The new head of Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) will focus on staffing during his year as interim superintendent.
Shawn Joseph, whom County Executive Aisha Braveboy appointed in June after Millard House II stepped down, pointed to teacher staffing and a shortage of school bus drivers as major issues in the county.
“Our community has to remember, we're one of the largest bus fleets in the nation,” Joseph said. “We've been actively and aggressively recruiting, and we’re optimistic that by the end of the semester, we'll get our numbers dramatically down.”
The new superintendent noted that the school district is 90%
Audit committee to recommend more reporting, system upgrades
By KIT SLACK
Hyattsville is one of 26 Maryland towns and cities, out of 156, that did not turn in last year’s audit on time, according to the state’s July 2025 review. Late audits, as well as the fast-growing costs of both new buildings and retiree medical
From wood to art
Hyattsville native Blake Sloane, of Forty ird Place, crafts functional pieces for homes
By NIGEL F. MAYNARD
When Hyattsville native Blake Sloane
left to attend Binghamton University in upstate New York, he fully intended to study music and one day work in Hollywood, scoring, arranging and assembling pieces to produce something greater than the sum of its parts. Along the way, though, he found something he loved just as much as music: woodworking.
Today, Sloane is the owner of Forty Third Place, a small woodworking studio that produces small everyday pieces, such as trays and wall art, as well as larger items, like dining tables, chairs, built-in cabinetry and bath vanities. He is also known for indulging whimsical and unconventional customer requests — a live-edge bar top or wood mosaic feature walls, for example — that help spaces feel special.
This is why Nicole Tysvaer, co-founder and CEO of Symbi Homes in Cabin John (and prior co-owner of the now-shuttered Hyattsville-
based remodeling company Galaxy Homes), is a frequent collaborator with Sloane.
“I absolutely love Blake's pieces,” said Tysvaer, who has commissioned the craftsman no fewer than six times. “He's a very talented artist and craftsperson with a wonderful design eye and great attention to detail. I also appreciate that Blake prioritizes sustainability; he has used reclaimed wood materials on most of our projects.”
Sloane's woodworking journey largely happened by accident, though its foundation was laid many years ago.
“I went through the tech program at [Eleanor Roosevelt High School], and we had some really great shop classes there, so that kind of started it,” he said. “Even before that, my dad used to refinish furniture and was into collecting antiques and stuff, so I've always used my hands.”
Sloane said his old Nicholson Street childhood neighborhood was a hotbed for contractors, makers and tinkerers, which played a role in his development. “When we were living here,
there was my dad's good buddy Ralph, who was a contractor, and next door to him this guy Bob was a contractor, and Jim on the corner was a mechanic,” he said. “Everyone was real handson with everything all the time, you know, so it was kind of that growing up around everyone helping each other out with their projects.”
After graduating from Binghamton University in 2003, Sloane moved to Chicago to pursue his music career and to start a rock and roll band with his friends. Chicago, they felt, would be less competitive and friendlier than New York. For the next eight years, Sloane played in two bands — Great Perhaps and Pool of Frogs — all over the city and even did some small tours.
At the suggestion of a friend, Sloane started volunteering at a building materials resource center, not unlike Community Forklift. In a matter of weeks, the center created a position for him to help start a shop training program for exoffenders. Participants salvaged wood from old houses and buildings and then took the boards
Blake Sloane uses many types of wood in his woodworking studio, Forty Third Place, to create custom and unconventional requests, such as solid ash cabinets (top right) and decorative wall panels (right). NIGEL F. MAYNARD; CABINET PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY HELPBURN
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The Life & Times has a new top editor
The Life & Times (L&T) has a new managing editor, Nigel F. Maynard. A longtime Hyattsville resident, Maynard is an award-winning editor and journalist whose work has appeared in publications including Architectural Record, This Old House, The Washington Post, USA Today magazines, Arlington Magazine and Bethesda Magazine. Maynard is committed to strengthening community journalism in his city and to bringing the L&T into the world of video on our new web platform. Griffin Limerick, who had been the Hyattsville paper’s managing editor since January 2023, stepped down from the position this summer. He has moved out of state to be closer to family. Limerick departed just after receiving three top awards from the National Newspaper Association for his writing in 2024: a first-place award for his editorial urging our city council to return to in-person meetings, and two second-place awards for his feature on a local amateur soccer team with Cameroonian roots and his profile of a local Japanese ice cream chef. If you have a story idea or photo for the L&T, or if you would like to volunteer for us, please contact Maynard at nigel@streetcarsuburbs.news.
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chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781
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Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Streetcar Suburbs Publishing Inc., a 501(c) (3) nonprofit corporation. Editors welcome
reader input, tips, articles, letters, opinion pieces and photographs, which may be submitted using the mailing address above or the email addresses provided.
HPD alert system — fast or accurate?
During the Aug. 13 Police and Public Safety Citizens’ Advisory Committee (PPSCAC) meeting, Hyattsville Police Department (HPD) leadership and committee members discussed how the police department uses the Nixle alert system to notify residents during emergencies.
Chief Jarod Towers acknowledged recent community feedback about delays and clarity in Nixle messages and shared that the department is working on updates. He explained the department is trying to balance speed and accuracy, especially during off-hours when fewer staff are available. He pointed to a July incident, in which a Nixle alert about a possible robbery went out quickly; however, after officers arrived on scene, they determined that it was not a robbery. The HPD subsequently sent out a corrective alert, 37 minutes after the first alert.
Deputy Chief Laura Lanham added that this kind of challenge is common: “The whole speed and accuracy is just not going to happen [at the same time]. One of the two has to give sometimes.”
In a July interview with the Life & Times, Towers urged residents to subscribe to Nixle alerts through the website local.nixle.com/register, which allows residents to customize the type of alerts they want to receive.
Hyattsville committee creates guidelines for police use of AI
After months of work, in August, a Hyattsville advisory committee drafted a set of recommendations on how local law enforcement should and shouldn’t use artificial intelligence.
HyattsvilleLife.com
Managing Editor Nigel F. Maynard nigel@streetcarsuburbs.news
Imke Ahlf-Wien, Jessica Arends, Rick Borchelt, Victoria Boucher, Paul Ruffins
Contributers
Zephan Matteson
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At its Aug. 13 meeting, the Police and Public Safety Citizens’ Advisory Committee (PPSCAC) voted to send the guidelines to the city council and the police department as a set of formal recommendations to help the city navigate ways to use AI in policing ethically, transparently, and with accountability.
City Councilmember Emily Strab (Ward 2), the council's PPSCAC liaison, told the Life & Times that the committee serves an advisory role, but its suggestions may or may not be adopted into the city's policies. “The city is still working on its overall AI policy,” she wrote in an Aug. 30 email.
According to the PPSCAC guidance document, the recommendations are built around key values, including fairness, equity, transparency, data privacy and public engagement. It emphasizes that AI should only enhance, not replace, human decision-making and cautions against relying solely on AI tools for tasks such as police incident reporting or predictive policing, due to ongoing concerns about accuracy and bias.
The document also includes a comprehensive appendix outlining best practices for evaluating and deploying various AI tools. These include body camera footage analysis, facial recognition, and natural language processing for reviewing reports. For each tool, the PPSCAC details potential benefits, risks and steps to reduce harm, such as bias mitigation, data governance protocols, regular audits and training for officers. Community input and oversight from the city council are also strongly recommended as part of any AI rollout.
Business Manager Catie Currie
catie@streetcarsuburbs.news
Executive Director Kit Slack
Board of Directors
President: Marta McLellan Ross
President & General Counsel: Michael Walls
Vice
Maryland supports county tourism from Hyattsville to Piscataway Park
By ZEPHAN MADDESON
If you are looking for a break in your fall routine, you can find tourist attractions all over Prince George’s County, from Pyramid Atlantic Art Center right here in Hyattsville, all the way down to Piscataway Park across the Potomac from Mount Vernon. Area kids who visit these locations during the school year may benefit from recent Maryland grants.
Anacostia Trails Heritage Area (ATHA), one of 13 Maryland heritage sites, announced in July that it was expanding to become the first heritage site to encompass an entire county.
