Photo courtesy Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., North Atlantic Region
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ® North Atlantic Regional Director Elicia Pegues Spearman, Esq., (center) and members of Psi Epsilon Omega Chapter.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., North Atlantic Region Donates Tens of Thousands of Dollars to Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Local Literacy Nonprofits
By PRESS OFFICER
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, North Atlantic Region
OXON HILL, Md. (Nov. 21, 2024)—Under the leadership of North Atlantic Regional Director Elicia Pegues Spearman, Esq., more than 2,300 members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, North Atlantic Region gathered on November 16, 2024, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Oxon Hill, MD for their annual Cluster I Meeting. Hosted by Psi Epsilon Omega Chapter of Prince George’s County, this was the last of five cluster meetings held in Wilmington, DE; Uniondale, NY; Princeton, NJ; and Warwick, RI. The clusters bring together Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) chapters in nearby states. Cluster I covers the District of Columbia and neighboring Maryland counties. The North Atlantic Region includes more than 16,000 members in 155 chapters in 12 states from Maryland to Maine and DC.
Embracing the theme “Soaring F.I.R.S.T. to Capture a Vision Fair,” the full-day meetings focused on developing members’ leadership skills, fostering sisterly bonds, and deepening understanding of the programs and practices of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Attendees also learned critical information from a panel discussion entitled, “Caring for the Heart in Our Community.” Cardiologists shared eye-open ing information about the disparities in heart health care affecting Black women, as well as lifesaving tips. The session was sponsored by Black Health Matters and Boston Scientific.
In addition, Regional Director Spearman was pleased to launch a fundraising campaign to rally AKA members in the North Atlantic Region to contribute to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). The Fund is the nation’s largest organization exclusively supporting historically and predominantly Black colleges and universities. Over the course of the five cluster meetings, members donated almost $13,500. The campaign will support students at 13 institutions located within the region and will run through April. Sorority members are encouraged to donate $19.08, symbolic of the year Alpha Kappa Alpha was founded.
“This campaign demonstrates our commitment to education and scholarship. We value this opportunity to carry forward the historic legacy of Justice Thurgood Marshall,” said Regional Director Spearman.
In addition to the TMCF effort, cluster attendees participated in service projects benefiting local nonprofits. Cluster I supported the Maryland Book Bank in Baltimore, Maryland public schools, and the Free Minds Book Club and Writers Workshop in Washington, D.C. by donating more than 2,000 children’s books and purchasing $18,000 in gift cards from local Black-owned bookstores.
“Through this project, we are promoting literacy and learning among young people, providing resources that can inspire and empower future generations, and spurring the economic growth of Black-owned bookstores.” said Attorney Spearman.
The Maryland meeting was led by Psi Epsilon Omega Chapter President Karen S. Hicks. Aubreana Holder and Kimberly Jackson served as meeting chairman and co-chairman, respectively.
The North Atlantic Region is the birthplace of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, an international service organization founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1908. Led by International President & CEO Danette Anthony Reed, AKA is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American college-educated women and is comprised of more than 360,000 initiated members in graduate and undergraduate chapters in 12 countries. The North Atlantic Region comprises 155 chapters throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland, Delaware, Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Eastern New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire.
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Council Enacts Dozens of Bills During Final Legislative Session of the Year
By PRESS OFFICER
Prince George’s County Council Media
In a marathon session on Tuesday, November 19, the Prince George’s County Council held public hearings on a total of 42 bills and 14 resolutions, ultimately enacting 37 bills and adopting 14 resolutions. The legislation enacted includes:
CB-67-2024 & CB-105-2024 Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Bills require EV charging stations and a minimum number of EV parking spaces at all newly-constructed multifamily residential buildings, office buildings, and mixed use developments beginning in 2027.
CB-88-2024 Minimum Wage Indexing Bill requires the minimum wage in Prince George’s County to be tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area. The bill would use the average percentage growth of the CPI for the last 12 months to determine how much the minimum wage would increase for the next year, up to a maximum of 5%. It takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
CB-98-2024 Shopping Cart Control Bill requires retailers with more than 20 shopping carts to take proactive steps to prevent people from taking carts off property and leaving them in the community.
CB-16-2024 Late-Night Business Safety Plan Bill requires businesses open between midnight and 4:00 a.m. to develop and maintain a late-night safety plan approved by the Prince George’s County Police Department.
CB-83-2024 Vehicle Noise Bill creates a pilot program to enforce motor vehicle noise limits through noise abatement monitoring systems, aiming to cut down on excessive vehicle noise caused by cars with illegal or modified exhaust systems.
CB-84-2024 School Zone Stop Sign Cameras Bill allows the county to install stop sign monitoring systems in school zones, similar to speed cameras already used around the county.
CB-62-2024 Convenience Store Locations Bill limits the number of convenience stores in the county by barring any new convenience stores from moving into a three-mile radius of an existing convenience store, not including gas stations.
CB-30-2024 Untraceable Firearms and Minors Bill cracks down on untraceable “ghost guns” getting into the hands of minors, aligning the county’s public safety laws surrounding untraceable or 3D-printed firearms with state law.
