Laurel downs Whitman to capture Maryland boys basketball championship
By CHRIS MCMANES
The Ides of March was definitely not a good day for Julius Caesar. Laurel High School, however, might want to consider making it a school holiday.
For the second time on the 15th of March, the Laurel boys basketball team
City launches effort to fight poverty
By JOE MURCHISON
The city of Laurel and allied nonprofits are hoping to use a state grant to seed an effort aimed at reducing local child poverty. City officials discussed their vision on March 27 at an event celebrating their securing a $65,000 grant through the state’s ENOUGH Initiative. The grant will enable them to do a six-month study of challenges faced by lowincome families in the Deerfield Run Elementary School attendance area in South Laurel.
The state created the $20 million ENOUGH grant program last year to help identify local solutions to the root causes of child poverty. ENOUGH stands for Engaging Neighborhoods, Organizations, Unions, Governments and Households.
The city of Laurel and collaborating nonprofits hope the research funded by the first grant will lead to a second ENOUGH grant proposal to implement an anti-poverty program based on the research. The second proposal would seek an additional $300,000.
Sandra Price, programs operations manager for the city’s Craig
won a state championship. The latest one came this month in College Park when the Spartans beat Walt Whitman, 68-53, in the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association Class 4A final.
Forty-five years of ups and downs between state titles culminated with Laurel (26-2) cutting down the nets at the Uni-
versity of Maryland’s (UMD) Xfinity Center. Seniors Amadou Kaloga, Jermaine Taylor and Christian Brown blazed the path to glory by combining to score 55 points and grab 25 rebounds.
Spartans second-year coach Eric Hines said his players started building toward a championship in 2021.
“They wanted it from four years ago,” he said. Hines also teaches math at Laurel and was a second-year assistant in 2021.
“They had an idea and a dream. They believed it, and they chased that dream. That’s what we said, ‘Chase that dream.’ And that’s what they did.”
APRIL SHOWERS DIDN’T STOP RIVER CLEAN-UP VOLUNTEERS
Historic Laurel Manor House is on the market
By QUINN MULLER
In 1891, Edward Phelps established the first department store in Laurel when he opened his dry goods store in a two-story building on Montgomery Street. The store, which he ran with his business partner Charles Schaffer, was prospering, and Phelps and his wife, Savilla, built a house a quarter-mile down the road.
Phelps earned a reputation as an influential businessman and decided to run for mayor in 1895. He won that year — and every year for the next six — all while he and his wife raised eight children in their five-bedroom home.
The house at 1110 Montgomery Street has since been owned by a number of families and a church before becoming a bed and breakfast. The historic Laurel Manor House is now on the market, with the asking price of $874,600.
The home is in the west end of Laurel’s Historic District and is registered with the Maryland Historical Trust. It was listed by Long
Laurel City Councilmember James Kole (Ward 1) and Laurel resident Jacqueline Jones braved a rainy morning on April 5 to participate in a Patuxent River clean-up hosted by the city. This marks Laurel’s 18th year of participating in the annual event, which is coordinated by the Patuxent Riverkeepers. COURTESY OF THADEAN THOMAS
Mitchell kicks off Prince George’s County Council bid
BY JOE MURCHISON
Former Laurel City Councilmember Martin Mitchell (Atlarge) held a kickoff for his campaign for the District 1 seat on the Prince George’s County Council on March 29 at the Spectrum Lounge in Beltsville. Mitchell, a politics and public affairs consultant, is one of three Democrats who have announced their candidacies. The other two
are current Laurel City Councilmember Jeffrey Mills (Ward 2) and Michelle Garcia, chief of staff for the current District 1 county councilmember, Tom Dernoga.
The primary for the race will be in June 2026, more than a year away, with the general election the following November.
About 50 people attended Mitchell’s kickoff. Brian Wink, who was Mitchell’s government and law teacher at Laurel High
THE LAUREL INNER SPACE Citizen Science here at home
By AGNES PASCO CONATY
April is Citizen Science Month, and what better time than spring to explore the natural world around us? There are many ways you can take part in something fun and engaging — and support the broader scientific community as well.
Last year, I wrote about the GLOBE Observer Program, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this April. In last year’s column, I introduced readers to the GLOBE Observer app, which allows you to document your observations — clouds, mosquito habitats, land covers, tree heights — and upload data directly to the program’s site (observer.globe.gov/). This year, I’d like to expand on that theme, bringing you more resources that may feed your interest in nature and natural resources around us.
On a recent hike, my family and I experimented with the Merlin Bird ID app (merlin.allaboutbirds. org), an identification and data collecting app created by the Cor-
A community newspaper
chronicling the people and events of Laurel, Maryland. Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781
The Laurel Independent is published monthly by Streetcar Suburbs Publishing., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Editors welcome reader input, tips, articles, letters, opinion pieces and photographs, which may be submitted using the mailing address above or the email addresses provided. StreetcarSuburbs.News
School, recalled thinking that Mitchell would either become a lawyer or politician. “He would argue his progressive views with tenacity and temerity,” Wink said.
Wink also recalled a time when a student was being booed by his classmates and Mitchell intervened to stop them. “I was very impressed with that,” Wink said. “I couldn’t be more proud of him than if he were my own son.”
Paul Manner, a psychologist
who lived next door to Mitchell, said he was proud “to see him becoming a champion for the community” in helping tenants stay in their homes in the face of rising rents. Manner recalled one instance where one of his clients faced eviction, and Mitchell found money to prevent that. “That was very touching to me,” Manner said.
Phelecia Nembhard, former mayor of New Carrollton, said she had worked with Mitchell to distribute toys to residents of Shepherd’s Cove, the county’s principal shelter for women and children, in Capitol Heights. Cashenna Cross, mayor of Glendarden, also at-
nell Lab of Ornithology. On our hike, my husband, Austin, used the app to identify two types of woodpeckers, a crow and Canada geese — all by the sounds they were making. But you don’t have to hike far to hear birds; if you have a yard, you almost certainly will see and hear a variety of them (I have robins, cardinals, chickadees and hummingbirds in my own backyard). If you don’t have a yard, you can surround yourself in birdsong in one of Laurel’s parks or in a wooded
Managing Editor
Katie V. Jones
Katie@streetcarsuburbs.news
Associate Editor
Nancy Welch
Nancy@streetcarsuburbs.news
Columnists
Rick Borchelt, Agnes Pasco Conaty, Jimmy Rogers, Paul Ruffins
Writers & Contributors
Will Chase, Agnes Pasco Conaty, Katie V. Jones, Chris McManes, Quinn Muller, Joe Murchison, Thadean Thomas, Nancy Welch, Jinelle Williams
Layout & Design Editors Valerie Morris, Ashley Perks
Web Editor Jessica Burshtynskyy
landscape, like Patuxent Research Refuge. Pairing the Merlin Bird ID app with a reference such as the Audubon Society’s Guide to North American Birds (audubon.org/ bird-guide ) can help you confirm the type of bird through its song. As we hiked, Austin taught our son, Joseph, how to estimate the age of a fallen tree by counting the rings visible in its cross section. This is a hands-on way to learn about dendrochronology, the science of examining tree rings to date events in the tree’s life and
Advertising Sales Manager
Amanda Berard
advertising@streetcarsuburbs.news 240.408.0722
Business Manager Catie Currie
Executive Director Kit Slack
Board of Directors
President: Marta McLellan Ross
Vice President & General Counsel: Michael Walls
Treasurer: Joe Murchison
Secretary: Melanie Dzwonchyk
Bette Dickerson, Nora Eidelman, Joseph Gigliotti, Maxine Gross, Merrill Hartson, T. Carter Ross, Stephanie Stullich
Ex Officios: Katie V. Jones, Griffin Limerick, Sharon O’Malley, Kit Slack
tended the kickoff.
Mitchell said that since leaving the city council last year after an unsuccessful run for mayor, “I haven’t stopped organizing; I haven’t stopped my advocacy.”
He pointed to his hosting a toy distribution at the Laurel Boys and Girls Club at Christmas. “We gave away 500 toys with no staff and no budget.”
He said that several of his priorities are to seek housing solutions for lower-income residents, including advocating for a bill before the county council to allow tiny homes; helping individuals reestablish in the community following incarceration; and redeveloping Route 1.
environmental changes by examining the growth pattern of these rings. Dendrochronology — a mouthful to say!
