October 2012 Hyattsville Life & Times

15
by Paula Minaert Swinging metal gates now barricade the driv- ers’ entrances to the former WSSC parking lot on 40 th Avenue, which abuts Magruder Park. Signs on the gates warn: “is lot is closed to vehicular traffic except with specific wrien owner authorization.” ese were put up in late September by property owner Douglas Development at the request of the city of Hyasville, and the com- pany has hired a towing company to tow any car that drives over the grass to park illegally. Different takes on the fence A great deal of controversy preceded that ac- tion, including angry postings to the HOPE listserv and acrimonious exchanges in city council chambers. It goes back to January 3, when, according to city Community Services Director Abby San- del, a woman practicing driving went through Included: The October 9, 2012 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781 PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 43 Easton, MD 21601 ROSS continued on page 10 H ya tt svi ll e October 2012 Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper Vol. 9 No. 10 Life&Times by Susie Currie A surprise announcement by one of Hyasville’s representa- tives in Annapolis has stunned colleagues and constituents alike, and opened the door for a political appointment by Gov- ernor Martin O’Malley. In a leer to his district on September 27, Maryland State Delegate Justin Ross (D-22) said that he would step down on November 9 “to spend more time with my lovely wife [and] my four beautiful children, and to concentrate on giving back to Prince George’s County as a pri- vate citizen and as a member of the business community.” Ross was first elected in 2002, a 26-year-old newlywed “full of enthusiasm, energy and a burn- ing desire to serve,” said Del. Anne Healey (D-22), a long- time Hyasville resident who has represented the district since 1990. Party leadership soon took notice. In 2007, House Speaker Michael Busch (D-Anne Arun- del) tapped Ross to be chief deputy majority whip. Since then, said Busch, “he has been critical to the passage of every piece of important legislation in the House of Delegates.” Two such pieces will be be- fore voters the week he re- tires: Question 6, which would make same-sex marriage legal in Maryland, and Question 7, Ross to leave the House of Delegates Parking lot pandemonium near Magruder Park By Scarlett Salem Lacrosse may be the state sport of Maryland, but in Prince George’s County, high schools are beer known for producing athletes who excel at basketball, football, and track and field. e Prince George’s Pride La- crosse Club is working to change that, teaming up this fall with the county’s Parks and Recreation Department to offer a series of free lacrosse clinics to area youth. e clinics provide an avenue for kids to try a sport that oth- erwise might not be easily ac- cessible. Former college players and area coaches teach lacrosse basics, such as stick handling and passing, on public fields. “ey supply the expertise and we supply the space,” said Byron ompson, the department’s sports coordinator. “e most important thing for us is to pro- vide our kids with exposure to la- crosse. It’s all around outside the county but doesn’t have a strong hold [here].” e series, which runs through November 3, came to Hyasville on a warm, sunny September af- ternoon. e promise of free in- Club hopes lacrosse will stick with county youth BILL JENNE A 9-year-old keeps her eye on the ball during a recent lacrosse clinic in Hyattsville, part of a fall series scheduled throughout the county to promote the Maryland state sport. LACROSSE continued on page 13 FENCE continued on page 12 ELECTION2012 PAGES 6-7

description

Lacrosse club comes to Hyattsville; Delegate Justin Ross resigns; complaints about use of WSSC parking lot; guide to November ballot questions; Hyattsville Arts Festival

Transcript of October 2012 Hyattsville Life & Times

by Paula Minaert

Swinging metal gates now barricade the driv-ers’ entrances to the former WSSC parking lot on 40th Avenue, which abuts Magruder Park. Signs on the gates warn: “� is lot is closed to vehicular tra� c except with speci� c wri� en owner authorization.”

� ese were put up in late September by property owner Douglas Development at the request of the city of Hya� sville, and the com-pany has hired a towing company to tow any car that drives over the grass to park illegally.

Di� erent takes on the fenceA great deal of controversy preceded that ac-

tion, including angry postings to the HOPE listserv and acrimonious exchanges in city council chambers.

It goes back to January 3, when, according to city Community Services Director Abby San-del, a woman practicing driving went through

Included: The October 9, 2012 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section

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HyattsvilleOctober 2012Hyattsville’s Community NewspaperVol. 9 No. 10

Life&Times

by Susie CurrieA surprise announcement by one of Hya� sville’s representa-tives in Annapolis has stunned colleagues and constituents alike, and opened the door for a political appointment by Gov-ernor Martin O’Malley.

In a le� er to his district on September 27, Maryland State Delegate Justin Ross (D-22) said that he would step down on November 9 “to spend more time with my lovely wife [and] my four beautiful children, and to concentrate on giving back to Prince George’s County as a pri-vate citizen and as a member of the business community.”

Ross was � rst elected in 2002, a 26-year-old newlywed “full of enthusiasm, energy and a burn-ing desire to serve,” said Del. Anne Healey (D-22), a long-time Hya� sville resident who has represented the district since 1990.

Party leadership soon took notice. In 2007, House Speaker Michael Busch (D-Anne Arun-del) tapped Ross to be chief deputy majority whip. Since then, said Busch, “he has been critical to the passage of every piece of important legislation in the House of Delegates.”

Two such pieces will be be-fore voters the week he re-tires: Question 6, which would make same-sex marriage legal in Maryland, and Question 7,

Ross to leave the House of Delegates

Parking lot pandemonium near Magruder Park

By Scarlett Salem

Lacrosse may be the state sport of Maryland, but in Prince George’s County, high schools are be� er known for producing athletes who excel at basketball, football, and track and � eld.

� e Prince George’s Pride La-

crosse Club is working to change that, teaming up this fall with the county’s Parks and Recreation Department to o� er a series of free lacrosse clinics to area youth.

� e clinics provide an avenue for kids to try a sport that oth-erwise might not be easily ac-cessible. Former college players

and area coaches teach lacrosse basics, such as stick handling and passing, on public � elds.

“� ey supply the expertise and we supply the space,” said Byron � ompson, the department’s sports coordinator. “� e most important thing for us is to pro-vide our kids with exposure to la-

crosse. It’s all around outside the county but doesn’t have a strong hold [here].”

� e series, which runs through November 3, came to Hya� sville on a warm, sunny September af-ternoon. � e promise of free in-

Club hopes lacrosse will stick with county youth

BILL JENNEA 9-year-old keeps her eye on the ball during a recent lacrosse clinic in Hyattsville, part of a fall series scheduled throughout the county to promote the Maryland state sport.

LACROSSE continued on page 13

FENCE continued on page 12

ELECTION2012 PAGES 6-7

Page 2 Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2012

A community newspaper chronicling the

life and times of Hyattsville

Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781

Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Hyattsville Community Newspaper, Inc., a 501c(3) nonpro� t

corporation. Interested reporters should send their e-mail addresses to the editor to be reminded of deadlines and receive internal news. Articles and news submit-

ted may be edited. The deadline is the last week of the month for the following month’s issue. Letters to the editor and opinions are encouraged. For all e-mail

correspondence with HL&T: news, features, tips, advertising and business write to hyattsvillelifeandtimes@gmail.

com. To submit articles, letters to the edi-tor, etc., e-mail [email protected].

