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Tag: prince george’s county council

  • Prince George’s Co. officials say they’re ramping up opposition to ICE – WTOP News

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    Surrounded on stage by the Prince George’s County Council and numerous other leaders, County Executive Aisha Braveboy said she plans to introduce legislation mirroring the executive order she signed Thursday opposing immigration enforcement actions so it can be considered and passed by the council.

    Surrounded on stage by the Prince George’s County Council and numerous other leaders, County Executive Aisha Braveboy said she will seek to have the executive order she signed Thursday opposing immigration enforcement actions be drafted into legislation and passed by the council.

    In about two weeks, county residents will begin seeing large bilingual signs in English and Spanish informing immigrants that county-run government buildings, garages and other facilities are locations where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not allowed to operate.

    “We are taking decisive action to protect our diversity and those residents who chose to call America and Prince George’s County home,” Braveboy said. “We are establishing that county buildings, garages and parking lots are safe spaces in Prince George’s County — safe from ICE operations and other federal interventions that disrupt the quality of life for people in Prince George’s County.”

    Braveboy said the decision to print the signs in both English and Spanish was an easy one.

    “So that everyone understands that this is a safe space in Prince George’s County,” she said.

    The order prohibits the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement from issuing occupancy permits to ICE.

    Standing on the stage with Braveboy and dozens of Prince George’s County officials in a unified show of support was Democratic Maryland Rep. Glenn Ivey.

    “I think it’s critical for us to understand that we’ve got to fight back and we’ve got to win,” Ivey said, emphasizing that Prince George’s County and the state of Maryland have been hard hit since the Trump administration returned to office. “The target has already been on our back, since Jan. 20 of last year.”

    Ivey said ICE’s actions in Minnesota are a main reason why congressional Democrats are holding firm when it comes to the partial government shutdown with the Department of Homeland Security, which is at the center of the dispute.

    “It has been happening for a long time. We’ve had ICE here now for months, not just in Prince George’s County but across the state,” Ivey said.

    Ivey said ICE’s actions in Minnesota are a main reason why Congressional Democrats are holding firm when it comes to the partial government shutdown with the Department of Homeland Security at the center of the dispute.

    “That’s what we saw in Minnesota. They rolled in, they sent in 3,000 ICE officers,” Ivey said. “It’s clear that we’re going to have to fight, not just on ICE, but on all levels.”

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Dan Ronan

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  • Group of Prince George’s Co. residents file suit against county council over at-large seat appointment – WTOP News

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    A group of residents in Prince George’s County, Maryland, has filed a lawsuit against the county council and member Wala Blegay hoping to overturn her December appointment to an at-large seat.

    A group of residents in Prince George’s County, Maryland, has filed a lawsuit against the county council and member Wala Blegay hoping to overturn her December appointment to an at-large seat.

    According to county code, any vacancy that occurs during the last year of a term will be filled by someone appointed by a majority of the remaining members of the council. The plaintiffs in this case aren’t claiming the council doesn’t have the right to do that; their argument is with how the council executed that process.

    Blegay was already on the council representing District 6 and was appointed to the at-large seat, creating another opening on the council. That opening was then filled by Danielle Hunter, who had been working for County Executive Aisha Braveboy.

    During the hearing for the District 6 vacancy, Braveboy spoke in favor of Hunter’s selection at the beginning of the meeting, before the rest of the candidates were given a chance to make their pitch to the council.

    “From our position, they are abusing this process and using it to create vacancies and then fill them with the individuals that they have already preselected or the individuals that they want to choose and not give a fair opportunity to citizens,” said Tonya Wingfield, a Fort Washington resident and one of those listed as a plaintiff in the case.

    Wingfield is hoping the case will be heard in Anne Arundel County, and that a judge there will put Blegay’s appointment to the at-large seat on hold until deciding whether the process was proper.

    “A lot of this stuff has been leaked out before it happened,” she said. “Then, when you start seeing what was leaked actually coming to fruition, you see a process that is being abused and setting a precedent that the language in the charter never intended.”

    A spokeswoman for the council said the body was merely following the county charter in selecting Blegay, who was one of more than 30 applicants for the at-large seat vacated by Calvin Hawkins.

    “Our legal department has reviewed the baseless allegations in the complaint and is confident that this frivolous lawsuit will be dismissed,” said Lindsay Watts, the council’s senior director of communications.

    “The Council followed the code by advertising the vacancy and considering all applications. Any Council Member appointed this year must run for election to hold the seat beyond December 2026.”

    Blegay declined WTOP’s request for comment.

    “That was not the intent of this charter language,” Wingfield said. “We want a process where individuals are actually considered. We definitely want to make sure that the county executive does not weigh in and put their thumb on the scale, as we have seen happen with the process that’s gone down the road with the recent vacancies.”

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    John Domen

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  • Bowie Mayor Tim Adams breaks inclusivity barrier as newest member of Prince George’s County Council – WTOP News

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    Adams is a longtime CEO of a defense contracting company headquartered in Prince George’s County and a former chairperson and member of the Bowie State University Foundation, which provides scholarships to students.

    The Prince George’s County Council selected Bowie Mayor Tim Adams to fill the vacant District 4 seat during a Jan. 23 virtual hearing.

    Adams, who has been mayor of Bowie since 2019, was chosen from a list of seven candidates.

    “We congratulate Mayor Adams and look forward to him joining us on the Council,” Council Chair Krystal Oriadha said in a news release.

    “In welcoming the first council member to serve while using a wheelchair, we celebrate a milestone in inclusivity. I know his leadership will inspire us to prioritize accessibility and representation in our legislative efforts.”

    In addition to breaking barriers in inclusivity on the Prince George’s County Council, Adams was also the first Black mayor in Bowie’s 138-year history when he was first elected in 2019. In 2023, Adams was elected to a second term.

    Adams is a longtime CEO of a defense contracting company headquartered in Prince George’s County and a former chairperson and member of the Bowie State University Foundation, which provides scholarships to students. He also serves as a member of more than a dozen philanthropic, business and other boards and commissions.

    “District 4 reflects many of the same priorities I’ve addressed at the municipal level, including strong schools, reliable transportation, affordability, environmental stewardship, and thoughtful development that serves existing communities as well as future generations,” Adams told the Council during Friday’s public selection process.

    “My commitment is to listen first, govern responsibly, and be a reliable partner focused on advancing the best interests of District 4 and Prince George’s County as a whole.”

