Dear Prince Georgians: 

Last week, the 2025 Legislative Session of the Maryland General Assembly officially began. During the session, our legislative team works with our State Delegation in Annapolis and our County Council to represent Prince Georgians and advocate for legislation that will improve the quality of life for residents in our County and across the State of Maryland. During last year’s Legislative Session, we raised nearly $200 million in new funding for projects in Prince George’s County and our goal this year is to secure funding that will allow us to continue enhance the lives all who call this great County home.  

As Acting County Executive, I am delighted to work alongside our Delegation to make sure our legislative priorities move forward. Each year, we have found success during the Legislative Session because our priorities here in Prince George’s County are in the best interest of all Marylanders, and I am confident that we will continue to build on that success by accomplishing two important goals. The first is to bring home resources that enrich and better the lives of our residents and the second is to advocate on behalf of Prince Georgians to ensure we bring home what our residents deserve. 

As we enter this year’s Session, we want to share our legislative priorities. This year, we are focused on investments in healthcare infrastructure and climate resilience. We are going to seek $30 million for construction of the Adventist Health hospital in Fort Washington and another $19 million to continue construction of the Luminis Women’s Health Tower. In addition, we are asking for another $9 million for the MedStar ICU Bed Expansion and Critical Care Tower, $15 million for the University of Maryland Capital Region Hospital Bed Expansion, and $5 million to expand CCI Primary Care capacity. These priorities represent a logical step forward not only for the County, but for the entire State. We need expanded access to healthcare here in Prince George’s, and these investments will provide the additional capacity that benefits the entire health system across our State. We are also going to continue building our County’s climate resilience by seeking funding for new storm-water management projects, including $12 million for flood reduction efforts in Calvert Hills and $2.8 million for water quality improvements in Fort Washington.  

We recognize that this year, the State of Maryland has a difficult task and as a County, we need to pursue our goals while keeping in mind the fiscal realities of this new budget year. I want to assure residents that we remain confident that we will continue to build on our successes in previous legislative sessions and continue to make tremendous strides for Prince Georgians and Marylanders. We encourage you to stay tuned for updates on our collective progress throughout the 2025 Legislative Session. 

The Prince George’s County Planning Department offers a free, seven-week course that provides a unique opportunity for community-minded individuals to learn about urban planning and actively shape the future of Prince George’s County. The curriculum covers essential topics in urban planning, community engagement, and sustainable development. The program also aims to empower residents to actively engage in planning and decision-making processes in their communities. The spring 2025 session runs on Wednesdays from March 19 to April 30, 2025, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Learn more information about the Neighborhood Planning Academy and apply for the next cohort!  

 Celebrating Tradition and Community at Our Three Kings Day Toy Distribution 

The Latino Affairs and the Latino Advisory Board celebrated Dia de Reyes (Three Kings Day) on Saturday, January 4, by spreading joy and providing resources to families in Prince George's County. Special thanks to Police Chief Aziz and Captain Serpas of the Prince George’s Police Department who happens to be a dedicated member of the Latino Advisory Board, for their generous support and toy contributions. 

By celebrating Three Kings Day, we not only bring happiness to children but also honor and preserve a treasured cultural tradition for future generations. This event highlights our dedication to supporting the community and embracing its rich diversity. 

County Government offices, except public safety agencies, will be closed on Monday, January 20, in observance of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. 

Per the County’s new holiday waste collection schedule, ALL collections slide through the week, starting Tuesday, January 21, and ending on Saturday, January 25. as follows: 

Curbside Food Scraps and Yard Trim (Organics): 

Regular Monday, January 20 collection slides to Tuesday, January 21 

Curbside bulky, trash, and recycling: 

Regular Tuesday, January 21 collection slides to Wednesday, January 22 Regular Wednesday, January 22 collection slides to Thursday, January 23 Regular Thursday, January 23 collection slides to Friday, January 24 

Regular Friday, January 24 collection slides to Saturday, January 25 

Learn more information on waste collection services on the Department of the Environment website here or contact PGC311. 

There’s still time to recycle your ‘live cut’ Christmas tree and turn it into mulch for distribution at our annual Mulch Madness giveaway. The Department of the Environment (DoE) makes it easy for residents to "recycle" live cut Christmas trees (no artificial trees) by offering curbside pickup and a drop-off location. 

Curbside Christmas tree collection runs from January 6 to January 27, 2025. Residents with County- provided yard trim collection may place their undecorated, unbagged, live Christmas trees at the curb by 6:00 AM on Mondays or drop them off at the Brown Station Road Convenience Center. 

For more information, please call PGC311 or visit environment.mypgc.us. 

It’s a new year, so spend it adopting Department of the Environment’s easy, sustainable activities that make a big difference—like putting your live-cut Christmas trees and wreaths out with yard trim collection to be composted. 

Learn more at: https://pgcproud.com/pledge-campaign. 

 Harlem Nights: Annual Awards Gala 

Joe Movement Emporium's (JME) Artist Partner Open House will showcase JME artist partners to the arts community, patrons of art, and other arts organizations that could call Joe's home. This collective effort will connect Joe's with arts companies and entrepreneurs who need affordable creative spaces to rehearse, perform, and use. JME also aims to attract patrons who are looking for quality arts showcases, like the events our current artist partners provide. 

This event will illuminate the range of art that lives here and provide a peek behind the curtain of our spacious studios and black-box theater. It will span 3 nights: Tuesday, January 21, Thursday, January 23, and Tuesday, January 28. Tickets are available here. 

Join the Department of Family Services for an informative session on how to protect yourself from online threats and avoid falling for scams. Learn practical tips and tricks to keep your personal information secure while navigating the digital world. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your cybersecurity knowledge and safeguard your online presence. Register here to secure your virtual seat!