Trails, bike lanes attract cyclists
By EVONY SALMERON
College Park resident Brooks Boliek re‑ calls how excited he was to finish the 97‑mile 2024 Gran Fondo National Series Championship bicycle race last year in 20th place for his age group—dead last.
Boliek, who pedaled in the 65‑to‑69 age group, said he was just happy to fin‑ ish after watching many of his same‑age competitors drop out or opt for shorter routes.
“The competition sort of falls off after 60, for whatever reason,” said Boliek, who lives in the city’s Berwyn neighborhood. “People die, or they decide that they’ve done everything, or they don’t want to. But my thing is, so I know I’m going to try and compete until I move into the 70 age category because, partly, I can podium at nearly every event I go into because there’s only going to be five of us.”
College Park has a growing commu‑ nity of riders, thanks to an abundance of trails, city efforts to make streets bike‑ friendly, and multiple clubs and group rides for local cyclists.
College Park Bicycles employee Doug O’Neal estimated that hundreds, “if not thousands” of cyclists live or ride in the city. “Those are cyclists of all abilities: rec‑ reational electric bike riders, road riders, competitive cyclists, triathletes, and let’s not forget the kids,” O’Neal said. “So yeah, a lot. College Park has a very strong cy‑ cling community.”
er of Proteus Bicycles in the Hollywood Shopping Center, said. “So we’re a really nice hub for that.”
“I mean, you can ride your bike all the way from here to Virginia without hitting many streets,” Laurie Lemieux, the own‑
Former councilmember stays civically involved
By CHARLOTTE KANNER
Former City Councilmember
Bob Catlin hasn’t had a seat on the dais since 2013 but still sometimes attends council meetings—to keep everyone informed about the city’s his‑ tory.
During the three minutes any citizen may speak at a regular Tuesday evening meeting, Cat‑ lin has shared brief reflections about the number of homi‑ cides and pedestrian fatalities throughout the city’s history, the evolution of the council, and former councilmembers
That bike shop is home to the Proteus Velo Club, which hosts two 8:30 a.m. group rides—one 20 miles and the other,
who still live in College Park, among other tidbits of trivia.
“I’ve always been interested in history and policies and why things work the way they do,” Catlin said. “I think you need to understand that in order to make your decisions in the fu‑ ture.”
Catlin represented District 2 as a councilmember from 1997 to 2013, serving as mayor pro tem for his final nine years. He
30, on Saturdays, and a 60‑ to 75‑minute, medium‑paced ride meet‑up at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays. The Velo Club has about 50 dues‑paying members and its Google group has approximately 250 cyclists.
By JALEN WADE
Three new restaurants are scheduled to open in College Park this summer and at least three others will make their de‑ buts later this year.
Venezuelan restaurant Arepa Zone will open on Guilford Road next to the Aster apart‑ ment complex; Indian restau‑ rant Maryland Tandoor is com‑ ing to
Hundreds of avid bicyclists in College Park meet for weekend rides and use their bikes to commute and for exercise. LILLIAN GLAROS
UMD social sports open to city residents
By OLIVER MACK
Some College Park residents are playing volleyball at the University of Maryland (UMD) this summer, thanks to a half‑ price registration fee subsi‑ dized by the city.
The Terrapin Social Sports program will add pickleball teams in July, according to Ju‑ lie Johnson, UMD’s assistant director for intramural sports and the Reckord Armory.
“Anything that gets people out and moving their bodies is a good thing,” College Park City Councilmember John Rigg (District 3), who plays on the program’s volleyball team, said. “It also helps to bring to‑ gether residents in the local area of College Park and other surrounding jurisdictions. … Team sports are a great way of building community.”
College Park allocated $30,000 to offer 50% discounts to residents who wish to play social sports through RecWell, which operates the UMD pro‑ gram.
Social sports focus on team‑ based community building and social interaction rather than just competition, City Communications and Events Manager Ryna Quiñones said.
The program began last year to give community members the chance to play together in intramural volleyball and pickleball leagues. The initial cost, before discounts, is $85 to join the volleyball team and $50 to play pickleball.
The city council considered creating its own social sports league but instead partnered with the existing RecWell pro‑ gram, Quiñones said.
“We’re happy to help reduce the barriers, to encourage our residents to not only meet their neighbors, but kind of engage in these fun and ac‑ tive activities,” Quiñones said.
“The other thing is that the University of Maryland has such wonderful facilities, and I think it’s amazing that our residents can utilize them.”
This summer’s volleyball program is already in full
swing and pickleball matches will begin in mid‑July, Johnson said.
The teams, which play on Wednesday and Thursday eve‑ nings, do not have coaches and are officiated by the same referees who officiate UMD intramural sports during the school year, Johnson said.
Johnson added that par‑ ticipants can form their own
Classic car owners show off their rides
By EVONY SALMERON
Two dozen car enthusiasts from all over the DMV drove their cherished classic cars to College Park to participate in the city’s third car show on June 21.
About 200 people stopped by City Hall to check out some tuned‑up vintage and modern cars on display and vote for their favorite ones.
“Cars are like ice cream,”
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Mike Templeton, a College Park resident who displayed his 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air at the show and helped run the event, said. “Everybody likes ice cream, just different fla‑ vors. So that’s why, when we do the car shows, we got a little bit of everything. The newer cars, the older cars, the hot rods, the classics, whatever. And it’s all for the residents, when they come down to some kind of event
Managing Editor Sharon O'Malley sharon@streetcarsuburbs.news
Associate Editor Jalen Wade jalen@streetcarsuburbs.news
Columnist PJ Brennan
Contributors
Rhiannon Evans, Lillian Glaros, Charlotte Kanner, Giuseppe LoPiccolo, Oliver Mack, Bode Ramsay, Evony Salmeron, Caleb Winters
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Advertising advertising@streetcarsuburbs.news 301.531.5234
like they’re having today, [it] gives them something of a va‑ riety to look at.”
The city brought the College Park Classic Rock & Car Show back this summer after skip‑ ping it last year.
teams or sign up as free agents to be added to an existing team.
“There’s a possibility that we’ll add flag football in fu‑ ture years,” Johnson said.
“There’s possibilities for bas‑ ketball in future years. We have a lot of leeway in what we offer because we have great facilities here on cam‑ pus that we can use.”
Cat Peretti, a University Park resident, is the captain of a volleyball team made up of community members, includ‑ ing Rigg.
“It’s not about the competi‑ tion as much as it’s just about getting out there and having fun,” Peretti said. “I think it’s a really great asset that the uni‑ versity runs, and I hope to see it continue.”
Advertising Sales Manager Miranda Goodson
“We had heard from the community [that] they want‑ ed to bring it back and so we thought, you know, we would try it again,” Ryna Quiñones, College Park’s communica‑ tions and events manager, said. “I think it’s important to do that and to constantly be, you know, updating, im‑ proving, tweaking, all of those kinds of things or events so that our residents get the most enjoyment and build the most community.”
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
Templeton said he has been a part of the College Park car community since “I was prob‑ ably 12 years old” in the ’60s and has made a living working on cars and building emer‑ gency vehicles. Although he considers himself “basically retired,” Templeton continues to participate in community events.
