Route 1 Reporter (https://route1reporter.com/category/news/prince-georges-county/page/2/)
A small Eastern Shore Maryland ZIP code has the highest per-capita rate of confirmed coronavirus infections in the past two weeks, underscoring how the virus continues to spread across urban and rural communities alike.
The Prince George’s County Planning Board gave its blessing to three notable detailed development plans at its May 7, 2020, meeting, including 260 apartments at Woodmore Commons in Glenarden, a 362,880 square-foot electrical products supplier warehouse and office in Westphalia, and yet another WaWa, this one in Capitol Heights. Also, the Planning Board approved preliminary plans for a Purple-Line adjascent mixed-use project in East Riverdale. More details, below:
260 apartments approved for Woodmore Commons
A rendering shows designs for the proposed Woodmore Commons apartments near the Woodmore Town Center. The Prince George’s County Planning Board unanimously approved final detailed plans for a 258-unit apartment complex near the Woodmore Towne Center in Glenarden. The vote took place at the Planning Board’s May 7, 2020 meeting.
The project, from Balk Hill Ventures LLC in Davidsonville, includes 307,976 square feet of gross floor area on 9.3 acres of land at the intersection of Saint Josephs Drive and Ruby Lockhart Blvd.
Thirteen people have died from the novel coronavirus at Hillhaven Nursing Home in Adelphi, the site of the most-fatal outbreak of the deadly disease so far among Prince George’s County nursing homes and the county jail. The insight comes from new data released April 28, 2020 by the Maryland Department of Health.
Prince George’s County continues to be the epicenter of Maryland’s coronavirus outbreak, with vast swaths of the county now reporting cumulative confirmed infection rates exceeding 500 cases per 100,000 residents as of April 26.
Prince George’s County Council unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the suspension of civil immigration enforcement or for Immigration Customs Enforcement to provide “appropriate health services and facilities” to immigration detainees during the coronavirus pandemic.
The measure was sponsored by District Two County Councilor Deni Taveras. “We have made it a misdemeanor in the state of Maryland to not comply with social distancing, yet we are keeping at least 29 of Prince George’s County residents, from complying,” said Councilor Taveras. “We must consider the health and safety of all Prince Georgians, including those who are in immigration detention.”
At least 29 Prince George’s County residents are in immigration detention. Their ages range from 19 to 62 years old, and have lived in the United States for an average of 16 years. According to County officials, at least nine of the residents detained have pre-existing medical conditions that could make them more susceptible to the novel coronavirus.
The 20860 ZIP code, near Olney, claims the highest per-capita rate of confirmed coronavirus cases in Maryland according to an analysis of state data by Route 1 Reporter.
Starting April 15, 2020, Prince Georgians will be required to wear masks while shopping inside grocery stores, pharmacies and while riding TheBus. It’s part of an executive order issued by County Executive Angela Alsobrooks April 13, 2020, to try and slow the rapidly-spreading new coronavirus in Prince George’s County. The order also requires grocery stores, pharmacies and large retailers to promote social distancing inside and outside of the stores while customers wait. “We know there are people with the virus who are walking around and showing no symptoms, and these actions will prevent them from spreading it to others,” said Alsobrooks, announcing the executive order. Since early March, the TheBus system has been running on reduced service. Staff have been sanitizing handrails, seats and other high-touch areas on buses as part of the daily cleaning process.
Update; April 15, 2020: Police say they are investigating the Highview Terrace fire as an arson. Police believe the victim, 23-year-old Washington, D.C., resident Zena Nichols was fatally shot by 42-year-old Jerome Harris, who lived at Highview Terrace. Police believe Harris set the fire after killing Nichols. Harris is at large, and has been charged with first-degree murder. Original Story
Two fires in Prince George’s County claimed three lives over the weekend.
The $15 million Prince George’s County Business Relief Fund will quickly run out of money, according the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corp. CEO David Iannucci. Applications for the fund are scheduled to be released April 13, 2020. Successful applicants could get up to $100,000 in loans (at a 3.75 percent interest rate) to help cover payroll and other costs. “We’re all gearing up for this massive onslaught of demand that will exceed the dollars we have,” said Iannucci.
Prince George’s officials tried Thursday to brace county residents for what they say will be a deadly surge in local coronavirus cases over the next several weeks. In a press conference and a telephone town hall, officials from across Prince George’s County outlined their plans to deal with the growing coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 30 Prince Georgians and sickened more than 1,500 county residents since the virus came ashore. “We know the hospital surge is on the horizon, and we are doing everything in our power to prepare and create additional capacity in our healthcare system,” said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. The government response to this anticipated surge include plans to erect tent hospital centers in locations across the county. An undisclosed hotel has been transformed into a quarantine center for Prince George’s County government workers, Alsobrooks said.