june2026_hyattsville_web

your house, P. 4

FUTBOL FIESTAS: Dos negocios tendran fiestas para partidos de futbol internacional, P. 14

Council passes $100K emergency fund for families impacted by ICE

By FIONA FLOWERS

The Hyattsville City Council officially passed a $100,000 emergency fund to support families impacted by federal immigration enforcement during its April 27 meeting. The decision comes after significant community engagement, which coun-

Who has the money? District 22

cilmembers cited as a catalyst for the fund’s passage.

Originally proposed and sponsored by Councilmember Edouard Haba (Ward 4) and cosponsored by councilmembers Danny Schaible (Ward 2) and Joseph Solomon (Ward 5), the fund is intended to support families impacted by U.S. Immigra-

delegate edition

By KIT SLACK

In the June primary, voters will choose three from among four candidates to serve as state delegates for District 22, which includes Hyattsville. We took a look at their campaign finance reports, one of which was due May 19, to get a lens on what they are working with and who supports them.

Having gotten off to an early and strong start, Molly McKee-Seabrook is leading the pack with $46,000 in her campaign bank account by midMay. By Jan. 14, she had raised $55,000 and spent $12,000. She spent another $1,000 between mid-January and midMay. McKee-Seabrook has about 200 donors, most of them local. Among her

tion and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, by helping with rent, groceries and other necessary expenses. Families of detained or deported individuals will also be able to apply for funds to cover legal fees.

The April council meeting opened with nearly an hour of emotional testimony from

more than 15 residents and advocates. Community members shared stories of ICE raids in Prince George’s County that they said had heightened fears among local immigrants and left families without financial support.

“As we sit here today, comfortable in our houses, there are

‘BORDERLESS’ IN BRENTWOOD

“Ramblin’ Rose (ilamae)” oil portrait on CDX plywood by portrait artist Jeff Huntington, who goes by the name Jahru, was displayed at the “Borderless” Brentwood Arts Exchange art exhibit. Read more about the exhibit in “The Hy-Life” on page 3. JESSICA ARENDS

30 children in the Hyattsville area whose homes are missing somebody,” Hyattsville resident Brian Banks said. “All of the local services that these families are turning to are exhausted. We’ve heard from our neighbors that the social services, the legal services, the financial

County passes street race takeover bill

By NIGEL F. MAYNARD

Prince George’s County has passed a new measure intended to end illegal street races.

Introduced by County Councilmember Wanika Fisher (District 2), County Bill-122026 would bar spectators from attending these events and assess fines that escalate based on the number of offenses.

“The time to act is now,” Fisher said in a May 4 press release, the day before the bill was signed. “Just last week, a young man was killed, and several other people were shot, following one of these illegal car rallies in Columbia, Md. Enough is enough. We need stricter penalties for anyone who attends one of these harmful gatherings. Nothing good comes of them, and we have to get them out of our community.”

A community newspaper chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville, Maryland. HyattsvilleLife.com StreetcarSuburbs.News

Submission Information

The Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly. We welcome reader input, tips, articles, letters, opinion pieces and photographs, which may be submitted to nigel@streetcarsuburbs.news

Managing Editor Nigel F. Maynard nigel@streetcarsuburbs.news

Associate Editor Heather Wright heather@hyattsvillelife.com

Columnists

Imke Ahlf-Wien, Jessica Arends, Victoria Boucher, Paul Ruffins

Writers & Contributors

Fiona Flowers

Layout & Design Editors

Valerie Morris, Ashley Perks

Spanish translation by University of Maryland Department of Translation and Interpretation Services

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For advertising inquiries, please email catie@streetcarsuburbs.news or call (301) 284-8611

Streetcar Suburbs Publishing

Business Manager Catie Currie Catie@streetcarsuburbs.news

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Board of Directors

President: Marta McLellan Ross

Secretary: Melanie Dzwonchyk

Treasurer: Joe Murchison

General Counsel: Michael Walls Nora Eidelman, Merrill Hartson, Alec Lynde, T. Carter Ross, Tara Susman-Peña

Ex Officios: Joshua Garner, Nigel F. Maynard, Sharon O’Malley, Kit Slack

The Hyattsville Life & Times is a member of the National Newspaper Association and the Institute for Nonprofit News.

NEWS BRIEFS

‘NATURE NEARBY’ COLUMNIST

SEITZ

DIES IN APRIL

©2026 Streetcar Suburbs Publishing, Inc.

501(c)(3) non-profit publisher of the Hyattsville Life & Times, the College Park Here & Now, The Laurel Independent, StreetcarSuburbs.News, and The Streetcar Spotlight.

PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781

John Frederick “Fred” Seitz died at his home in Hyattsville — the same home that he and his wife, Kathyrn “Kathy” Foxhall, bought and moved into after they wed in 1988 — on April 26, at age 73, according to his obituary. Seitz wrote the “Nature Nearby” column for the Life & Times (L&T) from 2011 until 2023.

Former L&T Managing Editor Susie Currie, who recruited Seitz as a regular columnist, said, “He always seemed so knowledgeable about area plants and wildlife — especially bats, as I learned when I happened to mention that we had just installed a bat box in our yard.”

The first “Nature Nearby” column appeared in May 2011 and featured yellowcrowned night herons. Topics over the years ranged from pollen and paleopalynology, to cicadas and tardigrades, to woodchucks and opossums. Seitz’s writing demonstrated a dry, quirky sense of humor and a broad and abiding passion for nature and its critters.

And Seitz wrote numerous times about bats. According to his obituary, Seitz was a member of Bat Conservation International, joined expeditions with national bat expert Merlin Tuttle, and gave talks on bats and threats to their well-being.

STREETCAR 82, FRANKLINS TO HOST WORLD CUP WATCH PARTIES

Two Hyattsville businesses are set to host World Cup watch parties this June after the city council voted unanimously to send a letter of support for extended business hours during a May 20 budget meeting.

Mark Burke, owner of Streetcar 82 Brewing Co., submitted a request to the Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners to extend business hours past normal closing time for two first-round U.S. men’s national evening matches taking place in Los Angeles on June 12 and June 25. The third match, a daytime game on June 19, is scheduled as a watch party at Franklins Restaurant and will not require extended hours.

Councilmember Danny Schaible (Ward

2) brought the item forward, citing that it already had seven co-sponsors. He said that the timing of the matches created the need for the extension request — the June 12 game begins at 9 p.m., while the June 25 game begins at 10 p.m. Matches are expected to last roughly two hours.

The existing permit language created confusion for Burke — county permits allow businesses to stay open until 2 a.m., but county regulations say 10 p.m., so the best path forward was a formal extension request.

JUDGE DISMISSES CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST ABREGO GARCIA

On May 22, a federal judge in Tennessee dismissed the Justice Department’s humansmuggling case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, ruling that the Trump administration was trying to punish him for successfully challenging his 2025 deportation, according to The Washington Post

In the decision, U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. wrote that “evidence before this Court sadly reflects an abuse of prosecuting power” and noted that the investigation was tainted “with a vindictive motive.”

Abrego Garcia is a county resident who immigrated to the U.S. illegally around 2011 as a teenager. In 2019, after police stopped him outside the Home Depot in Hyattsville, an immigration judge ruled that he could not be deported to El Salvador because his life would be in danger. Abrego Garcia was deported to a notorious El Salvadoran prison anyway in March 2025, due to what government lawyers said was an administrative error.

The Trump administration returned Abrego Garcia to the U.S. several months later, but only after issuing an arrest warrant on human-smuggling charges in Tennessee, where he continued to be imprisoned until his December 2025 release.

A Justice Department spokesperson called Crenshaw’s decision wrong and dangerous and said the department would appeal, according to The Post article.

COULD THIS FLOOD PLAIN BE A WETLAND?

A Hyattsville environmental group that has opposed townhouse development near Driskell Park is proposing wetland restoration on the site instead.

GUIDE TO 2026 LOCAL PRIMARY RACES

County and state representatives influence zoning, public schools, police, courts and local government investment and spending in our communities. In our area, the Democratic primary election on June 23 will almost certainly decide who represents us at the county, state and federal level, because our area is overwhelmingly Democratic. The school board races are nonpartisan, but will still be on primary ballots when more than two candidates are running.

How can I vote?

You can register to vote in person on election day or during early voting, which starts on June 11 and ends June 18, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. each

On May 14, about 50 people crowded into Maryland Meadworks, a local meadery and performance venue, to see a presentation by Lillian Austin, a graduate student in the University of Maryland College of Agriculture & Natural Resources.

Austin’s design might eliminate the need for the stormwater pipe that runs under the lot, instead bringing that water to the surface to feed ponds and wetlands. Goals include wildlife habitat and nature education.

Austin said that while more and larger trees could reduce visibility, they would improve the site’s ability to soak up water.

City officials are negotiating the purchase of the land from Werrlein Properties, which recently developed houses and townhouses across the street from Driskell Park on the hillside.

Litigation based on housing density in the flood plain has prevented development of the large site adjoining the Driskell Park playground. The site now contains a water retention pond, hills built to bring townhouse foundations out of the flood plain, and uninstalled concrete piping.

The planned replacement of a 30-foot pipe running under the site might not be necessary, according to Greg Smith, a leader of the Sustainable Hyattsville group that organized the event, if a wetlands restoration project can manage stormwater instead.

NO HISTORIC HOUSE TOUR THIS YEAR

The Hyattsville Preservation Association (HPA) will not host its annual historic house tour this year.

“There were just not enough property owners that were willing,” HPA president Gloria Felix-Thompson posted on a local listserv May 10. “Money is so very tight everywhere, and folks did not have the extra cash it takes to get a home ready for the tour.”

The Annual Historic Hyattsville House Tour started in 1979. The tour’s goal is to showcase “the historical and architectural diversity of the homes in Hyattsville’s Historic District and beyond, and [the tour] provides a more in-depth history of the beautiful City of Hyattsville,” according to the HPA website.

The annual house tour traditionally takes place the Sunday after Mother’s Day. According to Felix-Thompson, the HPA is already working on on a May 2027 house tour.

day. Visit the Prince George’s County Board of Elections website for lists of early voting centers and drop box locations for mail-in ballots.

What candidates will be on my ballot?

Look up your sample ballot at voterservices. elections.maryland.gov/VoterSearch.

Where can I get information on candidates?

We asked candidates what they have accomplished for their communities and what they hope to accomplish if elected. We also asked them about government spending. Responses from county and local state candidates are in

our online voter guide, located at StreetcarSuburbs.News/guide-to-2026-local-primary-races.

Additional resources

PGCTV ran a county executive candidate forum and a state's attorney forum this spring. It has also interviewed candidates, including Daniel Armando Jones, Tara Jackson, Wanika Fisher and John Carr.

Prince George's County Young Democrats is running a series of candidate forums this spring; past ones are viewable on their YouTube page. The Banner has a Prince George's County voter guide, which includes these races, as well as state and county races outside our coverage area behind a paywall.

‘Borderless’ art exhibit celebrates Asian and Pacific Islander heritage in Brentwood

By JESSICA ARENDS

In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, the Brentwood Arts Exchange hosted “Borderless,” a mixed-media art exhibit, to explore themes of identity, migration and cultural fluidity, through May 30. On the first floor of the gallery, viewers could take in vivid oil portraits, 3D masks and found-object installations as they reflected on how heritage, contemporary experiences and art help us to transcend borders.

