Adrian Simmons was chosen by the Laurel City Council on July 1 to be the next councilmember representing Ward 1. Simmons,
45, fills the seat vacated by Carl DeWalt, who resigned from the council in May.
“I’m jumping on a moving train,” Simmons said, after the council meeting. “I have a little
catching up to do, but I’m looking forward to getting up to speed.”
A special election was not necessary, as the city charter stipulates that an election will be held only if two or more seats
are vacant.
Simmons was one of four contenders for the seat. He, along with Stephen Wallace, Maria Gonzales-Jackson and Calondra Young, were each asked 10
By KATIE V. JONES
The Woman’s Club of Laurel was founded in 1910 with the purpose of serving the community. It is not a social club, a book club or sewing club, its president, Lorraine Kelly, is quick to point out,
and that is what attracted her to the club in the first place.
“We come in and do stuff,” Kelly said. “Our mission is to promote self-improvement and service in the community.”
In June, Kelly was elected the club’s first Black president in its
113-year-old history. She has many goals for the club, and sees keeping the club busy helping the community and growing its membership as key.
“We’ve been here too long for people to not know what we do,” Kelly said. She discovered the
questions by the council, with two minutes allotted for each answer, for a total of 20 minutes per candidate.
“It was great to see such a di-
Adrian Simmons selected for Ward 1 seat Exhibition driving
By JOE MURCHISON
Two Laurel public officials recently played key roles in securing passage of a new state law designed to keep our streets safer.
State Delegate Mary Lehman (District 21) was principal House sponsor of the Street Racing and Driving Exhibition bill that defines and penalizes a type of dangerous driving. The practice involves drivers and large crowds of spectators gathering at parking lots or major intersections where drivers perform doughnuts and burnouts, sometimes skidding in circles at high rates of speed, often close to spectators and sometimes with passengers hanging out of windows or even clinging to the roof.
club five years ago while she was walking along Main Street during a festival and stopped at the club’s table.
“The Laurel Library was here,” Kelly said, standing in the clubhouse’s kitchen on a warm summer evening. “We were fortunate. This building was willed to the club.”
The clubhouse is small — just a meeting hall, kitchen and bath —
but it belongs to the club, and it is where members meet to plan their numerous projects and welcome speakers. They also allow other clubs, including the amateur radio club and Bernadette’s House, to use the space for a fee.
“The Woman’s Club is awesome,” said Theresa Pfister, director of the club. “We do a ton of good things for the community.”
NEWS BRIEFS
FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, VISIT STREETCARSUBURBS.NEWS
NEW PRESIDENT FOR STREETCAR SUBURBS
Marta McLellan Ross is the new president of the board of directors of Streetcar Suburbs Publishing, the nonprofit that publishes The Laurel Independent
Letters to the editor
WE HAVE TO GET ZONING POLICY RIGHT
Zoning is complicated, but it is a crucial county-level policy to get right if we want to improve our quality of life and fight climate change. I worried after reading “County councilmembers tussle over zoning, sprawl” that we should ground our conversation.
In 2018, after years of work, the county council passed the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations Rewrite, which aimed to streamline zoning while building more in Activity Center Zones (ACZs). ACZs are centered around Metro stations
A community newspaper chronicling the people and events of Laurel, Maryland. Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781
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McLellan Ross replaced Stephanie Stullich, who served as president for one year and will remain on the board for the coming year. Stullich, who is retired from the U.S. Department of Education, joined the board in January 2021.
McLellan Ross, who joined the board in April 2023, led the all-volunteer body through the process of adopting the first strategic plan for the organization, which also publishes the Hyattsville Life & Times and the College Park Here & Now. McLellan Ross is the vice president of government and external affairs for NPR.
Print editions of the three hyperlocal newspapers are published monthly and distributed to every address in their respective cities. The publications are also online at streetcarsuburbs.news.
SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD IN AUGUST TO FILL FRANKLIN’S SEAT
Thirteen candidates have registered to run in a special primary election on Aug. 6 to replace former Prince George’s County Councilmember Mel Franklin (At-Large), who resigned in June amid charges of embezzlement, felony theft scheme and perjury.
Council Chair Jolene Ivey (District 5), a
or other important areas. Building denser in ACZs reduces the need for cars and costs taxpayers less to maintain and service, among other benefits.
One concern raised in the article is that it is too expensive to build in ACZs because development “tend[s] to need to be lifted out of flood plains.” However, comparing flood maps from FEMA with ACZs, only 7.46% of the land is in flood plains. What’s more, there are only three ACZs where flood zones are an issue — most have no flood plains at all.
Another concern raised was that cutting down trees im-
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Democrat, of Bladensburg, was the first to announce her candidacy for the vacant seat.
Others who filed by the July 5 deadline are eight additional Democratic candidates: Tim Adams, the mayor of Bowie since 2019; former Maryland Del. Angela Angel; Tamara Davis Brown, of Clinton, who ran unsuccessfully for Maryland Senate in 2022; Leo Bachi Eyombo, of Suitland, who made an unsuccessful run for county council in 2022; Marvin E. Holmes Jr., of Upper Marlboro, a member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 23B; Kiesha D. Lewis, of Bowie, a self-described federal government whistleblower; Judy MickensMurray, of Upper Marlboro, a former member of the county Board of Education; and Gabriel Njinimbot, of Laurel, who ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary for the District 4 congressional seat this spring.
Republican candidates include Kamita Gray, of Clinton, a community and environmental activist; Michael Riker, of Cheltenham, a retired police detective; Isaac Toyos, of Riverdale, a legislative affairs analyst for the federal government; and Jonathan White, of Upper Marlboro, a veteran who has worked in government security.
The winners of the Democratic and Re-
pacts air quality. Existing intact forests should be preserved, but most of the land in ACZs is not forested. Plus, the primary source of air pollution in our region is transportation. The D.C. area is noncompliant with the federal ozone standard and borderline with the new particulate-matter standard. Putting more cars on the road, which is what sprawl development does, will just make this worse. We really must build more homes and businesses in Prince George’s County’s activity zones.
Joseph Jakuta Mount Rainier
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
Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. mail to every address in Laurel. Additional copies are distributed to popular gathering spots around town. Total circulation is 29,000. The Laurel Independent is a member of the National Newspaper Association and the Institute for Nonprofit News.
publican primaries will face off on Election Day, Nov. 5, when county residents will also vote for candidates for the U.S. House and Senate, and the presidency.
CORRIDOR PROJECT
TABLED AGAIN
A public hearing and vote on Pulte Home Company’s proposed Corridor Project for Contee Road was tabled by the City of Laurel Planning Commission at its June meeting and rescheduled for July 16 at 6 p.m.
It was the second time the public hearing and vote on the project was tabled, the first being at the commission’s May meeting. At that time, it was reported that city staff needed more time to clarify information. At the June meeting, the applicant requested more time to respond to that information.
The commission allowed anyone in attendance at the public hearing to speak if they wanted to, noting that all testimony would be included in the record.
