83% of Tantallon Area Police Incidents in 2023 Were Vehicle Related

W1 Beat

Lesson: drive safely and lock your car!

The Development Process in Prince George's County

(Click the above image for the September 18, 2023 briefing slides.)

Colin L. Powell Academy Update, September 14, 2023

(Click on the above image for the presentation.)

Ms. Nina Lattimore is the principal of Potomac Landing Elementary School (PLES) and will be the principal of the Colin L. Powell Academy. Her newsletter to parents and guardians of PLES students, who will be moving to the Academy, is at https://www.smore.com/4akcx-the-call.

Passing of John Feldman

Dear Neighbors and Friends,

We are sad to report the passing of our long-time neighbor, John Feldman at age 84.  John, and his wife Sharon, are long-time residents of Tantallon. Please keep John and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

From John's obituary:

John LeRoy Feldman, August 1, 1939 – August 31, 2023

John LeRoy Feldman, 84, of Ft. Washington, Maryland passed away at Valley Senior Living in Grand Forks, North Dakota on Thursday, August 31, 2023. 

He was born in Sault Ste, Marie, Michigan, on August 1, 1939 to John and Elizabeth (Caulder) Feldman. Educated in the Sault St. Marie, Michigan schools, he graduated from Sault St. Marie High School (1957). Following graduation, he received a scholarship to Soo Tech, a branch campus of Michigan Technological University (MTU). He received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering as a distinguished ROTC Michigan Tech graduate (1961). John earned a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and was the first Air Force student to graduate from MTU with a graduate degree (1963). He further completed a Master’s degree in Business Administration in Program Management (1969) from Golden Gate University. 

John met Sharon Lee Nikunen, the love of his life, in high school and were married on September 15, 1962. John and Sharon enjoyed over 51 years of marriage. To this union were born 2 children; Sharolyn and Mark. With John employed by the United States Air Force, they were transferred to several locations: Edwards, CA; Dayton, OH; Montgomery, AL; Upper Marlboro and Ft. Washington, MD. In 1982, John retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel and went to work for The Analytic Sciences Corporation (TASC) and consulted for another 27 years as an Acquisition Specialist. He fully retired in 2009 to enjoy “doing his own thing”.  

After traveling with the Air Force, Maryland became the family’s permanent home. Since 1973, the family attended Hope Lutheran Church in Clinton, Maryland. John loved being involved in the church. Perhaps most gratifying to him was his role teaching Adult Christian Education each Sunday at Hope Lutheran Church for over 25 years and being part of a Koinonia group. John was an avid hockey fan, who enjoyed watching all sports. He was interested in history, Bible study, and spending time in nature. John loved attending the activities of his grandchildren such as soccer games and musical events, as well as helping them pilot his boat and learn to fish for walleye at their cabin on Lake of the Woods, MN. 

Surviving are his children: Sharolyn (Karl) Belzer, Grand Forks, North Dakota; and Mark (Susan) Feldman, Bristow, VA. Surviving are 4 grandchildren: Ryan Feldman, Payton Belzer, Kate Feldman, and Colby Belzer. Also surviving is his sister Jacquelyn Adams, Winchester, VA.  Preceding him in death was his lovely wife Sharon Lee Feldman (Nikunen) in 2013, his father in 1999, his mother in 2000, his sister Sharon Beth in 2018, and twin granddaughters, Aubrey and Alyssa Belzer in 2000.

John's burial service is as follows:

DATE:  Thursday, September 28th, 2023

TIME:  11:15 AM EST

LOCATION:  Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery (11301 Crain Hwy, Cheltenham, MD 20623)

A Celebration of Life Service for John is planned for late December 2023, at Hope Lutheran Church (6201 Coventry Way, Clinton, MD 20735). Details are TBD.

May God Bless the memory of John LeRoy Feldman.

Passing of Dave Clink

 

Dear Neighbors and Friends,

We are sad to report the passing of our long-time neighbor, David (Dave) Charles Clink at age 76.  Dave, and his wife Karen, are long-time residents of Tantallon. Please keep Dave and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

From Kalas:

David Charles Clink, 76, of Fort Washington, MD passes away 

David Charles Clink, a 40+ year resident of Fort Washington, MD passed away after a multi-year battle with cancer on July 26, 2023. He was born in Nemacolin, PA on November 8, 1946 to Charles and Lilian Clink. 

