July 2023 Newsletter
FY24 Budget Moves Anne Arundel Forward
On June 14th, 2023, the Anne Arundel County Council passed the County Executive's Fiscal Year 2024 Budget. This bipartisan budget funds critical activities and enhances public education and safety, all while keeping our County competitive for workers and businesses. I want to thank our County Executive, Steuart Pittman, his hardworking and dedicated team, and most importantly, our fantastic council staff and the auditor's office.
This year’s budget puts us on a path to meet the needs of our public schools, law enforcement, and firefighters. I’m thankful that our residents are getting vital capital investments like the Brooklyn Park Community Center and the Severn-Harman Pedestrian Network. Read more about the FY24 Budget at https://aacounty.org/fy24budget.
Celebrating Juneteenth
St. Mark United Methodist Church is a vibrant worship center in the First District that does terrific work in its Hanover community. I was honored to have supported a grant to replace a structure the church uses for the Luther O. Hebron Food Bank, which provides nutrition assistance to Anne Arundel families in need. On Saturday, June 17th, the church held its Juneteenth Festival, complete with games, refreshments, spoken word performances, and classic cars. I thoroughly enjoyed celebrating Juneteenth with congregants, their families, and friends.
Out in the Community
One of my favorite parts of this job is spending time in our neighborhoods and meeting up with community members. On June 10th, I started the day with my friend District 32 Delegate Mark Chang at the Rippling Ridge Community Block Party. There was plenty of fun, food, and family-friendly activities for everyone, and I enjoyed chatting with our neighbors in this vibrant community.
Later the same day, I headed to the 7th annual All Female Car Show at Meade Village Park in Severn, presented by Modified Chicks. Attendees enjoyed plenty of tricked-out cars, contests, games, food, and activities for the entire family.
My favorite part of the day had to be purchasing a delicious snowball from the 5-year-old and first-time vendor Joy at the “JoJo’s Snowballs” stand she had set up at the car show. What an outstanding young entrepreneur!
Meade Village Basketball Court Opens
I was honored to attend the ribbon-cutting and opening ceremony for the Meade Village Basketball Court managed by Tunnel Vision on June 4th. Trevelin Queen, an Indiana Pacers NBA player and former Anne Arundel County resident, provided remarks, and the annual Tunnel Vision League basketball tournament followed.
This project has been a labor of love, with many dedicated volunteers and workers playing essential roles. The talented Comacell Brown and members of the Meade Village community painted the unbelievable court mural. The Chase Your Dreams Initiative, Office of the County Executive, and Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks worked together to significantly upgrade the courts and parking lot.
I’m thrilled to see this community investment project come to fruition for all to enjoy.
Experience the Chesapeake Arts Center
The Chesapeake Arts Center has space for ALL of the arts– theater and studio space, gallery space, a ceramics lab, dance studios, a music room, maker space, and classroom space. They host diverse events, exhibits, and classes for the entire community and have exciting things planned for the summer! Find more information at https://www.chesapeakearts.org/
Congratulations to all the Graduates!
Thousands of Anne Arundel County high school seniors walked across the stage to accept their hard-earned diplomas in May and June. Congratulations to all our graduates, and best wishes to you in your future endeavors!
I was proud to witness the joyous culmination of years of hard work and dedication of the Chesapeake Science Point Class of 2023. You all have a bright future, and I was honored to share this milestone with you.
Shop Fresh this Summer
The Anne Arundel County Farmers’ Market in Annapolis has Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday market times. Find fresh fruits, vegetables, baked goods, meat, and eggs. For more information, click HERE.
For Love of the Library Event
Save the Date! This annual event returns to the Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library on Friday, September 22, 2023. More information can be found HERE.
