Just Gotta Ask || Solo Hay que Pedir

📣 Welcome

Date 3/20/26

Issue 22

Last Friday night at a sold-out event at Joe’s Movement Emporium, PG County neighbors raised $13,000 for families impacted by ICE kidnappings at a community dance party. The music was popping (shout out to the Hy-Fy Groove Society), the food was incredible (learn more about catering services that support neighbors here), and the margaritas were freshly squeezed, bless The Water Hole.

It all happened because “What can we do?” turned into “You know what might work...” which turned into “Oh, I bet Bob would help...” which turned into “And I bet we could get Becca to paint something...” which turned into “Hey, do you have a minute? I want to run an idea by you…”

Things happen in our world because real people ask other real people to join them. It’s messy and time consuming and annoying and sometimes we burn all the tips off our fingers because of the hot glue on crepe paper monarch butterflies, but the result can be beautiful, with tangible impacts. And it can be a damn good time. 

We just gotta ask others to join in. 

If you weren’t able to join us last week, but want to contribute, check out the PGIRC’s GFM page for families in need of financial help.

My Top Five

🌿 Native Plant Sale: Pre-order native plant plugs via the online form by 4/10 (Fri) to support local biodiversity.

🤝 Support Families: Donate to or share the PGIRC Families in Need Sheet for local mutual aid.

🗳️ FY2027 Budget: Attend the Public Hearing on 3/21 (Sat) (9:30 AM) to give input on city spending.

🥯 Bagel Pre-Orders: Secure your bagels and spreads from Towne Bagel via their online form.

🛠️ CERT Meeting: Learn "Duct Tape Skillsets" for emergencies on 3/23 (Mon) (7:30 PM).

Rachel Bush
LGN Editor
rsbush01@gmail.com

🏛️ City Updates

Upcoming Official City Events:

Mount Rainier

• 3/21 (Sat) (9:30 AM) — Public Hearing and Work Session of the Mayor and Council on the Proposed FY2027 Budget. This is a chance for the community to provide input on how city funds should be allocated for the upcoming year.

• 3/21 - Electronic Recycling

• 3/23 (Mon) (7:00–8:00 PM) — Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Meeting. Duct Tape Skillsets in an Emergency (entertaining and practical!).

• 3/26 (Thu) (6:30–7:30 PM) — Recreation Committee Meeting.

• 3/28 (Sat) (11:00 AM–1:00 PM) — Annual Springtime Egg Hunt #Free.

• 3/29 (Sun) — Deadline for Call for Artists for Skate Park Design. The city is looking for artists to submit designs for the new skate park.

Brentwood – March/April Lamplighter Newsletter

• 3/24 (Tue) (6:00–7:00 PM) — Special Budget Meeting.

• 3/31 (Tue) (6:00–7:00 PM) — Special Budget Meeting.

• 4/2 (Thu) — Easter Event.

• Join the Tree Committee – Email: greenteambrentwood@gmail.com.

North Brentwood

• 3/26 (Thu) — CreativeWorks virtual Employer Info Session.

• 4/30 (Thu) — Scholarship deadline for higher education applications ends.

Cottage City

• 4/6 (Mon) (6:00 PM) — Certification of Nomination/Petitions Due for Town Election.

🎒 School News

PGPS Calendar

🦅 Mount Rainier Elementary

On 3/10 (Tue), the PTO met to discuss upcoming events, hear from a candidate for School board, work on “Indoor Recess Carts” filled with games, crafts, and activities for students to do during those rainy spring days where outside play won’t be an option. We want to shout-out the work of involved parents in making this happen and hope illustrating what happened can serve as a model for how our school community can work together to get things done.

• 🏖️ 3/30 (Mon) – 4/6 (Mon) — Schools Closed for Spring Break.

• 🌎 4/10 (Fri) (6:00–8:00 PM) — International Night - A celebration of the people and cultures at MRES.

• 🍎 5/4 (Mon) – 5/8 (Fri) — Teacher Appreciation Week - Stay posted on how to celebrate our teachers!.