David graduated from Bladensburg High School and voluntarily enlisted in the United States Navy to protect our freedoms during the Vietnam War. After surviving this conflict and receiving a Purple Heart, David pursued his father’s dream of a college education by earning a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Catholic University.  David led a distinguished career as a highly decorated civil servant at the Department of Navy in addition to becoming an entrepreneur. 

During his studies, he met and married the love of his life, Karen. They had three children, 2 sons and a daughter. David was a devout Catholic, patriot, husband, father, grandfather, friend, neighbor and contributing member of the Prince George’s County community. He enjoyed woodworking, creative writing, building and playing guitars, softball, skiing, scuba diving, golf, coaching youth sports and mentoring. His selfless focus on ensuring all around him were empowered with the knowledge and courage to take on the world was awe inspiring. 

David is survived by his wife, Karen; his sons, Shawn & Kevin, his daughter, Stephanie; and his six grandchildren. 

David will be deeply missed by his family, friends and community. He was a kind warrior who never ceased his pursuit of excellence and was in service to his Lord, his family, country and community until the end. His love was felt by all and he deeply cared about helping anyone become the best version of themselves. The world is a better place because of his contributions. 

Relatives and friends are invited to gather on Tuesday, August 1st from 2-4 PM and 6-8 PM at the Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory: 6160 Oxon Hill road Oxon Hill, MD 20745. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Wednesday, August 2nd at 11:00 AM at St. Mary's Catholic Church of Piscataway: 13401 Piscataway Road Clinton, MD, 20735, followed by interment at St. Mary's Cemetery.

---

Dave authored five books. This is his latest novel:

‘The Cost of Our Conveniences: Another Hero Squad Adventure’ by David Clink (Author), Jason Hart (Illustrator), Karen Clink (Editor)

Accokeek Heritage Tourism Study

(Click on the above image for the study)

In 2021 the Greater Accokeek Civic Association, the Accokeek Foundation, and the Alice Ferguson Foundation applied to the Prince George’s County Planning Department’s Planning Assistance to Municipalities and Communities program to undertake the Accokeek Heritage Tourism Study. As the final report – just completed -- summarizes, “This study identifies and analyzes heritage tourism resources in Accokeek, Prince George's County, Maryland, the challenges they face, and provides recommendations to make them known or better known using best practices. The study identifies common heritage themes and 34 action steps to enhance connectivity and accessibility, without threatening the resources themselves or the community's quality of life.”   The Accokeek Heritage Tourism Study Final Report is now available on-line at https://www.mncppcapps.org/planning/publications/BookDetail.cfm?item_id=424&Category_id=2 .  The report provides important background and a sound foundation to enable greater Accokeek to realize numerous recommendations that will benefit and strengthen our diverse community.  We are very grateful to have this important resource.

I am Concerned Because Safety Has Been Largely Absent from the National Conversation [on infrastructure]

 Quote from Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on June 2, 2023.

Maryland Commits to Vision Zero with Bold Steps for Road Safety by 2030

From the Southern Maryland Chronicle article by David M. Higgins II, Publisher/Editor, June 15, 2023

HANOVER, MD (June 14, 2023) – Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld has announced the state’s unwavering dedication to achieving Vision Zero, a goal of eliminating all traffic fatalities and severe injuries on Maryland roadways, by 2030.

In a speech delivered at the Washington Area Bicyclist Association’s Vision Zero Summit, Secretary Wiedefeld emphasized the urgency of the issue, highlighting the 563 deaths that occurred on Maryland roads last year, including 135 pedestrians and 11 bicyclists. Additionally, he noted the alarming figure of 238 highway fatalities recorded already this year. To combat this crisis, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) will take bold measures, prioritizing action, collaboration, education, and enforcement to ensure safer and more equitable mobility for all.

Secretary Wiedefeld expressed his heartfelt concern for the lives lost on the state’s roadways, stressing that these individuals are not mere statistics but beloved community members, neighbors, family, and friends. Determined to enact significant change, Secretary Wiedefeld stated, “We will change how the MDOT does business to reduce road fatalities and serious injuries to zero rapidly.”

In pursuit of this objective, the department has become an Ally in Action with the National Roadway Safety Strategy, an initiative led by the U.S. Department of Transportation. This program aims to foster collaboration among agencies and stakeholders nationwide, encouraging exchanging ideas and best practices to enhance safety on the country’s roadways. The National Roadway Safety Strategy emphasizes the core objectives of safer people, roads, vehicles, speeds, and superior post-crash care.

