Issuu

INSIDE HELP YOUR PAPER: We need you! P.2 TRAINS & TUNNELS: Construction updates, PPS.3-4

VOL. 4 NO. 11

NOVEMBER 2023

WHAT TO EAT: Local Thanksgiving produce, P.8

COLLEGE PARK’S AWARD-WINNING COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

New city councilmembers elected By Elizabeth Shirley and Nancy Welch The City of College Park preliminary election results are in. On Sunday, Nov. 5, residents took their turns in lines and booths at the College Park Community Center to cast their ballots, elect their representatives and answer a nonbinding advisory question asking whether fouryear city council terms would be better than the current twoyear terms that councilmembers serve. Incumbent Mayor Fazlul Kabir ran unopposed and was reelected with 1,217 votes, about 8% of College Park’s 14,428 registered voters. In District 1, Councilmember Kate Kennedy chose not to run for reelection. Five candidates, including incumbent Alan Hew, ran in a highly competitive race for the district’s two seats. In preliminary results, 1,060 voters turned out from District 1,

Voters headed to the polls at the College Park Community Center Nov. 5. KIT SLACK

College Park elections use new verification technology By Robert Stewart For College Park residents who voted in-person during the 2023 election, the process should have seemed relatively similar to any previous year, with a few exceptions. For one, the paper ballot had boxes instead of ovals this year. Also, each voter received a paper confirmation after scan-

nearly 20% of about 5,500 voters in District 1. Newcomer Jacob T. Hernandez was elected in District 1 with 266 votes. Hernandez ran on a platform focused on family and community involvement, with a bilingual approach and a message of commitment to giving back to the local institutions which have helped him live the American dream. Alan Hew was reelected in District 1 with 322 votes. A city resident for more than 30 years, Hew has served on the council and numerous committees as his way of giving back to the community. He campaigned for reelection while promoting his permaculture garden on the trolley trail. The garden is beneficial to pollinators and wildlife and offers up healthy snacks for children, along with the chance for them to see where food comes from. Kamthorn G. Clay, Bryan Haddad, and Brian J. Roan lost

ning in and confirming their ballot. That second change may seem ordinary, but it’s the result of more than a decade of research into a two-fold challenge: how to let voters confirm that their votes have been counted, while keeping their votes private. A voter can now go to a website, scan or enter a code from the confirmation they received

after they voted and verify that the vote was counted. “Think of it as like FedEx saying your package has arrived,” said Robert “RC” Carter, head of the ElectionGuard program, during an information session hosted by the city on Sept. 27. The printed confirmation does not allow voters to check how they voted, just whether they were included in the vote tally, according to an ElectionGuard fact sheet posted on the city’s website. Election officials have implemented the technology in only SEE VOTING ON 7 

SEE RESULTS ON 11 

COLLEGE PARK WILD

Meanwhile, back at the lodge By Rick Borchelt

usy as a beaver is an accurate watchword for this industrious mammal, second only to the South American capybara among the world’s largest rodents. November and December is when beavers kick into overdrive, and our chances of seeing this mostly nocturnal creature during the day in local lakes and

streams are pretty good. Beavers (Castor canadensis) were all but ubiquitous in Maryland when European settlers arrived in the 16th century. It’s no great stretch to say that the Maryland landscape early settlers found was literally sculpted by beavers. The state’s streams were dotted with beaver ponds every half mile or so, strung like a necklace of pearls SEE WILD ON 10

INSIDE: THE NOVEMBER 2023 ISSUE OF THE COLLEGE PARK POST HYATTSVILLE MD PERMIT NO. 1383

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College Park Here & Now | November 2023

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Give today to support your city paper By Kit Slack

very month, the College Park Here & Now brings to your doorstep news that you can’t find anywhere else. This month, you can read about community support for kids at Hollywood Elementary and the growth of a ballet studio in town. We’re also bringing you the final installment in our series on traffic fatalities in the county, as well as our stories about the city’s new election process and election results. You can learn about local ecology in our “College Park Wild” column, and this month we offer a new column for you on eating local: “What to Eat Here & Now.” As fully one-quarter of

newspapers in the country shuttered over the past two decades, the College Park Here & Now faced into that prevailing wind and published its first newspaper in the spring of 2020. Local newspapers like yours connect communities, support local businesses, decrease government corruption and combat political polarization. Without our generous volunteer writers and the financial contributions of readers like you, we wouldn’t have made it this far. This fall, we need your help to take the next step! Our board is taking on an ambitious strategic planning process, and we are considering adding Spanish-language

content to our newspapers to serve our growing Spanishspeaking populations. We also aim to increase our coverage of local government and education developments. Donate today to support local news. Donations between now and the end of the year will be matched up to $13,000 through NewsMatch, a collective fundraising campaign supporting nonprofit public service and investigative journalism. Give online using the QR code below or mail your check to Streetcar Suburbs Publishing, Box 132, Hyattsville Md. 20781. Kit Slack is the executive director of Streetcar Suburbs Publishing.

FROM WHERE I STAND

When community comes together By Jaclyn Bruner

Trunk-or-Treat at Hollywood Elementary was a success thanks to the College Park community. COURTESY OF JACLYN BRUNER Associate Editor Nancy Welch nancy@streetcarsuburbs.news A nationally-recognized community newspaper chronicling the here and now of College Park. Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781 The College Park Here & Now is published monthly by Streetcar Suburbs Publishing., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Editors welcome reader input, tips, articles, letters, opinion pieces and photographs, which may be submitted using the mailing address above or the email addresses provided.

StreetcarSuburbs.News

Columnists Imke Ahlf-Wien, Rich Borchelt, Paul Ruffins Contributors Alexandra Alpert, Daranee Balachandar, Jaclyn Bruner, Robert Stewart

Layout & Design Editors Ashley Perks, Valerie Morris Web Editor Jessica Burshtynskyy Advertising advertising@streetcarsuburbs.news 301.531.5234 Advertising Sales Manager Miranda Goodson

e are in a season of change here in College Park. We have experienced a tumultuous year, one that forced us to come together and recommit to being there for each other as neighbors. We are in a season of change here in College Park. There is construction in just about every direction. It can be a bit overwhelming, but if you keep looking, you’ll see that sense of community somewhere between the orange construction cones. You will; I promise. Some of the best places where you can see this spirit of community thrive are the myriad of events around town, just like the Trunk-or-Treat at HolBusiness Manager Catie Currie Executive Director Kit Slack Board of Directors

President: Stephanie Stullich Vice President & General Counsel: Michael Walls Treasurer: Joe Murchison Secretary: Melanie Dzwonchyk Bette Dickerson, Nora Eidelman, Joseph Gigliotti, Maxine Gross, Merrill Hartson, Marta McLellan Ross, T. Carter Ross Ex Officios: Katie V. Jones, Griffin Limerick, Kit Slack

Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. mail to every address in College Park. Additional copies are distributed to popular gathering spots around town. Total circulation is 9,600. CPH&N is a member of the National Newspaper Association and the Institute for Nonprofit News.

