Water pipeline is worth delays
By JOE MURCHISON
On Aug. 29, workers cleared road cones and portable stop signs from Bond Mill Road for the first time in two and a half years. That’s how long a contractor for
Outback Leather plans to return
By KATIE V. JONES
Standing in his shop Outback Leather, surrounded by fans whirring, plastic tarps blowing and the smell of smoke lingering in the air, Ron Sargent can only shake his head and be thankful.
“No one was here. It was a beautiful day,” Sargent said, recalling the fire that started in an apartment above his store on Aug. 12. “Watching my building burn, and there was nothing I could do about it.”
While the fire didn’t spread beyond the apartment, more than three inches of water cascaded into his store below, destroying tools, hides, leather belts, vests and saddles. The drop ceiling collapsed; mold is now growing on walls, and kicked in doors lie to the side.
the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) had been digging up the primary road of the West Laurel neighborhood to install a 48-inch-diameter water pipeline underneath.
But residents’ short daily delays at
one-lane bottlenecks were a small sacrifice for a greater good: enabling WSSC to keep up with the water demands of its customer base in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties, which is 1.9 million and growing.
The pipeline will increase water supply to WSSC’s Patuxent Water Filtration Plant, at Route 198 and Sweitzer Lane, by almost 50%, allowing the plant to treat 110 million gallons per day.
Laurel High School celebrates stadium renovations
By AIESHA SOLOMON
After undergoing close to $7 million in renovations, Laurel High School’s (LHS) stadium is open, with school teams excited to use all it has to offer for the upcoming fall season.
In addition to featuring a new eight-lane track, the stadium now has separate areas for shot
put and discus, as well as high jump, triple jump, long jump and pole vaulting. There is also netting in the end zones to keep balls from different sports in play. The stadium is surrounded by a 10-foot high fence and has ADA-accessible aluminum bleachers for up to 1,600 spectators, with a front area for wheelchairs. The stadium also boasts
a new press box, sound system and LED video scoreboard. The turf field features a drainage system and has ample lighting, allowing the school to host night games for the first time in its history.
Will Smith, project management supervisor of the Prince George’s County Public School’s
“The biggest delay and biggest hurdle was making sure that we received the money that was needed in order to make these improvements.”
Will Smith project management supervisor of the Prince George’s County Public School’s of the Capital Programs Department
LAUREL’S
Laurel High School’s newly renovated stadium features new bleachers, a turf field, lights, a new scoreboard and an eight-lane track. COURTESY OF AIESHA SOLOMON
PGCPS asks for patience with busing
By KIT SLACK
The bus driver shortage in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) continues, with about 200 vacancies, similar to last year.
Drivers blame the shortage on inadequate pay for new drivers. Minimum starting pay for new bus drivers in Prince George’s County is $21.98, as opposed to $24.89 for neighboring Montgomery County, and $29.72 Metrobus drivers.
PGCPS hired 50 of the cur-
Brianna Frey was named to the spring 2024 dean’s list at Berea College, in Kentucky.
Jacquelin Molina was named to the spring 2024 dean’s honor list at New York Institute of Technology.
The University of Delaware named Madison Endres, Nathan Kim, Nina Borodin and Maliq Adewale to the spring 2024 dean’s list.
St. Mary’s College named Jair Jackson, Alex Martin, Manuela Mouafo, Vincentt Stevenson to the spring 2024 dean’s list.
Imani Jones was named to the spring 2024 dean’s list at Purchase College, in New York.
Natalie Holmes graduated this spring from Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth UniversityBloomsburg.
The University of Hartford, in Connecticut, announced that Devin Bristol was named to the spring 2024 president’s list.
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
rent 860 drivers during the past year, according to Kristi Murphy Baldwin, chief human resources officer with PGCPS. At an Aug. 29 school board meeting, Baldwin explained that the system lost 118 drivers in the past year, 87 of whom resigned and 31 who retired. She said more than 40 people were in the process of getting their commercial drivers’ licenses (CDLs) with the district’s help, and that PGCPS had started paying related expenses. Another 30 candidates are in training.
Baldwin’s department held 40 driver recruitment events last year, including 27 that took place in person. She is shifting the driver recruitment push earlier in the season, too, given the time required for candidates to acquire CDLs.
At the Aug. 29 meeting, Keba Baldwin, PGCPS director of transportation, noted that the number of schools starting early (7:30) and starting late (9:30) is much more even, which should allow more drivers to successfully complete staggered routes.
School end-times are not as well aligned, though those, too, have improved.
Baldwin also pointed to success in consolidating bus routes. The number of bus stops in the system went down from 13,900 in October 2023 to 10,800 in August 2024, she said, and the buses are now 62% full instead of 53% full. The average one-way bus ride for students increased by one minute to 63 minutes.
Nearly 81,000 of the county’s 124,700 enrolled students rely on PGCPS transportation, ac-
cording to an August report by the school district.
Over the next three years, PGCPS will be focusing on improving four key transportation metrics: decreasing routes with no permanently assigned drivers; getting more buses to school on time; increasing the number of families using the Stopfinder app; and reducing the number of buses that return to schools to pick up second loads of students.
Keba Baldwin said the school district would report on those metrics every quarter, with the help of transportation consultants who audited PGCPS last year.
Sharon Vanwright received a doctorate in educational leadership from Frostburg State University. Frostburg also announced that Prince Albert received a B.S. in computer information systems and Alan Chambers received one in business administration and Ryan Saunders was named to the spring 2024 dean’s list.
Yoshiko Slater was inducted into the Gold Key Honor Society at Boston’s Emerson College.
Zoe Schneider and Riley Woodward were named to the spring 2024 dean’s list at Rochester Institute of Technology, in New York. R.I.T. also announced that Nikki Dent received a B.S. in mechanical engineering technology and DylanJay Simmons received a B.F.A. in film and animation.
Jelani Foster received a B.A. in communication studies from the University of Rhode Island.
Eden Stoessel was named to the spring 2024 dean’s list at Kennesaw State University, in Georgia.
Managing Editor
Katie V. Jones
Katie@streetcarsuburbs.news
Associate Editor Nancy Welch
Nancy@streetcarsuburbs.news
Columnists
Rick Borchelt, Agnes Pasco Conaty, Jimmy Rogers, Luis Vaca-Soto
Writers & Contributors
Agnes Pasco Conaty, Katie V. Jones, Madison Korman, Joe Murchison, Kit Slack, Aiesha Solomon
Layout & Design Editors
Ashley Perks, Valerie Morris
Web Editor Jessica Burshtynskyy
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advertising@streetcarsuburbs.news 240.408.0722
Kerod Gebreyohannes was named to the dean’s list for the spring 2024 semester at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Taylor Dedeaux received a bachelor’s degree from The University of Alabama.
Freeman Addo was named to the spring 2024 dean’s honor roll at Abilene Christian University, in Texas.
Justin Asante earned a B.A. in global studies from Hofstra University, in New York. Hofstra also announced that Maelynna Moreau and Olamide Oluwafemi were named to the spring 2024 dean’s list.
Anna Irwin and Quante Redd were named to the spring 2024 dean’s list at Virginia’s Shenandoah University.
