Council Discusses Immigration Enforcement, Cell Reliability Hope
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Labor Day Festival GREENBELT Program Inside News ReviewAn Independent Newspaper VOL. 81, No. 39 15 Crescent Rd., Suite 100, Greenbelt, MD 20770-1887 AUGUST 23, 2018 Council Discusses Immigration Enforcement, Cell Reliability by Diane Oberg Este artículo está disponible visory Committee’s report on ing on porches, walking to the en español en nuestra página cellular phone connectivity and street or even walking down the web greenbeltnewsreview.com. reliability. PSAC reported that street until they find a signal. The The Greenbelt City Council “the issue of cellular connectiv- problem affects service by all broke from its normal pattern of ity and reliability has become major carriers serving Greenbelt. unanimity at its regular meeting an urgent issue that needs to be Carriers say the problem results on August 13. The discussion, addressed as soon as possible.” from overloaded cell towers, and which focused on local immigra- PSAC found that signal prob- the only solution is to add anoth- tion enforcement, cellular reli- lems caused residents frustration er cell tower. Council will discuss LARSEN AMANDA BY PHOTO ability and economic goals, was and even prevented calls to 911. the report at a future meeting. Delia Johnson (foreground) shows off the clay figures she made marked by argument and calls for They also reported a variety of See greenbeltmd.gov/PSAC-cell at the Clay at the End of the Day program in August. public comment. coping mechanisms people used for the PSAC report to council. Cell Reliability while trying to make calls such Council accepted without dis- as standing by windows, hanging See COUNCIL, page 9 cussion the Public Safety Ad- out second floor windows, stand- City’s Economic Development Subject of Council Meeting Hope Center’s Festival Attracts by James Giese The Greenbelt City Council formal action would have to wait spent an evening listening to and until all councilmembers could be Large Crowd for Fun, Services commenting on City Manager present sometime in September or by Chris Rogers-Spatuzzi Nicole Ard’s presentation con- October. Councilmembers Judith cerning the city’s vision, objec- Davis and Silke Pope did not at- out to the event, more than dou- tives, possible action items and tend the worksession. bling last year’s attendance. It measures of outcomes relating In the meantime, Ard will was catered toward families, with to city economic development recruit for the budget-funded po- kids’ activities such as a bounce activities at an August 6 work- sition of Economic Development house and a petting zoo, health session. For the past two years, Coordinator after circulating the screenings for all ages and live council has been considering proposed job description among music and entertainment appeal- actions to further the city’s eco- councilmembers. ing to parents. nomic development. Mayor Em- Coordinator Hope Center was founded in mett Jordan called on council to The new employee will coor- November 2016 and started My adopt an economic development dinate economic development op- Hope Fest last year as a way to action plan and Councilmember erations and activities to achieve grow its presence in Greenbelt Edward Putens said there should the goals and objectives of the while giving back to the com- be no more worksessions without See WORKSESSION, page 8 munity. action, but it was agreed that “We wanted to let the com- munity know – Greenbelt Police Department, Franklin Square Apartments – that we are here to Summer Help Program Vital serve them,” said Sergio Chavez, PHOTO BY CHRIS ROGERS-SPATUZZI BY PHOTO the lead pastor at Hope Center. To Public Works, Participants Pastor Sergio Chavez, who organized MyHopeFest, stands smiling “It just came about with a group at his event. from the church saying ‘How can by Jason Martin we partner with the community Food, carnival entertainment, School. Hope Center, a non- to just have a day for them?’” In the 1970s free backpacks, school supplies denominational church that meets Last year, more than 400 peo- the City of and more highlighted the second at Greenbelt Middle School, put ple came to the event, and the Greenbelt De- annual MyHopeFest on Saturday, on this free event. church gave out 500 free meals partment of Pub- August 18 at Greenbelt Middle More than 800 people came and 250 backpacks. However, lic Works initi- the church was just nine months ated a summer old at the time and not very well help program. Fed SNAP Payment SNAFU known, Chavez said, so they This program hoped that their second year provided tem- Threatens Market Program would be even more successful. porary employ- Chavez and other members ment for quali- by Cathie Meetre of Hope Center’s congregation fied