04-2024 Hyattsville Life & Times

Learning what solar can save you

By PAUL RUFFINS

As a solar advocate, Flawn Williams is happy to explain how the system installed at his Hyattsville home provides nearly all of his electricity and protects against an outage. “But,” he said, “I didn’t go solar to save money or have backup power. I’m an environmentalist who wants to reduce air pollution and become less dependent on fossil fuels. Solar panels are a long-term investment, and there are a whole lot of factors that determine how long they take to pay off.” He’s right. According to the

County vetoes development by Driskell Park

By KIT SLACK

On March 12, the Prince George’s County Council disapproved a plan to develop 41 townhouses on the vacant lot between Hamilton Street and Driskell Park in Hyattsville.

Wanika Fisher, the county councilmember who represents District 2, which includes Hyattsville, said she recommended disapproval because of the density of the townhouses on the lot.

Members of St. James Catholic Church, in Mount Rainier, participated in Via Crucis, or the Way of the Cross, a traditional procession on the Friday before Easter. The police-escorted walk, on March 29, began at Thomas Stone Elementary School, in Hyattsville, and ended at the bilingual church. JACOB HUNTING

2024 ELECTION

Your guide to voting for judges in the primary

By KIT SLACK

From fentanyl busts, to zoning disputes, to redistricting, to lawsuits against police, circuit court judges decide who is on the right side of the law.

In the primary election on May 14, voters will decide which four out of five candidates will be judges for Mayland’s Circuit Court for Prince George’s County.

Circuit court in Maryland is the trial court for major civil cases and serious criminal cases, along with those involving juveniles and family court disputes. Judges on your ballot will serve as four of the 23 full-time circuit court judges in the county.

See p. 5 for statements from each candidate. First, here’s some background on judicial elections.

How do circuit court judges get their jobs?

First, Maryland’s governor typically appoints them. To be eligible for appointment, nominees must be U.S. citizens, registered voters and Maryland lawyers at least 30 years of age. They have to have lived in the state for at least five years and in the county for at least six months. The governor appoints candidates from

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

In response to the March [Life & Times] editorial “It’s time to bring back in-person council meetings,” I’d like to provide some additional clarity surrounding our current council meeting practices.

First and foremost, I’d like to dispel any belief that the city council is meeting virtually to reduce public engagement. Our councilmembers are available to actively engage community members beyond formal meetings. You can find us in person at ward meetings, community gatherings to discuss specific projects or initiatives, and upcoming programs and events. We are committed to hearing your feedback and collaborating on improvements. You can find councilmember email addresses

and phone numbers at hyattsville.org/ council or in the monthly Hyattsville Reporter newsletter. Please reach out to discuss your ideas and concerns for our community.

We know there is a desire from some community members to resume regular in-person council meetings. We have also heard from many constituents that continuing to offer virtual access is critical to their ability to participate. Our goal is to hold council meetings that allow hybrid participation, both in-person and virtual attendance, to ensure residents have the greatest opportunity to engage in the forum of their choosing.

The city is diligently working towards installing the proper technology to make true

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Our list of events sponsored by local nonprofits, arts organizations and performance venues, occurring between April 10 and May 7, 2024; all information is current as of April 5. 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 May 8 and June 11 to managingeditor@hyattsvillelife.com by May 2

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

Riverdale Park Farmers Market is open every Thursday from 3 to 6:30 p.m. in the parking lot near the Riverdale MARC Station, 4650 Queensbury Rd. Live music every week from roughly 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (April 11: Stormi and the Blue Skies; April 18: Rick

Franklin; April 25: Janine Wilson; May 2: Handsome Jim Groves and the Hornswoggling Codswallowers) For more information, contact rpkfarmmkt@gmail.com.

Weekly acoustic blues jams, in the Piedmont blues tradition. Listeners welcome! Free. Saturdays, 1 to 5 p.m. Archie Edwards Blues Foundation, 4502 Hamilton St. acousticblues.com

ONGOING

The juried exhibition “Mesh” features work that can creatively intersect — or mesh — with screen printing. Through April 28. Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, 4218 Gallatin St. pyramidatlanticartcenter.org. 301.608.9101

APRIL 10

Come make flowers out of old book pages! Receive step-bystep instructions during the class Craft and Create: Book-

hybrid participation possible. Our progress has been slower than neighboring communities because we’ve allocated American Rescue Plan Act funding for a significant renovation of the council chambers. This remodel is long overdue and will provide the community with a versatile modernized space that can host hybrid meetings for the council and city committees, as well as other community gatherings. Resuming in-person council meetings is, unfortunately, not as straightforward as opening a Zoom meeting in the room where the council is present. The technology to broadcast to cable television, livestream, and archive video recordings of council meetings currently only exists in the council chambers. Because

print Florals. Free, for teens and adults. Register at pgcmls. info/events. 3 to 5 p.m. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd. 240.455.5451

Grammy-nominated musician and songwriter Jontavious Willis, winner of the 2018 International Blues Challenge, performs original, toe-tapping tunes in the style of Delta, Piedmont, Texas and gospel blues. For reservations, visit acousticblues.com. $25. 8 to 10 p.m. Archie Edwards Blues Foundation, 4502 Hamilton St.

APRIL 12

It’s Female Comics Comedy Night at Maryland Meadworks! 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 201.955.9644. marylandmeadworks.com

APRIL 14

Neighborhood Design Center’s annual Trash Dash at Bladensburg Waterfront Park seeks teams of eco-warriors to compete for who can collect the most trash

the council chambers have been dismantled for renovation, any council meeting which takes place in person comes at the cost of no virtual or recorded access, which many of our residents rely upon to watch council meetings.

We do understand the concerns of our community members who are ready to move on from a fully virtual world, but we believe the end product will be worth the wait. The work we are undertaking will result in a council chambers that will benefit our community and be a source of pride for the city and its residents.

