Jaqueline Grazette, of Bowie, and Janice Jefferson, of Suitland, asked a new county task force to address the quality of health care for seniors like themselves. Grazette cited high infection rates at the new county hospital, in Largo. Jefferson said she had to go outside the county to get the medical tests she needed.
County Council Chair Jolene Ivey (At-large) echoed their concerns, saying she had gone more than a year without a primary care provider.
Fire staffing reallocation plan updates
By THEODORE ROSE
Career firefighters returned to the Prince George’s County Bunker Hill fire station on Dec. 29, 2024 — the only one of four stations to see paid staff return after reallocations last June, according to a Dec. 6 county fire/emergency medical services (EMS) department press release.
The county’s fire/EMS department announced a reallocation
Donté Fletcher brings musical visions to life
By RAZAK DIALLO
Donté “Té Legend”
Fletcher has spent nearly a decade turning artistic dreams into reality.
“I love watching other people win,” Fletcher said.
Since 2016, the 34-year-old musical engineer and producer has worked with dozens of artists in the DMV area through his production house in South Hyattsville’s Arts District — The Trap Factory Studio, named
after the rap subgenre characterized by hard-hitting beats featuring heavy bass and synthesized 808-style drums.
For Fletcher, time in the studio is more than just making music — it’s building bridges through audio engineering, production, visuals and personalized artist support.
Growing up in Silver Spring, Fletcher said he became curious about music early on. His mother’s love of go-go and his father’s Trinidadian affection
for calypso music introduced him to a diverse musical palette.
But it was in high school, when Fletcher moved to Atlanta and joined the marching band, that his exploration truly began.
“I would just play by ear — learn by ear,” Fletcher said.
“But then when I got to Atlanta, the band teacher, Mr. Lane, he forced me to get deeper in that [stuff ], take it more serious.”
After graduating high school and earning a degree in audio engineering from Husson Uni-
versity, Fletcher returned to the DMV, briefly interning at GTown Studios, a production house in the District, before moving to New York to intern at The Cutting Room Studios. He worked around artists like Chance the Rapper, Lana Del Ray and Ryan Leslie. Most of his tasks were less than ideal — cleaning bathrooms, washing dishes and getting food — but Fletcher said he made the most of the opportunity.
“You gotta do a bunch of things you might not want to do,” Fletcher said. “For me, I don’t really care. At the end of the day, I’m trying to get this knowledge, and I know I’m going to do what I need to do when it’s my time.”
In New York, Fletcher received advice from a studio manager that would define how he would
Donté “Té Legend” Fletcher has worked with dozens of artists in the DMV area through his production house in South Hyattsville’s Arts District — The Trap Factory Studio. COURTESY OF TÉ LEGEND/THE TRAP FACTORY STUDIO
Closing the door on 2024
By HEATHER WRIGHT
Inflation caught and pummeled the country’s attention in 2024, while our national debt rose to over $36 trillion. Primed to focus on money matters, I’m taking a balance-sheet approach to this Life & Times year-in-review column.
Losses and liabilities
Let’s start with the financial vexations reported at our state, county and city levels. In fiscal year 2025 (which began July 1, 2024), Maryland was facing more than $1 billion in deficits, and this is expected to reach $2.7 billion in FY 2026 and FY 2027, according to Maryland Matters
In March, we reported on how then-County Executive Angela Alsobrooks had proposed a $5.5 billion budget for FY 2025 that would trim many programs and freeze hiring for more than 800 county government jobs — and still result in a projected budget shortfall of $171 million.
In Hyattsville, delayed audits and mistakes in financial reporting resulted in a murky financial situation. Hyattsville passed a budget in which annual expenditures exceed revenues, as has been the case since FY 2021. (The city has used savings from prior years to make up the difference and balance the budget.) Costs for the new police and public safety building, located on Hamilton Street, kept increasing and tapping the city’s budget, as we noted in August. (As of December, the approved total cost of the building stood at $28.6 million, according to Route One Finance.)
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While city finances may seem abstract, other losses were more immediate and tangible to many of us: Riverdale Park’s popular bakery Manifest Bread temporarily closed down in August to expand into a sit-down restaurant. With Manifest on hold and Shortcake Bakery closing in October, taste buds certainly lost out.
In the world of politics, County Councilmember Mel Franklin, an at-large representative who was accused of embezzling campaign funds, resigned over the summer. County Executive Angela Alsobrooks resigned following her November election to the U.S. Senate. And City Councilmember Jimmy McClellan (Ward 3) resigned from his position in November as he moved to Ward 4.
Gains and gratitude
Now turning to Hyattsville’s 2024 gains. In April, the city council reevaluated program priorities as it worked to allocate the remaining portion of $18 million in federal pandemic relief aid. City contracts for the remaining funding had to be
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in place by year’s end, and the money must be spent by December 2026. Additionally, in October, the city council agreed to a $310,000 settlement with CSX Transportation to address infrastructure repairs and personnel expenses related to the 2023 freight train derailment.
And while Hyattsville may have a temporary pastry shortage, it’s rolling in tacos and tortas. Our July taco tour feasted on abundance at Taquería La Placita, La Fondita and Taquería María Bonita.
On Valentine’s Day, Lidl-loving locals were treated to the opening of the German grocery chain’s Chillum location. About the same time, and in about the same location along Queen’s Chapel Road, Spice Kitchen West Africa opened its doors, having relocated from Brentwood’s miXt food hall. And while it has yet to land in a Hyattsville area storefront, Snow Crane — which we featured in October — brought at least a taste of its minimalist Japanese ice cream to a December pop-up event at Vigilante Coffee Company.
Many area dog owners expe-
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President & General Counsel: Michael Walls
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Secretary: Melanie Dzwonchyk
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Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. mail to every address in Hyattsville. Additional copies are distributed to libraries, selected businesses, community centers and churches in the city. Total circulation is 9,300. HL&T is a member of the National Newspaper Association and the Institute for
rienced gains (and relief) when the Barking Lot opened its Mount Rainier doggy daycare and boarding facility last spring. Then, stocks of safety solar glasses rose considerably in April, as schools and neighborhoods held total solar eclipse viewing parties. And just as I was beginning to wonder about the influx of motor scooters, our September “Science of the City” column began a series addressing this and other micromobility concerns.
Almost two years after closing for renovations, Robert J. King Memorial Park, on Gallatin Street, reopened in October. That same month, Hyattsville unveiled its new flag, which references a number of themes: the city’s founder, its Victorian homes, the Anacostia River and Maryland’s state flower, the black-eyed Susan. (Through reading about the flag redesign process, I gained an excellent word: “vexillology” — the study of flags.)
Futures and speculations
With this new year, questions abound: Which of the currently registered twelve candidates — including former County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, state Senator Alonzo T. Washington, and At-large County Councilmembers Calvin Hawkins and Jolene Ivey — will become Prince George’s new county executive? Will a contested McDonald’s, proposed for East-West Highway near its junction with Ager Road, replace La Doñita Restaurant? Will construction of Hyattsville’s police and public safety building finish by year’s end? What about the city’s teen center, along Nich-
olson Street? Will the city catch up on its overdue audits? Who will take the Ward 3 city council seat formerly held by McClellan? Speaking of the city council: Will it finally resume in-person council meetings, as this paper advocated for back in March?
Will the redesign of Driskell Park move forward, despite significant costs and the city’s difficulties renovating the much smaller King Park? Will Hyattsville go forward with capping rent increases at the rate of inflation, despite the county’s 2024 law that caps rent increases at no more than 6%?
But back to our deprived taste buds — will Manifest Bread reopen in February, as is currently projected?
Fundraising update
Finally, we loop back and take a last look at the Life & Times’ 2024 gains — and express our gratitude to all who helped us reach our end-of-year fundraising goal. Our nonprofit publisher, Streetcar Suburbs, received over $19,000 from you, our generous readers, $15,000 of which will be doubled by Newsmatch. All of us at the Life & Times, and Streetcar, thank you! We’d welcome your support throughout the year at streetcarsuburbs.news/donate. We’d also welcome your letters, story ideas, photos, opinions on topics of local interest, and volunteer reporting.
Here’s wishing you happiness, health — and balanced budgets — in 2025!
Heather Wright is the associate editor of the Life & Times.
2025 state spotlight
The Maryland General Assembly will be in session from Jan. 8 to April 7.
We thought our readers would want to know what their state representatives will be working on, so Streetcar Suburbs Publishing reached out and asked.
Most Hyattsville residents live in Maryland District 22; responses from three legislators from that district are below.
DELEGATE ASHANTI MARTINEZ
What are you most proud of from last year’s session?
One of my proudest moments from the last session is the passage of my bill, the So Every BODY Can Move Act. This law makes Maryland the sixth state to provide insurance coverage for activity-specific prostheses. This law
will allow greater access to the devices our disability community needs to live full and active lives.