Exhibit curator Akemi Maegawa, a ceramics artist and art teacher originally from Japan, aimed to host AAPI artists who challenge boundaries — both literal and conceptual.

“I think the AAPI Heritage Month is a perfect time to reflect on Asian American history and culture. I believe that many Asian Americans have been contributing to this country economically and culturally more than we know,” Maegawa told the Life & Times

The exhibit included portraits, installations, sculptures and woodblock prints from artists Mei Mei Chang; Julia Chon; Jeff Huntington, who goes by the name Jahru; Jun Lee; and Tang. Countries represented among the artists included Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines.

On May 9, the “Borderless” artists gave a talk at the gallery as part of Gateway Open Studios Tour, a one-day annual art event spanning Mount Rainier, Brentwood, North Brentwood and Hyattsville.

The artists explored several border-related themes, including language and cultural limitations they experience as immigrants, borders between family members, intercultural connections with strangers while traveling, and internal borders of the psyche.

Portrait artist Jahru first began painting when he was 8, using his father’s oil paints. He described the creative process as being like a “crack addiction.”

“You get a really powerful high and you want more, but it is never the same,” Jahru said. “Eventually you find a new drug.” His drug of choice changed from painting to paper-making, then to collaging by combining fin-

ished pieces and then, most recently, to painting murals with street artists in Brazil.

Following his father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Jahru wondered how his portraits might appear to someone with disjointed memory or perception. He experimented with repainting the same face at a different

mind with her modernist installation of cardboard, fabric and yarn built specifically for the exhibit space. Clusters of squares and rectangles screwed directly into the wall were connected with colorful string and fabric, creating a montage reminiscent of the lacey woven neurons of the brain.

With her background in visual art and photography, Chang said her work strives to go beyond the awareness of her consciousness and bring what is there to life.

“I have always translated the topographical maps of the mind onto multilayered and patterned surfaces,” Chang said. With this installation, she aimed to create an effect of “nostalgic memory among chaos.”

Drawn to the mysteriousness of the psyche, Chang said, “This is the source of my art, and I can only express it in a language that transcends words.”

Lee, a District-based printmaker who renders animals to explore themes of everyday life, created a display of 16 coyoteshaped heads intricately collaged with earth-toned floral prints.

After this past Halloween, Lee found a dog-shaped mask in her neighborhood, which reminded her of the Asian masks of her childhood. Working with masks this past year also helped her to connect to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, activity she has observed locally.

“I saw how ICE kidnappings were affecting children. I was heartbroken about this,” Lee said.

She said that the animal theme connected her to her own inner strength as an immigrant.

angle on top of a finished portrait, creating what he calls a “dichotomy of organic human form with geometric patterns.”

The result is a dynamic Picassoesque kaleidoscope effect, bursting with color and movement.

Chang said she was interested in exploring the borders of the

SPECIAL SECTION: HYATTSVILLE HOME & GARDEN

Time to revive your yard

By NIGEL F. MAYNARD

Homeowners might be surprised to learn how much harsh winters damage their yards. Turns out, the cold temperatures, white Christmases and beautiful icicles in the trees are not that great for your foliage.

The University of Maryland Extension, a statewide, nonformal education service that focuses on agriculture and natural resources, notes that winter causes cold damage, such as broken branches, winter burn and leaf drop. Rapid temperature swings and dry, freezing conditions can injure shrubs and trees. What’s more, deicing salts and chemicals can wreak havoc on your lawn.

Luckily, homeowners can easily reverse most — if not all — of the damage with a little bit of elbow grease, a few garden tools and, most likely, some sweat.

Here how you can do it:

Clean up

Hopefully, you follow the concept of “leave the leaves,” the environmentally conscious practice of

leaving fallen leaves, stems and brush on the ground, rather than raking, bagging or shredding them. The National Park Service says this practice provides habitat for pollinators and adds nutrients to the soil. But eventually, you have to clean them up. Remove all bramble, sticks, weeds, dead leaves and other organic matter from your yard and set the stage for step two.

Time to mulch

“This Old House,” the longrunning PBS home improve-

ment show, says homeowners should clean up their garden beds and define the edges to create a clear, sharp line between the grass and the beds. At this point, apply mulch to help retain moisture after watering and rain. The show recommends bark, hemlock or leaf mulch. “Whatever type you choose, apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch around your plants, being careful not to pile it against tree trunks or plant stems. This prevents rot and allows the plants to breathe.”

Pruning

Not all of your shrubs and plants need to be pruned. (For more details on the timing of pruning — and a discussion of old vs. new wood — see this paper’s April “Miss Floribunda” column.) Some shrubs, such as boxwoods, more than likely do not need any. If a shrub is growing out of control, pruning stimulates new growth and the problem compounds. It helps to know what plants and shrubs you selected for your landscape and determine a course of action. “This Old House” recommends pruning flowering perennials to a height of 4 to 5 inches and ornamental grasses to 2 to 3 inches. “Trimming allows fresh shoots to grow and emerge unimpeded,” reads its website, which also recommends that you focus your pruning efforts on azaleas, lilacs and rhododendrons.

Compost your yard waste

Don’t toss all of the material you remove from your garden and landscape. Compost it. A good way to create rich soil for your garden, composting is also environmentally friendly. “Composting diverts organic materials, such as food scraps, yard trimmings, wood and manure that

would otherwise be disposed of in landfills or trash incinerators, and recycles them into compost, a valuable soil amendment,” the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says. “Producing and using compost provides benefits to the environment, the economy and communities.” You may compost your yard waste or use municipal and county composting programs. Just be sure to put yard waste in paper bags if it doesn’t fit in your compost toter.

While you are at it …

Winter is equally harsh on the exterior of your house, particularly the siding, foundation, trim and windows. Homeowners need to address those areas immediately before they become a serious problem. “Inspect the gutters and downspouts to make sure everything is intact and draining properly,” says Adam Betalvi, of Hyattsville-based Solid Home Improvement. “Check for cracks in masonry and any signs of moisture around windows and doors. It’s also a good time to service your HVAC system, reseal exposed wood (such as decks and fences), and correct any drainage issues before they turn into bigger, more expensive problems.”

SPECIAL SECTION: HYATTSVILLE HOME & GARDEN

Tips to make your DIY paint projects headache free

By NIGEL F. MAYNARD

Dollar for dollar, few home projects can do more for a house than a fresh coat of paint. Paint significantly enhances the aesthetic appeal of a home, making spaces feel larger, brighter or more cozy depending on your color choices.

But hiring a painter can be pricey. Angi, the digital platform that connects homeowners with home improvement professionals, says it could cost up to $1,100 per room (depending on the market), which is the primary reason so many homeowners tackle small painting jobs themselves.

RubyHome, a company that provides market insights and data to journalists, says painting is the most popular DIY project that homeowners attempt (wallpaper and landscaping also rank high on the list). Painting looks easy to do, but it’s also easy to mess up — unless homeowners pay attention to some key steps to avoid common DIY painting errors.

Michael Richards, designer and co-owner of Wills Decorating and a Benjamin Moore paint dealer in Hyattsville, says some of the most important things to consider have nothing to do with putting paint on the wall.

“The first thing you need to consider is

the preparation,” he explains. “What’s the condition of the walls?” Richards says. Additionally, many old homes in Hyattsville have plaster walls, which means homeowners will need to use sandpaper to make the walls smooth. “It does make a difference,” he says.

The Home Depot advises that homeowners wipe down their walls using a soft cloth and a mixture of warm water and trisodium phosphate or Borax, which can serve as an alternative. Rinse the walls with clean water and allow them to air-dry.

Homeowners should then fill nail holes and cracks with spackle, scrape loose paint and thoroughly sand the walls in preparation for paint or primer, The Home Depot notes. A tack cloth helps remove any stubborn dust that might linger on the wall.

It’s also important that homeowners know what kind of paint is on their walls. Richards says some of his older customers used to paint their walls with oil-based paint before water-based latex finishes became standard. In those cases, homeowners cannot simply paint the wall with water-based paints.

“[The paint] will never adhere because of the fact that one’s oil-based and one’s water-based,” Richards explains. “But it

would adhere if someone took the time to apply the proper primer that’s made to stick to slick surfaces.”

An important consideration for painting your walls is the sheen, or the final look. Brands have their own nomenclature for sheens, but in general they include flat/ matte (no sheen), eggshell (slight sheen), satin (pearl-like finish), semi-gloss (shiny) and high-gloss (glass-like).

In most cases, paint experts recommend flat for walls, eggshell for mediumtraffic areas such as living rooms, bedrooms and hallways, and semi-gloss in the kitchen, bathrooms and other hightraffic areas.

Richards discourages his customers from using eggshell on their walls, especially for older houses. “A lot of people love to use eggshell finish paint, but it shows every imperfection on the wall,” he says.

Wills carries a Benjamin Moore paint line that is popular with customers, Richards says. “It’s a special paint for bathrooms called Aura Bath and Spa, which is mildew resistant, moisture resistant and comes in a matte finish that is close to flat.”

Next, it’s time to choose the materials to put paint on the walls, and this is another important step in the process. Make sure

to choose synthetic paint brushes that are made with nylon, polyester or a combination thereof, which is best for latex paint, Lowe’s says.

Like brushes, roller covers are available in natural (mohair or lambswool) for oil-based paint and synthetic (nylon or polyester) for water-based paint. Richards says the quality of the roller matters “because this is what’s putting the paint from the pan onto the wall.”

Though the temptation is there to buy a cheap roller, Richard advises against it. A pack of nylon rollers that do not shed costs about $10. They are good enough for most interior paint jobs.

Quality extends to the paint, as well. Experts recommend that consumers buy the best they can afford, though it may be hard to distinguish among brands. According to a JD Power survey, the top three interior paint brands are SherwinWilliams, Behr and Benjamin Moore. Naturally, Richards, whose family has been selling Benjamin Moore paint for about 50 years, swears by the quality of the products. “I get lots of complaints about other brands of paint,” he says. “And a lot of times it’s the wrong finish they use on the walls or it’s application issues, but really quality paint makes a big difference.”

SPECIAL SECTION: HYATTSVILLE HOME & GARDEN

Thinking of selling? Read this first

By NIGEL F. MAYNARD

The volatility of the real estate market is enough to give the typical homeseller or buyer a case of angina. Is it the right time to sell? Is it the right time to buy? The answer is yes. Or no. Or perhaps maybe. Sellers and buyers are on edge because conditions might vary from, say, College Park to Hyattsville. An unstable job market, federal layoffs and high interest rates contribute to the uncertainty. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, houses stayed on the market an average of 57 days in March.

Although Redfin says on its

website that late April is the sweet spot for sellers, all real estate is local.

Ann Barrett, a real estate agent and a longtime Hyattsville resident, says homeowners sell when it’s going to make the most sense for them. “I sell houses all year long,” she says. “I put houses on the market in December. … Waiting for the spring market is not for everyone.”

The question remains: How do sellers improve their chances of getting a sale? Barrett says homeowners need to take a holistic view of their house and understand that they’ll need to spend some money and assess where to spend it.

Mac Menders

“I would say that most of my clients spend somewhere between $7,000 and $10,000 in preparing their home for sale,” says Barrett, who is with Long & Foster in College Park. “And those are simple things like paint and landscaping.”

An important thing for homeowners to think about is fixing broken items. “From the moment a buyer walks in the door, they know what your sales price is and they just start subtracting,” Barrett says. “‘I’ve got to do this, I’ve got to do that.’”

