But questions are being asked about whether he should have already been behind bars when the incident happened.

Larry James Simpson, 68, is charged with multiple counts of attempted first and second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault and motor vehicle theft, among other charges. At least 16 people are considered victims, including one who was shot and another hurt by broken glass.

Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Tara Jackson said part of the investigation will look into why Simpson was even out on the streets, after he was convicted of murder in 1987. The murder happened years and he faced a life sentence plus 40 years, Jackson said.

鈥淟ife plus 40 is certainly a long sentence,鈥� she added. 鈥淚 wouldn’t expect that he would be released, but he did serve 35 years, but life plus 40 is a long sentence.鈥�

Jackson said Simpson filed a motion for a post-conviction requesting drug and alcohol evaluation in 2022.

鈥淭hat motion was granted, and he was transferred to the custody of the Department of Health. And then the next year, in October of 2023, he was released,鈥� she said.

At this point, prosecutors haven鈥檛 figured out what the rationale for his release was, nor is there any clarity as to the motive behind what happened on Friday.

Jackson wasn鈥檛 ready to second guess the department’s process and say whether his release was appropriate.

“I cannot, at this point, opine on whether or not it was appropriate or not, but it is concerning, because, of course, he is on the streets and he’s committed such a horrendous act,” Jackson said.

There鈥檚 been no other known legal incidents involving Simpson since his release.

Simpson is due in court again on June 15 for a preliminary hearing, but that hearing could be bypassed since a grand jury will have the chance to indict him before that happens.

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The asteroid is called Apophis. It’s about the size of the Eiffel Tower 鈥� and on April 13, 2029, it’s expected to make an extraordinarily close pass by Earth. So close that people in Europe and Africa will be able to see it soaring through the sky. It won鈥檛 land here, but if it did crash into Earth, it would have the impact of hundreds of nuclear bombs going off at once.

Since that would be bad for humanity, a project called Terp Raptor (Terrapin Engineered Rideshare Probe for Rapid-response Asteroid Apophis Profiling, Tracking, Observing and Reconnaissance) has brought a group of undergrad and graduate students together to study Apophis, and how to prepare for an asteroid that might not miss.

鈥淲e live in a cosmic shooting gallery,鈥� said Adrienne Rudolph, a doctoral student in aerospace engineering at the University of Maryland and the student principal investigator for Terp Raptor. 鈥淭here are asteroids and comets whirring around us all the time, but space is really big, so for something to get this close is incredibly rare. We want to give people the chance to, for lack of better phrasing, look the beast in the eye.鈥�

That鈥檚 what Terp Raptor will do. Rudolph and other students are building a satellite that鈥檚 about the size of a microwave. The plan is to launch it into space in 2028 so that it can fly by the asteroid ahead of time and beam information, including the sheer mass of the asteroid, back here before it gets too close.

鈥淲hen you understand the mass of an asteroid, you can calculate, if it were to impact the Earth, for example, what kind of energy would it have, what kind of destruction capability does it have,鈥� Rudolph said. 鈥淎steroid mass helps us to be able to learn about impacts, how to mitigate potential threats, if we need to. So if we see that there’s an asteroid coming at us and we need to either deflect it or disrupt it or blow it up, we know how much spacecraft mass to hit it with, to knock it off its course.鈥�

If it sounds like the prep work needed for when the 1990s movie Armageddon becomes more fact than fiction, you鈥檙e right. But the project needs financial help lifting off.

鈥淲e estimate that we need around $1.2 million total in cost, which is pretty low for a space mission of this size, but it’s still a lot,鈥� said Elena Wu, a freshman project manager with Terp Raptor. 鈥淎nd so we’re looking for funding from different sources.鈥�

A lot of that funding is in place, and the team has secured lab space at NASA Goddard. A meeting with the president of the University of Maryland could also bring more good news.

鈥淓verything is done at this point in terms of the design,鈥� said Tyler Autrey, the structure team lead who’s in charge of the design and manufacturing of the actual satellite. 鈥淲e just need the components.鈥�

But they still need to raise about $300,000 more. If you ever wanted to go into space, but would settle for having your name on board, .

鈥淲e’re looking to launch quarter two of 2028 and we ideally would get there in December of 2028,鈥� Rudolph said. 鈥淎 few months ahead of whenever it makes its closest approach. And the flyby is very quick. We’ll be traveling about four kilometers per second relative to the asteroid. So, pretty fast.鈥�

Terp Raptor isn’t the only mission eyeing Apophis.

Rudolph said the European Space Agency and NASA have their own plans to study the asteroid. They just happen to have a bit more funding.

Rudolph and her group are relying on Launch UMD, which is essentially a crowdfunding page for student-led projects. If this project makes it into space, all the information and conclusions gleaned from the fly-by will be public knowledge by the time people can see Apophis skimming close to Earth.

