Angela Justice and Erica Riggio, co-founders and co-owners of Green Owl Design and Nest Proper boutique, wear many hats — interior designers, small business owners and, most recently, the minds behind the SoHy Design District initiative.
Launched officially at the Hyattsville Arts Festival in September, SoHy Design District is an amalgamation of more than
50 small businesses that populate Hyattsville’s downtown area along the Route 1 Corridor, from the 4700 block of Rhode Island Avenue to the 6000 block of Baltimore Avenue. The initiative aims “to protect and grow a corridor where small business, art and design, and community thrive in a visual, design-driven way,” according to the group’s flyers.
Riggio said that she and Justice created the project because of frustration with
the city’s apparent lack of action on developing the area’s urban decay.
SoHy Design District’s motto, “a little gritty, a lot creative,” speaks to the stark difference between many of the buildings in the area. Slate-gray, empty buildings stand next to eclectic small businesses; the old house of a previous business, now vacant, stands next to a row of bustling stores, directly in front of a mural painted by the group.
“You know what? You work with what’s
here,” Riggio said. “What’s most key and most important is that small businesses do not have the luxury to wait it out.”
Riggio and Justice say some of the biggest issues with the design district are a lack of accessible parking, traffic lights and safe walkways for customers. They noted, for example, that one of their customers complained about twisting their ankle in a pothole directly outside
By CLAIRE HUSS
Per a resolution passed by the county council mid-October, Hyattsville will implement 35 new stop sign cameras across the city.
Stop sign cameras detect whether drivers approaching white stop lines come to a complete stop — meaning
that there is a visible rock back and the car’s wheels stop moving entirely. Cameras use high resolution video and radar to capture images as a car approaches, and a photo after the car passes the stop line.
If a driver fails to come to a stop, the camera records the car’s license plate. The ven-
By ZAKA HOSSAIN
Two decades ago, Jamie McGonnigal sat at a United Nations dinner with actors Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, wondering why he, a Broadway producer and voice actor, had been invited.
But by the end of the night, he would sign on to lead a team of 30 American teenagers to rural Namibia, where they would build bathrooms for students and fences to keep animals out of schools.
"Are we teaching?" he’d asked
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The old model of news delivery — big business daily papers supported by big business advertisers — is falling, as attention and advertising dollars go to digital platforms and tech companies. News delivery is fractured and misinformation flourishes as algorithms serve up frenetic, individually tailored content designed to make it hard to look away.
Here in Hyattsville, we have something different, and something that, with your support, is built to last and to build our community: the Life & Times, founded in 2004, and now part of a growing nonprofit with new newspapers in College Park and Laurel. Our newspaper goes to every address in the city once a month, providing every resident, regardless of their connectivity or social media habits, with common shared information on community volunteerism, local cultural events, and the debates happening in local government. We welcome local opinion pieces and letters to the editor, and we also publish a
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NEWS BRIEFS
McDonald’s gives up on Ager Road site
On Oct. 15, McDonald’s withdrew a plan to build a restaurant at the intersection of Ager Road and East-West Highway, according to a letter obtained by the Life & Times.
Since January, the county planning board has recommended a McDonald’s on the site twice, and the county council has twice discussed the recommendation without endorsing it.
In an Oct. 6 district council meeting, County Councilmember Sydney J. Harrison (District 9) said that 56% of Prince George’s businesses are fast food restaurants, and that one in four deaths in the county come from a heart attack. “We don’t need this,” he said. “We just don’t. (The county council sits as the district council when it is deciding zoning and land use matters.)
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In April, the district council asked McDonald’s and the planning board to address traffic congestion, pedestrian and cyclist safety, public health and recognition of the Green Hill Plantation site where people were enslaved.
At the Oct. 6 meeting, several councilmembers and local residents expressed their disappointment with the response.
by December, we will be able to turn our full attention to bringing you excellent local news in 2026.
Some plans on the horizon that are possible with your support: Starting in February 2026, the newspaper will come out at the beginning of each month, instead of the current mid-month schedule, something readers and advertisers have been clamoring for. Also, we are launching a new four-page Spanish section to serve Spanish-speaking residents who receive the paper in their homes, tentatively titled Hyattsville Este Mes So far in 2025, we have
“I don’t think the planning board adequately addressed many of the remand points,” said Councilmember Eric Olson (District 3). “There are a lot of remaining concerns.”
The health impact assessment, requested in the remand order and completed by the health department, was inadequate and vague, according to People’s Zoning Counsel Stan Brown. Brown said that the assessment was deemed inadequate at the previous hearing, and that it still was, as of the Oct. 6 meeting.
Attorney Edward Gibbs, representing McDonald’s, repeated numerous times throughout the Oct. 6 hearing that while he respected the opposition’s concerns, they shouldn’t have been relevant this late in the planning process.
Magruder Woods becomes Nacotchtank Woods
The woods surrounding Hyattsville’s Driskell Park will now be called Nacotchtank Woods, according to a City of Hyattsville press release.
The city’s largest park and the surrounding forestland were previously named after William Pinckney Magruder, who deeded both to the city in 1927. After a 2018 Life & Times column noted how the
given you information you need on local elections, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Hyattsville, countywide data center development and controversies over the City of Hyattsville’s spending and bookkeeping. Our outgoing editor, Griffin Limerick, won a national award this summer for his editorial on Hyattsville’s virtual-only city council meetings. Our new editor, Nigel F. Maynard, has launched a wonderful series of profiles on Hyattsville’s artisan makers, so far featuring woodworker Blake Sloane and weaver Joe Buriel. Editors Maynard and Heather Wright work hard to get stories right because they live in our area and care about the same local issues that you do. Good things are happening at your community newspaper, and your donation can help that continue. Please give today!
Kit Slack is the executive director of Streetcar Suburbs Publishing, which puts out the Life & Times
deed language limited the park’s use to whites, the city initiated a park-renaming process and solicited resident input.
In 2021, Magruder Park was renamed Driskell Park, after Hyattsville artist and art historian David Driskell, who received the most resident endorsements.
“Nacotchtank” was one of the other leading candidates for renaming the park.
The word “Nacotchtank” refers to the headwaters of the Anacostia River, and Nacotchtank people have lived and cared for the land around the Anacostia for more than 15,000 years, according to the press release.
“The 29th Hereditary Chief Mark Tayac recognizes the spirit of friendship that the City of Hyattsville is showing in its relationship with the Nacotchtank band of the Piscataway Indian Nation,” said Pete Landeros, a representative of Piscataway Indian Nation, in the press release. “The Piscataway Indian Nation welcomed the British discoverers with friendship more than 400 years ago; we are pleased that the City of Hyattsville is now returning the gesture.”
The City of Hyattsville is working with the Piscataway Indian Nation to plan a formal ceremony recognizing the wood’s renaming next year.
Hyattsville residents stand up for democracy at No Kings protest
By RYAN ROSS
Jamila Larson stood on Route 1 dressed as the Statue of Liberty, holding a sign that read, “Immigrants Make America Great.”
A resident of Hyattsville for 14 years, Larson, 52, brought her two children to the No Kings protest on Oct. 18 so they could see that “democracy is not a spectator sport,” Larson said. “Our country is so young that we literally need to exercise our rights, especially today,” she said.
Larson was one of roughly 1,500 people who gathered along Route 1 between Berwyn Road in College Park and Eastern Avenue in Mount Rainier for the protest, part of a nationwide movement aimed at defending democracy, said Laura Usher, one of the organizers of the local protest.
People chanted “No Kings!” as vehicles honked back in support along the busy road. The scene was lively and peaceful, with families standing together, waving American and Mexican flags and holding homemade signs. Children played with each other, and some played instruments in rhythm with chants. Some came dressed in costumes, ranging from Patrick
the Starfish to a giant bear.
Larson said protecting immigrants’ rights is critically important: “Even here in Prince George’s County, we’ve got immigrants being tackled and arrested without due process, and it’s happening quietly, under the cover of silence.”
Usher, a Hyattsville resident for 19 years, is a member of Indivisible Route 1 Corridor, a local chapter of the national progressive Indivisible movement, which encourages civic participation and government accountability.
Usher said she joined Indivisible in early 2025, while searching for ways to respond to the results of the 2024 presidential election “and what it meant for my community, my neighbors and my family,” she said. “There was a real need for community, for people to feel like others felt the same way, and that together we could take some kind of action, and we could solve problems together.”
Usher said collaboration and hope with other community members led her to help organize the local No Kings protest, one of more than 2,600 across the country on Oct. 18 calling on citizens to resist authoritarianism.
Jason Jaffrey, 54, a Hyattsville resident who is a vice president of development for the National Immigration Law Center, said he was glad to join in. “This is part of the essence of being an American citizen, the power to peacefully assemble and make our voice heard against encroaching authoritarianism,” he noted.
Jaffrey said he hopes the public will understand that protesting some government policies is not un-American. “The story that the federal government is pushing, that we are anti-American to oppose fascism, is absolutely wrong,” he said. “The majority of the American people believe in the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and don’t want a monarchy. They want a democracy that is representative.”