With repairs done, it’s time for a good cleaning and some organizing. The National Association of Realtors says homeowners should pare down clutter and pack up all least-used items. In most cases, buyers order an inspection during the sales pro-

cess, but a seller may also do a presale inspection.

Barrett says a pre-sale inspection is not a bad idea, but it’s not ideal for all homes. ‘It's not what we usually do in this market, ... but I did just have a client do it in West Hyattsville,” she says. “It got us three offers within two days of putting it on the market.”

Another important area to consider is curb appeal.

“It plays an important role in shaping the first impression for neighbors, passersby and potential buyers,” says Maria Betalvi with Solid Home Improvement in Hyattsville. “Well-maintained landscaping can elevate the entire neighborhood and reflect a homeowner’s sense of care.”

Ryan Hehman, an agent with Compass and a Hyattsville resident, says sellers should try to

Lawson’s Pharmacy

see their home as a potential buyer might see it.

“What would they like or dislike? Would there be any drawbacks for a first-time home buyer, family with kids, or older person downsizing? This will help you understand what repairs or adjustments to make before listing, or what features you would like to emphasize in marketing.”

If homeowners want to be proactive, Hehman says they should have detailed knowledge of the conditions of major items in the home — stove, fridge, heating system, and so on — ages and when they were last serviced. “These are questions that we receive from almost all buyers ... because they represent some of the largest investments you will make in your home.”

Homeowners also should be mindful of paraphernalia or decor that might be offensive to buyers, and they should remove personal photos, says Barrett, but the house doesn’t have to be sterile. Barrett believes homes should still have some personality and maybe a little bit of a vibe. “Hyattsville is artsy, and people want to see the personality,” she says.

Finally, make sure the house is priced right. This is the purview of the agent, who runs comps and other data to generate a price that is likely to lead to a sale. “The appraiser is data driven and history driven,” Barrett says. “I love it, and I hate it when my neighbors come to me and say, ‘But that house sold for x four years ago.’ That was four years ago and a whole other world. Look at the most recent comps, maintain your expectations, and use a professional to guide you through the process.”

Hyattsville Headlines

Reflecting on the 25-26 Youth Advisory Council

June marks the end of the term for this year’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC), and the swearing in of our new cohort of young leaders! The Youth Advisory Council is made up of Hyattsville middle- and high-school students and recent graduates who dedicate a year of service to providing Hyattsville’s City Council and staff with guidance on youth-related issues. Members first participate in a Youth Leadership program and are selected for the Council through a competitive application.

Hear from some of the 2025-2026 YAC members about their decision to serve, what they learned, and the work they are proud of.

What motivated you to seek a position on the Youth Advisory Council?

Diana Alvarez, Prince Georges Community College freshman: “I wanted to be able to use my voice and speak up for any issues affecting the youth of Hyattsville. I also think it’s important for youth to be involved in local government and understand how residents’ opinions affect decisions local leaders make.”

Eric Manzano, College Park Academy seventh grader: “My motivation to join the Youth Advisory Council is to speak for the kids and teenagers that can’t speak for themselves, and those that don’t have the bravery to speak up.”

What Youth Advisory Council accomplishment are you most proud of?

Christopher Jimenez, Northwestern High School junior: “The accomplishment I am most proud of is our work to lower the age limit to carry NARCAN. I am passionate about this because I’ve had friends who’ve suffered from overdoses and even lost one to an overdose.”

Eric: “I’m proud of spreading mental

health resources to youth. We made a video and posters with information like 988 and resources from a QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training we took.”

What skills from the Youth Advisory Council will you take with you to other volunteer or job opportunities?

Litzy Velasquez, College Park Academy graduating senior, accepted to University of Maryland: “I would definitely say activism or advocacy and communication. Especially since communication is a key foundation for every life skill, to be able to properly express yourself. Here at the Youth Advisory Council, I was able to come out of my shell, especially for public speaking.”

Diana: “Being a part of the YAC has taught me how to collaborate with others, share ideas, and work towards solutions that can positively impact the community.”

Why is listening to youth voices so important?

Christopher: “Youth voices can help shape the future to be better for more and more generations to come. I think it is important to listen to our voices because we are the future, we can make change happen.”

Litzy: “We bring firsthand experiences. We experience emerging issues or completely different issues than what adults may be facing. So, taking our perspective into consideration is essential because we can improve decision-making that affects the future of this community.”

Thank you to all of our YAC members and we look forward to your continued achievements! Learn more about the Youth Council at hyattsville.org/yac.

NEWS FLASHES

June Celebrations!

The City is proud to recognize June as Caribbean American Heritage Month and Immigrant Heritage Month! Find upcoming regional events and programming honoring these communities at hyattsville.org/cahm and hyattsville.org/ihm

June is also National Pride Month! Hyattsville is proud to be home to a diverse and engaged LGBTQ+ community. Find local programs and events celebrating Pride Month at hyattsville.org/pride

Register for Camp Staycation!

Camp Staycation is a FREE eight-week summer program from June 25 – August 13 for students in grades 6-12! Enjoy trips throughout the DMV area each Thursday. Spaces are limited. Registration opens on June 5 at 10 a.m. at hyattsville.org/ staycation

Juneteenth Service Changes

On June 19, the City proudly commemorates Juneteenth, celebrating freedom and the enduring resilience of the African American community. Explore regional programs that honor this significant day at hyattsville.org/ juneteenth!

Hyattsville’s offices will be closed on June 19. Friday’s trash routes will be collected on Thursday, June 18. There

is no change to City yard waste and compost pick up. Friday’s recycling will move to Saturday. Visit hyattsville.org/ trash for details.

New Resources!

“Know Your Streets” Map

Who do you contact if a street or sidewalk needs maintenance? It depends! Different agencies are responsible for maintenance, depending on the street or sidewalk. Enter an address into the map at hyattsville.org/streets to find out who has jurisdiction and where you should report problems and concerns.

Sound and the City

As warm weather draws more people outdoors, please be mindful of your neighbors! Review our new flyer, “Sound and the City” for guidance on Hyattsville’s noise ordinance. A reminder that loud and unnecessary noise that unreasonably disturbs nearby properties and audible noise extending more than 50 feet from a residential property are both considered unlawful in the City. For details on this and other common code concerns, visit hyattsville.org/code

HYATTSVILLE HEADLINES

CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Free Zumba Classes

Mondays & Wednesdays, 4 - 5 p.m. at the City Building! hyattsville.org/ calendar

Seated Exercise Classes

Older adults can join on Wednesdays, 10 - 11 a.m. at the City Building. hyattsville.org/seniors

Free Movie Monday

Older adults can enjoy a classic film at the Old Greenbelt Theatre on June 1 at 1 p.m.! hyattsville.org/seniors

Ward 3 Check-in: “Pupusas in the Park”

Meet with Ward 3 Councilmembers and City staff to discuss current Ward 3 public works projects and business improvements over pupusas! The meeting will take place June 4, 6 - 8 p.m at University Hills Duck Pond Park. hyattsville.org/calendar

Camp Staycation!

Camp Staycation is a FREE eight-week summer program from June 25 – August 13 for students in grades 6-12! Registration opens June 5, 10 a.m. at hyattsville.org/staycation

Ward 1 Check-in over Chai and Trolley Trail Clean-up

Help beautify the Trolley Trail and connect with neighbors & Ward 1 Councilmembers on June 6! Clean-up volunteers will meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Trolley Trail entrance at the intersection

of Farragut Street and Baltimore Ave.

Ward Check-in starts at 10:35 a.m. at Spice Six. RSVP by June 4 at hyattsville. org/calendar

Forest Maintenance/Invasive Vine Removals

June 6, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Invasive vine removals on public & private properties in Ward 4, Meet at Heurich Park. June 20, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Park clean-up and forest maintenance, Driskell Park. Student service-learning hours are available. You can also request vine removals from your property! hyattsville.org/vine-removal

Older Adult Walking Group!

Take a summer stroll at Lake Artemesia on June 11, 10 – 11 a.m. Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather! hyattsville.org/seniors

Care Partner Support Group

Connect with other caregivers on June 12 & 26, 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. at the City Building. hyattsville.org/seniors

Summer Jam: Juneteenth

Summer Jam season starts on,June 12 with a Juneteenth themed celebration from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Driskell Park! hyattsville.org/summerjams

Trolley Trail Day

Join free activities at 12 hubs along the Trolley Trail on June 13, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m! Events include live music, art, games, local food & more. Don’t miss the hubs

in Hyattsville at Melrose Park and The Spot, with activities from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.! trolleytrailday.org

Shakespeare in the Parks

The Prince George’s County Department of Parks & Rec presents ‘As You Like It’ on June 14, 7 p.m. in Driskell Park as part of their annual ‘Shakespeare in the Parks’ series. hyattsville.org/ calendar

Lunch and Learn Workshop: Disrupt Aging with AARP MD

Representatives from AARP MD will challenge common myths about growing older on June 15, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the City Building. Lunch will be provided. Register: 301-985-5000 or hyattsville.org/seniors.

Produce Distribution

Pick up free produce on June 16, 12 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville. hyattsville.org/calendar

CERT Meeting

The next Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) organization meeting is on June 17, 6:30 p.m., at the City Building. hyattsville.org/CERT

Free NARCAN Trainings

Free NARCAN community trainings at the City Building on June 18 at 6 p.m. and June 19 at 10 a.m. Register: hyattsville.org/NARCAN.

Ward 4 Check-in

Connect with your Ward 4 Councilmembers and City staff to discuss the Jamestown Road street improvement project and other Ward 4 issues on June 20, 10a.m. - 1p.m. Meet, at the corner of Jamestown Road and Madison Place. hyattsville.org/calendar

Aging & Wellness BBQ

Join neighbors and friends for an Aging & Wellness Services BBQ at Driskell Park on June 23, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Register: 301-985-5000 or hyattsville. org/seniors.

Intergenerational Trip

Older adults can enjoy a trip to the Smithsonian American Art Museum with members of the Hyattsville Teen Center on June 25, 12-2 p.m.! Register: 301-985-5000 or hyattsville.org/ seniors.

University Park Meadow Day

Celebrate Meadow Day on June 27, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. (rain date June 28), at the UP Wildflower Meadow! Hyattsville staff will have a native plant giveaway. hyattsville.org/calendar

Summer Soccer Watch Party

Bring your lawn chairs & wear your team colors for a Summer Soccer Kickoff Watch Party hosted by the Prince George’s County Planning Department at Heurich Park on June 27, 1 - 9 p.m.! Details and registration at pgplan.org/ watch-party.

Titulares de Hyattsville

Asunto 460 | Junio de 2026 | Una publicación de la ciudad de Hyattsville

Reflexiones sobre el Consejo

Asesor

Juvenil del 25 y 26

¡El mes de junio marca el final del mandato del Consejo Asesor Juvenil (YAC) de este año y la toma de posesión de nuestra nueva promoción de jóvenes líderes! El Consejo Asesor Juvenil está formado por estudiantes de secundaria y bachillerato de Hyattsville, así como por recién graduados, que dedican un año de servicio a asesorar al Ayuntamiento y al personal de Hyattsville sobre cuestiones relacionadas con la juventud. Los miembros participan primero en un programa de liderazgo juvenil y son seleccionados para el Consejo mediante un proceso de selección competitivo.

