Aug
13
2022
Breaking: Two sites have been selected among half a dozen or so potential sites for the north College Park Community Center. They are (a) the Hollywood Shopping Plaza (where MoM’s/Proteus/Pizza Roma are located) and (b) the Hollywood Community Park, near the Metro. The M-NCPPC project team has started taking input about the sites. These pictures were taken yesterday at the Friday Live event. Details will be posted to the M-NCPPC website soon. We are also expecting to have a community meeting sometime next month when you’ll have opportunities to give your input
Aug
12
2022
The M-NCPPC team currently doing the feasibility study of the North College Park Community Center will join this evening’s Friday Night Live to collect more input from additional community members who could not attend the May community meeting. The team will have sheets where they collect input similar to the input they collected during the community meeting.
Please stop by their table if you plan to attend tonight’s event at 6:30 pm. Details about the event can be found below. Thank you.
Aug
11
2022
The 11th Good Neighbor Day (GND) Event is currently in the planning phase. The Office of Community Engagement, along with the City of College Park, the M-NCCPC Parks & Recreation, and the Planning Committee is inviting you to submit a project that brings the campus community to collaborate with the surrounding neighborhoods and vice versa. GND will take place on Saturday, November 12, from 8:30 to 12 (hybrid). Save-the-date.
The Project Nomination Request Form just opened and will close on August 26th. Here is the link for more details: go.umd.edu/good-neighbor-nomination
Aug
10
2022
According to the National Weather Service, there is a threat of flooding and thunderstorms today afternoon and evening.
Aug
9
2022
Please see below July 2022 College Park crime map.
Aug
8
2022
The City’s Department of Public Works’ crews are continuing cleanup work to pick up debris from the severe weather event that occurred on Tuesday, July 12, 2022.
The revised requirement for collection of woody material will be effective until Monday, August 15.
Due to the excessive amount of woody debris created in the aftermath of the storm, the requirements to prepare debris for curbside collection are being expanded for large diameter branches & limbs, which should be cut into lengths 8 feet or less. Place material at the curb, not in the street, and set away from poles, wires, trees, fire hydrants and vehicles for easier collection. Contact DPW or call 240-487-3590 to request a pick-up and let us know what size material needs to be collected, as this will dictate the equipment sent to perform the collection.
Residents may wonder why yard waste collection has been delayed; please understand that the amount of debris we are picking up is overwhelming our capacity to collect from all homes in the usual time frame. Thank you for your patience as we continue to clean up from this epic storm.
According to Maryland Law, in the aftermath of a weather-related event, which results in fallen trees and debris or similar incidents that may be qualified as an “act of God,” the affected property owners are responsible for damage to their property, including debris cleanup and removal or other related expenses. These weather event-related expenses may be covered under the homeowner’s insurance policy. Property owners are encouraged to contact their homeowners’ insurance company to determine policy coverage.
[City of College Park]
Aug
7
2022
The City’s Redistricting Commission will hold two meetings for residents to review and provide feedback on the Commission’s preliminary City District maps prior to the Commission presenting its report to the City Council on September 27th.
The Commission has been meeting since May to review the 2020 Census data, data from the University regarding its residential population, and projections for the residential projects under construction. An analysis of the population data confirms that the City must adjust the current district boundaries in order to have equal districts. The Commission meeting minutes, the Council charge to the Commission, and other information are available at https://www.collegeparkmd.gov/186/Boards-Commissions#RDC .
The first Redistricting Commission presentation of the data and preliminary districts will be held at Davis Hall on Thursday, September 1, 2022 at 7:00 pm. Residents will also be able to participate remotely via https://zoom.us/j/91603412440, but please note that the hybrid meeting capability at Davis Hall is less robust than at City Hall. The preliminary maps will be provided on the City website at the link above by 5 pm on Thursday, August 25th.
The second Redistricting Commission presentation of the data and preliminary districts will be held at Monday, September 12th at 7:00pm in City Hall. This meeting will also be hybrid and participants can access the meeting via https://zoom.us/j/91603412440.
[City of College Park]
Aug
5
2022
Join your neighbors for food and fun at Duvall field! NCPCA will be providing food, beverages, and activities for adults and kids. All you need to bring is your picnic blanket and lawn chairs.
Immediate following the summer celebration, the City of College Park is hosting a movie night at Duvall Field too!
Aug
4
2022
At last night’s Council meeting, the City Council approved sending a letter to the Prince George’s County Board of Elections regarding the following issues that took place at Ritchie Coliseum polling place at the recent primary election.
- Official communications on the delayed opening of the Ritchie Coliseum polling place were limited.
- Residents were primarily informed of the delayed opening after they entered the polling location, by word-of-mouth from community members outside the polls, or through neighborhood listservs. The unofficial communication channels on delayed poll openings could create an opportunity for fraud and electioneering that must be avoided.
- Estimates on when the polls would officially open were not coordinated appropriately. For example, at 9:15am the limited in-person election officials on-site estimated an opening of “10:15am” while the Prince George’s County Board of Elections communicated an opening of “9:30am”. The 10:15am estimate led to a group of voters waiting outside Ritchie Coliseum to
leave.
- Clear communications on alternative voting options were not provided.
- Voters were not provided clear communication on alternate options to casting a vote at Ritchie Coliseum (e.g., casting a provisional ballot at an alternate polling place). This created uncertainty and confusion that could have led to certain voters not participating in the 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election.
- Polling place availability throughout the 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election Day from 7am to 8pm is critical for an equitable and inclusive voting system.
