Dear Friends, 
 
    I am hopeful you all have a fun and relaxing summer.  I am happy to have this opportunity to pass along a variety of information which may be of interest to you as the summer season commences.   Please feel free to email me at Geraldine.Valentino@house.state.md.us to request additional information or share your thoughts with me on any matter of concern to you.       
     I also encourage you to share these announcements with anyone who may find them of interest.
Sincerely,
Geraldine
Geraldine Valentino-Smith
Delegate, Maryland House of Delegates, District 23A
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2016 Prince George's County Housing Fair Returns June 11th
Mark your calendar for the annual Prince George's County Housing Fair on Saturday, June 11th from 9 AM to 3 PM at the Sports and Learning Complex, 8001 Sheriff Road, Landover, MD. Housing Fair attendees will have an opportunity to attend workshops and to meet with housing industry professionals, such as mortgage lenders, realtors, rental property managers, housing counselors, banks, non-profit organizations and various government agencies.

This year's House Lottery will give pre-qualified applicants a chance to win up to $10,000 toward the purchase of their first home. Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III will draw the names of 4 winners at 12:00 noon. Applicants can download an application here and email it to Ms. P. J. Gardner   [email protected] before 12:00 noon on Friday, June 10th or applicants can submit an application on-site at the Housing Fair before 11:00 a.m. Applicants must be present at the Housing Fair during the drawing to win.


SCHOOL IMMUNIZATIONS 
Even though summer has just begun, the Prince George's Public School System would like to remind you to schedule your appointments for your child's vaccinations.   Your child's paperwork needs to be completed by August 23 to attend school.   For more information see the link below.
The PGCPS Immunization Countdown campaign is underway! Help us reach our goal: ALL students in ALL schools will have the immunizations they need by August 23, the first day of the 2016-17 school year.
Students who don't have all the immunizations required by the state will be excluded on the first day of school!


Is your student looking for something to do this summer?  Visit a library! 
A new partnership between the library, the school system and the County government has taken steps to ensure that a Prince George's County Public School System student will never be turned away from a library in Prince George's County.

Prince George's County Public Schools students will now be able to use their student ID information to access their Prince George's County Memorial Library System LINK
account.  There will be no need for parental ID, no physical card to hold, students will need only their PGCPS student ID number.  A student's LINK account will grant them access to all of the digital services of the library, including the highest quality research support and online tutoring and downloadable music, movies, video games, comics and magazines.  Students may use the computer workstations and Wi-Fi in the library buildings, or access the library remotely through the PGCMLS app.  Through this program, approximately 126,000 students have been added to the library system.                                            


ZIKA Information 
While you are getting your yards ready for cookouts, however, I wanted to send you this update from the Department of Natural Resources on how to help prevent the spread of mosquitoes and hopefully, minimize the spread of the Zika virus. There are many helpful hints and important information on their site.
 
This page lays out where to look in your yard for breeding grounds and how to help you address a neighbor's yard, as well: Eliminate Arâ€'eas Where Mosquitoes lay their Eggs: The Tiger Mosquito can be a transmitter of Zika. This page shows you several ways to prevent them laying their eggs on your property.



STORM INFORMATION
The peak of the Atlantic Hurricane season which began June 1, 2016 and ends November 30, 2016, is August and September. Although there is no prediction of how many storms will impact our area, Prince George's County is reminding residents that readiness is always our best defense. Flooding, high winds, and excessive rainfall can severely impact both our community and our way of life. Residents should know the risks of how to protect themselves and their property. Additionally, residents should have a basic disaster supply kit which includes items such as flashlights, batteries, a first aid kit, medicine, water, non-perishable food, can opener, utility knife and a battery powered radio. For more information on preparing for emergencies and how to build your kit, citizens are encouraged to visit www.ready.gov for additional safety tips.
Flooding commonly occurs when property is located in high-risk areas, especially low-lying areas near water, behind a levee, or downstream from a dam. Visit www.floodsmart.gov to learn more about your flooding and its risks. High winds can also be dangerous for those who are caught in them. They can destroy property and cause many outside objects, signage, siding, roofing materials and debris to become projectile and cause injury.
The Prince George's County Office of Emergency Management wants to remind everyone that awareness and being prepared are essential to surviving major storms and preventing disasters. Click here to obtain information on what to do before, during or after a storm.
For additional information, contact the Office of Emergency Management at 301-324-4400. 
 
 
  
 By Authority of Friends for Geraldine Valentino-Smith, Elizabeth Ryan, Treasurer