And just as we have apps to identify birds, there are apps to ID trees, too. I particularly like iNaturalist (inaturalist.org/) and PlantSnap (plantsnap.com/). Both of these free apps allow you to identify a tree (indeed, virtually any plant) by simply taking a photo of it. You can also share your observations with other people who are using the app. Seek (tinyurl. com/ere3w6xh ) is a scaled-down version of the iNaturalist app that many (and in particular, children) may find easier to use, though it doesn’t allow you to share your findings with a community of citizen scientists.
Spot some interesting geology on the trail? The Rockd app (rockd.org) will help you identify rocks and minerals and record your geologic observations.
The Patuxent Branch Trail, the Anacostia Riverfront Trail and the Savage Mill Trail, which runs along the Little Patuxent, are all good local places to hound for rocks. And all of these trails offer scenic views — and lots of birds and trees, too!
Maybe you’re curious about animal tracks you spot along the trail? Yes, there’s an app to ID those, too. Nature Tracking (naturetracking. com) helps identify animals by the tracks (or scat) they leave behind. I regularly spot foxes, deer, squirrels and groundhogs in our backyard, but if I didn’t actually see them, I could use the app to figure out who was walking through. And not everything depends on an app. A simple walk can offer many moments for us to observe animal behavior. Or just look out the window! Deer often graze in our backyard, typically in small groups, and we often see a family of deer eating together — with one deer on the lookout for danger. Speaking of windows, my family eagerly awaits the pair of mourning doves that nest on one of our window sills every spring. They pick up most anything suitable for nesting — twigs, pine needles, leaves, feathers — then work together to build their nest. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs for about two weeks, seldom leaving them unattended. And then we hear little tweets from two baby doves! Right there on our window sill, we get to see the cycle of life come full circle.
Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth for the things around us, and spring’s riches offer us a classroom without walls and unlimited chances for us to learn about the wonders of the natural world. So grab your phone, step outside and start your citizen science journey exploring Laurel’s natural beauty!
Agnes Pasco Conaty is a college math and environmental science adjunct professor who also works as senior research scientist and science lead for the GLOBE Observer Program at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center.
Laurel Independent is a member of the National Newspaper Association and the Institute for Nonprofit News.
My husband, Austin, showing our son, Joseph, how to estimate a tree’s age by counting the rings on a cross section AGNES PASCO CONATY
Celebrating National Poetry Month
By WILL CHASE
The city of Laurel Arts Council and Laurel for the Patuxent have teamed up for a joint initiative highlighting poetry and beautifying local parks. The project kicked off with a workshop on April 5 led by Jennifer Shannon, a member of Laurel Arts Council, and Cheryl Dyer, who is with Laurel for Patuxent.
“This is a new workshop for us. We organized it because first, April is National Poetry Month, and second, one of our newer members is a writer and poet and is well suited to lead the workshop,” Melissa Holland said. Holland is with the arts council.
Shannon, an award-winning poet and writer, opened the workshop with a discussion on how to write a poem — and participants got busy, putting their thoughts and images into words.
Everyone could create an origami booklet for their poem, if they wished — Dyer demonstrated the folding technique to make one. Participants also
had the option of writing their poems on scrolls made from natural, biodegradable materials. Those who were eager to share their work will see their scrolls hanging in a pavilion at Sweitzer Park, where the arts council and Laurel for the Patuxent will celebrate the project by unveiling a picnic table featuring a poem inscribed on a metal panel.
“With the nature scrolls hanging and flapping in the wind, it will be eyecatching,” Dyer said. “I would love to be a fly on the wall and see people discover a poem on a picnic table. I think it is going to be a lot of fun.”
A local poet wrote the poem featured on this first table. The collaboration aims to showcase more tables featuring poems by regional poets for other Laurel parks with pavilions.
“Each park has a little different flavor; we’re trying to fit each poem to the location,” Dyer said. She is leading the effort along with Shannon and Holland. They see the project as a way to build community. “These are the two things I love bringing together — the nature world and the community.”
The poem table unveiling will take place at 11 a.m. on April 26 at Roland B. Sweitzer Community Park, Old Sandy Spring Road.
Katie V. Jones contributed to this story.
Th e readers theater
By JINELLE WILLIAMS
Over the last five years, the pandemic disrupted social interactions for virtually all Americans. Now several years out from the height of broad isolation, one in three senior citizens is still experiencing loneliness and isolation, according to a study from the National Poll on Healthy Aging (tinyurl.com/bdcdw2ky). As individuals and communities across the country are finding new ways to reconnect, in Laurel, there is a growing group of seniors who are reaching out in a fun way.
Every Friday, a group of seniors meet at the Selborne House of Laurel to talk about ways to share stories and poems with a larger audience. Charles Cylburn, a retired storyteller and stage actor, and Jessie Yates Ifill, an author, artist and songwriter, initiated a readers theater group, an art form that dates back to the early 1800s that uses scripts, vocal expressions and body language to tell a story.
“I have been doing this a long time ago in junior high school in Buffalo, New York, I was part of that group, and I did it again in D.C., doing the same thing we are doing here, telling stories to seniors,”
Clyburn said.
The group enacts stories without costumes, props or special effects. Members hail from all different backgrounds; many have no previous theater experience.
Members of the readers theater group say the weekly meetings have benefited their physical and mental well being, too.
“I recently had a stroke, and it also affected my speech,” Syliva van Laar said.
“For my speech therapy, I was encouraged to talk out loud and read out loud, and with the reader’s theater, I could practice my speech and at the same time enjoy doing dramatic readings and entertain others.”
Since the start of the project three months ago, the group has traveled to other communities to provide entertainment with their readings. They recently rehearsed “There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly” as if it were a scene from a Broadway play.
“It keeps me busy, entertained and alive; I am still here, I am not dead yet, I am here,” Ifill said.
For more information about the group, contact Charles Clyburn at readerstheatre@ gmail.com
ree Laurel city employees receive honors
Laurel Police Captain Stephen Ivory graduated from the 293rd session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va., on March 13.
The 10-week program covered advanced communications, leadership and fitness training. Ivory’s class included 244 law enforcement officers from 48 states and the District as well as members of law enforcement agencies from 24 countries, 11 military organizations and four federal civilian organizations.
Ivory has been a member of the Laurel Police Department since 2003. He has served as an officer and supervisor in the in three divisions: patrol, administrative services, and criminal investigations. Ivory trained with the FBI to be
a crisis negotiator and has served on the Laurel Police Department’s Crisis Negotiations Team.
“It is a professional achievement to be selected and then to complete the FBI National Academy,” Laurel Police Chief Russ Hamill said in a statement. “I appreciate his hard work and dedicated effort, and how well he represented the Laurel Police Department.”
Natalie Williams, director of the city’s Department of Communications, was selected to participate in the upcoming Leadership Maryland Executive Program as a member of the class of 2025.
The eight-month program will discuss issues the state faces, including economic development, education, health and human services, criminal justice, the environment and multicultural/ diversity. The program begins in April.
“This program will not only enhance my leadership abilities but also provide invaluable insights that I can bring back to our work in the City of Laurel, ensuring we continue to grow and serve our community with excellence,” Williams said in a statement.
Mayor Keith Sydnor appointed Williams director of the Department of Communications in March 2024.
Christian Pulley, Laurel’s city administrator, was named by The Daily Record as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women for 2025.
A panel consisting of business and legal professionals, previous Maryland’s Top 100 Women honorees from throughout the state and a representative of The Daily Record reviewed the final applications and selected this year’s honorees.
Pulley started working for the city in 2008 as a planner, and former Mayor Craig Moe appointed her city administrator in January 2022. She is now in charge of the city’s daily operations.
-Katie V. Jones
Redmond
City council celebrates athletes, honors Vietnam veterans
By NANCY WELCH
During their March 24 meeting, Laurel City Councilmembers and Mayor Keith Sydnor held an awards ceremony celebrating the city’s athletes who have won championships this year: Laurel High School’s (LHS) basketball team, a senior-year wrestler and a wrestling club for youth ages 6 through 14. The mayor also issued a proclamation recognizing National Vietnam War Veterans Day, an annual day of remembrance that takes place on March 29. The date marks the final withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Vietnam in 1973.
