointments in June 2024 for three-year terms that will begin on July 1.

If you currently serve on an advisory board and your term expires on June 30, 2024, you will need to complete and submit a new application.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Events and meetings sponsored by the City of College Park, local nonprofits, arts organizations and performance venues. For additional events and meetings organized by the city, see the College Park Post in the newspaper’s centerfold.

Please send notices of events taking place between May 8 and June 4 to nancy@streetcar suburbs.news by April 26.

City Council Public Hearing on Improvements to 7200 block of Rhode Island Ave. April 9, 7:30 p.m. For more information and to attend in person, virtually or by phone, go to tinyurl.com/mr4vdpyh

College Park Community Library Book Club. Mad Honey, by Jodi Picoult. April 11 at 7 p.m. 9704 Rhode Island Ave. For more information, email Carol Munn at donkinc@msn.com

April 12 Application Deadline: UMD student liaison to the College Park City Council. Work with city council and mayor to provide student perspective on cross-community concerns. Term begins June 1. For more information and to apply, go to tinyurl.com/j7caktfk

2024 North College Park Annual Cleanup Day. Hosted by the College Park Committee for a Better Environment, UMD Office of Community Engagement, North College Park Community Association and Hollywood

Elementary PTO. April 13 from 9 to 11 a.m. Meet at Edgewood Road and Hollywood Ave.

Hollywood Farmers Market opens for the season on April 13, featuring local produce and meat, along with craft and food vendors. SNAP and WIC accepted. Saturdays until Nov., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 9801 Rhode Island Ave.

Alarm Will Sound at The Clarice. 20-member band brings Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians, one of the most influential minimalist works of all time, to The Clarice Center. April 12. Pre-concert talk 7 p.m., concert 8 p.m. $30 (students and youth $10). For more information and tickets, go to tinyurl.com/26p2a3j8

College Park Aviation Museum’s Spring Home-school Day. Explore the wonders of space through hands-on activities, crafts and experiments to discover the secrets of the cosmos. $6. April 16 from 9:30 to noon and 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr. For more information call 301.864.6029 or email collegeparkaviation@pgparks. com

College Park Arts Exchange Book Club. Root Shock: How Tearing Up City Neighborhoods Hurts America, and What We Can Do About It, by Mindy Fullilove. April 16 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. For Zoom link, email info@cpae.org

Lakeland and Root Shock: Workshop with Dr. Mindy Fullilove. Author, educator and social psychiatrist Mindy Fullilove discusses her book, its relevance to Lakeland and the call for restorative justice. April 17 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Washington Brazilian SDA Church, 8108 54th Ave.

Public Works Cleanup Saturday. Bring your old electronics, bulky trash and recycling to the Public Works Department. April 20 from 7:30 a.m. to noon. 9217 51st Ave. For more information and a list of acceptable discards, go to tinyurl.com/5n96phe5

Berwyn permaculture garden cleanup. Berwyn District Civic Association and the College Park Committee for a Better Environment host 9 a.m. to noon (rain date 4/21). For more information and volunteer sign up, email bdca-parks@myberwyn.org

College Park Arts Exchange “Can-Ducky” Derby backyard-

style party. Live music, a hatmaking workshop and contest, and food and drink for sale. Bring a canned food donation and receive a rubber duck to race. April 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Old Parish House, 4711 Knox Road.

Jazz Jam at The Hall CP Sponsored by The Clarice. Bring your instrument and call a tune. Free, no tickets required. April 24 at 7:30 p.m. 4656 Hotel Dr.

Public Works Cleanup Saturday. Bring your old electronics, bulky trash and recycling to Public Works. April 27 from 7:30 a.m. to noon. 9217 51st Ave. For more information and a list of acceptable items, go to tinyurl.com/5n96phe5

Maryland Day 2024 at UMD. Campus-wide activities and demonstrations along with hundreds of booths. April 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, go to tinyurl.com/ecphj9wh College Park Farmers Market. Reopening for the season with

a wide variety of vendors. WIC and SNAP accepted. April 27 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 5221 Campus Dr.

