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City Beat


A roundup of local events and announcements, compiled by Voices of Laurel staff
 
FALL 2024


(Photo: GoFundMe)
Fire Damages Outback Leather

Shortly after 11 a.m. on August 12, flames were seen pouring out of a second-floor window at one of Laurel’s most well-known businesses: Outback Leather, located on Main Street near Route 1. Bystanders gathered to watch the frightening scene, with many of them posting photos and videos on social media.


No one was hurt in the blaze, which reportedly began in one of the upstairs apartments of the historic building that is over 100 years old. Outback owner Ron Sargent told Voices of Laurel a few days after the fire that most of his shop, including inventory and tools, had been spared, although some smoke and water damage caused thousands of dollars of damage on one side of the first floor.


“Had the fire been on the other side of the shop, it would have been a total loss,” he said. However, Sargent stressed that the business was covered by insurance, and he expected to be able to re-open after repairs are completed. His main concern, he said, was for his tenants, who were left homeless because the building was temporarily condemned. Sargent’s daughter, Angela Sargent-Davis, started a GoFundMe to help the displaced tenants, one of whom had lost everything.


As we reported last December, Sargent had listed the building for sale but hoped to keep his business open for a few more years. No buyer had stepped forward as of the time of the fire, and Sargent expects that major repairs will be needed for the apartment areas.


“The upstairs hallway is totally gutted, and contractors might have to tear down the whole second floor,” he told WUSA Channel 9.


More than 10 fire and rescue vehicles were dispatched to the emergency from all four of Laurel’s surrounding counties.


The MyLaurel App

The City of Laurel government has an app to help residents stay informed about events and city business. Called “MyLaurelMaryland” and available in online app stores, the app is free for anyone to download and use. Information provided on the app is wide-ranging and includes topics like upcoming Parks and Rec events, job vacancies, trash pickup schedules, and city council meeting agendas and minutes, to name just a few. Contact info for city officials, staff, and departments are listed, along with quick links to send an email or make a call. App users also can sign up for alerts and push notifications to stay informed of the latest Laurel-related news.


SAILS to Hold Fundraising Gala

The Laurel-based grief support group Stillborn and Infant Loss Support (SAILS) is sponsoring the Raising the SAILS Inaugural Gala on Friday, November 22, from 6 PM to 10 PM in Silver Spring, MD. This special event, which is open to the public, celebrates five years of service dedicated to the mental health and well-being of families affected by miscarriage, stillbirth, and other forms of pregnancy loss, as well as bringing together the community to honor families affected by pregnancy and infant loss. To register and join us for an evening of reflection, support, and inspiration, visit the registration link at: https://stillbornandinfantlosssupport.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/MjEwMzM1


SAILS is the third recipient of the Laurel Light Award sponsored by Voices of Laurel.

Please help support this outstanding organization.


Laurel Multiservice Center Opens

The City of Laurel’s new Multiservice Center on Fort Meade Road opened Sept. 10, providing a central location for a variety of human services and space for new self-sufficiency and transitional housing programs. It’s designed to streamline service provision, limit transportation barriers, and improve access to services.


The building, a former fitness facility, was purchased by the city in 2020 for $2.4 million and is undergoing renovation to ensure sufficient space for all the activities that will take place there. Among those services are catering and prepared meals, mail services, a barber and hair salon, a food pantry, a job training and learning center, a medical suite, clothing distribution center, laundry room and shower facilities.


“We’re optimally located to provide access to vulnerable people in a variety of communities who fall through the cracks,” said Mayor Keith Sydnor.


The center will do so by maintaining ongoing partnerships with local service organizations and religious affiliates who offer resources to the community, and by offering them satellite space.


The housing side will provide an area of respite on excessively cold or hot days and overnight temporary shelter during winter months. Men’s and women’s shelter space features cots and lockers, as well as laundry, shower and bathroom facilities.

[Source: Business Monthly]


Changes Coming to Secret Service Facility in Laurel

At an installation in Laurel, off Powder Mill Road, Secret Service agents go through months of intensive training for their mission of protecting U.S. leaders. Currently, trainees spend 18 weeks at the facility in Laurel but changes to the facility and training regimen could be coming after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.

The Secret Service’s director, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned following the incident. Cheatle was once the special agent in charge of the facility in Laurel. She said in an interview with CBS News that agents in Laurel were still conducting White House training exercises using a field of trees surrounded by bike racks. But the center is slated for a massive expansion over the next several years, including a 40-acre mock-up of the White House grounds.

[Source: Baltimore Sun]


Planning Commission Hears Residents’ Concerns Over Housing Developments at Chairwoman Betman’s Final Meeting

The Laurel City Planning Commission meeting of 10 September was unusually well attended and lengthy as residents expressed many concerns over two planned housing developments.

The commission approved plans for an 82-home development by Stanley Martin Homes in the 14200 block of Park Center Drive. Several residents of existing homes abutting the site took issue to its single-point vehicular access and questioned the plan’s projection of low impact to traffic flow.


The other approved plan, submitted by Pulte Homes, calls for 293 units in a mixed-use area off 95 known as Corridor Center. Issues relating to deforestation, stormwater runoff, traffic impact, and population density were raised. Pulte also submitted a Forest Conservation Plan, which the commission approved.


At the meeting’s conclusion, Chairwoman Mitzi Betman announced her resignation after serving 14 years on the committee.


This item was late-breaking as we went to press; follow-on reporting will appear in the Winter issue of Voices of Laurel.

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