Furthermore, Secretary Wiedefeld highlighted the remarkable opportunities presented by the Biden Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which grants state and local governments unprecedented access to funding for safety programs targeting highways, bicycling, and pedestrian infrastructure. The MDOT will assist local jurisdictions in applying for federal grants to maximize the impact of these safety initiatives.

To create a safer transportation network, Secretary Wiedefeld has charged the entire department with conducting a comprehensive review of regulations, policies, and capital investments. In doing so, the MDOT aims to prioritize the most vulnerable users of Maryland’s roadway network, aligning with Governor Moore’s commitment to inclusivity and leaving no one behind.

Maryland’s pursuit of Vision Zero has been spearheaded by the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration and the Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office. The state has engaged extensively with communities and collaborated with local jurisdictions to develop community-based Strategic Highway Safety Plans. Under the leadership of Governor Moore and Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld, the department is now poised to implement additional initiatives that will accelerate progress toward zero deaths and serious injuries on Maryland’s roads.

One such initiative involves updating the department’s Complete Streets Policy, which was initially established in 2012. This policy sets standards for operations and facilities, to establish a safe, multi-modal network that ensures connectivity for vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, transit users, and freight carriers.

In May, the department released Maryland’s Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, a data-driven strategy identifying key corridors where infrastructure improvements and operational enhancements could enhance pedestrian safety and connectivity.

Secretary Wiedefeld has instructed the State Highway Administration to prioritize several high-priority corridors as model projects. These projects will serve as exemplars for implementing Complete Street measures and will involve engagement with local communities, businesses, and elected officials.

Secretary Wiedefeld launched the Highway Safety Office’s Fatal Crash Dashboard in April to provide policymakers and the public with better access to roadway data. This online dashboard offers improved visibility into crucial information concerning fatal crashes.

Note that at the moment (June 15, 2023, 3:28 PM) the Dashboard has slightly different numbers than Secretary Wiedefeld cited. But as the disclaimer states, the numbers are subject to change.

2022 Statistics:

2023 Year-to-Date Statistics:

Tantallon Area (Beat W1) Incidents (January 1 - June 7, 2023)

(Click on the above image for a map of the incidents. Click on the map pins for more information.)

• 80% of Division Beat W1 incidents are vehicle related.
• Slow down.
• Lock your car when you are not in it.
• Remove all visible items when parking outside.

Former Houston superintendent, Millard House II, selected as new Prince George's Schools CEO

(Click on the above image for the News4 report)

By By Tracee Wilkins and Ted Oberg, News4 Investigative Reporters, News4 on June 6, 2023:

Prince George’s County Public Schools has selected former Houston Superintendent Millard House II as its next CEO, multiple sources with knowledge of the selection process confirmed to News4.

House was the most-recent leader of the largest school district in Texas and left the position after two years.

The Houston Federation of Teachers said House was one of the best superintendents the city had, and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner also praised House's leadership.

House came to Houston at a divisive time in the school system's history, and was forced to leave the position when the state took over the school system due to questionable school board activity and several chronically failing schools, issues that were already present before House was hired.

County Council Chair Tom Dernoga's Remarks at the May 25, 2023 FY 2024 County Budget Adoption

(Click on the above image for the FY 2024 Budget in Brief)

Good morning. On behalf of my Council colleagues, thank you for joining us today for the adoption of a new $4.5 Billion-Dollar County Budget for Fiscal Year 2024. 

As Council Chairman, I am honored to again lead this body through our budget process, the first for this 11-member Council, and I want to thank my colleagues along the dais – My leadership partner, Vice Chair Wala Blegay; Council Members Mel Franklin, Calvin Hawkins, Wanika Fisher, Eric Olson, Ingrid Watson, Jolene Ivey, Krystal Oriadha, Ed Burroughs, and Sydney Harrison, and, for their hard work, diligence and determination. My colleagues engaged in detailed oversight, asking numerous probing questions of agency officials seeking to ascertain where we could improve or better focus services for County residents. 

As I have remarked previously, this Council has been “moving forward in bold new directions,” and our People’s Agenda has been working hard to achieve that, passing legislation that addresses our priorities for transparency in our government; increased services for residents; preserving green space, protecting our environment and planning for climate change; supporting smart and quality development; increasing opportunities for local, minority-owned businesses and nonprofits; and bringing quality healthcare to the community.  

We thank our residents for participating in our budget process and I want you to know that we listened as you consistently shared the issues and concerns you believe should be the focus of our County’s tax dollars.  To move forward and fully initiate the changes our residents need, this Council’s legislative initiatives addressing those issues must be funded.    