According to ATHA Associate Director Valerie Woodhall, the expanded heritage area will benefit sites in southern Prince George’s County. “Historic houses, museums, parks, trails, nature centers that could be upgraded can now apply for these grants and resources, and we can work with them in a more full way than we could before.”
Since 1999, over $2 million of Maryland Heritage Authority grants have been awarded in the Anacostia Trails Heritage Area.
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, Nigel F. Maynard, Sharon O’Malley, Kit Slack
Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. mail to every address in Hyattsville. Additional copies are distributed to libraries, selected businesses, community centers and churches in the city. Total circulation is 9,300.
HL&T is a member of the National Newspaper Association and the Institute for Nonprofit News.
When ATHA announced their county-wide expansion in July, they also announced that five sites in the county had received a total of $270,000 from the Maryland Heritage Authority. Pyramid Atlantic, one of the grant recipients, shares the historic arcade building at 4318 Gallatin Street with the offices of ATHA.
“They’ve been our partner slash co-tenant since we moved here in 2016,” Pyramid Atlantic
Executive Director Kate Taylor Davis said. “And I think that their goals of increasing tourism are really well aligned with what we’re trying to do in terms of being an arts anchor for this area.” Davis said that the art center — which puts on exhibitions, teaches art classes, and rents out private art studios for local artists — will use the $45,000 grant to expand its gallery and teaching spaces.
According to Davis, the money from the grant will renovate 2,000 feet of space vacated by an office tenant.
“We have been growing since we moved to Hyattsville, and needing space for that growth to happen,” Davis said. “Schools kind of want to come to us by the busload. There’s no way currently that we can really make that happen … but with the larger contiguous space, we can welcome a full group of students and then use different breakouts.” Davis said that the renovations will include movable walls.
ATHA’s southern expansion
At its founding in 2001, ATHA covered 100 square miles primarily in northern Prince George’s County. The area was expanded in 2017, and again in July of this year to cover the entire county.
Two newly qualified sites in southern Prince George’s County received their first state grant funds through ATHA: the Accokeek Foundation and the Alice Ferguson Foundation, which received $100,000 and $60,000 respectively. Both groups run pro-
The fishing pier at Accokeek Foundation, on Aug. 8 DEJA JONES
HMS students must bag mobile phones
By HEATHER WRIGHT
Starting this school year, Hyattsville Middle School (HMS) students must go phone-free throughout the academic day.
HMS is implementing the Yondr Phone-Free Schools Program and requiring students to lock their cell phones, smartwatches and AirPods in magnetic pouches as they arrive at school, according to an Aug. 5 letter from HMS Principal Chanita Stamper. Students are to hold on to these locked pouches, unlocking them at dismissal and leaving them at school.
“We believe this program will help our students grow in their ability to concentrate, build healthier peer relationships, and be more present throughout the school day,” Stamper said in her letter.
The school system instituted a new county-wide policy last academic year to address student use of social media and personal electronic devices (PEDs). The policy specifies, “At times when PED use is not permitted, PEDs must be turned off or on silent mode and stored in a backpack, book bag, pocket, purse, locker, vehicle, etc."
The school board policy allows individual schools to implement their own
cell phone policies to meet their specific needs. Nicholas Orem Middle School (NOMS) will continue to collect student cell phones and keep them secured in the main office throughout the school day, as it has done for the last four years, according to NOMS Principal Michelle TowlesMonroe’s online welcome letter.
Last November, the county school system announced that it was exploring updating its cell phone policies. “Cell phones have become a significant disruptor in the classroom, often creating environments that are less desirable for students to learn and for educators to teach,” then-Superintendent Millard House II said. “It is essential that we address this challenge thoughtfully, ensuring that policies are both effective and supportive of teaching and learning.”
County school board member Pamela Boozer-Strother (District 3) told the Life & Times that HMS parents advocated for consistent implementation of the school system’s cell phone policy last school year. “Principal Stamper has responded to those concerns with a plan,” she said.
Hyattsville resident Sarah Weber, whose oldest son is a seventh grader at HMS, led a group of parents asking
We’re in Your Neighborhood
Hyattsville Middle School is implementing the Yondr Phone-Free Schools Program this school year and requiring students to lock their cell phones, smartwatches and AirPods
pouches, such as the one pictured above. COURTESY
Stamper to tighten the cell phone policy last school year, as students were still using their phones during the school day. “Teachers already face numerous challenges in managing their classrooms, and having to try to keep kids off of their phones was just one more issue,” Weber said in an email. “The kids also told us that students were not socializing and making friends at lunch, because most students were using their phones rather than interacting with one another.”
HMS held two family information sessions in August, and Stamper noted that students would receive training in September prior to the policy’s full implementation.
On its website, Yondr says that 86% of partnering schools report improved safety and student wellness, 84% see increased engagement in class, 68% note academic gains, and 44% experience a reduction in behavioral referrals. Yondr notes partnerships with schools in all 50 states and in more than 35 countries.
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October 18, 2025 | 12 - 6PM
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helicopter & plane fly-in free museum entry & more!
Free nearby parking, metro access, bicycle racks, and shuttle service.
REWILDING ROUTE 1
No taming this shrew
By RICK BORCHELT
When B movies feature dangerous mammals, they’re usually hulking beasts (often feline or canine) with massive fangs and sharp claws that rip and tear their way through crowded city streets or sleepy northwoods hamlets.
Hulking and massive, however, are the polar opposite of how we might describe Maryland’s (arguably) fiercest mammal. It’s barely 2 inches long, but comes packed with a mouthful of needle-sharp teeth that deliver a venomous bite capable of quickly dispatching its prey. That’s good, because it’s also a ravenous creature that needs to eat its weight or more every day just to stay alive. Anything near in size to this Lilliputian predator is fair game, from insects and earthworms to voles and mice and even others of its kind.
This fearsome furball is the shrew.
In the DMV, that toxin-toting midget monster would be the northern short-tailed shrew, Blarina brevicauda. The origin of the genus name Blarina is lost to etymological history, but brevicauda fittingly translates as short (“brevi-”) tail (“-cauda”). Northern short-tailed shrews are the most widespread shrews in Maryland — its full range extends from the Gulf states into Canada.
True shrews are tiny, pugnacious tubes of energy packed into a silky felt pelt. Worldwide, there are some 350 shrew species (members of the taxonomic family Soricidae), making them the third-most-diverse group of
mammals on the planet, second only to rodents and bats. While they superficially look like mice, shrews are actually more closely related to bats and moles. Indeed, shrews share some physical characteristics with moles — reduced eyes with poor vision, short legs, short tails — but with one striking exception: Shrews have excellent hearing. Like bats, they find prey by echolocation. Shrews emit high-pitched squeaks like bats do and use the echoes that
bounce back to triangulate the location of their victims.
Maryland can lay claim to eight members of the broader shrew family, but only one venomous shrew. In our area, you can find the least shrew (Cryptotis parvus), masked shrew (Sorex cinereus) and southeastern shrew (Sorex longirostris), all of which have tails at least half as long as their bodies. Brevicauda tails, in contrast, are only about a third of the body length.
The venom of northern short-
tailed shrews is a complex chemical cocktail very closely related to some snake and lizard toxins. When this shrew bites, the toxic brew dribbles out along a groove in the shrew’s front teeth. Nevertheless, this venom is powerful stuff: One northern short-tailed shrew possesses enough at any given time to paralyze (and ultimately kill) up to 200 mice. And that venom is powerful enough to result in a painful (but not paralyzing) injury to any human who might want to fondle a little fuzzy friend.
Winters are especially hard on shrews, given their high metabolism and energy demand; 90% or more of them can die during a harsh, long season. They forage almost constantly, 24/7, while temperatures are tolerable and cache any surplus food for leaner times. When winter sets in, they spend more of their time underground, where temperatures are moderate. They also build insulated underground nests to ward off the chill and can generate body heat (without shivering) by drawing on special fat they store in their bodies. In a pinch, they’ll eat seeds, roots and nuts. Some shrews — but apparently not northern short-tails — can enter a state of torpor similar to hibernation when the weather is cold and prey is scarce.