CB-81-2024 Community Informed Police Training Bill codifies into law many of the diversity and social justice training components Prince George’s County Police Department says it already has in place, requiring police academy cadets to complete social justice training where the results of an assessment can be used in determining readiness to join the force.
CB-73-2024 Noise Control Bill increases fines for noise violations from $500 to $1,000 for a first-time violation, and from $1,000 to $1,500 for subsequent violations. The proposed legislation would also prohibit the use of ATVs, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, and similar vehicles within 300 feet of a property line, unless the vehicle’s noise is within an allowable range.
CB-86-2024 Abandoned Vehicles Bill aims to reduce illegally abandoned vehicles in the county, increasing fines for abandoning a vehicle from $50 to $500 and increasing fines for tow truck operators who operate without a permit or knowingly tow a vehicle to a location where it will be abandoned from $1,000 to $5,000.
CB-65-2024 Land Bank Authority Of Prince George’s County Bill amends the Prince George’s County Code to establish the Land Bank Authority of Prince George’s County to acquire, manage, maintain, and repurpose blighted, abandoned, and distressed properties.
CB-72-2024 Regulation of Invasive Bamboo Bill regulates invasive bamboo in the county.
“This legislative year has been a productive one for our Council, and we’re proud of the bills we passed that will make Prince George’s County a safer, greener, and more equitable community,” said Council Chair Jolene Ivey. “Our focus has been improving the quality of life for Prince Georgians, and we look forward to continuing that work in 2025.”
The Council will convene for Gavel Exchange on December 3 at 11 a.m.
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Senate Panel Passes Bill Making Chesapeake National Recreation Area a National Park Unit
By ANDREA DURÁN
Capital News Service
WASHINGTON (Nov. 19, 2024)—The Chesapeake Bay area is one step closer to becoming part of the national parks system.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday passed the Chesapeake Bay National Recreation Area Act, moving it onto the Senate floor.
The measure, sponsored by Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen, would create the Chesapeake National Recreation Area in Maryland and Virginia and make it part of a network of sites overseen by the National Park Service.
“In Maryland, we know the Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “And creating the Chesapeake National Recreation Area will celebrate that fact while also bringing major benefits to the Bay.”
“Not only will this open up more equitable public access to the Bay, the (Chesapeake National Recreation Act) will also mobilize additional federal support for restoration, shine a light on the untold stories of its history, and support greater economic opportunity in the region,” the senator said.
One of the key goals of making the Chesapeake National Recreation Area part of the national parks system is to boost national pride in the bay and its history, amplifying the stories of historically underrepresented groups such as Indigenous and Black people.
“Today’s bipartisan, unanimous vote was a big step forward in our efforts to pass this historic legislation,” Van Hollen said.
In 2021, Van Hollen and Maryland Rep. John Sarbanes, a Democrat, created a working group to help draft the language for the legislation. The working group included Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, a Democrat, Virginia Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, and Reps. Bobby Scott, D-Virginia, Rob Wittman, R-Virginia, and various conservation groups. Van Hollen and Sarbanes introduced the measure in the Senate and House, respectively, last year. However, the idea of the Chesapeake National Recreation Area dates as far back as the 1980s.
“The Chesapeake Bay is an extraordinary national treasure and a vital resource for our region,” Sarbanes said in a statement. “I am thrilled that the Chesapeake National Recreation Area Act has advanced out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee—a crucial milestone in our efforts to safeguard the Bay for the well-being and enjoyment of future generations.”
Since the measure’s introduction, several interested parties have submitted letters to Van Hollen in support of the legislation, including Rep.-elect John “Johnny O” Olszewski, Jr., Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.
“Thanks to Senator Van Hollen’s leadership, this is a great day for the Chesapeake Bay, with another step forward in the four-decade effort to establish National Park Service recognition for the nation’s largest estuary,” Chesapeake Conservancy President and CEO Joel Dunn said in a statement. “The Chesapeake Bay is as spectacular as Yellowstone or Yosemite, as great as the Great Smokies and as grand as the Grand Tetons.”
The Chesapeake Recreation Area Act would make the park service take on a larger and more administrative role.
Currently, the National Park Service can partner with and provide assistance to local and regional organizations involved in the bay through the Chesapeake Gateways program and administers some sites along the watershed, including some national monument sites.
If the legislation is enacted, the park service would administer the Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails Network, which encompasses about 200 places located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
However, the bill states that the Department of the Interior, through the National Park Service, would only acquire land and land-based resources within the recreation area boundaries from voluntary transfers by landowners. The bill also specifically states that the park service has to work with the Department of Transportation to minimize traffic around the bay as well as create an advisory board made up of nine representatives each from Maryland and Virginia.
The management and acquisition of sites would come from the park service’s annual budget under the Department of the Interior, which is approved by Congress.
“Establishing the Chesapeake National Recreation Area expands resources for environmental protection and makes it clear that the United States cherishes the Chesapeake, the birthplace of American identity,” Dunn said. “As a great gift to future generations, this legislation ensures public access to our nation’s largest estuary while providing for the needs of those who live here and depend on the Bay for their livelihood.”
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