USDA Reveals Public Comment Support For BARC as Funding Showdown Looms
In December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published two documents related to the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), a facility located just north of Greenbelt. In July, the USDA had announced that it would vacate this facility after winding down research there during the next few years. One of the documents published in December […]
Council Gets First Look at Budget, Meets with Legislative Consultants
The Greenbelt City Council worksession on December 17 began with a first look at the upcoming budget with new City Treasurer Ron Covington. On December 8, the city received a report from the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) that listed the city’s taxable assets, with the information included in this initial budget presentation. […]
Top Stories of 2025
This year’s end replay of Top Stories was prepared by News Review staff members: Anna Bedford-Dillow, Deanna Dawson, Carol Griffith, Erica Johns, Sandra Lange, Diane Oberg, Sandy Rodgers and Pat Scully. FBI, BARC and BEP Proposed and existing federal facilities in and near Greenbelt took major hits this year. A multi-year process led to the […]
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 […]