A very knowledgeable Greenbelt expert in resources for residents, especially seniors and people with disabilities, is City of Greenbelt employee Christal Batey. She recently gave a zoom talk about sources of aid for Marylanders who need financial help modifying their homes in order to age in place or adapt their homes to non-age-related disabilities – but that’s not all!. The ...

Anyone in or near Greenbelt on Tuesday, July 12 has a story to tell about the humongous wind-and-rain storm we experienced at about 6 pm. To me, as I watched nervously from my upstairs window, it looked like a tornado, with all the whirling going on in the treetops. Others describe it as a “bow echo,” which is “when bands ...

Wildlife, Greenbelt Lake, city pool and a beach just 45 minutes away. Explore the natural resources of Greenbelt and the many ways that Greenbelters and visitors enjoy them When I moved to Old Greenbelt after 26 years in Takoma Park I had no idea that I’d be vastly increasing my connections to nature – my chances to spend time outdoors ...

by Leah Cohen I don’t know about you, but my heart is warmed by the diversity of people who call Greenbelt home: old and young, families and retirees, university students and essential workers, immigrants, migrants, “pioneers”, those here til death-do-us-part and those who are just passing through. Diversity is nourishing, and we are all the better for welcoming people with ...

I was recently asked by newcomers to Greenbelt what native plants I recommend, and could they please see them in my garden? What a great idea! So much more helpful than consulting lists of plants native to our region, with the focus so often on benefit to wildlife rather than to garden-making. So I was happy to show them the ...

Since moving to Old Greenbelt, I’ve been increasingly drawn to Mid-Century Modern architecture, especially because my townhouse in Old Greenbelt is Modernist, It was built in1937 in the International Style so rarely used in the U.S. but more common in Europe. (This explains all the home styles in our co-op.) I’m also increasingly drawn to other planned communities, especially if ...

It’s an Art Studio Open House! I joined throngs of visitors on May Day to explore the art and artists in our beloved Greenbelt Community Center. We met the seven Artists in Residence and several others, and got to ogle their work, which I found quite impressive. I was glad to see their works being sold, too! Nicole DeWald, Greenbelt’s ...

Have you seen all the photographers pointing their cameras up into the trees along the Greenbelt Lake path lately? Maybe you’ve heard the news of a nest of owls there. I hadn’t noticed until a tipster (Katy Gaughan) suggested I try to cover it for this very blog. And thanks to the generosity of a serious photographer I found there ...

Scenes from the 2021 Garden Party. Mary Lou is seen chatting with Michael Bordelon Join Greenbelters and other garden-lovers in the beloved lakeside garden of Mary Lou Williamson this Sunday from noon to 4. The forecast is great! Light refreshments will be available. As an avid gardener and long-time editor of the Greenbelt News Review, Mary Lou has run ads ...

No-Mow signup at City of Greenbelt website. Letter to the Editor Did you happen to see my letter to the editor of the Greenbelt News Review’s April 7 issue under the title “No-Mow Presents Problems for Lawns”? Here it is: This year the City of Greenbelt’s “No-Mow April” campaign encourages residents to avoid mowing this month, in order to encourage ...

Last week the latest winners of the Rose Awards for Best Community VIdeo were announced by Greenbelt Access Television – and they’re all watchable here. But there are a few more Greenbelters making community video who aren’t eligible for the award, due to their connection to GATe.  Sooooo, I’ve asked board and staff members to suggest one of theirs from ...

Greenbelt Access Television has announced winners of the 2021 Rose Awards for Best Community Video, so congratulations to Sally Davies, Tanya Nordberg, Ian Blackwell and Mike McMullin!. As a beginning but enthusiastic videographer myself I’m impressed by the winners and glad to see community video getting the attention it deserves. (Here’s how to enter any Greenbelt-based videos you may make ...

The Granite Building in Roosevelt Center – upper and lower level entrances. Like so many Greenbelters, I was excited about the opening of the Granite Building in Roosevelt Center and finally got a quick tour of the new family medical practice there with nurse-practitioner Julia Gabriel. Learn more about nurse practitioners – their training and the wide range of primary ...

Maryland’s Comptroller Peter Franchot paid Greenbelt quite a visit last week – to show appreciation for two of our small businesses. Let’s start with the New Deal Cafe – because I had the chance to attend that event, snap photos and film some video of his and Mayor Jordan’s words of appreciation. The certificate reads: In recognition of your unique ...

Got wanderlust? Go local! If you’re itching to get out of town but not ready to go far, explore the “day trip” articles right here on Greenbelt Online.This round-up contains 20 favorites. (And if you’ve taken a day trip or even an overnighter you’d like to report on, we’d love to include it.  Just email editor@greenbeltonline.org.) In DC Last fall ...

Greenbelt Access TV’s Phoebe McFarb saw some Greenbelt news worth covering – two new people in big jobs at the beloved and fully open New Deal Cafe. She asked if I’d do the questioning while she handled the filming and I thought it thought playing a local news reporter on the scene might be fun so, sure. Below, Phoebe getting ...

Example of brick row in original condition. (Today I sent the following letter to Greenbelt Homes, Inc.‘s Buildings Committee, which will be discussing compliance the new zone and problems with our current exception system at its meeting tomorrow night.) Bottomline: I urge the Buildings Committee to recommend the appointment of a new task force to study compliance with the new ...

The nonprofit community website and blog – that’s Greenbelt Online! – has been improving and expanding its services to the community thanks to sponsors, and you see their logos all over the site. Now I’m happy to announce that these major sponsors have all renewed their support for 2022, so we all thank them! But I want to mention some ...

Before and after the 2020 restoration of my block unit. My coop townhouse in Historic Greenbelt was covered with grey siding when I bought it in 2011, and I was fine with that. Until two things made me not-fine with it anymore. I took a course at the University of Maryland called History of American Architecture, and as I wrote back ...

We’re elevating GHI member John Gareri’s kitchen renovation story from his Facebook account to Greenbelt Online, with permission. Why? Because it’s SO dramatic a change, and others can learn from it. Before John’s report was titled “How I spent time in 2021… I got a new kitchen!” I started the design process in February by contacting a designer who has ...