Demand for Assistance Grows As Affordability Concerns Rise
Job loss, stagnating wages, inflation, tariffs and rising cost of living across the U.S. have led to what some call an “affordability crisis.” Greenbelt residents, disproportionately affected by the federal government cuts and furloughs and impacted by the cost of living on the outskirts of the nation’s capital, are among those facing difficulties meeting living […]
Thirty-Two Under-18s Voted In City Election, Up from Two
In 2018, the City of Greenbelt voted to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in local elections. Following that change, there were outreach efforts to teenagers, including a table with voting information and registration forms in the cafeteria at Eleanor Roosevelt High School (ERHS) that was staffed by members of Greenbelt’s Youth Advisory Committee and […]
School Academic Scores Not Returned to Pre-Pandemic Levels
Compared to pre-pandemic years, fewer Greenbelt students are “proficient” in math and English language arts (ELA) on state tests, according to data from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). The 2025 school report cards, which were released in early November, are based on the results of state tests over the 2024-25 school year. With the […]
Council Retreat Anticipates Budget Woes Downstream
The Greenbelt City Council retreat on December 10 was the first of two gatherings to set council’s goals for the next two years. This first session focused on team building and setting up a productive method for tackling the goals. It set the ground rules to, in the words of facilitator Maryland Municipal League Senior […]
Council Moves on Cellphone Coverage and Traffic Calming
At the December 8 Greenbelt City Council meeting, Mayor Emmett Jordan opened the discussion by noting resident concerns about poor cellphone coverage in parts of the city. In response to those concerns, he announced that he would request a January 5 worksession on the topic (which was later approved by council). See our separate story […]
Maryland Politicians Discuss Goddard Campus, Loss, Budget
On Monday, December 15, members of Maryland’s congressional delegation met with NASA officials and stakeholders to discuss Goddard’s workforce and missions. “The NASA Goddard story is part of a larger story where the Trump administration has really eaten away at American leadership in many areas, including when it comes to space and innovation and exploration,” […]
Fiscal Issues Lead to Pilot SAYT Program: Part Two
This article covers the city waste collection budget deficit and the planned use of SAYT revenue. Part One of this report covered the need to address city waste collection budget deficits, how the SAYT pilot and WasteZero were chosen to help address the deficit, WasteZero and city revenue sharing, and other options to reduce waste collection […]
Unionization for Public Works First Reading Approved by Council
At its December 8 regular meeting, the Greenbelt City Council covered three major items: a city charter amendment allowing Public Works staff to unionize, review and approval of a major traffic calming study and a future worksession to address residents’ concerns with cellphone service in parts of Greenbelt. This story covers unionization, with cell service […]
Congress Works to Secure BARC’s Future but Much Risk Remains
On November 25, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks announced news about the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC). Back in July, the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said it would vacate the facility over the next few years. The senators announced in a press release that Congress had allocated $6 million in the […]
Greenbelt’s Peggy Higgins Recognized With Award from County Executive
On December 4, Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy hosted the county’s first Golden Senior Ball, which was a sold-out event held at Martin’s Crosswinds in Greenbelt. Previously there were “red and gold” senior balls in the county but this was the first ball since 2019, after which they ceased due to the pandemic and […]