Sarah Shaner was named to the dean’s list with high distinction for the spring 2024 semester at Grove City College, in Pennsylvania. She also earned a bachelor’s in mid-level science/English and elementary education.
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.
Nicholas Usher was named to the spring 2024 dean’s list at James Madison University, in Virginia, and Marina Cohen was named to JMU’s spring 2024 president’s list.
University of Maryland Global Campus announced these degrees: Jason Green, A.A., general studies; Robert Tse, A.A., general studies; Daniel Parra, A.A., general studies; Nikkita Comeau, B.A., English; Viktoria Kinsler, B.A., history; Jahmel Wagener, B.S., applied technology; Sherry Stephenson, B.S., computer networks and cybersecurity; Lawrence Obern, B.S., computer networks and cybersecurity; Shaun Matthews, B.S., cybersecurity technology; Adrian McMillan, B.S., business administration; Selena Thomas, B.S., marketing; Vernetta Copeland, B.S., gerontology and aging services; Keith Hinton, B.S. in computer science, James Bleakley, B.S. in homeland security, Veronica Mitchell-King, B.S., computer networks and cybersecurity; Natasha Lawrence, B.S., human resource management; Michael Kargbo, B.S., business administration; Courtney Miller, B.S., legal studies; Laura Lawson, B.S., psychology; Sarah Scott, B.S., criminal justice; Kehinde Badmus, B.S., information systems management; Omoniyi Tomjones, B.S., computer science; Fatemia Morefield, B.S., health services management; Moses Panti, B.S., iInformation systems management; Donald Robinson, B.S., computer science; Lucas Batey, B.S., computer networks and cybersecurity; Oladipupo Bamisaiye, B.S., computer networks and cybersecurity; Jacqueline Paz, B.S., human resource management; Yanira Sosa, B.S., criminal justice; Seth Frimpong, B.S., cyberse-
curity management and policy, Justin Sartwell, B.S. in social science, Maleeka Zaidi, B.S. in human resource management; Kiara Cintron, B.S., marketing; Kelvin Justice Sarfo-Mainoo, B.S., computer networks and cybersecurity; Steven Davis, B.S., computer networks and cybersecurity; Razell Harris, B.S., homeland security; Deja Heslop, B.S., criminal justice; Umair Khan, B.S., computer networks and cybersecurity; Jaffar Zaidi, B.S., cybersecurity technology; Jocef Dorsey, B.S., marketing; Erika Goodwin, B.S., business administration; John Coca, B.S., cybersecurity technology; Robert Badzi, B.S., cybersecurity technolog; Masihullah Bhaiyat, B.S., management information systems; Brandon Davis, B.S., software development and security; Prableen Katkar, B.S., health services management; Ayantu Gemechu, B.S. degree in accounting; Mustapha Yahaya, B.S., nursing; Kristen Leyton-Murray, M.A.T., instructional technology; Godwin Ayole, M.S., health care administration; Isatu Conteh, M.S., accounting and financial management; Rita Okobi, M.S., health care administration; Shanice Jones, M.S., management: human resources management; Emmanuel Ango, M.S. science, accounting and financial management; Yazmin Upsher, M.S., health informatics administration; Dashari Gray, M.S., information technology/ project management; Oluwaseun Omojayogbe, M.S., information technology: information assurance, Sommer Hardy, M.S., health informatics administration; Nhu Tran, M.S., management, human resources management; Antoine Lathon, M.S., data analytics, M.S., biotechnology regulatory affairs.
LAUREL HORIZONS: NEWS FROM THE LAUREL MUSEUM
Mountain Rose II: The Pride of the Laurel community
By LUIS VACA-SOTO
Ijoined the staff of the Laurel Historical Society (LHS) in March 2024 and soon met Tracy Scagliarini, a longtime LHS volunteer — and notably, winner of the society’s Volunteer of the Year award in 2023. As we got to know each other, she shared stories about Laurel to help me get better acquainted with the area and its history.
One of Scagliarini’s stories was about Mountain Rose II, a horse who was euthanized after breaking a leg during a race at Laurel Park on October 24, 1924. His owner, Ben “Chappie” Chapman, buried Mountain Rose II near the track’s stable. He hoped the horse would be honored and revered for eternity.
Chapman’s daughter, Virginia “Ginny” (Chapman) Scagliarini (who is Tracy Scagliarini’s mother-in-law), is the last surviving member of the family who would
remember the days when Mountain Rose II raced to tremendous success throughout his career. Indeed, in April 1923, the Baltimore Sun proclaimed that Mountain Rose II kicked off a strong spring season, having won at least four
races in a row. He was certainly no stranger to the winner’s circle.
Like her father before her (and much of her family since), Ginny Scagliarini, now 102, was familiar with the horses at Laurel Park, where she worked in the secu-
rity department from 1960 to 2004. She sometimes wandered to Mountain Rose II’s gravesite, and noted over time that the site became overgrown with the very rose bushes that were planted at the horse’s grave decades earlier. It became difficult, if not impossible, to reach the gravesite, and family members rarely visited. And then a fortunate, chance meeting at LHS kickstarted a process that turned all of that around.
One spring day, Christa Wilson, who is guest relations coordinator at Laurel Park, came to the LHS museum to do some research. As I pulled materials from our collections for Wilson, she told me about some early history of the track. I immediately remembered Tracy Scagliarini’s captivating story of Mountain Rose II’s gravesite — a story Wilson had not heard before. She made it her mission to not only find the gravesite, but to restore
it to a state that would honor the horse.
With the help of the track’s facilities director, Dave Burke, Wilson and a host of others at Laurel Park took on the challenge, clearing out a dense thicket that had blocked access and preserving some of the rose bushes that were planted so long ago.
Along with the unveiling of Mountain Rose II’s restored gravesite, Laurel Park named the fifth race on Aiug. 16 after the horse, and the Scagliarini family was honored in the winner’s circle, along with the victorious jockey and his horse.
For more information on Mountain Rose II, go to our blog at laurelhistoricalsociety.org. To access our collections for your own research, contact us at info@laurelhistoricalsociety.org
Luis Vaca-Soto is the museum administrator at the Laurel Historical Society.
The gravesite of Mountain Rose II. COURTESY OF TRACY SCAGLIARINI
OUTBACK
“The whole thing will have to be gutted,” Sargent said. “Everything is ruined.”
His main concern is his tenants, all of whom lost their homes.
“Their lives are upside down,” he said, noting that a GoFundMe page has been set up to help with their expenses.
Faulty wiring is thought to be the cause of the fire in the structure, which is more than 100 years old. Sargent has worked in the building for 48 years and bought it in 1995.
“There was no air conditioning or heat,” he remembers. Sargent started working for Gayer’s Saddlery right after graduating from Laurel High School in 1976. He was sent to England to learn how to make custom
saddles and spent a career doing personalized leatherwork and boot fittings largely for riders, jockeys and bikers.
“Gayer’s was the supermarket for horse-related products. The Walmart of leather products,” Sargent said.
While his business is largely a one-man operation, Sargent has had a few apprentices over the years, and his wife ran a horse blanket cleaning and
repair business. The pandemic put a damper on their work, he said, and he was contemplating retiring until the fire. Now, Sargent envisions new apart-
ments on the second floor and a boutique store next to his revamped leather shop.