Organizers and supporters of the nationwide protests said they were responses to policies and actions from the Trump administration that have eroded democratic institutions and norms. In a video released on Oct. 17, U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said the president “wants to use all the instruments of government power to punish anybody who disagrees with him. He wants to deny
people's rights to free speech. He wants to use the Justice Department to go after his political opponents. He wants to lock people up without due process.”
Amanda Shaffer, 60, said the most important issue for her at the local protest was representation and visibility. “I think there’s a lot of misinformation and disinformation in the media that makes it seem like we are not the majority and [that] the people that are opposed to the way we are operating at the moment are the
majority,” she said.
“That’s the issue for me. Show up, stand up and have your voice heard,” Shaffer added. For Larson, it was important to show up with her family. As the crowd waved their signs, she said she hoped the protest would leave a lasting impression on the American public. “I hope they can feel that courage is contagious,” Larson said.
Ryan Ross is a graduate journalism student at the University of Maryland.
Tuft’n Up brings a unique crafting experience to Hyattsville
By SANYA WASON
Dominyece Gregory is a 32-year-old mother of two, with her own business — Tuft’n Up Studio & Social. Gregory has introduced a new form of art to the DMV area by teaching people how to tuft and create their own rugs.
Tufting is a unique art that punches yarn through fabric or canvas to create a fluffy design, but to Gregory, it is much more than that.
In May 2022, Gregory attended a friend’s birthday party in Atlanta, where she experienced the process of tufting for the first time. With her infant son strapped to her chest, she found the creative exercise soothing and inspirational.
Her first piece was a small avocado rug that sits in her son’s room, inspired by his first favorite food. “That’s where it all began,” she said, smiling fondly.
Nearly five months later, Gregory taught her first tufting class. What started in the back of a van in D.C. quickly grew to a fullscale business in the Hyattsville Art District. The community has been extremely welcoming and helpful in growing her business, Gregory said. She appreciates the city's support and has started handing out deals to
regulars to “pour back into [her] customers as much as they pour into [the business].”
Tuft’n Up Studio & Social is all about vibes, Gregory said, smiling while gesturing to the interior decor that she made. The studio, located on the second floor of 5112 Baltimore Avenue — right above Will’s Decorating — features large windows with calming, natural light pouring in to illuminate the customer’s canvases, and curated playlists to set a comfortable vibe.
“It’s very calming and very community oriented,” Gregory told the Life & Times. “I just try to set the tone so everyone can just come and release and be creative … and leave whatever’s going on in society at the door.”
Bowie resident Tyrell Saint-Bill, 31, surprised his fiancée by bringing her to the studio for her birthday. They had just gotten a cat, he said, and he was inspired to make a cartoonish rug based on their new addition to the family.
Saint-Bill said the welcoming environment and Gregory’s teaching style made him feel less nervous about tufting for the first time, and more likely to return.
“It was a little bit nerve-racking,” he said. “But once you get the hang of it, it’s like ‘OK, I can do this!’”
Tiffany Daffin, 50, and her younger sis-
ter, 49, took a class for a fun and unique girls day. The pair made matching pink rugs with an ivy leaf — a simple but pretty design, she said.
Daffin plans to return, closer to the holidays, to make personalized gifts for her loved ones. “It’s doing something different,” she said. “I’m like, ‘Wow, I did that! ” Laurel resident April McGee-Ludd said she was searching for something new and exciting when she came across Tuft’n Up. She said the studio provided her a place to be creative and channel her love for bright colors.
McGee-Ludd danced around to the studio’s music while making a small purple and pink flower rug, inspired by her season-oriented first name, for her daughter’s playpen.
“It’s cool to do something different, something I didn’t know I was capable of doing,” she said. “You know, I feel good!”
The studio is open by appointment only. Themed workshops are available for booking as they become available. For more information, visit tuftnupstudiosocial.com.
Sanya Wason is an undergraduate journalism student at the University of Maryland.
Tuft'n Up Studio & Social offers classes on how to tuft and create personalized rugs. SANYA WASON
Clockwise from top left: Kevin Foster sits in front of Melrose Park as vehicles honk in support of the Oct. 18 No Kings protest; Jamila Larson dressed as the Statue of Liberty; participants bring the rhythm with conga drums and percussion to amplify their message.
RYAN ROSS
2025 Local Holiday Gift Guide
Forget about Amazon. We have all the gifts you need to delight and amaze your friends and family this holiday, right here in Hyattsville.
YELLOW TERP COFFEE BY VIGILANTE
This $20 bright yellow bag of coffee could get the slowest tortoise moving in the morning. The person who has everything doesn’t have this brand new product yet. And once they do have it, they’ll want more of the single-origin Colombian coffee, roasted to be toasty, smooth and full-bodied. The Vigilante Coffee Company partnered with the University of Maryland Alumni Association to bring these to Hyattsville in time for the holidays — $1 from every bag sold goes to alumni programs and scholarships, which they say are “brewing up opportunities for Terps across generations.”
UNDERARMS, FULL BRAZILIAN AND FULL LEGS BY SMOOTH HAIR REMOVAL
Someone you know would love to save time and fuss and boost confidence this winter, thanks to a service you purchase for them from Hyattsville’s own laser hair removal clinic at 4328 Farragut Street. People rave about the service and the lifestyle change it offers. Questions? Check out their extensive FAQ section on their website, smoothdmv.com, or call and talk to their friendly helpful staff. Full package $300, just Brazilian $120.
FAMILY DOCUMENTARY
PHOTO SHOOT BY
JULIETTE FRADIN
PHOTOGRAPHY
CUSTOM
OIL PAINTING BY FRAME SAVVY
GIFT CARD FOR FRANKLINS RESTAURANT, BREWERY AND GENERAL STORE
A $70 gift card gives so many possibilities: dinner and drinks for a party of two. Mint chip ice cream cones for a party of 10. One bottle of the best French champagne in the store. Chinese tea sets, fair trade mittens, hats with built-in headlamps. The 1,000-piece fine art puzzles cover a whole shelf, as do the Lego flower arrangements for ages 18+. Among the toys, we like the plush hand puppets of wildlife, especially the fluffy peregrine falcon, fierce and ready to migrate to your house.
This puppy is looking at you! Cheryl at Frame Savvy can turn a favorite photo of a loved one into an oil painting like this one. Real people paint them, so it takes time. You might get yours before the holidays if you head quickly to her storefront between Busboys and Poets and PG Nails & Spa on Jefferson Street. While you are there, bring down those photos and posters you’ve been meaning to frame and let this local small business help you make them look just the way you’ve imagined. Oh, and special this fall: Frame Savvy is offering 50% off all of their readymade frames.
For that person you spend so much time with but can never figure out. Turns out, this is what they want. Not the kind of photo shoot where everyone stands next to each other in matching outfits at the park. Juliette, a Hyattsville resident and longtime volunteer photographer for this newspaper, has a thriving business documenting life for families around the DMV. She will spend real time with your family and take honest, clear-eyed candids to help you remember later what life is like this season — the struggle, the mess and the beauty. Special for our readers: $400 off of what would normally be a $1,900 session, or $1,200 for a $1,400 shoot with Juliette’s associate.
VELVET ROBE BY NEST PROPER
APPLES FROM MCLEAF’S ORCHARD
This one is just outside city limits: Every Thursday from 3 to 6:30 p.m. all winter long you can get more than a dozen varieties of local apples from McLeaf’s Orchard at the Riverdale Park Farmers Market by the Riverdale Park MARC station. Keep gifts simple and consumable. And beautiful and delicious. Cider, apple sauce, squash and winter vegetables are also available. Check the market’s Facebook page for info on other visiting gift vendors this month and next.
Wrap yourself in luxury. This lush scarlet velvet robe — its exotic menagerie rendered in a tropical daydream of color and pattern — offers a touch of escapism and indulgence, making it an unforgettable gift this season. Found exclusively at Nest Proper, a designdriven boutique anchoring the SoHy Design District (see p. 1), each piece reflects the refined eye of founders Erica Riggio and Angela Justice, the duo behind Green Owl Design, an interior design firm designing inspired spaces for over a decade. Their mantra this season: “Shop small. Gift beautifully.”
Local businesses paid for their sponsored spots in the 2025 Life & Times Local Holiday Gift Guide. We thank them for supporting local news and being there for our readers during the holiday shopping season!
Local elevator outages reflect a nationwide problem
By PAUL RUFFINS
In September, “Science of the City” began exploring some of the barriers facing people with limited mobility. Utility poles and hydrants in the middle of sidewalks are one kind of barrier. Additionally, the elevators for the pedestrian bridge at the Hyattsville Crossing Metro station and the Hyattsville Municipal Building have been out of service for months. Since utility poles and hydrants are a problem literally set in concrete, the elevators would seem a quicker fix. This article examines some of the most likely reasons they hadn’t been successfully repaired by the time our November edition went to press — and why no specific date has been set for their return to service.