My colleague, Council Member Oriadha, has often said, “If you want to know what is important to your elected leaders, look at the budget.”

When the Council received the County Executive’s Proposed Budget in March, we were pleased with the focus on investing in education and public safety, and to see strong investments made in the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement and in storm water management. 

Over the last few months, guided by the core tenets of the People’s Agenda, Council Members, as a body and in our respective districts, have been digging in to ensure that Council priorities – your priorities – were reflected in the final spending plan.  

Earlier this month the Council received word that the income tax revenue for Fiscal Year 24 would be $60 million dollars lower than initially projected – disappointing news for everyone.  

With disappointment, and despite our best efforts, today we are approving a County Budget with serious concern that so many of these priorities are not addressed.  In particular, we are disappointed that the Administration is not yet prepared to support directly a Guaranteed Basic Income pilot program advocated by Council Member Oriadha, or Vice Chair Blegay’s Healthy Restaurant program that would highlight small businesses striving to address health disparities in our County. Also of concern is the failure to fund various public programs aimed at reducing violence in our County. 

Of course, we have to acknowledge the current fiscal climate, but at the same time, it is important to recognize over the 5 years that I have been here, our reserves have grown by about $125 million, to almost $600 million. Sometimes, it is better to appreciate expenditures as being investments that will pay future dividends. 

Given the economic climate that communities across our nation, including Prince George’s County, are grappling with, very tough decisions had to be made.  Despite an inability to fund parts of People’s Agenda legislation, I want our residents to know that we have delivered as much as we could under the circumstances.  

Among some of the Council initiated budget enhancements:

Libraries are an essential component of our comprehensive education, and we are very pleased that we could augment expanded hours and the Books from Birth, a program to get books into the homes and hands of every young child in the County. 

It is appropriate that the County’s second-largest revenue commitment targets public safety improvements. Recognizing the critical role of our fire department, over one million and three-hundred-thousand dollars have been allocated for additional firefighter positions. 

The Commission for Individuals with Disabilities has also expressed the need to increase awareness and provide learning resources for law enforcement concerning intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities. As a result, the Council has set aside funding for disability training for public safety officials. 

And in support of our County’s young people and public safety, funding has been made available to support Police Explorers, designed to introduce young adults to a career in law enforcement.  The Office of the Sheriff will also receive a two hundredand-fifty-thousand-dollar investment for recruitment and replacement of weapons. 

 Council Member Oriadha has secured two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to support the Camera Incentive Program, also known as the Jayz Agnew Law, named in honor of 13-year-old Jayz Agnew, who was fatally shot in front of his home while raking leaves.  This program allows businesses and homeowners to purchase and install cameras to support law enforcement in their efforts to address and solve crime in our communities.

Understanding the need to support our most vulnerable populations, Council Members saw the need to support the Shepard’s Cove Emergency Shelter. We have added two hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars to the budget to increase the capabilities of United Communities Against Poverty to continue their support of women and children. 

ISLA, the Immigration Services and Language Access Initiative will also see a $125 thousand-dollar increase.

We are also responding to residents, who for years have advocated for safer streets, accessible pathways, and road improvements. The Council has allocated $2.1 million dollars for additional streetlights and traffic signals, along with $4.5 million for curb and road rehabilitation.

Other areas that received Council attention in the final spending plan include funding for noise enforcement and the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council. An additional $3 million dollars will be provided for grants to support various community organizations.

In closing, I want to again offer my personal and grateful acknowledgment to the members of this body for their spirited energy during this first budget season of the term.  I also want to thank the tremendous work of the Legislative Branch staff, led by Council Administrator Jennifer Jenkins, and including Josh Hamlin leading the Budget and Policy Analysis team and Turkeesa Green of Audits and Investigation, for their tireless work to guide us through this budget process. 

This budget year has been challenging, but we are already working to ensure that next year will more fully meet the needs of Prince Georgians.  This Council is committed to the collaborative work we are accomplishing on behalf of the “people” of Prince George’s County.  

We sincerely thank every partner for their leadership and committed service to our residents. 