Planning Commission Chairwoman Mitzi Betman apologized to those in attendance for not providing advance notice that the item would not be discussed that evening.
ZONING ISSUES AND THE SCMAGLEV TRAIN PROJECT
Kit Slack’s recent article, “County councilmembers tussle over zoning, sprawl,” discusses the impact of development projects on floodplains, stormwater control, pollution and energy demands — issues commonly addressed in assessing transportation projects.
The proposed massive Superconducting Magnetic Levitation (SCMaglev) train project (three stops: D.C. to BWI to Baltimore) presents deep concerns over unmitigable environmental damage and negative community impacts. Significant implications for zoning and land use would arise, primarily because the private company project sponsor — Baltimore-Washington Rapid Rail (BWRR) — is seeking to access federally owned lands. This precedent would invite other activities that would further degrade and destroy federal lands. Whether the land is designated as a wildlife refuge, protected or conservation, the purpose would completely change. Development in protected
waters and land would change the assimilative capacity of the waters to filter pollutants and diminish the ability of the habitat to handle flood and stormwater runoff. Recently, the Maryland Department of the Environment advised BWRR that there were “not reasonable assurances that the project would comply with water quality standards.” In addition, the SCMaglev would burden Maryland with tremendous energy requirements, the equivalent of approximately 89,000 homes. The county council is rightly concerned about how sprawl and zoning changes could negatively impact our quality of life and the environment. Projects such as the SCMaglev impact us locally but also present deeper concerns about impacts on protected lands nationwide, energy demands much higher than can be provided with green technology and lower quality of life for those living nearby.
Susan R. McCutchen, Board Member Maryland Coalition for Responsible Transit
Marta McLellan Ross, the new president of Streetcar Suburbs Publishing COURTESY OF MARTA MCLELLAN ROSS
City of Laurel celebrates Juneteenth
BY AIESHA SOLOMON
On June 22, Laurel residents gathered in Granville Gude Park under a sweltering, hot summer sun to celebrate Juneteenth.
People cooled down under shade trees, enjoyed musical and dance performances from the Harrison Burton Memorial Stage, visited vendor tables, played games on the park’s field and enjoyed food, drinks and chilly desserts.
As the city stated in a press release, Juneteenth “commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality and justice.”
Laurel resident Tammy Faucette, who participated in the celebration, reflected on the importance of Juneteenth.
“I think [marking this day] is wonderful. I think it’s very much needed. We need to be reminded where we came from as a people. How we got here. What occurred
during the years, up through the years, until this present day because I think a lot of us, the young people, have forgotten, so they need to know, and this celebration is a catalyst for our population and everybody, not just African Americans, but everybody.
To know the history, to learn the history, to be proud of the history,
right where we come from,” Faucette said at the event.
This year’s Juneteenth Celebration had about 40 vendors, according to Sandra Choute, chairwoman of the city’s Juneteenth Executive Planning Committee. She added that Sam’s Club provided free water.
“It’s grown. It’s grown tremen-
dously. We have far more vendors. We had much more visibility leading up to the event with the billboards,” said Ummi Modeste, secretary of the Juneteenth Executive Planning Committee, in an interview at the event. “The electronic billboards around the city, since the beginning of June, they’ve all been showing that it’s coming.”
Planning for the event began in September or October. Choute said that the celebration generally costs $4,000 to $5,000.
“We submit a budget to the city. If they’re able to support us, we get that, but a lot of … our funds come from the vending applications that are submitted,” Choute said.
The city held a Juneteenth flag raising ceremony at the Laurel Municipal Center on June 19.
“Yes, that was the first [Juneteenth] Flag Raising Ceremony in the City of Laurel. A historic moment for the City,” wrote Choute in a text.
The flag raising event was a collaboration between the Juneteenth Executive Planning Committee, and Mayor Keith Sydnor and his office.
Approximately 50 people attended the flag raising event, according to City Councilmember Kyla Clark (Ward 2), a member of the Juneteenth Executive Planning Committee.
“What I hope that people see, not only from this [Juneteenth Celebration] that we have here, but also from the Juneteenth flag, is that we’ve come a long way in America, in particular, and we’re making a lot of strides as far as diversity, respect, morals and ethics, but we also have a long way to go and that we have to do that together,” Clark said. “We’re stronger together to fight hate, to fight crime, to fight racism, but we can’t do it alone, and so we have to help and support each other, even if [those elements aren’t] directly affecting us.”
The Juneteenth Line Dancers perform on the Granville Gude Park’s Harrison Burton Memorial Stage during the Juneteenth Celebration on June 22.
COURTESY OF AIESHA SOLOMON
Laurel police Chief Russ Hamill was the principal lawenforcement official testifying in favor of the law in both the House and Senate. He is currently co-chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Police Chiefs Committee and is past president of the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association.
“It’s a problem all across the country,” Hamill said, noting that these types of hazardous driving activities have occurred locally at such locations as Route 1 and Contee Road, on Sweitzer Lane and even on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. The events, which are routinely advertised on social media, are sometimes called takeovers, he said, as the drivers and crowds block roads or inter-
sections till they have finished their stunts.
In 2023, 139 major exhibition driving events were reported across Maryland, Hamill said, adding, “It’s a miracle that people aren’t killed and injured at these events.”
In fact, on May 19 two young men were shot and one died during an exhibition driving meetup at a District Heights parking lot. Police charged a 22-year-old from Stafford, Va., with murder.
Lehman said the new law, which went into effect June 1, defines exhibition driving, which is categorized separately from racing, and requires anyone charged to appear in court. Those found guilty can be assessed a fine of up to $1,000, given eight to 12 points on their license, and spend up to a year in jail. Lehman noted that the points are sufficient to have a driver’s license suspended or even revoked. The law also raises penalties on racing.
Lehman said she hopes that part of the bill might reduce the number of complaints she receives from West Laurel residents who live near Route 198 and are frequently subjected to the roar of cars racing up and down the highway at night.
Both Hamill and Lehman said they had been informed that organizers of the exhibition driving events may offer prize money to participants. Hamill said he had heard of amounts up to $50,000 per event, with the organizers apparently recouping their investment through social media exposure. Lehman said a West Laurel neighbor had told her that his son had won
$8,000, though that was in a racing rather than exhibitiondriving event.
Lehman said she first became aware of exhibition driving in 2020 when Ocean City officials approached the House Environment and Transportation Committee, on which she sits. The officials were frantically seeking a way to tamp down a rash of events there, she said. “Cars were taking over Ocean [i.e., Coastal] Highway and doing crazy things.”
At the time, the General Assembly responded by passing a bill to penalize the activity, but it only applied to Worcester County. Lehman noted that the law curbed the activity almost immediately. However, a statewide measure that passed the assembly in 2022 was vetoed by then-Gov. Larry Hogan after Ocean City officials argued it might weaken their Worcester County law, she said.
