THANK YOU TO MY FRIENDS -- my CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE.

Today is a day of very conflicting emotions.  Happiness for the launch of my daughter's 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, and the final rites for my best friend, Yvette Rene Mills.

As I prepare to move through this day, I am thankful that God has once again smiled on me and allowed me to wake up among the living.

Another great even occurring in my life today is that a woman I have never met is in Maryland and she and I are planning to meet for the first time, not on businesses, but to confirm a friendship that we've started online.  Not sure of her schedule yet, but I am sure that I plan to meet her while she is in Maryland, and to begin the journey of friendship.

Friendships and relationship are important.  My Mother once told me that if you had ONE real friend in this lifetime, you would be richer than words could ever express.  But if you had TWO, there would be no money on earth as valuable.  

I can say today without hesitation, I have at least four friends (Jesse Moore, Yvette Rene Mills, Washington Armstrong, III, and Patricia D. Fenn) that have been my CLOSE and PERSONAL friends for more than four decades.  MY TRUE BFFs through thick and thin.  They have been my sisters and brother.  They have walked with me a mile in my shoes.  They have seen my hurt and my pain.  They have gone with me through my divorce, raising of my children, difficult times on the job, and through my good times.  They have been there when I called late at night.

Today a second one of my BFF's will be laid to rest, and I am feeling kind of torn, kind of worried about what lies ahead, and on our circle being so fractured.  Jesse Moore would say "hang in there Lynn, I got your back and you know it."  Yvette would say, "Cut, you have always been a woose when it comes to death and funerals, so don't show up at my funeral to prove your friendship on my account.  I know how you are!"

My children believe that I have acquired some of the strangest people on earth to include in my inner circle, and I think they are right.  They have got to be strange to put up with a character like me.  I am honored to be called their friends.  My circle of influence hold some other close friends, Martha, Adrienne, Marlene, Diane and now Ida.  I hope and pray that as the year come and go, they too will become my new BFFs...at least one or two of them.

Patricia D. Fenn, and Washington Armstrong, III are taking this walk with me.  They have every intention of standing by my side.  To attend the Breakfast this morning, and the wake and funeral later on, IF I choose to go.  OR they are prepared to take me to the casino, a bar, another church or whatever it takes today to make sure that I am alright.  I guess, my Mother would say that I have been truly blessed and HIGHLY favored to have such loyal and dedicated friends in my circle.

So as I prepare to continue my journey through life today, I want to thank my two remaining BFFs for their love, loyalty, friendship, courage, and willingness to stand by me.  I just pray that I am as good of a friend to them as they have always been to me.

Feeling the love guys!  Thank you.

$10 breakfast at APPLEBEE'S 8:00am Today LARGO TOWN CENTER

This morning, my daughter, Nneka Barnes launches her nonprofit, Baby Sister's Song: EA / TEF with breakfast at Applebee's Largo Town Center, 1000 Largo Center Dr, Largo, MD 20774.  It is a registered 501 (c) 3 and a charitable organization in the State of Maryland.

This very important new organization, Baby Sister's Song: EA/ TEF will address issues and concerns around children and parents born with Esophageal Atresia with or without a Tracheoesophageal Fistul, - See more at: http://www.babysisterssong.org/#sthash.N8Vxqgts.dpuf. 

The Cost is only $10, and a portion of that money will go to this organization. Breakfast starts at 8:00am and ends at 10:00am. 

Since you will be eating breakfast somewhere this morning, consider having breakfast at Applebee's. 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Presidential Proclamation -- Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2015

ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH, 2015

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

The rich heritage of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders spans the world and the depths of America's history.  Generation after generation, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have forged a proud legacy that reflects the spirit of our Nation -- a country that values the contributions of everyone who calls America home.  During Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we honor the perseverance of those who courageously reached for their hopes and dreams in a new land, and we celebrate the important impact the AAPI community has made on our Nation's progress.

From the more than one million immigrants who journeyed across the Pacific and arrived on Angel Island to the Chinese-American laborers who risked their lives to link our coasts by rail, the determination of this vibrant community represents the best of our national character.  In each chapter of our country's story -- in places like Selma and the grape fields of Delano, during the moments where our Nation's destiny has been decided -- AAPIs of all backgrounds have set inspiring examples as leaders and trailblazers, united by a common hope for civil rights, equal treatment, and a better tomorrow for all Americans.