“I just never grew up,” Tem‑ pleton said.
Berwyn Heights resident Daniel “Buddy” Robson Jr. heard about the show from Templeton. He entered his
prized 1955 Buick, which he bought at an estate sale 10 years ago.
“It’s exactly the same as it was when it rolled off the showroom floor on May 23, 1955,” Robson said. “I haven’t done nothing other than maintenance. I take that back, it’s got seat belts in the back.”
Darryl Ginyard drove his car from the District after seeing a flier for the show. He said he has found a community with College Park car enthusiasts.
“That’s the beauty of the car show,” Ginyard said. “That’s the beauty of the people. Be‑ cause people from every back‑ ground, every financial sta‑ tus, the only thing important to them is your car is nice. …
It’s everybody who likes cars. That’s their connection.”
College Park residents get a 50% discount on fees when they sign up for Terrapin Social Sports to play volleyball or pickleball. ADOBE STOCK PHOTO
Fans of classic cars turned out for the city’s Classic Rock & Car Show on June 21. CALEB WINTERS
By PJ BRENNAN
On June 26, we marked the 10th anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court decision that made marriage equality the law of the land. For my husband and me, it wasn’t just a legal victory. It confirmed a life we had already built—a life rooted in love, com‑
Valentine’s Day 2013, while watch‑ ing reality TV on our couch, Nick asked if I wanted to get married.
We were married on April 1, 2013, a date that also marked the beginning of our relationship eight years earlier.
I never wanted a traditional wedding. I didn’t grow up imag‑ ining one. I came of age in the middle of the AIDS crisis and the
other rights: hospital visitation and medical decision‑making rights, tax parity and inheritance protections, joint adoption and recognition as co‑parents, and spousal health insurance and So‑ cial Security benefits.
Nick and I have been together for 20 years and married for 12. We are raising two children we love unconditionally. The life I
I swallowed my pride and chose a different path. I worked—again— to change hearts.
And it worked. Today, Pride is recognized openly and without question in our city. The flag flies without fanfare and visibility has grown. That’s progress.
This op‑ed is my small effort, as a gay man who benefited from the
work of others, to say: I haven’t for‑ gotten. And I believe it’s our turn now to show up—for trans people, for future generations and for a vi‑ sion of equality that includes ev‑ eryone. Because Obergefell didn’t end the story. It gave us the next chapter to write.
PJ Brennan lives in College Park’s Calvert Hills neighborhood.
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, occurring between July 10 and Aug. 13. For additional events and meetings organized by the city, see the College Park Post newsletter in this paper’s centerfold. Find more local events all month long in our new, continuously updated online calendar: streetcarsuburbs.news/events. Please send notices of events that will take place between Aug. 13 and Sept. 10 to jalen@ streetcarsuburbs.news by Aug. 1.
July 11
Friday Senior Social Seniors can use this event as an opportunity to engage in mentally and physically active programs, socialize and meet new friends. Join fellow seniors for socializing, light refreshments and community games. Free. 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Branchville Volunteer Fire Company (4905 Branchville Rd.). To RSVP, call 240‑487‑3614. For more info visit: https://tinyurl.com/yuykc9zc. Repeats on the 18th.
July 13
Summer Backyard Herbs: Medicine Making
This class is part of a series dedicated to exploring the healing power of common herbs that grow right in our backyards. This class focuses on the abundant and sun filled herbs of summer—plants that thrive in the heat and provide cooling and soothing benefits. You’ll learn about their medicinal properties, how to forage for them safely, and how to create your own herbal remedies. $55. Noon. Smile Herb Shop (4908 Berwyn Rd.). For more information visit: tinyurl.com/ckyx6pb4.
July 15
Book Club on Zoom! Join a book club reading of Bag
Man: The Wild Crimes, Audacious Cover-up & Spectacular Downfall of a Brazen Crook in the White House, by Rachel Maddow and Michael Yarvitz. Free. 7–8:30 p.m. For more information visit: tinyurl.com/ybm7stza.
July 16
Kate Spanos Irish Dance Summer Intensive 2025
This special summer intensive invites dancers to dedicate the month of July to learning eight traditional Irish set dances. Lessons are fast paced and recommend previous Irish hard shoe experience. $35 drop in, full session $120. 7–9 p.m. The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (8270 Alumni Dr., Suite 3800). For more information visit: tinyurl.com/3junwtk3.
Family Game Day – College Park Woods Clubhouse
Bring your kids and grandkids for games, crafts and ice cream. Free. 1 3 p.m. College Park Woods Clubhouse (3545 Marlbrough Way.). For more information visit https:// tinyurl.com/3bhey59k.
Yoga
A gentle flow yoga class for all levels, class will focus on building strength, flexibility and balance through movement synced with the breath. Students will move through seated and standing postures that build energy, and then cool down with a restorative posture for meditation. $10. 7 8 p.m. Old Parish House (4711 Knox Rd.). For more information visit https://tinyurl.com/5dftrh9v. Repeats every Wednesday.
July 17
Neighborhood Game Night— Hollywood Neighborhood Playground
Come for an evening of fun. Bring your family or meet your friends to enjoy lawn games, fun challenges, giveaways and more. Free. 6 8 p.m. (4812 Hollywood Rd.). For more
A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) advocates for youth who have been abused and neglected.
information visit https:// tinyurl.com/ys6nw88v.
Senior Social Activities
Seniors can use this event as an opportunity to engage in mentally and physically active programs, socialize and meet new friends. Join fellow seniors for socializing, light refreshments, and community games. Free. 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. College Park Woods Clubhouse (3545 Marlbrough Way.). To RSVP, call 240‑487‑3614. For more info visit: https://tinyurl.com/yuykc9zc.
July 19
Tuskegee Airmen Take to the Skies: Living History Tour
Learn the stories of the 992 Tuskegee Airmen who earned their “silver wings.” Explore the Tuskegee connections to the Civilian Pilots Training Program, Columbia Air Center, and their legacy in modern aviation. $10 adult, $5 child. 11–11:45 a.m. College Park Aviation Museum (1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr.). For more information visit: tinyurl.com/yj33vrrw.
Sacred Circle Dance
Sacred Circle Dance is a collective dance experience that draws from ancient and traditional folk dances, many from Eastern Europe and the Balkans. No dance experience is needed (just basic mobility and coordination). Shoes with padding are recommended. Free. 2 4 p.m. Old Parish House (4711 Knox Rd.). For more information visit https:// tinyurl.com/3zthbwfh.
July 20
DIY Herbal Sodas & Switchels in College Park
Using fresh herbs like bee balm, oats, fig leaf and more, learn how to create your own sodas and switchels to support digestion and hydration. You’ll receive a bundle of four herbs and your own handmade brew to take home. $45. 9:30–11:30 a.m. (4912 Berwyn Rd.). For more information visit: tinyurl. com/ypyhtcpt.
