Government

Prince George’s County youth nonprofit grant program expands roster

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Editor’s note: Please see the correction notice after the article. A Prince George’s County youth career and college training program has added to its roster of participating nonprofits. The program, dubbed the Ready for Work Nonprofit Capacity Building Initiative, is a six-year, $15 million effort by Venture Philanthropy Partners. The program’s goal is to build networks of community-based organizations that can help provide or supplement social services. The money will be split into “mini-grants” between four Prince George’s County nonprofits on a project-by-project, each selected through a competitive bid process and specifically focused on providing high school students with academic achievement, high school completion, post-secondary preparation, career readiness and healthy behaviors. 

They newly selected nonprofits are:

The Training Source, College and Career Pathways, Inc., Liberty’s Promise and Community Youth Advance

They join last year’s recipients First Generation College Bound, Foundation for the Advancement of Music and Education, Inc. (FAME), Joe’s Movement Emporium and End Time Harvest Ministries.

News
The modernist facade of Prince George's County's Administration Building in Upper Marlboro.

Required Reading: Graduation scandal fades; Potential obstacle for Hogan’s highway appears

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Remember that graduation scandal in Prince George’s County? Pepperidge Farms remembers. Plus, senators raise objections to Chinese Metro car bid, lawmakers try to slow controversial plans to widen the Beltway, and a big project in Bowie advances. Graduation scandal eases as Prince George’s school system gets praise from state -The Washington Post

Justin M. Hartings, president of the Maryland State Board of Education, lauded the work of officials from Prince George’s County as they appeared Tuesday before the board to discuss a second audit of graduation-related practices. US Senators fear Chinese-made metro rail cars could be used for surveillance – ZDNet

“We have serious concerns about similar activity happening here in our nation’s capital, particularly when it could involve foreign governments that have explicitly sought to undermine our country’s economic competitiveness and national security.”

Economic Development
The exterior of the central dome of the U.S. Capitol is seen from below, its spire receding into a partly-cloudy sky.

Required Reading: More shutdown woes; MoCo’s economy slows; Lessons from St. Jerome go national

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We take another trip on the shutdown misery express courtesy of WAMU, Washington Business Journal reports on Montgomery County’s changing economic fortunes, and a profile of a former St. Jerome educator now making waves in the national Catholic education scene. All this, and more news and views for Prince George’s County residents in our Jan. 23, 2019 edition of Required Reading! Shut Down The Shutdown: Black Federal Workers In Prince George’s County Speak Out – WAMU

“When Lomax arrived for the afternoon session, he joined the many who lined up at various tables to collect free boxed lunches and groceries.

Government
A line of slot machines recedes into the distance at a casino.

Required Reading: Lawmakers scrambling on gambling; Beltsville murder; Meet the Tiafoes;

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Required Reading is a simple, daily roundup of news coverage relevant to Prince George’s County and its Route 1 communities. In our Jan. 22, 2019, edition: A murder in Beltsville, an introduction to Prince George’s newest athletic superstar, and a rundown on how Maryland legislators plan to tackle gambling. Man dies of stab wounds in Beltsville, police say – The Washington Post

“Another man was taken into custody in connection with the stabbing. Police said they believe it was a domestic incident, but the nature of the relationship between the two was still unclear.”

Government
An overhead-view of a large, suburban intersection. Crosswalks exist on three of the four sides of the intersection.

Required Reading: Another pedestrian killed in Prince George’s County

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In our Jan. 17, 2019 edition, WTTG brings us a tragic, brief story of a pedestrian fatality in Prince George’s County’s notoriously dangerous south-county roadways. The Hyattsville Life & Times gets you up to speed on DeMatha hoops, and more after the jump. Motorist kills pedestrian near Prince George’s Beltway interchange – WTTG

“Investigators say the man was in the roadway when he was hit near the intersection of Central Avenue and Hampton Park Boulevard in Capitol Heights.” (Editor’s note, see photo above for streetscape context.

Commercial Real Estate

Remapping Prince George’s: Council tackles zoning overhaul

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Prince George’s County officials hope to release a draft version of a new zoning map for the county by the end of 2019. If all goes according to a timeline laid out by Prince George’s County planning officials, the county could have its new zoning ordinance in effect by early 2020. 

These zoning, land-use and development rules regulate what, where and how any land can be used or developed in Prince George’s County. These regulations cover such things as the distance buildings must be set back from the road and the development review process. The county’s currently-effective set of zoning regulations dates back more than 50 years. over time they have become a confusing, tangled mess, stitched together with decades-worth of zoning amendments.

News

Required Reading: 4th murder; Tire Place goes flat; Casinos booming

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Required Reading is a simple, daily roundup of news coverage relevant to Prince George’s County and its Route 1 communities. In our Jan. 10, 2019, edition: Prince George’s County sees fourth homicide of the year; A tire store closes in the heart of rapidly redeveloping downtown Hyattsville, plus more stories below:

Prince George’s County marks 4th homicide this year- The Washington Post

Tire Place shuts down for good – The Hyattsville Life & Times

DC woman wins thousands at MGM, and loses it all over casino typo – WTTG

Judge rules man accused of burning Bowie city cars can’t stand trial -Capital Gazette

Baltimore’s Horseshoe Casino posts only revenue decline among Maryland casinos in December – Baltimore Business Journal

Education funding, minimum wage at forefront of 2019 Maryland legislative session -The Washington Informer