may 2014 hyattsville life & times

by Rosanna Landis Weaver

� e Sunday in May that Hy-a� sville residents devote to strolling from beautiful home to beautiful home is a long tra-dition. � e tour, which will take place on May 18, is in its 35th year of highlighting the charm-ing homes of Hya� sville.

One thing that sets this tour apart from others in the met-ropolitan area is the Hya� s-ville Preservation Association’s (HPA) explicit e� ort to high-light larger historical connec-tions. In 2013, for example, the tour program emphasized a moment in Hya� sville history connected with the women’s su� rage� es movement.

� is year the HPA is dedicat-ing its tour to the “long and ongoing ba� le for full equality for all our residents.” � e pro-

by Susie Currie

Hya� sville’s new city administrator is a deco-rated Army veteran who believes her experi-ence running military bases will have direct applications to running the city.

Col. (Ret.) Tracey Nicholson started her new job on May 14, becoming the city’s third full-time administrator since January 2011. She

replaces Jerry Schiro, who started the job al-most exactly a year before she did – May 15, 2013 – but le� in December, in the middle of his contract.

At its April 21 meeting, the Hya� sville City Council approved Nicholson’s $130,000 an-nual contract unanimously and with no dis-cussion. Community and Economic Develop-ment Director Jim Chandler, who had been

� lling the role temporarily, will serve as assis-tant city administrator.

Mayor Marc Tartaro said in an interview that he was “excited to have such a highly quali� ed candidate.”

“Tracey has a strong background – a li� le un-usual, maybe, but I think she has all the tools

Included: The May 14, 2014 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section

Hya

ttsv

ille

Life

& T

imes

PO B

ox 1

32H

yatt

svill

e, M

D 2

0781

NO

NPR

OFI

T O

RGU

.S. P

OST

AGE

PAID

EAST

ON

MD

PERM

IT N

O. 4

3

HyattsvilleMay 2014Hyattsville’s Community NewspaperVol. 11 No. 5

Life&TimesSafeway breaks ground at UTC

TOUR continued on page 12

STUDYING FOR THE BARREStudents at the newest dance studio in town get ready for their � rst recital, to be held in June at Joe’s Movement Emporium. PAGE 8

FROZEN POSITIONS CUTBy a margin of 6 to 3, the city council denied the police de-partment’s request for four additional sta� , voting to keep the approved positions at their current number. PAGE 5

CITIZEN CELEBRATIONThe city’s � rst Citizenship Celebration Day honors its newest U.S. citizens with a party and proclamation. PAGE 4

by Susie Currie

Hya� sville residents are a step closer to having another grocery store in town. On May 7, city and county o� cials joined ECHO Re-alty executives to break ground on a 55,000-square-foot Safeway at University Town Center (UTC).

Two more businesses have re-cently signed leases there that together make up about 9,000 square feet. Unleashed will open as a smaller, boutique version of pet-supply company Petco, while Phenix Salon Suites will o� er space for independent beauty professionals.

Unlike the controversial de-velopment anchored by Whole Foods just 1.3 miles away, which divided residents and led to hun-dreds of hours of public hearings, this project has enjoyed wide-spread support from city and county o� cials.

“I think it’s going to be a wonder-ful opportunity for UTC and the city,” Mayor Marc Tartaro said when ECHO � rst described its plans to the city council. “� ere’s a vacant lot now, and [this plan] will create a front door o� East-West into UTC. � is will jump-start that whole area.”

Retired military o� cer takes command as city administrator

Historic home tour dedicated to equalityAcknowledges hard part of history

ADMINISTRATOR continued on page 13

ANDREW MARDERGlass artist Scott Mitchell puts finishing touches on his latest piece at DC Glassworks during the Gateway Arts District Open Studio Tour, held on May 10 throughout the Gateway Arts District.

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2014

A community newspaper chronicling the

life and times of Hyattsville

Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781

http://issuu.com/hyattsvillelifeandtimes

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.

Executive Editor Susie Currie

[email protected]

Managing EditorRosanna Landis Weaver

[email protected]

ProductionAshley PerksAdvertising

[email protected]

Writers & ContributorsAmanda Alley, Katy June-Friesen,

Lauren Kelly, Gray O’Dwyer, Molly Parrish, Scarlett Salem,

Fred Seitz

Board of Directors Joseph Gigliotti - President and

General Counsel Chris Currie - Vice President

Susie Currie - SecretaryPeggy Dee, Karen J. Riley,

Valerie Russell, Gretchen Brodtman, Debra Franklin, T. Carter Ross

Rosanna Landis Weaver - 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


� is is my � nal o� cial editorial for the Hya� sville Life & Times. On June 1, I begin a new full-time job with the As You Sow Foundation and need to end treasured part-time work. (Yes, this means the HL&T is hiring. See the ad on p. 3.) � ough the foundation is located in Cali-fornia I am fortunate to be able to work from home, which is a

LATIN-AMERICAN RESTAURANT TO OPEN IN FORMER CALVERT HOUSE

A new sign is already up for the restaurant taking over the Calvert House space, though the restaurant is not expected to open until July. Samuel Umanzor, a Hya� sville resident for over 10 years, will be opening his second location of Lesly Restaurant Bar & Grill. He opened the � rst restaurant in Falls Church in 2010, naming it a� er his oldest daugh-ter. � at restaurant features Latin-American food, and includes karaoke nights and live bands. Umanzor expects both the menu and the entertainment will be the same at the new location. “I think this is a good place for a res-taurant,” says Umanzor.

SEX-ASSAULT SUSPECT STILL AT LARGE

At press time, Hy-attsville police were still searching for a rapist who struck in the early hours of May 4 near the Mall at Prince Georges. Shortly before 2 a.m., according to Sgt. Chris Purvis, the man followed the 20-year-old vic-tim out of the Prince

George’s Plaza Metro station, heading west towards T.J. Maxx. Holding her at knifepoint behind a dumpster, he raped her and then fled the scene. Police have released surveillance footage of the sus-pect. “We are working a lot of the tips and have some good leads,” said Purvis. Any-one with information is asked to call the Hyattsville City Police Criminal Investi-gation Section at 301.985.5060.

PEDESTRIAN FATALITY IN WEST HYATTSVILLE

At 4:20 a.m. on May 10, a pedestrian was fa-tally struck in the 5600 block of Ager Road. At press time Prince George’s County Police were still investigating the incident, which occurred near the West Hya� sville metro sta-tion, and had not released further details.

— Rosanna Landis Weaver and Susie Currie

� is town is your town, this town is my town

good thing because I’ve never loved Hya� sville more.

I’m sad to leave the HL&T, but would be so much sadder if I needed to leave the fantas-tic town. My time as managing editor has let me get to know the town and the people in it a bit be� er. � e city is lucky to have the amazing HL&T sta� and board, and the hard-working members of our City Council and sta� (and a special good-bye to the incredible Abby Sandel who is leaving her position as well this month.)

However, for my � nal editorial I want to talk about my other part-time job, which has also given me a glimpse into a part of our community I previously had li� le connection with. I’ve been teaching English as a second language to recent immigrants in an evening class at North-western High School.

Teachers always get a special glimpse at humanity, the day-to-day unfolding knowledge of lives. Teachers learn more about students than their grasp of the subject, gaining a bit of insight into the character and home life of the person being taught. I remember that from being a student, and it wor-ries me sometimes as a parent. (“Oh,” I imagine the teacher saying, “based on what I see in that backpack, young Weaver has a very chaotic home life.”)

From that perspective, I have been nothing but impressed with the students I had the plea-sure of teaching over the past year. In teaching numbers and time we would do an exercise on “What time did you wake up this morning?” and every answer, every time we did this, made my 6:30 wake up seem like sleeping in. I encountered

a great deal of kindness from these students: � ey were pa-tient with my stumbling teach-ing, and supportive when I was ill.

I also encountered a great deal of courage and commit-ment. One bi� erly cold January night, a day when the schools had closed for no reason other than the temperature, a student called me to see if winter class registration was on as sched-uled. I reminded her that be-cause the classes follow the Prince George’s County school schedule it would not be. How-ever, since I was already at the li-brary decided I would go down the street to Northwestern and see if there were others there. I found a crowd of over 40 people standing in line in the wind-chill cold, many of them with-out gloves and wearing sweat-shirts rather than the parkas

the weather demanded. Once the term began, students would learn to listen for closures, but at registration many did not know of this policy. � e doors of the school were locked, the halls were dark, but outside they waited in case the doors would open.

I made some calls and was able to let these students know when registration would be resched-uled, but I was so very struck by the experience.

� at happened to be right around the time when iconic folk singer Pete Seeger passed away. I have a children’s book of “� is land is your land” that I took in to read to my class. Some of the words are challeng-ing and the concepts di� cult to grasp for beginning English speakers. Sometimes in Hya� s-ville’s history — as noted in HPA’s recent look at recent his-tory — the concepts may be di� cult to grasp for those who have been speaking English their entire lives.