鈥淲e want to get those images back and that data back so people can understand what they’re looking at whenever they do see it in the sky on April 13,鈥� 2029, said Rudolph.

鈥淥ne day there will be an asteroid that does have our name on it, and we want to be prepared for that,鈥� Rudolph said. 鈥淪o we are not out here to do anything to Apophis, except go out and explore and learn more about it.

鈥淎ll of that data is good for planetary defense, planetary science and even asteroid mining prospecting,鈥� she added. 鈥淭here are asteroid mining companies in the industry that would like to know all of these features about asteroids, so they can say, 鈥楬ey, is this a metallic asteroid? Does this one have water? Are these worth mining?鈥� So it’s also good for resource prospecting.鈥�

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Randy Sutton, a retired police lieutenant from Nevada, said he was abandoned by his department after suffering a stroke inside his police car. That experience motivated him to help found the seven years ago.

He said officers began reaching out to him with stories that mirrored his own.

Since starting the organization, Sutton said Wounded Blue has helped thousands of officers 鈥� whether it鈥檚 with physical care or peer support for officers who have been shot, stabbed, beaten or run over.

A big focus, Sutton said, is suicide prevention. According the group’s motto is “never forgotten, never alone.”

鈥淢any of the officers that we deal with have been injured either because of gunfights, because of traffic accidents, fights with suspects,鈥� Sutton told 小萝莉影视.

鈥淯nfortunately, many police officers who are severely injured in the line of duty are given subpar medical treatment.鈥�

One of Wounded Blue’s biggest donors is someone Sutton calls “the voice on the phone.”

It鈥檚 an anonymous benefactor from the West Coast who he has never met in person but speaks with regularly. Sutton said the donor has provided million of dollars to help fund treatment.

Dr. Ehsan Jazini, an orthopedic spine surgeon at the Virginia Spine Institute in Reston, has spoken to that anonymous donor about providing care to both officers and members of the military who find themselves in similar situations.

鈥淗e’s very involved with these families and understands what they’ve been through,鈥� Jazini said.

One of those cases involved an officer from Texas named Tim who just wanted to be able to walk his daughter down the aisle.

Jazini said many of the officers who come to him have been misdiagnosed or bounced between providers “with no good answer.” He called it an “honor” to help people through the organization.

鈥淚t’s just incredible to be able to be a part of that, and for me to do my part as a surgeon and just try to do what I can do to help get these patients back to their life,鈥� Jazini said.

鈥淵ou’re taking care of people who are taking care of the people who are our most vulnerable members of society.”

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Officials at Monday’s tour of the new facility said a little over 3% of Maryland鈥檚 residents are 聽In Prince George’s County, that equates to tens of thousands of people.

Previously, they’d have to travel to either Baltimore, D.C. or Montgomery County for services geared toward them. Later this month, when the center holds its official grand opening and ribbon cutting, that will change.

鈥淵ou don’t always see them, because they might be stuck in their homes because they’re not getting services,鈥� said Prince George’s County Council member Jolene Ivey, who pushed for the space to open up this center.

She was quick to credit County Executive Aisha Braveboy for finding the space in a county-owned building.

鈥淭hey don’t know how to go out safely into the community. How are they supposed to get to Silver Spring or D.C. for these services?鈥� she asked.

For those in the blind community who gathered there for the first time, the joy and excitement knowing there鈥檚 a facility for them was obvious to everyone else in the room.

鈥淚t’s very important, extremely important,鈥� Chiko Dinaka said, describing the new facility as a place where 鈥済entlemen and ladies can get together and have meetings, and they can learn about different technology, like learn how to use a computer, how to use a Braille writer, how to navigate life.鈥�

鈥淎s a blind person in a blind community, this is great,鈥� said Eric Phifer, of Landover. 鈥淲e haven’t had resources. I had to go all the way to Montgomery County.鈥�

While everyone inside gathered to celebrate, it was apparent there was a strong bond within the community, something those who showed up were eager to confirm.

鈥淲e help each other. We look out for each other. As you can tell, the camaraderie is excellent, and I like being around them,鈥� Phifer said.

Now, with this service center, 鈥淚t’s going to grow. This is going to grow exponentially,” he said.

Marcus Robinson, chief operating officer of the a nonprofit that helps provide reading and audio services to the blind community around the D.C. region, will help oversee the new facility. He said the new Sight and Vision Center will play a role in helping blind and visually impaired people gain more independence.

鈥淥ne of the things that most people have a misconception is that every blind person has somebody to read a letter for them, or to cook for them, or things of that nature,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淪o what winds up happening is that a lot of times, people who are blind and low vision feel very isolated.鈥�

He reiterated that the goal of the new center is to make sure people can learn to read Braille, use a white cane to get around and even use technology that can help them call rideshares or navigate the online world.