    Greenbelt Mayor Emmett Jordan and Dr. Juliet Agocha, an advocate who runs a tech company, also ran for the vacancy.

    The seat Adams is filling was formerly held by District 4 Council Member Ingrid S. Watson, who resigned to lead the Prince George’s Economic Development Corp., a nonprofied that brings business and jobs to Prince George’s County.

     

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Diane Morris

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  • Prince George’s County Council appoints new member – WTOP News

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    The Prince George’s County Council is back to 11 members again, after appointing Danielle Hunter to fill the vacancy created by Wala Blegay’s move from the 6th District seat to an at-large seat.

    The Prince George’s County Council is back to 11 members again, after appointing Danielle Hunter to fill the vacancy created by Wala Blegay’s move from the 6th District seat to an at-large seat.

    Blegay was elected to the 6th District in 2022, but was appointed by her colleagues to the at-large seat vacated by Calvin Hawkins last month.

    District 6 Prince George’s County Council member Danielle Hunter.

    Hunter was chosen among nearly two dozen applicants for the seat, which encompasses much of the central part of the county. She has also been serving as the director of appointments for County Executive Aisha Braveboy, helping her to fill roles on the county executive’s team.

    Braveboy threw her support behind Hunter at the beginning of a virtual meeting Friday afternoon.

    “You need someone who will be active in the community,” Braveboy said. “She’s been active in the community. She’s been active with our seniors, with our young people. In fact, just this past winter, she bought coats for elementary school kids in the District Heights area. So this is someone who commits her money, her time, her resources, her heart, her love to her community.”

    Those who applied for the position were given two minutes to address the council, though not everyone who applied attended the meeting.

    “I am ready to get to work on behalf of the residents of District 6,” Hunter told the rest of the council when it was her turn to speak. “I’m excited about the future of Prince George’s County, and I look forward for the opportunities to work with you as we continue to elevate Prince George’s County.”

    Council Chair Krystal Oriadha said after the council convened offline to discuss the candidates that there’s an obvious passion to serve the county.

    “All of us that serve in this position know that it is hard work to decide to serve in this capacity, it does not come easy. So we just appreciate everyone being willing to take up the mantle in this way,” she said.

    The full list of applicants can be found online.

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    John Domen

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  • Prince George’s Co. Council appoints District 6 member Blegay to vacant at-large seat – WTOP News

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    The Prince George’s County Council voted Monday to appoint current District 6 Council member Wala Blegay to the at-large seat previously held by Calvin Hawkins II.

    The Prince George’s County Council voted Monday to appoint current District 6 Council member Wala Blegay to the at-large seat previously held by Calvin Hawkins II, who announced his resignation earlier this month.

    The unanimous vote sets off another appointment process for Blegay’s District 6 seat. Anyone hoping to join the council should submit a statement of interest and a resume online by 5 p.m. Friday. Applicants must be registered voters in Prince George’s County’s District 6 for at least one year.

    Blegay, who was elected to her first term on the council in 2022, told her colleagues Monday she was ready to step into a new role representing all the county’s residents.

    “When it comes to the budget, I’ve worked on that. When it comes to working with relationships in Annapolis, I’ve done that. I’ve done all of those things on the council, and I want to take ‘the peoples’ champ,’ thanking councilman Hawkins for his work, but taking that baton and continuing his work to be the peoples’ champ of all of Prince George’s County,” she said.

    Dozens of others seeking the seat spoke before the council Monday, including former Cheverly Mayor Kayce Munyeneh, teachers, social workers and federal government employees.

    “It’s very clear that we have so much talent in Prince George’s County, and I was blown away by some of the experience and ideas of the residents who applied today,” said District 8 Council member Edward Burroughs III, who went on to make the motion to appoint Blegay after hearing from all the candidates.

    Blegay’s term as District 6’s representative on the council was set to expire Dec. 5, 2026. Her term as an at-large member will end on the same date.

    Hawkins stepped away from his at-large seat on the council to take a job as the county’s assistant deputy chief administrative officer for economic development.

    “I want to express my sincere gratitude to the residents of Prince George’s County for the trust and support you’ve shown me throughout my tenure on the Council,” Hawkins said in a news release announcing his resignation. “Serving on this body has been a profound honor, and I take immense pride in what we’ve achieved together.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Thomas Robertson

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  • New Prince George’s County Council chair reflects on 2025, details what’s next for 2026 – WTOP News

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    Prince George’s County Council member Krystal Oriadha ends 2025 as the new council chair. She spoke to WTOP about this year’s accomplishments and what’s next in 2026.

    Prince George’s County Council member Krystal Oriadha ends 2025 as the new chair of the council. Oriadha spoke to WTOP about this year’s accomplishments and what’s next for the county in 2026.

    She said in 2025, there were good moments as well as trying times.

    “I think it overall was a good year, right? We did suffer some losses,” Oriadha said. “In the sense of knowing that we were losing the stadium, that we were losing Six Flags, but I really think that those are opportunities.”

    She said she sees the losses as a chance to create something, “even bigger and better, something that creates more revenue than either of those created. So I think that, yes, we had some challenging news, but I am optimistic to what the future holds.”

    Passing the county budget

    Oriadha said the budget was a big item to overcome this year on the council.

    “We were facing a huge deficit, and we were worried about what that would mean for the resources, the ones we would give our community,” she said.

    In May, the Prince George’s County Council adopted a $5.8 billion budget for fiscal year 2026, which began July 1, 2025.

    The decision comes at a time when the county is facing a more than $90 million budget gap.

    “I’m really proud of the budget that we passed. I think that we didn’t reach into the reserves, but we were still able to maintain a lot for the community,” she said.

    Legislative highlights

    When is comes to legislation, Oriadha said she’s proud of the “bread and butter” issues that were covered.

    “Like tackling vacant properties, properties that are unkept by the landlords, making sure that we hold them accountable for the beautification of our community,” she said.

    She said she was grateful that for the first time, the council dedicated money to the Black Maternal Health Fund with a $250,000 bill.

    “I think we were able to take care of the basic issues that are front and center, that community see every day, but also looking at the big picture and looking at new programs and new ideas,” she said.

    “So I think we had a balance of both of those things.”

    Tough possible difficulties to navigate in 2026

    Looking to 2026, Oriadha believes that housing, jobs and a loss of the job force could be coming in the new year.