Norm McDaniel, Former Tantallon Resident, Honored at National Memorial Day Concert 2023

 

Vietnam Revisited

    In March 2016, Norm McDaniel, one of our long time neighbors on Monterey Circle, went to Vietnam again.  This time he had a return ticket before he departed.  The first time, the trip was to be a one-year tour flying combat missions over North Vietnam from Takhli Air Base, Thailand starting in February, 1966.  However, that one-year tour became a seven-year tour because Norm’s plane was shot-down near Hanoi in Jul, 1966 where he and four of his five other crew members were captured and remained Prisoners of War (POWs) of the North Vietnamese until February, 1973.  One of the six crewmembers of the EB-66C Airplane in which he flew did not survive the shoot-down by a Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM).  

    Norm’s return to Vietnam was his first since being repatriated in February, 1973 as part of Operation Homecoming.  His return trip was part of a College of the Ozarks’ patriotic history class that provides selected students the opportunity (biennially) to visit a country and sites where U.S. Military Forces have fought.  The College of the Ozarks located in Point Lookout, MO has been conducting such trips for the past 20 years to include such places as England, France, Korea, and Vietnam.  

    The group consisted of 12 students, 12 Vietnam War veterans, and six College of the Ozarks staff members (including the class instructor).  Student selection was very competitive because only one out of 10 of those who applied was selected.  Departing from the San Francisco, CA Airport on March 13, 2016, the group arrived in Saigon.  During the following two weeks, moving from  South to North, the group toured locations and sites (battlefields, buildings, museums, cities, and former U.S. bases) in the former South Vietnam and North Vietnam including Saigon, Tay Ninh, Bien Hao, Cam Rahn, Nha Trang, Ban Me Thuot, Pleiku, Qui Nhon, Da Nang, Hue, Dong Ha, and Hanoi.  In Hanoi, the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” was toured.  The Hanoi Hilton is a name given to the prison complex by captured American flyers held there where they were tortured and exploited. Its formal name is Hao Lao Prison.   At each place visited, the Veteran on the tour who was stationed (or served) in that area briefed the rest of the tour group on what happened during the time he served there, and how the area is now in comparison to the 1960s or early 1970s.  In Hanoi, John Fer and Norm (the two ex-POWs) briefed the group on the Hanoi Hilton, how it was laid out, and what happened to us and the other American prisoners held there.  

    The group departed Hanoi, flew to Taiwan, and after changing flights, flew to San Francisco.  At that point, the tour group members dispersed and took flights to their individual destinations, with Norm returning to Washington-Reagan National Airport on March 26, 2016.  Norm’s account of the trip is that it was great, but “There’s no place like home!”  It’s truly great, and a real blessing to be a citizen of the United States of America.

Remarks Given at a Memorial Day Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery

Today is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes and to pray that no heroes will ever have to die for us again. It's a day of thanks for the valor of others, a day to remember the splendor of America and those of her children who rest in this cemetery and others. It's a day to be with the family and remember.

I was thinking this morning that across the country children and their parents will be going to the town parade and the young ones will sit on the sidewalks and wave their flags as the band goes by. Later, maybe, they'll have a cookout or a day at the beach. And that's good, because today is a day to be with the family and to remember.

Arlington, this place of so many memories, is a fitting place for some remembering. So many wonderful men and women rest here, men and women who led colorful, vivid, and passionate lives. There are the greats of the military: Bull Halsey and the Admirals Leahy, father and son; Black Jack Pershing; and the GI's general, Omar Bradley. Great men all, military men. But there are others here known for other things.

Here in Arlington rests a sharecropper's son who became a hero to a lonely people. Joe Louis came from nowhere, but he knew how to fight. And he galvanized a nation in the days after Pearl Harbor when he put on the uniform of his country and said, "I know we'll win because we're on God's side." Audie Murphy is here, Audie Murphy of the wild, wild courage. For what else would you call it when a man bounds to the top of a disabled tank, stops an enemy advance, saves lives, and rallies his men, and all of it single-handedly. When he radioed for artillery support and was asked how close the enemy was to his position, he said, "Wait a minute and I'll let you speak to them." [Laughter]

Michael Smith is here, and Dick Scobee, both of the space shuttle Challenger. Their courage wasn't wild, but thoughtful, the mature and measured courage of career professionals who took prudent risks for great reward—in their case, to advance the sum total of knowledge in the world. They're only the latest to rest here; they join other great explorers with names like Grissom and Chaffee.
Oliver Wendell Holmes is here, the great jurist and fighter for the right. A poet searching for an image of true majesty could not rest until he seized on "Holmes dissenting in a sordid age." Young Holmes served in the Civil War. He might have been thinking of the crosses and stars of Arlington when he wrote: "At the grave of a hero we end, not with sorrow at the inevitable loss, but with the contagion of his courage; and with a kind of desperate joy we go back to the fight."

