November 2014 Hyattsville Life & Times

HyattsvilleNovember 2014Hyattsville’s Community NewspaperVol. 11 No. 11

Life&Times

GOLD MEDAL WINHyattsville resident Desiree Holland brought home the gold at this year’s national Special Olympics games. Her family and coach give a glimpse into her training process. PAGE 3

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Included: The November 11, 2014 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section

ART WORKS continued on page 13

LANGUAGE PROGRAMThe � rst magnet classes have begun at César Chavéz Elementary. Meet the kindergarteners and teachers in the Spanish and English dual immersion program. PAGE 8

GREEN OWL DESIGNOwners and designers Erica Riggio and Angela Justice give a preview of their talents and plans for the Gallatin Street space in this month’s Secondhand News. PAGE 6

by Rebecca Bennett and Caroline Selle

On October 20, a� er more than a year of debate about the Marché Florist building, the Prince George’s County Council voted 8-1 to overturn the site’s historic designation. While Art Works Now Executive Director Barbara Johnson, one of the owners of the building, is no longer man-dated to uphold the building’s existing structure, the much-anticipated Art Works Now and Pizzeria Paradiso project will be able to move forward.

When Johnson appeared before the District Council to argue in support of declassifying the building, approximately 50 Art Works Now supporters, many of them wearing the nonpro� t’s t-shirts, were present in the audi-ence.

Johnson said that the historic site designation would prevent renovations needed at 4800 Rhode Island Ave. in Hya� sville to make room for commercial partner Pizzeria Paradiso.

� ough several Council mem-bers expressed their support for maintaining the historical integ-rity of the structure, they agreed that the current owners intended to preserve it.

Art Works Now will be able to move forward

by Caroline Selle

Although most of the 2014 gubernatorial election re-sults for Prince Georges County were determined in the primaries, with many candidates running in the general election unopposed, one race remains too close to call. � e race between Dinora A. Hernandez and Amber Waller, both running for the seat on the School Board in Prince George’s County District 3, will not be decided until all absentee and provisional ballots are in and counted.

As of Friday, November 7, Hernandez led with 50.4 percent of the votes to Waller’s 49.3, which represents a di� erence of only 114 votes.

Waller is the current District 3 school board member, and her biography on the Prince George’s County website details her focus on business part-nerships, bilingual programs, and English-language classes for parents. Hernandez’s campaign page advocates for universal pre-Kindergarten, qual-ity teacher recruitment, and incentives for teach-ers who stay in the county. Hernandez was on the sample Democratic ballot and was endorsed by the Washington Post as well as current county execu-tive Rushern L. Baker III, who was elected to a sec-ond term on November 4.

Hernandez came out ahead in ballots cast at the Hya� sville Municipal Building and the Hya� sville Library, two of the City’s four voting precincts, while Waller received a majority in the other two precincts. “Amber’s success … [in] the two largest voting pre-cincts in the City of Hya� sville shows that over-whelmingly the City does support her,” said City Councilmember Joseph Solomon (Ward 5).

Although Prince George’s county voters over-

School board race too close to callVoters uphold term limits

Pilot Arts integration program implemented at four Hya� sville schools

by Scarlett Salem

� ere have long been avenues for the youth of the Arts District to participate in fun arts activities, but they have pri-marily come outside of school hours or only during arts class. � is year marks the launch of the Prince George’s Coun-ty Public School System arts integration pilot program, which will bring the arts into all parts of the curriculum.

Out of 15 schools in the Prince George’s County Public School System (PGCPS), four are located in Hya� s-ville: Edward M. Felegy Ele-mentary

School, Hya� sville Middle School, Nicholas Orem Middle School, and Northwestern High School.

Part of the process for choosing schools included experience with the arts, “but the big factor was that they had a willing-ness to be involved in the pilot,” said John Ceschini, the newly hired PGCPS arts in-tegration o� cer. “[In Hya� sville there is already] arts integration from elementary to high school, so there is a feeder pa� ern there, which is great.”

Arts integration is a “research-based program that has shown success,” Ce-schini said. It extends beyond tradi-tional art class and involves looping in

di� erent forms of art into oth-er academic areas

the ART of LEARNING

ART continued on page 13

ELECTION continued on page 12

Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2014

A community newspaper chronicling the

life and times of Hyattsville

Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781

http://HyattsvilleLife.com

http://facebook.com/HyattsvilleLife

http://twitter.com/HvilleTimes

Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Hyattsville Community

Newspaper, Inc., a 501c(3) nonpro� t cor-poration. Editors welcome reader input, tips, articles, letters, opinion pieces and photographs, which may be submitted using the mailing address above or the

email addresses below.

Managing EditorCaroline Selle

[email protected]

ProductionAshley Perks

Editor and Web ManagerRebecca Bennett

Digital Archives Manager Susie Currie

[email protected]

[email protected]

301.531.5234Writers & Contributors

Amanda Alley, Katy June-Friesen, Lauren Kelly, Gray O’Dwyer,

Molly Parrish, Scarlett Salem, Fred Seitz, Julia Gaspar-Bates

Board of Directors Joseph Gigliotti - President and

General Counsel Chris Currie - Vice President

Caroline Selle - SecretaryPeggy Dee, Karen J. Riley, Rosanna Landis Weaver,

Gretchen Brodtman, Debra Franklin, T. Carter RossRebecca Bennett - Ex O� cio

Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. Mail to every address

in Hyattsville. Additional copies are dis-tributed 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.

FromTheEditor

BRIEFS

It’s never too early for voters to engageby Caroline Selle

In the a� ermath of the guberna-torial election, I’m taking stock of what it really means to be part of a community. It’s a question I struggle with on a near-daily ba-sis and especially when I head to the polls.

Too o� en it seems like there is no real choice at the ballot box. Especially during the mid-term elections in Prince George’s County, swaths of candidates run unopposed. It’s not necessar-ily a bad thing: it’s hard enough to keep up with the contested elections! But, it makes me think

about where the real change hap-pens, where real access into the political process begins.

For me, at least, it started at home.

When I was a child, my mother brought me along to the polls. I wanted to pull all the levers (this was before the rise of the electronic voting booth) and know who she was voting for and why. Voting became something to look forward to, a grown-up privilege much like driving a car or using a credit card. In other words, something that mandated responsibility.

In high school, my friends and I eagerly anticipated our eigh-teenth birthdays and the upcom-ing presidential election. While we were probably a li� le more fe-verishly political than most teen-agers, the fervor was evident in the school halls. We were about to be adults! Responsible! Able to change the world!

Of course, real life (adult life) is a li� le more complicated. None

of the candidates matched ex-actly with my political views, and change seemed slow and un-wieldy if not nonexistent. It was a tough lesson, but a necessary one. � e adult world was much more confusing than I knew.

My next foray was into activism, where I campaigned for various causes and generally drove my family and friends up the wall. If the politicians weren’t going to change things, I was just going to have to do it myself. But bit by bit, I learned how to navigate a complicated sphere in which money far too o� en counted more than people.

� ere’s no one right way to be politically involved, but the vot-ing process is a fast track into be-coming engaged with one’s com-munity. When citizens become frustrated with the candidates on the ballot, they might realize that they could run. Or, they could work on the campaign of a candi-date who represents their views. � ere are larger and smaller ways

to be active that are no less sig-ni� cant, like calling and emailing representatives or a� ending city council meetings. Or even public forums.

At the Nov. 3 City Council meeting, most councilmembers argued in favor of giving 16 and 17-year-olds the vote in City elections. Many suggested it

would increase young people’s civic engagement and increase overall voter turnout.