“I’m going to come back better,” he said.
While the fire didn’t spread beyond the apartment above Ron Sargent’s store, more than three inches of water cascaded into Outback Leather, destroying tools, hides, leather belts, vests and saddles.
D e n i s e i s n o t o n l y k n o w l e d g e a b l e a b o u t
w i t h h e r t o d a y .
c
h o m e t i p s b u t c a n a l s o h e l p y o u w i t h y o u r
r e a l e s t a t e n e e d s B o o k a f r e e c o n s u l t a t i o n
F A L L H O M E M A I N E N A N C E T I P S :
C H E C K F U R N A C E : P r e v e n t c o s t l y
r e p a i r s & i n c r e a s e e f f i c i e n c y b y
h i r i n g a p r o f e s s i o n a l t o s e r v i c e
y o u r f u r n a c e & h u m i d i f i e r .
M A K E E N E R G Y E F F I C I E N T : D o o r s &
w i n d o w s a r e m a j o r c o n t r i b u t o r s t o e n e r g y w a s t e i n h o u s e h o l d s . R e d u c e e n e r g y l o s s & l o w e r b i l l s b y u s i n g
c a u l k , w e a t h e r s t r i p p i n g & i n s u l a t i o n .
C L E A N G U T T E R S : C l o g g e d g u t t e r s
c a n c a u s e d a m a g e t o y o u r r o o f , s i d i n g , f o u n d a t i o n & y a r d .
Ron Sargent in his shop, Outback Leather. KATIE V. JONES
COLLEGEPARKDAY.ORG
Free parking will be available nearby, along with a free shuttle service from select locations, and bike racks. The event site is minutes away walking from the College Park-UMD Metro Station (on the Green Line).
Designing for endless blooms
By JIMMY ROGERS
Flowers tell us what time it is. When you walk by the same patch of ground month after month, and one day see a new bloom, it makes a mark in your primeval calendar. The next year, when you see that bloom again, you’ll be reminded that it’s time to put away your winter clothes or that the Independence Day parade is only a few weeks away.
Gardeners describe this predictable pattern as a plant’s bloom time. It’s a subset of phenology, the study of when things happen in nature.
Plants repeat specific processes each year: emerging, developing, flowering, fruiting and declining. Drought years, like the one we’ve had in 2024, can play havoc with the phenology of a plant — and especially its bloom time, as some plants may be forced into a period of dormancy to conserve water. But we can largely trust that a particular plant in a particular location will bloom reliably at the same time each year.
BLOOM TIME FOR AESTHETICS
Gardeners often think about bloom time to ensure their beds have attractive flowers throughout the growing season. Conventional gardens use long-blooming, exotic cultivars to add color to an otherwise evergreen space. Plants that have been repeatedly selected by growers for larger flowers and longer bloom time have
been shown to produce less nectar and pollen, even to the point of plant sterility. This is often the case with annuals, which ornamental gardeners may dig up and replace as frequently as twice a year — an expensive practice.
Planning for full bloom time in a native garden is both challenging and rewarding. Native plants tend to bloom for shorter periods than exotic cultivars, so your garden will need many species per square foot. And by planting native species, you can plan for blooms as early as March and as late as November instead of focusing only on a few warmer months. What’s the reward for all this work? If you design for full bloom time, you’ll have an extremely diverse garden with new flowers opening at least every three to four weeks. Doesn’t that sound like garden tour material?
BLOOM TIME FOR WILDLIFE
So far I’ve spoken exclusively about human interests, but for every flower, there is at least one animal that evolved to depend on it. When hibiscus flowers bloom, hibiscus bees (Ptilothrix bombiformis) find them the very same day. I see this in my yard every year, even in my first year growing our native swamp rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos). These bees awake for the season just in time to feed exclusively on hibiscus species, mate within the flowers and then build underground nests to lay the next generation. So much depends
Prince
The Potomac Water Filtration
on a flower opening on time. As you increase the diversity of species in your garden, your bloom coverage will be greater, and you’ll support a greater number of specialist pollinators, along with generalist pollinators such as bumblebees and butterflies. Gardeners can particularly help early- and lateseason bees by growing plants that bloom in March, April, October and November, when flowers are scarcer. You will immediately start to notice these pollinators in your garden.
DESIGNING FOR BLOOM TIME
Whether you have an existing garden or are planning a new bed, you can use a spreadsheet to track bloom times— I list my species in one column and the starting bloom time in another. This information can be found with a quick search online, or you can check bloom times at nativeplantcenter.net. Once you’ve populated your own sheet, sort the months in chronological order and see if there are any gaps throughout the growing season. If, for instance, you only have April and June blooms, search for a May blooming plant you can add, like beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis).
Also look at the edges of your bloom time. If you’ve got an April bloomer, that’s great. Can you find something for March, too? For the fall, consider planting several late bloomers together, such as goldenrods (yellow) and asters (white, blue or purple), for a final burst of
Plant, on River Road in Montgomery County, is WSSC’s only other plant. WSSC, the eighthlargest water and wastewater utility in the nation, is headquartered on Sweitzer Lane, in Laurel.
The new pipeline is 2.5 miles long, starting at a Rocky Gorge Reservoir pumping station, by the Rocky Gorge dam, and then
life to celebrate a successful year of gardening.
Once your garden, as a whole, has good bloom coverage, think about specific beds or zones. The goldenrods and asters I just mentioned will be fabulous in September, but make sure to plant early-blooming companions alongside, to ensure the area has a succession of blooms throughout the year. If your garden is in shade, you may find yourself scratching your head, as shady natives tend to bloom early in the year. I recommend focusing on diversity and texture as opposed to bloom time in shade gardens. Ferns, for instance, do not have traditional blooms, but their emergence and development at different times can add interest to your garden.
running along Brooklyn Bridge Road, down Bond Mill to Ashland Drive and then across open land under power lines to the filtration plant.
WSSC anticipated the work would take two and a half years to complete when it began in February 2021, but encountering solid rock beneath Bond Mill Road between Diploma
Try to find at least one plant that blooms in summer, such as orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), and then another in fall, such as white wood aster (Eurybia divaricata). And you can set the bar low to start. If you add just one or two months of new blooms to your garden, it will support way more wildlife. If, over time, you’re able to cover most of the growing season, your garden will look more attractive and function better than most of those planted by professionals.
an avid native gardener in the city of Laurel.
Way and Orem Drive was one of several obstacles that extended the project by more than a year.
WSSC spokeswoman Lyn Riggins said in an email that the pipeline is scheduled to be tested this fall, once a few last connections are made. If no problems are found, permanent asphalt patches are scheduled to be applied over Bond Mill’s rough, temporary patches in November, she wrote.
Riggins also said that the entire length of Bond Mill Road will be resurfaced next spring to complete the project. That will mean another round of delays for West Laurel residents, but they definitely will be looking forward to the results.
If you look closely, you’ll see a bee is rolling in the pollen of this hibiscus flower.
JIMMY ROGERS
Jimmy Rogers is
The Patuxent plant supplies water to the northern half of
George’s County and to other sections of both Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.
ROCKS!
VOL. 3, NO. 9 SEPTEMBER 2024
ENGAGE IN YOUR COMMU NITY THROUGH VOLUNTEER LAUREL!
