Prince George’s Rising – July 11, 2018

Prince George’s Rising is a countywide newsletter designed to empower communities with key information and issues of concern. It is my honor to serve you on the Prince George’s County Council and now as a Democratic nominee for County Council At-Large. Over the last several years, including two years as Chairman, I have worked with my colleagues on the Council to move our County forward. With your help, we are bringing the world to Prince George’s County and putting Jobs First. For more information, please go to https://www.melfranklin.net/news/ or e-mail me at mel@melfranklin.net.

 

THANK YOU PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY!

Now that all of the votes have been counted, I want to sincerely thank the residents of our great County for our victory in the June 26th Democratic Primary!  Over 43,000 voters chose the positive message of the Jobs First movement and our campaign for one of the two Council At-Large seats.  I am humbled and honored by your support.  I would like to especially thank my campaign and volunteer supporters who poured the last eighteen months of their lives into this campaign.

Read the full ‘Thank You’ post here: https://www.melfranklin.net/thank-you-prince-georges-county/.

 

Remembering John McNamara

Talented longtime Bowie Capital Gazette Reporter John McNamara was memorialized yesterday morning at the Chapel at the University of Maryland.  John was one of the five victims in the Capital Gazette shooting in Annapolis on June 28th and was a consistent presence at the Prince George’s County Council.  We extend our deepest condolences and prayers to John’s family and to all of those affected by this tragic crime.

John McNamara’s story about the Prince George’s County FY19 budget: http://www.capitalgazette.com/bowie_bladenews/ac-bb-pg-budget-0524-story.html

Yesterday’s reflections on John’s life: https://wtop.com/prince-georges-county/2018/07/memorial-planned-for-slain-capital-gazette-sports-writer/

Congressman Anthony Brown’s Remarks About the Capital Gazette victims: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pal6Ut2e9A

 

COMMUNITY NEWS YOU CAN USE

Prince George’s County is Groundbreaking

Did you know a new state of the art hospital is under construction at the Largo Town Centre Metro Station?  Did you hear that a new federal agency is coming to Camp Springs near Branch Avenue Metro Station?  Or that major redevelopments are happening in Suitland, Clinton, and New Carrolton?  Read the news updates available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/councildistrict9office/43156781922/in/dateposted-public/

And here: https://shashoconsulting.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-landing-at-woodyard.html

 

Riverdale Park Station Bridge is Now Open

From Hyattsville Wire: ‘The new connection will allow bicyclists better access the trail system and give pedestrians the ability to more easily access a MARC Station and the College Park Metro Station.’ Full story: https://www.hyattsvillewire.com/2018/06/15/riverdale-park-station-bridge/

 

County Students Accepted Into Prestigious Internship

From the Prince George’s Sentinel: ‘Andrew Hylton from Springdale and Isaiah Lewis from Fort Washington were awarded the SECU University System of Maryland Scholarship from the newly founded SECU Maryland Foundation. They were given the scholarship at an awards ceremony at Towson University’s SECU Arena on June 13.’ Full story: http://www.thesentinel.com/pgs/news/local/item/4911-local-students-accepted-into-prestigious-internship

 

New Southern Area Recreation Center Progresses Towards 2019 Completion

The 75,000 square foot Southern Area Aquatic and Recreation Complex (SAARC) under construction in Brandywine recently celebrated its “topping off” at a ceremony traditionally held when the last beam (or its equivalent) is placed atop a structure during its construction. This facility is the county’s first new multi-generational recreation complex and is scheduled for completion in early 2019. For more info about SAARC, go here: http://www.mncppc.org/268/Southern-Area-Aquatic-Recreation-Complex

 

Topgolf Breaks Ground at National Harbor

From WTOP: ‘Dallas-based high-tech driving range, bar and restaurant chain Topgolf broke ground Friday morning on its newest Washington area location at National Harbor.  The Topgolf location, at 6400 Oxon Hill Road, is expected to open next year.  It will create about 500 new jobs in Prince George’s County, the company said.’ Full story: https://wtop.com/business-finance/2018/06/topgolf-breaks-ground-on-national-harbor-location/

 

Wise HS Graduate accepted to West Point, follows family tradition of academic excellence

From the Andrews Gazette: ‘Ehizele Akojie, affectionately known as ‘Izzy’ by his family and friends, is accomplishing major goals in his life…his most coveted accomplishment is his recent acceptance to the United States Military Academy West Point scheduled in July…the acceptance rate at West Point is 9 percent — 9 out of every 100 applicants.’ Full story: http://www.dcmilitary.com/andrews_gazette/news/mcdonald-s-employee-accepted-to-west-point-follows-family-tradition/article_4fb4dd1e-7556-5195-925f-c6fcadd0cf76.html

 

PGCPS Honors Scholarship Recipients

Last month, the Prince George’s County Board of Education honored more than 70 students receiving more than $300,000 in college scholarships from the Excellence in Education Foundation for Prince George’s County Public Schools. Full story: http://www.pgcps.org/page-3-zone.aspx?pageid=235709&id=267919

 

