How do Trader Joe’s, ALDI’s, and Lidl’s Prices Compare to Other Grocery Stores?

(Click on the image for the Washington Consumers' Checkbook article)

• Overall, Trader Joe’s prices were about two percent lower than the average prices we found at surveyed area stores; its prices were about four percent lower than Giant’s, five percent lower than Harris Teeter’s, and 12 percent lower than Safeway’s.
• For produce, Trader Joe’s prices were six percent lower than the average prices at all surveyed stores.
• For meat, Trader Joe’s prices were about nine percent higher than average.
• ALDI’s prices were an astounding 41 percent lower than the all-store average for our full market basket including comparable national-brand items. But these savings come with a downside: ALDI was rated relatively low on many aspects of quality—but not as low as Giant, Safeway, Shoppers, Target, Walmart, or Weis for “overall quality.” (We haven’t yet received enough ratings for Lidl to report quality ratings for it.)

Prince George’s County Short-Term Rentals (STR)

From DPIE:

• In September 2018, the Prince George’s County (Maryland) Council adopted legislation to establish a Short-Term Rentals Program in the County. The legislation will take effect on October 1, 2019. The program will be administered by the County’s Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE).
• Under the County’s Short-Term Rentals Program, Prince George’s County homeowners whose properties comply with County Code and who meet certain other criteria may seek a Short-Term Rentals license to host renters working through established rental companies (platforms) such as Airbnb. The licenses cost $150 per year and expire one year from the date of issuance.
• Please read the law carefully to learn details of the program. You may also want to begin researching the different platforms and their requirements.
• Please note, the program does not take effect until October 1, 2019. If you are currently renting your home as a short-term rental through a company such as Airbnb, or on your own, you are operating without a Short-Term Rentals License. You may be permanently barred from participating in the program should your illegal rental be discovered. Anyone with information about illegal short-term rentals should report it to 311 (301-883-4748Call: 301-883-4748).
• DPIE staff is pleased to have the opportunity to work with you. We hope your experience with the Prince George’s County Short-Term Rentals Program will be enjoyable for you and the guests you welcome.
• Prince George’s County is a highly desirable vacation destination. Offering your home for rental presents visitors from around the U.S., and even the world, the opportunity to discover its breath-taking wonders, top-flight amenities and the warm and welcoming people who proudly call it home!
• For more information, access our Short-Term Rentals FAQs page and our Short-Term Rentals Checklist.

Passing of Carol Bucher

Dear Neighbors,

We are sad to report the passing of Carol Bucher, who was a long-time resident of Prestwick Dr. Please keep Carol and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

From Lee Funeral Homes:

CAROL ANN BUCHER  

Passed away on Saturday, August 31, 2019, at her home in Mitchellville, MD. She is survived by her three children, Craig, Christine and Kevin Bucher, her sister Marjorie Macchiaroli and predeceased by her husband Richard, whom she married in 1961 and brother Juan. Carol was born in Washington, D.C. and attended Oxon Hill High School in Oxon Hill, MD.

 Upon graduation, Carol joined the U.S. Air Force as a civilian employee, serving at Scott AFB, IL and in Wiesbaden, Germany during the height of the Cold War. Interrupting her career to raise her family, she returned to the workforce with the National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Foundation and, later, as the office manager for the Rockville office of Bensinger, DuPont & Associates, a provider of workplace drug testing and employee counseling services. In one of her proudest moments, she completed her Bachelor's Degree at the University of Maryland in 2005 at the age of 70.

A viewing and celebration of Carol's life will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, September 8 at the Lee Funeral Home in Clinton, Maryland, with a memorial service at 3 p.m. and an interment at Arlington National Cemetery to be held at a later date.

 In lieu of sending flowers, the family asks that you make a donation in Carol's memory to the American Heart Association at http://www2.heart.org/goto/CAB

Westphalia-Amazon: Next Time, the Developer Will Listen to the Community

(Click on the image for Tracee Wilkins' News4 report)

See also: "An Amazon warehouse instead of offices. Townhouses in place of an airport. Zoning ‘tool’ allows changes with little scrutiny" in the Washington Post.

September Meetings & Events of Interest