As we all return from our summer vacations, now is the time to figure out how to add some time into your regular family routines to help out your neighbors! Volunteer Laurel is here to give you the resources you need to find those volunteer opportunities!
What is Volunteer Laurel?
The program aims to engage individuals with their community and local government, assist students in fulfilling their community service graduation requirements, support scouting organizations in meeting Merit Badge criteria, and match volunteers with City Departments and Citysponsored organizations based on their skills and interests.
Why Should You Volunteer?
Our time is precious and what time we have to spare outside of work, we more often want to spend it with family or relaxing. Volunteering presents an opportunity to acquire new skills, utilize existing expertise, explore new interests, connect with others, participate in initiatives that drive social change, and engage with the community!
Interested? Opportunities Abound!
If you are interested in volunteering, we are here to assist you in finding the right fit for your interests! Volunteers are essential for a variety of tasks, from helping with event set ups to committees to landscaping work and special projects. Time commitments can vary from a few hours for a single project, to as much time as you can dedicate. Get to know your community by embracing new experiences, acquiring fresh skills, and expanding your network. Following are some of those opportunities to give you the chance to find your niche: City of Laurel Boards, Commissions and Committees
The City of Laurel has some vacancies on their Citizen Boards, Commissions and Committees. This is a great way to give
service to your community with only a few hours a month of your time:
• Bicycle and Pedestrian CAC: 3-year term - 1 vacancy
• Board of Election Supervisors: 4-year term - 1 vacancy
• Board of Trustees: 4-year term - 1 vacancy
• Clergy Advisory Council: 2-year term - 2 vacancies
• Education Advisory Committee: 2-year term - 1 vacancy
• Emergency Services Commission: 5-year term - 1 vacancy
• Historic District Commission: 3-year term - 1 vacancy
• Juneteenth Committee: No term limits - 2 vacancies
• Laurel Arts Council: 2-year term - 1 vacancy
• Parks and Recreation CAC: 2-year term - 2 vacancies
• Persons with Disabilities: 2-year term - 1 vacancy
• Tree Board: 2-year term - 3 vacancies
• Laurel 4th of July Committee: No term limits - multiple vacancies
• Laurel Multiservice Center: Laurel/Shower/Front Desk Attendants needed, along with Maintenance Help
Community Service Hours Needed?
For students that don’t have the time to become an integral part of the volunteer fabric, have a lot on their plate with schoolwork, extracurricular activities and more, but need service hours for graduation, Volunteer Laurel keeps a database of students interested in helping at events the City’s holds and can use volunteers. It’s easy! Fill out a volunteer application online - www.cityoflaurel.org/volunteering - and under the section of the type of volunteer work you would like to do, just say interested in Community Service Hours only, and we’ll add your name to that database! When a volunteer opportunity arises, an email will go out and you can let us know if you are available to help and your name goes on the list of volunteers!
Want to Help, Don’t Know Where to Start?
Volunteer Laurel also keeps a database of general volunteers and will send out an email to help with community projects, like the Larry Smith Garden Build we hosted in the picture below:
So again, go to www.cityoflaurel.org/ volunteering, fill out an online application and just let us know what type of work you are interested in, ie: outdoor work, helping with events, join a committee, etc.., we can help!
We also have a comprehensive list of Community Organizations that are always looking for help on our web site! From Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services to Bernadette’s House to the Laurel Women’s Club and everything in between! Just go and visit www.cityoflaurel.org/volunteering and check out the local organizations you can contact and help support their endeavors and you in turn can become engaged in your City!
To jump onboard the Volunteer Train, go online and fill out the application today! Questions? Reach out to 301725-5300, ext. 2109, drop a line to ckoubek@laurel.md.us, or check out the list of volunteering options on our web site, so get onboard today to a front-row seat to the City of Laurel volunteering extravaganza!
GREEN HAPPENINGS IN LAUREL!
Final Days for Laurel Farmer’s Market!
Composting...Why It’s Important!
Composting is the number one way that individuals can reduce methane gas emissions at our landfills, reduce the cost of tipping fees and reduce trash overflow. Be on the lookout for the City’s updated web site showcasing the City’s curbside program, when residents can expect to see their cart arrive, new educational information, videos from our recent trip to the County’s composting facility and a dashboard highlighting our success in reducing methane gas emissions at the landfill!
We will miss you! Our Farmer’s Market will be closing on September 26th! Make sure you come by to say farewell to you favorite vendors and meet some new vendors that will be joining us for the end of the season. 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. Stop by the Welcome Tent to get tokens. The Market is open every Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. now through September 26 th Be sure to check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thelaurelquilllot and our City web site at https:// www.cityoflaurel.org/1617/Laurel -Farmers-Market
Last month for mosquito spraying! The Maryland Department of Agriculture will spray on Sunday evenings in Laurel, as necessary. If you find that you are experiencing a large mosquito population around your home or if you would like your prope rty to be exempt from the program, visit https://mda.maryland.gov/plants -pests/Pages/mosquito_control.aspx for more details. For more 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 https://www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id=61558113916065. This is a place where we can share ideas, highlight upcoming events and residents can stay informed on all things Sustainable.
VOLUNTARIOS EN LAUREL
Volunteer Laurel es un programa que tiene como objetivo involucrar a las personas con su comunidad y el gobierno local, ayudar a los estudiantes a cumplir con los requisitos de graduación de servicio comunitario, apoyar a las organizaciones de scouts para que cumplan con los criterios de la insignia de mérito y unir voluntarios con departamentos de la ciudad y organizaciones patrocinadas por la ciudad en función de sus habilidades e intereses. ¿Por qué debería ser voluntario? Tus tiempo es valioso y el tiempo que tenemos libre fuera del trabajo, ¡lo queremos pasar con la familia o relajándonos! El voluntariado presenta una oportunidad para adquirir nuevas habilidades, utilizar la experiencia existente, explorar nuevos intereses, conectarse con otros, participar en iniciativas que impulsan el cambio social y relacionarse con la comunidad. ¡Complete la solicitud en línea hoy mismo en www.cityoflaurel.org/volunteering!
LAUREL POLICE MONTHLY CRIME REPORT
JULY 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:
• No Legislation Adopted in August.
Bid Recommendations:
• No Bid Recommendations in August.
Appointments/Reappointments:
No Appointments/Reappointments in August.
l S i f t L l C
Fall Session s of the Laurel Citize ns University will begin October 3rd!
Go online to sign up today at www cityoflaurel org/lcu!
COUNCIL O FFICE
301-725-5300 ext. 2120
clerk@laurel.md.us
September 2024 Mayor and City Council Meetings
September 23rd - In-Person Mayor and City Council Meeting (6pm)
September 2024 Boards and Commissions
September 10th - Planning Commission (6pm)
September 17th - Historic District Commission (6pm)
September 26th - Board of Appeals (CANCELLED)
October 2024 Mayor and City Council Meetings
October 2nd - Virtual Mayor and City Council Work Session (6pm)
October 16th (Wednesday) - Virtual Mayor and City Council Meetings (6pm)
October 28th - In-Person Mayor and City Council Meeting (6pm)
October 2024 Boards and Commissions
October 15th - Historic District Commission (6pm)
October 22nd - Planning Commission (6pm)
October 29th - Board of Appeals (6pm)
9/11 Memorial Push-Up Challenge, September 11th, 9:11a-9:11p, Report your push-up count by emailing laurelmayor@laurel.md.us and share your participation on social media using the hashtag #LaurelMDRemembers911.
