The Intersection and Context Newsletter have written about this a thousand times. But Prince George’s County has a desire to become a tech hub, and bringing the sphere to South County is apart that agenda. It is safe to say, based on The Intersection’s reporting, former County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and her administration worked hard to get the data center ball going. The goal was ( and perhaps still is) to use the tech industry as tool to diversify the county’s revenue stream.

Read Our Coverage on Prince George’s County and its desire to be a tech hub

• PGC’s Data Center Plan

• Consultants, The National Park & Planning Commission, and residents gather in North County to discuss potentially installing more data centers.

• Landover Residents Speak Out Against Data Center

• Policies Against Data Center Expansions Exist Across the State of Maryland

• South County residents share their solutions and ideas about data centers

Under the Alsobrook’s administration, the county had mapped out destinations to put data centers. Under Aisha Braveboy administration, those locations became a hot topic. Local activists’ from North to South County began to organize and campaign against data centers being built in the county. Using Memphis, and Data Center Alley (Northern Virginia) as a pretext, they became extremely concerned about environmental concerns, and high electric bills.

An excerpt from our coverage:

During the discussion sessions, residents voiced their concerns about a number of issues they had with adding more data centers into the county. These reasons ranged from power usage, distance to living areas and who would be accountable for any promises or damages made by the center.

Eagle Harbor Mayor Noah Waters attended the event due to his concerns of a data center coming into his area. Waters said he doesn’t think data centers are economically sustainable and said there is a potential for longer term environmental impacts.

“There will be impacts… related to data centers,” he said.

Waters said he believes that data centers contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease. “They say the noise is incessant, and that never stops,” he said. “It’s 365 days, 24 hours a day and it never, ever stops. They can never shut down.”

In the news, the Braveboy administration has touted potential economic benefits of having The Sphere. According to a study conducted Ernst and Young LLP, one the world’s biggest accounting firms.

• $1.6 billion
  Economic benefits from construction

• $1.3 billion+
  Total annual economic impact once operational

• $63 million
  Annual taxes paid to Prince George’s County

But those are no guarantee. The county executive, during her campaign, said one of her of goals is to bring businesses to the county. That speaks to a more general position. To be more specific, if the county wants to be in competition with D.C. and, in a branding sense, above any other county, then pursuing technology companies is a wave to ride.

The county also boasts of university’s that are beginning to make their way in the technological arena. Maryland University has a quantam program. Additionally, the county recently welcomed a Finland quantum computer technology company business.

Community Meetings

The Prince George’s County Memorial Lynching Project

On Oct. 31, The Prince George’s County Memorial Project will honor and remember Mr. John Henry Scott. Scott was lynched in 1875 somewhere in Upper Marlboro, Prince George’s County.

The event is being held at Harmony Hall Arts Center at the Harmony Hall Regional Center, 10701 Livingston Road, Fort Washington, MD 20744 at 1 p.m. It will end at 3 p.m.

You can register here.

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Riversdale After-Hours Tour: “From the Source(s)”

Thursday, October 29 · 7–8 p.m.

$5 admission

An evening tour at Riversdale Historic House and Museum examining stories of life, loss, and legacy through historical sources. This could be interesting for readers interested in local history and whose stories get preserved.

Riverdale Park, Maryland

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BEST Horse Show

Friday–Saturday, October 30–31 · 8 a.m.–8 p.m.

Free admission and parking

The final fall indoor/outdoor show in the BEST Horse Show series, offering a chance to see equestrian competition without paying admission.

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Trunk or Treat Family Halloween Night

Saturday, October 31 · 6–9 p.m.

Free

A Halloween gathering designed for families, with a safe setting for celebrating and trick-or-treating. Confirm the specific participating location through the county listing before heading out.

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Maryland Emancipation Day

Saturday, November 7 · Noon–5 p.m.

Free

A living-history gathering featuring music, storytelling, food, and community activities commemorating the abolition of slavery in Maryland.

Concord Historic Site, Prince George’s County

Official event calendar

These dates, times, descriptions, and prices are drawn from the county parks and recreation event calendar and its related event listings. Check the linked listing before traveling, as registration and venue details may change.

Big News

Man found dead in Prince George’s Co. park behind elementary school

Excerpt: LANGLEY PARK, Md. — Homicide detectives are investigating after a man was found dead in a Prince George’s County park Thursday morning. This is the third homicide investigation in the county in a matter of hours.

A Maryland National Capital Park Police spokesperson said the victim was described as a Hispanic man in his 20s. Investigators say he was found with “trauma to the upper body” in Langley Hampshire Neighborhood Park on Quebec Street. Police did not say when the man was found.

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Dolores Huerta, 96, Who Fought for Farmworkers and Civil Rights Across

America, Dies

Excerpt: Dolores Huerta confronted wealthy growers, defied police, endured arrests, and forced an American agricultural industry built on cheap labor to reckon with the people who harvest its crops. Armed with picket signs, boycotts, and an extraordinary talent for organizing, she helped transform impoverished farm workers into a political force that could no longer be ignored.

Huerta, the pioneering labor organizer and civil rights leader who co-founded what became the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez, died Wednesday at her Bakersfield, California, home. She was 96. Her family said the cause was cancer.

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Maryland Leaders, Residents Promote Heading to the Polls: ‘This Is About Our Values’

Excerpt: With early voting underway, voters across Maryland and the country have been making their voices heard at the polls ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, a critical time to work toward change that starts in citizens’ communities and trickles to Capitol Hill and the White House.

“This midterm election matters because decisions made in Washington have real consequences for our jobs, families, and financial security,” said Juwan Blocker, a longtime civic activist who previously ran for Prince George’s County Board of Education. “Federal job losses have hit close to home for us, and that uncertainty is part of why my wife, Chakeia, and I created The Meet Up Podcast to have honest conversations about navigating life when things don’t go as planned.”

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Immigration policy worries Maryland Latino Republicans ahead of midterms

Excerpt: President Donald Trump’s immigration policies are troubling some of Maryland’s Latino Republican voters, who think he is taking things too far.

With midterm elections near, the concerns are not unique to Maryland. In 2024, Latino voters helped Trump return to the White House: He gained 48% of the Hispanic vote, according to the Pew Research Center.

That support appears to be slipping this year. A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed Oct. 5 found that just 26% of Hispanic registered voters plan to vote Republican in November, while 52% plan to back Democrats.

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Prince George’s Council gives final OK to funding for Sphere project

Excerpt: The Prince George’s County Council gave final approval Tuesday to a deal committing the county to financing up to $215 million to help bring the proposed $1.4 billion Sphere entertainment venue to National Harbor.

The 8-0 council vote authorizes up to $215 million in special obligation bonds to help build the iconic 6,000-seat venue and the surrounding complex. The Sphere Entertainment Co. would gradually repay those bonds to the county.

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Some landlords get around ‘early lease’ law

Excerpt: College Park is investigating five complaints involving violations of the city’s early lease ordinance, as student tenants continue to report pressure from landlords to commit to renewing their leases just weeks after moving into their apartments.

Assistant City Manager Michelle Bailey-Hedgepeth told the College Park City Council on Oct. 6 that landlords are getting around the law, which the city adopted in February, by using language like “early access” or “new lease renewals” instead of talking about renewing an existing lease.

“There’s some tactics that don’t necessarily use the word renewal,” Bailey-Hedgepeth said.

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How the New Sphere in Prince George’s County Could Boost Route 1

Excerpt: A new 6,000-seat musical venue at National Harbor could boost Route 1 if the area capitalizes on it.

The Prince George’s County Council voted Tuesday to issue $215 million in revenue bonds to help land the $1.4 billion Sphere, a smaller version of the famed Sphere in Las Vegas and potentially the second of its kind in the world.

While the Route 1 corridor is a half-hour drive from National Harbor, it could still spill over onto the corridor in a couple of ways.

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Does the Route 1 Corridor Follow a Native American Trail?

Excerpt: Some of America’s best-known roads follow routes forged by Native Americans. Broadway traces a Lenape trail across Manhattan. Parts of Route 66 roughly track older indigenous footpaths.

Maryland is no different. A recent state study documents Native paths that became the basis for some colonial roads and, in turn, some state highways. It builds on generations of research into routes such as the Old Indian Road.

A couple years ago, I was minding my journalism business when a Prince George’s County resident reached out to me via social media. The source had a concern about Prince George’s County government grant funding initiatives. Generally speaking, on an average day, within Prince George’s County social media groups, you find residents’ sharing deep concerns about local government.

So when the person reached out, I assumed that it would help me to better understand the the county’s political culture. We met at a coffee shop in North County. This person told me that they were concerned with how local officials may be allegedly using grant money to fund their associates local organizations. The person believed it to be conflict of interest. “You just need to follow the money,” he said. I didn’t co-sign anything he said, but just listened as much as I could. I wanted to understand where he was coming from, his politics, and why he was so interested in things like this. The person liked my work, and wanted to know if I was interested. “ I am,” I said.

I’ve been a journalist for more than a decade. To do that kind of in depth reporting, I would need more resources. At that time, I did not have the money to pay a freelance editor and a local reporter to do this much needed community reporting. I was honest about what I could and could not do. The person understood, and afterward disappeared into the abyss. I never heard from that person again.

(To be honest, I still lack the resources to do such a thing. To help support, this news organization become a paid-subscriber).

Having a lack of resources in the local news arena, especially as a Black publisher, is a norm. This is a sad reality. When I say resources, I am talking about money. When there is a lack of money, news organizations can’t hire community reporters, pay for FOIA requests, or do high-end community engagement projects. In short, we all suffer.

However, those conversations have stayed with me. I always wondered if some reporter is going to start “following the money” in Prince George’s County. I must say this. As a reporter, “Follow the money” doesn’t necessarily mean that someone or some people are involved in criminal activity. “Following the money” for a reporter could mean publishing a list of how a company or organization is funded. It could be totally legal. Residents need to know how their institutions use money.

Earlier this month, The Diamond Back reported on how a local non-profit organization — designed to service South County families — has come under scrutnity for its funding.

Excerpt from The Diamond Back:

Community on the Frontline and Oriadha came under scrutiny during a Monday news conference, when at-large council member Jolene Ivey and District 9 council member Sydney Harrison highlighted the need for an external audit of the organization and expressed concerns for Oriadha’s relationship with its employees.

Council concerns stem from the organization’s relationship with Oriadha, who participates in several programs with the organization, including the Oriadha Global Fellowship Program. She has also frequently referred to the organization’s founder Janna Parker, as her “best friend,” Ivey noted during the press conference.

“I have serious consternation right now about the acts of the way the grant process is moving forward. It seems to be run entirely by the chair of the council,” Harrison said Monday.

But there is something more fundamental. Here is a list of money Prince George’s County government granted local organizations in 2025. It is essential to understand that Prince George’s County government regularly grants local news organization’s money.

(Here is a PDF detailing the funds given in 2025.)

Another excerpt from The Diamond Back:

Prince George’s County has long had a grant distribution mechanism known as “project charges,” which allows the county to distribute batches of county funds to organizations for recreational community programs. This mechanism is how Joan’s House and Community on the Frontline received their grant payments.

The nonprofit grant controversy comes amid a larger ongoing county lawsuit related to project charges oversight. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission currently oversees distribution of project charges after the council allocates the broader funding to organizations.