Executive Editor Paula Minaert

[email protected]

Managing EditorSusie Currie

[email protected]

Editorial InternScarlett Salem

ProductionAshley PerksAdvertising

[email protected]

Writers & ContributorsVictoria Hille, Bill Jenne,

Valerie Russell, Kimberly Schmidt, Fred Seitz, Hugh Turley

Board of Directors Joseph Gigliotti - President and

General Counsel Chris Currie - Vice President

Paula Minaert - SecretaryPeggy Dee, Bart Lawrence,

Karen J. Riley, Valerie RussellSusie Currie - 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

MyTwoCents

by Susie Currie

Are you registered to vote? And if not, does it ma� er?

We know, we know: Maryland is a one-party state. In these parts, if you’re a Democratic incumbent in Novem-ber, odds are that you will continue to be one come January. And sure, watching the presidential debates can be illuminating. But when was the last time Maryland’s electoral-college votes went to a Republican? (Wait, don’t tell me: 1980?)

by Sam Williams

At the September 17 city council meeting, a� endees were given an update on the status of the search for a new head for the Department of Public Works, to replace our former director, Mr. Patrick Ryan. DPW’s baseline responsibility is to clear the waste and refuse from our residential streets and public spaces. But as a citizen of Hya� sville, I implore the hiring commi� ee to move beyond searching for a can-didate merely capable of relocating garbage from point A to B, within budget. It should instead consider only those with a progressive view

and a� rmative track record on mo-tivating our residents and employ-ees to redu ce their generated trash towards “zero-waste,” a common-sense approach to municipal waste management that diverts at least 90 percent of reusable items from be-ing buried in a land� ll or burned in an incinerator.

My neighborhood has many large apartment buildings and tenants there (like my family and me) are o� en pushed to dispose of electron-ics, clothing and furniture in dump-sters because there are no viable alternatives available, especially for those of us who commute primarily by bicycle or Metro. We need an in-

novative Director of Public Works capable of providing us all with comprehensive recycling, e-waste disposal and regular pick-up service for useful goods.

According to the Environmental Sustainability Policy for the City of Hya� sville, our leadership clearly recognizes the need to “use envi-ronmentally preferable products, such as those that are repaired, re-stored, recycled, reusable, recycla-ble, non-toxic, of low-embodied en-ergy content, and/or renewable.” A broad swath of our residents would actively support the e� orts of our human resources department to hire a director who internalizes this

Great piece on the substitute mail mess [“Mail stashed, trashed by local le� er car-rier,” September 2012]. We had a similar situation with a substitute last summer. No mail was delivered to our house for several days, when she wouldn’t cross our porch steps with old Buddy, our black cat, asleep in the sun there — despite [my husband]’s note! And, she abandoned the rest of the route both days, so neighbors down the block also got no mail.

Marianne LaRoche40th Avenue

message and is able to develop a city culture conscious of its overall waste reduction e� orts (especially if residents and businesses are in-centivized to discard less and reuse more).

Our new hire should be willing to work at educating and guiding citi-zens on sustainability best practices and lowering our carbon footprint. If, instead, the job goes to someone who is clueless or willfully oblivi-ous on how to implement the city’s own sustainability goals, we will fall further behind in creating a “green” vision for Hya� sville.

Sam Williams is a resident of Ward 1.

A wish list for the new DPW director

Granted. But you should still do it. Because when Hya� sville voters go to the polls next month, they will be deciding questions that will reverberate through the state and the county for decades to come. In the spirit of public service, we present the texts of all 14 of them on pages 6 and 7, so you won’t be seeing them for the � rst time on November 6.

On the ballot, questions of statewide signi� cance are numbered 1 to 7, while those speci� c to Prince George’s County are le� ered A to G. Of the seven state questions, the � rst three are amendments to the state constitution. Questions 4 to 6 are referen-dums — “public policy laws passed by the General Assembly but successfully petitioned to referen-dum to allow the voters to make the � nal decision,” wrote Del. Anne Healey (D-22) in a le� er to the constituents she has represented since 1990. (For the record, she supports all seven measures.)

And then there’s (the $25 Million) Question 7. In an August special session, the General Assem-bly narrowly passed this bill, which would bring a casino to Prince George’s County and expand gaming in the state’s existing casinos. Millions of dollars have been spent on both sides to persuade you, so we leave it to you to do your research. (If you � nd out why that is the only question actually wri� en as one, let us know.)

Question 3 seems to be a direct response to the recent turmoil brought to us by certain public-servants-turned-convicted-felons whose names will be forever linked to the county. � e amend-ment would speed up the process for removing from o� ce lawmakers who turn out to be law-

breakers. Under current law, elected o� cials who plead guilty or are found guilty can (and almost always do) continue to draw a salary until their sentencing date, which may not be for months. � is amendment would suspend the o� cial at conviction rather than sentencing.

Freshman delegate Ti� any Alston (D-24), who represents a district bordering ours, will surely be interested in the answer to that Question. Alston was convicted in June of embezzlement and had her law license revoked by the state in September, but her sentencing will wait until a� er a second trial this month, on similar charges.

� e Maryland State Board of Elections website, www.elections.state.md.us, is a terri� c resource for those who aspire to be informed voters. [Digres-sion: Of course, it doesn’t address the Orwellian language of Question 6, � e Civil Marriage Pro-tection Act. Is that like the D.C. Statehood Protec-tion Act? It seems apparent that something has to exist to be protected; Question 6 would be more accurately called the Civil Marriage Expansion Act.] � e site contains the legislative background and non-technical summaries for each state ques-tion.

But no similar information is available for Ques-tions A through G, which will appear only on bal-lots in Prince George’s County. Compared to the state questions, the county ones leave something to be desired. Like speci� cs.

All are designated as “Charter Required Referen-dums,” although what puts them in that category remains a mystery, as does the online whereabouts of the county charter itself.

Ballot questions should be longer than a tweet

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Note to County Question Writers: If you can tweet it, it’s too short. Take Question B (please): “To amend the procedure for ap-proval of multiyear contracts by resolution of the County Council upon notice and public hearing.” What procedure? How would it be changed? Your guess is as good as ours.

Other questions, concerning hundreds of millions in bond issues, are vague. Question E provides for “$156,354,000 to � nance the de-sign, construction, reconstruction, extension, acquisition, improvement, enlargement, al-teration, renovation, relocation, rehabilitation or repair of Public Safety Facilities (includ-ing Fire Department Facilities), as de� ned therein.” Reportedly, this will fund a new � re department for Hya� sville, but you’d never know it.

I vote for making those non-technical sum-maries of ballot initiatives mandatory for Maryland counties, as they are for the state. In the meantime, for this election, the deadline to register is October 16. See you at the polls!

by Lauren Flynn Kelly

Recycled, repurposed, vintage, handmade and 100 percent eclec-tic were the themes of the day at the Fifth Annual Hyattsville Arts Festival, which took place on Sep-tember 22 in the city’s Gateway Arts District on Jefferson Street at Baltimore Avenue.

Organizers estimate that more than 3,500 visitors flocked to the fest to peruse local artists’ wares made of everything from duct tape to beer bottles to old fur-niture. That’s up from 2,300 last year, according to the Hyattsville Community Development Cor-poration, which coordinated the event with help from numerous businesses and volunteers.

