(Click on the above image for the briefing and plan)
Sunday, June 27, 2021
Friday, June 25, 2021
'We’re concerned that we have been ignored' - Homeowners sign petition regarding new Prince George's school location
(Click on the above image for Nicole DiAntonio's WUSA9 report)
FORT WASHINGTON, Md. — There is a petition growing online about plans to build a new K-8 school in Prince George’s County.
The proposed school building is scheduled to be built at the corner of Fort Washington Road and East Swan Creek Road.
As of Friday morning, more than 1,260 people have signed a Change.org petition to protest the building.
“The citizens of the Tantallon area of Fort Washington, MD oppose the building of a 2000 student school on the 23-acre wooded lot at the corner of Fort Washington & East Swan Creek Roads. This development would have a great impact on the environmentally peaceful area by adding increased flooding, traffic, light and noise pollution to the surrounding neighborhoods,” organizers wrote on the online petition.
Nancy Bhargava organized marches throughout the neighborhood nearly six weeks ago to protest the proposed school.
"We’re concerned that we have been ignored. Our community, the residents here have been dismissed," said Bhargava.
On Saturday, Bhargava plans to be back out at the intersection of Fort Washington Road and East Swan Creek Road, ahead of a scheduled groundbreaking next week.
"I'm concerned because we are going to be losing a lot of tree canopy. The tree canopy absorbs the water and prevents the water from flowing out into the road and into my house, my backyard and my neighbor's yard and causing serious issues," said Bhargava.
'Dysfunctional' Prince George's County School Board at a standstill
(Click on the above image for Nathan Baca's WUSA9 report)
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — Prince Georges’s County High School student Alvaro Ceron-Ruiz solemnly took an oath of office Friday morning as the newest member of his district's school board. But the night before, his fellow school board members were not as solemn and serious, as chaos broke out amongst the members.
"You’re out of order, you’re out of order!" Board Chair Dr. Juanita Miller told board member Raaheela Ahmed during a heated debate.
"You’re out of order!" Ahmed retorted.
Minutes later, board member David Murray told Miller, "It was a yes or no question that I asked you."
"No, you don’t tell me yes or no," Miller snapped back.
After two failed votes, the school board couldn’t even agree on a calendar of when to meet in the future.
"When this board cannot operate in a functional and efficient manner, students don’t benefit, employees of our system don’t benefit, board members don’t benefit," board member Joshua Thomas said. "At the end of the day, we know we have a lot that needs to be done for kids."
Even outgoing student board member Ninah Jackson had harsh words for the adults on the board.
"Since the turn of this calendar year, this Board of Education has unequivocally been its own worst enemy," Jackson said. "We fail to effectively communicate, only to stand before the public bickering and arguing."
One hundred and six union employees of an after-school program eliminated by the school district can’t currently appeal for their jobs, because the school board no longer has an attorney, because he quit halfway through the last meeting.
"I’m not terribly interested in being involved in your political drama," Kevin Karpinski said to the board members. “It’s readily apparent to me that this board is entirely dysfunctional.”
Karpinski's presence as board attorney was the flashpoint that set off Thursday's conflict. A majority of the board voted for another law firm to take over the position of board attorney. Miller declined to hire that attorney, instead awarding the contract to one of her choice, Kevin Karpinski, claiming an exemption allowing her to sign contracts below $25,000.
The majority of the board disputed that rule existed, and Karpinski withdrew from the position of board attorney by the second half of Thursday's meeting.
According to Tim Traylor, AFSCME union executive director, employees affected by the board standstill include cafeteria workers, nurses, bus drivers, security personnel, paraprofessional educators and more.
Miller did not respond to WUSA9's requests for comment.
Now, newly sworn-in board member Ceron-Ruiz is left not knowing when he’ll be able to advance his own goals of advocating for history lessons highlighting communities of color.
"We never really focus on the successes, the impact they’ve had on the country," Ceron-Ruiz said. "That’s really what I think students want -- that proper representation."
Thursday, June 24, 2021
Proposed Development Across Cornett St from Winegardner's
(Click on the image above for the currently available information)
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Alliance for Greater County Transparency Opposes K-8 Wetlands Permit
(Click on the above image for the legal filling)
Alliance position:
- K-8 project did not thoroughly investigate alternative sites.
- Wetlands permit application must go through a complete permitting process
- Must be an informational hearing.
