UPDATE 12/31/2024: The Charles County Animal Care Center resumed normal operations on Dec. 27. Animal Care Center staff temporarily paused operations on Monday, Dec. 2 after a contagious upper respiratory illness spread among animals in its care. Animal Care staff worked with veterinary professionals throughout the outbreak and implemented enhanced cleaning protocols and protective measures...
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A Southern Maryland caregiver gathered information from two important people in her life, using it to visit the specific Lottery retailer and pick the specific numbers that would produce a Keno windfall. Hats off to her for recognizing good advice when it was given to her, and despite rarely buying tickets, immediately following it...
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UPDATE 12/31/2024: On December 30, 2024, deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office arrested Donnie Richardson, 49, of Lexington Park, in connection with a shooting incident that occurred on Valley Estates Drive. The arrest followed an early morning response to reports of gunfire in the area, leading to a detailed investigation. According to...
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UPDATE: The spirit of giving reached new heights during “Bubby’s Christmas Farewell,” thanks to the incredible efforts and generosity of The Knott Family. The beloved local family not only led the fundraising effort, helping to collect an impressive $120,291.13 from the community, but also made an extraordinary donation of $200,000—well beyond their pledge to...
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On December 29th, 2024, the sudden surprising announcement regarding the closure of Ye Olde Towne Cafe was made on Facebook. The post can be read below. “I would like to wish everyone the greatest of happiest in the holiday season. May your joys carry you through the New Year of 2025. I do need...
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On Thursday, December 26, 2024, at approximately 6:49 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Olivers Shop Road and Burnt Store Road in Hughesville, for the reported motor vehicle collision with one vehicle on fire. Hughesville Volunteers responded with Chief 2B, Squad 2, Engine Tanker 2, EMS Chief 2A,...
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David Eretz Hirshowitz, 63, of Port Republic, is facing multiple charges following a reported confrontation during the holiday weekend in Prince Frederick. Hirshowitz was arrested on December 28, 2024, after an incident involving a firearm and a verbal dispute in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express. According to court documents, the incident...
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On December 27, 2024, Matthew Leo Greening, 36, of no fixed address, was arrested following an incident at a local restaurant in Prince Frederick. He is facing multiple misdemeanor charges, including disorderly conduct, public intoxication, and attempted theft, according to court records and the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office. The incident occurred at Brick House...
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Robert Matthew Duke, 37, of Lexington Park, has been charged in two separate cases filed in St. Mary’s County District Court. The cases involve allegations of violating a peace order and an incident of alleged peeping tom behavior. Court records indicate that Duke is charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly engaging in “visual surveillance...
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Ellis Eugene Tolbert, 66, of Hollywood, Maryland, has been indicted on nine counts of possession of child pornography. This follows an extensive investigation by Maryland State Police and the use of CyberTips provided by a national organization monitoring online child exploitation. The charges were filed on October 7, 2024, in the Circuit Court for...
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On Friday, December 27, 2024, at approximately 5:21 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Willows Road and South Shangri-La Drive in Lexington Park, for the reported motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian. Crews arrived on the scene within minutes of dispatch to find a white Dodge Charger had...
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NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, MD: The U.S. Navy announced that it has awarded Northrop Grumman Corp. a $3.5 billion contract to conduct the mission-systems integration for the E-130J, which will be the successor to the E-6B Mercury for the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission. Under the contract, Northrop Grumman of Melbourne,...
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St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were dispatched to a Charlotte Hall location for an alarm call at a business that sells guns at approximately 11:53 p.m. Friday, December 27, 2024. Upon arrival, deputies discovered the front window of GLR Enterprise shattered. A search of the premises determined no suspects were inside the store....
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Terry Jeffrey Harris Jr., 35, of Lexington Park, is facing multiple criminal charges after two separate incidents resulted in his arrest on December 24 and December 25, 2024. The charges, filed in the District Court of St. Mary’s County, include second-degree assault and disorderly conduct. According to court documents, the first incident occurred on...
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On the morning of Christmas Eve, December 24th, 2024, at 10:13, Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department Engine 71 was placed In-Service, ready to serve St. Mary’s County! The designation “Engine 71” has been taken out of retirement, and bestowed upon our newest engine as a dedication to our Charter Members. Two of our operational Charter...
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UPDATE 12/27/2024: A fourth individual, identified as Deondre Maceo Straughn, 18, of Saint Inigoes, has been arrested following an incident on November 28, 2024, involving multiple firearms violations and a high-speed police chase that ended in a crash. Deondre Maceo Straughn joins his brothers, Tireke Allen Straughn, 21, Tywon Deontae Straughn, 23, both of...
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UPDATE 12/27/2024: The Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department (MVFD), along with surrounding companies, responded to a devastating structure fire in their first-due response area on Monday, December 23rd. This tragedy struck the home of their Past Fire Chief and current Board of Director Bobby Johnson. The fire not only displaced the family during the holiday...
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UPDATE 12/27/2024: Four individuals have been charged, and four local businesses have been cited for underage sales violations as part of a recent enforcement operation in St. Mary’s County. These cases, which arose from sales made on November 26, 2024, were officially filed in the District Court for St. Mary’s County on December 26,...
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UPDATE 12/27/2024: Police in St. Mary’s County have charged Thomas Campbell Bowling Von-Goetz, 56, of Avenue, in connection with two incidents at local churches during the Christmas holiday. Court documents describe a series of disruptive and threatening actions that allegedly endangered parishioners and interrupted religious services at Holy Angels Church and St. Francis Xavier Church....
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UPDATE June 10, 2025: The Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) is releasing video footage related to an officer-involved shooting that occurred on December 20, 2024, on Tottenham Drive in White Plains. Under Maryland law, investigative authority in these cases rests with the Maryland Office of the Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division (IID); therefore, the...
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On December 20, 2024, Sheriff Ricky Cox and the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office welcomed four new deputies following the final inspection and graduation exercises from the Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy (SMCJA) Police Entrance Level Training Program Session 54 at Chopticon High School in Morganza, MD. The deputies were among a total of 17...
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On December 20, 2024, Henry Joseph Rupinski, 53, of Lusby, was sentenced in Calvert County Circuit Court to 15 years, with 18 months of active time, for possession of child pornography. Upon release Rupinski will be on 5 years supervised probation and will be required to register as a sex offender for life, forfeit...
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Angela Marie Hanson, 52, of California, Maryland, has been indicted on charges of embezzlement and theft following allegations of financial misconduct during her tenure as Finance Manager for Historic Sotterley, Inc. According to court documents, Hanson is accused of stealing nearly $15,000 over a five-month period from October 31, 2023, to April 15, 2024....
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Officers reported that they took a mischievous man into custody who calls himself the Grinch. This Whoville troublemaker was up to no good, but don’t worry—he won’t be causing any more trouble this holiday season. With the Grinch behind bars, Santa Claus can deliver presents to all the boys and girls without any interruptions....
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This holiday season, the Southern Maryland News Net would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the incredible community of St. Mary’s County and the dedicated men and women of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. They put together a video featuring a few of the many voices of community leaders, businesses, and residents...
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