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Community Corner

🌱 UMD Tragedy Causes Racial Strife Dialogue + MD Gas Prices Soar

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

Alexis Goring, Neighbor
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(Patch Media)

Up and at 'em, Laurel! Let's get you started this Monday with everything you need to know going on in town today.

First, today's weather:

Showers and a heavier t-storm. High: 79 Low: 39.

Here are the top three stories today in Laurel:

  1. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held on March 2 at the site of a planned plaza on the UMD campus in order to commemorate the Bowie State student who was murdered by a white UMD student in 2017. The tragedy caused dialogue on racial strife and led to creation of the BSU-UMD Social Justice Alliance. The plaza will include two walls to encourage reflection —one wall will feature an engraved granite plaque honoring Collins, and one wall will display the Unity Mural created collaboratively by UMD and Bowie State students, faculty and staff as part of The Clarice's 2017 NextNOW Fest to illustrate peace, justice and unity. (Bowie State)
  2. H. Graham Motion, Maryland-based trainer, is a finalist for the Horse Racing Hall Of Fame! Motion started his career in 1990, when he worked as an assistant to Bernie P. Bond at Laurel Park. He earned his trainer's license three years later. (CBS Baltimore)
  3. According to Patch reporter Deb Belt, gas prices are soaring close to record levels in Maryland. The national average passed $4 per gallon for the first time in more than a decade! AAA Mid-Atlantic said the average gas price in Maryland hit $4.04 a gallon Sunday morning. The average retail price of a gallon of regular, self-service gasoline in Maryland increased 9 cents overnight, 44 cents in the past week, 65 cents in the past month, and is $1.28 higher than one year ago. (Patch)

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Today in Laurel:

  • Babies in Bloom at Maryland City Library —Babies from birth to 18 months (with caring adult) enjoy songs, action rhymes and playtime while building early literacy skills. A great way to get to know other families in your community! (10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
  • Outdoor Ice Skating at Washington Harbour —Experience D.C.'s largest outdoor skating rink at The Washington Harbour! It's open for skating every day, including the holidays. Open for general admission, as well as private rentals. (11:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.)
  • From Mary Pickford to Meryl Streep: Hollywood's Star System and How It Works— Afternoon Lecture/Seminar with Brian Rose, professor emeritus at Fordham University. Rose traces the history of movie stardom. He looks back at how originally film actors weren't even identified by name, how Mary Pickford became "America's Sweetheart" and the first real film star, and how the Hollywood studios manufactured stars like Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, and Lana Turner during its Golden Age. He examines how the star system changed once television came on the scene, and how actors like Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, and Denzel Washington ushered in a new definition of stardom during the last few decades. (12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.)
  • Lemonade Selfie (Museum of Affirmations) in Baltimore—Enjoy Maryland's latest selfie museum with over 20+ content walls and rooms. (1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.)
  • Little Scientists Club at Pongos Learning Lab in Crofton—Enjoy the Little Scientist Club, where each week children will become "little scientists" and conduct some of the coolest simple science experiments! Participate in our Little Learner's Lab here at Pongos Learning Lab and Coder Kids Club to participate! Space is limited, so please register in advance. Perfect for children ages 6 and under! Admission includes open play in our Little Learner's Lab and participation in our Little Scientist Club experiment. (2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.)
  • English Conversation Club (Virtual) — Practice English conversation in an informal, friendly relaxed setting. New members are always welcome but space is limited. Attendees will need to be logged in to Zoom to attend this virtual event. (2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.)
  • Virtual Days in DC: Careers in International Relations/Development—This session will be held virtually via Zoom. International Relations/Development is a broad public service career field that entails how nations and cultures interact and the effect that this interaction plays on societies as a whole, such as economics, laws, health, and education, among others. This panel discussion will feature several alumni working in the International Relations and Development career space and represent both federal and nonprofit agencies located in Washington DC. Students will have an opportunity to ask questions and network with the panelists. RSVP in TribeCareers. (4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.)
  • Kids Fundamentals of Drawing at the Art Farm in Annapolis — In this class, kids will build and strengthen their drawing skills. Materials will be a mix of pencil and charcoal. We will mainly focus on drawing from life! We will explore still life and even some portraiture. We will focus on proportion, shading, contouring, and composition. (4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.)
  • Leprechaun/Bunny: Lansdowne, Lansdowne Inn with Artist Katie Detrich!—Join Artist Katie Detrich at Lansdowne Inn in Baltimore. Katie will guide you though the creative process while you enjoy time with friends and family. Your ticket includes art materials and instruction. Check-in starts at 6:00 p.m. Enjoy appetizers, lunch and drinks before the painting session begins. Learn how to create a masterpiece! (6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)

From my notebook:

  • Prince George's County Police: Deputy Chief Ordono presented Carlos Lopez, manager of the Capital Plaza Starbucks, with a certificate of appreciation in recognition of his outstanding support of our Hyattsville, Division I Community Engagement Unit. (Instagram)
  • Nextdoor Neighbor, Fieldstone Preserve: How high can your grass be? My husband was given a notice by a neighborhood busybody that said our grass was too high. They said the lowest setting on our lawnmower was too high and I have to buy a new one? (Nextdoor)
  • Prince George's County Planning Department Carly Brockinton, Prince George's County Government: Want College Park to be more age-friendly? Join us on March 14 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m to help articulate a vision for senior-friendly housing, transportation, health services, community support, etc. (Nextdoor)
  • Social Media and Digital Marketing Specialist Kevin Wegman, Prince George's County Government: "Walk with Ease" focuses on combining walking with health education and warm up/cool down exercises. This activity is recommended by doctors and Arthritis Foundation Certified! (Nextdoor)
  • Nextdoor Neighbor, Russett: I live in Laurel and am looking for a very responsible driver to drop my boys at their after school sports in Silver Spring, Monday-Friday. (Nextdoor)
  • Citizen Services Specialist Jorhan Santana, Prince George's County Government: Residents in townhomes must place their bulky items at the curb in front of their townhome, or their assigned parking space, for pickup. Haulers will not collect items in common areas. (Nextdoor)

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  • Brilliant, Bold, Confident, Beautiful Girls Support Group Struggling with Self-Esteem Issues (March 9)
  • Pride & Prejudice: a live staged reading (March 12)
  • 11th Annual, The Pink Event®: An all-inclusive, women-focused experience! (April 2)
  • Fire-Up Dance Class for Young Girls and Teens (April 4)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Monday. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with a new 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.

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

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