Amy Hansen | Article Author |

15 Apr 2021

Teachers at SHL Elementary Fight Mold as Well as Covid-19

by Amy Hansen

Maintenance on Springhill Lake Elementary School, a building that opened in 1966, is non-stop. Except during a pandemic when everything stopped. The lack of upkeep meant that teachers and staff were greeted by mold, missing railings and rodent infiltration, according … Read More

25 Mar 2021

Greenbelt’s James McKinney: Musician, Composer and More

by Amy Hansen

The screen opens black with white letters: S.O.U.L. Of A Black Woman. But the words almost dance in front of the viewer because of the music playing at the same time. The movie is an Afro-futurism film, directed and co-produced … Read More

11 Feb 2021

Fire and Police Turn Out To Honor GVFD’s Bregman

by Amy Hansen

On Monday, February 8, the officers and members of Greenbelt Volunteer Fire Department (GVFD) were joined by members of the Prince George’s County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association, Greenbelt Police Department, Glenn Dale Volunteer Fire Department (Company 18), the Metropolitan … Read More

3 Feb 2021

eBird App for Birders Yields Data for Bird Conservation

by Amy Hansen

For at least 10 minutes a day, Greenbelter Michel Cavigelli is a birder. He walks into his backyard or goes onto the paths at Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), pulls out his binoculars and phone, and watches. “I’m a nerd,” … Read More

31 Dec 2020

The Pandemic of 2020: How It Affected the Lives of Greenbelters

by Amy Hansen, Carol Griffith, Lesley Kash

Life for Greenbelt residents, as for everybody else in the world, was significantly altered as we adjusted to life in the midst of a serious pandemic. We were sequestered at home, except for forays to the supermarket and other essential … Read More

30 Jan 2020

Satellite Lets Greenbelters Examine Distant Worlds

by Amy Hansen

By all accounts, TESS, the planet-hunting satellite, is having a banner year and in doing so is taking work from Greenbelt into distant solar systems. Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite is a NASA mission proposed by Principal Investigator George Ricker and … Read More

22 Jan 2020

Billy Smith muere apuñalado durante un asalto a su casa

by Amy Hansen

El 17 de enero, Billy Owens Smith hizo panqueques con su hija menor Layla en su casa en Mandan Road. Layla y su hermana se fueron a la escuela. La madre, Kristina, se fue a trabajar. Eso significaba que solo … Read More

22 Jan 2020

Greenbelter Billy Smith Dies In Stabbing During Break-in

by Amy Hansen

On January 17, Billy Owens Smith made pancakes with his youngest daughter Layla in their home on Mandan Road. Layla and her sister then left for school. Their mom, Kristina, went to work. That meant that only Smith, 41, and … Read More

9 Jan 2020

No I-495 Widening for Now: Hogan Will Focus on I-270

by Amy Hansen

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and Comptroller Peter Franchot announced on January 3 that they would not work at expanding the Beltway (I-495) for now, but would focus on I-270. The deal comes before the January 8 scheduled meeting of the … Read More

31 Dec 2019

Local Solar Scientist Models Processes for Life Creation

by Amy Hansen

What could have started life on Earth? It’s a broad question. Much broader than most scientists work with when presenting a poster at the 30,000 person American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco on December 10. And to be fair, … Read More