Escucha a algunos de los miembros del YAC 2025-2026 hablar sobre su decisión de participar, lo que han aprendido y el trabajo del que se sienten orgullosos.

¿Qué te motivó a presentarte como candidato al Consejo Asesor Juvenil?

Diana Álvarez, estudiante de primer año del Prince Georges Community College: «Quería poder alzar la voz y defender cualquier asunto que afectara a los jóvenes de Hyattsville. También creo que es importante que los jóvenes participen en el gobierno local y comprendan cómo las opiniones de los residentes influyen en las decisiones que toman los líderes locales».

Eric Manzano, estudiante de séptimo curso de la College Park Academy: «Mi motivación para unirme al Consejo Asesor Juvenil es hablar en nombre de los niños y adolescentes que no pueden hablar por sí mismos, y de aquellos que no tienen el valor de alzar la voz».

¿De qué logro del Consejo Asesor Juvenil te sientes más orgulloso?

Christopher Jiménez, estudiante de tercer curso de la Northwestern High School: «El logro del que me siento más orgulloso es nuestro trabajo para reducir la edad mínima para llevar NARCAN. Me apasiona este tema porque he tenido amigos que han sufrido sobredosis e incluso perdí a uno por una sobredosis».

Eric: «Estoy orgulloso de difundir recursos de salud mental entre los jóvenes. Hicimos un vídeo y carteles con información como el 988 y recursos de una formación QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) que hicimos».

¿Qué habilidades del Consejo Asesor Juvenil te servirán en otras oportunidades de voluntariado o de trabajo?

Litzy Velásquez, estudiante de último curso de la College Park Academy, admitida en la Universidad de Maryland: «Sin duda diría que el activismo o la defensa de causas y la comunicación. Sobre todo porque la comunicación es una base fundamental para cualquier habilidad para la vida, para poder expresarse adecuadamente. Aquí, en el Consejo Asesor Juvenil, he podido salir de mi caparazón, especialmente a la hora de hablar en público».

Diana: «Formar parte del YAC me ha enseñado a colaborar con los demás, a compartir ideas y a trabajar en busca de soluciones que puedan tener un impacto positivo en la comunidad».

¿Por qué es tan importante escuchar las voces de los jóvenes?

Christopher: «Las voces de los jóvenes pueden ayudar a moldear un futuro mejor para las generaciones venideras. Creo que es importante escuchar nuestras voces porque somos el futuro, podemos hacer que el cambio suceda».

Litzy: «Aportamos experiencias de primera mano. Nos enfrentamos a problemas emergentes o a cuestiones totalmente diferentes a las que pueden estar enfrentando los adultos. Por eso, es fundamental tener en cuenta nuestra perspectiva, ya que podemos mejorar la toma de decisiones que afectan el futuro de esta comunidad».

¡Gracias a todos los miembros del YAC y esperamos con interés vuestros logros futuros! Para más información sobre el Consejo Juvenil, visita hyattsville.org/yac

NOTICIAS DE ÚLTIMA HORA

¡Celebraciones de Junio!

Meses de Herencia en Junio La Ciudad se enorgullece en reconocer junio como el Mes de la Herencia Caribeña Americana y el Mes de la Herencia Inmigrante. Encuentre eventos y programas regionales que celebran a estas comunidades en hyattsville.org/cahm y hyattsville.org/ihm

¡Junio también es el Mes Nacional del Orgullo! Hyattsville se enorgullece de ser el hogar de una comunidad LGBTQ+ diversa y comprometida. Encuentre eventos y programas locales para celebrar el Mes del Orgullo en hyattsville.org/pride

¡Campamento Vacacional!

¡El Campamento Vacacional es un programa GRATUITO de verano de ocho semanas, del 25 de junio al 13 de agosto, para estudiantes de 6 a 12 grado! Disfruta cada jueves de excursiones por toda la zona de DMV. El cupo es limitado. La inscripción se abre el 5 de junio a las 10 a.m. en hyattsville.org/staycation

Cambios en los Servicios por el Juneteenth

El 19 de junio, la Ciudad conmemora con orgullo el Día de Juneteenth, celebrando la libertad y la resiliencia perdurable de la comunidad afroamericana. Explore programas regionales que honran esta fecha significativa en hyattsville.org/ juneteenth

Las oficinas de la Ciudad estarán cerradas el 19 de junio en honor a Juneteenth. Las rutas de recolección de

basura de viernes se realizarán el jueves 18 de junio. No hay cambios en la recolección de desechos de jardín ni compostaje. La recolección de reciclaje del viernes se traslada al sábado. Visite hyattsville.org/ trash para más detalles.

¡Nuevos Recursos!

Mapa «Conoce tus Calles»

¿A quién hay que dirigirse si una calle o una acera necesita mantenimiento?

¡Depende! Las entidades responsables del mantenimiento varían en función de la calle o la acera de que se trate. Introduzca una dirección en el mapa de hyattsville. org/streets para averiguar quién tiene competencia y dónde debe comunicar los problemas y las inquietudes.

El Ruido y la Ciudad

Ahora que el buen tiempo atrae a más gente al aire libre, ¡tenga en cuenta a sus vecinos! Consulte nuestro nuevo folleto, «El ruido y la ciudad», para obtener información sobre la normativa municipal sobre ruido de Hyattsville. Le recordamos que tanto el ruido fuerte e innecesario que moleste de forma injustificada a las propiedades vecinas como el ruido audible que se propague a más de 15 metros de una propiedad residencial se consideran ilegales en la ciudad. Para obtener más información sobre este y otros temas comunes relacionados con la normativa, visite hyattsville.org/code

TITULARES DE HYATTSVILLE

¡FELICIDADES A LOS GRADUADOS!

CALENDARIO DE EVENTOS

Clases Gratuitas de Zumba

Lunes y miércoles, 4 - 5 p.m. en el Edificio Municipal! hyattsville.org/calendar

Ejercicios Sentados

Los adultos mayores pueden participar los miércoles, 10 - 11 a.m., en el Edificio Municipal. hyattsville.org/seniors

¡Lunes de Cine Gratis!

¡Ven a disfrutar de una película clásica en el Old Greenbelt Theatre el 1 de junio, 1 p.m! hyattsville.org/seniors

Reunión del Distrito 3:

“Pupusas en el Parque”

¡Reúnase con los concejales del Distrito 3 y el personal de la ciudad para hablar sobre los proyectos de obras públicas y las mejoras comerciales del Distrito 3 y disfrutan pupusas! Reunión en el parque University Hills, el 4 de junio, 6 - 8 p.m. hyattsville.org/calendar

¡Campamento Vacacional!

¡El Campamento Vacacional es un programa GRATUITO de verano de ocho semanas, del 25 de junio al 13 de agosto, para estudiantes de 6 a 12 grado! La inscripción se abre el 5 de junio a las 10 a.m. en hyattsville.org/staycation

Reunión del Distrito 1 con Chai y Limpieza del Sendero Trolley

¡Ayuda a embellecer el Trolley Trail y reúnete con los concejalesdel Distrito 1 el 6 de junio! Los voluntarios para la limpieza se reunirán a las 9:30 a.m. en la entrada del Trolley Trail, en la intersección de Farragut Street y Baltimore Ave. La reunión del distrito comenzará a las 10:35 a.m. en Spice Six. Confirme su cupo antes del 4 de junio; el formulario de inscripción se encuentra en hyattsville.org/calendar

¡Celebramos la promoción de graduados del año 2026! ¡Ayúdanos a animar a la próxima generación de líderes de Hyattsville! Fotos enviadas por familiares y maestros orgullosos.

Mantenimiento Forestal y Eliminación de Enredaderas Invasoras

6 de junio, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Eliminación de enredaderas invasoras en Distrito 4, reunión en Parque Heurich.

20 de junio, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.: Limpieza del parque y mantenimiento forestal Parque Driskell. Se ofrecen horas de aprendizaje mediante servicio para estudiantes. ¡También puedes solicitar que se retiren las enredaderas de tu propiedad! hyattsville.org/vine-removal

Grupo de Caminata para Personas

Mayores

Da un paseo veraniego por el lago Artemesia, el 11 de junio, 10 - 11 a.m. ¡Lleve calzado cómodo para caminar y ropa adecuada para el clima! hyattsville.org/seniors

Grupo de Apoyo para Cuidadores

Conecta con otros cuidadores los días 12 & 26 de junio, 9:30 - 10:45 a.m., en el Edificio Municipal. hyattsville.org/seniors

Fiesta de Verano: Juneteenth

¡La temporada de Summer Jam comienza el viernes 12 de junio con una celebración temática del Juneteenth de 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. en el parque Driskell, hyattsville.org/summerjams

Día del Trolley Trail

Miembros de la comunidad podrán disfrutar de actividades gratuitas en 12 puntos a lo largo de la Trolley Trail el 13 de junio, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Los eventos incluyen música en vivo, arte, juegos, comida local y mucho más. ¡No te pierdas los puntos de encuentro en Hyattsville, en Melrose Park y The Spot, con actividades de 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.! trolleytrailday.org

Shakespeare en los Parques

El Departamento de Parques y Recreación del Condado de Prince George presenta “A vuestro gusto” el 14 de junio, 7 p.m. en el Parque Driskell como parte de su ciclo anual “Shakespeare en los Parques”. hyattsville.org/ calendar

Almuerzo y Aprendizaje: «Disrupt Aging» con AARP MD Representantes de AARP MD desmontarán los mitos más comunes sobre el envejecimiento el 15 de junio, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. en el Edificio Municipall. El almuerzo será proporcionado y se requiere inscripción. Llame al 301-985- 5000 o visite hyattsville. org/seniors

Distribución de Alimentos

Recoja bolsas de productos agrícolas gratuitos el 16 de junio, 12 p.m. en la Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida de Hyattsville. hyattsville.org/ calendar

Reunión de CERT

La próxima reunión de la organización del Equipo Comunitario de Respuesta a Emergencias (CERT) se celebrará el 17 de junio, 6:30 p.m. en el Edificio Municipal. hyattsville.org/ CERT

Entrenamiento de NARCAN

Entrenamientos gratuitos NARCAN en el Edificio Municipal el 18 de junio, 6 p.m. y el 19 de junio, 10 a.m. Inscribirse: hyattsville.org/ NARCAN

Reunión del Distrito 4

Póngase en contacto con los concejales del Distrito 4 y el personal municipal para hablar sobre el proyecto de mejora de la calle

Jamestown Road y otros asuntos del Distrito 4 el 20 de junio, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. La reunión tendrá lugar en la esquina de Jamestown Road y Madison Place. hyattsville.org/ calendar

Barbacoa de los Servicios de Envejecimiento y Bienestar

Únete a tus vecinos y amigos en una barbacoa organizada por los Servicios de Envejecimiento y Bienestar en el Parque Driskell el 23 de junio 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Registrese: 301-985-5000 o hyattsville.org/seniors

Paseo Intergeneracional

Los adultos mayores pueden realizar un paseo al Museo Smithsonian de Arte Americano en DC con miembros del Centro de Jóvenes de Hyattsville el 25 de junio, 12 - 2 p.m. Registrese: 301-985-5000 o hyattsville.org/seniors

Día de la Pradera de University Park

Celebra el Día de la Pradera el 27 de junio, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. (fecha de lluvia el 28 de junio), en la Pradera de Univerity Park. Personal de Hyattsville organizará un reparto gratuito de plantas autóctonas. hyattsville.org/calendar

Fiesta

para ver el Fútbol de Verano

¡Trae tus sillas de jardín y vístete con los colores de tu equipo para la fiesta de lanzamiento de la temporada de fútbol de verano, organizada por el Departamento de Planificación del Condado de Prince George en el Parque Heurich el 27 de junio, 1 - 9 p.m.! Más detalles e inscripciones en: pgplan.org/watch-party

Why is Hyattsville a food rainforest?

