Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Where does Laurel High rank among Maryland’s biggest schools?

Happening soon: Kwanzaa Market Day on the Laurel Patch calendar

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Coffee in hand, Laurel? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Where does Laurel High rank among Maryland’s biggest schools?
  • Why are Laurel birth records being rejected in this ICE detention case?
  • Were historic Laurel-linked graves really moved before this Silver Spring project?

Also on today's calendar: Kwanzaa Market Day and 8 more events.

Find out what's happening in Laurelfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did one astronaut stranded on the moon say to another? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Laurelfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Friday: A few morning showers; windy, with a high of 59 and low of 25 degrees.
  • Saturday: Some sun, then clouds; cooler, temps: high: 45, low: 33.
  • Sunday: Mostly sunny and windy, with a high of 52 and low of 22 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. The 25 Largest High Schools in Maryland (2026) (mocoshow.com) — Laurel families can see how Laurel High School stacks up in a new statewide ranking of Maryland’s 25 largest high schools, where it places 23rd with 2,179 students and an 18:1 student-teacher ratio. The list, based on 2026 Niche data, compares enrollment, ratios, and grades for major schools across Prince George’s, Montgomery, and Anne Arundel counties.
   

2. ICE Says U.S. Citizen's Birth Certificate Is Fake After Arresting Her: Attorneys (huffpost.com) — A Maryland woman whose birth certificates list Laurel is being held in ICE detention while federal officials insist her documents are fake and say she was born in Mexico. Her attorneys and family say they’ve provided multiple Laurel-based records and are fighting in federal court to stop her removal. The case raises urgent questions about how securely local residents’ citizenship documents are treated.
   

3. Descendants Petition State to Disinter Bodies Buried at Silver Spring Site (mymcmedia.org) — Laurel residents may have a quiet but meaningful link to a Silver Spring road project, as descendants say graves from a historic Black church were supposedly moved years ago to Maryland National Memorial Park in Laurel. They’re now petitioning the state to carefully disinter any remaining burials before construction and to create a memorial park. The outcome could shape how these Laurel-connected ancestors are honored.
   

4. NASA's Parker Solar Probe Completes 26th Closest Approach to Sun (nasa.gov) — Laurel plays a key role in this mission, with NASA’s Parker Solar Probe checking in with controllers at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in Laurel after its latest record-tying close pass by the Sun. The spacecraft gathered rare data from inside the solar corona that will help scientists better understand solar wind and space weather that can affect satellites, power grids, and future Moon and Mars missions.
   

5. Europa Clipper's Ultraviolet Spectrograph Views 3I/ATLAS (nasa.gov) — Laurel’s Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab is a key partner on NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, whose ultraviolet spectrograph just captured detailed views of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. While the spacecraft heads toward Jupiter for a 2030 arrival, local scientists and engineers are helping guide discoveries about distant comets and the icy moon Europa from right here in Maryland.
   

📸 Around Laurel

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Laurel

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📣 Laurel Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

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

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Hello neighbors, I wanted to ask for your help.
    My dog ​​went missing four days ago. Some people on Facebook told me that someone had posted about her on this app. If anyone knows where she is,… (Nextdoor Old Town Laurel)
  • FOUND CAT: This orange and white cat was found on Park Avenue in Laurel on December 15, 2025.
    If you know who this cat belongs to, please contact Laurel Cats at 301-886-0161. If no owner is identified by January 15, 2026, this cat will be made… (Nextdoor Laurel)
  • PrideStaff posted a job opening for Warehouse Associate and Machine Operator in Laurel. Apply here.
  • Maryland Staffing posted a job opening for Safety Coordinator (Fab Shop) in Laurel. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Laurel here.

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 don’t think you know the gravity of this situation.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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