College Park Aviation Museum: Afternoon Aviators. Learn about technology that makes aviation safer and more sustainable. Ages 8 to 12; registration not required, drop-ins welcome. April 27 from 1 to 2 p.m. 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr. For more information call 301.864.6029 or email collegeparkaviation@pgparks.com

College Park 3rd Annual Parade. May 4 from 10 a.m. to noon; parade starts at the Hollywood Shopping Center and finishes at Duvall Field. Local clubs, organizations, businesses and residents can register to march or host a float at tinyurl. com/yc7vphdc

Recurring

Live music every Friday at The Hall CP. 7 to 10 p.m. 4656 Hotel Dr.

2024 PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

On May 14, Maryland will hold a primary election ahead of November’s general election. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On the ballot in May, in addition to candidates for president of the United States, will be candidates for the U.S. Senate, representatives to the U.S. Congress, judges for the Maryland Circuit Court in Prince George’s County, and delegates to each party’s national conventions.

Early voting is available May 2 through May 9 at early voting centers.

Any voter may vote by mail; requests for mail-in ballots, for those not already on the permanent mail-in voter list, must be submitted by May 10. To check your registration and request a mail-in ballot, go to tinyurl.com/58kebv8h.

We’re focusing our guide on two races:

• Democrats running for the U.S House of Representatives, Maryland District 4, which includes most of Prince George’s County. The Republican candidate, George McDermott, is running unopposed.

• Judges running in a contested primary to serve on the Maryland Circuit Court of Prince George’s County (part of Maryland Circuit 7).

We chose these races because Prince George’s County voters will decide them. Also, it can be harder to find information on these races than on the statewide senate race or the national presidential race.

We reached out to each candidate in early March to ask them about their campaigns. You’ll find their responses in this section, listed alphabetically by last name. In fairness to all candidates, we edited only for spelling, capitalization and punctuation.

Judges running to serve on the Maryland Circuit Court of Prince George’s County

Below you’ll find responses from the five candidates for the four circuit court judge seats.

DARREN JOHNSON

Age: 47

employment with the USDA, I was in private practice working primarily in Prince George’s County and Baltimore City.

STENISE ROLLE

Age: 46

These combined experiences give me the institutional knowledge regarding the Maryland judicial system, and the skills needed to serve with proficiency, compassion, and integrity.

Community involvement:

people with disabilities, and other historically excluded communities.

Statement to voters: A judge’s job is to apply the law fairly, impartially and prudently. I will not be a rubber stamp for any type of litigant, and my courtroom will not be a conveyor belt. I will always listen closely and give careful consideration to what each and every person who comes before me has to say, regardless of their background and circumstances.

Each of my four opponents was appointed by the former Republican governor (one of them originally to the district court). This May, the voters of Prince George’s County get to tell Larry Hogan NO! one more time, and instead choose someone who shares their progressive values.

CHERI SIMPKINS

Age: 50

Professional experience:

Professional experience: I currently serve as a judge for the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County. This requires me to preside over a wide variety of serious and complicated issues. Prior to my appointment, I served as a domestic magistrate for Prince George’s County for five years, presiding over 12,842 cases. These cases included matters concerning divorce, custody, child support and truancy. Prior to that, I worked in the National Appeals Division for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). While at the USDA, I was nominated by my peers and became the first recipient of the Director’s Award for Outstanding Service. This commendation was presented to me for going above and beyond my service to the USDA and the citizens of the United States. Prior to my

Community involvement: Volunteer at St. Joseph Catholic Church since 1991. Volunteer at Faith Moravian Church of Washington, D.C., since 2002. Volunteer at the Capital Area Food Bank. Play in a softball league. Vice-president of Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County. Participate with the Kappa League for Washington, D.C., Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., assisting in the development of leaders for tomorrow by providing personal, social, academic and economic guidance.