Burning the candle at both ends comes at a lifespan-cost for shrews, which typically only live for about a year. Their short life means they have to breed early and often to maintain their populations. A female shrew is ready to mate again within a day of
giving birth and can be suckling one litter while pregnant with a second, all the while foraging furiously to keep herself going. Shrews are fiercely territorial; females quickly send both their mates and offspring packing. Shakespearean allusions notwithstanding, northern shorttailed shrews are not likely to be tamed anytime soon. The use of the word “shrew” to refer to women of a particularly waspish demeanor dates back even earlier than The Bard, apparently reflecting the disposition of the equally vicious (but nonvenomous) common shrew (Sorex araneus) of Europe.
Shrews, including our resident Blarina, are creatures of varied habitats, from woodlands to meadows to roadsides, as long as there is water available. They’re even surprisingly common in suburban yards and gardens, where they can sometimes be spotted darting across flagstones or scurrying along a flower border. Unfortunately, you’re more likely to see a dead shrew than a live one, usually one that starved to death during a cold spell.
It’s probably the first time in its life this shrew has ever slowed down.
Rick Borchelt is a local botanist and science writer who writes and teaches about gardening and natural history. Reach him with questions about this column at rborchelt@gmail. com.
The northern short-tailed shrew is tiny, with a namesake short tail. COURTESY OF GILLES GONTHIER
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Find more local events all month long in our continuously updated online calendar at StreetcarSuburbs.News/events
Here’s our list of events sponsored by local nonprofits, arts organizations and performance venues, occurring between Sept. 12 and Oct. 9; all information is current as of Sept. 4. 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 Oct. 10 and Nov. 13 to managingeditor@hyattsvillelife. com by Oct. 2.
Recurring
Come play board games and more at Just Roll With It the third Sunday of every month. Free. 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Maryland Meadworks, 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 301.955.9644. marylandmeadworks.com
Riverdale Park Farmers Market is open every Thursday from 3 to
7 p.m. in the parking lot near the Riverdale MARC Station, 4650 Queensbury Rd. Live music every week from roughly 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Sept. 18: Band Brulée; Sept. 25: Murphy & Flannagan; Oct. 2: Janine Wilson; Oct. 9: The Overthinkers). For more information, contact rpkfarmmkt@gmail.com.
Weekly acoustic blues jams, in the Piedmont blues tradition. Listeners welcome! Free. Saturdays, 1 to 5 p.m. Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation, 4502 Hamilton St. acousticblues.com
Sharpen your drawing skills in a relaxed, informal setting at the Hyattsville figure drawing group’s drop-in drawing sessions at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center. Sessions consist of several short warm-up poses and a single sustained pose for the duration of the session. Bring your own art supplies; drawing boards and chairs provided. $20/
session or $75/5-session punch card or $15/session for Pyramid Atlantic members. Tuesdays, 6 to 9 p.m. 4218 Gallatin St. hyattsvillefiguredrawing@gmail.com
Early Bird Serenity Al-Anon. Support for friends and families of alcoholics based on the 12-step program. Free, all are welcome. Virtual meetings every Thursday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. For more information and Zoom link, email ebsalanon@gmail.com.
Busboys and Poets hosts an open mic for poets every Thursday. $5. 8 to 10 p.m. 5331 Baltimore Ave. 301.779.2787. busboysandpoets.com
Ongoing
“Women Artists of the DMV” features work from 400+ artists from the Greater Washington, D.C., capital region over 15 galleries. Sept. 13 through Nov. 2. Free. Wednesday and Thursday,
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 4218 Gallatin St. 301.608.9101. pyramidatlanticartcenter.org
September 12
Archie Edwards Blues Ensemble plays at Maryland Meadworks. Free. 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 301.955.9644. marylandmeadworks.com
A multi-instrumentalist with Senegalese and Cape Verdean roots, Jean-Francis Varre is a District-born multi-instrumentalist who blends American soul, rock, Cuban salsa, Brazilian samba and African genres. $25. 8 to 10 p.m. Buy tickets through pgparksdirect.com. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood. 301.277.2863. brentwoodarts@pgparks.com
September 13
Grupo Fénix, a District-based collective of musicians focused on preserving and promoting musical genres from Mexican and other Latin American cultures, headlines Joe’s Summer Series ‘25; you’ll also find other performers, craft and food vendors and hands-on art activities for kids. Pay-what-you-wish starting at $0. 5 to 8:30 p.m. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. 301.699.1819. joesmovement.org
September 14
Join Riversdale House Museum for a day full of fun at our first
Hispanic Heritage Month Community Day! Stop by for a day full of interactive, handson and educational activities, and learn about resources in your community. Free. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420. riversdale@pgparks.com
The Hyattsville Preservation Association (HPA) will host Hyattsville Porchfest. On Sept. 12, the HPA (hpahyattsville.org), will put out a map and schedule of the 20 participating porches and 40 performers. Free. 2 to 6 p.m. Porchfest enthusiasts 14 and under are invited to compete in the first Porchfest poster competition to win a $50 gift card to Franklins’ new ice cream parlor. Winning posters will be used to promote Porchfest next year. 301.699.0440. porchfesthyattsville@gmail.com
September 16
The AARP hosts “Government Impostor Scams” to help seniors stay up to date on impostor scams. Free. 1 to 2 p.m. Register at pgcmls.info/events. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd. 240.455.5451
September 20 & 21
Nootana begins its 13th season with a performance of “Eclipse & Equinox,” where celestial wonder meets the timeless traditions of Indian classical music and dance. $30. Saturday 8 to 10 p.m. $60 VIP event. Sunday 4 SEE CALENDAR ON 8
THE CITY OF HYATTSVILLE
The Hyattsville Reporter
It was a wonderful start to the school year as Hyattsville Police officers were there greeting students and building strong connections with the community! Have a safe and successful year! | ¡Fue un comienzo maravilloso del año escolar, con los agentes de policía de Hyattsville allí para dar la bienvenida a los estudiantes y establecer conexiones fuertes con la comunidad! ¡Que tengan un año seguro y exitoso!
Hyattsville Grant Opportunities
THRIVE GRANT
The Thrive Grant is designed to fund initiatives created by individuals, organizations, and businesses that encourage healthy lifestyles in the Hyattsville Community! Go to Hyattsville.org/grants for more info and to apply by the October 3 deadline.
CORRIDOR INVESTMENT GRANT
Hyattsville’s Corridor Investment Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 to businesses, non-profits, and community members for creative placemaking projects, programming, or business development strategies. The application opens on Monday, September 22 with a deadline of Friday, October 24. Visit hyattsville.org/CIP to learn more and apply.
SUMMER JAM: INTERNATIONAL CELEBRATION
Summer Jam season is coming to a close! We’re ready to go out with a bang by celebrating Hyattsville’s diversity at our international-themed Summer Jam on September 19 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Hyatt Park. Join us for live music, delicious food, drinks, and much more! Learn more by visiting hyattsville.org/ summerjam.
Oportunidades de Subvenciones
LA SUBVENCIÓN THRIVE
¡La subvención Thrive está diseñada para financiar iniciativas creadas por individuos, organizaciones y negocios que fomenten estilos de vida saludables en la comunidad de Hyattsville! Visite Hyattsville.org/grants para obtener más información y enviar su solicitud antes de la fecha límite para aplicar del 3 de octubre.
EL PROGRAMA DE SUBVENCIONES PARA LA INVERSIÓN DE CORREDORES DE HYATTSVILLE (CIP)
El Programa de Subvenciones para la Inversión de Corredores de Hyattsville ofrece subvenciones de hasta $5,000 a empresas, organizaciones sin fines de lucro y miembros de la comunidad para proyectos creativos de creación de espacios, programación o estrategias de desarrollo empresarial. El plazo de solicitud se abre el lunes 22 de septiembre y finaliza el viernes 24 de octubre. Visite hyattsville.org/CIP para obtener más información y presentar su solicitud.