What’s an opportunity that the state legislature missed last session, or an area where you hope to do better?
I hope we find creative ways to fund our priorities this session. For example, I have a bill I‘m bringing back this year that would tax social media companies for the harm their platforms cause to youth mental health. We know these platforms are responsible for many issues impacting our youth. The taxes collected would go directly to families needing assistance affording mental health services in Maryland.
How do you anticipate that your work in this session will change life for residents in your district specifically?
As chair of the Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus, I know the work we do this session will directly impact the diverse communities and neighborhoods of District 22. We are focused on keeping families together. States are now the frontline to
protect against the incoming Trump administration, and I’m dedicated to do all I can to keep our communities safe.
SENATOR ALONZO T. WASHINGTON
What are you most proud of from last year’s session?
I am proud of protecting funding for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and strengthening the community schools model by developing additional accountability measures. I passed monumental legislation establishing the Maryland Aerospace Technology Commission to foster innovation in Maryland. I also provided financial relief to public school employees in Prince George’s County by securing a property tax credit. Additionally, I supported our communities by implement-
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ing legislation to monitor excessive noise from illegally modified vehicles and reserving funding for underserved communities for flood disaster relief. To further improve our communities, I voted in favor of measures to reduce juvenile crime and support youth through the development of activity centers.
What’s an opportunity that the state legislature missed last session, or an area where you hope to do better?
I urge the state legislature to seize the opportunity to address the high cost of living and the scarcity of affordable housing across Maryland by bringing forward solutions to alleviate this burden on our communities. Currently, there is a shortage of 85,000 affordable apartments in Maryland for lower-income families and individuals. Additionally, the increasing rates of health insurance, combined with the shortage of hospital beds and physicians, are impeding adequate access to care for residents in Prince George’s County and across Maryland. Rising auto insurance rates are another challenge for residents, and work must be done to ensure affordability.
How do you anticipate that your work this session will
change life for residents in your district specifically? I plan to improve access to health care by increasing the number of hospital beds and reducing emergency room wait times. I am working to address the rising cost of auto insurance premiums, which have been increasing exponentially, even as insurance companies have earned $88 billion in profits. Through my legislative efforts, I aim to continue improving our schools and reducing costs for students across Maryland. Additionally, I will advance initiatives to enhance safety and well-being in our communities by protecting pedestrian safety and advocating to keep the FBI headquarters in Prince George’s County.
DELEGATE NICOLE WILLIAMS
What are you most proud of from last year’s session? As chair of the Prince George’s SEE SPOTLIGHT ON 6
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By RICK BORCHELT
Our unseasonably warm December weather brought the first waves of what will be many robin reports in the local listservs, blogs, Facebook groups and Nextdoor accounts I monitor.
Never mind that the first day of winter, Dec. 21, was only a few weeks ago; one optimistic local gushed that winter was
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already over because the robins had returned to her yard just before New Year’s Day. Other folks were posting their concerns that robins had been fooled into returning early and might perish in the cold weather yet to come.
All assumed they were seeing the first robins of spring returning from warmer climes where they spend the winter. Throughout much of North America, cabin-fever sufferers rejoice in robins as harbingers of spring.
Usually, they’re wrong. Robins have been here all along.
American robins (Turdus migratorius) are, as their name implies, sometimes migratory. Except when they aren’t.
Even though the robin is a well-known, iconic bird, we actually understood very little about their migratory habits until recently. A Georgetown University graduate student, Emily Williams, is working out the surprisingly complex movements of robins across the American landscape.
Williams has tracked robins from origins as far-flung as Alaska, Texas, Massachusetts, South Carolina — and D.C.
“They’re a truly cosmopolitan bird,” she told Audubon Magazine in 2020. “They may be the most widespread songbird in North America, and yet there’s so much we don’t know about them.”
Williams has determined
that American robins are, for most communities in the East, with us all year long, even up into snowy New England. It’s just they may not always be the same robins. Only in extreme northern climates do they quit the neighborhood completely and migrate south.
Williams and her colleagues tracked four robins captured in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve to overwintering sites in Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Montana, up to almost 3,000 miles from the capture location. One robin captured in Amherst, Ma., overwintered in South Carolina, 750 miles from the capture location, while two robins captured in D.C. had spent the entire year right here in the suburbs.
So, Williams notes, American robins may be as varied in their provenance as the rest of the District’s residents. Some robins were born and bred here and never leave, while some come from far away and soon leave again for better opportunities. Flocks in our area usually consist of both local and migrant robins.
If you’ve noticed more and more robins during winter, though, your eyes are not deceiving you. Every winter, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology organizes a citizen science project called Project FeederWatch, where people report sightings SEE REWILDING ON 6
Come spring, robins will return to yanking earthworms out of our suburban lawns. COURTESY OF MASON MARON/MACAULAY LIBRARY
FIREFIGHTERS
plan in June 2024 in response to a career firefighter shortage exacerbated by the pandemic, according to the press release. At the time, the county had 251 fewer career firefighters than their target goal of 1,224.
As part of the plan, all 55 career firefighters from four local stations — Berwyn Heights Volunteer Fire Department (VFD), Greenbelt VFD, Bowie VFD’s Belair station and Bunker Hill Volunteer Fire Company — were moved to other county stations.
Although the Laurel VFD lost none of its staffing in June 2024, it received a total of 24 staff over four shifts and an upgraded paramedic ambulance due to a “response vulnerability” noticed by the department, according to the Dec. 6 press release. An analysis by the fire/ EMS department showed the station had no staffing during evenings, nights and weekends.
The county’s reallocation plan moved 20 career firefighters from the Bunker Hill fire station, leaving essentially a closed firehouse, according to the county’s International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1619 president, Grant Walker.
“[Bunker Hill] has not had productive volunteer support for the last 15 years,” Walker told the Life & Times. “So functionally, when the county decided they were going to remove the career staff from there, they were saying to the citizens, ‘Everything is going to be fine,’ knowing that there [were] no volunteers going to respond from that firehouse.”
Alan Doubleday, the public information director for the county’s fire/EMS department, said the original 20 firefighters were sent back to the Bunker Hill station because response times to local emergencies became unacceptably high — the county’s standard response time is eight minutes. The county also allotted Bunker Hill a new paramedic engine, an ambulance with advanced life support, and four additional career staff, according to Doubleday and the release.
All response times within Brentwood, Mount Rainier and the Cottage City area should now “drastically improve,” Doubleday said.
Mount Rainier Mayor Celina Benitez said residents in her city had raised understandable concerns prior to the firefighters’ return. “With the return and increase of career firefighters [at Bunker Hill], we’ve seen a renewed sense of confidence among residents,” she said. Although the other three sta-
The county’s reallocation plan moved 20 career firefighters from the Bunker Hill fire station, leaving essentially a closed firehouse, according to the county’s International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1619 president, Grant Walker.
tions whose career staff were reallocated did not receive back any career firefighters, Greenbelt and Bowie each received a paramedic ambulance, while the Greenbelt station was also given an EMS duty officer. December’s press release did not mention any additional resources or staff for the Berwyn Heights station.
Higher response times may have also figured into Greenbelt’s receipt of additional resources.
In an Oct. 2, 2024, letter to Prince George’s County Fire Chief Tiffany Green, Greenbelt Mayor Emmett Jordan, along with city councilmembers, noted three incidents during which response times exceeded the county’s eight-minute standard.
According to a Nov. 15, 2024, letter from Green, county data showed that between June 30 and Nov. 9, 2024, the average response time across all emergency call types for the Greenbelt station was six minutes and four seconds. The call type category with the highest average response time was basic life support, with eight minutes and 51 seconds.
“Every minute counts,” Jordan told the Life & Times, “[and] it’s an average, so that does not
necessarily describe what happens when there’s an accident on the Beltway or Route 1. Seconds count.”
Walker said the response times were too high because the national standard for the first fire truck on a scene is four minutes, anything beyond which can lead to further delayed responses.
“When you delay the first engine, it mean[s] that you’re now delaying the second engine or the second ladder truck because you have to pull those resources farther away,” Walker said. “It’s this cascading domino where if you delay the first one, you’re now delaying everything else.”
Green said the county fire department “will continue to monitor and assess our staffing and emergency response performance to identify resource gaps and response vulnerabilities,” in addition to the resources provided in December, according to a Dec. 11, 2024, letter to Jordan.
Jordan said that, despite Green’s response, Greenbelt still isn’t happy.
“The county and municipalities work hand in hand in so many other ways,” Jordan said.
Want
“So we’d like to have those career firefighters back [as] a matter of public safety. Not just for Greenbelt, [but for] Hyattsville, Berwyn Heights, College Park. We’re all in this together.”
