Cat lovers foster kittens, find them homes
By JOSEPHINE JOHNSON
Old Town resident Stephanie Stullich’s journey toward helping 120 stray cats in four years find forever homes started with four nervous kittens trapped in the attic crawlspace of an acquaintance’s house.
Stullich’s husband, Bob Schnabel, received a call from a disabled man about pitter-patter in his attic that he could not reach. Stullich wound up climbing into the attic to rescue them.
She raised them for a few months before adopting three out to other households and keeping one–Maguire–as a pet.
Since she took in that first litter of newborns, the former College Park city councilmember has had up to 19 cats—mostly kittens—in her home at a time, serving as a foster caretaker until she can find homes for them, usually with the help of the city’s animal welfare
officer and the nonprofit Beltsville Community Cats.
As Stullich talks, a cat named Gemma runs around underneath her chair. Stullich, used to this kind of ruckus, seems not to notice.
She found the tortoise shell-colored kitten in a hotel parking lot with the help of the city’s animal control officer, Rebecca Bailey, who oversees the city’s foster program. Stullich eventually will have Gemma spayed and vaccinated, and display her either on Petfinder or in a cage at the Laurel Petco, where potential owners can apply to adopt her.
College Park offers that kind of assistance to foster caretakers within the city. Beltsville Community Cats offers a similar service in the neighboring city.
Stullich is one of about half a dozen volunteers who take in
Paid firefighters may not come back to fire stations surrounding College Park
By JOSEPHINE JOHNSON
Paid firefighters who were moved out of four stations near College Park in June are not scheduled to return, the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department announced Oct. 11.
The department reassigned 55 career firefighters—those paid by the county— from Greenbelt, Berwyn Heights, Bowie and Bunker Hill to other fire stations in an effort to reduce overtime for their firefighters.
As a result, the College Park Volunteer Fire Department is taking more calls for
help from neighboring firehouses that are short-staffed and unable to respond, according to President Pete Piringer, who estimated his team’s response time has increased by approximately 10%.
“We’re running more calls,” Piringer said. “You need more equipment and more personnel to respond. … With the staffing reallocations by the county, sometimes volunteers aren’t available in other stations; therefore, the next closest available unit will respond, and that’s often us.”
Piringer said College Park’s two fire departments—his and the all-volunteer Branchville Volunteer Fire Co.—and those
in Hyattsville, Riverdale, Beltsville and Laurel are affected by the summertime staffing shakeup.
Average emergency response times as of Oct. 11 were 5 minutes, 39 seconds for the Berwyn Heights Volunteer Fire Department; 6 minutes, 6 seconds for the Greenbelt Volunteer Fire Department; 7 minutes, 55 seconds at the Bowie Volunteer Fire Department’s Belair station; and 6 minutes, 9 seconds at the Bunker Hill Volunteer Fire Co., according to the county.
The county’s average response time standard is eight minutes, according to
By JALEN WADE
Hundreds of volunteers worked side by side with city officials all over College Park on Oct. 26 to rake leaves, pick up trash, paint a sewer drain, plant trees and otherwise spruce up their neighborhoods. The volunteers came out for the 13th
COLLEGE PARK’S
Old Town resident Stephanie Stullich has fostered 120 stray cats in four years. Shown, Stullich and foster cat Malik in October. JOSEPHINE JOHNSON
Ross store opens in N. College Park
By JALEN WADE
A Ross Dress For Less discount store opened in North College Park on Oct 12.
The 26,000-square-foot chain store is located in the College Park Marketplace Shopping Center, at the northwest corner of Baltimore Avenue and Cherry Hill Road. The location was formerly occupied by a Best Buy.
“I think it’s good,” College Park resident Kahyla Hernandez said. “It’s a refresher, consider-
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ing that we’re [near] campus and there’s a bunch of college students, so I think they would appreciate having something so close.”
Hernandez said she has visited the store multiple times already for trendy decorations, and noted the store is close to her home.
With the opening of the College Park store, Ross has 13 locations in Maryland, including one in Greenway Center in Greenbelt. The chain in-
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cludes 2,100 discount apparel and home fashion stores in 43 states.
College Park Councilmember Jacob Hernandez (District 1) said city councilmembers wanted a new vendor to meet the community’s need for a clothing store.
“If you see across the city, we don’t have any major clothing store options,” Hernandez said. “I know we have a few, but Ross provides, you know, high quality clothing and mer-
Advertising Sales Manager Miranda Goodson
Business Manager Catie Currie
Executive Director Kit Slack
Board of Directors
President: Marta McLellan Ross
Vice President & General Counsel: Michael Walls
Treasurer: Joe Murchison
Secretary: Melanie Dzwonchyk
Bette Dickerson, Nora Eidelman, Joseph Gigliotti, Maxine Gross, Merrill Hartson, T. Carter Ross, Stephanie Stullich
Ex Officios: Katie V. Jones, Griffin Limerick, Sharon O'Malley, Kit Slack
Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. mail to every address in College Park. Additional copies are distributed to popular gathering spots around town. Total circulation is 9,600.
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chandise for low cost and affordable prices.”
Rally House, a sports apparel store, opened on Baltimore Avenue in October in the space once occupied by Target.
Hernandez said Ross will be a major economic driver, hiring 70 to 110 new employees.
College Park resident Mona Lynch said having a Ross in the city was “in order.” Before, Lynch said, if she wanted to go clothes shopping, she would go to T.J. Maxx in Beltway Plaza or Ross in Greenway Center.
“This one is up and it’s new and it’s by a Home Depot and a food store so it brings a lot more to this little shopping plaza here,” Lynch said.
Michael Williams, College Park’s director of economic development, said Ross approached the city with a proposal to fill the vacancy left by Best Buy. Williams said the city wanted a business that would be around for a long time, and Ross signed on for 10 years with the chance of a 10-year renewal.
Williams said he hoped to fill the vacant storefront quickly to avoid “contamination,” a term for the domino effect that can occur when one business leaves
an area and others follow suit. He also noted that empty buildings can dissuade potential tenants. He pointed to the Target storefront that sat empty for 16 months after the general merchandise store moved out.
