[THE GAZETTE] Prince George's County has again earned the highest possible grade by one of the top three Wall Street ratings firms. In a report issued last Monday, officials for Moody's Investors Service upgraded the county from AA+ to the AAA bond rating, the highest score possible. The rating, which is the county's equivalent of a perfect credit score, allows the government to pay lower interest rates on bonds it sells to finance major constr

[THE GAZETTE] With so much attention being paid to the recent closure of Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Fort Washington resident David Turner asked Prince George's County's equine industry task force to also keep the needs of small horse farmers in mind when the group brings recommendations to county lawmakers next month. From improving county horse trails to preserving enclaves of rural land inside the Beltway — such as the Broad Cre

[THE GAZETTE] Forest Heights has moved closer to becoming the "greenest" municipality in the state, as the town unveiled renovations to make its municipal building energy-efficient, including a new eco-friendly green roof. During an Aug. 18 town meeting at the building, officials announced the renovations, which also include energy-efficient windows and doors. The renovations are part of a push by town officials to cut energy costs and reduce

[THE GAZETTE] It's Monday morning, parents are walking to the downtown Silver Spring Metro station after dropping off their children at summer camp for the arts and grabbing a quick cup of coffee at Panera Bread. A new bicycle shop is opening its doors for the first time, fulfilling a longtime dream of a new business owner, and the AFI theater is gearing up for another film festival for the summer. Now instead of downtown Silver Spring, pictu

[Bicentennial Commission] The Town of Bladensburg is developing a "Green Street"  for a 0.6-mile section of the Route 450/Annapolis Road corridor to prepare for the upcoming bicentennial commemoration. This road overlaps part of the route of British troops during the Battle of Bladensburg.  Several sites clustered along the proposed "Green Street" - including the Bostwick House, Magruder House and Market Masters House – were significant lo

[THE WASHINGTON POST] Youngsters in Seat Pleasant now have one of the coolest hangouts in Prince George's County, courtesy of basketball star Kevin Durant. While growing up in Seat Pleasant, Durant spent countless hours at the Seat Pleasant Activity Center, honing the skills that have made him one of the NBA's best players. Last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder forward donated $25,000 to the center, which used the funds to renovate a gaming r

[THE GAZETTE] The aromas will make your mouth water. The views from the patios are breathtaking. The extensive private and open dining space is brow-raising. And judging by the doting customers and empty plates, Bond 45 is a welcome addition to Prince George's County. Owned by New York restaurateur Shelly Fireman, the New York-style Italian steak and seafood restaurant opened Jan. 25 on the National Harbor's waterfront. It's the second Bond 4

[THE WASHINGTON POST] Community colleges in the Washington region are doing brisk business this summer with students from four-year universities. The students are taking advantage of increasingly flexible transfer policies to load up on cheap, convenient credits that will help them graduate more quickly and at a lower expense. Prince George's Community College enrolled 136 students from four-year colleges this summer, nearly double last year's

[THE GAZETTE] The University of Maryland, College Park, has selected Wallace D. Loh — the current executive vice president and provost at the University of Iowa — as its new school president, according to a statement released today by UM officials. Loh, 65, will take over on Nov. 1, replacing current president C.D. "Dan" Mote Jr., who announced in February that he plans to retire Aug. 31. Loh was selected by the University System of Maryl

[THE  GAZETTE] Jonathan Harris, 17, a rising senior at Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School in Upper Marlboro, was elected in June by student delegates from the Prince George's Regional Association of Student Governments, which represents county high school students. "All the people making the decisions when it comes to education are adults," he said. "When children come first, that means that the student voice should be included. We need to be