To help close the department’s staffing gap, in June 2024, thenCounty Executive Angela Alsobrooks approved the funding of 150 new hires during fiscal year 2025. The funding was the largest in the history of the county fire department, Doubleday said.
Since the June press release, the county’s staffing gap has shrunk by 18 career firefighters, bringing the county’s total to 991 as of Dec. 30, according to Doubleday and confirmed by a Life & Times’ analysis. However, this total is still 233 short of the 1,224 goal established last June.
The gap’s existence, according to Walker in an interview with the Life & Times, was and continues to be a persistent issue driven by a competitive and slow hiring process. According to Walker, the current hiring process is “equivalent to a turtle running a marathon through peanut butter.”
“You have to understand that you’re getting nationwide applicants, and if you want them
to work for you, you have to make the effort on the front end,” Walker said. “So if you’re not the fastest, most agile hiring that you can be, you’re not going to get these people, and they’re going to go elsewhere.”
Doubleday said that hiring for public safety has grown difficult since the pandemic. “The younger generation [is] not as interested in becoming firefighters as my generation when I came up in the fire service,” he said.
Additionally, Walker said the attrition rate is significant. “From January [2024] through November [2024], we’ve lost 71 firefighters in our ranks,” he clarified. Until a few years ago, the county firefighter attrition rate was about 40 firefighters a year, but now exceeds 60 due to retirement, COVID-19 and a disinterested younger generation, according to Doubleday. The county continues to hire and train new career staff. The newest class of 20 firefighters began training Dec. 30, 2024, and 109 candidates will begin training in either March or June, according to Doubleday. Not all who begin the training will graduate, however.
“Prince George’s County is only getting bigger,” said Walker. “It’s only getting busier. They’re building in every nook and cranny of the county, and the one place that they’re not adding people is in their fire department.”
Theodore Rose is an undergradate journalism student at the University of Maryland.
SPOTLIGHT
County House Delegation, I am proud that we were able to bring back $198.3 million from the state to Prince George’s County, $38.3 million of which went to public health.
What’s an opportunity that the state legislature missed last session, or an area where you hope to do better?
I think we should have made the tough decisions last year to address the structural deficit instead of kicking the can down the road. I am hoping that we
will make those tough decisions this year and do the right thing, regardless of politics or worrying about the next election.
How do you anticipate that your work in this session will change life for residents in your district specifically?
I am really hoping that we can pass curbside voting here in Maryland. I have introduced this bill each year for the last six years. Twenty-eight other states have curbside voting, including Wisconsin, North Carolina and Virginia. Last year it was House Bill 641. This is a statewide bill, but it will assist residents in Dis-
trict 22 who have mobility challenges, want to vote in person, and do not wish to vote by mail or via a local drop box.
District 22 Delegate Anne Healey had not responded to our inquiry as of press time. Some City of Hyattsville residents are in District 47, which includes Hyattsville west of Adelphi Road between EastWest Highway and Calverton, and an area near the West Hyattsville Metro stop west of Ager Road. District 47 representatives had not responded to our inquiry as of press time. Any further submissions we receive this month will be published on our website.
every Thursday, 3:00-6:30 PM until February 27 3:00-7:00 PM, March 6-November 6 WIC & EBT match every week! Explore what you can find at the
of birds in their yards over two consecutive days between November and April. For the past 25 years, FeederWatch data has shown that more American robins are hanging around farther north than they used to, and they’re arriving earlier, even in the northernmost parts of their range.
Robins may be responding, in part, to the warmer winters brought by climate change, but odds-on betting is that warmer climates also provide more food resources through the winter. While we may think of American robins as the proverbial early bird getting the worm (and other invertebrates), their entire metabolism undergoes a radical makeover in winter from carnivory (that worm!) to frugivory, or fruit-feeding.
Their favored winter sustenance in the mid-Atlantic is the small fruit of the now-ubiquitous invasive Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), also known as Bradford pear. American holly, winterberry, hawthorn and crabapple berries are also at the top of the robin’s cold-weather menu.
Their social behavior also switches up, from pairs or small family groups in summer to large, roving winter flocks of hundreds of birds that may fly long distances for the best fruit options. This means they’re
mostly absent from lawns and gardens when it’s cold, favoring instead woods and forests with better berry crops. So, while the robins are around, they just aren’t very visible to most of us — or very vocal.
When the weather warms up and the ground thaws completely, American robins will switch back to a diet of mostly worms, caterpillars and grubs. And they’ll become feisty defenders of backyard territories, with frequent clashes between males as they work out family boundaries. Males also take up their insistent song again in spring, often singing through the night at the height of the mating season.
There’s a possible human health downside to all those robins running around, according to Indiana University researcher Alex Jahn. He and his colleagues have discovered that robins can transport Lyme disease far across the United States by hosting both the infectious bacteria that cause Lyme and the ticks that then carry it. You can listen to a podcast about the Lyme disease connection and more about robin migration with Emily Williams, sponsored by the American Birding Association, at tinyurl.com/5xkfjkmp.
So remember: While early bird robins may be getting the worms in spring, it’s our winter resident robins getting the fruit — and fooling our neighbors!
Have questions for Rick about the world of nature in and around the Maryland suburbs or suggestions for future columns? Drop him a note at rborchelt@gmail.com.
THE CITY OF HYATTSVILLE
The Hyattsville Reporter
Issue 443 | January 2025
A big thank you to the Department of Public Works crew and our neighbors for working together to clear the snow from last week‘s storm! | ¡Muchas gracias al equipo del Departamento de Obras Públicas y a nuestros vecinos por trabajar juntos para despejar la nieve después de la tormenta de la semana pasada!
Happy 2025!
Wishing you joy and peace in the new year. As you set resolutions, I hope you’ll consider ways you can make a difference in Hyattsville.
If you resolve to Be Well: Join us for free fitness classes like Zumba and Seated Yoga or explore our parks and trails! Eligible families and youth can also benefit from free, bilingual therapy through the In Wellness We Thrive program.
If you resolve to Go Green: Reduce landfill waste by participating in weekly curbside composting. Preserve our tree canopy by volunteering at monthly invasive vine removals and find guidance on a variety of environmental practices in our online resource guides.
If you resolve to Shop Local: Support Hyattsville’s small, independent businesses year-round!
If you resolve to Give Back: Volunteer at City events, support produce and diaper distributions, tutor local students, and more.
If you resolve to Get Involved: Speak up at City Council and Ward meetings and provide input on projects at HelloHyattsville.com. Or, join one of the City’s 10 Advisory Committees to lend your expertise to the City on a variety of topics!
If you resolve to Lead: Run for office in the May 2025 City Election! Candidate registration opens in February. And if you’re a City resident 16 or older – vote this May!
Information on all these resolutions and more can be found on the City’s website: www.hyattsville.org. Here’s to a year of partnership and community!
Mayor Robert Croslin
APPLY FOR CITY CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS!
Applications for 2025 Hyattsville Camp Scholarships are now open! Eligible families can apply for scholarships to Hyattsville’s Spring & Summer camps and children’s programs. Eligibility is based on financial need. Applications close after February 2. Learn more and apply at hyattsville.org/camps
Les deseo alegría y paz en el nuevo año. Espero que, cuando te propongas algo, pienses en cómo puedes marcar la diferencia en Hyattsville.
Si te Propones Estar bien: ¡Únete a nosotros para clases gratuitas fitness como Zumba y Yoga o explorar nuestros parques y senderos! Las familias y jóvenes que reúnan los requisitos también pueden beneficiarse de terapia bilingüe gratuita a través del programa Con Bienestar Prosperamos.
Si te Propones ser Ecológico: Reduzca los residuos de los vertederos participando en el compostaje semanal de la Ciudad. Preserve nuestro dosel arbóreo participando como voluntario en las retiradas mensuales de vides invasoras y encuentre orientación sobre una variedad de prácticas medioambientales en nuestras guías de recursos en línea.
Si te Propones Comprar Local: Apoya a las pequeñas empresas independientes de Hyattsville durante todo el año.
Si te Propones Dar a tu Ciudad: Hazte voluntario en eventos de la ciudad, apoya la distribución de alimentos y pañales, da clases particulares a estudiantes locales y mucho más.
Si te Propones Involucrarte en la Ciudad: Participa en las reuniones del Concejo y de los distritos y aporta tu opinión sobre los proyectos en HelloHyattsville.com. O únete a uno de los 10 Comités Asesores de la Ciudad para aportar tu experiencia a la Ciudad en una variedad de temas!
Si te Propones Liderar: ¡Preséntate a las elecciones municipales de mayo del 2025! La inscripción de candidatos se abre en febrero. Y si tienes 16 años o más y vives en la ciudad, ¡Vota en mayo!
Encontrará información sobre todas estas resoluciones y otras más en el sitio web de la ciudad: hyattsville.org. ¡Brindemos por un año de colaboración y comunidad!