Historic 300-year-old church in Prince George's County faces threat of ongoing floods
(Click on the above image for Nicole DiAntonio's WUSA9 report)
"We are hoping to be able to survive as a viable, alive
community and not as a historical relic. We want this to be a living
church."
By Nicole DiAntonio, June 21, 2021
FORT WASHINGTON, Md. — Founded in 1692, St. John’s Episcopal Church is the oldest church in
Prince George's County.
St. John's Episcopal Church has weathered storms both
literally and figuratively throughout its more than 300-year-old history. Now
members of the congregation say they face significant flooding several times a
year.
Pastor Sarah Odderstol said when there is a big storm, water
will flood the basement of the historic church. They've also had issues with
flooding in their historic graveyard.
"In the time that I’ve been here, we’ve seen major
flooding. At one point we had water two feet deep running across this graveyard
and swirling around graves," said Pastor Sarah Odderstol.
One big issue is when the water jumps the banks of Broad
Creek, which is located directly behind Parish Hall of St. John's Episcopal
Church.
"If Broad Creek jumps its banks, which happens very
frequently, all bets are off," said Pastor Odderstol.
During a heavy storm, they will have to pump tens of
thousands of gallons of water out of the church basement.
"And that basement level, the sump pumps cannot keep up
and water starts coming in through the windows it’s a real problem," said
Pastor Odderstol. "When you have that much water running through the
foundation of your building, you have mold problems, mildew problems, you have
that in old buildings anyway, but the water issues are constant here."
RELATED: Neighbors
in Fort Washington area share ongoing concerns about flooding that has lasted
many years
Beatrice James began attending the church more than 30 years
ago.
"The church was beautiful but the congregation was even
more beautiful. I came to visit because I am an Episcopalian and I was looking
for a church to attend. When I came to visit, the kindness of the people, the
love that you could feel in this environment brought me back and I thought this
was a place I would want my children to grow up. I’m very pleased, I think they
did a good job of growing up here," said James.
As treasurer of St. John’s Episcopal Church, James knows the
cost of flood damage.
"I see how much it costs us every time it rains. Every
time it floods, we have to do mitigation and we have to bring in crews for the
mold and it takes away from some of the things we would like to do. We are
trying to plan for something that cannot be planned for and we are trying to
finance something that is difficult to finance," said James.
During the pandemic, St. John's Episcopal Church has
partnered with another church in the area to offer a food bank to people in the
area. Now they are looking for other ways to continue ministries --- since they
cannot always depend on the church building.
"We cannot depend on having that space available. I’ve
had to cancel graduation parties, people used to be able to use the space for
events and we cannot depend on it because of the way flooding has increased in
our area," said Pastor Odderstol.
RELATED: Homeowners
sign petition expressing concerns of new Prince George's school location
While there has been flood remediation done in this area,
they said it is not enough with the recent increase in development.
Now they are looking for state and federal help with more
voices coming to the table to find a more permanent solution.
"I think it is going to take bringing all the players
to the table, all the agencies that have land here and land around us. This was
formerly a dredged waterway, that involves the Army Corps of Engineers because
it was once a navigable waterway. It involves Maryland National Park and
Planning and it involves the National Park Service. Lots of people have an
interest in this property and the edges of this property," said Pastor
Odderstol.
St. John's Episcopal Church is not the only historic
property to experience flooding concerns.
Pastor Sarah Odderstol said one thing we can all do is to
ask questions about flood remediation and make sure that additional development
will not have a negative impact on historic properties in the area.
"We are hoping to be able to survive as a viable, alive
community and not as a historical relic. We want this to be a living church and
in order to do that we have to be able to maintain it," said James.
To help financially support St. John's Episcopal Church, click here.
Friday, June 18, 2021
Potomac Landing + Park = K-8
(Click on the above image for an intense discussion of the K-8 school)
Questions and action items for School Board Member Sonya Williams:- Why not build the K-8 school on already developed land and save the forest?
- Provide backup to claim that if PGCPS were to absorb the park next to Potomac Landing, the site would still not be big enough.
- Why wasn’t a hearing held for this site when it is proposed for a K-8 school like the hearing in 2005 for a high school at that site?
- Provide School Board meeting minutes and video of a discussion of the site change from Potomac Landing to Swann Creek.
- Provide County Council meeting minutes and video of a discussion of the site change.
- Provide the date, venue, and presentation of the first public discussion of the site change.
