In The News
Housing offices will move to Prince George's
For years, Prince George's officials have been trying to attract development around its 15 stations, but a number of hurdles have impeded those efforts. County officials say there has been a lack of coordination among Metro, the state and the county. Some County Council members have said Metro has costly requirements for parking that have left developers unwilling to build near the stations.
"We think building a state or federal agency near a Metro station would be a major catalyst," County Council Chairman Thomas E. Dernoga (D-Laurel) said.
MD announces toll rates for Intercounty Connector
Prince George's County Council member Thomas E. Dernoga (D), who represents the area near the ICC's eastern end, said he thought the size of the tolls could deter users.
"It sounds in line with what they were predicting, which is probably more than most people are willing to pay," said Dernoga.
Montgomery County Council member Phil Andrews (D-Gaithersburg-Rockville) echoed Dernoga, saying the tolls will do little to get drivers off local roads and reduce congestion.
"If it was about maximizing traffic relief, they would not have set the tolls so high," he said.
Prince George's County copes with aging fire, EMS vehicles
The number of vehicles out of service for routine maintenance or special repairs on a given day varies, said Lt. Col. Angela Peden of the county fire department. One day in May, 29 vehicles were out of service for maintenance, Peden said. When apparatus is out of service for a long period, a vehicle from another part of the county is moved to fill the gap in service and provide better overlapping coverage between stations, Peden said.
"As we've needed to reduce budgets, I'm afraid we've taken a gamble on vehicle maintenance," said County Council member Thomas E. Dernoga (D-Laurel), who advocated an increase in maintenance and purchasing funds for the fire department at budget hearings.
Johnson calls for slowdown of Prince George's taxi reform bill
The bill was introduced after months of work by a task force formed last year to look into complaints that the taxi system created an unfair work environment for drivers and that some cabs are breaking regulations.
In a letter dated Tuesday to Council Chairman Thomas E. Dernoga (see below), Johnson (D) asked that the bill not be introduced, partly because his staff had not had adequate time to review it.
Prince George's council calls for audit of housing agency
At the Transportation, Housing and Environment subcommittee meeting, Johnson told council members the group finished allocating the imperiled $2.8 million April 21, 10 days before the deadline.
"We've not actually seen anything," council Chairman Thomas E. Dernoga (D-Laurel) said of the most recent funding for the $2.8 million. "I'm wondering how you're going to pull that magic off."
From the cafeteria to center stage
Laurel High's new auditorium provides students with more inviting performance space
Dutch Country Market reopens in Laurel
Facility may help boost local businesses
Prince George's County Councilman Thomas E. Dernoga (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel, who was on hand for the market's official grand opening on Sept. 17, said the new 24,000 square-foot shopping center is a welcome addition to Laurel's eastern end, an area where he said businesses have struggled.
"We're really excited to have Dutch Country Market relocate to Prince George's County in Laurel," Dernoga said.
Adult businesses set to get tougher zoning restrictions
County Council voted for license requirements, move to industrial
areas
In an interview with The Gazette, County Councilman E. Thomas Dernoga
(D-Dist. 1) of Laurel, one of the bills' sponsors, said similar laws
have been in place since the 1990s, but were unenforceable because of
court challenges. He said the County Council has sought to avoid similar
legal trouble with the new legislation by modeling it after restrictions
the Supreme Court has upheld in other parts of the country.
After shooting, club abandons live music
The board, after accepting J’s offer to drop live music and patron dancing, imposed no penalties other than the $10,000 fine, however. J’s will be allowed to reopen once it obtains a valid use and occupancy permit. County inspectors on Feb. 2 discovered J’s was operating illegally under a permit belonging to the club’s previous owner, Crystal Plaza Restaurant Inc.
County Councilman Thomas Dernoga (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel, one of four public officials to testify, said J’s flouting of county code by failing to obtain a valid use and occupancy permit demonstrated a ‘‘cavalier” attitude and asked the license board to revoke J’s license.
‘‘When you have owners who don’t think the law applies to them, what does that say about them?” Dernoga said.