“Feedback from attendees and all involved has been extremely positive,” said CDC Executive Director Stuart Eisenberg. “I’m very proud of my staff, our vol-unteers, and the artists and per-formers. They went the extra mile to ensure the festival was a great experience for all.”

Emily Jane Warheit, associ-ate director of the College Park Scholars Arts Program at Uni-versity of Maryland, brought her students along to experience a connection between the arts and the community.

“They were all really impressed and had a great time,” she said. “We go to a different festival every year, so I’ve been to a lot. I thought the selec-tion of artists and vendors was as good or better than a lot of festi-vals in the area. It was great to see a whole range, from those doing more craft-type work to fine arts, and we especially enjoyed talking with the artists who were actu-

ally working during the festival so we could experience their pro-cess as well.”

Visitors browsed the work of more than 50 artists, including some from other cities in the metro area.

“One of my first shows ever was at the Hyattsville Spring Fest last year and it went really well. Ev-eryone’s been super friendly and I’ve been selling a lot of hanging planters, decoupage and glasses,” reported Arlington-based artist Marissa D. Molinaro, who fash-ions glassware from new craft and vintage beer bottles as well as tufted memory boards from vintage fabrics.

Meanwhile, accessories designer Jen Athanas was huddled in the corner of her booth icing her foot after sustaining a bee sting. Her eight-year-old line, Jen-A-Fusion, features handbags, laptop cases and other small totes made of vin-tage and repurposed fabrics.

“I’ve been doing this since I was a kid,” she said. “My mom would say, ‘You want new jeans? Here’s some fabric. Go make them yourself.’ And that always stayed with me.”

Fresh from finishing painting the bright exterior of the nearby Shortcake Bakery, Erica Rig-gio and Angela Justice of Riggio Design set up a makeshift living room of vintage and repurposed furniture and fixtures, from a striking pair of turquoise, toile-cushioned dining chairs to a lilac-painted chandelier that could fit into any funky Hyattsville home.

“We’re both designers by trade, and we use a lot of recycled piec-es to a) fit clients’ budgets, b) be green and c) because we think

we can bring a lot of character to them. We like to do a lot of local projects,” explained Riggio, who also staged the Firehouse Lofts on Farragut Street.

Other works included photo prints of nature scenes, raw wood cutting boards, handcrafted note cards, succulent-filled planters, pottery in all shapes and sizes, leaf-adorned Adirondack chairs — even handmade hula hoops.

Children danced to the sounds of live music organized by Joe’s Movement Emporium & World Arts Focus and participated in crafts courtesy of Art Works Stu-dio School, which provided reus-able bags for the kids to adorn.

“I really liked decorating those bags,” said 6-year-old Nora Vei-gas. “It created quite a glitter storm,” added mom Kara Veigas.

There were also dogs up for adop-tion, thanks to pet-supply store The Big Bad Woof. “My 14-month-old loved the big St. Bernard we saw … and the frozen yogurt,” laughed local mom Anne Baum, who at-tended with youngest daughter Beatrix York.  “I only wish there had been more crafts for sale.”

Spreading hometown pride was lifelong resident Alicia McNeill, who manned the booth for the City of Hyattsville, one of the event’s key sponsors. “I was born and raised here,” said McNeill, who wore a red “I Am Hyatts-ville” T-shirt. “Our city is chang-ing and I’m excited to be here.”

And what Hyattsville street fest would be complete without a cold one from Franklins Brewery? Brewer Mike Roy was out pour-ing Bombshell Blonde, Rubber Chicken Red and Sierra Madre Pale Ale throughout the day.

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2012 Page 3

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Page 4 Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2012

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vacaNt cIty StaFFpoSItIoNS to BE FIllEd

Interviews to fill some of the city’s vacant staff positions are planned for this month, accord-ing to Mayor Marc Tartaro. “I hope we’ll have interviews for city clerk, director of Depart-ment of Public Works and city administrator by mid- to late October.” He said staff has de-veloped written assessment tools for all three positions and that using them has enabled the hir-ing panel to come up with a short list of candidates for the clerk po-sition.

“We did it for the clerk and it was amazing the quality of the responses we got back.” The city hasn’t used such assessment tools before, he added.

SExual haRaSSmENt dISmISSal dENIEd

The city’s motion to dismiss the sexual harassment case filed against it by a former police of-ficer has been denied. This rul-ing by Judge Frederick Motz of the U.S. District Court means the case will move to a discovery

phase, with attorneys from both sides doing research to support their positions.

SuBWay REtuRNINg to hyattSvIllE

Subway restaurant is returning to Route 1. Its new location will be next to the Happy Wash car wash and where Alberta’s Thrift

Store used to be.

Jc pENNEy collEctS moRE thaN 1,200 ShoES FoR chaRIty

JC Penney in Hyattsville staff members collected more than 1,200 pairs of shoes for people in need in the month of September. The shoes went to Soles 4 Souls, a nonprofit charity that distrib-utes new and gently-used shoes around the world. Team Leader Tim Zielinski offered shipping for all the shoes collected. With bake sales and fundraisers they also collected $120. Soles 4 Souls

gives one pair of shoes for every dollar donated.

BuRglaRIES havE RESIdENtS WoRRIEd

A string of residential burglaries in West Hyattsville has residents on edge. On 30th Avenue alone, three homes were robbed from September 29 to October 1. In total, 22 houses in that part of the city were hit between August 1 and October 3, according to of-ficial reports.

Sgt. Chris Purvis of the Hyatts-ville Police Department said the burglaries are not confined to

Hyattsville but are happening all over the region. “Typically the bad guys go in toward the rear of the house. Sometimes doors or windows are left open. Some-times they have backpacks and they load up things like laptops. Sometimes they back cars up into a driveway, load it up and take off.”

StaBBINg oN hamIltoN StREEt

In another incident, one man reportedly stabbed another in the 3100 block of Hamilton Street around 2 a.m. on October 1 and then drove off in a Toyota pickup truck. Hyattsville police are asking for help in locating the suspect.

cRIttENdEN StREEt RoadWoRk pRoJEct dElayEd agaIN

Drawings for the Crittenden Street/40th Avenue roadwork project will be completed and come to the city for review in November, announced Mayor Marc Tartaro October 1. The final permits are expected some-time in late February or early March and construction should start then. Tartaro also said Act-ing Department of Public Works Director Julia McTague is no longer project manager and there is no manager currently.

courtesy of jc penneyMembers of JC Penney’s staff with the more than 1,200 shoes they collected for people in need.

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2012 Page 5

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Dear Miss Floribunda,

I read with interest your advice to plant trees and shrubs in the fall. What about lawn repair? I have a lot of bare spots, some of which I covered with wood chips le� over a� er I had a tree taken down. I don’t like all the insects crawling around the mulch and I think the bare spots have actually spread � om under it. What do you suggest?

Losing Lawn on Lawrence Street

Dear Losing Lawn,

Yes, this is the best time of year for seeding your lawn, and for the same reasons given for planting trees and shrubs now. In addition, competing weeds will be dying. However, you will have a li� le re-search to do before taking on the task. For example, it’s important to know what kind of grass you already have so as to get seed or plugs of grass that will pre� y much match it.

