11 July 1996 Greenbelt News Review
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An Independent Newspaper Come On In! Our office is located in the Greenbelt Community Center. Use the entrance facing the Municipal Building, go up the inside steps to the first door on the left (Room News Review · 100). Volume 5CJ, Number 33 15 Crescent Rd., Suite 100. Greenbelt, MD 20770 Thursda). July l l, 1996 Council Seeks to Respond To BARC Office Park by Diane Oberg At its July 2 special meeting, able to obtain a copy of the the Greenbelt City Council took original county requests. Of its first steps in response to the further concern is that the plan recent approval of a U.S. De for the development doe~ not partment of Agriculture call for some needed improve (USDA) headquarters complex menls to be starled until the to be constructed on the buildings are complete and oc Beltsville Agricultural Research cupied and new traffic studies Center (BARC). Land clearing completed. In addition, the fed has already begun on the eral law only requires sufficient Sunnyside Avenue site, between road improvements to handle the railroad tracks and Tucker the new traffic generated by Road. this specific developmenl, so if The councilmembers had two roads are already inadequate, major concerns - increased traf the government only has to fic and damage to adjacent bring the roads back to the cur-· woods and wetlands. rent level of inadequacy. Little Leverage Environmental Concerns City Solicitor Robert Manzi The Maryland Department of advised council that they have the Environment will be the state little leverage regarding road "spokesman" for this project, ac Friends and family of the drowning \'ictim ing and waiting as the search continues. improvements. The federal cording to Manzi. He said that hold a long vigil at Greenbelt Lake, watch- • photo by Thelma Lorel de Mola government does not have to state officials are very concerned comply with state or county about the impact of the develop laws, such as the adequate pub ment on Beaver Dam Creek, the lic facilities test, that private floodplain and the v. oodlands. Day Turned Tragic developers must heed. In addi However, federal officials need tion, Manzi has heard that after only comply with the federal En-. a state revi.ew, the county gov vironmental Protection statute, not ernment backed off of some of with state and local laws. This At Greenbelt Lake the road improvements it had statute allows for replacement as b!· Kcrana Todorov et that can be worn) were Gary Reece, 46, of Wheaton, intended to ask federal officials the sole mitigation of wet- Questions ·1bound a lhe available on the boat, a state said he did not see the boat flip for. Manzi has not yet been ee BARCpage 10 search continues for the retrieval law requirement, although flo but rather propel itself under wa of the body of a 23-year-old man tation cushions were on board. ter and then saw the four stand who presumably drowned Mon 1 1aryland Natural Resources ing up in the boat. Reece said Greenbelters Celebrate day at around I :30 p.m. in Police (M R) are inve tigating he was sitting at a picnic table Greenbelt Lake The mi sing any violation of state laws near the concession stand. Bang-up Fourth of July man, 0\\ ayne Williams, "as a dealing with boat safety. MNR "There was no jumping splash, Guide Program Inc. counselor at poke man Richard McIntire that kind of thing," and the boat by Heather Elizabeth Peterson with 1he egg! .. ), the first toss a group home for homeless teen said the boat was about 60 may have eventually flipped This year's Independence was made, and the successful agers tn Riverdale. He was at the yards from shore, in an area "'hen they struggled to stay on Day celebrations were cool, participanls shouted w11h glee. bow of the jonboat operated by where !he water is 12 to 15 board, Reece said Tuesday at the crowded, and colorful. As Hofberg waved the partici the owners of the private conces feet deep. park. He said he then saw the usual, Greenbelters and visitors pants back one step. Jimmy, sion stand al Anick Park. For reasons th-at are still un four people in the water and from outside the city had the who was wearing a tee-shirt la The opaator of the conces ·ion clear, McIntire said, the boat at thought they appeared to be able opportunity to attend a picnic at belled "America," warmed up stand, Thomas Johnson, of full throttle started taking on to swim. American Legion Post 136 and his throwing arm, prompting Lanham. also employed at Guide, \\aler at !he bow. The opera A short while later, however, a firework display at Greenbelt Bridget to protest. "Mom, was manning the 12-loot boat