The council is facing a lawsuit for trying to remove the commission from the process, arguing it doesn’t have the authority to distribute funding from the commission’s budget before any services have been delivered and without going through the standard process to obtain them.

Community Events

9th Annual “Lynching in Maryland” Conference

Day: Saturday, October 24, 2026

Time: 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. · Doors open at 8:45 a.m.

Registration: Event information and registration

Location: Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, Baltimore, Maryland.

About the event: The Maryland Lynching Memorial Project’s annual conference brings together community members, educators, researchers, policymakers, and advocates to discuss Maryland’s history of racial terror lynchings and efforts toward truth, reconciliation, and repair. The keynote speaker is legal scholar Dorothy A. Brown, author of Getting to Reparations. The conference will also include a community conversation about the planned permanent Maryland Lynching Memorial.

Maryland Lynching Memorial Project

Cost: Check the registration page for current ticket availability and pricing.

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Watkins Park Farmers Market

Saturday, October 24 · 10 AM–2 PM

Urban Farm Incubator at Watkins Regional Park. Free admission; shop local produce and support growers.

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Fitness in the Parks — Full Body Sculpt

Saturday, October 24 · 8–9 AM

An outdoor fitness class designed to strengthen the whole body. Listed as free.

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Washington International Horse Show

Through Sunday, October 25

Equestrian competition at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center. Daytime sessions are free; some evening shows require tickets.

Chesapeake Bay health rebounds to C+ in best grade yet

Excerpt: The Chesapeake Bay’s ecological health rebounded in 2025 and scored its highest ever mark — by one percentage point — in the 40 years that the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) has been tracking it, according to the university’s latest report card.

Although this year’s 56% overall score (a C-plus) is only a tick higher than the previous peak in 2023, it’s a significant improvement over a dismal 2024, plagued by drought and extreme heat.

The report card’s authors say the grade exemplifies the resiliency created by the long-term restoration efforts aimed at improving the water quality of the mainstem of the Bay.

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Baltimore waste incinerator is condemned as another charts its future

Excerpt: After racking up dozens of pollution violations, the owner of a troubled Baltimore medical waste incinerator in southern Baltimore must soon cease operations and pay a $600,000 penalty under a state legal settlement, Maryland officials announced on Oct. 1.

The announcement comes nearly three years after owner Curtis Bay Energy pled guilty to 40 counts of criminal charges related to improperly treating and unlawfully disposing of waste at its facility. The charges resulted in a $1 million fine paid to the Maryland Clean Water Fund.

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A record number of women are running for state legislatures this year

Excerpt: A record number of women are running for state legislative seats this November, more than two-thirds of whom are Democrats.

Across the 46 states with legislative seats on the ballot, a total of 3,824 women are running — up from 2022’s previous record of 3,621 women candidates, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. Women make up 35.5% of all state legislative candidates this cycle.

Currently, women hold about one-third of state legislative seats across the country — a record level of representation but nowhere near parity.

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Once a rarity, Latino candidates are now up and down the ballot in local, state races

Excerpt: When she entered public life in 1990, Ana Sol Gutierrez was a pioneer, serving two terms on the Montgomery County Board of Education before becoming Maryland’s first Latina state legislator when she was elected to the House of Delegates in 2002.

A native of El Salvador, she came to the U.S. in 1949, the daughter of a founding director of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. A systems engineer by training, she worked for NASA and was deputy administrator at the Department of Transportation in the Clinton administration. But she also saw the surge of Central Americans coming here to flee war and economic hardship.

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Black Political Power Faces Historic Opportunity and Growing Threats as America Approaches Midterms

Excerpt: Black Americans could elect the nation’s first Black woman governor in November, even as congressional redistricting threatens to strip Black communities of representation and a blistering new civil rights report accuses Congress of surrendering its independence to President Donald Trump.

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, in its latest Inside Black Policy: Government Diversity roundup, examines those competing developments, including a 51-page voting record from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights that condemns the 119th Congress for weakening protections affecting millions of Americans.

Prince George’s County, conservatively speaking, has about 70,000 residents that are employed by the federal government. On President Trump’s second term, his administration has worked tirelessly to fulfill the conservative vision of shrinking the federal government. The DODGE program, spearheaded by Elon Musk, took a scalpel to the federal government cutting agency after agency, forcing people out of the federal government.

Recently, Judge Vince Chhabia just blocked the Washington, D.C. Here is an excerpt from The Washington Post.

Trump can’t close historic agricultural research center in Maryland, judge rules

Excerpt: A judge has blocked the Trump administration’s plan to reorganize the Agriculture Department — which included shutting down a historic agricultural research center in Maryland — though the stoppage may last only briefly.

Prince George’s County Executive Aisha N. Braveboy (D) praised the judge’s decision, saying it would protect 1,000 jobs at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. Scientists there research species including poultry, cows and bees, and past research led to the eradication of screwworm.

Last year, the Agriculture Department announced a planned reorganization “to bring USDA closer to the people it serves.”

Community Events

The Capital Market at Walker Mill Regional Park

10 a.m.–2 p.m. Oct. 17

8001 Walker Mill Road, Capitol Heights

The county Planning Department will join the farmers market and community partners to discuss the Central Avenue Connector Trail program.

Official Planning Department calendar

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Tree-planting workshop — Fort Washington

5 p.m. on Oct. 20

Tucker Road Community Center, 1771 Tucker Road, Fort Washington

A practical workshop associated with the county’s fall beautification campaign.

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Tree-planting workshop — Upper Marlboro

5 p.m. on Oct. 22

DPWT offices, 9400 Peppercorn Place, Upper Marlboro

Another opportunity for residents to learn about tree planting ahead of the countywide volunteer event.

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Clean and Green: Elevate the Scene

8 a.m.–noon on Oct. 24

Countywide — residents choose a neighborhood cleanup location

The county’s fall beautification event invites individuals, neighbors, and community organizations to clean public spaces and improve neighborhoods. Supplies include gloves, garbage bags, safety vests, and litter grabbers.

Registration deadline: Friday, October 16.

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Community Relations Winter Forums

The county’s Office of Community Relations announced its 2026 Winter Forums on October 5. Check the announcement for scheduled forums, locations, and opportunities for residents to engage with county officials.

County announcement and calendar

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Library programs and community gatherings

The county library system offers public programs, book groups, youth activities, workshops, and cultural events.

Prince George’s County Memorial Library System

Chesapeake Bay health rebounds to C+ in best grade yet

Excerpt: The Chesapeake Bay’s ecological health rebounded in 2025 and scored its highest ever mark — by one percentage point — in the 40 years that the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) has been tracking it, according to the university’s latest report card.

Although this year’s 56% overall score (a C-plus) is only a tick higher than the previous peak in 2023, it’s a significant improvement over a dismal 2024, plagued by drought and extreme heat.

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Millions Given To 2 Nonprofits Prompts Call For Audit By Prince George’s Councilmembers

Excerpt: PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, MD — Two Prince George’s County Council members are calling for independent audits of two nonprofits that have received millions in public funding.

Council members Jolene Ivey and Sydney Harrison want external audits done on Community on the Frontline and Joan’s House. They also are pushing for an independent inspector general to review county operations and organizations receiving public money, both officials stated at a recent meeting.

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Prince George County chooses its next county administrator

Excerpt: PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A woman with over two decades of public service experience has been chosen to be Prince George County’s next county administrator.

Effective Tuesday, Oct. 13, Kristen Pudlow is now Prince George’s county administrator, according to a press release from the county.

Most recently, following the resignation of longtime county administrator Jeffrey D. Stoke, Pudlow filled the role in an interim capacity. Before that, she spent multiple years as Prince George’s deputy county administrator.

Tonya Sweat is on the ballot as a write in. Here is a timeline of her journey.

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Here are candidate Tonya’s positions about policy and to make Prince George’s County a better place.

1. Government accountability and spending: Sweat proposes auditing government spending, reducing waste, improving oversight and ensuring county programs serve residents fairly. She has argued for greater transparency in how public resources are managed. Source: Official campaign website

2. Property taxes and economic development: She advocates diversifying county revenue through commercial development, tourism and new industries, with the goal of reducing the tax burden on homeowners and creating jobs that pay living wages. Source: Campaign economic-development platform

3. Education and youth opportunity: Sweat identifies public education, recreational services and workforce development as priorities. Her economic-development proposals include skills training for young adults who are unemployed or not enrolled in college.

   Source: Maryland Forward Party candidate profile

4. Development and community input: She supports requiring stronger community oversight and demonstrable public benefits for major development projects, including the proposed Sphere at National Harbor. She has also criticized county leadership over its handling of large data-center proposals. Sources: Campaign platform · NBC4 reporting

5. Seniors, public safety and community services: Her platform also emphasizes services for seniors, safe communities, nonprofit partnerships and improving the delivery of county services. Source: Maryland Forward Party candidate profile

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   2026 County Executive Candidates

   Aisha N. Braveboy, Democratic

   87,944 votes

   Gregory Holmes, Democratic

   13,979 votes

   Charnell D. Ferguson, Democratic

   9,328 votes

   Billy W. Bridges, Democratic

   5,027 votes

   Marcellus Crews, Democratic

   3,686 votes

Who is running in the November general election?

The Maryland State Board of Elections’ general-election candidate list identifies:

• Aisha N. Braveboy (Democrat) — incumbent and Democratic primary winner.

• Moisette Tonya Sweat (unaffiliated) — listed as an active write-in candidate.

Community News

Prince George’s Leaders Advise Financial Literacy in Daily Life

Excerpt: With record-high costs for groceries and gasoline across the nation, financial literacy is becoming a necessary tool for navigating the world and making every dollar count.

Beyond day-to-day savings, that includes long-term estate planning to protect generational wealth from tax liens, repossession, and bad actors, according to Prince George’s County leaders like Jocelyn Route.

“Financial literacy is not only about how we earn, save, and spend our money. Financial literacy is also about how we protect what we have worked to build,” Route, Democratic nominee for Prince George’s County register of wills, told The Washington Informer. “Having a will is an important part of that responsibility.”

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Poll: Maryland voters back open primaries, question congressional map proposal

Excerpt: Should Maryland’s primary elections be opened to more voters, and should the state’s congressional map be redrawn?

A new UMBC poll finds many Marylanders think primaries should be opened up, while they are far less supportive of changing how congressional district lines are drawn. On the ballot, Maryland voters will be asked to make a choice on the third question, which deals with the redrawing of congressional district lines.

Mileah Kromer, director of the UMBC Institute of Politics, said she offered those who participated in the poll a “plain language” description of what the ballot measure would do.

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Prince George’s County Council still negotiating Sphere deal

Excerpt: The Sphere National Harbor project isn’t dead, but negotiations to make it a reality in Prince George’s County, Maryland, are in danger of rolling off the table as it approaches the final few days.

On Tuesday, the council’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee voted to send two bills covering the funding for the project to the full council, but without a recommendation, amid behind-the-scenes disagreement over how the work to build and operate the venue will be contracted out.

Potential County Executive candidate Tonya Sweat is continuing her fight to get on the ballot. Sweat is taking the Board of Elections to court. Sweat has filed a new petition against the Board of Elections.

“Upon the filing of a petition, the staff shall proceed to verify the signatures and count the validated signatures contained in the petition,” according to the press release.