All of these men were different, but they shared this in common: They loved America very much. There was nothing they wouldn't do for her. And they loved with the sureness of the young. It's hard not to think of the young in a place like this, for it's the young who do the fighting and dying when a peace fails and a war begins. Not far from here is the statue of the three servicemen—the three fighting boys of Vietnam. It, too, has majesty and more. Perhaps you've seen it—three rough boys walking together, looking ahead with a steady gaze. There's something wounded about them, a kind of resigned toughness. But there's an unexpected tenderness, too. At first you don't really notice, but then you see it. The three are touching each other, as if they're supporting each other, helping each other on.
I know that many veterans of Vietnam will gather today, some of them perhaps by the wall. And they're still helping each other on. They were quite a group, the boys of Vietnam—boys who fought a terrible and vicious war without enough support from home, boys who were dodging bullets while we debated the efficacy of the battle. It was often our poor who fought in that war; it was the unpampered boys of the working class who picked up the rifles and went on the march. They learned not to rely on us; they learned to rely on each other. And they were special in another way: They chose to be faithful. They chose to reject the fashionable skepticism of their time. They chose to believe and answer the call of duty. They had the wild, wild courage of youth. They seized certainty from the heart of an ambivalent age; they stood for something.

And we owe them something, those boys. We owe them first a promise: That just as they did not forget their missing comrades, neither, ever, will we. And there are other promises. We must always remember that peace is a fragile thing that needs constant vigilance. We owe them a promise to look at the world with a steady gaze and, perhaps, a resigned toughness, knowing that we have adversaries in the world and challenges and the only way to meet them and maintain the peace is by staying strong.

That, of course, is the lesson of this century, a lesson learned in the Sudetenland, in Poland, in Hungary, in Czechoslovakia, in Cambodia. If we really care about peace, we must stay strong. If we really care about peace, we must, through our strength, demonstrate our unwillingness to accept an ending of the peace. We must be strong enough to create peace where it does not exist and strong enough to protect it where it does. That's the lesson of this century and, I think, of this day. And that's all I wanted to say. The rest of my contribution is to leave this great place to its peace, a peace it has earned.

Thank all of you, and God bless you, and have a day full of memories.
- President Ronald Reagan, May 26, 1986

2023 ELDERLY PROPERTY TAX CREDIT APPLICATION

(Click on the above image for the form. You can fill out the form online.)

Elderly Property Tax Credit, Frequently Asked Questions.

Video of the June 28, 2022 public hearing on this bill is here.

(Click to enlarge)

New Dog Park on Riverview Rd Open to the Public: June 6th, 2023

(Click the images to enlarge)

Click here for the park location

Don't Take this Personally: Do You Smell Like Limburger or Eucalyptus Oil to a Mosquito?

 From CNN:

Hundreds of mosquitoes in the main 20-by-20-meter facility were then treated to a buffet of the sleeping subjects’ scents. Infrared cameras tracked the mosquitoes’ movement to the different samples. (The mosquitoes used in the study were not infected with malaria, and they couldn’t reach the sleeping humans.)

The researchers found what many who have been on a picnic would attest to: Some people attract more mosquitoes than others. What’s more, chemical analyses of air from the tents revealed the odor-causing substances behind the mosquitoes’ attraction, or lack thereof.

The mosquitoes were most attracted to airborne carboxylic acids, including butyric acid, a compound present in “stinky” cheeses such as Limburger. These carboxylic acids are produced by bacteria on human skin and tend not to be noticeable to us.

While carboxylic acids attracted the mosquitoes, the insects seemed to be deterred by another chemical called eucalyptol, which is present in plants. The researchers suspected that one sample with a high eucalyptol concentration might have been related to the diet of one of the participants.

Simulundu said that finding a correlation between the chemicals present in different people’s body odor and the mosquitoes’ attraction to those scents was “very interesting and exciting.”

The CNN report is at https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/19/world/mosquito-human-body-odor-malaria-scn/index.html

Crape Myrtle Bark Scale Infestation

(Joe Heim/The Washington Post) 

From Jamie Crist:

We have planted a number of crape myrtle trees over the years in our community and have enjoyed the beautiful blooms in the summer.  Unfortunately, they are under attack by crape myrtle bark scale.  This is a grayish-whitish bug that sucks the sap and nutrients from the tree.  They excrete honeydew, a sticky mess that attracts flies and bugs and can lead to a black fungal infection.