You also need to get your soil test-ed. Possibly another reason for the bare patches is that your soil is too acidic and needs some lime.  Bad drainage is another possible cause, and you may need to work in more composted organic ma� er.  � at wood chip mulch you put down, while organic, is at this point draw-ing out nitrogen as bacteria and the insects you describe break it down into the soil. Most gardeners agree

that wood chips should be placed only on pathways where you don’t want anything at all to grow.

I always like to interview a hands-on expert with visible gardening results that inspire con� dence and had only to look a few doors down the street. I asked my neighbor Lon Greensward what he does to keep his front yard looking so velvety and viridescent.  He told me he feeds the grass three times a year, with specialized fertilizers appro-priate to each season. In the fall he aerates the soil with a kind of roller with prongs that li� s li� le plugs of soil out of the ground. (You could also use a spike rather than a plug aerator.) Lon believes this task is especially important because “the ground has to breathe.”He adds lime and seed as needed. Another important fall chore he advocates is to rake up leaves every single week rather than waiting till they

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� nish tumbling down at the end of autumn. Even a small quantity of leaves can keep oxygen and wa-

ter from reaching the roots of the grass.

� e University of Maryland has

a very good site,  www.hgic.umd.edu, that has a special section on lawn care that will tell you where and how to get your soil tested. It even includes a video that shows you just what equipment you need and how to use it. If you wish to hire someone to do the work for you, you might consult with the local ex-perts at this site to � nd a reputable company.

To discuss this and other gardening concerns with the members of the Hya� sville Horticultural Society, and to participate in the autumn plant exchange, please come to our next meeting at 10 a.m. on Satur-day, October 20. It will take place at the home of Joe Buriel and Dave Roeder, 3909 Longfellow Street.  

MissFloribunda

How to keep your lawn green and healthy.

Page 6 Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2012

Fleisher’s Jewelers

3108 Queens Chapel RoadHyattsville, Maryland 20782

301-699-5552Hours: M-F: 9:30 - 6:00Saturday: 9:00 - 5:00

After 63 years of service to the Hyattsville area, we regret to

announce that we will be closing our store this year.

It has been an honor and pleasure to serve your jewelry related needs, and we hope to see you before we close our doors for the last time. We will be running a storewide liquidation

sale, so please come in early for the best selection.

non-profit community performing arts center located in the Mount Rainier Arts District Ayanna Gregory –

Nov. 10

NonaLee Dance Theatre – Nov. 17 – Nov. 18

Jane Franklin Dance – Dec. 2

Arachne Aerial Arts – Dec. 16

Located at 3309 Bunker Hill Road, right off of 34th Street in historic Mount Rainier, MD

Visit our website for a full listing of performances and events!

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Fall season highlights

THRILL THE WORLDRehearsals - 10/7 at 5:30 - 7 p.m. 10/21 at 5:30 - 7 p.m. 10/25 at 7 - 8:30 p.m.PERFORMANCE: 10/27 at 3 p.m.

VOTING REFERENDUMS: Questions 4 to 6

Question 4: Public Institu-tions of Higher Education – Tuition RatesEstablishes that individuals, including undocumented im-migrants, are eligible to pay in-state tuition rates at commu-nity colleges in Maryland, pro-vided the student meets certain conditions relating to atten-dance and graduation from a Maryland high school, filing of income taxes, intent to apply for permanent residency, and registration with the selective service system (if required); makes such students eligible to pay in-state tuition rates at a four-year public college or uni-versity if the student has first

completed 60 credit hours or graduated from a community college in Maryland; provides

that students qualifying for in-state tuition rates by this method will not be counted as in-state students for purposes of counting undergraduate en-rollment; and extends the time in which honorably discharged veterans may qualify for in-state tuition rates.

Question 5: Congressional Districting PlanEstablishes the boundaries for the State’s eight United States Congressional Districts based on recent census figures, as required by the United States Constitution.

Question 6: Civil Marriage Protection ActEstablishes that Maryland’s civil marriage laws allow gay and lesbian couples to obtain a civil marriage license, pro-vided they are not otherwise prohibited from marrying; protects clergy from having to perform any particular mar-riage ceremony in violation of their religious beliefs; af-firms that each religious faith has exclusive control over its own theological doctrine re-garding who may marry within that faith; and provides that religious organizations and certain related entities are not required to provide goods, services, or benefits to an in-dividual related to the celebra-tion or promotion of marriage in violation of their religious beliefs.

Question 7: Gaming Expan-sion ReferendumDo you favor the expansion of commercial gaming in the State of Maryland for the primary purpose of raising revenue for education to authorize video lot-

ThE STaTE QUESTIONS: 1 TO 7 aMENDMENTS TO ThE MaRYLaND STaTE CONSTITUTION: Questions 1 to 3

Question 1: Qualifications for Prince George’s County Orphans’ Court JudgesRequires judges of the Or-phans’ Court for Prince George’s County to be admit-ted to practice law in this State and to be a member in good standing of the Maryland Bar.

Question 2: Qualifications for Baltimore County Or-phans’ Court JudgesRequires judges of the Or-

phans’ Court for Baltimore County to be admitted to prac-tice law in this State and to be a member in good standing of the Maryland Bar.

Question 3: Suspension and Removal of Elected OfficialsChanges the point at which an elected official charged with cer-tain crimes is automatically sus-pended or removed from office. Under existing law, an elected of-ficial who is convicted or pleads no contest is suspended and is removed only when the convic-tion becomes final. Under the amended law, an elected official is suspended when found guilty and is removed when the con-viction becomes final or when the elected official pleads guilty or no contest.

tery operation licensees to oper-ate “table games” as defined by law; to increase from 15,000 to 16,500 the maximum number of video lottery terminals that may be operated in the State; and to increase from 5 to 6 the maxi-mum number of video lottery operation licenses that may be awarded in the State and allow a video lottery facility to operate in Prince George’s County?

ELECTION2012

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The CounTy QuesTions: A To G

Question A: Proposed Charter AmendmentTo authorize legislative ac-tion on the decennial County Council redistricting plan by resolution upon notice and public hearing.

Question B: Proposed Charter AmendmentTo amend the procedure for approval of multiyear con-tracts by resolution of the County Council upon notice and public hearing.

Question C: Library Facilities BondsAn Act enabling the County to borrow money and issue bonds in an amount not exceeding $45,150,000 to finance the de-sign, construction, reconstruc-tion, extension, acquisition, improvement, enlargement, alteration, renovation, reloca-tion, rehabilitation or repair of

Library Facilities, as defined therein.

Question D: County Buildings BondsAn Act enabling the County to borrow money and issue bonds in an amount not exceeding $75,823,000 to finance the de-sign, construction, reconstruc-tion, extension, acquisition, improvement, enlargement, alteration, renovation, reloca-tion, rehabilitation or repair of County Buildings, as defined therein.

