Spring 2012 Piscataway Hills News 1
Piscataway Hills News Newsletter of the Piscataway Hills Citizens Association Spring 2012
Volunteers clean up Piscataway Creek shoreline Thirty-nine volunteers
picked up 44 bags worth of bot-
tles, cans, and other unsightly
trash along the Piscataway
Creek shoreline April 14 as part
of the annual Potomac River
Watershed Cleanup.
Piscataway Hills resi-
dents and a few environmentally minded vol-
unteers from nearby areas enjoyed a perfect
spring day for the cleanup. Among the more
unusual items hauled out this year were a file
cabinet, a wheelbarrow, a broken wooden
bench, and two propane tanks. Only eight tires
were found, which was far fewer than in previ-
ous years.
“Everyone agrees that there was far
less trash this year—we must be making a dif-
ference,” said Debbie Kutzleb, who organized
the Piscataway Hills shoreline cleanup along
with PHCA Vice President Dave Lishin.
The Piscataway Hills
cleanup crew picked up trash
from Lot 39 Waterfront Park
and the adjacent National Park
Service land. Crews in boats
also cleaned up the island
across from the Lot 39 boat
ramp and upstream along Pis-
cataway Creek to the Indian
Head Highway bridge. All the trash was taken to a spe-
cial dumpster at Fort Washington Marina to be hauled
away.
Doughnuts and cookies gave the volunteers an
energy boost before they started work at 9 a.m., and
they were rewarded with hot dogs, beer, and other cold
drinks after the cleanup ended around noon.
Piscataway Hills was one of 392 registered sites
in this year’s Potomac Cleanup, which is sponsored by
the Alice Ferguson Foundation. Altogether, 7,532 vol-
unteers picked up 118 tons of trash, including 1,178
tires, 126,500 recyclable beverage containers, 25,571
plastic bags, and 24,616 cigarette butts.
Above left: Jeff Myers and Diane Cope enjoy their reward for a hard
morning’s work. Above: President Gwynn Roberson and Co-Organizer
Debbie Kutzleb chat with Myles and Cherie Cullen.
Spring 2012 Piscataway Hills News 2
Plans for Tanger Outlet Aired at March Meeting The planned Tanger outlet mall on Oxon Hill
Road will open with more than 80 stores around La-
bor Day of next year, Piscataway Hills residents were
told March 27.
Andre Gingles and Steven Green of the Peter-
son Companies, the mall’s developer, told the PHCA
spring quarterly meeting that the project would in-
clude a small, inexpensive hotel and create 500-600
permanent jobs. About a third of the employees are
expected to be Prince George’s County residents, ac-
cording to the Peterson representatives.
The outlet mall is to be constructed on the
largely wooded Salubria Plantation
site between Oxon Hill Road and
Indian Head Highway (MD 210),
across from National Harbor.
The buildings at the Tanger
mall will resemble a large city
block arranged in a “race track de-
sign,” according to Gingles. There
will be a small food area and a res-
taurant, but no grocery store, he
said.
Much of the discussion at the meeting in-
volved the additional road congestion that might be
created by the Tanger project. Gingles and Green said
that most traffic would come from the Beltway
through National Harbor. The intersection of Har-
borview Boulevard and Oxon Hill Road is to be en-
larged to accommodate the additional 1,200 vehicles
per hour that are expected during peak times. They
said it was possible that a direct ramp from the mall to
southbound MD 210 would also be built.
The Peterson representatives told the meeting
participants that the stores at the mall would not open
until after the morning rush hour and so would have
little impact on morning traffic. They also noted that
much of the mall’s peak activity would be on week-
ends, which would not affect rush hour traffic.
Piscataway Hills residents
are mourning the loss of longtime
friend and neighbor Deanna M.
“Dee” Satterthwaite, who passed
away April 11 at her home after a
four-year battle with endometrial
cancer.
