Elementary school-aged kids can learn to fish for free at an event at Lake Artemesia in May.

The DeMatha Fishing Club will give away poles, rigging and bait to the first 25 kids who register for the event who do not have their own fishing gear.

Event organizer Conner Hayes told the Hyattsville Wire that they hope it will teach younger kids how to fish “with the hopes of growing the sport and love of it.”

Considered one of the better freshwater family-friendly fishing spots in the area, the 38-acre manmade lake near College Park is stocked with bluegill, largemouth bass, channel catfish and crappie, and you can also see the occasional turtle.

Fall and spring are considered the best times to fish there, as the water temperature is between 50 and 70 degrees. Maryland residents over the age of 16 have to pay for an annual $20 non-tidal fishing license; fees vary for out-of-state residents.

The event will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 5, at Lake Artemesia. Children must be accompanied by an adult guardian.

You can register for the event here.

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When Emma’s Torch moved into its new cafe on Route 1, it worked with Community Forklift to build out the interior.

The nonprofit, which teaches refugees how to work in the restaurant industry, received a Community Building Block grant to help build out its new sit-down location at 2212 Rhode Island Ave. NE, in the Woodridge neighborhood just south of Mount Rainier.

The grants, which come through the nonprofit Community Forklift in Edmonston, allowed staffers to get furniture and decorations for the cafe. Staff even picked up a set of doors which were then cut and coated with resin to create a countertop.

“The Community Forklift team was extremely knowledgeable and kind, helping us create a beautiful space for dining,” said April Hayes, front of house manager at Emma’s Torch.

Since 2011, Community Forklift has provided similar grants to around 500 organizations, providing nearly a half million dollars of salvaged material. You can apply for a 2024 Community Building Block grant here.

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Era Wine Bar was nominated for a prestigious restaurant award in the greater D.C. area.

The Mount Rainier wine bar is one of five finalists for “Wine Program of the Year” at the 2024 Rammy Awards from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington in July.

The other nominees are in some of the most high-end dining areas in D.C.: Apéro in Georgetown, Irregardless on H Street, Lulu’s Wine Garden on U Street and St. Anselm at Union Market.

Era was nominated last year as well, but didn’t win.

The category honors the “quality, diversity, clarity and value” of Era’s wine program as well as if it “best suits the cuisine and style of the restaurant while enhancing the dining experience.”

In recent years, several Route 1 restaurants have been nominated for Rammys, including Spice Kitchen West African Grill at the miXt Food Hall in Brentwood and Tacos A La Madre in College Park, a sign of the local restaurant scene coming of age.

Winners have included Pennyroyal Station in Mount Rainier, Little Miner Taco in Brentwood and 2Fifty Texas BBQ in Riverdale Park.

This year’s winners will be announced at a gala on Sunday, July 21, 2024 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C.

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The town of Edmonston will mark its centennial in June with a tour of the town’s diverse gardens, followed by a parade and festival.

The town’s Green Team will be hosting a garden tour from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 8, rain or shine.

The first stop on the tour will be at Edmonston Town Hall, located at 5005 52nd Ave., where you can pick up a guidebook with maps and details of each stop of the self-guided tour.

There is no formal ticket or fee, but the volunteer-run Green Team is recommending a suggested donation of $5 to offset some of the costs. You can register here for the tour.

You’re also encouraged to join Edmonston’s Centennial Celebration on June 1. The festivities will start with a vibrant parade, featuring a procession through the town showcasing our elected officials, mayor, and council members, accompanied by live DJ performances and entertainment acts.

Following the parade, the festival will kick off at Edmonston Recreation Center Park, ending with a spectacular fireworks display. The festival will feature food trucks, live entertainment, games, pony rides, a foam party and special recognition ceremonies for graduates and local businesses.

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Jennifer Axner, an energetic Hyattsville artist and official U.S. currency engraver, died on April 14. She was 44.

Axner was a journeyman-level banknote engraver for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, designing the official portraits of Treasury secretaries Jack Lew and Steve Mnuchin, as well as President Joe Biden.

On Route 1, she was also known as an energetic member of the local arts community. In 2012, she won the city of Hyattsville’s art contest for the Route 1 Ride bus wraparound. Her design made the bus look like a piece of wood with a paint tube listing local towns.

“I wanted to refer to the artists … that have been attracted to the new Hyattsville Arts District — as to suggest that their creative processes are ‘splashing’ color all over the neighborhoods,” she said at the time.

She won another contest for a traffic box wrap with a design that made it look like a popcorn popper, served on the jury that helped select a mural for the West Hyattsville Metro station and hosted pottery and fiber arts sales by local artists at her home.

In 2016, she organized the Hyattsville Figure Drawing group, which still meets regularly at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center.

As leader of the group, she promoted the traditional atelier method of teaching, in which students progress through a series of tasks under the supervision of an instructor.

She was also regularly featured at Pyramid Atlantic shows, selling a graphite-on-paper portrait of rappers Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. You can also see some of her figure drawings on the group’s Instagram page, which is noted as “Artist: Jennifer.”

“Jenny showed many works of art with Pyramid, served on multiple nominating panels, volunteered at events, and was a joyful presence in Pyramid’s gallery, studios, and hearts,” Pyramid Atlantic said in a statement. “We are a better organization for her involvement and grateful for the time she shared with us.”

Donations in her memory are suggested to be made to Pyramid Atlantic.

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Taqueria Habanero has located a new home along the Route 1 corridor.

The popular College Park eatery will move into the former Jimmy John’s location at 7410 Baltimore Ave., next to Marathon Deli.

The news was announced by College Park’s The Restaurant Broker, which works with restaurant owners on real estate and played a part in finding the location.

The Taqueria Habereno location was “more than a lease; it’s about supporting our local businesses and enriching College Park’s thriving economy,” the company wrote on Instagram.

Taqueria Habanero had to close its previous location at 8145 Baltimore Ave. when the Campus Village Shoppes was sold to a new owner who plans to demolish the entire shopping center.

It will continue running a food truck outside the old location until the new one is finished.

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After its successful return last year, Community Forklift is continuing its First Friday community events starting in May.

On the first Friday of the month from May to September, the nonprofit reuse warehouse 4671 Tanglewood Dr. near Edmonston will be open late for live music, food and drinks for sale, local artist and vendor booths.

During the First Friday events, discounts on salvaged and surplus home goods and building materials and the material donation drop-off bay will be open late, too.

The first event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 3. It will feature live music by jazz-influenced pop Band Brûlée, a Catalyst Hot Dogs food truck, drinks by Streetcar 82 Brewing Co. (available for purchase to those age 21 and older), local artists and vendors, and more.

You can RSVP for free on the Community Forklift website here.

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