lywood at the end of October. That event was a moment in which I was reminded just how proud I am to live in such a wonderful community. As many of you know, Hollywood Elementary is one of two elementary schools here in College Park. It is a Title I and Community School that serves a large population of non-English speaking families. We have a staff of dedicated and hardworking educators who ensure the children that attend Hollywood are fed, have weather-appropriate clothing and are getting that most important of educational foundations — one that teaches them reading and math, but also to learn responsibility and to value school as a place of community. But it’s the extras that are hard. They’re hard for all of us, aren’t they? In a year of record inflation, with a world that’s returned to full speed after slowing down during COVID-19, the idea of taking on just one more thing can feel insurmountable. And as PTA president, I am constantly advocating on behalf of the school and seeking out partners to help ensure Hollywood Elementary is well-resourced and a safe place for our children … and, well, I needed to ask just one more extra from my community: to volunteer to host a spot at our first ever trunk-or-treat. Whoa, did our community come together! From neighbors

to local business owners, and with a few parents sprinkled in, our College Park community showed up to give our students, the Hollywood Stars, an afternoon of fun. Our Branchville volunteer firefighters brought an engine, we had a DJ playing tunes, and it was an afternoon where the students and families at Hollywood got to build community with one another, spending time relaxing and enjoying the afternoon. But it’s not just who showed up who made this event a success — it’s all those folks who took the time to talk to their neighbors and share our call for volunteers. All those volunteers wouldn’t have been there if not for our community organizations sharing the message with their own networks and vocalizing that our neighborhood school is worth supporting. It takes a community to come together — for coat drives, for elections, for farmers markets, for our small businesses, and yes, for trunk-or-treats. In the face of constant pressures and the anxieties that changes bring, it’s at moments like these, when community comes together, that I’m reminded it is okay to take a pause and take a breath, to ask for help when I need it and to offer help when I can give it. It’s what makes College Park such a wonderful place to live — and why I can’t wait to see you out and about at the next community event.

November 2023 | College Park Here & Now

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MTA addresses Purple Line construction concerns By Daranee Balachandar Members of the Riverdale Park Business Association (RPBA) raised concerns about Purple Line construction during a meeting at The Station at Riverdale Park on Oct. 11. The association’s president, Michael Herman, chaired the meeting. He said construction was causing heavy traffic at the intersection of the East-West Highway and Kenilworth Avenue. Carla Julian, a public relations specialist working with the Maryland Transportation Authority (MTA), said at the meeting that as of October 2023, the light-rail project was 58% done. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027. Dr. Sundar Natarajan, a veterinarian at the Riverdale Park Animal Hospital, said at the meeting that he thinks construction might have affected the foundation of his hospital. “[Natarajan] is now getting

floodwaters that he didn't get previously before the footings were installed for the Purple Line bridge at the intersection of 410 and Kenilworth Avenue,” Jeffrey Yorke, secretary of the RPBA told the College Park Here & Now in a follow-up interview. Yorke said that the animal hospital is at the bottom of a hill. Since vegetation has been removed from the hill as part of the construction process, water flows into the hospital rather than seeping into the ground. “It’s all concrete now with asphalt,” Yorke said. Kathryn Lamb, communications director for the MTA Purple Line project, spoke to businessowner concerns in a follow-up interview with the College Park Here & Now. “Some of the very issues that [were] brought up have been addressed, either by communicating updates to the business owners of the association or actual changes,” she said, adding, “of course disruption is going to take place if you are

taking up utilities that have existed there for many, many years. Of course there’s going to be disruption. But once those utilities are put back in place, the new ones are going to function much better.” Utility replacement related to the Purple Line project is causing much of the current traffic congestion in College Park, according to the updates on the MTA’s Purple Line website. The MTA held a virtual meeting on Oct. 12 with community members and businesses in the city to talk about Purple Line construction. Participants largely focused on access to facilities for physically disadvantaged individuals. The MTA has to comply with regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Attendees at the meeting did not raise issues about construction impacts on businesses in the city. In an interview with the College Park Here & Now, Lamb said, “The fact that we didn’t

get hardly any questions from community members on that … means that our team is doing its job and communicating back out to homeowners and schools and businesses about the schedule.” Yorke noted that the impacts of the Purple Line construction may be different in College Park than in other communities, including nearby Riverdale Park. He said few businesses are

along the Purple Line route through College Park. “Probably not a lot of mom and pop businesses affected,” he said. Maps of the Purple Line route through College Park show the track following Campus Drive through the University of Maryland, continuing north of The Hotel on Baltimore Avenue, and down Campus Drive to the College Park Metro station.

Your community newspaper needs you! We welcome new tips and photos, as well as letters to the editor and op-eds on topics of local interest. We are looking for volunteer reporters and columnists to help us cover what is happening in our communities more completely. Email kit@streetcarsuburbs.news if you can help out.

Maryland's 21st District Delegation

College Park’s State Legislators - Standing Up for Working Families!

Good Union Jobs with Great Health Insurance and Pension! That’s what Maryland state government offers — and most of the jobs don’t require a college degree! We’re looking for hard-working people of any age who are motivated to help our Maryland neighbors. Visit www.jobapscloud.com/MD or scan our QR code to search the available jobs. Feel free to email or call us to let us know of your interest. We’re happy to assist you. — Jim, Joseline, Ben, and Mary

Let us know how we can help you! 21stDistrictDelegation@gmail.com | (240) 712-4646 | 21stdistrictdelegation.com |

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College Park Here & Now | November 2023

SCIENCE OF THE CITY

New five-mile tunnel keeps sewage out of Anacostia River

By Paul Ruffins

ost Prince George’s County residents don’t realize that they’ve recently become the beneficiaries of a huge, fiveyear, $580 million-dollar environmental upgrade that will keep 90 million gallons of raw sewage and stormwater out of the Anacostia River, Washington Harbor and the Chesapeake Bay. The new Northeast Boundary Water Tunnel (NEBT), in operation this fall, is part of a massive $2.7 billion Clean Rivers Project that will benefit the entire region. But why did most people in the District and the bordering suburbs miss seeing or hearing a giant construction project five miles long and 23 feet wide? That’s because the entire project is hidden 90 to 180 feet underground. The NEBT was dug using a 25-ton, hydraulically powered

Meet Chris, the underground boring machine that dug the new water tunnel. COURTESY OF LANE CONSTRUCTION

underground boring machine with a rotating cutter face that is 23 feet in diameter. The tunnel runs 26,700 feet, from just

south of Robert F. Kennedy Stadium to the intersection of Rhode Island Avenue and 6th Street NW. The machine

started in September 2018 and slowly and steadily chewed its way across the city at a rate of about 28 feet a day. The result-

ing circular hole was lined with 31,000 sections of waterproof reinforced concrete. According to John Lisle, DC Water’s vice president for marketing and communication, “The completion of the NEBT and the entire Anacostia River Tunnel System is delivering on one of the major commitments of the 2005 consent decree signed with the District, EPA, and the Justice Department. The combined sewer system that serves about a third of the District dates back to the late 1800s, and the tunnel system will reduce combined sewer overflows to the Anacostia by 98% in an average year.” The Clean Rivers Project, arising out of that consent decree, has several major components. These include the NEBT and the 2.4-mile Anacostia River Tunnel, which was completed in 2016 and connects the NEBT to the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. There will also be the 5.8-mile, $819-million Potomac River Water Tunnel, scheduled to be completed in 2030, which will capture the sewer overflows polluting the Potomac and SEE TUNNEL ON 11 

November 2023 | College Park Here & Now

Page 5

Union workers protest at MOM’s Organic Market By Daranee Balachandar

Employees of MOM's Organic Market in College Park organized to protest management practices. DARANEE BALACHANDAR