By PAUL RUFFINS

Not long ago, Hyattsville City Councilmember Kevin Nisbett (Ward 5) made a statement that most neighbors would find completely unremarkable but would make many other county residents quite jealous. During an interview for this article, he said, “I live near the Metro station, and I can walk to several supermarkets.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers a “walkable distance” for grocery shopping as within half a mile.

A grocery store or supermarket is usually defined as a place where you can buy the ingredients for a healthy meal, offering whole and skim milk, fresh meats, fruits and vegetables. By contrast, a convenience store’s fresh, healthy offerings may only include a few apples, bananas or oranges, and a dollartype store might not sell anything fresh besides milk.

Recently, research into America’s rising obesity rates

has gone beyond studying junk food to investigating the impact of living in “food deserts” and “food swamps.” Both have been linked to higher rates of obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

A food desert is basically a community with few places to buy the ingredients to make a healthy meal. But since middleclass suburbs miles from a supermarket are not labeled food deserts, other definitions, like that of the USDA, include factors like poverty rates and car ownership.

A food swamp hosts a high concentration of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores that mainly offer highcalorie, fatty foods, sugary drinks or salty packaged snacks. Nisbett’s close proximity to several supermarkets should seem mundane. But compared to other communities in the county, state and the District of Columbia, Hyattsville has such an unusually high concentration of healthy food choices that it should be considered a “food rainforest.” The Univer-

sity of Maryland’s 2021 Food Access and Equity in Prince George’s County study calculated the average density of supermarkets in Prince George’s County at 1.17 per square mile. Nisbett lives near the West Hyattsville Metro station, near the intersection of Hamilton Street and Ager Road. According to Google Maps, there are at least four supermarkets within a half mile of this station: Bestway (.30 miles), Megamart (.30 miles), Lidl (.36 miles) and Aldi (.29 miles). That’s at least three times more supermarkets per square mile than the county average. The Hyattsville Crossing Metro, across from the Mall at Prince George’s, has grocery stores even closer: Giant (.13 miles), Target (.24 miles) and Safeway (.31 mi).

Here’s another comparison: In a recent debate, candidates for D.C. mayor discussed how to address the food desert in the District’s Ward 7, which is east of the Anacostia, abuts Prince George’s County and has a median household income of

about $71,000 a year. Ward 7 has just three grocery stores to sustain 91,000 people, or about 1 per 30,300 residents, compared to Ward 3, which abuts Montgomery County, is west of Rock Creek Park and has a median household income of about $155,000 a year and 17 supermarkets serving 81,000 people, which comes to about 1 per 4,765 residents.

However, the City of Hyattsville, with a 2010 population of 21,000 and a median income of $92,000, hosts at least six grocery stores: Aldi, Bestway, Giant, Safeway, Target and Yes! Organic Market — and at least two others, Lidl and Megamart, just outside the city limits. This comes to 1 per every 2,625 residents, or about 185% more stores per person than the Dis-

trict’s much richer Ward 3. Hyattsville City Councilmember Danny Schaible (Ward 2) told the Life & Times (L&T) that Hyattsville’s population density and its old — and, therefore, relatively affordable — retail infrastructure allow it to support so many grocery stores. He cited a video from Queen Elizabeth’s 1957 trip to America, when she attended a football game at the University of Maryland and then toured the Giant supermarket at the Queenstown shopping mall on Queens Chapel Road in Chillum. By the 1970s, this neighborhood also had a Shoppers Food Warehouse (formerly Jumbo) and a Safeway on Hamilton Street, just a few blocks away, all within walking distance of

largest donors is a group that, based on name or address, seem to be closely associated with her, and has contributed more than $10,000 combined. Craig Hayes came in right behind in his mid-May report, with $40,000 in the bank on May 12. His campaign is funded in large part by five contributions of $6,000 (the maximum allowed), including three from donors who share his last name and are out of state. One $6,000 donation came from the Committee for Better Public Transit, based in Forestville. His campaign also received a $25,000 loan. He had about a dozen additional small donations, all from out of state, and has spent $14,000 on his campaign between April 8 and May 12.

Tracy Gant is starting the final sprint towards the June 23 election with the least money in the bank — $7,000 mid-May. However, she has spent more than the other candidates in the past month, $5,500. She has received a $6,000 loan for the final stretch. Of the approximately 40 contributors

who have given her $4,500 in cash and $2,500 in in-kind contributions, most are in Prince George’s County. Three are from out of state.

The lone incumbent in the race, Ashanti Martinez, had $25,000 in his bank account as of mid-May. Martinez raised about $23,000 last year, according to a report filed in January. Since early 2025, compared to the other candidates, Martinez received more contributions from organizations and businesses, as well as from other politicians: $8,600 from business — mostly healthcare — as well as labor groups, and $6,600 from other campaigns, including more than $5,000 from Maryland House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melynk’s campaign. He raised about $8,000 from 50 individual donors, nearly all local. His fundraising has been slow the past five months; between Jan. 15 and May 12, Martinez raised a single donation of $50 from a Hyattsville resident, and spent $2,243.

Learn more about these candidates in our voter guide, StreetcarSuburbs.News/guide-to2026-local-primary-races.

RACING

The legislation bars spectators from attending streetrace “takeovers,” illegal car rallies where participants block off public streets to perform stunts. Participation in these events is now punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000 for a first offense. Fines would increase to $2,000 for the second offense and $3,000 for the third offense. The bill also aims to move county law in line with state law, signed by Gov. Wes Moore in 2024, issuing a similar punishment for participants of these types of illegal events, with even stricter penalties if anyone gets hurt.

The Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) supports this legislation, reporting that these events lead to violence, shootings, drug use and other dangerous activity. Officers anticipate even more of these dangerous events to take place throughout the summer, Fisher’s release said.

“These car rallies put a tremendous strain on the resources of the Prince George's County Police Department, causing deployment throughout the county,” PGPD spokesperson Brian Fischer said at the May 5 press conference announcing the signing of the bill. “Since Jan. 1, we have dismantled over 40 of these car meetups. We've arrested 20 people. We've issued 100 traffic citations, and we have recovered 16 illegal firearms.”

Education & Youth Opportunity ducation

Prioritizing schools, after-school prog rams, and access to quality education

“Ever y child deser ves a quality education I will support investing in schools, teachers, and programs that prepare our kids for the future.”

Economic Development & Jobs co omic

Supporting local jobs, small businesses, and creating economic opportunities for all

“I will create opportunities in every community so families can thrive without leaving the county ”

Overdevelopment & Infrastructure e op ent

Preserving our communities and supporting smart growth for future generations

“We must slow reckless overdevelopment and ensure growth respects our communities, schools, roads, and quality of life.”

Public Safety & Justice Reform ub ic Ju ice

Ensuring neighborhoods are safe while promoting fair policing and a transparent justice system

“I understand the impact of injustice will fight for a fair justice system that works for ever yone ”

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Find more local events all month long in our continuously updated online calendar at StreetcarSuburbs.News/events.

Here’s our list of events sponsored by local nonprofits, arts organizations and performance venues, occurring in June; all information is current as of May 21. For events and meetings organized by the City of Hyattsville, see Hyattsville Headlines in the newspaper’s centerfold. Please send notices of July events to managingeditor@ hyattsvillelife.com by June 25

Ongoing

Curated by Rashad Ali Muhammad for Pride Month, “Frolic” is a bold tribute to queer resilience, creativity and joy. June 15 to Aug. 15 (with a public reception June 20 from 5 to 8 p.m.). Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood. 301.277.2863. brentwoodarts@pgparks.com

The surrealist art of Rosana Azar will be on display from June 8 to July 26 (with an artist reception on June 18 from 6 to 8 p.m.). Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly. 301.277.1710. publickplayhouse@pgparks.com

June 4

Clean comedienne Miss Gayle will perform at the Publick Playhouse. $15. Ages 60 and better. 11 to noon. 5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly. 301.277.1710. publickplayhouse@pgparks.com

Certified technicians will be available in the library's parking garage for a car seat installation check. Free. Registration required at pgcmls.info/events. Select a time slot between 2 and 5 p.m. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd. 240.455.5451

June 6

Come to a local band showcase, featuring John, Geoff and Aiden; the Fretters; and Morning Watch. Free. 7 to 10 p.m. Maryland Meadworks, 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 301.955.9644. marylandmeadworks.com

The ’80s and ’90s rock band Totoro plays at Streetcar 82 Brewing Co. Free. 8 to 10 p.m. 4824 Rhode Island Ave. Streetcar82brewing.com

June 10 & 24

Join us on the Riversdale House Museum lawn for our summer concert series. Free. 7 to 8 p.m. 4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420. riversdale@pgparks.com

June 11

Come listen to En Route String Ensemble along with poet and narrator Kenny Carroll. $20. Purchase tickets at joesmovement.org. 7:30 to 9 p.m. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. 301.699.1819

June 12

Shipwreck Dreams (formerly the 345 Band) performs at

Maryland Meadworks. Free. 7 to 10 p.m. 4700 Rhode Island Ave., Suite Bee. 301.955.9644. marylandmeadworks.com

June 17

Join Sonya Womack-Miranda for “Retracing Your Roots: Reclaiming History, Identity and Legacy,” as she shares her research tracing family lineage across seven Virginia plantations and back to Africa. Free. Register at pgcmls.info/events. 6 to 7:30 p.m. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd. 240.455.5451

June 19–28

Pipeline Playwrights present the D.C. area premiere of “Around the Snake Turn,” a new drama by playwright Patricia Connelly, directed by Rikki Howie Lacewell. In the Upper Volta region of West Africa, one mother refuses to let tradition swallow

her daughter whole. $17–$33. Showtimes vary by date. Visit tinyurl.com/5x25w2x4 for tickets and more information. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. 301.699.1819

June 21

Come on a Father’s Day Riversdale House Mansion tour, learning the history of the fathers and father figures who lived and worked at the former plantation from the beginning of its construction in 1801 through Emancipation in 1864. Free for dads and children under 4, $5 adults, $4 seniors, $2 students. Noon and 2 p.m. 4811 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420. riversdale@pgparks.com

June 27

As part of Route 1 Corridor Conversations, Program Di-

rector Eric Key will introduce the University of Maryland Global Campus Arts Program — its history, mission and collections. Attendees can join via telephone or Zoom. Free. Register at hyattsvilleaginginplace.org/events. 2 to 3:30 p.m.

The Hollow Truths take the stage at Streetcar 82 Brewing Co. Free. 7 to 9 p.m. 4824 Rhode Island Ave. streetcar82brewing.com

June 30

The Taratibu Youth Association, an ensemble of young artists representing the performing arts of the African diaspora, will perform at Publick Playhouse. 10:30 a.m. and noon performances. $8 adults, $6 children. 5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly. 301.277.1710. publickplayhouse@pgparks.com

PORQUE ALGUIEN BEBE DEMASIADO.

