Police Brutality/ Community News & Events/ Legislation
Police Brutality/ Community News & Events/ Legislation
The county government paid William Green's family $20m because a police officer shot/killed William Green while he was handcuffed. Earlier this week - jurors failed to convict that police officer.
Thank you for your support!
The Prince George’s County Police officer Michael Owens, who shot and killed Prince George’s County resident William Green, while handcuffed, was acquitted of all charges earlier this week. Officer Owens, according to the New York Times, has had a problematic pass as a police officer. Before shooting Williams seven times while handcuffed, he shot a man in 2011. In fact, for decades, residents have complained about Prince George’s County Police Department and its violent engagement with community members.
An excerpt from the New York Times:
In 2011, the department placed Corporal Owen, an officer at the time, on administrative leave after he shot and killed a Landover, Md., man who the police said had pointed a gun at him. Corporal Owen had pulled over to the side of the road to check on the man, who was lying in the grass, police said.
In the early 2000s, the United States Department of Justice investigated the Prince George’s County Police Department over a spate excessive force complaints and the department’s canine unit procedures.
The parallel investigations led to a memorandum of understanding between the Justice Department and the county police, which agreed to create a review board for firearm discharge cases and a risk management system for officers’ performance. The police department also agreed to investigate and review misconduct allegations.
Back in 2020, the county paid the Green family 20 million dollars. Here’s what County Executive Angela Alsobrook said at that time.
“To be clear there is no price of a son, a father, an uncle, a brother. There is no appropriate price tag to accompany a loss like that one,” said Angela Alsobrooks, “but we believe the actions taken that night against Mr. Green and ultimately taken against his family warrant this settlement.”
Community Notes
New Leaders of The Prince George’s County Council
Jolene Ivey, District 5 council member, has been voted in as Chair of the Council. Sydney Harrison, District 9 council member, was voted in as vice chair of the council.
An announcement here:
Excerpt: The Prince George's County Council, during the Exchange of Gavel ceremony on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, elected District 5 Council Member Jolene Ivey to serve as Chair for the 2024 Legislative Year.
Council Member Ivey was sworn onto the Prince George’s County Council in December 2018, and was recently re-elected for her second four-year term in November 2022. Previously she served two terms in the Maryland House of Delegates, where she was Chair of the Prince George’s Delegation from 2013-2014.
_
Lakisha Hull Selected as New Director for the Prince George’s County Planning Department
Read more here.
Excerpt: LARGO, MD – Today, the Prince George’s County Planning Board of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) announced its appointment of Lakisha Hull as the new Director for the Prince George’s County Planning Department following a six-month-long nationwide search. Beginning January 8, 2024, Hull will assume leadership of the department charged with advising and working with the Planning Board, elected officials, and the community to shape land use planning, zoning, and economic development plans for the County. She will report to the five-member Planning Board and lead more than 200 staff members in the development of master and sector plans, studies, data-driven initiatives, and policy updates, as well as the review of development applications and the preservation of environmental resources and historic properties.
_
Purple Line Business Assistance Grant Update
Suppose you’re a business located along the Purple Line Construction Impacted Corridor. In that case, you may be eligible for $5,000 – $10,000 in assistance from a grant sponsored by Prince George’s County and the Maryland Department of Commerce.
We have $1M in Purple Line grant funds available that can be used for working capital to sustain operations (i.e., rent, utilities, insurance, inventory), to rehire or retain employees, and for Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) (i.e., masks, gloves, etc.). Diverse small businesses are encouraged to apply for the Purple Line Business Assistance Grant to get their needed support.
We held a webinar in English and Spanish to walk business owners through the application process screen by screen. You can access recordings of these webinars from a computer, tablet, or mobile device. Follow the links below to access the webinar recordings:
For Spanish go here.
For English go here.
Apply for the Purple Line Grant here.
Legislation (Prince George’s County House Delegates)
Bill: PG 501-24
Requested by: Senator Washington
Synopsis: FOR the purpose of requiring the Prince George’s County Board of Education to hire an independent consultant to study and make recommendations on the feasibility of relocating the Prince George’s County public school system headquarters; requiring the Prince George’s County Council to cover the cost of the study; and generally relating to a study on the feasibility of relocating the Prince George’s County public school system headquarters.
_
Bill: PG/MC 112-24
Requested by: Montgomery County Delegation
Synopsis: FOR the purpose of requiring the County Executive of Montgomery County to appoint a People’s Counsel for Land Use Planning to represent the public interest of county residents in certain land use proceedings, to ensure fairness to certain populations, and to ensure that a certain public record is established for certain proceedings; establishing the qualifications and responsibilities of the People’s Counsel; prohibiting the People’s Counsel from representing a private individual or group in certain proceedings; requiring the Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning Commission to include in its annual operating budget proposal certain funding for the People’s Counsel and requiring the Montgomery County Council to approve the funding; and generally relating to the Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the Montgomery County People’s Counsel for Land Use Planning.
_
Bill: PG 503-24
Requested by: Senator Washington
Synopsis: FOR the purpose of authorizing the governing body of Prince George’s County to grant, by law, a property tax credit against the county property tax imposed on dwellings that are owned by certain eligible employees of the Prince George’s County Public School System; providing for the maximum amount of the credit; authorizing the governing body of Prince George’s County to provide, by law, for certain matters relating to the credit; requiring the Prince George’s County government to submit a certain report concerning the credit to certain persons on or before a certain date; and generally relating to a property tax credit in Prince George’s County for certain eligible employees.
