The Laurel Independent, Laurel, MD (2025)

12/10/2025

Last Monday the PGCPS budget staff reviewed a budget shortfall and planned cuts with the school board.

County schools plan to cut contracted services and vacant and temporary positions, among other costs, in the upcoming school year. Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) Budget Director Shavonne Smith recommended these cuts in her update to the Board of Education during their business mee...

12/09/2025

Students get a look under the hood

By JAKE TIGER On a field trip to a Laurel body shop, high schoolers studying collision repair got to sand bumpers, tally up estimates and catch a glimpse of the lucrative future that might be ahead of them. The students are studying collision repair at the Center for Applied Technology North (CATN), in Severn. Jimmy Mudgett, an owner of Maryland Collision Center Silver Spring, on Muirkirk Road, encouraged the students to stick with their studies....

By JAKE TIGER On a field trip to a Laurel body shop, high schoolers studying collision repair got to sand bumpers, tally up estimates and catch a glimpse of the lucrative future that might be ahead of them. The students are studying collision repair at the Center for Applied Technology North (CATN),...

12/08/2025

Peña-Melnyk in line for speaker of House of Delegates

The next speaker of the House of Delegates will likely be a woman and immigrant. Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) appears to have a clear path within the Democratic Caucus to become the next speaker. A vote is scheduled for Dec. 16. Three of the four leading candidates to succeed former Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) have bowed out — Appropriations Committee Chair Ben Barnes (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel), Economic Matters Committee Chair C.T....

The next speaker of the House of Delegates will likely be a woman and immigrant. Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) appears to have a clear path within the Democratic Caucus to become the next speaker. A vote is scheduled for Dec. 16. Three of the four leading candidat...

12/08/2025

Peña-Melnick in line as speaker for House of Delegates

The next speaker of the House of Delegates will likely be a woman and immigrant. Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) appears to have a clear path within the Democratic Caucus to become the next speaker. A vote is scheduled for Dec. 16. Three of the four leading candidates to succeed former Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) have bowed out — Appropriations Committee Chair Ben Barnes (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel), Economic Matters Committee Chair C.T....

The next speaker of the House of Delegates will likely be a woman and immigrant. Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) appears to have a clear path within the Democratic Caucus to become the next speaker. A vote is scheduled for Dec. 16. Three of the four leading candidat...

12/08/2025

Saint Nick is a hit

By AYLIN AARHUS Laurel residents put on their Christmas best and joined Santa for a festive breakfast at the Laurel Police Department’s Partnership Activity Center Dec. 6. The city’s parks and recreation staff hosted the event, which has been an annual tradition for more than 30 years. “It’s magical,” said Divina St. Peter, recreation programs specialist with the department. “You can just feel a shift in energy right before Santa and Mrs....

By AYLIN AARHUS Laurel residents put on their Christmas best and joined Santa for a festive breakfast at the Laurel Police Department’s Partnership Activity Center Dec. 6. The city’s parks and recreation staff hosted the event, which has been an annual tradition for more than 30 years. “It’s...

12/05/2025

Snow day Friday Dec. 5

According to the PGCPS website, schools & offices are closed today, Friday Dec. 5, due to worsening weather. Only emergency personnel must report to work, and all facility use is cancelled. Snow globe snow is falling on the Route 1 Corridor. A PGCPS email sent at shortly after 8am updates a 2-hour delay notice sent out on the evening of Thursday Dec. 4.

According to the PGCPS website, schools & offices are closed today, Friday Dec. 5, due to worsening weather. Only emergency personnel must report to work, and all facility use is cancelled. Snow globe snow is falling on the Route 1 Corridor. A PGCPS email sent at shortly after 8am updates a 2-hour d...

12/04/2025

Prince George’s County Council elects new leadership for 2026

Prince George’s County Council member Krystal Oriadha has always been one of the council’s most active members, especially when it comes to introducing legislation, with Oriadha typically introducing more bills than anyone else. She admits she might be introducing fewer bills in 2026, though, now that she’s been elected the new chair of the county council. Oriadha, who spent most of 2025 as vice chair, told a packed council chambers on Tuesday that her theme for the 2026 session will be a “prototype for what is possible. Read the full story on WTOP.com. Republished with permission from our news partner WTOP News. Sign up for WTOP’s newsletter and alerts today.

https://streetcarsuburbs.news/prince-georges-county-council-elects-new-leadership-for-2026/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Prince George’s County Council member Krystal Oriadha has always been one of the council’s most active members, especially when it comes to introducing legislation, with Oriadha typically introducing more bills than anyone else. She admits she might be introducing fewer bills in 2026, though, no...