Jackson said that the College Park MOM’s is one of three unionized stores which have encountered discriminatory practices against its employees. She added that benefits are being withheld from workers at all three of these stores. According to Jackson, the break room TV plays promotions of pay

increases on federal holidays that are available only for staff working in non-union stores. According to Williams, at least 50 people attended the College Park MOM’s rally. Employees carrying signs saying “Stop Discrimination Against Union Workers” walked around the Hollywood Farmers Mar-

ket near MOM’s. The group later lined up in single file and walked into the store. Community leaders and elected officials, including state Sen. Jim Rosapepe, also attended the rally. Rosapepe spoke at the rally in support of the unionized workers and later spoke with the College Park Here & Now

Co Un nt der ra ct

F Sa or le

Selling for More on the Route 1 Corridor! So l

Almost 10 months after unionizing, MOM’s Organic Market College Park employees chanted, “What’s disgusting? Union busting!” in front of the store on Rhode Island Avenue. The rally, held on Sept. 30, was organized to protest management practices that some employees believe discriminate against union members. Jonathan Williams, communications director for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400 (UFCW), a union that represents grocery store employees, including those at MOM’s Organic Market, said that workers at MOM’s College Park have been facing retaliation from management since they voted to unionize in December 2022. “You know, if you express support for the union, you are more likely to be written up, disciplined or even fired, which we believe is intentional,” Williams told the College Park Here & Now. Laura “LJ” Jackson, an employee who has worked at MOM’s for about a year and a half, said, “I had a stellar performance review — exceeded expectations. Down the line, got a raise, was asked to go into management. A week later, we stickered outside of the store, and then that following week I received a multipoint disciplinary action for things that every manager and every employee does in the store on a daily basis.”

about the protest. “The law is, workers can join a union if they want to. They don't have to join a union, but they want to and here at MOM’s in College Park, they want to join UFCW, and they have a right to do that,” he said. When asked to comment about the rally, MOM’s Organic Market management said in an email, “MOM’s fully supports its employees’ right to organize, and uniformly honors and complies with its obligations under the law. Out of respect for the bargaining process, the Company will refrain from commenting on the proposals that the parties have exchanged thus far, but is looking forward to reaching an agreement that is mutually beneficial for the employees and the Company.” Williams said in a phone conversation that the union workers and UFCW have been in talks with the company and have tried to negotiate a first union contract. “These workers unionized in large part to have a voice and a say in their pay and benefits and working conditions,” he said. “[The company’s] proposal has been to dictate pay, and workers have no say in it. And if they want to change pay at any time they can,” adding that the same holds true for benefits. “So, they are essentially proposing a union contract that is not really a contract and doesn't really hold management to any kind of standard or accountability,” Williams noted. “And that's simply unacceptable.”

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College Park Here & Now | November 2023

COMMUNITY CALENDAR OUR PICKS Film: “A Bicycle Country.” Set in Cuba in the 1990s, Nilo Cruz’s film delves into the complexity of love, sacrifice, hope and survival while also serving as a poignant narrative about finding freedom and moving forward. Adults $25, students and youth $10. Nov. 15, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The Clarice Center for the Performing Arts, 8270 Alumni Dr. For more information and tickets, go to theclarice.umd.edu/ events/2023/a-bicycle-country Art with Friends. Spend your evening creating art with friends and neighbors. Bring your own project and materials. Not sure art is for you? No worries! Consider low-pressure projects like an art journal or collage. Adults only. Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m. Old Parish House, 4711 Knox Road. For more information, contact Ann Rowe at annrowephd@gmail.com Jazz Jam with The Hall CP. Kick off your winter with UMD’s new monthly jazz jam led by D.C.-based saxophonist Elijah Balbed. The house band will play a set starting at 7:30 p.m. Free, with no tickets required. All levels welcome, so bring your instrument! Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m. The Hall CP, 4656 Hotel Dr.

FREE AT THE CLARICE For a full calendar of events, go to theclarice.umd.edu/calendar/list Orchestra Concerto Competition Prelims. UMD School of Music students perform concerto excerpts or concert pieces for an independent jury panel. With each round of the competition, the field narrows until the final round, when a winner and

runners-up are announced. Free. Nov. 12, 1 p.m. Gildenhorn Recital Hall, 8270 Alumni Dr. Chamber Music Class Recital. Recital showcasing students' creativity and collaboration through the unique medium of chamber music. Performance will feature a broad range of styles and repertoire presented in a fresh, lively way. Nov. 14, 11 a.m. Gildenhorn Recital Hall, 8270 Alumni Dr. Faculty Recital. School of Music faculty take the stage during this midday recital. Nov. 28, 12:30 p.m. Gildenhorn Recital Hall, 8270 Alumni Dr.

EVENTS Caring for Textiles: Preservation Workshop at the Montpelier House Museum. Textile preservation advice, including information about ideal storage and display and how best to protect items from light, dirt, oils and acids. Includes free tour of the museum. Nov. 12, 10 a.m. to noon. Prince George’s County residents $17, non-residents $25. 9650 Muirkirk Road, Laurel. To register, call 301.377.7817 Dinosaur Park Open House. Walk the same ground the dinosaurs did millions of years ago and discover secrets of the region’s prehistoric past. Nov. 18 from noon to 4 p.m. 13100 Mid Atlantic Blvd., Laurel. For more information, email dinosaurpark@pgparks.com Cub Corner at the College Park Aviation Museum. Introduce your little ones to the air force through the story “Lil Airforce Pilots” and stay to color and create your own military

helmet. Geared toward learners ages 5 and under. Program is free with admission: Adults $5, seniors $4, ages 2-17 $2, children under 2 free. Nov. 18, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr. Desks for Malawi. Join a virtual conversation sponsored by Hyattsville Aging in Place and learn about The Desks Project, a College Park-based nonprofit working to support children in Malawi. Nov. 18, 2 to 3:30 p.m. To register, go to HyattsvilleAgingInPlace.org/ events College Park Community Library Book Club. Join friends and neighbors for a lively discussion of All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake, by Tiya Miles. Nov. 21, 7 to 8:30 p.m. 9704 Rhode Island Ave. Afternoon Aviators. This month, we’re exploring aviation in military history! Come make mini paratroopers and enjoy a short movie while learning the role of planes in the U.S. military. This program is ideal for learners ages 8-12; registration is not required. Program is free with admission: Adults $5, seniors $4, ages 2-17 $2, children under 2 free. Nov. 25, 1 to 2 p.m. 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr.