CELEBRATING ATHLETES
After recognizing the LHS Spartans’ state championship win (see page 9 for details), Sydnor and the councilmembers awarded a certificate to LHS senior Alexandra Ford, state wrestling champion in the 140-Pound Division. Ford’s
win in early March marked her second state championship in back-to-back competitions. The mayor also recognized Steve Overton, director and head coach of the Laurel Lions Wrestling Club. The club’s wrestlers took the Southern Maryland Junior Wrestling League Division A Championship on March 15, marking their first season with a big win.
HONORING VIETNAM VETERANS
After honoring Laurel’s champion athletes, Sydnor introduced Col. Yolanda Gore, a special guest at the awards ceremony, along with her husband. Gore has served in the U.S. Army for more than 22 years and was appointed 89th garrison commander of Fort Meade in August 2024. After noting that Gore is the first woman and first African American to hold the position, the mayor presented her with a proclamation marking the importance of National
Vietnam War Veterans Day. Gore accepted the proclamation on behalf of all Vietnam veterans — those who returned home and those who did not. She also noted that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the war, which started in 1955 and ended in 1975, two years after U.S. troops withdrew. The Vietnam War ranks as one of the longest in U.S. history, second only to the war in Afghanistan, which lasted six months longer.
Gore also took the opportunity to congratulate the basketball team, even as she claimed loyalty to the Bladensburg Mustangs.
“I couldn’t tell you how proud I am to see all you guys up here,” she said. “So, don’t let this be your stopping point — continue to excel. Be champs in everything you do, not just basketball. On and off the court, be great. … This is just the beginning of something great. So, don’t let it stop here, guys; let’s make it happen!”
Prevent colon cancer before it starts
If you’re 45 or older, it’s time to get screened. Colon cancer is one of the most preventable cancers when caught early, and you have options—including at-home testing. At Luminis Health, we offer the following:
• At-home test kits – quick and noninvasive
• Colonoscopy – the most effective way to detect and remove polyps
• Genetic testing and counseling – for those with a family history
• Comprehensive care and support – from treatment to survivorship
Talk to your primary care provider about the best option for you. Visit Luminis.Health/Schedule to make an appointment.
Anne Arundel Medical Center Annapolis, MD
Doctors Community Medical Center Lanham, MD
100+ Primary and Specialty Care Locations
Laurel Lions Wrestling Club’s Kia Smith, this year’s Southern Maryland Junior Wrestling League Division A champion. COURTESY OF LAUREL LIONS WRESTLING CLUB
NATIVE GARDENING WITH JIMMY
How long does it take to grow a garden?
By JIMMY ROGERS
Gardens grow and mature in cycles, and each year a garden becomes more mature and more predictable. Time is the biggest factor for all gardening, as many activities must be done in their season — we often need to wait for frost, day length or other natural phenomena to reach certain points before we can take action. Similarly, we usually must wait years for our gardening visions to become reality.
Gardeners also grow and mature in cycles; it takes time for new gardeners to learn the craft and take on more ambitious projects. The Maryland native gardening community offers reliable resources and mentors new gardeners, helping them avoid some common pitfalls. Even so, nothing can substitute for years of patient planting and waiting and learning.
ONE OR TWO PLANTS
My own garden is an example of how time can work wonders. In 2021, I first realized how much we
had damaged our ecosystem and how my own garden contained no nourishment for native wildlife. I felt a call to act. I did some frantic googling and took a trip to a nearby garden center, searching for plants advertised as native. I added a few new plants to my existing garden beds, mixing them in with nonnative shrubs and perennials. That season I saw birds, bees and butterflies acting out their million-year relationships with our native plants. I had created a native garden, and it only took me a few afternoons of diligent work. Some gardeners first use pots and other containers to start introducing natives to their gardens. This works well for a wide variety of native plants, as long as you’re committed to a little more watering in summer’s heat. Regardless of how you plant, when you cut into the soil because you believe you can grow something new, you’re making a first step on your own path as a gardener.
FILLING EXISTING GARDEN BEDS
About a month after my first
planting, I read Bringing Nature Home, by Doug Tallamy, and realized I could do more than plant a few purple coneflowers next to my front porch. Tallamy recommends aiming for 70% native plants across your entire property to provide sufficient insect prey to feed a nest of hungry songbird hatchlings. I decided my existing garden beds could support many more natives, with low groundcovers and taller flowers in a dense matrix. I also learned that those coneflowers weren’t native to Maryland, so for every new plant I added, I first confirmed that it was found in our local ecosystem before European settlers arrived.
I sought out more new plants, this time visiting community plant shares, shopping at spring plant sales and digging plants from generous neighbors’ gardens. After a few more weekends of planting, I had created a native garden far more cohesive than my first haphazard attempt. I accomplished all of this by the end of spring.
If you have a number of gar-
den beds you’d like to fill with natives, consider working on one or two each season so your gardening skills can grow as you replant your beds.
LAWN REDUCTION AND WATER MANAGEMENT
When you have densely filled your garden beds with natives, you may be tempted to convert some or all of your lawn to new garden space as well. However, garden projects get significantly more complicated when you need to prepare ground for planting ahead of time. The same applies to rain gardens and conservation landscapes, as they focus on making the ground more absorbent.
To begin shrinking my lawn, I had to learn not only how to kill grass efficiently, but also how to design garden beds from a blank canvas. The time between inspiration and planting suddenly extended from one weekend to approximately six months. In general, I focus on easy planting projects in the spring, smothering grass with arborist wood chips in the heat of summer, and planting newly-prepared ground in the fall. Because I am a crazy person, I smothered my entire front yard at once, and after one of the most
interesting years of my life, hundreds of new square feet of native garden emerged in the spring.
GARDEN MATURATION
Most of my garden projects have turned out differently, and often better, than I expected. Some plants excelled their first summer, only to vanish the following year. Others started in one part of the garden, then chose different places for long-term residence. Last year, our hottest year on record, several large populations of golden ragwort (Packera aurea) and black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) all but disappeared from areas they had dominated.
This is the third spring for the gardens where my lawn used to be. Every square foot is packed with species that compete for space, water and light. My focus has shifted from planting to curation, as I now know a lot more about my plants — and which I need to transplant or give away, lest they create a chaotic tangle.
A DURABLE GARDEN
Many gardeners hope that their gardens will endure under new stewardship. In reality, few home gardens pass to a new owner with
THE LAUREL LEDGER
OFFICIAL NEWS FROM THE
VOLUNTEERING: GET IN VOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY!
Held in April every year, National Volunteer Month is a time to honor and appreciate the invaluable contributions of volunteers. It serves as a chance to highlight the importance of volunteerism and inspire more individuals to engage in their communities.
In 2025, the theme for National Volunteer Month is "Volunteers Make Waves." This theme acknowledges and celebrates the profound influence volunteers have in generating ripples of change, while promoting inclusivity, resilience, and wellbeing within communities.
Here in the City of Laurel, we recognize the invaluable impact our Volunteers have on the community through our Volunteer Laurel! Program. We have many knowledgeable residents sitting on our Boards and Commissions. And our volunteer database is filled with dedicated and involved people, whose mission is to provide help where they are able. Then we have a wonderful partnership with local schools, whose students community-driven determination to help out lands them opportunities to get Community Service Hours.
If any of these sound like you, be sure to contact us at laurelvolunteer@laurel.md.us or fill out an application at www.cityoflaurel.org/volunteering!
As for the City, when we can have volunteers giving their time to help the City and others, it goes along way to help us with our budget. Did you know that the estimated value of a volunteer in 2025 is $33.49 an hour? The more volunteers we have helping out at events and with local organizations, that allows employees to focus on other areas of their jobs. It ’s a win-win!
And just to name a few benefits for volunteers:
• Learn new skills and valuable work experience.
• Make new friends.
• Better physical and mental health.
• The knowledge that they give something back the community they live in.
• Improves a volunteer’s confidence.
• Creates a sense of connection to others in the community.
• Shows a volunteer’s commitment to their community, which could lead to opportunities.
National Volunteer Month is a wonderful reminder that even small acts of kindness can have a profound impact. So why wait? Take the first step today and discover the power of volunteering and sign up!
With the arrival of April, let's recognize that through everyone's efforts to Go Green, we can embrace the theme of this month's celebration: "Our Power, Our Planet."
The month of April, as well as ALL the months in the year, is the time to recognize the positive impact that can come about by raising environmental awareness and promoting sustainable practices.
