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A Hyattsville resident graduated from Kaplan University in August.

Delores Wallace received an associate of applied sciences degree in criminal justice.

The Iowa-based university held the commencement ceremony at the Chicago Symphony Theatre. There are 41,000 online and on-campus students that attend the university, which has eight campuses.

Mentoring program kicks off school year

MentorCares, a mentoring program based at Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, is holding a starting the school year event for prospective students and mentors.

The event will feature free food, back to school supplies and prizes. Attendees who bring a new student who wants to learn about the program will receive an extra prize.

The program will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday in the Media Center at Northwestern High School, located at 7000 Adelphi Road in Hyattsville. Attendees should RSVP to ron@leadershipcares.org.

The program is sponsored by Leadership Cares and the Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship.

Recycle electronics

The Hyattsville Electronics Recycling Program will provide city residents an opportunity to dispose of their electronics in an environmentally-friendly way.

The free event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Oct. 18 at the Department of Public Works Operations Center, 4633 Arundel Place. The event is open only to city residents who must show a proof of residency to participate, such as a driver's license or utility bill.

Residents can drop off up to eight items per household. Items that can be recycled include computer monitors, printers, keyboard, radios, VCRs, copiers, televisions and cell phones.

Artist competes

for Arizona art project

A Mount Rainier visual artist is one of three in the country selected as semifinalists in a mural project in Peoria, Ariz.

Valerie Theberge joins Daniel Roache of Petosky, Mich. and Roberto Delgado of Los Angeles as semifinalists. The winning artist will create a piece of artwork to be display on a large wall inside of the Rio Vista Recreation Center in Peoria.

The three semifinalists were given $1,500 to continue refining their proposals and for traveling costs. The winner of the contract will receive $50,000 for the project.

Artists have until October to submit their finalized proposals to the Peoria Arts Commission, which will then recommend to the City Council one artist who should win the contract.

Volunteer firefighters accepting applications

The Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department is accepting applications for students and non-students to become a live-in firefighter or emergency technician. The term lasts from spring 2009 until October.

Residents and college students who want to learn more about the department and fill an application to join can visit the fire station the meeting night, held at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of every month. This month's meeting will be held on Sept. 8.

To apply for the resident position, e-mail joinhvfd@gmail.com

County fair opens today

The 166-year-old Prince George's County Fair returns to the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro from Sept. 4-7. Along with traditional 4H agricultural and horticultural exhibits, contests and entertainment, the fair will showcase an array of county government agency programs and services.

Fair hours are 4 to 10 p.m. on Sept. 4, 5 to 11 p.m. on Sept. 5, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sept. 6 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 7. General admission is $6, and admission for children ages 6 to 11 is $5. Children 5 and under are free. Every paid ticket has a coupon good for a free Chick-fil-A sandwich at the restaurants in Largo, Bowie or Waldorf.

The Show Place Arena is located near the intersection of Routes 301 and 4 in Upper Marlboro. For a schedule of events, visit www.countyfair.org.

Alumni football

viewing party

Friends and alumni of the University of Southern Mississippi are invited to attend a TV viewing of the USM Golden Eagles versus Auburn game at noon Saturday at the Varsity Grill, 8424 Baltimore Ave. in College Park The event is free, but attendees are encouraged to RSVP. Call Jim Andrews at 301-262-3036 or e-mail him at

jimandrewscpm@comcast.net.

Upcoming forums on Planning Board budget

The county's Planning Board will hold two forums open to the public about the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission's budget for fiscal 2010 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex, 8001 Sherriff Road in Landover and Oct. 7 at Fort Washington's Harmony Hall Regional Center at 10701 Livingston Road. Those wanting to speak at the forum can register in advance should all 301-952-3560. Written comments can be mailed to county Planning Board Chairman Samuel J. Parker Jr. at 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, fax to 301-952-3560 or e-mail publicaffairs

@ppd.mncppc.org.

