Greetings District 8 Residents,
Hoping you have enjoyed a nice holiday season! We are one day away from the New Year, 2022. While we hoped 2021 would be the end of our pandemic woes, unfortunately that is not the case. Our new reality is moving with us in to the new year, but hopefully more people will get vaccinated and take measures to keep themselves and others physically healthy. This will help us return to some sense of normalcy in our daily lives. District 8 has featured mental health support webinars, resources and tips throughout the pandemic. Please continue to implement self-care methods to maintain your mental wellness. We have some tips in this newsletter for your convenient reference. Your Health Is Your Wealth!
SPECIAL ELECTIONS FOR DISTRICT 8 COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER SEAT - Process in Place to Fill District 8 Vacancy
The Special Primary Election for District 8 County Council Member is Tuesday, January 4, 2022. Early voting sites opened this week. Ballots were mailed in the past few weeks, which you can drop off at ballot box locations, or mail in.
Special Primary Election for District 8 Council Member
The Special Primary Election is Tuesday, January 4, 2022 - Hours: 7 am-8 pm
Early Voting for the Special Primary Election will be conducted on
December 27-December 30, 2021 - Hours: 10 am-8pm each day
January 2, 2022 - Hours: 12pm-6pm
January 3, 2022 - Hours: 10am-8pm
Be sure to check your mailbox! Ballots are being mailed out to all eligible voters and should be arriving soon.
Ballots will be mailed to every eligible voter in County Council District 8 and include a postage-paid return envelope. Residents should expect to receive their ballots in mid-December 2021 prior to the Special Primary Election and in mid-January, 2022 for the Special General Election.
In-person voting will be offered at the Southern Regional Technology & Recreation Complex located at 7007 Bock Road, Fort Washington, MD 20744.
Ballot drop boxes will be available for voters to return their ballots at the following four locations:
Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex
7007 Bock Rd
Fort Washington, MD 20744
Crossland High School
6901 Temple Hill Rd
Camp Springs, MD 20748
Temple Hills Community Center
5300 Temple Hill Rd
Temple Hills, MD 20748
Prince George's County Board of Elections
1100 Mercantile Lane, Suite 115A
Largo, MD 20774
The Prince George’s County Council, on Monday, November 15, 2021, adopted
CR-135-2021, declaring a vacancy on the County Council created by the November 8, 2021, resignation of District 8 Council Member Monique Anderson-Walker.
CR-135-2021 establishes dates for conducting the Special Primary Election and the Special Election to fill the Council vacancy and sets the Certification of Candidacy deadline.
Please visit the Prince George's County Board of Elections online or call
301-341-7300, for additional election details, which includes voting location, and early voting information.
District 8 includes the constituent areas of Andrews Air Force Base, Camp Springs, Clinton, Forest Heights, Fort Washington, Glass Manor, Marlow Heights, Oxon Hill, and Temple Hills.
Self-Care: Brain Activity and Exercise are key mental and physical benefits. Hope these "Washington Informer" articles are helpful resources for you. Take charge of your life in 2022. We are MOVING FORWARD!
Don’t Give Up On Your Fitness Goals in the Winter With These Tips
December 2021 - Click on link below and scroll down to the AARP (sponsored content) under the Active Aging section
- https://www.washingtoninformer.com/#513d5554391a9a498aa989d8145b46f7
Brain Exercises Apps
Peak
PEAK is a brain training app that challenges memory, problem-solving, math, coordination, mental agility, language skills, and more through various games and puzzles. A typical brain training session is 10 minutes per day. The app features 45 regularly updated games. Peak tracks your scores and notes your best performances. The app offers a free trial and extra features with a paid subscription. Available for iOS and Android.
Elevate
ELEVATE earned Apple’s App of the Year Award. The popular brain training app boasts over 40 games that aim to improve writing, memory, speaking, reading, and math. There are reading comprehension tests, simple math, games to expand your vocabulary, and more. Elevate analyzes and tracks your improvement and customizes a training program just for you. You can monitor your performance and compare yourself to other users. The app offers a free trial and extra features with a paid subscription. Available for iOS and Android.
Clockwork Brain
CLOCKWORK BRAINLUMOSITY offers a series of fun games that challenge attention, dexterity, memory, and language. The game play is fast, so gear up to tap quickly. Puzzles are divided into mini-games. Anagrams is a classic scrambled word game. Chase the Numbers requires users to recall a sequence, etc. As the difficulty level increases, the speed at which a user must answer increases– so dexterity is a huge factor as you advance. Available for iOS and Android.
Luminosity
LUMOSITY offers a tailored brain training program for individual users that focuses on memory, attention, speed, flexibility, and problem-solving. The science team behind the app partners with 100 researchers from across the globe who develop cognitive training exercises and then turn them into 50-plus “easy-to-learn” brain games. Luminosity’s efficacy was even tested in a cognitive study in PLOS ONE JOURNAL
Like similar apps, users can track their performance and compare themselves to others. Users can play a new set of games each day. Pricing plans vary for monthly or yearly subscriptions. Available for iOS and Android.
Duolingo
Gaining new skills is an integral part of maintaining cognitive health. Learning a foreign language (or languages) is a fun and fascinating way to do that. DUOLINGO is an app that teaches users new languages via a series of mini-games and short lessons. You can learn more than 35 languages at your own pace, including Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, German, Dutch, and more. The app also features fun, engaging characters to help build language skills. The app is free, but a paid subscription to Duolingo Plus unlocks more features. Available for iOS and Android.
Words with Friends 2
WORDS WITH FRIENDS 2 is an updated version of the classic game of the same name. Like Scrabble, users create words with randomly chosen letters. The game helps build vocabulary and flexes concentration skills. It also promotes socialization as you can connect and compete with friends and family members anywhere to play the game. The app is available for iOs and Android. It’s free but features in-app purchases and paid extras.
