Delegate Nicole A. Williams Newsletter: More Tests, Phase 1, June 2nd Primary and Let's Chat Online
Dear Neighbors and Friends,
This past Memorial Day weekend we honored all of those who sacrificed their lives while serving in our Armed Forces and those who are risking their life everyday on the front lines in our hospitals, stores and food processing centers as we battle COVID-19.
We are ramping up testing and contact tracing across the state. Last week and this week the Governor announced new test sites at select CVS locations, expansion of contact tracing, a new ICU inpatient wing at Fort Washington Medical Center, testing at Six Flag amusement park and testing at the VEIP Stations in Hyattsville and Clinton. Yesterday, the Governor announced the next part of the Stateās Phase 1 reopening which, starting at 5 PM on May 29th, includes outdoor dining at restaurants and social organizations, opening of outdoor pools, opening of youth sports and day camps as well as drive-in movie theaters.
While the Governorās orders apply across the State, a stay-at-home order is still in place in Prince George's County. Today our County Executive announced that the stay-at-home order will be lifted on June 1st. Starting on June 1st, curbside retail can occur, manufacturing will resume, barber shops and hair salons can reopen by appointment only, restaurantsĀ can open with outdoor seating, houses of worship can open with 10 people or less, farmers markets with carryout only, child care services for those returning to work and car washes with automotiveĀ systems. The County Executive also announced her newly formed reopening Task Force to determine the Countyās next steps and respond to new challengesĀ that arise.
While the stay-at-home may be lifted, please remember to wear a mask and maintain at least 6 feet of distance from others.
We must stay the course if we are going to lower our infection rate.
Continue to stay safe
Nicole
New Nearby Testing Sites
Prince Georgeās County Health Department Clinic, 3003 Hospital Drive, Cheverly MD ā (301) 883-6627Ā
Six Flags America Theme Park, 13710 Central Ave., Upper Marlboro MD 20721 (appointment-free on 05/29 from 10AM-2pm, future dates tba)
VEIP Station, 7401 Jefferson Avenue, Hyattsville MD (temporarily closed)
VEIP Station, 7213 Old Alexandria Ferry Road, Clinton MDĀ
CVS Pharmacy, 5910 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770
CVS Pharmacy, 8201 Annapolis Road, New Carrollton MDĀ
CVS Pharmacy, 5621 Sargent Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782
CVS Pharmacy, 4840 Marlboro Pike, Capitol Heights, MD
CVS Pharmacy, 5100 Brown Station Road, Upper Marlboro, MD
CVS Pharmacy, 7600 SE Crain Highway, Upper Marlboro, MD
Largo Medical Center (Kaiser Permanente), 1221 Mercantile Lane, Upper Marlboro MD 20744 ā (301) 618-5500
MedStar Hyattsville, 6401 American Blvd., #200, Hyattsville MD ā (301) 276-8800
Patient First, 10424 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville MD ā (240) 542-5987
All sites require an appointment unless otherwise noted.Ā Link to the County Executive Angela Alsobrookās press conference.
Primary Election June 2nd
You should have received your ballot by now. If not, contact the Board of Elections ASAP. Ballot requests should be made by emailing absentee.SBE@maryland.gov,Ā callingĀ 301-341-7300 or 1-800-222-8663. Many voters here in District 22 only received their ballot instructions in Spanish. Here are the instructions in English. Make sure your ballot is postmarked on or before June 2nd. You may drop off your ballot at one of the drop off locations during Early Voting (Thursday, May 21 through Thursday, June 2nd) or on Election Day before 8 PM. The closest ballot location to District 22 is College Park Community Center located at 5051 Pierce Avenue, College Park MD 20740 You must sign the return envelope that comes with your ballot for your vote to count. To check on the status of your ballot, whether it was received and processed, click here. There will be 4 limited in-person voting locations on June 2nd in Prince Georgeās County for those that are unable to vote by mail. Click here for a list of the limited in-person locations.