Sincerely,

Mayor Robert Croslin City of Hyattsville

in one hour. As with fundraising races, teams of 5 to 10 people seek sponsors to donate in support of their clean-up efforts as they compete in categories like most trash collected, best found object, and team spirit. Register at ndc-md. org. $100 to $200, depending on team size. 1 to 3 p.m. 4601 Annapolis Rd, Bladensburg

APRIL 19

Blues guitarist Alesandro Ponti, Italy’s 2022 International Blues Challenge winner, is a devout student and performer of traditional acoustic blues. Free. 8 to 10 p.m. Archie Edwards Blues Foundation, 4502 Hamilton St. acousticblues.com

APRIL 19, 20 & 21

For over 40 years, the Dallas Black Dance Theatre has mesmerized audiences with a repertoire that combines classical and contemporary works. $30 resident; $35 nonresident. Purchase tickets through pgparksdirect. com. Friday and Saturday, 8 to 10 p.m. Sunday, 4 to 6 p.m. Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly. 301.277.1710. publickplayhouse@pgparks.com

APRIL 20

Beagles and beagle-wannabes are invited to Beaglefest, hosted by BREW (Beagle Rescue, Education and Welfare) and the City of New Carrolton’s Animal Control Department. All dogs are welcome for some off-leash play. $10 per dog (max of $30). Noon to 4 p.m. New Carrollton Dog Park, 6318 Westbrook Dr. 301.699.0440

Sonic Frontiers: Experimental Electronic Music Spring Festival presents eclectic, improvisatory experiences with live electronic music and projection art. $20. Purchase tickets through pgparksdirect.com. 5 to 10 p.m. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901

Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood. 301.277.2863. brentwoodarts@pgparks.com

Streetcar 82 Brewing Co. welcomes Jessie Marie, an indiesoul-pop singer and songwriter. Free. 4 to 6 p.m. 4824 Rhode Island Ave. streetcar82brewing.com

APRIL 21

Come listen to Coreyah — a psychedelic Korean folk music group whose six members integrate traditional Korean instruments, vocals, guitar and percussion. $25. Purchase tickets at joesmovement.org. 6 p.m. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. 301.699.1819

APRIL 27

As part of Route 1 Corridor Conversations, join us for “Hyattsville Speaks!” with Jennifer Ridgway, founder of Yard Dramas, a Hyattsville-based theater arts education company. Ridgway worked with Hyattsville seniors to create a unique theatrical production. Attendees can join via telephone or Zoom. Free. 2 to 3:30 p.m. Register at hyattsvilleaginginplace.org.

Brentwood Arts Exchange is hosting a two-part artist and curator talk on its two current exhibitions, “Road to Recovery” and “The Genesis Project: Volume 4.” Free. 2 to 4 p.m. 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood. 301.277.2863. brentwoodarts@pgparks.com

The Roustabouts play at Streetcar 82 Brewing Co. Their fiddleinfused sound weaves the blues together with healthy doses of rock, funk and classic R&B. Free. 7 to 9 p.m. 4824 Rhode Island Ave. streetcar82brewing.com

MAY 4

Potecasi Slade brings his brand of soulful and funky blues

Marvelous, mysterious mushrooms

By IMKE AHLF-WIEN

Neither plant nor animal, mushrooms are still one of the less understood natural wonders, and they are part of a world entirely their own: the fungi, a group that also includes yeasts and molds. Most of the fungus’ life cycle takes place underground, where it lives as a mycelium — a matlike network of strands weaving through soil or wood. Under the right conditions, this mycelium develops a fruiting structure — the mushroom — that can emerge from the ground or a tree.

Mushrooms have been foraged for consumption for thousands of years, both for culinary and medicinal purposes. Nowadays hundreds of mushroom species — foraged or commercially grown — are eaten around the world. They are a good source of several B vitamins and minerals. Importantly, they contain non-nutritive plant substances called polyphenols that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, an-

Mushroom resources

Mushroomexpert.com for mushroom identification

DMV Area Foraging Facebook page

tioxidant and anticancer properties, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.

I have fond memories of foraging for fungi with my family in Germany when I was a kid. On the wet, rainy days of early fall we started to look for mushrooms in the forests surrounding our small town of Geesthacht. With a bit of patience, we found porcini that like to grow in the shade under beech trees and birch boletes with their slightly meaty flavor. With some luck, we even discovered the rare and delicious chanterelle. We included foraged mushrooms in simple meals: with scrambled eggs for lunch, or sautéed as a side dish for dinner. When you move to a new con-

tinent, the knowledge you had about the wild becomes obsolete. And foraging for mushrooms without the necessary knowledge can be dangerous — even deadly.

Julie Biedrzycki and Heather Cornelius, nature educators with expertise in wild mushrooms, graciously filled my knowledge gap over a tasting lunch of wild edibles. Biedrzycki and Cornelius are president and vice president, respectively, of Ancestral Knowledge’s board of directors. The Greenbelt-based nonprofit, according to its website, “is operated by a community of naturalists who specialize in native life skills and philosophies that support sustainable lifestyles.”

As we sit in front of Biedrzycki’s century-old log-cabin, tucked in the woods less than four miles from Hyattsville, her four homeschooled, or “nature-schooled,” children play nearby, surrounded by half a dozen chickens and a sweet mutt. What I had expected to be a few simple dishes turns out to be a delicious, gourmet-style menu: chicken liver pâté with white wine and maita-

Top-ranked in the DC metro area Top-ranked in the DC metro area

ke mushrooms; pickled maitake; risotto with venison and roasted maitake; oyster mushroom tempura; lion’s mane faux crabcakes (see the recipe on p. 9 for a similar version); candied trifoliate orange peel; and a handful of chiffonade ramps. While savoring every bite of food and chatting away, I pick up a load of information. Here

are important tips for budding mushroom foragers:

• Hands-on and in-person experience with someone who knows is the best way to learn and build confidence on identifying genus and species for edibles in general. Ancestral Knowledge offers wild edible plant and mushroom walks. (The next one

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Lion’s mane mushrooms most often grow from the wood of dead or dying deciduous trees. COURTESY OF JULIE BIEDRZYCKI SEE LOCAVORE

Mushrooms of the Southeast by Todd Elliott and Mushrooms of the Northeast by Teresa Marrone and Walt Sturgeon

lists created by local nominating commissions, which Maryland governors have set up for this purpose in various forms since 1970.

Next, after they are appointed and working, circuit court judges must stand for election; interested candidates may file to run against them if they meet the basic qualifications, without being nominated. Winners of the election serve 15-year terms as judges. They may serve more terms following the same selection process but must retire by age 70.

Are contested judicial elections a good idea?