Hyattsville continues to grow and flourish because it de-fines itself not by those that it excludes but by those it wel-comes. This place is made by

NEWS BRIEFS

MATTHEW CREGERHyattsville Volunteer Fire Department President Thomas Falcone presents a plaque to Sister Geraldine McPhee, SND, (left) and Sister Janet Cahill, SND, at St. Jerome Church on Saturday, May 10. The HVFD honored the nuns during a Mass celebrating the 100th anniversary of the service of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur at the Hyattsville parish.


Lawson’s PharmacyPICK-UP & DELIVERYOF PRESCRIPTIONS

Ostomy Supplies, Sr. Citizen’s DiscountsConvalescent Aids

Sales & RentalsRichard Sabatelli, R. Ph.301-864-4043

3415 Hamilton St., Hyattsville, MD 20782

Bring in this ad for 10% off your entire purchase

Featuring unique items handcrafted by local artists

arts.pgparks.com

One-of-a-kind gift ideas

CRAFT STORE

3901 Rhode Island Ave Brentwood, MD 301-277-2863BRENTWOOD ARTS EXCHANGE

PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT

To his amazement, he was any-thing but invisible to the pope. In the book, Widmer describes guarding the papal apartments on Christmas Eve during his first month on the job, feeling espe-cially homesick after a phone call to his family. The youngest of six, he had never spent the holidays away from home.

When John Paul II emerged from the apartment for midnight Mass, he stopped, studied the 19-year-old trying to keep a stiff upper lip, and guessed the prob-lem. He came over and took the young guard’s hand, thanking him for the sacrifice he was mak-ing and promising to pray for him during Mass.

“That was all I needed,” he writes. “Someone had noticed my pain, someone had cared, and that someone was the pope himself.”

There were many more such interactions, and hundreds of hours observing John Paul II in-teract with everyone from world leaders to Rome’s homeless to his fellow guardsmen.

He interacted, Widmer recalls,

more as a coach than a remote authority figure. “In our conver-sations, he wasn't a stern or au-thoritarian figure, lecturing me and making me feel inadequate. He was like a coach, urging on one of his athletes.”

That attitude was evident in the pope’s final words to Wid-mer, who was leaving to marry the pretty American college stu-dent wrapping up her studies in Rome.

“Go out into the world and bring what you have learned here

with you,” said the pontiff. “I have great hopes for you.”

Today, 28 years later, Widmer remembers those words and tries to capture that spirit in the class-room.

“I love to deal with the really difficult students because I was one of them,” he said. “I was a mediocre student — and that’s being nice. I make a special ef-fort to focus on them. John Paul had more faith in me than I had in myself, and hopefully I can do that for my students.”

Former Swiss Guard sees boss named saint by Susie Currie

Andreas Widmer, one of many Hyattsville residents in aca-demia, is the director of entre-preneurship programs at Catho-lic University. Before joining the faculty last year, he started, ran, funded and advised several busi-nesses over a lengthy career, and started a foundation specializing in enterprise-based solutions to poverty.

But the job he got at 19 may be the one that made the deepest impression. From 1986 to 1988, he was a Swiss Guard in Vatican City, serving under Pope John Paul II in the oldest continu-ally active military corps in the world. Though he didn’t know it at the time, what he learned about leadership from the pontiff would influence the rest of his career and eventually be distilled in a 2011 book, The Pope & The CEO.

Last month, he was one of mil-lions who flocked to Rome for the April 27 ceremony officially declaring his former boss a saint.

“It's amazing to see how many people [ John Paul II] resonated with,” said Widmer, who made the trip with his wife, Michelle, and 10-year-old son, Eli. “On the streets during the canonization it was very moving to hear people talk about ‘their’ new saint — each in their own way, each from

their own perspective, but every-one profoundly thankful for hav-ing known him.”

For Widmer, that path began in 1986, when he became the first Swiss Guard from his family in more than a century. (Two neph-ews have since followed him.) He met the requirements: Swiss, Catholic, single, male, clean-shaven, between 19 and 30, and at least 5 feet 8 inches tall. (In fact, he is full foot taller than that, while Michelle is 5 feet 2 inches.)

And he had just completed an-other prerequisite: the military training that Switzerland re-quires of all its male citizens once they turn 18. Swiss Guards, who have been stationed at the Vati-can since 1506, get additional training, although when they are starting in service their role is largely decorative. They are the ones in those signature, Renais-sance-style striped uniforms of red, gold and blue. They aren’t al-lowed to talk or move, although some tourists delight in testing this, and that scary-looking me-dieval weapon they carry (a hal-berd) is just for show.

“They’re not responsible for any safety or security,” explained Widmer. That’s up to the more senior members, whom he com-pares to the U.S. Secret Service: ever-present but invisible. “The actual protecting, we do in a black suit.”

COuRTESy Of ANDREAS wIDMERAndreas and Michelle Widmer went to Rome for the April 27 canon-ization of Pope John Paul II, whom Andreas served as a Swiss Guard.

Will YOU be our next award-winner?The Hyattsville Life & Times seeks a new part-time managing editor. See our Facebook page at facebook.com/HyattsvilleLife or email Executive Editor Susie Currie at [email protected] for more informa-tion. To apply, send resume and two writing samples.


Palacios PaintingHyattsville’s #1 Recommended Painter

FREE ESTIMATESDrywall • Carpentry Home Renovations

LICENSED AND INSURED

For excellent work at a great price, call Ferdy at

240-644-5391or e-mail [email protected]


There were balloons and an abundance of chocolate chip cookies, but the profound ideals behind Citizenship Celebration Day, held at City Hall on May 3, lent heft to the event. The procla-mation read by Councilmember Joseph Solomon (Ward 5) noted in part that “the City of Hyatts-ville wishes to acknowledge the importance of the decision of immigrants to become citizens of the United States of America and to acknowledge their com-mitment to the United States of America and its Constitution and to the idea of liberty and jus-tice for all on which this country has been founded.”

It was the first of what is intend-ed to be an annual event. Invited to participate were students who had recently completed a citizen-ship class at Northwestern High School, sponsored by the Prince George’s County Community College (PGCC), and subse-quently passed the national citi-zenship exam.

While there are many levels of grant-funded English classes around the county, these are part of the Workforce Development and Continuing Education Di-vision of PGCC, which created a Transition ESL program two years ago. The class is held each semester; currently there are 54 students registered for the Northwestern class, and others

City welcomes new American citizens

taking it elsewhere in the countyHyattsville resident Jennifer

Kubit, who works for the PGCC Adult Education program, invit-ed her councilmember Edouard Haba (Ward 4) to attend a regis-tration night.

That experience helped in-spire Haba, who emigrated from Guinea by way of Italy, to draft and sponsor the proclamation. It passed unanimously at the city council meeting of April 21.

During the May 3 event, State Senator Paul Pinsky handed out a copy of the resolution to par-ticipants including 74-year-old Phon Ngo. The sprightly Ngo was in his late 60s when he ar-rived in Hyattsville from Viet-nam five years ago to join his daughter here.

Now, says his neighbor Kubit, “he knows more about the U.S. government than many high school students.”

There’s a reason for his depth of knowledge: both the require-

ments of the citizenship test and the effort he spent preparing for it. Kubit notes that he came to her home with the list of 100 questions written out, and asked her to help drill him. On another occasion he recorded her reading the questions so he could hear them in the voice of a native Eng-lish speaker. Kubit helped him

Church of God and Saints of Christ

4203 Farragut Street, Hyattsville, MarylandPastor: Evangelist Samuel Wade

Time of Services:Beginning of the Sabbath (Friday Night) 7:30pm - 9:30pmSabbath Service (Saturday) 11:00am to Sunset

We invite you to come and worship with us and to be inspired by the preaching of the unadulterated word of the Lord. The house of God is the house of prayer for all people. All are Welcome!

find the Northwestern citizen-ship prep class.

By the time he took the test, said Ngo, “The writing part was easy, the speaking part was easy, the questions were easy . . . for me.”

Haba hopes immigrants like Ngo will be inspired by the event, adding that he is troubled by “a lack of engagement with the community, less and less people being involved.” He sees this as a problem not just among im-migrants but in the broader com-munity.

Kubit adds that the citizenship classes provide information on the state and federal government but “very little on how to be in-volved in local government.”

Haba hopes that events such as this one will encourage recent immigrants to become more ac-tive in local issues.

“You are part of the community, and we want you to participate,” says Haba, “Jump on in and say what you have to say.”

rosanna landis weaverWard 4 Councilmember Edouard Haba stands with Phon Ngo.

Joe's Movement Emporium is a performing arts center in Mount Rainier,

Maryland, that offers programs in education, production and artist services. Joe’s offers

rehearsal space to artists, performances, event-rental and classes year-round for

adults and children

Visit us online: www.joesmovement.org


Food, Friends & Fun —It’s all in the BAG!

