The Pri nce Ge orge’s Pos t OMMUNITY EWSPAPER FOR RINCE EORGE S OUNTY SINCE A C N P G ’ C 1932 Vol. 88, No. 16 April 16 — April 22, 2020 Prince George’s County, Maryland Newspaper of Record Phone: 301-627-0900 25 cents County Executive Alsobrooks Signs Executive Order Nathaniel Richardson, Jr. Requiring Face Coverings For Patrons in Grocery Stores Named President and CEO of The Executive Order Also Requires “TheBus” Transit Riders To Wear Face Coverings UM Capital Region Health By JANIA MATTHEWS By GINA FORD, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR customers who need these essential services, it is critical that each Office of the County Executive, Prince George’s County person does their part to cover their faces and minimize their ex - University of Maryland posure to others.” Capital Region Health LANDOVER, Md. (April 11, 2020)—Prince George’s County Ex - this Executive Order [took] effect Wednesday, April 15, ecutive Angela Alsobrooks announced today that she will sign an 2020 . The order will also require that grocery stores, pharmacies CHEVERLY , Md. (April 10, Executive Order requiring all patrons shopping in County grocery and large retailers promote social distancing inside and outside of 2020)—Nathaniel “Nat” Richard - stores, pharmacies and large chain retail establishments to wear the stores while customers wait. son Jr. has been named the new masks or face coverings to enter. The order also requires individuals “These steps will be critical to help us flatten the curve and President and Chief Executive Of - who ride “TheBus”, Prince George’s County’s bus transit system, prevent the spread of COVID-19,” said Prince George’s County ficer for University of Maryland to also wear masks or face coverings onboard. Health Officer Earnest Carter. “We know there are people with the Capital Region Health (UM Cap - “The safety and wellbeing of all Prince Georgians during this virus who are walking around and showing no symptoms, and ital), effective May 18. After a pandemic is my top priority,” said Alsobrooks. “For the protection these actions will prevent them from spreading it to others. Consider national search, Richardson was PHOTO COURTESY UM CAPITAL REGION HEALTH of employees who work in these establishments, as well as the it an act of love.” selected to lead UM Capital in its continued efforts to transform recently, he served as President of health care in Prince George’s Decatur Morgan Hospital near County—a transformation that in - Huntsville, Alabama. While in this PGCMLS Expands Virtual Programs: Lineup Now cludes a focus on providing state- role, Richardson was charged with of-the-art clinical care with com - bringing three competitor hospi - Includes Weekly Spanish Language and StEM Programs passion and community tals together to form Decatur Mor - leadership while meeting the gan, a large regional system By DONNA SCOTT-MARTIN highest standards of patient safety. within the Huntsville Hospital PGCMLS “Nat will lead the organization Health System. Since 2005 at a pivotal time in its history. UM Richardson served in multiple ex - LARGO , Md. (April 9, Capital Region Health continues ecutive roles within this Health 2020)—The Prince George’s on its journey to provide compas - System and his executive over - County Memorial Library Sys - sionate, high-quality, patient and sight has included all major serv - tem (PGCMLS) is pleased to family-centered care, demonstrate ice lines and divisions. expand opportunities for the its commitment to the communi - “I am very humbled and hon - community to engage with the ties it serves, transition to its new ored to have been selected to join Library from home through vir - flagship hospital in Largo, and University of Maryland Capital tual programs. While the Li - transform the Health and Wellness Region Health as President and brary has offered free virtual Campus in Laurel.” says Mohan CEO,” says Richardson. I was programs throughout the Suntha, MD, MBA, President and drawn to the passionate commit - COVID-19 emergency, there is Chief Executive Officer, Univer - ment from executive leadership, now more content than ever be - sity of Maryland Medical System. medical staff, the Board of Direc - fore with up to 60 programs on “I have every confidence that Nat tors and others who are laser fo - offer every week. Regular will deliver on his charge to ex - cused on providing high-quality IMAGE COURTESY PGCMLS weekly programs for children pand the vision and strategy for patient and family centered are available in English, Span - UM Capital that will propel the healthcare to residents in Prince ish, and American Sign Lan - from local government to discuss resources smuggled into slavery. Made possible organization into a bright future George’s County and the sur - guage. Adult and teen programs include and current issues, ranging from Census to by the PGCMLS Foundation. Check out for its employees, patients and the rounding area. I am ready to part - the weekly Community Conversation se - Small Business Resources, in Prince the eBook or audiobook at pgcmls. community.” ner with