• 💼 5/13 (Wed) — Career Day - If you are not an MRES parent, but are interested in sharing your career with students, reach out to mountrainierPTO@gmail.com.

• 🎡 5/16 (Sat) — Community Carnival.

🐅Thomas S. Stone Elementary 

We had a wonderful time at our March Book Club reading The Rainbow Fish / El Pez Arcoíris! It was a joyful evening filled with storytelling, connection, and a shared love of reading. Thank you to everyone who joined us and made the event so special. We’re looking forward to continuing the fun at our next Book Club session on 4/13 (Mon)—we hope to see you there!.

• 🌱 3/24 (Tue) — Environmental Family Night.

• 🎨 3/25 (Wed) — Paint Night.

• 🏫 3/27 (Fri) — Now a Full Day based on usage of Snowdays.

• 🎒 3/30 (Mon) – 4/6 (Mon) — Spring Break (Schools Closed).

📚 4/13 (Mon) — Next Book Club Session.

🌎 Stay Local

🎉Business Announcements

• 🥯 Towne Bagel is now taking limited weekly pre-orders for bagels and house-made cream cheese spreads as neighbor John gears up for the upcoming market season. Order via the form and enjoy!.

• 🐕 Dog Walking: Need to have your pup walked? Neighbor Jory Ryland is an experienced dogwalker taking new clients. Email her at jory.ryland@gmail.com for more information and availability.

• 🌿 Native Plants: The Capital Area Native Plants Group is offering a bulk sale of native plant plugs at wholesale prices. Orders are open until around 4/10 (Fri) or until sold out, and plants must be picked up 4/25 (Sat) at the Brentwood Community Center.

🎭 Neighborhood Happenings

• 💃 3/20 (Fri) (7:00–9:00 PM) — Bellydancers of Color Collective presents Spring Equinox Slow Burn Dancehall Class.

• 🌸 3/21 (Sat) — A Cherry Blossom Experience at Station 3510 (Ages 4-15).

• 📸 3/21 (Sat) — Focus Pocus! Macrophotography slideshow and artists talk by Rick Ruggles.

• 🖼️ 3/21 (Sat) — Into the Layered Field Artist Reception at Portico 3807.

• 🕯️ 3/21 (Sat) (12:00–2:00 PM) — Spring Candle Making Workshop at MiXt Food Hall.

• 💧 3/26 (Thu) — Watershed Stewards Academy Application Deadline.

• 🍲 3/27 (Fri) (6:00–8:00 PM) — Gateway Aging Together Monthly Potluck at Mount Rainier Nature Center. Join the Gateway Aging Together group for their monthly potluck. Topic: Emergency Preparedness.

🧑‍🌾 Gateway Farmer's Market Feature

• 🥬 3/28 (Sat) (9:00 AM–12:00 PM) — Indoor market at miXt Food Hall.

• ☀️ 4/18 (Sat) — Outdoor market officially opens

📚 Mount Rainier Public Library 

There is always something happening at your local library! Here are just a few programs on our weekly schedule: 

• Mondays 10:15 AM - Ready 2 Read Storytime - Bring your toddler or preschooler for a fun-filled half-hour of stories, songs, and fingerplays! 

• Mondays 11 AM -12 PM - English Conversation Club - Are you learning to speak English? Join us to practice conversation, build confidence, and connect with others who share your interest in learning English. This event is held in the children’s area so that pre-school aged children can play with one another while you practice conversation with other adults.

• Wednesdays 1 PM - Computer Basics - Need help navigating your computer or phone? Meet with library staff weekly on Wednesdays to get your tech questions answered and gain confidence using email, Google and Microsoft programs, the internet, and other applications. Bring your own device or use one of our computers.

☮️ Volunteering and Mutual Aid 

• 📣 3/28 (Sat) (10:00–11:30 AM) — No Kings 3 and Sign-Making Parties. A Celebration of Resistance along Route 1.

• 🤝 PGIRC Families in Need of Support Sheet — Spreadsheet of PGIRC ICE-Impacted Families currently in need. Donate and share if and when you can.

• 🧸 Now – 3/31 (Tue) — Clothing and Toy Drive for Thomas S. Stone students.