The problem “really grew exponentially during the pandemic,” Lehman said. “Suddenly there were fewer cars on the road, and people were bored and restless and thought this would be fun.
“This is not clean fun,” she said.
Laurel High School valedictorian and salutatorian to major in STEM
By AIESHA SOLOMON
At Laurel High School’s (LHS) 2024 graduation on May 29, valedictorian Jordan Proctor, 18, and salutatorian, Robert Wood, also 18, gave speeches encompassing their visions for their futures.
Proctor will be going to the University of Maryland, College Park in the fall. She received the university’s Banneker/Key Scholarship, which includes full tuition, room and board, and book fees, she said in an interview.
Proctor plans to major in biological sciences and wants to be an orthopedic doctor.
In her graduation speech, Proctor explained connections between elements of movies, of which she is a fan, and life prosperity. She underscored the importance of having actors, or those “who support [you],” a setting that “will be there for you to thrive,” and a storyline, or a “way towards your goal while striving to do better and keep[ing your] focus.”
Proctor, who graduated with a GPA of 4.46, was the president of the Laurel High School Chapter of the National
Honor Society. She played lacrosse, was in color guard, did majorette dance her senior year and “took almost all entirely International Baccalaureate [IB] classes,” she said.
“The biggest one was probably my sports science class … It’s kind of like anatomy with maybe some sports medicine course, so it’s really fun. You actually learn a lot about the human body and function,” she said, of her IB classes.
Proctor’s previous interest was dentistry, but she turned to orthopedics during the IB sports science class.
Proctor’s mother, Toni F. Gore, was elated that Proctor was valedictorian.
“I knew she was smart, but I was like, ‘This girl is brilliant.’ So it’s like one of those proud mommy moments,” Gore said.
Gore wants her daughter to delight in her journey and “to stay true to herself and learn everything she can and help others along the way,”
Wood, who graduated with a GPA of 4.44, participated in athletics at LHS and will do the same at McDaniel College, in Westminster.
Wood was a member of the LHS track
and basketball teams, both of which won regionals this last year. He was also in the National Honor Society and took IB classes.
“Being a part of that [IB] program wasn’t easy at all, but … it helped me be ready for the challenging work that’s up ahead,” he said in a phone interview.
Wood earned several scholarships, including a merit scholarship from McDaniel and a Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association scholarship, which is “only given out to … 18 athletes around Maryland … high performing, like scholarly athletes,” Wood said.
Wood plans to major in mathematics and “ use the mathematics degree in the business world,” he said.
Wood focused his salutatorian speech on the question, “How do I do it?” He noted that he’s repeatedly been asked this.
“By making the right decisions, being disciplined and trying my best,” Wood said, in his speech. “I believe this is the way to success for everyone, and if we can stay true to this, we all can live happy lives.”
St. Vincent Pallotti High School valedictorian and salutatorian
By AIESHA SOLOMON
On May 22, St. Vincent Pallotti High School held its 2024 graduation ceremony. Chidum Obiadi, 18, the valedictorian, delivered a speech reminding everyone to make the future they want to see a reality.
“We are stepping into a world full of possibilities, and I have no doubt that each of us will make our mark,” Obiadi wrote in a draft of her speech.
Obiadi graduated from Pallotti with a GPA of 4.5 and will attend the University of Maryland, College Park this fall. She was awarded UMD’s President’s Scholarship and plans to major in chemistry, with a musical theater minor. She said in an interview that she has her sights set on being a psychiatrist working with patients in a hospital setting.
Obiadi played volleyball at Pallotti and was captain of the varsity team. She also played softball, was a cheerleader and on the dance team. She served as president of Pallotti’s chapter of the National Honor Society and coordinated religious events at the school. She was also a member of the Shake-
speare monologue club and acted in musicals and plays.
David Tenney, Pallotti’s assistant principal for academics, varsity cross country coach and head of the religion department, instructed Obiadi and the salutatorian, Daniela Jackson, in the senior honors ethics course.
In a phone interview, Tenney described Obiadi as an enthusi-
astic student.
“She sat right up front and was always very engaged. She had lots of great questions, lots of great comments. She was never one to be shy to jump into class discussions … She was always somebody who engaged with other students,” Tenney said.
Jackson, 17, graduated with a 4.49 GPA and was admitted to the nursing program at West
Virginia University with numerous scholarships, she said in a phone interview. Jackson was also a cross country runner.
“Danny was a member of the team for four years, and she was just the heart and soul of that team. We made her a captain her senior year, and she just had this incredible enthusiasm and love for the sport,” Tenney said.
Jackson played softball for three years and managed [her] senior year, performed flute in wind ensemble and cello in strings ensemble, and belonged to the National Honor, National English Honor and the National Spanish Honor societies. Jackson was also the recipient of the Leader of the Pack Award, which is awarded by the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) to a senior across all three conferences in the association.
“It’s a big honor because there’s only one given each year, and so Danny was given that award this year for all the girls out of cross country, for the whole IAAM. She was recognized for her just dedication to the sport and her leadership on the team,” Tenney said.
In her speech at the senior banquet, Jackson focused on the importance of connections and how they carry through life.
“We all have our own stories, but tonight and the upcoming days are about remembering how we became part of other people’s stories, how we left an impact on our school, and the impact we want to make on the world,” Jackson wrote in a draft.
Laurel High School salutatorian Robert Wood, 18, delivers his speech during graduation.
COURTESY OF ROBERT WOOD
Laurel High School valedictorian Jordan Proctor, 18, in her graduation gown.
COURTESY OF AIESHA SOLOMON
St. Vincent Pallotti High School valedictorian, Chidum Obiadi, 18, and salutatorian, Daniela Jackson, 17, at graduation.
COURTESY OF DANIELA JACKSON
Soccer coach helps players chase a dream
By JOE MURCHISON
Sampson Geeplah, of Laurel, knows what it is like to chase the dream of playing professional soccer.
In 2006, after failing to get hired after a tryout with Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Colorado Rapids, Geeplah went to Uruguay to play on a pro team for a year. In 2008, he moved
to Norway and trained for six months with a team there. An ankle injury ended his pursuit of a playing career, and he returned to the U. S. in 2009.
Now Geeplah, 42, is helping other young players chase the dream as coach of the Laurelbased Bridge Sports Club, which he founded in 2020.
The club’s top team plays in the United Premier Soccer
League, a national organization that describes itself as a developmental league three levels down from the MLS. Playing against highly competitive teams in Maryland and Northern Virginia this year, Geeplah’s team finished the season undefeated (11-0) before losing in a playoff game to Columbia’s Sure Sports FC on June 30.
A year ago, the team went 11-1 in the regular season, won the D.C.-area playoffs and made it to the championship game of the Northeast Regionals in New York. A loss there on penalty kicks kept the team from joining the Elite 8 at the league’s national championships.
Geeplah said his goal is to take the team to the national finals. After last month’s playoff loss, “we have to go back and see what we need to do as a team,” he said.