This past week, according to a press release, Tonya Sweat and her team met with Prince George's County Elections Administrator Wendy N. Honesty-Bey. The Intersection has reached out to Honesty-Bey but has not heard back from that office yet. Arthur Horne of Shipley & Horne PA accompanied the BOE, and Aaron Nicely, Sweat’s law clerk, was present.

The meeting was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on August 25. Both camps met because Sweat is challenging the BOE’s rejection of possibly thousands of signatures. Those signatures would help her fight to become an official candidate for county executive.

“The purpose of signature verification is to ensure that the name of the individual who signed the petition is listed as a registered voter,” according to the press release. “ A summary report sent to candidate Sweat indicates a hyper-technical review exceeding the name, address, signature, and date of signature of each voter. Additionally, expert consultants to candidate Sweat have identified significant inaccuracies in the County’s voter registration list used to establish the 1% threshold that Mrs. Sweat was required to meet for her name to appear on the ballot.”

Big News

Prince George’s superintendent promises to fix school bus issues this weekend

Excerpt: Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) Superintendent Shawn Joseph said that the school district is working to have a solution to its busing problems by the start of next week.

Initially, around 10,000 students were not given bus routes to start the school year, but Joseph told News4 live on air that the number is now under 5,000 students impacted.

He said while there has been a backlog of routes being impacted, the attendance rate this week is around 94%, meaning kids have still been able to make it to class.

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Maryland, 22 other states sue Trump administration over family planning restrictions

Excerpt: Maryland is co-leading a lawsuit with 22 other states challenging new Trump administration funding requirements that threaten family planning grants unless states comply with what Attorney General Anthony Brown calls “unlawful and discriminatory conditions.”

In the suit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court for Maryland, Brown, along with New York Attorney General Letitia James and officials from 21 other states, says the new conditions on the Title X program in the upcoming fiscal 2027 funding period will penalize states that “refuse to abandon nondiscrimination protections.”

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Found Hanging: Black Deaths, Unanswered Questions and an American Terror That Refuses to Stay in the Past

Excerpt: Tasia Fortune was 29 years old, a mother of four, when police found her body hanging from a tree behind a vacant house in Jackson, Mississippi.

The place had a haunting name: the 500 block of Road of Remembrance.

For Black Americans, memories surface quickly when a Black person is found hanging from a tree.

Old, grainy photos show Black men surrounded by smiling crowds. The ropes. The trees. Bodies left on display. Postcards are made from these horrors. Thousands of names, some remembered and many forgotten, from a time when lynching was not just a way to kill Black people but a way to terrorize everyone who survived.

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Federal judge rules Trump administration cannot stop FBI headquarters move to Greenbelt

Excerpt: A federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration’s plan to keep the FBI headquarters in Washington D.C., marking a win for the state of Maryland and Prince George’s County in their fight to build a new campus in Greenbelt.

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang of the District of Maryland blocked the administration’s plans announced in July 2025 to move the FBI headquarters from the agency’s current location at the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington to the Ronald Reagan Building, just a few blocks away.

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Plans for old Six Flags site in Maryland reignite concerns for Belt Woods

Excerpt: A development partnership backed by an A-list sports celebrity is looking to transform a former amusement park in Maryland into an entertainment and shopping hotbed accompanied by a broad spectrum of housing types.

“Our goal is to deliver several different uses that kind of work together in a generative way to create a real ecosystem,” said Adam Rashid of TPA Group during a community meeting about the project in June.

But what about the natural ecosystem right next door? That’s what some conservationists have been asking since Six Flags announced plans in April to sell its 515-acre property in Prince George’s County for an undisclosed amount.

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Hyattsville’s Huncho House Restaurant to Close Sunday

Excerpt: A celebrity chef’s popular Hyattsville fusion-cuisine hotspot will close on Sunday, Aug. 30.

Located in University Town Center, Huncho House has served a unique blend of Italian and Asian cuisine for four years, featuring dishes such as suya-spiced branzino.

NFL player-turned-chef Tobias Dorzon opened the restaurant in 2022 after making waves on a Guy Fieri-hosted Food Network competition. One of the most anticipated new restaurants at the time, it made national news when Dorzon was featured on “CBS Mornings” and starred in an ESPN cooking show.

In 2024, Dorzon expanded with 1123, which blends West African and Asian cuisine.

Prince George’s County

Bill: CSP-2025-0001

Status: Pending Finality PB

Sponsored:

Info: Requesting approval of a Conceptual Site Plan (CSP) to amend CSP-12001, for development of 62 single-family attached residential (townhouse) dwelling units with associated infrastructure improvements, in conjunction with an existing gas station and food and beverage store of 4,650 square feet. Conceptual Site Plan CSP-12001 was approved by the Prince George’s County District Council on July 24, 2013, for development of 59,156 square feet of commercial development in the Mixed Use-Transportation Oriented (M-X-T) Zone.

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Bill: CR-079-2026

Status: Adopted

Sponsored: County Executive Aisha Braveboy, and Timothy J. Adams

Info: A RESOLUTION CONCERNING MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION - PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY MEMBERS - APPOINTMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC BALANCE for the purpose of addressing the geographic distribution and balance of the membership of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and confirming Kevin A. Anderson to serve as a member of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission of the Prince George’s County Planning Board to serve on a full-time basis.

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Bill: CR-078-2026

Status: Adopted

Sponsored: M-NCPPC, Krystal Oriadha

Info: A RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE PUBLIC FACILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY ELEMENT OF THE PRELIMINARY PORT TOWNS PLAN for the purpose of identifying inconsistencies between the Preliminary Port Towns Sector Plan and existing or proposed state and County facilities; and approving the inclusion of any new public facility proposals prior to the adoption of the plan by the Prince George’s County Planning Board of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

Potential Candidate for County Executive Tonya Sweat is locked in a battle with the Maryland Board of Elections again. Recently, they have said a significant portion of her 6000 signatures needed to get on the ballot to run against County Executive Aisha Braveboy have been called into question.

We hope to have more information as this situation continues to unfold. If the Maryland of Board of Elections rejects Sweats signatures, it would make her ineligible. Therefore, residents will not have a chance to vote for Sweat, who is running as an independent.

As this point, Aisha Braveboy and Tonya Sweat are the only two running for county executive. We will keep you posted on further develops about Sweats campaign as they unfold.

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Delonte here, the founder and reporter at The Intersection Magazine. I am writing to you because it is important to me that you all stay informed about what The Intersection Magazine is up to.

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Since taking office, Braveboy has a had alot of turnover in her office. Turnover is expected due to the fact that it was a new administration —and when their is a new administration, they typically remove those from previous administrations. Read the Diamondback’s reporting on this issue.

Legislation

Port Towns Plan

Bill: CR-078-2026

Status: Adopted

Sponsors: M-NCPPC, Krystal Oriadha

Info: A RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE PUBLIC FACILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY ELEMENT OF THE PRELIMINARY PORT TOWNS PLAN for the purpose of identifying inconsistencies between the Preliminary Port Towns Sector Plan and existing or proposed state and County facilities; and approving the inclusion of any new public facility proposals before the adoption of the plan by the Prince George’s County Planning Board of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

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Central Ave/ Blue line construction

Bill: CR-076-2026s

Status: Adopted

Sponsors: M-NCPPC, Krystal Oriadha, Sydney J. Harrison, Jolene Ivey

Info: A RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE CENTRAL AVENUE-BLUE/SILVER LINE SECTOR PLAN for the purpose of approving, with amendments herein based on the joint public hearing record of testimony, as an Act of the County Council of Prince George’s County, Maryland sitting as the District Council for that part of the Maryland-Washington Regional District in Prince George’s County, the Central Avenue-Blue/Silver Line Sector Plan, thereby approving a new vision to guide growth and redevelopment for the Central Avenue-Blue/Silver Line areas comprised of portions of Planning Areas 72 and 75A, and 75B in its entirety, an area generally defined by the MD 704 (Martin Luther King Jr Highway) and Sheriff Road on the north, and I-495 (Capital Beltway) on the east, and follows various property lines along the southern boundary line north of Walker Mill Road, including portions of the Town of Capitol Heights.

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Central Ave/ Blueline Corridor

Bill: CR-077-2026

Status: Adopted

Sponsors: M-NCPPC, Krystal Oriadha, Sydney J. Harrison, Jolene Ivey, Timothy J. Adams

Info: A RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE CENTRAL AVENUE-BLUE/SILVER LINE SECTIONAL MAP AMENDMENT for the purpose of approving, with amendments herein based on the joint public hearing record of testimony, as an Act of the County Council of Prince George’s County, Maryland sitting as the District Council for that part of the Maryland-Washington Regional District in Prince George’s County, the Central Avenue-Blue/Silver Line Sectional Map Amendment (SMA), thereby setting forth and adopting detailed zoning proposals for the Central Avenue-Blue/Silver Line areas, comprised of portions of Planning Areas 72 and 75A, and 75B in its entirety, an area generally defined by MD 704 (Martin Luther King Jr Highway) and Sheriff Road on the north, and I-495 (Capital Beltway) on the east, and follows various property lines along the southern boundary line north of Walker Mill Road, including portions of the Town of Capitol Heights.

Big News

Tonya Sweat works to get on ballot in Prince George’s county executive race

Excerpt: Sweat said her campaign was able to get the remaining signatures needed and submitted them before the 5 p.m. deadline on Monday.

She said this effort is historic because if she can move forward, she would be the first independent candidate to appear on the general election ballot as a candidate for the office of county executive in the 330-year history.

“Didn’t even think about it until it was pointed out to me,” Sweat said. “Then I had to take a deep breath because that makes the weight heavier.”

Sweat said the board of elections told her that they would need 20 days to ensure the signatures that she submitted are accurate, and she said after that, she will find out if she would be on the ballot for the November general election or if she will have three days to appeal their decision.

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Gov. Wes Moore signs bill allowing voters to weigh in on redistricting rules

Expert: Gov. Wes Moore signed a bill on Wednesday after the Maryland General Assembly’s two-day special session that lays the groundwork for future changes to the state’s congressional districts.

The amendment will appear on the ballot in this November’s midterm election, when Maryland voters will decide whether or not they approve the legislation. The bill, which clarifies the rules for how district lines can be drawn, was passed in the House of Delegates with a 96-38 vote Tuesday morning and the Senate with a 32-13 vote that afternoon.

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Local Leaders Support Plans to Move Sphere Project Ahead

Excerpt: The Prince George’s County Council has authorized a new development district and established the financial framework for the 14-acre, 6,000-seat Sphere in an 8-0 vote, bringing the proposed project one step closer to fruition.

County Executive Aisha Braveboy (D) said she is proud of the cohesion among the council to advance this administrative priority, which could bring major investment and entertainment value to the National Harbor corridor for years to come.

“I think today’s unanimous vote shows that we’re all aligned in bringing this very important project to the county,” Braveboy said.

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House set to give final approval to redistricting constitutional amendment

Excerpt: A House of Delegates debate over congressional redistricting — marked by a high level of civility — went on for roughly four hours Monday night, but ended exactly as planned by Democrats.

The House, in a voice vote, gave preliminary approval to House Bill 2100, the proposed constitutional amendment that would — if passed by the legislature and approved by voters in November — set standards for the state’s congressional districts.

Republicans entered the 2026 special session Monday knowing the outcome is inevitable, with Democrats holding a supermajority in both chambers. The option for Republicans was a fight over amendments — 20 of them over four hours — that stretched the march to a preliminary vote late into the night.