July 22
Art Club
Spend your evening creating art with neighbors. Bring your own art project and materials. This is not an art class, but each meeting will begin with a group warmup. Adults only. Free. 7:30 9 p.m. Old Parish House (4711 Knox Rd.). For more information visit https:// tinyurl.com/478zjxbv.
courtyard concert series with the Grammy winning music duo 123 Andrés, and their songs and concerts that get the whole family singing and learning in Spanish and English. Picnics, picnic blankets and lawn chairs are welcome, and light refreshments will be available for purchase. Free. 12–1 p.m. College Park Aviation Museum (1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr.). For more information visit: tinyurl.com/ykuhbjnr.
UMD Summer Chorus
Concert
The University of Maryland Summer Chorus is a campus and community chorus available to anyone who wishes to sing. This year, UMD Summer Chorus will tackle Johannes Brahms’ Schicksalslied & Nänie, two of Brahms’ most iconic choral compositions. Free. 8 p.m. Dekelboum Concert Hall (8270 Alumni Dr., Suite 3800). For more information visit: tinyurl. com/mru9fzxp.
July 31
Neighborhood Game Night – College Park Woods Clubhouse
Join the College Park Woods neighborhood for an evening of fun with games, challenges and giveaways. Free. 6–8 p.m. (3545 Marlbrough Way). For more information visit: tinyurl. com/4k7z5zcn.
Aug. 2
Youth Aviators Traffic Control Program Dive into the critical world of Air Traffic Control. Participants will master the phonetic alphabet and radio lingo used by air traffic controllers, explore key procedures and protocols, connect with industry professionals and more. Students must be able to commit to all four days. Registration required. Following sessions are Aug. 9, 16 and 23. Free. 10–11:30 a.m. College Park Aviation Museum (1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr.). For more information visit: tinyurl.com/bdft7dyy.
Airmail
July 26
Runway Rhythms: 123 Andrés
Enjoy the College Park Aviation Museum’s annual summer
Repeating Story Time for Children
Storytelling session geared to infants and older. Free. Every Wednesday. 9:30–10 a.m. College Park American Legion (9704 Rhode Island Ave.). For more information email: bokays100@juno.com.
College Park Community Library Book Club
Meets on the second Thursday of each month, 7–8:30 p.m. at the College Park Community Library, Church of the Nazarene (9407 Rhode Island Ave.).
July 10 – Girl Abroad by Elle Kennedy
Aug. 14 – Death at the Morning House by Maureen Johnson
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.
Friday Night Live!
The City of College Park hosts a series of free concerts over the summer. Upcoming dates are July 11 and Aug. 8. Free. 6:30–8:30 p.m. City Hall (7401 Baltimore Ave.). For more information visit: tinyurl. com/4s6tu7un.
College Park Farmer’s Market
Buy Fresh produce and meet local vendors. Free. Saturdays July 12, 19, 26. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Paint Branch Parkway (5211 Campus Dr.). For more information visit https:// tinyurl.com/2p9w8ddx.
Hollywood Farmers Market
Featuring local produce and crafts. Free. Saturdays July 12, 19, 26 – 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at Hollywood Shopping Center (9803 Rhode Island Ave.). For more information visit https:// tinyurl.com/ue4euu27.
Neighborhood Association Meetings
North College Park Civic Association
Embark on this museum tour to learn about key figures and historic flights that shaped early airmail through the fascinating stories and artifacts held in the College Park Aviation Museum’s collection. $5 adults, $4 seniors, $2 students. 11–11:45 a.m. College Park Aviation Museum (1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr.). For more information visit: tinyurl. com/bdhmut32.
Second Thursday of the month. 7:30–9 p.m. Davis Hall (9217 51st Ave.). For more information email: NCPCivic@ gmail.com.
Berwyn District Civic Association
BDCA meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month. 7:30 p.m. For more information email: bdca board@myberwyn. org.
NEWS BRIEFS
Bye-bye FBI. The FBI an nounced on July 1 that it has scrapped the plan to relocate its headquarters to Greenbelt. Instead, the agency will move into the Ronald Reagan Build ing and International Trade Center.
The abrupt shift comes after previous plans had pointed to ward a new campus in Green belt. The announcement drew criticism from officials who had advocated for the suburban site.
Officials said a move to the Reagan Building will streamline operations and consolidate the FBI’s presence within the Dis trict.
Happy 90th. The Rotary Club of College Park marked its 90th anniversary on June 18 at the College Park Airport.
The group recognized two lo cal leaders as Community Paul Harris Fellows for their excep tional service to Prince George’s County.
Prince George’s County Coun cilmember Eric Olson (District 3) earned the award for his leadership in education, eco nomic development and en vironmental stewardship. Dr. Ron Brathwaite, director of hos pital medicine services at Ad ventist Hospital of Fort Wash ington, received recognition for expanding healthcare access in underserved communities. The club makes this award to em body Rotary’s ideal of “service above self.”
The club also celebrated Past President Nomie Hamid for his contributions as governor of Rotary District 7620. Anna Mae Kobbe, a former club president and past district governor, de livered the keynote address on
the club’s community impact.
Big changes. Just hours after taking her oath of office, Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy replaced the county’s police chief and 12 days later an nounced a new fire chief.
George Nader, the new police chief, returns to Prince George’s County with more than two decades of local experience, including serving as a deputy chief and most recently as an assistant chief with Metro Tran sit Police. He succeeds Malik Aziz, who departed after being named a finalist for a police chief position in Phoenix.
New fire chief Thelmetria Mi chaelides is a 26 year veteran of the county’s Fire and EMS Department and was the first Black female bomb technician. She took over from Tiffany Green, who is transitioning to a new public safety leadership post within the county.
Green had come under fire from city officials and local fire chiefs around the county after moving 55 career firefighters from fire stations in Berwyn Heights, Greenbelt and Bunker Hill to other posts last summer.
Open to the public. The Na tional Archives at College Park put a scare into students and researchers in late June when officials there announced the facility would be closed to the public except for those with “le
gitimate” business—and then reversed the decision the fol lowing day.
The initial announcement re portedly was based on security concerns, but it drew enough of a public outcry to undo the ruling.
Officials have said security at the building will be enhanced but that the public is welcome to enter.
Jackpot. A North Carolina man spent a single night in College Park on July 1 and hit the jack pot—literally.
After delivering his haul in Silver Spring, long distance trucker Clayton Webb checked into a local motel and bought a $5 lottery ticket at the Wawa convenience store at 10050 Bal timore Ave., according to Mary land Lottery. He won $50,000. He stopped in Baltimore to cash out the ticket and then hopped back in his truck for the nine hour drive home, he told lottery officials.
Trolley Trail Day. Thousands of people braved humid and cloudy weather on June 14 to attend Trolley Trail Day.
The six year old event cele brates the communities, includ ing College Park, Riverdale Park and Hyattsville, along parts of what used to be the right of way for the City and Suburban Railway, an electric streetcar line, according to College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir.
Now that right of way is the 3.9 mile Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail.
“Even though the train line does not exist anymore, the communities still exist, so it is important that connection should still be celebrated,” Kabir said.
Ten activity hubs dotted the trail, with live music, fitness classes and other activities for people of all ages.