Final Days for the Laurel Farmer’s Market! Join us every Thursday until September 26th, 3 - 7pm, at 378 Main Street, and check out our great local vendors!
Community and Culture Day, September 14th, 12 - 3pm, McCullough Field, 8th and Montgomery Streets. Celebrate and explore different cultures! Call 301-725-7800.
Music at the Mansion, September 24th, 6:30-8:30pm, The Mansion at Laurel, 13910 Laurel Lakes Avenue. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month!
Fall Leaf Vacuuming News! Department of Public Works has a tentative leaf vacuuming start date of October 7th. Please ensure that leaves are raked to the gutter or placed in paper bags. Remove sticks, twigs, and litter from leaf piles. For yard debris, branches and twigs must be bagged, put in a rigid container, or bundled with string (each bundle should be no longer than 4 feet, no wider than 2 feet across and with sticks no thicker than 3 inches in diameter). Curbside leaf vacuuming is automatic, but yard debris is by request. To schedule yard debris pickup, please email DPW@laurel.md.us or call 301-725-0088.
Halloween News! Mark Your Calendars! October 24th, 6-8pm, Laurel Board of Trade will hold their annual Main Street Trick or Treat and Trick or Treating in the City of Laurel will be held on October 31st, 6 - 8pm.
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! October - November 2024! Learn about your local government from City Directors and staff! For more info, call 301-725-5300 ext. 2109. Register at www.cityoflaurel.org
With the arrival of September, Laurel ’s Department of Community Resources and Emergency Management welcomes Emergency Preparedness Month! This year ’s theme from Ready.gov is “Start a Conversation!” Gather your family before an emergency arises and talk about steps you ’ve taken to prepare and encourage others to ask questions about preparedness actions that might work for your family.
To help that conversation along, Laurel ’s Department of Community Resources and Emergency Management will also focus on Emergency Notifications and ways you can receive them. Public safety officials use emergency alerts to communicate reliable instructions and information during emergencies. Instances of severe weather, threats to public safety, and police activity may warrant the use of emergency alerts.
Most State, County, and local governments will have their own emergency alerting systems. To make sure you receive emergency alerts during a time you will need them, sign -up for these emergency alerts today:
• State - Maryland Department of Emergency Management Alerts: https:// mdem.maryland.gov/Pages/alert -systems.aspx.
• County - Prince George’s County Office of Homeland Security : https:// member.everbridge.net/index/1332612387832015#/signup
• Local - City of Laurel: https://www.cityoflaurel.org/230/Stay-Informed
However you decide to start, just make sure you start that conversation today and be prepared and ready by signing up for emergency alerts now!
Lifelong learning in Laurel and beyond
By AGNES PASCO CONATY
Curiosity — that drive to learn an unfamiliar word, experiment with crafting, try food you haven’t tasted before, or even just walk around a different block — can take us on rewarding learning adventures throughout our lives. As Albert Einstein famously said, “The mind that opens to a new idea never returns to its original size.”
And sometimes curiosity prompts us to pick up something we’d put down years before. For me, it was rocks. I’d studied geology as an undergraduate and returned to it many years later when I started teaching environmental science. Suddenly, I was all but glued to my magnifying glass as I marveled at the colors, textures and details, even in rocks that looked ordinary at first glance. And I started wondering about so much: How does petrified wood become a rock? Why are tiny shells embedded in sedimentary rocks? One question led to another, and another. My curiosity about rocks now knows no bounds.
So many of us lead busy lives; we may think we could never
find time to dabble with a new hobby, let alone dive head first into learning a new language. But grabbing even a moment here or there can add up to big rewards over time. I have a friend who decided to teach herself one new knot each month for a year — and she stuck with it, mastering not just 12, but more than two dozen new knots that year. Now, more than a decade later and still following her curiosity, she’s gained not only skills (and a whole lot of knots), but the confidence that can come with taking on a challenge.
We have abundant resources for exploring and expanding our curiosity, right at our fingertips, and many of them are geared to older adults. Montgomery College’s Lifelong Learning Institute, based at the college’s Rockville campus, (tinyurl.com/2efvsam8) offers a treasure chest of courses, from professional development to personal enrichment. Interested in presidential history? Want to learn how to raise orchids? Eager to get a handle on your personal finances? The institute may have just what you’re looking for.
Prince George’s Community College, in Largo, also offers
programs for seniors (tinyurl. com/2s4c8usy). And right here at home, the Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activity Center, which is run by Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation, offers classes for adults 60 years or older ranging from belly dancing and Zumba to ceramics, drawing and more. (For a full calendar of fall classes at the center, go to tinyurl.com/37sejjtu.)
Our Laurel Branch Library, part of the county’s Memorial Library System (tinyurl.com/yc5nkd5a), offers a rich selection of free, online courses to anyone who has a library card. The library is constantly expanding not only its physical collection of books, but its virtual offerings as well — I recently started a course on practical geology to satisfy my fascination with rocks.
And with that same library card, you can create an account with Kanopy (kanopy.com/en), a free streaming service that collaborates with libraries and universities throughout the country to bring thousands of films right to your home. Immerse yourself in the world of documentaries — or even become that movie trivia buff you’ve always wanted to be.
I also enthusiastically recommend exploring the internet to whet (and even satisfy!) your appetite for new adventures in learning. Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.org) has tens of thousands of free e-books, including most of the great books of the Western world and digital copies of hard-to-find editions, that you can read online or download. Coursera (coursera. org), an online consortium of more than 300 colleges and universities, offers career training and degree programs (at cost) as well as a huge selection of free courses. And so many colleges and universities independently offer online learning, too; all it takes is an easy search to start
opening those doors.
As a child, I was so curious about the world around me, and I loved learning. I still do. And I’ve always encouraged my son (and my students!) to keep learning, too. Being open to possibilities — staying curious — is a lifelong journey worth taking.
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.
My mother reading to my then-young son, Joseph, about Filipino family traditions. AGNES PASCO CONATY
Grape expectations in Maryland
By RICK BORCHELT
Next time you sit out on your deck here in the suburbs sipping that French Bordeaux or Alsatian Riesling or Spanish Rioja, raise a toast to the wild grape vine climbing the oak tree in your backyard. But for native American grapes, the European wine industry would have collapsed entirely at the end of the 19th century.
Grapes are one of the oldest fruits in cultivation. Wine residue in pots from archeological digs in the Caucasus dates to more than 8,000 years ago, and there is evidence that Neolithic peoples in that region and western Asia had already begun to cultivate and select large-fruited grapes as long as 10,000 years ago.
By around 600 B.C., grapes and winemaking had made their way
to Europe proper by way of Marseille — and the French never looked back. Today, there are more than 5,000 varieties of those original grapes and their various crosses, cultivars and selections. Importantly, all of these varieties derive from just one species of grape, Vitis vinifera (Vitis simply meaning grapevine in Latin).