ONGOING Regional Textile Showcase at the Montpelier House Museum. Textile and fiber arts on display and an artists' boutique with crafts for sale. Regular tour prices apply in November: adults $5 adults, seniors $4, ages 5-18 $2, children 4 and under free. Free

to all in December. Through Dec. 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 9650 Muirkirk Road, Laurel. For more information, email montpeliermansion@pgparks. com Friday Dance Workshops. Join instructor Karen Stewart, of Jessie’s Soul Line Dancers, every Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. for step-by-step instruction and dance along to soul, gospel and pop music. For more information, go to cpae.org Brazilian Dance and Percussion Workshops. Dance and drumming Saturday afternoons; all levels welcome. Nov. 21 and Dec. 2; dance workshop 1 to 3 p.m., drumming 3 to 4:30 p.m. Free. Old Parish House, 4711 Knox Road. For more information, call EducArte at 202.450.8541 Community Meals. Each Tuesday and Thursday, College Park United Methodist Church’s kitchen staff cook healthy and delicious meals for all who are interested. You can reserve meals in advance and also donate a meal. For every meal donated, the church gives a meal to a family in need. Pick up reserved meals at 9601 Rhode Island Ave., between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 301.345.1010 College Park Community Library Story Time. Story time with Micki Freeny every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Starting in November, the group meets in the Blue Room on the lower level of the Church of the Nazarene, 9704 Rhode Island Ave. Produce Available Every Third Thursday. Sponsored by Community Connect Calvert Hills. Email your name, address, email and phone to connectporfavor@gmail.com at least one day in advance. Register for a double order to share. No one turned away,

even without a reservation, and deliveries areavailable to homebound residents. Pickups after 2:30 p.m. on third Thursdays at a central location. For more information or to volunteer to deliver call 301.864.5267

COLLEGE PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS Yarrow Civic Association. Membership is free. For more information, email Wendy Kelley at wendybird85@yahoo.com College Park Estates Civic Association. For more information, email Ray Ranker at rayranker@gmail.com West College Park Citizens Association. Membership is open to all residents of West College Park age 18 and over. For more information, email Suchitra Balachandran at cp_woods@yahoo.com Berwyn District Civic Association. The next regular meeting is on Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. For more information, go to myberwyn.org or email president@myberwyn.org North College Park Community Association. The NCPCA hosts a regular meeting on the second Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. For more information, go to myncpca.org Lakeland Civic Association. For information, email lakelandcivic@gmail.com Old Town College Park Civic Association. For information, email Kathy Bryant at kdbryant20740@gmail.com Calvert Hills Citizens Association. The next regular meeting is on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. For more information, email calverthillscitizensassn@gmail. com

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CITY OF

COLLEGE PARK THE

COLLEGE PARK POST NOVEMBER 2023

Edition 42

November is Municipal Government Works Month! Celebrating the work of local government and its employees! Did you know that November is Municipal Government Works (MGW) Month? Each year in November, cities and towns across the state of Maryland collectively celebrate the work of local governments. By raising awareness around the programs and services provided by municipalities. While the Mayor and Council are elected by voters, City staff are hired to provide essential programs, services, and events to College Park residents. The City’s government is organized into multiple departments including the Department of Public Works (trash and recycling collections, tree programs, engineering, snow and

ice removal, etc.), the Department of Public Services (Parking Management and Enforcement, Animal Welfare, Code Compliance and Enforcement, and more), the Department of Youth, Family, and Senior Services (Seniors Program, Clinical Services, etc.), the Department of Planning and Community Development (micromobility, Homeownership program, etc.), and Administration (Finance, Human Resources, City Clerk’s Office, Communications & Events, Economic Development, and IT). Each department reports to the City Manager, who is selected by the Mayor and Council to oversee the City’s daily operations. From trash and food scrap collection to youth counseling,

THE COLLEGE PARK POST | NOVEMBER 2023

seniors programming, City elections, and annual events like College Park Day, the City staff work to connect residents to the resources and services they want and need. This includes both new services like the Curbside Food Scrap Collection, or resuming of yearly services like Curbside Leaf Collection (starting this again November!). Learn more about City programs, services, and events by joining our e-news list at www. collegeparkmd.gov/cpconnect. By staying informed to what is happening in the City, residents can take advantage of the many opportunities and services offered by the City. Please help us spread the word by encouraging your

friends and neighbors to subscribe or follow our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and Nextdoor). Residents also have a direct line of communication to request services and report issues! Through the College Park Connect app, you can report any nonemergency concern or issue. Visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/tellus or search your device’s app store for “College Park Connect” to download the app. Residents can always call the City’s 24/7 hotline at 240-487-3588 to report nonemergency issues too. Please help us thank City staff and personnel for their work, this month and all year long!

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THE COLLEGE PARK POST | NOVEMBER 2023

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Pollinator-Friendly Spaces From the College Park Bee City Committee Creating pollinator habitat may seem daunting at first, but it can be made simple, and in the end, will be lower maintenance than lawn care! If you are interested in helping pollinators but don’t know where to start, here are some simple options for creating pollinator-friendly spaces:

Curbside Leaf Collection Resumes This Month Curbside leaf collection is an annual City service that starts in November and ends in January, depending on weather conditions Curbside leaf vacuuming begins in November and will continue through the mid-January. Look for posted signs in your neighborhood to know when curbside leaf collection will occur. Collection schedules are tentative as they depend on weather conditions. To ensure collection, put leaves out by the first day listed. The calendar may show multiple days in an area, but we only collect once per street per collection cycle. Each area of the city is scheduled to be serviced at least 4 times during the season, so there will be several opportunities to have leaves collected. Refer to the City website www. collegeparkmd.gov/leafcollection for the most up-to-date collection schedule. To stay on schedule, leaf trucks will not be able to return to collect leaves once they have already been through your street. Additionally, the vacuum hoses are not able to reach around cars or other obstructions, so it is imperative that piles of leaves are accessible from the street.

CURBSIDE LEAF COLLECTION DO’S AND DON’TS: •

No bagging is necessary during leaf collection with vacuums. Grass can be included in your leaf piles, but no vines or woody trimmings).

•

Rake leaves to the curb. Do not put them in the street. Pile leaves away from cars and storm drains. The leaf vacuum cannot reach around cars.

•

Remove vines or woody yard waste, tree limbs, rocks, trash, and other debris from leaves to be collected. These items can damage the equipment and cause delays.

•

Noise and dust may be noticeable. Dry conditions generate more dust. We apologize for any inconvenience.

•

Leaf vacuuming only occurs in the fall/early winter.

Plant a native tree: Trees are a key source of flowers in early spring when many pollinators emerge from winter hibernation and need to collect nectar and pollen for their own survival and to feed their offspring. Moreover, tree leaves provide an important food source for many caterpillar species. For example, a single oak tree can support over 500 species of butterflies and moths! Trees also intercept and absorb rainwater and improve air quality; their shade helps to reduce cooling costs. Residents can take advantage of the City’s tree programs by applying for reimbursement of up to $150 per year for approved trees planted on their property and by requesting tree plantings in the City’s rightof-way area. Replace a small portion of your lawn with pollinator-friendly wildflowers: While lawns offer little to no pollinator habitat and require regular maintenance, wildflowers provide the nectar and pollen that pollinators require for food and, as the name “wildflower” suggests, require little to no maintenance. If left intact through winter, wildflower stems provide nesting sites for many pollinators, and seeds provide food for native birds. You’ll be amazed at the number of pollinator species you see, even in a small wildflower patch! If you’re wondering what to plant, the Bee City Committee has put

together a list of several groups of native plant species, available on the City’s website, that will grow well together under different conditions. Leave the leaves: Less is more when it comes to helping pollinators. Note that while the City offers curbside leaf collection, participation is optional, and there are many benefits to leaving the leaves. Overwintering pollinators rely on fallen leaves to cover and insulate them throughout the winter. In addition, the chrysalises and cocoons of some butterfly and moth species are disguised as dried leaves and are camouflaged among the real leaves. Fallen leaves also provide natural mulch and return organic matter and nutrients to the soil. Leaves can be raked into garden beds or under trees to help amend soil, support water retention, and suppress weeds. Avoid using pesticides: Pesticides (including insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides) remove important flowers and impair the reproduction, navigation, and memory of pollinators. They also make pollinators more susceptible to other stressors such as habitat loss and pathogens. Although pesticides have been approved for commercial and household use, many have unknown and nontarget effects that harm pollinators. Even organic pesticides are harmful (after all, they’re called “pesticides!”). Creating a diversified habitat, which supports many beneficial species including predators that help control pest populations, is an environmentally friendly way to manage pests. Eliminating standing water will help to reduce mosquito populations.

Visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/ leafcollection for collection details.

THE COLLEGE PARK POST | NOVEMBER 2023

PAGE 3

City Announcements

City Events

More information: www.collegeparkmd.gov

More information: www.collegeparkmd.gov/events

COLLEGE PARK CONNECT The City of College Park is excited to launch College Park Connect, a new mobile resident engagement application and website powered by GOGov. The app and website allow residents to have a direct line of communication to request services and report issues such as potholes, graffiti, animal issues, litter, and more. The app will also be a great source of information with links to the City website, news, and upcoming events. To report any non-emergency concern or issue, visit www. collegeparkmd.gov/tellus. To download the free app, go to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and search “College Park Connect” to find the app. As always, residents can call the City’s 24/7 Hotline at 240-487-3588 to report non-emergency issues including noise complaints. For emergency assistance, call 9-1-1 immediately for police, fire, or EMS assistance.

TUTORING FOR THE 20232024 SCHOOL YEAR The City of College Park is preparing to offer online tutoring for the 2023-2024 school year! This

program will be offered through Imagine Learning and offer support with GED, College Prep, reading, and math for residents of College Park. Learn more at www. collegeparkmd.gov/2023Tutoring and fill out an interest form to be contacted when registration opens.

COLLEGE PARK AGING IN PLACE PROGRAM The Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland (HFHMM) College Park Aging in Place program is a construction-based resource aimed at identifying and addressing health/safety related repairs and accessibility modifications to the home. The goal of this program is to provide owner-occupied homes with a safe, healthy, and accessible environment. To qualify, you must be a City of College Park homeowner, 62 or older, and have current homeowner’s insurance. For more information, please visit https://habitatmm.org/how-toapply/home-repair-services-forhomeowners/college-park-agingin-place.html

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College Park Connect Access Information Submit Service Requests Report Issues And more...

GINGERBREAD HOUSE COMPETITION November 1 - 30, 2023 Do you enjoy baking and are also a secret architect? Let your culinary creativity shine in the 2023 Gingerbread House Competition! We want your best confectionary creations, whether they’re whimsical or wacky! All City of College Park residents are encouraged to participate; enter as an individual or a group. Follow the rules and get to baking (or buying)! Once your creation is complete, fill out an application form at www.collegeparkmd.gov/ gingerbread2023. Competition winners will be announced on December 2nd at the Winter Wonderland event. The event is open to the public.

VETERANS MEMORIAL November 11 | 11AM | Veterans Memorial The City of College Park will hold its annual Veterans Day Observance on Saturday, November 11, 2023, at 11am at the College Park Veterans Memorial, at the intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Greenbelt Road. This year commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Memorial’s Dedication in 1993! The event program will feature music from the Second Wind Choir, a wreath laying, and a special address from the memorial’s original architect, Mr. Jim Clark. In addition to his work on the College Park Veterans Memorial, Jim Clark has also served on the team that developed the Korean War Veterans’ Memorial on the National Mall and is presently working with

architectural conservators on the World War II Memorial on the National Mall. Please bring pictures of your loved ones, veterans alive or passed, to share on our Honors table. Parking is available near Bowlero at 9021 Baltimore Ave. The event is sponsored by the City’s Veterans Memorial Committee.

WINTER WONDERLAND December 2 | 4-8PM | City Hall Celebrate the Holiday Season at City Hall! Join us at the City’s annual Winter Wonderland Holiday Market and Tree Lighting on Saturday, December 2, 2023, from 4pm - 8pm on the Plaza at City Hall. This free community event will feature a wide array of activities, entertainment, and fun to celebrate the holiday season. There will be live music on a main stage, as well as carolers, arts and crafts, story readings and a petting zoo. Food and drink vendors will provide refreshments. The event will also feature an appearance by Santa at 5pm and the lighting of the City of College Park’s Holiday tree at 7:30pm. Be sure to view the winners of our annual Gingerbread House Competition that will be on display and spread some holiday cheer by checking off some items on your wish list at the holiday market, featuring vendors from Shop Made in Maryland as well as local vendors. If you’d like to be one of our vendors,, visit www. collegeparkmd.gov/ For more information, email events@collegeparkmd.gov.

THE COLLEGE PARK POST | NOVEMBER 2023

PAGE 4

November 2023 | College Park Here & Now

VOTING FROM PAGE 1

two other elections: one in Fulton County, Wisconsin (2020), and more recently in Preston, Idaho (2022). Both elections were on a smaller scale than College Park’s, according to Carter. The company’s participation in College Park’s election is an opportunity for them to test a technology, on a larger scale, that Carter says can give voters confidence that the system is working as intended. Benjamin Hovland, one of the four federally appointed commissioners to the US Election Assistance Committee, was an independent observer of the 2022 election in Idaho. There, he connected Carter with College Park, according to Carter. Hovland was listed as a member of the College Park Board of Elections Supervisors as of Sept. 14. The new process involves collaboration among the City of College Park and a number of other partners, including the voting machine vendor, the Council of State Governments and Microsoft. ElectionGuard software, developed by Microsoft, runs on the voting machine scanners.

The software helps generate paper confirmations, encrypts individual votes and provides an encrypted public record of the vote, according to Carter. This means voters have a document they can use to verify that their vote was counted in the final tally, and interested parties can download the election record and run software to inspect it and verify its accuracy. “Our purpose in doing this,” Carter said, “is to give people a public copy that they can interrogate with the intention of increasing confidence and participation in the election outcomes.” The ElectionGuard technology has evolved from decades of work by Microsoft senior cryptographer Josh Benaloh. According to Microsoft, the company ramped up the development of the technology following attacks by Russia on the 2016 election cycle. In 2019, Microsoft announced their intention to launch ElectionGuard, which was part of the company’s Democracy Forward Initiative until this summer. The Council of State Governments, a national, nonpartisan organization, announced in July 2023 that it was launching the Election Technology Initia-

Page 7

Two levels of election protection: Chief Election Judge John Payne talks with ElectionGuard director RC Carter. COURTESY OF ROBERT STEWART

tive (ETI) and that the ElectionGuard software program will be transitioning to the ETI. Hart InterCivic, a key partner in the project, is the third largest vendor of voting equipment in the United States. Hart InterCivic has officially partnered with ElectionGuard since 2021. They put ElectionGuard technology on their scanners for the city’s elections and leased voting machines to College Park.

Hart InterCivic’s voting systems had two drives installed for College Park’s 2023 election, according to Pam Geppert, vice president of product at Hart InterCivic. “So, what you have is two parallel tabulation processes,” she explained during the information meeting. Hart InterCivic tabulates the votes for the official result on one drive, and the ElectionGuard software, stored on a

separate drive, allows the votes to be verified. “We had the opportunity because of this partnership to work with Hart InterCivic and have excellent election tabulation software and hardware available to us that we otherwise would not have access to,” said Janeen Miller, College Park city clerk, in an interview. Miller, who spoke about the city’s challenges finding good election vendors during a meeting at city hall in July, described the collaboration with Hart InterCivic and ElectionGuard as a win-win. The Center for Civic Design (CCD), a nonprofit research organization based in Cambridge, Maryland, is also involved. CCD is surveying and interviewing voters to gain insight on the voting experience, according to Miller. The feedback obtained by CCD will help the ElectionGuard program tweak aspects of user experience, according to Carter, as ElectionGuard rolls out new features planned for 2023. Miller said she is also interested in hearing how voters respond, and believes the CCD survey may yield results that can help the city improve voter turnout.