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Meet the Black Woman Leading Maryland’s Public Defenders

Excerpt: After graduating from Howard University School of Law, she imagined returning home to New York after a few years in Baltimore. Instead, a year-long clerkship with Judge Roger Brown, the late Baltimore Circuit Court jurist, changed the direction of her life and placed her on a path of public service.

Late last month, Dartigue took over the presidency of the Maryland State Bar Association. But before the titles and accolades, there was a foundation built through faith, family, and cultural identity.

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Political notes: A special session long on emotion, short on balloons, spot-on in witnesses

Excerpt: While the Senate waited Tuesday for a congressional redistricting bill to come across the hall from the House of Delegates, senators stood up one after the other to pay homage to Senate Majority Leader Nancy J. King (D-Montgomery), a longtime lawmaker who will not be returning in January, after losing her primary to Amar Mukunda, a first-time candidate.

Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) read a short biography about King, who was elected to the House in 2002 and has served in the Senate since 2007.

After King gave a few remarks that she labeled her “swan song,” the tributes flowed from colleagues for at least 40 minutes.

This past week, The Intersection and Context Newsletter published a story on two baby bond programs. One of those programs resides in Prince George’s County. The Washington Community Foundation launched a baby bond pilot program in two elementary schools, Bradbury Heights Elementary (Prince George’s County) and Jackson Road Elementary School.

The Intersection reports on this topic because bad policies around poverty have ravaged Black people in America. However, Black people, along with allies, have been some of the same people who produced good poverty policies not just for their communities—but for all.

Darrick Hamilton, an economics scholar, was the one who began to herald the gospel of the baby bond. We report on this, along with a short history of America’s relationship with bonds. They were first used to fund wars and global projects before the 1930s. You can read more here.

Maryland Reads

The state of Maryland just released its language arts reading proficiency data.

Prince George’s County’s reading proficiency, though low, was up and down for some years. But from 2025 to 2026, Prince George’s County’s proficiency rate has held around 38%. The bad news is that the county still has one of the lowest proficiency rates in the state. You can view the full data set here.

Big News

Local Leaders Support Plans to Move Sphere Project Ahead

Excerpt: The Prince George’s County Council has authorized a new development district and established the financial framework for the 14-acre, 6,000-seat Sphere in an 8-0 vote, bringing the proposed project one step closer to fruition.

County Executive Aisha Braveboy (D) said she is proud of the cohesion among the council to advance this administrative priority, which could bring major investment and entertainment value to the National Harbor corridor for years to come.

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Kevin Anderson Appointed to Lead MNPPC Board, Former Chair Sues County Leadership

Excerpt: Kevin Anderson, Maryland’s former secretary of commerce, stepped into a new leadership role on July 27 as board chair for the Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission (MNPPC), and he is bringing an enthusiastic vision for the future of Prince George’s County.

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Prince George’s makes it easier to retrieve cars whose owners were detained by ICE

Excerpt: The Prince George’s County Council approved legislation last week that would make it easier for family members of those detained by ICE to retrieve their cars from impound lots.

The bill was introduced by Eric Olson, vice chair of the council.

“When people are detained by ICE, often it’s out of cars and/or other vehicles, and then those vehicles just get abandoned by the side of the road,” Olson said.

In instances where a vehicle is considered “abandoned” it gets towed to an impound lot. Currently, only the vehicle’s registered owner, or someone authorized by the owner with a signed and notarized letter, can retrieve the car.

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Maryland union announces lawsuit against USM over withheld wage increases

Excerpt: Union members from institutions across the University System of Maryland announced during a Thursday press conference their plan to take legal action against the university system and the state of Maryland for withholding raises from employees.

Workers from universities including the University of Maryland, Bowie State University and the University of Baltimore who are members of Maryland’s chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees were meant to receive a 2.5 percent merit-based salary increase, union members said in a Wednesday news release. They said that, under the union’s contract for university staff, the raises were supposed to go into effect on July 1.

Capitol Heights, Maryland, a majority Black town, straddles the border of Washington, D.C. (particularly its Southeast and Northeast quadrants). This suburb features a variety of housing styles, including bungalows, Cape Cod cottages, split-foyers, and ramblers—homes that have symbolized the promise of a stable mid…

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Coming off the heals of 180 day moratorium against data centers that ended in Feburary, the Prince George’s County county council decided to issue another moratorium against data centers. This time is two years.

Maryland Matters Reporting:

Excerpt: The decision followed nearly an hour of public input and about a half hour of discussion among council members. The moratorium is an extension of previous and similar actions by the council.

Public testimony varied widely, with supporters and opponents of data centers arguing about utility rates, environmental damage, jobs and economic impact. A coalition of more than two dozen data center supporters, wearing neon green shirts and hats, tried to sway the council with testimony focused on fact and fiction. They left en masse before the hearing ended.

But the real debate happened among the council members. There was talk of reducing the two-year moratorium to a shorter time period, and at one point the council rejected a proposal to hold the resolution for more discussion.

“There are too many unanswered questions,” Councilmember Wala Blegay said. “I did serve on the qualified data center task force, and what I found from it was unanswered questions. How does it impact our water? We don’t know. We don’t have all of the answers.”

Councilmember Sydney Harrison spoke about the potential revenue for the county, but also the trade-offs from the “health, environmental and utility strain perspectives.”

For the last year or so, the county and its residents have been engaged in tuggle war about data centers. Last year, activist in Largo and in various neighborhoods in South County raised the alarm about environmental concerns about data centers.

— Read The Intersection’s reporting on data centers in PG County —

• South County residents share their solutions and ideas about data centers

• Planning Commission, and residents gather in North County to discuss potentially installing more data centers.

The moratorium comes at a time when the county — especially under the Alsobrooks administration — continues to postion itself as a tech hub, and, perhaps more importantly, using the “tech hub” mantra as an opportunity to diversify its portforlio.

Prince George’s County isn’t the only location in the Maryland that has sought to slow down the spread of data centers. Accoring to Data Center Bans, a website that tracks local policy against data centers, many counties, and Baltimore City, have placed a moratorium on data centers. See the list below.

• Baltimore County: 90-day moratorium + study on data center permits. Triggered by plan to convert 42-acre Woodlawn site into 150 MW data center.

• Montgomery County: County Council voted unanimously to pause data center permitting through end of 2026. Zoning text amendment introduced to restrict data centers to industrial zones.

• Frederick County: Council passed Critical Digital Infrastructure Overlay Zone limiting data center development to ~2,600 acres (0.6% of county). For every new data center acre, county preserves five acres of farmland.

• Baltimore City: City Council passed Bill 26-0158 on May 11, 2026 — a one-year moratorium on data centers using 10 MW or more, paired with a nine-month impact study — and sent it to Mayor Scott for signature.

Legislation

Bill: CB-074-2026

Status: Presentation and referral

Sponsors: Krystal Oriadha

Info: AN ORDINANCE CONCERNING ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS for the purpose of adding definitions and designating areas for accessory dwelling units consistent with authority set forth in State law; setting forth regulations for permitted accessory dwelling units; providing for the prospective application of provisions and amendments adopted herein; and providing a severability clause for the provisions related to accessory dwelling units in Prince George’s County.

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Bill: CR-071-2026

Status: Introduction and Adoption

Sponsors: County Executive

Info: A RESOLUTION CONCERNING MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION - PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY MEMBERS - APPOINTMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC BALANCE for the purpose of addressing the geographic distribution and balance of the membership of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and confirming Gloria Gary Lawlah to serve as a member of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission of the Prince George’s County Planning Board to serve on a part-time basis.

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Bill: CR-070-2026

Status: introduction and referral

Sponsors: County Executive, Krystal Oriadha

Info: A RESOLUTION CONCERNING SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION OF FEDERAL, STATE AND OTHER FUNDS for the purpose of appropriating funding from grants in the amount of $15,381,210 for the Circuit Court, Office of the State’s Attorney, Police Department, Fire/EMS Department, Office of the Sheriff, Office of Homeland Security, Department of the Environment, Department of Family Services, Health Department, Department of Social Services and Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement.

Big News

Celebrating Prince George’s History at 250

Excerpt: Across America’s 250-year history, Prince George’s has transformed from the Maryland county with the largest population of enslaved Africans to one of the nation’s wealthiest enclaves of Black people and more than two dozen municipalities.

Prince George’s County sits at the nexus of early colonial American history, the tragic legacy of chattel slavery, and the development of groundbreaking African American communities including North Brentwood and Glenarden.

The late Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller Jr. was a student of history who relished in the diverse stories that have contributed to Maryland’s mosaic.

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Ferguson, Peña-Melnyk announce special session for redistricting

Excerpt: Maryland lawmakers will return to Annapolis in a month as part of a special session related to midcycle congressional redistricting.

The legislature is set to return Aug. 3-5 to consider legislation that would clarify how congressional districts can be drawn — a reaction to a 2022 court decision that resulted in the current maps in which the Democratic Party holds seven of the state’s eight districts. The special session was announced by Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) and House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) Tuesday in a joint statement.

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Jawando declares victory in Montgomery County Executive primary

Excerpt: Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando declared victory Friday in the Democratic primary for county executive even though votes are still being counted.

Jawando has amassed roughly 40% of votes tallied so far, tailed by Councilmember Andrew Friedson with 34% and Councilmember Evan Glass with almost 22%. Jawando said Glass called him Tuesday night to concede. Friedson, who has yet to concede, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Disability topics focus of Prince George’s County Council candidates ‘meet and greet’

Excerpt: Veronica Davila Steele said Prince George’s County residents with disabilities are rarely seen, heard or acknowledged.

As chair of the county’s Commission for Individuals with Disabilities, she’s helping organize a “disability meet and greet” with County Council candidates with an eye toward bringing those residents and their concerns into the open.

It’s the first time the county has hosted an event with candidates that is strictly focused on disability-related topics.

“We are always in the shadows of everything. We should not be an afterthought,” said Davila Steele, who is hearing impaired. “Everything that comes across your desk should be looked at with a disability lens. It’s one thing to have access, but is it inclusive? We want to be included in everything that matters.”

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New Commanders stadium poses environmental concerns for Anacostia River

Excerpt: Trey Sherard pushed his Carolina skiff around the tip of Kingman Island, leaving the Anacostia River behind and entering Kingman Lake. It’s a lake in name only because it’s connected to the river’s mainstem on both sides of the island.

And Kingman Island itself isn’t a naturally created island. It’s the result of a dredging project in the early 1900s aimed at deepening the Anacostia for commercial boat traffic.

But here on the edge of the nation’s capital, the natural world doesn’t seem to mind such technicalities. Birds, frogs, muskrats, beavers, turtles and fish flock to this oasis, said Sherard, the Anacostia Riverkeeper. And it’s become more popular, he added, thanks to long-running efforts to restore the river and its watershed.\

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Lake Artemesia has layered history

Excerpt: Lake Artemesia has a storied history.

Like all lakes in Maryland, this one is man-made.

It all started in the mid-1800s, when a deep pit was left behind by workers digging for stone while constructing tracks for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad’s Washington Branch. The unsightly quarry caught the attention of Edwin A. Newman, a Washington-based real estate developer who saw the surrounding land as an opportunity.

Newman set out to turn the area into an exclusive resort-style suburban community called Lakeland. He turned the extraction pit into a seven-acre lake, which he named after his wife, Clara Artemesia Newman. The lake, stocked with pleasure boats and black bass, aimed to attract Washingtonians to Lakeland, which Newman marketed as a comfortable neighborhood near convenient transportation.