In past city elections, voter turn-out has been abysmal, but it’s cer-tainly not just us. According to the Pew Research Center, only about 60 percent of eligible voters turned out for the most recent presiden-tial elections. � e number for mid-term elections is much lower, hov-ering around 40 percent.

Part of growing up and moving into adulthood is realizing that “adult” is just a word. A� er all, just last year our Congress shut down the government.

Delineations by age are some-what abstract and arbitrary. Community doesn’t begin and end in the voting booth, but trusting young people with the responsibility of determining their elected o� cials implies that we think they are no longer chil-dren, that they are ready to begin making more di� cult and com-plicated decisions, and that those decisions ma� er.

THREE SHOT AT UNIVERSITY TOWN CENTER

On Saturday, October 25, three victims were shot at University Town Center. According to Lt. Chris Purvis of the Hya� sville City Police Department, police an-swered a call reporting a shooting in the 6400 block of America Blvd. at approximately 8:30 p.m. Purvis said the suspect and a group of teens and young adults “were in-volved in a confrontation” inside the Qdoba Mexican Grill. � e sus-pect went to his car and returned with a gun before opening � re, ac-cording to police. All three victims were released from the hospital in the following days, but the shooter is still at large. Police described the suspect as a black male in his 20’s with dreadlocks past his shoulders, wearing a red plaid shirt and blue jeans. He is about 6 feet tall and 190 pounds, authorities say. � e car is described as a red 4-door Toyota. Anyone with information should call Hya� sville Police at 301.985.5060.

COUNCIL CONSIDERS 16, 17-YEAR-OLD VOTE

At the November 3 Hya� sville

City Council meeting, members discussed the possibility of al-lowing 16 and 17-year-old resi-dents to vote in City elections. � e proposal, put forth by Ward 2 Councilmember Patrick Pas-chall, is intended to increase vot-er engagement. Early access to the polls “creates habits around civic participation,” he said.

DISTRICT COUNCIL HEARS ORAL ARGUMENTS ON CHICK-FIL-A DRIVE-THROUGH

On October 20, the Prince George’s District Council heard oral arguments about Chick-� l-A’s request to put a drive-through in the Prince George’s Plaza transit district. A� er the District Council approved a McDonald’s drive-through request, the City of Hya� sville successfully sued to have the decision overturned. � e Council decided to take the mat-ter under legal advisement and has yet to make a � nal decision.

COUNCIL DISCUSSES PROPOSED UMD SHUTTLE AGE RESTRICTION

On October 6, the Hya� sville City Council discussed an agree-

ment that would allow residents to use the University of Mary-land shu� le. However, university o� cials expressed desire to place an age restriction on Hya� s-ville residents using the shu� le. � is out of concern College Park Academy middle schoolers would take it to class. � e cities of College Park and Greenbelt do not have an age restriction, but the university says CPA is the only school on the shu� le route without a bus service. � e Coun-cil discussed the ma� er with a UMD o� cial on November 3 and said they are working on a resolution.

COUNCIL APPROVES UPDATED COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ORDINANCE

On October 6, the Hyattsville City Council approved revi-sions to a commercial vehicle ordinance, which include ad-dressing vehicle size and weight and redefining the process for permitting and contesting ve-hicles which don’t meet the new standards. The ordinance is set to take effect 60 days after after approval from the Prince George’s County Council, but

the City Council does not plan to enforce the amended ordi-nance until six months after ap-proval.

CITY DISCUSSES MOVING POLICE DEPARTMENT, REDEVELOPING ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

In 2011 the City of Hyattsville commissioned a facility as-sessment. Assistant City Ad-ministrator Jim Chandler said the report came back that the City’s facilities are in poor to moderate condition with short and long term improvements estimated to cost Hyattsville $9,820,893 over the next 20 years. The current proposal is to move the Hyattsville Po-lice Department to the former BB&T building at 3505 Ham-ilton St., as well as to reuse or redevelop the current City Ad-ministration Building at 4310 Gallatin St., and Arcade Build-ing at 4318 Gallatin St. Chan-dler proposed a community meeting be scheduled for Janu-ary 2015.

Read more about these stories on-line at www.Hya� svilleLife.com

CAROLINE SELLEResidents went to the polls on Nov. 4.


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by Andrew Marder

Over lunch and conversation at Busboys & Poets in Hyattsville, Desiree Holland, 43, is reserved, letting her mother speak for her. Candy Holland is happy to re-count the feats of the award win-ning Special Olympics athlete.

Competing in the Special Olympics since she was just 8 years old, the Hyattsville resi-dent continues to rack up suc-cesses. This June, Holland won gold in the 10k Cycling Time

Trials at the USA Special Olym-pics held in Princeton, N.J. In over a decade of cycling, Hol-land achieved almost everything a competitor could hope for, including a silver medal in the world games in 2007.

Her journey to gold was nei-ther simple nor straightforward. Holland trained five days a week leading up to the competition, riding, working out in the weight room, and spending hours on stationary bikes. Her coach, Ar-row Bicycle co-owner Chris Mi-

litello, says that Holland embod-ies the Special Olympics Oath — Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.

In 2007, Holland travelled to the World Special Olympic Games in China, bringing home a silver medal. In support of Special Olympics, Holland, the daughter of Hyattsville’s Chief of Police Douglas Holland, jumped

Hyattsville resident brings home the gold

into the freezing cold waters of the Chesapeake Bay not once, but 24 times over the course of a single day. She also made her an-nual trip to Capitol Hill to lobby legislators for their support as part of the Special Olympics’ Hill Day.

According to her coaches, all of her experience and determina-tion has helped Holland become the competitor she is today. Her ability to face down adversity was on show at this year’s games in Princeton. Holland was pre-emptively directed off the course and unintentionally disqualified in one of her earlier races and suffered a crash in a preliminary event.

That crash left her knee al-most locked the day of her 10k, making it difficult for Holland to even get her foot onto her pedal. True to form, though, it didn’t stop her. Militello says, “I leaned down grabbed her ankle, and put it on [the pedal], and she pedaled away.” For Hol-land, the gold medal is one of her crowning achievements, but it’s certainly not the end of the line.

Throughout the summer and early fall, Holland competed in races around the county. All the while, she’s also gearing up for the winter Special Olympics where she plays a support role alongside her mother. Then, it’s time to jump in the bay again and start preparations for the next year of competition.

Special Olympics activities and competitions run all year

long. Special Olympics Mary-land works with thousands of athletes across the state, coaching and supporting them through the year in preparation for a variety of levels of com-petition. Holland and others worked their way up the com-petitive ladder with the hopes of attending national or inter-national games as representa-tives of the state.

At this summer’s games, about 160 athletes from Maryland trav-eled to Princeton, N.J. where they joined more than 3,000 other competitors from around the country.

Holland will continue to sup-port her fellow athletes as she readies herself for the next round of competitions. Rais-ing funds through programs like the Plunge is key to the fu-ture of the Special Olympics. Last year, Maryland’s Winter Water Series, which includes the Plunge, raised $2.25 mil-lion in support of the organiza-tion. Meanwhile in Hyattsville, the police department’s annual Cops on Rooftops program and Arrow Bicycle’s Cyclocross race in Magruder Park help support local and state initiatives.

The whole process of training, competing, and supporting has given Holland the confidence to take on new challenges and her dedication has changed the lives of her coaches and family.

“What she does is amazing,” Militello says. “I wish more peo-ple could see what goes into all this — it’s pretty uplifting.”

marleenvandenneste.comDesiree Holland brought home a gold medal for 10k Cycling Time Trials in the USA Special Olympics this past June.