4650 Queensbury Rd.Riverdale, MD

Thursdays3 p.m. - 7 p.m.www.rpfm.org

SNAP, WIC & Senior Coupons

accepted

Look for paper bags with the RPFM logo on them at your favorite neighborhood businesses and redeem them at the market for a piece of FREE fresh fruit!

by Andrew Marder

At its May 5 meeting, the Hyatts-ville City Council voted by a margin of six to three to keep the number of funded sworn police officer posi-tions at 40 for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1.

That is the same number approved during the last budget cycle, for the current fiscal year. The previous year’s budget, for fiscal 2013, had allowed for 43 positions. But only 40 of them were filled as the fiscal 2014 budget process began. Fac-ing a daunting budget deficit, the council elected to freeze the three vacant positions: an investigator, a member of the Community Action Team and a K9 unit (and kennel).

Police Chief Douglas Holland had expected those positions to be re-stored in fiscal 2015, and included them in his proposed budget along with a fourth position, captain. The request for four additional staff would have brought the total num-ber of sworn officers to 44, costing the city $376,000.

Holland, addressing the council before the vote, said it was mislead-ing to label the motion as “main-taining” approved staffing levels.

“This is a reduction,” he said. “This is not a maintenance of approved positions.”

Right now, only 36 positions are filled. Holland said he expects that that the full 40 will be on board when the fiscal year ends on June 30.

The motion to remove funding for the extra positions from the 2015 budget was sponsored by Ward 1 councilmembers Candace Hollingsworth and Bart Lawrence, with Patrick Paschall (Ward 3), Edouard Haba (Ward 4) and Clay-ton Williams (Ward 5) voting for it. Mayor Marc Tartaro also sup-ported the measure. Councilmem-ber Joseph Solomon (Ward 5) abstained, saying afterwards that he felt he “didn’t have enough in-formation to vote.”

Voting against it were council-members Paula Perry (Ward 4) and both Ward 2 representatives, Robert Croslin and Shani Warner. Councilmember Tim Hunt (Ward 3) was absent due to previously scheduled travel, but he had strong-ly opposed the measure when it was introduced at the April 30 meeting.

At that time, councilmembers Perry and Hunt argued that Hyatts-ville did have a crime problem and that an increase in the police force made sense. In the May 5 discus-sion, Perry cited shootings on her block and concerns from her con-stituents about safety saying, “Every time I’ve gone out and campaigned, the number one [concern residents had] was safety and police.”

Croslin echoed that sentiment. He said, “Our residents pay taxes for two main reasons. The two things they find most important to them is police protection — safety in the city — and public works.”

Police denied extra staffingWhen the motion was introduced,

Lawrence said that the police de-partment needed to do more to justify its requested budget increase for 2015, as it represented such a large portion of the overall budget. The police department’s total re-quest was for $6.67 million, which amounted to 42 percent of the city’s total annual operating budget. He noted that from 2007 to 2013, crime in the city had fallen by 36 percent while calls for service had remained flat.

Over the course of the discussion, councilmembers related their own experiences with crime in Hyatts-ville and those of their constituents in support of or in opposition to the measure. At one point during a heated discussion about whether Hyattsville had a “crime problem” or not, Councilmember Williams — himself a victim of burglary — cautioned his colleagues about not

allowing personal stories to carry too much weight.

“The plural of ‘anecdote’ is not ‘data’, ” said Williams.

The data does say that crime is down. Over the last year alone, ac-cording to the police department’s annual report, total reported crime fell 7 percent. The notable excep-tion to the trend was commercial breaking and entering, which in-creased by 145 percent, from 11 in-cidents in 2012 to 27 in 2013.

There is concern in the business community that crime is still a problem. Henry Watford, gen-eral manager of the Mall at Prince Georges, spoke on behalf of the mall’s over 120 businesses. He sup-ported an increase in police depart-ment staffing levels saying, “Safety is the number one issue when we approach retailers.” Any reduction in police, he warned, could delay response times, which Community

Development director Jim Chan-dler said could have an impact on business investment in the area.

As Hollingsworth noted, part of the reasoning behind the increase in sworn officers was to grow the number of police patrol units from four to five. That would allow the department to cut back on overtime and provide additional coverage in the community when needed.

Asked whether the department would be able to staff five squads without the increase, Chief Hol-land replied that the department would be able, if it were fully staffed with 40 officers. But, he cautioned, squads would be have four or five officers, instead of the ideal six. Overtime costs could rise as officers would have to work longer hours.

After the vote, Lawrence told the HL&T, “I’m proud of the hard work and reasoned decision-making the mayor and council demonstrated. And I’m confident in Chief Hol-land’s ability to effectively manage the department with the approved resources.”

SylvesterJonesforSheriff.com



MissFloribunda

Homo HabilisConstruction, LLC*

*Ho-mo hab-i-lis, n. (Handy Man, Skillful-Man)

A species of humans considered to be an ancestor of modern humans and the earliest hominid to make tools. This species

existed between 1.5 and 2.0 million years ago.

REMODELING 2 million years of experience wrapped up in one small company!

Kitchens, Baths, Basements, Additions, Handyman, Repairs…

Peter J. O’Day 3811 Nicholson Street Hyattsville, MD 20782

240-441-2792 oday.homohabilis @gmail.com

Mourn our Loss Claim our Future Responses to Gun ViolenceLLOYD WOLF’S PHOTOGRAPHS of DC Shrines

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Ruth FlowerAssistant Executive Secretary for Legislative Programs, Friends Committee on National Legislation

ANTI-GUN VIOLENCE POSTERS Unveiling of traveling exhibit

June 4, 2014 Busboys & Poets HYATTSVILLE

6 pm Buy your own dinner7–9 pm Program

FOR MORE INFO [email protected]

Scrubnik Lawn Care, Inc.OUTRAGEOUS

OFFERS!Yard Clean Up & Mulching $299*

Lawn Mowing Service $29*

Governmental, Commercial and Residential Accounts

Clean-ups, Mulching, Hand weeding, Fertilization,

Aeration, Seeding, Sodding, and Flat Flagstone Installation

Quality trees, plants and � owers delivered and installed. Professional

landscape design.

301.864.60204621 42nd Place | [email protected] |www.scrubnik.comScrubnik also delivers bulk red and brown shredded mulch.

Free estimates. 10% discount for new customers with this ad!

*annual contract required & 5000 square

foot lot or less.

Dear Miss Floribunda,

My husband and I have worked very hard to improve the soil in our yard for several years now, but we still have had no luck with vegetables or � owers We thought maybe the roots of a walnut tree were taking nutrients away � om them, so we tried raised beds. � at didn’t work either. Although there is some shade � om the tree, which would explain why tomatoes don’t do well, potatoes haven’t survived either. We tried planting azaleas and petunias instead of vegetables, but they shriveled up and died, too. Are we just not cut out for gardening?

Black-thumbed on Oglethorpe Street

Dear Black-thumbed,

I don’t think your thumbs are re-ally black, but I’m pre� y sure your walnut is. My Cousin Moribunda tells me that the black walnut ( Juglans nigra) was one of the � rst plants to be observed to be fatal to plants near it. She says the Greek naturalist Pliny the Elder wrote about it and other allelo-pathic plants in his Natural His-tory back in the � rst century AD.

Although the term allelopath-ic is Greek (meaning to harm another, or each other) it was coined by an Austrian scientist named Hans Molisch in 1937. � e way Moribunda describes it, allelopathy is a kind of bio-chemical warfare waged by cer-tain plants to make sure they are not crowded out by other plants. Black walnuts, for example, ex-ude from their roots a substance called juglone that is highly toxic

to many plants, particularly those of the nightshade (Solanaceae) family: tomatoes, potatoes, egg-plant, bell peppers, chili peppers. Even falling twigs, leaves, and the rain dripping through the trees can a� ect the soil.

You might have be� er luck with raised beds if you were to make sure that the base of the bed was imper-meable and had no contact with the soil. On the other hand, that might cause drainage problems. You might have be� er luck with plants that are less susceptible, such as beans, beets, carrots, corn, melons, onions, parsnips and squash. Toler-ant � owering plants include bego-nias, monarda, daylilies, and hostas, � e University of Virginia’s website has lists you may � nd useful.

Allelopathy has its positive uses. For example, planting larkspur around rose bushes doesn’t harm the deep-rooted rose but keeps a lot of weeds at bay. � ere is a lot in knowing which plants help or hinder plants in their vicinity. Many gardeners, for example,

plant marigolds with their to-matoes for pest control. Mari-golds exude alpha-terthienyl from their roots that prevents the development of nematodes and their odor repels white� ies and aphids. On the other hand, neither marigolds nor tomatoes should be planted near bean plants, or indeed any of the veg-etables that tolerate the vicinity of your black walnut.