“Someone would say, “Well, why is that vacancy there? You know, the Target vacancy there?” Williams explained. “And we would have to go in and explain that Target is a $75 billion corporation, and they make their decisions in a fashion that’s not very appropriate for local thinking.”
Williams said the city had gauged public interest on what to add to College Park via a survey two years ago. Aside from clothing, residents requested new restaurants that weren’t pizza shops.
He said the city is constantly in conversation with businesses that are attracted to College Park, but some don’t want to sign long-term leases.
Lynch said the city should add more discount stores.
“I think they should get a T.J. Maxx,” Lynch said. “They should get another Marshalls out here. Those are all discount stores. They should have them out here as well.”
The discount store Ross Dress For Less opened in the College Park Marketplace Shopping Center in October. GIUSEPPE LOPICCOLO
Former University Park mayor arrested on child porn charges
By LILLIAN GLAROS
Content warning: This story contains references to child sexual abuse.
Former University Park Mayor Joel Biermann was arrested at his home on Oct. 28 and charged with 28 counts relating to child sexual abuse materials.
He was denied bond the next day.
search warrant for the property owned by Biermann. She added that Biermann is no longer employed by the town.
The Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) confirmed in a statement to College Park Here & Now that Biermann was taken into custody Oct. 28 after a search of his home.
He was charged with 28 counts relating to the solici-
Wojahn, who served as College Park’s mayor from 2015 until the day before he was arrested in March 2023, pleaded guilty to 140 child pornography offenses. He is serving 30 years of a 150-year sentence
on 60 counts of distribution of child pornography, 40 counts of possession and 40 counts for possession with the intent to distribute, according to statements at the time by Prince George’s County State’s
Attorney Aisha Braveboy. Current College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir declined to comment on Biermann’s charges. Biermann is in the custody of the corrections department, according to PGPD.
Mayor says resident engagement is key to trust in government
By JALEN WADE
Mayors should put people over party, College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir said at an Oct. 10 symposium about civility and democracy.
Kabir shared the podium with Galena, Maryland, Mayor John Carroll, who agreed that, “You are running for your backyard. You’re running for issues that are in your community. You’re not a D, you’re not an R, you’re not an anything. You’re a citizen and a resident in your community.”
The panel, moderated by Raymond Rodriguez of the University of Maryland’s (UMD) School of Public Policy, was part of a daylong “Living Democracy” symposium on campus.
“We have community members on both sides, so, like, on the extreme left, extreme right, in the middle, you know, red, blue and purple,” Kabir said on a panel called “Fostering Civility in the Public Square.”
The expectation of local voters, Kabir said, is that mayors and other government officials will serve them on local issues, regardless of party affiliation.
“I’m not really serving any specific group or any political party in the nation, and rather, I do care about the community. I think that’s the message I get from the community, which is good to hear sometime,” Kabir said.
“You’re not doing it to have the power to be powerful, to be a king, right?” Kabir said. “I mean, you are doing it to serve the people. You are no one but the public servant.”
The key to earning the trust of the community, Kabir said, is engaging residents.
“The major thing I think we should be doing in … having more
transparency to the community is to have more engagement … in a small city like us, even though we are not very small,” Kabir said.
Kabir started a daily blog in 2009 before he became a member of the College Park City Council in 2011 and mayor in 2023.
“That actually helped me in connecting with the residents and being more transparent about the city government,” Kabir said. “You don’t see any national
politics or even county politics in that, and that’s the way, I think, I have earned the trust of the community.”
Carroll said social media helps Galena officials stay in touch with the community. The mayor also said he engages with residents daily when he goes to a restaurant, stops at a gas station or shops at the grocery store.
“We live in that community as well,” Carroll said. “We pay those
fees just the same. We pay the taxes just the same, but you’ve got to walk the walk if you’re going to talk the talk. So that’s the big thing for me.”
Kabir, who grew up in Bangladesh, pointed to the importance of communicating with all residents, even if they do not speak English.
“I know the pain and some of the communication gap that the immigrant community, especially the Hispanic community ... they are facing,” Kabir said. “Oftentimes, I have seen that there’s a tension between long-time residents and this immigrant community.”
The mayor said the city has hired bilingual staff members, is translating social media posts into Spanish and hosted a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration in September.
“So there are a couple of things … just to close the gap and not to make them feel that they are left alone,” Kabir said. “They’re part of our community, and they’re a very important part of the community.”
Carroll agreed, saying he has met with mayors and city councils all over the state and the same question comes up each time: “How do we get these folks, these people, to engage with us?”
College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir (right) participates on a panel about democracy with Galena, Maryland, Mayor John Carroll, left, and moderator Raymond Rodriguez of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. JALEN WADE
Theft tops list of crimes reported in College Park
By IJEOMA OPARA
Officials of the law enforcement agencies that patrol College Park said in October that theft is the most common crime in the city.
Thefts from automobiles and thefts of automobiles are most prevalent, according to officers from the Metro Transit Police Department, Maryland-National Capital Park Police and Prince George’s County Police Department who spoke to the College Park City Council.
“Most of our incidents are theftrelated,” Yasmin Brown, assistant chief of the Maryland-National Capital Park Police, agreed. “A lot of that is a crime of opportunity: people leaving something in their car or leaving their car unlocked.”
Brown noted that crime, at least in parks, “slows down a little
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bit with the weather change. It always does.”
Theft also has been the most reported crime on the University of Maryland (UMD) campus in College Park for the past 10 years, according to data from the UMD Police Department.
Lt. Brian Wiesemann, the commander of the Maryland State Police College Park barracks, pointed to drunk driving arrests, while UMD Police Chief David Mitchell told the council he has seen a rise in thefts of electric scooters, lap-
top computers and phones.
Still, Maj. Jim Keleti, commander of the Prince George’s County Police Hyattsville Division 1, said property crime like theft from autos declined by 15% in the city, while violent crime is up by 6%.