Question E: Public Safety Facilities BondsAn Act enabling the County to borrow money and issue bonds in an amount not exceeding $156,354,000 to finance the design, construction, recon-struction, extension, acquisi-tion, improvement, enlarge-ment, alteration, renovation, relocation, rehabilitation or repair of Public Safety Facili-ties (including Fire Depart-ment Facilities), as defined therein.

Question F: Public Works and Transportation FacilitiesAn Act enabling the County to borrow money and issue bonds in an amount not exceeding $193,383,000 to finance the design, construction, recon-struction, extension, acquisi-tion, improvement, enlarge-ment, alteration, renovation, relocation, rehabilitation or repair of Public Works and Transportation Facilities (in-cluding roads and bridges, parking lots, and maintenance facilities), as defined therein.

Question G: Community College Facilities BondsAn Act enabling the County to borrow money and issue bonds in an amount not exceeding $156,047,000 to finance the design, construction, recon-struction, extension, acquisi-tion, improvement, enlarge-ment, alteration, renovation, relocation, rehabilitation or repair of Community College Facilities, as defined therein.

eLeCTion2012

Hyattsville Reporterthe

No. 250 • October 9, 2012www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000

Page HR1 Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2012 Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2012 Page HR2

IN OTHER NEWS...

OCTOBER 2012

CALENDAR

Monday, October 15City Council Meeting, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Wednesday, October 17Hyattsville Environmental Committee Meeting, 7:30 PM

Thursday, October 18AGES Workshop: Senior Flu Shot Clinic, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Saturday, October 20Mary Prangley Clean-up Day, City-wide beginning at 9:00 AM

Saturday, October 27Electronics Recycling, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PMDPW Yard, 4633 Arundel Place

Saturday, October 27Fall Spooky Fest, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PMUniversity Town Center, America Boulevard & East West High-way

Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street.

AGING GRACEFULLY EDUCATION SERIES (AGES) CONTINUESThe Office of Senior Services will offer a series of workshops and seminars on topics of interest to seniors and their families. The next session is on Thursday, October 18 from 10 AM to 12 NOON in the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street, First Floor Multi-Purpose Room. We’ll be hosting a flu shot clinic. Did you know that adults age 65 and over are more likely to get the flu? But Medicare covers flu vaccines – Pro-tect yourself from the flu this season with a flu vaccination. Call 301/985-5058 by Monday, October 15 to sign up. Bring your Medicare card for payment. Light refreshments provided. Questions? Please contact Emily Stowers, Volunteer Services Coordinator, at 301/985-5058 or email [email protected].

MARY PRANGLEY CLEAN-UP DAY IS OCTOBER 20All homes served by the Department of Public Works for residen-tial trash collection will receive a special Saturday collection on Saturday, October 20. It is designed especially for bulk items, but regular trash will be collected, too. Please have all items curbside no later than 9:00 AM.

ELECTRONICS RECYCLINGBack by popular demand, the City will offer Electronics Recy-cling from 8 AM to 12 NOON on Saturday, October 27. Resi-dents may bring up to eight items, including televisions, com-puters, VCRs/DVD players, and cell phones to the DPW Yard. The DPW Yard is located at 4633 Arundel Place. There is no charge for this service.

SPOOKY FEST RETURNS TO UNIVERSITY TOWN CENTER ON OCT 27Boo! It’s a spooktacularly good time for kids ages 12 and under at the City’s annual costume party. The event will take place from 2:00 to 4:00 PM on Saturday, October 27 at University Town Center, America Boulevard & East West Highway. We’ll have a Monster Mash Dance Party, Pumpkin Decorating, a Costume Contest, and Trick or Treating.The event is free and open to the public. For parking information,

visit www.universitytowncenter.net/parking.htm.

THE HYATTSVILLE HEROES BOWL RETURNS TO MAGRUDER PARKThe annual Hyattsville Heroes Bowl pits the local police against the firefighters in a charity flag football match. This year’s game takes

place Saturday, November 10 at 3:00 PM. Bring a new, unwrapped toy or a cash donation for entry. All proceeds benefit children in our community who would not otherwise receive gifts at the holidays.

HAPPY HYATTSVILLE HOLIDAYSThe Magruder Park Tree Lighting is scheduled for the evening of Friday, December 7, complete with seasonal music and hot choco-late, plus a very special guest. Have breakfast or lunch with Santa on Saturday, December 8 at the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. Clause Applause, the annual holiday decorating contest, will be judged the evening of Wednesday, December 12. Deck the halls, Hyattsville!

PARENT & CHILD PROGRAM FALL SEMESTER The Fall Semester of the Parent & Child Program is now underway! The Parent & Child Program allows parents and other caregivers to bring preschoolers to the Magruder Park Recreation Center for playtime and crafts. The program features both free play and struc-tured activities. Children must be accompanied by an adult. The program meets on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Fall Semester runs through December 20, 2012. Pay on a drop-in basis, just $3/session, or $75 a semester.

SENIOR SERVICESFamilies, caregivers and seniors: Do you have any age-related questions or concerns? Please call Hyattsville’s Senior Services Coordinator, Emily Stowers at 301/985-5058, or email [email protected].

CHANGES COMING TO CABLEThe City’s cable station is now rebroadcasting City Council Meet-ings at a variety of times. Tune in on Monday at 10 AM; Tuesdays

Handmade on Hamilton coming in Nov. The City’s annual fall street festival is re-born as Handmade on Hamilton: An In-ternational Celebration of Craft, Food, and Music on Saturday, November 3 on Hamilton Street between Queens Chapel and Ager Roads. The event is free and open to the public. Festivities begin at 12:00 noon. Our grand finale begins at 7:00 PM. Here’s what you need to know to enjoy the day!

ParkingParking maps will be available online at http://www.hyattsville.org/hand-made beginning on October 22. Lots will also be signed on the day of the festival.

Crafters & ArtisansVendors will be open from 12:00 noon until dark. Over 44 vendors from throughout the region will be represented. They’re selling everything from cool kids’ tees to jewelry to photographs. Please see the complete listing in our full-page ad in this edition of the Life & Times.

DiningThere are several restaurants and dining options along Hamilton Street. In addi-tion, we’ll have additional food vendors on hand as part of the Festival.

EntertainmentThe main stage will feature a line-up of local favorites, including Unity Reggae Band, Nayas, and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, from 12:30 through 7:00. Batala DC, the larger-than-life all women’s Bra-zilian percussion ensemble, will perform on the street at 3:00 PM. Look for addi-tional performances from Glade Dance Collective and the amazing street theater of Cirque Oya throughout the day. Find the full event schedule in our full-page ad in this edition of the Life & Times, or on-line at http://www.hyattsville.org/hand-made.

FeesThe event is completely free of charge and open to the public. Many of our vendors will have items on sale for $25 and under.

If your household is served by the Department of Public Works, there are several important schedule changes to note for the next few weeks. Ques-tions? Please call 301/985-5032.This information is also available online at www.hyattsville.org, on the

City’s cable channel (71 Comcast, 12 Verizon), and in the Hyattsville Re-porter.

VETERANS DAYNo Yard Waste will be collected on Monday, November 12.

THANKSGIVINGNo Yard Waste will be collected on Monday, November 19. If your trash is normally collected on Thursday, it will be collected three

days earlier on Monday, November 19. If your trash is normally collected on Friday, it will be collected two days

earlier on Wednesday, November 21. Tuesday and Wednesday trash collection remain unchanged.