Meanwhile, Native Americans had been busy cultivating grapes found in North America, but mostly for eating out of hand or drying for later consumption. Grapes were so prolific in the New World that when Leif Erikson visited eastern Canada a thousand years ago, he named the land where he came ashore Vinland. North America had many more kinds of grapes to choose from, as many as 30 species by some counts. Maryland alone has seven native grape species — none of them Vitis vinif-
era or its cultivated European varieties. Early colonists sent back cuttings and rootstocks of American grapes to the Continent, but they were not much of a hit. Europeans were (and still are) used to a very specific, crisp taste to their wines; American grapes yielded wines that were charitably described as pungent or musky. Vitis vinifera vines that Europeans sent to the Americas performed poorly, usually dying within a few years.
These trans-Atlantic experiments, in the days before regulations prohibiting import of plants or animals that might be carrying disease, proved almost fatal to the French wine industry. Around 1860, French vineyards began to experience a mysterious ailment affecting their grapes, a disease that rapidly spread to other European wine-making regions. Within a few decades, more than half of
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France’s famed vineyards were dead, winemaking plummeted, and French authorities pessimistically predicted the end of French viniculture.
Sacré bleu! What was France to do?
Their first act was to blame America, and more specifically American grapes. And they were right. Along with the American vines had come a root parasite, a sap-sucking aphid called phylloxera. American grapes had coevolved with phylloxera for hundreds of thousands of years and were resistant to the pest; Vitis vinifera was not. Botanist Jules Émile Planchon first figured out the role of phylloxera and traced its spread from American to French grapes.
American grapes had two strikes against them with European winemakers even before phylloxera. In addition to having a murky flavor profile, they didn’t do too well on chalky French soil. But botanists guessed they might provide a root onto which Vitis vinifera varieties could be grafted. Texas grape grower T. V. Munson was enlisted to identify wild American grapes that might be most suitable for grafting, and another American viticulturist, Missourian Hermann Jaeger, contributed some 17 boxcars full of candidate rootstocks to the French.
The grafting experiment proved a huge success and saved the French (and European) wine industry. Both Jaeger and Munson received the French Legion of Honor for their efforts. Chapeau, gentlemen!
You can see many of the grape species that were part of these 19th century experiments in and around the Maryland suburbs today.
Summer grape (Vitis aestivalis) is a small-berried vine and is the most widely distributed native grape in Maryland. The underside of the leaves, which may be rounded or lobed, is covered with dense hairs that give it a white appearance.
Fox grape (Vitis labrusca) is an-
other common Maryland grape; it has large fruit and rounded or broadly palmate leaves that are light, fuzzy brown underneath. Fox grape is the parent for commercial Concord grapes of the namesake juices, jams and jellies. It’s also the primary source for such wines as Manischewitz and Mogen David.
Muscadine or scuppernong (Vitis rotundifolia) has, as the scientific name suggests, round, small, shiny green leaves, but it carries the largest fruit of all our native species. It’s mostly used in jams, jellies, sauces and preserves but is also marketed as a sweet wine similar to that produced by Concord grapes.
Frost grape (Vitis vulpina) is the last of our native grapes to ripen in the fall — in fact, it takes a good frost to render the berries palatable. It’s another small-berried species but is also the grape species whose 6-inch-thick trunks are most likely the ones seen in local woodlands clambering 50 feet or more into the tree canopy.
In addition to saving France’s vinicultural bacon, our native grapes provide food for a myriad of wildlife — most prominently birds — but also raccoons, opossums and even foxes. Indeed, gray foxes will even climb into trees to get at ripe grapes.
So as you watch those reruns of this summer’s Paris Olympics and see the beaming athletes celebrating their gold with champagne in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, you can smugly remember that without native American grapes, there would be no champagne with which to celebrate. A votre santé, you native grapes, you saviors of the vineyard!
Have questions for Rick about the world of nature in and around the Maryland suburbs or suggestions for future columns? Drop him a note at rborchelt@gmail.com.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Please send notices of events taking place between Oct. 9 and Nov. 12 to nancy@streetcarsuburbs. news by Sept. 27.
SEPT. 13 & 28
“Wingspan” Game Days. Play the board game “Wingspan” and learn about birds. Free, registration required. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Patuxent Research Refuge, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop. 301.497.5772
SEPT. 14
Seed Swap. Swap seeds and stories with fellow gardeners to prepare for next year’s growing season. Free. Noon to 1 p.m. Laurel Branch Library, 507 7th St. 240.455.5451
Intro to Native Plants. Come learn about the beauty and importance of native plants in local ecosystems. Free. 1 to 2 p.m. Laurel Branch Library, 507 7th St. 240.455.5451
SEPT. 15
Birding. Bring water and a snack, sunscreen, bug spray and binoculars and/or camera. Beginner and advanced birders ages 12 and up. 8 to 11 a.m. Patuxent Research Refuge, North Tract Visitor Info Station, 230 Bald Eagle Dr. Free, registration required. 301.497.5772
Music at Montpelier. Flutist, composer and educator Carrie Rose and pianist Szu-Yi Li perform in a classical recital. Free. 3 to 4 p.m. Montpelier Arts Center, 9652 Muirkirk Rd. 301.377.7800
SEPT. 18
Be Prepared; Fire Safety. Emergency Planning and More. An informative session on fire prevention, emergency preparedness and battery safety by Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad. Learn essential tips and techniques to stay safe in any situation. Free. 6 p.m. Laurel Branch Library, 507 7th St. 240.455.5451
SEPT. 20
Public Reception at Montpelier. Progressive arts studios support creative work by people with disabilities. This reception and exhibit showcases work from such throughout the region. Free. 7 to 9 p.m. Montpelier Arts Center, 9652 Muirkirk Rd. 301.377.7800
SEPT. 22
Adoption Event. Laurel Cats hosts a cat adoption event. Ask questions, meet cats or buy supplies. 2 to 4 p.m. PetSmart, 13600 Baltimore Ave. #160. Laurelcats.org
SEPT. 24
Larimar Folklore Dominicano Dance Performance. A showcase of folkloric dances that embody the cultural tapestry of the Dominican Republic. 6 p.m. Laurel Branch Library, 507 7th St. 240.455.5451
SEPT. 26
Active Aging: Creative Arts Workshop. A three-hour self-expression workshop to discuss and engage creatively with a life coach and each other. Projects will include combining images and objects into a 3-D creation using pictures, paper and clear gems. Free. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Montpelier Arts Center, 9652 Muirkirk Rd. 301.377.7800
Picture this! History of Photography and Bert Sadler Collection. Learn about the evolution of photography from plate to film to digital technology. A virtual program hosted by Laurel History Museum. 7 p.m. laurelhistorical society.org
SEPT. 27
Music at the Mansion. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with music, food and drinks. For ages 21 and over. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Mansion at Laurel, 13910 Laurel Lakes Ave. 301.725.7800
SEPT. 28
Cultural Enrichment, Music and Arts Festival. Music, food, craft vendors, workshops and a host of activities designed for family fun. Free. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Laurel Golf Center, 9801 Fort Meade Rd. 240.583.0289
Magical Monarchs & Pollinators. Friends of Patuxent hosts a free program featuring a movie, native plants workshop, monarch butterfly releases and arts and crafts. 12:30 to 3 p.m. Patuxent Research Refuge, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop. friendsofpatuxent.org
Souls Seeking Freedom Walking Tour: The Untold Story of Enslavement and Resistance at Montpelier. Learn about the people enslaved at Montpelier. 1 p.m. Montpelier Historic House, 9650 Muirkirk Rd. 301.377.7817
SEPT. 29
Hidden Spaces Tour. See the seldom seen areas of Montpelier and learn about the original construction and preservation of the 18th-century house. Montpelier Historic House, 9650 Muirkirk Rd. 301.377.7817
Late-day Walk around Cash Lake. A 1.8-mile hike. All ages; under 18 must bring an adult companion. Pets discouraged. 5:15 to 6:50 p.m. Patuxent Research Refuge, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop.10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop. 301.497.5772
OCT. 2
Photograph Identification and Preservation Workshop. A brief overview of photography history by Laurel Historical Society. Learn the basics of preservation for print digital photographs. 6 p.m. Laurel Branch Library, 507 7th St. 240.455.5451
ONGOING
Ralph Johnson Photography Exhibit. Johnson, who specializes in photographing birds, has won three firstplace awards for his work. Free, through September. Patuxent Research Refuge, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop. 301.497.5772
“Sylvia.” A. R. Gurney’s story of a couple of empty-nesters who move to Manhattan after childraising in the suburbs and are adopted by a dog named Sylvia. Ticket prices and showtimes vary. Sept. 13-15 and 20-22. Laurel Mill Playhouse, 508 Main St. tinyurl.com/2vw6uwsy
Awkward Family Photos. A traveling exhibit of family photos. Sept. 14 through Dec. 22. Laurel History Museum, 817 Main St. 301.725.7975
RECURRING
Laurel Farmers Market. Thursdays through Sept. 26 from 3 to 7 p.m. 378 Main St.
