The chat room has been BURSTING with activity the past few days with rdb, Tobias, and others bursting with work improving panda.
Look at this commit log! github.com/panda3d/incremental/commits/master
I even saw some nifty screenshots of a possible site redesign (seriously can we keep the fish?)
Its super exciting stuff happening.
No comment 
Does this mean 1.9.0 is coming out?
I haven’t visited the chatrooms that I recall, but that is indeed a rather active-looking commission record–so hear hear to that applause, and thank you, those of you who are working on Panda behind the scenes. 
I dunno about you, but I think a release estimation of July or August would sound pretty cool. 