Community E-News

Together Strengthening Our Community

April 2009

Eric Olson - District 3
Prince George's County Council

News You Can Use

Internet Access to Crime Data in the County

Interested in knowing more about crime in your community? Visit crimereports to see a map of your community with details on incidents in your neighborhood. Note: The easiest way to use the system is to type in your zip code.

Lanham Boys & Girls Club Fundraiser

The Lanham Boys and Girls Club will hold a fundraiser at the Silver Diner (6040 Greenbelt Road in Greenbelt) on April 22, 2009 from 6pm-8pm. For more information please call the restaurant at (301) 220-0028.

Maryland Day 2009

Maryland Day 2009 will be held on April 25, 2009 from 10:00am-4:00pm rain or shine on the University of Maryland Campus in College Park. Join UMD in a fun-filled family day event with plenty of free activities and entertainment. For campus directions or more information, please visit their website at

Maryland Day

Summer Camp Opportunity: Expressions: Talk Up, Not Down

Expression: Talk Up, Not Down is a seven day, six night summer program for teens sponsored by MNCPPC. Students will learn how to compose and perform poetry to express themselves. This year’s program will be held from July 12-18, 2009. To apply or acquire more information, please call (301) 454-1459.

Berwyn Heights Day

Join Berwyn Heights in celebrating their community at a series of family-oriented events on Saturday, May 2^nd. Events include: Fun Run at 8:00 a.m.; Seniors' Bake Sale at 8:30 a.m.; Pancake Breakfast from 9:00-11:00 a.m.; Craft Vendors from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; and Parade, Performances & Awards from Noon-1:30 p.m. For more details, please visit

Berwyn Heights

Riverdale Park Arts Fest and Riversdale Mansion Children’s Day

The Riverdale Parks Arts Council will be hosting their 2^nd Annual Arts Fest Sunday, May 3^rd 11am-6pm at the Riverdale Park Town Center/MARC station. Artists who are interested in participating can find out more details at

Arts Festival

The event will feature live music, free hands-on art activities for kids, food by Mike’s Southern Café, and artist works for sale.

Three blocks away, the historic Riversdale Mansion will be hosting their annual Children’s Day on the same day starting at 12pm. More details at the Riversdale Mansion can be found at

Riverdale Mansion

Kingswood Association Yard Sale
The Kingswood Civic Association will host their 2^nd Annual yard sale in front of Lamont Elementary School (7101 Good Luck Road in New Carrollton) on April 4^th, 2009 from 8:00am-2:00pm. For more information please contact Kingswood Civic Association President Hakim Muhammad at (301) 345-1788 or Sheila Reid at (301) 552-8383. Proceeds from this yard sale will go towards the Kingswood Student Scholarship to assist High School Seniors entering College.

Prince George's
County Council
14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive
Second Floor
Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772
Phone: (301) 952-3060

Dear Friends,

I hope everything is going well in your community and with you. As I mentioned in the last enews, the County Council has begun its formal budget process and will be holding committee hearings to review the budget in April. Dates for the public hearings have tentatively been set and are as follows: April 28^th, MNCPPC Budget; May 4^th and May 12^th County Budget, Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) and Board of Education Budget. All hearings are in Upper Marlboro in the Council Hearing Room at 7pm. Please feel free to check with my office as those dates get closer to confirm them. A summary of the County Executive’s budget proposal is also available here

In addition, I wanted to share with you more about my approach to the proposed DC United Stadium which I have outlined below. If you could please distribute this to your community members and encourage them to directly sign up for the e-newsletter, I would greatly appreciate it. Previous e-newsletters are posted on my website .

Eric Olson
Council Member District 3

District 3 Website
(301) 952-3060

A note from Councilman Olson on the DC United Stadium—

Many of you have contacted me about the proposed soccer stadium. At this time, I am very critical of the proposal, and on Tuesday, March 24^th, I voted with a majority of my colleagues to oppose legislation in Annapolis that would facilitate the pursuit of the DC United Stadium. I say this as someone who has played a lot of soccer in my life, and as someone who has a love of the game.

I am not necessarily opposed to public investment in ventures that are proven to produce significant returns and I am not opposed to DC United coming to Prince George's County. Rather, it is the terms under which they might come that is part of the larger issue, and I have significant doubts that a soccer stadium will produce revenue to cover the cost of bonds for the project. They expected a $47 - 51 million investment of some kind from the county and many millions more from the state. In this economic climate, a risky soccer stadium should not be the top priority. They want a Cadillac stadium at no risk to DC United, the only risk is with the taxpayers. If the owner of the team were to use his own money (as he once told DC he would), I would be open to the team pursuing a stadium here. If he were even to put a significant amount in, we could have a discussion. I do not, however, believe they will host many high revenue events beyond their 15 games per season and it is difficult to create a true mixed use center around a stadium that is rarely used.