According to reporting by Maryland Matters, since 2002, more than a dozen judges have lost contested elections across the state. For the 30 years prior to that, judicial elections were more rarely contested.

An effort to do away with contested judicial elections may lead to a constitutional amendment revising the judicial selection process coming before voters as soon as 2026.

Those who support judicial elections say elections build public trust in the courts, and are a check on the governor’s power and a not-verytransparent process. Those who oppose judicial elections say fewer qualified candidates will want the

jobs if they have to campaign for them, and that campaign contributions could compromise impartiality.

Do all Maryland judges run for office?

Only circuit court judges, who are the trial judges for larger disputes, run for office.

All other Maryland judges have their appointments confirmed by the Maryland Senate. They don’t run in contested elections. The Senate confirms the appointment of the district court judges who settle misdemeanor, motor vehicle and landlord tenant cases, as well as other smaller disputes. The Senate also approves the appointment of judges in appeals courts and the Maryland Supreme Court. These higher court judges’ names do show up on ballots at the end of 10-year terms for yes-or-no retention votes. No one can run against appellate and supreme court judges — only against circuit court judges.

How did the judges on your ballot this spring get there?

Former Gov. Larry Hogan appointed Donnell Turner Sept. 2, 2022, and Darren Johnson and Stenise Rolle on Jan. 9, 2023. Gov. Wes Moore appointed Cheri Simpkins Nov. 21, 2023.

Michael Sheehan is the only candidate who is not currently a judge and wasn’t appointed by the governor. He is running as a challenger.

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 the following pages, listed alphabetically by last name. In fairness to all candidates, we edited only for spelling, capitalization and punctuation.

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q u a r a n t i k i h o u r s : c h e c k s o c i a l s !

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

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

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.

STENISE ROLLE

Age: 46

Professional experience:

During my 20plus 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.

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:

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, 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: 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 commu-

nity 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 attor-

ney; 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 (2021-22); 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; Par-

ticipated in meetings with Progressive 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!

The Hyattsville Reporter

It’s a Party and you’re Invited !

The City is celebrating its 138th anniversary this year! Party with your neighbors at the Anniversary Festival on Saturday, April 20 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Driskell Park, 3911 Hamilton Street.

Enjoy family entertainment, live music and performances, local food vendors and breweries, inflatables, games with prizes, and fireworks at dusk! Limited on-site parking is available at the park. Carpooling and walking is highly encouraged. Visit hyattsville.org/anniversary for more details.

SPRING IN THE FOOD FORESTS

The City’s two Food Forests, on Emerson St. in Ward 1 and Oliver St. in Ward 4, offer a variety of fruits, greens, and nuts throughout the spring, summer and fall. Picking is free to the public; firstcome, first-served. Visit hyattsville.org/foodforest for locations and estimated availability. Visit now to harvest sea kale and sorrel, and head back in late May/early June for strawberries!

¡Estamos de Fiesta y esta Invitado!

¡La Ciudad celebra este año su 138º aniversario! Festeja con tus vecinos en el Festival de Aniversario el sábado, 20 de abril de 4 p.m. a 9 p.m. en Driskell Park, 3911 Hamilton Street.

¡Disfrute de entretenimiento familiar, música y espectáculos en vivo, vendedores de comida y cervecerías locales, inflables, juegos con premios y fuegos artificiales al anochecer! Hay estacionamiento limitado disponible en el parque. Se recomienda caminar o compartir transportación. Visite hyattsville.org/anniversary para obtener más detalles.

PRIMAVERA EN LOS BOSQUES DE ALIMENTOS

Los dos bosques de alimentos de la Ciudad, en Emerson St. en el Distrito 1 y Oliver St. en el Distrito 4, ofrecen una variedad de frutas, verduras y nueces durante la primavera, el verano y el otoño. La recolección es gratuita para el público; por orden de llegada. Visite hyattsville.org/ foodforest para conocer las ubicaciones y la disponibilidad estimada. ¡Visítelo ahora para cosechar col rizada y acedera, y regrese a finales de mayo o principios de junio en busca de fresas!

ANNOUNCEMENTS | ANUNCIOS

NEW HEALTHY AGING PROGRAMS!

Thanks to a Healthy Aging Grant from the Maryland Department of Aging, the City is proud to announce three new programs for older adults and persons with a disability! The new programs include a bi-weekly caregiver support group, a virtual version of the Hyattsville is Home Art classes starting April 26, and digital literacy classes starting April 30! Space is limited, and registration is required. FREE transportation to in-person events is also available to city residents. Learn more by visiting hyattsville.org/seniors. To register, please call (301) 9855000 or email seniors@hyattsville.org.

DRISKELL PARK INTERSECTION PUBLIC COMMENT THROUGH APRIL 15

The City is evaluating proposed improvements to the multi-street intersection in front of Driskell Park to make it safer for pedestrians, cyclists, vehicles, and bus transit. Community members are encouraged to visit hellohyattsville.com by April 15 to review the proposals and provide their thoughts and feedback.

VANDALISM PREVENTION & RECOVERY GRANTS NOW OPEN!

Hyattsville small businesses and non-profits can now apply for the City’s Vandalism Recovery & Prevention Grants Program to receive reimbursements from recent vandalism incidents and/or make security upgrades! Qualifying applicants can receive up to $4,000 in funding. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until June 30, 2024, or funds are exhausted. Read eligibility requirements and apply at hyattsville.org/grants. Questions? Email smallbiz@ hyattsville.org or call (301) 985-5000.

COMMERCIAL FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANTS COMING SOON!

The City’s Commercial Façade Improvement grant applications will open on April 15! Hyattsville small business owners seeking to make exterior property improvements are encouraged to apply for matching grants ranging from $5,000 to $35,000! Find examples of how previous businesses have used the grant and application information at hyattsville.org/biz-grants.

HOMEOWNERS TAX CREDIT RESOURCES

It’s tax season! A friendly reminder to file your income taxes by April 17. Applications are also now open to participate in several local, state, and federal residential tax credit programs, including the City’s Homeowner and Homestead tax credits. Participation in these programs can significantly reduce the amount of annual property taxes that you owe. Details at hyattsville.org/housing.

