Voices of Laurel

09/25/2025

As we at Voices of Laurel were preparing to send our Fall issue to press, Sheila M. Carroll reached out to inform us that she was ending her campaign for a Ward 1 seat on the Laurel City Council. At her request, we removed her candidate profile from the issue and are helping to spread the word that, even though her name will still appear on the ballot, she is no longer a candidate.

Interviews with all six of the remaining candidates can be found in our Fall issue’s special election coverage, coming in mid-October.

09/25/2025

Multiple people spoke at the 22 September Laurel City Council meeting to address an alleged rodent infestation at Avondale Apartments. Among the speakers were Dori Olaseha and her 13-year-old son, who talked about the emotional toll and physical health risks they face in their unit; they described not being able to sleep because of the constant noise of rodent movements; having their food contaminated with urine and droppings; and experiencing dizziness and breathing issues because of the resulting poor air quality. They temporarily moved out of their unit, calling it uninhabitable, and had reached out multiple times to property managers seeking air-quality tests for their unit and the entire building, the removal of contaminants, free medical screenings for residents, and a long-term pest-control solution. Having received no response or action, they appealed to the Council, asking for a City-led housing inspection and advocacy for Avondale residents as they seek a safe living environment.

09/18/2025

Every year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service holds an art contest for the following year’s duck stamp. This year’s contest is happening now at Laurel’s own Patuxent Research Refuge. Drawing competitors and onlookers alike from all over the country, the contest is a 2-day event. The final judging rounds will occur tomorrow, Sept 19, from 9 to 12 pm, at the visitor center.

Shown is last year’s winning artwork, by 3-time winner Adam Grimm of South Dakota.

09/15/2025

"Adopt a Senior" Offers Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers are still needed for Laurel Mayor Keith Sydnor's Adopt a Senior initiative. Details of the program were given at a recent recruitment meeting by Chief of Staff Crystal Hypolite and Carreen Koubek, Special Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator. Set to begin in October, the program will match volunteers with senior citizens living at Selbourne House and Laurel Lakes Senior Apartments. Every other month, volunteers will shop for $30 worth of toiletries on a list provided by the senior, and then deliver the items to the living facility's front desk. If the program is successful, the plan is to expand it to other areas of the city.

Those interested in volunteering can email [email protected] or [email protected] for more details.

08/25/2025

https://www.voicesoflaurel.com/post/history-crumbs-summer-2025

These short bits of history tend to pile up as I do more research on various topics. Unless otherwise credited, all quotes are from the Laurel Leader.1902A commuter trolley service running between Laurel and Washington, DC began in 1902. The trolley originated from the building on Main Street that l...

08/12/2025

Laurel HS 50-Year Reunion

Calling all 1975 LHS grads! The class will celebrate its 50-year reunion on Friday, October 3, in the Banquet Hall of the Savage Volunteer Fire Department. The weekend will have other activities planned, too, so make sure you don’t miss out! The e-mail address for the class is [email protected] or check out the class Facebook group: Laurel High School (MD) Class of 75.

08/07/2025

Artwork in Progress

Back in May, Laurel for the Patuxent held a fundraiser at Olive on Main to commission a mural honoring legendary local ornithologist Dr. Chandler Robbins. This week, artist Jeff Huntington began working on the colorful mural, which graces the Quick Stop Food Mart at Fifth and Main. Huntington, also known as Jahru, has created almost 200 murals in 6 countries; his work also can be seen outside the new Sprouts in Burtonsville Crossing. He was layering paint on a pileated woodpecker early Thursday afternoon, and estimates that it will take him 5 more sessions to complete the mural.

(Photos: Diane Mezzanotte)

07/30/2025

Konterra Master Plan To Undergo Changes

Hundreds of people packed the Laurel-Beltsville Senior Center on July 28 to learn of plans for the Prince George’s County area of Subregion 1 known as Konterra. Adjacent to Laurel along the 95/200 corridor, Konterra was to include 3 downtowns with anchor stores and 24 local centers. Changes in the real estate market, the demise of department stores, and other factors have necessitated changes to the 2035 Master Plan. Developers now propose more housing, smaller but more plentiful shops, walking and biking paths, and activity centers. County Councilmember Tom Dernoga, who hosted the meeting, stressed that public input is crucial and will be gathered for the next few months. Contact his office here:

District 1 | Prince George's County Legislative Branch, MD
https://pgccouncil.us/149/District-1---Dernoga

The current master plan can be seen here:
https://www.pgplanning.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Subregion-1.pdf

07/29/2025

Two natives of Laurel who play music as Green Eggs & Ham are playing a 40th anniversary show on August 24 at the New Deal Café in Greenbelt. But the duo’s band name isn’t the only unusual thing about them: since birth, they grew up as pals in Laurel and eventually became stepbrothers. https://www.voicesoflaurel.com/post/green-eggs-ham-not-the-book-40-year-anniversary

07/25/2025

07/22/2025

A brutal 1981 Laurel murder investigation ends near the gates of Graceland in Richard Friend's latest edition of "Laurel Noir."

Laurel Noir is a series focused on historic crimes and the darker underside of our hometown.By all accounts, Danny Wayne Ward was a quiet, well-liked young man. The 30-year-old U.S. Army veteran had been drafted right out of high school and served in Vietnam from 1970–71, and later re-enlisted in ...