The coach says his team is composed of top high school athletes, players from schools such as Howard University and St. Mary’s College, and other
young men seeking to play after leaving school. “Eighty percent of the team wants to play professional soccer,” Geeplah said.
He said his club has partnered with the Maryland Bobcats, a semi-professional team one tier up that pays players up to $1,400 a month. Four of Geeplah’s former players are now Bobcats, and two others are
Playing against highly competitive teams in Maryland and Northern Virginia this year, Sampson Geeplah’s Laurel-based Bridge Sports Club finished the season undefeated (11-0) before losing in a playoff game to Columbia’s Sure Sports FC on June 30.
Sampson Geeplah, coach of the Laurel-based Bridge Sports Club. COURTESY OF SAMPSON GEEPLAH.
LAUREL PARKS AND REC REATION CELEBRATES PARKS IN JULY
July is Park and Recreation Month, sponsored by the National Recreation and Park Association, the theme is “Where You Belong!” Laurel Parks and Recreation (P&R) will be celebrating BIG throughout July and they look forward to celebrating it with YOU! This month, the focus is on honoring the crucial role played by Parks and Recreation professionals in uniting people, offerin g essential services, and nurturing community growth. In the City of Laurel, you can join P&R in their celebrations by attendin g their events, exploring local parks, or taking part in various classes and programs.
Starting July 1st, visit www.cityoflaurel.org/1923/Park-and-Recreation-Month to download the Park and Recreation Month Passport. Explore all their parks, participate in events, snap pictures, complete the passport, and send your photos to sbranning@laurel.md.us to receive a complimentary boat pass for the 2024 season! Additionally, engage in a Scavenger Hunt at Granville Gude Park!
More activities listed on www.cityoflaurel.org include:
• View the July 2024 Park and Recreation Month Calendar!
• Experience Friday Night Flicks at Granville Gude Park from sunset onwards!
• Attend Touch-a-Truck on July 23rd from 6:30 - 8:00pm at Emancipation Park!
Another way to celebrate is take advantage of all the programs, services and classes P&R offers throughout the year. For adults, P&R plans trips, has drop -in programs, and forms sports leagues you can participate in. Are you a teen looking to do something after school? Check out their Drop -in programs at Robert J. DiPietro Community Center and Laurel Armory! 55 and over? P&R has a fantastic Senior Services program that plans trips, teas, classes and local shopping trips. See all they have to offer at their webpage, www.cityoflaurel.org/159/Parks-and-Recreation!
Get on the path for a healthier you and purchase a membership to one of their highquality gyms or register for a class online at www.cityoflaurel.org/334/Classes -andRegistration! They offer aquatics, arts, enrichment programs, hobbies and more!
To learn more about all they have to offer as they celebrate Park and Recreation this July, follow their social media sites, @laurelparksrec!
COMMUNITY POLICING W ITH THE LAUREL POLICE DEPARTMENT VOL. 3, NO. 7
National Night Out
Mark your calendars now for our Annual National Night Out on August 6, 2024, 6 - 9pm, at Granville Gude Park, 8300 Mulberry Street! This free community event will have police, fire and rescue demonstrations, K9, SWAT, vendors, live music, food and much more! This event focuses on the relationships between neighbors and law enforcement, while fostering a true sense of community and fellowship, and is a way for the entire family to get to know the officers from the Laurel Police Department (LPD).
Automobile Thefts
Auto theft and theft from automobiles is on the rise around the nation. We encourage everyone to take safety precautions to help reduce the risk of becoming a victim of auto theft. Make sure to always lock your vehicle and never leave it running unattended ; Never leave valuables or important documents in your vehicle; Park in well -lit areas; Never keep a spare key inside your vehicle; And, safeguard your home by not leaving your garage door opener in your vehicle! If you see something. say something as it is h appening! Don’t wait, call us right away at 301 -498-0092!
House Checks
Are you going on vacation? LPD provides House Checks while you are out of town. Please call LPD if you would like them to check on your home periodically!
Citizens Police Academy
LPD is now accepting applications for their Fall 2024 Citizens Police Academy. This 12-week long class brings hands on experiences to citizens to better understand policing, and offers the opportunity to have open, honest, and engaging conversations on all the important topics affecting law enforcement today. Visit www.cityoflaurel.org/164/Police for more information on how to apply or email lguenin@laurel.md.us.
As this summer begins, the Laurel Police Department is as committed, as always, to connecting with the community we serve. Please keep an eye on our social media for all of the different ways to connect with
GREEN HAPPENINGS IN LAUREL!
Congratulations Laurel! The residents of Laurel have proven to be committed to change! Mayor Keith R. Sydnor, the Laurel City Council and the City of Laurel are excited to share the results of a survey conducted by the Sierra Club. Sierra Club volunteers visited our four main grocery stores every weekend during May 2024. Here are the results and the takeaway from the change:
• Adding the paper bag charge in Laurel has reduced the share of shoppers taking a paper bag by more than half (from 68% to 32%)!
• Reusable bag use rose from 14% to 23%, and skipping the bag entirely rose from 17% to 44%!
• The share of shoppers bringing a reusable bag or not taking a bag at all has more than doubled, from 31% to 66%!
Laurel Farmer’s Market: Shop Local!
Our Farmer’s Market is back in full swing, so come out and visit your favorite vendors from last year and meet some “new” favorites, then pick up some tasty food and relax and listen to music in the shade. We are very excited to accept SNAP/EBT benefits and are now participating in the Maryland Market Money program, giving our shoppers extra market cash to shop with, so if you are eligible, stop by the Welcome Tent to get your tokens! The Laurel Farmer's Market is open every Thursday from 3 -7pm, through September 26th. Visit and follow our Facebook page, @TheLaurelQuillLot, and our City web site at www.cityoflaurel.org/1617/Laurel -Farmers-Market.
Mosquitoes
Be proactive and use these tips to rid your home of mosquito breeding sites:
• Clean rain gutters to allow water to flow freely.
• Turn over or remove clay pots and plastic containers and flush water in the bottom of plant holders twice a week
• Check for trapped water in plastic or canvas tarps used to cover boats, pools, etc.
• Replace water in bird baths at least twice a week.
• Remove pet food and water dishes that are not being used.
To learn more about the Maryland Department of Agriculture Mosquito Program, visit https:// mda.maryland.gov/plants -pests/Pages/mosquito_control.aspx for more details. For ecofriendly, proactive ideas, like Tip It or Toss It, to reduce the mosquito population, visit the Green Living page at https://md-laurel.civicplus.com/1598/Informational-Videos and while you’re there, watch the MDA’s video on the lifecycle of the mosquito!
Want to get the most recent information about the City’s sustainability initiatives? Follow us on Facebook at @SustainableLaurel. This is a place where we can share ideas, highlight upcoming events and residents can stay informed on all things Sustainable !
