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Where can you shop for fresh produce, summer annuals, perennials, tropical plants & vegetables? First, Behnkes closed, now Spicknall’s has closed as well. Yes, we have Lowes and Home Depot but there are other options too. Here are a few: ·         Heyser Farms (14526 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring) is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am – 6 pm. They sell plants, fresh fruit, and vegetables to name a few items. ·         Frank’s Produce and Greenhouse (6686 Old Waterloo Road, Elkridge, Maryland) which is open seven days a week from 8 am – 6pm. Their set up is identical to Spicknall’s with a larger variety of plants. ·         Fehr’s Nursery & Garden Center (4340 Route 198 [Sandy Spring Road] Burtonsville) They are open seven days a week. ·         Meadowbrook Farms (15930 Old Columbia Pike Burtonsville) They are open Monday – Saturday from 8 am – 7 pm and Sunday from 9 am – 6 pm. All the Garden Centers offer a different variety of plants, shrubs, perennials and vegetables. There are also several local farmers markets. Here are a few: ·         Hollywood Farmer’s Market (9801 Rhode Island, Avenue, College Park [next to Mom’s]) They are open on Saturdays from 10 am – 2 pm. ·         College Park Farmer’s Market at Paint Branch (5211 Campus Drive, College Park) They are open on Saturdays from 8 am – 1 pm. ·         Greenbelt Farmer’s Market (Roosevelt Center, Centerway, Greenbelt) The Farmers Market opens for the season on Sunday May 12th. Their hours of operation are Sundays from 10 am – 2 pm. Fresh Produce, Baked Goods, Coffee, Flowers, Pottery plus a variety of other vendors can be found at all the Farmer’s Markets. As we go to press, I do not have any updates of the status of Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department.  Updates will be posted on the Beltsville News Facebook Page. Finally, don’t forget about the upcoming election day! Primaries for President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. Congress Primary Election voting is Tuesday May 14th. Information about early voting and mail-in voting as well as information and locations will be posted on the Beltsville News Facebook page and Nextdoor. If you have a question, contact me at karenmcoakley@gmail.com

In December 2023 Emmanuel United Methodist Church’s Food distribution closed its doors for a brief time so that they could revamp the program as they were passing the torch to some new leadership. They are back up and running but the format has changed a bit. Before Covid, the food distribution required those who needed food to come into the building, but that format changed during the pandemic. It became a drive-up service. Now, the original format is back which allows volunteers to be more comfortable and not have to brave the elements by standing outside the whole time. The Food Distribution happens on the fourth Saturday of each month from 8 am to 11 am at Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 11416 Cedar Lane, Beltsville, MD 20705. This is a free service for anyone who is in need. If you have any questions, reach out to them at community_outreach@eumcbeltsville.com. The next few distributions are April 27, May 25, June 22, and July 27.

The Beltsville Lions will hold their 66th Charter Night on Wednesday, 5 June. Past International Director Joe Gaffigan is expected to induct new officers for Lion Year 2024-25, which runs from 1 July 2024-30 June 2025. The Lions are planning to provide vision, hearing, and eye pressure screenings at several events in the near future. The first event is a heath fair at the Vansville Community Center on 4 May from 10 am to 1 pm. The next event may be the Beltsville Community Festival at the Beltsville Community Center on 9 June. Details are being worked out. On 6 August the Club plans to provide screenings via the Lions Mobile Health Unit during National Night Out from 6 to 8 pm on the grounds of Prince George’s County Police Division VI and the Beltsville Library. The final event is a Community Health Fair scheduled for 10 August, 8 am to 1 pm at Queen’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Beltsville.

On Wednesday April 10, Former Governor Larry Hogan made a stop at the Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department while on his tour across Maryland as part of his U.S. Senate campaign. He was greeted by President Margie Dickey and several volunteer and career firefighters. While he was there the former Governor toured the fire station and spoke to the fire fighters and community leaders that were there.