12/04/2025

County housing voucher waitlist open through Dec 5 11:59pm

Prince George's County's housing choice voucher program (HCVP) waitlist is open now through Friday, Dec. 5 at 11:59 pm. The HCVP waitlist last took new applicants ten years ago. Housing vouchers, also known as Section 8 vouchers, pay a portion of tenants' rent for the apartment of their choosing. For voucher holders, the Housing Authority of Prince George's County pays the landlord the difference between 30% of family income and a housing-authority determined standard rent amount, or the total rent for the unit, whichever is lower....

Prince George’s County’s housing choice voucher program (HCVP) waitlist is open now through Friday, Dec. 5 at 11:59 pm. The HCVP waitlist last took new applicants ten years ago. Housing vouchers, also known as Section 8 vouchers, pay a portion of tenants’ rent for the apartment of their choosi...

12/02/2025

Prince George’s County talks about climate change and underserved communities

Nov 20, Prince George’s County Councilmember Wanika Fisher (District 2) joined other county leaders, environmental justice advocates and state representatives to discuss how to pursue climate justice in underserved and overburdened communities. The panel was one of several during County Executive Aisha Braveboy’s Inaugural Climate Leadership Summit at Bowie State University. “How do we build a balanced county? A county that balances development and growth with environmental justice and equity?” Asked the panel’s moderator, Vernice Miller-Travis....

Nov 20, Prince George’s County Councilmember Wanika Fisher (District 2) joined other county leaders, environmental justice advocates and state representatives to discuss how to pursue climate justice in underserved and overburdened communities. The panel was one of several during County Executiv...

12/01/2025

Report offers 14 recommendations to guide data centers in Prince George’s Co.

An anticipated report on data center development in Prince George’s County is out, after community pushback to a fast-tracked data center at the Landover Mall site halted the plan and contributed to the county taking a closer look at how it will handle the controversial projects moving forward. The 400-page report makes clear that data centers will be welcomed in the county, but only under certain circumstances — and with lots of community say in where they’re located. Read the full story on WTOP.com. Republished with permission from our news partner WTOP News. Sign up for WTOP's newsletter and alerts today.

https://streetcarsuburbs.news/report-offers-14-recommendations-to-guide-data-centers-in-prince-georges-co/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=jetpack_social

An anticipated report on data center development in Prince George’s County is out, after community pushback to a fast-tracked data center at the Landover Mall site halted the plan and contributed to the county taking a closer look at how it will handle the controversial projects moving forward. Th...

11/21/2025

Storage space needed for items for families moving out of shelters

A grassroots volunteer group in Hyattsville is looking for space to store furniture and household items for families moving from shelters to permanent housing. At their current storage space, the former masonic lodge on Gallatin Street, Welcome Home Neighbor hosted a party Nov. 18 to celebrate having helped 100 families move from shelters into furnished homes. Welcome Home Neighbor…...

A grassroots volunteer group in Hyattsville is looking for space to store furniture and household items for families moving from shelters to permanent housing. At their current storage space, the former masonic lodge on Gallatin Street, Welcome Home Neighbor hosted a party Nov. 18 to celebrate havin...

11/21/2025

Prince George’s Co. high school students to get more tuition-free college courses next year

Prince George’s County Public Schools is potentially saving families thousands in future college costs by expanding its Dual in the Schools program, bringing tuition-free college courses into all 25 high schools in the Maryland county next school year. The initiative, announced Tuesday in collaboration with Prince George’s Community College, County Executive Aisha Braveboy and the Prince George’s County Council, gives students the opportunity to earn both high school and college credits while attending their high school classes....

Prince George’s County Public Schools is potentially saving families thousands in future college costs by expanding its Dual in the Schools program, bringing tuition-free college courses into all 25 high schools in the Maryland county next school year. The initiative, announced Tuesday in collabor...

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