Newman’s resort dream did not pan out the way he had hoped, but part of the original lake found a second life as a goldfish farm.

For the last couple of years, Baltimore has been in the news for being a city that lowered its crime rate. Mayor Brandon Scott’s approach has been evidence-based, multipronged approach, something researches have long championed.

The Center For American Progress:

“Strategies that are working to increase accountability for lawbreakers and reduce crime include hiring law enforcement, like additional detectives, to solve more crimes; funding crime intelligence tools; and focusing enforcement on the smaller number of individuals and locations that drive most crime.⁶ Cities and counties have demonstrated that we can prevent crime by expanding youth-focused prevention programs, investing in community violence intervention efforts, preventing illegal gun trafficking, and supporting reentry services that help people returning home become productive citizens, thereby avoiding reoffending.^7”

Here is what The Trace, a news organization that covers gun violence in America, reported about Baltimore’s crime reduction.

Excerpt: It’s unlikely that a single program caused Baltimore’s almost miraculous decline in violence. Instead, a growing body of research suggests that the city’s approach — a coordinated system combining focused deterrence, community violence intervention, victim services, improved investigations, and sustained leadership from City Hall — may be one of the clearest examples yet of a city reducing gun violence at scale.

The strongest evidence comes from a new evaluation of GVRS by researchers affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania’s Crime and Justice Policy Lab. The strategy launched in January 2022 in the city’s Western District, then Baltimore’s most violent police district, before expanding elsewhere. The study found that within 18 months, GVRS was associated with a roughly one-third decline in shootings and homicides in the Western District compared with similar areas of Baltimore that had not yet received the strategy. Carjackings also fell by roughly 40 percent.

Ben Struhl, executive director of the Crime and Justice Policy Lab, said one reason Baltimore’s effort worked better than past attempts is that the city treated GVRS not as a stand-alone program but as an approach to governing.

“It’s not a program,” Struhl said. “It is a city strategy that starts with the mayor as one of the key political authorizers, and then tries to arrange government through a lot of different management means and some theory-driven activities to actually bring down violence at scale.”

That distinction is important, Struhl said, because cities often adopt pieces of focused deterrence — call-in meetings, community messaging, or enforcement actions — without building the full system needed to reach community members with resources and support to make the strategy work. Baltimore’s earlier attempts suffered from that problem. Using the “carrot-and-stick” simplification, Baltimore haphazardly wielded the stick and forgot the carrot. The current version, he said, was built around data, weekly reviews of shootings, a real service component, community messengers, and credible follow-through.

The Intersection’s Next Article

Hey fellow Context Newsletter follower!

Thank you so much for participating in this group by reading, sharing, and your financial contributions.

Currently, I am working on editing a long-form piece on baby bonds. You can read about the history of baby bonds here. I’ve interviewed several people for this story. Of course, the center of our reporting is always Prince George’s County. So we looked at what a baby bond program looked like in the county. I hope that you will read and share it with others. As always, the story will appear first in our online magazine. As soon as it is published — you will get a newsletter announcing its publishing. Thanks much for your patience, and your support.

As the country enters into a different narrative, surrounded by the 4th of July, we must remember the words of Frederick Douglass. In a speech titled “What To The Slave Is The Fourth of July?”

Excerpt: Fellow-citizens; above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them. If I do forget, if I do not faithfully remember those bleeding children of sorrow this day, “may my right hand forget her cunning, and may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth!” To forget them, to pass lightly over their wrongs, and to chime in with the popular theme, would be treason most scandalous and shocking, and would make me a reproach before God and the world. My subject, then fellow-citizens, is American slavery. I shall see, this day, and its popular characteristics, from the slave’s point of view. Standing, there, identified with the American bondman, making his wrongs mine, I do not hesitate to declare, with all my soul, that the character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to me than on this 4th of July! . . .

What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. . . . I will not enlarge further on your national inconsistencies. The existence of slavery in this country brands your republicanism a sham, your humanity a base pretense, and your Christianity a lie. It destroys your moral power abroad; it corrupts your politicians at home. It saps the foundation of religion; it makes your name a hissing, and a bye-word to a mocking earth. It is the antagonistic force in your government, the only thing that seriously disturbs and endangers your Union. It fetters your progress; it is the enemy of improvement, the deadly foe of education; it fosters pride; it breeds insolence; it promotes vice; it shelters crime; it is a curse to the earth that supports it; and yet, you cling to it, as if it were the sheet anchor of all your hopes. Oh! Be warned! Be warned! A horrible reptile is coiled up in your nation’s bosom; the venomous creature is nursing at the tender breast of your youthful republic; for the love of God, tear away, and fling from you the hideous monster, and let the weight of twenty millions crush and destroy it forever! . . .

Maryland’s New Laws

On July 1st, Maryland has issued some new laws. According to WTOP, Maryland has passed new cell phone policies. There will be bell-to-bell cell phone bans for the 2027-28 school year.

Here is the law: County Boards of Education - Student Electronic Communication Device Use Policy - Establishment

“Requiring each county board of education to develop and implement, by the 2027-2028 school year, a policy prohibiting the use of certain electronic communication devices by a student during the academic school day; and prohibiting the policy from restricting the use of an electronic communication device for purposes of accommodations related to a disability, including for any purpose in a student's individual education program, to address a documented health issue, to access language translation tools, or to meet caregiving responsibilities.”

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State Colleges and Universities and womens’ hygiene products

State colleges and universities will now dispense tampons to students who need them. The law goes into effect on July 1. However, Universities have until 2028 to adapt the law.

Maryland Law: Institutions of Higher Education - Provision of Menstrual Hygiene Products - Requirement

Requiring each institution of higher education that provides on-campus housing to provide, free of charge, menstrual hygiene products in all student health centers at the institution on or before August 1, 2028.

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A Change in School Absence Policies

Now, schools must excuse absences for students who doing work to engage communities in a positive. They categorize this as civic engagement.

Maryland Law: Public Schools - Student Attendance - Excused or Discretionary Absences for Civic Engagement

“Requiring the student attendance policy of each county board of education to include a provision allowing an excused or discretionary absence for a public school student participating in civil engagement activities; and clarifying that civic engagement includes testifying virtually or in person at a hearing of a legislative body, meeting with members of the legislative body, contributing to the consideration, development, or implementation of policy issues, or participation in the Maryland General Assembly Page Program.”

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Selling Race Horses

Owners of race horses cannot resell their race horses for commercial use.

Maryland Law: Horse Racing - Prohibited Acts - Slaughter of Racehorses for Commercial Purposes

“Prohibiting a person from slaughtering or causing the slaughter of a racehorse in the State for certain commercial purposes; prohibiting a person from purchasing, selling, transferring, offering for sale, importing into the State, or transporting a racehorse if the person knows or reasonably should know that the racehorse will be slaughtered for certain commercial purposes; requiring certain fines collected by the State Racing Commission to be distributed to the racing Special Fund; etc.”

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Lottery Payouts

According to a new law, people who win the lottery, but owe child support or any other kind of state debt could not be paid full earnings. Some of the earnings will used to pay for the debt.

Law: Video Lottery Facility Payouts - Intercepts for Restitution Payments, Child Support Payments, and Debts Owed to the State

“Authorizing the Central Collection Unit and the Child Support Administration to certify certain information about certain restitution, child support, and State debt obligors to a video lottery operator for purposes of enforcing a requirement to intercept certain prize payouts; requiring a video lottery operator to provide certain notice to a debtor that wins a prize to be paid by the operator and withhold all or part of the prize; authorizing certain debtors to appeal the proposed transfer; etc.”

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Cocktails in Baltimore County

Cocktails that are served to go have to be sealed with their original packaging. Here is the nuance of the law.

Law: Baltimore County - Alcoholic Beverages - Sale for Off-Premises Consumption

“Providing that certain authorization for the holders of certain licenses to sell alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption in a certain manner applies only if the Board of License Commissioners for Baltimore County has adopted certain regulations; authorizing the holders of certain licenses in Baltimore County that authorize the sale of alcoholic beverages at a restaurant or bar to sell certain alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption under certain circumstances; etc.”

Big News

In Southern Maryland, data center bid prompts larger debate

Excerpt: For nearly four hours, residents living near the site of a proposed data center in Charles County, MD, approached a microphone inside a mostly full auditorium. One by one, they lectured, thundered, exhorted and pleaded against an ordinance that would pave the way for data centers to be built in the Southern Maryland county.

But the prevailing sentiment may have been best encapsulated by a shout from a female voice that rang out during one of the meeting’s many emotional crescendos: “You’re playing with fire! You’re playing with our lives!”

The June 1 meeting — an opportunity for the county planning commission to weigh in on the proposal for the second time in three months — was a microcosm of the state’s larger debate about data centers.

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Bringing World Cup Magic To Prince George’s

Excerpt: Held by Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy’s Office and EagleSport Holdings, the event brought together residents to experience world-class soccer, local entertainment and family-friendly programming.

The event continued the following day with the Youth World Championship Tournament, where youth teams representing their countries of heritage competed in a dynamic showcase highlighting the county’s diversity, talent and global connections.

The event was free to the public; however, the county offset event costs by securing partnerships and corporate sponsorships ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 through the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation.

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America at 250: The HBCU Legacy

Excerpt: A 250th anniversary is incomplete without honoring the pioneers who shaped the nation – or the institutions that paved the way.

The founding of the first historically Black college or university (HBCU) in 1836 set a precedent of an education system where opportunity and inclusivity are the standard for all. From the inaugural Cheyney University of Pennsylvania to the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), that vision now scales across more than 100 existing HBCUs nationwide – all driven by a collective promise to uphold a more equitable future.

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From Shared Roots to Shared Futures: Strengthening Ties Across the Black Diaspora

Excerpt: Set against the backdrop of the most culturally diverse World Cup in history and ahead of America’s 250th anniversary, efforts to stimulate global connections are gaining momentum, and EMY Africa is determined to move the mission forward.

With the platform’s inaugural Washington D.C. Soirée, June 25 marked a moment of historic recognition as business leaders, entrepreneurs, creatives and diplomats converged in the name of building diasporic bridges.

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How to ensure your BGE bill doesn’t spike as temperatures top 100

Excerpt: With many Marylanders sweating through a heat wave, it’s natural to want to retreat indoors to a place with air conditioning.

The National Weather Service warns extreme heat will be an issue through the holiday weekend, with temperatures topping 100 degrees on Thursday, Friday and Independence Day. The forecast prompted Gov. Wes Moore to declare a State of Preparedness. Although it is tempting to turn down your thermostat as low as possible, the impact on your electricity bill may make you faint before the heat does.

Of course you know the history of Juneteenth. It is the announcement to enslaved Black people and white enslavers in Texas that The Emancipation Proclamation had abolished chattel slavery.

From the Library of Congress:

General Order No. 3, delivered by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865 stated:

The people [of Texas] are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain [quietly] at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.

It is always important to note that enslaved Black people didn’t need the Emancipation Proclamation to know that freedom was something they deserved. The Emancipation Proclamation restructured America. It ensured a legal freedom for Black people and protection through the law.

Self-emancipation had always been an ethic within the Black communities throughout the Americas. This is well documented. This is also true for Black people in Texas. A lot of the enslaved Black people in Texas had already self-emancipated. Grangers’s announcement to enslaved Black people and white enslavers came two years after the proclamation had already passed legislation in 1863.