Dee, age 67, was the wife of
PHCA Board Member George Sat-
terthwaite. Many Piscataway Hills
residents went immediately from
the Potomac Cleanup Day on April
14 to pay their respects at her funer-
al that afternoon.
A Kansas native, she grew
up with 3 siblings, sister Fran and
brothers Dennis and Larry. She
married at 17 to the first love of her
life, John Peter Kelliher, or “Pete,”
who succumbed to skin cancer at
age 34. She had three beautiful chil-
dren with Pete: Kathie, Jody, and
Mike. She overcame this monumen-
tal loss with strength and poise. In
1982, she was lucky enough to meet
George, the second love of her life,
and they had a daughter, Kelley.
She became a wonderful stepmother
to Patti, Tony, and Frank. She was a
loving “Nana” to 15 grandchildren
and one great grandson.
Over her 40 years in the
banking business, she was a dedi-
cated branch manager at First Na-
tional Bank of Southern Maryland,
a mortgage lender at First National
Bank of Maryland, Washington
Federal Savings and Loan Associa-
tion, and the State Department Fed-
eral Credit Union, and rose to be-
come the Senior Risk Analyst at the
National Institutes of Health Credit
Union.
Obituary: Longtime Piscataway Hills Resident Dee Satterthwaite
Spring 2012 Piscataway Hills News 3
Plans for a Piscataway Hills
neighborhood watch, a possible se-
curity camera, and a proposal for a
playground at Lot 39 Waterfront
Park sparked lively discussions at
the PHCA spring quarterly meeting
on March 27.
PHCA Board Member Neil
Ayers, who is organizing the neigh-
borhood watch, told the meeting
that no serious crimes had occurred
within the past 90 days but that rims
had been stolen from four or five
cars in one night. He described sev-
eral situations in which he had seen
suspicious activity in the neighbor-
hood and called the police, who re-
sponded quickly and in one case
apprehended thieves who were
stealing snow shovels.
Ayers called for volunteers
and block captains to help organize
the neighborhood watch. It had not
yet been determined how detailed
or formal the program would be, he
said.
Another possible deterrent
to crime could be a surveillance
camera near the entrance to Pisca-
taway Hills, Ayers said. Because
there is only one way in and out of
the neighborhood, a camera could
potentially record all vehicles in-
volved in crimes, he noted. By a
show of hands, participants at the
meeting strongly supported further
investigation of the idea, including
its potential cost.
Several parents of young
children proposed that a playground
be constructed at Lot 39 Waterfront
Park. The cost is now estimated at
between $3,000 and $4,000. Some
participants at the meeting raised
concerns about accident liability,
and further investigation was rec-
ommended. A playground proposal
might be prepared for a vote at the
next quarterly meeting.
Neighborhood watch, security camera, Lot 39 playground proposed
New recreation facilities getting ready to open
A regional recreation complex with two full-size
gyms, an elevated indoor track, a climbing wall, a fit-
ness center, an internet cafe, and a computer lab is
scheduled to open this summer.
Don Herring of the Maryland-National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, which is building the facil-
ity, told the PHCA winter quarterly meeting on Janu-
ary 24 that the new facility would be “very pleasing to
the eye, both indoors and outdoors.”
The 37,000-square-foot Southern Regional Technology
and Recreation Complex, at 7007 Bock Road, will
have an environmentally friendly “green roof” and be
accessible from the Henson Creek hiker-biker trail,
Herring said. A new Bock Road bridge over Henson
Creek will allow the trail to pass under the road with
enough room even for equestrians, he added.
When asked at the meeting why the new facility had
no pool, Herring said, “I think I get asked that question
more than anything.” He replied that planners decided
to include a second gym instead of a pool but said the
15-acre site had enough room for a pool to be added in
the future.