Alcalde Robert Croslin
¡APLIQUE A BECAS PARA CAMPAMENTOS DE LA CIUDAD!
¡Ya están abiertas las solicitudes para las becas de los campamentos de Hyattsville del 2025! Las familias que cumplan los requisitos pueden solicitar becas para los campamentos y programas infantiles de primavera y verano de Hyattsville. La elegibilidad se basa en la necesidad financiera. Las solicitudes se cierran el 2 de febrero. Más información y envíe su solicitud en hyattsville.org/camps.
ANNOUNCEMENTS | ANUNCIOS
HOLIDAY SERVICE CHANGES
Hyattsville City offices will be closed on Monday, January 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Please note there will be no leaf, yard waste, or compost collection this week. Regular trash will remain the same. County recycling routes will move from Monday to Tuesday; Tuesday to Wednesday; Wednesday to Thursday; Thursday to Friday and from Friday to Saturday. For more information on waste collection changes, visit hyattsville.org/trash or call (301) 985-5032.
THE HIGHER EDUCATION PATH SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION OPENS ON JANUARY 27
Hyattsville High School seniors and graduates pursuing post-secondary education are encouraged to apply for the Educational Path Scholarship Program. The program offers scholarship awards of up to $3,500 for tuition, books, and other school materials. Applications open on January 27 and close on March 24! Check out last year’s winners, view application requirements, and be the first to apply at hyattsville.org/education.
PARKING PERMIT RENEWALS START IN FEBRUARY
Time to renew your Residential Parking Permit! On-street parking in Residential Parking Zones requires a valid permit during posted times. Permit renewals for Zones 3, 4 & 12 open February 1 and are due by March 31. Renewals are processed online only. Find the permit portal and upcoming Zone renewal dates at hyattsville.org/parking.
RESIDENT SATISFACTION SURVEY
The City is working with Probolsky Research to conduct a Resident Satisfaction Survey. Surveys will be mailed to a diverse selection of residents equally distributed by Ward and representing a variety of ages, income levels, and backgrounds. Not all residents will receive a survey. If you are selected, please complete the survey! Responses can be submitted via mail, phone, or online. Survey data is anonymous. Responses will be used to improve future City programs and services. For more information visit hyattsville.org/survey.
HOLIDAY TREE COLLECTION
Leave your holiday tree out for curbside pick-up alongside your yard waste and compost on Mondays throughout January (except on holidays). Please remember to remove all lights and decorations before placing your tree out— artificial trees are not accepted. For any questions, contact the City’s Department of Public Works at (301) 985-5032.
JOIN THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
Attention Hyattsville youth! Students in grades 6-12 are invited to join the Youth Leadership Program, offering hands-on activities to build leadership skills while learning about the rich culture, history, and operations of our City. Sessions will be held every Thursday from 5-6 p.m. Sign up today at hyattsville.org/teen-center! Upon completion, students will be eligible to apply for membership in the City of Hyattsville’s Youth Advisory Council.
GET READY TO VOTE, HYATTSVILLE!
Save the Date! The next Hyattsville City Election will take place on May 13, 2025. One Council seat in each Ward is up for election. If you are motivated to serve your community and be a voice for your neighbors, candidate registration will open February 11, 2025. Candidate information sessions will be held on February 5 (virtual) and March 1 (in-person). Download the Candidate Guide at hyattsville. org/elections.
CAMBIOS EN EL SERVICIO POR DÍAS FERIADOS
Las oficinas de la Ciudad de Hyattsville permanecerán cerradas el lunes 20 de enero para celebrar el Día de Martin Luther King Jr. Tenga en cuenta que esta semana no habrá recogida de hojas, residuos de jardinería ni compostaje. La basura regular permanecerá igual. Las rutas de reciclaje del condado pasarán del lunes al martes; del martes al miércoles; del miércoles al jueves; del jueves al viernes y del viernes al sábado. Para más información sobre los cambios en la recogida de basura, visite hyattsville.org/trash o llame al (301) 985-5032.
LA BECA DE CAMINO EDUCATIVO SUPERIOR DE LA CIUDAD DE HYATTSVILLE SE ABRE EL 27 DE ENERO
Se anima a los estudiantes de último curso y graduados de la Escuela Secundaria de Hyattsville que deseen cursar estudios postsecundarios a que soliciten la beca del programa Camino Educativo Superior. El programa ofrece becas de hasta $3,500 para matrícula, libros y otros materiales escolares ¡Las solicitudes se abren el 27 de enero y se cierran el 24 de marzo! Consulte los ganadores del año pasado, vea los requisitos de solicitud y sea el primero en presentar su solicitud en hyattsville.org/education.
RENOVACIÓN DE PERMISOS PARA ESTACIONAR COMIENZA EN FEBRERO
¡Es hora de renovar su permiso de estacionamiento residencial! Estacionar en la calle en zonas de estacionamiento residencial requiere un permiso válido durante las horas anunciadas. Las renovaciones de permisos para las Zonas 3, 4 y 12 se abren el 1 de febrero y vencen el 31 de marzo. Las renovaciones se procesan sólo en línea. Encuentre el portal de renovación de permisos y las próximas fechas de renovación en hyattsville.org/parking.
ENCUESTA DE SATISFACCIÓN DE LOS RESIDENTES
La ciudad está trabajando con Probolsky Research para llevar a cabo una encuesta de satisfacción de los residentes. Las encuestas se enviarán por correo a una selección diversa de residentes distribuidos equitativamente por distritos y que representan una variedad de edades, niveles de ingresos y origenes. No todos los residentes recibirán una encuesta. Si usted es seleccionado, por favor complete la encuesta. Las respuestas pueden enviarse por correo, teléfono o Internet. Los datos de la encuesta son anónimos. Las respuestas se utilizarán para mejorar los futuros programas y servicios de la ciudad. Más información en hyattsville.org/survey.
RECOGIDA DE ÁRBOLES FESTIVOS
Deje su árbol vivo en la acera los lunes de enero (excepto los días festivos) para que lo recojan junto con los residuos de jardinería y el compostaje. No olvide quitar todas las luces y adornos antes de sacar el árbol. No se aceptan árboles artificiales. Si tiene alguna pregunta, póngase en contacto con el Departamento de Obras Públicas de la Ciudad llamando al (301) 985-5032.
ÚNETE AL PROGRAMA DE LIDERAZGO JUVENIL
¡Atención jóvenes de Hyattsville! Se invita a los alumnos de 6º a 12º grado a participar en el Programa de Liderazgo Juvenil, que ofrece actividades prácticas para desarrollar habilidades de liderazgo a la vez que se aprende sobre la rica cultura, historia y funcionamiento de nuestra ciudad. Las sesiones tendrán lugar todos los jueves de 5 - 6 p.m. ¡Inscríbete hoy en hyattsville.org/teen-center! Una vez finalizado el curso, los alumnos podrán solicitar su ingreso en el Concejo Asesor Juvenil de la Ciudad de Hyattsville.
¡PREPÁRATE PARA VOTAR, HYATTSVILLE!
¡Reserve la fecha! Las próximas elecciones municipales de Hyattsville tendrán lugar el 13 de mayo de 2025. Se elegirá un escaño en cada distrito. Si usted está motivado para servir a su comunidad y ser una voz para sus vecinos, el registro de candidatos se abrirá el 11 de febrero de 2025. Las sesiones informativas para candidatos tendrán lugar el 5 de febrero (virtual) y el 1 de marzo (en persona). Descargue la Guía del Candidato en hyattsville.org/elections.
CALENDAR | CALENDARIO
SEATED YOGA FOR OLDER ADULTS
Boost your health, wellness, and flexibility with a seated yoga class for older adults! Join us for a 60-minute session led by Bee Yoga Fusion on Mondays, Jan. 15, 22 & 29, from 10 - 11 AM. at the Hyattsville City Building, 4310 Gallatin St. Space is limited; registration required. Free transportation for Hyattsville residents. 301-985-5000 or seniors@hyattsville.org.
FREE MOVIE
WEDNESDAY
Older adults are invited to enjoy coffee and a movie: “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” on Jan. 15, from 1 - 3 PM at the Bladensburg Library Branch. Register: pgcmls.info/events.
FREE ZUMBA CLASSES
Wednesdays from 4 - 5 PM at the City Building! Details at hyattsville.org/wellness.
CERT MEETING
The next Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) organization meeting is on Jan. 15, 6:30 PM, at the City Building. hyattsville.org/ cert.
NARCAN TRAININGS
Free NARCAN community trainings are offered at the City Building on Jan. 16 at 6 PM and Jan. 17 at 10 AM. hyattsville.org/calendar.
NIGHT OWLS
Drop off your little one(s) in grades K-5 at the Driskell Park Rec Center from 6 - 9 PM on Jan. 17! Kids participate in fun activities while you get a night out! hyattsville.org/nightowls.