As I have stated before, The Emancipation Proclamation didn’t immediately free enslaved Black people in Maryland. Maryland was a border state. President Lincoln had declared it so, and therefore they were somewhat free to end slavery when they wanted. Eventually it did. Maryland’s “Juneteenth”, if you will, happened on Nov. 1, 1864, a year after the Emancipation Proclamation declared enslaved Black people free.

Juneteenth Events

Self-Emancipators History

Thursday, June 18, 2026 - Sunday, June 21, 2026

Ticket Price: Free
Age: All ages welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Walk ins welcome.

Event Category: All Ages, Black History, Free

Marietta Historic Site & Museum

301-464-5291 mariettahouse@pgparks.com5626 Bell Station Road
Glenn Dale, MD

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Juneteenth Festival

Saturday, June 18 12:00pm - 5:00pm

Watkins Regional Park - 301 Watkins Park Dr, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774

This free family event is open to the public. As a part of the Department of Park and Recreation’s mission to provide exciting and unique cultural programming to county residents, the Juneteenth celebration is a must-attend event that will surely delight all.

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JLPGC’s 6th Annual Juneteenth Celebration

ByJunior League of Prince George’s County

180 followers13 events1y hosting970 total attendees

Follow Laurel Branch Library, PGCMLSLaurel, MD

Sunday, June 14 • 2 PM - 4 PM

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National Harbor Celebration

Click here to see the National Harbor’s Juneteenth Celebrations

Big News

Maryland Voter Guide 2026: Prince George’s County at-large and 5th Congressional district races

Excerpt: For the first time in 45 years the seat, held by retiring Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer that that spans parts of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties, as well as much of southern Maryland, is up for grabs. And with 24 names on the ballot, it’s impossible to predict who will win.

“I have never seen anything like it,” pollster Patrick Gonzalez told WAMU in an interview.

He has been working elections since 1985 and says he can’t remember a race that had this many candidates.

“To me, this is the type of race where I really think it’s just gonna be driven by name ID,” he continued.

Because of Maryland’s winner-take-all system, campaigns we interviewed estimated needing between 25,000 and 30,000 votes to pull ahead — as few as the voters in a single district in Prince George’s County.

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Prince George’s County Council Passes Revised Budget; Park and Planning Commission Sues Council

Excerpt: In an unprecedented move, Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy (D) returned the budget for a revision vote before the County Council while citing numerical and clerical errors within the budget that passed in late May. These errors, which have since been corrected, mean that the Council did not officially pass a balanced budget before the June 1 deadline.

County Council Chair Krystal Oridaha (D-District 7) noted staff turnover as one of the factors leading to delays and errors in the budget process.

“Anytime you have people doing the budget for the first time, there might be things that they are learning and mistakes that they can make,” Council Chair Krystal Oriadha said following a vote to address prior errors in the budget on June 9.

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PGCPS Selects Interim Superintendent Shawn Joseph for Long-Term Leadership

Excerpt: Shawn Joseph, who has been serving as interim superintendent for Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) since July 2025, will officially continue leading one of the 20 largest school systems in the U.S. with more than 130,000 students total, following a nationwide search.

“I’m pleased to welcome Dr. Joseph home to Prince George’s County, and I look forward to partnering with him and the Board of Education to chart a positive path forward,” Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy said during a press conference on June 1. “This is a pivotal moment for the school system and it’s an opportunity to reimagine what’s possible for our students and families.”

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In politics: Hoyer votes a Hoyer-free ballot, Percy convicted, Schmoke steps down

Excerpt: Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th) showed up at the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department Wednesday morning and did something he hasn’t done since the early 1980s — voted for someone other than Steny Hoyer for the 5th District seat.

“For the first time in 60 years I’m not on the ballot,” Hoyer said to election workers at the early voting center after casting his ballot for Del. Adrian Boafo (D-Prince George’s), whom he endorsed to succeed him in the district that includes St. Mary’s, Charles and Calvert counties and parts of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties.

Hoyer announced in January he wouldn’t seek reelection to the seat he has held for 45 years. Hoyer, who celebrated his 87th birthday Sunday, was first elected to the state Senate in 1966, at age 27.

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The Long War Against Michelle Obama’s Womanhood

Excerpt: Most Americans have never heard of Josh Hokit, and probably couldn’t pick the failed pro football player-turned-UFC fighter out of a photo lineup.

But on Sunday night, after winning the biggest fight of his life on the White House lawn in front of President Donald Trump, Hokit decided that directing a line of tired, worn-out misogynoir at former First Lady Michelle Obama would extend his 15 minutes of MAGA fame.

County Legislation

Bill: CB-063-2026

Status: Presentation and referral

Info: AN ORDINANCE CONCERNING USE REGULATIONS - RESIDENTIAL INFILL for the purpose of promoting higher density residential development by permitting infill two-family and townhouse dwellings in the Residential, Rural (RR) Zone inside the Capital Beltway; providing for use standards for infill dwellings in the RR Zone; amending intensity and dimensional standards for infill dwellings within the RR Zone; setting forth minimum and maximum parking standards for infill dwellings within the RR Zone.

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Bill: CR-057-2026

Status: To Committee

Sponsors: Thomas E. Dernoga, Krystal Oriadha

Info: A RESOLUTION CONCERNING AMENDMENT OF SECTIONS 301, 303, 307, AND 307A, CHARTER OF PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY for the purpose of proposing amendments to Sections 301, 303, 307, and 307A, of the Charter of Prince George's County to repeal at-large members for the composition of the Council, to provide for nine Council district members, to repeal the eligibility requirements of at-large members of the Council, to repeal the eligibility of Council members to be at-large members for additional consecutive terms, to provide a severability clause, to provide that the amendments to the Charter contained herein are effective for the term beginning at noon on the first Monday in December 2030 and for each election cycle thereafter, and generally regarding repealing at-large council members for the composition of the Council.

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Bill: CR-055-2026

Status: To Committee

Sponsors: Krystal Oriadha, Thomas E. Dernoga, Shayla Adams-Stafford, Danielle I. Hunter, Wanika Fisher, Sydney J. Harrison, Eric C. Olson, Jolene Ivey, Timothy J. Adams

Info: A RESOLUTION CONCERNING AMENDMENT OF SECTION 908, CHARTER OF PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY for the purpose of proposing an amendment to Section 908 of the Charter of Prince George’s County to add the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service for disputed labor issues; and generally regarding collective bargaining.

Big News

Maryland’s last coal plant likely to get another extension

Link: Maryland’s only remaining coal-fired power plant is likely to keep operating through mid-2031 — six years after it was set to close — although the plan technically still requires approval from federal regulators.

The owner of the Brandon Shores coal plant south of Baltimore originally planned to close it in 2025. But officials threw up a red flag, and warned that the plant’s retirement would endanger the regional electricity grid.

That led to a plan to keep Brandon Shores, and a neighboring oil-fueled plant called H.A. Wagner, operational through May 2029, with Maryland ratepayers picking up the tab. Now, officials want to extend that very same agreement through May 2031.

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Prince George’s County goes on offensive against Park and Planning Commission

Link: Long-simmering grievances and disagreements over how tens of millions of taxpayer dollars are spent in Prince George’s County blew up on Tuesday when the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission put out a lengthy statement blasting the Prince George’s County Council for transferring tens of millions of dollars from its budget.

The war of words continued into Wednesday. After a lawsuit was filed by the commission, county leaders did not hold back in their criticism of the agency.

Hours after the council fixed the errors in the new budget, the commission put out a statement warning that tens of millions of dollars in cuts and nearly $40 million more in transfers to other council programs would be destabilizing and threaten jobs and services.

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Disability topics focus of Prince George’s County Council candidates ‘meet and greet’

Link: Veronica Davila Steele said Prince George’s County residents with disabilities are rarely seen, heard or acknowledged.

As chair of the county’s Commission for Individuals with Disabilities, she’s helping organize a “disability meet and greet” with County Council candidates with an eye toward bringing those residents and their concerns into the open.

It’s the first time the county has hosted an event with candidates that is strictly focused on disability-related topics.

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‘Churches Are Inherently Political’: Black Faith Leaders Plan to Expand Voter Outreach

Link: Black faith leaders in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area are mobilizing congregations ahead of upcoming local and congressional elections in an effort to turn faith into action and boost civic engagement.

“The role of faith is to hold the state accountable,” said the Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould. “When policies do more harm than good, we have a responsibility to help people build the power to change those conditions.”

More than six decades after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and days after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened key protections in the landmark law, Black faith leaders said it’s important to step up.

Community Meetings

Community Shredding Event & Hygiene Drive

Join Prince George’s County Council Member Danielle Hunter and the District 6 Team for a FREE Community Shredding Event & Hygiene Drive!

DATE:
Saturday, June 13, 2026
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

LOCATION:
Ernest Everett Just Middle School
1300 Campus Way North
Mitchellville, MD 20721

VIEW AND DOWNLOAD THE DISTRICT 6 SHRED AND DONATE EVENT FLYER

This is a great opportunity to securely dispose of your unwanted paper documents — safely and responsibly! We also welcome support of our host school by donating to their community school pantry with new hygiene products! Stay tuned for additional information on acceptable and non-acceptable items for shredding, and suggested hygiene products to donate.

For more information, please call (301)952-3426 or email CouncilDistrict6@co.pg.md.us.

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Fostering the Future: Strengthening Families, Empowering Youth

Link: The Prince George’s County Council’s Foster Care Task Force will host Fostering the Future: Strengthening Families, Empowering Youth on Saturday, July 11 2026, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM.

LOCATION:
To Be Determined

Join Prince George’s County Council’s Foster Care Task Force for a fun and engaging gathering of community leaders, advocates, and partners who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and families. Together, we will share ideas, build connections, and inspire action to create brighter tomorrows for our youth.

REGISTER FOR FOSTERING THE FUTURE: STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, EMPOWERING YOUTH

Let’s foster the future - together. For more information, please contact Nathaniel Tutt, please contact Nathaniel Tutt, Public Safety, Health & Human Services Committee Director at NKTutt@co.pg.md.us.

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Mama Needs A Hand In-Home Support Program

The Mother’s Fist Initiative, together with Prince George’s County Chair Krystal Oriadha, is excited to launch “Mama Needs A Hand”, an on-demand in home support program.

VIEW AND DOWNLOAD THE MAMA NEEDS A HAND PROGRAM FLYER

In partnership with Community on the Frontline and the Nu You, Inc., Mama Needs a Hand provides in home support for pregnant and postpartum moms, offering a trained mom assistant who helps with light household tasks, companionship, and practical relief so mothers can breathe, recover, and feel supported. Types of services that will be provided include folding laundry, doing dishes, organizing space, and other needs moms may have.

To be eligible, residents:

• Must live in Prince George’s County zip codes 20746, 20747, 20743, 20748, or 20745;

• Pregnant or have a child under 3;

• Is in need to improve feelings of overwhelm;

• Desire more assistance with daily motherhood tasks;

• Willing to participate in a Pre and Post intake call;

For more information, please visit www.mothersfirstinitiative.com.

“This budget is about improving everyday life for the people of Prince George’s County,” said Chair Oriadha. “We were able to close a massive deficit while still expanding services and making meaningful investments into our communities without growing the size of the budget. That required discipline, partnership, and a commitment to putting residents first.”