Cellebre el Mes de Parques y Recreación/Policía Comunitaria LPD
Julio es Parque y Recreación, patrocinado por la Asociación Nacional de Parques y Recreación, el tema es "¡A dónde perteneces!" ¡Laurel Parks and Recreation (P&R) celebrará EN GRANDE durante julio y esperan celebrarlo CON USTED! ¡Visite su página web en www.cityoflaurel.org/159/Parks-and-Recreation y celebre con ellos!
Al comenzar este verano, el Departamento de Policía de Laurel está tan comprometido, como siempre, a conectarse con la comunidad a la que servimos. Únase a nosotros para la Noche Nacional el 6 de agosto de 2024, de 6 a 9 p. m., en Gude Park, 8300 Mulberry Street. Y esté atento a nuestras redes sociales para conocer las diferentes formas de conectarse con nosotros.
¡Y esté atento a nuestro próximo Pop-Up Coffee with the Cop para el verano de 2024!
LAUREL POLICE MONTHLY CRIME REPORT MAY 2024
List of Laurel Police Crime Reports can be found at www.cityoflaurel.org/police/community -info/crime-reports.
Legislation
Listed below are recent actions taken by the Laurel City Council. For further information on any of these actions, please feel free to contact the Office of the City Clerk at 301-725-5300 x2120 or at clerk@laurel.md.us. For the full agendas, visit www.cityoflaurel.org
Adopted Legislation:
• Resolution No. 3-2024 - for the purpose of approving an Agreement between the City of Laurel and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1994.
Bid Recommendations:
• No Bid Recommendations in June.
Appointments/Reappointments:
No Mayoral Appointments or Reappointments in June.
Volunteer with the City of Laurel! Go online to fill out the application today at www.cityoflaurel.org!
The
is ready for you to rent! Call 301-725-5300 x2317 today!
Government Meetings
(Dates and Times Subject to Change)
July 2024 Mayor and City Council Meetings
clerk@laurel.md.us
July 22nd - In-Person Special Work Session (5:30pm)/Mayor and City Council Meeting (6:00pm)
July 29th - Virtual Special Mayor and City Council Meeting (6:00pm)
July 2024 Boards and Commissions
July 9th - Historic District Commission (6:00pm)
July 9th - Environmental Affairs Committee (6:00pm)
July 16th - In-Person Planning Commission (6:00pm)
July 25th - Board of Appeals (CANCELLED)
August 2024 Mayor and City Council Meetings
August 7th - Mayor and City Council Work Session (CANCELLED)
August 12th & 26th - Mayor and City Council Meetings (CANCELLED)
June 24th - Mayor and City Council Meeting (CANCELLED)
August 2024 Boards and Commissions
August 13th - Planning Commission (CANCELLED)
August 13th - Environmental Affairs Committee (CANCELLED)
August 20th - Historic District Commission (CANCELLED)
August 22nd - Board of Appeals (CANCELLED)
City Announcements & Events
(Dates and Times Subject to Change)
FREE Summer Friday Flicks - All movies begin at sunset at Gude Park, 8300 Mulberry Street:
July 12th - Wish
July 19th - Elemental
July 26th - The Barbie Movie
August 2nd - Encanto
Touch-A-Truck, July 23, 2024, 6:30 - 8:00pm, Emancipation Park, 8th and West Streets. Explore a variety of vehicles that range from police units to your local fire truck!
Pride Designer Bag Bingo, July 27th, 6-9pm, Partnership Activity Center, 811 5th Street. Cost: $25 online; $30 at the door.
National Night Out, August 2, 2024, 6 - 9pm, Gude Park, 8300 Mulberry Street - Join the Laurel Police Department for National Night Out! Safety demos, live music, K9 demo, Police Demos, food, games and more!
Senior Services Trips and Events - Laurel Senior Services has great trips and local events for our 55 and over group. Call 301-776-6168 for details.
Laurel Citizens University (LCU) Coming This Fall! Keep your eyes out for more information about LCU! Learn about your local government from City Directors and staff! For more information, call 301 -725-5300 ext. 2109.
Visit the City of Laurel web site at www.cityoflaurel.org, to learn more about your local government!
Beaautiful and Historic Mansion at Laurel
Communit y Resourc es and E mer gency M anagement: July is Pet Pr ep
We all love long summer days and spending time outdoors with our furry friends, but it important to remember that, like any season, summer comes with its hazards.
To make sure you ’re pet prepared for whatever comes your way this summer, check out this list of summer safety tips:
• Know the symptoms of overheating – Excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, drooling, mild weakness, or sudden collapses.
• Don’t let dogs linger on hot asphalt – Dog’s paw pads can burn in only 60 seconds when air temperature reaches 77 degrees. Use the “Seven Second Rule.” Place the back of your hand on the pavement. If you can ’t hold it there for 7 seconds, the surface is too hot for your dog’s paws.
• Never leave your pets alone in a parked vehicle - Temperatures inside a parked vehicle can quickly rise and lead to fatal heat stroke!
• Make sure pets have access to fresh clean water - As temperatures rise, pets can become dehydrated quickly!
• Limit outdoor walks - Help your pets during the high heat and keep outdoor walks to early morning and the evening.
For more helpful tips, visit the ASPCA page at www.aspca.org/pet -care/general-pet-care/hot-weather-safety-tips.
No luggage necessary: A Laurel summer staycation
By AGNES PASCO CONATY
My family faced this summer with challenges: Our son Joseph, who’s between his freshman and sophomore years at the University of Maryland, College Park, has been waiting for the decision call on a summer internship, and my husband and I both have significant work obligations. How to make the best of a long stretch of what is sure to be hot weather?
The three of us decided to put our creativity to good use and craft a device-free staycation. Luckily, there are loads of activities, venues and events right here in Laurel to satisfy most anyone’s interests. Come along, and I’ll introduce you to some of our tried-and-true family favorites.
Through the years, our family’s collected memories — along with lots of score cards — from the Rocky Gorge 4 Seasons Golf Fairway (8445 Old Columbia Road). We beta-test-
CLUB
FROM PAGE 1
ed the course this year when it opened in early spring in hopes of taking my brother-inlaw there for his 60th birthday celebration. When we tested, the holes were filled with rain puddles and the hedges needed trimming. A day later, the birthday celebrant made three hole-in-one shots and didn’t mind the puddles; we all had a great time!
We have a family tradition of joining the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System’s summer reading program. Since we live less than 10 minutes from the Laurel Branch Library (507 7th Street), we’ve joined in the funfilled, whole-summer reading adventure every year since our son was a year old (and eligible for his own library card.). We remember all the ice cream parties, nifty themed shirts, bags, Bowie Baysox tickets and loads of other swag we enjoyed through all those summers. And you can spend hot summer days in a cool, quiet space, too. If you don’t yet have
During the school year, the club gives a free book to each student at Laurel Elementary School on their birthday and helps with the school’s Brighter Bites program; members also make bagged lunches for students to have on weekends at Scotchtown Hills Elementary School. They make holiday cards for seniors, make blankets for Project Linus, put together Thanksgiving baskets for different groups, purchase Christmas presents for families in need and give out candy during Trick or Treat on Main Street. In February, they gave 55 cards and 55 boxes of chocolates to Sara’s House, a nonprofit that offers emergency shelter for families experiencing homelessness.
