South Laurel Views: 2012

Update 2012.10.30 -- 0800 am
Power resumed at Park View Senior Apartments near Snow Hill Estates (on Rt 197 across from Super Grand Mart grocery store)

Oct 29 BGE Call 877.778.2222 for Outages & Downed Wires (2012)

Oct 29 Storm Sandy Closures & Resources from PG Co District 1 Councilwoman Mary Lehman (2012)

PG Co Schools Closed Monday Oct 29 (2012)

Sun Oct 28 PG Co Opens 3-1-1 Call Center for Non-Emergency Storm Help & CountyClick website 24/7 (2012)

UPDATE: 2012.10.28 1004 pm

Nov 3 PG Police Conduct Free Child Car Seat Check at PG Federal Credit Union, Beltsville near South Laurel

Oct 26 Snow and Ice Control Preparedness Dry Run Exercise on Local Streets (2012)

Oct 18 Armed Robbery at 14600-Block of Laurel-Bowie Rd at Bowie Rd (2012)

Oct 27 Fall Festival PG Animal Management Division (2012)

Pet Shots, microchips,

Crafts, bake sale, food, games,

Dog adoption 1/2 price ($100 vice $200)

Cat adoption only $45 (2d cat free)

Halloween Parade and Pet Costume Contest

Oct 26-28 Music This Weekend at the Montpelier Arts Center (2012)

Oct 26-28 Music This Weekend at the Montpelier Arts Center

Oct 22 Local Public Forum on Patuxent Research Refuge Conservation Plan (2012)

Oct 16 Rosalind Johnson Resigns as PG District 1 School Board Rep Effective Immediately (2012)

Prince George’s County launches 311 call center Monday Oct 1 (2012)

Update 2012.10.15: Prince George's County fixing 311 system glitches

Thu Oct 18 2-5 pm Vansville Community Center 13th annual Lights On After School Open House (2012)

Oct 18 2-5 pm Vansville Community Center 13th annual Lights On After School Open House

Dangerous Counterfeit Air Bags Found in Cars - by Car Make & Model (2012)

Oct 9 Montpelier | South Laurel Neighborhood News - by Sarah Walser (2012)

Montpelier | South Laurel neighborhood news
2012.10.09 By Sarah Walser, Baltimore Sun

Sat Oct 6 3pm Montpelier Mansion Wine Tasting: Old v New World Wines (2012)

Thu Oct 4 1 pm BATF Agent Talk to Seniors Coffee with Local County Police (2012)

Oct 5-6 Fall Bazaar, St. Nicholas Catholic Church, South Laurel (2012)

State To Open Regional Job Center in Laurel (2012)

Redbox DVD kiosk at Food Lion in Crystal Plaza

Sat Sep 22 Patsy Cline Tribute at Sapphire in South Laurel (2012)

Sat Sep 8 3pm Ronald McDonald in Person & Face Painting, Games, Music, Prizes in South Laurel (2012)

Aug 24 Update - Memorial Fund, Funeral Services Memorial Fund for Fallen Police Officer Adrian Morris (2012)

Update 2012.09.04 Video of funeral service for POFC Morris
Update 2012.08.24 Memorial Fund, Funeral Services

Aug 23 BGE Again Warns Customers to be Aware of Utility Impostors MT @MyBGE (2012)

Aug 15 & Jul 31 Montpelier/South Laurel by Sara Walser (2012)

Alert 22 Aug "Curb Painting" -- Possible Scam (2012)

Aug 16 South Laurel Carjacking

Language of Nov 6 2012 Maryland Ballot Questions 1-7 & P.G. County Questions A-G

Aug 17 Effect on South Laurel of Maryland Congressional Redistricting Referendum now on Nov ballot - See Revised Congressional District Maps (2012)

Update 20012.08.20

Aug 14 Update - Ground Breaking for New Towne Centre at Laurel - Specs, Maps & Site Plans (coming), Lease Plan, Available Space ... more (2012)

Updates 2012.08.14:

Sun Aug 12 - Sat Aug 18 MD tax free shopping week (2012)

Recognize & React to Tornado Danger Signs @FEMAregion3 (2012)

Update Aug 4 Mango's Grill (Mexican/Salvadoran) re-opens in new Laurel location Now with Beer, Wine, Liquor

UPDATE: Aug 4, 2012: Read More...