Overall, however, crime in College Park is down by 11%, Keleti said.
Hyattsville Division 1 patrols College Park, as the city does not have its own police force. Keleti told the council that county police dealt with 330 cases of larceny theft during the 20232024 fiscal year, including 192 cases of theft from autos and 138 other theft cases. Larceny increased by nearly 6% last year, Keleti said.
Deputy Chief Stephen Boehm of the Metro Transit Police said crime overall has dropped by 30% across the system in Maryland, Virginia and the District.
He said the most frequent crimes at the College Park station are auto, bicycle and scooter thefts, noting that motorized scooters are considered by Metro Transit Police as autos.
In response, police there have started a “bike bait” program.
Officers have caught multiple thieves by placing their own bikes on racks monitored by a video camera.
“Unfortunately you see a lot of folks getting high-end bikes with low-end locks,” Boehm said. “If you’re going to invest in
the bikes, invest in the lock and know how to properly secure it.”
He added that a collaboration with the other local police agencies has led to a 166% increase in the number of arrests for theft, mostly connected to thefts of and from autos.
Mitchell also reported increasing theft, leading to 287 criminal arrests on campus.
“As with Metro and many of the municipal police departments, we’re seeing a rise in theft, particularly scooter theft. It’s a major issue on campus,” Mitchell said. “We’ve made a number of arrests for thefts of scooters, and it goes beyond scooters to cell phones, laptops and so forth.”
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Local police say most crime involves theft from autos and theft of autos. ADOBE STOCK PHOTO
Northwest Chinese Food named Business of the Year
By LILLIAN GLAROS
Filled with hungry customers enjoying noodles and sesame balls, Northwest Chinese Food on Baltimore Avenue was packed on a recent November afternoon.
Mayor Fazlul Kabir proclaimed the nine-year-old restaurant, which is popular with both students and residents, College Park’s 2024 Business of the Year.
“Their efforts have made College Park a more vibrant and
diverse place to live,” Kabir said during his proclamation on Oct. 22 at the city council meeting.
Kabir said the restaurant won the annual award, in part, because it gets high reviews and its management has made
a commitment to engage with and invest in the community.
The restaurant sells food in the style of the northwestern and northeastern regions of China, including popular dishes like rou jia mo, which are Chinese-style burgers, and hot oil noodles, according to Xue Ling, the restaurant’s brand manager and daughter of the owner, Hua Wang.
The restaurant opened in 2015 to share authentic dishes that are different from typical American Chinese food, Wang said.
Wang said the restaurant got the award because of its unique cuisine. While a lot of restaurants have similar food, Wang said, diners can sample the restaurant’s secret recipes, created by Wang herself, only by visiting the store.
One of Wang’s favorite dishes to cook is stewed pork mo, which contains braised pork, onions and jalapeño peppers, although she said she likes cooking all of the items on the menu.
City Councilmember Stuart Adams (District 3) said the restaurant demonstrates the diversity of Chinese cuisine.
“It’s not the typical, you know, take-out Chinese that many folks are used to,” Adams, whose district includes the restaurant, said.
Some of the customers at
Northwest Chinese are regulars, like Ashfiha Rahman and Flavyne Tsongwain.
The pair has been eating at the restaurant since their freshman year at the University of Maryland three years ago.
“I just love how, like, there’s always so many people here, and everyone’s … always chatting,” Rahman said.
For Tsongwain, Northwest Chinese is a cozy place where the food is consistently good.
Some of that food includes the sesame balls, something Tsongwain said they get every time they go to the place Rahman called their “spot.”
They agreed the restaurant deserved to win Business of the Year, and that the announcement was unsurprising.
“It’s always full,” Tsongwain said. “Always has people. There’s always a line or a wait.”
This is the first time in five years that College Park has chosen a Business of the Year, according to Kabir.
Kabir said the restaurant eventually will close its Baltimore Avenue location to make room for new student apartments and will move to the city hall building.
According to Ling, the new restaurant, Li Chun Cafe, will open in February and will serve Chinese wraps, rice balls and tea, as well as coffee and snacks.
University of Maryland senior Ashfiha Rahman eats sesame balls at Northwest Chinese Food, where she is a regular. The restaurant is College Park’s Business of the Year for 2024. LILLIAN GLAROS
COLLEGE PARK POST
Municipal Government Works Month
Spotlighting the dedicated efforts of City staff in College Park and honoring the daily efforts that make a difference
Did you know November is Municipal Government Works (MGW) Month?
Every November, communities across Maryland come together to honor the vital contributions of local governments.
This month, we spotlight the dedicated efforts of our City staff in College Park, who work tirelessly to provide essential programs and services for our residents.
While the Mayor and Council are elected by the community, it is the City staff who implement the initiatives that enhance our daily lives. College Park’s government is structured into several key departments, each playing a crucial role in the City’s operations:
• DEPT. OF PUBLIC WORKS: Responsible for trash, recycling, and special collections, compost, parks, maintenance, plantings and
landscape, City streets and sidewalks, engineering, snow and ice removal, and more.
• DEPT. OF PUBLIC SERVICES: Manages animal control, code enforcement, public safety, parking enforcement, etc.
• DEPT. OF YOUTH, FAMILY, & SENIOR SERVICES:
Provides youth and family counseling, parenting and support groups, and outreach services for youth and families with children ages 2-18. Seniors Program supports City residents 62 and older with individual advocacy, social engagement, case management for vulnerable seniors, transportation services, and assistance with government entitlement programs.
• DEPT. OF PLANNING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT:
Focuses on initiatives like micromobility and homeownership support, planning, zoning and city grants.
• ADMINISTRATION: Encompasses City Clerk’s office, finance, human resources, communications and events, economic development, and IT services.
Each department reports to the City Manager, appointed by the Mayor and Council to ensure smooth daily operations.
From curbside food scrap collection to youth counseling and annual celebrations like College Park Day, our City staff work diligently to connect residents with the resources they need.