鈥淚t’s as important as it is to have a public school for your child to go to,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淚magine trying to teach someone who’s blind how to cross the street again or navigate anything in their life.鈥�

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For the first time in its 151-year history, the Preakness Stakes is coming to Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and local leaders want to make sure the region feels every bit of it.

The races will be held at Laurel Racetrack, as Baltimore鈥檚 Pimlico track undergoes renovations. Attendance will be capped at around 4,800 for an event that drew more than 10 times that last year, and used to draw over 100,000 people during its heyday.

But Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Amy Gowan said the county is still going big this year, starting with a weeklong Preakness Festival.

“It truly is a Maryland tradition,” Gowan said.

Rather than a rowdy and raucous infield party, bars and restaurants around the region are planning watch parties this year.

鈥淭here’s a number of local restaurants and bars that have dining and beverage promotions. A lot of Black-Eyed Susan cocktails and mocktails, if that’s your jam,鈥� Gowan said. 鈥淎 lot of local businesses have stepped up and they have just come up with some really creative ways to celebrate the energy and the excitement around Preakness.鈥�

You鈥檒l find events at the Annapolis Mall and Arundel Mills, and in Prince George鈥檚 County too, with the National Harbor planning big things, starting with a special brunch Saturday morning.

鈥淎 lot of our restaurants will be hosting Preakness watch parties, especially down at National Harbor, as well as Arthur Wheeler distillery and Clyopatra Wine and Vineyards,鈥� Prince George鈥檚 County Executive Aisha Braveboy told 小萝莉影视.

National Harbor will also have next Saturday鈥檚 race playing on the outdoor big screen. But even ahead of all that, several farms around Maryland will open up this weekend to provide free tours and give people a chance to get up close with a horse.

On race day, former NFL player Brian Westbrook, who owns a farm in Upper Marlboro, will host a youth skills camp as part of the Preakness activities, giving young people a chance to learn to ride horses or see one for the first time.

The county’s local campaign is called “Anne Arundel off to the Races.” A full list of events and activations 鈥� including those statewide 鈥� is available on the state’s .

鈥淲e have all been working together to create a sense of place and community celebrating Preakness throughout our region,鈥� Gowan said.

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is free for anyone to attend and hosted by a think tank called the Special Competitive Studies Project. It’s filled with tech startups, defense contractors and a wider range of companies using AI in all sorts of ways.

And one topic of frequent discussion on the many stages and in conference rooms is the impact the technology is having on jobs.

鈥淭his is a problem that we need to be taking seriously as a leadership issue,鈥� said Miriam Vogel, president and CEO of Bethesda, Maryland-based which focuses on policy and governance of the technology.

鈥淚t鈥檚 something I feel very strongly and something we talk about a lot.鈥�

Vogel referred to AI as a general purpose tool and said it’s “not something happening to” people, but something people can engage with in their families and workplaces.

Arun Gupta, CEO of the a Tysons, Virginia-based nonprofit promoting public service to tech workers, spoke not just about jobs, but about how AI will influence careers.

He said he believes young people are likely to have four to six careers over their lifetime.

鈥淭hat could be startling for some, but I think ultimately, once you get on the other side of it, I think it’s empowering for most,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ecause they’re the ones that are able to design the career that fits the purpose that they have.鈥�

Brendan Schulman, vice president of policy and government relations at the robotics company , hopes the expo helps demystify the fanatical perceptions some people have about this technology.

鈥淭hey imagine that the robot is designed to come in and take their jobs. And that鈥檚 a concern that people have had about technology for decades, and not just robots,鈥� Schulman said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 particularly felt when it鈥檚 a machine that looks like a human.鈥�

Across the ballroom, Atlanta-based company , talked about the potential far-reaching benefits of its combat robots.

鈥淭he space industry is actually really focused on combat robotics, because with combat robotics, you can design for as long as you want, you can build it as well as you can, but when it goes in the arena, you can’t touch it again,鈥� Turnabot founder and CPO Scott Siegel said. 鈥淪o similarly, if you send something to Mars, you can’t touch it once it gets there. It’s got to be able to crash land on its own. It’s got to be able to do whatever its function is. It’s going to encounter things that you probably didn’t plan for.”

Siegel also tried to calm fears of a robot revolution in which AI takes over.

鈥淵ou can get them to do an enormous amount of work very efficiently, but they’re always going to have to have supervision,鈥� Siegel said. 鈥淭hey’re always going to have to have a person at the helm.鈥�

He said he thinks those who are skeptical should grow more familiar with the technology: “You should learn how to use (AI), because if you don’t learn how to use it, you’re going to get left behind.”

The free expo runs through Saturday and features family-friendly programming.

