Code Enforcement - What Constitutes a Violation?

(Click on the above image for the answer.)

Farmers Market at Potomac Landing E.S. - July 9

2022 Voting Information

(Click on the above image for a package of information)

Fight the Bite

(Click on the above image for Susan's report)

 News4’s Susan Hogan reports on how you can fight back mosquitoes during the summer.

Verify Before You Buy (Property)

 

Flag Football for Kids 6-14

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If You Lived Here - Fort Washington

(Click on the above image for the WETA show)

From WETA: "With stunning views, a fort that has watched over the District for two centuries, and a vibrant African American boating community, Ft. Washington offers an intriguing mix of history and outdoor space. In this episode, local realtor and resident LaGreta Dennis guides John and Christine to two homes in Ft. Washington followed by an end-unit townhome just up the hill from nearby National Harbor."
 

W. Tantallon Dr. Neighbor Nominated as New School Board District 8 Member

(Click on the above image for a video about Madeline LaSalle)

District 8 School Board Position Filled By Madeline LaSalle

Madeline LaSalle will fill the vacant District 8 school board position for the remainder of its term, which is December 2024.

By Kristin Danley-Greiner, Patch Staff,  Feb 4, 2022

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Madeline LaSalle has been appointed to fill the vacant Prince George's County District 8 school board position. LaSalle replaces former board of education member Edward Burroughs and will serve the remainder of his term, which runs until December 2024.

LaSalle currently works for Arlington Public Schools in Virginia as the coordinator of the Academic Academy, an alternative program serving students within a trauma-sensitive framework. As a first-generation college graduate, LaSalle's passion includes social justice work, trauma-informed care and restorative practices. A licensed clinical social worker, LaSalle also is a 2011 fellow of the National Hispana Leadership Institute, the Center for Creative Leadership and the Harvard JFK School of Government Leadership Consortium. She holds a bachelor of arts degree and master of social work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in New York City, as well as an education specialist degree and education leadership and administration certificate from George Washington University's School of Education in Washington, D.C.

LaSalle is the founder and current chair of the board for Latinas Leading Tomorrow, a non-profit that serves young Latinas in middle and high school.

"We are so proud to welcome Ms. LaSalle to the Prince George's County Board of Education," County Executive Alsobrooks said. "We remain heavily invested in the education of our children, and we are excited to have Ms. LaSalle join us in our efforts to continue to move our school system forward. Our goal is to ensure that our children can grow and thrive for years to come, and we believe that her experience in both education and social work, along with her passion for children, will make her a great addition to our board."

Prince George’s County, MD sues 3M, DuPont, and other toxic foam manufacturers over PFAS in waterways

(Click on the above image for the Military Poisons report)

"Prince George County, Maryland has filed suit in U.S. District Court against a group of 24 companies that manufacture Aqueous Film-Forming Foam, (AFFF), containing toxic PFAS. The chemicals have been recklessly used and discarded throughout the county. “For decades, PFAS-based AFFF products have been stored and used for fire suppression, fire training and flammable vapor suppression at hundreds of locations in fire training schools, military installations and civilian airports as well as petroleum refineries,” the complaint says. Prince George’s County borders Washington, DC on the east. 

The $250 million lawsuit was filed on January 14, 2022. The complaint lists 3M, DuPont, Chemours, and others as defendants and accuses them of failing to warn the public that their products are harmful."

Construction Traffic on E. Swann Creek Rd: Jan 25-27

Video of District 8 Special Election Second Candidate Forum - January 18, 2022

(Click on the above image for the video)

Unofficial election results as of January 14, 2022 indicate 48,558 eligible District 8 voters did not vote in the special primary election. Of 55,6599 eligible voters, only 13% turned out to vote.

From the Board of Elections:

Special General Election

• Special General Election-February 1, 2022, 7am-8pm.
• Special General - Early voting will be conducted on January 26-January 31, 2022, (10am-8pm and 12pm – 6pm on Sunday).  
• Voter Registration Deadline (County Council District 8 residents only):  Tuesday, January 11, 2022 for the Special General Election, 5pm.

 The Prince George’s County Board of Elections will conduct a Vote-By-Mail Special Election to fill the vacancy in County Council District 8.  Ballots will be mailed to every eligible voter residing in County Council District 8.  Ballots will be mailed including postage-paid return envelopes . . .in mid-January, 2022 for the Special General Election.

In person voting will also be offered at the Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex Vote Center located at 7007 Bock Road, Fort Washington, MD 20744.

Everybody Can Be Great

(Illustration based on photo by Charles Kelly/Associated Press)

Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

National Golf Club Menu

Janelle Cash, NGC Sales & Membership Director, writes:

"The restaurant will open on Tuesday, January 4th and will open every Tuesday through Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm to the general public. Please see attached the menu we will be serving."