I strongly recommend that you consult a good book on com-panion planting. � e � rst I read are still highly thought of: Roses Love Garlic and Carrots Love To-matoes by Louise Rio� e.

� ere will be no meeting of the Hya� sville Horticultural Society in May because members will be helping to make � ower ar-rangements to grace the homes of those on Hya� sville Preser-vation Association’s 35th annual house tour on Sunday, May 18, from 1 to 5 p.m.. You won’t want to miss seeing some of the loveli-est homes and gardens in the city.

Black walnut trees exude a substance called juglone that is highly toxic to many plants, particularly those of the nightshade family.

May 16 Rain or shine, it’s Bike to Work Day. Stop by the City-sponsored pit stop en route, or find one of 78 other area stops at www.biketoworkmetrodc.org. 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. Magruder Park Pavilion, 4000 Hamilton Street. 240.461.4560 or [email protected].

May 17Today’s A-May-Zing Animal Fest fea-tures birds of prey, exotic reptiles, farm animals, a puppet show, food vendors, arts and crafts, and more. Free. Noon to 4 p.m. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 An-napolis Road, Bladensburg. 301.779.0371.

Like bikes? You’ll want to see the motor-cyclists gather for the Chariots of Fire Biker Blessing, a family-friendly festi-val that also includes giveaways, a moon bounce, ping pong, and something called a “wheelie machine.” Free. 10 a.m to 2 p.m. Crossover Church, 5340 Baltimore Avenue. 301.927.5620. www.Crossover-Church.tv.

May 18If you love historic houses, you won’t want to miss the Hyattsville Preservation As-sociation’s 35th Annual House Tour, which will showcase homes and gardens throughout the city. $10 in advance (at Franklins or the municipal building) or

$12 on tour day; $2 for children. 1 to 5 p.m. On tour day, pick up a detailed bro-chure guide at the municipal building, 4310 Gallatin Street. 301.699.5440 or www.preservehyattsville.org.

May 19 The Hyattsville Branch Library’s indepen-dent film series continues with Cutie and the Boxer, a documentary that follows the May-December romance and careers of two New York artists from 1969 to the present day. Afterwards, local filmmaker Mimi Machado-Jones will facilitate a brief discussion on the film. Free. 6:45 p.m. 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690.

May 28In the 18th century, people couldn’t just stop by Staples to pick up a pen. At this afternoon’s The Art of Quill Writing, visitors ages 6 and up can learn firsthand what it was like to write with goose quills and ink. Reservations required; space is limited. Free. 1 p.m. Battle of Bladensburg Visitors Center, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg. 301.927.8819.

May 31This isn’t your usual open house. At Open House on the Waterfront, you can learn basic fishing and canoe paddling tech-niques. All necessary materials provided. Free. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bladensburg Water-

front Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Blad-ensburg. 301.779.0371.

The 9th Annual Rivers to Rockets Bike Rally is named for sites along the 12-mile tour, which will incorporate segments of the Anacostia Tributary Trail System. Entry fees range from $15 for individuals to $40 for families, and include lunch. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tour begins at 94th Aero Squadron parking lot, 5310 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park. 301.887.0777 or www.anacostiatrails.org.

June 1The Genesis Dance Company presents “The Arrival,” a spring showcase by youth dancers. $20 ($15 in advance). 3 p.m. Joe's Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier. 301.246.0598. www.genesisdanceunlimited.com.

Stepping outside their usual role, 12 pastors will act as the choir in a benefit concert for the Lutheran Mission So-ciety Compassion Center, an aid cen-ter run by Redeemer Lutheran Church. Organist Kay Bredberg will accompany them in the hour-long performance, which is followed by a reception. No charge for admission, but there will be a free-will offering. Redeemer Luther-an Church, 3799 East West Highway. 301.277.2302, ext. 13.

June 6 It’s opening day for the Route 1 Farmers Market & Bazaar, which will offer fresh produce, live music, family activities, and works by regional crafters and artists ev-ery Friday, 4 to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., through the fall. In the former B&J auto shop at 4100 Rhode Island Ave-nue, Brentwood. www.rt1farmersmarket.wordpress.com.

June 7Judges will be watching the Brentwood Day parade, which starts at 10 a.m. from 3400 Windom Road, and giving prizes for best-dressed dog and best-decorated bicycle. Afterwards, the fun moves to Bartlett Park (4300 39th Place) where a festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. features a dunk tank, games, crafts, live music and plenty of children’s activities. Potential parade marchers and festival vendors may contact [email protected].

June 7Hosted by the Caribbean Council of Prince George’s County, the Caribbean Heritage Festival brings you a taste of the islands with performances, food, crafts, boat rides and more. Free. Noon to 8 p.m.Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg. 301.779.0371.


COMMUNITY CALENDAR

presents

SummerJam 2014Admission is free; delicious food for sale

The second Friday of every month, May through September, 6:30 to 8:30 PMCity Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin StreetRain or Shine!

June 13 - The CrawdaddiesJuly 11 - The RoustaboutsAugust 8 - N2NSeptember 12 - Just Us

calendar continued on page 9

Hyattsville Reporterthe

No. 286 • May 14, 2014www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000

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

IN OTHER NEWS...

May / June 2014

CALENDAR

Wednesday, May 14Special Council Meeting, 8 - 10 PM

Friday, May 16Bike to Work Day - Magruder Park Pit Stop, 6:30 - 8:30 AMMagruder Park

Saturday, May 17Volunteer Opportunity: Magruder Woods non-native invasive re-moval, 9 AM to 1 PMMagruder Park

Monday, May 26Memorial Day - City Administrative offices closedNo Yard Waste collection, City-wide

Wednesday, May 28Special Council Meeting, 8 - 10PM

Monday, June 2Council Meeting, 8 to 10 PM

Tuesday, June 3Board of Supervisors of Elections Meeting, 4 to 5 PM

Friday, June 13Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam, 6:30 to 8:30 PM

Tuesday, June 17Planning Committee Meeting, 7:30 - 8:30 PM

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

BIKE TO WORK DAY 2014 – MAGRUDER PARK PIT STOPOn the morning of Friday May 16, Commuter Connections and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association invite you to join over 10,000 area commuters for a celebration of bicycling as a clean, fun, and healthy way to get to work. Magruder Park will be one of 79 pit stops throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia offering refreshments. Free t-shirts available at pit stops to the first 14,000 who register and attend. Learn more or register at http://www.biketoworkmetrodc.org

FY15 BUDGET PROCESSThe City is expected to adopt the FY15 budget the Council Meeting of Wednes-day, May 28. Residents are welcome and encouraged to attend all public meet-ings, including Council Meetings and Work Sessions. To review the process to date, please visit the website: www.hyattsville.org/fy15

OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE SUMMER JAM SERIES CONTINUES JUNE 13The Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam Series has become a traditional Friday night event throughout the summer months. Held from 6:30 to 8:30 PM on the second Friday of the month May through September, this event includes deli-cious food (burgers, chicken and hot dogs) provided and prepared by Outback Steakhouse of Hyattsville, a beer and wine garden, musical entertainment, the ever popular moon bounce and Mandy the Clown and her very talented face painters. The series is held at the Municipal Building at 4310 Gallatin Street. This is a

rain or shine event! In the event of inclement weather, the Jam moves into the multi-purpose room.Attendance is free and open to everyone. There is a charge for food and bever-

ages.

2014 Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam Schedule:Friday, June 13 - The CrawdaddiesFriday, July 11 - The RoustaboutsFriday, August 8 - N2NFriday, September 12 - Just Us

For more information on the Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam Series, please contact the Department of Community Services by phone at 301-985-5021 or by email to [email protected] you’d like to volunteer at a Jam or for any other City event, please contact Col-

leen Aistis by phone at 301-985-5057 or by email to [email protected].

DOGS FOR THE ARTS RETURNS TO MAGRUDER PARK ON SATURDAY, JUNE 7Magruder Park goes to the dogs on Saturday, June 1 at 9:30 AM. Paw painting, dog tricks, owner-dog look-alike contest, and more. Fancy dress encouraged! Presented by the Lively Arts in Hyattsville – no admission charge, but donations accepted. Call 301/699-5440 to register.

SUMMER HOLIDAY TRASH COLLECTION CHANGES If your household is serviced by the Department of Public Works for trash col-lection, please note the following schedule changes over the summer holidays: Memorial DayThere will be no Yard Waste collection, City-wide on Monday, May 26.

Independence DayIf your regular collection day is Friday, your trash will be picked up on Thurs-day, July 3. Please note that Public Works will be collecting both the Thurs-day and Friday routes on July 3. This means that your collection might be ear-lier or later than usual on those two days.

Labor DayThere will be no Yard Waste collection, City-wide on Monday, September 1. Questions? Please call 301/985-5032.