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The number of people who visited Downtown was up slightly in 2025 for those reasons, and with help from other major events such as WorldPride. But local business leaders said during Thursday’s State of Downtown Forum they鈥檙e worried about where things are going there and the rest of the region.

鈥淔oot traffic in 2025 started with a sprint, but ended up crossing the finish line with a hobble,鈥� said Mark Simpson, director of planning and economic development for the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District.

Trips to museums and Capital One Arena were up, while theater traffic was slightly down. Then he got to the matter of jobs.

鈥淚 shouldn’t say the R-word 鈥� recession 鈥� but the warning lights are flashing red,鈥� Simpson said.

鈥淭he District overall has the unique and unenviable position of being the only jurisdiction among our neighbors that not only saw negative job growth last year, but is still below prepandemic levels,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd the indications of the most recent data for ’26 show that all of our municipalities are losing jobs.鈥�

Other BID leaders tried to argue that, while there鈥檚 no 鈥渟ilver bullet,鈥� there are what they called 鈥済olden BBs鈥� that can help with the turnaround. Multifamily housing growth has declined in recent years, far below the pace in Northern Virginia, but they tried to tout the opportunity that exists. They also highlighted the increased presence of large universities from around the country that are migrating to D.C.

鈥淭hey recognize the long-term investment and opportunity and value that comes from bringing their faculty, staff and alumni Downtown in the nation’s capital,鈥� Simpson said. 鈥淲e need to continue to build on these gains.鈥�

Ebony Walton, the head of marketing for the Downtown BID, said remote work isn鈥檛 going away completely, and Downtown businesses will need to find ways to adjust.

鈥淲e must become a magnet, finding other ways to draw people to our Downtown,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e want people to choose to come Downtown. We want them to come for the joy, for the inspiration, to come and meander.鈥�

Mayor Muriel Bowser spoke last at the event, and though it was the Downtown business community in attendance, her message was pointed more toward whoever her successor might be. She warned specifically about neglecting Downtown businesses, crediting them for the city鈥檚 most recent surge of economic growth.

鈥淭he Downtown is literally the golden goose that, for many years, made it possible for us to invest in world class city services,鈥� she said.

She warned against 鈥渂acktracking鈥� on public safety and policies that might attract more businesses.

鈥淜eep fighting for how we grow as a city,鈥� Bowser said. 鈥淲e cannot tax ourselves into prosperity. We have to create more jobs, more revenue and more opportunities for D.C. residents and businesses to grow.鈥�

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In Maryland, outgoing State Sen. Arthur Ellis said his chamber should be doing the same thing.

Ellis, the most outspoken Maryland Senate Democrat pushing for a new congressional map, made his frustration with Senate President Bill Ferguson plainly apparent during this year鈥檚 legislative session, and those feelings haven鈥檛 changed.

“He鈥檚 a traitor to the Democratic Party,” said Ellis, who is now in the crowded field of candidates seeking to replace Rep. Steny Hoyer in Congress. 鈥淲e cannot just sit back and continue to do nothing in Maryland, specifically the Senate of Maryland.”

Ellis said momentum for redistricting is building in Republican-led states, pointing to recent moves by Republicans in Louisiana and South Carolina.

鈥淚 am so ashamed of the Senate of Maryland,” Ellis told 小萝莉影视, describing some colleagues as “quiet and cowering to the bullies.”

He vowed the votes were there in the state Senate to pass a new map already passed by the House of Delegates.

On Wednesday, one member of the Senate leadership said that was probably true, even if some of the yes votes would be reluctant. But another leadership source said a special session won鈥檛 be happening and new maps won鈥檛 be drawn this year.

A majority of Maryland鈥檚 Supreme Court justices were appointed by former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. When Democrats tried to draw a map with eight Democrats and no Republicans in 2022, those justices shut it down and redrew a more Republican-friendly map than what exists right now.

There鈥檚 belief that it would happen again with no way for Democrats to reverse the seat they would lose this year.

But next year seems like it鈥檒l be a different story.

One source said it might require a change to the state鈥檚 constitution to make what鈥檚 already considered a gerrymandered map hold up in the courts. At this point, that hasn鈥檛 been seriously discussed yet. But just because it鈥檚 not on the table right now doesn鈥檛 mean it鈥檚 not hovering near it.

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The formerly segregated detention center 鈥� now the Cheltenham Youth Detention Facility in Prince George鈥檚 County 鈥� abused boys as young as 5 who were sent there.

At least 230 unmarked graves have been discovered at the site, and it’s possible more have yet to be found. More than a century after their deaths went unrecognized, the state is now working to honor them.

Boys were sent to the House of Reformation for minor offenses during the Reconstruction Era in the decades following the Civil War. Once there, they were forced into labor at nearby farms and factories.

