Community

No Injuries Reported After Firefighters Respond to California House Fire on Father’s Day

No Injuries Reported After Firefighters Respond to California House Fire on Father’s Day

On Sunday, June 21, 2026, at approximately 6:57 a.m., firefighters from Bay District, Hollywood, Solomons, Leonardtown, and Second District were dispatched to the 23000 block of Mirfield Lane in California for the reported structure fire. Crews arrived on the scene and found a two-story residence with fire showing. The occupants were confirmed to be...
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Father’s Day Gift Guide 2026: Shop Local, Celebrate Dad

Father’s Day Gift Guide 2026: Shop Local, Celebrate Dad

Father’s Day is a chance to celebrate the dads, grandfathers, stepdads, and father figures who have helped shape our lives. Whether they’re teaching us how to change a tire, helping with a home project, coaching from the sidelines, or simply being there when we need them most, Father’s Day is an opportunity to say...
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Prince George’s County Residents Invited to Town Hall on Future of Former Six Flags America Site

Prince George’s County Residents Invited to Town Hall on Future of Former Six Flags America Site

Prince George’s County residents will have an opportunity to weigh in on the future of the former Six Flags America site during a town hall meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. County Executive Aisha N. Braveboy will host the meeting alongside G.S. Proctor & Associates and representatives from the 35V...
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Maryland Department of Transportation Provides Ongoing Fatal Crash Updates During Summer Travel Season

Maryland Department of Transportation Provides Ongoing Fatal Crash Updates During Summer Travel Season

The Maryland Department of Transportation is Serious About Safety and launching, in partnership with the Maryland State Police, a joint summer initiative to publish fatal motor vehicle crashes statistics from across the State. The campaign aims to raise public awareness of roadway fatalities and encourage safe driving habits during the peak summer travel season, also known...
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Former Police Chief, PGPD Officers and Capital Police Officer Convicted and Plead Guilty in Connection with Insurance Fraud Scheme

Former Police Chief, PGPD Officers and Capital Police Officer Convicted and Plead Guilty in Connection with Insurance Fraud Scheme

A federal jury convicted a Maryland man for his role in conspiring to commit an insurance fraud scam. The jury found Davion Percy, 40, of Suitland, guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with the auto-insurance fraud scheme. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of...
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Watershed Education and Stewardship Grants Support Programming in Anne Arundel, Charles, and Prince George’s Counties

Watershed Education and Stewardship Grants Support Programming in Anne Arundel, Charles, and Prince George’s Counties

Two Maryland organizations will receive support for education and stewardship programming to enhance environmental education in the state. Outdoor education and stewardship funding is made possible from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant. Specific amounts will be contingent upon federal funding availability and approval. The following organizations were awarded funding through...
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St. Joseph Catholic Church in Charles County Seeking Identity of Hit and Run Suspect That Struck Cemetery Headstone

St. Joseph Catholic Church in Charles County Seeking Identity of Hit and Run Suspect That Struck Cemetery Headstone

The St. Joseph Catholic Church released the following information this week. “Seeking your help to locate an individual who caused damage in our cemetery. We believe that on Thursday, June 11, 2026 between 8:36pm and 8:50pm, the driver of the pictured car, hit a headstone and flagpole in our cemetery. The bumper and a...
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10-Year-Old T.C. Martin Elementary School Student Flown to Children’s Center After Alleged Assault

10-Year-Old T.C. Martin Elementary School Student Flown to Children’s Center After Alleged Assault

On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at approximately 11:45 a.m., emergency medical services responded to the T.C. Martin Elementary School located at 6315 Olivers Shop Road in Bryantown, for the reported injuries after a fall. 911 callers reported a “10-year-old female student was conscious and alert after she tripped and fell on her face.” The...
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North Beach Man Arrested After Drug Dealing Allegations Tied To Tiki Bar and Plaza Mexico in Calvert County

North Beach Man Arrested After Drug Dealing Allegations Tied To Tiki Bar and Plaza Mexico in Calvert County