- Why won’t the K-8 school be built where most of the students reside?
- How will Potomac Landing and Isaac Gourdine facilities will be used when they are vacated?
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
Hundreds of Fort Washington homeowners sign petition opposing location of new Prince George's Co. school building
(Click on the above image for Nicole's WUSA9 report)
More than 800 people have asked to pause plans to build a
new K-8 school at the intersection of Fort Washington Road and East Swan Creek
Road.
By Nicole DiAntonio (WUSA), Published: 10:52 AM EDT June 16,
2021
FORT WASHINGTON, Md. — There is a petition growing online about plans to build a new K-8
school in Prince George’s County.
The proposed school building is scheduled to be built at the
corner of Fort Washington Road and East Swan Creek Road.
As of Wednesday morning, more than 800 people have signed
a Change.org petition to protest the building.
“The citizens of the Tantallon area of Fort Washington, MD
oppose the building of a 2000 student school on the 23 acre wooded lot at the
corner of Fort Washington & East Swan Creek Roads. This development would
have a great impact on the environmentally peaceful area by adding increased
flooding, traffic, light and noise pollution to the surrounding neighborhoods,”
organizers wrote on the online petition.
For the last five weekends, homeowners gathered in the
Tantallon area to protest the proposed school location.
Ed Burroughs, a member of the Prince George’s County Board
of Education representing District 8, was at Saturday’s march talking with
homeowners.
In a letter sent to the Chief Executive Officer of the
Prince George’s County Public Schools on March 23rd, 2021, board member Edward
Burroughs wrote “I am writing to convey concerns that I have received from
members of the community regarding the proposed site for the new Southern Area
K-8 School. These members raised a variety of concerns in over an hour long
exchange between constituents and some of their elected officials.”
The letter went on to say “Members of the community have
expressed a strong desire to temporarily suspend construction activity
surrounding the Southern Area K-8 School in order to allow the Board Chair to
convene the proposed stakeholder meeting and discuss alternative locations for
the school. I support the community in their request and I hope that the
request for a pause in the development of this site can be granted. I look
forward to continuing to work with you to successfully build a new Southern
Area K-8 middle school while also addressing the flooding and traffic concerns
raised by members of the community.”
Some homeowners worry that tearing down acres of wooded area
will increase flooding in a neighborhood already prone to floods. They worry
the problem will get significantly worse when construction begins.
“We’ve had repeated flooding, redoing the whole basement,
losing many treasured photographs. My late husband was in the military and had
awards that you think would be preserved so they would be safe. We also lost
family photographs and memorabilia,” said Fort Washington homeowner Dr. Flavia
Walton.
Other homeowners worry about the impact on traffic. The
proposed location is near Indian Head Highway, a roadway known to be dangerous.
“Being here on Swan Creek Road, if you are here at any time
of the day, cars come down here at least 50 miles per hour so it is not safe
for our residents nor is it safe for any of the children,” said homeowner
Anthony Mitchell.
Now some homeowners are trying to delay construction until
they can work out these issues.
“They need to stop and they need to go through a
comprehensive independent assessment of where we are as a community and what
needs to be done,” said homeowner Brian Woolfolk.
RELATED: Neighbors
in Fort Washington area share ongoing concerns about flooding that has lasted
many years
In a statement posted online, District 8 Councilmember
Monique Anderson-Walker asked for a comprehensive study to be done before
construction begins.
“Flooding in South County is a historical and
resource-draining scourge throughout District 8. My concerns with this project
have always been directed at the flooding impact on the residents who live in
closest proximity to the school on Swan Creek Road, as well as the potential
for increased flooding in surrounding neighborhoods," said
Anderson-Walker. "Ensuring the project planners are giving EVERY
consideration to environmental, traffic, and flood mitigation strategies and
solutions through engagement with the community, independent third-parties, and
an objective analysis of the school’s master plan and proposed stormwater
management plan, is paramount,” Councilmember Monique Anderson-Walker wrote on
March 28th, 2021.
It is a topic some homeowners in the Fort Washington area
plan to discuss with school board leaders at the Tantallon Square Civic
Association meeting Wednesday evening.
WUSA9 reached out to the Prince George’s County School
District and have not yet heard back.
There is another protest scheduled in the Fort Washington neighborhood for this upcoming Saturday.