CHRISTMASNo Yard Waste will be collected on Monday, December 24. If your trash is normally picked up on Tuesday, it will be collected on Mon-

day, December 24.

NEW YEARNo yard waste will be collected on Monday, December 31. If your trash is normally picked up on Tuesday, it will be collected on Mon-

day, December 31.

Questions? Please call 301/985-5032.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Trash schedule changes for fall and winter 2012

and Thursdays at 6 AM, 3 PM, and 10 PM; Wednesdays and Fridays at 7 AM and 9 PM; or Saturdays and Sundays at 12 NOON. We will broadcast the most recent Council Meeting. The City’s channel is 71 on Comcast and 12 on Verizon. Questions? Comments? Please talk to Jonathan Alexander, the City’s cable coordinator, at [email protected] or 301/985-5028.

REDISTRICTING PLAN ADOPTED; FIND DETAILS ONLINEThe City adopted a redistricting plan earlier this month. Find de-

tails here: www.hyattsville.org/redistricting. Not sure about your Ward? The City’s interactive map widget is located at http://www.hyattsville.org/map.

CITY BUDGET DETAILS AVAILABLE ONLINEThe City’s new fiscal year, FY13, began on July 1, 2012. Residents can view documents related to the FY13 budget online at www.hy-attsville.org/budget.

VETERAN SERVICESLooking for counseling, assistance with veterans’ benefits, or other information? The Prince George’s County Vet Center services Coun-ty residents who have served their country. Services are provided at no charge to the veteran. For more information, visit www.vetcenter.va.gov, or call the Prince George’s County Vet Center, located at 7905 Malcolm Rd., Suite 101, Clinton, MD 21735, at 301/856-7173.

NIXLEThe City is now using Nixle to send public safety alerts and informa-tion via both email and text message. This system replaces the Safe-City website previously in use. Many of our neighboring jurisdic-tions also use Nixle to send out information. Please note that Nixle won’t report on every incident – typically alerts are sent when the HCPD needs to alert the public to a potentially dangerous situation, or when we are asking for your help solving a crime. In other cases, Nixle messages relate to road closures, power outages, etc.If you have a nixle.com account, there is no need to create a new

one. Simply log in and add the City of Hyattsville to your wire. New to Nixle? Register at www.nixle.com or enroll using the widget on-line at http://www.hyattsville.org/stayinformed.

FIND US ON FACEBOOKAre you on Facebook? You can now keep up with City events and happenings at www.facebook.com/cityofhyattsville. When you see Vainglorious, the silver metal bird sculpture at Centennial Park, you’ll know you’re in the right place. He is kind enough to serve as the City’s wall photo.,

Tot Tartans, one of this year’s 44 vendors.

Page 8 Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2012

Hyattsville Farmers Market NEW LOCATION FOR 2012

The fall harvest is in! Come see a dozen varieties of apples and much, much more...

Sponsored by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission

Cookbook giveaway and exchange!

We accept SNAP, WIC, & senior coupons

Tuesdays, 2 to 6 p.m.

A Community- Sponsored Enterprise

3505 Hamilton Street (the former BB&T

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COMMUNITY CALENDAROctober 18 Looking for something a bit more adult to do this Halloween? Bit of a fan of the cult horror movie genre? Why trick-or-treat when you can fill your bag with live theatre, a treat to your senses with a bite that will scare your pants off? Hell-spawn II is a trilogy of ghostly, mysteri-ous plays, with tales rising out of one of our local haunted statues. Faceless, What Fresh Hell and Grief walk you through lo-cal graves, seat you in a gutted warehouse and wake you up with dark midnight performances. Presented by Active Cul-tures Theatre; runs through November 4 at Riverdale Park Town Center, 4650 Queensbury Road, Riverdale. Tickets $15. Warning: not suitable for young chil-dren; recommended for audiences 12 and up.

October 20Bring the whole family to the 6th An-nual Oktoberfest sponsored by St. Je-rome’s Knights of Columbus. You’ll find German food, beer and cider; music and dancing; face painting and apple bobbing. Event supports St. Jerome’s Academy. St. Jerome’s Gold Room, 5205 43rd Avenue, 5:30 – 9 p.m. $8 individual; $25 for a fam-

ily of six; $6 children and seniors. Free for children under 2.

October 27Have a spooky good time at this year’s Spookyfest Halloween Party, spon-sored by the City of Hyattsville. Decorate

pumpkins, follow the trick-or-treat trail, enter the costume contest and enjoy the Monster Mash Dance Party featuring DJ Kurt. At University Town Center, Ameri-can Boulevard & East-West Highway, 2 to 4 p.m. Free.

At this year’s Flight Fest, the lineup in-cludes a costume contest, pumpkin bowl-ing, crafts and hayrides. Free with muse-um admission of $4 ($2 for children; $3 for seniors). Noon to 4 p.m. College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029.

October 28The brothers Grimm published their first collection of stories in 1812 and the char-acters in them seldom lived “happily ever after.” In A Grimm Gothick Evening, take a moonlight tour of the Riversdale House Museum grounds, hear selected readings from these fairy tales and enjoy mulled ci-der by the fire. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather; for ages 12 and up. Walks will be offered at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Advance payment required by Oc-tober 22; capacity is limited. Riversdale House Museum, 4811 Riverdale Road, Riverdale Park. $10; 301.864.0420.

November 3Notice to shoppers and vendors: Hand-made on Hamilton: An International Celebration of Craft, Music and Food is coming! Think of it as a local Etsy pop-up: only handcrafted, original items created by local artisans will be displayed. The fes-tival is happening at Queens Chapel Town Center from noon to 7 p.m. For more in-

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The 6th Annual Oktoberfest sponsored by St. Jerome’s Knights of Columbus brings German food, beer and cider.

Handmade on Hamilton will be like a local Etsy pop-up — only handcrafted, original items will be sold.

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2012 Page 9

onAn International Celebration of Craft, Music, and FoodSaturday, November 3, 201212 NOON to 7 PMDon’t miss our grand fi nale at 7 PMHamilton Street between Ager Road and Queens Chapel RoadAcross from the West Hyattsville Metro station

Visit the booths of:A People UnitedAiven ArtArtPoetBeach BabyBlue GatorBougie BohoCooCoo Collage ChickTod DowneyEveryday QuiltsFairy Behind the DoorFearlessthreadsFishneck TofuCynthia GossageHandmade HabitatHandmade Hemp HeavenBrandon HeyerHyattsville Community Arts AllianceI Choose LoveJennaLynnStudiosNelson KellyKnitBlitzLove HennaSarah Madrigal

Erica MatifasDelia MychajlukNelson Rietske Fine Art PhotographyCarol NewmeyerNot a Guilty Pleasure DesignNotion ImagesPhoto GridProfusions of GlassPurple CloverranditanSara Knox originalsSecond Set StylesKatie StackSugar Lilly HairbowsTailpheathersA Tangled SkienTerraza Stained GlassThe Queen’s GemsTot TartansTree To ArtWeimBecky WilliamsYakitoko

Come and shop for handmade crafts from over 40 different artisans!