“This is where they came to die,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said at an unveiling on Wednesday. 鈥淭oday is an important reminder that darkness does not win, light does.鈥�

Officials unveiled a commemorative marker as a first step toward acknowledging what happened there.

鈥淗ere they were whipped and beaten 鈥� their humanity taken away from them,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淏oys died of disease and exhaustion here.鈥�

State Sen. Will Smith said a to go much further. He said the commission will conduct forensic analysis, genealogical research and go through historical records to learn more about what took place at the House of Reformation.

The number of known unmarked graves there, he said, will grow substantially now that the state is no longer “turning a blind eye.”

鈥淚 would hazard to guess that we鈥檙e just at the very tip of the iceberg,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a potter鈥檚 field there. I think that number is going to grow substantially.鈥�

The turning point came in 1960, when a 13-year-old boy successfully challenged the legality of the segregation and abuse at the site.

鈥淭here is no amount of hatred, and there is no amount of animosity, and there is no amount of racism that is going to hide the truth,鈥� Moore said, to thunderous applause. 鈥淭his state is committed to finding every burial site.鈥�

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A man in a turtle costume stood in a room off the main library at Templeton Elementary, alongside a big ole check 鈥� but that鈥檚 not why this teacher ended up feeling so appreciated.

To celebrate alums from the University of Maryland’s Education Department, Dean Kimberly Griffin, a team of professors and Testudo, the Terrapin mascot, traveled around the D.C. area with a big surprise.

Their first stop was Templeton Elementary School, which is based in Riverdale but currently set up in Landover while a new school is built.

Shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday, Elizabeth Pandya, an English language development teacher at Templeton 鈥� which is as big a melting pot of a school you鈥檒l ever find 鈥� walked into the room to a huge cheer.

Pandya, who started at Maryland for her undergrad and continued through graduate school, was nearly on the verge of tears.

鈥淵ou are one of our truly favorites,鈥� Griffin said to a room full of Pandya鈥檚 colleagues, as well as a group of fifth grade students.

鈥淥ur hearts were touched by the ways that you show up for your students and allow them to be their true and whole selves in their classrooms every day,鈥� Griffin said.

The most touching moment came when the students, standing in the back of the room, were asked why they thought Pandya was the best. No one hesitated to offer up their opinions 鈥� and praise.

鈥淪he is a really good teacher, and she’s super kind and teaches us a lot of stuff,鈥� one student said afterward.

鈥淪he’s the best teacher, and she teaches me a lot,鈥� said another.

鈥淪he teaches me English, and she was my LD teacher,鈥� said a third. 鈥淓very time in the morning and afternoon, she was pulling me so I learned English with her.鈥�

And then a fourth student summed it up, saying, 鈥淪he’s a good teacher, because if you don’t know something, she’ll teach it to you right away, and you’ll catch on by the way that she adapts to you and helps you learn.鈥�

And there was still more praise after that.

鈥淟isten, I’m having a moment,鈥� said Pandya, when it was her turn to speak. 鈥淚 am rarely, genuinely surprised. I am very, very shocked and honored, but shocked.鈥�

And all of that was before Griffin then presented Pandya with a check for $1,000.

鈥淲e know our teachers give a lot, we know that they don’t make a lot, but we want to give you a little gift to let you know how much we appreciate you and that we see you and how you show up for your community every day,鈥� Griffin said.

鈥淭his is our special event,鈥� Griffin later said in an interview. 鈥淪o we’re going out and celebrating three teachers this year and letting them know how much we appreciate them.鈥�

After visiting Templeton Elementary, the UMD team went to Montgomery County to surprise and honor two more teachers: Daniel Stein, who teaches at Northwood High School, and Sergio Cabrera, who teaches at Mill Creek Towne Elementary School.

鈥淲e really need to think about how we celebrate our teachers and elevate their role in our society,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淣othing gets accomplished without teachers. We don’t have doctors, lawyers, engineers, without good teachers.鈥�

Throughout the quick ceremony, Pandya kept going back to how much she loves her job, and her schools, both Templeton where she works, and Maryland, where she鈥檚 about to graduate with her Ph.D.

鈥淢y job means the world to me,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I just love my students and I love being able to give back to the community. So this is just a big surprise.”

鈥淢y hope is that we just can get more educators and more partners in our school to support our students,鈥� she added. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good to be a Terp.”

小萝莉影视/John Domen

小萝莉影视/John Domen

小萝莉影视/John Domen

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More than 40 street takeovers have happened in Prince George’s County already this year, according to police. The county council passed a bill Tuesday with some of the strongest civil fines they can levy on anyone who simply attends one.

The 10-0 vote includes penalties of $1,000 and up to two months in jail the first time you鈥檙e caught even hanging out at a takeover. The penalties increase with subsequent violations.

“This is not, you know, I didn’t cut my grass penalty,” said Council member Wanika Fisher, who sponsored the bill.