FIESTA DE VERANO: CELEBRACIÓN INTERNACIONAL
¡La temporada de Summer Jam está a punto de terminar! Acompáñanos a celebrar la rica diversidad de Hyattsville en nuestro Summer Jam con temática internacional el 19 de septiembre, de 5:30 p.m. a 8:30 p.m. en Hyatt Park. Habrá música en vivo, comida deliciosa, bebidas y mucho más. Más información en hyattsville.org/summerjam.
ANNOUNCEMENTS | ANUNCIOS
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS MONTH AND CERT
September is National Preparedness Month. Find a list of preparedness resources and guides to help you and your family be ready for the unexpected at Ready.gov/september.
The City hosts monthly trainings for basic disaster response skills through its Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. September’s meeting will take place at the City Building, 4310 Gallatin Street, on September 17 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. More information and register at hyattsville.org/cert.
SUICIDE PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, dedicated to raising awareness about suicide prevention, sharing vital resources, and spreading hope. The 988 crisis lifeline is available 24/7 if you or a loved one are in need of support or experiencing suicidal thoughts. You are not alone! Call or text 988 for help. Find other mental health resources available at hyattsville.org/mentalhealth.
A reminder that Hyattsville’s youth, young adults, and their families may be eligible for free, bilingual therapy sessions through the City’s “In Wellness We Thrive” program. Learn more and register at hyattsville.org/youth-mental-health.
BUDGET GUIDE
The Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Guide is now available at hyattsville.org/budget! Review for a reader-friendly breakdown of the City’s anticipated spending and revenue through June 30, 2026.
INVASIVE REMOVALS IN WARD 5!
The Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is partnering with the City of Hyattsville and Casey Trees to remove invasive vines from homes in Ward 5! This is part of CCAN’s initiative to save trees from invasive vine damage, with priority for homeowners with limited resources. If you live in Ward 5 and would like to have vines removed from your property, visit hyattsville.org/vine-removal for more info.
Volunteers are needed for the following Hyattsville community events!
• September 17: Door knocking to speak with eligible Ward 5 homeowners and sign them up for this free opportunity!
• September 20: Invasive vine removal in Ward 5 and 38th Avenue Park. Training and tools will be provided and student service-learning hours are available.
Learn more and sign up at hyattsville.org/vine-removal.
YOUTH REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
Registration for Hyattsville’s fall and spring youth programming is now open! Visit hyattsville.org/youth to learn about available programs for children from toddlers to teens! All registration goes through the RecDesk program.
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! (Sept 15 – Oct 15) Hyattsville is home to a large and diverse Latino community, representing many cultures and experiences. We’re proud to celebrate and recognize their rich contributions to our community! Find local Hispanic Heritage Month events and resources at hyattsville.org/hhm.
MES NACIONAL DE PREPARACIÓN DE EMERGENCIAS Y CERT
Septiembre es el Mes Nacional de la Preparación. Encuentra una lista de recursos y guías para ayudarte a ti y a tu familia a estar listos para lo inesperado en Ready.gov/september.
La Ciudad ofrece entrenamientos mensuales sobre habilidades básicas de respuesta ante desastres a través del programa Equipo Comunitario de Respuesta a Emergencias (CERT). La reunión de septiembre se llevará a cabo en el Edificio Municipal, 4310 Gallatin Street, el 17 de septiembre de 6:30 p.m. a 8:30 p.m. Más información e inscribirse, visite hyattsville.org/cert.
MES DE CONCIENCIACIÓN SOBRE LA PREVENCIÓN DEL SUICIDIO
Septiembre es el Mes de Concienciación sobre la Prevención del Suicidio, dedicado a concienciar sobre la prevención del suicidio, compartir recursos vitales y difundir esperanza. El teléfono de crisis 988 está disponible 24/7 si usted o un ser querido necesitan apoyo o tienen pensamientos suicidas. ¡No está solo! Llame o envíe un mensaje de texto al 988 para obtener ayuda. Encuentre otros recursos de salud mental disponibles para los residentes de Hyattsville en hyattsville.org/mentalhealth.
Le recordamos que los jóvenes de Hyattsville, los adultos jóvenes y sus familias pueden ser elegibles para sesiones de terapia gratuitas y bilingües a través del programa «En Bienestar Prosperamos» de la Ciudad. Obtenga más información e inscríbase en hyattsville.org/ youth-mental-health.
LA GUÍA DEL PRESUPUESTO
¡La Guía del Presupuesto del Año Fiscal 2026 ya está disponible en hyattsville.org/budget! Consulte para obtener un desglose claro de los gastos e ingresos previstos de la Ciudad hasta el 30 de junio de 2026.
¡ELIMINACIÓN DE ENREDADERAS INVASIVAS EN EL DISTRITO 5!
La Red de Acción Climática de Chesapeake (CCAN) se ha unido a la Ciudad de Hyattsville y Casey Trees para eliminar las enredaderas invasoras de las viviendas del distrito 5. Esta iniciativa forma parte del esfuerzo de CCAN para proteger los árboles del daño causado por estas plantas, dando prioridad a los propietarios con recursos limitados. Si vive en el distrito 5 y deseas que se retiren enredaderas de tu propiedad, visite hyattsville.org/vineremoval para más info.
¡Estamos buscando voluntarios para apoyar próximos esfuerzos comunitarios en Hyattsville!
• 17 de septiembre: Acompáñanos a tocar puertas en el Distrito 5 para hablar con propietarios elegibles e inscribirlos en el servicio gratuito de eliminación de enredaderas.
• 20 de septiembre: Participa en la eliminación de enredaderas invasoras en el Distrito 5 y el parque de la Avenida 38. Se proporcionarán herramientas y capacitación. Los estudiantes pueden obtener horas de servicio comunitario.
Más información e inscribirse, visite hyattsville.org/vine-removal.
¡YA
ESTÁN ABIERTOS LOS PROGRAMAS JUVENILES!
¡Ya está abierta la inscripción para los programas juveniles de otoño y primavera en Hyattsville! Visite hyattsville.org/youth para conocer los programas disponibles para niños de todas las edades. Todas las inscripciones se realizan a través del programa RecDesk.
MES DE LA HERENCIA HISPANA
¡Feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana! (15 de septiembre –15 de octubre) Hyattsville es hogar de una comunidad latina grande y diversa, que representa muchas culturas y experiencias. ¡Estamos orgullosos de celebrar y reconocer sus valiosas contribuciones a nuestra comunidad! Encuentra eventos locales y recursos del Mes de la Herencia Hispana en hyattsville.org/hhm.
CALENDAR | CALENDARIO
FREE ZUMBA CLASSES
Mondays and Wednesdays from 4 - 5 PM at the City Building! Details at hyattsville.org/wellness.
SEATED EXERCISES
Older adults can join on Wednesdays, 10 - 11 AM. at the City Building. Register: hyattsville.org/seniors or 301-985-5000.
“SELF CARE
SATURDAY” FREE YOGA CLASS
Join us Saturday, September 13, at the City Building Multipurpose Room, 4310 Gallatin St. for “Self Care Saturday” Yoga, brought to you by the Hyattsville Health, Wellness, and Recreation Committee.
Family yoga from 10–10:30 a.m.; adults of all levels from 10:30–11:30 a.m. Register at hyattsville.org/calendar.
MEDICARE WORKSHOP
Hyattsville’s older adults are invited to a free workshop “Planning for Medicare” on September 15 from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. at the City Building, 4310 Gallatin St. Learn about Open Enrollment Period, coverage, costs and more. For more information and to register, visit hyattsville. org/seniors or call (301) 985-5000. Registration is required and space is limited. Transportation is available for Hyattsville residents.
CHARTER AMENDMENT
PUBLIC HEARING
The City is hosting a virtual Public Hearing on September 15 at 6:30 p.m. to hear from the community about a proposed charter amendment to update Council meeting times and requirements. Register at hyattsville.org/meetings.
FREE PRODUCE DISTRIBUTION
Pick up bags of free produce on Tuesday, September 16, at the First United Methodist Church, 6201 Belcrest Rd., starting at noon.