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by Caroline Selle

The new downtown envisioned by planners from the Maryland National Capital Parks and Plan-ning Commission (M-NCPPC) includes walkable and bikeable tree-lined streets, a highway transformed into a boulevard, and more residential develop-ment connected by pedestrian pathways in the area around the Mall at Prince Georges.

The concept, first introduced

to Hyattsville residents during the three-day September design charrette, is a part of “Plan Prince George’s 2035.” On October 14, planners presented their updated concept for the Prince George’s Plaza Transit District Develop-ment Plan, which was based on feedback from charrette partici-pants, and asked for additional input from the community. The event, held at the Prince George’s Plaza Community Center, drew a number of residents from Hy-

attsville and surrounding com-munities, business owners, and a representative from the Wash-ington Metro Area Transit Au-thority (WMATA).

During the charrette, planners found that “there’s a desire to es-tablish places at Prince George’s Plaza, places for people to gather, to meet, to stroll on the sidewalk, to enjoy meeting their neighbors … that’s really lacking in the area now,” according to Cheryl O’Neill of Silver Spring-based architects

Torti Gallas and Partners.Initial feedback helped plan-

ners create three keystones for moving forward. The updated concept plan includes a central plaza between a proposed second (western) entrance to the Prince George’s Plaza metro station and the Mall at Prince Georges, recast-ing East West Highway as a walk-able, safe and green boulevard, and sustainable development and stormwater management.

The metro and the mall will continue to exist as the “primary engines,” of the downtown area, said O’Neill.

Other features of the plan include residential infill development, un-derground parking, in-line retail (where shop entrances face and are in-line with the street), and im-proved metro station access. Ide-ally, the area will be filled-in with mixed use development. There will be denser land use around the metro, said O’Neill, with poten-tially eight to 16 story buildings, which would transition “down to smaller stores” the further west, east, and north people go.

After the presentations, repre-

Plan envisions green downtown

sentatives from the M-NCPPC facilitated discussions with at-tendees, who were broken into groups by table. Feedback in-cluded concerns about the meth-ods used to slow traffic on East West Highway and whether or not the lack of stores in Univer-sity Town Center would bode negatively for increased devel-opment around Prince George’s Plaza, appreciation for the in-creased green space and storm-water management initiatives in the area, and a discussion about how to make the space unique to Hyattsville.

Early actions may include for-malizing pedestrian traffic by installing new crosswalks, com-pleting gaps in the sidewalk along East West Highway and Belcrest Road, and restriping East West Highway in order to alter the flow of traffic.

Plans for a second metro en-trance presented as near-term goals at the charrette have been set aside, according to consul-tants, because they realized it was too expensive after meeting with metro authorities. The updated concept plan included a pedes-trian ramp from the other side of the metro station that leads into existing entrance.

Though the plan is intended to be fulfilled in the next 20 to 30 years, the designers said some ac-tion could take place as early as 2015-16, which is when the final concept plan is expected to be ap-proved by the District Council.

First, though, the Hyattsville Planning Committee will be sub-mitting comments and recom-mendations to the Mayor and City Council.

Assistant City Administrator Jim Chandler is the City’s liaison on the committee. “We’ve been participating since the inception of the update,” he said. “The plan that’s ultimately adopted, we’re going to have to live with those results ... [We’re] considering the built environment that’s going to be in Hyattsville for the foresee-able future.”

For more information about the Transit District Development Plan update and to see planning presenta-tions, visit www.HyattsvilleLife.com.

rebecca bennettOn Oct. 14, planners presented an updated concept plan for the area around Prince George’s Plaza, which included tree-lined streets and a central plaza.


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by Grant Whittington and Rebecca Bennett

On October 6, � e Hya� sville City Coun-cil voted to pay for increased lighting along Queens Chapel Road (MD 500). � e decision ended weeks of dialogue in the Council regarding sticker-shock a� er the costs of the City’s agreement with the Maryland State Highway Administration (MDSHA) increased by 300 percent.

� e current plan envisioned the con-struction of 35 pedestrian lights ap-proximately 60 feet apart running from Hamilton Street to East West Highway, according to a document provided by the Council. When the City signed its original contract with MDSHA, the Administra-tion agreed Hya� sville was responsible for only 50 percent of the lighting costs. At the time, that meant the City’s � nancial obligation was approximately $60,000.

However, new documents show that the County signi� cantly underestimated the cost, and the updated obligation im-posed on the City is now approximately $191,226. � e original number was based on an estimate by engineers looking at 10 percent of the project cost. � e City is

now responsible for paying $191,226 to increase lighting on Queens Chapel Road.

City o� cials said they approved the expenditure because Hya� sville would likely have been responsible for the full $343,000 in the future, as the need for lighting improvements would remain.

� e only council member to vote against the measure was Council Vice President Paula Perry (Ward 4), who highlighted the need for more street lights in West Hya� sville. Perry, who has been a coun-cilmember for 15 years, wanted to delay council action in order to review Queens Chapel Road crime statistics.

“People don’t care whether [street lights] look pre� y,” Perry said. “� ey want to feel safe.”

Councilmember Patrick Paschall (Ward 3) said, “We need to seriously prioritize pu� ing lights in West Hya� sville.” But, Paschall indicated he didn’t want to lose an opportunity to improve lighting on highway streets, as the Council only had days to make a � nal decision.

“� is is an opportunity for partnership and collaboration, by no means are we saying this is the highest priority for the city,” City Administrator Tracy Nicholson

said at the council meeting. Mayor Marc Tartaro said he wanted to

know how much the maintenance of these lights would cost the City so that the City Council could include those � gures in up-coming budgets.

Residents say they are concerned about the lighting in other areas of the City as well.

In September, Seyid Abediyeh, owner of

the American Mega Laundromat, pled his case with City o� cials. Prince George’s County recently installed upgraded LED street lights near the laundromat, and of-� cials informed Abediyeh that the cur-rent number of street lights in that cor-ridor meets county standards. However, the business owner said more lights are needed for pedestrians walking along Jamestown Road trying to reach the West Hya� sville Metro Station, which is near his business.

On Belcrest Road, City o� cials have been working with Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation sta� to resolve ongo-ing lighting issues. Street lights between Queens Chapel Road and Adelphi Road have reportedly been unreliable. A� er discussing the issue with county o� cials, Councilmember Tim Hunt (Ward 1), said he was told by county o� cials the lights were working.

On November 6, the Hya� sville Life & Times inspected the lights on the east side of Belcrest Road from the Mall at Prince Georges to Adelphi Road and discovered they were still not working. Hunt said he would follow up with county sta� .

New lighting project comes with higher cost, puts a spotlight on dark streets

The Hyattsville City Council voted to ap-prove lighting additions to Queens Chapel Road, which will cost the City three times the original estimate.


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by Lauren Flynn Kelly

If you enter Hya� sville on Route 1 from the south, you’d be crazy not to notice the magenta-striped “castle” that is Shortcake Bak-ery. Driving towards Hya� sville from the north, you can’t miss Riverdale’s new unisex salon, Ivy Lounge, with its naturalistic exterior and a massive vintage chandelier in the window. Did you know? Both of the striking facades (and their interiors) were masterminded by Hya� sville-based design studio and local re-tail space, Green Owl Design.

Designers Erica Riggio and An-gela Justice, who have been work-ing together for years through their respective design enter-prises, Riggio Design and Space 26 Designs, recently merged to create Green Owl Design.

Located at 4327-C Gallatin St., the boutique itself o� cially opened its doors in July, and features a beautiful display of vintage (mostly mid-century modern at the moment) furni-ture, housewares and clothing. In addition, Green Owl showcases top-notch local art, ranging from canvases and postcards to throw pillows and homemade candles.