tor of the motorized boat ap Reece said they started calling Lake. Jimmy's pretending like he's powered by a 7 .5-hor ·epower paren1ly then tried to head for help. Reece said he swam American Legion going to throw it in my face!" motor. Two teenagers trom the back to shore \\, hen the boat out to the group, pushing a Harley-Davidson bikers At the other end of the lawn. group home 'A-ere also on the stopped, causing the bow to jonboat. but by the ttme he got rubbed shoulders with men in horseshoes clanged, hot dogs boat. drop suddenly, flip, lhrowing there he only saw three people in POW-MIA lee-shirts at the af sizzled on the grill, and Okla Reportedly, no approved per the occupants overboard, the the water. Reece said he held ternoon Legion celebration. homa sang, "One for the sonal floatation devices (life 3ack- spokesm:m said. the boat still while one of the While the band Oklahoma paid money, two for the show ..." teenagers climbed on board. tribute to the United States by The eggs were tossed again. Johnson and the other 1eenager singing "God Bless Texas," "They must be darn hard were hanging onto his boat. Sam Hofberg wandered around eggs!" commented one mother The Boat the lawn holding a cardboard as it began to look as though A closer look at the jonboat box labelled "Eggs." the egg_-tossers would have to that held the missing man "Any little kids want to take Sec FIREWORKS page 12 showed ducktape on the bottom, part in the egg toss?" he asked, near !he bow. McIntire said this looking around the lawn filled appeared to be unacceptable with children riding ponies or maintenance practice. There was bouncing in the Star-Walk . .ilso no visible registration sticker Then, glancing back at the boys or license number on the side of already lined up in pairs, he the boat. He .iid th,1t the maxi added plaintively, "Any little mum capacity of the boat is 300 girls \\ ant to take part in the Sec TRAGEDY page 16 egg toss?" In the end, he was able to What Goes On round up an assortmenl of ea Sunday, July 14, 1 p.m. ger participanls, both boys and United States Anny Band Con girls. At the end of the line, cert, Buddy Altick Park. Bridget Brennan told a by Wednesday, July 17, 8 stander, "Jimmy will probably p.m. Council Worksession on lose on the first throw." Cherrywood Lam;. , Her partner, Jimmy Tuesday, J uly 23, 2 p.m. Campbell, appeared to share her State a nd county agencies have been searching the bottom of the Meeting with environmental sentiment, for he insisted that lake with every mea ns a\'ailable. groups to discuss USDA Build Bridget make the first toss. As mothers on the sidelines - photo by Sharon Natoli ing. Council room. • photo by Ned McFadden shouted helpful hints ("Fall Page2 . GREEMHt:'f.NEWS f'El/lEW Thursday, Jwy U, 1996 Bike Lanes and Beautification Recreation Review Summer Playgrounds On fednesday, July 17, the city council will review the Advisory The Maryland-National Capi Planning Board's proposal for Cherrywood Lane. The plan would tal Park and Planning Commis eliminate two existing traffic Janes and limit parking to only one sidl1 sion, in cooperation with the of the street at Springhill Lake in order to provi~ for bicycle lanes. Gre·enbelt Recreation Depart Apparently the councilmembers support the proposal. We urge council ment, provides summer play There Are Changes to consider these issues before talcing action to proceed with the pro ground programs throughout In the Wind posal. Greenbelt. These free programs Future Development. Until decisions are finalized on the many Recycling changes are in the will be held at Greenbelt El wind. Residents may be aware pending development proposal~ for the Greenbelt West-Metro Station ementary School, Springhill area, we think it is foolhardy to reduce existing road capacity. Plan that the City has a new recycling Lake Recreation Center and at ning is now underway on the Transit District Overlay Zone that in collection contractor, AB Consoli Schrom Hills Park. Summer cludes the Greenbelt Metro Station and the unincorporated A.H. Smith dated. This company has been Playgrounds provide a variety property. Tht;re are proposals for extensive development using air working on the best collection of structured and supervised ac method for Greenbelt. Specifi rights above the Metro parking lots · We are not gung ho for more tivities for children 6 - 12 years development but those who think that eliminating adequate roadways cally, the mixed paper is being of age. They are operated on a collected in one truck The glass, will prevent this development are sticl<lng their heads in the sand. drop-in basis with participants Great Fireworks! Bicycle Safety.