Fairy Behind the Door

Music from:Unity Reggae BandNayasPigeons Playing Ping PongBatala

Page 10 Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2012

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November 10Rosalie Calvert, the mistress of Riv-ersdale, bragged to her father that the cider produced at Riversdale was “almost as good as champagne,” and the drink impressed visitors, including the British Ambassador at the time. Take a step back into the culinary past with the Cider Sampler. Learn about the art and history of cider making while tast-ing your way through a guided sam-pling of Crispin Ciders, paired with historically-inspired foods. Based in Minneapolis, Crispin Cider of-fers a variety of classic hard ciders, as well as artisanal and imported varieties. For ages 21 and up. $15 for residents of Prince George’s & Montgomery Counties; $18 for non-residents. Advance payment is required by November 2. The cost includes all food and drink and a souvenir glass. 2 p.m. 4811 River-dale Road, Riverdale Park, Mary-land. 301.864.0420; [email protected]. Ongoing Local couple Milton and Linda Mc-Gehee have distributed thousands of care packages to wounded soldiers over the years and still de-liver regularly to the local veterans hospital. They welcome donations of new items, including disposable

cameras, toiletries, puzzle books, playing cards, DVDs, and, espe-cially, new towels and washcloths. Call 301.559.0864 to donate or vol-unteer.

Through October 28, Anacostia River Boat Tours are held Tues-days through Fridays at noon and weekends at 5 p.m. All ages are welcome to join a park natu-ralist on a 45-minute pontoon boat ride to search for birds and other wildlife. Free; registra-tion required for groups of 12 or more. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg. 301.779.0371.

A group bike ride starts ev-ery Sunday at 9 a.m. at Arrow Bicycles, 5108 Baltimore Av-enue. This is a 32-mile, mod-erately paced ride that empha-sizes group-riding techniques. New group riders welcome. 301.531.9250.

Our own Hyattsville Farmers’ Market is open every Tuesday through the season from 2 to 6 p.m. at its new location, the for-mer BB&T building, 3505 Ham-ilton Street. 301.627.0977.

The producers-only Riverdale Park Farmer’s Market offers a variety of local vegetables and fruits, honey, baked goods, meat, jams, flowers and more. Free. Thursdays, 3 to 7 p.m. Riverdale Park, 301.332.6258.

Community Calendar is compiled by Susie Currie and Scarlett Sa-lem. It’s a select listing of events happening in and around Hy-attsville from the 15th of the issue month to the 15th of the following month. To submit an item for con-sideration, please e-mail  [email protected]  or mail to  P.O. Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781. Deadline for November submis-sions is October 23.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR which would bring a casino to Prince George’s County and ex-pand gaming in the state’s exist-ing casinos.

Both bills passed by the thin-nest of margins, with 60 per-cent of delegates voting in favor. As one of the whips, Ross was instrumental in rounding up those votes.

He is no stranger to long odds. In an interview, he recalled that one of his proudest moments in the House came in 2011. His colleagues voted to increase the state alcohol tax from 6 to 9 percent, generating revenue for programs that help the develop-mentally disabled.

“Everybody said it wouldn’t pass, but we got it done,” he said.

This year has been even busier for Maryland legislators. The regular session lasts 90 days, beginning in mid-January. But over the last year, three special sessions – on redistricting, the budget and gaming expansion– added nearly two weeks to the calendar. They also added lo-gistical challenges to lawmakers trying to balance the work of the state with a full-time job or a young family.

Ross has both. Throughout his political career, he has con-tinued working in commercial real-estate, first as a broker for the Lanham-based NAI Michael Companies and, since 2010, as vice president of the AFL-CIO Investment Trust Corporation.

But it was his four children, he says, who were the deciding fac-

tor in stepping down before his third term ends in 2014. They range in age from 18 months to 8 years.

“There are very few things more important to me than the 22nd District, but my family is one of them,” he said.

Alonzo Washington, chief of staff for County Councilmem-ber Will Campos, said he con-siders Ross a mentor.

“We’re really going to miss working with him,” he added.

Washington is one of 24 mem-bers of the Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee, the body respon-sible for, among other things, nominating a replacement to serve the remaining two years of Ross’ term.

Within 30 days of the seat be-ing vacant, the committee must identify a replacement and for-ward the name to Governor Martin O’Malley, who will then appoint the successor.

The process can sometimes be divisive as politicians jockey for position. In 2008, after the sudden death of state senator Gwendolyn Britt (D-47), a vote of 12-11 put County Coun-cil Chair David Harrington in Britt’s seat.

Asked who Ross would like to see in his seat, “that’s for your next article,” he laughed.

For now, he’ll continue to coach his children’s sports teams and otherwise stay con-nected to the community. But he hasn’t ruled out a return to politics someday.

“I’m not closing any doors,” he said.

ROss continued from page 1

Q: What can a penny buy these days?

A: Your ad, in full color, delivered by U.S. Mail to a Hyattsville-area household (and with change to spare!)

Contact 301-531-5234 or [email protected]

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2012 Page 11

Helping Sell HyattsvilleAnd our Neighboring Community

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COMMENTARY & OPINION ON HISTORY & POLITICS

Hugh’sNews

By Hugh Turley

What follows is a true story, recounted to me by a mutual acquaintance of the man I call “Joe.”

Joe and “Bob” were sales repre-sentatives who had made their living closing deals on the phone. � ey were highly competitive with each other and with the top producers at their company. � ey came from large cities on the East Coast and felt smugly superior to other people. Joe, a native New Yorker, o� en boasted that the best scientists, doctors, lawyers and musicians all shared his particular urban heritage.

A� er they retired Bob used his phone skills to buy antiques from widows he found listed in the obituaries. He would con-vince the widow he had been a friend of the deceased and ask if she might sell him some cu� inks as a memento. Once inside a widow’s home, Bob would � ash $3,000 and inquire if she might sell something else, perhaps a sil-ver bowl or a watch?

When Joe found out about Bob’s antique business he want-ed to get in on the action. � ey became partners, with Bob do-ing the buying and Joe the sell-ing. Joe rented a stall at an an-tiques mall as an absentee seller; other merchants would handle his sales for a commission. Joe only showed up once a month to collect the money, pay the rent, and set out more items to sell.

� is arrangement was ideal for Joe, who spent his days in bed watching video and computer screens. He only le� home to buy cigare� es, booze, and snacks. Any visits to friends were com-bined with his monthly drive to and from the antiques mall.

� e operation was a success for the boys, but their lust for money and aversion to labor were not satis� ed. Waiting a month to turn over their pro� t seemed too long. � ey decided that an auc-tion could sell a whole table of merchandise in one evening.

A� er scouting several auction houses they found the perfect place in a small community on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. � e auctioneers got good prices for similar antiques and the com-mission was less than at the an-tiques mall.

Bob and Joe viewed the rural people as hayseeds and their in-feriors. � ey were con� dent they could put one over on the locals and maximize their pro� ts. Bob would deliver their merchandise and Joe would enter the hall later, pretending to be a pro-spective buyer. Joe would bid up the prices of their items so they would get even more money.