One way, sign up for the City’s Organics Recycling (Composting) Program at www.cityoflaurel.org/1940/Get-Started-Today. Find ways to reuse an old piece of furniture or clothing in your closet. Plant a tree, vegetable garden, or flower garden on your property. Take part in a park or river cleanup. There are so many ways to become green and sustainable, so get started today!
Speaking of cleanups, the City is proud to hold their annual Patuxent River Cleanup on April 5th, at 10am, at Riverfront Park. And the Earth Day Cleanup at Granville Gude Park on April 19th, at 10am. Get involved and mark your calendars today to make a difference in Earth Month this April!
In 1968, the Fair Housing Act, part of the Civil Rights Act, was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Johnson to protect people from discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, disability, sex, and more, whether they rent or buy housing, or secure financing for housing.
The theme for this year is “Building Futures Together…” and now is the time to unite to ensure we all have the right and privilege of home ownership, if that is what you want, or to have a clean and safe roof over your heads whether you rent or buy.
If you would like to learn more about your rights for equitable housing or find more resources available to you, be sure to attend the City’s Housing Resource Fain on April 19th, from Noon3pm at the Craig A. Moe Laurel Multiservice Center, 204 Fort Meade Road. Experts will be on hand to answer your questions and give you information on how to stay in the know about fair and equitable housing practices.
...FAIR HOUSING MONT H
Larry T. Smith Garden Build
Day of Service Care Packages
Gude Park Cleanup
It’s Easy B eing Green!
HOW CAN YOU HELP LAU REL BE SUSTAINABLE AND GREEN?
No Mow April: The City’s 3rd Annual No Mow initiative is going on right now and allows residents to pause mowing their lawns during the month of April to allow flowering plants to help provide food for pollinators. Residents will be able to register on-line at https://www.cityoflaurel.org/1889/No-Mow-April and collect their yard sign from th e Joseph R. Robison Laurel Municipal Center, 8103 Sandy Spring Road, between the hours of 9am and 5pm, Monday through Friday; the Laurel Armory at 422 Montgomery Street, between the hours of 9am and 9pm, Monday through Friday, Saturdays 9am to 5pm and Sundays, 10am to 4pm; or the Robert J. DiPietro Community Center at 7901 Cypress Street, Monday through Friday, 9am to 9pm and Saturdays, 9am to 5pm. Contact greenliving@laurel.md.us if you have any questions. Registration and yard signs are FREE, but registration and yard sign is REQUIRED to participate.
Laurel Farmer’s Market: Less than one month until Opening Day! The Laurel Farmer ’s Market will be back starting Thursday, May 1st, and will run every Thursday through October 16th, from 3pm - 7pm, at 378 Main Street. We are happy to be able to bring back many of your favorite vendors, as well as new vendors and food trucks! Residents can enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers, yummy breads and sweets from bakers, locally-sourced meat and poultry, and organic handmade skin care products and candles, just to name a few! Music and cooking demonstrations are just a few of the special activities we have planned for our 2025 Market Season. If you or someone you know is interested in being a vendor for the 2025 Market season e-mail greenliving@laurel.md.us. Follow us on Facebook at @LaurelMarketOnMain (formerly @TheLaurelQuillLot) and the Green Living web page for updates and a list of market vendors.
E-cycling Event: As part of the City of Laurel ’s on-going commitment to reduce landfill waste and promote reuse, repurpose, and recycle, Mayor Sydnor and Public Works are happy to bring back our April Recycling Event. Gather up your old, important paper s, old electronics, lightly-used home goods, Styrofoam and old paint (for a fee) and come down to Public Works, 305 -307 First Street, on Saturday, April 19, 2025, from 8:00am - Noon. Check Public Works web page, www.cityoflaurel.org/169/Public -Works, for more details on this very popular event.
Follow us on Facebook at @SustainableLaurel. This is a place where we can share ideas, highlight upcoming events and resident s can stay informed on all things Sustainable. And check out the new look of the Green Living web page at www.cityoflaurel.org/ greenliving!
¡GRACIAS POR VOLUNTARIADO!
El Mes Nacional del Voluntariado, que se celebra cada abril, es una ocasión para honrar y apreciar las invaluables contribuciones de los voluntarios. Es una oportunidad para destacar la importancia del voluntariado e inspirar a más personas a participar en sus comunidades. El tema del Mes Nacional del Voluntariado 2025 es "Los Voluntarios Generan Impacto".
Este lema reconoce y celebra la profunda influencia que tienen los voluntarios al generar un impacto positivo, a la vez que promueve la inclusión, la resiliencia y el bienestar en las comunidades.
El Mes Nacional del Voluntariado es un maravilloso recordatorio de que incluso los pequeños actos de bondad pueden tener un profundo impacto. ¿A qué esperar?
¡Da el primer paso hoy y descubre el poder del voluntariado!
Para formar parte de la base de datos de voluntarios de la Ciudad, contáctanos en laurelvolunteer@laurel.md.us o completa una solicitud en www.cityoflaurel.org/volunteering.
LAUREL POLICE MONTHLY CRIME REPORT
FEBRUARY 2025
List of Laurel Police Crime Reports can be found at www.cityoflaurel.org/1896/LPD-CrimeReports
Legislation
Listed below are recent legislative actions taken, if any, by the Laurel City Council during the past month of Mayor and City Council meetings. For further information on any of these legislative actions, please feel free to contact the Office of the City Clerk at 301-725-5300 x2121 or at clerk@laurel.md.us. For the full agendas, visit www.cityoflaurel.org
Adopted Legislation:
• Ordinance No. 2039 - Amending the General Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program of the Mayor and City Council of 2 Laurel, Maryland, for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 and to Provide an Effective Date
• Ordinance No. 2040 - Amending Laurel City Code Chapter 16 “Taxation”, Article I, Section 16 -10 “Elderly and Veteran Tax Credit Program” and Providing an Effective Date.
Bid Recommendations/Fleet Acquisitions:
• Bid Recommendation - Automated Speed Enforcement Camera Program Contract - Laurel Police Department.
• Fleet Acquisition - 2025 Ford E-350 Service Body - Department of Public Works.
Appointments/Reappointments:
Eileen Stokes (Appointment) - Board of Trustees - 3/10/25 - 3/10/29
Angela O’Neal (Reappointment) - Laurel Arts Council - 3/24/2025 - 3/24/2028
Robert Windley (Reappointment) - Youth Services Commission - 3/24/2025 - 3/24/2028
Parks and Recreation offers a wide range of programs for you and your family, covering health, lifestyle, and so much more! Explore all the options available online at www.cityoflaurel.org /parks.
(Dates and Times Subject to Change)
City Announcements & Events Government Me
April 2025 Mayor and City Council Meetings
April 2nd - Virtual Mayor and City Council Work Session (6:00pm)
April 14th - Virtual Mayor and City Council Meeting (6:00pm)
April 28th - In-Person Mayor and City Council Meeting - (6:00pm)
April 2025 Boards and Commissions
April 15th - Planning Commission (CANCELLED)
April 22nd - In-Person Historic District Commission (6:00pm)
April 24th - Board of Appeals (CANCELLED)
April 29th - Master Plan Committee (6:00pm)
May 2025 Mayor and City Council Meetings
May 1st - Virtual Budget Work Session (6:00pm)
May 7th - Virtual Mayor and City Council Budget Work Session (6:00pm)
May 12th - Possible Virtual Budget Work Session (5:00pm)
May 12th - Virtual Mayor and City Council Meeting (6:00pm)
May 28th (Wed) - In-Person Mayor and City Council Meeting - (6:00pm)
May 2025 Boards and Commissions
May 13th - Planning Commission (6:00pm)
May 20th - Historic District Commission (6:00pm)
May 22nd - Board of Appeals (6:00pm)
May 27th - Master Plan Committee (6:00pm)
(Dates and Times Subject to Change)
Eggstravaganza - April 12, 2025 - 12:00pm SHARP! Granville Gude Park, 8300 Mulberry Street. Free event.
Ecycle/Paper Shredding Event - April 19, 2025 - 8a - 12p, Public Works Complex, 1st Street. City Residents ONLY! Details at www.cityoflaurel.org.
Earth Day Cleanup - April 19, 2025 at 10am, Gude Park, 8300 Mulberry Street. Community Service Hours available.
Housing Resource Fair - April 19, 2025 - 12:00 - 3:00pm, Laurel Multiservice Center, 204 Ft. Meade Rd. Know your rights and find resources.