� e boutique’s furniture selec-tion — did I mention it’s vintage? — is very fairly priced. For exam-

ple, you can snag a mid-century modern bar cart for $220 and a pair of vintage acrylic tulip-based chairs for $400. A set of locally re-upholstered Drexel Heritage dining chairs are priced at $150 apiece, and would go for much, much more on popular second-hand sites like www.1stdibs.com. � e selection also features a few custom pieces, like an ornate ’70s headboard painted a roman-tic dusty rose that sells for about $200. Original art prices, mean-while, range from $10 for small limited edition postcard-size prints to upwards of $1,000.

“Our passion is design, but we like to re� nish furniture and build things and � nd beauty in things that wind up discarded,” said Riggio. “We de� nitely be-lieve in upcycling … It’s always going to be something you might not have seen and is sort of one of a kind. I think this area needs a retail shop like this.”

� e store itself is open Tues-days and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the � rst Saturday of every month from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors can also shop by appointment.

Green Owl also plans to hold exhibits every quarter as well as a holiday gi� show with an opening reception, in order to showcase some of the smaller,

lower priced items that can be purchased as gi� s.

In addition to its retail o� er-ings, the Gallatin St. space is a fully functional design studio, where clients can meet with Rig-

gio and Justice to discuss their design services. � e two, who previously collaborated on lo-cal residential and commercial properties, o� er services includ-ing concept development, space

Green Owl Design is changing the face of Hya� sville … one storefront at a time

planning, color consulting and project management.

As partners, they’ve completed projects all over the Washington, D.C. area and on a wide range of budgets. Local residents may have visited a few, including the Society Restaurant & Lounge in Silver Spring and Bishop Bou-tique in Alexandria.

Riggio said she loves to dig in to local projects like Shortcake and Ivy and hopes to see more street-level development on Route 1. While Shortcake’s eye-popping exterior was modeled a� er the many European bakeries Riggio saw in her research, the interior features handmade touches such as tables made from doors pur-chased at Community Forkli� and a repainted jumbo spider chandelier that gave owner and baker Cheryl Harrington the “rustic, Parisian concept” she’d envisioned for the inside.

Riggio, a Hya� sville resident and former D.C. bartender who earned her masters of � ne arts in interior design from George Washington University, said she’s also color consulted a few of her neighbors’ exteriors and would love to get her hands on one of Hya� sville’s famed Victorian homes.

“For us, we do a li� le bit of ev-erything. And it’s challenging. But I couldn’t really see it any other way. Otherwise, I’d get bored,” she said.

PHOTO BY LAUREN FLYNN KELLYThe interior of Green Owl Design, with furniture facing out towards Gallatin Street.


by Fred Seitz

The abundant gatherings of one of our most common and vocal “songbirds,” the common crow, will either amuse or annoy locals walking or driving in fall and early winter. This season is when we often witness some of the most gre-garious behavior of the large (about 18 inches long), glossy black birds with squared off tails.

Roosts may contain hundreds of crows, and both morning departures for food and evening “pre-roostings” may have large numbers of birds in flight with their accompanying famil-iar cawing. These morning and evening flights may cover a distance of 50 miles or more. The cawing familiar to every-one is one of over 20 calls the birds produce but is most commonly heard in fall. One of the crow’s alternative vocalizations, the comb call (which sounds like a loud version of flipping the teeth of a comb) is also heard occa-sionally. However, it is more common during mating season in the spring

when crows are somewhat less gregari-ous and also more secretive and more territorial.

Crows do not reach sexual maturity until aged 3-5 years. In the wild, crows typically live up to 30 years, but in cap-tivity, they have reached ages over 50.

Our “common crow” (also called American crow) is one of 40 species of crows worldwide, including the “stately raven,” blue jay and jackdaw. Crows are believed to have evolved originally in Asia and spread and developed into various species in different countries. Australia alone has six species.

M a r y -land in-habitants include our common crow, the fish crow and our famous raven. Fish crows are a bit smaller and with a more nasal caw than the common crow and as their name implies are more

NatureNearbyOur noisy neighbors inclined to waterfront living. They are

frequently found near the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. Ravens are a bit larger, about 24 inches long, with thick feathers at the throat and a wedge-shaped tail. Ravens are mostly found in more westerly parts of Mary-land in more mountainous regions.

While often maligned for their raids on crops (notably corn), crows are consumers of mice, insects and most helpfully roadkill. The birds’ abun-dance and damage to crops

has spawned a variety of methods to reduce or control our corvid friends, ranging from the classic scarecrow to poisons, which are now prohibited due to their threat to other animals. Crows have also been hunted for food.

While less eloquently poeticized than his famous cousin, the raven, the crow

has shared in many ominous, but also sometimes beneficial,

spiritual stories and folktales. In some cultures, crows have been characterized as harbingers of death, evil and ghostly spir-its, whereas others have char-acterized crows and ravens as tricksters who brought fire to

humans or beings that brought knowledge to mankind.Indeed, science has o� ered some

evidence of crows’ intelligence, ob-serving some crow species modifying

sticks to use as a “tool” to extract food from narrow areas. Otheres are able to recognize and di� erentiate human faces.

So despite their noise and possible bad omens, consider that our feathered friends are watching us and contem-

plating our place in the scheme of things.

Hyattsville ReportertheNo. 298 • November 11, 2014 www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000

Page HR1 Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2014 Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2014 Page HR2

Creative Minds Parent & Child ProgramEvery Tuesday and Thursday through November 2510 AM - 12 PM Magruder Recreation Center, 3911 Hamilton Street. More information: Tony Martinez, 240-299-8395, [email protected]

Ageless Grace Exercise Classes Every Wednesday and Friday through November 26 10 - 11 AM, 4310 Gallatin StreetMore information: Colleen Aistis, 301.985.5057, [email protected]

Invasive Plant RemovalSaturday, November 15, 9 AM - 1 PMMagruder Woods, 3911 Hamilton StreetMore information: 301-985-5057

Hyattsville Police Open House and City Facilities UpdateMonday, November 17, 6 - 7:30 PMHyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 GallatinMore information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, [email protected]

Hyattsville City Council MeetingMonday, November 17, 8 PMHyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 GallatinMore information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, [email protected]

Hyattsville Planning CommitteeTuesday, November 18, 7:30 PMHyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin StreetMore information: Jim Chandler, 3012-985-5013, [email protected]

Hyattsville Code Compliance Advisory CommitteeWednesday, November 19, 7 PMHyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin StreetMore information: Chris Giunta, 301-985-5017, [email protected]

Clause Applause Holiday Decorating Contest Nominations OpenMonday, November 24, 12 PMMore information: see advertisement in this newspaper or at www.hyattsville.org. No phone nominations.