Friday, June 11, 2021
Neighbors In Fort Washington Area Share Ongoing Concerns About Flooding That Has Lasted Many Years
(Click on the above image for Nicole DiAntonio's WUSA9 report)
FORT WASHINGTON, Md. — Every time it rains, some neighbors in the Tantallon area near Fort Washington brace for the potential of flooding. WUSA9 sat down with several neighbors who all live on Swann Creek Road and shared concerns they face living in the area.
We spoke with one homeowner who had their finished basement flooded with sewer water several times. Another neighbor said their mobility van destroyed. Another said it’s become a safety issue. On more than one occasion, they had to call the fire department and said fire and rescue crews could not reach their home because of flooding.
"We've had repeated flooding, redoing the whole basement, losing many treasured photographs. My late husband was in the military and had awards that you think would be preserved so they would be safe. We also lost family photographs and memorabilia," said Dr. Flavia Walton.
Dr. Flavia Walton moved to the Tantallon neighborhood in Prince George's County after falling in love with the community. But over the years, the fond memories she has of the place she's lived, come with continuing worries over flooding.
"This is where we wanted to be, we intentionally chose this neighborhood. We rented here for four years in this neighborhood just to know if this is where we wanted to live forever, and we did. We fell in love with the neighborhood, our children were happy here, we wanted to have a grandchildren here," said Dr. Flavia Walton.
Dr. Flavia Walton remembers one particularly bad storm in 2005.
"The main sewer line on Swan Creek Road backed up into my basement so I had a basement full of sewage," said Dr. Walton.
Virginia Boldon moved to the neighborhood more than 30 years ago.
"The flooding on my side has been extensive, I’ve just had to make so many improvements to the home just to dry and keep it dry," said Boldon. "This is a beautiful neighborhood and we love it but we have not really received that much assistance since we’ve been here."
County officials say the flooding issue is caused by an aging infrastructure and all the recent development in the area.
These issues and concerns are heightened by the fact Prince George's County, Maryland, wants to put a school in this area, meaning that flooding could become an issue for people commuting to and from the school.
A Change.org petition has been started to protest the building of the school and has over 700 signatures.
In a state meant posted online, District 8 Councilmember Monique Anderson Walker asked for a comprehensive study to be done before construction begins.
"Flooding in South County is a historical and resource-draining scourge throughout District 8. My concerns with this project have always been directed at the flooding impact on the residents who live in closest proximity to the school on Swan Creek Road, as well as the potential for increased flooding in surrounding neighborhoods," said Anderson. "Ensuring the project planners are giving EVERY consideration to environmental, traffic, and flood mitigation strategies and solutions through engagement with the community, independent third-parties, and an objective analysis of the school’s master plan and proposed stormwater management plan, is paramount."
Neighbors like Dr. Flavia Walton want more transparency about the flooding issues and what officials in the county are doing to deal with the flooding in the Tantallon area, especially with the plans for the new school being developed.
"I’m very invested in the community and I don’t want to leave. I love this community I love my neighbors," said Dr. Flavia Walton.
New K-8 School Groundbreaking and Protest - June 30, 2021
Yes, it will be early but it should be cooler than later in the day!
It looks like the groundbreaking will be held at Potomac Landing and our protest will be across Fort Washington Rd. on the grass shoulder. Coffee, donuts and goodies will be provided. Donations will be accepted.
Passing of Dr. Charlotte Spires
From John T Rhines Funeral Home:
Charlotte Anita Dortch Spires was born in Farmville, Virginia on July 18th, 1958 to parents Charles William and Pinkie Goode Dortch, along with her twin brother Charles Dortch, Jr. She was raised in South Hill and Mecklenburg County, VA. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Union Level, VA.
From her early childhood, Charlotte only wanted to be a veterinarian. She stayed with and achieved that goal. She attended John Groom Elementary, and after desegregation, South Hill and Buckhorn Elementary schools. She graduated from Parkview High School in South Hill, VA in 1976, and then enrolled at the Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama, where she earned both a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1982. Most importantly, at Tuskegee Institute, she gave her life to Christ in 1982.
At her passing, she was a member of Encounter Life Church in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, as well as a board member for the Caribbean Connect Global Missionary Network. She also applied her musical talents as a founding member of the Instruments of Praise, playing the flute. She had a lifelong passion for memorizing scripture, including Psalms 145-150 and Romans 8.