AGELESS GRACE CLASSES – SPRING SEMESTER WRAPS UP MAY 30; SUMMER SEMESTER BEGINS JUNE 6Ageless Grace is a low impact exercise program for mind and body and consists of 21 simple exercises designed to improve healthy longevity. The exercises are designed to be performed in a chair and almost anyone can benefit from them, regardless of most physical conditions. And did we mention? It’s also great fun! Classes meet on Fridays at the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street and costs just $2 per class. The Spring semester continues through May 30. Summer session starts June 6. For more information, call 301/985-5000 or email Colleen Aistis, [email protected].

BUILDING BRIDGES BOOK CLUBThe next meeting of the City’s Book Club will be on Thursday, June 12. We meet from 7:30 to 9 PM in the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street.The Book Club was founded to build community by exploring cultural differ-

ences through literature and open conversation. The Club is continuing its dis-cussion of Joe Bageant’s Deer Hunting with Jesus.All are welcome, regardless of literacy level, educational attainment, or any oth-

er characteristic. The event is free and open to the public.Questions? Please call Council Member Robert Croslin at 240/460-1827.

COMMEMORATING NATIONAL POLICE WEEKIn 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation designating May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington DC is the site

of many Police Week activities, including the addition of 362 names to the walls this year, the names of those officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.One name on the wall is familiar to many in our community.

Private Robert John King was one of the City’s first motorcycle officers. The City of Hyattsville’s Police Department was the first in the County to adopt mo-torcycles for traffic patrols. Officer King was the very first member of the force to request a transfer to the new Motor Unit. He was known to all as a proud and dedicated officer, committed to the community he served.On June 18, 1984, Bob had just cut short his vacation, returning home to

report “Motor 112, 10-8” – he was back in service. Later that night, Bob took part in the pursuit of a stolen motorcycle. The unthinkable happened – dur-ing the pursuit, Bob’s bike crashed and he was rushed to the hospital. The next morning, Bob passed away from injuries related to the crash. He was just 27 years old.You can find Officer King’s name on the National Law Enforcement Memo-

rial in Washington D.C. He is listed on panel 33, E-1, just one of the more than 14,000 police officers who gave their lives during the twentieth century.We honor his sacrifice, and the many sacrifices of those who risk their lives to

ensure the safety of our families and our communities.Visit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund for more informa-

tion. http://www.nleomf.org/

FIND US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAMAre 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.The City is also on Instagram at instagram.com/cityofhyattsville and on Twitter

as @4310Gallatin.

CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS – WAYS TO WATCHThe community is always welcome to attend City Council meetings in person, at 4310 Gallatin Street. City residents can also watch the meetings from home on Comcast (Channel 71) or Verizon (Channel 12), either live or on rebroad-cast. The rebroadcast schedule is as follows: 7 AM, 1 PM, and 8 PM seven days a week, including weekends and holidays. We typically rebroadcast the most recent Council Meeting. Meetings can also be streamed live at www.hyattsville.org/meetings.Questions? Comments? Please talk to Jonathan Alexander, the City’s cable

coordinator, at [email protected] or 301/985-5028.

VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR MAGRUDER WOODS RESTORATIONJoin us for non-native invasive removals in Magruder Woods on the third Saturday of every month, year-round, from 9 AM to 1 PM. Work is led by Dr. Marc Imlay, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning. Upcoming dates include Saturday, May 17 and June 21. Please dress for the elements – long-sleeves, long pants and sturdy boots or shoes. Questions? Contact Colleen Aistis, [email protected] or 301/985-5057. Participation helps to satisfy State of Maryland Student Service Learning requirements.

Spring & summer planning

The warm weather is here, and there are plenty of activities to keep everyone in Hyattsville busy – from our four-legged friends to music lov-ers, from the westside to the east, and everywhere in between!

MayFriday, May 16 – Bike to Work Day,

Magruder Park Pit Stop

Sunday, May 18 – Hyattsville Pres-ervation Association, Historic Hy-attsville House Tour JuneSaturday, June 7 – Dogs for the Arts

Friday, June 13 – Outback Steak-house Summer Jam, featuring the Crawdaddies

JulyFriday, July 11 – Outback Steak-

house Summer Jam, featuring The Roustabouts

AugustTuesday, August 5 – National Night

Out Against Crime

Friday, August 8 – Outback Steak-house Summer Jam, featuring N2N

SeptemberFriday, September 5 – Sunset Movie

Series at Heurich Park

Friday, September 12 – Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam, featur-ing Just Us, and Police Department Open House

See details in this edition of the Hy-attsville Reporter, or watch for up-dates in future editions!

UPDATES FROM WSSC – IS WORK PLANNED FOR YOUR STREET?Looking for updates on WSSC projects in your neighborhood? Use their maps to see the status of current projects. Maps can be accessed on WSSC’s website: http://gisweb.wsscwater.com/InYourNeighbor-hood/

CAR SEAT SAFETY CHECKSGot kids? Then you’ve got car seats!Maryland law requires all children under the age of eight to ride in

an appropriate safety seat. But the seat alone is not enough - proper installation is the key to keeping our littlest passengers safe. Despite our best efforts, estimates suggest that as many as seven out of ten kids are not buckled in properly.The City of Hyattsville’s Police Department can help. To sched-

ule a safety seat check, please contact Sergeant Christine Fekete at 301/985-5060 or via email to [email protected]. She’ll be happy to help parents install a new seat or improve the fit of your current equipment.Car Seat Safety Checks aren’t just for new parents, either. Consider

calling when your child transitions from an infant to a toddler seat, or when you buy a new vehicle and transfer your seats from your old car.Checks are free of charge for any City of Hyattsville resident.

NIXLEThe City is now using Nixle to send public safety alerts and in-formation via both email and text message. This system replaces the SafeCity website previously in use. Many of our neighbor-ing jurisdictions also use Nixle to send out information. Please note at 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.

On Sunday May 18, from 1-5 PM, the Hyattsville Preservation Association will present the 35th Annual Historic Hyattsville House Tour. Begin your tour by picking up a map at the City Mu-nicipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. Advance tickets are $10 per person, on

sale starting in April at Franklin’s Res-taurant, Brewery & General Store, 5121 Baltimore Avenue, Monday through Sunday, 11 AM to 9 PM, or the City of Hyattsville, City Municipal Building, Third Floor, 4310 Gallatin Street, Mon-day through Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM.

Day of Tour tickets are $12 per person, at the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. Ticket sales open at 12:30 PM and close at 4 PM. Check or cash only, please.For information, call 301-699-5440,

email [email protected], or visit www.preservehyattsville.org.

35th Historic Hyattsville tours takes place May 18



by Elana Dure

At Hyattsville’s newest dance and fitness studio, ballerinas and hip-hop dancers alike are preparing for their first recital, which will be held at Joe’s Move-ment Emporium on June 15.

Since opening Ballet, Tap, and All That Jazz six months ago, owner Rene Hoffler has been delighted with the welcoming response from both area resi-dents and civic organizations, such as the Hyattsville Commu-nity Development Corporation.

Hoffler, 42, started dancing at age 5, studying the arts of bal-let, jazz, tap and modern dance throughout her youth. How-ever, at 4 feet 11 inches, she knew she could never dance professionally. So she focused on teaching.

She opened the studio on Oc-tober 3, after a stint of caring for her sickly father inspired her to live her life doing what she loved. She quit her job as an intervention specialist at a middle school in suburban Vir-ginia, and began searching for studio space to rent.

Hoffler, a resident of Upper Marlboro, lived in Hyattsville as a teenager and found what

she was looking for in the for-mer Tangled Skein yarn shop.

She spent about six months turning the former Tangled Skein yarn shop into a modern-dance space.

Her studio offers a variety of lessons including ballet, tap, jazz, Zumba, and belly dance. Other classes include yoga and Piloxing, a combination of Pi-lates and boxing. She teaches the ballet and jazz classes her-self, and has 10 instructors for the rest.

“It’s nice to have a place like this in Hyattsville because there isn’t anything like it near-by,” said Sarah Hurtt, a Univer-sity Park resident and student in the adult’s ballet barre class. “The teacher [Hoffler] is very energetic and she keeps a posi-tive attitude.”

The only concern Hurtt had about the studio was that the class times have been inconsis-tent, sometimes changing from week to week.

Hoffler said that as a develop-ing business, the studio is still trying to figure out the best days and times for classes based on popular demand. (Lessons on Mondays and Fridays, she’s found, are sparsely attended.)

Monthly tuition rates range from as low as $45 a month for the weekly 45-minute pre-ballet class to as much as $175 a month for a selection of four dance classes per week. Drop-in fees are $15 per class.

Chris Law, a resident of Hy-attsville and hip-hop instruc-tor at the studio, said dance is a great outlet to keep children off the streets and out of trouble. He said that dance inspired him to turn his life around as a teen-ager and he wants to give others the same opportunity.

