Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Will Laurel’s winter shelter have enough volunteers this season?
Coming up: AUSOM Bingo - to benefit the Autism Society of Maryland on the Laurel Patch calendar
What's up Laurel! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- Will Laurel’s winter shelter have enough volunteers this season?
- How a wrong-way I-95 crash turned deadly in Laurel
- Laurel mourns veteran corrections officer who died hours after retiring
Also on today's calendar: AUSOM Bingo - to benefit the Autism Society of Maryland and 8 more events.
Find out what's happening in Laurelfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Find out what's happening in Laurelfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Monday: Cloudy, with a high of 44 and low of 31 degrees.
- Tuesday: Partly sunny, temps: high: 50, low: 39.
- Wednesday: Times of clouds and sun, with a high of 57 and low of 32 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
• Laurel shelter seeks volunteers to staff winter facility (wusa9.com) — Laurel’s winter shelter is now open nightly through late March or early April and urgently needs additional volunteers, especially with flu season threatening staffing. Residents can help with evening check-in or overnight shifts to keep neighbors safe and warm. Interested volunteers are asked to contact the Laurel Multiservice Center by email or phone. 
• Police: Impairment may have led to wrong-way crash that left two people dead in Laurel (wmar2news.com) — Two people were killed and two others injured when a wrong-way driver on I-95 near Route 216 in Laurel crashed head-on into their vehicle early Sunday. Maryland State Police say impairment is suspected, and southbound lanes were shut for hours during the investigation. Charges may follow after review by Howard County prosecutors.
• Maryland Corrections officer dies on New Year's Eve, hours after celebrating his retirement (wmar2news.com) — A longtime Prince George’s County corrections officer from Laurel died in a single-vehicle crash in Crofton on New Year’s Eve, just hours after celebrating his retirement. The 57-year-old, known as “Big Nic,” had served with the county’s Department of Corrections since 2001, and colleagues shared tributes honoring his career and impact.
📸 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 ★
- AUSOM Bingo - to benefit the Autism Society of Maryland
Ridgely's Run Community Center, 8400 Mission Rd, Jessup
6:30 pm - Feast & Fettle Brings a New Standard of Home Dining to Laurel
9:00 am
Thursday January 8
Saturday January 31
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Story Explorers: Dwight D. Eisenhower Eagles Reading Ambassadors
Laurel - Large Meeting Room A (Dorothy Height Room)
5:30 pm - Needlework Social: Knitting and Crocheting
Laurel - Large Meeting Room B
6:30 pm - Get Active: Quick Sweat Zumba
Spauldings - Large Meeting Room
12:30 pm - Lawyer in the Library: Tenants Rights and Housing Clinic
Spauldings - Large Meeting Room
2:00 pm - ASL Conversation Club: Beginner
Laurel - Conference Room 1
4:00 pm - Craft and Create: Junk Journaling
Laurel - Large Meeting Room A (Dorothy Height Room)
6:00 pm - Ready 2 Read Storytime: Ages 35
Laurel - Large Meeting Room B
7:00 pm - Topolino Italian Cuisine & Buffet, MD
Laurel, MD Calendar Laurel, MD 20707
10:00 am - Book Talk & Signing Resonate Healing Voices
PJ's Coffee , 12530 Fairwood Pkwy , Bowie
2:00 pm
Tuesday January 6
Wednesday January 7
Thursday January 8
Sunday January 18
📣 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
- Ready 2 Read Storytime: Ages 23
Beltsville - Program Room
10:30 am - Story Explorers: Dwight D. Eisenhower Eagles Reading Ambassadors
Laurel Branch Library Laurel - Large Meeting Room A (Dorothy Height Room)
5:30 pm - Needlework Social: Knitting and Crocheting
Laurel Branch Library Laurel - Large Meeting Room B
6:30 pm - Get Active: Quick Sweat Zumba
Spaulding Branch Library Spauldings - Large Meeting Room
12:30 pm
Monday January 5
Tuesday January 6
Wednesday January 7
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:
- VivaVets Animal Hospital — (443) 542-2938
Bringing Trusted Care Back To The Former Pet+ER Location - Greenbelt SITY Stars — (301) 679-5100
35% Off - Jump Rope Classes - Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!
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
- Does anybody know who this dog is showed up at our door?
The dog is in our garage. Please contact me 240-593-7464 (Nextdoor South Laurel/Beltsville) - I had a kitty come and visit my cat shelter last night!!!!
If it comes again I’ll work on trapping it with Laurel Cats! (Nextdoor Crestleigh)
- Taco Bell posted a job opening for Late Night Team Member in Laurel. Apply here.
- Checkers & Rally's - Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. posted a job opening for Shift Manager in Laurel. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Laurel here.
🗞 Nearby News
Greenbelt
- Trump Administration Shuts Down NASA's Largest Research Library (pcmag.com)
- January's full wolf supermoon and the Quadrantid meteor shower will start off the new year (ksltv.com)
- Links 03/01/2026: Twitter Turns From Disinformation Powerhouse to Production and Dissemination of Child Pr0n, "New China Cybersecurity Law Becomes A Reality In 2026" (techrights.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 love you watts and watts!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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