What Keeps Us Safe || Lo Que Nos Mantiene a Salvo

📣 Welcome

Date 4/17/2026
Issue #25

Last month, my family ebike was stolen. Community keeps us humble, folks.

In that same month, the town of North Brentwood added surveillance cameras around their streets. I won’t speak to how or why that decision was made. I’m not a reporter, and I’m not a resident. But as a neighbor, it’s something I noticed.

In the first wave of texts and conversations after my bike theft, I kept getting one question: did you catch it on camera? It struck me how instinctual that response has become. How an experience so human and personal now seems to require a recording to explain what happened and hold someone accountable. 

It’s a complicated moment. At the end of the day, we all want to climb into bed with fewer worries. What gets us there looks different across communities and families. But I keep coming back to this: one of the most effective and affordable ways to keep each other safe is simply knowing and talking to our neighbors.

And if anyone sees my bike, let the rider know they forgot the charger.

*Corey Fisher is a resident of North Brentwood. He’s put together a report on the cameras and is eager to connect with neighbors who want to learn more. You can email him at coreyfisher1221@gmail.com, or maybe you’ll bump into each other at the Gateway Farmers Market, which opens this weekend. The North Brentwood Newsletter includes a town note about the cameras.

Rachel Bush
LGN Editor
rsbush01@gmail.com

My Top 5

Gateway Farmers Market Opening Day (4/18) 🍅
Opening day is here!!!

Arbor Day Celebration + Tree Walk & Planting (4/25) 🌱
A full afternoon of learning, walking, and planting together.

Plant Sale of the Season (4/25)🫑
Fruits, veggies, and cutting garden favorites—Get 'em while the getting is good.

Family Square Dance at Joe’s (4/19) 💃
Low-pressure, all-ages fun—exactly the kind of thing you didn’t know you needed until you go.

STEM FUN: Snap Circuits (4/18) 🥼
Spark curiosity and creativity with your kiddos

🏛️ City Updates

Brentwood: 

• Fri, 4/17 (10 AM - 2 PM): Food Pantry Open

• Sat, 4/18 (11 AM - 1 PM): Arbor Day/Earth Day Event

• Tues, 4/21 (6 PM - 7:59 PM): Public Hearing of the Mayor & Town Council

• Tues, 4/21 (6 PM - 7 PM): Public Hearing-2027 Fiscal Year Budget – Town Center

• Tues, 4/21 (6 PM - 7 PM): Public Hearing-2027 Youth Suffrage – Town Center

• Tues, 4/21 (7 PM - 9 PM): Council Meeting – Tune in live on Comcast channel 71, Verizon channel 36, or online Youtube Live tinyurl.com/brentwoodmd

• Fri, 4/24 (10 AM - 2 PM): Food Pantry Open

Cottage City:

• Tues, 4/21 (6:30 PM - 7:45 PM): Make Your Yard More Attractive To Birds, Butterflies, & Beneficial Insects

• Fri, 4/24 (6 PM - 7:30 PM): Community Arbor Day Event

Mount Rainier: 

• Tues, 4/21 (7 PM - 8 PM): Work Session of the Mayor and Council

  • Happy hour before at PennyRoyal for any neighbor looking to meet neighbors and chat about concerns. 

• Fri, 4/24 (7 PM - 8 PM): CERT Training - Fall Prevention

• Mon, 4/27 (7 PM - 8 PM): Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Meeting – City Hall

North Brentwood: 

• Mon, 4/20 (7:30 PM): Town Meeting – Log on to learn about your town! (Zoom)

  • 433 091 3800 / Passcode: 4009 / Call: 301.715.8592

• Fri, 4/24 (2 PM – 4 PM): Food Distribution – Sis's Tavern. Free groceries, 1st come 1st served

• Thurs, 4/30 (5 PM – 5:05 PM): Town Scholarship – Apply by April 30! Submit by 4/30/26

Mount Rainier neighbor Valerie submitted the following: 

Tonya Sweat seeks to run for County Chief Executive as an independent candidate in November, and needs signatures to get on the ballot.  For the next six weeks, a few of your neighbors in Mount Rainier and Brentwood are collecting signatures to assist in that effort.  Please text 202-709-0970 if you are interested in signing the petition to get her on the ballot. For those who are familiar with her name, Candidate Sweat was involved with providing support and guidance during the fire department staffing crisis we had a couple of years ago, and she is representing some of our neighbors at the Artspace building in their suit against the parent company.  Below are some websites that have information about her; the facebook one seems to be the current main organizing one, but the others have interesting information as well.  The more candidates on the ballot, the more issues and comparisons and ideas we can put in the air to make our County better!

🎒 School News

PGPS Calendar

The Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) Superintendent search is ongoing. By state law, the County Executive must select a new superintendent by June 1, and the Board of Education will finalize the appointment by June 30.

🦅 Mount Rainier Elementary

Spring is here and just like your garden, MRES is a bustle of activity! 4th Graders came back from break with Science Projects to present, select chorus has started practicing for the spring concert, running club held their first meeting 3rd grade and UP is doing MCAP testing while doing fun things in the afternoon like field trips to UMD and assemblies. Everyone is trying to squeeze in as much learning as possible while having a good time doing it.