Aug 7 The 29th Annual National Night Out Festival at County Police District VI Beltsville/Laurel Station

Aug 1 Laurel Police Search for Two Robbers of 7-Eleven near South Laurel (2012)

Updates 2012.08.03

Jul 15 Death of Retired Army Lt. Col. Edward A. Ford who lived in the Bedford Community in South Laurel (2012)

Jul 30 Commiseration - Northern India's power grid crash leaves 370 million without power (2012)

Jul 28 Adopt A Whooper Kick-off by Friends of Patuxent (2012)

More University of Maryland doctors coming to Laurel Regional Hospital (2012)

Until Aug 9 Invitational Sculpture Exhibition at Montpelier Arts Center in South Laurel (2012)

The annual Montpelier Invitational Sculpture Exhibition runs now through Aug. 19 at Montpelier Arts Center in South Laurel - Details for this and other exhibits

Jul 26 O'Malley issues executive order for a study into burying power lines (2012)

On July 26, Maryland Gov. O'Malley has issued an executive order that calls for a study into improving infrastructure and burying power lines.

Jul 2 MD Senator Rosapepe Letter to PSC to Put Power Lines Underground (2012)

Jul 25 House Fire in South Laurel - Family Displaced but No Injuries Reported (2012)

Jul 24 Search for Possible Drowned Child in South Laurel (2012)

Updated 2012.07.25 Drowned boy pronounced dead

Island Flavors Restaurant In Crystal Plaza

UPDATE - Island Flavors Closed Oct 2013

See Island Flavors Carry Out Involved in Drug Trafficking Conviction in Crystal Plaza

//////////////////////////////////////////

To Report Your BGE Outage Call 877.778.2222 / For BGE Gas & Electric Emergency 800.685.0123 (2012)

Jul 21 Youth Group Car Wash Fundraiser at Oaklands Presbyterian Church(2012)

Healthcare phone scam targets seniors in Maryland per Federal Trade Commission (2012)

Free - Get Your Small Business Online with Google & Intuit per Maryland Governor (2012)

FREE 34th Annual Montpelier Mansion Grounds Summer Concert Series Friday Nights (2012)

State Delegations Ask Residents to Sign Petition to PSC to Fine BGE & PEPCO $100M Each for Derecho Power Outages

Jul 13 County Curfew for Juveniles in Effect (2012)

Jul 11 PGPDNEWS Introduces Ustream Channel;
List of other PGPD Community Info websites (2012)

Jul 10 Driveway Repair Scam in South Laurel Charged (2012)

Jul 10 Driveway Repair Scam in South Laurel Charged

Jul 5 Bogus BGE workers scamming some South Laurel & Laurel Neighborhoods trying to get inside homes (2012)

UPDATE: Jul 12 Baltimore Gas and Electric Company Press Release Warns Customers to be Aware of Utility Imposters

July 9 & 10 Hearings: Oaklands Presbyterian seeks annexation into Laurel's city limits (2012)

UPDATES:
2012.07.24 Third public hearing on Laurel annexation of Oaklands Presbyterian
2012.07.10 City Council hears development plans for proposed annexation

2012.07.10 Laurel’s Annexation Plan Draws Concerns of Residents

2012.07.10 Patuxent Greens resident speaks out on Oaklands Church annexation

Jul 6 PGPD Makes National News For Use Of Social Media (2012)

PGPD Makes National News For Use Of Social Media

PG Police Community Info Sites

Jul 7 Council District 1 Lehman on Outages, Traffic Lights, Cooling Centers, Independence Celebrations, Free Debris Disposal, March with Mary in Laurel Parade (2012)

Jul 4 Cooling Centers Near South Laurel by County and Laurel City (county residents welcome) (2012)

Jul 7 Laurel Independence Day Parade, Activities, Concert, Fireworks (2012)