Valerie Woodall, associate di rector of the Anacostia Trails Heritage Area, was one of the event organizers. She said the day helps serve as a reminder of the Trolley Trail’s existence and the need to maintain it.
“I like the way it brings the community out to be together, to celebrate a trail network that does connect them,” Woodall said.
Hyperlocal. Local journalists said on June 14 that voter par ticipation is higher and interest rates on loans for public proj ects tend to be lower in com munities with dedicated news papers or news sites.
In turn, they said news orga nizations that have the support of the communities where they publish tend to be more suc cessful.
Editors from College Park Here & Now, Greenbelt News Review, The Bowie Sun, The Intersection Magazine and WTOP weighed in on the value of hyperlocal journalism at a panel discus sion sponsored by Streetcar Suburbs Publishing, which pub lishes College Park Here & Now. The monthly newspaper host ed the event to celebrate the fifth anniversary of its founding in 2020.
Zoning, land use legislation fails
By RHIANNON EVANS
The College Park City Council has not given up on its effort to gain more authority over land use and zoning, despite a setback when the Maryland General Assembly failed to pass legislation this year that would allow it.
By law, cities in Prince George’s County must defer to the county when it comes to most land use and zoning requests. Prince George’s and Montgomery counties are the only ones in Maryland where the county, rather than the cit ies, has zoning and land use au thority.
Laurel is the only Prince George’s County municipal ity that is exempt. Montgomery County has given authority to 12 cities there.
City Councilmember Susan Whitney (District 2) said hav ing this authority “will definite ly give the city more power to shape itself to be the city that it wants to be, and to ensure that we’re comfortable with what is built here and how it’s built.”
Municipalities have narrow authority to approve exceptions to the city code for resident re quests to add a fence to a front yard, for example, or to build a home addition that would cov er more of the lot than allowed,
according to Councilmember John Rigg (District 3).
However, a developer or resi dent who requests a building permit or permission to reno vate a store, for example, must go through the Prince George’s County Department of Permit ting, Inspections and Environ ment.
College Park and nine other municipalities in the county pushed the state Legislature
to pass a law granting the cit ies independence in zoning and land use decisions, but the measure failed in the House of Delegates.
Rigg estimated that the city has been trying to get zoning and land use authority for de cades.
In 2012, the city supported an unsuccessful effort by the Gen eral Assembly’s Prince George’s delegation to pass legislation
that would give cities greater authority over more substantial land use decisions within their boundaries, like land develop ment, design standards, park ing and landscaping.
Current law limits city offi cials to making recommenda tions to the county rather than approving requests.
In 2024 and 2025, state del egates for Prince George’s and Montgomery counties pursued
expanded authority through the state, again without suc cess. In 2025, Berwyn Heights, Bladensburg, District Heights, Forest Heights, Glenarden, Greenbelt, Hyattsville, Laurel and Mount Rainier supported the legislation alongside Col lege Park.
“I think we didn’t move for ward this year because of the uncertainty in the change of the county [executive],” Leonard Lucchi, the city’s state lobby ist, explained at the May 6 city council meeting. “But now with a new one coming in … that’ll present some more opportu nities to try and advocate our part.”
Aisha Braveboy, who won a special election to replace for mer County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, now a member of Congress, took office on June 19. Whitney explained that the lack of authority over land use and zoning decisions affects the city’s development and pointed to the design of Flats at Col lege Park, a 321 unit affordable housing apartment complex that partially opened in May and June. Original design plans had both an entrance and an exit to the parking garage that led onto Route 1. The county re jected that design, so the garage entrance is on Cherokee Street, a quiet neighborhood road. This is an example “where we’ve been unhappy with the way things have been devel oped because we didn’t have this power,” Whitney said. Laurel, the only Prince George’s County city that has land use and zoning authority, has ben efited, according to Monta Bur rough, the director of that city’s Department of Economic and Community Development.
“We can approve and disap prove our own permits,” Bur rough explained. “And when developments come through, it’s not a long, drawn out pro cess. Once they get in, depend ing on the size and the nature of the application, we can get a development [the] first approv als within less than a year.”
Rigg said winning the legisla tive battle “would be a vast en hancement to the city, to resi dents of the city of College Park, if we had these authorities. I think it would enhance their services. [Residents] would get their permits more easily and more quickly. And it would be able to enhance their voices over land use decisions made in their local community, which are currently made in Upper Marlboro.”
The Maryland General Assembly failed to pass legislation this year that would give cities like College Park greater zoning authority. Shown, Councilmember John Rigg (District 3), a supporter of greater authority for municipalities.
GIUSEPPE LOPICCOLO
COLLEGE PARK POST
A Taste of College Park
City of College Park’s first restaurant week: July 21-27
Get ready for something delicious – the City’s first Restaurant Week, Taste of College Park, is coming July 21-27, 2025. More than 20 local College Park restaurants are participating with special deals, dinner and lunch specials, and unique promotions during the week. Enjoy local and unique flavors while visiting your favorite dining spots.
Restaurants include Li Chun Café, Taqueria Habanero, Marathon Deli, Iron Rooster, Board and Brew, Pho Thom, Grill Marx, Terrapin Station, Virtual X Kitchen, Green Turtle, Bagels and Grinds, Potomac Pizza, Paisono’s, Northwest Chinese, Looney’s Pub, and Qu Japan.
Plus, if you download the Flave app with code CP25 and then post from a participating restaurant, you can get a $5 gift card to use on your next visit.
To help you further enjoy this year’s Taste of College Park, the City’s Downtown Parking Garage located on Yale Avenue has free parking on weekdays after 5pm and all day on weekends that week. So go grab a bite at your favorite Downtown College Park restaurant and park for free during this special period.
More details, including participating restaurant information and menus is available at www.collegepark.life.
C O L L E G E P A R K J U L Y 2 1 - 2 7 , 2 0 2 5
Discover Restaurant Week in College Park Enjoy pre-fixed menus, exclusive dishes, and special discounts at over 20+ local restaurants.
Age-Friendly Resources
Durable Medical Equipment Program
The Maryland Department of Aging provides free Durable Medical Equipment (DME) to Marylanders regardless of age or income level. All equipment is collected via donation and is sanitized, repaired, and redistributed to Marylanders in need. The DME program helps Marylanders obtain necessary medical equipment at no cost and also provides a donation opportunity for residents with equipment no longer needed.
FOR REQUESTS: Basic DME can include crutches, walkers, rollators, shower chairs, tub transfer benches, bedside commodes and toilet safety rails. Complex DME can include wheelchairs, scooters, home hospital beds and mechanical lifts.
To request either Basic or Complex DME, visit the website at Maryland Durable Medical Equipment ReUse and complete the appropriate request form. The Basic DME request form can be completed by the recipient, a family member or caregiver. The Complex DME request form requires a healthcare professional to complete a portion of the form.
After your request form is processed, the agency will contact you about availability and schedule a pick-up appointment.
FOR DONATIONS: Donations of these items and other medical equipment are also accepted through the program. Donation centers and hours are listed on the same website. Help your fellow Marylanders by donating your Durable Medical Equipment so that it can be reused by a neighbor in need.