The Hyattsville Crossing Metro station (formally known as the Prince George’s Plaza Metro station) opened in 1993. “Elevators/escalators should be modernized every 20–25 years and replaced after 40–50 years,” notes a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) website. “The time frame for elevator rehabilitation is approximately 8–12 weeks.” It’s reasonable that after about 25 years, the Hyattsville Crossing Metro elevators needed a major overhaul. But why wasn’t the work scheduled while that station and others on the Green Line were closed for three months between July and September 2023?
Of course, the elevator shutdown might not be due to routine preventive maintenance or modernization. On its website, WMATA lists nine other reasons an elevator might be out of service, ranging from a power outage to a water intrusion. Anticipating these problems, the agency should have had the parts and skilled labor to get the Hyattsville elevators running again, no matter what the problem is.
One reason it hasn’t may be that WMATA operates nearly 1,000 escalators and elevators combined — more than any other transit system in North America. Therefore, the elevators on the Hyattsville Crossing pedestrian bridge might not be a high priority because they are actually outside the station itself to help pedestrians cross over East-West Highway to the Mall at Prince George’s. An elevator or escalator outage at a station deep underground, such
as Dupont Circle, would be a much bigger problem for many more people. In fact, WMATA’s plan for modernizing its elevators doesn’t mention anything about Hyattsville Crossing. And its automated notification service, which still uses the old Prince George’s Plaza name, incorrectly reports that all elevators are in operation, while the elevators on the bridge are still unusable. WMATA does offer what the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 might consider a reasonable accommodation by providing a shuttle service for people who can’t negotiate the four flights of stairs.
In September 2024, Franco Faraudo, the editor of Propmodo, a newsletter for the commercial real estate market, wrote a story describing numerous incidents where lengthy elevator outages left seniors or those with disabilities stranded for weeks or longer. He noted, “Journalists frequently frame these stories as exposés on negligent landlords, suggesting that they prioritize profits over the well-being of their tenants.” However, he argues that “the root cause of many of these delays comes down to logistics, not malice.”
According to Faraudo, a scarcity of elevator parts is the main culprit behind repair delays; manufacturers only stockpile
To meet widely varying state and county regulations, many U.S. elevators are essentially custombuilt, which makes them exponentially more expensive to install and harder to repair.
parts for specific elevator models for approximately 15 years after their production. However, there are other problems (read on) and, theoretically, a large customer like WMATA could require manufacturers to stock parts for as long as necessary as a condition for winning its business. This scarcity might explain WMATA’s delay in repairing the equipment at Hyattsville Crossing, but why is the new elevator at the Hyattsville Municipal Building still broken?
A Sept. 25 email from Public Works Deputy Director Hal Metzler noted, “The City is in
the process of completing our elevator modernization project which began in July 2025. The project was anticipated to take approximately 8 weeks to complete. During the work it was discovered that several electrical, plumbing, and fire alarm system upgrades were required to ensure compliance with current State and County Codes. The City’s vendor is completing this work now. Once complete the elevator will be scheduled for its state inspection and be placed back into service.”
By referring to state and county building codes, as well as to a state inspection, Metzler highlights a nationwide issue for the approximately 12% of the U.S. population who report serious difficulty walking or using stairs: To meet widely varying state and county regulations, many U.S. elevators are essentially custom-built, which makes them exponentially more expensive to install and harder to repair.
In a November 2024 The New York Times editorial, Stephen Jacob Smith, executive director of the Center for Building in North America, notes that most of the world, except the U.S. and Canada, has agreed on the European elevator standards, which are as safe as ours and “have been harmonized and refined over generations.” As a result,
he says, “a basic four-stop elevator costs about $158,000 in New York City, compared with about $36,000 in Switzerland.”
Smith also cites labor issues that drive up elevator prices in the U.S. These include union work rules that prevent elevators from being efficiently preassembled in factories, and the fact that many highly skilled immigrants, such as elevator mechanics, cannot obtain H-1B visas because they are typically reserved for professions requiring college degrees.
According to Smith, the U.S. (where Elisha Graves Otis invented the first safe passenger elevator in 1852) has only about a million elevators, approximately the same as Spain, which has one-seventh of our population and only 6% of our GDP. In Europe, moderately priced three-story apartments typically have elevators, while American developers are still building four- and five-story “luxury” walk-ups. Closer to home, it seems that the same factors that keep elevators out of service in many public facilities also keep them out of reach in many residences.
Paul Ruffins is a citizen scientist and a professor of curiosity.
A thrifty Thanksgiving: Making the most of your meal’s leftovers
By IMKE AHLF-WIEN
At the end of September, when we start planning our Thanksgiving dinner — who to invite, what side dishes to make — the same question arises every year: Is it too much to splurge on a pastured turkey from Groff ’s Content Farm?
Groff ’s Content Farm, located in Rocky Ridge, Frederick County, has been selling their humanely raised products — pork, beef, lamb, poultry, eggs and a few prepared dishes — at the Riverdale Park Farmers Market for 17 years. According to Groff 's website, their turkeys
“live a life outside on acres of sustainable, chemical free pasture in the sun and fresh air.
[They] are free to forage, run and gobble at anything passing by.” Considering all this, I don’t think $8.35/pound for a pastured turkey is too much, and even $14/pound for a heritage turkey shouldn’t be considered outrageously expensive.
In addition to supporting local farmers, there are a few more reasons for splurging on such a turkey at least once a year:
• I can feed 10 people.
• With the bones alone, I can make a large pot of nourishing stock.
Creamy Turkey Curry
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon clarified butter or ghee
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric
1/2 tablespoon paprika powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup homemade turkey stock
15-ounce can coconut milk
6-ounce can tomato paste
2 cups leftover turkey meat, chopped or shredded
1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
Directions:
Melt the ghee in a large pan. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes, then add garlic and ginger and sauté for another 2 minutes.
Add all the spices; stir until well combined. Add turkey stock, coconut milk and tomato paste, whisk well. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the turkey meat and salt, cook for 5 minutes until the sauce has reached the desired consistency and the meat is heated through. Serve with rice or naan bread.
• I can use the leftover meat for an additional two (or even three) meals.
• It really isn’t that expensive when you do the math. (Did you know that a McDonald’s “meal” costs close to $15 per person in our area?)
The trick is to make the most of what you have and to be creative with your leftovers. Maybe the recipes can inspire you to try something new this year!
Imke Ahlf-Wien is a nutrition educator with a passion for fresh, locally procured foods.
Turkey Stock
Ingredients:
Turkey Enchiladas
This is a great recipe to use up leftovers from your Thanksgiving meal. Anything can be hidden in the filling, especially green leafy vegetables. If you like it soggy (like I do), double the sauce.
Ingredients:
12 corn tortillas
1 cup leftover turkey meat, shredded
1 cup black beans
1/2 to 1 cup leftover cooked green leafy vegetables (optional) a generous pinch of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika and oregano
salt and pepper to taste
12- to 14-ounce bottle red enchilada sauce (or homemade)
2 cups Mexican cheese mix
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread about 1/4 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Assemble the enchiladas one at a time: Spread 1 tablespoon of the sauce on a tortilla. Arrange 1/4 cup of the filling across the center of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly around the filling and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Tightly pack the enchiladas into a single layer. Spread the remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas, then sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake uncovered until heated through and the sauce just begins to bubble, about 20 to 25 minutes.
1 roasted turkey carcass, meat removed, broken into large chunks bits and pieces of onions, celery, carrots and parsley (These don’t have to be the nicest looking parts: They can be celery leaves; carrot peel; even onion peel, which gives a nice dark hue to the stock; and parsley stems — all well rinsed and cleaned.) enough filtered water to cover the carcass
Directions:
In a large stockpot, add the cooked turkey carcass, onions, celery, carrots and parsley. Add enough water to cover the mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat. Simmer for about 3 hours or longer. Remove the big bones and vegetables from the stockpot. Fit a fine-mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl. Pour the stock through the strainer and into the bowl. Let the stock cool completely. If not using immediately, divide the stock between several small jars or storage containers. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Easiest Turkey Soup
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
6 cups homemade turkey stock
2 cups leftover turkey meat
1 cup rice, uncooked
1 cup frozen peas, thawed (optional) juice of 1 lemon salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Sauté the onion, garlic, celery and carrots in olive oil and butter over low heat for 5 minutes. Add turkey stock and leftover turkey meat, and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add rice, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Add peas, season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice just before serving.
THE CITY OF HYATTSVILLE
The Hyattsville Reporter
Nacotchtank Woods Renamed in Recognition of Local Indigenous Tribe
The City of Hyattsville, in partnership with the Piscataway Indian Nation and M-NCPPC, is honored to celebrate Native American Heritage Month by announcing the renaming of the woods surrounding Driskell Park as Nacotchtank Woods.
The name Nacotchtank refers to the headwaters of the Anacostia River. The Nacotchtank band of the Piscataway Indian Nation have lived and cared for the land around the Anacostia for over 15,000 years.
