The Fort Washington Pulse

Brothers — the intelligence is live, the stakes are real, and Prince George’s County is at a crossroads on multiple fronts that demand our full attention. Welcome to Edition Ten of The Fort Washington Pulse, your weekly intelligence briefing from the Fort Washington (MD) Alumni Chapter (E) of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. This report exists for one reason: to keep the men of FWAC informed, engaged, and positioned to lead when our county needs us most. Read it. Share it. Act on it.

On August 17, 2026, U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang issued a landmark ruling restoring Greenbelt, Maryland as the designated location for the new FBI headquarters — overturning the Trump administration’s 2025 decision to redirect the project to the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington, DC. The court found the move unlawful under the Administrative Procedure Act and blocked the re-routing of approximately $555 million in congressionally appropriated funds. County Executive Aisha Braveboy called the project “the single largest economic development project in the history of Prince George’s County,” estimating it will generate more than 7,500 jobs and approximately $4 billion in GDP for the county and state. The Justice Department has since filed a formal notice of appeal, meaning the legal contest continues — but Greenbelt remains the designated location as of this publication. Governor Wes Moore was unambiguous: “President Trump tried to take from Maryland what Maryland had already won. He failed.” Brothers in federal contracting, construction, real estate, workforce development, and small business: positioning now is critical.

The Prince George’s County Council is on the brink of a consequential vote on CB-111-2026 — legislation authorizing up to $215 million in special obligation bonds to support Sphere Entertainment’s planned $1.4 billion venue at National Harbor. The 6,000-seat immersive venue is projected by Ernst & Young to generate $1.3 billion in annual economic impact and support more than 7,100 full- and part-time jobs. Final council action was scheduled for September 29. However, a heated labor dispute emerged when Sphere executive Richard Constable flatly refused to commit to a project labor agreement during a September 22 public hearing, sparking a tense confrontation with Council Chair Krystal Oriadha. Labor unions pushed back, arguing that $130 million in tax-increment financing must guarantee that county workers benefit. As of September 25, CB-111-2026 remained in committee. Watch pgccouncil.us for the outcome.

Six weeks into the 2026–27 school year, Prince George’s County Public Schools continues to manage fallout from an opening-week transportation collapse that left approximately 10,000 students without bus assignments. The crisis was tied in part to a botched transition to the “Chipmunk” routing platform. Superintendent Shawn Joseph offered a public apology, calling the breakdown a “leadership failure.” Transportation Director Keba Baldwin resigned; Dr. Mark Fossett was installed as acting director. Documents obtained by WJLA separately revealed a prior internal investigation finding workplace bullying, discrimination, and harassment inside the transportation department. Brothers with PGCPS connections: this situation warrants continued monitoring at the Board of Education level. Families with unresolved issues may email [email protected].

On September 2, 2026, Prince George’s County officially unveiled GoPGC — a full rebrand of its local transit network after 35 years as TheBus. The transformation adds new Sunday service, expanded on-demand PGC Link service, and a commitment to transitioning 70% of the fleet to zero-emission vehicles by 2035. In FY 2026, county transit surpassed 3 million rides — a system record. GoPGC Call Center: (301) 324-2877.

County Executive Aisha Braveboy congratulated Oluseyi Olugbenle on his appointment as Maryland Deputy Secretary of Transportation (September 14, 2026). Olugbenle, who served as Acting Director of PG County’s Department of Public Works and Transportation, now leads at the intersection of infrastructure, economic development, and equity — another PG County professional rising to the state stage.

The United Negro College Fund’s HBCU Scholars Empowerment Program provides renewable, need-based scholarships to full-time undergraduate students at HBCUs and Predominantly Black Institutions. Maryland-based eligible institutions include Morgan State University, Bowie State University, Coppin State University, and UMES. Applications are rolling — funds are limited. Apply at scholarships.uncf.org or email [email protected].

The Maryland Higher Education Commission’s 2+2 Transfer Scholarship supports students transitioning from Maryland community colleges to four-year institutions. For the 2026-2027 academic year, initial applicants must submit both the FAFSA and the MHEC One-App via MDCAPS (mdcaps.mhec.state.md.us) by October 15, 2026. This deadline is 17 days away — share this week. Visit mhec.maryland.gov and search “2+2 Transfer Scholarship.”