For more information, email DME. MDOA@maryland.gov or call 240230-8000 during regular business hours.
Brought to you by Age Friendly College Park, part of the AARP Age Friendly Communities network. The Age Friendly College Park initiative is sponsored by the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park, and coordinated by the Department of Youth, Family and Senior Services and the City’s Senior Advisory Committee. For more information or to volunteer, please contact agefriendlycommunity@ collegeparkmd.gov.
Jack Perry Award
Recognize a College Park resident for their extraordinary participation in civic affairs
In February 2013, the College Park City Council established an award in recognition of Councilman John Edward “Jack” Perry.
Councilman Perry served on the College Park City Council from 1979 to 1983 and from 1989 to 2011, for a total of 26 years. From the time he moved to College Park’s Berwyn neighborhood in 1969, until his death in 2012, Jack was deeply committed to serving his community, which he demonstrated by spending many hours working to improve the quality of life for all who lived and worked in College Park. Through the years, he volunteered on numerous associations, boards, coalitions, task forces and committees at the neighborhood, city, county, and state levels. This Award will recognize a member of the community who emulates Councilman Jack Perry’s legacy of public service.
ELIGIBILITY: To be eligible for the award, a person must be at least 18 years of age and a registered voter or legal resident of the City of College Park.
CRITERIA: The Jack Perry award will recognize a College Park resident who has participated to an extraordinary degree in neighborhood, civic, or municipal affairs within the City in a manner that improves public spaces, fosters community cohesion, eradicates blight, informs discussion of public issues, provides leadership, and/ or furthers the best interests of the City as a whole.
NOMINATIONS: From May 15 to July 15 each year, any resident, neighborhood association or organization in the City may submit a nomination for the Jack Perry Award.
Nominations should be submitted in writing to the City Clerk for the City of College Park, 7401 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 201, College Park, MD, 20740, or by e-mail to cityclerkoffice@collegeparkmd. gov. Nominations will be reviewed by a Committee that includes a member of the Perry family.
This non-monetary award will be presented by the City Council
City Announcements & Events
More information: www.collegeparkmd.gov
TEEN TIME PROGRAM
Welcome to Teen Time, a chill space for ages 14-17!
From movie and game nights to music and art sessions, this peer support group provides a safe space for teens to kick back with fun activities and great company.
Must be a resident of Prince George’s County to participate; register for this free program by calling 240-487-3550
SUMMER MEALS
Beginning Monday, July 7, children up to 18 years old can receive free meals at 16 open sites — eight schools and eight community locations — no enrollment, ID or registration required.
OPEN MEAL SITES:
• July 7–31: Hot breakfast & lunch at school open sites
• July 7–Aug. 8: Bagged lunch at community open sites
• First come, first served
• Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
PGCPS will serve meals at 165 total sites this summer, but meals at most sites are only for students enrolled in on-site summer programs.
Find open meal sites, dates & times at https://www.pgcps.org/ summer-meals.
Explore all Maryland summer meals locations at https://mars. msde.maryland.gov/mars_ sitesearch/
PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING
August 4 | 7PM - 8:30PM | Zoom
Stay safe and stay informed! The Public Services Department is hosting their next hybrid public safety meeting to share important safety tips and hear from local public safety officials.
Join us in-person in the City Hall Community Room (7401 Baltimore Avenue College Park, MD 20740) or via zoom.
Register at collegeparkmd.gov/ publisafetymeeting.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE
JUL. 11 & AUG. 8 | 6:30PM | City Hall
Friday Night LIVE is College Park’s favorite summer concert series! On select Fridays from May through August, live bands will take the stage with bold beats from diverse musical genres.
Kids can enjoy hands-on activities and games while adults indulge in delicious food and beer for purchase.
Parking will be available for free at the Downtown Parking Garage at the corner of Yale Avenue and Knox Road.
Learn more at collegeparkmd.gov/ FNL.
NEIGHBORHOOD GAME NIGHTS
JULY 17 & 31 | 6-8PM | Various Locations
Family Game Nights are BACK! Bring the fam, meet up with friends, or say hi to a new neighbor at Neighborhood Game Nights!
Be there for lawn games, fun challenges, giveaways, and more! FREE Admission – all are welcome!
Join us from 6-8PM on:
• July 17 at Hollywood Playground (4812 Hollywood Road)
• July 31 at College Park Woods Clubhouse (3545 Marlbrough Way)
COLLEGE PARK DAY
VENDOR & EXHIBITOR CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
Applications for vendors and exhibitors are now being accepted for College Park Day 2025. The event will be held on Saturday October 18, 2025, at the Aviation Museum and Airport. Apply today to be a part of our biggest event of the year!
• Food/Drink vendors: collegeparkmd.gov/ cpdfoodvendor.
• Community Exhibitors: collegeparkmd.gov/ cpdexhibitor.
• Arts & Craft Vendors: collegeparkmd.gov/ cpdartsvendor.
Youth & Family building to get meditation garden
By RHIANNON EVANS
The Maryland General Assem‑ bly in April approved a $250,000 state bond to help College Park renovate and landscape its Youth & Family Services build‑ ing on Nantucket Road.
Most of the money will go to‑ ward building an outdoor medi‑ tation garden as a safe space for local youth and their families, according to the city’s commu‑ nications and events manager, Ryna Quiñones.
“I’m hoping that this will help people in their therapeutic journey find a place where they can relax and reflect, play, med‑ itate or whatever it is that they need to do as part of their own mental health journey,” College Park City Councilmember John Rigg (District 3) said about the renovation plans.
Construction on the garden will begin in March, according to a bond bill fact sheet.
Maryland state Sen. Jim Rosa‑ pepe (District 21), who spon‑ sored the legislation, said he
prioritized this project despite the state’s $3 billion budget def‑ icit because College Park has one of the few youth and family programs in the state.
“We have other agencies that try to help kids after they get in trouble, but Youth & Fam‑ ily Services try to help kids before they get in trouble and help their families,” Rosapepe said. “So it’s really important. It’s great for the community to do good work, and they needed some help.”
He added: “We try to come up with projects that we believe in, that we think are important, but also we think other people will nod their head and say, ‘That makes sense.’”
The idea for the project came from feedback that Youth & Family Services received from its clients, according to Quiñones.
Quiñones said the city will partner with the nonprofit Na‑ ture Sacred to build the medita‑ tion garden.
Nature Sacred creates places of sanctuary, reflection and peace
We’re in Your Neighborhood
that are accessible through pub‑ lic green spaces, according to its website.
“Prince George’s County is a federally designated mental health services shortage area, so there’s already a shortage of access to behavioral health care in our end of the county,” Rigg said. “And I’m just really glad that the city of College Park can step up, and has for many, many years now, been able to step up
to help fill that gap.”
Members from the city’s Youth & Family Services, Department of Planning and Community Development, Department of Public Services, Nature Sacred, the Maryland‑National Capital Park and Planning Commis‑ sion and clients who receive services at the building are all part of the planning and con‑ cept design process, according to Quiñones.