CogniFit Brain Training
Developed by neuroscientists, CogniFIT BRAIN TRAINING measures 23 different cognitive skills, including spatial perception, response time, visual perception, shifting, planning, working memory, and more. The app offers multiple training programs through various games and exercises. Focus areas include memory, reasoning, concentration, coordination, and more.
Users can take an assessment at any time to evaluate their general cognitive state. Games are fun and engaging. Developers recommend doing training sessions for 20 minutes at least two to three times a week. Four games are free. Monthly or annual paid subscriptions give you access to all games. Available for iOS.
Memorado
MEMORADO sets itself apart from other brain training apps in that developers designed the 20-plus games to improve memory and focus. Users set training goals after identifying areas they wish to improve. After taking an initial assessment, users follow a personalized training schedule that matches their individual goals and skills. Available for iOS and Android.
Overall, giving your brain a regular workout is one of the most critical things you can do to keep your mind sharp as you actively age. Playing games on any of these engaging apps will exercise your brain and give you hours of fun.
Movement, Meditation, and Nature: 5 Tips to Alleviate Stress Preparing for an emergency: How to document your belongings- Click Here
Low-Impact Cardio Exercises to Keep Your Heart Healthy- Click Here
PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release:
December 29, 2021
For more information, contact: George Lettis Public Information Officer 240-302-5722/glettis@co.pg.md.us
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER DR. ERNEST CARTER STATEMENT ON RECENT SPIKE IN COVID-19 HOSPITALIZATIONS
LARGO, MD – Prince George’s County Health Officer Dr. Ernest Carter released the following statement today on the recent spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations in County facilities:
“I am extremely concerned that the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the County has increased 27% since last week, reaching over 200 patients on Monday for the first time since February 2021. CDC studies now show hospitalized COVID-19 patients are 17 times more likely to be unvaccinated, while individuals who have not received a booster dose are 20 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those who have received a booster dose.
“As your Health Officer, I am imploring every Prince Georgian five years of age or older to – as soon as possible – get vaccinated against COVID-19 and get a booster dose if you are 16 or older; it will save your life. The more people who are vaccinated and boosted will help ease the growing strain on the ability of hospitals to provide timely, high-quality care to patients with or without COVID-19.
“Please utilize urgent care facilities or your primary care physician for minor ailments or needs and avoid coming into a hospital within the County seeking a COVID-19 test or treatment for non-emergency illness. Free COVID-19 tests are available statewide and in multiple places across the County. A list of free, County-operated or supported testing sites and an interactive map of sites regionwide are available health.mypgc.us/COVIDtesting.”
Click Here
The Health Department’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Prince George’s Community College recently updated its walk-in policy. Residents are now only allowed to walk-in to receive their vaccine during specific hours each day.
The Department of Parks & Recreation is closing most facilities, reducing park maintenance operations and canceling public events and programs from December 29 through January 18. More details here: https://bit.ly/31blBiM
El Departamento de Parques y Recreación cerrará la mayoría de las instalaciones, reducirá las operaciones de mantenimiento del parque y cancelará eventos y programas públicos del 29 de diciembre haste el 18 de enero. Más detalles aquí: https://bit.ly/31blBiM
COVID-19 Update: All students moving to virtual learning (Dec. 20-23; Jan. 3-14); special education students attending nonpublic programs will continue to receive transportation services for in-person instruction.
Actualización de la COVID-19: Todos los estudiantes volverán al aprendizaje virtual (20-23 de diciembre; 3-14 de enero). Los estudiantes de educación especial que asisten a programas no públicos continuarán recibiendo servicios de transporte para la instrucción presencial.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Click https://www.pgcps.org/
Vaccination Plan Information for 5 and Up: Click Here
Applications are currently being accepted for the vacant Board of Education District 8 position to fill a term that will run until December 2024. Residents of Board District 8 who are interested in being considered should submit a cover letter and resume to CountyExecutive@co.pg.md.us
DISTRICT 8 HOLIDAY EVENTS
Below are a few events for your enjoyment. For more details on these events and other holiday fun events, Click Here.
GAYLORD NATIONAL’S I LOVE CHRISTMAS MOVIES™ Experience
SUNDAY, 2:00-6:00 pm
- January 2: It’s a Wonderful Life
* Part of Gaylord National's I Love Christmas Movies™ Experience
Please note that movie times/dates may be changed or cancelled due to weather. National Harbor will announce any updates via social media, so please make sure to follow on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.
NIGHTLY TREE LIGHT SHOW
Watch our 54-foot tree comes to life nightly with a breathtaking light show in the heart of the Waterfront District. Show runs on the half an hour from sunset to 9 pm.
Watkins Regional Park - New Entrance this Year!
Friday, November 26, 2021 - Sunday, January 2, 2022
Nightly from 5 to 9:30 pm
Location/ Directions - New Entrance
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To Enter: Please enter along RT. 202/Largo Road. (NO ENTRY ACCESS ON RT. 193. YOU WILL CONTINUE TO RT. 202).
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Entrance Location: Across the street from Riverdale Baptist School, 1133 Largo Rd., Upper Marlboro 20774
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Phone: 301-699-2456; Maryland Relay 7-1-1 for customers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability.
We are happy to provide the holiday hours for the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System. For more information, and to access online resources and more over the holidays, visit: Click Here
Prince George's County Health Connect Enrollment Program has open Enrollment for private coverage with huge discounts starting on Nov 1, 2021 thru Jan 15, 2022 for plan year 2022.
Click Here for full information
May 2022 be a year of Joy, Peace and Love for everyone! DISTRICT 8 Team is here for you!
Email: Councildistrict8@co.pg.md.us or
Call 301-952-3860
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