INVASIVE REMOVAL/FOREST MAINTENANCE
Help remove invasive plants from Melrose Park, 4666 Rhode Island Avenue between 10 AM - 2 PM on Jan. 18! RVSP to environment@ hyattsville.org.
MLK DAY
City offices are closed on Jan. 20 in honor of Martin Luther King Day. Find local programs and volunteer opportunities at hyattsville. org/mlk.
CREATIVE MINDS
Join us at the Driskell Park Recreation Center for Creative Minds, our parent-toddler program! English sessions will start on Tuesdays from 1011:30 a.m., running from Jan. 21 to March 11, or Spanish sessions on Thursdays from 10-11:30 a.m., running from Jan. 23 to March 13. Learn more and register today at hyattsville.org/creativeminds!
FREE PRODUCE
A free produce distribution is taking place on Jan. 21 at First United Methodist Church, starting at noon.
SENIORS ON THE GO
Enjoy a trip to the National Museum of the American Indian on Jan. 23, 10 AM - 2 PM! Reserve a seat by calling (301) 985 - 5000 by 2 p.m. the Wed. before the trip.
CARE PARTNER SUPPORT GROUP
Join the City’s care partner support group on Jan. 24, 910:30 AM at the City Building. More info at hyattsville.org/ calendar.
EARLY DISMISSAL CAMP
The City is offering an Early Dismissal Day Camp for students from K - 5th grade at the Driskell Park Recreation Center on Jan. 27 from 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM., following the PGCPS early dismissal. hyattsville.org/minicamp.
ESSENTIAL LEGAL DOCUMENTS: WORKSHOP
Attend a free workshop on Essential Legal Documents for older adults and Caregivers presented by Karren Pope-Onwukwe on Jan. 27, 11 AM - 12:30 PM at the City Building. Register: 301-985-5000 or seniors@ hyattsville.org.
RACE & EQUITY TASK FORCE COMMUNITY
VISIONING SESSION
Join the City’s Race and Equity Task Force on Jan. 29 from 7 - 8:30 p.m., at 4310 Gallatin St, to help draft the proposed equity vision plan for our City. Your input is vital to shaping a more inclusive future for Hyattsville! Learn more and participate in our survey to help us identify your needs at hyattsville.org/ equity.
HYATTSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT POLAR PLUNGE!
The Hyattsville Police Department is diving into the icy waters of Sandy Point State Park on Jan. 31 for the 2025 Polar Bear Plunge! Support their efforts to raise funds for the Special Olympics of Maryland at support.somd.org/ team/613401.
CANDIDATE INFORMATION SESSION
Learn the steps for running for City Council at a virtual candidate information session on Feb. 5 from 6-8 PM. hyattsville.org/elections.
YOGA SENTADO PARA ADULTOS MAYORES
Mejore su salud, bienestar y flexibilidad con una clase de yoga sentado para adultos mayores. Participe en una sesión de 60 minutos dirigida por Bee Yoga Fusion los lunes 15, 22 y 29 de enero, de 10 - 11 AM, en el edificio municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin St. Las plazas son limitadas; es necesario inscribirse. Transporte gratuito para los residentes de Hyattsville. 301-985-5000 o seniors@hyattsville.org.
MIÉRCOLES DE CINE GRATIS
Se invita a los adultos mayores a disfrutar de un café y una película: «Siete novias para siete hermanos» el 15 de enero, de 1 - 3 PM en la Biblioteca Bladensburg Branch. Inscríbase: pgcmls. info/events.
CLASES DE ZUMBA GRATIS
¡Miércoles de 4 - 5 PM en el edificio municipal de Hyattsville! Detalles enmhyattsville.org/wellness.
REUNIÓN CERT
La próxima reunión del Equipo de Respuesta a Emergencias de la Comunidad (CERT) es el 15 de enero, 6:30 PM, en el edificio de la ciudad. hyattsville.org/cert.
CURSOS DE NARCAN Entrenamientos gratuitos NARCAN se ofrecen en el edificio municipal el 16 de enero a las 6 PM y el 17 de enero a las 10 AM. hyattsville. org/calendar.
DÍA DE
MLK
Las oficinas municipales permanecerán cerradas el 20 de enero con motivo del Día de Martin Luther King. Programas locales y oportunidades de voluntariado en hyattsville. org/mlk.
¡BÚHOS NOCTURNOS!
Deje a su(s) pequeño(s) en los grados K-5 en el Driskell Park Rec Center de 6 - 9 PM el 17 de enero. Los niños participarán en divertidas actividades mientras tú pasas una noche fuera. hyattsville.org/nightowls.
ELIMINACIÓN DE VIDES INVASORAS/ MANTENIMIENTO FORESTAL
¡Ayuda a eliminar vides invasoras de Melrose Park, 4666 Rhode Island Avenue entre las 10 AM - 2 PM el 18 de enero! RVSP a environment@hyattsville.org.
MENTES CREATIVAS
Únase a nosotros en el Driskell Park Recreation Center para Mentes Creativas, ¡nuestro programa para padres e hijos! Las sesiones en inglés comenzarán los martes de 10 - 11:30 a.m., del 21 de enero al 11 de marzo, o las sesiones en español los jueves de 10 a 11:30 a.m., del 23 de enero al 13 de marzo. Más información e inscripciones en hyattsville. org/creativeminds.
PRODUCTOS GRATIS
El 21 de enero, a partir del mediodía, se distribuirán productos agrícolas gratuitos en la Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida.
ADULTOS MAYORES EN MOVIMIENTO
Disfrute de un viaje al Museo Nacional del Nativo Americano el 23 de enero, de 10 AM - 2 PM. Reserve una plaza llamando al (301) 985-5000 antes de las 2 PM del miércoles anterior al paseo.
GRUPO DE APOYO PARA CUIDADORES
Únete al grupo de apoyo de la Ciudad de cuidado de pareja el 24 de enero, 910:30 AM en el edificio de la ciudad. Más información en hyattsville.org/calendar.
CAMPAMENTO DE SALIDA TEMPRANA
La Ciudad está ofreciendo un Campamento de Día de Salida Temprana para estudiantes de K - 5to grado en el Centro de Recreación del Parque Driskell el 27 de enero de 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM, después de la salida temprana de PGCPS. hyattsville.org/minicamp.
TALLER: DOCUMENTOS LEGALES ESENCIALES
Asista a un taller gratuito sobre Documentos legales esenciales para adultos mayores y cuidadores presentado por Karren Pope-Onwukwe el 27 de enero, 11 AM - 12:30 PM en el edificio municipal. Inscríbase: 301-985-5000 o seniors@hyattsville.org.
SESIÓN DE VISIÓN COMUNITARIA DEL GRUPO DE TRABAJO DE RAZA Y EQUIDAD
Únete al grupo de trabajo de raza y equidad de la ciudad el 29 de enero, de 7 - 8:30 PM, en 4310 Gallatin St., para ayudarnos a redactar el plan de visión de la equidad para nuestra ciudad. Obtenga más información y participe en nuestra encuesta para ayudarnos a identificar sus necesidades en hyattsville. org/equity.
INMERSIÓN
POLAR DEL DEPARTAMENTO DE POLICÍA DE HYATTTSVILLE
El Departamento de Policía de Hyattsville se sumergirá en las heladas aguas de Sandy Point State Park el 31 de enero para la Inmersión Polar del 2025. Apoya sus esfuerzos para recaudar fondos para las Olimpiadas Especiales de Maryland en support.somd.org/ team/613401.
SESIÓN INFORMATIVA PARA CANDIDATOS
Conozca los pasos para postularse como candidato al Concejo en una sesión informativa virtual para candidatos que tendrá lugar el 5 de febrero de 6 - 8 PM. hyattsville.org/elections.
HIGHLIGHTS | LO DESTACADO
HPD officers Vega and Paulino joined families on the hill next to the future Teen Center for a friendly sledding competition! | ¡Los agentes Vega y Paulino se unieron a las familias en la colina junto al futuro Centro de Adolescentes para una competencia amistosa de trineos!
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Our list of events sponsored by local nonprofits, arts organizations and performance venues, occurring between Jan. 15 and Feb. 11; all information is current as of Jan. 9. 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 Feb. 12 and March 11 to managingeditor@hyattsvillelife. com by Feb. 6
ONGOING
“The Sound of DC: A Visual History of Go-go” explores this style of funk that originated in D.C. in the 1970s. Jan. 20 through March 8. Free. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood. 301.277.2863. brentwoodarts@pgparks.com
JANUARY 16
Porter’s Peck of Pickled Peppers performs at Maryland Meadworks. Free. 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 201.955.9644. marylandmeadworks.com
JANUARY 17
“Brutal Red Lies” is a staged adaptation of “Little Red Riding Hood” that delves into themes of friendship, grief and war — written, produced and designed by the Cohort 5 CreativeWorks pre-apprentices. Purchase pay-what-you-wish
tickets starting at $5 through joesmovement.org. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. 301.699.1819
JANUARY 18
As part of Route 1 Corridor Conversations, join Jasmine Jackson, from Process Physical Therapy and Performance, to learn about “Healthy Movement Habits for the New Year.” Attendees can join via telephone or Zoom. Free. 2 to 3:30 p.m. Register at hyattsvilleaginginplace.org/ events.