City staff will present concept design plans to the city council during the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, Quiñones said. According to the bond bill, the estimated cost for the proj‑ ect is $300,000. If costs exceed the state’s $250,000 contribu‑ tion, the city and Nature Sacred might kick in the rest, accord‑ ing to the bond bill.
The expected completion date is November 2026.
The city’s Youth & Family Services building on Nantucket Road will use state funding for a meditation garden and building renovations. RHIANNON EVANS
Likewise, cyclists gather at College Park Bicycles, 7301 Bal‑ timore Ave., at 10 a.m. on Satur‑ days for a 30‑mile ride.
Proteus Bicycles houses a cof‑ fee bar called Proteus Brew, which is a hot spot for cyclists from around the DMV who par‑ ticipate in the group rides. After the rides, cyclists return to the shop for coffee and conversation.
“This feels like a bustling com‑ munity center coming here,” said Joe Hoffman, who lives in College Park’s Yarrow neigh‑ borhood and bikes to and from the Metro on his way to his job in the District. “We’re trying to come here more.”
Hoffman added that he and his wife, Nicole Freeh, “only re‑ cently just decided we really need to make a concerted effort to do all our errands on bike.”
The bikeability of College Park contributed to the couple’s de‑ cision to move from Baltimore to College Park, Hoffman said.
“It’s so funny because our house online says the bikeabil‑ ity score is only 50 out of 100, but I would say that’s inaccu‑ rate,” said Hoffman, who said the couple enjoys biking at the Lake Artemesia Natural Area at
Lakeland. “We bike everywhere we can.”
Along with Lake Artemesia, a favorite for College Park cyclists is the Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail, which connects College Park with Riverdale Park and Hyattsville. The Trol‑ ley Trail traces the path of the old streetcar line that once con‑ nected the District to Beltsville.
The College Park City Coun‑
the Trails and Towns
cil in recent years has tried to make non‑motorized transpor‑ tation, like bicycling and walk‑ ing, a priority.
Mayor Fazlul Kabir, an avid cyclist, said College Park has invested in “very aggressively” building sidewalks and bike lanes.
“We like to see kind of multi‑ modal opportunities, and we like to see less dependencies on the cars,” Kabir said, “because this is a healthy way to live lon‑ ger, and we like to see residents participate in walking and bik‑ ing more and more.”
City Councilmember Susan
Whitney (District 2) said en‑ abling cyclists to ride to and from work helps the city reach its sustainability goals.
“It’s sustainable … in terms of health. It’s a really healthy way to get around,” Whitney said, adding, “And it’s also sus‑ tainable environmentally, you know, fewer emissions.”
Donald Hays, co‑chair of the College Park Bicycle and Pe‑ destrian Advisory Commit‑ tee, credited the city’s focus on bike‑friendly streets, in part, to the University of Maryland’s student body, noting that the average cost of owning a car is
approximately $12,000 a year, a price most full‑time college stu‑ dents cannot afford on top of tuition and rent.
“That’s just kind of obscene to ask that of students,” Hays said. “And so I think that one of the reasons that we have such a pull towards bikeability and walkability is that students are voting with their pocketbooks.”
Among the best parts of cy‑ cling, according to the Bolieks, who started biking together when they got married in 1991, are the social and health as‑ pects.
When Jeri Boliek cycled with her husband in the District, she said, she couldn’t find any women to ride with. Now that they live in College Park and are a part of the Proteus Velo Club, Boliek is able to meet other women on trails and big group rides, she said.
“I think there’s just a great ca‑ maraderie about learning from each other, taking care of each other,” Boliek said.
Brooks Boliek said cycling is one of the best forms of exercise because it’s “easy on the joints.” He cited studies that prove riding improves health, increases lifes‑ pan and mitigates loneliness.
“We want to live as long as we can and be as healthy as we can, and do all the things that we think we can do and then die,” Boliek said. “You know, we don’t want this long, slow decline through madness into death. We want to avoid that.”
Proposal would outlaw stopping in bike lanes
By EVONY SALMERON
The College Park City Council will hold a public hearing on Aug. 6 on a proposal to make it a violation for a car to park or stand in a bike lane.
This change to the city code would mean that drivers of de‑ livery and supply trucks will not be allowed to stop in a bike lane to unload on a city‑owned street. City officials heard complaints from bicyclists about cars and delivery trucks blocking bike lanes, making them unsafe for cyclists, according to College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir.
Kabir acknowledged the rule would be a “little inconvenient” for delivery drivers because they may have to go around to the back of a business’s building to unload.
The proposal would mean that drivers won’t be allowed to stop in a bike lane to unload on a city-owned street. If the council adopts the new law, it will not affect Route 1, where most of the issues have been reported, because it is owned and maintained by the state.
the police to enforce the law … and the city doesn’t have its own police force. And so the only teeth that the city has in situa‑ tions like this is when somebody stops [in a bike lane within] … the city’s jurisdiction.”
that in College Park,” Council‑ member Susan Whitney (Dis‑ trict 2) said.
If the council adopts the new law, it will not affect Route 1, where most of the issues have been reported, because it is owned and maintained by the state.
“One of the frustrations is that enforcement is really difficult,” Donald Hay, co‑chair of the Col‑ lege Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee told College Park Here & Now. “So when a vehicle is moving, we rely on
“So the idea [of] starting with the roadways that we can im‑ pact, like Rhode Island Avenue, is hopefully to kind of start changing the culture around
Whitney said she has seen cit‑ ies built for cyclists during her trips abroad. In Montreal, for example, she noticed more cy‑ clists than cars on the streets, Whitney said. In Spain, she wit‑ nessed the seamless integration of bike lanes with traffic and even sidewalks.
“College Park is about five square miles,” Whitney said. “If we can’t do this here, why can’t we do this here? I see no reason why we can’t accomplish that in College Park.”
Proteus Bicycles hosts Saturday-morning rides for local cyclists and houses a cafe where riders congregate.
PHOTO BY LILLIAN GLAROS
RESTAURANTS
The Varsity; and Wonder, a food hall, will take over the vacant spot once occupied by The Bagel Place.
“It’s growing up,” Maryland Tandoor owner and chef Neel Kamal said of College Park. “You see condos everywhere. You see kids, a lot of kids. Of course, there’s a lot of kids from overseas. There’s a lot of kids from local other states and Indian food is now in a very big trend all over.”
Michael Williams, the city’s economic development director, agreed, noting more University of Maryland students are spending the summer in the city than in past years.
“Everybody’s not running off to the beach,” Williams said. “They’re starting to hang around a little bit more. … And that is our goal. We’re going to continue to see if we can keep ourselves activated in the summer.”
The grand opening of Duck Donuts in Union on Knox is not scheduled yet but could happen before school starts in Au gust, Williams said. Later this year, Berries and Bowls, serving smoothies and fruit bowls, will open in Union on Knox and Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers will open in December on the corner of Baltimore Avenue and Knox Road in the old Nando’s PERi PERi space, according to Williams.
Arepa Zone, based primarily in the Dis trict, serves classic Venezuelan cuisine and features arepas—a flatbread made from ground maize dough—empanadas, bowls and more. The College Park loca tion will be the first in Maryland for the chain, which has six restaurants in the District and Virginia.