“I really enjoy teaching [the youth] because they have a lot of energy, they are very at-tentive whenever they are in class, and they are very excited about learning hip-hop and us-ing commercial choreography,” said Law.

Upcoming programs at the studio include an arts camp, starting June 16, in which chil-dren ages 3 through 14 will have the opportunity to learn dance, drama and vocals.

For more information about class schedules, registration, or the upcoming recital, go to www.ballettapandallthatjazz.org.

Dance studio readies for recital debut

RENE HOffLERYoung ballerinas at Hyattsville’s newest dance studio practice for the upcoming recital on June 15.

Hyattsville Life & Times | May 2014 Page 9

AdirondAck Tree experTs

Recipient of Checkbook Magazine’s “Check of Quality”

Proudly serving the Citizens of Hyattsville since 1996

REMOVAL • PRUNING TRIMMING

Free Estimates!

301-595-2827On-Line Coupons

www.adirondacktreeexperts.com

Senior Citizen Discounts • Visa and Mastercard Accepted

FULLY LICENSED AND INSURED

Christian Science Church8300 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville • 301-422-1822

Sunday church services — 10:30 a.m.

Sunday school (youth up to 20) — 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday evening testimony meetings — 7:30 p.m.

All are welcome • Free literature availableBible lesson sermon topics

Sunday Dec. 8 God the Only Cause & CreatorSunday Dec. 15 God the Preserver of Man

Sunday Dec. 22 Christmas themeSunday Dec. 29 Christian Science

Taunya L. Jenkins, DDS, LLCGeneral Dentist6525 Belcrest Rd Suite 201Hyattsville, MD 20785• RCT• Crowns• Bleaching

• Veneers• Dentures• White Fillings

Emergencies WelcomeMost Insurances Accepted

Tel 301-779-0522Fax 301-927-1815M-Thu 9-5 Sat by Appt.

Specializing in maSonry & Small concrete conStruction

Office: 4318 Hamilton St. #106 • Hyattsville, MD 20781 George W. Reaves, Owner

301-864-8161 • Fax 301-864-0013FOr yOur cOnStructiOn neeDS, call uS at

BRICK WORK PLUS

HYATTSVILLE VACUUM CLEANER SERVICEHome of

THE CLEANERS CORNERVacuum Cleaner Sales and Service

Janitorial Equipment and SuppliesCarpet Cleaning Equipment and Supplies

5219 Baltimore Avenue • Hyattsville, Maryland 20781Tel: 301-277-3553 • Fax: 301-277-7054

e-mail: [email protected]

NatureNearby

by Fred Seitz

It was a dark, but not so stormy night; rain and fog had mostly passed when a series of short screech screams emanated from Magruder Park. Too short for a ghastly murder, but creepy enough to bring drowsy dogs to alert. Not unlike the sound of a very frightened person, the sound repeated four times. Le Renard had made his statement for the evening and then was silent for the rest of the night.

� e 12-to-15 pound red fox is a common pres-ence in Magruder Park and the nearby neighbor-hood. His (and sometimes her) vocalizations are o� en tied to mating season, but this outburst (on the evening of May 1) was a bit late for that sea-sonal rite, as the fox normally mate from Decem-ber through March. About 52 days later, three to � ve kits are usually born and both parents share in feeding the o� spring. It is only during winter and breeding season that the fox will have a den, which may be of his own construction or may be a commandeered and expanded groundhog hole.

Foxes also are sometimes quite verbal when establishing territory, but most fre-quently when frightened or startled by something. What the “something” was on the night in question remains undetermined. Possible candidates can be as simple as a human in-truder or Renard’s bigger broth-er, the coyote. While the bigger brother is in our area, I have caught a passing glimpse of one in the park only once in the 26 years I’ve lived here.

Red fox are far more common. In fact, they are one of the most common carnivores in North America and are found from South-ern Alaska to Mexico. Re-

gional variants range from the slightly smaller Arc-tic fox in the far north to the considerably smaller kit fox in the Southwest and Mexico. In Western Maryland, the red fox is joined by his tree climbing cousin, the grey fox. During early colonization of the East Coast, the grey fox was more common, but it is believed that the British helped encourage the spread of the red fox in the East, as they considered the grey fox less of a challenge for hunting and red fox were part of the British hunting tradition.

Our red-coated friend is a true omnivore, well known for his ability to hunt voles under the snow. First, the fox will listen carefully for the sound of the small rodent moving in tunnels under the snow, then leap up and land at a point where he can eas-ily pick up the vole. In milder seasons, his diet ex-pands to include birds, a variety of insects, fruits, and the occasional turtle or lizard.

Within his two-to-� ve mile territory — smaller if more fox are around — the fox will sleep in a

sheltered area during much of the day and do much of his hunting during the evening. However, this pa� ern has changed some-what in the recent decade or so,

in part due to the return of his big brother, the coyote, to ur-ban areas. Fox are now more frequently seen during the day and they include sheds and un-

derneath porches among their resting areas in part to avoid un-pleasant encounters with their big brother, who is their major predator other than humans.Neither li� le red brother nor larg-

er dusty grey brown coyote is a par-ticular threat to humans, though fox have been identi� ed as a rabies

vector and do carry types of mange that can be transmi� ed to dogs and other pets. � e coyote, by contrast, is fond of devouring domestic cats.

A scream in the night

Ongoing

� e producers-only Riverdale Park Farmer’s Market has moved back outside, with a variety of local vegetables and fruits, honey, baked goods, meat, jams, � owers and more. Free. � ursdays, 3 to 7 p.m. 4650 Queensbury Road, River-dale Park, 301.332.6258.

� e Prince George’s County Audubon society and the Patuxent Bird Club team up to host an early-evening guided bird walk along the Luther Goldman Birding Trail at Lake Artemesia. Walks are held every � rst and third � ursday at 6 p.m. and start at the lake parking lot at Berwyn Road and Ballew Av-enue. Free. 301.459.3375 or [email protected].

� e free Anacostia River Boat Tours begin this month and will be held throughout the summer Tuesdays through Fridays at noon and weekends at 5 p.m. Led by a park naturalist, riders on the pon-toon boat can search for birds and other wildlife. Free; registration required for groups of 12 or more. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladens-burg. 301.779.0371.

On Fridays, seniors can participate in Ageless Grace, a � tness and wellness program designed to im-prove healthy longevity. $2 per ses-sion. 10 to 11 a.m. Magruder Park Recreation Building, 3911 Hamil-ton Street. 301.985.5058.

� e Hya� sville library o� ers a vari-ety 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 Storytime for ages 3-6: Saturdays, 11 a.m. 6530 Adel-phi Road. 301.985.4690.

Rise + Rhyme kicks o� the week for the 5-and-under set with sto-rytelling, performances and more. Suggested donation, $5. Monday mornings from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Zinn Room, Busboys & Poets, 5331 Bal-timore Avenue. 301.779.2787.

Community Calendar is a select listing of events happening in and around Hya� sville � om the 15th of the issue month to the 15th of the following month. To submit an item for consideration, please e-mail susie@hya� svillelife.com or mail to P.O. Box 132, Hya� sville, MD 20781. Deadline for June sub-missions is May 23.

CALENDARcontinued from page 7


Bricks&Mortar

International Travel Vaccines6525 Belcrest Road

Suite #203Hyattsville, Maryland 20782

(301) 403-8808

Yellow fever, Typhoid, Cholera, Hepatitis A, Malaria, Polio, etc.

Income Tax Preparation

301 559 6503Same Location Since 1959

“An excellent service at a fair price!”

6213 Balfour DriveHyattsville, Maryland 20782-1506

GETS Financial Incorporated

By Appointment OnlyMichelle A. Goetzinger, President

Richard N. Goetzinger, General ManagerNotary Public Service Available

Motion to keep rate the same also on agenda

Helping Sell HyattsvilleAnd our Neighboring Community

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

9094 Baltimore Avenue, College Park, MD 20740cell: 240-938-6060 offi ce: 301-441-9511 ext. 261

email: [email protected]

web: ANNBARRETT.LNF.COM

Ann Barrett, Realtor®

Honored As Top-Producing Individual Agent,

Long & Foster College Park 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013!

The information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted.Thinking of selling your Hyattsville home? Call Ann for professional guidance.

6215 43rd St. Riverdale Park Multiple offers for my sellers’ review! Listed for $525,000

UNDER CONTRACT

3920 Livingston St, Hyattsville Sellers received multiple offers for this classic 3 BR, 2 bath colonial! Sold for $395,000

5721 39th Ave, HyattsvilleMultiple offers for my sellers’ review! Listed for $299,000

SOLD

FOR SALE

5405 39th Avenue, Hyattsville 4 BR, 2 Bath Bungalow, fi replace, sunroom, fenced yard & shed too! Listed for $279,000

5215 42nd Place, HyattsvilleStately Colonial with classic details throughout 3 fi nished levels. Listed for $415,000

1522 Manor View Road, Davidsonville, MDBlue Ribbon School District - 3+ BRs, 1 1/2 Baths, .44 Acre with 2 car garage! Listed for $389,000

UNDER CONTRACT

by Gray OʼDwyer

On Sunday, May 4, Maryland Milestones hosted the Bostwick Heritage Festival to celebrate the Bladensburg estate’s three centu-ries of history with dozens of lo-cal vendors and artisans.

