🌱 Patch AM: The Novel Refuge Recognized For Giving Back To Community: Best Of 2025

Good day Laurel! We're here again with what you need to know today. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How a Laurel bookstore turns used books into refugee support
• Why is a woman born in Laurel now fighting deportation?
• How Laurel scientists helped NASA study a rare interstellar comet

Also on today's calendar: BINGO Fundraiser for Autism Society of MD and 7 more events.

Today's riddle: What did the balloon say to the doctor? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Sunday: Mostly sunny and windy, with a high of 48 and low of 21 degrees.
• Monday: Plenty of sun, temps: high: 43, low: 30.
• Tuesday: A morning shower; cloudy, with a high of 51 and low of 34 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• The Novel Refuge Recognized For Giving Back To Community: Best Of 2025 (patch.com) — Laurel residents are celebrating The Novel Refuge, a volunteer-run used bookstore recognized in Patch’s Best of 2025 series for donating its profits to local refugee resettlement agencies. Supporters praise its friendly staff, affordable selection, and environmentally conscious approach, and neighbors are invited to nominate more Laurel favorites that made this year special.
   

• Woman detained by ICE in Baltimore claims she's Maryland-born U.S. citizen (cbsnews.com) — A 22-year-old woman whose lawyer says she was born in a Laurel hospital is fighting deportation after being detained by ICE in Baltimore and flown to Louisiana. Her legal team has presented a birth certificate and other records, and a federal judge has temporarily blocked her removal while the case proceeds. Homeland Security disputes her citizenship, and more court filings are expected in the coming days.
   

• NASA just caught a rare glimpse of an interstellar comet (sciencedaily.com) — Laurel gets a notable shout-out as Johns Hopkins’ Applied Physics Lab, based in the city, is a key development partner behind NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft that just studied a rare interstellar comet. The mission’s ultraviolet instrument captured unique views of comet 3I/ATLAS, helping scientists better understand its composition, tails, and origins beyond our solar system.
   

📸 Around Laurel

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Laurel

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Sunday December 21

• BINGO Fundraiser for Autism Society of MD
  Ridgely's Run Community Center, 8400 Mission Rd, Jessup
  12:00 pm
• ASO presents: Holiday Pops with Bowie State University Concert Choir
  Bowie State University, 14000 Jericho Park Rd, Bowie
  3:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Monday December 22

• Photos with Santa
  Laurel, MD Calendar , 811 5th Street , Laurel
  4:00 pm
• Holiday Movie
  Laurel, MD Calendar , 811 5th Street , Laurel
  6:00 pm
• LARS Laurel Lights Walk
  Laurel, MD Calendar , 309 Laurel Avenue , Laurel
  6:30 pm

Tuesday December 23

• National Gallery of Art Drop Off, DC
  Laurel, MD Calendar Laurel, MD 20707
  10:00 am
• Book Discussion: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
  Laurel Branch Library Laurel - Large Meeting Room A (Dorothy Height Room)
  7:00 pm

Wednesday December 24

• Wednesday, 11:30am
  The Gardens Ice House , 13800 Old Gunpowder Rd #2fl , Laurel
  11:30 am
• Lunch Social at the Cabana
  Laurel, MD Calendar Laurel, MD 20707
  1:00 pm
• Christmas Giveaway
  Laurel, MD Calendar , 8305 Crystal Drive Unit 107 , Laurel
  5:00 pm

📣 Laurel Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Sunday December 21

• Capital DJ Chase @ Brunchin in the Burbs Drag Brunch
  Botanero Restaurant , 800 Pleasant Dr #160 , Rockville
  10:00 am
• Try The Wheel! 11am
  Clay Coven Pottery Studio , 8600 Foundry St , Savage
  11:00 am
• How The Grinch Stole Drag Brunch!
  Black Flag Brewing Company , 9315 Snowden River Pkwy , Columbia
  12:00 pm
• PROSE & PROPOGATION
  Drama MaMa Bookshop , 8600 Foundry St Suite G8 , Savage
  1:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Laurel PatchAM possible:

• Greenbelt SITY Stars — (301) 679-5100
  35% Off - Jump Rope Classes

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Hi neighbors,
  I’m Tina Unique, a local resident with a passion for natural hair care, crown wellness, and beauty education. I believe healthy beauty begins with… (Nextdoor Arden Pointe)

• Michaels Stores, Inc. posted a job opening for team member in Laurel. Apply here.
• V2X posted a job opening for Senior Construction Manager - active TS/SCI clearance w/ Full Scope Polygraph in Laurel. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Laurel here.

🗞 Nearby News

Greenbelt

• Hospitalized victim found after bullets fly on Springhill Drive (shorenewsnetwork.com)
• Racist stickers found in Greenbelt has residents disgusted (dcnewsnow.com)
• An asteroid could hit the moon in 2032, scattering debris toward Earth (sciencenews.org)

College Park

Ok Laurel! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I feel lightheaded!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

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