- The delayed opening eliminated voting options at Ritchie Coliseum from 7am to 9:30am, which is a critical time period for individuals to cast their vote prior to work. Flexibility to vote at an alternate time is a privilege that not all voters are able to achieve due to work, family commitments, and other constraints.
- Accommodations to extend voting hours beyond 8pm were not granted.
- Appropriate communications for assigned poll workers must be achieved to ensure proper staffing during election day.
- It is our understanding that staffing of poll workers was a potential contributor to the delayed opening of Ritchie Coliseum for the 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election.
- “Election judge Demetra Hutchinson said that several poll workers, including a chief election judge, assigned to the Ritchie Coliseum did not show up on Tuesday morning…” – Washington Post 7/19/2022
- A College Park resident communicated that they were proactively selected as a poll judge but were not given contact information to decline the selection. The individual stated they had not volunteered for the 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election but had served during the 2020 election. Prior to election day, the individual called the Prince George’s County Election Board to indicate they were unavailable
- Other polling places also experienced delays in opening and we would request a full investigation and action plan to ensure that these problems are not repeated in November.
Aug
2
2022
The fifth and final reason to attend TODAY’s National Night Out is to take a stand against crime and let criminals know that our neighborhood is organized against crime. National Night Out is all about building support and increasing participation in local anti-crime efforts, strengthening neighborhood spirit, and improving relationships between the police department and local residents. To celebrate the nationwide event, you are encouraged to lock your cars, turn on your porch lights and spend the evening outdoors with your neighbors.
More than 16,000 communities across the country will host National Night Out events TODAY, hoping to instill confidence in their community and promote crime prevention and safety. In North College Park, the National Night Out will take place at Duvall Field (9119 Rhode Island Ave, College Park, MD) from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Please spread the word!
Highlights of today’s event include:
- An opportunity to meet your local Police
- Kids’ Activities: Activities by community groups
- Fire trucks and Firefighters (from the Branchville Fire Department)
- Free ID kits to protect your kids if they get lost
- Opportunities to get involved with Neighborhood Watch
- Snacks and Grilled hot dogs by local boy scouts
- FREE popcorns and Snow-Cones
Community organizations we’re expecting to join..
- North College Park Community Association (NCPCA – http://myncpca.org )
- Posh Cycling and Fitness offers a variety of fitness classes for everyone in the College Park community
- Boys Scout
- Girls Scout
- Youth and Family Services Department (YFSS)
- DUS Youth Group
- College Park Meals on Wheels ( MoW),
- Office of Councilman Dernoga,
- MD 21st Delegation
- UMD’s Office of Community Engagement,
- College Park Food Bank
- Branchville Fire Department
- Prince George’s Police Department (PGPD)
- City of College Park
Aug
1
2022
Neighborhood Watch
The fourth reason to attend tomorrow’s National Night Out is to meet your neighbors and join the Neighborhood Watch Program. According to crime statistics, crime in our area is not limited to nighttime. Not everyone can afford a home security system. Police can’t be everywhere at once and must rely on the active participation of community residents for crime prevention. Since crime is most likely to occur when no one is watching, a Neighborhood Watch team can act as an extra set of “eyes and ears” when police aren’t around. Neighborhood Watch does more than just canvass the community. It also allows residents to get to know others in the neighborhood, open the lines of communication with local police and encourage better overall cooperation among residents in crime prevention efforts. Participation in Neighborhood Watch builds confidence and encourages residents to take an active interest in one another’s properties and livelihoods. In North College Park, we’re slowly building the Neighborhood Watch program, We currently have a few blocks formed, and a few others are in the process of being formed. Please come and find out how you can also start your Neighborhood Watch program on your street block. We expect members of existing Neighborhood Watch blocks to share their experience on how the Neighborhood Watch program is working on their blocks.
More than 16,000 communities across the country will host National Night Out events tomorrow (Tuesday, Aug 2), hoping to instill confidence in their community and promote crime prevention and safety. In North College Park, the National Night Out will take place at Duvall Field (9200 Rhode Island Avenue) from 7 pm to 8:30 pm. Please spread the word. Thank you!
Jul
31
2022
The third reason to attend next Tuesday’s National Night Out – great food! The Boy Scouts will be grilling hot dogs for sale, and we’ll have snacks and soft drinks. There will be also someone giving away FREE snow cones and popcorns. It should be a great evening and a great chance to meet your neighbors and get to know your local police officers!
More than 16,000 communities across the country will host National Night Out events on Tuesday, Aug. 2, hoping to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships, neighborhood camaraderie, and send a message to criminals letting them know that their neighborhoods are organized and are fighting back. In North College Park, National Night Out will take place at Duvall Field (9119 Rhode Island Ave, College Park, MD) from 7 pm to 8:30 pm.
Jul
30
2022
The second reason to attend next Tuesday’s National Night Out is that there will be fun activities for kids of all ages! We’ll have a moon bounce, face painting, snow cones, other activities, and a visit from our local fire department! And while you’re there, you can learn how to protect your child with a child identification kit to help the police know who your child is if he or she gets lost.
More than 16,000 communities across the country will host National Night Out events on Tuesday, Aug. 2, hoping to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships, neighborhood friendship and send a message to criminals letting them know that their neighborhoods are organized and are fighting back. In North College Park, National Night Out will take place at the Duvall Field Plaza (9119 Rhode Island Ave, College Park, MD) from 7 pm- to 8:30 pm. Please come out and spread the word. Thank you!