staff, community leaders, ries with PGCMLS CEO Roberta Phillips, George’s County and the DMV area. The overdrive.com. Richardson is a native of and elected officials to help the National Poetry Month event featuring lo - program is hosted by Vilma Sandoval-Sall, On tuesday, April 28 at 7 p.m. , Houston Texas with over 34 years organization reach its fullest po - cal poet and Board of Library Trustees English Language Learner Program Coor - Michelle Hamiel (COO of Support Serv - of healthcare experience. Most tential.” member Hiram Larew, and a wide range dinator, PGCMLS. ices, PGCMLS) and Kyla Hanington of author and book discussion events. All The Library continues to commemorate (Prince George’s County Human Relations University of Maryland Capital of the Library’s virtual programs are listed National Poetry Month this program, Poetry Commission) will lead a discussion of at pgcmls.info/virtual-events. Virtual of Hope: An Open Mic-Online Poetry Read - Verna Myers’ “What if I Say the Wrong Region Health Announces events produced by the Library are broad - ing, hosted by Hiram Larew, local poet and Thing?: 25 Habits for Culturally Effective cast on Crowdcast, with select additional PGCMLS Board of Library Trustees member People.” Check out the eBook at Progress on Temporary Expansion streams to Facebook, YouTube, and on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at 7 p.m. The pgcmls.overdrive.com. Periscope. event is an open virtual gathering for local PGCMLS CEO Roberta Phillips’ weekly Of UM Laurel Medical Center The Library’s virtual programs fre - poets and spoken word artists to share their Community Conversation series ( thurs - System engaged in exhaustive preparation to quently feature special guests from partner work and connect with each other. days at 4 p.m. ) provides opportunities for organizations like Joe’s Movement Empo - PGCMLS and the Old Greenbelt Theatre the community to hear from local leaders increase bed, staff, equipment capacity— rium, the Prince George’s County Police are partnering to present the longstanding about the resources available to them during adapting to COVID-19 pandemic Department, the Prince George’s County Storytime on Screen series as a live virtual the public health emergency. Each discus - By JANIA MATTHEWS Larry Hogan and in close part - Human Relations Commission, the Prince event on the second and fourth Mondays sion features an open question and answer University of Maryland nership with the Maryland De - George’s County Office of Community Re - of each month at 10:30 a.m. ([began] April session. The guest speaker on Thursday, Medical System partment of Health (MDH), the lations, the Laurel Police Department, and 13). The program is hosted by Heather Jack - April 9 [was] Renée Battle-Brooks, Exec - University of Maryland Medical the City of Bowie. son, West Area Manager, PGCMLS. utive Director, Prince George’s County Hu - CHEVERLY, Md. (April 9, System (UMMS) and UM Cap - Spanish language virtual programs are The inaugural Authors for Truth event man Relations Commission. 2020)—The University of Mary - ital Region Health are currently now available on a weekly basis. They in - (Dr. Richard Bell on “Stolen”), which was New virtual events are added on a daily land Capital Region Health to - in the process of temporarily ex - clude Biblioniños, a biweekly Spanish read- previously postponed due to the COVID- basis. Virtual programs from trusted ex - day announced progress on the panding UM Laurel Medical aloud program for children ages 2 –5, and a 19 emergency, will be offered as a live vir - ternal organizations, such as the Cincin - opening of the temporary expan - Center in order to meet patient bilingual English/Spanish read-aloud on tual event on tuesday, April 21 at 7 p.m. nati Zoo & Botanic Garden and the sion of UM Laurel Medical Cen - demand. At the current rate of Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Beginning on tues - “Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Houston Children’s Museum, are listed ter and provided additional de - progress, it is expected that the day, April 21 at 4 p.m. , the Library will Slavery and their Astonishing Odyssey tails on the future use of the offer a weekly “Café a las cuatro” series of Home” (2019) is a gripping and true story facility in response to COVID- discussions in Spanish with special guests about five boys who were kidnapped and See PGCMLS VIRtUAL Page A2 19. At the direction of Governor See UM LAUREL Page A6 • Read through several existing dispelled. Maryland Coronavirus (COVID-19) Rumor Control Page Launches rumors and find the correct in - - Ask a question. Empowers Marylanders to Call Out False Information, Promote Facts formation in a variety of top - - See a digest of trusted ics, including sources and see their latest By PRESS OFFICER to COVID-19, MEMA stood up and we want Maryland residents - The Novel Coronavirus and and most relevant social Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) its Joint Information Center to to be able to participate in the the disease it causes, media posts in real time.