Hyattsville City Council MeetingMonday, December 1, 8 PMHyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 GallatinMore information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, [email protected]

Hyattsville Board of Supervisors of Elec-tions MeetingTuesday, December 2, 4 PMHyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin

More information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, [email protected]

Holiday Tree LightingFriday, December 5, 7 PM, Magruder ParkMore information: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021, [email protected]

Breakfast and Lunch with SantaSaturday, December 6, 9 - 10:30 AM & 12 - 1:30 PMHyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 GallatinMore information: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021, [email protected]

Hyattsville City Council Public Hearing on Budget PrioritiesMonday, December 15, 7 PMHyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 GallatinMore information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, [email protected]

Hyattsville City Council MeetingMonday, December 15, 8 PMHyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 GallatinMore information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, [email protected]

Bienes Raíces de la CiudadEl alcalde y el consejo municipal de Hyattsville están reflexion-ando la major manera para uti-lizar los edificios de la ciudad. Hay cinco, incluyendo el edificio mu-nicipal, el centro de recreación en Magruder Park, y la instalación de Obras Publicas. Los dos mas están en 3505 Hamilton, donde estuvó el banco BB&T, y 4318 Gallatin, el Arcade. Ni de los dos está en uso actualmente. En total, los cinco edificios valen aproximadamente $10 millón. En una reunion de trabajo pub-

lic el mes pasado, el alcalde y el consejo discutieron la posibili-dad de trasladar el departmento de la policía, y tal vez otros de-partmentos, a 3505 Hamilton. La policía ha superado su espacio en el edificio municipal, y el edificio necesita muchas reparaciones. Pero todavia no hay una decisión. El alcalde y el consejo pidieron más información, que discu-tirán en la reunión del consejo municipal el lunes. La reunión empezará a las 8 p.m., y comen-tarios del publico están invitados. Estará en 4310 Gallatin Street, en el

tercer piso, donde están la camara del consejo, por ahora…

Campamento Magruder en el InviernoEl Campamento

Magruder, el estimado campamento del

verano de la ciudad, otra

vez va a ofrec-erse para jovenes

esta temporada de fiestas. Para

alinear con las vaca-ciones del invierno del Prince George’s County Public

Schools, el camapa-mento será diciembre 22-23 y 29-31. Activi-

dades incluirán artes, de-portes, y juego-libre para ni-

ños de edades 5-10. Cuesta $30 cada día, con la opción de horas extras por $5 más. Espacios son limitados, y padres interesados deben inscribir pronto en el

sitio de web de la ciudad, o contacten a Tony Martínez en 301-985-5065 o tmarti-

[email protected].

City Real EstateThe Hyattsville mayor and coun-cil are currently considering how to best utilize the buildings the city owns. There are five of them, including the current City Ad-ministration Building, the rec-reation center at Magruder Park, and the Department of Public Works facility. The two other buildings are at 3505 Hamilton, where BB&T used to be, and 4318 Gallatin, the Arcade. Nei-ther is currently in use. In all, the five build-ings are worth about $10 mil-lion.At a public w o r k s e s s i o n last month, the mayor and council discussed the possibility of moving the police department, and maybe other departments, to 3505 Hamilton. The police have outgrown their space at the City Administration Build-ing, and the building is in need of major repairs. But no deci-sion has been made yet. The mayor and council asked for

more information, which they will discuss at the City Coun-cil meeting on Monday. The meeting will begin at 8 p.m. and comments from the pub-lic are encouraged. It will take place at 4310 Gallatin Street, on the third floor, where council chambers are, for now…

Winter Break Camp Magruder

Camp Magruder, the city’s popular

summer camp, will again host youngsters this holiday sea-son. To align with the winter

break of Prince George’s County

Public Schools, camp will run Dec. 22-

23 and 29-31. Activities will include arts, sports, and free-play for kids ages 5-10. The cost is $30 per day, with the option of aftercare for an additional $5. Space is limited, so interested parents should register on the city’s web site soon, or contact Tony Martinez at 301-985-5065 or [email protected].

Mentes Creativas Programa de Papás e Hijos Cada martes y jueves hasta el 25 de noviembre10 AM - 12 PM, 3911 Hamilton Street.El Centro Recreativo de MagruderMás información: Tony Martinez, 240-299-8395 o [email protected]

Gracia sin Edad Clases de EjercicioCada miércoles y viernes hasta el 26 de noviembre10 - 11 AM, 4310 Gallatin StreetMás información: Colleen Aistis, 301.985.5057 o [email protected]

Eliminación de Plantas Invasivas Sábado, 15 de noviembre, 9 AM - 1 PMBosque Magruder, 3911 Hamilton StreetMás información: 301-985-5057

Casa Abierta de la Policía de Hyattsville y Reunión de Actualización de Instalaciones de la CiudadLunes, 17 de noviembre, 6 - 7:30 PMEdificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 GallatinMás información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, [email protected]

Reunión del Consejo Municipal de HyattsvilleLunes, 17 de noviembre, 8 PMEdificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 GallatinMás información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, [email protected]

Comité de Planeación de HyattsvilleMartes, 18 de noviembre, 7:30 PMEdificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 GallatinMás información: Jim Chandler, 3012-985-5013, [email protected]

Comité de Cumplimiento de Codigos de HyattsvilleMiércoles, 19 de noviembre, 7 PMEdificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 GallatinMás información: Chris Giunta, 301-985-5017, [email protected]

Aplauso de Claus Concurso de Decoraciones de Las Fiestas - Abre Nominaciones Lunes, 24 de noviembre, 12 PMMás información: ve aviso en este periodico o en www.hyattsville.org. Nominaciones por telefono no serán aceptada.

Reunión del Consejo Municipal de HyattsvilleLunes, 1 de diciembre, 8 PMEdificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 GallatinMás información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, [email protected]

Mesa Directiva de Las Elecciones de HyattsvilleMartes, 2 de diciembre, 4 PMEdificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin

Más información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, [email protected]

Iluminación del Arbol de las FiestasViernes, 5 de diciembre, 7 PM, Margruder ParkMás información: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021, [email protected]

Desayuno y Almuerzo con SantaSabado, 6 de diciembre, 9 - 10:30 AM y 12 - 1:30 PMEdificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 GallatinMás información: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021, [email protected]

Audiencia Publica de Prioridades del Presupuesto con el Consejo Municipal de HyattsvilleLunes, 15 de diciembre, 7 PMHyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 GallatinMore information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, [email protected]

Reunión del Consejo Municipal de HyattsvilleLunes, 15 de diciembre, 8 PMEdificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 GallatinMás información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, [email protected]

CALENDARCALENDARIO

Reportero de HyattsvilleelNo. 298 • 11 de noviembre, 2014 www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000

Staff Spotlight: Laura ReamsJob: City ClerkJoined City Staff: 2012In her spare time: “I don’t have any spare time – I have two kids.”

City Clerk Laura Reams has one of Hyattsville’s more dynamic jobs. On a daily basis, she is likely to work with every city department, the city administrator and city attorney, and the mayor and members of the city council. She helps plan the council agenda, records and provides ac-cess to the city’s official records, and she supports the work of the board of the city’s ethics commission and supervisors of elections.She says she likes it all, but that the elections work is especially important to her. “One of my fa-

vorite things about my job is elections,” she says. “I’m passionate about seeing the community get engaged and finding ways to increase outreach. At the local level you can see small actions make a real difference.”The mayor and council have recently been considering numerous elections ordinances, including

one that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote. If it passes, Hyattsville will be the second city in the country giving voting rights to people age 16.“I feel fortunate to live in a city where people want to be engaged,” Reams says.Those people are part of why she applied for the City Clerk position in the first place. After

moving to Hyattsville in 2011 – her husband grew up here – she said she was excited to meet many people who cared deeply about the community. As Clerk she now gets to work on com-munity issues in her job. And she says she feels lucky to have that opportunity.

Empleada Excelente: Laura ReamsTitulo: Secretaria de la CiudadEmpezó con la Ciudad: 2012En su tiempo libre: “No tengo tiempo libre – tengo dos hijos.”