Community Events
Creative Saturday: Arts on a Roll
Join Arts on a Roll for an engaging, hands-on, visual arts workshop. A FREE drop-in activity for the whole family! Arts on a Roll @ Creative Suitland is a partnership program between the Department of Parks and Recreation and Creative Suitland.
Create art with sheet metal including emboss drawing, stamping, denting, piercing, rub-transferring, folding, and hammering. Make a necklace or key-chain! All levels are welcome.
Day: Saturday, December 9, 2023
Time: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Location: Creative Suitland 4719 Silver Hill Road Suitland-Silver Hill, MD, 20746United States (map)
_
African Dance & Drum Classes with Ni Dembaya
Ni Dembaya African Dance & Drum Ensemble is a community promoting empowerment, healing, and self-awareness through traditional African and African-inspired music and dance. Join the movement on Sundays for drum and African dance classes! Ni Dembaya's instructors have devoted much time to the study and practice of cultural music, movements, and traditions from the African continent and diaspora. The classes offered primarily focus on rhythms, dances, and songs from the Manding peoples of modern-day Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Liberia, and Ivory Coast; though other ethnic groups and areas may be covered.
Day: Sunday, December 10, 2023
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Creative Suitland Arts Center4719 Silver Hill Road Suitland, MD 20746 (map)
_
District 2 Barbie Girls Empowerment Event
Prince George's County Council Member Wanika K. Fisher, Esq., in collaboration with Joe's Movement Emporium, will host a District 2 Barbie Girls Empowerment Event on Saturday, December 9, 2023, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
LOCATION:
Joe's Movement Emporium
3309 Bunker Hill Road
Mt. Rainer, MD 20712
Gender-identifying female students, ages 11 through 17, are invited to participate in this inaugural event, where attendees will hear from a host of career professionals who will inspire their imaginations and dreams for success during the "Think Outside of the Box" career session. Attendees will learn about managing money in a financial education session, participate in an Online Safety session, and engage in discussions about self-love and self-care. And what's a Barbie event without sparkle?
CLICK HERE to register for the District 2 Barbie Girls Empowerment Event, or scan the QR code located on the flyer.
For more information, please contact the Council Dsitrict 2 office at (301) 952-4436 or email CouncilDistrict2@co.pg.md.us.
_
District 2 Community Conversations Series
Residents are invited to join Prince George’s County Council Member Wanika K. Fisher, Esq. and Maryland State Senator Malcolm Augustine (47th Legislative District) for the District 2 Community Conversations Series, beginning on December 11, 2023.
Council Member Fisher and State Senator Augustine will provide updates on pertinent issues occurring at the state and county levels, address public safety concerns, and take questions from consitituents. County agencies will be on hand to speak with residents about accessing and using County resources.
Choose one of three Community Conversation events taking place this month:
December 11, 2023
Lewisdale Elementary School
2400 Banning Place
Hyattsville, Maryland 20783
December 12, 2023
Ridgecrest Elementary School
6120 Riggs Road
Hyattsville, Maryland 20783
December 13, 2023
Thomas Stone Elementary School
4500 34th Street
Mount Rainer, Maryland 20712
For more information, please contact the Council Districct 2 team at (301) 952-4436 or email CouncilDistrict2@co.pg.md.us.
_
Our Space
I am circling back from the last time you received this email to share that OurSpace World Inc. gathers squads of earth healers, builders and educators for sovereignty, for growth, for intentional work supporting a sustainable world where all communities have culturally-centered spaces in which to live and thrive.
Through programs that are supportive and intentional we link people together, educate, organize, and form collectives that pool resources and raise funds independently to support cooperatively-organized land-based groups.
Our newest enterprise will gather college students studying or interested in farming, food, forestry and natural resources to volunteer their spring break to work, explore, and learn from the land with other like-minded students. We will camp out for five(+) days of building resiliency, restoration, retooling, and recreation on Black-owned land in Gordonsville, VA.
This pilot launches in March of 2023 with four proposed weeks; March 3-8, March 10-15, March 17-22, or March 21-29th. Our finalized dates will be based on the feedback and interest we receive in the upcoming weeks.
During the Black Land Brigade Week we will work on the land of Vanguard Ranch, a sustainable, organic, and self-sustaining farm in Virginia owned and managed by a couple who has been living on the land for over 40 years. We will support the farm operations with seasonal planting of herbs, veggies (some of African variety), and learn how they raise a special breed of free-range meat goats that have been bred to browse on native pastures and kid without assistance. We will experience processing, mobile food truck operations, maintenance of the small ruminant farm, and an introduction to their flock of squab pigeons. We will eat (some) off the land, cook together, camp together, build and work together, delve into conversations and experientials on self-sufficiency, markets, homesteading and much more while spending time away from the buzz of everyday life into the healing modalities of nature.
Our overall goal is to support our participating farm/er and give students the exposure and experience without the demanding financial obligations. We will support their attendance individually or as part of a group. There is no required financial obligation outside of bringing personal sleeping bags, pillow, and securing transportation to us. We will assist in pick ups from airports or from centralized areas to the farm by cars or van.
Our Request
The goal is to solidify details and roll out applications by December 18th, so your feedback is requested by December 8th. Your opinion, gathered by the completion of this INTEREST FORM, will go far in creating a program that serves the needs of our producers, growers, stewards, the future of this work, and those that provide it. And ensure students receive the healing effects of nature, gain real-life skills, and have some fun while doing it. We hope you'll help spread the word to colleagues and share this message with students willing to join us on this agri-venture!