FREE NARCAN TRAININGS
Learn how to recognize an opioid overdose and safely administer NARCAN, a lifesaving drug used to reverse
the effects of an opioid overdose, by attending our FREE community training on September 18 at 6:00 p.m. or September 19 at 10 a.m., at the City Building. Registration is required at hyattsville.org/ NARCAN.
CARE PARTNER
SUPPORT GROUP
Meet with other caregivers on September 19, 9:30 - 10:45 AM at the City Building. Register: hyattsville.org/calendar.
HYATTSVILLE ARTS & ALES FESTIVAL
The Hyattsville Community Development Corporation’s Arts & Ales Festival will take place on September 20, from noon – 6 PM., along Gallatin and Farragut Streets in downtown Hyattsville. Visit hyattsvilleartsfestival.com to learn more.
CYCLOCROSS
The Hyattsville Cyclocross Bike Race, hosted by Route 1 Velo, will take place on September 21 in Driskell Park from 8 AM - 3:30 PM! Learn more and register before the September 19 deadline at bikereg.com/hcx2025.
FREE DOG MICROCHIP EVENT!
Come to the City Building, 4310 Gallatin Street, on Sunday, September 21 from 9am - 12 pm for a free microchip for your dog! Registration in advance is required at hyattsville.org/ animalcontrol.
MINI CAMP
Register your student in grades 3-5 for camp on September 23 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Driskell Park Recreation Center, 3911 Hamilton St.! (K-2 spaces are full.) After camp care is available for an additional fee. Register at hyattsville. org/minicamp.
BABY SHOWER & DIAPER GIVEAWAY
In partnership with the City of Hyattsville, Hyattsville Crossover Church is organizing a community baby shower and diaper giveaway on Saturday, September 27, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., at Crossover Church South, 5340 Baltimore Ave. Expecting mothers looking to attend must pre-register
by Wednesday, September 17, by filling out the form at hyattsville.org/calendar. You must live in Hyattsville or a surrounding community.
SHOP FOR FREE AT HY-SWAP!
HY-Swap, a communityorganized event where you can “shop” for free infant, children, and maternity clothing, toys, and gear, is returning to the City Building, 4310 Gallatin St., on Sunday, September 28 from noon – 1pm or from 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Find details and register in advance for a shopping window at hy-swap. com.
CLASES GRATUITAS DE ZUMBA
Lunes y Miércoles de 4 - 5 PM en el Edificio Municipal. Más detalles en hyattsville. org/wellness.
EJERCICIOS SENTADOS
Los adultos mayores pueden unirse los miércoles, 10 - 11 AM. en el Edificio Municipal. Inscríbase: hyattsville.org/seniors o 301-985-5000.
CLASE DE YOGA “SÁBADO DE BIENESTAR”
Acompáñanos el sábado 13 de septiembre en el Salón de Usos Múltiples del Edificio Municipal, ubicado en 4310 Gallatin Street, para el evento “Sábado de Bienestar” con yoga, presentado por el Comité de Salud, Bienestar y Recreación de Hyattsville. La sesión de yoga en familia será de 10:00 a 10:30 a.m., seguida por una clase para adultos de todos los niveles de 10:30 a 11:30 a.m. Para registrarte, visita hyattsville. org/calendar.
TALLER SOBRE MEDICARE
Los adultos mayores de Hyattsville están invitados a participar en un taller gratuito sobre la planificación para Medicare, el 15 de septiembre, de 9:30 a.m. a 11:00 a.m., en el Edificio Municipal (4310 Gallatin Street). Aprenda sobre el Período de Inscripción
Abierta, cobertura, costos y más. Para más información e inscribirse, visite hyattsville.org/seniors o llame al (301) 985-5000. Se requiere inscripción previa y el cupo es limitado. Se ofrece transporte para residentes de Hyattsville.
AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA DE ENMIENDA DEL ESTATUTO
La Ciudad realizará una audiencia pública virtual el 15 de septiembre a las 6:30 p.m. para escuchar a la comunidad sobre una propuesta de enmienda al estatuto para actualizar los horarios y requisitos de las reuniones del Concejo. Regístrese en hyattsville. org/meetings.
DISTRIBUCIÓN DE ALIMENTOS GRATIS
Distribución gratuita de productos el 16 de septiembre en la Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida, 6201 Belcrest Rd., a partir del mediodía.
ENTRENAMIENTO DE NARCAN GRATUITO
Aprenda a reconocer una sobredosis de opioides y a administrar de forma segura NARCAN, un medicamento que salva vidas y que se utiliza para revertir los efectos de una sobredosis de opioides, asistiendo a nuestra formación comunitaria GRATUITA el 18 de septiembre a las 6 p.m. o el 19 de septiembre a las 10 a.m., en el edificio municipal. Es necesario inscribirse en hyattsville.org/NARCAN.
GRUPO DE APOYO PARA CUIDADORES
Reunirse con otros cuidadores el 19 de septiembre, de 9:30 - 10:45 AM en el Edificio Municipal. Inscríbase: hyattsville.org/ calendar.
FESTIVAL DE ARTE Y CERVEZA DE HYATTSVILLE
El Festival de Arte y Cerveza del Desarrollo Comunitario de Hyattsville sera el 20 de septiembre, desde el mediodia - 6 PM, en las calles Gallatin y Farragut. Visite hyattsvilleartsfestival.com para obtener más info.
CARRERA EN BICICLETA
La carrera en bicicleta de Hyattsville, organizado por Route 1 Velo, será el 21 de septiembre en Driskell Park de 8 AM - 3:30 PM. Inscríbete antes de la fecha límite del 19 de septiembre en bikereg. com/hcx2025.
¡EVENTO GRATUITO DE MICROCHIP PARA PERROS!
¡Ven al Edificio Municipal, 4310 Gallatin Street,, el domingo 21 de septiembre, de 9:00 a 12:00p.m., recibir un microchip gratuito para tu perro! Es necesario registrarse con anticipación en hyattsville.org/ animalcontrol.
MINI CAMPAMENTO
Registra a tu estudiante de los grados 3-5 para el campamento el 23 de septiembre de 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. en el Driskell Park Recreation Center, 3911 Hamilton St. (Los espacios para K-2 ya están completos). El cuidado después del campamento está disponible por una tarifa adicional. Regístrate en hyattsville.org/minicamp.
FIESTA DE BEBÉ & SORTEO DE PAÑALES
En colaboración con la Ciudad de Hyattsville, la iglesia Crossover Church está organizando un baby shower comunitario y un regalo de pañales el sábado 27 de septiembre, de 11 a.m. a 1 p.m., en la iglesia Crossover Church South, 5340 Baltimore Ave. Las futuras mamás que deseen asistir deben inscribirse previamente antes del miércoles, 17 de septiembre, rellenando el formulario en hyattsville. org/calendar. Es necesario residir en Hyattsville o en una comunidad cercana.
¡COMPRA GRATIS EN HY-SWAP!
HY-Swap, un evento organizado por la comunidad para “comprar” ropa, juguetes y artículos gratuitos para bebés, niños y mamás, vuelve al Edificio Municipal, 4310 Gallatin St., el domingo 28 de septiembre entre las mediodía – 1 p.m. o entre la 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Obtenga información y regístrese con antelación en hy-swap.com.
HIGHLIGHTS | LO DESTACADO
Don’t miss out on these tax credit opportunities for Hyattsville homeowners! Any homeowner can apply for the Homestead tax credit on their principal residence; apply anytime. The Homeowners Tax credit is income-eligible and has an application deadline of October 1, 2025. Find details and eligibility at hyattsville.org/housing. | ¡No se pierda estas oportunidades de crédito fiscal para propietarios de vivienda en Hyattsville! Cualquier propietario puede solicitar el crédito fiscal para la Vivienda Principal; solicítelo en cualquier momento. El crédito fiscal para propietarios de vivienda se basa en los ingresos y la fecha límite de solicitud es el 1 de octubre de 2025. Encuentre detalles y requisitos de elegibilidad en hyattsville.org/housing.
