Diane Mezzanotte | Voices of Laurel

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The City of Laurel Saddles Up

Mayor Keith Sydnor distributes posters for Main Street businesses to promote the city’s “Saddle Up Laurel!” initiative leading up to the Preakness. (Photo: City of Laurel) As many Laurelites know, Laurel Park isn’t actually in Laurel. It is located outside the city’s administrative borders, in Anne Arundel County, but falls within an area—overlapping four counties—that the USPS has designated “Laurel” and which most people recognize as “greater Laurel.” Try explaining that to

Diane Mezzanotte

Historic Laurel Park Shines Again as Host of 151st Preakness Stakes

Photos: Charles Sisler Over its 115-year history, Laurel Park has played a major role in thoroughbred racing. It hosted the first-ever international thoroughbred race held in the United States, the DC International, for decades. Six Triple Crown winners raced at Laurel before they became household names, and Seabiscuit trained at Laurel Park prior to his storied race with War Admiral. Back then, the 4,000-seat grandstand would fill up for big races, with hundreds more standin

Diane Mezzanotte

Covering the Preakness: Some Teenage Dreams Do Come True

(Left): The author as a teen in Adams County, PA, and (right) Angie Kozlowski and Diane Mezzanotte in the media room at the Preakness. As a teenager in southcentral Pennsylvania, I was in love with horses. My paternal grandfather occasionally took me riding along country back-roads. He had a framed portrait, now passed down to my father, of three early 1900s trotters: George Gano, Minor Heir, and the famous Dan Patch, with the caption “Fastest Stallions in the World.” My fami

Diane Mezzanotte

South Laurel

Local news covering Laurel Lakes, Victoria Falls, Oakcrest, Montpelier, and the Route 197 corridor Qamaria’s beautiful décor greets you as you enter. (Photo: Diane Mezzanotte) Talk of the Town: Qamaria Coffee Shop I’ve covered several restaurant openings in South Laurel over the last few years. Unfortunately, a few of them have already come and gone. (RIP, Dirty Dough) But this latest opening, Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co., feels like a real winner. Qamaria has enjoyed a steady f

Diane Mezzanotte

Mayor’s Proposals Again Spark Controversy

By Diane Mezzanotte, Wednesday, June 23, 2026 At last night’s in-person Laurel City Council meeting, Council President Brencis Smith told the audience, “A lot of passion has been going on. Please don’t mistake that for dysfunction.” It was a good segue to what followed, as Mayor Keith Sydnor found himself once again explaining his perspective on two proposed programs that yielded questions, concerns, and a divided vote from the council. Selbourne House Rental Assistance Propo

Diane Mezzanotte

City Council Approves Amended Budget… For Now

IN A NUTSHELL: The Laurel City Council passed an amended version of the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, 3–2 with no abstentions, but Mayor Keith Sydnor non-concurred and reserved the right to veto. At issue was one line item that would fund a $1 million housing assistance program administered by local non-profit group LARS. Council members voiced support for the intent of the program but felt that the line item was not introduced properly, and thus adopted an amended budget that re

Diane Mezzanotte

South Laurel

Local news covering Laurel Lakes, Victoria Falls, Oakcrest, Montpelier, and the Route 197 corridor The Laurel Manor Recreation Center in The Villages, Florida, is named after Laurel Park Racecourse. (Photo: Diane Mezzanotte) The “Six Degrees of Laurel, Maryland” Most of us are familiar with the social science theory called the “six degrees of separation.” (Think Kevin Bacon and that American Express commercial.) I have come to believe that there is also a “Six Degrees of Laur

Diane Mezzanotte

The Nationwide Human Chain That Passed Through Laurel

A line of people form a chain along Route 1 in Beltsville as part of Hands Across America, which took place 40 years ago this May. (Photo: Ralph Bull) A high-angle photo by Doug Kasputin on the cover of the May 29, 1986 edition of the Laurel Leader captures the line of attendees along Washington Boulevard in front of the Tastee Diner and what was at that time Herb’s Carry-Out. This May 25th marks the 40th anniversary of one of the most iconic charitable events ever held: Han

Diane Mezzanotte

South Laurel

Local news covering Laurel Lakes, Victoria Falls, Oakcrest, Montpelier, and the Route 197 corridor Greater Washington Deliverance Temple, a small church on Locust Grove Drive in Oakcrest, is led by Pastor Karen Rutherford. (Photo: Diane Mezzanotte) Second-Generation Minister Leads “Love-Filled” Oakcrest Church Tucked among homes on Locust Grove Drive in South Laurel’s Oakcrest neighborhood is a church. I used to walk past it daily, many years ago, when my son was still in a s

Diane Mezzanotte

A History of Protests in Laurel

An original artwork of the preamble to the Constitution, created for the We Are America march by artist Lucy Larkin, displayed at Laurel Presbyterian Church on September 17. Marchers and supporters were invited to sign the canvas artwork. (Photo: Diane Mezzanotte) The nationwide protests that made headlines throughout 2025 might have brought back memories from the 1960s and 70s for many Laurel residents—some of whom brushed off their sign-making skills from 60 years ago and t