Adolfo Lopez-Olguin, 42, of North Beach, has been charged with possession with intent to distribute narcotics, possession of a controlled dangerous substance other than cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, and two counts of possessing or using a false government identification document after a Calvert County Sheriff’s Office investigation that began in 2025 and ended...
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Convicted Drug Dealer on Parole Arrested in New Cocaine Distribution Case in St. Mary’s County

Convicted Drug Dealer on Parole Arrested in New Cocaine Distribution Case in St. Mary’s County

Joseph Valentino Thomas, 37, of Dowell, is facing new charges in St. Mary’s County after authorities say he fled from a traffic stop in Leonardtown and was later linked to multiple bags of cocaine and crack cocaine found near where his vehicle had stopped. Thomas is charged with possession with intent to distribute narcotics,...
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20th Annual Lawn Mower Races Coming Back to SOMD – July 31st to August 1st, 2026

20th Annual Lawn Mower Races Coming Back to SOMD – July 31st to August 1st, 2026

The mowers are heading back to Bowles Farms for another weekend of racing, family fun, and community support. The 20th Annual St. Mary’s County National Lawn Mower Races will take place on Friday, July 31, and Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Bowles Farms, located at 22880 Budds Creek Road in Clements, Maryland, near the...
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Charles County Board of Education Approves $553.5 Million FY2027 Operating Budget

Charles County Board of Education Approves $553.5 Million FY2027 Operating Budget

The Board of Education of Charles County at its June 9 meeting unanimously approved the fiscal year 2027 operating budget. The $553,532,999 budget represents a $26.02 million increase, or 4.9%, over the fiscal year 2026 operating budget.   The CCPS operating budget is primarily funded through state and county dollars, with about 39% coming from the overall Charles...
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Governor Wes Moore Announces $31.5 Million for Ecological Restoration Projects to Improve Water Quality in Local Waterways and the Chesapeake Bay

Governor Wes Moore Announces $31.5 Million for Ecological Restoration Projects to Improve Water Quality in Local Waterways and the Chesapeake Bay

Governor Wes Moore announced the Maryland Department of Natural Resources is awarding $31.5 million in grants from the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund for 25 ecological restoration projects encompassing 188 sites throughout the state that will improve water quality and wildlife habitats. “The Chesapeake Bay is the centerpiece of our tourism and seafood...
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July 2026 Events at the Calvert Marine Museum

July 2026 Events at the Calvert Marine Museum

July brings a full month of family-friendly programs, summer camps, live entertainment, and Chesapeake Bay adventures to the Calvert Marine Museum. Highlights include the annual Sharkfest! celebration on July 11, a special 4th of July Fireworks Cruise aboard the Wm. B. Tennison, Family Fun Friday programs throughout the month, and a live performance by country...
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Fashion for a Cause Raises More Than $300K for Community Health Programs

Fashion for a Cause Raises More Than $300K for Community Health Programs

Hospice of the Chesapeake’s annual Fashion for a Cause event drew a sold-out crowd ready to celebrate community, style and families who depend on the nonprofit’s services. When the night was over, more than $300,000 had been raised for community health programs. The event, held June 4 at the Fluegel Alumni Center, Annapolis, Maryland,...
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Sports Wagering Contributes $9.9 Million to the State During May

Sports Wagering Contributes $9.9 Million to the State During May

Maryland’s sports wagering market generated $9,899,004 in contributions to the state during May 2026. Through the first 11 months of Fiscal Year 2026 (July 2025 through May 2026), sports wagering has returned a total of $124,695,286 to the state Sports bettors in Maryland wagered $535,415,353 during May and won back $469,641,733 in prizes. Sportsbook...
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‘Paws, Poses and Peace’ Combines Yoga and Therapy Dogs for All-Ages Wellness