One of their biggest projects is Milk and Cookies with Santa. Children are invited to enjoy cookies, join in activities and have photos taken with Santa.
“I feel like we are changing with the community,” Pfister said. “We’re doing a good job keeping relevant yet still staying true to our goals. We are a service organization.”
Kelly would like to do even more, including offering student scholarships in STEM and nursing, and getting members more involved and visible in the community through new projects.
“Come in and pitch in different ideas,” Kelly said. “What difference can I make in my community and club?”
a library card, you can sign up for one at your nearest branch library (for more about cards, go to the library system’s page at tinyurl.com/yc6hvamb). If you already have a card, you can take advantage of dozens of free in-person events. And using your card online, you can explore a new language through Mango, take a course through Kanopy and access a huge collection of movies, books and music with Overdrive.
There are four swimming pools in the city, too: the county-owned Fairland Sports and Aquatics Complex, the Laurel Municipal pool, Greenview pool and the West Laurel Swim Club. (All the pools require a fee or membership.) We have an Olympic-size pool in West Laurel that has a water slide. The complex also has basketball hoops, a ping-pong table and corn hole boards, and there’s a fenced area for toddlers and a snack shack.
Right here at home, my family has the wonders of our own backyard, where we can skip
Funding for the club’s projects comes from annual dues ($40) donations, grants and fundraisers, including the popular yard sale the club hosts.
The club has 54 members, and while the majority of its members are white, it is slowly becoming more diverse by “making baby steps,” Kelly said.
“When it started, women of color were not accepted,” Kelly said, noting the club’s beginnings. “People think it is an allinclusive white club. Come in and ask. I joined and started doing stuff. I’m not going anywhere.”
And while she joined to do community service, Kelly also met “a nice group of women.”
“She is going to be great,” Pfister said, of Kelly. “I am happy to support her. She makes sure things get done. She will be wonderful.”
stones and watch minnows in the creek, look for signs of visiting deer, track bird calls, sketch summer wildflowers, delight in playful squirrels jumping from tree to tree or simply watch the sparkling reflections of sunlight on the water. At night, we sit around the fire and sing our favorite songs, listen to crickets or an owl, hear the crackle of burning twigs and share family stories from years gone by.
If you don’t have a backyard
as nature-filled as ours, you can grab your picnic basket and blanket and head to Granville Gude Park for a movie or concert. These free events are held every Friday evening through early August (for a full schedule of dates and times, go to tinyurl.com/5bv52wef). There’s a nearby concession stand at the park as well. On rainy days or days that are simply too hot, we rummage through old boxes of jig-
Joseph gets the trophy for winning (Agnes is the third player and paparazzi). AGNES PASCO CONATY
Lorraine Kelly, president of the Woman’s Club of Laurel at Laurel’s Fourth of July celebration. COURTESY OF AIESHA SOLOMON
Shakespeare in the Parks presents “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
By KATIE V. JONES
The 11th season of Prince George’s County’s Shakespeare in the Parks performances kicked off a little late this year — not because the cast and crew of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” were behind schedule, but because the outdoor setting didn’t cooperate.
A heat advisory on June 25 canceled the troupe’s first performance even before the cast
finished dress rehearsals days before. The performance would have taken place in Bowie.
“Last year, we did ‘The Tempest,’ and half the shows were canceled due to weather,” Katie Bogdan, an actor from Ellicott City, said. “Smoke from Canada, rain, heat.”
Produced and run by Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation Department, Shakespeare in the Parks travels around both Prince George’s and
Montgomery counties, offering free theater productions at various outdoor venues.
“They are community engagement events,” Megan Merchant, the show’s producer and the arts specialist for Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation, said. “[Our] funding is tax payers’ dollars. It generates job opportunities for actors.”
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will take place on the grounds of Montpelier House Mansion on July 12. On July 13, it will touch down at David C. Driskell Community Park in Hyattsville.
“Each site has its own challenges,” Merchant said. “We try for open spaces to meet people where they are at.”
The troupe performs on a small stage and sets up two tents for quick costume changes. Live music is provided by a handful of musicians on a small side stage.
“Everything is set up before we get there,” Kayla Earl said. Earl, a Hyattsville resident, is a firsttime performer with the troupe. “Break down, we are part of. The cast helps with that. We will re-
hearse for that,” she added.
Earl noted that she is used to performing outside, as she worked as an entertainer at Six Flags Amusement Park in Bowie,
“I sang and danced in various types of weather. Extreme cold, heat, rain. I did that,” she said. “Stay hydrated and eat. There are precautions if it is too hot or the air quality is too bad.”
Earl is new to Shakespeare, however, and this is also her first professional part.
“This has been a very interesting and beautiful introduction,” she said. “I didn’t really love [Shakespeare] in school. It was harder for me to see myself in his work. This experience has been really nice.”
Earl noted that her fellow castmates have given her tips on what to expect at certain locations. Though all the actors have mics, they still have to project their voices, she said, which can be a challenge in different venues.
Robert Liniak, an actor from Gaithersburg, said that each new location provides an “op-
Show dates for Shakespeare in the Parks “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
-July 12, 7:30 p.m., Montpelier Mansion grounds, 9650 Muirkirk Road, Laurel -July 13, 7:30 p.m., David D. Driskell Community Park, 3911 Hamilton Street, Hyattsville -July 14, 3 p.m. Prince George’s Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Road, Cheverly
portunity for the show to feel brand new each time.”
“You go with things as they come up,” he said. “It is so much fun to be outside. You can see everybody. When you do Shakespeare, you really want to have that connection with the audience.”
Bogdan said she loves performing Shakespeare, and added that it has been a “delight to see everyone rise” to the director’s vision for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
“Everyone is very giving and want[s] to be here,” Bogdan said adding, “‘Midsummer Night’ is so funny.” (The play is categorized as a comedy.)
This production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” takes place in 2013 in the fictional town of Athens, Md., though characters speak in the Old English style in which Shakespeare wrote. It tells the story of four young lovers, fairies and other characters exploring desire, love and illusion.
“We’ve had a really good time putting this show together,” Liniak said. “I’m excited to be a part of it.”
The cast of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at a dress rehearsal. COURTESY OF MEGAN MERCHANT
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Please send notices of events taking place between Aug. 10 and Sept. 11 to nancy@ streetcarsuburbs.news by July 28.
