Teaching Students In Native Languages + Ransomware Attack

Welcome to the Laurel Daily! Here you will find newsworthy events going on this week, including a man sentenced to prison after swindling an elderly woman out of her home, PGCPS developing virtual classrooms designed to teach immigrant students in their native languages and WSSC Water’s investigation of a ransomware attack.

Weather Report:

Today, the weather will be sunny to partly cloudy, very hot and humid. Temperatures will reach a high of 96 degrees.

Here are the top three stories in Laurel today:

1. A Maryland man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after he swindled a longtime public school aide out of her money by promising to get her a more affordable mortgage payment. Patricia Duckett, 66, was making plans to retire when her hairdresser told her William Wayland could help save her some money. Wayland told Duckett he could get her loan modified to lower her monthly mortgage payments. He told her to stop paying the mortgage, give him any letters from the bank and pay him over $7,000. Eventually, Duckett lost her home. Wayland was convicted last month on charges of theft, not providing a contract, and taking money before rendering services. (WTOP)

2. Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) will aim to develop virtual classrooms specifically designed to teach students who are immigrants in their native languages. PGCPS will try to implement virtual classrooms by the year 2025 that focus on core required classes, including math and science. They will be taught across all grades in at least the top five native languages spoken by English language learners. By 2030, every student should have the opportunity to virtually learn in their native language for core required classes. (WTOP)

3. WSSC Water is investigating a ransomware attack on May 24 that impacted a portion of its network that operates non-essential business systems. The ransomware virus was successfully removed within hours and WSSC Water is fully operational. The incident does not impact water or wastewater service or quality, and those systems were never at risk. Existing cybersecurity safeguards and swift action taken by WSSC Water’s IT department helped minimize the impact of this attack. A comprehensive investigation is underway. (WSSC Water)

Today in Laurel:

• Corrie Parks: Uncanny Bodies – Corrie Francis Parks searches for life among the inanimate, endowing tiny grains of sand with their own autonomy. Drawing from the wondrous explorations of early micro cinematography, Uncanny Bodies transforms the gallery into an intricately constructed bioscope, accentuating the significance of the insignificant. (11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
• June End of Month Backstage Party – Stop by for our June End of Month Party to listen to some live music, enjoy some sandwiches and chips, games and raffles. Reserve your spot now at: https://www.oldgloryharley.com. No purchase necessary to enter contests or raffles. Must be 18+ to play. (5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
• Auricular Acupuncture at MUIH Main Campus – Master’s level acupuncture students, under supervision by licensed and experienced faculty, are providing safe and effective auricular treatments. Limit: Six participants per seating to ensure a safe, physically distanced, and peaceful experience. (12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.)
• Kidz Pick – Experience a perfect mixture of excitement, creativity and fun-filled activities. Each day the schedule will include Krafty Kids, Amazing Artists, Spectacular Sports, Great Games, Science Superstarz, and Nifty Naturalist. Lunch will be provided to all campers. Camp will follow HCRP Summer Camp COVID safety policies. Contact Ovan Shortt for more info by calling 410-313-1693 or via email, oshortt@howardcountymd.gov. (7:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.)
• Renewal 2121 – Inspired by the annual cherry blossom season and utilizing the power of creative technology, Renewal 2121 seeks to inspire hope amid a global pandemic and concerns of climate change. Transporting attendees 100 years into the future, it immerses you in an industrial city where nature fights to survive amid an overdeveloped metropolis. ARTECHOUSE presents this original production from their Creative Team with visual design by Yuya Takeda. (10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.)

Laurel Patch Notebook:

• Laurel TV is looking for a part-time reporter (Details here)
• Jobs in Laurel (Details here)

Now you’re all caught up with the local news and events for today!

If you want to reach me with news about the City of Laurel, send an email to me at this address (laurel@patch.com) and include “Laurel News” in the subject line of your message.

Before you go, let me tell you a bit about me since my newsletter will arrive to your inbox on a daily basis. My name is Alexis A. Goring. I’m a Bowie area resident with a pulse for people, news and feature stories! I’ve worked as a freelance reporter for years in the media industry.

I’m also a published author, experienced blogger, and founder of Writer at Heart Editorial Services. Visit my website for more details about me and my work.

Here’s the link: https://alexisagoring.jimdofree.com.

I’m looking forward to bringing you all the latest news on a daily basis.

Stay safe and enjoy the day!