    “I think those are all tied to what this administration is doing,” she said.

    “We also don’t know what the impact is going to be on our services, right? Because they kind of go back and forth between, what is going to be the long term impacts of Medicaid, what’s going to be the long term impacts of SNAP, what’s going to be the long term impacts of free and reduced lunch. What’s going to be the long term impacts of all of these programs that rely heavily on the federal government?”

    Oriadha said the council is trying to anticipate what steps to take next when it comes to helping those who are going to need it most.

    “So I think we’re just on a waiting pattern to see what the long term impacts are going to be,” she said.

    Things to look forward to in 2026

    Some of the things Oriadha is looking forward to the most in the coming year is getting more into some of the initiatives she has a passion for, like child care.

    “I’m excited about just some of my key initiatives around talking about child care,” she said.

    “Looking at universal child care in a way that we have not before, looking at the learning gaps that we have with our kids with autism, and doing early screening campaigns, because we know that’s a game changer to get kids the resources that they need from ages one to three, but we know our kids are getting diagnosed later in life.”

    Oriadha said she’s also looking forward to opportunities surrounding economic development.

    “Making ourselves self sufficient, right? The reality is, is that we have to build a commercial tax base at a higher rate than ever before, not just because the deficit we’re currently facing, but also the challenges that we don’t know that’s going to come from the federal government. And so I look at that as an opportunity.”

    WTOP’s John Domen contributed to this report.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Valerie Bonk

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  • Prince George’s Co. At-Large Council member Hawkins to step down – WTOP News

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    At-Large Prince George’s County, Maryland councilmember Calvin Hawkins II announced Friday that he will resign from his role, effective Dec. 22. His current term was set to expire on Dec. 5, 2026.

    At-Large Prince George’s County, Maryland Council member Calvin Hawkins II announced Friday that he will resign from his role, effective Dec. 22. His current term was set to expire on Dec. 5.

    Hawkins will transition to a new position in the county’s Executive Branch as assistant deputy chief administrative officer for economic development.

    “I want to express my sincere gratitude to the residents of Prince George’s County for the trust and support you’ve shown me throughout my tenure on the Council,” Hawkins said in a news release.

    “Serving on this body has been a profound honor, and I take immense pride in what we’ve achieved together.”

    Hawkins has served on the council since 2018 and has spent more than 30 years in civic service. He previously worked for three former Prince George’s County Executives.

    As Council Chair in 2021 and 2022, he led legislative actions in response to the COVID pandemic and sponsored the reentry Advisory Board, which provided resources for citizens returning from incarceration.

    The council is looking to fill the vacant spot. Those interested in the position can submit a statement of interest and a resume by 5 p.m., Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, here.

    For more information, Prince George’s County residents can call 301-952-2195 or email ATLargeHawkins@pgccouncil.us.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Zsana Hoskins

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  • What’s at stake as Prince George’s County ponders data centers? – WTOP News

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    A report argues data centers would be worth it for a cash-strapped Prince George’s County, Maryland, government.

    A report from a Baltimore policy consulting firm argues data centers would be worth it for a cash-strapped Prince George’s County government.

    Two big issues facing elected leaders in Prince George’s County, Maryland, next year will be the county’s budget and the future of data centers.

    With the county facing a more than $90 million budget gap, and the state’s own budget woes likely to mean more burdens shifting onto counties, a study issued by Baltimore-based Sage Policy Group said the construction of data centers could help alleviate some of that financial stress.

    The report was issued last month by the Maryland Tech Council, which has previously advocated in favor of data center development to support economic growth. The group describes itself as a technology and life sciences trade association.

    It stemmed from a study the Maryland Tech Council conducted along with three labor unions that work in the construction industry, which would all stand to benefit from data center construction.

    The report argued the impact of one mid-sized data center, which it characterized as 800,000 square feet, would have an economic impact of more than a billion dollars on the county.

    “It looks to be about a $20 million in annual county revenue,” Kelly Schulz, CEO of the Maryland Tech Council, said.

    The study claimed the construction of the data center would create 4,800 jobs, and that the day-to-day operations would support about 300 jobs total and 100 within that facility. The report came out around the same time a task force studying the issue was putting the final touches on a report that aims to guide data center development in the future.

    Questions about data centers amid budgetary pressures

    The report issued in late November had 14 recommendations, many of which focused on community involvement, zoning and environmental concerns.

    The data center described in the study wasn’t based in any particular area — “location neutral” as Schulz described it.

    However, it comes at a time when activists around the county have begun raising questions about data centers and their impacts on communities and power grids. Concerns have been amplified by the possibility of a data center being constructed at the old Landover Mall, which has sat vacant for decades.

    The realization that site was much further along in the process than first believed led to a countywide pause on data center development. While there are some possible impediments that could lead to the project at Landover falling through, there’s concern that county leaders and the community around it would be powerless to stop the development from moving ahead if those impediments can be resolved.

    The task force report recommended future data centers be built in industrial areas and with setbacks from residential areas. Ultimately, it’ll be the county council that comes up with legislation to guide future development, though with the first half of the year also focused on crafting a budget, the glaring financial needs will be a factor in how data center development moves forward.

    Earlier this year, the state shifted more of the burden on education funding from Annapolis onto the counties, and the state’s budget picture isn’t any better this year.

    “Counties, as we know in Maryland, have been getting less money from the state because of the budget issues that are happening at the state level,” Schulz said. “So counties are naturally looking for ways to be able to supplement the revenues that are coming in to provide all of those infrastructure and those really important community resources that are guaranteed by the county.”

    The Maryland Tech Council argued the data center revenue is enough to pay about 175 teachers and police officers, as well as 158 firefighters — all jobs the county has struggled to fill in recent years.

    “There has to be another revenue stream, and for us to invite different industry sectors into the state and our local jurisdictions, to be able to kind of make up that loss,” Schulz said.

    The report was put together by the tech council in conjunction with IBEW Local 26, Steamfitters Local 602 and Plumbers Local 5, labor unions that would all have a vested interest in the construction of new data centers.

    “I appreciate that the local jurisdictions are taking the amount of time that they have in order to be able to really understand what the community concerns are,” Schulz said. “We have to understand the economic reality of the state that we live in.”

    “Nobody, of course, wants to be Loudoun County,” she added. “They don’t want to duplicate what’s there. There are better, more innovative ways of doing this business, and I think that the people that are involved in these developments understand that and they want to be a part of the community.”