Through times of hardship and in the face of enduring prejudice, these women and men have persisted and forged ahead to help strengthen our Union.  Native Hawaiians have fought to protect their treasured traditions, language, and lands.  And AAPI patriots have defended the beliefs for which we stand.  Seventy years ago, the United States and our allies secured a lasting peace throughout the Asia Pacific region and much of the world -- a victory achieved in part by thousands of Filipino Americans who fought valiantly but were denied compensation, and also by Japanese Americans who served this country even as the freedom of their loved ones was denied.

Fifty years ago, the United States opened new doors of opportunity to more Asian and Pacific Islander immigrants through the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, ending the arbitrary and outdated policies that unfairly limited the potential of entire regions.  This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, which brought new Vietnamese, Cambodian, Hmong, and Laotian communities to this country.  But as we recognize the enormous progress America has made, we must also acknowledge the many struggles AAPIs continue to experience in the face of persistent inequality and bigotry, including barriers to equal access to education, employment, and  health care.  South Asian Americans -- especially those who are Muslim, Hindu, or Sikh -- too often face senseless violence and harassment due only to the color of their skin or the tenets of their faith.  And to this day, many AAPIs continue to live in the shadows and are separated from their families due to our broken immigration system.

My Administration is committed to addressing these unmet needs and the ugly discrimination that still exists.  I was proud to re-establish the White House Initiative on AAPIs soon after I took office, to foster opportunities for increased access to and involvement in Federal programs.  As part of that effort, my Administration is expanding its regional network of Federal leaders and hosting community meetings across the country to better understand the needs of the diverse AAPI community.  Last year, I announced my intent to take actions that would allow more high-skilled immigrants, graduates, and entrepreneurs to stay and contribute to our economy, and I continue to call on the Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform.  To highlight the tremendous growth of the AAPI community and my Administration's commitment to increasing opportunity for AAPIs everywhere, this month we will host the White House Summit on AAPIs -- an unprecedented and historic all-day convening of senior Federal officials and community leaders from across the country.

As we commemorate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we pay tribute to all those in the AAPI community who have striven for a brighter future for the next generation.  Together, let us recommit to embracing the diversity that enriches our Nation and to ensuring all our people have an equal chance to succeed in the country we love.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2015 as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.  I call upon all Americans to visit www.WhiteHouse.gov/AAPI to learn more about our efforts on behalf of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth.

BARACK OBAMA

IT'S THE MOUNT RAINIER DAY FESTIVAL IN MOUNT RAINIER TODAY!

This day has been coming for an entire YEAR, and it is finally HERE!

Here is what is in store for you today:

A PARADE featuring two of our area's marching bands; dignitaries from across the Prince George's County; at least one dog club; police cars; horses; fire engines and a whole lot more!  LINE UP FOR THE PARADE is at 9:30am at 22nd and Varnum Streets in the parking lot across from NEW HORIZON BAPTIST CHURCH!

THE PARADE ROUTE:  Leaving the parking lot turning left on Varnum to Russell Avenue to Upshur to Rainier Avenue to 34th Street through the Circle down 34th Street past NEWTON APARTMENTS to 37th Avenue across Rhode Island Avenue into the Bunker Hill Fire Station.

VENDORS from across the region providing an assortment of foods, information, jewelry, and other items for you to view, purchase and/or sample!

The NATURE CENTER will have some of our natural animals and other sights for you to enjoy.

There is NEVER ENDING ENTERTAINMENT (all free) for the children including moon bounce, a video truck, cotton candy, face painting, skate mobile, and a lot of other things that will bring a smile to most children's face!

Back on popular demand will be bands from across the region playing music from almost every genre throughout the day.