JULY 11
Ready to Read Storytime (ages 0 to 2). Stories, songs, fingerplay and more.10:30 a.m. Laurel Branch Library, 507 7th St. Go to tinyurl. com/2kyyyhwv
JULY 11 & 18
Preservation Station at the Montpelier House Museum
Learn how to keep a 241-yearold house strong and healthy through STEM activities. Free, 10 a.m. 9650 Muirkirk Rd. Go to tinyurl.com/4xjf7bw2
JULY 15
Technology Help Hours at the Library. Bring your technology questions and get expert help on a first come, first served basis. Free, registration encouraged. 10 a.m. 507 7th St. Go to tinyurl.com/ hvkxxsxv
JULY 17
Aldo Leopold, the Land Ethic, and “A Sand County Almanac”: The makings of a movement. A biographical sketch of Aldo Leopold and why the almanac is still relevant. 3 p.m. Patuxent Research Refuge, South Tract, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop.
JULY 19 AND AUG. 2
Baby Water Play at the Library. Bring your baby for outdoor water play and socialization. Free, 10:30 a.m., weather permitting. Laurel Branch Library 507 7th St.
JULY 20
Public Dig Days. Look for fossils at Dinosaur Park. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free. 13100 Mid Atlantic Blvd. 301.627.1286
JULY 23
Animal Olympics. Discover which animal holds the record for the highest jump, fastest speed and agility, then take a turn and try to beat their records with different challenges. 3:30 p.m. Laurel Branch Library, 507 7th St.
JULY 26
Wingspan Game Play. Play the award-winning board game all about birds. Instruction provided. 10 a.m. Also on Aug. 3. Registration required. National Wildlife Visitor Center, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop
AUGUST 2
STEAM Story Time. Explore history, art and science through stories and activities. 11 a.m. Laurel Museum, 817 Main St. 301.725.7975
AUGUST 6
Craft and Create: DIY Postcards. Create and design postcards to share. Materials provided. 4 p.m. Laurel Branch Library, 507 7th St.
AUGUST 8
Metal Heads. Learn about the history of the iron industry with crafts and science projects. 10 a.m. Montpelier House Museum, 9650 Muirkirk Rd. 301.377.7817
Escape the Room: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. Race against time to outsmart the Lightning Thief in a Percy Jackon-inspired escape room. 3:30 p.m. Laurel Branch Library, 507 7th St.
ONGOING
“Twelfth Night.” Love, in all its forms – requited and unrequited, romantic and familial, expressed and repressed. Seven performances starting July 12. Tickets $15/$20. Laurel Mill
Playhouse, 508 Main St. For more information, call 301-6179906 or contact Maureen Rogers at imp508main@gmail.com
“It’s All Laurel: City Limits and Beyond”. Exhibit reminds visitors that Laurel extends beyond Prince George’s County into Howard, Anne Arundel and even Montgomery counties with communities having distinctive personalities. Free. Laurel Museum, 817 Main St. 301.725.7975
Works by 12 Artists from the Washington Glass School. Using glass as the primary creative material, the artists from the school explore new territories beyond the boundaries of tradition. Through July 28. Montpelier Arts Center, 9652 Muirkirk Rd. 301.377.7800
Paper Art by Sookkyung Park. Through the repetitive process of folding and threading paper, the artist expresses harmony and community through structure and form. Free. Through July 31. Montpelier Arts Center, 9652 Muirkirk Rd. 301.377.7800
Art Quilts. A display by Barbara Dahlberg featuring nature themes.Through July 31. John Hollingsworth Gallery, Patuxent Research Refuge, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop.
Birds, Bees, Butterflies and Patuxent. An exhibit of David Jonathan Cohen’s photographs of birds and other wildlife around the world. Proceeds from photo purchases will go to the Friends of Patuxent Research Refuge. Open house on Aug. 10. John Hollingsworth Gallery, Patuxent Research Refuge, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop.
RECURRING
Bingo at American Legion Post 60. Friday night bingo every week; 23 games with cash prizes; food and drinks for purchase. Doors open at 5 p.m. and bingo starts at 7:30. 2 Main St. 301.725.2302
Every Tuesday Bingo. Hosted by the Laurel Senior Friendship Club; free admission; fee for cards. Doors open at 11 a.m. and bingo starts at noon. Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activities Center, 7120 Contee Road. 301.206.3380
Friday Food Festival. American Legion Post 60 hosts Friday dinners, with Canteen 60 serving the first and third Friday of the month and P&G Catering on the second and fourth. 5:30 to 8 p.m. 2 Main St. 301.725.2302
Laurel Senior Friendship Club. Meets the second Wednesday of each month; program includes a business meeting along with musical entertainment or a speaker. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activities Center, 7120 Contee Rd. 301.206.3380
Beltsville Young at Heart Meets the third Thursday of each month; entertainment, speakers, trips. Ages 55 and up. 10:30 a.m. Beltsville Community Center, 3900 Sellman Rd., Beltsville 301.498.9736
Jim Whitney Toastmasters Club. A Toastmasters International affiliate, the club teaches public speaking and leadership skills. July 22,, 7 p.m. St. Philips Episcopal Church, 522 Main
St. For more information, go to toastmastersclubs.org
MBC Toastmasters Club Learn communication skills in a supportive environment. Virtual meetings on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month, 7:15 p.m. For more information, email mbctoastmasters@ metropolitanbaptist.org
FOOD PANTRIES, DISTRIBUTIONS
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church Food distributions in partnership with Capital Area Food Bank. Third Sunday of every month; next distribution is July 21. from 9 a.m to noon. Sixth and Prince George sts.
Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services. Food pantry is open by appointment Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Monday evenings from 5 to 7:30 p.m. 311 Laurel Ave. To schedule a visit, call 301.776.0442
Fish of Laurel Food Pantry Thursday and Saturday, from 10:15 a.m. to noon, 308 Gorman Ave. By appointment only; call 240.547.9013
Living Hope Church Distributions. Tuesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. 613 Montgomery St. For more information, call 301.497.6424
St. Mary of the Mills Food Pantry. Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. while supplies last. Kessler Center, 114 St. Mary’s Pl. Call before you come. 301.725.3080
Gospel Assembly Church Food Pantry. 8740 Cherry Lane, Suite 12. For dates and times, call 301.605.3756
playing lower-division professional soccer in Argentina and Germany.
“My soccer background started in Liberia, where I was born,” Geeplah said. He played on a local team that practiced every day and played matches on weekends. “It was very competitive and very serious,” he said.
His family moved to the U.S. when he was 16, and he immediately became a standout defensive midfielder at Montgomery Blair High School, in
Silver Spring. At one point his team was fourth in The Washington Post’s rankings of teams in the DMV, and Geeplah was named All-State by the Maryland Association of Coaches of Soccer.
He then played one year at Washington Adventist University and a second at Prince George’s Community College before pursuing opportunities overseas.
After returning to the U.S. in 2009, Geeplah began working in private security for various companies. Meanwhile, one of his coaches from Prince George’s Community College
recruited him to coach a 13and 14-year-old girls team. “I fell in love with it,” he said. “I felt I could make a difference in young people’s lives.” Coaching stints with a Liberian community team and with a team at Laurel’s Chesapeake Math and IT Academy North High School followed.
Geeplah is gratified with his club team’s success, and thinks he can keep it going. “Players who play for me started to spread the word out — Coach Sampson knows what he is doing. … When players see those things, they want to be part of that.”