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    John Domen

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  • Report offers 14 recommendations to guide data centers in Prince George’s Co. – WTOP News

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    An anticipated report on data center development in Prince George’s County is out, after community pushback to a fast-tracked data center at the Landover Mall site halted the plan.

    An anticipated report on data center development in Prince George’s County is out, after community pushback to a fast-tracked data center at the Landover Mall site halted the plan and contributed to the county taking a closer look at how it will handle the controversial projects moving forward.

    The 400-page report makes clear that data centers will be welcomed in the county, but only under certain circumstances — and with lots of community say in where they’re located.

    “We really don’t want what happened in Landover to ever happen again,” said Prince George’s County Council member Wala Blegay, who also served on the task force behind the report. “The process that will be put in place will require some sort of special exception, which will require many community meetings. So the community will have very much of an impact on what happens.”

    Those special exceptions will add layers to the approval process, resulting in more hearings and more chances for community input that could slow down or even stop projects from moving forward, if there’s enough opposition.

    Of the report’s 14 recommendations, many focused on zoning and environmental concerns. The report calls on data centers to be steered toward industrial zones, especially ones considered underperforming and vacated, while keeping them away from urban areas with large populations. It also aims to keep them away from parts of the county considered environmentally sensitive.

    One recommendation even suggests letting developers go bigger in size in certain circumstances.

    “There was a consensus if you had an area that was sort of far away from the community, in a place where it was kind of deserted, and that you had the land to go big, that would be an easier process than some of the other areas,” Blegay said.

    Other recommendations called on incentivizing more sustainable operations, due to concerns about how data centers would have an impact audibly and visibly around the county.

    Right now data centers have to be at least 300 feet away from residential homes. The report recommends moving that to 400 feet in most cases. If certain design elements are implemented that reduce overall impact, the 300-foot buffer could stay in place.

    The report also calls on county leaders to push for a high-energy use surcharge in the hopes of keeping power bills lower for residents.

    “I do think that Landover put us in a bad situation because it was not done the right way,” Blegay said. “That has put a lot of fear and concern in the community about any data center moving forward. However, there are areas that I do think some people might say that there might be a better place for data centers versus Landover. And at least if there is an agreement, those be can be considered. But definitely not in the middle of a residential community.”

    Those concerns also helped lead the task force to recommend the creation of community benefit agreements, which essentially attaches strings to any future data center proposals.

    “The benefit has to go to the community,” Blegay said. “The residents will be a part of that, and the community will be guaranteed to get something.”

    She told WTOP not all the recommendations were unanimous among committee members, as some were concerned about discouraging development.

    Blegay said she isn’t buying that.

    “A lot of our residents are very well connected in the industry, and are bringing these ideas to the table, and they’re bringing it regardless of the process,” Blegay said. “Even if they go other places, they’re going to experience the same opposition.”

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    John Domen

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  • New task force hopes to reverse domestic violence increase in Prince George’s Co. – WTOP News

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    A big surge in domestic violence in recent years has leaders in Prince George’s County, Maryland, teaming up and trying to figure out a way to reverse that trend.

    A surge in domestic violence cases in recent years has leaders in Prince George’s County, Maryland, teaming up to figure out a way to reverse the saddening trend.

    While overall crime has been declining in recent years, crimes of domestic violence, which includes more than just romantic partners, is up about 30%.

    “A fourth of Prince George’s County will be impacted by domestic violence, whether you are a victim, a family member or a friend,” Council member Wanika Fisher said. “When you go home, you should not be experiencing violence in any aspect.”

    The new task force will be far bigger than most that get put together by the county. The 24-member board will be represented by law enforcement and social service agencies, nonprofits, religious groups and even developers.

    “We’ve only really had a very reactionary footprint when it comes to DV victims and their families, which is, you are a victim of domestic violence, there is a crime, there is a case, you go to court,” Fisher said. “But there hasn’t been a strategy when it comes to housing, when it comes to resources, when it comes to wraparound services.”

    Council member Krystal Oriadha, who said she’s a survivor of domestic violence, said covering all those bases is important, because the abuse isn’t always just physical, but also verbal, psychological or financial.

    “One of the biggest issues we’ve had when we’re trying to help survivors leave the home is the ability to say, ‘Well, I haven’t been in the workforce or I can’t afford to pay for rent and food and child care and to take care of the kids. And where am I going to go?’” Oriadha said. “So there’s a lot of isolation that’s very intentional that happens in abusive situations.”

    Jeanette Brandon, CEO and founder of the nonprofit Together, We Can, said that’s the recurring theme she sees with people trying to get out.

    “The abuser controls with the money,” she said. “So when the victims want to get out, they have nowhere to go. Most of the time, the victims are not working. So that’s how the abuser controls them, because they’ll control their financials.”

    Denise McCain, director of the Prince George’s County Family Justice Center, said that’s also why so many victims go back to their abusers after they leave.

    “Sadly, it is a factor of socioeconomics, lack of housing,” McCain told WTOP. “’Where am I going to go? Who’s going to help me take care of my children? Help me pay my bills? I can’t do that by myself.’”

    And she said the resources often available tend to serve as more of a Band-Aid than a solution.

    “We’ll give them a resource, we’ll take them to counseling, we’ll get them connected with legal aid, someone that can help with the problem,” McCain said. “But the larger issue is that they are not self-sufficient, and so they feel that they have no options.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    John Domen

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  • ‘We’re very concerned’: Prince George’s Co. works to support residents impacted by shutdown – WTOP News

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    Tens of thousands of federal workers living in Prince George’s County, Maryland, haven’t been paid the entire month of October, straining household finances in a number of places.

    Tens of thousands of federal workers living in Prince George’s County, Maryland, haven’t been paid the entire month of October, straining household finances in a number of places.

    The shutdown has also brought up concerns about funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Two federal judges ruled Friday that SNAP payments must continue during the shutdown, but those rulings will likely face appeals.

    In Prince George’s County, 110,000 residents rely on SNAP benefits — 48,000 of those are children. Any interruption to funding the food aid program would further strain the limited resources that are available.

    But county leaders and the faith community are trying to help.

    “We’re very concerned about hunger here in Prince George’s County, we’re very concerned about those who are most vulnerable,” County Executive Aisha Braveboy said ahead of the judges’ rulings on SNAP.