BUS/VAN Service is available throughout the day to pick you up and take you back to locations throughout MOUNT RAINIER!  The bus route starts at NEWTON APARTMENTS down 34th Street through the CIRCLE to QUEENSTOWN APARTMENTS, down Queens Chapel Road to RAINIER MANOR, back to QUEENS CHAPEL ROAD to QUEENS MANOR, down Arundel Road to Russell Avenue Avenue to KAYWOOD APARTMENTS, and then down Eastern Avenue tack to NEWTON APARTMENTS.  This will be the route through out the day.  

This is just a sample of what to expect today at the MOUNT RAINIER DAY FESTIVAL!

COME OUT AND BRING YOUR FAMILY, NEIGHBORS, AND FRIENDS!  Hope to see your there between 9:30am and 6:00pm TODAY, May 16, 2015!

Meet the new Councilwoman for District 2, Councilmember Deni Taveras!

She has been on the job now for about five months, and she has hit the ground running.  She took a few minutes out of her busy day to talk with me about her goals and plans for District 2.  Take a few minutes and check out what she had to say.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y7uNra8Lok

You can watch other programs of "On Air With the Mayor" on Verizon channel 21, and on Comcast/Xfinity 71.  Let me know other topics that you would like to see on our cable channels.

There are a lot of bikers in Mount Rainier. I invite and encourage participation in this activity.

Say Hi to AWS at the Port Towns Pit Stop on Bike to Work Day!

Bike to Work Day is next Friday, May 15 and we are excited to be part of the first ever Pitstop in the Port Towns!  See a map of the stop here where it sits on Northeast Branch Trail in Prince George's County just outside the district. 

Register here and come and visit us and our friends from Community Forklift, Eco-City Farms, and the Edmonston Green Team who are co-hosting. We will have refreshments, raffle prizes, music and more!

GOSH DARN!  I need my bike fixed so that I can ride it.  What a great way to exercise.  Maybe we can have a BIKE TO SCHOOL DAY for our KIDS in MOUNT RAINIER.  ANY VOLUNTEERS TO COORDINATE such an effort?

Mount Rainier's City Council Passes the Land Development Agreement (LDA) that will allow the redevelopment of 3200 Rhode Island Avenue to move forward!

Although I do not have a picture of my own of the meeting of this current council, I must say that their faces, their contributions, and their love of Mount Rainier, Maryland​ will forever be a part of my love of the men and women in this great City.

Tonight, Councillmember Brent Bolin, Bryan Knedler, Jesse Christopehrson, and Jacqlyn Witmer Riposo​ voted to pass the City's budget for 2016, and the long awaited Land Development Agreement (LDA) that will move the City toward development of the corner of Rhode Island and Eastern Avenue.  Lots of other business was addressed, but these were the two most significant pieces of the evening. 

Thank you Council, and now LET'S MOVE our agenda forward.

Brent Bolin, best wishes for your continued success in your endeavors, and please stay involved.

Jacqlyn Riposo best wishes to you, and best wishes for your continued success, and future role in municipal government!

THE ELECTION IS OVER!

Under the professional and talented leadership of the Mount Rainier Board of Elections, the 2015 Mount Rainier Election came to an end with the election of three new Councilmembers-elect!  The un-certified votes shw the re-election of Councilmember Bryan Knedler, the new election of Councilmembers Tracy Loh Ward 1 and new Councilmember-elect Savali Shah Ward 2.    THANK YOU TO ALL RESIDENTS WHO CAME OUT TO VOTE!  THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE CANDIDATES WHO PUT THEMSELVES OUT THERE UNDER PUBLIC SCRUTINY TO SERVE OUR CITY!  All of you showed your civic pride.

VOTING IN MOUNT RAINIER STARTED at 7:00am this MORNING, May 4, 2015

This is when you get to voice your opinion in the City's election for YOUR WARD.  There are two wards in Mount Rainier, and you get to ELECT WHO REPRESENTS YOU ON THE MOUNT RAINIER CITY COUNCIL!

Please exercise your right to vote for your Council representative TODAY.  The election is being held at ONE MUNICIPAL PLACE, MOUNT RAINIER, MARYLAND 201712 (Across from Chuck's Liquors at the BUS TERMINAL).

The Mount Rainier Board of Elections is WAITING TO GREET YOU!

The polls close at 8:00pm today.

JUST SAYING...