Longtime Local Minority IT Firm NGEN LLC Honored for Achievements

CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named accomplished technology firm NGEN, LLC, owned by Terry Speigner, to its 2018 Tech Elite top 250 list of North American companies. This annual list honors an exclusive group of North American IT solution providers that have earned the highest number of advanced technical certifications from leading technology suppliers, scaled to their company size. More info about this designation: https://www.crn.com/news/channel-programs/300101141/the-2018-crn-tech-elite-250.htm

 

Local Minority and Women-Owned Business JD Clark Professional Services LLC Receives 2018 WBJ Minority Business Award

JD Clark Professional Services, owned by Tisa JD Clark, has been honored by the Washington Business Journal as one of the Greater Washington region’s top minority business owners and leaders at its 11th Annual Minority Business Leader Awards program.  For more info, go here: https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2018/03/22/tisa-j-dclark.html

 

Local Minority and Women-Owned Business CMT Services Named One of America’s Fastest Growing Companies

CMT Services was welcomed into one of the Most Exclusive Clubs in business and was Recognized for earning a position on INC. 5000 2017 list of the Fastest Growing Companies in 2017. For the past 36 (Thirty-Six) years INC. Magazine has recognized the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. In CMT’s case, their growth over the past 3 years period has been 550%. For more info, go here: https://mdbiznews.commerce.maryland.gov/2017/08/inc-5000-names-marylands-fastest-growing-companies-2017/

 

Cybersecurity Firm, BlueVoyant, is Opening a New Office at College Park’s Discovery District

From Technical.ly DC: ‘The company, [BlueVoyant] which was founded as blueteamglobal by former Morgan Stanley COO Jim Rosenthal and ex-Thomson Reuters CEO Tom Glocer….It expects to move soon to StartupUMD@Diamondback Garage, which is part of an area designed to co-locate companies and startups and the university’s entrepreneurial resources known as the “Discovery District.”’

Full story: https://technical.ly/dc/2018/02/02/cybersecurity-firm-opening-new-office-college-parks-discovery-district/

 

The County is Modernizing its Development Laws: The Zoning Rewrite

‘In 2014, the Prince George’s County Council adopted the Plan 2035 General Plan, which prioritized an update to the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations as a critical step for our County. The goals of the Rewrite are to: (1) Streamline and simplify the regulations and development approval process; (2) Modernize and consolidate our zones and development standards; (3) Incentivize economic and transit-oriented mixed-use development; and (4) Protect and enhance stable residential neighborhoods.’ For more info, go here: https://pgccouncil.us/589/Zoning-Ordinance-Rewrite-Portal

 

OTHER IMPORTANT COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Domestic Violence Crisis Intervention – Call 211

Still I Rise, Inc. Call (301) 868-4903 or go to http://www.stillirisemd.org

Prince George’s Co. Family Justice Center/The Next Step: http://www.princegeorgescourts.org/358/Prince-Georges-County-Family-Justice-Cen

 

Employment/Workforce Training

The Training Source: http://thetrainingsource.org/

No Opportunity Wasted: http://www.nooppwasted.org/

Training Grounds Inc.: http://traininggroundsdmv.org/

Prince George’s Community College Workforce Development: https://www.pgcc.edu/Programs_and_Courses/Workforce_Development_Institutes.aspx

 

Maryland Veterans Resource Guide: http://veterans.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/04/4-12-17-Resource-Guide.pdf

 

Apply for the Homeowners/Renters Tax Credit Program

Call 1(800) 944-7403 or go to

Homeowners: http://dat.maryland.gov/realproperty/Pages/Homeowners’-Property-Tax-Credit-Program.aspx

Renters: http://dat.maryland.gov/realproperty/Pages/Renters’-Tax-Credits.aspx

 

Apply for the Homestead Tax Credit Program

Call (866) 650-8783 or go to https://sdathtc.dat.maryland.gov/default.aspx

 

How to Appeal Your Property Tax Assessment

Call (301) 952-2500 or go to http://www.dat.state.md.us/sdatweb/appeal.html

 

Free Legal Assistance: District Court (Upper Marlboro) Self-Help Legal Resource Center

Call 410-260-1392 or go to http://www.courts.state.md.us/legalhelp/districtctselfhelpctr.html

 

County-Based and Minority Business Procurement Opportunities and Certifications

Call (301) 883-6480 or go to http://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/1259/Business-Development

 

County Employment and Workforce Assistance

Call (301) 583-4650 or go to http://www.pgcedc.com/workforce-services

 

For constituent concerns, please use County Click 311: http://countyclick.princegeorgescountymd.gov or call 311

 

Request County Road Pothole Repair: http://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/1025/Potholes

 

Request State Road Pothole Repair (Roads with numbers, like MD-5, MD-4, US-1, US-301): http://www.mdot.maryland.gov/knowyourroads.html

 

Find Your Other Elected Officials:

Contact the County Executive at http://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/directory.aspx?eid=93

Find out and contact your state and federal elected officials at http://mdelect.net

 

View the Prince George’s County Code and Charter at http://www.municode.com/library/md/prince_george’s_county/codes/code_of_ordinances

Is a resource you need not here?
Check https://www.melfranklin.net or contact me at: Mel@MelFranklin.net