Pete Landeros, Official Spokesperson of the Piscataway Indian Nation, shares, “The 29th Hereditary Chief Mark Tayac recognizes the spirit of friendship that the City of Hyattsville is showing in its relationship with the Nacotchtank band of the Piscataway Indian Nation. The Piscataway Indian Nation welcomed the British discoverers with friendship more than 400 years ago; we are pleased that the City of Hyattsville is now returning the gesture. We respect that the City has reached out to the Piscataway Indian Nation in this way. May the friendship we begin to forge today grow strong for the mutual benefit of our future generations. Waniishi (thank you).”
A formal recognition ceremony of the wood’s renaming is being planned for 2026. Find additional programs celebrating our region’s indigenous history at hyattsville. org/nahm.
HOLIDAY SERVICE CHANGES
Hyattsville City offices will be closed Tuesday, November 11 in observance of Veterans Day. Tuesday and Wednesday trash routes will be collected on Wednesday, November 12. No change to yard waste and compost pick up or recycling routes.
City offices will be closed Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28, in observance of Thanksgiving. Tuesday and Wednesday trash routes will be collected on Tuesday, November 25. Thursday and Friday routes will be collected on Wednesday, November 26. No collection on November 27–28. No change to yard waste and compost pick up. County recycling routes will move from Thursday to Friday, and from Friday to Saturday. For more information, visit hyattsville.org/trash.
El Bosque Nacotchtank
Cambia de Nombre en Reconocimiento a la Tribu Indígena Local
La ciudad de Hyattsville, en colaboración con la nación indígena Piscataway y M-NCPPC, tiene el honor de celebrar el Mes de la Herencia Nativa Americana anunciando el cambio de nombre del bosque que rodea el parque Driskell, que pasará a llamarse bosque Nacotchtank.
El nombre Nacotchtank hace referencia a la cabecera del río Anacostia. La banda Nacotchtank de la Nación Indígena Piscataway ha vivido y cuidado las tierras que rodean el Anacostia durante más de 15 000 años.
Pete Landeros, portavoz oficial de la Nación Indígena Piscataway, afirma: “El 29 jefe hereditario Mark Tayac reconoce el espíritu de amistad que la ciudad de Hyattsville está demostrando en su relación con la banda Nacotchtank de la Nación Indígena Piscataway. La nación indígena Piscataway recibió a los descubridores británicos con amistad hace más de 400 años; nos complace que la ciudad de Hyattsville ahora devuelva el gesto. Respetamos que la ciudad se haya acercado a la nación indígena Piscataway de esta manera. Que la amistad que comenzamos a forjar hoy se fortalezca para el beneficio mutuo de nuestras generaciones futuras. Waniishi (gracias)”.
Se está planeando una ceremonia formal de reconocimiento del cambio de nombre del bosque para 2026. Encuentre programas adicionales que celebran la historia indígena de nuestra región en hyattsville.org/nahm.
CAMBIOS EN LOS SERVICIOS DURANTE LOS DÍAS FESTIVOS
Las oficinas municipales de Hyattsville permanecerán cerradas el martes 11 de noviembre con motivo de la celebración del Día de los Veteranos. La recogida de basura de los martes y miércoles se realizará el miércoles 12 de noviembre. No habrá cambios en la recogida de residuos de jardín y compost o en las rutas de reciclaje.
Las oficinas municipales permanecerán cerradas el jueves 27 de noviembre y el viernes 28 de noviembre con motivo de la celebración del Día de Acción de Gracias. Las rutas de recolección de basura del martes y miércoles se realizarán el martes 25 de noviembre. Las rutas del jueves y viernes se realizarán el miércoles 26 de noviembre. No habrá recolección los días 27 y 28 de noviembre. No habrá cambios en la recolección de desechos de jardín y compost. Las rutas de reciclaje del condado se trasladarán del jueves al viernes y del viernes al sábado. Para obtener más información, visite hyattsville.org/trash.
The woods surrounding Driskell Park will hereby be named Nacotchtank Woods. | Los bosques que rodean el parque Driskell pasarán a denominarse Nacotchtank Woods.
ANNOUNCEMENTS | ANUNCIOS
HYATTSVILLE EQUITY PLAN ADOPTED
We are excited to announce the adoption of the Hyattsville Equity Plan, a roadmap to eliminate racial disparities and create better outcomes for all. This plan will guide the City’s efforts to promote equity, inclusion, and enhance the quality of life for all residents. Read the entire plan and learn more at hyattsville.org/equity.
LEAF COLLECTION & LEAF BLOWER REMINDERS
Weekly leaf collection services for residential streets has begun and will continue through mid-January. Commercial and multi-family properties are not included. Visit hyattsville.org/leaves for the collection schedule.
Help the crews collect leaves efficiently by placing piles curbside and not blocked by cars. Make sure piles are free of sticks & rocks that can damage the machinery. If you miss your collection day, you can place leaves in paper yard waste bags for Monday compost collection, or “leaf” them alone and mow into your lawn for a natural fertilizer!
Please remember that the City’s gas leaf blower ban is in effect. All leaf blowers used by residents and contractors must be electric. Violators may receive warnings or fines, so switch to an electric blower that is healthier for you and the environment. Learn more at hyattsville.org/leafblower.
WINTER CAMP REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
Winter Camp is part of our seasonal day camp program for elementary-aged children with activities that explore arts and crafts, learn a little with STEM, and gain exposure to various sports and games! This year Winter Camp will be held on December 22-23, 26, and 29-31 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Aftercare available for an additional fee. Spaces available for grades 3-5, limited space for grades K-2. For more information and to register, go to hyattsville.org/camps.
CALLS FROM SANTA!
Mr. and Mrs. Claus are making phone calls to the little ones of Hyattsville this December! Phone calls will be made on December 12 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. If you would like your kids to receive a phone call to celebrate the season, complete the form at hyattsville.org/santa between November 17 - December 5.
THE BATTLE OF THE LIGHTS! HOLIDAY LIGHT CONTEST
It’s that festive time of year again—time to nominate your home, a neighbor’s, or that stunning house a few blocks away for the annual holiday light contest, Battle of the Lights! Visit hyattsville.org/holiday-contest from November 28 to December 12 to complete the nomination form. Online judging will take place from December 22–31. Winners will be announced at the City Council meeting and featured on our social media accounts. Good luck to all participants!
HYATTSVILLE FOOD FORESTS
From November to December, our gardens are bursting with delicious bounty! Visit hyattsville.org/foodforest to learn what you can harvest - like sea kale!
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
Discover low or no-cost programs and services available to support Hyattsville community members in need! Find assistance programs for education, employment, food, health, housing, utilities, and more at hyattsville.org/assistance.
A reminder that the City’s website can be translated into many languages using the “Translate” button in the lower right corner of the page.
PLAN DE EQUIDAD DE HYATTSVILLE ADOPTADO
¡Estamos emocionados de anunciar la adopción del Plan de Equidad de Hyattsville, una hoja de ruta para eliminar las disparidades raciales y crear mejores resultados para todos! Este plan guiará los esfuerzos de la Ciudad para promover la equidad, la inclusión y mejorar la calidad de vida de todos los residentes. Lea el plan completo y obtenga más información en hyattsville.org/equity.
RECORDATORIOS SOBRE LA RECOGIDA DE HOJAS Y EL SOPLADOR DE HOJAS
Los servicios semanales de recogida de hojas en calles residenciales de la ciudad están en marcha y continuarán hasta mediados de enero. Las propiedades comerciales y multifamiliares no están incluidas. Visite hyattsville.org/leaves para ver el calendario de recogida.
Ayude al personal a recoger las hojas de forma eficaz colocando los montones de hojas en el borde de la acera y sin que bloqueen los carros. Asegúrese de que los montones de hojas estén libres de palos y piedras que puedan dañar la maquinaria. Si se pierde su día de recogida de hojas, puede colocarlas en bolsas de papel para la recogida de abono del lunes, o dejarlas en su patio y cortarlas en el césped para obtener un fertilizante natural.
Recuerde que está en vigor la prohibición de utilizar sopladores de hojas de gas. Todos los sopladores de hojas utilizados por residentes y contratistas deben ser eléctricos. Los infractores pueden recibir advertencias o multas, así que cambie a un soplador eléctrico que es más saludable para usted y el medio ambiente. Más información en hyattsville.org/leafblower.
¡YA ESTÁ ABIERTA LA INSCRIPCIÓN PARA EL CAMPAMENTO DE INVIERNO!
El Campamento de Invierno es parte de nuestro programa estacional de campamentos diurnos para niños de edad escolar primaria, con actividades que incluyen arte y manualidades, exploración básica de STEM, y la práctica de varios deportes y juegos. Este año, el Campamento de Invierno se llevará a cabo los días 22, 23, 26, 29, 30 y 31 de diciembre, de 9:00 a.m. a 3:00 p.m. Servicio de cuidado posterior disponible por un costo adicional. Hay espacios disponibles para los grados 3-5, y espacios limitados para los grados K-2. Para más información y para inscribirte, visita Hyattsville.org/ camps.