The public parking garage in the Canvas Apartment building on Route 1 is open! Find parking rates at hyattsville.org/parking. PLEASE NOTE: all cars must enter and exit through the Jefferson Street entrance pictured here. The Route 1 entrance remains closed while we await installation of a new traffic signal. | ¡El estacionamiento público del edificio Canvas Apartment en la Ruta 1 ya está abierto! Consulte las tarifas de estacionamiento en hyattsville.org/parking. NOTA: Todos los vehículos deben entrar y salir por la entrada de la calle Jefferson (que se muestra aquí). La entrada de la Ruta 1 permanece cerrada mientras esperamos la instalación de un nuevo semáforo.
SCIENCE OF THE CITY
Accessibility depends on good design and proper maintenance
By PAUL RUFFINS
In recent years, the towns along Route 1 between D.C. and the Beltway have put a lot of time, effort and money into becoming safer and more accessible for pedestrians and cyclists. However, when “Science of the City” started asking our neighbors how things were going for people with disabilities, we learned that safety and access didn’t just depend on how spaces and buildings were designed, but also on how well they are maintained.
In response to questions posted to the HOPE (Hyattsville Organization for a Positive Environment) listserv on Aug. 18, the building locals most commonly criticized the Hyattsville Post Office on Gallatin Street, which was built in 1935, for its inaccessible design.. Though its parking lot offers an accessible parking space, visitors can only enter via a stone stairway. There is no ramp or elevator.
Some much newer spaces that were built to be more accessible still have design flaws that make them hazardous for people with disabilities.
For example, Charlene Johnson, 78, a clinical psychologist who uses a wheelchair, said that in mid-August, she nearly got clawed in the face by a bear. The blue, life-sized sculpture is in Bear Square, in The Station at Riverdale Park off of Route 1.
“I was trying to maneuver between the sculpture and a sign they had put in the middle of the sidewalk,” she said. “Fortunately, I didn’t get hurt because the sides of my old, bulky wheelchair are wider than I am. Someone in a sleeker wheelchair or an electric scooter could have been seriously injured. ”
Johnson believes that before a project is completed, its architects and builders should go through it or on crutches or in a wheelchair, while there is still time to make changes. “Ablebodied people usually take mobility for granted,” she said, “but things that look accessible on paper can be exhausting or nerve-racking if you’re elderly, someone with a disability, or even an athlete with a broken leg.”
The problem is that the sharp steel claws on the bear’s right paw reach past the sculpture’s base and extend 9 inches out over the sidewalk. The Americans with Disabilities Act considers this a
protrusion; such protrusions are usually the greatest risk for people with vision problems, because they’re hard to detect with a cane. But at 4 feet, 5 inches off the ground, the bear’s claws are the perfect height to spear a child in the face, or cut someone in a wheelchair. There’s also evidence to suggest that Johnson was not the first person or object to encounter this threat. The paint on the bear’s left claws, which don’t extend beyond its concrete base, is in perfect condition. The paint on its protruding claws is chipped off in several places.
Members of the HOPE listserv also sent photos and reports of various obstructions to sidewalks that are supposed to have a clear space of 4 feet wide. These included utility poles right in the middle of sidewalks near the intersection of Church Place and Hamilton Street, and several fire hydrants sticking straight up through the sidewalk on the east side of Route 1, south of Queensbury Road. In addition to permanent obstructions, inadequate maintenance can also create barriers.
Hyattsville resident Alexi Boado described the sidewalk on Queens Chapel Road between
Madison Street and Manorwood Drive as tough going for people with handicaps because it is often blocked with bushes that grow through homeowners’ fences. Boado noted that there may be some confusion over whether the Maryland State Highway Administration or Hyattsville Code Enforcement is responsible for keeping the sidewalk clear. Boado said, however, that when he emails City Councilmember Edouard Haba (Ward 4), the bushes get cut back.
And, the Hyattsville Municipal Building is an unfortunate example of a seemingly properly designed facility that is only partly accessible. The elevator to the second and third floors has been out of service since early July, which means that, as of press time, the offices of the police, the mayor and other departments could only be reached by the stairs.
An Aug. 25 Hyattsville Aging in Place (HAP) meeting in the municipal building featured staff from U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey’s office, who came to discuss how President Donald Trump’s decisions at the federal level were impacting senior citizens. However, when the topic turned to local issues, HAP Program
Coordinator Rosanna Weaver explained that several of her members wanted Ivey’s help in alerting the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) that its July redesign of all the bus routes was a real burden.
Renee Robinson, who lives in the Friendship Arms Apartments, on 42nd Avenue, told “Science of the City” that the new changes to the bus routes have made accessing the Mall at Prince George’s much more difficult. Robinson uses a heavyduty electric wheelchair, and the bus that picked her up near her apartment building used to stop on the northwest side of East-West Highway/Maryland 410, near Target — giving her relatively easy access to it and other stores at the mall. However, the new route goes directly to the Hyattsville Crossing Metro station on the southeast side of 410, providing access to the mall via the pedestrian bridge that rises about 30 feet above the highway.
“The big problem is that the elevators on both sides of the pedestrian bridge have been out of service for months,” Robinson explained. The nearest crosswalk is east, at the intersection of 410 and Bel-
crest Road, but the sidewalk had been blocked for new construction. As a result, she has to go west along the sidewalk and cross the seven lanes of traffic at a point that adds about half a mile to her total trip, she said.
“That extra distance sometimes makes me worry that my batteries are going to run out,” Robinson said, “and the sidewalks have cracks, and there can be a lot of mud or potholes in the street. I’ve already worn out an electric scooter, and now I’m afraid that I might destroy my wheelchair.”
The broken elevators don’t just make the pedestrian bridge impassable for people in wheelchairs, they’re also a struggle for people with small children who must carry the child and a stroller up the steep stairs. WMATA is responsible for maintaining the elevator, but on its sign explaining that the elevators are out of service for maintenance, the expected completion date has been left blank.
Paul Ruffins is a citizen scientist and a professor of curiosity.
to 6 p.m. Buy tickets at joesmovement.org. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. 301.699.1819
September 22
Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd. 240.455.5451
September 26
Tail Light Rebellion takes the stage at Streetcar 82 Brewing Co. Free. 7 to 9 p.m. 4824 Rhode Island Ave. streetcar82brewing.com
poral Frank Scott Dr., College Park. 301.864.6029
Join Dr. Rob Chester, University of Maryland film professor, as he guides us through the film "Voces Inocentes” (2004, 152 min.), directed by Luis Mandoki. The film is set in the 1980s Civil War in El Salvador, as 11-year-old Chava attempts to live a normal life. Free. 6:30 to 9 p.m. Register at pgcmls. info/events. Hyattsville Branch
September 26-28
“Luther ReLives.” Vocalist William “Smooth” Wardlaw breathes new life into the timeless love ballads of the legendary Luther Vandross. $35 general, $30 seniors and students. Friday and Saturday 8 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday 4 to 5:30 p.m. Purchase tickets through pgparksdirect.com. 5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly. 301.277.1710. publickplayhouse@pgparks.com
September 27
University Christian Church is hosting a Blessing of the Animals festival, including a nature scavenger hunt, games, food, crafts and fun for children and families. Free. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 6800 Adelphi Rd., 301.864.1520. info@uccmd.org
Kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month with an unforgettable festival featuring Latina pioneers in aviation! Enjoy demos and children’s activities, food, community art, bilingual story time, and author meet and greets. Free. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Cor-
As part of Route 1 Corridor Conversations, join us for community conversation about traditions, family and the importance of coming together to share food from diverse backgrounds. Bring your own family recipes to share, or you can email them ahead of time to communicationsHAP@ gmail.com. Attendees can join via telephone or Zoom. Free. 2 to 3:30 p.m. Register at hyattsvilleaginginplace.org/events.
October 1
You're invited to Lawyer in the Library: Tenants’ Rights and Housing Clinic for free one-onone legal services on matters related to housing, landlord/ tenant disputes and tenants' rights — first come, first served for eligible individuals. 2 to 4 p.m. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd. 240.455.5451
October 2
Come to an Oktoberfest party and stein-holding contest at Streetcar 82 Brewing Co. Free. 6 to 9 p.m. 4824 Rhode Island Ave. streetcar82brewing.com
October 4
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage at a special “Screen on the Green” movie event showcasing Hispanic culture’s rich and vibrant stories. Free. 7 to 9 p.m. Register at pgparksdirect.com. Riversdale House Museum, 4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420. riversdale@pgparks.com
Sense of Wonder performs at Maryland Meadworks. Free. 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 301.955.9644. marylandmeadworks.com
What’s living rent-free in your hedge?