    Braveboy said nonprofits around the county are providing resources, including food, to residents.

    “We know the lines are going to be long,” Braveboy said. “There are several locations where people can pick up food resources this weekend.”

    The big event is a giveaway at Redeemers Church of Christ in Lanham.

    There’s also a smaller giveaway happening at Prince George’s Community College’s Wellness Expo set for Saturday in Largo.

    “As the President of the United States is building a ballroom at the White House, we have federal workers who are standing in line for hours to get a basic need met — food,” Council Chair Ed Burroughs said. “And this is the reality that our country is facing in this moment.

    “All we have is two fish and five loaves of bread,” Burroughs added. “That’s our reality, and we pray to God that he will multiply it.”

    Pastor Kobby Sarpong said his church is off to a good start in trying to make that happen.

    “We paid $17,000 to bring in a truckload of about $80,000 worth of food,” Sarpong said. “We are getting also household items.

    “I know what is called hunger, and I understand when things are not going right with the people,” he added. “I see the light coming, and we are going to make sure it’s light brighter.”

    The county is also listing 10 locations around the region where those who have the means can drop off food donations to help their neighbors. The emphasis on food giveaways and donations comes as county leaders said they are left an extremely tight budget situation on an annual basis.

    Braveboy described the tightrope the county has to walk as, “Doing my best to be fiscally prudent, but also understanding that there are real needs that people have.”

    Asked if the county had money to offer any sort of financial assistance, Braveboy didn’t explicitly say yes.

    “We’ll assess the situation weekly to see what we need to do,” she said. “We’ll see what happens over the next few days in Congress, and we’ll assess our situation here locally. I’ll talk with the council about options for us to perhaps provide some additional county resources. But again, we are trying to be prudent, and we’re trying to ensure that the obligation is really placed where it needs to be, which is on our federal government.”

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  • Prince George’s County leaders hope to keep Shoppers stores open – WTOP News

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    At least four more Shoppers Food Warehouse grocery stores in the D.C. region are slated to close Nov. 8, three of them in Prince George’s County, leaving county leaders distressed.

    At least four more Shoppers Food Warehouse grocery stores in the D.C. region are slated to close Nov. 8, leaving county leaders distressed.

    Three of the closing grocery stores are located in Maryland’s Prince George’s County.

    The small quantity and low quality of grocery stores already operating in the county are a concern, and this week, five members of the Prince George’s County Council wrote a letter to the grocery chain’s parent company requesting a sit-down with the company CEO.

    The letter also blasted the company over the negative impact the closures will have on the county.

    “They’re closing stores that we need,” Prince George’s County Councilman Tom Dernoga said. Two of the stores closing are in his district. “Those stores are not unprofitable,” he said.

    Another signature on the letter came from Councilman Eric Olson, whose district includes a store in New Carrollton that has already closed.

    “It sounds like classic corporate greed,” Olson said. “They’re profitable stores. They serve the community. Good union jobs. There’s no reason in my mind why those stores should be closing.”

    Shoppers stores in College Park, Laurel, Capitol Heights and Germantown, Maryland, are all slated to close on Nov. 8. But the College Park location is already well on its way to closing.

    “There’s only a few things left, and they’re, of course, marking them down very heavily,” one customer said.

    Jose Hernandez, who said he’s shopped at the College Park store for more than a decade, agreed with county council members that the store’s parent company does not serve as “good stewards of the community.”

    “The people that have jobs that are living off this, how do you get a two-week notice and have to go find another livelihood?” he said. “It’s ridiculous. You’re literally taking jobs away from people that have been working here probably 10, 20-plus years.”

    “We want these companies to be partners with the communities that they serve and understand the consequences of just pulling up shop, and what that means to the residents that have been loyal customers,” Councilmember Krystal Oriadha said.

    She said this was another example of why she wants the county to study the feasibility of opening its own grocery store, while offering incentives for other grocery stores to open around the county where there aren’t many stores now.

    “There has to be someone in the market that is going to make sure that marginalized communities, unserved communities are still going to have the basic needs,” she said.

    While other Shoppers stores around the region aren’t closing, at least yet, Oriadha said it might be time for county residents to spend their money at stores that operate like they want to be part of the community.

    “How do we make an effort to support businesses that want to stay in our community, that want to grow in our community, that want to be good stewards of the resources that they have and making sure that they serve everyone?” she asked.

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  • Pit bulls could soon be out of the dog house in Prince George’s County – WTOP News

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    Pit bull terriers have been considered an illegal breed in Prince George’s County, Maryland, for several decades, though the law hasn’t really been enforced to the fullest extent in recent years. Now, it may be going away entirely.

    Pit bull terriers have been considered an illegal breed in Prince George’s County, Maryland, for several decades, though the law hasn’t really been enforced to the fullest extent in recent years. Now, it may be going away entirely.

    A bill moving through the Prince George’s County Council would both strengthen penalties against dogs that are deemed dangerous, but also allow people to register pit bulls in the county — and even adopt them from county animal shelters. It’s being pushed by Council Chair Ed Burroughs, who said the current 1996 law just doesn’t work.

    “We have between 20,000 to 25,000 pit bulls in our system in the county right now,” Burroughs said. “So what this bill will do is actually strengthen the penalties against all dangerous dogs, strengthen the leash law and strengthen the consequences for having dangerous dogs.”

    While the bill is still a few weeks away from a final vote, if approved, it would increase penalties for so-called dangerous dogs to up to $3,000, and make clear that any breed of dog could be deemed dangerous or potentially dangerous.

    It would also start allowing residents to adopt pit bulls from county animal shelters after they pass certain tests proving they aren’t aggressive. Burroughs said the county has long struggled to determine what is and isn’t a pit bull, essentially going off someone’s determination made by looking at the dog.

    “It’s completely arbitrary and made up,” Burroughs said. “They’re guessing. The same person labeled a dog differently during different periods of time.”

    He added that the county is spending millions of dollars in court trying to enforce the dated law.

    However, Burroughs admitted there are still some concerns about the wording in the bill, so it’s possible his effort to overturn the law this year will stall out; though for now, it’s on track for a final vote Nov. 18. If it does get held between now and then, he said he plans to bring it back next year.

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  • Prince George’s Co. Council explores ways to relieve shortage of primary care doctors – WTOP News

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    About 42% of the county’s residents seek care outside the county, according to doctors and health care providers speaking to the Prince George’s County Council.

