Riverdale Park Man Named Taos Town Manager

The town of about 4,700 is located in north-central New Mexico.

Oscar Rodriguez, a municipal consultant and Riverdale Park resident, has been tapped to serve as the town manager of Taos, NM, the Taos News reports. The town of about 4,700 is located in the north-central region of the state. It is the seat of surrounding Taos County. Rodriguez was chosen from a pool of 51 applicants and a final cut of three, according to the News. He is set to begin work Monday. “All of us with the Town of Taos look forward to Mr. Rodriguez joining us as our Town Manager, and I believe he is the best candidate to fill this position," Mayor Darren Córdova told the paper. Rodriguez was also shortlisted for the position of city manager in Boynton Beach, Fla. Read the full story here.

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Q&A: Councilman Jonathan Ebbeler and Lions Club Offer Scholarship

Riverdale Park Ward 1 Councilman and Riverdale Lions Club member Jonathan Ebbeler is proud to support community.

  Earlier this month, the Riverdale Lions Club announced a scholarship awards program to benefit at least one male and one female student who is a resident of Riverdale Park or the rest of District 22 (Berwyn Heights, Greenbelt, Hyattsville, New Carrollton, University Park, Landover Hills, or Edmonston). Patch sat down with Riverdale Park Councilman Jonathan Ebbeler to find out a bit more about the program. Patch: Tell our readers about how the scholarship came to be. Councilman Jonathan Ebbeler:  From my first day in office I pledged to contribute my stipend to local nonprofits and contacted a few to explore their interest in partnering with me. Since the stipend is paid with tax payer money I figured what better way to give back than to …

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VIDEO: Community Weighs in on Purple Line

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?

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Public Hearing on Madison Hill Parking District Set for Saturday

The meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m. at Town Hall.

If you live in or frequent the Madison Hill neighborhood, there's a meeting this weekend that you might not want to miss. On Saturday, May 12 at 10:30 a.m., the Riverdale Park Town Council will hold a public hearing on a proposed resolution to establish a permit parking district in Madison Hill. The meeting will be held at Town Hall (5008 Queensbury Rd.). Public comment will also be heard on non-agenda items.

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Riverdale Park Man Shortlisted for Boynton Beach Manager

Oscar Rodriguez is one of three candidates set to be interview by the City Commission.

Oscar Rodriguez, a municipal consultant and Riverdale Park resident, is the top-ranked candidate in the running for city manager of Boynton Beach, Fla., according to the Palm Beach Post. Rodriguez and two others—Michael G. Miller, former executive director of the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council in Alcalde, NM, and Michael Stampfler, interim city manager of Pontiac, MI—are set to be interviewed by the City Commission in early June. The Post reports that the mayor, vice mayor, and a third commissioner favor keeping current City Manager Lori LaVerriere in place, but the final two commissioners are looking to outside candidates. A 4-1 vote is needed to approve a hire. Boynton Beach is a community of about 66,000 located in Florida's Palm…

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Soil Boring Begins, Then Halts, on Cafritz Property

Several neighbors grew concerned this week when heavy machinery was deployed at the site.

A team of workers boring soil on the Cafritz property raised alarm early this week among nearby residents, some of whom were concerned that the developer had jumped the gun on its mixed-use blueprint for the site. Shortly before noon on Tuesday, several workmen could be seen clearing brush with a chainsaw and maneuvering a large piece of drilling equipment around the densely-wooded section of Riverdale Park. That observation followed a similar report from Riverdale Park resident Joe Kelly, who emailed Patch and other area residents Monday night to note that heavy machinery was present at the site. The Cafritz team is seeking to have its 37-acre parcel redesignated from single-family detached residential (R-55) to mixed-use town center (M-…

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New Purple Line Alignment a Relief to Many

Six businesses along Kenilworth Avenue will be spared under the plan, which would route trains down the middle of the road.

A little after 7 p.m., Pat Rinaldi scurried into her seat at Thursday night’s Purple Line forum. She’d donned a red polo shirt with Rinaldi’s Riverdale Bowl logo stamped in the upper left corner, as if to advocate for her alley's survival.   She’d heard rumblings that the light rail’s proposed route on Kenilworth Avenue had changed, sparing the bowling alley her father built in 1960. But she wanted to hear it firsthand. Michael Madden, the Maryland Transit Administration's manager on the Purple Line study, clicked to a slide labeled “new option review,” and Rinaldi sighed with relief. Her business, along with five others, would be saved. “Oh my gosh, it’s been a rollercoaster. I’ve been in business, I’m out of business, I’m in business, …

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Riverdale Park Sees Major Drop in Speed Camera Revenue

The town has taken in about $1 million less than at the same time last year.

Revenue from speed cameras has dipped 68 percent in Riverdale Park since this time last year, leading town officials to believe drivers are heeding posted speed limits in the town's four enforcement areas. About two years ago, the town installed speed cameras in four problematic spots: Good Luck Road, Riverdale Road near Riverdale Elementary, and two locations on East-West Highway at Taylor Road. The number of $40 tickets issued to speeding drivers has declined since then, according to Ward 2 Councilman Alan Thompson, meaning the town will likely receive about $250,000 less than projected. “The flow of traffic is just slower now,” said Thompson, who chairs the Riverdale Park Town Council’s finance committee. “That’s a public safety victory…

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Area Towns Look to Expand Rec Offerings

Riverdale Park is hoping to start a soccer program soon, says Councilman Raymond Rivas (Ward 5).

RP Meeting Notes: Officers Honored, Funding Sought for Youth Wing

The Riverdale Park mayor and council moved through a packed agenda at Monday's legislative session.

Riverdale Park’s mayor and town council met Monday night for their regular April legislative meeting. Here’s a summary of what you may have missed. Letters of Commendation Three of Riverdale Park’s finest were honored with letters of commendation from the town for their outstanding work. Sgt. Jeremy Emereck received his commendation for the pursuit, investigation, arrest, and ultimate conviction of an individual who was carrying and handgun and posing as a law enforcement official at the McDonald’s in Riverdale. Sgt. Brian Slattery and Cpl. Larry Hayes also received commendations on Monday for their arrest, investigation, and dogged pursuit of the conviction of an individual who drove his car into a Riverdale home while intoxicated.  Mayor…

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