*Note: We are printing this in this month’s edition because we know that not all of our subscribers are on Facebook. This was the latest update posted to The Beltsville Fire Department’ Facebook page on April 1. It has been a while since we've shared an update regarding the career staffing at the Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department (BVFD) and where we stand on possible temporary housing for both personnel and apparatus while any life safety hazards are addressed at our permanent station. As of today, the County still has not been able to provide the results of our station assessment that was started on March 4th, we were told it may take up to 6 weeks to be completed, so hopefully we will receive that in the near future.  The BVFD requested that an air quality test be performed during the assessment since diesel exhaust fumes were one of the main complaints - we have not received a report on this either.  However, all personnel, both career and volunteer, still remain housed at our station. It is our understanding that the County has acquired trailers that will be able to house personnel and accommodate daily operations if staffing should need to be relocated during any construction that may need to be done.  The County is requesting use of our butler building across the street from the fire station for apparatus should it be needed.  Currently, BVFD is working with the County to establish an agreeable memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the placement of the trailers and use of our property during any proposed contract work that may need to be done.  Because this is a unique situation, the "cookie cutter" MOU proposed by the County was not agreeable to the Board of Directors of the BVFD and we are in the process of reviewing and making changes that will be proposed should something long term need to be established.  In the meantime, our property will be made available for storage of the trailers if necessary. Before we commit to anything that may be a unnecessary use of taxpayers dollars; and since we do not know exactly what work may need to be done to our station, or even if personnel will need to be relocated during the scope of work that may be proposed we are inclined to wait for the results of the assessment. I would like to personally thank you for your continued support, concern, and commitment to the Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department.

UpStage Artists, Beltsville’s local community theater group, raised and donated $800.00 to the Beltsville Fire Department this past winter. Board Members Rick Bergmann, Joanne Breene, and Melvin Smith were pleased to present a check to President Margie Dickie at their business meeting on March 25th. Helping and being a part of the community is important to the members of UpStage Artists and they were extremely pleased to be able to help out the members of Beltsville’s Volunteer Fire Dept. They hope you can come out and see their next show, Much Ado About Nothing opening May 31. Details can be found at www.upstageartists.com/current-show.

The Prince George’s Community Federal Credit Union awards $10,000 in scholarships to four Prince George’s County scholars. April 17, 2024, Bowie, MD -- Prince George’s Community Federal Credit Union (PGCFCU) is happy to announce the 2024 Virginia Stallings and Cindy Prestandrea Scholarship award winners. Credit union members Josiah N. Hicks (Bowie, MD), Adefunsho “Ashley” Adeyemi (District Heights, MD), A'Nya Vest (Upper Marlboro, MD), and Ava K. Garland (Upper Marlboro, MD) were each awarded $2,500 towards their pursuit of higher education. In early 2024, PGCFCU increased the scholarship money awarded from $2,000 to $10,000 and expanded the number of awards from two to four. The scholarship application was also extended to high school, undergraduate, graduate, and trade or vocational students residing or having a home base in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Applicants were required to complete an application to highlight their academic history and community involvement. In place of a written essay, applicants had to create an Instagram or Facebook video post to share their thoughts on the importance of financial literacy. Josiah Hicks, a senior at Chesapeake Math & IT Academy North High School, will attend Morgan State University in the fall to study Entrepreneurship. Suitland student Adefunsho “Ashley” Adeyemi will study Anthropology at Sewanee: University of the South. A'Nya Vest attends Trinity Washington University and will use her award to continue to study Health Services. Ava Garland, a Business Administration major at the University of Michigan, will also use scholarship monies to complete her studies. “Prince George’s County has a long history of producing many of the country’s top leaders and innovators. As a proud pillar of the community, PGCFCU is happy to play a part in supporting the next wave of thought leaders, and we look forward to following their journey on the path to success,” stated Darryl Jones, Prince George’s Community Federal Credit Union Board Chair.

By the time you read this we will have had our April 18 meeting and the entertainment group “Supreme/Temptation” with their Motown sounds. I look forward to this because this was the music of my high school and college years. I should know most of the words. The May 16 meeting will be Beltsville native, Johnny Seaton. I know he is an Elvis impersonator, but he has a wide range of other songs to present to us. We’ll continue to have our light refreshments, Ways & Means table, 50/50, and trips to sign up for (Bring a check to pay for any trip). And we have our new 2024 Member Directories to hand out to members. You can become a member on your first visit. We still meet at the Beltsville Community Center, 3900 Sellman Road, at 10:30 am in the community room. We usually end about 1:00 pm. If you have any questions, feel free to call me at 301-498-9736 and I’ll get back to you if you leave a message. “In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.”  Mark Twain