Here is how the county council outlines some of its key investments:

• $2 million for child care grants for working families

• Increased funding for senior meal delivery programs

• More than $1 million for rental assistance

• More than $1 million to support small businesses and economic opportunity initiatives

• Increased autism support funding for the Early Connections Program

• Full funding for Providers Council organizations serving residents with disabilities

• Increased library funding to expand Sunday hours and launch new speech and language support programming for children

• Funding to establish a new Missing Black Girls Campaign

• $250,000 for the Family Justice Center

The budget also emphasizes investing in neighborhood revitalization and infrastructure, including:

• More than $30 million for roads and infrastructure improvements

• More than $1 million for sidewalks and pedestrian safety enhancements

• More than $3 million in additional beautification, litter reduction, and cleanup funding

• $3.6 million for Strike Force 311, the countywide cleanup initiative launched by County Executive Braveboy

Additionally, the spending plan increases access to recreation and community programming through:

• Expanded free summer camps countywide

• Free swimming lessons at Parks and Recreation facilities

• $1 million for autism-inclusive recreation programming

• $1 million to expand senior programming

Big News

Local (Prince George’s County)

Massive new studio aims to bring Hollywood to Prince George’s Co.

Excerpt: A massive warehouse in Laurel, Maryland, is being transformed into a high-tech film and TV production facility that company and county leaders said will make the area a magnet for major film, commercial and streaming projects.

“Welcome to the future of filmmaking in Maryland,” Revolution VP Studios co-founder Zach Guerra said at an event Thursday. “When we open our doors this October, our VP studios will be the most technologically advanced virtual production studio facility in the world. Not in Maryland. Not on the East Coast. In the world.”

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Local Man Wins Big At MGM National Harbor

Excerpt: A Prince George’s County resident identified as Michael has claimed a life-changing jackpot at MGM National Harbor, securing the casino’s largest win of May so far. On May 18, Michael hit the Face Up Pai Gow Poker progressive for $2,669,714, a windfall the property described as “the hand of a lifetime.” The victory cements Michael among the month’s top five winners and punctuates a strong run of jackpots at the Oxon Hill resort.

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City installs chip readers for lost pets

Excerpt: College Park installed two self-service pet microchip scanning stations in March to help residents quickly reunite lost dogs and cats with their owners.

The stations, located outside City Hall on Yale Avenue and the Davis Hall Public Works facility on 51st Avenue, are available at all times for residents who find lost animals.

“It seems a good majority of the conversations on Nextdoor are lost pets or found pets,” College Park City Councilmember Alan Hew (District 1) said. “A lot of times these pets are found on the weekend, and the city and the county don’t have personnel on staff … so there are delays.”

Data center boom raises environmental justice concerns in Maryland

Excerpt: Staci Hartwell sees it, her community has much more to lose than to gain from the development of a massive data center.

“I don’t think it needs to be in the heart of a community that is suffering from cumulative impacts, which just happens to be a predominantly Black and brown community,” said Hartwell, a resident of Prince George’s County, MD, and strategist for the South County Environmental Justice Coalition.

Lerner Enterprises, a real estate firm operated by the family that owns the Washington Nationals, has proposed a $5 billion, 4-million-square-foot data center complex on the site of the long-demolished Landover Mall. Those plans were put on hold last September, though, after County Executive Aisha Braveboy placed a temporary halt on processing data center permits.

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National

Judge Declines, for Now, to Block Mail-In Voting Changes Ordered by Trump

Excerpt: A federal judge on Thursday declined, for the moment, to block an executive order President Trump signed in March targeting mail-in voting and directing the creation of a federal database of citizens to help guide states on voter eligibility.

The decision allows the Trump administration to continue pursuing measures to insert the federal government into the administration of elections that are otherwise managed by the states. The administration has proposed changes at the Postal Service and having the Homeland Security Department compile state-by-state voter lists using Social Security data and other information drawn from federal databases.

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ICE detained over 1,000 people in D.C. last summer. Here is one man’s story

Expert: Alexander Esquivel was eating breakfast in his car outside his Washington, D.C. apartment last August when, unbeknownst to him, an ICE agent approached his vehicle. Esquivel was about to leave for his cleaning job and stepped out of the car to dust crumbs off his shirt when the agent grabbed his wrist.

“He said, ‘which border did you cross?’ He asked me that repeatedly, over and over again,” Esquivel said. “I felt so many emotions: What would happen if they deported me? I’ll lose my family, my friends, everything I’ve built, I’ll lose it all in the blink of an eye, all for nothing.”

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Ballots Have Been Seized Across the US. No One Knows What Will Happen Next

Excerpt: As US voters look to the November midterms, the Trump administration is obsessed with looking back to past elections, seizing ballots cast years ago in several states in search, it claims, of fraud or other malfeasance. But experts believe the goal may be more varied.

The seizures began in January when FBI agents armed with a warrant raided an election facility in Fulton County, Georgia, and grabbed 600 boxes of ballots from 2020. This was followed in March by the Department of Justice obtaining ballot images from 2020 in Maricopa County, Arizona, and—citing claims about supposed fraud in 2020—demanding ballots from the 2024 election in Wayne County, Michigan.

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Who’s Spending in Your Congressional Election? We Tracked the Front Groups Fueling the 2026 Midterms.

Excerpt: The bitter Michigan Senate primary was heating up earlier this month when a mystery group bought $5 million in TV ads boosting the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s preferred candidate in the Democratic race, Haley Stevens.

The group had an anodyne name — the Center for Democratic Priorities — and no track record in Michigan politics. It was incorporated in Delaware seven months ago under a shroud of secrecy.

Online sleuths soon discovered, however, that whoever was behind the group had used the same consulting firm employed by a super PAC affiliated with AIPACs to buy the ads. Suspicions fell on the pro-Israel lobbying shop or its super PAC affiliate, which has repeatedly created so-called “pop-up” super PACs to influence elections elsewhere. AIPAC issued a denial that it was funding the ads.

Community Meetings

Job Fair

Prince George’s County Council Member Timothy J. Adams, in partnership with Employ Prince George’s, will host the quarterly Bridge to Employment Job and Resource Fair on June 3, 2026, from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM.

LOCATION:
Kenhill Center
2614 Kenhill Drive
Bowie, MD 20715

VIEW AND DOWNLOAD THE BRIDGE TO EMPLOYMENT JOB AND RESOURCE FAIR FLYER

The Bridge to Employment Job and Resource Fair will bring together over 30+ employers and community resource partners ready to hire, connect, and invest in our residents who’s ready to take the next step in their careers. Residents are invited to explore new opportunities, build valuable professional connections, and access resources that can help you succeed in today’s job market. Whether you are looking to land a new role, polish your resume, or explore local career development tools, this fair is designed to help you take that next big leap! Bring plenty of copies of your resume, dress to impress, and come network with recruiters who are ready to hire! Spots are filling up, so make sure to reserve your place in advance on Eventbrite.

REGISTER FOR THE BRIDGE TO EMPLOYMENT JOB AND RESOURCE FAIR

If you are a job seeker, or employer and resource partner, please register below.

REGISTRATION LINK FOR EMPLOYER AND RESOURCES PARTNERS
REGISTRATION FOR JOB SEEKERS

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3rd Annual District 9 and Manhood 101 Mentoring and S.T.E.M. Camp

Prince George’s County Council Member Sydney J. Harrison, in partnership with Manhood 101, announces the 3rd Annual District 9 and Manhood 101 Mentoring and S.T.E.M. Camp!

VIEW AND DOWNLOAD THE 3RD ANNUAL MENTORING & STEM BOYS CAMP FLYER

The 3rd Annual District 9 and Manhood 101 Mentoring and S.T.E.M. Camp is back for its third year, offering an empowering experience for boys ready to grow, learn, and challenge themselves. Campers will dive into hands‑on STEM projects, outdoor activities, team challenges, and leadership exercises that encourage focus, confidence, and personal growth. Surrounded by positive male mentors, participants build character, strengthen discipline, and form friendships through shared experiences and meaningful guidance.

Council Member Harrison invites boys ages 11–14 to apply for this free four‑day overnight camp taking place July 22–25, 2026. Applications are now available, and the registration process will conclude on May 31. Space is limited, so do not miss out on this amazing opportunity!

REGISTER FOR THE 3RD ANNUAL MENTORING & STEM BOYS CAMP

For more information, please contact the District 9 office at (301) 952-3820 or CouncilDistrict9@co.pg.md.us for more information.

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Community Shredding Event & Hygiene Drive

Join Prince George’s County Council Member Danielle Hunter and the District 6 Team for a FREE Community Shredding Event & Hygiene Drive!

DATE:
Saturday, June 13, 2026
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

LOCATION:
Ernest Everett Just Middle School
1300 Campus Way North
Mitchellville, MD 20721

VIEW AND DOWNLOAD THE DISTRICT 6 SHRED AND DONATE EVENT FLYER

This is a great opportunity to securely dispose of your unwanted paper documents — safely and responsibly! We also welcome support of our host school by donating to their community school pantry with new hygiene products! Stay tuned for additional information on acceptable and non-acceptable items for shredding, and suggested hygiene products to donate.

For more information, please call (301)952-3426 or email CouncilDistrict6@co.pg.md.us.

In the past week or so, former Chairman of the five-member Planning Board Darryl Barnes has resigned his position. The resignation, likely encouraged by County Executive Aisha Braveboy, came after the Baltimore Banner published an article detailing alleged nepotism and other forms of misconduct at the The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

It is important to note that County Executive Braveboy appointed Barnes, and the county council unanimously backed him. During the early months, County Executive Aisha Braveboy moved fast to get her appointed positions approved by county council. At an October ceremony, where new administration was sworn-in, then Chairman of Prince George’s County, County Council Edward Burroughs publicly vowed “to have her back.”

Braveboy campaigned on bringing economic prosperity to the county by building new business relationships. Barnes appointment seemed to fit with the county executive’s agenda. However, Braveboy was the one who asked Barnes to step down while an investigation into the allegations begins.

Readers: What do you think about Darryl Barnes resignation? Leave your answers in the comments.

Big News

Who has the money: Maryland District 22 delegate edition

Excerpt: In the June primary, voters will choose three of the four candidates below to serve as state delegates for District 22, which includes Hyattsville. We took a look at their campaign finance reports, one of which was due May 19, to get a lens on what they are working with and who supports them.

Having gotten off to an early and strong start, Molly McKee-Seabrook is leading the pack in terms of cash on hand, with $46,000 in her campaign bank account mid-May. By Jan. 14, she had already raised $55,000 and spent $12,000, spending only another $1,000 between mid-January and mid-May. McKee-Seabrook has about 200 donors, most of them local. Among her largest donors are a group that, based on name or address, seem to be family, and have contributed more than $10,000 combined.

Lead paint flakes lead to $2.2 million settlement in Maryland

Excerpt: An incident that caused lead paint chips to rain down from a 1,000-foot broadcast tower onto homes, parks and daycare facilities in Baltimore has led to a $2.2 million settlement against a paint-removal contractor and the company that hired it.

The agreement stems from a civil lawsuit filed by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown’s office, alleging that Television Tower Inc. (TTI) knew its tower contained lead-based paint before the repainting project began.

