Thursday, May 17, 2012
Where do you plan to eat with your family to celebrate graduation day?
Whether it be a parent or two, a few friends, or your entire 30-member family who are coming in to watch you graduate, one thing is for sure—they'll need to be fed. Chances are you've been bogged down in finals and haven't given much thought to where you'll take your gang for the celebratory meal. Find ideas in the Patch directory of "food and dining" options. Share your suggestions in the comments below. Will you take the fam to an old College Park favorite of yours where many memories were made over four years? Or will you introduce them to a new joint like Big Play Sports Grill or Fishnet? Have you heard about any great meal deals for graduates? Share your ideas suggestions in the comments below, and happy graduation!
The former Varsity Grille building has a new tenant—the 24-hour breakfast specialty franchise.
The former Varsity Grille building, known for its trivia and live music nights, will soon be the place to find breakfast at any hour of the day. Denny’s recently signed a lease to renovate and occupy 8424 Baltimore Ave., next to Taco Bell, said Michael Stiefvater, the city’s economic development coordinator. The franchise restaurant is expected to open by the end of this year or the start of 2013, he said. The building sat vacant since the Varsity Grille closed in January 2010, when the property came under contract by a developer who intended to construct high-rise student housing, said Jim McGinnis of Restaurant Brokers and Developers, Inc. But while new off-campus student housing, like the Varsity, shot up along U.S. Route 1, the one-…
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Governor calls budget package "good for all Marylanders." Republicans say burden to local governments may force county governments to increase taxes.
The Maryland House of Delegates gave final approval Wednesday to a package of three bills that increases taxes on some state residents, shifts part of teacher pensions to local governments and undoes the so-called "doomsday budget." The votes Wednesday afternoon capped the three-day special session called by Gov. Martin O'Malley in order to override more than $500 million in cuts made in a budget passed in early April. The Senate approved the same three bills Tuesday. As part of the package, legislators approved by a vote of 86-51 what amounts to a 50-50 split of teacher pension costs with local governments. The split will be phased in over the next four years beginning July 1 with the new budget year. That bill also includes a doubling of…
Bike thefts, high ridership contributed to decision to make College Park Metro station the first for Bike & Ride facility.
Metro officially unveiled its first enclosed, card-accessible Bike & Ride storage facility on Tuesday morning at the College Park-University of Maryland station, a win for bicycle and public transit commuters. Shane Farthing, executive director of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, said this isn’t the first effort by Metro to encourage bike commuting—“but it does indicate a shift,” he said at the Tuesday morning press conference. The 2,400-square-foot structure can hold more than 120 bikes. Riders can purchase a card that provides access to the walk-in facility for $20. After the initial $5 first-use registration cost, rental rates range between 2 and 5 cents per hour, depending on the time of day. Kristin Haldeman of the Office of…
Which College Park restaurant serves up this food?
How well do you know College Park restaurants? Well enough to guess the venue from nothing more than a photo of the food? Today's Guess the Restaurant photo features the combination of two of the best meals known to man: pizza and tacos. Where in College Park could you have gotten something like this? Type your guesses in the comments below. If you think you have a photo that would work well for a Guess the Restaurant feature, email it to Shannon.Hoffman@Patch.com.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Growing participation in city's Bike to Work Day pit stop could be sign of more cycling commuters in the city, organizer says.
Friday morning, more than 100 cyclists are expected to pedal their way to City Hall to celebrate two-wheel commuting with refreshments, camaraderie, and for some, a group ride into Washington, D.C. Senior Planner Elisa Vitale estimates that participation in the city’s annual Bike to Work Day pit stop has tripled over seven years from about 50 to 150—evidence, she thinks, that bicycling to work is a growing trend. “I think biking is getting more popular, and you see it in the news more, and [with] the cost of gas … I think more and more people are looking at cycling as an option,” she said. She might be right. U.S. Census Bureau statistics show a 40 percent growth between 2000 and 2010 in the percentage of American workers who use a bicycle…
Church's driveway could be demolished if the proposed Purple Line is built.
Nestled along Campus Drive is University Baptist Church, a small parish complete with three white crosses that sit sentinel outside the more than 50-year-old building. But in the next few years, the tranquility of the 200-member church might be shattered by the rumblings of Purple Line construction, which project director Michael Madden says will go through UBC’s front U-shaped driveway. “We really didn’t have a choice,” Madden said, who added that in order for the Purple Line to make a clean turn into the University of Maryland, construction would have to side-swipe the property. The Purple Line will run from Bethesda to New Carrollton, and as part of its route, will cut into University of Maryland’s campus along Campus Drive. MTA …
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University Baptist Church
3515 Campus Drive, College Park, MD
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Some say light rail will ease commuting, while others are wary of funding issues.
For more on the Purple Line, check out our series. Speak Out: What do you think about the Purple Line coming to Prince George's County? Will it help or hurt local businesses?
Monday, May 14, 2012
University introduces "Senior Swirl."
Caps, gowns and ice cream—what else would you want to celebrate graduation from the University of Maryland? In honor of commencement, The Dairy began selling "Senior Swirl" ice cream on Monday, according to the university's office of communications. The flavor is a mix of vanilla with chocolate swirl, red and yellow sprinkles and brownie pieces. Senior Swirl will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Monday, May 21. If that doesn't strike your fancy, The Dairy is also commemorating the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and the writing of the Star Spangled Banner, starting on Sunday, with its "Star Spangled Explosion." Strawberry ice cream is spiked with sherry and dotted with red, white and blue sprinkles, and milk chocolate malted…
Saturday, May 12, 2012
A list of our winners from our Readers' Choice polls across the county.
It's almost Mother's Day, which means if you actually planned ahead you either have flowers headed to mom's door or are taking her out to a meal. For nearly a two-week period we asked our Patch readers in Prince George's County to tell us which restaurants were the best within their region for a meal with mom this Sunday, May 13. In Bowie and Upper Marlboro, the decision was simple for our readers as Rip's Country Inn took another Readers' Choice win with 69 percent of the vote. Rip's Manager Bill Burgess was pleased to hear the Bowie establishment won top honors in this week’s Readers’ Choice. They will be serving a buffet-style brunch from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. In the western part of the county— College Park, Hyattsville, Riverdale Park and …
Nick
12:49 pm on Saturday, May 19, 2012
This is really about the direction College Park and its neighbors are heading. Progress means improved grocery options, improved restaurant options, and improved propery values. What our local politicians have given us are impediments to growth, low-end chain restaurants, and a total collapse of property values. more ›