In addition, it now appears that the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is involved in the project, and that part of the deal would be for M-NCPPC to build itself a new headquarters at the stadium site. I question the need to spend public dollars or bonds on a new Park and Planning Headquarters, particularly in this economic recession. Unless there are substantial changes to take the risk and burden off the residents of Prince George’s County, I will continue to oppose the soccer stadium.

I T E M S OF I N T E R E S T

Riverdale Park Farmers Market Opens—April 9^th

The Riverdale Park Farmers Market is starting early this year with even more vendors. The market is every Thursday, April 9 to Nov. 19, from 3pm to 7pm at the Riverdale Park Town Center adjacent to the MARC station. Some of the new venders who will be at the market include: J-Wen Farms & Dairy providing milk, butter, and farmstead cheeses; Chesapeake Greenhouse with hydroponic lettuce; Shlagel Farms providing fruits and vegetables; Neopol Savory Smokery; and Chesapeake Gardens providing soups and sauces made from local produce. To find out more about the location of the market and all of the venders, please visit Farmers Market . To subscribe to the market’s weekly list of vendors and find out about special events, which can help you plan your visit, please visit Riverdale Park to subscribe.

Grow it Eat it: Gardening 101
The University of Maryland Cooperative Extension in coordination with the Maryland Master Gardener program has launched a program to assist Marylanders in growing fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs using sustainable practices. Horticultural consultants will answer food gardening questions via a toll-free hotline (1-800-342-2507) and e-mail Q&A service. A dynamic, interactive new Grow It Eat It website (and blog will provide a wealth of information and resources for residents across the state and around the globe.) The program's vision is to see 1 million Maryland food gardeners producing their own affordable, healthy food - much like previous generations did in their wartime and Depression-era Victory Gardens.

Master Peace Community Garden

If you do not have the space to grow a garden in your yard, consider the Master Peace Community Garden, a half-acre urban farm, youth garden, and community garden operated by the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension Engaged University program at 2600 Sheridan Street, Riverdale, MD. Small plots are available and volunteers are needed to assist with the program and harvest the vegetables. Vegetables are sold weekly at the Riverdale Park Farmers’ Market.

Earth Day Events—April 18^th

· Free Mulch Giveaway: The Prince George’s Department of Environmental Resources will give away free mulch to county residents on Saturday, April 18, 2009 from 8:00am to 2:00pm. This event will take place at the Western Branch Composting Facility (6601 S.E. Crain Highway in Upper Marlboro). For more information please call (301) 883-5045.

· Anacostia River Earth Day Celebration and Cleanup: The 15^th Annual Anacostia River Clean-up and Earth Day Celebration will be held on April 18, 2009 from 8:30am- 12noon. Please join other volunteers in cleaning up the river at various sites in the County and Region and for a post-clean up celebration from 12:00pm-2:00pm at the Bladensburg Waterfront Park (4601 Annapolis Road in Bladensburg). For more information on the event and site locations, please visit Earth Day , or call (301) 699-6204.

· Livable Communities Event-Annual Spring Clean-Up: Clean up your community in the morning and then join the County Executive for a Thank You Celebration in Watkins Park (301 Watkins Park Drive in Upper Marlboro) at the rear Ball-field Pavilion. The event will be held on April 18, 2009 from 12:30pm-2:30pm. For more information and to set-up a community clean-up, please call (301) 883-5600.

· New Carrollton Earth Day Festival: New Carrollton will be hosting their 1^st Earth Day event on April 18^th from noon-5pm at Beckett Field. The event will include workshops and a yard sale. For more details, contact Katrina at kdodro@new-carrollton.md.us, 301-513-9239.

Scholarship Opportunities

State Delegates and Senators are currently offering scholarships to residents of their Legislative District who are attending or will attend college in Maryland. For more information, please contact your Senator or Delegates office. Each member has different deadlines in April, so act now if you are interested.

District 21:

Senator Jim Rosapepe Delegate Ben Barnes

http://senatorpinsky.org/site/ http://benbarnes.us/news/

Delegate Barbara Frush

http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa12225.html

Delegate Joseline Pena-Melnyk

http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa14629.html

District 22:
Senator Paul Pinsky Delegate Justin Ross
Delegate Tawanna Gaines Delegate Anne Healey

District 23A:

Senator Douglas J.J. Peters - Call (301) 858-3631 to request an application.

Delegate Gerron Levi - Call (301) 858 3103 to request a scholarship
packet.

Delegate James Hubbard - Call (301) 858-3103 to request a scholarship packet.

District 47:
Senator David Harrington Delegate Victor Ramirez

Delegate Jolene Ivey Delegate Doyle Neiman

Foreclosure Prevention
The Department of Housing and Community Development is providing residents with three new brochures, one from the Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation to assist with foreclosure prevention. Links to all three brochures are provided below.

Foreclosure Worksheet

Foreclosure Worksheet - SPANISH

Foreclosure Tri-fold Brochure

Foreclosure Tri-fold Brochure - SPANISH

These periodic email updates are sent to public officials, town managers, civic association leaders, and residents upon request. If you are not interested in receiving this update, please email Thomas Mayah at tsmayah@co.pg.md.us.