Treatments are available from local arborists and tree companies.  Remedies you can use at home are also available, though they can also affect other insects. Bonide All Season Horticultural & Dormant Spray Oil for Organic Gardening is available on Amazon.  This can be combined with a tree drench treatment that is mixed with water and poured around the tree in the spring.

Check out the recent Washington Post article for more information: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/04/21/crepe-myrtle-bark-scale-treatment/.
Other resources include: https://thegoodearthgarden.com/control-crapemyrtle-bark-scale/ and
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/crapemyrtle-bark-scale-new-problem-home-landscapes .

I have informed the county about the problem and am waiting to hear back to see if they would consider treating them.  Avoid further pruning at this time, as it can make the trees more vulnerable to infection.

Watch Erika Gonzalez's News4 report.

LWVPGC Annual Meeting June 10 at 10 a.m.

From  Gloria Johnson, LWVPGC President:

Greetings LWVPGC Leadership Team, Members and Friends,

 

The League of Women Voters of Prince George's County (LWVPGC) has invited all of our duly elected 11 Council members to make short presentations at our Annual Meeting on June 10 at 10 a.m.  We see this as an opportunity for the elected Council members and the electorate to interface in an informative atmosphere wherein the legislators can educate voters on the "State of the County."  We believe it would be a great opportunity to exchange ideas and get information about what has happened in the County, how existing laws have impacted each  District,  as well as where we are heading in terms of anticipated changes expected in proposed legislation.

 

So far, seven (7) elected Prince George's County Council Members have accepted our invitation to give a short presentation about the “state of the County in their District.” 

I have attached a flyer announcing the LWVPGC Annual Meeting and ask that you make an effort to disseminate it to friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, your HOAs and Civic Association.    LWVPGC was founded in 1921, We want YOU to join as we celebrate 102 years - as one of the oldest LWV local units in America. Let’s celebrate our legacy in this County!!

 

The Annual Meeting is June 10, 2023, at 10 a.m. at Woodmore Country Club, 12320 Pleasant Prospect, Mitchellville, MD 20721.  There will be a breakfast buffet offered at the cost of $40. [You can pay online at https://www.lwvpgcmd.org]

 

Our continual goal is to educate the electorate.  Please make an effort to attend and don’t forget to send the attached flyer to your HOA and Civic Association.

 

Gloria

 /s/

Gloria Johnson

LWVPGC President

PO Box 3033

Laurel, MD 20709

lwvpgc.copresident@aol.com

Passing of Joyce Ann Hawkins

Dear Neighbors and Friends.

We are sad to report the passing of our long-time neighbor, Joyce Ann Hawkins. Joyce passed away on March 16. She lived on Gleneagles Drive for 39 years and was a member of the Tanta-Cove Garden Club and was once a block captain. She also served on the PG County Historic Society Committee. Please keep Joyce in your thoughts and prayers.

From her Homegoing Celebration at the Open Heart Way of the Cross Church:

Joyce Ann Hawkins

September 24, 1941 – March 16, 2023

Joyce (Ables) Hawkins was born in Washington D.C. on September 24, 1941, to the late LaFate Ables and Gazelle Ables. She was the youngest of seven siblings. Preceding her in death are siblings Charles Brown, Shirley Parker, Juanita Tibbs, Gloria Bullock, and John Ables.

Joyce grew up in N.E. Washington D.C. on Hunt Place, around the corner from Tabernacle Baptist Church. It was in this church that she was saved, baptized,  and a member of the original Tabernacle Echoes Choir. This would later become a family funny about her music talent. Joyce graduated from Joel Elias Spingarn High School in 1954. After graduation, she was a waitress for one week and quickly found that this was not her ministry. The federal government employed her as a typist. She was then selected to work in the area that involved the newest technology, computers. Years later, she retired as a systems analyst GS15 for the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

At the age of sixteen, Joyce accompanied her sister-in-law Shirley Ables to a rehearsal where she met the pianist, Jim Hawkins. They would tell the story that he stole her squirrel nut candy, and it was love at first chew. They were married at Tabernacle Baptist Church on September 30, 1961. Jim called her Jo and later named her “First Lady”.  From their union came two daughters, Judith Aarian and Jacquelyn Annette. Later in life, Cynthia Nwachukwu became their goddaughter. Then Kimberly Moore came into her life, and with one serving of ham became her bonus daughter. 