JANUARY 19
Join a park naturalist for a guided nature walk along the scenic Anacostia River Trail. Free. 11 a.m. to noon. Register at pgparksdirect. com. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Rd., Bladensburg. 301.779.0371. BladensburgWP@pgparks.com
JANUARY 25
Attend the opening reception for “The Sound of DC: A Visual History of Go-go” (see “Ongoing”). Free. 5 to 8 p.m. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood. 301.277.2863. brentwoodarts@ pgparks.com
“Cabaret Noir” is a series of dark, comic vignettes featuring femmes fatales and fedoras, trench coats and torch songs, intrigue, suspense and shadows. $25 general admission,
$20 seniors and students. Purchase tickets through pgparksdirect.com. Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly. 301.277.1710. publickplayhouse@pgparks. com
Burns Supper comes to the Maryland Meadworks stage. Free. 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 201.955.9644. marylandmeadworks.com
JANUARY 25 & 26
Get a taste of both letterpress and bookmaking in the twoday workshop “Abstract Letterpress Flag Books,” with Theresa Esterlund and Nathalie Ryan. $386. 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days. Register at pyramidatlanticartcenter.org. Pyramid Atlantic, 4218 Gallatin St. 301.608.9101
FEBRUARY 7
Come listen to the cool, classic
sound of jazz vocalist Cybele Mayes-Osterman. $20. 8 to 10 p.m. Buy tickets through pgparksdirect.com. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood. 301.277.2863. brentwoodarts@ pgparks.com
FEBRUARY 8
The Hyattsville Horticultural Society is hosting its annual seed sale. Come purchase seeds and partake in various baked goods, drinks, hot soups and savories. People of all ages can also make valentines for themselves and for Hyattsville Aging in Place to distribute to area seniors. Free. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hyattsville Municipal Building’s ground floor multipurpose room, 4310 Gallatin St. hyattsvillehorticulture.org
Enjoy a screening of a highquality, filmed version of
Anthony Davis’ groundbreaking and influential opera, “X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X,” as presented by The Metropolitan Opera. Free. 6 to 9:30 p.m. Register at pgparksdirect.com. Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly. 301.277.1710. publickplayhouse@pgparks.com
FEBRUARY 10
Attend a screening and discussion of “Just Another Bombing?: This is Donal and Iona’s Story” (2024, 25 min.) with Iona King. The film takes audiences on a poignant journey through a little-known incident of the 1960s Civil Rights era, when King, her son and three other family members survived a Klan bombing of their home in Jacksonville, Fla. Free. 7 to 9 p.m. Register at pgcmls. info/events. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd. 240.455.5451
Correction: A grantee name in the previous ad was incorrect. The correct name is Northstar Tutoring. The Hyattsville Community Foundation apologizes for the error. The correct name is now displayed.
DeMatha Catholic High School, $1015 for Unity/Diversity Wall project Neighbors of the Northwest Branch, $1500 to Install two Northwest Branch water monitoring kiosks Hyattsville Elementary School PTA, $1500 to purchase materials for Arts/Physical Ed enrichment Meals on Wheels of the College Park Area Inc., $1500 to provide meals to 60 needy Hyattsville residents Northstar Tutoring, $1500 to purchase 5 laptops and tutoring/mentoring for 75 low income students Hyattsville Community Development Corp, $1500 for See, Savor and Shop Late holiday assistance Girl Scouts Council of the Nation’s Capital, $1500 to support Girl Scouting in City of Hyattsville
The HCF welcomes financial gifts which can be processed by credit card at the following website: www.thecommunityfoundation.org . Please be sure to select Hyattsville Community Foundation from the dropdown menu at “What would you like your donation to support?” The HCF also welcomes checks made payable to Hyattsville Community Foundation and mailed to: The Greater Washington Community Foundation, 1325 G Street NW, Suite 480, Washington D.C. 20005. All financial gifts are fully deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
For any questions about the foundation, contact HCF President Tom Slezak at 301-422-8563 or send an email message to slezaktj@gmail.com.
Let’s put on heirlooms and hype hybrids
Dear Miss Floribunda,
I am curious about what I’ve heard termed “heirloom” seeds. What does this mean other than they come from obsolete varieties that somehow got passed down? Is there any reason other than nostalgia for planting them?
Also, is the Hyattsville Horticultural Society having a seed sale again this year? Last year, I bought mostly the Southern Exposure seeds because they are well adapted to our hot summers, but I noticed the Hart collection included seed packets labelled “heirloom,” and I am wondering about buying some of those this year. Which do you prefer?
Pragmatist on Madison Street
Dear Pragmatist,
I am an admittedly sappy sentimentalist who has often tried out seeds from packages labelled “heirloom,” even against the promptings of common sense, and sometimes the result has been what is euphemisti-
cally termed a “qualified success.” However, I am confident that those on the committee selecting seeds for the upcoming Hyattsville Horticultural Society 13th Annual Seed Sale and Garden Fair have been careful to choose only those varieties known to do well in our region. The sale will take place on Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the ground floor multipurpose room. For those of you not in walking distance, there is limited free parking in the adjoining lot or at paylots across
the street. The door leading to the lot will be open for easy access. I asked members of the HHS seed-selection committee to clarify the difference between heirloom and hybrid seeds. The main botanical difference is that most older varieties — and that includes many not labelled as “heirloom” — are open pollinated, so you can save the seeds and plant them every year at no expense. Hybrids, which result from crossbreeding different varieties to inculcate the best qualities of each, set seeds that will either be sterile or result in plants unlike the parent. Certain old varieties have such good flavor or fragrance that their seeds became cherished treasures passed on for generations to family and friends, and they gained the designation “heirloom” for that reason. Aunt Sioux points out that — quite apart from sentiment — saving these plants from extinction preserves biodiversity, and ensures the continuance of plants that might survive a disease or pest capable of wiping out a monocultural hybrid.
Aunt Snapdragon, on the other hand, says she is old enough to recall certain nuisances some of those old varieties often presented. She doesn’t miss squash and pumpkins rife with toothsnatching fibers, beans with annoying strings, carrots with warts, or lettuce that gets bitter in only a few days. She says she appreciates burpless cucumbers and eggplant you don’t have to let “sweat” before cooking, as well as tomatoes that are ready much earlier in the season and come in all sizes: from enormous for slicing for sandwiches to bite-sized for snacking. She also likes the novelty of new flower varieties.
Dr. Greengenes and Wendy Wildflower both point out that there are many plants that, while not necessarily heirloom, are open pollinated. These include native plants like black-eyed Susan and many herbs. In fact, I have personally observed that quite a few annuals, such as cosmos, marigold and scarlet runner bean, will self seed true to type and make planting unnecessary in succeeding years. All of these are among the
many choices you will have at the upcoming sale.
There will be well-informed HHS members at hand to help guide you at an information table. Other tables will offer gardening books provided by My Dead Aunt’s Books, and interesting pots and gardening implements. As some HHS members are as adept at the culinary arts as they are at the horticultural, you can sample hot soups and baked goods for a nominal price. Children are very welcome, and for the second year, there will be a valentine-making corner. Kids and parents can get creative and use the provided paper and supplies to make valentines for Hyattsville Aging in Place to distribute to seniors, as well as valentines to take home.
Should you wish to help plan this event, come to the next HHS meeting on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. We will be waiting for you in the municipal building’s ground floor room.
Miss Floribunda writes about gardening for the Life & Times You may email her at Floribundav@gmail. com.
q u a r a n t i k i i s c l o s e d f o r s e a s o n , b u t t h e
g o o d t i m e s r o l l o n i n s i d e . . .
P l e a s e c h e c k o u r F a c e b o o k & I n s t a g r a m f o r u p d a t e s !
N e w , f r e s h , s e a s o n a l f o o d a l l y e a r r o u n d !
c o m e g r a b a b e e r f r o m o u r f a n t a s t i c b r e w m a s t e r j e f f
h a n c o c k ! t h e r e ’ s a l w a y s s o m e t h i n g n e w t o t r y
g i f t s , t o y s , c a n d y , b e e r , w i n e , t h e u n i q u e & t h e o d d
a v a i l a b l e e v e r y d a y i n t h e g e n e r a l s t o r e !
r e s t a u r a n t h o u r s : S u n d a y - T u e s d a y 1 1 a m - 9 p m ,
W e d n e s d a y - S a t u r d a y 1 1 a m - 1 0 p m .