City Hall in the Park - April 24, 2025, 6:30 - 8:00pm, Gude Park, 8300 Mulberry Street. Join the Mayor & Senior Management for City information!
Volunteer Laurel Fair - April 30, 2025 from 6 - 8pm, 204 Fort Meade Road. City and Local Volunteer Organizations on hand to discuss opportunities!
Lakefest - May 3, 2025 from 11am-3pm at Gude Park, 8300 Mulberry Street.
Main Street Festival - May 10, 2025 from 9am - 4pm, Laurel’s Main Street. Parade, Vendors, Music and Family Fun!
100 Father’s Day Breakfast - June 14, 2025, 10am - 12pm, Laurel Multiservice Center, 204 Fort Meade Rd. Register at clerk@laurel.md.us.
Scan the QR Code for the online volunteer application and start to get involved in your community today!
Public Works Monthly Gl ance
Depar tment of Emergency Management: Mar yland Flood Awareness Mo nth
Flooding is the number one natural hazard in Maryland. Flooding events occur across the State from the mountains in the West to the coastal plains in the East. Weather-related events such as severe thunderstorms and tropical storms can cause river swell and storm surge. In cold weather months, freezing temperatures can result in broken pipes and water mains. Throughout the month, local and state entit ies will provide resources and host virtual events aimed to educate you, your family, and community about flooding and how to prepare. For more information, visit the Maryland Resiliency Partnership web site at https://md-resiliency-partnership-maryland.hub.arcgis.com/pages/faw
Before a Flood
• Identify your home and property flood risk at msc.fema.gov/ portal/home.
• Move valuables to higher shelves.
• Keep storm drains clear.
• Get plastic tarps and sandbags.
• Be ready to shelter in place, but identify escape routes to higher ground (mdem.maryland.gov/ action/Pages/know-your-zonemd.aspx)
• Plan transportation to evacuate to safety, if needed.
• Plan for power outages.
During a Flood
• Leave immediately when evacuation orders are issued.
• Never walk through moving water. Six (6) inches of moving water can make you fall.
• Never drive through flood areas. One (1) foot of water can float many vehicles.
• If trapped inside, move to higher floors or roof. Call 9-1-1.
• Stay alert for mudslides.
• Dial 2-1-1 to find shelter or get assistance with resources.
After a Flood
WAIT UNTIL OFFICIALS SAY IT IS SAFE TO RETURN HOME!
• Beware of damaged structures and falling trees.
• Check for gas leaks and downed power lines.
• Listen for official announcements on the safety of public water.
• Be aware of potentially hazardous materials.
• If you have flood damage, file an insurance claim and/or contact a recovery assistance agency.
& Foster Real Estate in March (Denise Redmond is the listing agent).
The property was last on the market in 2011, when Dave and Lisa Everett bought it, with the intent of renovating the house and opening it as a bed and breakfast. After seven years of tireless work, the Everetts opened the Laurel Manor House Bed and Breakfast in 2018. They blogged that they aimed to honor Phelps by retaining many of the original pocket doors, floors, moulding and fireplaces, while furnishing the 137-year-old house with both new and handme-down furniture.
“And just as Edward Phelps spent seven years as mayor improving the city, ushering it into the 20th century, the Everetts spent seven years bringing this old Victorian house up to 21st century standards of comfort and efficiency,” the Everetts wrote on their website. According to Lisa Everett, theirs was the first bed and breakfast licensed in Prince George’s County.
After purchasing the property, the couple, who had been living in Howard County, attended an
open house hosted by the Laurel Historical Society. Lisa Everett recalled that the staff was excited that the historic house would have a new life.
“I wanted to learn everything about this house’s history and the city’s history, and so for a while, I really felt like we were just caretakers of this important property,” Lisa Everett said.
“After a number of years, it really has felt like our own.”
Before the Everetts bought it, was home to the pastor of the First Assembly of God church next door. Before that, came the Steinbauers.
Clarence Steinbauer bought the property in 1947 from Fred Kluckhuhn, who came from a family of successful electrical supply merchants, according to the records.
Lisa Everett said the Steinbauer children told her stories of their lives in the home.
The Queen Anne and Stickstyle house has five bedrooms, four and a half baths, a wraparound porch and many more features, on almost an acre of land with flower gardens bursting with perennials, and holly and crape myrtle trees, according to the real estate listing.
“The renovations could be a story in itself,” Lisa Everett said.
The couple had all of the electrical sockets repaired even before buying the property. Over the next seven years, they added three gas fireplaces and a new sewer line. They also gutted a portion of the house to install three private bathrooms.
“We have some really good friends who volunteered to do some really awful projects,” Lisa Everett said.
While friends and professional landscapers helped with some of the more challenging projects on the grounds, Dave Everett added plants and trees during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also built fish ponds on the property.
The couple’s daughters were both at college during much of the renovation.
“Each time she came home, she would see something new,” Lisa Everett said of her youngest daughter, Kate.
The bed and breakfast has welcomed guests from 10 states across the country since the start of this year.
Lisa Shaffer, who lives in San Diego, often stays at Laurel Manor House when she’s visiting her daughter, who lives in Laurel. Shaffer said she fell in love with the innkeepers and just felt very
comfortable overall.
“I don’t want to dissuade the Everetts from selling it,” Shaffer said. “But if there’s any way you can convince somebody to keep it [as a B&B] and not just convert it to a house, that would be great for the community.”
For an extra $30,000, the Everetts will leave furniture, coffee mugs and other items they acquired for the bed and breakfast.
Lisa Everett said she and Dave
LAUREL SQUIRREL
are relocating to be closer to family and have their sights set on a lake house in Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains region, in the northeastern part of the state . “When we found this house in Laurel, we weren’t house hunting at the time, but I saw a ‘For Sale’ sign and we had in mind, you know, have a bed and breakfast eventually,” Everett said. “It was a big leap, and so now it’s just time for another big leap.”
By Agnes Pasco Conaty
“What do you mean you identify as an American goose to avoid tariffs?”
Don't t
CRIME WATCH
FEB. 10 - MARCH 10 2025
This crime blotter is based on the most recently available month of crime data from the city of Laurel, and does not include all police activity for the period.
Feb. 10
Laurel Bowie Rd / Fort Meade Rd: Suspect arrested for driving under the influence.
14700 blk Baltimore Ave: Shoplifters observed fleeing the scene.
14100 blk Yardarm Way: Four tires stolen off vehicle.
14900 blk Bowie Rd: Storage locker reported broken into. 14800 blk Bowie Rd: Suspect arrested in connection with mail theft.
Feb. 11
14700 blk Baltimore Ave: Shoplifter observed fleeing the scene.
900 blk Carroll Ave: Unknown suspect broke into residence.
February 12
15100 blk Baltimore Ave: Shoplifter observed fleeing scene.
Feb. 13
9600 blk Fort Meade Rd: Shoplifters observed fleeing scene.
600 blk Washington Blvd: Shoplifter observed fleeing scene.
300 blk Main St: Vehicle broken into.
Feb. 14
8200 blk Harvest Bend Ln: Vehicle broken into.
Feb. 15
9100 blk Elaine Ct: Ford reported stolen.
14300 blk Wicklow Ln: Catalytic converter reported stolen.
Feb. 16
9600 blk Fort Meade Rd: Cellphone reported stolen.
100 blk Woodland Ct: Hyundai reported stolen.
Feb. 17
7900 blk Braygreen Rd: Unknown suspects attempted to break into business.
300 blk Montgomery St: Registration plate reported stolen.
13700 blk Baltimore Ave: Tow truck used to steal Chevy
14700 blk Baltimore Ave: Shoplifter observed fleeing scene.
400 blk Sandy Spring Rd: Shoplifter observed fleeing scene.
14800 blk Baltimore Ave: Shoplifter observed fleeing scene.
15100 blk Baltimore Ave: Shoplifters observed fleeing scene.
Feb. 18
9600 blk Fort Meade Rd: Shoplifters observed fleeing scene.
300 blk Montrose Ave: Shoplifters observed fleeing scene.
Feb. 19
300 blk Montrose Ave: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene.
Feb. 20
15100 blk Baltimore Ave: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene.
800 blk Kay Ct: Dodge reported stolen by unknown means.
14100 blk West Side Blvd: Registration plate stolen off of vehicle.