CUANDO NO SABES A DÓNDE RECURRIR

Hay esperanza y ayuda para las familias y amistades de los alcohólicos en Al-Anon.

Grupos Familiares Al-Anon, llamen al 1-888-425-2666 (1-888-4AL-ANON) Al-Anon.org

services are all overwhelmed.”

Resident Raphael Talisman described witnessing what he called the “gruesome, inhumane” arrest of an “immigrant community member who was also a father, and husband, and neighbor.”

“The legislation tonight is crucial,” Talisman said. “All of us will not stand by idly.”

Kelsey Ryland, a resident of Mount Rainier, started working with the Prince George’s County Immigrant Rights Coalition in October, delivering meals to local immigrant families.

“We're now delivering meals to over 100 families every weekend,” she said. “And that is because of the uptick in ICE enforcement.”

Ryland recounted the case of a local woman whose husband was detained. Ryland said the detention left the woman to manage a family medical crisis and mounting financial pressures alone.

“They are struggling to pay their rent,” Ryland said. “I do this work because I want to look back and tell my kids what we did when this happened. And I hope that you all are able to make the right decision tonight, so that you can look at your families and say the same.”

Councilmember Joanne Waszczak (Ward 1) pointed out the high cost of legal representation, which can cost up to $15,000 for one person, noting that the funding “really only helps about six families with legal assistance.” However, she emphasized the emergency relief was necessary to bolster social services and set a precedent.

“I just really want us to be among the helpers,” she said.

“We don't have to be the helper. I just want us to be among the helpers … by putting together this emergency relief fund.”

One advocate said the city funds its police force at one of the highest per-capita rates in the nation, describing the proposed $100,000 allocation as a “rounding error” in comparison.

In fiscal year 2026, Hyattsville allocated $14 million to its police force, out of $30 million collected through city taxes and fees. Additional funds have been going to the construction of a new police station.

The proposed fund amounts to less than a quarter of 1% of the city’s budget from last year. However, in March, the city projected a $4 million budget gap, meaning it planned to spend $4 million more than it would bring in.

Looking for Volunteer Writers and Photographers

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“I do this work because I want to look back and tell my kids what we did when this happened. And I hope that you all are able to make the right decision tonight, so that you can look at your families and say the same.”

Kelsey Ryland

Prince George's County Immigrant Rights Coalition volunteer

councilmembers acknowledged the impact immigration raids have had on the community. However, opposition to the funding centered on legal concerns and the timing of implementation.

Councilmembers Michelle Lee (Ward 4) and Kelson Nisbett (Ward 5), who voted against the motion, expressed concern that a narrowly targeted fund could create division, arguing that other residents — including federal workers who recently lost their jobs — are also facing hardship. They instead advocated for expanding existing programs that serve the broader community.

Councilmember Emily Strab (Ward 2) proposed an amendment to the original motion to broaden the language surrounding applicant eligibility.

changed “breadwinner” to “primary income” in order to increase the number of eligible applicants.

Councilmembers Solomon, Waszczak, Schiable, Haba and Lee voted against the revised language, arguing it made the content too vague. Both the amendment and the amended proposal passed in a roll-call vote.

Councilmembers discussed routing funds through an independent nonprofit to reduce the risk of federal agencies identifying applicants through public information laws.

“When we use taxpayers’ money to do something like this, there's a paper trail, and it can be a consequence,” said Mayor Robert Croslin.

“Opposing this fund on fiscal grounds is like saying we don’t have a budget to help Anne Frank,” said a Ward 4 resident. “These are our neighbors, real families in our community, that are being torn apart by federal raids. … I think what’s being tested here is not our budget, but our conscience.”

Throughout the meeting, all

“We’re directly impacting these families, but we may not be handing them the check,” said Strab. “We may be paying a month of rent, or utilities, or something like that, and have a profound impact … if that’s something we find out in development that we can’t do, I don’t want the motion language to hold us back from implementing the program.”

The amendment replaced phrases such as “direct financial assistance” with “assistance” and

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Under the proposed model, applicant data would be handled by the nonprofit rather than the city government itself. Existing nonprofits already possess the infrastructure and community trust needed to administer services more effectively and accessibly. City Administrator Tracey Douglas said there are existing programs in Montgomery and Baltimore counties run through nonprofits that provide both financial and social services, and the city is trying to learn from them.

The council now needs to develop and approve criteria to determine who is eligible to receive funds under the program, called Hope Fund: Community Stability. City staff projected they could start distributing funds this September.

Despite delays in implementation, supporters described the fund’s passage as a significant commitment to serving Hyattsville’s immigrant community, which makes up roughly onethird of the city’s population.

Fiona Flowers is an undergraduate student at the University of Maryland.

Runaway runners

Dear Miss Floribunda,

I have been growing strawberries for four years and have learned from mistakes I made the first year. I learned to water regularly and to add a lot of compost to improve drainage. I learned not to use high-nitrogen fertilizer, which gave me mostly leaves, and, instead, found fertilizer high in phosphorus to cause fruiting. Last year, I got an amazing harvest, with so many new plants that I named my growing patch “Strawberry Fields Forever,” after a Beatles’ song my Nana used to sing to me. This year, I was pleased to see even more plants, but they haven’t produced much, and many are tiny and dying. I have heard that there is a disease going around. Do you know what it is and what it looks like?

Strawberry Fields No Longer on Longfellow Street

Dear Strawberry Fields No Longer,

While there is a dangerous fungal pathogen called Neopestalotiosis (aka Pestalotia or Neo-P) that has been causing concern among professional growers, especially in the south, that pathogen gestates in warm and humid weather, and our spring this year

has been relatively dry and cool so far. You would have seen spotting on leaves, and your berries would have rotted if the disease were present.

From your reports of past success, I surmise that you have not been using pesticides that can kill the beneficial insects needed to pollinate the flowers so they can develop into berries. I suspect that you are experiencing the general plant decline so common in June-bearing strawberries.

You appear to have allowed your plants to randomly produce stolons, or runners. Each new plant that develops from the nodes of the stolons will deplete the energy source of the original mother plants, and, in time, all plants become weaker. Also, the resulting overcrowding obstructs light and air flow.

Traditional home garden practice — which goes all the way back to the domestication of wild strawberries by the monks of medieval Europe — is something called selective runner management. You annually select one or two of the most vigorous runners from each mother plant after harvest, and clip off all the others. The chosen runners are pinned to the soil so that they will form nodes that take root and become daughter plants.

In future years, older plants

that are becoming woody are removed, and the best runners of selected daughter plants are pinned to the soil so they will take root in turn. (You can order propagation pins, but my Cousin Parsimony tells me that inexpensive hair pins work just fine.) Along with woody plants over five years old, you should remove any of your undersized or unhealthy plants. If you keep on top of this each year, your strawberry field will last indefinitely, if not actually forever.

This selection should be done now for plants that have finished fruiting. Don’t wait till August or September. That is when you add more compost. In October, provide mulch, preferably straw — and, as you can guess, the term “straw” in strawberries probably derives from this practice.

There is yet another potential problem to watch out for each year. The crowns of the previous years’ plants may have become exposed as your soil level sinks, or, if you have added a lot of compost, they may have sunk below soil level. A crown lifted above soil level absorbs less water from its roots and stops producing; a crown sunk below soil level becomes soggy and rots.

I suspect that next year you may want to start from scratch, from new plants. It is also time to practice plant rotation, and put

the new plants in a well-prepared new bed. My neighbor Drupe Berrymore suggests mixing in some everbearing strawberry plants, as well. Although they do not produce as heavily as Junebearing plants, they produce consistently during the summer for occasional snacking. They have fewer runners and so are easier to care for; they even do well in pots and hanging baskets. Drupe suggests that you experiment with our native strawberries, which have small but very flavorful fruit: Fragaria virginiana, which prefers full sun, and Fragaria vesca, which needs some shade. Both of them have runners, which will need to be managed. Now, don’t confuse these white-flowered natives

with Potentilla indica, that nonnative weed with yellow flowers and tasteless fruit that sometimes invades our gardens. F. virginiana can be bought locally at Chesapeake Natives or ordered online, and Drupe tells me she has ordered F. vesca online, and it has thrived for her. Although there will be no meeting of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society in June, please check its website for possible field trips or other events: hyattsvillehorticulture.org.

You may email her at Floribundav@gmail. com.

a large number of apartment buildings. The opening of the West Hyattsville Metro station, in 1993, along with new townhouse developments have since boosted West Hyattsville’s consumer base.

The Shoppers Food Warehouse eventually closed, and both the Giant and Safeway relocated to Hyattsville Crossing, an even higher-density area with an explosion of new midrise apartment buildings. However, unlike in many other places, like Baltimore, where closed grocery stores often create food deserts, in West Hyattsville, the Giant has been replaced by a Lidl, the Shoppers by a Megamart, and the Safeway by a Bestway.

Lidl and Aldi are backed by huge international corpora-

tions. But how are the ethnically focused independents, Megamart and Bestway, surviving?

In a 2021 The Week article, Jeff Wells, a senior editor at Grocery Dive magazine, an industry publication, explained that “Asian and Hispanic grocers tend to serve a more loyal customer base because they offer products and services that shoppers can’t find elsewhere. … Being the preferred store for a large stable group of customers gives these businesses more financial flexibility than a corner store with a selection much like a supermarket’s, only with a much smaller selection and probably more costly.”

The ethnic diversity of Hyattsville and its immediate neighbors Chillum, Brentwood and Mount Rainier also helps create demand for smaller specialty shops, including Bonivia International Foods, on Hamil-

ton Street across from the Aldi; Motojesi International Market, on Route 1 near Streetcar 82 Brewing Co.; International Progresso Market, in the Shoppes at Metro Station off Belcrest Road; and Mount Rainier’s Adot International Market, a tiny Ethiopian shop that replaced a dry cleaners near the corner of Chillum and Queen’s Chapel roads.

Other factors likely contributing to the Hyattsville area’s healthy food infrastructure are a relatively low crime rate, which allows stores to stay open later, and a political commitment to making it easier and safer for residents to walk or bike to local businesses rather than drive to larger retailers farther away.

Ruffins is a

and a professor of curiosity.

Seeking Hyattsville Board Members

Streetcar Suburbs Publishing is looking for volunteer board members who can devote at least eight hours a month to support our mission of offering local news and information to all Hyattsville residents.

We value deep ties in our communities as well as any experience in community organizing, nonprofit management, accounting, communications, marketing or local news

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HY-LIFE

“My story is not just my story, but the story of immigrants, people of color, women — we all share the same pain, but we move forward,” Lee said. “I share the strength of the animal. I call it my fire — not a grudge, anger or sorrow, but the history we don’t share often.”

Art enthusiast Stephanie Reidy, who drove up from the District to attend the artist talk, said she related to Lee’s sentiment.

“I feel that,” Reidy said. “What is happening in our country today with ICE taking away people and trying to make this into a white culture — it’s absolutely incredulous. Supporting the arts and freedom of expression is so important right now. By at-

tending events like this, I feel I get to do my little part.”

Lee also described how her artwork has helped to break down borders within her own family. With her parents in South Korea and Lee having lost some fluidity with Korean language and culture since she began living in the U.S., Lee said that in-depth conversations with her family can be challenging. But when her mother came to see an exhibit of hers in 2022, she saw Lee’s printmaking passion and gave Lee her blessing. “That’s when the border between me and my family began to crumble,” Lee said.