¡RECIBE LAS LLAMADAS DE SANTA CLAUS!
El Sr. y la Sra. Claus llamarán por teléfono a los más pequeños de Hyattsville este diciembre. Las llamadas telefónicas se realizarán el 12 de diciembre entre las 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Si desea que sus hijos reciban una llamada telefónica para celebrar la temporada, rellene el formulario en hyattsville.org/santa antes del 17 de noviembre al 5 de diciembre.
¡LA BATALLA DE LAS LUCES! CONCURSO DE LUCES FESTIVAS ¡Ha llegado nuevamente esa época festiva! Es momento de nominar su casa, la de un vecino, ¡o esa impresion¬ante casa a unos bloques de distancia para el Concurso anual de Luces Festivas!
Visite hyattsville.org/holiday-contest del 28 de noviembre al 12 de diciembre para completar el formulario de nominación. La evaluación en línea se llevará a cabo del 22 al 31 de diciembre. Los ganadores se anunciarán en la reunión del Concejo Municipal y se destacarán en nuestras redes sociales. ¡Buena suerte a todos los participantes!
BOSQUES COMESTIBLES DE HYATTSVILLE
¡De noviembre a diciembre, nuestros jardines están llenos de una deliciosa cosecha! Visite hyattsville.org/foodforest para descubrir qué puede recolectar, ¡como la col marina!
PROGRAMAS DE ASISTENCIA
Descubra programas y servicios de bajo costo o gratuitos disponibles para apoyar a los miembros en necesidad de la comunidad de Hyattsville! Encuentre programas de asistencia para educación, empleo, alimentación, salud, vivienda, servicios públicos y más en hyattsville.org/ assistance.
Un recordatorio de que el sitio web de la Ciudad se puede traducir a muchos idiomas usando el botón “Traducir” en la esquina inferior derecha de la página.
CALENDAR | CALENDARIO
FREE ZUMBA CLASSES
Mondays & Wednesdays, 4 - 5 PM at the City Building!
TEEN CENTER SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Poetry Clinic, November 13, 5-6 p.m.: Middle and High Schoolers are invited to this creative space to share their voice, grow as poets, and discover new ways to bring their poetry to life. Entrepreneurial Workshop, December 4 & 11, 5-6 p.m.: Learn about the world of entrepreneurship through fun challenges and group activities that will build confidence, creativity, problem solving. Find details at hyattsville.org/teencenter.
CARE PARTNER SUPPORT GROUP
Join the City’s care partner support group on Nov. 14, 9:30 - 10:45 AM at the City Building. More info at 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 November 14! Kids participate in fun activities while you get a night out! hyattsville.org/nightowls.
WARD 3 & 4 INVASIVE VINE REMOVALS
Volunteers are needed for the following events! –November 15, 10am – 1pm: Invasive vine removal in Ward 3 at University Hills Park!
December 6, 10am – 1pm: Invasive vine removal in Ward 4 (meet at 38th Avenue Park).
Training and tools will be provided and student service-learn¬ing hours are available. Find more information and register at hyattsville.org/vine-removal.
LUNCH & LEARN WORKSHOP: THE R.O.S.A. PROGRAM
Hyattsville’s older adults are invited to a free workshop with guest presenters from Adult Protective Services (APS) and the R.O.S.A. program on November 17 from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the City Building, 4310 Gallatin St. Enjoy lunch while learning how APS and R.O.S.A. can help you or your loved ones live
safely and independently in the community. Free transportation provided for Hyattsville residents. Registration is required; to register, visit hyattsville.org/ seniors, call (301) 985-5000, or email seniors@hyattsville. org
FREE PRODUCE DISTRIBUTION
Pick up bags of free produce on Tuesday, November 18, at the First United Methodist Church, 6201 Belcrest Rd., starting at noon.
TRAFFIC CALMING MEETINGS
Community members are invited to join the City’s Department of Public Works at several upcoming community meetings to hear updates on the following traffic calming projects:
November 18, 6:30 p.m.: Lancer & Longfellow Streets, meet at the City Building, 4310 Gallatin Street
December 2, 6:30 p.m.: Jamestown Road, meet at the City Building, 4310 Gallatin Street
CERT MEETING
The next Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) organization meeting is on Nov. 19, 6:30 PM, at the City Building. hyattsville.org/CERT.
FREE NARCAN TRAININGS
Free NARCAN community trainings are offered at the City Building on Nov. 20 at 6 PM and Nov. 21 at 10 AM. hyattsville.org/NARCAN.
FREE MOVIE MONDAY!
Come along and enjoy a classic film at the Old Greenbelt Theatre on December 1 at 1 p.m.! hyattsville.org/seniors.
IMPLICIT BIAS WORKSHOPS
December 2, 6-7:30pm, Hyattsville Library.
December 8, 6-7:30pm, City of Hyattsville Municipal Building
Join us for an interactive workshop to explore how unconscious attitudes can shape our everyday perceptions and decisions. Learn practical strategies to recognize and interrupt unconscious bias to foster
stronger connections as community members and neighbors.
DIAPER DISTRIBUTION
FREE diaper distribution on December 5, 9:30 - 11 AM at the City Building. Proof of the child’s date of birth is required. Details at hyattsville.org/calendar.
WINTER WONDERLAND
Kick off the season at our Winter Wonderland event in Driskell Park on Dec. 5 at 7 PM! Enjoy of musical performances, craft tables and the lighting of the City’s holiday trees! hyattsville.org/ calendar.
CLASES GRATUITAS DE ZUMBA
Lunes y miércoles, 4 - 5 PM en el Edificio Municipal!
PROGRAMAS DEL CENTRO PARA ADOLESCENTES
Clínica de poesía, 13 de noviembre, de 5 a 6 p.m.: Los estudiantes de secundaria y preparatoria están invitados a este espacio creativo para compartir su voz, crecer como poetas y descubrir nuevas formas de dar vida a su poesía. Taller de emprendimiento, 4 y 11 de diciembre, de 5 a 6 p.m.: Aprende sobre el mundo del emprendimiento a través de divertidos retos y actividades en grupo que fomentarán la confianza, la creatividad y la resolución de problemas.
GRUPO DE APOYO PARA CUIDADORES
Reunirse con otros cuidadores el 14 de noviembre, de 9:30 - 10:45 AM en el Edificio Municipal. Inscríbase: hyattsville.org/calendar.
¡BÚHOS NOCTURNOS!
Deje a su(s) pequeño(s) en los grados K-5 en el Driskell Park Rec Center de 6 - 9 PM el 14 de noviembre. Los niños participarán en divertidas actividades mientras tú pasas una noche fuera. hyattsville. org/nightowls.
¡ELIMINACIÓN DE ENREDADERAS
INVASIVAS EN EL DISTRITO 3 Y 4!
¡Estamos buscando voluntarios para apoyar próximos esfuerzos comunitarios! - 15 de
noviembre, de 10am – 1pm: ¡Eliminación de enredaderas invasoras en el distrito 3 del parque University Hills! 6 de diciembre, de 10am a 1pm: Eliminación de enredaderas invasoras en el distrito 4 (nos reuniremos en el parque 38th Avenue). Se proporcionará capacitación y herramientas, y se ofrecen horas de aprendizaje-servicio para los estudiantes. Para obtener más información e inscribirse, visite hyattsville. org/vine-removal.
TALLER DE ALMUERZO Y APRENDIZAJE: PROGRAMA DE R.O.S.A.
Se invita a los adultos mayores de Hyattsville a un taller gratuito con presentadores invitados de los Servicios de Protección para Adultos (APS) y el programa R.O.S.A. el 17 de noviembre, de 11 a. m. a 12:30 p. m. en el edificio municipal, 4310 Gallatin St. Disfrute de un almuerzo mientras aprende cómo APS y R.O.S.A. pueden ayudarle a usted o a sus seres queridos a vivir de forma segura e independiente en la comunidad. Se ofrece transporte gratuito a los residentes de Hyattsville. Es necesario inscribirse; para hacerlo, visite hyattsville. org/seniors, llame al (301) 985-5000 o envíe un correo electrónico a seniors@ hyattsville.org
DISTRIBUCIÓN DE ALIMENTOS GRATIS
Distribución gratuita de productos el 18 de noviembre en la Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida, 6201 Belcrest Rd., a partir del mediodía.
REUNIÓNES DE PACIFICACIÓN DEL TRÁFICO
Se invita a los miembros de la comunidad a unirse al Departamento de Obras Públicas de la ciudad en varias reuniones comunitarias próximas para conocer las últimas novedades sobre los siguientes proyectos de pacificación del tráfico: 18 de noviembre, 6:30 p.m.: Lancer & Longfellow Streets, nos reuniremos en el Edificio Municipal, 4310
Gallatin Street. 2 de diciembre, 6:30 p.m.: Jamestown Road, nos reuniremos en el Edificio Municipal, 4310 Gallatin Street.