Speaking of Elections
I am hosting a virtual house-party for Joe Biden this Saturday, May 30, 2020 at 10:00 AM via Zoom. Please join me and Prince Georgeās County Stateās Attorney Aisha Braveboy who is one of the Chairs of the Maryland Women for Biden as we have coffee, chat about why Joe Biden is the best candidate and make a few phone calls to fellow Marylanders. Here is the link to RSVP to the event on Saturday.
Community Exchange via Zoom
Join me on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at 7:00 PM for an online discussion about essential workers and especially those working every day in our grocery stores and pharmacies to make sure we have the essential items that we need during this pandemic. I will be joined by Ms. Dyana Forester, Political Director of UFCW Local 4oo that represents the workers at Giant, Safeway and Shoppers Foods. Please click here to register for the event.
Grab and Go Meals for Students
PGCPS will continue to provide grab and go meals twice a week from 10 AM to 1 PM which now includes breakfast, lunch and supper. Click here for a list of all of the school locations in the County for grab and go meals.
Unemployment Insurance
I know folks are still having problems with the website and some people still have not received a check since filing in March. The Governor yesterday said that the problem is the Federal Government. However, I am not quite certain that is the entire reason for the problem. Yesterday, we was informed the platform has been updated to now allow unemployment insurance claimants to reopen their inactive claim, entirely online.Ā To reopen an inactive claim, the claimant will click on the "Reopen Claim" button on the left hand side of theirĀ portal and then follow the instructions. Ā If you are continuing to have problems, please let my office know. Please use this Unemployment Insurance Tracker Form or contact my office directly for additional assistance. We will continue to follow up with the folks at the Department of Labor about your claim and your issue. This not acceptable. To directly access the new BEACON One-Stop site, visithttps://beacon.labor.maryland.gov/claimant/ The website will be down between the hours of 1 AM ā 3 AM to perform maintenance and resolve any ongoing technical issues.
Food Distribution Sites and Resources
Every Wednesday at 12:00 PM there is a Free Food Distribution at the East Pines Community Center located at 5819 East Pine Drive, Riverdale MD.Ā This Thursday, SHABACH! Ministries will be providing 700 boxes of fresh groceries to commnity members in need via a drive-thru form 1 PM until 3 Pm at Nicholas Orem Middle School located at 6100 Editors Park Drive, Hyattsville MD. Walk-ups will be accepted.Ā Food Pantry Locations In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several food pantries have been setup throughout the county and in neighboring jurisdictions. Enter your zip code or address to search for the food pantry nearest you.Ā SNAP Assistance SNAP is now approved in Maryland for online grocery purchases for delivery or pickup. Walmart, Amazon and ShopRight are among the participating retailers. Call Maryland Hunger Solutions at 866-821-5552 for assistance and questions related to SNAP applications. They can assist with completing and submitting SNAP applications over the phone, submit any changes to your active SNAP case, answer questions about your benefits, and direct you to additional food resources County COVID-19 ResourcesĀ
The COVID-19 Hotline If you have any questions or concerns, please call theĀ Prince Georgeās County Health DepartmentĀ Coronavirus hotlineĀ atĀ (301) 883-6627Ā fromĀ 8:00 am - 8:00 pmĀ to receive updated information about the coronavirus disease.Ā *PleaseĀ contact 911 for medical emergenciesĀ only.Ā Nonprofit Resources Listing of resources and grants specifically for nonprofit organizations in the County. Hourly Employee Relief Fund The County is accepting applications for its Hourly Employee Relief Fund to assist residents who were laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing $200 cash cards for those in need. Childcare for Essential Employees All child care centers are closed in the State, except for those providing child care for essential workers such as doctors, nurses, police officers, and others. Click here if you are an essential worker that needs child care. To keep track of confirmed COVID-19 cases within the county please click here.Ā
2020 Census
Complete the 2020 Census TODAY.Ā Call 1-844-330-2020, no code needed to complete your form over the phoneĀ Go toĀ www.2020census.govĀ to fill out the census online.Ā Let your friends know you've been counted--share this status on your social media:Ā I am #ProudtobeCountedĀ in PGCĀ #pgcensusĀ We need you to complete the 2020 Census TODAY.Ā
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