The action comes just over a week after a Virginia man was shot and killed attending a takeover at a parking garage in Howard County, Maryland. While state law currently allows police to only charge those caught driving at such an event, Prince George鈥檚 County police said simply showing up to one of these takeovers can lead to trouble.

鈥淚t’s typically not the drivers that get hurt,鈥� said Maj. David Hansen with Prince George’s County police. 鈥淚t’s everyone that’s standing around, and it’s the vehicles that hit the bystanders or the participants. It’s the guns that are brought to these events, and people just start randomly shooting.”

He said it was a stray bullet that killed 26-year-old John Phipps at a shopping center in District Heights in 2024. More recently, a woman from Indiana was taking pictures of a takeover when she was struck and seriously injured.

鈥淎 car did a doughnut and hit her and broke almost every bone in her body,鈥� said police spokesman Brian Fischer. 鈥淪he was airlifted out, but she will never, ever recover to the point of where she was before the car meetup.鈥�

While state lawmakers have tried to clamp down on these events, they continue throughout the region, prompting Prince George鈥檚 County to be the first jurisdiction to go after those who attend these events.

鈥淪ince Jan. 1, our department has dismantled more than 40 of these events,鈥� Hansen said.

Police have made 20 arrests, issued 100 traffic citations and recovered 16 illegal firearms, he said.

鈥淭hese incidents also place significant strain on law enforcement resources, requiring major deployments, impacting overtime and budget constraints and our ability to address other urgent calls for service,” Hansen said.

Fisher hopes this new bill, which will take effect 45 days after County Executive Aisha Braveboy signs it, puts an end to these events, at least in Prince George鈥檚 County.

鈥淵ou’re hurting the community,鈥� Fisher said. 鈥淭here’s no other way I can put it.”

鈥淲e did the max that we have, because that’s how serious it is,鈥� she continued. 鈥淭hat will require you to appear in court when you put incarceration on a civil citation like this. Now it makes it a ‘must appear’ so you can go talk to the judge.鈥�

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For part of the year, the locker room at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, is where Lamar Jackson and others put on their pads and get ready to play football. But more often than not, it鈥檚 now used as an event space and banquet hall 鈥� albeit one with football lockers still lining the wall.

NFL stadiums are no longer just sitting empty 350 days a year, which is something the Washington Commanders promised would be the case when the team made its pitch for its new D.C. stadium.

“It’s not just for 10 times a year, though that 10 times a year is very important,” Rich Tamayo, the Ravens’ senior vice president of stadium operations and experiences, said about the shift in thinking on using NFL stadiums. “We agree that this is really how we can bring the game day excitement to a non-game day event.”

Last year, the Ravens launched their own events business called , which helps turn field-level suites and club areas, as well as locker rooms and the room where coaches hold their press conferences, into spaces for galas, corporate events and other private events.

Tamayo said the goal is to give people access to spaces they’d never normally see.

“That’s the vibe. That’s what we’re looking for, is to get people connected to something that they probably wouldn’t see otherwise and bringing in that connection from our football game to private events or non-game days,” Tamayo said. “You’re in the Ravens’ locker room. You can feel the hype.”

Since last fall, Tamayo said the Ravens have been booking dozens of events using team facilities and suites in ways that go well beyond game days or concerts.

What you see on television 鈥� as in those long, concrete hallways where players walk through on the way to the locker room 鈥� is also the entranceway to spacious and intimate spaces that teams are now taking advantage of. Depending where you book, several hundred guests can be accommodated.

鈥淵ou have 鈥� all the AV (audio-visual hookups) that you would need. And then you also have sound bars, food areas,鈥� Tamayo said. 鈥淲e’ve used it and seen a lot of holiday parties and those type of mixers.鈥�

It鈥檚 a super short walk from the stadium parking lot, which also has security on non-game days. These additions were part of the $480 million in upgrades provided by the Maryland Stadium Authority when the Ravens signed a lease to extend their time in downtown Baltimore.

The field-level club amenities were built in an area that was literally a pile of undeveloped dirt in the bowels of the stadium.

鈥淎 lot of what stadiums are doing is trying to create different type of products for guests to enjoy, and that is beneficial for both game days and non-game days,鈥� Tamayo said.

The growing use of stadiums outside game days is why the Commanders have been checking in on developments up the Baltimore-Washington Parkway as the franchise plans its own venue.

Tamayo didn鈥檛 try to hide the fact that it鈥檚 another profitable revenue stream for the franchise. The Ravens make money from these events, which is one reason the Commanders have visited venues like M&T Bank Stadium as they plan their own future venue at the old RFK Stadium site in D.C.

But Tamayo also said the events business benefits more than just the team.