REUNIÓN CERT
La próxima reunión del Equipo Comunitario de Respuesta ante Emergencias (CERT) es el 19 de nov., a las 6:30 PM, en el Edificio Municipal. hyattsville.org/cert.
ENTRENAMIENTO DE NARCAN GRATUITO
Entrenamientos gratuitos NARCAN se ofrecen en el Edificio Municipal el 20 de nov., a las 6 PM y el 21 de nov., a las 10 AM. hyattsville. org/NARCAN.
¡LUNES DE CINE GRATIS!
¡Ven a disfrutar de una película clásica en el Old Greenbelt Theatre el 1 de diciembre a la 1 p.m! hyattsville.org/seniors.
TALLER SOBRE SESGOS IMPLÍCITOS
2 de diciembre, de 6 a 7:30 p. m., Biblioteca de Hyattsville. 8 de diciembre, de 6 a 7:30 p. m., Edificio Municipal de la Ciudad de Hyattsville Únase a nosotros en un taller interactivo para explorar cómo las actitudes inconscientes pueden moldear nuestras percepciones y decisiones cotidianas. Aprenda estrategias prácticas para reconocer e interrumpir los prejuicios inconscientes con el fin de fomentar conexiones más sólidas como miembros de la comunidad y vecinos.
DISTRIBUCIÓN DE PAÑALES
Distribución gratuita de pañales el 5 de diciembre en el Edificio Municipal de 9:30 - 11 AM. Se requiere prueba de la fecha de nacimiento del niño. hyattsville.org/calendar.
EVENTO DE LUCES INVERNALES
Comienza la temporada en nuestro evento de luces invernales en Driskell Park el 5 de diciembre, 7 PM. Disfruta de musica, mesas de artesanía y árboles festivos de la ciudad. hyattsville.org/calendar.
HIGHLIGHTS | LO DESTACADO
What an amazing time and amazing Halloween costumes at our yearly Treat-O-Rama event at Driskell Park! Put your paws together for our virtual pet costume winners too! Those are some doggone good outfits! | ¡Qué momento tan increíble y qué disfraces de Halloween tan fantásticos en nuestro evento anual Treat-O-Rama en Driskell Park ¡Un aplauso también para los ganadores de nuestro concurso virtual de disfraces de mascotas!¡Son unos disfraces fantásticos!
REWILDING ROUTE 1
Isopods: A real pill (bug)
By RICK BORCHELT
It’s a twice-a-year chore, lugging the big pots of houseplants from their summer quarters in the garden to their winter homes in the basement or by a large window upstairs. Then for weeks afterwards, there’s an additional chore: vacuuming up the brittle corpses of pill bugs and sowbugs littering the floor.
When you bring your plants in as cool weather arrives, lots of other things can come in, too: crickets, millipedes, spiders, earthworms, occasionally even small frogs or lizards. Those little gray scurriers we commonly call sowbugs and roly-polies — the British call them woodlice, and scientists use the more scientific name “isopods” — are probably the most abundant.
The isopods in our gardens and woodlands are crustaceans — terrestrial relatives of crabs, lobsters, shrimp and crayfish. All of these species have the same crunchy external skeletons; in isopods, this exoskeleton is divided into a series of plate-like segments that cover the entire dorsal surface. Unlike their larger aquatic cousins, however, isopods lack legs specialized with claws or for swimming. Their seven pairs of legs are all pretty much alike; indeed, isopod in Greek roughly means “equal foot.”
There are many species of aquatic isopods, too. Of the 10,000 or so species of isopods in the world, about half are terrestrial and half are aquatic. All of them have gill-like structures called pleopods that allow them to absorb oxygen; they only work in water or moist environments, so this limits our land isopods to moist environments like under the pots you’ve left sitting on the ground all summer. Here they feed mostly on decaying plant litter and fungal threads, although they aren’t above snacking on lower leaves of houseplants where they touch the soil. Lift the pot in the fall, and you’re likely to send a dozen or more of these gray, half-inch denizens of the damp scuttering into the mulch. Some of these isopods likely made their way up into the soil of your pots, and as the dirt dries out in your house, they venture out in search of moisture. If they don’t find any, their pleopods stop working, and the isopods literally suffocate. Isopods come in two flavors. The ones we commonly call
pill bugs or roly-polies can roll themselves into tight little balls like armadillos. This behavior — which goes by the tonguetwisting term “conglobation” — protects them from many predators and also serves to conserve moisture when their environment dries out.
Most of our land isopods can’t curl up this way, though. They’re the ones we call sowbugs and woodlice (although the latter term is sometimes used for pill bugs, too). They have the same segmented body plans, but the butts of sowbugs sport two very obvious antenna-like appendages called uropods that seem to perform some sensory functions and secrete chemicals used in defense and communication with each other. Pill bugs, in contrast, have short uropods — so short that they’re hard to see — but easy to tuck when the pill bug rolls up. Here in the DMV we have very few native pill bugs or sowbugs. Of Maryland’s 22 or so recorded species, 17 are immigrants to North America, mostly from Europe, including all the ones you’re likely to see in local urban and suburban habitats.
The roly-poly species you will likely encounter are in the aptly
named family Armadillididae, from the animal namesake armadillo. These include the common pill bug and the nosy pill bug; the latter named not because it is especially inquisitive but because it has a noseor horn-like bump on its head. The common pill bug is mostly dark gray with scattered yellow splotches and can roll into a very tight ball. The nosy pill bug can’t quite make a perfect sphere when it conglobates and is typically lighter colored with distinct bands or stripes of yellow or cream running down its upper side.
We have many more kinds of sowbugs to choose from, but most are difficult for casual observers to distinguish. Two you are likely to spot are the common rough woodlouse and common striped woodlouse. The rough woodlouse is usually pale gray with indistinct lighter mottling, while the striped woodlouse is named for the distinct dark stripe running down the center of the back.
The life histories of pill bugs and sowbugs are very similar: Adults overwinter and mate in the spring. The females have special appendages called a marsupium on their undersides to carry their eggs, and baby
isopods look for all intents and purposes like adults. When you uncover a colony of isopods under a rock or log, it’s normal to find a range of sizes and ages together.
If your plants stay consistently moist over the winter in the house, pill bugs and sowbugs may just hunker down inside the pots until you put the whole enterprise back outside in the spring. You can toss any living isopods you find out into the garden. Or you can keep them as pets.
Indeed, isopods are increasingly popular in the pet trade: They’re easy to take care of, needing only a moist terrarium with pieces of bark or rock to hide under. They do fine on a diet of leaf litter supplemented from time to time with fish
flakes or dried shrimp meal for added protein.
Isopod enthusiasts have discovered in the wild or selectively bred some very colorful land isopods with fanciful names like Powder Blue, Powder Orange, Zebra, Dairy Cow and Panda King.
Even these exotic-looking isopods prefer lurking under cover, so don’t expect them to come out to play. On the other hand, they don’t need a litter box or daily walks.
Rick Borchelt is a science and natural history writer, field naturalist, and garden and botany enthusiast. Reach him with questions about this column at rborchelt@gmail.com.
The boldly marked Zebra is common in the isopod pet trade. COURTESY OF ETHAN PORCARO
Northwestern High truancy issues improve, but gaps persist
By ZAKA HOSSAIN
Gateway West homeowners say parts of a safety problem tied to truancy from next-door Northwestern High School have eased since a spate of violent incidents in early 2024, but they warn that gaps remain where students still cut across private property and confrontations occasionally flare.
“I moved in here in December of 2023,” said Michael “Mike” Bonds, vice president of the Gateway West Homeowners Association. “You regularly had students just congregating on our side of the fence, having lunch, stuff like that during the day. It’s kind of calmed down quite a bit. There’s almost no activity with this fence near the entrance.”
Neighbors credit the improvements to a combination of patched fencing at the mosttraveled breach points, regular police patrols during school hours, new and repositioned cameras and the steady presence of a school resource officer (SRO). Those measures, residents say, have reduced daytime loitering and made them more comfortable reporting problems to the SRO.
The tightened coordination followed two high-visibility 2024 episodes that focused public attention: a Jan. 5 shooting in the 3500 block of Carnaby Street that critically injured a 14-yearold and prompted school lockdowns, and a May stabbing near the school that left a 17-year-old hurt. City committee minutes and police statements show officials responded with targeted patrols and worked to fortify vulnerable fencing.
Citing the reinforcement of fencing by the Gateway West sign, Saswathi Natta, leader of Ward 3’s neighborhood watch, said that the foot-traffic pattern has changed. She added, “Students use a hole by the playground now. The amount of truancy I can't be sure of because … they’re not going past my front door as much anymore.”
Despite the gains, residents say some challenges remain: Trees and low-visibility behind the bleachers provide cover for quick detours. “Getting the builder to fix the fence has been two years running,” Gateway West resident Kayla Brown said. “It’s been fixed and then cut through several times. It usually only takes the kids about a day
to take the fence back down after it’s been fixed.”
Brown noted that developer Stanley Martin Homes offered “zero percent” help.