SCHEDULE A BULK WASTE PICK UP!

service to get rid of unwanted items that are too large to fit in your waste toter! A request MUST be made for these services as items left curbside without an appointment can result in a fine. Review the program guidelines at hyattsville.org/bulkwaste before scheduling a pick-up. Please consider donating or repurposing household goods in working condition if you can! Schedule a pick-up using the My Hyattsville App, hyattsville.org/ request, or by calling (301) 985-5032.

¡NUEVOS PROGRAMAS DE ENVEJECIMIENTO SALUDABLE! ¡Gracias a una subvención para programas saludables para adultos mayores del Departamento de Envejecimiento de Maryland, la Ciudad se enorgullece de anunciar tres nuevos programas para adultos mayores y personas con discapacidades! Los programas saludables incluyen un grupo de apoyo para cuidadores de cada dos semanas, una versión virtual de las clases de Arte “Hyattsville es Hogar” que comienzan el 26 de abril y clases de tecnología que comienzan el 30 de abril. Los espacios son limitados y es necesario inscribirse. La transportación GRATUITA también esta disponible para residentes de la Ciudad. Más información en hyattsville.org/ seniors. Para inscribirse, llame al (301) 985-5000 o contacte a seniors@hyattsville.org.

EL PERIODO DE APORTE PARA LA INTERSECCIÓN DE DRISKELL PARK ES HASTA EL 15 DE ABRIL

La Ciudad está evaluando propuestas para mejorar la intersección de varias calles frente del Parque Driskell para hacerla más segura para peatones, ciclistas, vehículos y autobuses. Se anima a los miembros de la comunidad a visitar hellohyattsville.com antes del 15 de abril para revisar las propuestas y brindar sus opiniones y comentarios.

¡LAS SUBVENCIONES PARA LA RECUPERACIÓN Y PREVENCIÓN CON EL VANDALISMO ESTÁN ABIERTAS!

¡Las pequeñas empresas y organizaciones sin fines de lucro de Hyattsville pueden ahora pueden solicitar para el Programa de Subvenciones para la Recuperación y Prevención del Vandalismo de la Ciudad para recibir reembolsos por incidentes de vandalismo recientes y/o realizar mejoras de seguridad! Los solicitantes que cumplan los requisitos pueden recibir hasta $4,000 de financiación. Las solicitudes se aceptarán de forma continua hasta el 30 de junio del 2024 o hasta que se agoten los fondos. Lea los requisitos de elegibilidad y presente su solicitud en hyattsville.org/grants. ¿Tiene preguntas? Envíe un email a smallbiz@hyattsville. org o llame al (301) 985-5000.

SUBVENCIONES DE MEJORA DE FACHADAS COMERCIAL

¡Las solicitudes de subvención de Mejora de Fachada Comercial de la Ciudad se abrirán el 15 de abril! ¡Se anima a los propietarios de negocios de Hyattsville que buscan hacer mejoras en la propiedad exterior a solicitar subvenciones que igualan entres de fondos desde $5,000 hasta $35,000! Encuentre ejemplos de cómo las empresas anteriores han utilizado la información sobre subvenciones y solicitudes en hyattsville.org/biz-grants.

RECURSOS PARA PROPIETARIOS DE VIVIENDAS

Es temporada de impuestos! Un recordatorio amistoso para presentar su declaración de impuestos antes del 17 de abril. También están abiertas las solicitudes para participar en varios programas locales, estatales y federales de crédito fiscal residencial, incluidos los créditos f iscales de la Ciudad para Propietarios. La participación en estos programas puede reducir significativamente la cantidad de impuestos anuales sobre la propiedad que usted debe. Detalles en hyattsville. org/housing.

PROGRAMA UNA RECOGIDA DE DESECHOS GRANDES

Los residentes de Hyattsville pueden aprovechar el servicio de recogida de basura a granel de la Ciudad para deshacerse de los artículos no deseados que son demasiado grandes para caber en su contenedor de basura. Es NECESARIO solicitar estos servicios, ya que los objetos que se dejen en la acera sin cita previa pueden ser multados. Revise las directrices del programa en hyattsville. org/bulk-waste antes de programar una recogida. Si puede, considere la posibilidad de donar o reutilizar enseres domésticos en buen estado. Programe una recogida utilizando la aplicación My Hyattsville App, hyattsville.org/ request, o llamando al (301) 985-5032.

CALENDAR | CALENDARIO

WELLNESS

WEDNESDAYS

Stay active and join us at the City Building for Wellness Wednesdays! Our SeniorFit+ seated exercise classes are from 10 – 11 AM, followed by Zumba from 4 – 5 PM. Classes are free! Details at hyattsville.org/wellness

MINICAMP DAY!

If schools are out – our minicamp’s are in! Spaces for elementary school-aged children are still available for camp on April 10 at Driskell Park. Learn more at hyattsville.org/camp.

NIGHT OWLS

Enjoy a Friday night out on April 12 by dropping off your little one(s) at the Driskell Park Rec Center from 6 - 9 PM for a grand time! hyattsville.org/nightowls.

NARCAN TRAININGS

Free NARCAN community trainings at the City Building on April 11 at 6 PM and April 12 at 10 AM. Register at hyattsville.org/ calendar.

CERT MEETING

The next Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) organization meeting is April 17, 6:30 - 8:30 PM, at the City Building. Register at hyattsville.org/cert.

INVASIVE REMOVALS

Volunteers are needed to help remove invasive species from Driskell Park between 10 AM - 2 PM on April 20! RVSP with environment@ hyattsville.org.

ANNIVERSARY DAY!

Join us April 20, 4 - 9 PM, at the Driskell Park to celebrate the City’s 138th founding! hyattsville.org/anniversary.

LUNCH & LEARN

Join us on April 22, from 11 AM - 1 PM at the City Building for a free workshop about social security! Space is limited. Register by calling (301) 985-5000 or emailing seniors@hyattsville.org.

FREE PRODUCE

A produce distribution is taking place April 23 at First United Methodist Church, starting at noon.

CHAT WITH THE CHIEF Chat with HPD Chief Towers on April 25, 8:30 - 10 AM, at the Hyattsville City Building. Find more at hyattsville.org/ calendar.

43RD AVE MEETING

The community is invited to a meeting April 25, 6:30 PM, at the intersection of 43rd Ave. to discuss traffic concerns between Jefferson & Oglethorpe Streets. Hyattsville.org/calendar.

