City Council Nominations Open Monday; Noncitizens May Run
On Monday, August 18, the period in which to file as a candidate for Greenbelt City Council will begin. Any qualified voter who is at least 18 years of age is eligible to run. Beginning this year, that includes noncitizens. All-Resident Voting In the last election the question of allowing noncitizens who meet residency requirements […]
Seasonal Ground Bees Emerge In Greenbelt, Not Aggressive
Last week we heard from a resident about how ground bees were being treated in Greenbelt, after seeing workers spray a nest with RAID. “While their sudden appearance may have caused alarm, most ground bees are native, nonaggressive pollinators that pose little to no risk to the public,” said the reader. “Unlike wasps or hive bees, ground bees are solitary […]
Former Superintendent’s Payout From PGCPS Totals $877,578.70
Former Superintendent Millard House II received a payout from Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) of $877,578.70, almost $150,000 more than previously known or estimated by news reports. On July 24, the News Review reported that House must have received at least $733,992, which we calculated based on our projections of 24 months of his […]
Fields, Basements Flooded With Intense Runoff to Lake
Extreme weather has continued in Greenbelt over the last week. On Thursday, July 17, an excessive heat warning was issued for our area and the city advised residents of the availability of cooling centers at the Library, Community Center, Municipal Building, Youth Center and Police Station. Then, two days later the city was under a […]
Goddard Director Resigns Amid Space Center’s Uncertain Future
On Monday, July 21, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s (GSFC) Center Director Mackenzie Lystrup announced in a message to colleagues that she will be “stepping aside.” The final day for Lystrup, who joined GSFC in April 2023, will be August 1. The announcement comes as NASA faces the prospect of deep cuts should President Trump’s […]
Superintendent’s Total Severance Tops $733,992 but by How Much?
After 30 days exactly, the maximum time allowable by law, the Office of the General Counsel of Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) responded to the Greenbelt News Review’s Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) request for details of the separation and compensation paid or owed to Former Superintendent Millard House II. PGCPS’ counsel responded by […]
Deep Cuts to NASA Goddard Face Bipartisan Opposition in Congress
President Trump’s budget request would drastically cut NASA – including a 50 percent cut to NASA Science that would remove nearly half (48 percent) of the approximately 1,700 civil servants at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), warned Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association (GESTA), the union representing GSFC federal workers. There appears to be broad […]
A Co-operative Pharmacy Battles Big Chains, Vaccine Skepticism
Recently government officials from the city of and county of San Francisco reached out to Greenbelt, which is home to the nation’s only co-operative pharmacy, searching for alternative business models and ways the government can support independent pharmacies. Counties nationwide are beginning to confront a growing problem of “pharmacy deserts,” areas where residents lack easy […]
PGCPS Superintendent Pushed Out; Controversial Interim Appointed
On Thursday, June 12, Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) Board of Education met in closed session to discuss the future of Superintendent Millard House II, a meeting precipitated by a vote of no confidence by the Prince George’s County Educators Association (PGCEA) (see page 6 of the June 12 issue). That closed-door meeting resulted […]
Council Discusses Annexation Opportunities in Closed Session
On May 27 Greenbelt City Council met in closed session in council chambers to discuss the topic of annexation. Present for that meeting were city councilmembers, City Manager Josué Salmerón, Planning Director Terri Hruby and the city’s solicitor Todd Pounds (attending virtually). City staff and councilmembers are prohibited from commenting on items from an executive […]