G e n e r a l S t o r e : o p e n e v e r y d a y 1 1 a m - 9 p m !
q u a
Making the world a better place — one CSA at a time
By IMKE AHLF-WIEN
Fifteen years ago, I subscribed to my first Community Supported Agriculture — CSA for short.
Once a week, throughout the fall and winter, I picked up a large box of produce from Even’ Star Organic Farm at a friend’s back porch in University Park, and a neighbor stopped by my house in the evening to get her share from me. Both my neighbor and I ended up with massive amounts of local fresh organic vegetables. I still remember the abundance of leafy greens — lettuce mixes, kale, mustards and collards — and roots like radishes, turnips and sweet potatoes. My family ate more green salads than ever before, and I’m grateful to this day that my two older kids (who were 5 and 3 years old at the time) enjoyed the funky green stir-fries and oven-baked root vegetables as much as the grown-ups did. The recipes provided by the CSA farm made it easy to include the lesser-known varieties of vegetables in our meals, as well.
According to the North Carolina State University-sponsored website Growing Small Farms, the CSA concept started in Japan in the 1960s with a group of women concerned with the use of pesticides, the rise of processed and imported food, and the loss of farmers and farmland. In 1984, the first CSA in the U.S. was established in Massachusetts. In this production and marketing model, people become members of a CSA by purchasing shares of a farm’s upcoming harvest. Having members pay at the beginning of the growing season provides farmers with an immediate income and enables them to buy seeds, while CSA members share in the risk of production. In return, members receive a variety of freshly picked produce on a regular — usually weekly — basis.
There are several CSA options available in and around Hyattsville (a complete list can be found in the online version of this article). Owl’s Nest Farm in Upper Marlboro is one of the most popular farms to deliver to our area. On Saturdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m., they set up a farm stand at Brentwood’s Material Things studio, where members can pick up their CSA share. According to longtime customer Brianna Tovsen, this face-to-face method allows you to pick and choose
certain items, and to chat with the farmers and fellow customers. Corey Slavitt, who has subscribed to various CSAs for more than 20 years, said she loves having a steady supply of vegetables at peak freshness, building community, and directly supporting a local farm — it feels like “making the world a better place.”
Kristi Bahrenburg Janzen has been hosting a CSA drop-off for two farms at her University Park home for more than two decades.
She wanted to have direct access to food that differed in terms of flavor, variety and seasonality from that found at grocery stores, and she loves that the farms are using holistic practices: not only does this make the food healthier, it also creates a healthier and safer environment. Brandywine’s Good Fortune Farm delivers produce, including herbs, fruits and vegetables, in the summer. Even’ Star Organic Farm, based in Lexington Park, delivers leafy greens and root vegetables in the winter.
There are two farms that offer CSAs in even closer proximity to Hyattsville. ECO City Farms offers summer and winter CSAs that can be picked up at their Edmonston site on Thursdays from 3 to 6 p.m. Farm manager Madeline Ramey emphasized that winter CSAs deepen the knowledge of lesser-known vegetables among customers, expand working opportunities for farmers, and increase food access to people in need. Blue Berwyn Farm, in Berwyn Heights, also offers CSAs that can be picked up at the farm in summer and fall.
Deep Roots Farm is Blackand women-owned and uses regenerative practices in Upper
Sweet Potato Peanut Stew
Sweet potatoes are one of the vegetables that can still be found locally in the colder months and are often a staple of winter CSAs. You may even have all the other ingredients in your pantry already. This recipe is simple, economical and nourishing — perfect for a cold winter day.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped into ¼-inch cubes
2 cups water or vegetable broth
14-ounce can diced tomatoes
½ cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
½ cup peanuts
Directions:
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the bell pepper, sweet potatoes, water or broth, diced tomatoes, peanut butter, salt, chili and cumin. Stir well to ensure the peanut butter is thoroughly mixed in and there are no clumps remaining. Simmer, uncovered, for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Once the sweet potatoes are tender, stir in the peanuts.
Marlboro. Deep Roots offers a 48-week CSA with pickup at the farm and at locations in D.C.
For an extra charge, they’ll deliver directly to your door.
Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-op is unique in that it represents over 100 small organic farms from Lancaster County, Pa., and offers seasonal shares including produce, fruit, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy and bread. Their winter CSA runs from Jan. 6 to April 21, and shares can be picked up at Streetcar 82 Brewing Co., in
Hyattsville, on Thursdays. Consider subscribing to a CSA to get your new year off to a fresh start. It’s such an easy way to vote with your money: good for your body, good for the planet, and good for the farmers who provide food that is fresh, local and delicious.
Imke Ahlf-Wien is a nutrition educator with a passion for fresh, locally procured foods.
Howl Berger, worker-owner at Owl’s Nest Farm, chats with CSA customers on a chilly December 2024 morning at the Brentwood farm stand. IMKE AHLF-WIEN
operate his studio: The studio industry isn’t just about music; it’s about hospitality.
Today, Fletcher makes sure to have snacks on hand, provide drinks, grab coffee and attentively listen to the ideas of the artist, consistently placing them first.
Fletcher asks questions like “Are you comfortable?” and “What’s going to make this session the best?”
“You’re the superstar here,” Fletcher says.
Fletcher moved back to Maryland, and an accidental wrong turn brought him and his college roommate, tattoo artist Erick Satchell, to the office space in what is now the SoHy Arts Building that would lay the foundation for The Trap Factory. Satchell would give his clients tattoos on one side, and Fletcher would record music on the other.
“We were the first [art business] in this building,” Fletcher said. “It’s crazy to see how much everything has grown.”
When you enter Fletcher’s main studio, you’re greeted by a visual history of his work. The wood panel of the recording booth door features signatures from artists and collaborators spanning the first five years of the business. The main space includes an audio interface, loudspeakers, synthpads, keyboards and a couch.
By now, Fletcher has worked with hundreds of artists, including DMV musicians like Innanent James, Travy Nostra, NAPPYNAPPA, and elementary school teacher and viral influencer Mr. Prather.
“As I go, I just learn each artist — everybody’s different,” Fletcher said.
Fletcher and Prather played basketball together in college.
As Fletcher saw the work Prather was doing for kids through the Prather Foundation, an organization that supports youth in the District, he wanted to support these efforts any way he could — which turned out to be through music. Fletcher worked on Prather’s 2024 album “Move
With Mr. Prather, Vol. 2.”
Prather came with song lyrics, and Fletcher would work with him on beats that either Fletcher had previously made or ones they would make together from scratch, incorporating musical elements reminiscent of gradeschool nursery rhymes.
This commitment to creating an artist-friendly environment,
central to Fletcher’s approach, is demonstrated in his work with longtime collaborator Chris Allen, an artist and producer based in Southeast D.C.
Allen and Fletcher were working on music and found a sample from a song they liked. Fletcher quickly chopped the sample up, making a beat that Allen could write to. They recorded the song within three hours, even producing a video afterward.
“The man is the most unfazed creative I ever met,” Allen said.
Allen has worked with Fletcher since 2017, and the pair spent a lot of time together, with Fletcher teaching him how
to produce. He eventually came to Fletcher for help on his 2020 self-produced track, “Block Star.”
Allen wanted the track to sound like a party with a Latin melody. Fletcher took the track and ideas from Allen, incorporated more trap elements, and mixed the song to fill out the sound.
“He brought it to life sonically,” Allen said. “He’s like, ‘Man, I can trap it out for you,’ and he honestly trapped it out and made it rock a lot crazier.”
Odd Mojo has been working with Fletcher since 2019 after being connected through another producer, Reggie Volume. At one point, Mojo could not afford to book a session at the factory. But Fletcher reduced the cost of the session to accommodate her circumstances.
“He said, ‘Man, don’t even worry about that, I want to help you get the music out,’” Mojo recalled in a Life & Times interview.
Mojo attributes the longevity of their professional relationship to Fletcher’s hospitality.
Fletcher has assisted Mojo in learning more about audio engineering and producing, letting her use his equipment and shadow him.
“He wants to know how the artist is feeling, how they’re doing, and how can he help,” she said.
Sometimes, Fletcher’s goal of helping artists can get derailed.
In 2022, a hard drive failure led to the loss of 97,000 files and dozens of client projects. Despite going as far as contacting a forensic scientist to crack the drive, he couldn’t recover the data.
“I can’t do nothing but stand on it,” Fletcher said.
For some projects, Fletcher was tasked with recapturing the essence of the track, reconstructing beats from scratch, pulling elements from projects on older hard drives, and re-recording some tracks. Others had to be left behind, and Fletcher shifted focus to reaffirming relationships with some clients and upgrading equipment.