Brown said the city has been responsive, providing residents with contacts and encouraging the use of the police nonemergency line. “A lot of neighbors will also give the school a heads-up when we are calling the nonemergency lines so the school resource officer is aware of what’s going on,” she said. “The relationship is building. … We’ve had a lot of ongoing conversations that I think have really helped.”
Residents say the violence hardened their push for quick fixes. After meetings between residents and a group of city officials and school leaders, the city increased targeted patrols and worked with the developer to shore up obvious breach points, city meeting minutes and residents say. “There was a pronounced police presence last year,” Bonds said. “You would have a car come through, maybe at lunchtime or a couple times during the day just to get students back to class.”
The city confirms that its offi-
cers and SROs maintain a presence during school hours and coordinate with Prince George’s County Public Schools when students are found off campus. “Hyattsville Police Department stays in regular communication with both the residents of Gateway West and the leadership at Northwestern High School to monitor the truancy issue,” City Communications Manager Cindy Zork said in an email. Among other practical tactics is the circulation of the SRO’s number so residents can directly reach an officer. “The resource officer knows the students; they can ID them and deescalate,” Natta said. Residents said routing incidents first to the SRO, rather than immediately to unfamiliar patrol units, reduced the chance of escalation and made families feel safer about leaving children at
the playground. But governance gaps remain, complicating durable fixes. Gateway West’s inner aluminum fence was installed and is maintained by developer Stanley Martin Homes; an outer chain-link fence belongs to the school; and the playground on Carnaby Street is set to be transferred to the city. Residents say the HOA was initially controlled by Stanley Martin Homes, reducing resident leverage over repairs and park management. “We were the new kids on the block — this used to be essentially forest,” Brown said. “Kids thought it was a free-roam area.” Yet the remaining breach in the fence near the playground is a persistent issue. A neighborhood watch sign nearby warns that suspicious activity is reported to police. Residents point to the hole in the fence as evidence that coordination and patrols work, but gains may be fragile without a durable handoff of responsibility.
Zaka Hossain is a graduate journalism student at the University of Maryland.
In the Carnaby Street playground in Gateway West, a residential community next to Northwestern High School, a neighborhood watch sign and holes in two parallel fences mark an everyday boundary between school life and suburban yards. ZAKA HOSSAIN
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Find more local events all month long in our continuously updated online calendar at
Here’s our list of events sponsored by local nonprofits, arts organizations and performance venues, occurring between Nov. 14 and Dec. 11; all information is current as of Nov. 6. 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 Dec. 12, 2025, and Jan. 8, 2026, to managingeditor@ hyattsvillelife.com by Dec. 4.
Recurring
Riverdale Park Farmers Market is open every Thursday — except Thanksgiving week, when it will instead be open on Tuesday, Nov. 25 — starting at 3 p.m. in the parking lot near the Riverdale MARC Station, 4650 Queensbury Rd. Live music, prior to Thanksgiving week, starts at about 4:30 p.m. (Nov. 20: Jim Groves and Friends) For more information, contact rpkfarmmkt@gmail.com.
Ongoing
View Pyramid Atlantic Art Center’s Annual 10 x 10 Invitational. This exhibition/fundraiser has just two rules: All work must measure 10 x 10 inches and be priced at $60. Nov. 22 to Jan. 5, 2026 (with an opening reception on Nov. 22, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.). Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 4218 Gallatin St. 301.608.910. pyramidatlanticartcenter.org
In the exhibition “What You See Is What You Get,” artist Keith Kreuger presents a collection of found-object assemblages that challenge perceptions of art,
value and transformation. Free. Through Jan. 3, 2026 (with a free public reception on Nov. 15, from 5 to 8 p.m.). Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood. 301.277.2863. brentwoodarts@pgparks.com
Artist Caroline MacKinnon explores our place in the cosmos using various materials, including ceramic sculpture and embroidery, gouache, acrylic paint and ink in her exhibition “Eye on the Sky.” Free. Through Jan. 4, 2026 (with a free public reception on Nov. 20, from 6 to 8 p.m.). Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly. 301.277.1710. publickplayhouse@pgparks.com
November 14
Take on a thrilling 100-foot night-vision challenge course using night-vision technology, following a quick classroom intro. Ages 18+. $10 county residents, $13 nonresidents. Register at pgparksdirect.com for one of three 45-minute time periods, starting at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Rd., Bladensburg. 301.779.0371. BladensburgWP@pgparks.com
November 15
Streetcar 82 Brewing Co. hosts
Five Dollar Fine. Free. 7 to 9 p.m. 4824 Rhode Island Ave. streetcar82brewing.com
Tornado Rose performs at Maryland Meadworks. Free. 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 201.955.9644. marylandmeadworks.com
November 20
Artists at any level are invited to the Paint a Pet Portrait Workshop! After registering at artworksnow.org, email us a photo of your pet, and artist Lindsay Ancellotti will prep your custom canvas. Then join us in the studio as she guides you step by step to create your masterpiece. $50 for ages 16+. 4 to 6 p.m. Art Works Now, 4800 Rhode Island Ave. 301.454.0808 artworksnow.org
November 21 & 22
Start your holiday shopping while making a global impact at the annual Ten Thousand Villages Craft Market, Bake Sale and Rug Event. The opening night rug event features Bunyaad hand-knotted, heirloomquality rugs and pillows crafted by fairly paid adults. Nov. 21 from 5 to 8 p.m. The fun continues on Nov. 22 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hyattsville Mennonite Church, 4217 East-West Hwy. 301.927.7327. hyattsvillemennonite.org
November 22
This hands-on program dives into the fascinating world of insects. Kids will explore insect life cycles, body parts, communication and adaptations. Ages 7+. $4 county residents, $7 nonresidents. 10 to 11 a.m. Register at pgparksdirect.com. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Rd., Bladensburg. 301.779.0371. BladensburgWP@pgparks.com
December 3
Whether you're a crocheting beginner or looking to refine your skills, come make crochet snowflakes. Free. 3 to 5 p.m. Register at pgcmls.info/events. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd. 240.455.5451
December 5
Vocalist Rose Moraes brings the soul of Brazilian music to audiences worldwide. Purchase $20 tickets through pgparksdirect.com. 8 to 10 p.m. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood. 301.277.2863. brentwoodarts@pgparks.com
December 6
The Mt. Rainier Holiday Craft Fair brings wonderful crafters to Joe’s Movement Emporium. Free. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. 301.699.1819. joesmovement. org/craft-fair
Come to Barbara’s Gingerbread Bash Adults, children and families are all welcome to make gingerbread houses. Free, but advance registration is required at artworksnow.org, starting Nov. 17. Noon to 4 p.m. Art Works Now, 4800 Rhode Island Ave. 301.454.0808
December 6 & 7
The National Ballet Company brings the enchanting world of “The Nutcracker” to Publick Playhouse. $28 general, $23 seniors and students. Saturday, 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, 4 to 6 p.m. Purchase tickets through pgparksdirect.com. 5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly. 301.277.1710. publickplayhouse@pgparks. com
Where's Miss Floribunda? Take 2
We regret to inform you that Miss Floribunda's return trip from France was delayed. Her column will resume in December — and, yes, she is safely back home now.
The Hyattsville Horticultural Society will hold its next meeting, along with a holiday party and wreathmaking workshop, on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 10 a.m. The event will be hosted by Nina Faye and Laurie Singer at 4000 Queensbury Street, with parking on 40th Street.
Miss Floribunda writes about gardening for the Life & Times. You may email her at Floribundav@gmail.com.
December 7
Maryland Meadworks hosts The Dulcetones Holiday Show. Free. 2 to 5 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 201.955.9644. marylandmeadworks.com
Sho The Icon presents “African Quipid Show,” an evening offering audiences a unique journey through the rhythms, narratives and artistic spirit of Africa. Purchase $26 tickets at busboysandpoets.com. 7 to 9:30 p.m. Busboys and Poets, 5331 Baltimore Ave. 301.779.2787
the couple. "No," they told him. "You’re building bathrooms."
It was an odd pivot for someone whose career had been built in recording studios and theaters. But McGonnigal said he has always been drawn to the odd pivots, the unexpected ways to be useful.
That same instinct has McGonnigal, now 52, working to give childhood back to scared kids in Hyattsville, one Squishmallow at a time.
McGonnigal is the president of the PTA at Hyattsville Elementary School (HES), where his son, Malcolm, attends school. And for the past three years, he's put himself in charge of prizes for the Zombie Run, a huge annual fundraiser for local schools.
This year, McGonnigal pulled in hundreds of games from gaming companies — both card game makers and traditional video game makers like Nintendo, said Amy Parker, a fellow PTA board member. And he persuaded several small startups and businesses to donate hundreds of games. The prizes were distributed as general race day pickups, awards for race placement and as incentives for students and families who hit different fundraising levels. Some years, he's collected around two thousand dollars' worth of prizes in donations. McGonnigal reaches out to companies that
serve him Instagram ads, asking for donations.
"He's just like a big teddy bear," Parker said. "He has a larger stature, ... but he’s such a softy. He is so kind. Anyone who really meets him just ends up with a smile on their face."
