Category Archives: News Alert

Category for Takoma alert items.

News Alert, Public Notices

And the Emmy Goes to…Bienvenido (Bien) Martinez

 

National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter

66th EMMY® AWARDS

NOMINEES & RECIPIENTS

Please join CityTV and our Communications Department in congratulating Bienvenido (Bien) Martinez on his Emmy nomination in Category #56B Societal Concerns—Long-form content (longer than 15 minutes) for his camera work.

We are so excited to announce that on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at the 66th Emmy Awards, Bienvenido (Bien) Martinez was awarded the Emmy for his camera work on the documentary Línea Directa—Peligro del Fentanilo—Entrevista con Elena Suárez.

The documentary is a heartbreaking story of one family’s unwanted journey into the Fentanyl world, a teenager’s overdose, and the devasting consequences and the loss of their daughter that will impact the entire family for the rest of their lives!

You can see the video on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udMYQAGiDjg

Background:

CityTV has partnered with the production of Linea Directa. Linea Directa is one of the oldest local TV shows that deals with topics that affect the Hispanic Community. The shows air on Telemundo and our City of Takoma Park TV channels.

In this partnership, we collaborated in the production aspect. In the production of Línea Directa—Peligro del Fentanilo—Entrevista con Elena Suárez Bien was responsible for the camera work on this documentary.

News, News Alert

TKPK Awarded $125,000 Grant from Maryland Energy Admin.’s Public Facilities Solar Grant (PFSG) Program

 

In June 2024, the City of Takoma Park was awarded a $125,000 grant from the Maryland Energy Administration under the Public Facilities Solar Grant (PFSG) Program. This funding will be used to install solar panels on the new Takoma Park Maryland Library. The PFSG Program is designed to promote solar energy generation at public facilities and demonstrate government support for clean and renewable energy technologies. The Maryland Energy Administration enacted the program to encourage the generation of solar energy at public facilities and to demonstrate government support of clean and renewable energy generation technology.

The City of Takoma Park has been an early adopter of solar and installed solar PV on all suitable municipal rooftops. The rooftop array on the City’s Community Center and Public Works was completed in 2011 as part of a power purchase agreement (PPA) with installer Solar Solution LLC. The agreement provided the City with clean electricity and a set price for 20 years and enabled the City to access solar power for no upfront cost and at a lower price per kilowatt than charged by energy provider PEPCO. Approximately 99,412 kWh is generated each year with solar panels on the Community Center building and Public Works, and the City purchases wind renewable energy certificates (RECs) to cover the remainder of the utility-provided electricity, about 1.8 M kWh each year.

The new panels funded under this grant will not be part of a PPA but rather owned by the City, which will enable it to benefit from the RECs directly as well as very low-cost electricity. Additionally, any committed matching funds by the City for this project will be eligible for to the new Elective Pay allowance from the IRS, which allows state and local governments to benefit directly from the new Clean Electricity Production Tax Credit made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

The proposed expansion of the solar panel system on the new library roof will involve the installation of approximately 162 new panels with a projected system capacity of 64.8 KW. The new system is projected to offset the equivalent of 32.7 metric tonnes of CO2 in its first year of operation and represents a substantial effort in the City’s climate goals to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 100% by the year 2035.

The City is currently awaiting the state’s a grant agreement, and the opportunity to bid for vendors will go out later this year. Installation is expected to run concurrently with the completion of the new library, anticipated in summer 2025.

News Alert, Public Notices

Launching of the City of Takoma Park Mental Health Outreach Pilot Program

 

The City of Takoma Park is pleased to announce the hiring of the first mental health counselor for a two-year pilot program to provide comprehensive mental health services to the residents of Takoma Park. Jill Larson is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C).

Ms. Larson joins Takoma Park from the Montgomery County Crisis Center to provide mental health mobile outreach, petition evaluations, on-scene support, Domestic Violence lethality screens/referrals, on-scene grief support, training, and other resources as needed for City staff. In addition to supportive mental health resources, Ms. Larson is a current Crisis Intervention Team instructor for thought disorders and will provide in-service training and consultation for City staff enhancing the community’s overall response to mental health crises.

Before becoming a social worker, Ms. Larson spent 17-years as a Police Officer in Minnesota. Her experience includes working in the human and sex trafficking units, negotiations, investigations liaison, and as a Field Training Officer.

Ms. Larson is looking forward to providing mental health services to the residents of Takoma Park and cultivating a supportive collaboration with all stakeholders in Takoma Park.

Ms. Larson can be reached at JillL@takomaparkmd.gov and 301.891.7149.

The pilot program is a joint collaboration between the City of Takoma Park and the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. The goal of the pilot program is to put in place and evaluate a response system that focuses on diverting mental health calls for service from the police-only or police and counselor model to a counselor-only response.

