in brief

Fire/EMS Supporters Take the Field in Bowie

There was a distinctive Prince George's Fire/EMS Department presence at the Bowie Baysox game Sunday evening.

A ticket to the baseball game was the reward for residents who participated in the fireworks amnesty program during the past month. Throughout the evening, members and volunteers with the department helped entertain the crowd.

Fire Chief Lawrence H. Sedgwick Jr. threw out the first pitch, and the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department No. 810 Honor Guard Team presented colors for the national anthem -- which was performed by Bridgette Wilson, an administrative assistant with the department.

The department's public affairs office and bomb squad provided fire safety and injury prevention materials and gave baseball fans a chance to see the squad's robot in action. In addition, the eighth-inning sumo wrestlers were a husband-and-wife team representing the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association.

All fireworks are illegal in Prince George's, and under the amnesty program, residents could turn in unused fireworks without facing prosecution.

During the amnesty period, Sedgwick said, "there were no injuries or fires that involved the use of consumer fireworks."

The Bowie Baysox donated 200 tickets to the Fire/EMS Department for the program.

Hoyer Phone Town Hall Scheduled for Monday

Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) announced that he will conduct a telephone town hall meeting on Monday, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., that will focus on what Congress is doing to stimulate the economy, provide relief from rising gas prices and address the problems in the housing market.

The telephone town hall operates like a large-scale conference call that links Hoyer with residents of Maryland's 5th Congressional District, which includes portions of Prince George's County. At the outset of Monday's town hall, tens of thousands of households will receive a direct call from Hoyer inviting them to participate. Call recipients then have the option of staying on the line to hear opening remarks from Hoyer, followed by the opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session.

To guarantee participation, residents can dial in at 877-229-8493 and enter the access number 12897. Hoyer's previous town hall meetings, last year in May and September, drew as many as 3,800 participants, his office said in a statement.

Free Friday Screenings For Blood Pressure

Doctors Community Hospital, at 8118 Good Luck Rd. in Lanham, hosts a free blood pressure screening every Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The screenings take place in the hospital's lobby, and no appointment is necessary.

According to the American Heart Association, nearly a third of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, but many are not aware of it because there are no symptoms. High blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure.