Community Corner
🌱 Laurel Fire Displaces Family + County Exec. Has Coronavirus
The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Laurel.

Hey, neighbors! It's me again, Alexis Goring, your host of the Laurel Daily.
First, today's weather:
Cooler with a few showers. High: 41 Low: 40.
Here are the top three stories today in Laurel:
- Four large fires in Prince George's County have displaced over 30 people since Friday night because the flames destroyed apartments and damaged homes. The fire in Laurel happened on Friday, just before midnight, in the 13100 block of Golden Oak Drive. Upon arrival, firefighters found a home with "well-advanced fire showing" from the first floor. They evacuated people due to a structural collapse. As a result, the entire family was displaced. (NBC4 Washington)
- Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks tested positive for the coronavirus. As a precaution before the holiday weekend, Alsobrooks took an at-home test and then a rapid test Friday morning. Both were positive. However, she said that she feels "fine" and is "only experiencing mild symptoms, thanks to being vaccinated and boosted." (WTOP)
- Maryland has surpassed the threshold of 1,500 COVID-19 hospitalizations, triggering additional actions by hospitals. In response to surpassing this threshold, Governor Larry Hogan said, "Our projections now show that in the coming weeks, we could reach record levels of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Maryland, possibly over 2,000. We have been actively preparing for this scenario in coordination with all of our hospitals, and today's actions are the latest step in that planning." (Maryland.gov)
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Today in Laurel:
- Winter Break Art Camp — School is off and what will you do with your 5-12 year old? Have them paint winter arctic animals! This event is presented by The Thrifty Teacher and will take place in Laurel. (9:00 a.m.)
- Winter Break Camp — This event will take place at Morningside Stables in Laurel. (9:00 a.m.)
- Penguin Parachute Party — Join Kwanzaa expert Culture Queen in Annapolis as she teaches royal children of all ages a fresh approach to observing the seven principles of Kwanzaa, an African-American festival that celebrates culture, family, and community from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. With interactive music, movement, storytelling, and Black History themed games, participants will feel inspired to incorporate Kwanzaa into their family traditions. (10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.)
- Multiplication Madness Day Camp (Winter Break) — Multiplication Madness Camp at the Mathnasium of Columbia will focus on learning multiplication facts in a positive, effective, and fun way. Camp will be packed with games and activities to help your child learn or review their multiplication skills. This camp is geared towards 2nd to 5th graders, but all grades are welcome, and previous multiplication experience isn't necessary. Multiplication Madness Camp is $75 per student for all four days. (12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.)
- Laurel Park Racing — This event will take place in Laurel. (4:05 p.m.)
- Charcuterie Class at V-No Wine Bar — Learn to arrange a beautiful charcuterie board! Wash down the cheese with some tasty wine and beautiful views! Along the way you'll learn about food and alcohol pairings, different types of cheeses, and make new friends Each participant will create a charcuterie arrangement on a 9x9 inch wooden board to take home. Tickets include 3-4 cheeses, 2-3 meats, and all the fixings. Drinks not included. (5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
From my notebook:
- Laurel Police Department: Wishing you warmth and togetherness this Kwanzaa! (Facebook)
- Nextdoor Neighbor, Walker Hill: My Pet's Idio allows you to share your pet's health information with its vet, so that he can receive proper care. Learn more at: www.mypetsidio.com (Nextdoor)
- Nextdoor Neighbor, Cherry Ln: *Found Shepherd in Laurel.* I'm not the finder but this was on Facebook this morning in case anyone recognizes. https://www.facebook.com/group... (Nextdoor)
- Nextdoor Neighbor, Montpelier West: *Now Accepting New Clients* Looking for a dog sitter or walker? Use code "TATIYB69043" to get US$20 off your first booking with me on Rover: https://www.rover.com/sit/tati... (Nextdoor)
- Nextdoor Neighbor, Oak Crest: Is this your cat? If so, please DM me immediately. (Nextdoor)
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That's it for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!
— 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.