This November, we’re excited to announce the return of our Curbside Leaf Collection, a beloved service that helps keep our community clean.
Stay informed about all that College Park has to offer by joining our e-newsletter at www. collegeparkmd.gov/cpconnect. By subscribing, you’ll be the first to know about new services, events, and opportunities.
Encourage your friends and neighbors to join us on social media—follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and Nextdoor to stay connected!
We also invite residents to engage with us directly. Use the College Park Connect app to report nonemergency concerns or request services. Download it from your device’s app store or visit www. collegeparkmd.gov/tellus. For immediate assistance, our 24/7 hotline is available at 240-4873588.
This November, let’s take a moment to express our gratitude to the City staff for their unwavering commitment throughout the year. Together, we can create a thriving community!
Top left: Department of Planning & Community Development
Top right: City staff on “Wear Red” day to raise awareness about heart disease Bottom: Department of Youth, Family & Senior Services
Top: Department of Public Services staff with public safety officials
Bottom left: Department of Human Resources at Employee Appreciation event Bottom right: City Event staff host a Neighborhood Game Night
Celebrate the holiday season with us at City Hall on Saturday, December 7 from 2-8pm!
Join us at this festive holiday market and tree lighting to inspire your holiday spirit. Check off your holiday wish list with products from local vendors and view entries from our annual Gingerbread House Competition!
There will also be live music, fun giveaways, food trucks, fun activities for kids, photo opportunities, a puppet show and story time for children, plus a visit from the man himself, Santa Claus!
Free parking will be available in the Downtown College Park Parking Garage.
Holiday Market powered by
Curbside Leaf Collection
Collections begin in mid-November and run through January
Curbside leaf vacuuming begins November 4 and will continue through the mid-January. This annual City collection service diverts leaves and other soft yard waste from the landfill and is used to make SMARTLEAF© compost.
Look for posted signs in your neighborhood to know when curbside leaf collection will occur. Collection schedules are tentative as they depend on weather conditions. To ensure collection, put leaves out by the first day listed. The calendar may show multiple days in an area, but we only collect once per street per collection cycle. Each area of the City is scheduled to be serviced at least 4 times during the season, so there will be several opportunities to have leaves collected.
Refer to the City website at www. collegeparkmd.gov/leafcollection for the most up-to-date collection schedule. To stay on schedule, leaf trucks are not able to return to collect leaves once they have finished your street.
Additionally, the vacuum hoses are not able to reach around cars or obstructions, so piles of leaves must be accessible from the street.
CURBSIDE LEAF COLLECTION DO’S AND DON’TS:
• Bagging is not necessary during leaf collection with vacuums. Grass can be included in your leaf piles, but no sticks, branches, vines, or woody materials (as these items require a special collection).
• Rake leaves to the curb but do not put them in the street. Pile leaves away from cars and storm drains as the leaf vacuum cannot reach around cars.
• Remove tree limbs, rocks, trash, and other debris from leaves to be collected. These items damage the equipment and cause delays.
• Noise and dust may be noticeable as dry conditions generate more dust. We apologize for any inconvenience.
For the most up-to-date collection schedule, visit www. collegeparkmd.gov/leafcollection.
Have questions or need help? Contact the Department of Public Works at publicworks@ collegeparkmd.gov or call 240-4873590.
Storm Drain Murals
Raising awareness about water pollution through art
The Committee for a Better Environment partners with the College Park Arts Exchange to raise awareness about environmental pollution, specifically what goes down the drain ends up in our waterways. The storm drain murals depict plants and animals that are part of the Anacostia Watershed.
We have completed three additional storm drain murals this year, bringing the total to 18. Check out the newest creations below!
To view a map of all storm drains in the City, visit www.collegeparkmd. gov/stormdrainmurals.
“Coming Out of the Woodwork!” by artist HK Beall. Located onEdmonston Road at the intersection of Wellesley Drive.
“Pollinator Paradise” by artist Claire Huang. Located along Narragansett Parkway before the intersection of 52nd avenue.
“Protecting the Ocean with Joint Polar Satellite System” by artist Lamont W. Harvey. Located at 8505 Rhode Island Avenue, in Berwyn.
City Announcements
More information: www.collegeparkmd.gov
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY CLOSURE
All City of College Park offices will be closed on Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. All City offices will close at 1pm on Wednesday, November 27. Regular collections will happen as regularly scheduled, but there will be no special collections during this holiday week.
SMARTLEAF© COMPOST
NOW AVAILABLE AT DPW
Smartleaf© Compost is now available at the Department of Public Works (9217 51st Ave)!
Compost is $28.00 per cubic yard, and wood mulch is $12.00 per cubic yard. Material may be picked up Mon.-Fri. between 8:00 a.m. –11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Delivery can be scheduled for an additional fee.
To schedule a delivery and learn more, visit www.collegeparkmd. gov/compost. For further questions, call 240-487-3593.
ADVISORY BOARD VOLUNTEERS WANTED
Serve your community, lend your talents, and meet your neighbors by serving on a City Advisory Board.
Applications are now being accepted for the following boards:
• Bee City USA Committee
• Committee for a Better Environment
• Education Advisory Committee
• Noise Control Board
• Restorative Justice Commission
• Veterans Memorial Committee
• Housing Authority of the City of College Park
If you are interested in volunteering, please complete and submit an application at www. collegeparkmd.gov/boardapp by Wednesday, November 27, 2024.
The Mayor and Council will make appointments in December for terms that begin on January 1.
STATEWIDE BURN BAN FROM DEPT. OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Dry, windy conditions have increased fire risk in Maryland and fueled ongoing wildfires. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is implementing a statewide ban on open air burning, effective November 1, in all Maryland counties. Learn more at https://news.maryland.gov/dnr.
CALVERT HILLS PLAYGROUND POLL
The City of College Park is excited to continue improving our community playgrounds! The Calvert Hills Playground Project is the final step in this effort, with new playground equipment for children ages 5-12 and a brandnew swing set.
Help us design the perfect place to play! View the playground design options and give your feedback at www.collegeparkmd. gov/calvertplaygroundpoll before December 1.