14800 blk Baltimore Ave: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene.
Feb. 21
8200 blk Harvest Bend: Unknown suspects attempted to break into vehicle.
14700 blk Fourth St: Vehicle broken into.
6900 blk Andersons Way: Registration plate stolen off of vehicle.
7500 blk Woodbine Dr: Honda reported stolen by unknown means.
80 blk Fifth St: Registration
plate stolen off of vehicle.
Feb. 22
7600 blk East Arbory Ct: Registration plate stolen off of vehicle
14700 blk Fourth St: Vehicle broken into.
14200 blk Baltimore Ave: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene
Feb. 23
1100 blk Fourth St: Female arrested for driving under the influence.
6900 blk Andersons Way: All four tires stolen off of vehicle.
9100 blk Huntington Ct: Registration plate stolen off of vehicle
Feb. 24
14700 blk Fourth St: Unknown suspect attempted to break into vehicle.
1000 blk Eighth St: Unknown suspect entered idling vehicle, fled scene.
800 blk Fifth St: Multiple electronic items stolen from vehicle.
14700 blk Fourth St: Toyota reported stolen by unknown means.
14600 blk Laurel Bowie Rd: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene
600 blk Washington Blvd: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene
14700 blk Baltimore Ave: Keys stolen.
14800 blk Baltimore Ave: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene
300 blk Domer Ave: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene
300 blk Montrose Ave: Multiple shoplifting incidents reported.
Feb. 25
Lafayette Ave / Bowie Rd: Stolen Kia recovered.
300 blk Montrose Ave: Group observed shoplifting, fleeing scene.
15100 blk Baltimore Ave: Male
observed shoplifting, fleeing scene
14100 blk Baltimore Ave: Group observed shoplifting, fleeing scene.
15100 blk Baltimore Ave: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene
Feb. 26
Main St / Washington Blvd: Vehicle broken into.
14800 blk Baltimore Ave: Male observed shoplifting arrested.
15900 blk Dorset Rd: Unknown suspect broke into a residence.
100 blk Ninth St: Package stolen.
8100 blk Sandy Spring Rd: Male failed to pay for services.
Feb. 27
9400 blk Spring House Ln: Unknown suspect attempted to break into vehicle.
Feb. 28
600 blk Washington Blvd: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene
March 1
14300 blk Baltimore Ave: Multiple shoplifting incidents reported.
14100 blk Downdale Dr: Infiniti reported stolen by unknown means.
14700 blk Fourth St: Multiple items stolen out of vehicle.
W Ct / West St: Male arrested for driving under the influence.
March 2
300 blk Domer St: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene
March 3
700 blk Fairlawn Ave: Male arrested for driving under the influence.
200 blk Wilson St: Multiple items stolen out of vehicle.
7600 blk Carissa Ln: Unknown suspects broke into residence, multiple items stolen.
March 4
14700 blk Baltimore Ave: Unknown suspects attempted to break into a business.
14700 blk Baltimore Ave: Power tools were stolen.
March 5
100 blk Main St: Registration plate stolen off of vehicle
March 6
600 blk Washington Blvd: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene
9100 blk Scott Adam Ct: Infiniti reported stolen by unknown means.
14600 blk Baltimore Ave: Backpack stolen out of vehicle.
14600 blk Laurel Pl: Vehicle broken into.
March 7
15000 blk Wheatland Pl: Infiniti reported stolen by unknown means.
500 blk Washington Blvd: GMC reported stolen by unknown means.
14700 blk Baltimore Ave: Chevy reported stolen by unknown means.
14200 blk West Side Blvd: Infiniti reported stolen by unknown means.
March 8
15100 blk Baltimore Ave: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene
14900 blk Belle Ami Dr: Vehicle broken into.
1 blk Woodland Ct: Stolen Hyundai recovered.
March 10
6900 blk Andersons Way: Kia reported stolen by unknown means.
15600 blk Dorset Rd: All four tires stolen off of vehicle.
9400 blk Spring House Ln: Wallet stolen from vehicle.
600 blk Ninth St: Electronics stolen out of vehicle.
300 blk Montrose Ave: Electronics stolen.
1100 blk Eleventh St: Unknown suspects attempted to break into residence.
15100 blk Baltimore Ave: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene
13600 blk Baltimore Ave: Male arrested for driving under the influence.
14800 blk Baltimore Ave: Male observed shoplifting, fleeing scene
Kaloga scored a game-high 24 points on 11 of 15 shooting, and Taylor produced 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Brown was 7 of 9 from the field en route to 15 points and 13 boards.
The triumph allowed the Cherry Lane squad to avenge its 73-72 loss to the Bethesda power in last year’s state quarterfinals.
The state championship “means everything, especially being with the group of guys I’ve been with [since my] freshman year,” Kaloga told Capitol Hoops. “Definitely credit to my coach because, early on, he kept us all together. And doing it against the team we lost to last year by one [point], you couldn’t write it any better than that.”
Whitman, which saw its 10game winning streak end, took a 7-0 lead but found itself trailing at the end of the first quarter, 18-14. The Spartans seized control in the second period with a 10-0 outburst to double up the Vikings at halftime, 44-22.
Laurel made 11 of 16 secondquarter shots, while holding Whitman to 1-for-14. At game’s
end, the Spartans had succeeded on 50.9% of their attempts (29 of 57). Whitman was just 17 of 60 (28.3%) and got outrebounded 38-30.
Taylor, who was named Prince George’s County 4A Player of the Year, scored a team-best 20.5 points per game. Kaloga, a fellow 6-foot guard, was next at 18.1.
Laurel began the season with five consecutive victories before losing to Bowie, 49-47. It then reeled off 17 straight wins until losing the final regularseason game, 95-72, to 2A state champion Largo.
The Spartans won five games in the playoffs, including a 64-
52 semifinal victory over Fort Meade Mustangs on March 12. Taylor paced the effort with 18 points and eight boards against a Mustangs team that had won 21 in a row.
Sports Illustrated named Taylor Most Outstanding Player of the 4A playoffs. Brown and Whitman’s Hayden Walsh (17 points in the title game) made the All-Tournament team.
Despite the Vikings (22-5) playing in their second-straight championship and fourth since 2014, Laurel was confident heading into its first state final in four-and-a-half decades.
“We came in with a good
City council celebrates LHS champs
By NANCY WELCH
Laurel City Councilmembers and Mayor Keith Sydnor held an awards ceremony during their March 24 meeting celebrating Laurel High School’s (LHS) boys basketball team Class 4A boys basketball state championship. In congratulating the players, Sydnor said they brought great pride to the city of Laurel and noted that he personally felt part of the team’s win, having refereed the JV basketball when Eric Hines was that team’s coach.
Hines then took the podium, awarding certificates to the 10 Spartan players attending the ceremony and recognizing players who were not present, including Jermaine Taylor. Sports Illustrated named Taylor, a point and shooting guard, Most Outstanding Player of the 4A playoffs.
Hines also awarded certificates to the four team managers – all female students – attending the ceremony and recognized
GARDENING
FROM PAGE 6
similar skills or aesthetics, but a thoughtful gardener can give their creation a fighting chance. As your garden matures, I recommend adding shrubs and trees. Perennial gardens require more work, especially if they’re in full sun, so blocking out spaces with structural, woody plants will add a durable, appealing silhouette year round — and will provide food and shelter for
the managers not present. He made special mention of Aaron Simon, also a manager — and a band and drumline member for the team.
Sydnor then awarded certificates to Hines and the team’s eight assistant coaches, three of whom were present.
The mayor also announced an initiative to raise $45,000 for championship rings and jackets for the team. In appealing to the community, he encouraged 1,000 people to step forward and contribute $45 each — the amount marking the years between championships. Contributions will go directly to the LHS athletic department, earmarked to honor the team.
In an interview posted to X before the March 15 championship game, Hines expressed pride in the team, saying, “They wanted to be at this place, and I’m so happy that they have faith and that they believe in themselves — and they wrapped that together, and now this is where they are.”
wildlife, too.
No matter where you are on your gardening journey, I hope that you and your garden age gracefully together.
Jimmy Rogers is an avid native gardener in the city of Laurel.
mind,” Brown said. “We had high energy; we wanted this very bad.”
The senior triumvirate of Kaloga, Taylor and Brown reached the goal they set as freshmen: win a state championship.