鈥淎nything that comes in 鈥� from arrival, from parking, all the way through to what you spend on catering and what you spend on the event space 鈥� all of that is taxed and it brings money and revenue back into the city,鈥� he said.

鈥淚f we have a big event where there’s people coming from across the country to enjoy the event, that’s also room nights, that’s things that people are then going to restaurants outside of here. So that’s creating income for the entire city and the state.鈥�

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Goodlabs, a startup that launched in January 2025, is partnering with Inova Health System to offer health insights to people who donate blood at the Centreville center.

The concept, according to Goodlabs co-founder and CEO Grant Brewster, is to create a “win-win” 鈥� giving donors a health incentive while helping keep the blood supply at levels needed for life-saving care.

The idea came from Brewster’s own experience with a rare condition called genetic hemochromatosis 鈥� a condition he said means his body cannot properly process iron.

鈥淢y entire life, I was living with this condition and not knowing 鈥� and iron was silently accumulating in a bunch of my organs without me knowing it,鈥� Brewster said. 鈥淎nd the prescription in order to get this iron out of my system was I actually had to go donate blood.鈥�

That would happen every Friday afternoon. After he made his donation, he still had to see multiple specialists who would then poke him with more needles in order to track his iron levels.

鈥淚 was like, 鈥楬ey, there’s already a needle in my arm when I donate blood, why can’t you guys just ask them to go run this test?鈥� And they’re like, 鈥極h, that’s not necessarily something that the blood centers do,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淪o then I went over to the blood centers, and I was like, 鈥楬ey, why can’t you guys just run some tests? So I don’t have to get poked and prodded by my other doctors.鈥� And they’re like, 鈥極h, that’s not necessarily something that we do.鈥欌��

He didn鈥檛 exactly find those answers satisfying, so he quit his job as a software engineer to figure out how the answer could be changed to yes. That鈥檚 how Goodlabs was created.

For those who show up to Inova鈥檚 donor center in Centreville, Brewster said the process starts with someone going to and creating an account.

They can choose from different types of blood panels to have testing, with options ranging from a general health and wellness panel covering things like blood sugar and cholesterol, as well as more specific panels focused on hormones or nutrients.

On donation day, the blood collection happens through the same needle used for the donation itself 鈥� no extra draw needed. That testing can cost people hundreds of dollars. But for donors at the Centreville center, it鈥檒l be free.

鈥淲hat we’re trying to do is remove friction and add an incentive for people to donate,鈥� Brewster said. 鈥淭he main thing here is that we’re trying to really enable people to participate who historically can’t afford these different types of health insights. Potentially, these are folks who are uninsured or underinsured.鈥�

Brewster said the tests run at the same labs physicians use for annual physicals. A few days later, results show up in the Goodlabs platform. Brewster said the platform is designed to help people interpret what their results mean, not just whether values fall in a normal range.

Free care navigation calls are available directly through the platform, and if something more concerning comes up, Inova’s primary care and urgent care networks are available.

Brewster said the company is also building a telemedicine integration so donors can “one-click talk to a doctor.”

The partnership was announced at a time when blood donations have been on the decline, even as demand has nationwide.

Brewster said the need for new donors is constant, with shortages in the summer and urgent demand in the winter. He said about 25% of donated blood goes directly to cancer patients, and that 1 in 89 childbirths require a massive transfusion.

Goodlabs has partnered with other clinics around the country for similar programs. Brewster pointed to one donor in her 20s who learned through a blood donation that she had high LP, an inherited marker linked to a higher risk of heart disease. He said that prompted her to change her lifestyle, exercise and diet to reduce her risk of an early heart attack.

鈥淲e’re really sort of like focused on people who historically, don’t have access to these different types of insights,鈥� Brewster said.

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They also show up within an hour or two after another missile or drone attack.

Yuliya Stefanyuk, who oversees World Central Kitchen鈥檚 efforts in Ukraine, is in D.C. this weekend to share stories from the front lines of the war 鈥� and to serve up a taste of her homeland.

Stefanyuk is in town to take part in . The Ukrainian Embassy will open its doors Saturday, May 2, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. As part of the event, World Central Kitchen will showcase its work in Ukraine since the war began, serving traditional borscht, a soup native to Ukraine.

Stefanyuk ran a catering business in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, until the war started in 2022. The catering company became her gateway out of Ukraine to other European countries.

“Unfortunately, when the war started, everything stopped. And this is how I stepped to humanitarian work, and (I’ve still been here for years),” she said.

World Central Kitchen arrived to help the wave of refugees who also flooded in.

Since then, the organization has expanded its operations, setting up a few kilometers from the front lines throughout eastern Ukraine, and also responding to areas immediately following missile and drone strikes.