Allen was around the studio when the data loss occurred and emphasized Fletcher’s work ethic and optimism when faced with such a struggle.
“He’s not always thrown in the easiest situations, but creatively, it doesn’t really knock him off what he does,” Allen said.
Fletcher works tirelessly to ensure that anyone who reserves the studio space and his time creates something they can be proud of.
“I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing; my time will come when it’s supposed to come,” he said. “In the meantime, I root for the next person!”
Razak Diallo is an undergraduate journalism major at the University of Maryland.
The Trap Factory Studio is located at 4331 Gallatin Street, Suite 201B in South Hyattsville’s Arts District. RAZAK DIALLO
“I was just determined to find a Black woman doctor in Prince George’s County, and it took time,” Ivey said.
The county chartered the new task force, called Holistic and Sustainable Solutions for Seniors, in June 2024. In council meetings this fall, staff from the county executive’s office said that the task force would give recommendations on property tax relief for seniors by Feb. 28 of this year.
At the task force’s first meeting, Jan. 8, the group did not discuss tax relief. Sandra Eubanks, director of the county’s Health, Human Services and Public Safety committee, said the task force will meet virtually every month for a year before making recommendations. At the meetings, county agencies will make presentations about existing services for county seniors.
The chair of the task force,
County Councilmember Sidney Harrison (District 9), said that though “this conversation started when the senior tax credit was introduced,” he believes that meeting for a full year will give the task force the opportunity to better develop solutions on a wide range of challenges for seniors.
“Food insecurity is a serious challenge in our community for all ages right now,” Harrison said, “and the price of housing is astronomical.”
Harrison said that, given the county’s tight budget, the committee would need to prioritize solutions and to consider tiered or staggered approaches.
This past fall, Harrison was one of only two county councilmembers, along with Calvin Hawkins (At-large), who declined to support revisiting tax relief for seniors, citing a looming county budget deficit and concern about preserving the county’s AAA bond rating.
A TALE OF TWO NEW ELDERLY TAX CREDITS
On Nov. 12, 2024, the county council changed the tax relief available to residents over 65.
The Revised Elderly Property Tax Credit (County Bill-0072024) would have made a larger benefit available to a smaller number of seniors as compared to the original Elderly Property Tax Credit (CB-029-2022) adopted two years ago.
In December 2024, however, acting County Executive Tara Jackson and the county council published a letter promising to withdraw the Revised Elderly Property Tax Credit, and introduce a new version early in 2025.
Under the November 2024 Revised Elderly Property Tax Credit, seniors who had lived in the county for 25 years and had homes valued at $500,000 or less could have applied to get 20% off their property taxes, on top of any other tax credits they received.
Under the prior Elderly Property Tax Credit, passed in 2022, seniors who had lived in the county for only 10 years and had homes valued at $515,000 or less could apply to have their property taxes reduced 20%. However, seniors got relief under the program only to the extent that other tax credits, designed to support low-income homeowners and prevent large tax increases, had not already reduced their property taxes by 20%.
HOW MUCH DO TAX CREDITS SAVE SENIORS AND COST THE COUNTY?
The original 2022 Elderly Property Tax Credit reduced property tax collections by $1.96 million in one year, according to a March 2024 county staff report, saving 5,030 of the county’s seniors an average of about $390 each.
Other tax credits can provide relief of more than 20% for some seniors. The state homeowners’ property tax credit caps property taxes for households with an income of $60,000 or less. The state homestead property tax credit keeps property taxes from going up by capping increases in home value used to calculate taxes.
For the coming fiscal year, the homestead tax credit program caps increases in taxable home value at 3% in Prince George’s County, and is projected to reduce county tax revenues by $108 million in one year, according to the county’s fiscal year 2025 budget.
The Revised Elderly Property Tax Credit would cost the county as much as $98 million over the next 10 years, according to county executive staff who urged councilmembers not to pass the revision during the November meeting. Staff also raised concerns about a political backlash from seniors who had lived in the county more than 10 years but fewer than 25, who would lose eligibility because they qualified under the 2022 version of the
law but not under the November 2024 version.
SO, WHAT TAX CREDIT WILL IT BE?
John Erzen, deputy chief of staff for former County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, said in the Nov. 12, 2024, meeting that staff were running numbers to support a proposal to be introduced via the task force. He said they were considering eligibility criteria including household income, home value, and length of residency in the county. He asked the council to hold off on voting and wait for a Feb. 28 task force report proposing the best path forward.
Near the end of the Jan. 8 task force meeting, in which the tax credit was not on the agenda, recently elected Council Vice Chair Ed Burroughs (District 8) was invited to say a few words. “Our seniors helped build this county, and there are so many seniors who can’t afford to live and thrive in the county they helped build,” he said, after expressing gratitude to those in attendance. Burroughs, who is featured in a video on the county website promoting the original 2022 Elderly Property Tax Credit, led the effort over the past year to revise and expand the credit to provide more meaningful support to seniors. He has often spoken of a 100-year-old resident in his district, who worked in the county school system for 30 years, and is in danger of losing her house.
As of press time, the Revised Elderly Property Tax Credit had not been withdrawn, and no new legislation had yet been introduced.
The window for applications for the Elderly Property Tax Credit is closed, and will open again May 1, at propertytaxcredit. princegeorgescountymd.gov. Applications for the state’s homestead and homeowners’ property tax credits are at onestop.md.gov.
111-year-old Hyattsville resident’s story encourages family to know their history
By ANASTASIA MERKULOVA
Hyattsville is the current home to an extremely special resident — the oldest person in Maryland. Dorothy Mimms is 111 years old and lives at Independence Court on Queens Chapel Road, which provides assisted living and memory care for seniors. Born on July 5, 1913, Mimms’ spirit and strength continue to shine through her as she receives memory care for her dementia.
Mimms was born in Nashville, Tenn., and raised by her formerly enslaved great-grandmother, Easter Boyd. Mimms went to beauty school in Louisville, Ky., and moved to Washington, D.C., with her husband and children in 1953, according to her son, Stephen Mimms.
In D.C., Mimms was a homemaker who took care of her three young sons: Bart, Wayne and Stephen. She also cared for her husband, Robert Mimms, who was engaged in the Civil Rights Movement — including the March on Washington led by Martin Luther King Jr. — worked in the General Service Administration, and was a member of the Building Service Employees Union, according to Stephen. Mimms loved children, and became an elementary school teacher’s aide in D.C. Public Schools in the 1960s, retiring in 1984. She has four grandchildren, four
great-grandchildren and three great-greatgrandchildren. Stephen is 75 years old and is her last living son; he retired from a project management career to take care of her. Stephen said he finds the fact that his mother is alive and well “surprising and encouraging,” and mentioned that she
needs little assistance, considering her age. He said she is loved at Independence Court, is able to feed herself, and insists on going to the washroom on her own.
Long life seems to run in the women’s side of Mimms’ family: Mimms’ mother, Mayme Hopkins, lived to be 102 years old.
Mimms gets her strength from her faith, her family and from her past community and church involvement, according to Stephen. He said he could always confide in her, and she made a home where education, career and independence were encouraged. Mimms encouraged her sons to participate in Boy Scouts, church groups and the D.C. Youth Chorale.
“She raised us to be a part of the community and contribute to the world,” Stephen said.
Stephen said Mimms was always an artistic and musical person who enjoyed pottery, singing and dancing, and she spends time doing craft and coloring activities organized by Independence Court staff today. Mimms is still able to color within the lines.
Mimms’ life holds important history: Her great-grandmother Easter, who was formerly enslaved, saw her twin brother sold off from the family, and they never recovered him. Stephen also said that Mimms witnessed male members of the family go out looking for work, never to
return. Generations later, Mimms was involved in Civil Rights marches in D.C.
“You can’t go forward unless you know from where you came” is the advice that Mimms would frequently tell her daughter-in-law, Jo Ann Mimms, who is married to Stephen.
Mimms has shared stories with Stephen about how she survived when she was younger, living in one household with multiple generations, and using coal to warm up their blankets before going to sleep in shared beds.
Stephen is a photographer, and hand-colors some of the pictures that he brings in for Mimms to look at. He said that people with memory issues often get stuck in a specific time period in their lives, and the oldest memories hang on the longest. The images help to jog Mimms’ memory, and she sometimes shouts out a name that can help Stephen pick up additional information.
Although Stephen said that the tragic part of his mother’s memory loss is that some details of her story disappear, he tries his best to share as much as he can with his children and grandchildren. Mimms’ long, well-lived life has taught him how important it is to know his roots and keep track of memories.
“You have to know where you came from, and also understand the struggles that were before you,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with being woke.”
Anastasia Merkulova is an undergraduate student in journalism at the University of Maryland.
Dorothy Mimms with Stephen Mimms in December 2024 ANASTASIA