GINGERBREAD HOUSE COMPETITION
Have you always wanted to build that dream home out of confections? Join in our annual Gingerbread House Decorating Competition!
Residents of College Park can enter their creations as individuals or as a group for a chance to win a gift card to a College Park business of your choice. Applications can be submitted online from November 1st through Nov. 30th.
Gingerbread structures may be houses or other imaginative dwellings related to the holidays. All entries will be on display to the public so they must be family-friendly. Creations must be delivered to City Hall on Monday, December 2nd between 9am -6pm. Judging will take place between Dec. 3rd -5th. Winners will be announced at the Winter Wonderland Holiday Market and Tree Lighting on December 7, 2024, at City Hall.
Submit your gingerbread entry between November 1 - 30, 2024 at www.collegeparkmd.gov/ gingerbread24. For questions, contact events@collegeparkmd. gov.
Leash Laws
Ensuring safety for pets and residents
The City of College Park is reaching out to the community to highlight the importance of animal restraint for the safety and comfort of both residents and pets.
Understanding and adhering to the city code can enhance our community experience.
WHAT THE LAW SAYS
According to the College Park Municipal Code 102-3, “Restraint of Animals,” it is unlawful for pet owners to allow their animals to roam freely.
Pets must be caged or leashed when off their owner’s premises, under the immediate supervision of a responsible person. This helps ensure that animals do not interact with others without consent.
WHY LEASHING MATTERS
Safety for Pets: Keeping pets on a leash significantly reduces the risk of accidents involving vehicles, wildlife, or theft, ensuring a safer environment for everyone.
AVOIDING FINES
Not adhering to the leash law can lead to citations, with fines escalating from $50 for the first offense to $250 for repeat violations.
COMMUNITY PEACE:
Residents and visitors should feel comfortable in public spaces. Loose pets, even those that are well-behaved, can cause anxiety for individuals who may be fearful of animals.
LIABILITY ISSUES
Pet owners are liable for any damage or injuries caused by their pets while at large. This includes potential costs related to injuries to other animals, people, or property.
The City of College Park is dedicated to fostering a safe and enjoyable environment for all residents. We appreciate your cooperation in adhering to these regulations. For any questions or concerns, please contact Animal Welfare at 240487-3575 or at animalcontrol@ collegeparkmd.gov.
City Council considers stop sign cameras
By CLAUDIA STUART and SHARON O’MALLEY
Members of the College Park City Council in October expressed their support for placing stop sign cameras around the city but stopped short of voting to install the technology.
The discussion followed a three-week pilot program, during which nine stop signs were equipped with solarpowered cameras to collect data about how many drivers neglected to stop at the signs.
The AI-generated results showed that up to 92% — and no fewer than 61% — of drivers did not come to a full stop across the nine locations, a finding that Mayor Fazlul Kabir called “very scary.”
At the Oct. 8 council meeting, Dhruv Maheshwari, cofounder of Obvio, the Silicon Valley firm that installed the cameras, showed videos of cars speeding through stop signs without stopping, sometimes when pedestrians were attempting to cross the street. In one video, a driver ran through a sign without stopping to pass another car that was already in the intersection.
Still, the lawmakers decided to reach out to the community and to the city’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee for input before voting.
“I just wanted to make sure there was an opportunity for public comment and really frame this in a clear and public way,” Councilmember Susan Whitney (District 2) said at the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Prince George’s County Council is considering legislation that would allow the county to install stop sign cameras on state and local highways in school zones.
State legislation adopted earlier this year authorized Prince George’s County and cities in the county to use photo enforcement to monitor traffic violations, including running stop signs and making illegal left turns, for example. Drivers will receive fines of $40 per offense, the same as for speedcamera violations.
The city will collect approximately 50% of the revenue after Obvio, if it is the vendor the council selects for permanent stop sign monitoring, takes its share for administering the program.
Law enforcement officials will review the videos to de-
termine which violations will result in citations. During the three-week pilot, no tickets were issued.
The state law requires cities that earn revenue from stop sign monitoring to spend it on traffic safety efforts.
Several council members pointed out during the meeting that the program’s goal is safety, not profit.
“Our motivation is safety,”
Maria Mackie (District 4) said.
“The city’s not making big money on this.”
Mackie and others said residents have raised concerns about whether the program is about generating revenue rather than about driver and pedestrian safety.
Mayor Pro Tem Denise Mitchell (District 4) said residents of her district are generally not in favor of the
cameras, and noted the same concerns arose when the city installed its first traffic cameras years ago.
Mitchell and others called for an education campaign for residents before the stop sign monitors are installed.
Maheshwari said education will help build community buy-in for the program and trust in the city’s motivation for it.
In addition, once the program is phased in and drivers start to get tickets, violations might decrease, Delegate Anne Healey, District 22, who introduced the state law, told College Park Here & Now.
“I expect … they will change their behavior and actually stop at the signs where the cameras are,” Healey said.
An Obvio study showed that in cities that placed
boards near the stop signs to immediately notify drivers of their violations, offenders changed their driving habits.
Maheshwari said those cities saw a 70% decrease in the most severe violations in the first couple of months of their programs.
A handful of Prince George’s County cities, including Cottage City, Bowie and Greenbelt, among others, also are testing stop sign cameras.
digital
The city collected data from nine stop sign cameras over three weeks in September. City councilmembers are considering whether to expand the program and make it permanent. CLAUDIA STUART
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Our calendar includes many events and meetings sponsored by the City of College Park and local nonprofits, including arts organizations and performance venues. For additional events and meetings organized by the city, see the College Park Post newsletter in this paper’s centerfold.
Please send notices of events taking place between Dec.12 and Jan.10 to jalen@streetcarsuburbs. news by Dec. 1.
NOV.12
Art club. Spend your evening creating art with friendly neighbors. Bring your own art project and materials. Adults only. Free. 7:30-9 p.m. Old Parish House (4711 Knox Rd). For more information email Ann Rowe at annrowephd@gmail. com. Repeats on the 19th.