“Every year, we took another step,” Kaloga said. “All the early mornings [and] late nights; [this] just makes it that much sweeter.”
The Spartans finished 14th in The Washington Post’s final rankings.
Laurel High School, founded in 1899, advanced to its first state championship in 1957. Its only other crown came on
March 15, 1980, less than a mile away from Xfinity Center at UMD’s Cole Field House.
According to a pair of Post articles by Donald Huff, the 197980 Spartans had not produced a winning team in 18 years — the school was more known for its wrestling and soccer teams. In the two previous seasons, Laurel had gone 3-19 and 8-14.
“We’ve been slow to catch on,” then-Spartans coach Randy Mattox told The Post. “We’ve … won state wrestling crowns. Basketball hasn’t been very big around here.”
Laurel qualified for the Class AA Final Four with wins over Montgomery County champion Blair, 74-57, and Prince George’s County’s titleist High Point, 79-58.
“The last two games we weren’t expected to win big,” Mattox said at the time. “We went into both games relaxed and loose. We played both Blair and High Point very well. They just cracked wide open.”
The Spartans collected the championship trophy with a 55-49 victory over Suitland. Nolan Gibson scored seven of Laurel’s final nine points to finish with 23. Bernard Mallory hit a 15-footer to put the Spartans on top, 52-48, with 1:26 to play.
Laurel coach Eric Hines holds the trophy awarded to his team for its 68-53 victory over Whitman to win the 2025 Class 4A boys basketball state championship. COURTESY OF CAPITOL HOOPS
SCIENCE OF THE CITY
A landfill full of food is a recipe for methane
By PAUL RUFFINS
This is the first in a series of articles exploring landfills, food waste and methane emissions in Prince George’s County and neighboring jurisdictions. The series is partly supported by an Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowship from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Imagine that it’s March 2024, and spring cleaning has left you with three broken bicycles, two dead car batteries and an unlabeled plastic jug of pesticide or paint thinner. The quickest way to dispose of everything is to drive to the county’s Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill in Upper Marlboro. At this time, the landfill consists of a closed area, Area A, that is 148 acres and Area B, an active collection site that encompasses 140 acres — as large as 106 football fields.
When you arrive, there are two lines of traffic outside the scale house. The left lane is reserved for commercial vehicles and garbage trucks that queue for weighing; the right lane is for private vehicles. Both lanes would normally be headed to several designated drop-off points for televisions, appliances, scrap metal, recyclables, household hazardous waste and other items the county doesn’t want landfilled. The bikes and batteries will be recycled for their steel and lead. Your jug of uniden-
tified chemicals will go to a company licensed to dispose of hazardous waste.
The per-ton tipping fee for commercial vehicles is $77 for general trash, up from $59 in 2021. Your own household load is free, but your driver’s license will be checked to verify that you are a county resident. Prince George’s County is running out of landfill space, and it rejects all loads from outside its borders.
What’s more, if you were to do that same spring cleaning today, you’d have to take your pesticide, car battery and other household goods to a separate, temporary drop-off site. Nine of the 11 cells in Area B are already full, and most of the household and hazardous waste drop-off sites at the landfill are currently closed so that the county can build a section C. Alternative drop-off areas for these items have been established offsite at the Brown Station Road Convenience Center.
In 1977, the county also had municipal landfills in Bowie, Beltsville and Laurel. By 2017, only the Brown Station Road site remained operational, though there are still a few specialized landfills accepting materials such as construction rubble.
Like Prince George’s County, jurisdictions across the nation are fighting to divert materials from their landfills to increase recycling, prevent toxins from seeping into the air or groundwater,
We Train Dogs Of All Ages
Earthmoving equipment dwarfed against the giant size of the landfill
COURTESY OF PAUL RUFFINS
or simply to save space. Recently, these jurisdictions have also been motivated by the threat of climate change — and one of the biggest contributing factors to that is food disposal.
When organic materials like meat, vegetables or leaves decompose, they can break down into different substances under different conditions. “Landfills have very little air or oxygen in them,” explains Dr. Xinrong Ren, a physical scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s air resources laboratory in College Park. “This is partly because they are constantly being compacted by heavy earth-moving equipment.” As a result, food and other organic matter that would produce carbon dioxide (CO2) if they decomposed in the open air produce methane when buried in landfills.
Along with coal and oil, methane — the main ingredient in natural gas — is one of the most commonly used fossil fuels. One reason it’s so popular is because it’s the cleanest of these fuels. Millions of people cook on gas stoves without ventilation every day. In contrast, running a gasolinepowered generator indoors would generate lethal amounts of carbon monoxide. Many coal and oil-fired power plants have converted to natural gas to lower their emission of particulates, sulphur dioxide and mercury.
Natural gas is not a perfect fuel, though: It combines with ground-level ozone to produce smog, which exacerbates asthma and other respiratory conditions. A bigger hazard, though, is that
methane is a powerful driver of climate change.
The MIT climate portal explains that energy from the sun enters the Earth as a mix of visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light, but it leaves the Earth and travels back into outer space almost entirely as infrared energy or heat. The main gases in the atmosphere, oxygen and nitrogen, don’t interact with infrared. However, greenhouse gases (GHGs) like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide absorb the infrared light leaving the Earth and then vibrate that energy back into the atmosphere as heat. How much heat they trap over time depends on their structure and how quickly they break down. Carbon dioxide, the most common GHG, consists of one carbon atom tightly bound to two oxygen atoms. It can last for centuries.
At a molecular level, methane (CH4), the second most abundant GHG, consists of one carbon atom relatively loosely bound to four hydrogen atoms. Infrared light causes CH4 to vibrate much more than CO2, so it traps much more heat— and it takes about a decade to break. Scientists rank greenhouse gases by comparing them to how much heat the same amount of CO2 would trap in 100 years. At any given moment, methane traps about 80 times more heat than CO2, which works out to approximately 28 times more over its shorter lifetime. Unlike coal or oil, which develop from organic matter over thousands of years, methane can be produced very quickly. In a process called enteric fermentation,
ruminants, such as cows, cattle and sheep, constantly burp out methane as they digest their food. Methane is also produced from chicken and pig manure, and from human waste processed in water treatment plants.
Ren and researchers from the University of Maryland, Purdue University and other institutions took atmospheric measurements by flying aircraft equipped with specialized instruments. Using this data, the Maryland Department of the Environment estimated that in 2021, landfills accounted for 44% of the state’s methane emissions. This is almost as much as the next three sources — agriculture (17%), the natural gas industry (16%) and wastewater management (15%) — combined.
“We simply must get food out of our waste stream,” says Michele Blair, sustainability manager for the city of Laurel’s Department of Economic and Community Development. “Food waste and products contaminated with food, like pizza boxes and paper towels, make up 35% of what isn’t recycled. Landfilling food is also very expensive because it’s heavy, and by the end of 2025, the tipping fee for trash is expected to go up to $85 a ton. Worst of all, food accelerates global warming,” she said. If leaves, grass, tree trimmings (or even whole trees), or garden clippings were buried in a landfill, they would also produce methane. So why do experts like Blair and Ren believe that food is the most serious problem? Maryland’s towns and cities have been picking up and diverting yard waste from landfills ever since the Maryland Recycling Act of 1988, so food is the main organic material left.
The next article will explore composting as a local solution for disposing food without disrupting the environment.
and a professor of curiosity.
A. Moe Multiservice Center, wrote the successful first grant application. She said the money will pay for a series of focus group sessions with Deerfield Run families.
“We’re not going to tell them what they need; they are going to tell us what they need,” Price said. Providing a meal and childcare at the sessions will enable more parents to participate, she added.
Price wrote the grant on behalf of Laurel Multiservice Center
Inc., a nonprofit through which the city and local charities collaborate to provide services to the needy. While the Deerfield Run neighborhood is outside the city of Laurel proper, the school was chosen because more than 80% of its families are considered lowincome, which is a grant requirement under the ENOUGH Initiative, Price explained. She said, “We want the parents not just to come to focus groups; we want them to be leaders at the table.”
Price said an intern will be hired
through the University of Maryland School of Social Work to coordinate the research, and an educational consultant will be hired to lead the focus groups.
The grant money will pay for computers for families who lack them and some special programs, Price said, including financial literacy activities for children and art therapy for families suffering trauma. “People who live in poverty live in trauma,” she noted, adding that the therapy sessions could help uncover deeper issues that keep families locked in poverty.