La Secretaria de la Ciudad, Laura Reams, tiene uno de los trabajos de Hyattsville más dinamico. Diariamente, es probable que traba-jará con todos los departmentos de la ciudad, la administradora de la ciudad y el abogado de la ciudad, y el alcalde y miembros del consejo municipal. Ayuda en planear la agenda del consejo, graba y provee acceso a los archivos oficiales de la ciudad, y apoya el tra-bajo de la comisión de ética, y los directores de elecciones.Dice que le gusta todo, pero el trabajo con elecciones es muy im-

portante a ella. “Uno de mis partes de mi trabajo favorito es elec-ciones,” dice. “Me apasiona ver la comunidad participa y encontrar maneras a aumentar conección a la comunidad. En el nivel local puede ver que acciones pequeños hacen impactos reales.”Recientemente, el alcalde y consejo municipal han reflexio-

nado muchas leyes de elecciones, incluyendo uno que daría el derecho de votar a jovenes de 16 y 17. Si pasará, Hyattsville será la segunda ciudad en el país que da el derecho de votar a las personas de 16 años.“Siento afortunada vivir en una ciudad donde la gente quiere

participar,” dice Reams.Gente asi son parte de la razón que solicitó el trabajo de secre-

taria. Depués de moverse a Hyattsville – su esposo creció aqui – dijo que le emocionó conocer muchas personas a quien les importaba mucho la comunidad. Como secretaria ya puede ayudar en asuntos de la comunidad en su trabajo. Y dice que tiene de tener esta oportunidad.


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by Kit Slack

“Are you Precious? . . . Or Miracle?” asks a teacher, looking down at one of two twin 5-year-olds in matching clothes, ponytails, and princess backpacks. It is 7:20 a.m., and the girl has broken out of a line where she was waiting to go into class; she needs to go to the bathroom.

� e teacher can be forgiven for not hav-ing the girls’ names straight yet. � anks to a new dual language magnet program at César Chávez Elementary School, there are many more kindergarteners than stu-dents at any other grade level. � e line of 5-year-olds stretches out of the entryway where the other classes wait, past the front door, towards another wing of the school.

César Chávez Elementary, on Riggs Road just west of Sligo Creek, has been a small neighborhood school providing bi-lingual education in various forms since 2000. Last year, 35 percent of students were learning English as a second lan-guage. Enrollment at the school, as a func-tion of neighborhood demographics, has been roughly half Black and half Latino since its founding.

� e new magnet program ensures all pu-pils receive language immersion in both English and Spanish. Each of four kinder-garten classes of 25 students alternates between two classrooms; one in which an instructor teaches English and Science, in English, and one in which an instructor teaches Spanish and Math, in Spanish.

César Chávez is the only school in the Prince George’s County School District (PGCPS) using this dual language model. Magnet program participants will receive

instruction 50 percent in Spanish for all of elementary school.

Entrance to the magnet program was for kindergarteners only this year and was conducted by lo� ery. � e District capped enrollment by native Spanish speakers at 50 percent. Dr. Kevin Maxwell, the chief executive o� cer of PGCPS, made clear when he took on his current role in August 2013 that he hoped to expand Spanish im-mersion and other specialty programs to make the district more competitive and a� ract middle class parents. César Chávez Principal Jose Taboada served as part of Dr. Maxwell’s transition team.

In 2006, the year Taboada became prin-cipal, enrollment at César Chávez was on

a downward slope that became steeper as Rosa L. Parks Elementary opened nearby, dropping from a peak of 450 in 2002 down to 233 in 2010 before stabilizing.

Principal Taboada said that when he took his post at the school, he scrapped an unpopular system whereby classes were separated based on levels of Spanish pro� ciency, inadvertently concentrating Black students in some classes and Latino students in others. He also made e� orts in parent orientations to communicate the value of bilingual education. He hoped from the beginning to develop a magnet program at the school.

For a time, the school had high teacher-to-student ratios because of the drop in

enrollment. Test scores, which given the school’s small size vary widely, spiked for the next few years — for third grade reading, for example, pro� ciency levels went up from 35 percent in 2008 to 97 percent in 2010. Principal Taboada said that the bad economy and budget cuts made it hard to keep the 2010 pro� ciency levels up. � ird grade reading pro� ciency in 2013 and 2014 was 79 percent and 65 percent respectively.

� ough César Chávez Elementary is no longer technically a neighborhood school because admission is now based on lo� ery, the school continues to provide resources to the community. Teachers provide lan-guage help for parents in both English and Spanish one evening a month. � e school promotes a cancer awareness program, maintains a large vegetable garden, and organizes men’s and women’s mentoring programs that foster multicultural com-munity around the school.

So far, the new kindergarteners seem to be thriving. One kindergarten class has been studying the traditions of Mexico for Hispanic Heritage month. On an eve-ning in late October, the boys put on black mustaches and sombreros, and the girls put on traditional white blouses and wide skirts. Shaking maracas and dancing a tra-ditional dance, they sang for their teachers and parents a popular song dating from the Mexican Revolution:

“La cucaracha, la cucaracha, ya no puede caminar, porque no tiene, porque le falta, una pata de atras.”

“� e cockroach, the cockroach, can no longer walk, because he doesn’t have, be-cause he’s missing, a hind leg.”

SchoolNewsHya� sville kindergarteners a� end new Spanish dual language magnet program

KIT SLACKStudents demonstrate the traditions of Mexico for teachers and parents.

Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2014 Page 9

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

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November 15Make fun things out of recycled materials during Trash to Trea-sure: America Recycles Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All ages. Bring your family, friends, group. Free. RSVP to [email protected] and bring a lunch. Davis Hall, 9217 51st Avenue, College Park. 301.927.3013 November 17Closing out the fall Indepen-dent Film Series at the Hy-attsville Library is Black In-dians, an American Story, where family memories and historical highlights reveal the indelible mark of this unique ancestry through generations. Free. Doors open at 6:45 for screening followed by a dis-cussion. 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690. November 28Don’t want to mob-shop on Black Friday? Opening today is the 28th Annual Winter Fes-tival of Lights, the popular holiday display featuring over a million twinkling lights. Please bring a canned good to donate. Admission per car or van is $5 for a single visit or $10 for a three-visit pass. Open daily from 5 to 9:30 p.m. until January 1. Wat-kins Regional Park. 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro. 301.699.2456.

November 29Come learn How to Build a Give and Save Bank at a hands-on workshop for kids at Home Depot. Designed for ages 5 to 12. All kids get to keep their craft, receive a certificate of achieve-ment, a workshop apron and a commemorative pin while sup-plies last. Free. 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. 3301 East West Hwy. Register online at www.homedepot.com. December 3Connect the Dots Dance Com-pany presents a family-friendly holiday classic ballet, The Nut-cracker, to the Hyattsville Li-brary. Free. 6 p.m. 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690. December 5 and 6 The city marks the season with two annual events this weekend. The Christmas Tree Lighting is set for Friday at 7 p.m. in Magrud-er Park. Then, on Saturday, the Municipal Building hosts two seatings of Dining with Santa: a continental breakfast from 9 to 10:30 a.m., and lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. The tree-lighting is free. Both Saturday events have an admission charge and require registration. 301.985.5021 or www.hyattsville.org.

December 6A history-themed gathering with the Christmas icon hap-

pens the same morning at Breakfast With Sint Niklaas, children ages 3 to 10 will meet the Flemish forerunner of Santa Claus and hear about the origin of traditions like hanging stock-ings by the fireplace. A Belgian-inspired menu will be presented at two seatings, 9 and 11 a.m. and reservations are required as walk-ins will be turned away. Adults, $7; children, $10. Riv-ersdale House Museum. 4811 Riverdale Road, Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420. Browse jewelry, purses, toys, fragrant soaps, holiday orna-ments and more from dozens of local artists at the 20th Anniversary Mount Rainier Craft Fair. Free, but vendors accept cash or checks only. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Joe’s Move-ment Emporium, 3309 Bun-ker Hill Road, Mount Rainier. 301.655.5274.