Herring also discussed a long-delayed community cen-
ter being constructed at Fort Washington Forest Ele-
mentary School. Construction of the 22,000-square-
foot facility was halted several years ago when it was
60% complete, Herring said, but a new contractor is
expected to finish the job before the next school year
starts this fall. The facility, which includes a gym and
meeting rooms, will be used by the school during the
day and the community in the evening, he said. The
drawn-out construction process had been “very painful
for me to watch,” he said. “I have to apologize to the
community.”
Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex on Bock Road
Spring 2012 Piscataway Hills News 4
From the President
Residents respond to call for new ideas Since our previous
newsletter last fall, we have
been very busy in the Hills. In
February 2012, I attended
County Executive Rushern
Baker’s Public Budget Hearing
at Harmony Hall and spoke on
behalf of PHCA to the panel
on the benefits of restoring the leaf vacuum program.
We’ve held two quarterly association meeting already
this year, and discussed a plethora of topics including,
but not limited to, security measures within the neigh-
borhood, and Neighborhood Watch; the opening of the
Tucker Road Sport & Learning Complex and the Na-
tional Harbor Tanger Outlet; and upcoming volunteer
opportunities within the neighborhood.
As I mentioned in my last column, my focus is
getting more input from the community on what issues
are important and of interest to you, and you responded
loud and clear!! The hottest topic at our last quarterly
meeting was the construction of a community play-
ground at the Waterfront Park. Although our commu-
nity is uniquely different from other traditional neigh-
borhoods, and we haven’t had a lot of small children in
the neighborhood for many years, we should still offer
standard amenities available in all other neighbor-
hoods, and that includes a nearby playground for our
families to utilize without driving out of Piscataway
Hills. A committee of families in the neighborhood has
been formed to create a design of the playground for
board approval, and it will be voted on during our next
quarterly meeting (June 26). Please contact Maureen
Bartee [[email protected]] if you are interest-
ed in participating in the design and fundraising efforts
for the waterfront playground.
Speaking of our waterfront park, and as we
move into warmer months for water activities, we
would ask that anyone who has a kayak or canoe stored
at the waterfront park kayak rack and hasn’t used their
boat for the last couple of summers, please consider
storing your boat at home to free up rack spots for oth-
ers in the neighborhood that kayak and/or canoe more
frequently. We will also be discussing at our next
meeting the possibility of building additional kayak/
canoe racks to accommodate increased water activities
and population in the neighborhood.
With so many outdoor activities to do, I look
forward to seeing each and every one of you at upcom-
ing events, out on the water, or just walking through
the neighborhood. If I don’t see you between now and
the end of the summer, here’s wishing each of you and
your family happy travels during summer vacation and
safe Memorial Day and Fourth of July holidays.
Peace & Blessings,
Gwynn Roberson
PHCA President
Join PHCA Help make Piscataway Hills a stronger community by becom-ing a member of PHCA. PHCA organizes neighborhood clean-ups, maintains Lot 39 Waterfront Park, works for neigh-borhood improvements, repre-
sents the community on local issues, and sponsors social events to bring residents togeth-er. Dues are $40 a year, or $30 for residents over age 65 (and free for first-year residents). Send dues to Piscataway Hills Citizens Association, P.O. Box 441581, Fort Washington, MD 20744.
Piscataway Hills News is pub-
lished by the Piscataway Hills Citizens Association. Send com-ments, suggestions, news tips, pictures, or articles for publica-tion to Mark Holt, Editor, 13413 Kris Ran Court, Fort Washington, MD, 20744, 301-292-0852, [email protected].
Spring 2012 Piscataway Hills News 5
Years of com-
plaints from area resi-
dents about frequent
power outages—
seemingly during almost
every storm—may have
finally brought results.
Pepco crews
rolled into Piscataway
Hills late last year to
perform long-needed
maintenance work. Bob Hainey, Pepco media relations
manager, said the project was intended “to upgrade the
reliability on the power lines” in Piscataway Hills “in
order to lower the frequency and duration of outages.”