    Primary care physicians are in short supply in communities across the country, but in Prince George’s County, Maryland, the shortage is especially acute.

    About 42% of Prince George’s County residents seek care outside the county, according to doctors and health care providers speaking before the Prince George’s County Council on Monday as the Board of Health.

    According to data presented at the meeting, the county has a shortage of 1,050 primary care doctors, compared to state averages.

    “There’s no doctor I see in my district, to be honest with you. As many of you know, I couldn’t even deliver in Prince George’s County when I had my child,” District 7 Council member Krystal Oriadha said during the hearing. Her district includes the areas of District Heights, Capitol Heights, Hillcrest Heights, Seat Pleasant and Suitland.

    Nate Apathy, assistant professor of health policy and management at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, told council members that one in eight of the county’s “nonelderly” residents is uninsured. According to data he provided, 43,700 county residents qualify for Medicaid and 51,600 are “potentially” eligible for premium tax credits through the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange.

    “If we want to think about how we divvy up our resources geographically, it’s worth thinking about where these challenges are concentrated,” Apathy said, adding that the majority of those eligible people live in District 2 and 3.

    The shortage of primary care doctors also drives emergency room visits, according to Dr. Leslie Jones, chief medical officer of Howard University’s Faculty Practice Plan and chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at the university’s College of Medicine.

    “You can show up to the emergency room at one of the hospitals in the county or surrounding area and wait over two hours before being evaluated,” Jones said, adding that it’s the longest wait time in the state.

    Another issue contributing to the shortage of primary care providers, Roxanne Leiba Lawrence with Luminis Health said, is the cost of attracting primary care doctors.

    “The challenge that we have is the investment in primary care,” Leiba Lawrence said. “It costs us about $250,000 to recruit, hire and onboard a primary care physician.”

    District 6 Council member Wala Blegay told WTOP that attracting primary care facilities would require funding from the county, but given the current economic climate and the county’s limited tax base, it will likely have to look to Annapolis for funding.

    “We need to make a really big pitch to the state,” Blegay said.

    And Blegay realizes that’s a big ask: “It will be difficult right now,” she added.

    With primary care in short supply in the county, Blegay said, patients may delay getting care when they need it most.

    She said with more accessible health care, outcomes could be improved, and that the county will continue exploring ways to get more providers inside its borders.

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  • If beer and wine in MD grocery stores statewide is a no go, is there room for even some exceptions? – WTOP News

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    Members of the Prince George’s County Council are asking state lawmakers to approve a program that would allow some stores to sell beer and wine if they’re willing to open in food deserts.

    Nearing the end of her first term, Prince George’s County Council member Krystal Oriadha, sponsor of more legislation than most if not all of her colleagues, would define legislative success with a goal that’s more modest than you might think.

    “If I could get a grocery store to come to Seat Pleasant before I leave office, it’d be probably one of the single most best things I was able to do our community,” she said.

    “I live in Seat Pleasant, and it’s my district and we lost the grocery store, and we have not been able to get one to come back and be able to survive.”

    Could giving a grocery store the chance to sell beer and wine, something that the grocery industry tries to legalize statewide every year, become profitable enough that they turn a profit? She’s hoping to give it a try.

    Oriadha and her colleagues on the council are asking state lawmakers to approve a pilot program that would allow stores to sell beer and wine if they’re willing to open in what are considered food deserts — and no where else around the state.

    “If we give them the ability to have a beer and wine license, no matter where they are, what’s the incentive for them to come inside of the beltway?” she asked. “So making it that if you come inside of the beltway, you do get this incentive.”

    A limited incentive for widespread change

    Unlike most pilot programs, this one wouldn’t sunset. But it also would be extremely limited — as few as one or two stores willing to open where they won’t open right now would be able to take advantage. Oriadha is hoping it can incentivize the change she’s pushing for, while satisfying a liquor industry she feels works against her community.

    “We have to do what’s best for the people that send us the office, right? And it’s not the industry. It’s not the liquor store owners. The majority of them do not live in Prince George’s County,” she said.

    “And the reality is that you have constituents that don’t have places to get food. That’s the reality. And so at some point we have to put them first. That would be my argument.”

    But for all the complaints people in her district voice about the number of liquor stores already operating there, that industry isn’t the focus of this push.

    It’s coming up with a way to find bigger profit margins for grocery stores that consistently tell the county the reason they won’t open in places like Seat Pleasant is because they can’t turn a profit.

    “The real goal is to bring grocery stores into communities that historically don’t have them,” she said.

    “We understand that we have to incentivize that, and so we look at adding beer and wine as an incentive toward them to come into areas that don’t have grocery stores.”

    But while it’s a local problem, it’ll be up to state lawmakers to decide whether this is the right solution.

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  • Dozens rally in Prince George’s County against data center project at abandoned mall site – WTOP News

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    Prince George’s County residents are pushing back against a proposed data center at the old Landover Mall site, citing environmental concerns and lack of transparency. Community members and council leaders argue the land deserves a development that uplifts the neighborhood — not one that could harm it.

    Prince George’s County residents protest against a proposed data center in Landover, Maryland. (WTOP/John Domen)

    Residents want something done with the old Landover Mall site. But they don’t want data centers.

    Prince George’s County residents concerned about the environmental and energy impact of data centers rallied ahead of a meeting of a county council task force studying and working to come up with recommendations for a proposed data center.

    The planned data center project at the old Landover Mall site just off the Beltway isn’t a done deal yet. But critics say the project was given the green light without any transparency, and it’s a lot further along than people might have thought.

    The rally had been in the works for days, with social media and online petitions firing people up about the development and the regularly scheduled task force meeting — which didn’t include any discussion about the Landover site on the agenda.

    In fact, the task force has no authority over that project, or any other potential or proposed data center. The committee, which has been meeting for months, is only working on putting together a list of recommendations that would, if the county council adopts them, guide the future regulation of data centers. But approval or authority over those projects is beyond the group’s power.

    Data centers offer tax revenue

    County leaders want to land more data centers in the county because of the tax revenue they generate. But they also don’t want to see them built where a mall used to sit during the 20th century rather than developing a project to help the community.

    “It’s been gone for 25 years — 25 years that land has sat there,” said Council member Shayla Adams Stafford, whose district includes the land where the mall once stood. “What has been on that land? Tell me! Nothing. Rocks, dirt, overgrown grass. That’s what we call ‘intentional blight.’ It was intentionally blighted and left there undeveloped.”

