This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

🌱 Famous Female Rapper Now BSU Professor + Fame For BSU Student

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Laurel.

Alexis Goring, Neighbor
|
(Patch Media)

Happy Thursday, people of Laurel! Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in Laurel today.

First, today's weather:

Breezy with partial sunshine. High: 55 Low: 26.

Here are the top four stories in Laurel today:

  1. Bowie police said a man was approached by four male teenagers armed with handguns around 5 p.m. in the 14900 block of Health Center Drive in Bowie. The teens robbed him and then demanded his car keys. According to John Nesky, chief of the Bowie Police Department, the victim pulled out a handgun and fired in what was said to be self-defense, striking one of the robbery suspects. (WTOP)
  2. Bowie State University student Sharone Townsend is famous for his artwork that is now being featured on products in Target stores nationwide. His journey to stardom started with a design he created that was put on shirts, hoodies and other items in Target stores from coast to coast, and it quickly became very popular. Townsend's design was one of three selected to win Target's HBCU Black History Month Design Challenge. (CBS Baltimore)
  3. According to The Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), applications for the 2022 Homeowners' and Renters' Tax Credit programs are available online. People can determine eligibility for these credits and submit an application by accessing the department's innovative online tax credit application system. This strengthens SDAT's ability to continue processing all tax credit applications in an accurate and timely manner. The deadline to file for both tax credits is October 1, 2022. (City of Laurel)
  4. Queen MC Sha-Rock, a female rapper and hip-hop performer, has joined Bowie State University's Visual Communication & Digital Media Arts program in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts as the Resident MC Hip-Hop Historian and adjunct professor. She will teach courses and work with students pursuing a minor degree in Hip Hop Studies and Visual Culture. Bowie State University is the only institution of higher learning in Maryland to offer such a degree. (Bowie State)

From our sponsor:

Hey Laurel, are you looking to buy a house, refinance or just explore your options? Check out the new Patch Mortgage Center for all your home financing needs!

Today in Laurel:

  • Laurel Park Racing (12:50 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
  • Soca Bounce Fitness Class—Soca Bounce is a 45 min high-intensity, low impact cardio burn session utilizing Kangoo Jumps boots (boot rental included in class fee). In-studio and/or outdoor fitness classes are all choreographed to the ever growing genre of Soca and other Caribbean genres. The rebound boots are designed to absorb up to 80 percent of the pressure (impact) off your joints (hips, knees and back) while improving balance, core strength, and promoting an increase in metabolism and endurance. Current class schedule is Tuesdays at 6:15 p.m. in Upper Marlboro and Thursdays at 6:15 p.m. in Bowie. (6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.)
  • Food and Faith at St. Mark's Church and The Grove—Cooking and good eating have always been important to the African American of the Laurel Grove community. From Emancipation Day Celebrations to St. Mark's dinners, you knew the food would be delicious. Celebrate Black History Month and the Laurel Museum's new exhibit "What's Cookin' Laurel?" with parishioners from St. Mark's United Methodist Church Thursday Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. They'll discuss church traditions, and the importance of food and community cooking in The Grove. Free and open to the public but registration is required. To register go to www.laurelhistoricalsociety.org. For more information, visit www.laurelhistoricalsociety.org, or contact info@laurehistoricalsociety.org or 301-725-7975. (7:00 p.m.)
  • Disney On Ice presents Let's Celebrate at Royal Farms Arena — Grab your Mickey ears and get ready for non-stop fun when 50 of your favorite Disney friends come to life through world-class ice skating. Check website for showtimes. (7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.)
  • SIP & PAINT Comedy show—Enjoy an evening of sip and paint with live comedy and music performances at Takoma Station Tavern in D.C. Hosted by Simon Says and guest painter Comedienne KeeKee. Music by DJ Mike G. With comedy by Dude In Da Corner & Moe Jenkins, Happy Hour Menu item included with purchase of sip & paint ticket. (7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.)
  • Washington Wizards vs. Brooklyn Nets (7:30 p.m.)
  • Louis Tomlinson World Tour — Having just announced his debut album, "Walls", and having over a billion streams under his belt, Louis is ready to return with his joyous new single, "We Made It." Louis honed his songwriting skills during his six years in One Direction, the most successful musical act of a generation with sales exceeding 100 million records. Enjoy this event at The Anthem (concert hall) in Washington, D.C. (8:00 p.m.)
  • Parker McCollum in Concert at The Fillmore Silver Spring — A singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and dedicated road warrior, Parker McCollum began building a following in his native Texas with 2015's The Limestone Kid. The album track "Meet You in The Middle" became a hit on Texas' regional radio chart.ut it was the album's widely-acclaimed follow-up, Probably Wrong, that helped Parker find national success. Compared to John Mayer and Jason Isbell by Rolling Stone, Parker supported the album with a string of sold-out shows, bringing record-breaking crowds to venues like San Angelo's RiverStage and two sold-out Billy Bob's along the way. (8:00 p.m.)
  • Adams Morgan Comedy Night (Stand-Up Comedy Show) —Not only will you see the best comics in the DMV, we also regularly host comics from The Tonight Show, Conan, The Late Show and who have specials on Comedy Central, HBO, Netflix, Dry Bar among others. We will have very limited tickets at a donate-what-you-want price to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all laughers. (8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

  • City of Laurel - Government: If you weren't able to join in for our Virtual Black History Month Program, honoring Laurel's African Americans Elected Officials on Sunday, you can still watch on Laurel TV's YouTube channel. (Facebook)
  • City of Laurel - Government: Laurel Parks & Recreation is ready to welcome you back to the Laurel Armory and RJD Community Centers! (Facebook)
  • City of Laurel - Government: Homeowner and Renter's Tax Credit Applications from the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation are now online. (Facebook)
  • City of Laurel - Government: Do you have a budding young artist in the family? Let them know about the Healthcare Heroes Poster Competition! To continue recognizing #HealthcareHeroesAppreciationWeek, Governor Larry Hogan announced the launch of a Healthcare Heroes. (Facebook)
  • Public Information, Bowie Police Department: Beware Solicitation and Donation Scams/Thefts! Never let strangers into your home and be aware of which organizations are asking for your personal information. (Nextdoor)
  • Nextdoor Neighbor, Maryland City West: Charley's Philly cheesesteak store just opened this week in Laurel, at the corner of Cherry Lane and Route 1, by the UPS store. (Nextdoor)
  • Nextdoor Neighbor, Emerson: I'm looking to get my car inspected for MD registration purposes and hoping to find a reliable place around Laurel. Recommendations/referrals would be greatly appreciated! (Nextdoor)
  • Nextdoor Neighbor, Kings Woods: If you want to show some Valentine affection for the food insecure, Boy Scout Troop 617 has a donation basket at a couple of Giant Food stores in Columbia. (Nextdoor)
  • Nextdoor Neighbor, Snowden Woods: Looking for LPNs in the DMV. I work for a small black owned agency in the Lanham/Bowie area. Need experience in working with pediatric care. In home care. Full-time or part-time. (Nextdoor)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

Events:

Job listings:

Loving the Laurel Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you around.

— Alexis Goring

About me: My name is Alexis A. Goring. I'm a Bowie area resident with a pulse for people, news and feature stories! I've worked as a freelance writer/editor/proofreader in the media industry for 15 years. I'm also a published author, experienced blogger, and founder of Writer at Heart Editorial Services. Visit my website for more details about me and my work. Here's the link: https://alexisagoring.jimdofree.com.

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Laurel