She described McGonnigal as integral to the HES community, someone who was connecting different segments of families even before joining the PTA board. "He's really able to tap into the different needs from the different segments of the community and identify the best resources," she said. "Really great at building connections."
McGonnigal thinks about the kids in the community who are scared right now, worried their parents or grandparents might disappear.
"For every moment they're spending being scared … part of their childhood disappears, and I think that's the biggest crime right now," he said. "So anything I can do to make sure they get even five or 10 minutes back of that childhood — that’s a win in my book."
McGonnigal’s activism is rooted in the same instinct that sent him to Africa nearly two decades ago. When he arrived in Namibia in 2007, he worked with the San people — among the oldest cultures on Earth. There, McGonnigal discovered a community whose written language was gone, whose spoken language was fading,
and whose numbers had been rapidly dwindling. McGonnigal said, “Part of building up these schools was so that they could have schools in their community where they could share that language and keep that language alive.”
One night toward the end of his time there, McGonnigal said he and his team set up a projector and showed “The Lion King” on the side of a school. He said the children had never seen a movie before. McGonnigal remembers the children running up to the screen, pointing at the animals they recognized, calling them by their own words.
“There was just something so magical about it,” he said. It was freezing outside, and by the end of the movie, the Americans stripped down to their underwear, giving their clothes to the kids.
Returning to New York in 2007 after six months in Africa was a shock, he said. His priorities had shifted. “I realized, OK, I love the-
ater. I love acting. It's something that fulfills me still. But I need to be using my power for good.”
Throughout his voice acting career, spanning “Pokémon,” “Yu-Gi-Oh!” and “One Piece,” McGonnigal has become known for his activism as much as his anime roles.
Monica Rial, a fellow voice actor and friend, remembers meeting him at a 2002 convention. “He was wearing a political T-shirt,” Rial recollects, “and that was not a time when people made their political views clear.” He would run panels reassuring kids that “high school might suck, but when you get a little bit older, everything’s going to be OK,” she recalls. “He was very nurturing to all of those kids.”
The Namibia experience catalyzed something deeper in McGonnigal. When California's Proposition 8 threatened marriage equality, McGonnigal founded Take Back Pride — a movement designed to bring protest back into Pride celebrations. The catchphrase was direct: "Wear a thong if you want to wear a thong, but carry a sign while you're doing it.” It was activism that brought Mc-
Gonnigal to D.C. in the first place. In 2010, he was organizing a rally at the White House to fight “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the Clinton-era military policy that forbade openly gay, lesbian or bisexual citizens from serving in the military. The night before, he handed out flyers at gay bars. A man approached him: “You’re not from here, are you?” The tell? McGonnigal was carrying "a big gay Metro D.C. map," he said. The questioner was Sean Carlson, the man who spent the rest of the night handing out flyers with him.
A year later, McGonnigal and Carlson were moving into their first D.C. apartment. By 2013, they were married.
Their son, Malcolm, is not white. "We wanted to make sure we're living in a place where he is not othered — where he sees people who look like him, because he’s not seeing that at home," McGonnigal explains.
The three of them now live in a Sears bungalow in Hyattsville where they can see Carlson’s alma mater, DeMatha Catholic High School, from the front porch.
It's an unlikely trajectory for someone who spent decades voicing anime characters in Manhattan studios, who sat at U.N. dinners with movie stars and who showed “The Lion King” to children in Namibia. But for McGonnigal, the motif has always been clear.
"My activism right now?" he says. “My activism is making sure that kids can be kids.”
Zaka Hossain is a graduate journalism student at the University of Maryland.
Jamie McGonnigal at the Oct. 18 Zombie Run COURTESY OF ERIKA NIZBORSKI
dor and the Hyattsville Police Department will review the footage to determine if an infraction occurred. (During the Nov. 3 Hyattsville City Council meeting, the council approved Lenoptik Smart Mobility Solutions, LLC as its vendor.) A warning period is under negotiation, but a driver with an infraction could receive a ticket of up to $40.
The resolution stems from a community-wide push to end pedestrian fatalities after two children walking to school in Riverdale Park were struck and killed by a negligent driver.
According to statewide fatal crash data provided by Zero Deaths Maryland, Prince George’s County recorded 96 fatal crashes in 2024, making it the deadliest county for pedestrians in Maryland.
County Councilmember Wanika Fisher (District 2), who represents Hyattsville, voted
in favor of the resolution and describes herself as one of the county’s pedestrian safety champions.
“Who I think about every day are our smallest, most vulnerable Prince Georgians and our little ones that are crossing the road,” Fisher said in an interview.
Fisher said that the cameras, limited to school zones, will increase residential safety and reassure concerned Hyattsville residents, especially parents of young children.
“Your children are in the crosswalk, and someone reached for their phone and didn’t stop at the stop sign, and those two babies are dead,” Fisher said. “Their lives are worth a stop sign camera.”
Hyattsville resident Melissa Schweisguth shared camera locations suggested by the county council with the HOPE (Hyattsville Organization for a Positive Environment) listserv. She noted that neighboring communities in
Brentwood and Mount Rainier were shocked by cameras that seemingly went up overnight, and wanted to avoid that same outcome for Hyattsville residents.
“I think they’re an awarenessraising tool about the fact that we share the road, and there are rules of the road,” Schweisguth said in an interview.
Some community members are concerned about increased surveillance, particularly in light of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in Hyattsville, and footage capturing more than just plate numbers, Schweisguth said.
While the Maryland attorney general has said that local agencies are not required to participate in immigration enforcement, Hyattsville and other local municipalities do not permit local law enforcement to work with ICE on matters of immigration enforcement. ICE agents are legally unable to access Hyattsville police database for footage and photo-
The stop sign camera at the intersection of Allison and 37th streets in Brentwood has resulted in numerous tickets for area drivers.
HEATHER WRIGHT
graphs taken at stop signs.
“Hopefully, we have those protections so that this camera footage would be used only for traffic enforcement,” Schweisguth said.
In an interview, Hyattsville Mayor Robert Croslin affirmed that footage captured at these stops would not be used to inform ICE agents or be shared
with any other government agencies. He also noted that cameras and subsequent tickets were not implemented as a “money grab.”
“We’re not interested in having these cameras to raise money,” Croslin said. “The cameras are strictly to get people to stop at stop signs, and slow them down around school areas.”
Croslin said that the cameras’ success will be measured by their ability to keep children safe.
“I had a conversation with our police chief [Jarod Towers], and they’re not there to catch what you call ‘rolling stops,’” Croslin said. “It's just to make sure that they either stop at stop signs, or that at least they are slowing down enough that they’re not going to endanger the lives of people — potentially kids — crossing the street.”
Claire Huss is an undergraduate journalism student at the University of Maryland.
the Green Owl and Nest Proper storefronts along Route 1.
And many of the rentable spaces, Riggio and Justice say, are too far in disrepair for small businesses to afford renovations.
“Angela and I get inquiries all the time, or people that want to look at space here and want to move their business here,” said Riggio, “but by the time you look at the renovation costs, because it's been so neglected, it's impossible for a small business to be able to tackle that.”
SoHy Design District also faces rejection from many Route 1 property owners who are wary about allowing large renovations to their property. Justice and Riggio say that many property owners in the area aren’t motivated to fill vacancies or stop high renter turnover. The duo hopes local legislators can work to penalize or otherwise dissuade these owners from continuing to leave their properties empty.
“For renters that are longterm renters, it's hard for us to do any kind of visual improvements to the building … because we are not the owners,”
Justice said. “We do get a lot of pushback and a lot of hesitation from landlords and building owners to do any kind of significant improvement.”
Hyattsville has a unique advantage, Riggio and Justice said, because of its location between a large student population in College Park and a bustling hub for arts and design in D.C. Much of SoHy Design District’s marketing rests in emphasizing its convenience for DMV locals.
“We have a billion dollar market two miles south of here. There's no reason more money should not be flowing into this city in terms of retail and services,” Riggio said.
Tiffany Parker, owner of SoHy interior design business Maison Wynn, said that the initiative’s vision is for the city to authorize the organizers to help with improvements, whether in an adversarial or practical role.
“We've identified aesthetics
as a major impediment to our business and growth, and so we can fix that,” Parker said. “It's quite easy for all of us here to work together, and we’ll take the responsibility ourselves to fix it, but we just have to get permission. … Let us come up with the ideas. Let us implement it. [City staff ] say they don’t have the staff, right? Let us do it.”
As of press time, the city had not responded to a request for comment on plans for the area.
Parker said Hyattsville’s strength lies in its unique charm and strong diversity of small businesses, artists and creators. “I just don't think there's anything comparable to it,” Parker said. “For a small city to have this much creative activity, actually, there isn’t anything else in the area.”
Stella Garner is an
Maryland.
undergraduate journalism major at the University of
The SoHy Arts Building on Oct. 22: The building houses local businesses such as My Dead Aunt’s Books and Gremlins Tattoo Lounge. STELLA GARNER