This two-year pilot program is being funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and reflects the city’s commitment to compassionate community care. An additional mental health counselor is expected to join the program in the coming months.

News Alert, Public Notices

City TV wins 2024 Hometown Media Award from the Alliance for Community Media Foundation


Takoma Park City TV took home the Overall Excellence in Governmental Access and Outstanding Children’s Programming Awards

The Hometown Media Awards, organized annually by the Alliance for Community Media (ACM), celebrate and promote community media, community radio, and local cable programs distributed on Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) access cable television channels.

We are thrilled to announce that CityTV has been awarded first place in the 2024 Hometown Media Awards Competition. CityTV received the prestigious “Overall Excellence in Governmental Access” award from ACM in the $300,000 – $650,000 budget division. This award recognizes the outstanding operational activities and programming efforts of access organizations. This year, CityTV’s submission featured over 20 projects and programs.

The Hometown Media Awards honor and promote creative programs that address community needs, foster diverse community involvement, and reflect the lives of residents from various backgrounds. These awards also aim to offer viewers a unique television experience.

“We produce programs that represent the events and activities of the City, showcasing the character of Takoma Park. We are not just Takoma Park Television; we are Takoma Park on Television,” said Alvaro Calabia, CityTV Production Manager.

In addition to the Overall Excellence award, CityTV was recognized for its outstanding Children’s Programming with our submission of the Takoma Park Children’s Business Fair. We are so honored to be recognized in this category as we love to showcase our children as a vital resource of our community.

News Alert, Public Notices

(Updated 5/24) The First Ever TKPK Tenant Forum: Meeting Recording Now Available

Unable to join us for our very first Tenant Forum hosted by the City of Takoma Park Housing Department? Check out a recording from the meeting!

Event Recording:

Listen for a discussion on:

  • Tenant laws
  • Eviction Prevention
  • Potential Polices
  • Resources and additional information.

Visit the Housing Webpage for more information: https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/housing-and-community-development/housing/

Arts & Humanities, News, News Alert

Free Concert with Juels Bland on June 14

Juels Bland Concert    

Friday, June 14 at 7:30 pm

Takoma Park Community Center  

7500 Maple Avenue

Silver Spring native Juels Bland has honed his talents as a singer-songwriter and acoustic guitarist in clubs and venues across the East Coast, and he’ll be performing close to home in a free concert at the Takoma Park Community Center on June 14.

His music and lyrics evoke rich soulful tones, and he was drawn to music at an early age.

“I would just sing along to songs I liked when I was a kid,” he said. “I started to pay attention to music in 2006 when I learned to play guitar and write my own songs.”

After leaving a band called Trees Have Cars in 2011, Bland wrote more songs, recorded some demos, and played solo at gigs and open mics before forming another band called The Darkest Timeline. His second album “Something to Run From” was released in 2018. You can hear some of his music at juelsbland.com.

No tickets or reservations are required, and donations will be accepted. Limited parking is available at the Community Center’s police station parking lot, the adjoining Piney Branch Elementary School lot, or on neighboring streets

This concert is part of the Takoma Park Arts series organized by the City’s Arts and Humanities Division, which includes free concerts, theater, dance, film screenings and art exhibitions at the Takoma Park Community Center. Sign up for our e-newsletter at takomaparkmd.gov/arts for more info about our upcoming events.

Arts & Humanities, News, News Alert

Call for Submissions for Takoma ARTery Art Exhibition

Call for Submissions for Takoma ARTery Exhibition 

Submission Deadline: June 9, 2024

The City of Takoma Park’s Arts and Humanities Division is planning an art exhibition featuring Takoma ARTery members in the gallery spaces at the Takoma Park Community Center at 7500 Maple Avenue.

Applicants should be members of the Takoma ARTery, a local volunteer-run artists group that provides many benefits, including an online artist directory, storefront window displays, social media promotion, and artist events. The annual membership fee is $40, and more info and an application form are on the Takoma ARTery website. Some discounts are available based on ability to pay.

ARTery members don’t need to be Takoma Park residents but should have some connection to the city, such as living or working here or in nearby communities.

Applicants for the art exhibition should submit this online form with the requested information and artwork images by the June 9 deadline. More info about the City’s Takoma Park Arts art exhibition program is available here.

The opening reception will be scheduled in September or October 2024, and the exhibition will be on display for 3 to 4 months. Selected artists most likely will be showing two or three pieces depending on the size and suitability of their artwork.

Applicants are not guaranteed inclusion in the art exhibition, and all decisions about the selection of artists and artwork will be made by the City ’s Arts and Humanities Coordinator Brendan Smith. Artists may sell their artwork, and no commissions are charged on any sales.

Applicants will be notified about their status by July 15, 2024. Accepted artists will need to drop off and pick up their artwork and help promote and attend the opening reception.

Please email Brendan Smith at brendans@takomaparkmd.gov with any questions.

