Wednesday, June 2, 2010
District V Coffee Club
Coffee
& Conversation
with Lieutenant Governor Anthony G. Brown
DISTRICT V COFFEE CLUB
Lt. gov. questioned on delayed road improvements
by Zoe Tillman | Staff Writer
Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown (D) told members of the District 5 Coffee Club on June 2 that the state's long-promised road improvements to sections of Route 223 and Pennsylvania Avenue are still on hold due to lack of funds.
"The harsh reality is ... we don't have the revenue to start new construction in the state of Maryland," he said during the community association's weekly meeting at the Safeway in Clinton.
But Brown pledged to follow up with the Department of Transportation on the status of south county road improvements at the request of Coffee Club co-facilitators Dorothy Carolyn Lowe and Catherine Taggart-Ross, both of whom live in Clinton.
"We're congested down here ... we need help," Taggart-Ross told Brown during the meeting. She is also a candidate for the District 9 seat of the Prince George's County Council.
Brown told the more than 30 residents who attended the meeting that he was aware congestion and road quality have worsened as south county develops. But, he said, a statewide decline in revenue since 2007 from car-related taxes, fees and tolls has forced the state to freeze spending on most new road improvement projects.
Lowe said after the meeting she was already aware of the state's inability to fund such projects, but wanted to make sure Brown keeps south county roads in mind once funding is available. Clinton residents have been push
ing for improvements to Route 223 for at least five years, Lowe said.
Transportation officials first met with residents in May 2008 to discuss ways to ease congestion and improve the quality of Route 223 between Steed Road and Branch Avenue, according to Maryland State Highway Administration records.
The estimated cost of a full study — the first of several steps before construction can begin — is listed at $598,000, according to the SHA records. As of May, the SHA's project website for Route 223 indicated that "due to the economic downturn, project funding has been deferred ... and the project is on hold."
Upper Marlboro resident Theresa Johnson also asked Brown about proposed intersection improvements near Joint Base Andrews at Pennsylvania Avenue and Suitland Parkway. Johnson said her community is "suffering" from traffic congestion and is worried that once the federal Base Realignment and Closure process is complete, traffic will become even worse. BRAC is expected to bring at least 2,700 new employees to Andrews by 2011.
Brown, who is spearheading the state's efforts to prepare for BRAC, told residents that improving the interchange "is a priority project."
"We are committed to it," he said.
According to the SHA project website, funding for the design of a new interchange is available and a plan is expected by fall 2011, but funding for construction is on hold "because of the revenue shortfalls." The estimated cost for the design and engineering stage of the Pennsylvania Avenue project is $6.9 million, according to the SHA records.
During his hour with the coffee club, Brown also spoke about continuing tax credits to encourage local businesses to hire more employees, making sure education funds are used to repair or build new schools in Prince George's County, and the state's role in policing the behavior of students at the University of Maryland, College Park.
"We were very grateful that he took the time out to come and meet with us," Lowe said.
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Monday, May 10, 2010
O'Malley: Technology, Cooperation Aided Crime Drop in Maryland
LARGO, Md. - The streets of Maryland are getting safer, although the state remains one of the most crime ridden in the country. The latest statistics show overall crime in the state is lower than its been in more than 30-years. Murders, rapes, robberies and other violent crimes all dropped last year. "We are doing a much better job than we ever have of using technology of zeroing in on the most dangerous offenders... to put them back in jail the first time they violate the terms of their parole or probation before they can murder again," said Governor Martin O'Malley (D) Maryland, as he made the announcement.
Less than 10-years ago, Maryland was number two on the list of most violent states, when it comes to crime. Now the state says it has dropped to ninth. It's a small step but for one county it's been a dramatic change. Nowhere else can you see as much improvement in fighting crime then in Prince George's County.
Since 2006, overall crime is down by a third. Police Chief Roberto Hylton called the numbers, "successful and... record breaking crime reduction in Prince George's County. "With crime at the lowest level in 35 years the state has taken a zero tolerance policy on violent repeat offenders, cleared the backlog of DNA evidence, and partnered with counties and federal law enforcement to create this turnaround."This was not accidental. Critical to our success was a partnership," said Chief Hylton.
One of those partners is the District Five Coffee Club. These everyday citizens began meeting weekly for coffee several years ago to find a way to combat crime in their own neighborhoods. "We select issues we follow through. We don't just talk, we walk. Whatever we need to do. As far as police are concerned whatever issues concerns us concerns them," said Dorothy Carolyn Lowe, one of the leaders of the District Five Coffee Club. Many of the coffee club members are also part of the District Five Citizen's Advisory Council.
It has a Judicial Watch, a group that meet with judges, prosecutors and shows up in court. All of it sends a message. "We certainly think it makes them stop and think twice about releasing someone on the street," said Walter Thaxton, who heads up the Advisory Council.