Page 8

College Park Here & Now | November 2023

Red cabbage salad with garlic vinaigrette

WHAT TO EAT HERE & NOW

Celebrate Thanksgiving with seasonal produce By Imke Ahlf-Wien

fter I moved to the U.S., in 2006, Thanksgiving quickly became my favorite holiday. A day focused on cooking, eating and gathering with family and friends? Bring it on! And ever since I started to host Thanksgiving dinner at my place, I’ve made sure to include plenty of local, seasonal foods in the feast. In Germany, where I am originally from, communities and churches celebrate “Erntedankfest,” which can be translated as harvest festival, usually on the first Sunday of October, to give thanks for the recently accomplished harvest. While you may see beautiful displays of fall crops in churches and marketplaces, this festival doesn’t involve the large gatherings of family and friends in private homes with elaborate home-cooked meals found in the U.S. during Thanksgiving. But it’s easy to combine the two. Until about 150 years ago, seasonal food was all that was available, which means many ingredients for beloved Thanksgiving side dishes and desserts are in-season in November: potatoes and sweet potatoes, pumpkins and apples, turnips and winter squash, kale, collards, spinach and even mushrooms. While these dishes don’t all go back to the origins of Thanks-

This quick salad is a great starter and adds crunch, color and fiber to your Thanksgiving dinner. Ingredients: ½ medium head red cabbage, shredded 3 carrots, ends removed, trimmed and shredded 1 cup grapes, cut into halves lengthwise 3 green onions, cut into thin rings ¼ cup fresh dill, minced 1 clove garlic, minced ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 teaspoon mustard ½ teaspoon salt

Kale and butternut squash bake Ingredients: 1 small butternut squash 1 bunch purple or green kale 1 clove garlic, finely minced 1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon thyme ½ teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg 1 cup heavy cream

½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese ½ cup breadcrumbs

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly butter a medium-size gratin dish. Peel the squash, cut through the middle and remove the seeds. Cut into slices, about ¼-inch thick. Remove the stems from the kale and cut into thin slices. Mix the kale with garlic, salt, thyme and nutmeg. Place half of the kale mix in the gratin dish. Place the squash slices on top of the kale mix in one even layer; then place the other half of the kale mix on top of the squash. Pour cream over vegetables. Cover casserole tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes, until tender.

Directions: In a salad bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, grapes, green onions and dill. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the garlic, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, mustard and salt together. Pour this dressing over the salad mix, and toss well.

Mix the cheese with the breadcrumbs. Remove casserole from oven, discard the foil and sprinkle the cheese-and-breadcrumbs mixture over vegetables. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, for another 5 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. (Recipe adapted from “Kale and Butternut Squash Gratin” by Virginia Willis)

giving, they do at least reflect many of the foods served at a typical 19th-century feast. There are several farmers markets in the area that may carry the ingredients for your favorite Thanksgiving dishes. This column features the Riverdale Park Farmers Market. It will be open the day before Thanksgiving, Nov. 22, from 3 to 6:30 p.m. You can preorder a turkey from Groff ’s Content Farm a week before, buy bread for stuffing from RavenHook Bakehouse (or Manifest Bread next door) and find seasonal produce

from one of the following vendors: Blue Berwyn Farm, McCleaf ’s Orchard, Cat’s Paw Organic Farm or Fajardo’s Produce Farm. In today’s recipe section, you’ll find some of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes that include plenty of in-season produce such as red cabbage, carrots, kale, butternut squash and potatoes. Imke Ahlf-Wien is a nutrition educator with a passion for fresh, locally procured foods.

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Heavenly potatoes This dish has become a staple on our Thanksgiving dinner table. While it takes several days to prepare (in simple steps that don’t take more than 20 minutes each), all you have to do on Thanksgiving Day is put the casserole in the oven. It’s been adapted from Three Rivers Cookbook II by Carolyn S. Hammer (editor) and Susan Gaca (illustrator). Ingredients: 10 medium yellow potatoes 1 medium onion, grated ½ cup butter, melted ½ pint heavy cream 1 pint half-and-half

½ to 1 cup milk, as needed 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste 1 teaspoon white pepper

Directions: Day l: Parboil potatoes for 20 minutes. Cool and refrigerate overnight. Day 2: Peel and grate potatoes into a shallow 3-quart casserole. Mix in onions, handling them as little as possible. Carefully pour butter, cream, half-and-half and milk over the potato-onion mix and season to taste. The mix should be moist, but not soggy. Cover and put in the refrigerator. Day 3: Remove casserole from refrigerator 2 hours before baking. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes.

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November 2023 | College Park Here & Now

Page 9

SCIENCE OF THE CITY

To save lives, get serious about addressing speeding By Paul Ruffins This fourth, and last, article in our series about traffic fatalities in Prince George’s County examines why technically easy solutions are so politically difficult.

etween 2018 and 2022, the Zero Deaths Maryland Fatal Crash Dashboard, which tracks every traffic death in the state and its cause, reported that Prince George’s County had approximately 58% more crashes than Montgomery County (97,094 vs. 61,263), despite having about 100,000 fewer residents. Earlier articles in this series explained that Prince George’s County has more roads that combine high speeds with stoplights, along with fewer drivers and passengers using their seatbelts. But what turns 58% more crashes into 179% more traffic deaths (578 vs. 207)? It’s not people driving drunk or high. Montgomery County had 64% more crash-related deaths due to impairment (28 vs. 17). “The biggest problem is speed,” said the Rev. Robert Screen, who has spent years fighting traffic deaths on Indian Head Highway. Between December 2022 and March 2023, 58 drivers were clocked at over 100 mph on that route, with one muscle car hitting 170. “Whether drivers are aggressive, distracted or drunk, speeding amplifies minor mistakes into injuries and fender benders into fatalities,” he said. “We just don’t take speeding seriously.” One proof of this is that Maryland’s speeding laws are much weaker than those in neighboring states. In Virginia, going 20 mph over the speed limit, or over

80 mph anywhere, is considered reckless driving — a crime that can land you in jail. In Delaware, going over 90 mph is deemed reckless, while in Pennsylvania, 30 mph over the speed limit is flagged. But in Maryland, there is no rate of speed that is automatically considered a crime or considered reckless driving. According to Wayne Curtis, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Architecture and Planning, reducing speeding requires both changes in roadway engineering to calm traffic and increased law enforcement. “I am a strong fan of roundabouts and speed bumps,” Curtis said. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), properly designed roundabouts, also known as traffic circles, are much safer for motorists and pedestrians (though maybe not cyclists) than stoplight intersections, while handling the same volume of traffic. By forcing every car to slow down and turn, traffic circles reduce both the chances and the impact of crashes, particularly head-on and T-bone collisions, which are the deadliest. And speed bumps effectively reduce speeding while delaying emergency vehicles by only 10 seconds or less on average. Unfortunately, the Maryland State Highway Administration places many restrictions on where traffic-calming devices like speed bumps can be used, traditionally prioritizing speed over safety. After a March 2023 crash on Ritchie Marlboro Road in Upper Marlboro killed one high school student and critically injured another, the Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation expressed sorrow at the tragedy