FREE DIAPERS

A FREE diapers distribution is taking place April 26 at the Hyattsville City Building. Time is TBD. Confirm details at hyattsville.org/calendar.

WARD ONE CLEAN-UP

Join Ward 1 Councilmembers April 27 at The Spot for a clean-up/check-in. Time is TBD. Confirm details on hyattsville.org/calendar.

DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY

Drop off unwanted prescriptions to HPD on April 27, 10 AM - 2 PM, at the Hyattsville City Building as part of drug take back-day. Guidelines at hyattsville.org/ calendar.

ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION

Celebrate Arbor Day on May 4 between 8:30 AM - 12 PM by helping plant trees at the University Duck Pond Park! Register at hyattsville.org/ calendar.

GROWING GREEN WITH PRIDE DAY

Unite your neighbors and join fellow Prince Georgians for “Growing Green with Pride” on April 27 from 8 a.m. to noon! Be a part of a countywide effort to beautify our surroundings through spring cleaning, weed removal, and litter pickup. Register your group by April 19 to receive cleaning supplies from the County at MyPGC.us/GrowingGreen.

HEALTH-A-PALOOZA

The Gateway Health-APalooza fair will take place May 4, 11 AM - 3 PM, at Hyatt Park. Find details as they are confirmed at hyattsville. org/wellness.

HY-SWAP

Mark your calendars on May 4 for the HY-Swap, a volunteer-led clothing exchange event! Visit hyswap.com for details.

MIÉRCOLES DE BIENESTAR

¡Manténgase activo y únase a nosotros los miércoles en el Edificio Municipal para su bienestar! Nuestras clases de ejercicios sentados SeniorFit+ son de 10 a 11 AM, seguido por Zumba de 4 a 5 PM ¡Las clases son gratuitas! Más información en hyattsville.org/wellness..

MINICAMPAMENTO

Todavía hay espacios disponibles para niños de edades escolares para el campamento el 10 de abril en Driskell Park. hyattsville. org/camp.

BÚHOS NOCTURNOS

¡Disfrute de un viernes el 12 de abril dejando a su(s) pequeño(s) en el Centro Recreativo Driskell Park de 6 - 9 PM para una noche divertida! hyattsville.org/ nightowls.

ENTRENAMIENTOS

SOBRE NARCAN

Entrenamientos gratis de NARCAN en el Edificio Municipal el 11 de abril a las 6 PM y el 12 de abril a las 10 AM. Regístrese en hyattsville.org/calendar.

EQUIPO CERT

La próxima reunión de organización del Equipo de Respuesta a Emergencias Comunitarias es el 17 de abril, 6:30 - 8:30 PM, en el Edificio Municipal. Registresé en hyattsville.org/cert.

REMOVIMIENTO DE PLANTAS INVASORAS

Se necesitan voluntarios para ayudar a eliminar especies invasoras de Driskell Park de 10 AM a 2 PM el 20 de marzo! Reserve su espacio con environment@hyattsville.org.

DÍA DE ANIVERSARIO!

¡Únase a nosotros el 20 de abril, de 4 a 9 p. m., en Driskell Park para celebrar el aniversario 138 de la Ciudad! Hyattsville.org/ anniversary.

ALMUERZO Y APRENDIZAJE

¡Únase a nosotros el 22 de abril, de 11 AM a 1 PM en el Edificio Municipal para un taller gratuito sobre el seguro social! El espacio es limitado. Registresé llamando al (301) 985-5000 o seniors@hyattsville.org.

ALIMENTOS GRATIS

Se llevará a cabo una distribución de productos agrícolas el 23 de abril en la Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida Iglesia, a partir del mediodía.

CHARLA CON EL JEFE

Charla con el Jefe de Policía de Hyattsville Towers el 25 de abril, 8:30 - 10 AM, en el Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville. Conozca detalles en hyattsville.org/calendar.

REUNIÓN SOBRE TRÁFICO POR LA 43RD AVENUE

La comunidad está invitada a una reunión el 25 de abril a las 6:30 p.m. en la intersección de 43rd Ave. para discutir inquietudes sobre el tráfico entre las calles Jefferson y Oglethorpe. Hyattsville.org/ calendar.

PAÑALES GRATIS

El 26 de abril se llevará a cabo una distribución GRATUITA de pañales en el Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville. El tiempo está por determinar. Confirme detalles en hyattsville.org/ calendar.

LIMPIEZA DEL DISTRITO 1

Únase a los concejales del Distrito 1 el 27 de abril en “The Spot” para una limpieza/reunión. El tiempo está por determinar. Confirme detalles en hyattsville.org/calendar.

DÍA DE DEVOLUCIÓN

Entregue las recetas y prescripciones no deseadas al Departamento de Policía el 27 de abril, de 10 AM a 2 PM, en el Edificio Municipal como parte del día de devolución de medicamentos. Pautas en hyattsville.org/calendar.

CELEBRACIÓN DEL DÍA DEL ÁRBOL

¡Celebre el Día del Árbol el 4 de mayo entre las 8:30 AM y las 12 PM ayudando a plantar árboles en University Duck Pond Park! Regístrese en hyattsville.org/ calendar.

FERIA DE SALUD

La Feria de Salud entre las Ciudaddes cercanas tomará plazo el 4 de mayo, 11 AM - 3 PM, en Hyatt Park. Encuentre detalles a como seán confirmados en hyattsville.org/wellness.

INTERCAMBIO COMUNITARIO

¡Marque en sus calendarios el 4 de mayo para el HY-Swap, un evento de intercambio de ropa para menores y mujeres embazaradas dirigido por voluntarios! Visite hy-swap. com para obtener más detalles.

CRECIENDO VERDE CON ORGULLO

Unase con sus vecinos y otros Prince Georgians para “Cultivar Verde con Orgullo” el 27 de abril desde las 8 a.m. hasta el mediodía. Sea parte de un esfuerzo de todo el Condado para embellecer nuestro entorno a través de la limpieza primaveral, la eliminación de hierbas y la recolección de basura. Registre a su grupo antes del 19 de abril para recibir suministros de limpieza por parte del Condado en MyPGC.us/GrowingGreen.

Thank you Hyattsville volunteers!