Patuxent Research Refuge Public Programs Calendar

Patuxent Research Refuge Special Events Calendar

Jul 3 hi res time-lapse video of the 12 hour monster #derecho moving from west of Chicago to DCMDVA (2012)

Watch a hi res time-lapse video of the 12 hour monster Derecho moving from west of Chicago to DCMDVA.

fb.me/BubBNZwR

Via @BobRyanABC7 on Twitter

Jul 2 MD-21 State Senator Rosapepe Calls for Underground Power Lines - Debates BGE (2012)

Jul 2 Montpelier/South Laurel by Sara Walser :
Neighbors help stranded choir;
Police Tips Against Current Break-Ins (2012)

Cooling Centers Nearest South Laurel (2012)

Jun 30 Abandoned and Unclaimed Property Public Sale (2012)

Jul 15 Blood Drive at Oseh Shalom (2012)

Remembering Fallen Police Officer - Sergeant Steven F. Gaughan (2005)

Remembering Fallen Police Officer - Sergeant Richard S. Findley (2008)

Free Home Security Survey by District VI C.O.P.S.

Security Tips to Prevent Home Burglaries & Thefts from Cars (2012)

Havana Banana Breads

This growing list of local South Laurel Area Stores & Services is on the right-side menu on the South Laurel Views blog. Check frequently for updates.

Local Stores & Services

South Laurel Recreation Council

The South Laurel Recreation Council (SLRC) is a 501(c)3 organization. The SLRC consists of volunteers who are celebrating 43 years of service for the community. The Council plans, develops finances, publicizes, coordinates, and conducts a variety of recreation, cultural arts, and park and leisure programs for all ages throughout the year.

The Council offers a wide assortment of low cost classes and workshops for all ages year round, and provides cultural arts grants for area schools to provide free programs for all students during the school day. Every year the SLRC provides free programs and special events which have included the Montpelier Spring Festival, the Montpelier Summer Concert Series, the Holiday Craft Fair, and the Children's Holiday Program.

See the SLRC web site at southlaurelrecreationcouncil.org

Jun 16 Community Yard Sale at St. Nicholas (2012)

Downloadable E-books coming to Prince George's libraries -- will even better serve South Laurel residents (2012)

http://t.co/UTig7TMX

Jun 23 8 am - 12 pm Montpelier Hills Community Yard Sale (2012)

Summer Playground Program at Montpelier ES Cancelled Due to Construction / Oaklands ES hosts Harrison ES Summer Playground Program (2012)

The summer playground program at Montpelier Elementary School has been canceled because of construction at the school. The summer playground program scheduled for James Harrison Elementary School will be held at Oaklands Elementary School. Details and Registration links:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/howard/news/community/ph-ll-newsbriefs-summer-playgrounds-20120611,0,6386495.story

Jun 13 7-9pm District 1 Councilwoman Mary Lehman Town Hall with County Executive and 17 Public Service Agency Representatives (2012)

Jun 11 Search for Convict Near Rt 197 & Muirkirk Rd (2012)

"South Laurel Focus" News Aggregator

Jun 10 Montpelier Mansion Family Fun (2012)

www.pgparks.com/page39826.aspx

Jun 4 Deerfield Run ES Speed Cameras (2012)

May 31 Dollar Inn Closes in Crystal Plaza (2012)

Jun 6-20 Wednesdays Guided Bird Walk at Patuxent Wildlife Visitor Center (2012)

Jun 7 at 1 pm Senior Coffee with Prince George's County Police -- Local Gangs (2012)

Jun 2 6pm LARS Silent Auction & Dinner (2012)

May 27 PGPD Crime Reporting Tips (2012)

Here is a perpetual list of current, local blood donation events - just click. The need is constant. Gratification is instant. For future reference, this link Blood Donation Events Local by Date is now at the bottom of the right-side menu in the section "Other Information". At that link, you can also find other blood donation events anywhere. Here's a short version of that link that is easy to remember and easy to tell people about:
J.MP/donateblood20708
Please consider giving blood soon.