LAUREL SQUIRREL By Agnes Pasco Conaty
“My son, this is a cilantro, not a stink bug.”
NATIVE GARDENING WITH JIMMY
Summertime is for observation
By JIMMY ROGERS
In the heat of summer, when there’s hardly any gardening worth doing, we can seek out wild spaces and draw inspiration from them.
Roadsides are an easy place to appreciate high summer flora. You’ll easily find the Maryland state flower, blackeyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta or fulgida). Its black centers, yellow petals and short stalks make them easy to identify. If a flower’s center is yellow and the plant is tall and has large leaves, it’s likely either false sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) or one of our true sunflowers (Helianthus species). All of these are excellent garden plants that you can try picturing in your own space before planting in the fall.
If you see rows and rows of chest-high plants with broad leaves, there’s a good chance they’re dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum). The immature plants look very similar to common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), which is also found on roadsides. Up close, dogbane has multiple branching stems, while milkweed only has one.
Also, milkweed has a fuzzy stem and leaves, while dogbane’s are smooth.
Zipping by in a car, look for
the flowers, which differ greatly between these two species. Common milkweed has a ball of pink flowers, while dogbane has a scattering of small white flowers. Both species spread aggressively and can add a pop of wild meadow to an otherwise orderly butterfly garden. Dogbane likely makes a bigger impact, ecologically speaking, as it can support moths important for our birds.
Each year, I look along the highways for drifts of bearded beggarticks (Bidens aristosa), growing tall with many yellow
flowers, small leaves and narrow stems. Some have found their way into both my garden and our HOA meadow, so I can enjoy them close to home, too.
Among the tallest roadside plants is Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium species), which can grow well over one’s head. Look for these in wet meadows and roadside ditches. Their crowns of purple flowers occur at the pinnacle of high summer.
If you see goldenrods (Solidago species) and heath asters (Symphyotrichum ericoides) blending together under a power line, you can safely assume it will do the same in any of your hot, dry garden beds. Keep in mind, too, that no one is amending that power line cut with compost or fertilizer. Most likely your own soil will grow these plants just as well without amendment.
Driving by a sound barrier covered in vines, there’s a good chance you’ll see red trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) flowers cascading from the top. Trumpet vine can be difficult to manage, but if you have a large, wild space, it makes an excellent hummingbird feeder.
Periodically along the roads you will see a stand of staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) as either a bush or a tree. The leaves resemble those of black walnut — pointed, and running down on both sides of each stem. The giveaway is the cone of fruit, which is large and red. Summer foragers prize these cones, as it can be washed to make a kind of pink lemonade. This hyperlocally produced beverage is on my list to try sometime this year.
The areas I’ve described here are often called disturbed areas, because humans routinely cut the foliage and cause erosion, or otherwise break up the soil. Our roads, construction sites
and landscaped areas continuously disturb the areas we see most often as we travel, so the plants growing there tend to be pioneers, striking out to reclaim the soil before it washes away. We typically see most of these as weeds. Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), for example, prefers disturbed areas, and most gardeners would consider it too tall and aggressive for a residential garden.However, if left to its own devices, in a few years it will struggle to hold its footing once the next wave of natives moves in.
If you’d like to see an undisturbed meadow ecosystem, you’ll need to find a rare place called a remnant meadow. These are sites where trees do not readily grow and humans have, for whatever reason, not yet destroyed the unique population of native plants growing there. For a good local example, you can visit the serpentine barren at Soldier’s Delight Natural Environment Area in Owings Mills. An uncommon mineral make-up has left the area with thin soils and prone to erosion. The area boasts an extremely high variety of both common and rare native plants, including rare milkweeds, asters, goldenrods, lobelias, St. John’s worts and violets. To a certain extent, these environments act like a window into a pre-Columbian past.
If you visit a remnant meadow, old growth forest or any other place with rare plants, remember it is illegal to take, plant or grow them. Only qualified ecologists are allowed to sample these plants, and only to conduct research or restoration activities. Appreciate this sliver of the past in place — in season and undisturbed.
Jimmy Rogers is an avid native gardener in the city of Laurel.
Bearded beggarticks visited by a bumblebee, a honeybee and a moth.
JIMMY ROGERS
STAYCATION
saw puzzles and lay out a 1,000 pieces on our basement table, taking turns to put them together. Or we revisit a remotecontrolled car from years back and race it down the hall, making a thud on the wall in duet with our giggles and laughter. We play rounds of Scrabble, Snakes & Ladders or Mexican Train, and the winner gets to hold a worn-out trophy for the night. Or we crank up our turntable — yes, the old-fashioned one we treasure — and play those ‘60s and ‘70s tunes that even our son likes.
And when night falls, why not camp out in your own yard and look at the stars and fireflies? Scan the sky for the stars Vega, Deneb and Altair; they form what’s called the Summer Triangle. (Vega is one of the brightest since it’s close at 25 lightyears away and fairly large; you should be able to see it, even without a telescope, on a clearsky night.) If you live on the less populated side of Laurel you likely have a darker night sky; look up and try to find the Milky Way, which stretches from horizon to horizon. I wrote about night sky watching in my June
column in The Laurel Independent (tinyurl.com/49pdfm56).
For those of you who would like a special, elegant bed and breakfast experience, consider booking a room at the Laurel Manor House Bed and Breakfast (1110 Montgomery Road). This beautifully restored home belonged to Edward Phelps, who was first elected mayor of Laurel in 1895 and went on to serve six more terms. The stunning Victorian, with its charming garden, has three lovely guest bedrooms named after the innkeepers’ favorite trees: dogwood, sycamore and willow.
When you’re short on time and resources, you don’t have to go far to have an enjoyable family vacation. Stay in Laurel and discover its many attractions right within reach, with no luggage needed — well almost!
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.
WARD 1
verse group of candidates,” Kyla Clark (Ward 2) said. “It was a unique experience.”
Simmons, a life-long Laurel resident, owns Element CPA on Main Street. His experience as a certified public accountant will help with budget planning, Simmons said, during his Q&A. He also expressed
concern about the changes at Laurel Park, potential bicycle trails, and the importance of working together and sharing ideas.
“I appreciate the confidence the council has and the voter support last fall,” Simmons said, after the meeting. “I’m still processing this. I am going to sleep better tonight.”
Simmons originally ran in the election last October for the
at-large seat on the city council. Christine Johnson won that seat, while DeWalt and current Council President James Kole won the two Ward 1 seats. “I’m glad he applied again and that he was successful,” Johnson (At-Large) said. “I look forward to working with him.”
Simmons was sworn into office during a special city council meeting before their work session on July 3.
From left: Kyla Clark (Ward 2), Jeffrey Mills (Ward 2), Adrian Simmons (Ward 1), James Kole (Ward 1) and Christine Johnson (At-Large), after voting Simmons onto the council July 1. KATIE V. JONES