In her professional career, Dr. Spires excelled in her career at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services. She received her commission into the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) in 1995, rising to the rank of Captain (O-6). She earned a Masters in Public Health in epidemiology from The Johns Hopkins University in 1998, and was a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. As a USPHS commissioned officer, she was part of a team of veterinarians who were deployed for animal rescue operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which was the largest animal rescue effort in the world, as well as deployments for Hurricanes Rita, Ike and Harvey. Based on her expertise in animal rescue, she developed federal guidance for the management of companion animals of hurricane evacuees. For that effort, she received the USPHS Commendation Medal and was also chosen as the 2009 USPHS Veterinary Responder of the Year. She also received the James H. Steele One Health Outstanding Public Health Service Veterinary Career Award in 2017. Throughout her career, she received numerous other medals and awards, including two Crisis Response Service Awards for her hurricane relief work, a Presidential Unit Citation for her role in Ebola response, and an Army Achievement Medal. At her retirement in 2018, Dr. Spires was the Chief Veterinarian for the National Veterinary Response Team. Previously, she was the Executive Director of the National Biodefense Science Board, a past president of the DC chapter of the PHS Commissioned Officer Association, Director of the Commissioned Officers Association Board of Directors, and Vice President of the DELMARVA-DC Tuskegee Veterinary Medical Alumni Association. She also practiced relief veterinary medicine in several clinics and hospitals throughout Maryland and Virginia, including military veterinary clinics. She served as an adjunct faculty member at the Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, where she lectured to students on veterinary and public health preparedness and response.
After a long battle with cancer, Dr. Spires went to be with the Lord on May 24, 2021 at the age of 62. She was predeceased by her parents Charles and Pinkie Dortch. She leaves behind her husband of 37 years Darrell, her loving children Jessica and Nelson, her twin brother Judge Charles Dortch, Jr. (Doris), her nephew Charles Zachary Dortch, her uncle Wilson Dortch, her aunt Ruth Goode, and many other loving relatives and friends. She was an active member of her family organization, The House of Ogburn.
The family wishes to thank Sister Sharon Samuels, along with the staffs of the John P. Murtha Cancer Center of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (Drs. Zeman, Zimmerman, and Lipkowitz) and Amedisys Home Health Care (Cecilia, Tammi, Rebecca, and Keyonna) for their loving care and treatment. The family especially thanks David and Chebby Jean-Julian for their outstanding ministry to our family in our time of need. The CAPT (ret.) Charlotte Dortch Spires, DVM, MPH, DACVPM Endowed Scholarship has been established at Tuskegee University to support veterinary medical students in the College of Veterinary Medicine pursuing nonclinical veterinary careers, and the family requests donations to this scholarship in lieu of flowers. Donations can be made by calling the office at 334-727-8540 or at http://www.tuskegee.edu/give. Please reference the scholarship name under designation.
Services for Dr. Spires will take place at Encounter Life Church (2200 Culbera Drive, Hillcrest Heights, MD 20748) on June 5th, with viewing beginning at 11 AM followed by a celebration of her life at noon. Masks are required for this service and COVID-19 vaccinations are strongly requested. The celebration will be streamed live at https://encounterlifedmv.online.church/. Expressions of love and condolence can be sent to 501 Troon Circle, Fort Washington, MD 20744. Charlotte's final resting place will be St. Paul's Episcopal Church Cemetery (452 Skyline Road, South Hill, VA), where a brief graveside ceremony will be held on June 6th at 2 pm.
Maryland’s Municipal Waste Landfills Are the Single Largest Source of Methane Pollution in Maryland
(Click on the above image for the report)
The Environmental Integrity Project’s examination of state and federal data reveals that Maryland’s municipal waste landfills release far more greenhouse gases than was previously thought, making these landfills the single largest source of methane pollution in Maryland, even larger than the natural gas industry. In total, Maryland’s municipal waste landfills released about 51,500 tons of methane in 2017, the most recent year for which comprehensive data are available. That was four times greater than the Maryland Department of the Environment’s official state estimate of 12,500 tons.
Planning Board Hearing on the New K-8 School (MR-2036F)
(Click on the above image for the video)
Documents (click to download):a. MR-2036F SOUTHERN K-8 Staff Report (Attachment-10053)
b. MR-2036F SOUTHERN K-8 PowerPoint (Attachment-10054)
c. MR-2036F SOUTHERN K-8 Backup (Attachment-10055)
d. MR-2036F SOUTHERN K-8 Additional Material (Attachment-10059)