The Brentwood Arts Exchange, at 3901 Rhode Island Avenue, welcomes diverse audiences to experience high-quality visual art exhibitions, concerts, affordable arts classes for all ages and a local artisan craft store. For more events and information, see our “Community Calendar” on p. 9 and visit the Brentwood Arts Exchange website at arts.pgparks. com/facilities/brentwood-artsexchange.

JUNIO 2026

El Concejo Municipal aprueba fondo de emergencia para apoyar a las familias afectadas por ICE

Por FIONA FLOWERS

El Concejo Municipal de Hyattsville aprobó oficialmente un fondo de emergencias de 100,000 dólares para apoyar a las familias afectadas por los operativos federales de la ley migratoria durante su reunión del 27 de abril. Esta decisión se produjo tras una significativa participación de la comunidad, la cual, según los concejales, fue clave para la aprobación del fondo.

Originalmente propuesto y

patrocinado por el concejal Edouard Haba (Distrito 4) y copatrocinado por los concejales Danny Schaible (Distrito 2) y Joseph Solomon (Distrito 5), el fondo tiene como meta apoyar a las familias afectadas por ICE, ayudándoles con el pago del alquiler, los alimentos y otros gastos esenciales. Las familias de personas detenidas o deportadas también podrán solicitar fondos para cubrir los gastos legales.

La reunión del concejo de abril comenzó con casi una

hora de testimonios emotivos de más de 15 residentes y defensores. Miembros de la comunidad compartieron historias de redadas del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de Estados Unidos (ICE) en el condado de Prince George, las cuales, según afirmaron, dejaron a familias sin apoyo económico e intensificaron los temores entre los inmigrantes de la zona.

"Mientras estamos aquí hoy, cómodos en nuestras casas, hay 30 niños en el área de Hyatts-

carreras callejeras

ville en cuyos hogares les falta alguien", expresó Brian Banks, residente de Hyattsville. "Todos los servicios locales a los que recurren estas familias se encuentran agotados. Hemos escuchado de nuestros vecinos que los servicios sociales, legales y financieros están desbordados".

El residente Raphael Talisman describió haber presenciado lo que calificó como una detención "atroz e inhumana" de un "miembro de la comunidad inmigrante que también era pa-

dre, esposo y vecino".

"La legislación de esta noche es crucial", afirmó Talisman. "Ninguno de nosotros se quedará de brazos cruzados".

Kelsey Ryland, residente de Mount Rainier, comenzó a trabajar con la Coalición por los Derechos de los Inmigrantes del Condado de Prince George en octubre, entregando comida a familias inmigrantes de la zona.

"Ahora estamos entregando comidas a más de 100 familias

Hyattsville da la bienvenida a la fiesta del fútbol

Por FIONA FLOWERS

Por NIGEL F. MAYNARD

Los líderes del condado de Prince George han aprobado una nueva medida destinada a acabar con las carreras ilegales en las calles del condado.

Presentado por la concejala Wanika Fisher (Distrito 2), el proyecto de ley CB-12 prohibiría la asistencia de espectadores a este tipo de eventos e impondría multas que incrementarían según el número de infracciones.

"El momento de actuar es ahora", declaró Fisher en un comunicado de prensa del 4 de mayo, el día previo a la esperada firma final. "La semana pasada, un joven murió y varias personas más recibieron disparos en una de estas concentraciones automovilísticas ilegales en Columbia, Maryland. ¡Ya es suficiente! Necesitamos sanciones más estrictas para cualquiera que asista a uno de estos eventos peligrosos. Nada bueno sale de ello y

debemos erradicarlos de nuestra comunidad".

La legislación prohíbe a los espectadores asistir a los llamados “takeovers” o tomas de calles para carreras clandestinas. Esto podría ser castigado con hasta 60 días de cárcel y una multa de hasta 1,000 dólares por la primera infracción. Las multas aumentarían a 2,000 dólares por la segunda y 3,000 dólares por la tercera. Además, la medida

Dos negocios de Hyattsville están preparados para trasmitir partidos de fútbol este mes de junio, después de que el Concejo Municipal votara por unanimidad a favor de enviar una carta de apoyo para extender el horario comercial durante una reunión presupuestaria realizada el 20 de mayo. Mark Burke, propietario de la cervecería Streetcar 82, presentó una solicitud a la Junta de Comisionados de Licencias para extender el horario comercial más allá de la hora habitual de cierre, ya que habrá dos partidos nocturnos de la primera ronda de la selección nacional masculina de fútbol de Estados Unidos, programados para el 12 y 25 de junio. El tercer partido será un encuentro diurno programado como evento de transmisión en Franklin's Restaurant and Brewery el 19 de junio a las 3:00 pm, y no requerirá una extensión de horario. El concejal Danny Schaible adelantó el tema, señalando que ya contaba con siete copatrocinadores. Explicó que el horario de los partidos creó la necesidad de solicitar la prórroga: el partido del 12 de junio comienza a las 9:00 pm, mientras que el del 25 de junio comienza

a las 10:00 pm. Se espera que los partidos duren unas dos horas.

La redacción actual del permiso generó confusión para Burke: los permisos del condado permiten que los negocios permanezcan abiertos hasta las 2 de la madrugada, pero las normativas del condado establecen que la hora de cierre sea a las 10:00 pm; por tanto, la mejor opción fue realizar una solicitud formal de extensión.

La concejala Emily Strab (Distrito 2) enfatizó que apoyar la medida iba más allá de simplemente beneficiar a un negocio.

"El objetivo de dirigir esta solicitud a través de la ciudad, es que la intención sea convertirlos en eventos para la comunidad", afirmó. "Estamos tratando de patrocinar eventos comunitarios en torno a [esta] oportunidad de apoyar a nuestro país".

El condado de Prince George está planeando un evento adicional gratuito al aire libre el 27 de junio en Heurich Park, el cual incluirá un torneo para niños que comenzará a la 1:00 pm y transmisiones de partidos a las 5:00 pm y a las 7:30 pm.

Se solicita inscripción previa en pgplanning.org/projects/watchparty.

Guía para las elecciones primarias locales 2026

Por KIT SLACK

Los representantes del condado y del estado influyen en la zonificación, las escuelas públicas, la policía, los tribunales, así como en la inversión y el gasto del gobierno local en nuestras comunidades.

En nuestra zona, las elecciones primarias demócratas del 23 de junio decidirán, con total certeza, quién nos representará a nivel de condado, estatal y federal, ya que nuestra zona es abrumadoramente demócrata. Las elecciones al consejo escolar son apartidistas, pero se incluirán en las papeletas de las primarias.

¿Cómo puedo votar?

También puede inscribirse para votar en persona el día de las elecciones o durante la votación anticipada, que comienza el 11 de junio y finaliza el 18 de junio, de 7:00 a.m. a 8:00 p.m. todos los días. Visite la página web de la Junta Electoral del Condado de Prince George para consultar las listas de centros de votación anticipada y las ubicaciones de buzones para depositar los votos por correo.

¿Qué candidatos aparecerán en mi boleta electoral?

Puede consultar una muestra de su boleta electoral en voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/VoterSearch.

¿Dónde puedo obtener información sobre los candidatos?

Preguntamos a los candidatos qué han logrado para sus comunidades y qué esperan lograr si son elegidos. También les preguntamos sobre el gasto gubernamental. Las respuestas de los candidatos del condado y de los estados locales están en nuestra guía de votación en línea at streetcarsuburbs.news/guía-de-2026-primariaslocales

Estos son otros lugares donde puede buscar información:

PGCTV organizó esta primavera un foro de candidatos a ejecutivos del condado y otro foro para fiscales estatales. También han entrevistado a candidatos como Daniel Armando Jones, Tara Jackson, Wanika Fisher y John Carr.

La organización Prince George's County Young Democrats está llevando a cabo una serie de foros de candidatos esta primavera; los eventos anteriores pueden verse en su canal de YouTube.

The Banner cuenta con una guía electoral del condado de Prince George, que incluye estas contiendas electorales, así como las elecciones estatales y del condado fuera de nuestra área de cobertura. El acceso a dicha guía requiere pagar una suscripción.

PREPÁRENSE PARA LAS ELECCIONES DEL 23 DE JUNIO

El sitio web Streetcar Suburbs tiene una guía en línea con toda la información que necesita sobre cómo y dónde votar, y quién estará en su boleta.

Escanee el código QR para encontrar las declaraciones de los candidatos, información sobre el financiamiento de campañas y cobertura selecta de las contiendas locales clave, ¡todo en un solo lugar! CARRERAS

busca alinear la ley del condado con la ley estatal, imponiendo sanciones similares para los participantes en este tipo de eventos ilegales, con castigos aún más severos si alguien resulta herido.

La Policía del Condado de Prince George respalda esta legislación, informando que estos eventos conducen a la violencia, tiroteos, consumo de drogas y otras actividades peligrosas. Según el comunicado de Fisher, los oficiales anticipan que este tipo de encuentros aumentará durante el verano.

"Estos encuentros automovilísticos ejercen una enorme presión sobre los recursos del Departamento de Policía del Condado de Prince George, obligando al despliegue de personal en todo el condado", informó Brian Fischer, oficial de información pública del PGPD, durante la rueda de prensa del 5 de mayo en la que se anunció la firma del proyecto de ley. "Desde el 1 de enero, hemos desmantelado más de 40 de estos encuentros automovilísticos. Hemos arrestado a 20 personas, emitido 100 multas de tráfico y recuperado 16 armas de fuego ilegales".

¡Ayúdanos a que sigan llegando noticias en español a Hyattsville/College Park!

Buscamos voluntarios emprendedores para formar parte de nuestra junta directiva, que hablen español con fluidez y estén dispuestos a ayudarnos a generar ingresos para apoyar las noticias en español en nuestra ciudad. También buscamos escritores voluntarios y esperamos poder contratar pronto a un organizador comunitario. Si está interesado en alguno de estos puestos, póngase en contacto con nosotros: kit@ streetcarsuburbs. news.

¿Por qué Hyattsville es una “selva tropical alimentaria”?

Por PAUL RUFFINS

No hace mucho, el concejal de Hyattsville, Kevin Nisbett (Distrito 5), hizo una declaración que a la mayoría les parecería completamente normal, pero que despertaría bastante envidia en muchos otros residentes del condado. Durante una entrevista para este artículo, dijo: "Vivo cerca de la estación de metro y puedo ir caminando a varios supermercados". El Departamento de Agricultura de Estados Unidos considera que una "distancia caminable" para hacer la compra de alimentos es de aproximadamente media milla. Por lo general, un supermercado se define como un lugar donde se pueden comprar los ingredientes para preparar una comida saludable, que ofrezca leche entera y descremada, carnes frescas, frutas y verduras. En cambio, la oferta de productos frescos y saludables de los mini-mercados podría limitarse a unas pocas manzanas, plátanos o naranjas, y una tienda tipo “todo a un dólar” tal vez no venda ningún producto fresco, a excepción de la leche. Recientemente, las investigaciones sobre el aumento de las tasas de obesidad en Estados Unidos han ido más allá del estudio de la comida chatarra para indagar en el impacto de vivir en "desiertos alimentarios" y "pantanos alimentarios". Ambos fenómenos se han relacionado con tasas más elevadas de obesidad, enfermedades cardíacas y diabetes.