Statement to voters: I have over 20 years of legal experience. I am a lifelong Prince George’s County resident. I know the community for which I serve, which is invaluable for a jurist applying the law fairly. I have been on the bench for over six years. During that time, I have established a reputation as a fair and consistent jurist making decisions that affect the everyday lives of Marylanders. The recent past has shown Marylanders cannot rely on unvetted judges that have not even set foot in a courthouse. I have been vetted by every major bar association in Maryland. I was nominated by a committee of everyday citizens of Prince George’s County and ultimately selected by the governor of Maryland.

Professional experience: During my 20-plus years in the legal profession, I have worked as a litigator, an administrator of judicial education courses, a magistrate, and now a judge. These roles have prepared me for my current role as a judge on the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County.

My legal career began as a civil litigator, litigating complex wrongful death and personal injury cases. Upon starting my own law firm, I expanded my litigation work to include family law and criminal defense.

A highlight of my career was serving Prince George’s County residents as the director of graduate student legal aid at the University of Maryland College Park. At UMD, I used my passion for helping others to provide clients with the tools and resources needed to address their legal concerns.

My experience also includes working in the administrative office of the courts, where I was the manager of judicial education, responsible for the planning of educational courses and programming for ALL judges and magistrates throughout the state. Prior to being appointed as a judge, I was a magistrate for the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County.

J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association, vice president; Prince George’s County Bar Association, executive committee; Maryland Judicial Council’s Equal Justice Committee, Access and Fairness Subcommittee; Workgroup to Study Mandatory CLE [continuing legal education] in Maryland; Judicial Conference Planning Committee; Proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Judge liaison, Prince George’s County Mock Trial Program; Former cheerleading coach Statement to voters: Experience matters! As an incumbent judge, I understand the importance of this role and the impact it plays in our community. I do not take this responsibility lightly. Further, as I live, work and serve in Prince George’s County, I want what’s best for the county. I believe what’s best for this county are judges who are knowledgeable, experienced, fair, and care about people. I encompass all those characteristics. A vote for me is a vote for experience, fairness, and a commitment to justice.

MICHAEL SHEEHAN

Age: 35

Professional experience: As a Marine Corps veteran and public servant, I believe there is no higher professional calling than public service. My time in the military instilled in me the discipline necessary to confront tough issues and the decisiveness needed to resolve them. It also reinforced my progressive values and my belief in a strong sense of community, where folks look out for one another and hold each other accountable.

I currently practice tax law, which touches numerous other areas of the law, so I will bring a unique perspective to the bench and am prepared to handle the diverse array of matters that come before the circuit court.

Community involvement: I am a member of the Maryland State Bar Association, as well as the American Constitution Society, a progressive legal organization whose mission includes helping realize the promise of equality for all, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people,

Having served as a former district court judge for over six years, I upheld the law, facilitated fair trials, and made impartial decisions across criminal, civil, family and traffic cases. Transitioning to my current role as a circuit court judge, I oversee more complex and serious cases, bringing invaluable perspective to adjudication, ensuring procedural fairness, and upholding the rule of law for the community. My 14-year tenure as a prosecutor specializing in child abuse and sexual assault cases contributes to my judicial role, enabling wellinformed decisions prioritizing justice, public safety and individual rights. As an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law School and the University of Baltimore Legal Studies Program, I am committed to nurturing future legal professionals and promoting fairness and integrity in the legal profession.

Community involvement:

As an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the Links, Inc., and Jack and Jill of America, I engage in various community initiatives. Within my sorority, I participate in mentoring programs, educational workshops and community service events empowering women and supporting underserved communities. In the Links, Inc., I contribute to cultural enrichment, health and education projects. Within Jack and Jill of America, I organize educational and social activities for children, fostering their development and

building community bonds. Additionally, I host programs like Schools in Court, educating teenagers about the legal system and promoting civic engagement. I participate in the Reading and Robes program, fostering literacy and legal awareness among children. My involvement with the Maryland Supreme Court Council for Language Access subcommittee underscores my commitment to linguistic inclusivity and access to justice.