    She said the proposed data center would “intentionally harm” the residents who live near it, including those in an apartment building right across the street from the empty crater. She vowed to fight against the project from going any further.

    “These centers cannot be near schools,” she told the crowd. “They cannot be in residential areas.”

    Another local resident leading the fight against that particular project is Taylor Frazier McCollum, who started an online petition that has racked up thousands of signatures around the county.

    “Yes, we need to develop the site, but are we willing to take the bottom of the barrel offer from a company that cares nothing about our community?” she asked the rallygoers.

    ‘More positive things’ could be added to the community

    Frazier McCollum expressed frustration that the project was much further along than most people thought.

    “I feel like there’s so much more positive things that we could put in our community,” she said. “I feel confident that the data center will be stopped and that we’ll be able to bring something to the community that will be empowering and uplifting.”

    Environmental concerns, as well as the potential energy and water use, are among the reasons for the opposition, and it’s believed some of those infrastructure concerns could prove too difficult and expensive to make a data center feasible in the Landover site.

    WTOP reached out to Lerner Enterprises, which owns the land, for comment but got no response.

    Other members of the Prince George’s County Council spoke during the task force meeting to make clear they were against the project moving forward in Landover, and said they would work to find ways to prevent it from happening.

    “We know that you were wronged, that you did not have the right leadership at that time,” Council member Krystal Oriadha said. “They made decisions that didn’t center you, that didn’t include you, and we apologize.”

    Council member Wala Blegay, who is on the task force, said she plans to introduce legislation next week that would put a moratorium on data centers from going forward until the task force completes its recommendations.

    “It wouldn’t make sense to have data centers popping up all over the place while we are in the midst of an actual task force,” Blegay said. “It would make our task force useless.”

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  • Prince George’s County wants more of these types of restaurants, and less of fast food joints – WTOP News

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    With no shortage of fast food joints in Prince George’s Co., council members are looking to encourage more sit-down places in the county.

    When it comes to dining out in Prince George’s County, Maryland, there’s no shortage of fast food joints offering fried chicken, flimsy burgers and anything greasy. And, in some parts of the county, there’s no sign of any kind of dining establishment where you can sit down with your whole family around a table.

    While forcing better restaurants to open up isn’t an option, a new bill proposed in the county hopes to try to make it worth their while to do so. At the same time, another bill is looking to put more restrictions on the grease traps found all over the place, but especially inside the Beltway.

    Both bills were introduced this week, with the Prince George’s County Council returning back to session after a long summer break.

    Prince George’s County Council Vice Chair Krystal Oriadha is backing a measure that would provide incentives for more sit-down restaurants to open up in neighborhoods otherwise marked by value meals and carry out bags.

    “We understand there’s an oversaturation of what’s not healthy — fast food restaurants on every corner — especially when we look inside of the Beltway,” Oriadha said. “And we don’t see a lot of sit-down restaurant options and things that have healthier menus. And so, we’re really trying to think strategically about, how do we shift that?”

    The oversaturation of unhealthy eateries rings especially true in Oriadha’s District 7.

    Her proposal emphasizes more tax incentives and less red tape.

    “About the permitting process, fast tracking it,” she explained. “If you bring your restaurant into an area, like inside of the Beltway, creating plans that (Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement) have that if you use this plan and this model, for example, a design that’s already been approved, it fast tracks your process.”

    “And then we’re also looking at the state level to give us the ability to have tax incentives to strip malls that rent to restaurants specifically inside of the Beltway,” she added.

    While there’s a demand for certain chain restaurants to open up inside the Beltway — the Cheesecake Factory is often mentioned, including by Oriadha — she’s also hopeful smaller, locally-owned restaurants would see this as a push to open up an establishment.

    On the flip side of that attempt is a new bill from Council member Tom Dernoga, whose proposal would put new restrictions on where a new fast food restaurant with a drive-thru is allowed to open. It would stop them entirely in residential areas, and make it harder to open in other areas, too.

    “We can’t just talk about what we don’t want, if we don’t create pathways for what we do want,” Oriadha said.

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  • Stop sign cameras may be coming to Prince George’s County – WTOP News

    Stop sign cameras may be coming to Prince George’s County – WTOP News

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    A bill to allow stop sign cameras in school zones is advancing in Prince George’s county council. The measure was passed unanimously on Oct. 10 by the Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee.

    Stop sign camera enforcement near schools could be coming to Prince George’s County, Maryland.

    A bill to allow stop sign cameras in school zones is advancing in the county council. The measure was passed unanimously on Oct. 10 by the Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee.

    At the meeting, the panel was told by council staff that the bill was needed to authorize the camera installations, which have been given the green light by the Maryland General Assembly.

    Some municipalities in the county already operated stop sign cameras in school zones, including Bowie, Cottage City and Forest Heights.

    The goal of the measure is to change driver’s behavior so that they stop at stop signs, and thus improve safety for school children.

    Staff members told the Transportation committee that the stop sign camera program would likely generate up to $5 million the first year for the county, with less revenue for each succeeding year as drivers get used to the camera placement.

    Before passing the bill and sending it on to the full council, the committee briefly debated how to spend the millions in fines that the cameras were likely to generate it.

    “There never seems to be enough money to make sure that our streets, sidewalks and crossings are safe as they should be for school children walking to schools. That, to me, seems like a good place to put the money because it’s directly related to the safety that the fines are coming from,” said Council member Eric Olson, chair of the Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment committee.

    The panel was reminded about recent pleas for funds from agencies confronting domestic violence.

    “Perhaps we could earmark it for domestic violence, perhaps we could earmark for student scholarships, perhaps we could earmark for senior citizens support services,” said Council member Edward Burroughs.

    One of the bill’s lead sponsors told the panel of other enterprises in need of money.

    “I’m constantly told no we don’t have enough money, you know, Black maternal health, we’re fighting for a dollar there. We’re fighting for money for reproductive health care, right now, we’re fighting for money for unhoused,” said Council member Krystal Oriadha.

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  • Prince George’s Co. considers tying minimum wage to inflation – WTOP News

    Prince George’s Co. considers tying minimum wage to inflation – WTOP News

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    The Prince George’s County Council is considering tying minimum wage to the rate of inflation, leading to automatic increases in the years to come.