Outside of school, the PTO collected community donations and presented Indoor Recess carts to the school staff for rainy day recesses. On Friday 4/10 at International Night, students traveled from country (table) to country (table) stamping their passports and learning interesting facts about the diverse backgrounds of our school families. On Wednesday 4/16, the PTO hosted a Standby Guardianship workshop helping families to learn how to protect their children in the case of an emergency. As we move toward May, the focus shifts to safe traveling to school with a couple Bike & Walk days and the always popular Community Carnival!

Upcoming Events & Important Dates

• 🍎 05/04–05/08 (Mon–Fri) – Teacher Appreciation Week - Stay posted on how to celebrate our teachers!

• 🚶5/6 (Wed) National Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day

• 💼 05/13 (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

• 🚴‍♀️5/15 (Fri) WABA Bike to Work (School Day)

• 🎡 05/15 (Fri) – Community Carnival

🌎 Stay Local

🎉Business Announcements

Cariñito Panadería, a small home-based Mexican microbakery, is celebrating its grand opening! Inspired by childhood memories of walking to the corner store for pan dulce, this project shares traditional sweet breads with the community through an honor system and porch pick-up—made with cariño and rooted in tradition. Stop by, support a neighbor, and enjoy a taste of Mexico.

🗓️ Sunday, April 19

⏰ 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM (or until sold out)

🏠 4112 32nd St, Mt. Rainier, MD

🎭 Neighborhood Happenings

• 💃 4/18 (Sat) (7:30–9 PM) – Aperture by Pastrick Casimir, Afro-modern dance concert at Joe’s Movement Emporium

• 🌱 4/18 (Sat) (10:30 AM–12 PM) – Earth Week Kick-Off, Mount Rainier Nature Center

• 🧘 4/19 (Sun) (5 PM) – #Free Community Yoga with PG Strength Club (pre-registration encouraged, space limited)

• 🎻 4/19 (Sun) (3 PM) – Family Square Dance at Joe’s

• 🛁 4/21 (Tue) (7 PM) – South Bath at Station 3510

• 🎨 4/23 (Thu) (5:30–6:30 PM) – DIY Art Street Festival / We Are America Route 1 Sign Wave. Bring masa, shelf-stable milk, or cooking oil for donation if you can

• 🪴 4/25 (Sat) – The Plant Sale of the Season (fruits, veggies, cutting garden)
  Editor’s note: the cutting garden has been the best Mother’s Day gift I’ve ever received, and those shishitos are the best part of my garden.

• 🌳 4/25 (Sat) – Arbor Day Celebration hosted by the Mount Rainier Tree Commission (all ages welcome)

  1. 👟 (1:30 PM) – Tree ID & nature walk led by Commissioner Gabe Popkin
     Mount Rainier Food Forest (31st St between Taylor & Upshur)
     Learn to identify native and fruit-bearing trees and shrubs

  2. 🪵 (3 PM) – Tree planting led by Commissioner Barry Stahl
     Richardson Park (31st St just south of the Arundel Road levee)
     Planting two white oak trees to support the city’s urban forest and Maryland’s state tree
     The tree walk will conclude at Richardson Park in time for the planting

• 🎸 5/02 (Sat) (6:30 PM) – Fretters Concert at Maryland Meadworks
  Neighbor Leah & Jason duo set, with the Procrastinators and Dave & Chuck

• 🪻 5/06 (Wed) (6:30–9 PM) – Spring Wreaths Class (5610), register before it sells out

• 🥳 5/17 (Sun) (4:30–7:30 PM) – The Movement is for Everyone Family Dance Party benefiting PGIRC

☮️ Volunteering and Mutual Aid 

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

• 🎟️ Fundraising raffle for Community Native Planting Project

• 🐕 PGPUPs is looking for occasional volunteer support from a Spanish speaker to help translate texts and the occasional phone call with pet guardians, as online translation tools haven’t been reliable for conveying important medical information. Email kelsfield@gmail.com to learn more.

• 💃 5/17 (Sun) (4:30–7:30 PM) – The Movement is for Everyone Family Dance Party benefiting PGIRC

🧑‍🌾 Gateway Farmer's Market Feature

Opening day is this Saturday, 4/18! The market is open 9am-1pm. Come out and support the farmers and businesses that make it all possible. Stock up on all the fresh goodies and join us in celebrating the start to our 3rd season!

📚 Mount Rainier Public Library 

• Saturday, 4/18, 1-3 PM - STEM Fun: Snap Circuits: Build various circuits through interactive challenges that spark curiosity and creativity. Snap Circuits are great for elementary aged kids who love a science experiment!

• Monday, 4/20, 10:15 AM - Ready 2 Read Storytime: Bring your preschooler for a fun-filled half-hour of stories, songs, and fingerplays! All pre-school aged children (ages 0-5) welcome - we tend to have a pretty young crowd but can adjust accordingly.

• Tuesday, 5/5, 6:30 PM - Japanese Koto Recital: Mark your calendars for this event presented by the Washington Toho Koto Society and held at Joe’s Movement Emporium. Join us for a captivating performance showcasing the exquisite sounds of the koto, a 13-string instrument made of paulownia wood which embodies elegance and simplicity, reflecting the tranquility of Japanese nature.  All ages welcome.

📚 Nearby Happenings

• 📖 4/24 (Fri) (6–7 PM) – Christopher Kondrich Free local poetry reading in Takoma Park

• 🎂 4/25 (Sat) – Hyattsville’s 140th birthday celebration

• 👕 04/17–04/19 (Sun) – HySwap

☕ Etc.