Statement to voters: Retaining current judges in contested elections is vital for bench stability and attracting qualified candidates to Maryland’s circuit courts. Only appointed judges undergo a rigorous application process, the scrutiny of 13 specialty bar associations and a gubernatorial nominating commission, a process I’ve faced twice under Gov. Hogan and Gov. Moore. This process ensures the selection of competent and impartial judges. Preserving experienced judges through contested elections maintains institutional knowledge, consistency and judicial independence. It assures the presence of seasoned professionals committed to upholding the law and serving with integrity.

DONNELL TURNER

Age: 56

Professional experience: Graduate of the University of Maryland and the University of Virginia School of Law; Former labor and employment attorney; Former assistant state’s attorney for Prince George’s County; Former U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) attorney from 2001 to 2012 (recipient of numerous DOJ special achievement awards); Former principal deputy state’s attorney for Prince George’s County; Former inspector general for the Prince George’s County Police Department (2018-

22); Former director of the Prince George’s County Office of Integrity, Compliance, and Police Accountability (202122); Member, Prince George’s County Police Reform Workgroup (2020); Prince George’s Community College adjunct professor (1998-2017); Recipient, Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Association President’s Award (2014); Tried over 100 jury trials in state and federal courts

Community involvement: Prince George’s County Bar Association – Member (2012-present), Board of Directors (2013-19), Criminal Law Committee (2013-18); Maryland State Bar Association – Member (2014-present), Judicial Appointments Committee (2016-22); J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association – Member (2015-17; 2021-present); First Tee of Greater Washington, D.C., Junior Golf Program volunteer coach (2014-present); Toys for Tots volunteer (2018-present); Mock trial and moot court judge (various high school and college competitions from 2002-present)

Statement to voters: I am a native of Prince George’s County and the product of the county’s public school system. Following my graduation from the University of Virginia School of Law, I decided to devote my legal career to public service, and I have spent over 20 years of my career as a public servant in Prince George’s County. In 2022, I was appointed by the governor as a circuit court judge in Prince George’s County.

My appointment was the culmination of 30 years of hard work and dedication to the legal profession. It also followed a rigorous vetting process in which my experience, character and integrity were carefully evaluated by numerous bar associations and the governor’s own judicial nominating commission

before I was selected. There is no greater honor and privilege than having been appointed to serve as an associate judge in the county in which I grew up, and I hope that the voters confirm my appointment when they go to the polls.

Democrats running for the U.S House of Representatives, Maryland District 4

JOSEPH GOMES

As of press time, Joseph Gomes had not responded to Streetcar Suburbs News’ requests for information.

GLEN IVEY

Age: 63

Day job:

Congressman, proudly representing Maryland’s Fourth Congressional District

Community involvement: Cheverly soccer coach 1997, Prince George’s County state’s attorney 2003-11, member of Congress 2023-present Statement to voters: I’m running for reelection to continue delivering on behalf of the Fourth Congressional District. In this term, we have lowered prescription drug medication costs for thousands of residents. I am proud of the work my office has done connecting constituents with much-needed resources during their times of need.

EMMETT JOHNSON

Age: 44

Day job: I am the principal agent and owner of Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial. I started the company in 2011. I enjoy providing local jobs and having an impact on my employees’ lives. Prior to that, I played professional football after my college career at Virginia Tech. Community involvement: I have been coaching kids’ athletics, which includes flag football and track.

Statement to voters: I am running because I bring a fresh, new perspective, as I am not a politician. I am an entrepreneur with a track record of getting things done and knowing what it takes to imagine, create, build and nurture opportunities until they make an impact on everyone I lead and represent. I know I can do that for District 4 of Maryland, and the American people.