Younger visitors made bricks and learned to sword� ght, while University of Maryland historic preservation students led other guests on guided tours of the house. Interpreters in period dress gave lectures on 19th-cen-tury life and farm animals pro-vided a pungent note of authen-ticity to the former plantation grounds.

� is year was the third Heritage Festival, which is part of an on-going e� ort by Maryland Mile-stones and partner organization Anacostia Trails Heritage Area (ATHA) to promote the incred-ible historic legacy of the Ana-costia River region. Bostwick is a particular focus for Maryland Milestones because of its close association with the War of 1812.

� e house was constructed in 1746 by Christopher Lowndes, an important merchant with his own shipyard at the bustling Port of Bladensburg. Notable residents included the � rst Secretary of the Navy, Benjamin Stoddert, and George and Rosalie Calvert who

would later build Riversdale. Unfortunately, Bostwick has

seen a lot of neglect over the years. Rosalie Calvert wrote in an 1801 le� er that “this house [we] are living in causes the greater part of [our] indisposi-tions, for neither the doors nor the windows close properly and when it is cold we freeze!”

Bostwick was renovated ex-tensively in 1904 by Civil War veteran James Kyner, but later generations of the family moved away from Bladensburg and let the house decline. It was sold by a Kyner descendant to the town of Bladensburg in the late 1990s.

Since 2008 Bostwick has been a “preservation lab” for students in the Historic Preservation pro-gram at University of Maryland. � e students are collaborating with the town and ATHA to re-store the house through grant funding and sweat equity.

Aaron Marcavitch, ATHA’s ex-ecutive director, says that events like the festival “are great oppor-tunities to explore the house” and its history. Since the house is undergoing repairs — including a recent grant-funded window restoration and stabilization of earthquake-damaged chimneys — the public usually cannot ac-

A rare glimpse inside Bostwick Housecess the site for safety reasons.

But everyone involved with Bostwick would love to see that change. Currently in the works are interpretive panels for the house and grounds to help passersby en-gage with the area’s history.

Bostwick is very important to Bladensburg as a building and as a legacy of the now-lost ship-ping industry that was critical to development of Prince George’s County. � e house was built in a way that allowed Lowndes to see the river and his shipyard from his front door.

It was also a focal point of the Ba� le of Bladensburg on August

24, 1814, bearing witness to the disastrous American defeat that led to the burning of Washington later that night. Lowndes Hill be-hind the house was forti� ed with artillery and Bostwick was brie� y a command post for both sides.

� is history is now largely hid-den by highways, houses, and industrial buildings, but at the Heritage Festival it was amazing to see a li� le of the 19th century peeking through.

Hya� sville resident Gray O’Dwyer is an architectural historian and a recent transplant � om Richmond, Virginia.

GRAY O’DWYERThe 18th-century Bostwick House, normally closed to visitors, was open during the May 4 Bostwick Heritage Festival in Bladensburg.


Questions? Please call the Department of Public Works at 301/985-5032.

Public Works Trash Collection ChangesSummer Holiday Schedule If your household is serviced by the Department of Public Works for trash collection, please note the following schedule changes over the summer holidays:

MEMORIAL DAYThere will be no Yard Waste collection, City-wide on Monday, May 26.

INDEPENDENCE DAYIf your regular collection day is Friday, your trash will be picked up on Thursday, July 3.

Please note that Public Works will be collecting both the Thursday and Friday routes on July 3. This means that your collection might be earlier or later than usual on those two days.

LABOR DAYThere will be no Yard Waste collection, City-wide on Monday, September 1.

TRASH CHANGES

Fitness FridaysAgeless Grace Exercise ClassAgeless Grace is a fitness and wellness program that consists of 21 simple exercises designed to improve healthy longevity. The exercises are designed to be performed in a seated chair and almost anyone can do them, regardless of most physical conditions.

Fridays, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.Spring semester through May 30Summer semester June 6 - August 15City Municipal Building, First Floor Multi-Purpose Room, 4310 Gallatin Street

Only $2 per session! For more information or to register, please call 301/985-5000 or just stop by and try a class!

Dear Auntie,

I hear that Hya� sville Aging in Place (HAP) wants the city to include a full-time senior services coordinator in its next budget. Why does Hya� sville need such a position? Doesn’t HAP take care of old people?

Puzzled on Powhatan

Dear Puzzled,

Emily Stowers, who has served the city well as a senior servic-es coordinator for two years, left her post earlier this year to move to Florida. Emily did a great job but was limited in what she could do because she was only a part-time worker.

HAP believes that a full-time senior services coordinator can lead Hyattsville into the new day, now bearing down on us, when an aging populations

chooses to stay longer in their homes rather than moving to retirement communities. The baby boomers started turning 65 last year and are ushering in what Governing magazine calls “a seismic demographic shift unlike anything in [America’s] history.” The effect will be felt not only in federal entitlement programs, such as Social Se-curity and Medicare, but also by local governments. (You can read the magazine’s series on aging in America online at www.governing.com/genera-tions.)

An aging population needs certain services. HAP wants the senior services coordina-tor to work with city depart-ments to ensure that policies are fair and take into consid-eration the needs of our oldest residents.

For example, they might ad-vocate street crossing lights

that are long enough for slow-er walkers to get across the streets.

HAP would also like to see the city take the lead in pro-viding a wider range of health and wellness services, such as health fairs geared to the elder-ly; an expansion of intergener-ational activities where seniors can offer classes or mentor younger people; and extend-ing communications to make sure that older people know what services are available.

“Hyattsville should stay in the forefront of building an age-friendly city,” HAP chair Lisa Walker told the city coun-cil at a recent budget meet-ing. “Around the metropoli-tan area, Hyattsville has been recognized and applauded for taking steps to support senior services. Let’s extend that rep-utation.”

HAP would also like to see

Taking care of seniors the city extend the program of referring seniors in need to more intensive services that a volunteer organization such as HAP is unable to provide. A full-time senior services coor-dinator at city hall “could as-sess the situation and find out which services are necessary,“ Walker said.

Those services “could be as little as having someone over twice a week for light house-keeping or as much as having someone prepare meals four or five days a week.”

There are needs Hyattsville hasn’t planned for, Walker said, as this winter’s snowstorms demonstrated. Some of those who received warnings about clearing their sidewalks were older residents, disabled, on limited incomes – or all three.

“HAP volunteers shoveled snow for near shut-ins who never could have shoveled snow themselves,” Walker told me.

Safety is a concern for many seniors who live alone and have no family members near-

by who can check on them on a regular basis.

“Just getting down steps is risky and using the Call-a-Bus is, sadly, not an option if you can’t get around on your own,” she said.

Clearly there is a need for senior services. In its first 12 months of taking service re-quests, HAP responded to 153 such requests.

Of those, 104 were rides to doctor’s appointments. But other requests have been for yard work, snow shoveling, shopping and prescription pickup, telephone and com-puter assistance, and minor home repairs.

“HAP is sort of the first line – occasional assistance and a friendly ear,” Walker said. “There has to be something else between that and assisted living.”

The city council expects to decide whether or not to have a full-time senior services co-ordinator when it approves the budget, which is scheduled to happen by the end of May.

AuntieDiluviana


Train Printing 4547 Rhode Island Ave | Brentwood, MD 20722

♦ Offset Printing

♦ Full Color Digital Printing ♦ Wide Format Printing ♦ Copy & Fax Services

♦ Wedding & Social Invitations

~ Rush Service Available ~

Open: Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

301-864-5552

fax: 301-864-0740 • email: [email protected] www.trainprinting.com

Loving Care PediatricsJanet V. Johnson, MD

6525 Belcrest Road Suite #203Hyattsville, Maryland 20783

Tel: 301-403-8808Fax: 301-403-1341

School Physicals • Immunizations • Sport Physicals • Minor Emergency Care • Ear Piercing • Urgent/Sick

Child Visit • CPR/First Aid ClassM-F 9 - 6 p.m. • Evening & Saturday hours by appointment

Same day appointment available*Most Insurance Accepted*

gram mentions the Hyattsville Human Rights Act passed by the City Council this year, and then seeks to educate residents an aspect of Hyattsville’s history that many may be unaware of, the racial restrictions placed on properties less than a century ago that only ended with a 1948 Supreme Court decision.

