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Closing the door on 2024

Posted on: January 15, 2025

By HEATHER WRIGHT

Photo courtesy Caroline Selle.

Inflation caught and pummeled the country’s attention in 2024, while our national debt rose to over $36 trillion. Primed to focus on money matters, I’m taking a balance-sheet approach to this Life & Times year-in-review column. 

Losses and liabilities

Let’s start with the financial vexations reported at our state, county and city levels. In fiscal year 2025 (which began July 1, 2024), Maryland was facing more than $1 billion in deficits, and this is expected to reach $2.7 billion in FY 2026 and FY 2027, according to Maryland Matters

In March, we reported on how then-County Executive Angela Alsobrooks had proposed a $5.5 billion budget for FY 2025 that would trim many programs and freeze hiring for more than 800 county government jobs — and still result in a projected budget shortfall of $171 million.

In Hyattsville, delayed audits and mistakes in financial reporting resulted in a murky financial situation. Hyattsville passed a budget in which annual expenditures exceed revenues, as has been the case since FY 2021. (The city has used savings from prior years to make up the difference and balance the budget.) Costs for the new police and public safety building, located on Hamilton Street, kept increasing and tapping the city’s budget, as we noted in August. (As of December, the approved total cost of the building stood at $28.6 million, according to Route One Finance.)

While city finances may seem abstract, other losses were more immediate and tangible to many of us: Riverdale Park’s popular bakery Manifest Bread temporarily closed down in August to expand into a sit-down restaurant. With Manifest on hold and Shortcake Bakery closing in October, taste buds certainly lost out.

In the world of politics, County Councilmember Mel Franklin, an at-large representative who was accused of embezzling campaign funds, resigned over the summer. County Executive Angela Alsobrooks resigned following her November election to the U.S. Senate. And City Councilmember Jimmy McClellan (Ward 3) resigned from his position in November as he moved to Ward 4. 

Gains and gratitude

Now turning to Hyattsville’s 2024 gains. In April, the city council reevaluated program priorities as it worked to allocate the remaining portion of $18 million in federal pandemic relief aid. City contracts for the remaining funding had to be in place by year’s end, and the money must be spent by December 2026. Additionally, in October, the city council agreed to a $310,000 settlement with CSX Transportation to address infrastructure repairs and personnel expenses related to the 2023 freight train derailment. 

While Hyattsville may have a temporary pastry shortage, it’s rolling in tacos and tortas. Our July taco tour feasted on abundance at Taquería La Placita, La Fondita and Taquería María Bonita.

On Valentine’s Day, Lidl-loving locals were treated to the opening of the German grocery chain’s Chillum location. About the same time, and in about the same location along Queen’s Chapel Road, Spice Kitchen West Africa opened its doors, having relocated from Brentwood’s miXt food hall. And while it has yet to land in a Hyattsville area storefront, Snow Crane — which we featured in October — brought at least a taste of its minimalist Japanese ice cream to a December pop-up event at Vigilante Coffee Company

Many area dog owners experienced gains (and relief) when the Barking Lot opened its Mount Rainier doggy daycare and boarding facility last spring. Then, stocks of safety solar glasses rose considerably in April, as schools and neighborhoods held total solar eclipse viewing parties. And just as I was beginning to wonder about the influx of motor scooters, our September “Science of the City” column began a series addressing this and other micromobility concerns.

Almost two years after closing for renovations, Robert J. King Memorial Park, on Gallatin Street, reopened in October. That same month, Hyattsville unveiled its new flag, which references a number of themes: the city’s founder, its Victorian homes, the Anacostia River and Maryland’s state flower, the black-eyed Susan. (Through reading about the flag redesign process, I gained an excellent word: “vexillology” — the study of flags.)

Futures and speculations

With this new year, questions abound: Which of the currently registered twelve candidates — including former County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, state Senator Alonzo T. Washington, and At-large County Councilmembers Calvin Hawkins and Jolene Ivey — will become Prince George’s new county executive? Will a contested McDonald’s, proposed for East-West Highway near its junction with Ager Road, replace La Doñita Restaurant? Will construction of Hyattsville’s police and public safety building finish by year’s end? What about the city’s teen center, along Nicholson Street? Will the city catch up on its overdue audits? Who will take the Ward 3 city council seat formerly held by McClellan?

Speaking of the city council: Will it finally resume in-person council meetings, as this paper advocated for back in March? Will the redesign of Driskell Park move forward, despite significant costs and the city’s difficulties renovating the much smaller King Park? Will Hyattsville go forward with capping rent increases at the rate of inflation, despite the county’s 2024 law that caps rent increases at no more than 6%?

But back to our deprived taste buds — will Manifest Bread reopen in February, as is currently projected?  

Fundraising update

Finally, we loop back and take a last look at the Life & Times’ 2024 gains — and express our gratitude to all who helped us reach our end-of-year fundraising goal. Our nonprofit publisher, Streetcar Suburbs, received over $19,000 from you, our generous readers, $15,000 of which will be doubled by Newsmatch. All of us at the Life & Times, and Streetcar, thank you! We’d welcome your support throughout the year at streetcarsuburbs.news/donate. We’d also welcome your letters, story ideas, photos, opinions on topics of local interest, and volunteer reporting.

Here’s wishing you happiness, health — and balanced budgets — in 2025!

__________________________________

Heather Wright is the associate editor of the Life & Times.

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