Furloughed Workers Recalled To Clear Buildings at Goddard
The shutdown is supposed to pause all non-essential work by government employees but while NASA usually furloughs 80 to 90 percent of its workers, Greenbelt’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) continues to hum with activity, including executing controversial directives critics say are illegal. Clearing of buildings on the campus and “divesting” of labs and equipment […]
Frankie Fritz Elected; Rodney Roberts Ends 34 Years on Council
On Tuesday, November 4, Greenbelt elected the next city council. Challenger Frankie Fritz has earned a seat on council, knocking incumbent Rodney Roberts from the seat he has held for 34 years. Preliminary results show Fritz, who campaigned hard, garnered more votes than three incumbents: Roberts, Silke Pope and Amy Knesel. Emmett Jordan was again […]
City Council Discusses ICE, Hateful Flyers, Transportation, Art Funding
The Greenbelt City Council convened Monday, October 27 to discuss their responses to reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, anti-immigrant flyers found in Greenbelt, and Maryland’s Consolidated Transportation Plan and to approve funding for art programs in the city. ICE Activities Councilmember Jenni Pompi introduced a statement from council in […]
Consultant Presents Draft Plan For City’s Historic Cemeteries
On October 20 Carolyn Gimbal, senior architectural historian from Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson (JMT) returned to a Greenbelt City Council worksession to give the results of her firm’s survey of Greenbelt’s three historic cemeteries and to present a draft Maintenance and Improvement Plan. She had presented an initial plan at the July 23 worksession, covered […]
Rodney M. Roberts
Election 2025 City Council Candidate Bios The News Review has received this biography from incumbent Rodney M. Roberts. Candidate biographies are prepared by the candidates and published in the order they are received by the paper. Rodney M. Roberts Rodney M. Roberts, 67, is a lifelong Greenbelter. A 1975 graduate of the National Technical Institute, […]
Community Shows Support For Greenbelt News Review
Thanks to the generosity of our readers, the News Review has exceeded our donation drive goal of $25,000. Last week we were on the threshold and a large donation (from someone who wishes to remain anonymous) pushed us well above our goal. The total as of October 28 is $31,206.33. The outpouring of support from […]
Federally Employed Greenbelters Miss Their First Full Paycheck
It’s been four weeks since the federal government shutdown ‒ 22 work days at publication time. For many Greenbelters who are federal workers, that means one fully missed paycheck and one partial one. “Disorienting” was how one Greenbelt resident who works for NASA described the experience of being furloughed. It’s his fourth furlough since 2010. […]
Standpipe Issues of Lead, Noise Arise at Council Worksession
At its October 15 worksession, Greenbelt City Council heard a Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) report on renovation of the current standpipe (also referred to as the water tower) at Lastner Lane and Ridge Road. With preliminaries complete and a contractor on board, WSSC now expects to move ahead in November. The tower dates from […]
Hundreds Turn Out in Greenbelt For No Kings Nationwide Protest
A massive crowd gathered in front of the Municipal Building on October 18 at 2 p.m. to protest the actions of the Trump administration. This second No Kings protest was similar to the first No Kings protest in June, which was scheduled for the same day as the U.S. Army parade on President Donald Trump’s […]
Editorial: Removing the 40% Threshold For Council Election Alarming
Question 1 on the ballot for the upcoming city election is predominantly about ranked choice voting but also removes from the City’s Charter the requirement that candidates must win 40 percent of the vote to be elected. If Question 1 passes, it will take just 12.5 percent of the voters putting a candidate as their […]