Gabriela Febres, Arepa Zone’s co founder and co owner, said she chose College Park because the chain has had success at its location near George Wash ington University.
Febres said the College Park area has few Venezuelan restaurants.
“People will learn our menu, and that’s what we’ve seen every time we’ve opened a new restaurant,” Febres said. “It just
takes some time and a lot of what we do is making Venezuelan food more acces sible so that people learn what an arepa is and hopefully ‘arepa’ could become a household name like the taco is now.”
The College Park restaurant, which is still under construction and is slated for a July opening, will be the chain’s first to feature a bar.
Kamal said Maryland Tandoor, also scheduled to open in July, will be small and student friendly because he wants to have a restaurant that will draw families and students. The eatery will serve Indian food, including kebabs, rice bowls and hummus with naan and curry.
“We are looking for some students who are eligible to work and we are
looking for locals who are eligible to work,” Kamal said. “We have our chefs so we are looking for the local staff. And we would like to support the local com munity.”
Williams said a food hall owned by Wonder Group, a New York based food group, is supposed to open in the city at the former Bagel Place location by Labor Day. This food hall will have 15 different restaurants under one roof for delivery or pick up.
According to a statement on the group’s website, Wonder partners with “award winning chefs and restaurants from Mi chelin star spots to hidden gems.” Williams compared the concept to a rest stop one might see on the New Jersey Turnpike.
The new eateries join several that have opened around the city this year, includ ing Taqueria Habanero, Chopt Creative Salad Co., Compass Coffee, Insomnia Cookies, MidnighTreats, Li Chun Café, Shake Shack, PrimeTime Restaurant and Falafel Inc.
Pho Thom, a Vietnamese restaurant, is scheduled to move from its Baltimore Av enue location to Union on Knox because the block will be demolished to make way for a student apartment complex. Northwest Chinese, which opened a sis ter restaurant on the College Park City Hall plaza, also will close once the loca tion is torn down.
ran again—unsuccessfully—in 2021.
Along the way, he has re mained active in civic life.
“He has been very involved for a long time and in differ ent ways in the city, and I think that speaks to his appreciation for living here and wanting to be engaged,” said Council member Llatetra Brown Esters (District 2), who met Catlin in 2020 when she was consider ing running for office.
As a volunteer, Catlin, 71, serves on the city’s Vacant and Blighted Properties Com mittee and the College Park Housing Authority. In addition, he is co president of the Ber wyn District Civic Association (BDCA), for which he writes a monthly newsletter column.
The former economist said he ran for office because he was disappointed that the opening of the Metro in College Park did not jump start develop ment in the city. He wanted to understand why.
“I came here because I thought things would change,” Catlin said. “The Metro opened in December of ’93 and nothing happened. … So that led me to get on the city council in ’97. I said, ‘Nothing’s happening. What’s going on here?’”
During his time on the coun cil, Catlin helped pass a tem porary rent control ordinance
in response to a student hous ing shortage, he said. Catlin added that the council initially passed the measure with a five year sunset clause, but it lasted more than a decade and withstood a legal challenge in Maryland’s highest court. Catlin also represented Lakeland, a historically Black neighborhood devastated in
the 1960s and ’70s by urban re newal. He serves on the city’s Restorative Justice Commis sion, which deals with a topic he said was too sensitive to publicly address while he was in office.
“Now that pretty much every body who was an adult back then has died, they’re trying to address it,” Catlin said.
The civic leader retired from the federal government in 2004, which allowed for deeper in volvement in city government, Catlin said. As a retiree, he often attended daytime meet ings around the city and took on duties that councilmem bers who were still working full time couldn’t, he added.
“I typically put in 25 or 30 hours,” Catlin said. A council job is considered part time and most councilmembers have other full time jobs.
Kevin Young, a longtime resi dent of College Park’s Berwyn neighborhood and a former BDCA co president, described Catlin as a “go to authority” on real estate and local policy.
“Bob has always been a hard worker,” Young said. “He always has had the best interest of the town.”
Esters said Catlin’s efforts make a difference.
“He values the idea of people having [a] voice and he also values the history of the com munity,” Esters said.
Efforts to preserve the Ber wyn neighborhood history included digitizing more than 3,500 pages of civic associa tion newsletters dating back to 1974. Catlin recovered past newsletters last year with help from neighbors, including Young, and published them on line after securing a grant from the city.
In 1989, Catlin bought his Berwyn home, which previous
ly belonged to a horticulturist who managed the White House grounds, he said. The prop erty includes more than 200 trees and plants, some report edly sourced from presidential homes, Catlin said.
“My attic still has the in door/outdoor carpet that was used when one of the Johnson daughters got married at the White House,” he said.
Catlin described himself as a policy wonk and introvert who stays busy with neighborhood walks, yardwork, city meetings and occasional lunches with longtime residents like Russell Robinette, who has picked up trash throughout the city for more than 20 years.
“Even though I’m retired, I try to learn new things,” Catlin said. “I try not to be set in my ways.”
Although he admitted that he sometimes entertained thoughts of retiring from poli tics, he ran for election eight times until giving up his seat in 2013, occasionally when no one else expressed interest in run ning for the next two year term.
“People used to get their arms twisted into running,” Catlin said. “You had to find someone who hadn’t lived here too long—someone you could still convince.”
Even post retirement, Cat lin said, “There’s always things to be involved in. Things don’t work right if people aren’t in volved.”
Former College Park City Councilmember Bob Catlin delivers some trivia tidbits at a council meeting in May. CALEB WINTERS
Indian eatery Maryland Tandoor is scheduled to open in July. JALEN WADE
Lakeland advocate urges council response to veto
By LILLIAN GLAROS
The chair of College Park’s Re storative Justice Commission has asked the city council to weigh in on a decision by Mary land Gov. Wes Moore to veto a bill that would have created a Maryland Reparations Com mission.
The commission would study the impact of slavery in Mary land, inequitable government policies, and the types and uses of reparations in communities around the country, accord ing to the proposed legislation, which Moore vetoed in May. The commission also would make recommendations regarding reparations.
“I don’t think it’s an either or thing” between studying the problem and taking action, said Maxine Gross, a former College Park city councilmember and chair of the College Park com mission. “I don’t think you stop looking at a problem in order to begin to solve it. I think the two things can happen at the same time.”
In a letter to the president of the Maryland Senate explain ing his veto, Moore wrote that action for Marylanders, rather than further study, is needed. “I strongly believe now is not
the time for another study,” Moore wrote. “Now is the time for continued action that de livers results for the people we serve.”
Delegate Aletheia McCaskill (D Baltimore County), a spon sor of the House version of the vetoed legislation, said the General Assembly is likely to override the veto either during a special session in the fall or at
the beginning of the 2026 legis lative session in January.
Gross, who lives in Lakeland, College Park’s historically Black community, added: “I think the fact that we can continue to better understand and commu nicate with the wider commu nity about what happened … and its impact on the past and on the present can only serve us to not continue to make the
same mistakes,” Gross said.