Dear Miss Floribunda,
I have tried to keep deer out of my yard using advice from you and others. The deer ignore my barking dog; they crash through my dense hedge of prickly barberry; they’ve eaten the slivers of recommended soap I hung around, as well as the cheesecloth bags I put the soap in; they are not repelled by the marigolds and strong-smelling herbs I planted in and around my vegetable garden; just one good rain took away the smell of the blood meal I spread. By the way, I didn’t miss that smell and was tired of my neighbors asking me who I’d murdered and buried in my backyard. By this time, I’ve resigned myself to picking my tomatoes before they ripen and putting them in my kitchen window. However, one new thing has me uber upset. When helping my 5-year-old son get ready for bed a few nights ago, I noticed what looked like a tiny mole on his midriff. I picked at it, and off it came with some tiny thread-like legs wiggling around. I recognized it as a deer tick! My uncle who got Lyme disease years ago from a deer tick has never really recovered, so I know how serious this is.
Have city ordinances changed to allow higher fencing? I understand deer can jump over a fence as high as 12 feet. I am determined to keep my yard free of deer and my family safe from disease.
Ticked Off on Crittenden Street
Dear Ticked Off,
I’m afraid hedges are very good harbors for ticks, and barberry is an absolute magnet for them. They don't reach a height of greater than 6 feet, and a deer can clear that without even getting a running jump. The city does not permit fences of over 6 feet in height either. Here is the site I consulted: ecode360. com/36857860.
You may want to remove this hedge. Preschoolers, as you probably know, love places to crawl under, and hedges attract them. If you have English ivy or tall ornamental grass anywhere in your yard, you need to sacrifice these, as well.
There is a native mint, Mentha arvensis, that is reported to repel ticks and is somewhat less invasive than mints that came from other countries. If, in addition to a ground cover, you really must have a shrub, the
lovely American beauty berry (Callicarpa americana) not only repels ticks, but feeds birds that eat them.
You mention having a dog. Don’t forget that ticks like to latch onto dogs. Consider occasionally inspecting your dog for them, and talk to your veterinarian about a flea and tick control medicine. I’m sure you are being vigilant about examining the site on your son's midriff where you found the tick. If he has been infected by any tick-borne disease, a rash will form within 30 days — usually (but not always) in the shape of a circular bull’s eye.
However, I hope you kept the tick and have already made an appointment with your physician to run tests on your little boy. If you find another tick on your son in the future, please use fine-tipped tweezers to remove it. You wouldn't want to leave any part of the tick behind.
For the time being, I suggest that you rub or spray a tick repellent on your child before he goes out to play. There are commercial organic brands on the market, as well as DIY ones you can make by mixing essential oils (eucalyptus, lemon, geranium, thyme) with vinegar or
witch hazel. There is a permethrin spray to use on clothes and gear, but it shouldn’t touch skin. Mosquitoes will also be repelled by any of these.
In the long term, you still need to discourage deer from invading your property. Aunt Sioux introduced me to a friend of hers who lives near the University Hills Duck Pond Park and solved her deer-invasion problem by making a fence of strong (30-lb. tensile strength) monofilament fishing line made of transparent nylon. She attached it to inconspicuous green T-posts less than 6 feet high and spaced 15 to 20 feet apart. Several filaments were horizontally stretched between each post in taut parallel lines. She spaced rows of these lines about 6 inches apart from ground level to the top of each post.
The deer can’t see this barrier, and when they walk into it, they are spooked by its resistance. Seeing nothing, they have no idea how tall the barrier is and don’t attempt to jump over it. Instead, they back away and leave. The main expense would be the rent or purchase of a Tpost driver, or of hiring someone to help you. You will need to monitor the fence to keep
ATHA
FROM PAGE 2
grams in Piscataway National Park on the Potomac River.
The Accokeek Foundation was established in 1957 in what later became Piscataway Park to protect the land from development. The foundation now stewards 200 acres of parkland, including the National Colonial Farm, an exhibit of an 18th-century farm on the eve of the American Revolution.
The Accokeek Foundation focuses on remembering and protecting the homeland of the indigenous Piscataway people, and also hosts school children on educational field trips.
the lines taut and make sure the posts remain secure.
My cousin Perezosa Perez claims to have found a much easier way to keep deer away. She hangs dryer sheets on her tomato cages, tucks them into squash and other leafy plants, and says that the aroma repels deer without being unpleasant to neighbors. Of course, she has to replace the sheets from time to time, but as her garden is small and dryer sheets are not expensive, she does not find it troublesome. However, I think that to keep deer off your property entirely, the fishing line solution is preferable.
The next meeting of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society will take place Oct. 18, at the home of Virginia Bennett, 4520 Madison Street, Riverdale Park. Following coffee at 10 a.m. and a brief meeting, there will be a plant exchange. Bring whatever you have a superabundance of and take home something new.
Miss Floribunda writes about gardening for the Life & Times. You may email her at Floribundav@gmail.com.
opportunity to come and learn about nature and the environment on the property through day and overnight trips, according to foundation Executive Director Theresa Cullen. The Ferguson Foundation has programs for elementary, middle and high school students, as well as for teachers and their families.
The foundation’s executive director, Anjela Barnes, said that ATHA designation “is really significant in being able to bring more funding resources, to preserving the unique cultural heritage of Southern Maryland.”
According to Barnes, Accokeek plans to use its funds from the grant to repair the National Colonial Farm’s out-kitchen and reopen it to the public next year.
The Alice Ferguson Foundation, located on 330 acres in Piscataway Park, also received grant money. The foundation was established 70 years ago to maintain land that Ferguson’s husband donated after her death.
All county students have the
The grant money the Ferguson Foundation is receiving is going toward deck repairs on the foundation’s living building. A certified living building, notes the foundation’s website, “must meet net zero energy, water and carbon neutral requirements, as well as [be] constructed of nontoxic components.” According to Cullen, the foundation’s living building is the only one in Maryland, and it actually produces a net positive in clean energy and sends it back out to the community.
Cullen said the foundation recently lost some federal funding for programming, which means that the potential for more collaboration with the state through ATHA is important.
Both the Accokeek Foundation and Alice Ferguson Foundation are planning major events for next year to celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday.
Zephan Matteson is an undergraduate journalism major at the University of Maryland.
back to the warehouse to prepare them for reuse. “Then we started making stuff out of the wood,” said Sloane, who added that the effort
FARMERS m arkets
slowly became a robust business with paying jobs through restaurants and other partnerships.
During his time in Chicago, Sloane was visiting Maryland over Thanksgiving break in 2005 when he met Jonaki Sanyal, the
woman who would eventually become his future collaborator at Forty Third Place. “We hit it off immediately and did the longdistance thing until she graduated [University of Maryland], and came to live with me in Chicago
RIVERDALE PARK
THURSDAYS
the following year,” he said.
Sloane and Sanyal eventually married and had a baby girl, Winona, who turns 12 this month. (They also have a son, Otis, 9.) The couple moved back to Hyattsville a year after Winona was born so they could be near family.
“When we were talking about moving here, it was kind of like, ‘Oh man, I've got my dream job here [in Chicago]. How can I bring it back?’” he said. “We had been doing more and more custom stuff in the shop, and I was running it, so I was like, ‘Why don't I just bring that back here,’ and it just kind of evolved on its own.”
then helped transition us from doing that into more custom work, and small products sales through stores and fairs.”
Early on, Sloane made small decorative items and household products. For a couple of years, he sold items at Hyattsville Arts & Ales festivals and Mount Rainier craft fairs and through Washington metro area West Elm stores. “That was a really great way to meet people and get the word out there, but in terms of the margins selling little stuff and trying to keep up with that, it just didn't really work out,” he said.