Joyce was a faithful member and mother at BOLD Deliverance Ministries Incorporated. She was an entrepreneur selling purses, hand made cards, and book marks. Joyce was a licensed realtor, a published author of Overcomer: By the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of My Testimony. Joyce had a servant’s heart. She served as an usher and trustee at Guiding Light Refuge Baptist Church. From there, her desire for missions was shaped through a trip to Africa with Ebenezer A.M.E. As an ordained deaconess at Fort Foote Baptist Church, her desire for mission’s work was again fulfilled as a missionary and board advisor for Know the Truth International Ministries.

Joyce leaves to mourn her one brother, Franklin Ables, daughters, Judith A. Hawkins, Jacquelyn A. Hawkins, goddaughter Cynthia Nwchukwu, bonus daughter Kimberly Moore, and a host of bonus grand children, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Mosquitos Suck. Here's How to Make Your Own Mosquito Trap

 

From https://dcist.com/story/23/04/03/how-to-make-nontoxic-diy-mosquito-trap/

By Jacob Fenston, April 3, 2023

Summers in D.C. can be a little brutal — not just the heat and humidity, but the MOSQUITOS. After a very warm winter this year (January and February were both the third-warmest on record), this could shape up to be an unpleasant — and long — mosquito season.

You may be tempted to call a mosquito control company to spray your property. While this might make your backyard barbecue more comfortable, it’s not good for the environment: the insecticides used kill not just mosquitos, but whatever other insects happen to be there, like butterflies, ladybugs, and bumblebees.

“We as humans will not be on this earth for long if we kill all the insects. It’s that simple,” says author Douglas Tallamy, an entomologist at the University of Delaware.

Insects are essential to keeping ecosystems functioning, Tallamy explains. Insects pollinate plants — both in the wild and in agriculture — and they are themselves a major source or nutrition. Insects also break down organic matter when a plant or animal dies, returning nutrients to the soil.

Though mosquito fogging does kill a lot of bugs, it isn’t very effective at what it’s supposed to do, Tallamy says.

“You don’t control mosquitoes in the adult stage because you have to kill 90% of them for that to work. These fogging companies kill between 10% and 50%,” Tallamy says. “So your yard becomes a dead zone without controlling the thing you’re really trying to control.”

To fight mosquitos effectively, you need to interrupt their life cycle at the larval stage, he says. This can be done by setting a trap to attract female mosquitos, then killing their babies with the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis, available in a product called Mosquito Dunks. People often use dunks to keep mosquitos from proliferating in decorative ponds, bird baths, rain barrels, or other standing water.

The bacteria only kill the larvae of mosquitos and other aquatic diptera, such as midges (small flies), but do not harm most insects or other animals.

To create our DIY mosquito trap, we’re going to intentionally create an ideal mosquito breeding ground.

What You’ll Need

• A 5-gallon bucket
• Straw, hay, dead leaves, or grass
• Some Mosquito Dunks
• Chicken wire or a mesh bucket lid (typically used in hydroponic growing)

Step 1: Lay The Trap

• Toss a few handfuls of straw, hay, dead leaves, or grass into the bucket, then fill the bucket up halfway with water. Cover the bucket with the mesh lid or wire, to keep pets and squirrels out. (H/t to Jill Spohn of the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia for the mesh lid idea!)

Step 2: Let It Brew

• Put the bucket in a sunny spot for a few days to let the watery mixture fester. “That builds up populations of diatoms and algae — that’s what mosquito larvae eat,” says Tallamy. “That becomes an irresistible brew to ovipositing mosquitoes. The female mosquitoes in your yard will come lay their eggs in your bucket. Nothing’s going to out-compete that.”
• You can wait until you start seeing mosquito larvae in your bucket. Or just wait a few days.

Step 3: Dunk The Dunk

• Put a dunk in your bucket and put the lid back on.
• You’ll need to check your trap periodically to make sure it still has water in it and to check the status of the dunk. The dunks dissolve slowly over time, and should last 30 days, according to the manufacturer. Once the dunk is dissolved, you should add a new one to keep the trap going.

Step 4: Check For Other Standing Water

• Make sure you’re not providing other places for mosquitos to lay eggs: check your gutters, drains, sewers, planters, and anywhere else where water could build up. It only takes a tiny bit of water, and one mosquito can lay 100 eggs at a time. You can put dunks in any standing water you can’t get rid of (or use the smaller Mosquito Bits).

Step 5: Talk To Your Neighbors

• If your neighbor’s yard is filled with old tires collecting water, all your mosquito control efforts will be in vain.