Back To The Basics/ Community News & Meetings
Back To The Basics/ Community News & Meetings
The Intersection is committed to building a community news organization
I appreciate your support. Thank you for sticking with this newsletter. Contact us at contxtnewsletter@gmail.com
Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in a virtual discussion on local news and its future at The Maryland Humanities.
(It was a great time. The food was also great).
On the conference’s first day, I talked to community members, activists, and public servants about The Intersection. It caused me to reflect on why The Intersection’s exists. Generally, The Intersection’s goals are to contribute to the local media ecosystem in a way that centers community stories, to continue the legacy of the Black Press, and to build a community-centered news organization.
With that said, I have returned the organization’s newsletter to Substack. This platform has allowed me to organically build a community that reaches Prince George’s County residents. Additionally, I believe this platform provides a user-friendly experience for readers and digital travelers.
Because I want to build a local, community-centered news organization, I have to be intentional about how this organization presents itself to its community members. I want to continue to be an independent news organization.
So, thank you all for sticking with me. Thank you to all the new subscribers. Thank you for continuing to read The Intersection. This organization continues to exist because you continue to support it.
*We have a new article about the at-large sit coming out over the weekend. Watch your emails.
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News: Politics
Kamala Harris’s path to the Democratic nomination, explained
Excerpt: Harris is not officially the Democrats’ nominee; the endorsement of the Democratic Party’s leader isn’t enough.
Harris has acknowledged this and said that she intends to “earn and win this nomination.” While there is still technically a chance that she will not become the nominee, she has already locked in endorsements she needs to make it unlikely that anyone will credibly challenge her.
She has been endorsed by all 50 Democratic state party chairs, party leaders including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and many of her would-be Democratic rivals. That list includes Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. Many of them are seen as her potential vice presidential picks.
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Black Faith Leaders Rally to Support Kamala Harris for President
Excerpt: In-person churchgoers had probably returned home on Sunday when the news erupted that President Joe Biden would not only decline to pursue a second term but had also endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, for president.
The unexpected timing did not deter church leaders around the country from assembling on Zoom to declare their singular support for Harris, send letters of support to their political representatives, and offer their dollars to fund her campaign.
Biden’s decision came as a surprise because, despite his recent bout with COVID-19, he had announced his July 22 return to the campaign trail. But as the tide turned with his announcement, the Black community rallied immediately to secure his seat for Harris — someone it could depend on to hear its voice.
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‘Focused and united’: Democratic women running for Senate line up behind Harris for president
Excerpt: One of the first endorsements for Harris’ presidential bid came from Angela Alsobrooks, who is running for Maryland’s open Senate seat against former state Gov. Larry Hogan, a popular former governor who turned this safe blue seat into a competitive contest.
In a statement, Alsobrooks said that Biden stepped aside because he understands the “grave threat to our freedoms” that Trump and a Republican majority pose. Alsobrooks said it’s paramount that Democrats “come together quickly and unite behind a qualified leader.”
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Resident questioning Prince George's County council member's residency hires detective
Excerpt: Council member Ingrid Watson was previously a Bowie City Council member who ran and won a seat in Prince George's County's Councilmanic District 4 in 2022.
While she lived in Bowie and inside District 4 for years, some of her constituents grew concerned that something had changed, so one of them hired a private investigator to find out.
District 4 encompasses Bowie and parts of Upper Marlboro. The home the private detective recorded Watson coming and going from is also in Upper Marlboro, but it’s a mile outside of District 4 in District 6.
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Education
Prince George’s board seeks probe of member who also held a job in Missouri
Excerpt: The Prince George’s County Board of Education has asked for an investigation into former member David Murray, who resigned earlier this month, several months after he’d taken a job with a school system in Missouri and started working in that state.
The board said in a letter dated Wednesday that it has asked the county Office of Integrity and Compliance and “other appropriate agencies” to look into the matter.
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Maryland university student housing project could include a Busboys and Poets
Excerpt: Bowie State University is set to announce additional details about a major mixed-use project known as the Gateway — potentially including a new Busboys and Poets location."
Community Meetings
Prince George's County Office of Emergency Management
ALERT Prince George's is the official alert system of Prince George's County. This alert system allows public safety officials to send important and lifesaving emergency information to residents and subscribers via text, phone call, and email during large emergencies and disasters. Subscribers can add multiple phone numbers and addresses to receive alerts. Sign up for critical emergency alerts today at alert.mypgc.us.
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Life After Release
Time: 10:30 - 12 p.m.
Date: Tuesday
Location: Virtual (Link here)
We are connecting women impacted by the criminal legal system to local employers. Sharing resources, tips, and leads for finding employment or higher education. Supporting employment offers through mutual assistance and collaboration.
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Neighborhood Planning Academy
Applications for the Fall 2024 Neighborhood Planning Academy are now OPEN! If you're passionate about shaping the future of Prince George's County through urban planning, this program is for you. Apply today at http://academy.pgplanning.com/apply.
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Lunch and Learn: Advocating for Black Maternal Health
Time: 12 p.m.- 1:00 p.m.
Date: July 30, 2024
Location (virtual): https://www.youtube.com/live/89A9M-7_xS0?si=y3H71FtLQwWTamHn
Lunch and Learn, brought to you by the Prince George's County Office of Human Rights in partnership with the Prince George's County Memorial Library System, continues with a virtual panel that includes Asiah Gayfield, Ph.D., whose research includes Black Women and Prenatal Care, and Dr. Doee Kitessa, a general obstetrician and gynecologist and professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
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Electronics and Household Hazardous Waste Disposal
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Date: July 27, 2024
Location: See below
Effective April 15, 2024, the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW), Electronics Recycling (E-waste) acceptance sites, and other associated lots at the Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill will be closed until further notice due to construction.
HHW and E-Waste can be properly disposed of at one of the monthly mobile events held from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. on the following upcoming dates:
July 27 - Largo Government Center (9200 Basil Court, Largo)
August 17 - High Point High School (3601 Powder Mill Road, Beltsville)
September 7 - Accokeek Library (15773 Livingston Road, Accokeek)
October 5 - Largo Government Center (9200 Basil Court, Largo)