World Central Kitchen’s mission to aid Ukraine

Stefanyuk said WCK has provided about 300,000 meals a week to civilians and first responders in Ukraine 鈥� 297 million total since the war started. She said their goal is to deliver food within one or two hours after an attack, using a network of Ukrainian restaurant partners to quickly prepare and distribute meals.

鈥淲e started with hot meals at the beginning,鈥� Stefanyuk said.

They鈥檝e now expanded to food distribution and emergency provisions since then, and even provide seed and chickens to help people process their own food.

Another perk, she said, is that World Central Kitchen鈥檚 approach also keeps Ukrainian businesses running by sourcing ingredients from local farmers and working with restaurants across the country.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very important. Can you imagine the front-line regions struggling to survive? For businesses it鈥檚 really hard,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e give them chance to work and give other people normal salary and not leave this territory.鈥�

While World Central Kitchen鈥檚 focus is on civilians and first responders, not soldiers, its teams often operate within 20 kilometers of active battlefields, and sometimes rely on local volunteers to bring food even closer to those in need.

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing because, I believe, no other organization can do this so fast and so efficient,鈥� she said.

Stefanyuk was used to feeding a thousand people at a time. Now, that number has climbed exponentially higher. And she鈥檚 gone from catering celebrations to providing moments of cheer to the people she serves.

“We delivered, for example, fruits for front-line kids living there. Or for Christmas, we also had sweets as a gift for them. So we’re trying to add some pleasure moment. We just recently had Easter in Ukraine, and we distributed Easter cakes to give possibility for such people, because it’s really complicated to cook this cake,” she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a way to show that people are not alone, that they have hope, that we are close to them.鈥�

Stefanyuk also said that support from abroad has faded since the early days of the war, but said every contribution still makes a difference. The opening of the embassy serves to remind people of the struggle still happening there, and the need WCK is trying to meet.

鈥淲e really want to share that every dollar, like small donation, will have such a great impact, sharing with people who really need this help,鈥� Stefanyuk said.

Saturday鈥檚 event at the Ukrainian Embassy marks the first time it鈥檚 opened to public tours since the war began. Along with food, she and her team will be on hand to answer questions and share stories from Ukraine.

鈥淚’m really 鈥� from deep of my heart, thankful for any kind of support for my country,鈥� she said.

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Council Chair Krystal Oriadha signed off on six different bills focused on childcare Monday, writing her name in pen with one hand while her own son was held in her lap with the other.

Oriadha called the package a landmark moment for the county.

鈥淭here are so many families across the county that are struggling to find access to affordable childcare that need a little bit of help to afford it,鈥� Oriadha said.

The bills include the , the , the , the and the .

According to Oriadha, the package will create a new scholarship program for low-income parents, offer block grants to help small providers start up or expand, and set up a fund to help pay for the programs.

Brianna Meadows, a mother from Capitol Heights who is starting her own family childcare center, said the new scholarship program and grant opportunities could make a real difference for families and providers alike.

鈥淐hildcare is more than, or almost as much as, a mortgage,鈥� Meadows said. The scholarships, she added, 鈥渁re definitely going to benefit those parents who may be looking for quality childcare and just can’t afford it.鈥�

Jasmine Mumtaz, who owns Royal Kids Weekend Childcare in Temple Hills, said she is more confident about reopening her childcare business, which shut down during the pandemic.

鈥淪upporting this bill was important because not only do childcare providers face financial hardships, so do families,鈥� Mumtaz said. 鈥淭hese bills support not only starting, but sustaining childcare services. And not only that, we can add resources and things of that nature. And also get and keep families in our programs, because the scholarships will help them with any type of financial barriers.鈥�

But absent from the ceremony was County Executive Aisha Braveboy, whose signature is needed for the package of bills to become law. Oriadha said it was a scheduling issue.

One of the six bills continues to generate controversy. The legislation, facing an inevitable court challenge, charges only businesses like liquor stores, gun stores, tobacco stores and self-storage units a $5,000 annual fee 鈥� a fee that will go up every year 鈥� just to open the doors.

Not everyone in Largo is confident it will survive a court challenge. The money generated from the bill would help fund some of these programs. A spokesman for Braveboy wasn鈥檛 able to say how the county executive feels about the bill, nor could Oriadha.

鈥淚’m not worried about it,鈥� Oriadha said. 鈥淚 think obviously the industry is going to make it clear that they want to fight it, and I’ve made it clear that I’m going to fight for the residents of Prince George’s County.鈥�

Regardless of what happens next, Oriadha also said she was working to create a ballot measure that would go to referendum this November. It would essentially give the council more authority to charge such fees, and thus make it harder to overturn measures like the one the council just passed.

鈥淲e want to be open to business 鈥� for the right types of business,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I’m unapologetic about saying I don’t want to be open to business for 20 more 24-hour tobacco stores and more things that don’t benefit the residents of Prince George’s County.鈥�

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