NOV.14
Book Club. Join this book club that meets on the second Thursday of the month. This month’s book is “A Fool’s Errand: Creating the National Museum of African American History & Culture” by Lonnie A. Bunch. Free. 7-8 p.m. College Park Community Library (9704 Rhode Island Ave). For more info visit https://tinyurl.com/4yv2tjs9.
The Javaad Alipoor Company: Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World. Come see this play adaptation of the investigation of the murder of Iranian pop sensation Fereydoun Farrokhzad. $30. 8 p.m. The Clarice Dance Theater (8270 Alumni Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/42ycb4p4. Repeat performance on the 15th.
NOV.15
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra. Come see the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s presentation of Béla Bartók’s final work. Prices range from $20-$50. 8 p.m. Dekelboum Concert Hall (8270 Alumni Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/2n6vezbd.
NOV.16
Art Workshop: Stained glass paintings. Create glass paintings using transparent watercolors along with gold and silver pens. Cost: $10. 1-4 p.m. Old Parish House (4711 Knox Rd.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/p4vse2vy.
NOV.17
Fall Choral Collage. The University of Maryland Treble
Choir and Tactus ensembles present choral pieces conducted by Jason Max Ferdinand. Free. 7:30 p.m. Dekelboum Concert Hall (8270 Alumni Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/yv9zfajn.
NOV.19
Book Club. Join the College Park Arts Exchange for this month’s discussion of “The Great Stewardess Rebellion: How Women Launched a Workplace Revolution at 30,000 Feet,” by Nell McShane Wulfhart. Free. 7-8:30 p.m. College Park Community Library, (9704 Rhode Island Ave.). For more info visit https://tinyurl. com/46vd5jz9.
NOV.22
Maryland Gospel Choir concert. Come to this performance of the UMD choir in a
DEC.7
Winter Wonderland. Come enjoy holiday cheer at this community event with carolers, arts and crafts, story readings and a petting zoo. There will also be the lighting of the City of College Park’s Holiday tree. St. Nick himself is expected to make an appearance. Free. 2-8 p.m. City Hall Plaza (7401 Baltimore Ave.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/37pht2u2.
DEC.10
The Nutcracker. Come watch the Berwyn Ballet School’s presentation of this seminal winter classic. Free admission. 5 p.m. University of Maryland Memorial Chapel (7744 Regents Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/47xkfbty.
celebration of fellowship and worship. Free. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Dekelboum Concert Hall (8270 Alumni Dr.). For more information visit https://tinyurl. com/2t6rr7je.
The Tiny Band concert. Come out to watch the Tiny Band, a trio of local musicians, as they play original songs from John Synk and also perform classic popular songs that feature three-part harmony. Free. 7 p.m. Old Parish House (4711 Knox Rd.). For more information visit https://tinyurl. com/356bbw9j.
NOV.24
Thanks for Fighting Hunger Concert with the College Park Chorale. Come out to this fall concert and food bank fundraiser. Enjoy a performance by the College Park Chorale followed by a shared meal in the Parish Hall. Free. 6 p.m. St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (4512 College Ave.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/ bdd7am7a.
REOCCURRING
Hollywood Farmers Market. Come out to this College Park Farmers Market, made up of diverse community-run stalls. Free. 10 a.m–2 p.m. Every Saturday until Nov. 23. (9803 Rhode Island Ave.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/3nnjh5rd.
Gingerbread house competition. Join the online gingerbread house competition. The contest opens on Nov. 1 and lasts through the whole month. Winners will be announced at the annual Winter Wonderland Holiday Market and Tree Lighting in December. For more information visit https:// tinyurl.com/2kbt9aya.
Line Dance. Jessie’s Soul Line Dancers offers a class with step-by-step instruction, and students then perform dances to soul, gospel and pop music. Free. Every Friday from 10 -11 a.m. Zoom. For more information and the registration link email info@cpae.org.
ADOBE STOCK PHOTO
North College Park residents complain about mail delivery
By SAM GAUNTT
Some North College Park residents are complaining to city officials and on social media that their mail is not being delivered every day.
Mayor Pro Tem Denise Mitchell (District 4) said several of her constituents have come to her with concerns about the North College Park Post Office over the last few months.
“There’s maybe two or three days that a resident will not get mail at all,” Mitchell told College Park Here & Now in October. “There’s some days where the mail will come, but it will be for another address.”
Mitchell added that many College Park residents who are seniors or retirees get their pension or Social Security checks delivered by mail — and are not receiving them in a “timely fashion,” or sometimes even at all.
The North College Park location recently underwent a change in leadership, according to Keith Hooks, a local representative of the National Association of Letter Carriers, following the retirement of the branch’s previous Postmaster Tanya White.
At an Oct. 18 city council meeting, Hooks said the post office has had an “onslaught” of new, inexperienced employees, following a rash of retirements of long-time mail carriers.
“Most of the carriers that you have come to know, love, work with, have your mail delivered from, have now retired,” Hooks said. “That skill set has
now retired. We’re itching to change that.”
Hooks added that union leaders want to shift the perspective of mail carriers back to “that our communities come first, that our customer base comes first.”
But, Hooks said, the union can only fix itself — starting with the membership and letting mail carriers know how important it is for customers to be taken care of.
A representative of the North College Park Post Office did not respond to multiple requests for comment from College Park Here & Now
Mitchell said the location is working to solve its staffing issues, and also to resolve problems with more “arduous” routes in parts of North College Park with hills.
“We will see how effective that will be, but I know that they are … trying to make some inroads to our issues,” she said, “which I feel a little bit better than before, I will say.”
Some residents, including Nancy Harris of College Park Woods, said several neighbors have complained about letters, bills and other pieces of mail that were not delivered — even though the United States Postal Service’s online portal showed they had been.
The lost mail resulted in the loss of several hundred dollars in uncashed checks, Harris, a clinical social worker, said. While the checks can get reissued, Harris said, the missing deliveries have led to a several-months delay in getting paid.
