Kevin Durant Donated $1 Million to Oklahoma Tornado Relief

Durant, who has roots in Prince George's County, donated the money through the American Red Cross.

A Prince George's County native is hoping to help victims of the massive tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, by donating $1 million to the cause. NBA Player Kevin Durant donated the money to the American Red Cross today, according to the organization's Twitter account. Durant is the forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder. You can give back too. Text "REDCROSS" to 90999 for a $10 donation.

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Longshot Oxbow Wins Preakness Stakes

Orb, the Kentucky Derby winner, finished fourth.

Oxbow, a 15-1 longshot, went nearly wire-to-wire to win the 138th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday giving trainer D. Wayne Lukas the all-time lead in Triple Crown race victories with 14. The bay colt, ridden by 50-year old Gary Stevens and owned by Calumet Farm, took the lead early from Goldencents and won the $1 million Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown by 1 ¾ lengths holding off Itsmyluckyday and Mylute in 1:57.54. Oxbow also ended hopes for a Triple Crown winner for another year. Orb, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, never got started from his No. 1 post position and finished a disappointing fourth. "I get paid to spoil dreams," Lukas said after the race.  "You can’t mail it in, it’s a different surface, a different …

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80 People Attend Bike to Work Event

Many cyclists joined a convoy running from Greenbelt to DC.

Dozens of Prince George's County residents took two wheels to work Friday as part of Bike to Work Day, according to blogger Jeff Lemieux. Lemieux, who headed up a convoy of bikers from Greenbelt to DC, reported that 80 people visited a pit stop along the route and 30 bikers completed the ride. Attached is a video Lemieux submitted to Patch.

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Editor's Notebook

Hoover's Opossum Brings Luck to Hyattsville Baseball Team

Before the Wildcats or Stags, Hyattsville high school athletes were represented by a live opossum mascot. In 1929 they lost it. Luckily, President Hoover had an extra one.

84 years ago, sometime in May 1929, the old Hyattsville High School baseball team lost their beloved opossum mascot. This was not good news for the squad, which was hoping to rely on their mascot for good luck as they headed into the county championships.  They had a right to be nervous too. All year long their original possum mascot had, according to contemporary press reports, brought the Hyattsville High School athletic association an apparent bounty of victories. The 1928-1929 school year saw Hyattsville High School athletes claim repeat victories in county soccer, basketball and track and field championships by the time prep-baseball post-season arrived. But luckily, President Herbert Hoover, known as one of the more prolific pet-…

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When Is the Preakness?

The 138th running of the Baltimore tradition will be held this Saturday.

We're in the final stretch before the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Here's what you need to know. When is it? The Triple Crown race will be held at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Pimlico. NBC (WRC, WBAL) and Horse Racing Radio Network (WSPZ-AM in Washington is the only area affiliate) will have the call, which will also be streaming on the radio network's website. The first post on the day is at 10:45 a.m. Tickets? They are still available. Infield tickets are $60. Admission to the grandstand starts at $25, with box seats starting at $110. Tickets for the infield Mug Club, which include unlimited beer, are sold out. Weather? It's forecast to be partly sunny in Baltimore Saturday, with a high of 78. …

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Metro to Stay Open Late for Capitals Playoff Games

Metrorail to go to OT if Caps do.

Metrorail, which has a station near Verizon Center (Gallery Place/Chinatown), will stay open an hour later if any Washington Capitals hockey playoff games run late or go into overtime, according to The Washington Post. The Capitals open their quest for the Stanley Cup against the New York Rangers on at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Last year, Game 3 of the Capitals’ playoff series against the Rangers went to triple overtime, ending well after midnight—when Metro typically closes on weekdays. The Post reports that an announcement will be made inside the Verizon Center by 11 p.m. Metro riders will be able to exit the transit system at any station, but will only be able to enter at Gallery Place (all entrances), Judiciary Square (only on F Street) and …

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Is It Time to Wave “Bye-Bye” to the Wave at Baseball Games?

One Nationals fan is leading the charge to eliminate the organized cheer.

Fans standing up in unison in their section, raising their arms up over their heads, then sitting down again. Then the next section, and the next, until every section of the stadium has done it in order. We’re talking, of course about the ubiquitous interactive fan cheer, the Wave. You either love it or hate it. At nearby Nationals Stadium, a dedicated campaign to end the Wave is gaining more power than Bryce Harper’s bat. Last September, in speaking with Washington Post writer Sarah Kogod, Nats fan Ryan Mattheus called the Wave “the worst thing in sports. Sit down and watch the game....The thing about it is, you should be into what’s going on on the field, not what’s going on in the stands. It takes away from the game. I definitely …

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Azalea Classic Promotes Fitness, Community Ties

The upcoming April 20th Annual Azalea Classic 5K-1K-1M Run/Walk attracts runners, volunteers, children, community residents and the Northwestern High School Band for the University Park Elementary School’s PTA fundraiser.

This Saturday, April 20, the town of University Park will host the annual Azalea Classic 5K, where participants can compete in one of three races for both children and adults, solidifying community ties and promoting health and fitness. This year, the Northwestern High School band will be performing live music at the start and finish lines, cheering on the runners and walkers in the 5K, 1 mile, and 1K run and walk. The fundraiser will support the University Park Elementary School’s PTA and unite over 800 participants and community volunteers, including some who do not have children at the elementary school. The race provides an opportunity for the community to enjoy the outdoors together learn more about each other, said Kristi Janzen, the…

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Azalea Classic Still Set for Saturday

Organizers believe the 5K is safe even in light of Boston marathon explosions.

The 12th annual Azalea Classic will still go on Saturday and organizers are confident the race will be safe.  Race Coordinator Kristi Janzen said Monday she was shocked by the news of explosions at the Boston Marathon, but she believes University Park's race has a solid security plan. "I think it’s terrible what happened in Boston," Janzen said. "It makes you review your security measures, but ours are really strong." Janzen, who began organizing the race months ago with a committee, said she just spoke with the University Park Police Monday morning to review the 5K's safety. "I think here we do have a really good security plan in place already with the CERT Team, University Park Police and Hyattsville Volunteer Fire/EMS," she said. She …

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