The Pack 1031 scouts went out and enjoyed the Eclipse on April 8th using their eclipse glasses they received at school. We were lucky to have mostly sunshine which gave us a great view! Scout families also used colanders and anything else with circular holes to look at the crescent shape of the moon blocking the sun. At the pack meeting that evening they recreated the eclipse and an Oreo cookie and then they got to eat the moon (cookie)The scouts earned a glow in the dark Eclipse patch by answering a few questions. On April 29th, we will be bridging the Arrow den over to ScoutsBSA. Three Arrows will be bridging over to ScoutBSA Troops 1033 and 214G. This den joined the Pack in 2019 and has done a fantastic job being flexible and creative to achieve the highest rank in Cub Scouts in spite of the Pandemic! They met on Zoom and outside in the park or on the trail- and had fun! We also will be volunteering at the Anacostia Watershed Earth Day cleanup on April 20th. We have around 40 volunteers signed up and no rainy skies are expected! If you are interested in Cub Scout contact Regina Halper at Pack1031cubscouting@gmail.com  for information. We are a family scouting unit. We learn outdoor skills, citizenship, STEM, nature and do community service. We meet at Beltsville Academy for our den meetings. We are happy to be meeting in our usual place and learning about engineering, nature, doing service and hiking in the outdoors.

World Password Day 2024 World Password Day occurs on the first Thursday each May. This year it is May 2nd. The day makes a good reminder to update passwords and verify or reset your security settings. To follow the best security practices, modify your passwords at least annually and use a different password for everything that needs protection. In general, a secure password consists of at least 15 characters, including a mix of upper- and lower-case alphabetic characters, digits, and special characters. Keeping your passwords secure is one of the most important things you need to do to keep your accounts safe and secure. Because it is so very important, I tend to create a column for each May to remind people about various ways of creating secure and hopefully memorable passwords. A Word on Password Managers Many people recognize a password manager as a good way to create and store secure passwords. Both the Firefox browser and the Google Chrome browsers have password managers built into them. The passwords stored synchronize between your phone and your computers if you install the browsers on both devices. Be aware that Chrome Password Manager currently has some vulnerabilities apparently due to the use of Microsoft Security. Practically Perfect Passwords Practically Perfect Passwords is a way that I share to create memorable passwords that tend to be secure. The system builds on rules to follow that lead to strong passwords. Rules are included to generate letters, numbers, special characters, capitalization rules, and sequence rules. You can also add letter change and other special rules. An example of a simple set of rules might be: ·         Use a memorable phrase from a song lyric, poem, famous quote or phrase or another source. Use the first letter of each word in the phrase and make sure you have at least 7-9 letters. Selecting a separate phrase for Highly, Moderately, or Lightly sensitive access. ·         Select two to four or more memorable numbers. ·         Pick the symbols above the first two numbers from the previous rule and insert the number between them. ·         Pick the first two and the last two letters of the domain name of the website. ·         Concatenate the result of each of the first four rules in rule order. ·         Capitalize the first and last letters and each letter that is adjacent to a symbol. So applying the rules to Amazon.com, I might get: “The Beatles say ‘We, all live in a yellow submarine’”  à  tbswaliays The year Columbus sailed the ocean blue. à  (1492) !$  à  !1492$ Amazon.com à amon tbswaliays!1492$amon TbswaliayS!1492$AmoN Applying the same rules to Facebook would lead to the password TbswaliayS!1492$FabK A Password Codebook A couple of years ago I wrote about a method to create a password codebook. The codebook is based on an idea to create passwords by randomly selecting words from a word list. My problem with the original idea is that I have over 800 passwords and I have trouble remembering a single list of five words. These short word lists still work well if you need to remember a single password for a primary password for example. I had another idea, create a code list where each letter in the alphabet corresponds to a randomly selected word. Make the code list by selecting a random word for each letter of the alphabet. The randomness is enforced rolling dice randomly selecting words from a word list. The electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF) maintains these word lists for this purpose list at https://www.eff.org/files/2016/07/18/eff_large_wordlist.txt. The lists have numbers reflecting the roll of dice. The numbers pair with words on the list. A die rolled five times creates a five-digit number. The number matches one word of 7776 unique words on the word list. To select a random word from the list, roll the die 5 times and lookup the word on the list that matches. Create the code list by adding a line for each letter of the alphabet and rolling die to get a word to match with that letter. To finish the codebook, we create rules again. One rule selects letters from the domain name. Another rule will tell us how to separate the words from each other. This is where I use the numbers and symbols, but you can choose your own rules. To provide the Amazon example let’s assume the words in the codebook are A=Gravel, M = Laundry, and N=Junkie, O=Upper. For the number rule, we will use the digits 1492 and use the last 3 digits to separate the words. We will use the symbols to begin and end the password. The capitalization rule will be capitalizing any letter to the right of a symbol or digit. This should give us: !Gravel4Laundry9Junkie2Upper$  A very strong password indeed. While it is not easy to remember, it is easy to recreate by using your codebook. Store the codebook in a secure file and look it up when you need it. Create a new codebook annually and replace your passwords on World Password Day. Lighter Weight Passwords Yes, I do have more than 800 passwords, at least according to my password manager. However not all of my passwords are as robust as the ones I suggest here. Many websites I do not trust to store my password properly and I do not give them any true data about me, but I want to access the data they offer. These websites get a still secure but lighter weight credential and often do not get a real name or email address. Instead, I use a disposable email address. And I select two random words using the dice method and I reuse these two words instead of the poem or song lyric. I also change the rule for selecting letters from the domain name and the number and symbol selection rules. Monitoring the Passwords Both Google, Firefox, and now Windows 11 monitor your passwords to see if they are compromised. Other password managers and some antivirus programs will also check. You can check a password yourself by using https://haveibeenpwned.com/Passwords. And in the End… Have a happy World Password Day. Until next month, stay safe online!

State business tax and fee waivers thru May 31st Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman announced the state will waive late payment penalties and interest for Maryland businesses through May 31, 2024, to mitigate the economic impact of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. The waiver of late payment penalties and interest will apply to all business filings for the following tax types with due dates between January 1, 2024, and May 31, 2024: • Employer Withholding Tax • Sales and Use Tax • Tobacco Tax • Motor Fuel Tax • Admissions and Amusement Tax • Tire Fee • Bay Restoration Fee • Transportation Network Fee Late payment interest and penalties will automatically be waived if payment is received on or prior to May 31, 2024. Businesses do not need to take any action to request this waiver; the waiver will apply automatically. Have a tree professionally planted in your yard – for free. A professional urban forester can help you choose and plant a beautiful shade tree for your yard at no cost. To register, submit an application at the link below, and a professional urban forester will contact you in approximately three weeks to start your process. Up to 25 trees may be planted on the same property. For more information and to register, visit caseytrees.org/plant/free-trees-prince-georges-county/. Beltsville Young at Heart Club Beltsville Young at Heart Club – lots of music, fun and conversation is to be had at the Beltsville Young at Heart Club. Meetings are held every third Thursday of the month starting at 11 AM at the Beltsville Community Center located at 3900 Sellman Rd., Beltsville. For more information, call Lois at 301-498-9736. New help for first time home buyers Prince George’s County’s First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program now offers up to $25,000 in downpayment and closing cost assistance. The program still provides zero percent deferred loans that are forgiven after 10 years. Call the Pathway to Purchase program at 301-883-5456 for more information. Senate and House college scholarships for Beltsville students This spring and summer, Delegates Joseline Pena-Melnyk, Ben Barnes, Mary Lehman, and I will award college scholarships for Beltsville students. Applications for the scholarships for school year 2024-25 are posted on the 21st District Delegation website. The application will automatically go to Dels. Barnes, Pena-Melnyk, and Lehman. You will need to fill out a separate application with my office, for the Senatorial Scholarship. In the meantime, please make sure you have a Maryland College Aid Processing System (MDCAPS) account and fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) when it becomes available. 21st District Delegation Website: https://www.21stdistrictdelegation.com/college-scholarships If you have questions, email my office at jim.rosapepe@senate.state.md.us or call at 410-841-3141. Contact me Please let me know if there are other issues you have questions or thoughts about. And, of course, feel free to be in touch if I can be of help to you. Just email 21stDistrictDelegation@gmail.com or call 410-841-3141.