GABRIEL NJINIMBOT

Age: 50

Day job: Entrepreneur and author

Community involvement: President of Bali Cultural Association-U.S.A, 7 years; Participated in elections in the City of Laurel; Participated in meetings with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America; Participated in meetings with Progres-

sive Maryland; Participated in rallies on rent stabilization with CASA and Prince George’s County councilmembers; Attend town halls in the City of Laurel; Attend PTSA meetings at Laurel elementary, middle and high schools; Attend several local churches; Door knocking and phone banking for Progressive Maryland; Attended civil rights activities at Capitol Hill

Statement to voters: We can no longer settle for the status quo. It’s time for a new generation of leaders to emerge with new ideas. I am running to give back to the very country that has made me who I am. Coming from Africa 25 years ago with just $100 in my possession, I went from cleaning dishes at a seafood restaurant in College Park, to securing outposts, to being a computer consultant. I worked for Baltimore City’s information technology office for 18 years, Prince George’s County for two years, obtained a law degree with the help of student loans, became an entrepreneur, and raised a family of three children attending our public schools at elementary, high school, and Towson University. I am running because the old guards have burned up their mandates, served their country, and should give way to those who are eager, passionate and yearning to serve. The times have changed, and this should be reflected in our political system. That’s why I am running for Congress, and I am ready to serve!

State Legislature passes nuisance driving laws

By SAM GAUNTT

The Maryland General Assembly in April passed two bills to increase penalties for street racing and allow Prince George’s and Montgomery counties to install noise-sensing traffic cameras that ticket excessively loud cars.

The College Park City Council submitted letters of support for the bills, which have both passed in the House of Delegates and Senate.

During a Feb. 15 hearing in Annapolis on the street racing and exhibition driving bill, College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir said city residents have seen an increase in racing and stunt driving in the city.

“It is not unusual for groups of motorcycle and ATV drivers to briefly take over sections of Baltimore Avenue on Route 1,” Kabir said. “These actions harm our communities, and these actions waste … resources, especially the police resources.”

Examples of exhibition driving include doing donuts, de-

TAX HIKE

liberately skidding (burning rubber), grinding the car’s gears and sudden acceleration, according to the legislation.

If Gov. Wes Moore signs the legislation, the new law will increase fines and raise the number of points added to the licenses of drivers found participating in these activities. Drivers could receive up to 12 points on their licenses – enough to get them revoked in the state.

According to the legislation, a driver would get eight points if no one is injured while racing or stunt driving and 12 points if someone is injured.

The law would apply to instances of racing or exhibition driving on both public roadways and in parking lots.

Del. Mary Lehman (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel), the sponsor of the House bill, said the issue of racing and stunt driving “has spun out of control in our state.”

“The fact is, exhibition driving will continue to disrupt our communities, endanger law

“We’re doing it for the future. … We feel like that we will not have to be looking at [another] rate increase in the near future.”

The proposed property tax increase is part of a $27.4 million budget proposal that projects the city’s revenue and expenses for fiscal year 2025. “We’re [looking at] $27.4 million of expenses,” said Fields, who noted that College Park’s charter requires the city to have a balanced budget with revenue equal to or greater than expenses. “We have to have a way to fund those expenses.”

If the city council approves the residential property tax increase, it would be the first since fiscal year 2014, when the city raised taxes from 32.2 cents to 33.5 cents.

Between 2020 and 2023, the city lowered property taxes by 10%, from 33.5 cents to 30.18 cents.

This year, however, commercial property taxes for apartment and office buildings in the city increased by 3 cents per $100 of assessed value, from 30.18 cents to 33.18 cents. Until 2024, the city applied a single tax rate to both residential and commercial property. The fiscal year 2025 proposal would raise the commercial rate by 20.58%, to 40 cents.

City Manager Kenny Williams pointed out at the workshop that College Park is the third largest municipality in Prince George’s County — in terms of the assessed value of property within city borders — but has the lowest tax rate in the county for both residential and commercial property.

If the council approves the increase, the

enforcement and risk serious bodily harm, or worse, to participants and passersby,” Lehman said during the hearing.