Reindeer are old school; nowa-days, the man in red uses more advanced transportation. Dur-ing today’s Santa Fly-In, chil-dren can watch him land via he-licopter at the historic College Park Airport and take a picture with him. Crafts and other children’s activities round out the afternoon. Noon to 4 p.m. Free with regular museum ad-mission of $4, with discounts for children and seniors. Col-lege Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029.

December 7A longtime neighborhood tra-dition continues today with the St. Jerome Academy Craft Fair and White Elephant Sale. Looking for great deals on books, toys, household items and more? Head to the cafeteria for the White Elephant sale. Then head to the Gold Room to browse handmade crafts, fiber art and more. Free. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 5205 43rd Avenue. 301.277.4568.

December 9 The Prince George’s County Audubon Society hosts a holi-day social and movie night with The Central Park Effect, which reveals the extraordinary array of wild birds that grace Manhattan’s celebrated patch of green and the equally colorful, full-of-attitude New Yorkers who schedule their lives around the rhythms of mi-gration. 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. to mingle and enjoy holiday refreshments. College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029.

OngoingAt the producers-only Riverdale Park Farmer’s Market, fruits and vegetables are only the be-ginning. Depending on the week, shoppers may find baked goods, wine, soap, herbs and more. Free. Thursdays, 3 to 7 p.m. Riverdale Park. 301.332.6258

Local couple Milton and Lin-da McGehee have distributed

thousands of care packages to wounded soldiers over the years and still deliver regularly to the local veteran’s hospital. They welcome donations of new items,including dispos-able cameras, toiletries, puzzle books, playing cards, DVDs, and, especially, new towels and washcloths. Call 301.559.0864 to donate or volunteer. The Hyattsville library offers a variety of storytimes. Space is limited; free tickets available at the children’s desk. Ages 9-23 months: Mondays, 10:15 a.m. Ages 2-3: Mondays, 11 a.m. Ages 3-5: Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. Ages 3-6: Wednesdays, 7 p.m. English-Spanish Story-time for ages 3-6: Saturdays, 11 a.m. 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690.

Rise + Rhyme kicks off the week for the 5-and-under set with storytelling, performances and more. Admission $5. Mon-day mornings from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Zinn Room, Busboys & Poets, 5331 Baltimore Avenue. 301.779.2787.

Community Calendar is a select listing of events happening in and around Hyattsville from the 15th of the issue month to the 15th of the following month. To submit an item for consid-eration, please e-mail [email protected]. Deadline for December submissions is November 23.

The Salvation Army Prince Georges County is taking applications for

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You can have more information by calling 301-277-6103 or visit 4825 Edmonston Rd.

Hyattsville, MD 20781 during our office hours.during our office hours.


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PHOTOS COURTESY HYATTSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

Building construction moved the Hyattsville fire departmentʼs an-nual fire safety day to the Mall at Prince Georges. Inside the mall, children could navigate an ad-venture safety course while adults had the opportunity to get their blood pressure checked. At the “selfie station,” the whole family could take photos in front of a Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Depart-ment backdrop. Read the full story by Jenna Milliner-Waddell at www.HyattsvilleLife.com

MissFloribunda


Dear Miss Floribunda,

It is autumn and the nurseries, supermar-kets, and roadside stands are taunting me with � owering chrysanthemum plants in absolutely thrilling colors. I don’t buy them any longer because they never make it through the winter. You once wrote that chrysanthemums should be planted in the spring, but that’s not when I see them on sale. You also have o� ered alternatives in the past and I have planted some of them but it’s not the same to me. � e asters have go� en too leggy for my taste and the dahlias have to be dug up before hard � ost, which is more work than I really want to do. � ere is a slope on the western side of my house that I would love to cover with chrysanthemums, envisioning something like a patchwork quilt or a tapestry. My family, who knows my sorry track record, has told me my vision is just a hallucination. Is it really an impossible dream?

Dreamer on Decatur Street

Dear Dreamer,

Your dream isn’t really impossible, but you need a lot of practical information to make it a reality. As infatuated with mums as you are, you might consider joining a club of

kindred chrysanthemum lovers, such as the Chesapeake Chrysanthemum Society or the Potomac Chrysanthemum Society. You could obtain young chrysanthemum plants through the joint orders these clubs send to wholesalers in the spring. And of course you would learn all the do’s and don’ts of chrysanthemum culture from other club members.

I asked our own chrysanthemum expert in the Hya� sville Horticultural Society, Capability Green, for her advice. She also falls under the spell of autumn displays on sale every October, and she goes right ahead and buys whatever she likes. Some of the mums are seasonal novelties to be enjoyed temporarily and are not meant to

be planted outside as perennials. Others can overwinter inside and be planted in the spring a� er the danger of frost is past. In fact, once their root systems are well established, many varieties are quite cold hardy. � e Chinese traditionally prized mums as symbols of “fortitude in adver-sity.”

� e key is to � nd a good nook for the plants indoors and to keep an eye on them, watering neither too much nor too li� le. Some people put them in a cool dark spot in a root cellar or basement a� er one good watering and let them go dormant till spring. Capability keeps her mums where they get sunlight but are neither over-heated or frost-bi� en (a south-facing

a� ic window is good) and continues with moderate watering but no feeding all win-ter. She also advises you to mulch them well in the autumn a� er you plant them, to cut them back the following May, and to divide them every three to � ve years. She likes your tapestry/patchwork idea and wants you to know that mums root easily from so� wood cu� ings in summer and once they mature in pots, you can � ll in the bare spots in your patchwork with them when older plants die.

Dare I say that I think you are a bit unfair to asters? � ey too can be cut back, but if you don’t want to bother with that, you can obtain dwarf varieties that don’t get above two feet high. Because they are just about the best source of autumn nectar for bu� er� ies, I hope you won’t discard those you have, even if you don’t wish to include them in the � oral tapestry you plan on your western slope. I must agree that their twilit color spectrum is less � amboyantly autumnal than that of chrysanthemums, whose colors you describe as “absolutely thrilling.” Your dream sounds glorious, so follow it!

� e next meeting of the Hya� sville Hor-ticultural Society will take place Saturday, November 22 at 10 a.m. � e venue is the Hya� sville Municipal Building at 4310 Gallatin St.

The Chinese traditionally prized chrysanthemums as symbols of “fortitude in adversity.


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whelmingly voted for guberna-torial candidate Anthony Brown (D), the final Maryland tally put Larry Hogan (R) in the lead. Hogan will be the first Repub-lican governor in Maryland in eight years.

Meanwhile, the proposal to extend Prince George’s County Council term limits from two to three was closely overturned, with 51 percent voting against the measure.

Term limits were instituted in Prince George’s County in 1992. A charter amendment was pre-sented on the ballot in 2000, but voters upheld the two-term limit.

Baker, who ran unopposed in the general election, was previ-ously an outspoken advocate for the measure. In a campaign email to supporters, he noted that, “We are the only jurisdiction in the region that limits the terms of its elected officials ... Many of the differences we see between our County and other jurisdic-

tions … are tied to the fact that the leaders of other jurisdictions have spent years building influ-ence in the region,” according to the Washington Post.

Hyattsville City Councilmember Patrick Paschall (Ward 2) said he could see both sides of the issue. “I think it’s important for us to make sure … that we don’t create dynas-ties of individuals who just keep getting re-elected without serious thought,” he said. “Ensuring that our representation is dynamic and changing is the only way to make sure we’re getting what we want. However, at the same time, I know it takes awhile to really learn the ropes … were we to extend [ten-ure] to three terms, that might make it possible to make the coun-cil members more effective at their work.”