I live in a City where I am continually amazed, especially when it comes to people and elections.  I have heard for years that people are not interested in running.  Residents do not come out to vote.

This year, we actually have five (5) candidates interested in the three vacancies.  Some of them actually made the deadline to file on time April 6.  However, because some wise people wrote our City Charter, it allows for write-in candidates.  We have write-in candidates, but it seems that they are being barred on every turn, from FULL participation in the process.

They have not been allowed to participate in City Sponsored Forums.  Nothing in the Charter forbids participation in the forum.  Ooops, the Charter does not even require a candidates forums!  So even  candidates that meet the filing deadline DO NOT HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FORUMS!  The forum are for the purpose of residents being able to hear the views of all candidates choosing to participate in the forums.  They are set up by the Mount Rainier Board of Elections, and RUN by its members!  As such "all" candidates for any election in Mount Rainier should be open to all candidates.

Then there is that whole issue of elected officials behind the scene politics by throwing their support to candidates, for example:

F    Writing endorsements

F    Hosting meet and greets

F    Taking potential candidate to hang out with the Chief of Police for two or more hours

F    Requesting information to make sure that their candidates have the inside track on things

F    Trying to appear neutral when there has been no neutrality

Well, when you play the same old politics every time, it is hard to gain and keep the public trust.  No wonder only about 500 of the 4,300 voters in Mount Rainier ever bothers to come out to vote in an election.  I have heard most, if not all of the reasons for the low turnout, including the one that says, “APARTMENT DWELLERS DO NOT VOT”E.  Well, you CANNOT vote if you do not know where the election is being held.  

Apartment residents are all transients, and do not have a vested interest in the City.  Now, that is the biggest crock of bull I have ever heard.  Many of the residents living in apartments in Mount Rainier have been here longer than many of the homeowners, and many of them vote in federal and state elections.  Check the records.  For many years little or no effort was put into notifying ALL registered voters of the upcoming City elections.

There are more than 900 single family homes in Mount Rainier, and most of them have more than two voting age adults living in them.  Based on simple math that is about 1,800 potential voters that do not live in apartments, and we still can only count about 500 votes in most of our elections.  

Then there are those who throw rocks at those who run and/or hold office, yet they have NEVER put themselves out there, and probably never will.  They are the side line quarterbacks who can't ever find anything good to say about anything that has ever been or will be done, and still have all of the answers.  Oh yes, they also only support persons like themselves, especially, if they are doing what they want them to do.  They also feel that they are entitled to say, do, write, and put out any and all information on and about any given subject.  They are the experts, and definitely have all of the answers.

My answer.  The election was and still is open to every resident in this City that meets the qualifications spelled out by the Charter of this City.  YOU TOO CAN BE A WRITE IN CANDIDATE!

If you are not willing to take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.  Every single candidate opens him or herself up for scrutiny.  They are willing to take the heat.  So let's be fair.  Let's play fair.  In our democracy every American citizen has the right to participate in our political process, and still be treated with dignity and fairness.  NO ONE should be left out of the game, made to feel badly or be treated unfairly.  No one has a lockdown on how to best get something done in this City or anywhere else for that matter.  A collaborative effort has and will continue to move our City forward OR we can bring our pass progress to a screeching halt by going to our own private corners and fighting to the death what we want rather than what is best for this City, MOUNT RAINIER MARYLAND.

I hope all of the 4,300+ registered voters in this City will come out on Monday and let their voices be heard.  I hope that those that get elected will have a "CITY" agenda rather than their own "PERSONAL" agenda.

Good luck to all of the candidates, and may the BEST PERSONS be selected for the current vacancies on our City Council.  Thank you all for running.

EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE.  THE ELECTION IS MONDAY, MAY 4, 2015!

MOUNT RAINIER’S CITY ELECTIONS

Monday, May 4, 2015

MOUNT RAINIER ‘S CITY HALL

ONE MUNICIPAL PLACE

(The bus terminal on Rhode Island Avenue across from Chuck’s Liquors)

MOUNT RAINIER, MARYLAND 20712

POLS are open at 7:00am.  You can vote before you go to work.

POLLS will close at 8:00pm.  You can vote during your lunch hour and after you get off work.