The city council also supported legislation, sponsored by Del. Julie Palakovich Carr (D-Montgomery), that will permit Prince George’s and Montgomery counties to install noise abatement technology — specialized speed cameras with microphones designed to identify and ticket cars that exceed the legal noise limit for motor vehicles.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people have been illegally modifying their cars to be noisier, Palakovich Carr said. Drivers sometimes remove mufflers or modify their engines or exhaust systems to up the noise level, she said.

“It’s just really, really disruptive for folks,” she said.

Other states such as New York and California have passed similar laws, Palakovich Carr noted.

The bill addressing noise abatement, which also passed

Drivers who race on city streets will be subject to higher penalties under a new Maryland law. SAM GAUNTT

in April, would allow the county to issue a $70 citation once per day to violators.

The bill allows the two counties to install a maximum of three noise-monitoring devices each. Cities within Prince George’s and Montgomery counties would have to grant their respective county permission to install a noise camera in their city limits, she said.

Drivers who receive a ticket for the noise will be able to contest it in court if they believe it to be unjustified.

College Park resident Bryan Haddad, who previously ran for

County considers bare-bones budget

By SHARON O’MALLEY

Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks in March proposed a $5.46 billion budget for fiscal year 2025 that would cut programs, freeze hiring for more than 800 government jobs and still leave the county with a projected budget shortfall of $171 million.

During a budget presentation on March 16, Alsobrooks said a surge in state mandates for school spending, combined with high interest rates, cuts in pandemic-era federal aid and dwindling revenues left her with no choice but to tighten the county’s financial belt and dip into prior-year reserves to run the government for the next year.

city would have the third-lowest residential tax rate among the county’s 27 municipalities. The proposed commercial property tax hike would give College Park the sixth-lowest tax rate in the county.

Councilmembers discussed alternatives to raising property taxes, including cutting some city services and community programs or laying off staff, but showed little support for those moneysaving strategies. Instead, councilmembers agreed to make more modest in-

“This year’s budget includes cuts to almost every county agency” except public schools and public safety, Alsobrooks said when unveiling her budget proposal.

The proposal would direct more than 60% of the county’s operating budget toward education.

The proposed budget is 1% — or $54 million — higher than the spending plan approved by the county council for fiscal year 2024. The council will vote on the budget proposal by June 1.

Alsobrooks said counties all over Maryland are facing 2025 shortfalls and are considering bare-bones budget proposals.

The proposal does not call for a residential property tax increase.

creases to some budget items than the staff originally proposed.

One early suggestion was to cancel the city’s three-year-old spring parade, which costs $33,000 to plan and host, but councilmembers reconsidered after receiving emails from two dozen residents supporting the event.

Tax revenue, including real estate property taxes, pays for approximately 76% of the city’s operating costs. The proposed increases in residential and commercial

mayor on a platform primarily based on cracking down on illegally modified cars, said he is in favor of noise abatement technology.

The technology is “wild,” Haddad, the co-owner of The Bamboo Eater smoke shop in North College Park, said. “They’re like speeding cameras, but they measure decibels, and they can be tied to an actual camera and they can pinpoint the location of the sound, and they can pick up the license plate in the process.”

Haddad said many vehicles that are illegally modified to be noiser do not have license plates.

UPCOMING BUDGET MEETINGS

April 23: City council proposes budget ordinance

May 7: Council holds public hearing on proposed budget ordinance

May 14: Council holds budget worksession, if needed

May 21: Council adopts budget ordinance

July 1: New budget takes effect

property tax rates would add approximately $2.1 million to city coffers.

The city’s fiscal year 2025 proposal for its overall general fund, or operating budget, is 10.5% more than the council approved last year. The increase would cover the cost of three additional fulltime staff positions and the expansion of multiple city programs.

“The council wanted to make sure we were retaining programs and services that have a lot of value to the residents,” Williams said at the workshop.

Capital projects like construction and road upgrades would be funded by a separate $10.97 million budget and would include renovations to Duvall Field, building of the College Park Woods clubhouse, establishment of a Sentinel Swamp sanctuary, and street and sidewalk improvements.