In celebration of National Volunteer Week, April 21 - 27, the City is highlighting the results of our incredible volunteers who donated their service and time to our community in the past year!

Results from March 2023 - March 2024

Volunteers provided tutoring for

75 students

Over 151,000

-We could not do this work without you!

Approximately 90 volunteers

Over 70 currently serve on 13 City Committees

diapers distributed pallets of fresh produce distributed

650 volunteers

helped clean-up our parks and neighborhoods

537

trees planted

We need you too! Find the right volunteer opportunity for you at hyattsville.org/volunteer

¡Gracias, voluntarios de Hyattsville!

¡La Semana Nacional del Voluntariado, se celebra del 21 - 27 de abril, y la Ciudad de Hyattsville desea destacar los resultados de los increíbles voluntarios que prestan sus servicios a nuestra comunidad este año pasado!

Resultados de marzo 2023 - marzo 2024

Los voluntarios ofrecieron tutorías a

75 estudiantes

Más de 151,000

pañales distribuidos

-¡No podríamos hacer este trabajo sin ustedes!

Aproximadamente

90 voluntarios

sirvieron en 13 comités municipales

Más de 70

cajas de productos frescos distribuidos

650 voluntarios

limpiaron nuestros parques y comunidad

537

árboles plantados

¡Támbien lo necesitamos! Encuentre la oportunidad correcta de voluntariado para usted en hyattsville.org/volunteer

Buzzworthy news about bees

Dear Miss Floribunda,

I heard on NPR a talk about robot bees that will pollinate crops now that so many bees have died. This sounds like the basis for a horror movie! I can just imagine the panic when the bionic bees turn and try to sting their masters to death!

But what do you and friends such as your Dr. Honeybutter think? Is this really necessary? Is it a good idea?

Nervous on Nicholson Street

Dear Nervous,

First of all, this technology hasn’t been implemented yet. A researcher at Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Dr. Eijiro Miyako, has created an ionic liquid gel that, unlike water-based gels, can be reused, and can be attached to tiny horse-haircovered drones in order to collect and transfer pollen in the way bees do.

However, the gel is still in planning stages, and — among other serious inconveniences — the drones have to be controlled by humans with remote control devices.

require extraordinary sophistication for robot bees to be able to have the instinctive sense of timing and infallible discernment that real bees have, not to mention their rarified long-distance, lightningquick vision in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum. She believes tiny drones might possibly be useful for pollinating tomatoes, say, in a greenhouse, but she doesn’t see drones replacing bees.

and present horror in Ukraine, and told me how drones are actually going to help benefit bees and people in the upcoming growing season there. Ukraine has historically been the largest producer of honey in the world, but fields are now so filled with land mines that they are too dangerous for humans to enter and cultivate. The Minefields Honey project, a cooperative effort of the Ukrainian government with agrarian company Kernel, Saatchi & Saatchi Ukraine, Dronarium Ukraine and the Union of Beekeepers of Ukraine, has successfully developed drones programmed to fly over fields and drop wildflower seeds. When the flowers develop, real bees will collect pollen and nectar with which to feed larvae and make honey in hives placed in safe areas.

Hopeful initiatives in our own country, not dependent on drones, include the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s development of Pol-line bees, which are resistant to the Varroa mite and winter cold.

The United Kingdom has succeeded in nurturing its once nearly extinct native black bee back to healthy numbers. Overdevelopment had destroyed this bee’s habitat, a great misfortune because, as a native species, the black bee is resistant to diseases and problems inherent to the British climate.

spring is Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium reptans), whose fluffy flowers of celestial blue make me stop and hover, too.

Though it’s admittedly a bit gangly, I also like spiderwort/Widow’s Tears (Tradescantia) because it comes in a number of lovely shades of twilight mauve, lavender and violet.

There are lots of native summer flowers that attract bees, but since I’m playing favorites here, I must particularly recommend tickseed (Coreopsis), various coneflowers (Echinacea), and the Maryland state flower (Rudbeckia hirta), popularly known as the black-eyed Susan.

A sure draw in autumn are the various asters with goldenrod (Solidago), whose tones of topaz and amethyst harmonize so resplendently that they turn my prose purple. These all attract both our vitally important native bees, as well as the honeybees that a number of apiculturists in Hyattsville are harboring.

Dr. Hannah Honeywell (not “Honeybutter”) believes that the first priority is saving the bees that exist, and that it would

She is not in the least worried about them potentially becoming a threat to humans — at least not without human intervention. Dr. Honeywell points out that in order for any of these bee facsimiles to sting, someone human would have to attach teensy little stingers. She doubts that this is part of the plan.

Dr. Honeywell turned instead to a real

To acquire some of these and other plants, you might come to the next meeting and plant exchange of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society. It takes place on Saturday, April 20, at 10 a.m. at the home of Joe Buriel and Dave Roeder, 3909 Longfellow Street.

Miss Floribunda writes about gardening for the Life & Times. You may email her at Floribundav@gmail.com. MISS

There are helpful things we in Hyattsville can do for bees, too. We can stop using poisons in our gardens, and we can grow the native plants that bees love. My own favorite bee-attractor for

Helpful things we can do for bees include not using poisons in our gardens and growing the native plants that bees love.

UNSPLASH

REWILDING ROUTE 1

Snakes in the suburbs

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, 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 mid-Atlantic, 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 apparent. 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, whereas 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 rea-

sonable 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.

During the winter, snakes in our area enter brumation, 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.

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

Lion’s Mane ‘Crab’cakes

These faux crabcakes are a perfect alternative for anyone who cannot eat Maryland’s most famous contribution to the culinary world! Lion’s mane mushrooms grow on trees in the mid-Atlantic region. You can also find them at local farmers markets or Mount Rainier’s Glut Food Co-op.

Ingredients

1 lb lion’s mane mushrooms

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons water

¼ cup minced scallion

¼ cup minced red bell pepper

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

¼ cup full-fat yogurt or mayonnaise

Directions

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 large egg salt to taste

all-purpose flour for dredging avocado oil

Pick the lion’s mane mushrooms into pieces resembling crab meat. Place in a pan with water and ¼ tablespoon salt, cover and bring to a simmer, stir, cover, and cook for a few minutes. Allow them to cool, then squeeze out as much water as you can.