‘Paws, Poses and Peace’ Combines Yoga and Therapy Dogs for All-Ages Wellness

Chesapeake Life Center, the organization behind wellness programs like Hope After Hours and All-Ages Grief Karaoke, is introducing another creative approach to wellness and healing. “Paws, Poses and Peace” combines the healing benefits of gentle yoga with the comforting presence of certified therapy dogs. Two summer evening sessions will be offered from 6:30 to...
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Historic Sotterley to Host 250th Presentation Featuring Local History and Wine Tasting

Historic Sotterley to Host 250th Presentation Featuring Local History and Wine Tasting

Historic Sotterley will host a special presentation on Thursday, June 25, 2026, honoring both America’s and Maryland’s 250th year of independence. The program will feature historian and author Dave Brown, who will discuss the life and legacy of George Plater III, one of Maryland’s influential early leaders. Plater’s political and civic contributions helped shape...
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Charles County Police Recover Two Knives from Students Bookbags at Two Different Middle Schools

Charles County Police Recover Two Knives from Students Bookbags at Two Different Middle Schools

On Thursday, June 11, 2026, school administrators at Milton Somers Middle School received a report that a student, age 12, was in possession of a knife. The student displayed the knife while on the school bus; no threats were made. An administrative search resulted in the knife being located in the student’s bookbag. In...
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Lackey High School Class of 2026 Graduation

Lackey High School Class of 2026 Graduation

Day two of Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) graduation week dawned with the Chargers of Henry E. Lackey High School celebrating the Class of 2026. The 232 graduates of Lackey’s Class of 2026 were led by valedictorian Brylee Boyden and Savannah Murphy, the salutatorian. Cheryl K. Davis, principal of Lackey, spoke to the class...
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Heat Advisory Issued for Southern Maryland Through 8 P.M. Thursday

Heat Advisory Issued for Southern Maryland Through 8 P.M. Thursday

The National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington has continued a Heat Advisory for portions of Maryland, Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia until 8 p.m. Thursday, June 11, 2026. Forecasters say heat index values could reach up to 105 degrees in areas near and east of the Interstate 95 corridor, including Charles, St. Mary’s and Calvert counties,...
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Consumer Advisory Issued for Some Clover Hill Dairy (Mechanicsville) Products Due to Risk Of Foodborne Illness

Consumer Advisory Issued for Some Clover Hill Dairy (Mechanicsville) Products Due to Risk Of Foodborne Illness

The Maryland Department of Health announced today that Clover Hill Dairy (Mechanicsville, MD) has issued a voluntary recall of its requesón/soft ricotta products due to possible Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) contamination. Clover Hill Dairy products are sold directly from their retail market, at farmers markets, and through third party distributors, including in New York...
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Stoddert Middle School Principal Named Charles County Public Schools Principal of the Year

Stoddert Middle School Principal Named Charles County Public Schools Principal of the Year

Joseph Evans of Benjamin Stoddert Middle School was recently named the 2026 Assistant Principal of the Year for Charles County Public Schools (CCPS). Evans, a graduate of North Point High School, has risen through the ranks of CCPS in the past decade. He began his career as a substitute teacher before transitioning to an...
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Westlake’s Class of 2026 Draws On Strength at Graduation

Westlake’s Class of 2026 Draws On Strength at Graduation

Westlake High School’s 303 members of the Class of 2026 graduated June 3, led by valedictorian Christopher Chubbs Jr. and salutatorian Bianca Lepe. Lepe talked about strength and how she gains it from her family. This year, her family lost both grandmothers and Lepe’s older sister, Cristin, passed away in January. The family relied...
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Calvert Commissioners Adopt FY2027 Budget of $420.5 Million, Advance Data Center Moratorium Discussion

Calvert Commissioners Adopt FY2027 Budget of $420.5 Million, Advance Data Center Moratorium Discussion

The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners approved and adopted the county’s Fiscal Year 2027 operating and capital budgets during its June 9, 2026 meeting, while also hearing continued public concern over proposed data center development in the county. During public service announcements, commissioners noted an America 250 flag-raising ceremony held earlier in the...
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