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Wednesday, April 28, 2010
DISTRICT V COFFEE CLUB
COFFEE & CONVERSATION
WITH
Delegate James Proctor
Delegate Joseph Vallario
Chief Roberto Hylton
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Saturday, April 24, 2010
CHRISTMAS In April
Police Chief Roberto L. Hylton
Chief of Police Prince George's County Police Department co-sponsors of the 22nd Annual “Christmas in April” program, part of a nonprofit organization that repairs homes for low-income and disabled homeowners at no cost to them. Since 1989, members of the PGPD have volunteered their time to help rebuild and repair homes in communities in Prince George’s County.
Thanks to all (45) Plus,VOLUNTEERS!
District V Coffee Club members, Co-Facilitators Carolyn Lowe and Catherine Taggart-Ross, Theresa Johnson, Marge and Bill Allen; VIP's member Deborah Butler,CERT's member Les Greenberg,The Maryland Master Gardener Program and the Prince George's County Alumnae Chapter (PGCAC) of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.,
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Wednesday, January 27, 2010
DISTRICT V COFFEE CLUB
COFFEE & CONVERSATION
WITH
COUNTY EXECUTIVE
JACK B. JOHNSON
During a special meeting of the District V Coffee Club on Jan. 27, Prince George's County residents challenged County Executive Jack Johnson and Police Chief Roberto Hylton to bring down truancy rates, create jobs and direct more resources to neighborhoods in the county's rural areas. Johnson's and Hylton's presence at the Clinton-based community group's meeting — held at the District 5 police station in Clinton — drew a crowd of more than 50 residents from communities throughout south county. Before taking questions, Johnson credited Coffee Club facilitator and Clinton community activist Dorothy Carolyn Lowe with organizing the event.
http://www.gazette.net/stories/02032010/clinnew165051_32552.php
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District V
Welcomes! New Commander
Maj. Craig Howard hopes to partner with
recently developed communities
by Zoe Tillman | Staff Writer
CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON/THE GAZETTE
Maj. Craig Howard, recently named the new commander of Prince George's County police District 5, said his top priority for managing the county's largest police district is building on existing partnerships with community members and bringing the new developments springing up around south county into the fold.
Howard, a 20-year veteran of the Prince George's County Police Department, was promoted Jan. 24 after serving as the district's second-in-command since 2007. He has served as acting major since former district commander Maj. David Morris left Dec. 10 to be commander of the county police academy's training division. "I'm excited, I'm ready to hit the ground running," Howard said.
A native of Atlanta, Howard joined that city's police force in 1987. He moved to Prince George's County in 1989 to take a job with District 2 in Bowie, where he served as a patrol cop.
After spending years in the robbery, homicide and internal affairs divisions, he landed in District 5 in 2003. He worked his way up through the ranks in District 5 — which also became his home — becoming a captain and the district's assistant commander in 2007.
"The thing that stood out to me is the relationship the police have with the community, it's unique," he said, citing the many local residents who volunteer to help police and the high participation in community walks, neighborhood watch programs and other events.
Howard will oversee a force of more than 100 officers who police the 171 square miles of District 5. Since he joined the district in 2003, he said the commercial and residential growth in south county — from more urban areas like Clinton to the southeastern rural region — has created new challenges.
"With the residential development has come more traffic — it slows down any response time for officers," he said. "A lot of these roads are still two-lane, what they were 10 to 15 years ago."
Although most crime is down in District 5, he added that "the influx of people and vehicles, it gives us the opportunity to see some of the problems inside the [Capital] Beltway."
Local residents have applauded Howard's promotion, citing his regular appearances at the District V Coffee Club — a weekly forum for residents, business owners and police — and his role in setting up neighborhood watches and other community-based programs. Howard said a top priority is encouraging newer residential developments and commercial corridors to embrace programs that have brought down crime in older communities.
Upper Marlboro resident and coffee club member Barry Schlossberg, who volunteers regularly to assist District 5 police, said he and several other residents spoke to county Police Chief Roberto Hylton on Howard's behalf after learning Morris was leaving.
"I think that is a great promotion, not only for him but for the community as well," Schlossberg said. "He gets out there, he's very candid with community representatives ... by the same token he's very receptive to community feedback."
Howard's new assistant commander, Capt. Jason Bogue, comes from District 3 in Seat Pleasant where he was serving as a shift lieutenant. Bogue, who grew up in Bowie, has served in a variety of departments and districts since joining the department in 1994, but he is a newcomer to south county. "Getting to know the community, whatever their concerns are...I'm looking forward to it, it's a different challenge," he said.
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Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
Prince George's County Police
Celebrate Significant Reduction in Crime
In a press conference held on Wednesday, January 6th, 2010 County Executive Jack B. Johnson and Police Chief Roberto L. Hylton took the opportunity to acknowledge and thank the county’s law enforcement community, and local community leaders that helped bring about a reduction in crime not seen since 1975. The press conference was held at the Prince George’s County Police Department headquarters in Landover, Maryland.
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