Prince George’s County vot-ed “yes” for all other charter amendments on the ballot, which included an anti-discrim-ination statute that will “include disability and sexual orientation as additional bases of prohibited discrimination in the County personnel system.”

Election ResultsThe results of the November 4 election (rounded to the nearest percentage) were as follows:

MD Governor: 51% for Larry Hogan (R)MD Comptroller: 63% for Peter Franchot (D)MD Attorney General: 56% for Brian Frosh (D)MD U.S. House District 4: 70% for Donna Edwards (D)MD State House District 22 (three seats): 32% for Tawanna Gaines (D); 31% for Alonzo Washington (D), and 30% for Anne Healy (D).MD PG County Executive: 99% for Rushern Baker (D)MD PG County Councilmanic District 2: 99 for Deni Taveras (D)MD Question 1 - Transportation Trust Funds: 82% forMD Question 2 - Special Election: 81% forMD PG County Question A - Public Safety Facilities Bonds: 84% forMD PG County Question B - Library Facilities Bonds: 84% forMD PG County Question C - Community College Facilities Bonds: 84% forMD PG County Question D - County Buildings Bonds: 74% forMD PG County Question E - Public Works and Transportation Facilities Bonds: 86% forMD PG County Question F - Proposed Charter Amendment to clarify that general obligation bonds shall be in serial and/or term form: 87% for

MD PG County Question G - Proposed Charter Amendment to provide that imme-diately upon a vacancy in the Office of the County Executive, the Chief Administrative Officer shall become the Acting County Ex-ecutive until a County Executive is chosen by the methods established in this Section of the Charter: 88% forMD PG County Question H - Proposed Charter Amendment to change the number of desig-nated newspapers of record from three to one or more; and to designate two or more primary sources of County maintained elec-tronic media available to the public for pub-lication and transmission of official County notices: 74% forMD PG County Question I - Proposed Charter Amendment to include disability and sexual orientation as additional bases of prohibited discrimination in the County personnel sys-tem: 82% forMD PG County Question J - Term Limits: 51% Against

Board of Elections: Board of Education District 3: To Be Determined50.3% for Dinora Hernandez, 49.3% for Amber Waller, check www.HyattsvilleLife.com for latest results.

election continued from page 1


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In 2004, the building was added as a “contributing resource” in the Hyattsville national register historic district, indicating that it may be significant in local histo-ry, architecture, archaeology, or culture. In 2010, Prince George’s County added the Marché Flo-rist building as a “historic re-source” to its list of Approved Historic Sites and Districts Plan. In theory, these low-level listings do not impact the property’s sell-er or buyer because there are no legal obligations.

White Angelica, LLC, a partner-ship formed by Johnson on behalf of Art Works, purchased the build-ing in 2012. They “did due dili-gence research to locate any liens or restrictions on the property,” and had the property surveyed, said Johnson. She said it wasn’t un-til the partnership filed for a work permit and was referred to the His-toric Preservation Commission (HPC) that there was any indica-tion the building was considered historic and that there might be restrictions in place.

During the October 20 hearing, Council members asked why the no one seemed aware of its his-torical nature before the build-ing’s purchase.

“Why is it that this all went through without any comment … why does it seem that no one was aware of this or no one cared about it one way or another? That seems kind of irresponsible,” said Council member Mary Lehman (District 1).

According to Johnson’s legal council and the City of Hyatts-ville, the building was in foreclo-sure during the time it was added to the County’s historic master plan as a “historic resource.” Jim Chandler, assistant administrator to the City of Hyattsville, told the District Council, that when build-

ings are in foreclosure, “There are certain issues with respective no-tifications of property owners in-cluding this property owner.”

Johnson and her lawyer indicat-ed that the “historical site” desig-nation imposed additional costs and processes that prevented the non-profit from being able to af-ford necessary renovations.

According to the Council’s legal advisor, “[It’s not known] before-hand what renovations the HPC will approve or disapprove once its designated a historic site.” He also said that there was no right or wrong answer in this case, and that it was purely a judgement call on the part of the Council.

“Even if the building has histor-ic merit,” said Stuart Eisenberg of the Hyattsville Community Development Corporation, “it has to be in perspective to other things. The HPC is doing their job zealously. The District Coun-cil has to look at the big picture; that’s their job.”

Council Vice Chair Will Cam-

pos (District 2) asked, “What good is a historic building that cannot contribute to our present other than by physical existence alone? We find ourselves with an investor to our community who wants to contribute to the revi-talization of Route 1 to a very crucial segment of that corridor.”

On the vote to overturn the Marché Florist building’s historic designation, Lehman was the only Council member to vote “no.”

Following District Council the decision, an Art Works board member said the mood was cel-ebratory.

The next step, according to Johnson, is to meet with the nonprofit’s architects to begin the final permit drawings, which she said have been on hold. After the final drawings, Johnson said, the next step is “permitting and sending out drawings for bids.”

Johnson said she hopes Art Work’s summer camps can be held at the Marché Florist build-ing in the summer of 2015.

to increase knowledge retention by “connecting [students] to the curriculum.” Arts, he said, have a positive impact on learning.

Though Ceschini has only served as the arts integration officer for three months, he brings plenty of experience to his new role and a new role for the County school system. Ceschini previously served as the executive director of the Arts Education in Maryland Schools Alli-ance for four years and has also served as a prin-cipal at various schools in Prince George’s County, many at which he implemented arts in-tegration.

Qualitative side ef-fects of arts integration that Ceschini says he has observed through his personal experience include in-creased attendance and decreased student discipline referrals. Quan-titatively, standardized test perfor-mance scores improved.

Ceschini has set realistic goals for the pilot year.

“The goal this year is to raise awareness,” he said, “to define what arts integration is to these schools and how can the teach-ers get involved in the process.”

During the first year a process called curriculum mapping will be used. In curriculum mapping, teachers ‘look at the existing arts curriculum and the common core standards and when there is a natural connection between the two then build the [arts] into the lesson planning.”

Ceschini hopes the process will help incorporate arts into other subject areas without forcing it. For example, when teachers are explaining the parts of a story, they could read a book like “The

Hungry Caterpillar” to students and then have the students “iden-tify the beginning, middle and end through dance. “[Teachers can combine those dance ele-ments while they are learning about literary elements,” Ceschini said, and the combination of ap-proaches will help students who have different learning styles.

Curriculum mapping will re-quire training teachers, but Ce-schini said he is optimistic.

“We have a core group of teach-ers in every school who are excited about this because it lets them use their creativity. They can imple-ment things that bring fun back into learning,” he said. “It gives the students activities that involve more creativity and collaboration. [Teachers are] not just teaching to a test,” Ceschini said.

Area arts organizations, such as Joe’s Movement Emporium and the Prince George’s County Arts and Humanities Council, have given in-kind support such as pro-viding locations for meetings and bringing artists to visit the schools in the pilot program.

Long-term, said Ceschini, the goal is to expand arts integration to the other schools in the county.

“[We] don’t want the impetus [for implementation] to come from the arts integration office, we want it to come from the schools. We want teachers to tell their colleagues this is a powerful learning tool.”

juliana molinaArt Works executive director Barbara Johnson and Pizzeria Paradiso owner Ruth Gresser (center) celebrated with supporters who gathered in the Prince George’s County Council chambers during the October 20 District Council hearing.

art works continued from page 1

arts continued from page 1

“we have a core group of teachers in every school who are excited about this because it lets them use their creativity. they can implement things that bring fun back into learning.”

— John CeschiniPrince George’s County School System Arts Integration Officer


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November 2014 Hyattsville Life & Times

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