“I know that we get mail for other people’s houses,” Harris added. “So I have to assume that other people are getting mail for other houses, too. It can’t just be us.”
One Dewberry Lane resident, who asked not to be named out of fear of retaliation, said problems with mail delivery in College Park have flared up in the past.
The resident did not receive any mail at all during several days in August and October, and had to report those pieces of mail as missing on the Postal Service’s online portal.
“The problems with mail delivery are chronic and have recently flared up to a … degree that we have not seen previously,” the College Park Woods resident said.
Residents facing problems with their mail delivery is not a new issue, Mayor Fazlul Kabir, who lives in the North College Park neighborhood of
“There’s maybe two or three days that a resident will not get mail at all. There’s some days where the mail will come, but it will be for another address.”
Denise Mitchell Mayor pro tem
Hollywood, told College Park Here & Now
In the past, Kabir said, the city has reached out to federal representatives to fix issues with the post office, but those
improvements weren’t permanent.
Still, some residents have told him they’ve seen improvements in their mail delivery, Kabir said.
North College Park residents say they don’t get their mail every day. GIUSEPPI LOPICCOLO
annual Good Neighbor Day, sponsored by the City of College Park, the University of Maryland (UMD) and MarylandNational Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC).
“We’re here helping out, grabbing some weeds, playing in some trees, getting real, in touch with nature,” volunteer Kaelan Wilfred, who lives in Bethesda, said as he helped clean up the area around Lake Artemesia. “It’s a beautiful lake now. Getting in a nice workout as well. It’s great.”
Good Neighbor Day started in 2011 as a part of a Christmas in April event, hosted by a nonprofit that helps fix the houses of aging local residents.
Josanne Francis, UMD’s lead community engagement program coordinator, said community members nominated each project for review by the event’s organizers.
Projects were designed to enhance community space and be educational and doable within 3.5 hours, according to event organizers.
“With Good Neighbor Day, we are ensuring that we are catering to the needs of the City of College Park and environment,”
Francis said. “Things that otherwise would not have been completed, certain projects that we are able to help get them complete and supported in whatever way we can, with expertise and materials and with the labor.”
The projects included a permaculture garden installation, the removal of invasive plant species from multiple locations, yard work and flower planting,
At the College Park Aviation Museum, volunteers transcribed audio from 20 years’ worth of oral history about the Lakeland neighborhood.
Trevor Muñoz, director of UMD’s Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities, called the event a “transcribeathon” and noted it is part of an ongoing effort to preserve the history of the historically Black Lakeland neighborhood, which was heavily affected by urban renewal in the 1970s and ’80s.
“I feel a lot of people forget that segregation was not that long ago,” Xiomara Bradden, a junior government and politics major at UMD, said. “Our grandparents lived through segregation and so preserving the history of African Americans, especially in this community who broke barriers, is extremely important.”
Farther north in the Hollywood community, Councilmember Jacob Hernandez (District 1) helped paint the concrete on top of a sewer drain to bolster awareness that only water–not garbage–should go down the drain.
Five-year-old Noelle Showalter, who lives in Hollywood, helped paint the drain, and in fact, inspired the project when she told Hernandez, during a 2023 campaign stop, that she wanted to see more rainbows in College Park.
Hernandez honored her request by helping to paint a red,
white and blue rainbow on the drainage top, Showalter’s mother, Kirstin, said it was “exciting” to see the area become more community focused.
The group also painted a mini free food pantry and a tiny, freestanding library.
Hernandez said one of the things he hopes volunteers take away is that Good Neighbor Day doesn’t need to be just one day a year.
“This is a great event on a yearly basis because it’s organized and facilitated by folks who have done it multiple times a year, but you know nothing’s stopping you from coming together with your friends, with your neighbors, with the city, to be a part of some of these projects,” Hernandez said.
A few blocks away, City Councilmember Alan Hew (District 1) assisted with the installation of a permaculture garden in the Davis Field Playground. Permaculture is a form of gardening that uses multiple fields of science, including agronomy, entomology, botany and meteorology, to produce a self-sustaining garden.
Hew said the project showed residents what to plant in their yards and which plants are edible, like elderberries, currants and apples.
Caleb Dotson, an Oxon Hill
High School junior, said he hopes the project will teach people how they can come together as a community to help the environment.
“Clearly, there’s not a lot of knowledge about things like this, and I think that if more people knew about things like this, we would have a much more developed garden in all types of communities around the country,” Dotson said.
At Lake Artemisia, a group pulled out invasive weeds near the water.
The group’s members are part of the Southern Management Leadership Program (SMLP), a three-year scholarship program for students from Prince George’s Community College and Montgomery College.
Brandon Scott, a member of the program, said he was glad to volunteer, as it gave him a chance to bond with others in his program.
“I like serving the community, I like being a part of, you know, the College Park community and not only that, but building my relationships with my program here,” Scott said. “Sometimes I don’t get enough time to talk to each person in our program. I mean, there’s a lot of kids, so take the time to, you know, create better relationships within each person.”
Volunteers from all over College Park joined together on Good Neighbor Day to spruce up their communities. JALEN WADE
Piringer. Likewise, National Fire Protection Administration standards call for firefighters, resources and equipment to arrive at an emergency within eight minutes.
College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir said those times are too high.
“They’re saying that this is good enough, which is not really ideal, because if a fire breaks out, then every minute counts, every second actually counts,” he said.
The county declined to supply data about response times at specific stations before and after the reallocation of staff.
College Park Here & Now has filed a Maryland Public Information Act request for that data.
Kabir said he expected response times to increase with the removal of paid staff from nearby firehouses.
“When you don’t have enough staffing in the fire stations, you don’t actually expect things getting better,” Kabir said. “You
CATS
homeless kittens until they can be adopted.
Patricia Coil, of Hollywood, began fostering kittens in spring 2022 through Beltsville Community Cats, which offers medical support and advice from experienced rescuers.