Laurel Art Guild holds free meetings featuring talks about art every second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. through Nov. 11. Montpelier Art Center, 9652 Muirkirk Rd. For more information, go to laurelartguild.org
Italian Club welcomes all on the second Wednesday of each month; the Sept. 11 meeting will look at ways to protect the outdoors. 6:30 pm at St. Mary of the Mills Church, 114 St. Marys Pl. For more information, call Jo Saunders at 301.490.8237
Chess. All levels welcome. Thursdays. 2 p.m. LaurelBeltsville Senior Activity Center, 7120 Contee Rd. For more information call Mike Farmer at 240.302.9133
Every Tuesday Bingo at Laurel Elks Lodge #2283. Twenty games with cash prizes; food drinks available for purchase. Doors open at 5 p.m. and bingo starts at 7 p.m. 8261 Brock Bridge Rd.
Every Tuesday Bingo at Senior Center. 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 Rd. 301.206.3380
Bingo at American Legion Post 60. Friday night bingo every week; 23 games with cash prizes; food and drinks available for purchase. Doors open at 5 p.m. and bingo starts at 7:30. 2 Main St. 301.725.2302
Friday Food Festival. American Legion Post 60 hosts Friday dinners, with Canteen 60 serving on 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 and musical entertainment or a speaker. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activities Center, 7120 Contee Rd. 301.206.3380
Jim Whitney Toastmasters Club. Meets the second and fourth Monday of each month. Sept. 9 and 23. 7 p.m. St. Phillips Episcopal Church, 522 Main St. 1063187@toastmastersclubs.org
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
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, 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
State champs reunite
By JOE MURCHISON
Winning an Olympic medal is a life-changing event, but on a somewhat smaller scale, so is winning a high school state championship. Just ask members of the 1987 Laurel High School football team.
Eighteen players and three coaches from that team gathered in Laurel on Aug. 3 to bask in memories of camaraderie and shared sacrifice that became a highlight of their lives. While most still live in Maryland, two came all the way from Missouri and Colorado
In a text thread after the reunion, Keith Reeley shared what the event meant to many of them. “I’d like to thank all the coaches and the guys for a lifetime of great memories and a lifetime of friends made,” Reeley, then a lineman and now a tractor-trailer driver living in Easton, said. “It was one of the best times of my life.”
The reunion grew out of a conversation John Thompson and Steven Haversack had at their 35th high school reunion last year. Thompson, owner of a Laurel electrical company, suggested to Haversack, an analyst at the National Archives, that they needed to bring the football team back together.
Now in their 50s, members of the group gathered first at Laurel High to see the new football field and be greeted by present head football coach Devonne Powell and some of his players. Powell told the alumni how attending their games as a kid inspired him.
The group then spent the rest of the afternoon sharing memories and talking about their lives at the Dive Bar & Grille at Savage Mill. Many had not seen each other since high school.
Haversack had prepared an extensive PowerPoint presentation with information about each player and coach on the team, then and now. Mark Thomas, who worked in sports journalism after college, created a booklet with memories of each game. The group even watched a Laurel TV video of their state championship game. They also observed a minute of silence in memory of four teammates who had died.
Head coach Chuck Hickes was featured in a Q&A session. He recalled in a later interview that in fall 1987 he was only in his third year of coaching after two losing seasons, but that adversity had built resolve and cohesiveness in the squad. “Most of those guys had been together for three years,” he said. “They bought into it,” he continued, noting the demanding practices, weight training and “running the hill” below the field.
The players adopted their own code of toughness, which included throwing players in a trash can if they talked to a girl during a preseason practice. (It happened.)
Back then, Laurel High had just been reassigned out of the athletic division of the state’s largest schools, due to a drop in enrollment. So the team was suddenly playing against schools of a smaller size, which was an advantage.
Still, Thomas noted that Laurel’s team was small, with only 28 players. But they had potent weapons on both sides of the ball, he said. On offense, three running backs — Kevin Bailey, Danny Johnson and Mark Winkey — were such talented sprinters that they helped the Laurel High track team win a state championship that same year.
On defense, the line had some size, like 320-lb. Randy “Cave” Harris, who now works for a security and bodyguard company. Harris, in an interview, also gave credit to the defensive backfield. “Our linebackers” — Kevin Bailey, Greg Leffler and Stephen Simpson — “were vicious,” he said. The defense allowed only 61 points in 13 games, an average of less than five points per game.
Laurel started the season with a 22-7 victory over Sherwood, one of the better teams in the state and boasting Richie Anderson, who went on to play for the NFL. But after Anderson scored on the first play with a 95-yard run, Laurel’s defense shut him down, and Laurel’s running backs and quarterback Kevin Dukes took over. (Dukes is now a state patrolman.)
Laurel played poorly in its second game to Surrattsville, losing 7-6. The two teams got into a brawl afterward — which was a prominent memory for some at the reunion. Coach Hickes remarked that Laurel might not have won their state championship but for that loss, which
sparked a lot of motivation. It would be the last game Laurel lost that year.
The team rolled through the rest of the regular season in mostly dominant fashion and beat DuVal in its final game, 10-0, for the Prince George’s County championship. Playoff victories over Thomas Stone (Charles County), 30-14, and Overlea (Baltimore County), 14-6, set up the state title game against Linganore of Frederick County
A large crowd of Laurel supporters showed up at the University of Maryland’s Byrd Stadium for the title game, despite cold and rainy conditions. Haversack recalled that Linganore was the top-seeded team, filled with “big farm boys.”