Un desierto alimentario es, básicamente, una comunidad con pocos lugares donde comprar ingredientes para preparar comidas saludables. Sin embargo, dado que los suburbios de clase media ubicados a kilómetros de un supermercado no suelen identificarse como desiertos alimentarios, otras definiciones, como la del Departamento de Agricultura de Estados Unidos, incorporan factores como los índices de pobreza y la posesión de automóviles.

Un pantano alimentario posee una amplia concentración de restaurantes de comida rápida y/o mini-mercados (convenience stores) que ofrecen principalmente alimentos altos en calorías y grasas, bebidas azucaradas o “snacks” salados. La cercanía de Nisbett a varios supermercados podría parecer algo normal. Sin embargo, en comparación con otras comunidades del condado, del estado y del Distrito

de Columbia, Hyattsville posee una concentración de opciones de alimentos saludables tan inusualmente elevada que debería considerarse una “selva tropical alimentaria”. El estudio realizado por la Universidad de Maryland en 2021 sobre Acceso y Equidad a los Alimentos en el Condado de Prince George calculó que la densidad promedio de supermercados en Prince George es de 1,17 por milla cuadrada. Nisbett vive cerca de la estación de metro West Hyattsville, cerca de la intersección de Hamilton Street y Ager Road. Según Google Maps, existen al menos cuatro supermercados a menos de media milla de esta estación: Bestway (0,30 millas), Megamart (0,30 millas), Lidl (0,36 millas) y Aldi (0,29 millas). Esto representa al menos tres veces más supermercados por milla cuadrada que el promedio del condado. La estación de Hyattsville Crossing, frente al centro comercial de Prince George, ofrece acceso a supermercados a una distancia aun menor: Giant (0,13 millas), Target (0,24 millas) y Safeway (0,31 millas).

Aquí va otra comparación: en un debate reciente, los candidatos a la alcaldía de Washington D.C. discutieron cómo abordar el desierto alimentario en el Distrito 7, ubicado al este del río Anacostia, que limita con el condado de Prince George y registra un ingreso familiar promedio de aproximadamente 71,000 dólares al año. El Distrito 7 solo cuenta con tres supermercados para abastecer a

91,000 personas, lo que equivale a aproximadamente una tienda por cada 30,300 residentes, en comparación con el Distrito 3, que limita con el condado de Montgomery, situado al oeste de Rock Creek Park, tiene un ingreso familiar cercano a los 155,000 dólares al año y dispone de 17 supermercados para atender a 81,000 personas, lo que supone aproximadamente uno por cada 4,765 residentes. Sin embargo, la ciudad de Hyattsville, con una población de 21,000 habitantes en 2010 y un ingreso promedio de 92,000 dólares, alberga al menos seis supermercados: Aldi, Bestway, Giant, Safeway, Target y Yes! Organic Market, y al menos otros dos, Lidl y Megamart, ubicados justo fuera de los límites de la ciudad. Esto equivale a un supermercado por cada 2,625 habitantes, o aproximadamente 185% más tiendas por persona que en el Distrito 3 del Distrito de Columbia, una zona mucho más adinerada.

El concejal de Hyattsville, Danny Schaible (Distrito 2), le comentó a Life & Times (L&T) que la densidad de población, así como su infraestructura comercial antigua y, por ende, relativamente asequible, le permiten sostener tal cantidad de supermercados. Mencionó un vídeo del viaje que realizó la Reina Isabel a Estados Unidos en 1957, cuando asistió a un partido de fútbol americano en la Universidad de Maryland y luego recorrió el supermercado Giant ubicado en el cen-

pecializada en el sector, explicó que "los supermercados asiáticos e hispanos suelen atender a una base de clientes más leal, ya que ofrecen productos y servicios que los compradores no pueden encontrar en otro lugar. … Ser la tienda preferida de un grupo amplio y estable de clientes les da a estos negocios mayor flexibilidad financiera que la que posee una tienda de barrio, cuya oferta es muy similar a la de un supermercado, pero con una selección mucho más reducida y, probablemente, más costosa".

tro comercial Queenstown, en Queens Chapel Road (Chillum).

Para la década de 1970, este vecindario también contaba con un Shoppers Food Warehouse (anteriormente Jumbo) y un Safeway sobre Hamilton Street, a solo unas pocas cuadras y a distancia caminable de un gran número de edificios residenciales. La inauguración de la estación de metro West Hyattsville en 1993, junto con la construcción de nuevos complejos de casas adosadas, ha impulsado desde entonces la base de consumidores de West Hyattsville.

Eventualmente, Shoppers Food Warehouse cerró y tanto el Giant como el Safeway se trasladaron a Hyattsville Crossing, una zona de mayor densidad con una expansión de nuevos edificios residenciales de media altura. Sin embargo, a diferencia de lo que ocurre en muchos otros lugares, como Baltimore, donde el cierre de supermercados suele generar “desiertos alimentarios”, en West Hyattsville el Giant fue reemplazado por Lidl, Shoppers por Megamart y Safeway por Bestway.

Lidl y Aldi cuentan con el respaldo de grandes corporaciones internacionales. Pero ¿cómo logran sobrevivir los negocios independientes enfocados en grupos étnicos específicos, como Megamart y Bestway? En un artículo publicado en 2021 por The Week, Jeff Wells, editor senior de la revista Grocery Dive, una publicación es-

La diversidad étnica de Hyattsville y sus comunidades vecinas, Chillum, Brentwood y Mount Rainier, también contribuye a generar demanda de pequeñas tiendas específicas, como Bonivia International Foods, sobre Hamilton Street frente al Aldi; Motojesi International Market, en la Ruta 1, cerca de Streetcar 82 Brewing Company; International Progresso Market, en el centro comercial Shoppes at Metro Station, junto a Belcrest Road; y Adot International Market, en Mount Rainier, una pequeña tienda etíope que reemplazó a una tintorería cerca de la intersección de Chillum Road y Queen’s Chapel Road.

Otros factores que probablemente contribuyen a la sólida infraestructura alimentaria del área de Hyattsville son una tasa de delincuencia relativamente baja, la cual permite a los comercios permanecer abiertos hasta más tarde, y un compromiso político para facilitar y hacer más seguro que los residentes puedan ir caminando o en bicicleta a los negocios locales, en lugar de conducir hasta grandes establecimientos comerciales lejanos.

Steve Shaff, consultor con amplia trayectoria en desarrollo comunitario local, dijo a L&T: "El deseo de comprar productos locales es una de las principales razones por las que Glut Co-op, en Mount Rainier, ha logrado sobrevivir", afirmó. "Ahora que es posible adquirir productos orgánicos en Whole Foods o Yes!, muchos de los precios de Glut han dejado de ser competitivos. Sin embargo, mantienen conexiones personales a largo plazo con clientes que valoran su misión y están dispuestos a pagar un precio más alto con tal de que Glut siga formando parte del vecindario".

Paul Ruffins es un científico ciudadano y profesor de curiosidad.

cada fin de semana", dijo. "Y eso se debe al aumento de los operativos de ICE".

Ryland relató el caso de una mujer del área cuyo esposo fue detenido. Ryland señaló que la detención dejó a la mujer sola enfrentando una crisis médica familiar y las crecientes dificultades económicas.

"Están luchando para pagar el alquiler", comentó Ryland. "Hago este trabajo porque quiero mirar atrás y contarles a mis hijos lo que hicimos. Y espero que todos ustedes puedan tomar la decisión correcta esta noche, para que puedan mirar a sus familias y decir lo mismo”.

La concejala Waszczak señaló el alto costo de la representación legal y explicó que la asistencia jurídica puede costar hasta 15,000 dólares por persona, por lo que el fondo "en realidad solo ayudaría a unas seis familias con asistencia legal". Sin embargo, enfatizó que la ayuda de emergencia era necesaria para fortalecer los servicios sociales y sentar un precedente para el futuro.

"Realmente solo quiero que estemos entre colaboradores", dijo. "No tenemos que ser solo los que ayudan. Quiero que estemos entre los ayudantes... que ponen en marcha este fondo de emergencia".

Varios defensores señalaron que la ciudad financia a su fuerza policial con una de las tasas per cápita más altas del país y describieron la asignación propuesta de 100,000 dólares como un "error de redondeo" en comparación. Este fondo representa menos de una cuarta parte de 1% del presupuesto de la ciudad del año pasado. En marzo, la ciudad proyectó un déficit presupuestario de 4 millones de dólares.

"Oponerse a este fondo por razones fiscales es como decir que no hay presupuesto para ayudar a Ana Frank", dijo un residente del Distrito 4. "Se trata de nuestros vecinos, de familias reales de nuestra comunidad que están siendo destrozadas por las redadas federales. … Creo que lo que se está poniendo a prueba aquí no es nuestro presupuesto, sino nuestra conciencia".

Durante toda la reunión, to-

dos los concejales reconocieron el impacto que las redadas migratorias han tenido en la comunidad. Sin embargo, la oposición al fondo se centró en cuestiones legales y en el momento de su implementación.

Los concejales Michelle Lee y Kelson Nesbitt, quienes votaron en contra de la moción, expresaron su preocupación de que un fondo dirigido a un grupo tan específico podría generar divisiones, argumentando que otros residentes —incluidos los trabajadores federales que perdieron recientemente sus empleos— también están atravesando dificultades económicas.

En su lugar, abogaron por ampliar los programas existentes que prestan servicios a la comunidad en general.

El concejal Strab propuso una enmienda a la moción original para ampliar el lenguaje relacionado con la elegibilidad de los solicitantes.

"Estamos impactando directamente a estas familias, pero puede que no les demos el cheque en la mano", dijo Strab. "Podríamos pagar un mes de alquiler, o de servicios públicos, o algo similar, generando

un impacto más profundo... Si durante la fase de desarrollo descubrimos que eso no es factible, no quiero que la redacción de la moción nos impida implementar el programa".

La enmienda sustituyó frases como "asistencia financiera directa" por "asistencia" y cambió "sustento económico" por "ingreso principal", al fin de aumentar el número de solicitantes elegibles. Los concejales Solomon, Waszczak, Schiable, Haba y Lee votaron en contra del texto revisado, argumentando que hacía el contenido demasiado ambiguo. La medida fue aprobada mediante votación nominal.

Los concejales discutieron canalizar los fondos por medio de una organización independiente sin ánimo de lucro para reducir el riesgo de que las agencias federales identifiquen a los solicitantes mediante leyes de acceso a la información pública.

"Cuando utilizamos el dinero de los contribuyentes para hacer algo así, queda un rastro documental, y eso puede traer consecuencias", afirmó el alcalde Robert Croslin.

Según el modelo propuesto, los datos de los solicitantes serían gestionados por la organización sin ánimo de lucro, en lugar del propio gobierno municipal. Además, las organizaciones existentes ya cuentan con infraestructura y confianza de la comunidad necesarias para administrar los servicios de manera más eficaz y accesible.

Ahora, el concejo debe desarrollar y aprobar los criterios para determinar quiénes son elegibles para recibir fondos bajo el programa, denominado Hope Fund: Community Stability. El personal de la ciudad proyectó que podría empezarse la distribución de los fondos este septiembre.

A pesar de los retrasos en la implementación, los defensores describieron la aprobación del fondo como un compromiso significativo para servir a la comunidad inmigrante de Hyattsville, la cual representa aproximadamente un tercio de la población de la ciudad.

Fiona Flowers es estudiante de pregrado en la Universidad de Maryland.

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