Council Appoints Amy Knesel
On January 24, during a special meeting, Greenbelt City Council voted to appoint Amy Knesel to fill the open council seat. Interviews with five candidates for the seat had been held the night before. Knesel has lived in Greenbelt since 2013 and been an active volunteer in the community since then. She spearheaded the Greenbelt […]
Plan to Move Dora Kennedy School Surprises Principal, Community
On January 10, the Greenbelt City Council held a worksession with Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) Superintendent Millard House II and several members of his team (see article on page 6 for more on the worksession). That evening House and his team shared news that the county has a plan to move Dora Kennedy […]
Co-op Supermarket Asks Members To Fully Vest; Gillotte Explains
The Greenbelt Co-op Supermarket and Pharmacy is asking members to invest $100 in the co-operative. It’s a return to the original intention of members investing at this level, says General Manager Dan Gillotte. There are now signs in the Co-op and cashiers have begun to ask customers if they would like to add $10 to […]
Council Holds Second Listening Session on Vacant Council Seat
On Saturday, December 30, Greenbelt City Council held its second listening session on the topic of the vacant council seat (see the December 28, 2023, issue for more on the first session). There were approximately 30 people in the audience at the Greenbriar Community Center, just under half from Greenbelt East. Only half of current […]
Shop With A Cop Brings Holiday Cheer to Greenbelt Children
On Saturday, December 16, Greenbelt Police Officers spent the morning shopping at Target with preselected students from Springhill Lake Elementary and Greenbelt Elementary schools for their annual Shop With A Cop event. They met at Target at 8:30 a.m. and kicked off the day with hot chocolate and cookies. The children were given a budget […]
City Mourns Sudden Death Of Councilmember Ric Gordon
Early Sunday morning Councilmember Ric Gordon died suddenly, at home. He was 41 years old. “The sudden passing of Ric Gordon is a great loss to the Greenbelt community, Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland,” said Mayor Emmett Jordan. “Ric Gordon was very passionate about Greenbelt, politics and his important role as a […]
First Woman of Color and New Majority-Woman Council Elected
At approximately 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday night, after a protracted wait for results, the winners of the race for Greenbelt city council were announced. It will include two new members, both women – Danielle McKinney and Jennifer Pompi – making for a majority-woman council. All incumbents maintained their seats, with Emmett Jordan and Kristin Weaver […]
Sell-Out Theatrical Production Includes Much Greenbelt Talent
The nonprofit 2nd Star Productions is an all-volunteer run community theater that performs out of the Bowie Playhouse in Whitemarsh Park, producing three or four plays a year. Currently they are performing the musical Matilda, which is proving a sell-out success, and one replete with Greenbelt connections, including the actors, musicians and producers. Katie Riegel, […]
School Funding Halted Amid MOU, County Council Pressures
Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) have been proudly touting the Public Private Partnership (or P3) they are using to build new schools rapidly and utilizing private funds as a model for the nation. The Blueprint Schools Phase One wrapped up this month with ribbon cuttings for six new schools. The approval to proceed to […]
Lead Levels May Mean Greenbelt Schools Remain on Bottled Water
Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) seeks to turn all school fountains back on – after closing them for two years during Covid – but some have been shut off since long before the pandemic due to issues of lead. When board members spoke with the capital improvements and building services leaders at the May […]