individuals began intensively planning and through the early In recent months, an impend- farmers market SNAP payments prepping for this year’s My Hope 1980s. The Sum- ing federal contracting gaffe has was recompeted by USDA and Fest six months ago. The goal mer Help Pro- remained unresolved, threatening won by a new company that does gram was re-es- the ability of farmers markets, not support the cellular technol- See HOPEFEST, page 7 tablished in 2015 including Greenbelt’s, to con- ogy used now. Although this and has been in tinue to process SNAP payments situation has been imminent for operation ever (SNAP is the Department of Ag- some time, causing uncertainty since. Several riculture food subsidy program among farmers markets nation- What Goes On current Public often referred to as food stamps). ally, the federal government has Works employ- MARTIN JASON BY PHOTO Happily, though, decisive action not provided any alternative. Monday, August 27 ees started their Michael Adegbenro, one of the Summer Help by New York State has averted Making SNAP payments at 7:30 p.m. Swearing in of careers as sum- staff, assists the various crews during the sum- disaster for now. The modern farmers markets is complicated new Police Chief Rick Bow- mer help staff. mer months when the Department of Public SNAP program uses a chip-based by the fact that the markets gen- ers, Municipal Building The program is Works has its highest demand on personnel. card system, just like regular erally do not have the sophisti- Wednesday, August 29 vital to the de- debit cards, with a password cated online systems that grocery 8 p.m. Council Worksession partment accomplishing its mis- est demand on personnel. Given that must be validated by online stores have in place. They have with Beltsville Agricultural sion. the temporary nature of summer processing when the card is pre- come to rely on Novo Dia’s so- Research Center, Greenbriar Summer help staff assist vari- help positions and the time frame sented. lution, which utilizes electronic Community Building ous crews during the months The contract for processing See SUMMER HELP, page 4 See SNAP, page 4 when Public Works has its high- Page 2 GREENBELT NEWS REVIEW Thursday, August 23, 2018 Letters to the Editor Come March with Us Take a Stand More on Fire Safety Please join Moms Demand I am not a resident of Green- I want to offer some com- Action for Gun Sense in America belt. I do, however, have a vested ments on the August 16 story, on Monday, September 3 at the interest in what goes on there “Simple Tips for Preventing, Es- Labor Day Festival Parade – 10 because I care about the people caping a Residential Fire.” a.m. to noon. Check in at the who live there, take part in social It is indeed dangerous to use corner of Ivy and Lastner Lanes activities and have been actively an appliance cord or extension at 9:15 a.m. to be in position involved with Greenbelt People cord that is damaged; however, by 9:45 a.m. Sign up to join Power. it is dangerous to run any cord us by emailing Joani Horchler From the beginning of this under a rug, or pinched between at [email protected] or grassroots group, we have active- furniture and a wall. [email protected]. Everyone ly tried to engage both the police A less-important misstatement wear red. Kids welcome. department and the city council asserted that smoke alarms are Kathie Flamm in discussion of best practices needed in living rooms or dining when dealing with immigrants. rooms. Depending on how close Conversation Club? We are talking about immigrants a dining room location is to a with both legal and non-legal kitchen, locating a smoke alarm Club de conversación status because we believe that there may result in nuisance Quiero agradecerles por pensar if someone lives in Greenbelt, alarms. It’s far more important en las personas que vivimos en they are residents of Greenbelt to install smoke alarms in each Greenbelt y hablamos español. Yo and deserve protection by the bedroom, and outside sleeping - Greenbelt News Review, July 16, 2016 tengo dos años viviendo en este police. We also believe that the areas, so that smoke doesn’t have país, madre de dos niños cuya guidelines of Brian Frosh are best to get past bedroom doors before limitación para conseguir trabajo (e.g., not detaining anyone unless the alarms go off. es el inglés, el cual puedo leerlo they have committed a crime The basic smoke alarm infor- Se Habla Español porque mi gramática se encuentra and not holding anyone for ICE mation, and the related pointers, Vaya a nuestra página web greenbeltnewsreview.com en un nivel intermedio alto pero without a judicial warrant). This can be freely accessed in the para ver artículos en español mi pronunciación si requiere de would avoid becoming involved National Fire Alarm and Signal- mucha práctica.