Lakeland lost 104 of its 150 homes to urban renewal in the 1960s and ’70s. Urban renewal was a government led effort to revitalize cities by tearing down homes and neighborhoods— especially in communities of color—in the name of progress or development.
“Communities like that are why we need this commis
sion and this bill,” said Del egate Jheanelle K. Wilkins (D Montgomery County), another House sponsor and the chair of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland.
Not taking action until all studies are completed could “simply compound … injury,” Gross told College Park Here & Now “I think that [Moore’s] focus on action in the absence of a study was really unnecessary, because I do think you can do both,” College Park City Coun cilmember Llatetra Brown Es ters (District 2) said. Lakeland is in Esters’ district.
Wilkins said if the veto is overturned, Maryland would examine reparations for the first time.
“The state … has never, ever examined reparations,” Wilkins said.
Wilkins added: “The Black Caucus has taken, and the Leg islature has taken countless ac tions when it comes to address ing injustices, but we know that we need to go deeper by ad dressing reparations.”
Esters said she hopes state legislators will override the veto. The bill could give more “credence” to actions the city has already taken, like forming the Restorative Justice Com mission, she said.
“This is not anything new,” Esters said, noting some other states have reparations com missions. “It’s been done before, so I think if we’re really progres sive as a state, and we think that this is important, it can be over turned.
City officials could join leaders from across the state in asking legislators to override Gov. Wes Moore’s veto of a bill to create a Maryland Reparations Commission. LILLIAN GLAROS
City approves plan for Lakeland
By LILLIAN GLAROS
The College Park City Council in May approved a plan for a zoning overhaul of the city’s Lakeland neighborhood that could add affordable housing and reduce traffic while hon‑ oring its African‑American heritage.
The Lakeland Neighbor‑ hood Plan calls for the addi‑ tion of small retailers, a com‑ munity vegetable and herb garden, and the possible ex‑ tension of Ash Avenue to con‑ nect with Potomac Avenue to link the Lakeland and Berwyn communities.
The Prince George’s Coun‑ ty Planning Board and the County Council must approve any zoning changes.
“The most important thing about it is that it has vision,” College Park City Council‑ member Susan Whitney (Dis‑ trict 2) said. “It’s hopeful. It’s essentially a hopeful docu‑ ment that talks about future Lakeland that is as the com‑ munity would like to see it.”
Key aspects of the plan are zoning for affordable and mixed‑use housing, making green spaces out of flood‑ prone areas, ensuring safe and connected transportation, and celebrating the history of Lake‑ land, Carlos Nunes, the senior planner for College Park’s De‑ partment of Planning & Com‑ munity Development, said at the council’s May 13 meeting.
“Lakelanders see it as a bet‑ ter flow in terms of how … they envision Lakeland to look like,” Nunes said. “Zon‑ ing is not just technical, it’s how we shape the future of Lakeland.”
The plan is the result of an 18‑month collaboration in‑ volving the Lakeland Civic Association and the Lakeland Community Heritage Project, with support from the city planning staff and Restor‑ ative Justice Commission, and University of Maryland students.
The neighborhood, a his‑ torically Black community, lost 104 of its 150 homes during urban renewal in the 1960s and ’70s. Urban renewal was a government‑ led effort to revitalize cities by tearing down homes and neighborhoods—especially in communities of color—in the name of progress or de‑ velopment.
“The purpose of this plan is to restore Lakeland’s his‑ toric legacy and community
identity while addressing the long‑standing effects of displacement and inequity,” Nunes said.
The Lakeland of the future could include upzoning in some areas and downzoning in others, according to the plan. Upzoning allows denser development, while down‑ zoning reduces that density.
One recommendation would upzone the west edge of Rhode Island Avenue from single‑ family homes to neighborhood commercial zoning, Nunes said. Neighborhood commer‑ cial zoning focuses on smaller, neighborhood‑serving busi‑ nesses.
Proposed downzoning would change the area from 48th Av‑ enue to Rhode Island Avenue from high density to lower‑ density housing.
The zoning changes “give an opportunity to make a healthier community, to put in place resources and the environment that will bring health to the community,”
Maxine Gross, a fifth‑gener‑ ation Lakelander and former city councilmember, said.
“I think we’re learning more and more that hav‑ ing places [like a commu‑ nity garden] for people to gather is important for the health of not just the indi‑ vidual, but as the commu‑ nity and the society as a whole,” Gross added.
The Lakeland Neighborhood Plan calls for the addition of small retailers, a community vegetable and herb garden, and the possible extension of Ash Avenue to connect with Potomac Avenue to link the Lakeland and Berwyn communities.
The city and the Lakeland community are planning to make improvements to housing, green space and amenities while preserving the neighborhood’s history. Shown, the First Baptist Church of College Park, located on Lakeland Road LILLIAN GLAROS
College Park to host restaurant week
By RHIANNON EVANS
Restaurant patrons can access exclusive deals at two dozen local eateries the week of July 21 dur ing a Taste of College Park event.
Diners who download the Flave app, developed by a Balti more based marketing company, and upload photos of their meals at College Park venues will earn points they can redeem during future visits. Flave is partnering with College Park on the event.
Although customers can earn points at any College Park restau rant during Taste of College Park, they will earn five times as many when they dine at any of the 24 restaurants officially participat ing in the event, according to the app’s co founder, Derek Battle.
The app is available on the Google Play and Apple App stores.
“It’s just going to be a fun, in teractive way for people who aren’t too familiar with College Park to become a bit more fa miliar and kind of branch out and learn more about the area,” Anaiah Gibson, an intern in the city’s Economic Development
Diners who download the Flave app and upload photos of their meals at College Park venues will earn points they can redeem during future visits.
Department, said.
Some restaurants will offer specials during the week.
The Greene Turtle’s College Park location, at 7356 Baltimore Ave., for example, will offer a $10.99 meal deal that includes a choice of a shareable appetizer with an entrée and beverage.
“We love being part of the Col lege Park community, and Taste of College Park is a great way to connect with our neighbors and showcase what The Greene Tur tle has to offer,” General Manag er Alexander Duncan said. “It’s a fun opportunity to be involved in a local tradition that high lights the diverse food scene in the area.”
Praneeth Yealuri, manager of Paisano’s Pizza, located at 7201 Baltimore Ave., said he plans to have daily specials.
“It’s been a win win situation,” Yealuri said of the week.
Other restaurants, including Looney’s Pub, at 8150 Baltimore Ave., will announce their deals closer to the date of the event, managers said.
Gibson said Taste of College Park will bring more foot traf fic into city businesses at a time when most University of Mary land (UMD) students are away for the summer. “We also don’t want to forget about all the [long term] residents and the citizens that are also still [here],” she said.
“[The city] gets what they want, and we get the extra busi ness that we need,” Yealuri said.
When patrons upload their photos, the app time stamps them to confirm they were at the restaurant during Taste of College Park.
Find a list of the participating restaurants at https://collegepark. life/taste-of-college-park/
GrillMarx, a steakhouse located on the lobby level of The Hotel, is one of two dozen eateries participating in Taste of College Park, a weeklong event starting July 21 that aims to promote local restaurants. BODE RAMSAY