    The Prince George’s County Council is considering tying minimum wage to the rate of inflation, leading to automatic increases in the years to come.

    The bill was drafted by District 1 Council member Tom Dernoga, and has the backing of a majority of the council already. It passed a committee vote earlier this week even as some warnings and concerns were expressed about the potential impact it could have on an already tight county budget.

    “We’ve got tens of thousands of people in the county making substandard wages who are falling further and further behind,” said Dernoga.

    The effort mirrors an already existing law in neighboring Montgomery County, and Dernoga admitted he was doing it in part to put pressure on lawmakers in Annapolis to tie minimum wage to inflation statewide.

    At the current rate of inflation, Dernoga said it would mean the minimum wage would increase from $15 per hour to $15.45 per hour next year. But some who testified on behalf of business interests said they’re still adjusting to an increase that took effect at the start of this year.

    “It went from $13.25 to $15 per hour, which is a 13.2% increase, well above inflation,” said Brendan Mahoney, who is with the Restaurant Association of Maryland.

    “This would be about a 16% increase that businesses have needed to shoulder in the past year and a half,” Mahoney added, arguing for the council to change the date it would take effect from July 1 to Jan. 1.

    Amy Rohrer, with the Maryland Hotel Lodging Association, said it would also harm tourism in the county.

    “If we raise rates to accommodate the increased expense, we risk losing business in a highly competitive industry,” she said. “Prince George’s County as a destination is competing with surrounding counties in Maryland and surrounding states that have a lower minimum wage. Our guests are extremely sensitive to price and rates can only go so high before guests will choose to go elsewhere.”

    Progressive advocates lobbied outside the county council building before the committee hearing Monday, and some also testified in favor of the bill.

    “There will be $20 million more in wages for workers that will be taxed, the taxes will be paid into here, so that money will offset some of the costs that will come up with this bill,” said Rion Dennis with Progressive Maryland.

    While the bill passed a committee vote unanimously, some on the council did express hesitation and concern about what it might do to county finances.

    An analyst estimated an impact of more than $1 million on a county budget that sees a majority of spending go toward education and public safety, two areas that expect significant increases in the years ahead. And it was noted that the last time the minimum wage was increased by the county, there were some surprise impacts members of the council weren’t ready for.

    “From my heart, intentionality, I want to support but at the same token I think we need some more time to dot some I’s and cross some T’s,” said Council Vice Chair Sydney Harrison, who still voted to pass the bill out of committee.

    “We don’t know right now how difficult it would be,” said Council Chair Jolene Ivey. “Every little bit extra, I worry about.”

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  • Crowded field files to replace former Prince George’s County Council Member Mel Franklin – WTOP News

    Crowded field files to replace former Prince George’s County Council Member Mel Franklin – WTOP News

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    At least 13 people – nine Democrats and four Republicans – had filed a certificate of candidacy by Friday’s deadline.

    This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.

    A crowded field of candidates is lining up to fill the vacant at-large seat on the Prince George’s County Council, with just one month until the primary in the special election.

    At least 13 people – nine Democrats and four Republicans – had filed a certificate of candidacy by Friday’s deadline.

    According to the Maryland State Board of Elections website, the Democratic candidates include County Council Chair Jolene Ivey, state Del. Marvin E. Holmes Jr., former Del. Angela M. Angel, Bowie Mayor Tim Adams, Tamara Davis Brown, Gabriel Njinimbot, Keisha D. Lewis, Judy Mickens-Murray and Leo Bachi Eyombo.

    The state board also reported that Republicans Kamita Gray, Michael Riker, Isaac Toyos and Jonathan White had filed for the seat.

    All the candidates will run in a special primary election scheduled for Aug. 6, with early voting to run from July 31 to Aug. 5. The winner would run in the Nov. 5 general election, the same day as the presidential election.

    They are running to replace former at-large County Council Member Mel Franklin (D), who abruptly resigned on June 14 after serving 14 years on the council. Less than a week later, charging documents were filed against Franklin for multiple counts in what authorities said was a campaign theft scheme that involved more than $133,000 from his campaign account.

    The winner of this fall’s special election would serve the remaining two years of Franklin’s term.

    Belinda Queen, a community activist and former Prince George’s school board member, said the county might have to pay for another special election, depending on who wins.

    An Ivey victory would require an election to fill her current seat representing the county’s District 5, an area that includes Bladensburg, Cheverly and Glenarden. Ivey has another two years on her four-year term. Other county elected officials have been mentioned as possible candidates, but none were on state or county lists as of Friday evening.

    “The taxpayers will have to pay for that,” Queen said. “I get why all of them are running … to see about wanting to serve in a larger position.”

    She believes most voters will support Ivey, who’s already known in the county with her position on the council.

    Ivey’s campaign has already mailed fliers to Democratic voters that include a family portrait with her husband, Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-4th) and their children, a summary of her legislative work and an endorsement from former County Executive Rushern L. Baker III.

    Meanwhile, Queen, who isn’t supporting any candidate, offered advice for all the candidates.

    “The most objective way to get your voice out there is to go in the grocery store and meet the people. That’s the best thing to do,” Queen said.

    The other known candidates include:

    Holmes, who has served as a state delegate for more than 20 years. He’s one of the leading voices on housing topics as chair of the Housing and Real Property Subcommittee on the House Environment and Transportation Committee.

    Adams, who became Bowie’s first Black mayor in 2019. He’s also the owner of a multimillion-dollar company in the county called Systems Applications & Technologies Inc. (SA-TECH).

    Davis Brown, an attorney and community activist, ran in the May 2022 Democratic primary for the District 26 legislative seat against state Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D). She lost by 345 votes.

    Angel, a former state delegate, sought a vacant House seat in December to represent legislative District 25.

    Mickens-Murray is a former school board member who was appointed in 2021. State law passed a year later removed all four appointed members starting this month and will make the body a fully elected board to represent nine districts.

    Njinimbot, an entrepreneur, ran an unsuccessful congressional campaign in this year’s May primary against Ivey.  He came in second place, but only garnered 4,366, or 5.5%, of the vote.

    Bachi Eyombo sought the at-large seat two years ago in the Democratic primary election. So did White, an Air Force veteran who’s now running as a registered Republican.

    Riker is a retired Prince George’s County Police officer.

    Toyos did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

    The state Board of Elections updated the list of candidates at 9:22 p.m. Friday with Lewis and Gray, but no information was immediately available on them.

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