Future firefighters

can attend Explorer event

The Chapel Oaks Volunteer Fire Department will hold an Explorer Program Kick-Off event 6:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at 5544 Sheriff Road, Capitol Heights. RSVP by Monday to 301-583-1882. Business attire is recommended and refreshments will be provided.

Fundraiser for families of injured and lost military

Partnering with the Renditions Golf Course and the Ford Motor Company, East West Lincoln-Mercury in Landover Hills held a golf fundraiser for the Folds of Honor Foundation Aug. 30 at the golf course located in Davidsonville.

Folds of Honor is a national nonprofit that provides scholarships to family members of veterans who lost their lives or were injured in the line of duty. Golfers at Renditions competed for the chance to win a 2009 Lincoln MKS sedan. The nationwide fundraiser, Patriot Golf Day, was created by USGA member Maj. Dan Rooney and more than $1.1 million has been raised through the event.

Central High School grad completes basic training

Beltsville native and Army Spc. Joel E. Mays graduated from nine weeks of basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C . on May 30. During those nine weeks, Mays received training in rifle marksmanship, basic first aid, armed and unarmed combat and drill and ceremony in addition to learning Army history and values and the military justice system. Mays, son of Joel and Cynthia Mays of Beltsville, graduated Capitol Heights' Central High School in 2002. He is also a 2006 graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Providence, R.I.

University of Southern Mississippi alumni come to Varsity Grill in College Park

Alumni and friends from the University of Southern Mississippi are invited at noon on Saturday to Varsity Grill at 8424 Baltimore Ave. in College Park to view the Southern Miss Golden Eagles vs. Auburn game. RSVP to Jim Andrews at 301-262-3036 or jimandrewscpm@comcast.net. There is no registration free, door prizes will be awarded and guests can order from the menu.

PGCC hosts 16th annual Bluebird Blues Festival

Prince George's Community College in Largo will host its 16th annual Bluebird Blues Festival from 1 to 6 p.m. Sept. 28 in front of Novak Field House and in the Hallam Theatre of the Queen Anne Fine Arts building on the Largo campus, located at 301 Largo Road.

Admission is free. The festival will have live entertainment, children's activities, food, giveaways and vendors. Call 301-322-0851.

Olson prepared for Berwyn Heights walking tour

County Councilman Eric Olson (D-Dist. 3) of College Park will be taking a walking tour of Berwyn Heights beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Town Hall, 5700 Berwyn Road.

"The councilman's been doing these walking tour meetings around his district for the last two years and we're about to wrap up the last few these next few months ," said Dannielle Glaros, Olson's chief of staff. "We're doing Berwyn Heights and some of the communities in College Park and University Park. We love doing them. The community loves them because the councilman gets to their community on a local level and they get a chance to talk to him about their concerns and issues."

Cub Scout Pack 202 to host membership drive

Greenbelt Cub Scout Pack 202 is hosting its Join Scouting Night at 7 p.m. on Sept. 11. Youth from first through fifth grade as well as their parents are invited to participate.

Meeting are held at the Greenbelt Community Church; 1 Hillside Road in Greenbelt.

For more information, visit the Web site at www.pack202.org

UMD wins eighth straight helicopter competition

Eight University of Maryland, College Park students in the Department of Aerospace Engineering won the 2008 Annual American Helicopter Design Competition.

Team members Brandon Bush, Choong Yun Lee, Jeong Hwan Sa, Cal Sargeant, Rick Sickenberger, Monica Syal, Evan Ulrich and Nick Wilson beat out rival Georgia Tech and the Naval Academy.

This is the eighth consecutive year that the University of Maryland has won the competition.

The objective of the competition was to design helicopter capable of operating from an unprepared area and that minimizes energy consumption. The helicopter needed to be capable of vertical takeoff and landing.

The students developed the design during a one-semester helicopter design class.

The class is co-taught by Professor Inderjit Chopra, Senior Research Scientist V.T. Nagaraj and Visiting Professor Marat Tishchenk.