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By forcing every car to slow down and turn, traffic circles reduce both the chances and the impact of crashes, particularly headon and T-bone collisions, which are the deadliest. And speed bumps effectively reduce speeding while delaying emergency vehicles by only 10 seconds or less on average. but stated, “As you know, as this roadway is classified as a collector roadway, speed humps or any physical traffic calming device installation could not be considered as a mitigation effort.” (Collectors, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, are major and minor roads that connect local roads and streets with arterials; they are designed to balance mobility with land ac-

A new roundabout being installed on Chillum Road near the Maryland/D.C. line. PAUL RUFFINS

cess.) As Curtis noted, the last alternative is to find a way to increase enforcement. This is difficult at a time when police departments are understaffed and traffic stops have become increasingly problematic; many Black and minority drivers fear that getting pulled over could easily escalate into brutalities. And according to the University of Illinois, Chicago, in most years, ordinary traffic accidents kill and injure more law enforcement officers than gunfire does. High-speed chases are so dangerous to police, pedestrians and innocent drivers that the Prince George’s County police and many other departments have severely limited their use. One possible solution to these concerns is automated enforcement — using cameras to catch people speeding or running red

lights. Cameras have no ethnic, racial or gender biases and have been proven to reduce speeding and accidents. But once again, Maryland’s traffic laws impose only minimal fines. In Virginia, automated speeding tickets can reach $100. In Maryland, that same ticket would be $40, even if someone is going over twice the speed limit. Our state’s automated tickets further reduce their deterrent impact with bold lettering stating that if you pay the $40 fine, your violation won’t result in points and cannot be used to increase your insurance rates. Maryland could choose to be much tougher. In California and Oregon, red-light tickets carry points as well as fines. In Arizona, both red light and speeding camera tickets can lead to a license suspension and increased insurance rates. SEE SPEEDING ON 11 

Page 10

College Park Here & Now | November 2023

WILD FROM PAGE 1

across the landscape. Each pond was created by a family of beavers that built a dam to flood the area. Rich, diverse habitats evolved around these ponds — stands of willows and alder, and wet grasslands studded with orchids, irises and carnivorous plants. Beavers worked overtime to keep trees from invading the shallow waters and cattails and water lilies from choking the waterways; their activity in the ponds, the surrounding woods and wetlands was vital to organisms throughout the ecosystem. In this way, beavers are what we call a keystone species. Think of an arch made of stones; the keystone, at the top, holds all the stones in place. But pull that keystone, and the arch falls apart. The same thing’s true in nature; if you remove a keystone animal, like beavers, whose contributions are essential, an entire ecosystem could fall apart. By the late 1800s, though, beavers had been nearly wiped out east of the Mississippi as we turned their thick, brown, waterproof pelts into fur coats and warm hats. As beavers disappeared, the ecosystems they created changed dramatically. A host of forest and wetland plants and animals that depended on beavers to manage their habitat (including the Baltimore checkerspot, our iconic state butterfly) became endangered — or were wiped out entirely. The loss of beaver dams also made streams more prone to catastrophic flooding during severe weather events. Beavers are active all year long, and their diet changes with the seasons. In spring, they eat fresh green buds on willows and other streamside trees and shrubs; as spring turns to summer, beavers turn to grass, water lily and cattail

The distinctive orange color of a beaver’s front teeth comes from iron that makes the incisors powerful chompers. COURTESY OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

tubers, and leafy vegetation. Beavers store up fat under their warm coats and in paddle-shaped tails the size of dinner plates. Even with this stored fat, they face challenges as winter rolls around. With fresh food disappearing, these aquatic engineers turn their skills from foraging to refrigeration. The water in our lakes stays pretty cold from November to March, a perfect icebox in which beavers can store green branches with tasty buds, limbs with tender bark they can gnaw off, even entire small trees. Under the cover of darkness, beavers waddle out and gnaw down trees they can drag back to the lake. One adult beaver can fell 200 or more trees a year to feed the lodge’s stay-at-home offspring and their parents. In the fall, the woods around beaver lodges are studded with the peculiar, pyramidal short stumps the beavers leave behind as they gnaw down trees and

ferry them off to the underwater refrigerator. There, the lodgers can dine at their leisure, even if the lake is covered with ice. Beavers are superbly adapted for this forestry work; they have huge upper and lower front teeth that are laced with iron, giving them added strength and a bright, rusty-orange cast. Those teeth can take out an eight-foot sapling in five minutes flat. An adult beaver weighs in at 35 to 65 pounds; much of their weight is pure muscle, which they put to good purpose, hauling timber from woods to water so they can build dams and lodges. Beavers’ feet are webbed, making them superb swimmers and divers. Beavers are social creatures. The adults mate for life, and the young (called kits) are born over winter. They'll stay in the family lodge and help care for the next generation before the adults show them the door at about two years old.

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Beaver lodges usually have at least two entrances, both of them underwater to help protect the home from predators. A lodge is often spacious, with several rooms — a feeding den, a sleeping den and sometimes a separate nursery den. They also have air conditioning of sorts, a small tunnel or hole to bring in cool, fresh air from outside. Lodges come in two flavors: bank lodges, which are built right up against a river or lake bank, and hut or island lodges, which rest on mud in shallow water, away from the bank, or on a small island. Hut lodges predominate where beavers have dammed and flooded creeks and relatively small

streams; there’s a limit even to beaver ingenuity that keeps them from damming large streams and rivers. Beavers typically build bank lodges in larger bodies of water, like rivers and lakes. Adult beavers have few enemies in Maryland, now that wolves and mountain lions no longer roam our woods. And while the kits are vulnerable to foxes, bobcats, coyotes, dogs and even snapping turtles, vehicles are the biggest threat to Maryland’s beavers. Vehicles and hunters: Beavers are once again so common here that the state allows trapping during a specified season. Dusk is the prime time to see beavers. You can easily spot them at Lake Artemesia, paddling at sunset and feeding in the grasses and water plants at the lake edge. Listen for the distinctive percussive slap of their broad tails on the water if they get alarmed, or annoyed by people or dogs that get too close. And look for the wire cages protecting vulnerable lakeside trees, or the gnawed stumps of trees that weren’t protected. And if you’re eager to hear that percussive tail slap while you’re sitting in your living room, take a listen to one I recorded down at the lake: tinyurl.com/2p8s8wz3 Have questions for Rick about the world of nature in and around the city, or suggestions for future College Park Wild columns? Drop him a note at rborchelt@gmail.com

Managing Editor for the College Park Here & Now Sought Streetcar Suburbs Publishing is seeking a managing editor for this newspaper, the College Park Here & Now. The managing editor is responsible for connecting story ideas with writers and photographers, editing copy as it comes in, monitoring beats, and attending city events as needed. The editor must be able to contribute editorial content, recruit and manage volunteer staffing, and ensure that content conforms to house style and standards. This part-time contract position is home-office based with flexible hours, but requires some weekend and evening availability. To receive a full position description, email kit@streetcarsuburbs.news

Cover letters and resumes should be sent to kit@streetcarsuburbs.news and stullich@ earthlink.net.