Coil’s 5-year-old daughter, Emily Wilkening, names the kittens, 54 of them so far, with monikers like Caterpillar, Crane and Tractor, after her construction toys, and Mirabel, after a Disney princess.
Coil shared that taking care of the kittens teaches her daughter about charity and generosity, that she is raising a kitten to be someone else’s pet. To adjust to saying goodbye to the kittens as they are adopted, Emily keeps a scrapbook of every cat they have fostered. The scrapbook has entries for all of the kittens they have fostered over the past two-and-a-half years.
“You bring them in, and you
definitely expect things getting worse.”
Piringer called the staffing problem “just a challenging situation for everybody.”
Kabir said the reallocation plan “looks like” a funding issue, and suggested that the communities could work together to find a solution.
never know what you’re going to get,” Coil said. “They each develop their own personality. It’s just cute to watch them … become cats over the course of, like, two or three months.”
Marina Augoustidis, of College Park Woods, said she did not plan to foster cats. But when her neighbor’s outdoor cat, Ginger, came to her back door for help, carrying a tiny kitten, she took them in even though she is allergic. Ginger, apparently sensing safety, went back outside and then brought four more kittens to Augoustidis, carrying one in her mouth at a time.
Augoustidis, who works at the University of Maryland, shared that the city was helpful, and Bailey even took Ginger to the veterinarian for an emergency visit while Augoustidis was at work.
“Seeing how maybe a cat that might have not been so comfortable, is feeling comfortable and feeling safe, that’s rewarding to me,” Augoustidis said.
In fact, the county fire department saved approximately $1.8 million in overtime pay in July, August and September compared with the same months in 2023, according to the Oct. 11 announcement.
While Alan Doubleday, the county fire department’s public information director, acknowl-
Stullich shared that she plans to continue fostering for at least the next 20 years.
“I just think fostering is so fun,” Stullich said. “I just love being able to help these guys that really need help. And it’s such a good feeling when you find a wonderful person or family to take in your beloved foster. You’ve succeeded in what you’re trying to do, which is to get this kitten or cat to a safe, secure, loving home.”
After her first goodbye, Stullich knew that she wanted to keep fostering.
“I don’t mind the goodbye part, because I know they are going to a loving home,” Stullich said. “Somebody is going to take care of them for the next 15 years, and I get to do it all over again.”
edged the reallocation had a “significant budget impact,” he said the motive for removing career personnel from the four stations was not financial.
“This had nothing to do with money,” Doubleday said. “This was about the safety and wellbeing of our firefighters, who were tremendously overworked,
were working work schedules that weren’t feasible. And we were just concerned for their safety and their mental health and their physical health.”
Prince George’s County has a shortage of about 250 firefighters, and will hire 150 career firefighters this fiscal year, according to the Oct. 11 announcement.
“Being short 251 firefighters is something that we’ve never faced before,” Doubleday said. County Fire Chief Tiffany Green said in a memo to employees and volunteers that the county has started sending firefighters to the Greenbelt and Berwyn Heights companies from other stations elsewhere in the county to help during emergencies and “ensure enhanced coverage for service demand.”
Green also said the Greenbelt station will get a second emergency medical response unit, which she said will not “substantially” increase the need for overtime.
Firefighters at the College Park Volunteer Fire Department rush to a call. GIUSEPPE LOPICCOLO
Volunteer Stephanie Stullich plays with her foster cat Malik, left, and two onetime fosters she decided to keep as pets, Frankie (middle) and Patrick. JOSEPHINE JOHNSON
NEWS BRIEFS
Bell is back. Taco Bell on Baltimore Avenue has reopened.
The fast-food restaurant’s College Park location closed for renovations in July.
The store reportedly got new refrigeration, hood exhaust systems, updated interior and exterior lighting and a new HVAC system.
In addition, the restaurant got a new coat of paint on the building’s exterior.
Bilingual. A Spanish-language version of the 2024 fall/winter College Park Resident Guide is available on the city’s website.
The city releases the English version of the guide bi-annually and mails it to College Park residents.
The guide includes information on local news and city events, along with an inside look at daily life in College Park.
New job. Former College Park City Clerk Janeen Miller, who retired earlier this year after 18 years on the job, has a new role with the city. Miller is working with the city’s Senior Advisory Committee to attain AARP’s Age-Friendly Community designation.
Miller, who won applause from the audience as the city council approved her appointment on Oct. 15, is an independent contractor who will conduct research and develop and present recommendations to city leaders in an effort to advance the goals of the city’s Age-Friendly Action Plan.
In its fiscal year 2025 budget, the city council approved funds for a new staff member to help the advisory group with its effort to earn the AARP designation.
“I’m just so happy I can’t even begin to tell you,” Gail Lovelace, the co-chair of the Age-Friendly College Park initiative, said of the budget. “I’m just thrilled that the city
is still committed to moving forward with this designation.”
Crime report. A carjacking was reported inside the College Park Metro parking garage by River Road on Oct. 18.
According to police, two masked suspects, one of them armed, approached the victim, demanded the vehicle and drove off in it.
Metro Transit Police reported no injuries.
Summer slump. The city’s economic development director showed an unsurprising trend during the Oct. 22 College Park City Council meeting: businesses report a significant slump in activity from June through August each year.
Michael Williams suggested that the city consider programs to help stores and restaurants during the summer months, when students are away from school and not spending money locally. One,
a proposed “legacy” program, would boost businesses that have been in College Park for at least five years.
Even though the annual slump is expected, “the struggle really is that it takes a long time for them to get up and recapture their businesses even though you see the line go up again” in the fall, Williams said. “You’re still paying salaries and staff for the soft period of time.”
Victory party. Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks chose The Hotel on Baltimore Avenue to celebrate her successful campaign to win the vacant U.S. Senate seat on Nov. 5. Alsobrooks, who claimed 53.1% of the vote–with 85% of the votes counted–defeated former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan.
Along with local officials, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and members of Maryland’s congressional delegation attended the festivities.
The Taco Bell on Baltimore Avenue has reopened after closing for two months for renovations. ADOBE STOCK PHOTO