As the program for the tour notes, “Residents of Hyattsville span the spectrum in terms of racial identity, sexual orienta-tion, gender identity, national origin, socioeconomic status, and a variety of other identities. That diversity is what makes Hyattsville the fun, energetic, artsy, close-knit community we all love today.”

As Gloria Felix-Thompson, president of HPA, studied the city’s history these restrictions were one thing that surprised her. She notes that when the land that became Magruder Park was donated to the city in 1927, the deed included lan-guage that said it was for white inhabitants only.

“Can you imagine?” she asks.Thompson says that at a time

when the country has made tremendous strides in racial equality it is appropriate to ac-knowledge how recently and how thoroughly the shadow of the past covers the city. “Look where we have been,” she says, “And look where we are now.”

One of the homes featured on the tour this year is that of Joy Jeffries, whose Gallatin Street home is known for its white and

red porch. Jeffries first became familiar with the area in the 1980s when her brother attend-ed DeMatha, and has noticed

demographic changes since that time, including an influx of both minorities and young families. Later, when her son attended DeMatha, she would often find

herself driving through the neigh-borhoods.

“I just like the old homes,” she ex-plains, and in 1997 she bought one.

Jeffries, who is A f r i c a n - A m e r -ican, has given some thought to the city’s history. “Would I have been able to live here in the ’20s and ’30s? I guess I

wouldn’t have been here.” City Councilmember Rob-

ert Croslin (Ward 2) recently discovered, in the course of

TOUR continued from page 1

courtesy of HPAJoy Jeffries’ home on Gallatin Street is known for its white and red porch. Tickets for the May 18 house tour can be purchased up to that date. See calendar, p. 7, for more information on the tour and how to purchase tickets.

research for an application for a historic tax credit, that his home also had a covenant that would have prevented him from owning it. Research done by local architect Mark Ferguson found that Otway Zantzinger, who owned many properties in Hyattsville Hills, stipulated in deeds when he sold the proper-ties that no African-American could live in any of the houses.

“My son is in law school at Har-vard,” notes Croslin, “and he was excited about it because they were talking about it in class.” Discussions at Harvard revealed more history of the Zantzinger family, including the fact that the actions of one descendant in 1963 inspired a Bob Dylan song, “The Lonely Death of Hat-tie Carroll.”

Croslin believes knowing these sorts of stories is important. “In order to have a community that works together you need to know the history.” He notes, “When you know the history, and you know what you want to do from there, then you can become the kind of community you really want to have.”

“In order to have a community that works together you need to know the history. When you know the history, and you know what you want to do from there, then you can become the kind of community you really want to have.”

— Robert CroslinWard 2 Councilmember


CLASSIC CARDIOLOGYWe fix broken hearts!

RAYMON K. NELSON, M.D. ABIM BOARD CERTIFIED CARDIOLOGY & INTERNAL MEDICINE 6525 BELCREST ROAD, SUITE 220HYATTSVILLE, MD 20782 (across from PG PLAZA)OFFICE : 301-779-7525 FAX: 301-779-4997MOST INSURANCES ACCEPTED

www.classiccardiology.com

CARDIOVASCULAR EVALUATIONS INTERNAL MEDICINE EVALUATIONS HYPERTENSION DIABETES MELLITUSPRE-OP CONSULTATIONS NUCLEAR STRESS TESTING ECHOCARDIOGRAMSVENOUS SONOGRAMS CAROTID DOPPLERS ARTERIAL DOPPLERS BLOOD SCREENINGS

PACEMAKER ANALYSIS HOLTER MONITORING CHOLESTEROL SCREENINGBLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING ELECTROCARDIOGRAMS CARDIAC CATHERIZATIONSHEMO DYNAMIC MONITORING PULSE OXIMETRYYEARLY PHYSICAL EXAMS PATIENT HEALTH EDUCATION CLASSES SPIROMETRY

SERVICES WE OFFER:

PROVERBS 4:23– ABOVE ALL ELSE, GUARD YOUR HEART, FOR IT IS THE WELLSPRING OF LIFE. Eleanor Pernia

Studio of Danceest. 1962

www.eleanorperniadance.com

301-937-423010434 Baltimore Ave • Beltsville, MD 20705

Dance classes for all agesRegister For

Summer Classes Now!Preschool Dance • Tap • Ballet • Hip-Hop • Modern •

BallroomSmall class

sizes -Ages 3 & up

Register for classes now!

Life’s tooSHORT

to do laundry!Wash & Fold Service

just $1/pound(drop o� , 12 lbs min.)

Open 7 days a week, 6 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. Monthly Laundry Service Plans. Senior Citizen Discounts

• Free Pick up & Delivery• Dedicated Washers & Dryers for Each Client• Unlike Dry Cleaners, we will not mix your clothes with other clients’ dirty laundry

AMERICAN MEGA LAUNDROMAT301-559-0707 Custom Wash, Dry & FoldMegaLaundromat.com

• Across from West Hyattsville Metro Station, corner of Ager Road & Hamilton St.

and skills to bring a new level of performance and professional-ism to the city staff,” he said. “Her demonstrated leadership skills bode well for the city, staff and residents.”

During nearly 30 years in the Army, the Willingboro, N.J., native held a variety of leadership posi-tions on bases from Brooklyn to Baghdad. Her favorite, though, was installation commander, a position that she describes as “uniquely similar” to city administrator.

A military base is “really like a city within a city,” said Nicholson, with its own housing, shopping, health care facilities, recreation centers, police force and public works department.

She managed the Army garrison at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan, one of the largest multi-service military communi-ties in the U.S. In 2005, she became the first female installation com-mander of Fort Hamilton Army Base in Brooklyn, N.Y. There, she was responsible for infrastructure and property valued at over $250 million while supporting more than 29,000 soldiers, family mem-bers, veterans and retirees.

“I loved installation manage-ment – it was by far the thing I en-joyed the most. There’s a sense of satisfaction and pride when you see a community come together.”

A civilian job will be something of a career change for Nicholson. According to the posted job de-scription, the city administra-tor “provides leadership for the management and execution of policies and objectives set by the City Council,” and supervises all seven department directors. Ul-timately, the only city employee not in her chain of command is the city attorney.

“I’ll be walking into something new – very familiar, but new,” said Nicholson in an interview in early May.

But she is used to that. In the Army, she said, “we change jobs often, and every job is different. So we have to get up to speed quickly.”

Her military career began in 1982 at Rutgers University, where she joined the ROTC and earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Later came master’s degrees in Strategic Studies (from the U.S. Army War College) and in Ad-ministration (from Central Mich-igan University).

Her long military career, dur-ing which she earned a Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal and other military honors, landed her in the Washington, D.C. area four times. Her last job, in fact, was at the Pentagon, where she worked for two years before retiring in August 2012.

And each time she was here, she would spend time in Hyattsville with a friend from childhood, Joy Jeffries. Jeffries has lived across the street from the municipal building since 1997.

The economic and community expansion the city has seen in recent years were all the more dramatic to someone who some-times spent years between visits.

“I was away from Hyattsville from 2003 to 2009,” said Nicholson. “When I came back, I couldn’t believe how much things had changed – especially in the Arts District. The city really has a small-town feel in an urban setting.”

It impressed her enough, she re-called, to want to live here.

“Whenever I visited, I thought, ‘If I come back to the area [after retirement], I want to look for a home here,’ ” she said.

For now, though, home will be one of the new apartments on To-ledo Terrace while she settles into her new life in Hyattsville and her new role on Gallatin Street.

“I’m grateful to the mayor and council for selecting me, and I look forward to working for them and with them,” she said. “I think [the city] can only get stronger, and I’ll do everything in my pow-er to make that happen.”

administrator continued from page 1

Courtesy traCey NiCholsoNTracey Nicholson will use her experience running Army bases in her new job.

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]


Call LARRY PERRINLARRY PERRIN PROPERTIES

“THE” Hyattsville Realtor since 1977

301.983.0601 • 301.220.2229If your home is currently listed by another Realtor ®, please disregard this offer. It is not my intention to solicit the offerings of other brokers.If your home is currently listed by another Realtor ®, please disregard this offer. It is not my intention to solicit the offerings of other brokers.

Selling Your Home? Free Home Value Estimate!

Realtor

®

®

®

sells Hyattsville homes301-983-0601

FOR SALE202 Desellum Avenue $699,0005000 Stewart Court $309,9954200 31st Street $339,0004204 31st Street $339,0007814 Hanover Pwy $129,995

SOLD BY LARRY PERRIN10000 Wedge Way $229,000

LARRY’S LATEST LISTINGS:

LARRY PERRIN®

6625 23rd Place $159,000 6630 Lake Park $140,00012001 Old Columbia Pike $159,0006982 Hanover Pwy $65,995

ALL I TOUCH TURNS TO

SOLD!

may 2014 hyattsville life & times

Documents

e tour

hya sville history

assistant city administrator

charming homes of hya

e pro

tour program

county o cials

hyattsville reporter