Everything seemed to be going as planned, until one evening the auctioneer called for a break and, with his assistant, summoned Bob and Joe to the o� ce. He in-formed them that he knew what they were doing and did not ap-preciate it. At � rst Joe protested, but the auctioneer told him they had been captured on video tape.

He told them to pack their goods and leave, but Joe protest-ed loudly. “We drove a great dis-tance,” he said, “At least let us sell our merchandise tonight and we promise not to come back.” � e auctioneer talked it over with the assistant and agreed to let them sell their remaining merchan-dise.

Bob and Joe’s entire table of an-tiques was taken up on the stage. � e auctioneer held up several items pointing out the � ne qual-

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ity of each. � en he announced, “What do I hear for everything on the table?”

“Six dollars,” someone shouted.

“SOLD!” � e auctioneer banged his hammer down.

“Oh, no, no, no,” cried Joe.All sales at the auction house

were � nal. Bob and Joe, smart-ing from the lesson taught by the hayseeds, blamed each other and are no longer speaking.

A rural education

the tall chain-link fence that sepa-rates the lot from the park and bounced off the fence surround-ing the park’s tennis court.

Then, in late August, a section of the fence was bent again, also apparently by a car.

Tim Hunt, councilmember for Ward 3, was concerned about the danger to children playing close to the fence. So he called Act-ing City Administrator Elaine Stookey. That was when, in his view, things went wrong.

“I was told the owner had 30 days to fix the fence, and it was made clear to me that the city had no intention of [further] contacting Douglas Develop-ment,” Hunt said.

So Hunt e-mailed company ex-ecutives directly to express his concern. And that was when, in the view of Mayor Marc Tartaro, things went wrong. Hunt says he made it clear in his communica-tion that he was acting as a pri-vate citizen. Tartaro disagrees.

“Mr. Hunt signed it as a council member and used his city email. Douglas Development thought he was doing it on behalf of the city.”

So Tartaro sent his own letter to Douglas Development. “[My] intent was to inform the prop-erty owner that Hunt was not speaking on behalf of the city. We wanted to reassure them they weren’t doing anything wrong.”

Things escalated. Hunt vehe-mently objected to Tartaro’s say-ing in his letter that the city has “only minimal concerns” about

safety on the lot. Tartaro agreed that the letter could have articu-lated things differently.

“Criticism duly noted,” he said later in an interview. “I have my opinion and others have theirs. Their opinion is valid just as mine is valid. The job of the city is to look at all sides.”

The discussion continued at the September 17 council meet-ing and was contentious. Sandel presented a motion drawn up by staff to put up either bollards or a guard rail on one side of the fence, but not all councilmem-bers liked that solution.

A great deal more discussion ensued. Some councilmembers said the lot has traditionally been used by parents teaching their children to drive. Others ex-pressed concern about commer-cial driving schools using it.

After several motions failed to pass, the council finally decided that it didn’t need one after all. A majori-ty, with Hunt and Ruth Ann Frazier (Ward 5) dissenting, thought that its direction to city staff on how best to approach Douglas Development about securing the lot was clear enough without it.

Shani Warner (Ward 2) com-mented, “How complicated we can make simple things. I wish this hadn’t become contentious.”

Resident Jon Shelton, father of two young children, spoke at the meeting. Days later, he was still up-set about the way the matter was handled.

“Mayor Tartaro clearly wanted to avoid — at any cost — even asking Douglas Development to manage a serious public safety

concern on its property,” he wrote in an e-mail to the HL&T.

Tartaro said he understands why some people are upset. “I took both my children to the playground and they learned how to ride bikes in that lot.”

What actually goes on in the lotResident Therese Tirador taught two of her children to drive in the lot and says she never saw problems with that practice.

“Several cars were there and people always made room for other cars. It felt perfectly safe,” she said in an interview, speculat-ing that the recent damage might have been caused by people hanging out there after dark.

“Late at night I’ve seen people drive around the lot who clearly are

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not learning to drive. It’s teenagers just goofing around, laughing, and it sounds like alcohol’s involved.”

Another resident, Kathrin Black, has a different complaint about the lot. She lives close to it and for the last two or three weekends, she said, she has heard motorcycles driving around in the lot.

“Every Saturday and Sunday for hours, the noise was constant and very loud. I called the police and several of my neighbors did, too.”

But after the police left, she said, the cyclists kept riding around and the noise continued. She’s glad the lot is blocked now because it’s much quieter.

Paul Millstein, spokesman for Douglas Development, said the company tries to be accommo-dating.

“The city comes to us from time to time for functions and we’re always amenable. We realize people use the lot. We offered to fence it completely a while ago, and were asked not to do it be-cause a lot of people feel it’s an amenity to the neighborhood. There’s no perfect solution.”

Millstein said that anyone who wants to use the lot should come to them or to the city for permis-sion. “Securing it and opening it on a controlled basis makes more sense.”

tim huntThis fence between the parking lot and Magruder Park, damaged in August, sparked the controversy.

struction drew 52 children ages 7 to 15 to Heurich Turf Field. Many brought their own equip-ment, but Thompson made sure to have sticks on hand for those who didn’t.

“The clinics have been out-standing,” said Jonathan Smith, a coach for the College Park-based club. “We have some solid par-ents and coaches.”

Lacrosse teams aren’t co-ed, so boys and girls trained on sepa-rate sides of the field. Leading the boys’ side was Hyattsville resi-dent Sean Calabrese, who played lacrosse at the University of Delaware and teaches P.E. at De-Matha Catholic High School. He has also coached lacrosse there, and recruited some current play-ers to help with instruction.

“We were expecting a little bit more [of a turnout],” said Cal-abrese, “but the amount of kids who are new to [lacrosse] is great.” Of the 25 boys, he said, six had never played.

Many of the girls were new, too. Montgomery County resident Paulette Campbell, observing her 13-year old daughter Ava from the sidelines, said it was her “first time picking up a stick, and I think it’s going good.”

One thing that attracted Camp-bell was the price. “In Montgom-ery County, there are several av-

enues [for exposure], but those are $300 training programs. I thought this would be an easy way to get exposure but not sign up for a team.”

Running the girls’ side were two representatives from the Prince George’s Women’s Lacrosse As-sociation, director Ashley Rus-sell and program-planning man-ager Tara Restly. They conducted drills that incorporated lacrosse basics such as shooting.

“Hopefully, [the girls] will spread the word for us,” said Russell, who, like Restly, coaches at a local pri-vate high school. Currently, Bowie and Eleanor Roosevelt are the only public high schools in Prince George’s with varsity lacrosse; four others offer it as a club sport.

Before seeing lacrosse sanc-tioned by more high schools as a varsity sport, both PG Pride and PGWLA would like to see more participation so that more local teams can be fielded and even-tually local leagues. Though PG Pride’s home field is Duvall, in College Park, the teams belong to leagues in neighboring counties.

“[Duvall] is a mile from a pow-erhouse team [University of Maryland], and there’s no viable youth program around here,” said club registrar Alex Heitkem-per. “It doesn’t make sense.”

The remaining three lacrosse clin-ics are October 13 in Bowie, Oc-tober 21 in District Heights, and

Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2012 Page 13

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