“We completed the work on some of the lines
in December 2011, which involved the replacement of
19,524 feet of primary wire,
8,637 feet of secondary
wire, 7,888 feet of neutral
wire, 25 poles, 8 transform-
ers and tree trimming,”
Hainey wrote in a message
to Piscataway Hills News.
“We also replaced
underground cable in two
subdivisions recently; Pis-
cataway Estates and Warburton Manor,” Hainey add-
ed.
He also noted that “our tree policy has not
changed. Our assessment of trees that are hazards may
not be the same as a homeowner's assessment. We
have always worked with communities regarding trees;
alive, dying or dead.”
Pepco replaces power lines and poles in Piscataway Hills
Guys and Dolls: gamblers, cho-rus girls, and saving souls
Nicely Nicely, Nathan Detroit, and the other
colorful gamblers of the classic Broadway musical
Guys and Dolls will be com-
ing to Harmony Hall for
eight performances starting
Memorial Day weekend.
And when the gamblers
meet a gaggle of squeaky-
voiced chorus girls and the
Salvation Army tries to save
all their souls, the results are
not quite what everyone was
expecting.
The excellent cast of
this Tantallon Community
Players production includes
Piscataway Hills’ own Valerie Holt as Sarah Brown,
the prim Salvation Army sergeant who takes an ill-
advised trip to Havana with bad-boy Sky Masterson.
Husband and wife Zadoc-Lee and Leslie Kekeuwa,
fresh from TCP's Smokey Joe's Cafe last fall, also star
as ace gambler Sky Masterson and Brooklyn-voiced
Miss Adelaide, the 14-year fiancee of won't-commit
gambler Nathan Detroit (Rich Amada).
This musical is truly a show for the entire fami-
ly: a fond memory for longtime theater fans and a
wonderful way to introduce young people to live musi-
cal theater at a bargain price—
still just $15, and $12 for seniors
and students. And on opening
night, May 25, tickets are two for
one!
Performances will be at
Harmony Hall Regional Center,
10701 Livingston Rd., Ft. Wash-
ington, MD 20744. Shows will be
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.,
May 25-26, June 1-2, and June 8-
9, with Sunday matinees at 3 p.m.
on June 3 and June 10. There's no
matinee on May 27.
Tickets can be purchased:
Online at TantallonStage.com, or by calling the
Harmony Hall box office at 301-203-6070.
Sarah Brown (Valerie Holt) is charmed by Sky
Masterson (Zadoc-Lee Kekeuwa), as her kindly
grandfather (Art Greene) gives advice.
Spring 2012 Piscataway Hills News 6
Joining Together: Community Groups That Include Your Neighbors
Looking to get involved? This regular feature of Piscataway Hills News is all about nonprofit groups in our
community in which Piscataway Hills residents are active participants. Your neighbors who are already in-
volved in these groups will be glad to tell you more about them.
If you are a member of a community group that you would like to have featured in Piscataway Hills News, con-
tact editor Mark Holt at 301-292-0852 or [email protected].
Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club, ohbike.org
If you like to ride your bicycle but aren’t sure exactly where to go, the Oxon Hill Bicycle & Trail Club has been
finding great places to ride in southern Prince George’s County and nearby areas since 1972. Regular rides by
club members include the new Indian Head Rail Trail between Indian Head and White Plains and the “Tour de
Accokeek” from the Accokeek fire station to Marshall Hall. Rides are available for people of all ages and skill
levels. Each ride is led by an experienced rider to make sure everyone finishes safely. To find out more, contact
Mark Holt at the number and email above. (And hopefully in the next issue, we’ll have a group not associated
with the Holt family!)
Potomac Watershed Cleanup Day, 2012
Above: Cleanup co
-organizer Debbie
Kutzleb is ready for
deep mud.
Left, PHCA President Gwynn
Roberson takes a break with
Diane Lishin and Ivan Raphael. Above: Don Benedict and Rob-
ert Reilly (sitting at the table)
and other cleanup workers en-
joy a well-deserved picnic.