Riki Ellison, a former NFL player for the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Raiders who has won three Super Bowls, visited Takoma Park Middle School recently. He is also the founder of the Youth Impact Program (YIP) for disadvantaged and at-risk adolescent boys. YIP partners with universities, the U.S. Marine Corps, and local NFL teams.

Ellison spoke with sixth to eighth grade boys about his football career and the YIP. His motivational talk discussed how hard work equals success, as well as how to make positive choices.


Per the City of Takoma Park: Sculptures chiseled and carved in stone by artist Michelle Frazier are on display at the Takoma Park Community Center.

Frazier brings faces, bodies and abstract shapes to life through her sculpture of soapstone and alabaster across a range of natural colors. The exhibition, which is part of the City’s Takoma Park Arts cultural series, is on display in glass cases near the library in the Community Center.


Also celebrating in this win is the lucky retailer located at 7669 New Hampshire Avenue in Montgomery County. For selling the $100,000 top prize-winning Power 10s instant ticket, TJ Beer, Wine & Liquor will receive a $1,000 bonus from the Lottery.

Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.


Takoma Park’s Arts and Humanities Division has partnered with the Takoma ARTery to promote the work of local artists through a new online artist directory at takomaartery.com. Per the City of Takoma Park: The volunteer-led artist collective was organized during the COVID-19 pandemic to connect local artists and help them share their work with the public. Artwork displays have filled storefront windows in downtown Takoma Park and at the Historic Takoma building at the Takoma Junction. The City’s Arts and Humanities Coordinator Brendan Smith also helped organize a previous grant to support the group’s start-up costs and its first art fair last summer outside the Takoma Park Community Center.

Takoma ARTery artists have reported not only sales but also a broadened sense of connection and support from other artists and residents, according to ARTery co-founder Eleanor Landstreet. “The financial and staff support from the City have helped transform the ARTery from an innovative pandemic-related arts project into a vibrant artist community, which is boosting the creative economy and small businesses run by artists,” Landstreet said.


The 2022 Takoma Trukgarten Festival will take place on Saturday, June 4th, from 12noon-5:00pm, according to Main Street Takoma. This one-day beer festival features local breweries pouring craft beers and cider: Silver Branch Brewing Co., Smoketown Brewing, Manor Hill Brewing, Streetcar 82, Peabody Heights Brewing Co, Union Brewing, Anxo Cider (check back for more).

GATE TICKETS available on June 4th, 2022 starting at 12noon:


The Takoma ARTery arts group has launched a new artist directory featuring artwork and info about local artists. The creation of the directory was funded in part by a grant from the City’s Arts and Humanities Division to support the local creative community, their small businesses, and economic development in Takoma Park. “The City of Takoma Park has a long track record of supporting the arts through our Takoma Park Arts events series and a wide range of public art projects,” Arts and Humanities Coordinator Brendan Smith said. “We also work with local arts organizations, and the Takoma ARTery has done a lot of great work in a short time bringing artists together to support their livelihoods.”

A group of volunteers started the Takoma ARTery during the COVID-19 pandemic to feature artwork by local artists in underused storefronts in downtown Takoma Park and at the Takoma Junction. City grants also helped fund the group’s start-up costs and the ARTery’s first art fair that was held last summer outside the Takoma Park Community Center. “The financial and staff support from the City have helped transform the ARTery from an innovative pandemic-related arts project into a vibrant artist community which is boosting the creative economy,” ARTery co-founder Eleanor Landstreet said.


The Takoma Park Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division has identified and charged 21 year-old Abraham Douglas of Silver Spring, Maryland with the murder of 23-year-old Ahmadou Bamba Gueye of Takoma Park, Maryland. The incident occurred during the early evening hours of April 22, 2022 in the 7600 Block of Maple Avenue in Takoma Park, Maryland. Through investigative means, Douglas was located on the night of the incident after burglarizing a residence in the 600 block of Kennebec Avenue in Takoma Park. During the arrest, officers recovered a handgun and a 50-round drum magazine.

Anyone with additional information about this case is asked to please call 301-270-1100. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may text a tip: Text to 847411, Type TPPDTIP at the beginning of your message, Type your message, including as much detail as possible, to ensure that your tip is thoroughly investigated.


Takoma Park Police are actively investigating a fatal shooting that occurred at approximately 5:47 pm on April 22, 2022 in the 7600 block of Maple Avenue, Takoma Park, Maryland. Officers responded for the report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers discovered a male suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injury. This is an active and on-going investigation.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to please call 301-270-1100. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may text a tip: Text to 847411, Type TPPDTIP at the beginning of your message, Type your message, including as much detail as possible, to ensure that your tip is thoroughly investigated.


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