Combine the mushrooms with the other ingredients (except the flour and oil) and mix well. Let the mix rest for at least 15 minutes.

Form 4-ounce patties of the mixture and gently dredge the cakes in flour on both sides. Heat a pan with a few tablespoons of avocado oil to medium heat. When one side of the cakes is golden brown, after about 3 to 4 minutes, gently flip the cakes and brown 3 to 4 minutes on the other side.

(Recipe adapted from “Lion’s mane or Hericium mushroom crabcakes” by Alan Bergo)

Lawson’s Pharmacy

301-864-4043

All major insurance accepted. We deliver! Now offering Immunizations by appointment.

Accepting New Patients. 3415 Hamilton St, Hyattsville

LOCAVORE

will take place May 19, 1 to 4 p.m., in Greenbelt.)

• Mushrooms are not poisonous to the touch — only if eaten. Handling a mushroom is the best way to know what you have found, yet it is never safe to consume any you haven’t learned to ID properly.

• Mushrooms, even commer-

cially grown, should never be eaten raw. They contain a compound called chitin that is hard to break down and can cause stomach issues.

• Before cooking with foraged mushrooms, go through them one by one to make sure each is the right variety. You can take a spore print or ask an expert if you are unsure.

• Mushrooms that can be con-

sidered safe for beginners are chanterelles, chicken of the woods, maitake, lion’s mane, oyster mushrooms, black trumpets and morels.

Imke Ahlf-Wien is a nutrition educator with a passion for fresh, locally procured foods.

SOLAR

Department of Energy, your potential savings depend on many variables. Some you can control, such as how much electricity you use, the size of your solar energy system, and whether you buy or lease it. Other factors lie outside your control, such as whether your roof faces due south, which provides maximum sunlight, or whether your local utility compensates you for any extra solargenerated energy you send back to the grid.

Fortunately, Pepco’s electric grid supports two-way net metering, so if your solar panels generate more electricity than you’re using, Pepco will buy back the surplus at the same residential rate the utility charges you.

Other financial factors include the 30% federal solar tax credit, Prince George’s County’s $5,000 tax credit and the value of the Sustainable Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) earned for every 1,000 watt hours (kWh) of energy generated. The current value of a Maryland SREC is about $60 per kWh and has varied widely over time. A homeowner’s biggest decision is how big a system to get and whether to buy or lease it. Williams has collected 14 years’

Pepco’s electric grid supports two-way net metering, so if your solar panels generate more electricity than you’re using, Pepco will buy back the surplus at the same residential rate the utility charges you.

worth of real-life data on his wellinsulated, 4 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home. In November 2009, he bought a 4-kWh solar package through Clean Currents, a nowdefunct nonprofit organization that helped consumers join together to negotiate better prices by going solar at the same time. His system consisted of eighteen 225-watt solar panels, as well as the controls, switches and inverter needed to turn the panels’ direct current into the alternating current used by Williams’ lights and appliances.

The initial price of his system

was $31,995 minus a 30% federal tax credit of $9,599, the $5,000 county tax credit, and a $5,050 Maryland grant (on which he paid $1,750 in federal taxes), for a net cost of $14,096. Over the next five years, he saved an average of about $740 per year in electricity costs and earned a total of $7,155 in Maryland SRECs, which dropped in value from $400 per kWh in 2009 to $163.50 per kWh in 2014. That year, he added fourteen 275watt panels at a net cost of $8,335. In 2018, Williams upgraded his inverter and added a 10-kWh storage battery (together they cost $15,800, net $8,145) that could power a few circuits in his house and allow his solar system to keep working if the power went out. Even when the sun is shining, solar systems without a battery automatically shut off during an outage to prevent feeding power back into the grid, which could electrocute workers trying to fix the problem. Today, a similar battery would cost about $8,500.

Williams estimates that between Jan. 1 and Nov. 1, 2023, his 32 panels generated 99.8% of his electricity and that the whole system had paid off its net cost of around $30,500 by January 2024. From here on out, it will save him about $113 a month — more, if Pepco’s rates go up, or less as

the panels become less efficient with age. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory reports that solar panels installed after the year 2000 typically retain approximately 90% of their capacity after 20 years and may produce some power for 50 years.

What about the promise of no-cost solar?

You don’t have to search too hard to see signs and ads promising solar with no out-of-pocket costs. “Science of the City” spotted one of these signs on the corner of Jefferson Street and Route 1, dialed the phone number and asked, “How is it possible to get free solar when a system can cost $25,000 to $50,000?”

The representative, Omari Hewlett, explained that the sign didn’t say that the solar system was free, but rather that it would be installed at no cost. This writer has not verified Hewlett’s claims, and every offer should be vetted carefully by consumers. However, offers like this can often be legitimate because federal and local solar tax credits, along with state SRECs, are actively bought, sold and traded, and Pepco must buy back any excess electricity. At $430 per kWh, the District’s SRECs are America’s most valuable. So, District residents and Maryland

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homeowners lucky enough to live along Pepco’s D.C. feeder line might be able to cover 100% of their electric bills under a lease. But to do so calls for an energyefficient home and the right roof.

A common no-cost arrangement involves the homeowner leasing the system for the life of its warranty — typically 25 years. The installer puts a lien on the property, guarantees an electric rate per kWh and then sells any rebates, SRECs or excess power. As an example, Hewlett cited a large local home that uses electric heaters in cold rooms and had a high February Pepco bill of $366 before about $80 in taxes and fees. He calculated that leasing 37 panels would save $186.25 a month and cap any rate increases at 2.9% a year. This estimate was competitive with online quotes from another vendor.

“Pepco has been raising prices more than 5% a year with no end in sight,” Hewlett said. “Buying the system has a higher return, but in this house, locking down electricity costs with a lease would still save $132,000 over 25 years.”

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Paul Ruffins is a citizen scientist and a professor of curiosity.

WERRLEIN

She also raised a procedural issue involving time elapsed following a court remand concerning that density.

The county council, sitting as the district council, passed Fisher’s motion to disapprove the development, 8-0.

It is customary for the district council to vote with the representative in whose district a development is planned: in this case, Fisher.

Mel Franklin, one of two at-large councilmembers who represent the entire county, made the only comment on Fisher’s motion, voicing some disagreement, and saying he was voting with Fisher for the purpose of sending the dispute back to the courts.