VILLAGE SHOPPES

program to help businesses relocate within the city.

But only three displaced businesses have taken the city up on its offer. Laser Essentials, Taqueria Habanero, and the UPS Store have all confirmed they intend to stay within the city limits by signing new leases or making a down payment on a food truck.

“We didn’t get many people wanting to enter into new … leases, borrowing hundreds or thousands of dollars to reestablish themselves in places throughout the city,” Williams said.

Austin-based LV Collective, the owner of the shopping center, sent tenants 60-day closure notices last August. The real estate development firm has started planning a 299-unit student housing complex for the site, which is slated to open in fall 2027.

Losing businesses formerly located in the plaza has caused a lot of controversy in the community.

“Immediately, there was an uproar,” Williams said. “We got a lot of phone calls, a lot of emails, a lot of visits at city hall letting us know that this closure was a noted event.”

Town Hall Liquor & Bar, an iconic College Park gathering place, closed on March 22 after an extension of its move-out date, according to a post on its Facebook page. The liquor store and bar had been operating at that location since 1949.

After businesses received the closure notice, LV Collective forgave tenants’ outstanding rent and paid their current rent, extended move-out timelines and paid relocation costs, according to Kristen Hendrix, LV Collective’s spokesperson.

“Every tenant was compensated in some way,” she said.

Some tenants worked directly with the city to secure new

HOLLYWOOD

markets in the city. The 45-yearold College Park Farmers Market, which is not managed by the city, will run every Saturday from April 27 until Nov. 23 from 8 am. to 1 p.m. The University of Maryland Farmers Market’s spring season began on April 3 and will end on May 8. It is open Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Tawes Plaza Garden (3900 Campus Drive).

City councilmembers debated the value of the 13-vendor Hollywood market for 90 minutes during a council meeting on Feb. 20 after receiving 97 letters — mostly of support — from community members.

space in College Park. Laser hair-removal business Laser Essentials, for example, received a $23,000 grant from the city to move to a suite on Baltimore Avenue.

Taqueria Habanero’s bright yellow truck is stationed in the shuttered plaza’s front parking lot and is open for business. It received $20,000 from the city, after making a down payment on the truck, Williams said.

But the truck attracts fewer customers than it did when the Mexican restaurant was still located in the building, according to Catalina Castillo, who had been an employee of the restaurant since before the pandemic. Weekends are still busy, said Castillo, who now works out of the truck.

The restaurant is working with the city to move into what was once a Jimmy John’s on Baltimore Avenue by the end of summer. The business has received an additional $30,000 from the city to help with the relocation, Williams said.

The UPS Store moved its business operations to its other location in the University of Maryland’s Stamp Student Union and received $10,000 from the city.

Some other businesses have permanently shut down.

The high costs of rent and commercial leases in College Park were a strong deterrent for business owners who might have preferred to stay in the city, Williams said, especially compared with what they paid at the Campus Village Shoppes.

The age and condition of the plaza had resulted in lower rents and more affordable leases in the past, according to Williams.

“Most of the places in the Campus Village were old, so they were due for either renovation or total rehabilitation of the property,” Williams said.

“You’re not going to get it [elsewhere for] that cheap.”

Many residents pointed out the four-hour-a-week market’s value to the Hollywood neighborhood for community engagement.

“Some of them are very passionate, had very strong comments and strong support for the market,” Mayor Fazlul Kabir said during the meeting. “This place is something that they really love. They want to come and see other community members.”

The market is in city District 1, which Kabir represented for 12 years as a city councilmember before becoming mayor in 2023.

Still, because of space constraints in the shopping center’s parking lot, the market is limited to about 13 vendors and does not have a major produce supplier, a constraint that curbs foot traffic.

“If the number of people who wrote to you … came, it would double the number of people who go to the market,” City Manager Kenny Williams told the council. He noted that one measure of success is the number of people who visit the market each weekend.