KARP FAMILY SCHOOL AT MISHKAN TORAH
COLLEGE PARK
The couple bought a “grimy” little fixer-upper around the corner from his parents and began the renovation process. It was during the course of this rehab that he started building and crafting items for the house. “I was working on my own house and just kind of slowly started doing little things here and there first for friends,” he said. Word of mouth led to commissions, and a local listserv was also a great source of clients.
Today, the studio’s work is split between custom work with designers and commissions for private clients. “I've really lucked into some great relationships with designers and probably 80% or more of my work is directly through designers that I've been working with a lot,” he said. “There's not as much client interaction for me.”
Sloane said the early iteration of Forty Third Place was a collaboration between him and Sanyal, centered around documenting the renovation. “Jonaki did all the photography, video and social media for us,” the studio’s website states. “We ripped out walls together, removed and installed flooring, painted everything, all while she was working part time at Chelsea School. She
Sloane prefers working on pieces himself. He occasionally takes on an assistant, but he mostly toils away in his small basement shop alone with his music.
Though Sloane never quite made it to La La Land to become the next Danny Elfman or Mark Mothersbaugh, he still gets to do something he loves and realizes that woodworking is, in some ways, similar to working on music production: You have to assemble different parts to make a single, big thing. “I love doing them both.”
staffed with teachers and added that hiring for harder-to-fill positions in special education is improving.
New dashboards offer realtime data on remaining vacancies (see p. 12).
Understaffing has been a major complaint of the county’s teachers union. In fact, House’s departure came after a noconfidence vote by the Prince George’s County Educators’ Association, which cited concerns over staffing shortages, payroll, safety and communication.
Joseph said his relationship with the teachers union has gotten off to a good start. On Sept. 5, the county school board signed a new three-year contract with the teachers union that includes pay raises and classroom safety provisions.
Joseph also estimated that he engaged with about a thousand parents and community members during nine virtual meetings over the summer. He started holding in-person meetings in late August.
“One of our big focuses is transparency and accountability,” Joseph said. “I think the more we get out, the more we can just tell the facts, I think the better we build a sense of trust.”
He added, “It takes the school system, but it also takes our parents and our students to collectively work together to improve outcomes, and that's what we're striving to do.”
Joseph said he is unsure if he will apply for the full-time position as superintendent.
“I think right now, my job, my goal, is to be a good interim superintendent,” Joseph said. “As I begin to work with the board, as I begin to continue to engage the community, I’ll get a better sense of if I'm the right match
for the district, and if the district is the right match for me.”
Joseph worked as a teacher and educator in neighboring Montgomery County for 16 years and from 2014 to 2016 served as deputy superintendent for PGCPS. He worked as superintendent of schools for Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) in Tennessee from 2016 to 2019, leaving that post after he was accused of improperly reporting 12 incidents of teacher misconduct and allegedly awarding no-bid contracts to the education technology company Performance Matters, according to local news reporting in Nashville.
Joseph had previously done business with Performance Matters and appeared in the company’s promotional material, according to that same reporting. Joseph has said the failure to report the cases of misconduct was the fault of the head of MNPS Human Resources and that his relationship with Performance Matters did not play any role in the bidding process.
For the full article, visit HyattsvilleLife.com.
Zephan Matteson is an undergraduate journalism major at the University of Maryland.
benefits, are some of the reasons Hyattville’s city council set up an audit committee this spring. The advisory committee is made up of Hyattsville residents, including finance professionals. On Sept. 2, the committee held a final meeting to review Hyattsville’s most recently published audit.
Much of the meeting focused on financial software the city bought in 2020 for $60,000 in licensing fees per year. The city is still working to implement the software. It is generating too many errors for the city to rely on it for accounting, according to City Treasurer Ronald Brooks.
The delay in switching over to the 2020 software likely trickles down into delays in monthly bookkeeping, financial reporting and audits, according to committee member Colin Eustis, a financial planning professional. In draft recommendations, Eustis suggested making it a priority to use the 2020 system or choose another one.
“Five years is a really really long time for an implementation, and I’ve been through a few of them,” said committee member Nancy Hammond, who works in nonprofit financial management.
The committee also talked about a possible recommendation that the treasurer report more often to the city council.
The city charter requires a quarterly report from the treasurer. “I have fallen off the mark,” said treasurer Brooks about that requirement. He has not provided quarterly reports, and said he would start doing so in midOctober.
City Councilmember Danny Schaible (Ward 2) said he thought that all of the financial reports posted to the city’s website needed to be text searchable, rather than in image formats that do not allow searching. He also asked that audit committee members have more access to the city’s outside accounting firm.
Schaible suggested that the city publish financial indicators that show long-term financial trends and risks, as recommended by the municipal advocacy nonprofit Strong Towns. He said he has done some of the calculations, and that such forecasts can be unpopular with municipal staff because they can increase taxpayer concern about coming financial challenges.
Committee Chair Daniel Lange, who has a career in audit management, said the committee will send recommendations to the city council in early September. Hyattsville has been about two years behind on its audits since as far back as 2011. A new state law imposes financial penalties for cities two years behind on audits. Over the past year, Hyattsville turned in two overdue audits, and is one year behind.
Shawn Joseph started as the new superintendent of the county school system this July. COURTESY OF PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
What can August school data tell us about the fall?
By KIT SLACK
State and county school systems released vacancy and school performance data in late August. What does it mean for area kids?
Will the kids get to school?
Mostly! Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) started off the school year with 874 bus drivers, which is 14 more than they had at the start of last school year. As of press time, PGCPS still needed 146 more drivers. Bus staffing has recovered to better than pre-pandemic levels: In 2019, PGCPS was short 150 drivers. In a significant increase in transparency, the school district has published a list of unstaffed bus routes at schools across the county.
Will kids’ classrooms have teachers?
Mostly! The county started off the school year with about 98% of the classroom teachers needed this fall, 6,433 of 6,550. While there are more teachers
than in recent years, vacancies remain higher than they were pre-pandemic. As of press time, the county was still looking for 116 classroom teachers and 135 special education teachers across 200 schools, according to a county dashboard (microstrategy.pgcps.org/MicroStrategyLibrary) rolled out in mid-August. County teacher shortages rose
from only 54 missing teachers in 2018-19 up to 422 missing teachers in 2021-22, according to a state report, with union estimates rising as high as 800 vacancies in the summer of 2022.
Will they be learning?
We hope so! PGCPS students scored better in math and English last school year than
in the prior one, according to data that the Maryland Board of Education released Aug. 26. A total of 38.3% of county students were proficient in English Language Arts in 2024-25, up from 36.1% in 2023-24. In math,13.1% of students were proficient, up from 10.8% the prior year. Prince George’s County had the third-lowest scores among Maryland jurisdictions for math and English, with better scores than Baltimore City and Somerset County.
In Aug. 26 and Aug. 27 press releases, PGCPS celebrated gains for students in struggling schools, as well as for students learning English and those with disabilities. Families will receive their students’ individual results by the end of September. Detailed school-by-school data will be available on the Maryland Report Card website in December. PGCPS says “an additional public-facing dashboard offering a performance snapshot highlighting academic outcomes and school climate measures, with an emphasis
on growth and gains, for every school” is coming soon.
Have we always had this much information?
No. The new interim superintendent, Shawn Joseph, advocated for what he calls radical transparency in an Aug. 21 school board meeting, saying, “You can’t manage a secret.” Along with vacancy dashboards on a central website and on the website of each school, PGCPS now has a separate dashboard (epi. pgcps.org/about-pgcps/transparency-and-accountability) that shows priorities and task completion for school executives. Both dashboards, he says, are updated in real time. According to Joseph, “These two public trackers, the vacancy dashboard and the 100day progress tracker, aren’t just websites, they are commitments. They make our work legible, our promises visible, and our progress measurable. Transparency is an equity strategy. When families see how we deploy talent and monitor progress, trust grows and outcomes follow.”
In Aug. 26 and Aug. 27 press releases, the county school system celebrated gains for students in struggling schools, as well as for students learning English and those with disabilities. KIT SLACK