Paul Ruffins is a citizen scientist
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Find more local events all month long in our new, continuously updated online calendar at streetcarsuburbs.news/events.
Please send notices of events taking place between May 9 and June 11 to nancy@streetcarsuburbs. news by April 25.
APRIL 10
Riots, Plunder and Murder on the Railroad. A virtual program about the B&O Railroad and the mob presented by Wayne Davis, coauthor of two local history books. Hosted by Laurel Historical Society. 7 p.m. For the link, call 301.725.7975
APRIL 11
Second Friday Senior Book Club. Discuss The Queens of Crime, by Marie Benedict. 2 to 3:30 p.m. Laurel Armory, 422 Montgomery St. For more information, call or text Gail Gibson at 301.452.7700
APRIL 12
Eggstravaganza, Bring your basket, bag or bucket. Cosponsored by the Laurel Lions Club.
Event lasts only as long as eggs are on the ground. Children up to 12 only for age-group egg hunts. Granville Gude Park Lake House. Noon to 1 p.m. Street parking on Mulberry St. 301.725.5300
APRIL 13
Kids’ Easter Party. Games, a hot dog lunch for the first 100 children and an egg hunt (weather permitting) with the Easter Bunny. Hosted by the American Legion Auxiliary Post 60. Free; adult hot dog lunch $2. 1 to 3 p.m. 2 Main St.
APRIL 22
Book Discussion. Featured book is The Beauty of Dusk, by Frank Bruni. 7 p.m. Laurel Branch Library, 507 7th St. 240.455.5451
APRIL 26
Swing into Spring with a 50s Fling. Laurel Chapter of the
RE-WILDING ROUTE 1
Tiny tigers
By RICK BORCHELT
It’s spring, and tigers are on the hunt in Maryland. Very tiny tigers.
Tiger beetles.
What they lack in size, these pint-sized predators more than make up for in sheer killing power. Even as larvae, these beetles have oversized jaws and lightning-fast reflexes that make them unmatched hunters for their size in the insect world. They come by their moniker “tiger” beetle honestly.
Maryland has nearly 30 species of these charismatic beetles, occurring in every county in the state. They live in a variety of habitats — forest trails, mud flats, baseball diamonds, lake margins — even hot sandy beaches in the swelter of midsummer.
Most tiger beetles share some distinguishing characteristics. They typically have long, thin legs designed for running after prey — entomologists call this a cursorial leg. Their long legs provide another advantage, especially for species that run across hot surfaces: They lift the body up off a superheated beach sand, shale barrens and the like.
Tiger beetles also use those cursorial legs for a behavior called stilting: raising their bodies off
Rosie the Riveter Association presents the oldies cover duo Rearview Mirror with songs of the ‘50s. Free, light refreshments available. 1 p.m.; show starts at 1:30. First United Methodist Church, 424 Main St. Call Pat Farmer at 240.762.3895
APRIL 26 – 27
Lemonfest. Live DJs, craft and food vendors and much more in a family fun environment. Free. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. 7419 Van Dusen Rd.
MAY 3
Chair Yoga and Movement Class for Seniors. Presented by Healthy Bodies/Healthy Minds Yoga. Free. 11 a.m. Laurel Branch Library, 507 7th St. 240.455.5451
Seed Swap. Join fellow gardeners and bring seeds to share. 1 p.m. Laurel Branch Library, 507 7th St. 240.455.5451
Pen & Prose: A Workshop in Yoga and Writing. Poet and yoga educator Yael Flusberg will introduce breath work, yoga poses, mindfulness techniques and writing exercises. Ages 18 and up. Free. 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Montpelier Arts Center, 9652 Muirkirk Rd. 301.377.7800
MAY 4
Cash Lake Trail Walk/Hike. Join former Refuge Manager Brad Knudsen for a 1.8-mile walk. All ages. Rain or shine, 6 p.m. Patuxent Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, South Tract, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop. 301.497.5772
MAY 9
Second Friday Senior Book Club. Discuss The Secret History of a Rape Kit: A True Crime Story, by Pagen Kennedy. 2 to 3:30 p.m. Laurel Armory, 422 Montgomery St. Call or text Gail Gibson at 301.452.7700.
MAY 10
Public Reception. Meet artist Bao Yen Nguyen whose work explores the world of Asian Americans living between two worlds: the old and the new. Free. 2 to 4 p.m. Montpelier Arts Center ,9652 Muirkirk Rd. 301.377.7800
Main Street Festival. Annual event features a parade, vendors, music and more. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
ONGOING
Monarch Magic at Patuxent Research Refuge. Explore the lifecycle of monarch butterflies. 10 am to 4 pm Wednesday through Saturday. Visitor Center, South Tract, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop. 301.497.5772
Laurel Rides the Rails: Tales of Trains and Trolleys. Through December. Laurel History Museum, 817 Main St. 301.725.7975.
the ground or angling themselves in relation to the sun’s rays. They stilt either to keep cool or, when the weather is chilly or cloudy, to find the right basking posture to absorb the sun’s warmth. In this way, tiger beetles usually maintain a body temperature of around 104 F — no mean feat for a coldblooded insect in early spring. Cursorial legs have given tiger beetles the undisputed title of fastest running insect on Earth. Top prize among them goes to a tiger beetle in Australia that can travel as fast as 8 feet per second, or more than 200 miles an hour.
Predation starts early in the tiger beetle clan. The female tiger beetle finds a spot with deep soil — preferably clay or packed loam — and lays an egg in a shallow hole she constructs. When the egg hatches, the worm-like grub digs a tunnel, usually about a foot deep, where it lays in wait for passing prey like ants or other insects. They plug the tops of the tunnels with their flat heads, leaving only their eyes and jaws protruding, so they can ambush unlucky victims. Tactics like this don’t provide a lot of food, apparently; most tigers take two years or more to metamorphose into adult beetles.
In addition to flat, trapdoor heads, tiger beetle larvae have another adaptation to life as a tun-
nel terror. About two-thirds of the way down their back they have a pronounced hump with heavyduty grappling hooks built into it. That way, if they catch prey that puts up a fight, the tiger beetle can just dig in and hold on tight to prevent being pulled out of its hole.
Adult tiger beetles are daytime hunters with excellent eyesight. This visual acuity comes from their large, bulbous eyes made up of hundreds of facets that give the beetle an almost 360-degree field of vision. As anyone who has ever tried to catch one of these agile insects can tell you, they’re much easier to observe than capture.
Here in Maryland, the most prevalent species is the six-spotted tiger beetle (Cicindela sexguttata); they’re easiest to see in April and May. While only about an inch long, they stand out by dint of their bright metallic green color and penchant for hunting in plain sight on forest paths or trails. The green is relieved only by a few white spots on the wings — usually six, as the name implies — though some populations are spotless. Six-spotted tigers are common throughout Maryland, including in the D.C. suburbs, as long as there’s a shady wooded area. Females lay their eggs at the side of a trail or path.
Maryland also has two federally protected tiger beetles, both of which occur along narrow beaches of Chesapeake Bay. The Puritan tiger beetle (Ellipsoptera puritana) prefers steep, eroding clay bluffs
like those at Calvert Cliffs – the same ones that produce prodigious amounts of shark teeth. Females lay their eggs up on the cliff face and the larvae burrow horizontally into the clay. Adults patrol the strip of beach below.
The Eastern beach tiger beetle (Habroscelimorpha dorsalis) favors the same narrow beaches along the bay, just minus the bluffs. Their eggs are laid on the upper beach and the tunnel is the traditional vertical one. Eastern beach tiger beetle grubs can even survive for a day or two of being inundated at high tide or during ocean storms.
Sea level rise and bayside development threaten both species, of course, and several of the few Maryland populations have already winked out of existence. Even some once-common tiger beetle species are declining from
habitat loss, and from compaction of the soil in heavily used recreational areas. The compaction – from hiking, cars, bicycles -- makes the ground too hard for the beetle grubs to burrow in. If you do manage to sneak up on and capture a tiny tiger, be sure to handle it carefully. Those large jaws can deliver a serious pinch to an unwary tiger tamer.
To see a video of a six-spotted tiger beetle hunting and subduing prey, go to tinyurl.com/2yzznwyh.
Rick Borchelt is a local naturalist and science writer who writes and teaches about natural history, gardening and the environment.