“This place is something that they really love. They want to come and see other community members.”

Mayor Fazlul Kabir

Councilmembers suggested that market organizers recruit a greater variety of vendors so shoppers could buy plants, handmade crafts and specialty pastries like beignets; allow residents to sell produce from their own gardens; or invite student entrepreneurs from the University of Maryland to dis-

play their wares.

Councilmember John Rigg (District 3) said the city should push the market’s managers to make it self-sustaining.

“I’m a fan of this farmers market … but to continue to support it, I really need a plan,” Rigg said. “I need a plan toward sustainability for this farmers market and ideally toward self-sufficiency for this farmers market because most of the farmers markets in this area are self-sufficient. This one, unfortunately, seems to be trending in the wrong direction. … I don’t find it a judicious use of city funds if it only goes in one direction.”

Mayor Pro Tem Denise Mitchell (District 4) noted that the marketplace is a destination for residents from all parts of College Park.

“This is a citywide market,” Mitchell said. “It just happens to be in North College Park.” Gardiner noted, “It is pretty clear council is interested in continuing the market, so we will continue the market.”

Mr. Fries Man, a tenant of Campus Village Shoppes until the strip mall closed, now operates a food truck in the parking lot. KATELYNN WINEBRENNER

Many residents pointed out the four-hour-a-week market’s value to the Hollywood neighborhood for community engagement. COURTESY OF JULIE BEAVERS

Construction on Route 1 apartment building to begin this spring

By KAYLA NAZAIRE

Developers of a 317-unit affordable apartment building on Baltimore Avenue said they expect to start construction as soon as April.

Flats at College Park will stand on Route 1 between Delaware and Cherokee streets, where the Days Inn and Red Roof Inn were demolished in February. With the aging hotels gone, RST Development of Rockville is preparing the plot to begin construction.

“It’s a redevelopment of some motels that weren’t necessarily a shining light along the Route 1 corridor,” RST Development Vice President Danny Copeland said.

Copeland said the new property will revitalize the community while putting the space to better use with affordable housing for low-income tenants.

Flats, which is not a student housing project, will offer twoand three-bedroom apartments with monthly rents based on income. The federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program will subsidize the apartments

and has strict rules about who can qualify to live there. According to Copeland, households that make between 50% to 80% of the area median income are the target applicants for the units.

In College Park, the median income was $76,973 between 2018 and 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The federal government requires developers under this

program to maintain incomebased rents for at least 15 years.

City Councilmember Alan Hew (District 1) said College Park is looking to use similar tax credits to increase affordable housing stock throughout the city.

However, Hew expressed concern that Flats, along with a concentration of recently built town homes and other proposed developments nearby, will create heavy traffic on Cherokee Street.

During construction, however, most of the work will be on Delaware and Cherokee streets to keep congestion away from Route 1, Copeland said.

Hew said this project will offer employees of the University of Maryland, the Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville and NASA in Greenbelt affordable housing close to work.

Flats will be equipped with a pool, playground, dog park, café, fitness center and parking garage.

Zoning rules require the development to feature 4,000 square feet of commercial space, so Meals on Wheels of College Park will move to the building’s street-level floor at no cost.

Kate Kennedy, a District 1 resident and former city councilmember, agreed.

“For the most part, people were OK with the project,” Kennedy said. “They liked the affordable housing aspect of it. … But I think they’re concerned about traffic in and out of the neighborhood. … The idea is that we want as much traffic on Route 1 as possible and as little traffic in the neighborhoods.”

A few years ago, the non-profit relocated to Riverdale Park after 45 years in the city.

“Delivering meals to those that need it — that’s their mission,” Copeland said. “We’re here creating affordable housing. … So those two missions … together kind of seem to jibe pretty well to us.”

Copeland said the developer anticipates completing the project by the end of 2025 or early 2026.

Construction of Flats, a 317-unit building of affordable apartments, will begin this spring and finish by early 2026.

COURTESY OF RST DEVELOPMENT