November 2023 | College Park Here & Now

Page 11

SPEEDING FROM PAGE 9

Chief Election Judge John Payne at the polls on Nov. 5. KIT SLACK

RESULTS FROM PAGE 1

the District 1 election, with 145, 167 and 160 votes respectively. District 3 also saw a competitive race, in which incumbent councilmembers Stuart M. Adams and John B. Rigg III beat out challenger A. Perez Abbott, who received 57 votes out of a total of 689 cast. Adams was reelected with 305 votes. During his first term as councilmember, he advocated for the elderly property tax credit,

TUNNEL FROM PAGE 4

Rock Creek on the west side of the District. Like the NEBT, the Potomac River Tunnel will function as a giant underground storage tank, holding millions of gallons of sewage and stormwater and sending it to Blue Plains rather than into the Potomac or Rock Creek. The NEBT will also help reduce local flooding due to undersized storm drains in Northeast D.C. The region’s water pollution problem is over 200 years old. Around 1810, the swampy District of Columbia began to build culverts and ditches that drained into the nearest waterway. Because of its huge expansion during the Civil War and the increasing popularity of piped-in water for indoor plumbing, the city began constructing a combined sewer system that carried both untreated sewage and stormwater into approximately 19 outfalls along the Potomac and Anacostia rivers. In 1890, a presidential commission linked the combined sewer system to

the preservation of Guilford Woods and the closure of the slip lane in front of 7-Eleven. Moving forward, he is interested in working to implement a vacant-property tax and establish a program to provide rental assistance. Rigg was reelected with 327 votes. He has served on the council for six years and ran for reelection on the results he has garnered within the community. Rigg’s campaign looked to the future, focusing on issues including affordable housing and increased resources for aging in place.

a single outfall point at Blue Plains, the southernmost spot in D.C., where the tides wouldn’t carry the waste back upstream. There was no water treatment facility, but at least all new sewers built as D.C. expanded would have separate pipes to send sewage to Blue Plains and only divert stormwater into the rivers. These are known as municipal separate storm sewer systems, or MS4s, and are now standard. However, between 1890 and 1910, the rapid development of Prince George's and Montgomery counties, both north of the District, created new problems. Towns such as College Park and Hyattsville built water systems for indoor plumbing and fire hydrants but also developed sanitary sewer systems that simply dumped untreated waste into the Potomac and Anacostia rivers and Rock Creek, which all flow south. When the District threatened to sue Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, the resulting agreement created the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC), in 1918. WSSC took over all the local systems and piped most of

Incumbent District 2 Councilmembers Llatetra Brown Esters and Susan L. Whitney, as well as District 4 Councilmembers Maria E. Mackie and Denise C. Mitchell ran unopposed and won their respective races. On the nonbinding question about term lengths for councilmembers, 710 voters supported changing to staggered 4-year terms and 567 opposed the proposed change. Mayor Kabir and the newly elected councilmembers will serve the city through 2025.

their sewage to the outfall at Blue Plains, in Southwest D.C., where an actual water treatment plant was built in 1937. (WSSC also operates several smaller treatment plants.) Today, DC Water’s Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant is one of the largest and most advanced water treatment facilities in the world, but it still can’t solve the area’s water problems by itself. Heavy rains often overwhelm the District’s old combined system, leading to raw sewage spills into both rivers. However, partly because the Anacostia is much slower-moving than the Potomac, it remains more polluted. In 1971, fecal bacteria levels were so high that the District made it illegal to swim in the Anacostia. (Few residents of Mount Rainier or Bladensburg risk swimming in the river, either.) The river is tidal and rises and falls about three feet at the Bladensburg Waterfront Park, which means that sewage could possibly flow about 1,000 feet upstream. The Anacostia’s pollution problems also threaten the Chesapeake Bay. Maureen Mitchell, water quality proj-

Joseph Young, an IIHS spokesperson, points out that there are simple solutions for reducing speeding. “People who are convicted of drunken driving are often required to install an ignition interlock, so the car won’t start if they’ve been drinking,” Young said. “Well, the equipment to govern maximum speed is even simpler and has been used in trucking and fleet operations for years.” Young also feels that states could deter a lot of dangerous driving by not renewing a vehicle’s tags if an owner has unpaid moving violations from out of state, regardless of whether they were issued by an officer or a camera. Right now, neither Virginia, the District, nor Maryland has an effective mechanism for enforcing automated tickets on out-of-state vehicles. The District occasionally boots scofflaws who park on the street — but still has over $800 million in uncollected fines for moving violations. Like Screen, Young believes that reducing speeding isn’t primarily a technical problem, but a very tough attitudinal and political problem which kills and injures thousands more people per year in the U.S. than in Europe. “Almost no one would ever tell a stranger that they frequently drive drunk,” Young said. “But in our surveys, a large percentage of drivers will honestly admit that they regularly exceed the speed limit. It’s almost like they feel there’s some American right to drive too fast, even though it risks other people’s lives.”

ect manager for Anacostia Riverkeeper, explained that the District’s combined sewer outflows aren’t the only problem. She wrote, “The MS4S of D.C. and the upper watershed in Montgomery and Prince George's [counties] lead to continuous challenges from point and nonpoint pollution from roadways ( fuel/oil, byproducts from tires), lawns (excess nutrients from overfertilization and other treatments), construction projects (sedimentation and illicit dumping) and more.” Nevertheless, the successful completion of the NEBT will eliminate 98% of the flow of fecal bacteria into the Anacostia, according to DC Water. It also means that much of the stormwater from Northeast D.C. will now be purified at Blue Plains rather than flowing untreated into Fort Washington, Washington Harbor and other Prince George’s County communities downstream. Paul Ruffins, the author of both "Speeding" and "Tunnel" on this page, is a citizen scientist and professor of curiosity.

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College Park Here & Now | November 2023

The Berwyn Ballet School dances up from the basement By Alexandra Alpert Back in 2020, when the world was grappling with challenges posed by the pandemic, Kimberly Reim was teaching ballet to a small group of students in a basement. Reim’s classes continued to grow, and by September 2021, she was renting studio space. “I had a whole five-year plan for the school, but let's just say the school grew way faster than I could have ever expected,” she said. The school now has nine instructors, according to its website, including Reim, the founder and artistic advisor, and Lori Provost, the studio’s current owner and director. The community rallied to support Reim’s quest to purchase a permanent home. In a big show of support, the city gave The Berwyn Ballet School a $20,000 grant which helped Reim open a studio.

“[We] have a community and a city that really cares about the arts,” she said. “[This] has been such an incredible place for us to grow and thrive.” Lori Provost, who took over as owner of Berwyn Ballet about a year ago, expressed gratitude to Michael Williams, the city’s director of economic development, and Kabir, the College Park mayor. “They have both really been a support to our school and were really pivotal in helping us find a space,” she said. The school currently holds classes in three locations: the Old Parish House in Old Town, Kim Studio in Berwyn and a new home studio on Baltimore Avenue north of University Boulevard. The Berwyn Ballet School held a ribbon-cutting on Aug. 26, with Kabir and Williams in attendance. Provost again shared her appreciation for their help. “It was nice to be able to recognize

them for their work,” she said. The grand opening drew a large crowd, and the school showcased a small performance and offered attendees free classes. Provost said that the school, which is the only ballet school in the city, aims to represent the College Park community. The school offers classes for all ages, starting with dancers as young as 3. According to Reim, the school currently has almost 200 active students. Provost is dedicated to providing individual attention to students and fostering a closeknit atmosphere. Student Karen Generose said that the studio gives her and her son a sense of community they value. “The new space is lovely. It has been a really good space to learn in, and is more central in College Park. The new studio has been such a positive for the school,” she said.

The Berwyn Ballet School held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 26. COURTESY OF THE BERWYN BALLET SCHOOL