Older Americans Month Older Americans Month is a yearly occasion dedicated to honoring and appreciating the valuable contributions made by senior residents to our society and nation. Held in May annually, it serves as a platform for citizens to delve into the rich tapestry of life experiences of individuals aged 65 and above. Celebrating Older Americans Month not only pays tribute to their achievements but also expresses gratitude for the significant impact they continue to have. Observing Older Americans Month offers a beautiful opportunity to express gratitude for the seniors in your community. Here are several suggestions on how individuals can pay homage and acknowledge older adults during this significant month: Engage with seniors in the community and lend an ear to their stories; Offer your time as a volunteer at local facilities such as the Laurel-Beltsville Senior Center or Riderwood Village, utilize technology to connect with seniors, such as through video calls; Contribute to organizations that cater to the needs of our older adults. Join Us at Our Free Reusable Grocery Bag Giveaway We are happy to announce that we will host a Free Reusable Grocery Bag Giveaway at various grocery stores throughout District One. Stop by our table before your grocery run to meet with team members, obtain helpful contact information, and learn about the Better Bag Bill. Every visitor will receive a complimentary reusable bag to promote sustainable living. Our next event will be on May 18th at Aldi in Beltsville from 9-11AM. https://bit.ly/D1GroceryBagGiveaway All Hands On Deck! The State of Maryland has 3,190 miles of coastline, which provides excellent recreational boating opportunities for local residents. You may have noticed the increase in boats throughout Beltsville. Please be sure to make sure your boat complies with County codes and regulations. Boats must be tagged and legally parked. (A) The boat and boat trailer shall be located at least eight (8) feet from a street line; (B) The boat and boat trailer shall be parked on a dust-free surface area such as concrete, asphalt, or gravel; (C) The boat and boat trailer shall be properly licensed and operable; (D) The boat and boat trailer shall not be in excess of twenty (20) feet unless located on a lot at least two (2) acres in size; and (E) The boat and boat trailer shall be covered to prevent the accumulation of water. These and other violations of the County Code may result in a fine or other consequences. You may not store untagged vehicles, old vehicle parts, junk cars or motorcycles, old appliances, building materials, furniture, garbage, or unlicensed boats on residential property. See 2010 legislation on boats outlining regulations here https://bit.ly/4cYjfnk Summer Camp Registration is Underway Summer is approaching, so our kids will soon be out of school. Registration for Prince George’s begins on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, and for non-residents on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. The registration process is straightforward and fast. You can sign up your child for as many day camp sessions as possible. Rest assured, your child will have a safe and memorable summer experience. Visit https://www.pgparks.com/activities-events/summer-programs to explore the programs and get additional information. Public Library Free Summer Reading Program Are you looking to stay engaged with reading during the summer months? Join the Nationals and the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System for a unique program that combines baseball and reading. Open to all ages, this program runs from May 15th to August 17th, offering a fun way to keep your child or yourself connected with reading while enjoying the excitement of baseball. Please visit https://www.pgcmls.info/summer for more information. Coffee with the COPS We encourage residents to attend the Coffee with the COPS to voice concerns, ask questions, and get to know your COPS officer. COPS stands for Community Oriented Policing Services. This once-a-month event circulates in the district, where residents can enjoy a cup of coffee and pastry while they meet with our local police on any issues of their choice. Please join the Beltsville Division VI police on May 8th from 10-11 AM at the Laurel-Beltsville Senior Center, 7120 Contee Road, Laurel for their monthly Coffee with the COPS. https://bit.ly/3Q7vBQ9 Join our District 1 eNewsletter here: https://bit.ly/D1eNewsletterOptIn. We will email you about twice a month to provide you updates with local happenings and, on occasion, alert you to important county news. Join our District 1 Senior Living eNewsletter: Don’t miss out on resources, local activities, and events for seniors. Sign up for our monthly senior email newsletter: https://bit.ly/D1SeniorNewsletterOptIn Contact Us Please keep in touch. Email us at councildistrict1@co.pg.md.us or call 301-952-3887. Se habla español. On parle français. Follow us on Facebook, X, Threads, and Instagram: @TomDernogaD1