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In the Black Church, Women’s Hats Still Testify

Excerpt: In Black church tradition, women’s hat-wearing has long stood at the intersection of faith, culture, and dignity. What may appear to outsiders as fashion is, for many, an act of reverence — a visible expression of inward devotion shaped by scripture, history, and lived experience.

The most often cited biblical passage comes from 1 Corinthians 11, which addresses the covering of women’s heads in worship. While interpretations vary across denominations, many Black churches have embraced the practice as a sign of honor and respect in the presence of God. Over time, that theological framework merged with cultural expression, giving rise to what is now widely known in the Black community as the “church hat” tradition.

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Maryland’s first — and only — Hispanic Serving Institution’s cautious next steps

Excerpt: In 2021, Montgomery College was named the first, and only, Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in Maryland, a federal designation for colleges with a Latino enrollment of at least 25%. The designation sparked an internal push for ways to improve the Hispanic student experience at the school, and potential access to federal grants to do so.

Today, it’s still an HSI, one of 645 such schools nationwide. Nearly one in three students currently at the college – or 29.8% – identify as Latino, making it the school’s largest minority.

But the U.S. Department of Education in 2025 deleted the HSI page from its website. It ended $350 million in grants that same year, claiming that awarding the funds to Hispanic schools is discriminatory and unconstitutional. At the time, Montgomery College had two grants in the pipeline, but like its sister institutions, it was cut off from funding
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FACT FOCUS: No. 47 falsely accuses Maryland of sending ‘illegal’ mail-in ballots to voters

Excerpt: TRUMP: “In Maryland, they sent out 500,000 Illegal Mail In Ballots, and they got caught! So now, they’re going to send out 500,000 more Mail In Ballots, but nobody knows what’s happening with the first 500,000 they sent. In addition, many of these ballots went to Democrats, so any Republican running in Maryland doesn’t have a chance! This was done by the Corrupt Governor of the State, Wes Moore. He allowed this to happen in order to make sure that Democrats win.”

THE FACTS: This is false. No illegal mail-in ballots were sent to voters. The Maryland State Board of Elections said some voters received a primary ballot for the wrong party due to a vendor error. Voters who may have been affected will receive a replacement ballot and any of the original ballots already sent to election offices will be voided. Voters have been instructed to destroy their original ballots if they have not yet returned them.

Safeguards such as unique identifiers on ballot envelopes ensure that each voter can only vote once. Additionally, the error won’t give one party an advantage over the other. In Maryland, Republicans and Democrats vote in separate primaries to determine who their candidates will be in the general election.

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UMD SGA president reflects on controversial year shaped by student activism, instability

Excerpt: Social justice initiatives, an impeachment investigation and an unusual transition of power defined 2025-26 University of Maryland SGA president Dhruvak Mirani’s term.

As he reached the end of his term, The Diamondback spoke with Mirani about this spring’s election, his experience as president and the past year of student government at this university.

The Student Government Association passed a slew of resolutions this year that took a stance on both national and international issues, leading to tension between the governing body and various campus organizations. It also tackled student-oriented issues, including encouraging the College Park City Council to adopt a policy restricting when landlords can ask tenants to renew their leases.

Legislation

Blue Line Corridor

Bill: CR-041-2026

Status: Adopted

Sponsors: Shayla Adams-Stafford, Wala Blegay, Krystal Oriadha

Info: A RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE PUBLIC FACILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY ELEMENT OF THE CENTRAL AVENUE-BLUE/SILVER LINE SECTOR PLAN AND SECTIONAL MAP AMENDMENT for the purpose of identifying inconsistencies between the Preliminary Central Avenue-Blue/Silver Line Sector Plan and Proposed Sectional Map Amendment and existing or proposed state and County facilities, and approving the inclusion of any new public facility proposals prior to the adoption of the plan by the Prince George’s County Planning Board of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

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Agritourism

Bill: CR-040-2026

Status: To Committee

Sponsors: Thomas E. Dernoga, Wala Blegay

Info: A RESOLUTION CONCERNING PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY AGRITOURISM AND WINERY PROMOTION PILOT PROGRAM for the purpose of establishing the Prince George’s County Agritourism and Winery Promotion Pilot Program in partnership with the Maryland Wineries Association and Experience Prince George’s, and allocating Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) to fund signage, marketing, and promotional efforts to support wineries and other agribusinesses in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

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Vacant Properties

Bill: CB-046-2026

Status: To Committee

Sponsors: Krystal Oriadha

Info: AN ACT CONCERNING VACANT REAL PROPERTIES TAX RATE for the purpose of establishing a real property tax rate for real properties consisting of vacant houses/buildings or improved property cited as vacant and unfit for habitation or other authorized use on a housing or building violation notice; specifying the use of the proceeds from the aforementioned tax; and generally relating to property tax on vacant real properties.

“Why does this newsletter have a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as it’s leading graphic ?” you might be asking yourself. No, it’s not his birthday. The Supreme Court has systematically gutted The Voting Rights Act of 1965. Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King and host of other human rights activists are important to this legislation because they pioneered it. Enfranchising Black people through giving them the power to vote without discrimination was a radical vision for Eurocentric America. Many Black activists died believing that America could only be a democracy if it enfranchised all of its citizens. A host of Black activists pushed Lyndon B. Johnson — the president during that time - to pass the legislation. It changed America.

(*Note: The Brennan Center has an explainer on the legislation’s accomplishments for Black people, and America).

Recently, the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 majority to gut another part of the legislation. Here is how the Associated Press reported it.

“President Lyndon B. Johnson knew the legislation he was about to sign was momentous, one that took courage for certain members of Congress to pass since the vote could cost them their seats.

To honor that, he took the unusual step of leaving the Oval Office and going to Capitol Hill for the signing ceremony. It was Aug. 6, 1965, five months after the “Bloody Sunday” attack on civil rights marchers in Selma, Alabama, gave momentum to the bill that became known as the Voting Rights Act.

In the six decades since, it became one of the most consequential laws in the nation’s history, preventing discrimination against minorities at the ballot box and helping to elect thousands of Black and Hispanic representatives at all levels of government.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court knocked out a major pillar of the law that had protected against racial discrimination in voting and representation. It was a decision that came more than a decade after the court undermined another key tenet of the law and led to restrictive voting laws in a number of states. Voting and civil rights advocates were left fearful of what lies ahead for minority communities.

The Voting Rights Act is the very piece of legislation that some have said that officially put America on a path to becoming a democracy. Up until that point, one could consider it a caste system. If you were Black, Native American or not born on American soil, you were othered and considered the lowest of the totem poll.”

Read Sherrilyn Ifill’s, a legal scholar and former President and Director of the NAACP, understanding of this impacts us all.

Prince George’s County Legislation

Bill: CR-037-2026

Status: introduction and referral

Sponsored: Shayla Adams-Stafford

Info: A RESOLUTION CONCERNING STOP SIGN MONITORING SYSTEMS - TOWN OF BLADENSBURG for the purpose of providing County Council approval of locations for stop sign monitoring systems in the Town of Bladensburg and generally regarding stop sign monitoring systems.

Note: Montgomery Media did an informative news report on stop sign technology in Takoma Park, Maryland.

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Bill: CB-040-2026

Status: Presentation and referral

Sponsored: Eric C. Olson

Info: AN ACT CONCERNING THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS NOTICE for the purpose of increasing public awareness, support victims, and encourage safe reporting of suspected human trafficking and requiring all hotels, motels, and other similar lodging establishments operating within the County to post a human trafficking awareness notice inside each guest room.

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Bill: CB-040-2026

Status: Presentation and referral

Sponsored: Eric C. Olson

Info: AN ACT CONCERNING THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS NOTICE for the purpose of increasing public awareness, support victims, and encourage safe reporting of suspected human trafficking and requiring all hotels, motels, and other similar lodging establishments operating within the County to post a human trafficking awareness notice inside each guest room.

Big News

Purple Line connecting Montgomery, Prince George’s counties another step closer to reality

Excerpt: The long-delayed light rail Purple Line project connecting Montgomery County to Prince George’s County took a step forward Thursday.

The final piece of track was hammered into place, with the honors going to local, state and federal leaders who were on hand for the event.

Among the leaders swinging a sledgehammer along the railway line in Silver Spring was Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

“We’re completing over 16 miles of track from New Carrollton to Bethesda. We are putting more than 2,000 people to work,” Moore said.

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Maryland’s oldest HBCU will cut 79 positions to close $18 million deficit

Excerpt: Facing an $18 million budget deficit for next fiscal year, Bowie State University, Maryland’s oldest historically Black university, said it will cut 79 positions from its workforce.

According to a message from Bowie State University President Aminta Breaux, the university plans to cut those jobs through a combination of vacancies, reorganization and layoffs. The school currently has slightly more than 1,100 employees and a $222 million budget.

The letter says the deficit comes from a combination of factors such as reduced funding from the federal and state governments, a decrease in student enrollment, but an increase in employee benefits, utilities and “essential technology.”

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Mifepristone ruling could halt mailed abortion pills in ‘shield states’ like Maryland

Excerpt: Every month, an estimated 500-plus Marylanders receive abortion medication that was mailed to them after a telehealth medical visit, a convenient method for terminating unwanted pregnancies that has been growing since 2022.

But abortion advocates say a Supreme Court case reviewing mail access for mifepristone, part of a two-drug regimen used for both medication abortions and miscarriage care, could threaten the ability of Marylanders to get abortion medication by mail.

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Moore officially launches reelection bid with Baltimore, Prince George’s events

Excerpt: Gov. Wes Moore formally launched his campaign for a second term Saturday, pitching a record he said will deliver safer communities, a stronger economy and better schools.

Speaking before supporters at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Moore promised a “public safety turnaround,” along with continued efforts to grow the state’s economy, improve public education and rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Later in the day, Moore addressed backers at Prince George’s Community College, where chants of “four more years” echoed through the crowd.

Read Our Reporting On Moore’s Campaign in PG County during first run as governor.

Prince George’s County Council Passes Annual Tax on Tobacco Shops, Gas Stations

Excerpt: The Prince George’s Council passed a bill 9-2 to add a new $5,000 annual tax on certain businesses including tobacco shops, gas stations, self-storage spaces, and gun stores to help fund new child care and scholarship programs for county residents.

County Council Chair Krystal Oriadha (D-District 9) is seeking to bring fine dining and other upscale businesses to Prince George’s while limiting the expansion of what she called “harmful” businesses.

“People are opening up things that do not help our community. They’re opening up things that are harmful to our community, either from a health perspective or economic development perspective. We want to be open to business, for the right types of business,” she said. “I’m unapologetic about saying I don’t want to be open to business for 20 more 24-hour tobacco stores and more things that don’t benefit the residents of Prince George’s County.”

To our fellow readers and journey-people,

Hi! It’s me. Delonte Harrod, founder of The Intersection Magazine, a digital publication that covers Prince George’s County, Maryland, and the Context Newsletter, a civic-minded newsletter that keeps residents informed about the latest community meetings and more.

I ceased publishing this newsletter because back in January my emails were hacked. One of the emails that were hacked was attached to this newsletter. To make a long story short, the recovery has been long but I am still here. Thank you all for hanging in there with me. Thank you for continuing to support this publication and its newsletter.

I remain true to our goal to amplify Prince George’s County voices and to provide a space where residents can find the most essential meetings in the county.

Sincerely,

Delonte Harrod, founder of The Intersection Magazine and writer of the Context Newsletter.

email: info@theintersectionmag.com