The townhouse development plan is a detailed site plan, listed as DSP 21001 in county planning records, for the lower lot of the Suffrage Point development, formerly called Magruder Pointe.

In recent years, Werrlein Properties redeveloped the upper lot of Suffrage Point, between Hamilton and Gallatin streets, building 16 houses and 15 townhouses. Werrlein also owns the lower lot and submitted the townhouse development plan.

At a district council meeting on Dec. 11, 2023, staff from the City of Hyattsville, as well as Greg Smith from the organization Save Our Sustainable Hyattsville and Janet Gingold from the Sierra Club, raised objections to the development on environmental grounds.

Much of the 4.6-acre site was in a 100-year flood plain. Werrlein Properties has done infrastructure work on the site to improve drainage, and built a large water retention pond.

RESIDENTS EXPRESS CONCERNS ABOUT CITY FINANCIAL REPORT DISCREPENCIES

As first noted by the new online publication Route One Finance, the City of Hyattsville has removed links to audited fiscal year 2021 financial statements after residents expressed concerns about discrepancies in expenditures and fund balances.

The original audited FY 2021 financial report was released in February 2024 and presented to the city council on March 4 by City Treasurer Ronald Brooks and auditor Robert Diss of Lindsey + Associates. At the presentation, several councilmembers questioned a fund balance discrepancy compared with prior year reports.

A reissued FY 2021 financial report appeared on the city’s finance website in early April but has since been removed.

In the original FY 2021 report, the city said it had spent $923,065 on the fire department in FY 2021, significantly exceeding the budgeted amount of $50,000. On March 18, 2024, Brooks acknowledged the error in an email to Route One Finance, saying that the “expense [for the fire department] should have been $50,000.” The reissued report lists fire department expenditures as $50,000.

The city has not yet made audited financials for FY 2022 and FY 2023 available, though they are past due.

The city council is in the midst of preparing the city’s FY 2025 budget, and they rely on financial presentations by city staff to make budgetary decisions. As reported in the May 2023 Life & Times, in spring 2023, city staff told the council that the city would begin FY 2024 with an estimated $28.2 million in the general fund, only to revise that

number to $21.2 million after questioned about mathematical discrepancies in the presentation slides.

According to the city finance website, the city council will review FY 2025 budget amendments on April 15, conduct a public hearing about the real property tax rate on May 6, hold a first reading of the budget on May 20, and adopt the budget on June 3.

Read more from Route One Finance at tinyurl.com/4fpuywca.

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ZERO WASTE OF TIME

An eco-friendly approach to spring cleaning your home

By JULIETTE FRADIN

The arrival of spring brings a sense of renewal and rejuvenation with blooming flowers, longer days and people wanting to enjoy fresh air again. It’s also the perfect time to tackle spring cleaning.

Maybe the county’s plastic bag ban made you consider adding more sustainable choices in your daily life. Why not include your cleaning routines, too? Embracing an eco-friendly approach to spring cleaning not only benefits the environment but also fosters a healthier home.

Traditional cleaning methods often rely on single-use plastic bottles, disposable wipes and harsh chemicals packaged in non-recyclable materials. However, by making a few simple swaps, you can significantly reduce your ecological footprint while still achiev-

ing sparkling results.

You can create your own costeffective cleaning solutions that empower you to control exactly what goes into your home environment.

Vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice are powerful natural cleansers that can tackle a multitude of household tasks.

(Handy tip: You can purchase baking soda and vinegar in bulk at Glut Food Co-op, in Mount Rainier.)

Vinegar’s acidic properties make it an excellent degreaser and disinfectant: Just combine equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle. You can even soak citrus peels in a jar of vinegar for two weeks, remove the peels, and use the vinegar to make your spray.

Baking soda’s gentle abrasiveness can scrub away grime without damaging surfaces. Create a paste by mixing baking soda and water and spread

All-purpose Cleaner Recipe

3 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon washing soda

1/2 teaspoon castile soap

2 cups hot water

Mix the ingredients in a spray bottle. Apply and wipe clean.

it on dirty surfaces like ovens, pots and pans. (Keep in mind, however, that baking soda is still abrasive and shouldn’t be used on surfaces like granite, marble or laminate.) Spray vinegar over the paste until it begins to foam. Let it sit for a few minutes and then scrub with a sponge or dishcloth.

Lemon juice not only cuts through grease but also deodorizes. For example, sprinkle salt on a cutting board before rubbing half a cut lemon over it. Let the lemon and salt mixture sit for a few minutes before

rinsing — and voilà, a stink-free board!

When it comes to wiping away dust and dirt, ditch the disposable paper towels in favor of reusable cloths in natural fabrics like cotton, bamboo or hemp. Or, just recycle your old towels or worn-out clothes. These natural alternatives produce less waste; they can also be washed and reused countless times, saving both money and resources in the long run. Microfiber cloths, on the other hand, are not biodegradable and can release lots of microplastics into the water when washed.

For tougher jobs, such as scrubbing tile grout or removing stubborn stains, opt for a durable scrub brush made from sustainable materials, like bamboo, or one that you can compost. If you want to minimize waste throughout the cleaning process, instead of tossing out old toothbrushes, repurpose them as scrubbers for hard-toreach areas. Zero-waste store Fullfillery, in Takoma Park, has all the cleaning tools you need, along with bulk products like vinegar, baking soda or salt. A deep-cleaning tool that you

can use all around the house is a steam cleaner. It’s like a vacuum but uses high steam temperatures to kill germs, dust mites, mold and bacteria without bleach or chemicals. You can use it in the kitchen to clean your fridge, oven, dishwasher and cabinet doors; in the bathroom, on shower glass, faucets, or tiles and grout; and in the bedroom, on mattresses, toys and plastic bins. Be cautious with hardwood floors, though, which need to be properly sealed because lingering moisture can cause damage to tiny cracks.

Incorporating sustainability principles into your spring cleaning routine isn’t just about minimizing environmental impact — it’s also an opportunity to cultivate mindfulness and gratitude for the spaces we live in. If you embark on a spring cleaning journey, consider embracing an eco-friendly mindset and leaving behind a lighter footprint on the Earth.

Juliette Fradin writes about ecofriendly living for the Life & Times.