On its first possession, Linganore marched the length of the field and seemed poised to score. But Laurel’s Leffler intercepted a pass in the end zone.
Leffler had an injured arm that he couldn’t raise above his shoulder due to a motorcycle accident — his playing despite injury exemplified Laurel’s toughness.
With the field muddy and slick, neither team could score through the first three quarters. But in the fourth quarter, Dukes rolled to his right, luring the defense with him, then threw back across the field to Johnson, who wove his way deep into Linganore territory. Bailey ran the ball in for a touchdown, and later scored a second, as insurance, with another run. Final score: 14-0. Laurel High, state champions.
“It’s hard to capture that kind of moment again,” Johnson said in an interview. He went on to play varsity football at The Citadel, attend law school and be elected a district attorney in Columbia, S.C. He recalled that his family was going through some tough times when he was young, but “my memories of high school are so great, so joyous. I loved playing with those guys.”
“We weren’t the biggest team out there,” Johnson added. “Everybody mattered. Everybody had to carry their weight. … It changed all of us and had an indelible mark on all of us.”
Capital Programs Department, oversaw the project. Smith confirmed that the stadium has new equipment, including pole vault pads, hurdles, goals for different sports and line markers. Funding also covered new maintenance equipment.
According to Don Cleveland, LHS athletic director, the renovations have brought the field up to standards for high school sports.
Smith said the renovations were initially projected at roughly $3 million, “The biggest delay and biggest
hurdle was making sure that we received the money that was needed in order to make these improvements,” Smith said, noting that the county contributed $4 million as part of its annual capital improvement program, while the state’s Department of General Services provided a $3 million grant.
Daryl Ferguson, head coach of the LHS boys varsity soccer team, noted that students now have “a good environment, a safe environment” for sports.
“We are excited to finally have a [new] field of our own. I think Laurel deserves it,” he said.
According to Cleveland, the new stadium has sparked more
student participation in sports.
“You got people that want to be a part of something brand new,” he said. “Our soccer numbers are way up, our football numbers are way up, and I anticipate that across the board because of the upgraded facility.”
Devonne Powell, a a former LHS football player and 1997 graduate, was very familiar with the old field. Now the school’s head varsity football coach, Powell said the renovations, and in particular the turf field, are “well needed, well welcomed.”.
“As long as we had a great playing surface, that’s all I was concerned about,” he said.
Student athletes are also enthu-
siastic about the renovations.
Isaiah Brown, 17, a senior, plays football and lacrosse. He is also on the LHS wrestling team.
“People, not just me and the class of 2025, but other people in the community and around Laurel High School, can come around and use the field as well.” Brown said, in a phone interview. “A lot of people were getting hurt on our field, and it was time to make a change.”
Jacinda Gantt’s son William Canery, 17, is captain of the LHS football team and a lacrosse player.
“Every school should have their bleachers done, at minimum, just for the parents that
are coming out to support their kids. Bleachers and the field,” she said.
Smith noted that his department is satisfied with the renovation.
“For me, it’s just really thanking the city of Laurel, thanking our [LHS] principal, [Michael] Dinkins, and our athletic director, Donald Cleveland, for all of their support and just assistance throughout this entire process,” Smith said. “Also, the students and the student athletes for their patience … and working with us while we took on this massive project, and [I] hope that it’s something that everyone is truly proud of.”
Attending the Laurel High football reunion last month were (from lower left) 1st row: Donnie Welborn, Mike Pasqualone, Steven Haversack, Vince Elliott, Eric Martin, Steve Simpson, Rett Warren; 2nd row: Jerrod Matlock, Danny Johnson, John Thompson, Greff Leffler, Derek Brown, Chuck Rhodes, Amos Holiday; 3rd row: Head Coach Chuck Hickes, Randy “Cave” Harris, Stephen Borger, Brad Witzig, David Weems, Clarence Cooper, Joe Bickel; 4th row: Coach Greg Prestel, Athletic Director Pat Raggio, Coach Dave Jaskulsky, waterboy Peter Martin. Standing: Current Laurel High players and coaches. COURTESY OF JOANNA THOMPSON
Brewery, UMD partner to launch beer brand
By MADISON KORMAN
The University of Maryland and UNION Craft Brewing teamed up to release Testudo Premium Lager, the official craft beer of the Maryland Terrapins, marking the launch at an event at the Baltimore brewery in August.
The beer, named after the University of Maryland’s (UMD) diamondback terrapin mascot and sporting a vintage Testudo logo from the 1980s, is already available in Prince George’s County and will soon hit shelves across Maryland, the District and northern Virginia.
“We just canned about 25,000 Testudo Premium Lagers today,” Adam Benesch, co-founder of UNION Craft Brewing and a University of Maryland alumni, said.
The launch event was a lively affair, featuring food, music, cornhole and a selfie station. Many UMD alumni were present to support the launch.
“My husband and I love drinking beer,” said Whitney Hill, a UMD alum who works in the university’s School of Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies. “So we figured, why not come here and drink beer?”
Adam Benesh, co-founder of UNION Craft Brewing, poses with cans of Testudo Premium Lager, a brand the brewery launched in August. MADISON KORMAN
Hill said she hopes to see the beer at sports games.
“We see a lot of beers like Corona at games, but I am hoping to have this beer at games because it has a unique personality [and] flavor,” Hill said.
The beer will be available at the university’s SECU Stadium and the Xfinity Center.
“Whether you’re alumni or just a fan of the sports teams, or have friends and family that are Terps,” Benesch said, “it’s approachable, very high quality and very well made.”
Benesch, who discovered his passion for craft beer while studying at UMD in the mid-90s, said the brewery has been working
hard to perfect the brew.
“The beer is a beautiful 5%, crisp, clean lager,” he said. “It’s made with the four basic ingredients of beer: That’s malted barley, hops, water and yeast. We love using those four basic ingredients to come up with a super flavorful, crisp, refreshing lager that any Terp alumni or Maryland fan can enjoy, whether at a game, at home or with friends.”
Gregory Berkowitz, UMD’s director of trademarks and licensing, said the university chose to collaborate with UNION Craft Brewing because Benesch, an alum, was committed to perfecting a beer to represent the university.
“We’re always exploring new product categories to expand the brand and reach more people and connect with fans, alumni, students and just members of the community,” Berkowitz said. “Adam, being an alum who’s the CEO, was kind of an extra bonus. He understood what we’re trying to do and is committed to doing it.”
Berkowitz said the beer’s packaging is meant to connect with university alumni.
“This is for alum and community members who are over 21,” he said.
UMD Global Campus announced the following were named to the spring 2024 president’s list: Alexander Alli, Milan Black, Nneka Ohiri, John Coca, Kristen LeytonMurray.
UMD Global Campus also announced these spring 2024 graduates with advanced degrees: Alexander Alli, M.B.A.; Milan Black, M.S., digital forensics and cyber investigation; Deandra Miller, M.S., learning design and technology; Nneka Ohiri, M.S., cybersecurity technology; Tabeer Siddiqui, M.B.A.
“Awww... They grow up so fast!”
LAUREL SQUIRREL By Agnes Pasco Conaty