Get to Know the Candidates Running for County Council District 8

(Click on the above image for the forum video)

(Click on the above image for Ebony's video)

The Conservancy of Broad Creek December 2021 Letter

(Click on the above image for the letter)

Watch this viral Christmas ad until the very end, and try not to cry

(Click on the above image for the ad)

"This year, the most beautiful gift of all is that we are doing well and we are healthy. That is why your health is also a matter close to our personal heart. So that you can take care of what really matters in life, especially at Christmas: spending a carefree time with the family and your loved ones. DocMorris wishes you and all your loved ones a happy and unforgettable celebration. Stay healthy!"

Story on Today.com at https://www.today.com/popculture/doc-morris-christmas-commercial-goes-viral-tear-jerking-ending-t203881

Thank You for Your Service!

Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary marking the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 making it an annual observance, and it became a national holiday in 1938. Then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 to change the name to Veterans Day to honor all those who served the country in war or peace. On this day, the nation honors military veterans with parades and other observances across the country and a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

“Never was so much owed by so many to so few.” –Winston Churchill

“The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” – Douglas MacArthur

“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” — George Washington

Tantallon Halloween Parade, October 31, 2021

Growing Green with Pride 2021 Report

Thanks to everyone who joined us on Saturday, October 30 for our Fall 2021 Growing Green with Pride event!  We had 8 volunteers and it ended up being a beautiful day.  The rain from earlier in the week made it much easier to dig the holes.  We planted 10 redbud trees along Fort Washington Road, 100 daffodils, and picked up trash.  Volunteers included Henrieta Dzurikaninova, Carter Ferrington, Ed & Jacque Akselrad, Louisa Buadoo-Amoa, Rebecca Richter, and Bill Bell.   A special thanks to Tony Mitchell for picking up the trees and supplies and placing them where they were planted--greatly appreciated!  

We would like to schedule more frequent clean-up events, perhaps every month or two.  Also, we could use some volunteers to help water the trees.  If you might be interested in either or both activities, please give Jamie Crist your contact information.  You can reach him by cell at 703-966-8757 or by email at jamiedoc@aol.com.

How Much Do Common Medical Procedures Cost in Maryland? It Depends on the Hospital.

(Click on the above image for the Maryland Health Commission's Wear the Cost site)

From Maryland Matters:

How much does it cost to give birth in Maryland? It depends on which hospital you choose.

In 2019, the Maryland Department of Health reported 209,836 live births. And, according to the Maryland Health Care Commission’s Wear The Cost campaign, if the mother had private insurance and underwent a cesarean section, she could expect the procedure to cost an average of $14,695 and, at its highest, $23,608.

Vaginal births that year had an average medical bill of $13,458, but could reach up to $18,414.

Those are huge financial discrepancies.

But the Maryland Health Care Commission said common procedures like c-sections and vaginal births are “shoppable,” allowing expectant families to compare prices before selecting a hospital.

The commission has updated its Wear the Cost campaign data to provide financial transparency for cost of childbirth and 11 other common medical procedures, including hysterectomies, knee replacements and tonsillectomies.

The lowest cost for a tonsillectomy at seven hospitals surveyed was $2,864. But the same procedure at a different hospital cost almost twice as much: $5,139. The highest cost reported for a colorectal resection was $55,613 — more than $21,000 more than the lowest cost among 14 hospitals surveyed.

“Patients have a right to know what private payers are paying for their health care, how that affects their out-of-pocket costs, and what to expect in terms of quality,” Ben Steffen, the executive director of the Maryland Health Care Commission, said in a statement.

The updated price information is based on private insurance provider data for 2018 through 2019. The costs include every service necessary to treat a medical need — like testing, prescriptions and visits before, during and after operations — for each procedure.

According to the Wear The Cost campaign website, prices at some hospitals can just be higher. But often, patients are hit with big medical bills because of potentially avoidable complications, which are oversights or errors that cause harm to the patient that may have been preventable.

For example, patients who receive hip replacements expect to pay for certain services, like consultations, lab testing and radiology, surgery, nursing care, post-operation doctor visits, physical therapy and crutches. But often patients get saddled with bills for complications like infections, which can add an additional $20,000 to their hospital bill.

The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 17.8% of Americans were struggling with medical debt collections in June 2020. And a 2020 poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation demonstrated that over 40% of its respondents would be overburdened with an unexpected medical bill of just $500.

“It’s no secret that many Americans worry about unanticipated medical bills, but it doesn’t have to be this way,” Steffen said. “This data provides Marylanders with accurate information for over a dozen of the most common medical procedures, empowering patients with the knowledge they need to choose the hospital that best fits their needs.”