News Alert, Public Notices

May is Bike Month in TKPK! Celebrate with a Variety of Bike-related Activities

 

Get ready to dust off your bikes and join us as we pedal our way through the month of May! This month-long celebration is packed with exciting activities and events aimed at promoting cycling as a fun, healthy, and sustainable mode of transportation:

  1. National Ride A Bike Day is the first Sunday in May on May 5th! It’s a great day to join up with family and friends for a bike ride.
  2. Bike to School Day – On May 8th, students and parents are encouraged to ride to school together and learn about proper helmet fitting and basic bike safety. Check with your school administration or PTA for details about your school’s Bike to School Day celebrations. How many items can you spot from the scavenger hunt?
  3. Learn to Ride Bike Classes for Adults – It may be too late to sign up for our May 11th Class, but please join the waitlist so we can know how many people are interested in classes to schedule for next year: waba.org/learntoride/
  4. Bike to Work Day – On May 17th, we encourage everyone to ditch their cars and pedal to work. It’s a great way to reduce traffic congestion, get some exercise, and start the day on a positive note. Stop by one of the three (3) pit stops this year! Takoma/Langley Crossroads, Downtown/Old Takoma and Sligo Trail on New Hampshire Ave. For more information and to register, visit biketoworkmetrodc.com
  5. On-going Bike Repairs – Be sure to stop by and get your bicycle in top shape for the season. Bike Werks will be onsite to perform minor repairs, parts will be available to buy onsite, and installation of those parts is covered by the City of Takoma Park! Get dates and more information here: https://bit.ly/bikerepairTKPK.

Share your bike month experiences on social media using the hashtag #BikeTKPK. Let’s showcase the power of pedal power!

News Alert, Public Notices

TKPK Launches Balancing Act: Budget Simulation Tool

You are invited and encouraged to provide feedback on the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget for the City of Takoma Park!
Try out our new budgeting tool: Balancing Act

This budget simulation is a way for you to learn more about the City’s spending and revenues.

  • The module starts with a snapshot of revenues and expenditures for the Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget.
  • As you work through the module, you have the ability to adjust various expenditures and revenues by using the Plus and Minus symbols.
  • Real-time updates will show the impact of your funding choices at the top of the screen.
  • Before submitting, please provide comments as you adjust the budget so we can understand your reason for adjusting each item.
News Alert, Public Notices

Montgomery County Council approves Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment

From Montgomery Planning (M-NCPPC)

On April 2, the Montgomery County Council voted to approve the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment!

The plan preserves and expands affordable housing and advances economic development and employment opportunities in a section of the City of Takoma Park from the Takoma Park Community Center in the west to the Erie Center and Washington Adventist University and the former Washington Adventist Hospital site in the east.

Read Montgomery Planning’s press release about the plan’s approval for more information. Read the Takoma Park City Council’s March 22, 2024, letter of support for the plan.

Watch the Council Vote
Montgomery County Council video thumbnail
Highlights of the plan’s recommendations
Land Use, Zoning and Housing
  • For compatible future development flexibility, recommend residential and commercial mixed-use zoning for properties on and around Washington Adventist campus and along Maple Avenue.
  • Highlight new and existing strategies for compatibility of new development with the surrounding communities.
Improved Connectivity
  • Incorporate a well-lit, walkable Green Promenade from Town Hall to the Washington Adventist campus.
  • Seek opportunities for a micro-mobility hub for better multi-modal access.
Environmental Resiliency
  • Support the city’s Stormwater Management Program to improve Sligo Creek water quality and reduce untreated runoff and flooding.
  • Provide methods to reduce impervious surfaces.
  • Minimize urban heat islands by incorporating cooling elements like street trees and shaded seating areas into the streetscape.
Parks and Open Space
  • Provide for significant new public open space on the Washington Adventist campus.
  • Enhance the ecological health and performance of Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park.
Historic Preservation
  • List the Heffner Park Community Center, Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church, and Krestview sites on the Master Plan for Historic Preservation.
  • Study Takoma Park’s historic African American neighborhoods for potential future listing on the Master Plan for Historic Preservation and/or the National Register of Historic Places.
The plan also focuses on racial equity and social justice
Advancing racial equity and social justice is woven into the plan with specific recommendations to:
  • Prioritize no net loss of affordable housing by prioritizing existing residents, recommending a diversity of unit type, preserving the number of existing affordable units, and upgrading existing affordable units.
  • Propose the development of new housing with inclusive affordability.
  • Increase access to parks, open space, community gardens, and local healthy food production.
  • Promote cultural heritage and diversity of the community and further explore its past.
  • Connect the community through increased mobility options.
  • Support the creation of new diverse and welcoming public spaces.
  • Provide ways to combat environmental inequities.
  • Increase access to the existing transit network to help reduce reliance on single occupancy vehicles and provide all residents, regardless of car ownership, access to employment and other destinations.