May 3 Senior Coffee with Prince George's County Police -- Local Human Trafficking (2012)

The next coffee for Seniors with Prince George's County community police is Thursday, May 3rd at 1:00 p.m.. We meet at the Laurel/Beltsville Senior Activities Center, 7120 Contee Road, Laurel, MD ( MAP ).

An agent from the FBI's Baltimore Office, will speak about local human trafficking.

Apr 26: 77-Year Old Man FOUND (2012)

UPDATE: 2012.04.25 04:00 pm

PGPD locates critical missing man, Noel George Walters, safe and sound in DC. Announced on Twitter @PGPDNews

=====
The Prince George’s County Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a critical missing person identified as 77 year-old Noel George Walters. He was last seen Thursday, April 19, at approximately 8:00 a.m., walking from his residence located in the 4300 block of Sarasota Place in Beltsville, Maryland. He has not been seen or heard from since. Walters is described as a black male with medium complexion. He is approximately 5’6”, about 156 pounds, with gray hair. He was last seen wearing a black baseball cap, black jacket, black jeans and penny loafer shoes. Walters suffers from dementia, high blood pressure and glaucoma and needs his medication. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Noel George Walters is asked to call the Prince George's County Police Department’s District VI Investigative Section at (301) 937-0910.

Apr 16 ICC Coming to Virginia Manor Rd by 2013/1014 (2012)

... Contract D/E will complete the ICC by constructing the final segment between I-95 and US 1 in Prince George's County. The full scope of work includes designing and building 0.9 miles of four-lane, tolled roadway with a partial interchange and crossing bridge at Virginia Manor Road and a continuous flow signalized intersection at US 1 near the Muirkirk MARC commuter rail station. ... Engineering design work is underway, with construction starting this spring. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2013 / early 2014. ...
[Read the full article here. Cite provided by a Montpelier Hills resident.]

Apr 14 - Laurel Not in 50 Best Buy Closures List (2012)

The Best Buy store in Laurel is not closing -- it is not on the list of all 50 Best Buy stores to be closed, most by May 1; the last 3 by this summer -- according to an April 14 Best Buy. Inc. press release. Only two Best Buy stores in Maryland will close: in Baltimore Harbor and Hunt Valley.

Apr 3 Armed Robbery at Crystal Plaza Rite Aid; Tied to Money Switch Scam (2012)

Prince George's County Police News Blog Apr 9, 2012

Prince George’s County
Police Department
Maj Putnam and Cpt Lloyd with
Cpl Knight & Cpl Beasock present:

Holding The Key To Keeping Your Items Safe
Monday, April 23, 2012 and Monday, April 30, 2012
7:00 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
District VI Satellite Office
11613 Beltsville Dr,
Beltsville, Maryland

You will receive helpful tips for cell phone security and information on how to prevent someone from breaking into your home and vehicle.

Questions? --
Cpl Gerald Knight
gbknight@co.pg.md.us
301-937-0910

Mar 30 Mattress World Becomes Furniture FEM in Crystal Plaza (2012)

UPDATE: FEM has closed

Apr 21 Free Mulch from Prince George's County (2012)

Forwarded from Geraldine Valentino-Smith
Free Mulch giveaway from Prince Georges County!
Saturday, April 21, 2012, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Prince George’s County Yard Waste Composting Facility, 6601 S.E. Crain Highway, Upper Marlboro
http://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/der/pdfs/MulchGiveaway2012.pdf

Mar 21 Keep "Pink Slime" out of our school cafeterias in Prince George's County (2012)

Feb/Mar Events of Friends of Laurel Library (2012)

Feb 9 Thousands of Prince George’s County Homeowners to Benefit from National Mortgage Settlement (2012)

Feb 8 Prince George’s County Preparations for Forecasted Wintry Mix (2012)

Jan 20 Briarwood residents met with BG&E over outage complaints (2012)

After last August's Hurricane Irene, when houses in the South Laurel Briarwood community were without power for more than four days, resident Mary Swift had had enough of what she saw as seemingly excessive power outages. By Pat Farmer, paf1@patuxent.com January 20, 2012 [full article]