Community

St. Mary’s County Health Department Offering Free Flu Vaccine to Children at COVID-19 Testing Sites Starting October 26, 2020

St. Mary’s County Health Department Offering Free Flu Vaccine to Children at COVID-19 Testing Sites Starting October 26, 2020

Beginning October 26, 2020, the St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) will offer free flu vaccine to children (ages 3 – 18 years) at its SMCHD COVID-19 Testing Sites, during testing hours listed below: SMCHD Main Office:  Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.  21580 Peabody Street, Leonardtown For assistance or accommodations,...
Read More »

Registration Now Open for CSM’s Full Course Four Week Winter Session

Registration Now Open for CSM’s Full Course Four Week Winter Session

Registration for the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) Winter Session opened on Monday, October 19, 2020 offering students the opportunity to take a full course in four weeks. The Winter Session begins December 21, 2020. It is an opportunity for students to get ahead or explore an area of interest, catch up on general...
Read More »

Killer of 7-Eleven Employee in Waldorf Armed Robbery Apprehended in Georgia

Killer of 7-Eleven Employee in Waldorf Armed Robbery Apprehended in Georgia

UPDATE: Through an extensive investigation and coordination with the U.S. Marshals Task Force, Gregory DeShawn Collins, Jr., 22, of Waldorf, was located and apprehended in Georgia on Monday, October 19, 2020. Collins is currently awaiting extradition in Georgia and will be served an arrest warrant upon his return to Maryland for this incident. Charles...
Read More »

Elevated Levels of COVID-19 Viral Shedding Detected in Local Wastewater

Elevated Levels of COVID-19 Viral Shedding Detected in Local Wastewater

Local wastewater monitoring for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has detected elevated levels of viral particles in the sewer systems serving several locations in St. Mary’s County. “These viral particles are shed by individuals who have COVID-19 and can be detected in sewage,” said Dr. Meena Brewster, St. Mary’s County Health Officer. “Rising...
Read More »

Board of Education Approves Phase 2 Re-Opening of Charles County Public Schools Starting November 9, 2020

Board of Education Approves Phase 2 Re-Opening of Charles County Public Schools Starting November 9, 2020

UPDATE: Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) will begin Phase 2 on Monday, Nov. 9. In order for teachers to prepare for hybrid learning, instructional changes were made for the week starting Nov. 2. Outlined below are the changes and what they mean for CCPS students and virtual learning. Friday, October 30: Last day for...
Read More »

UPDATE: Mechanicsville Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Stealing Over $409,000 in Government Benefits

UPDATE: Mechanicsville Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Stealing Over $409,000 in Government Benefits

UPDATE 10/15/2020: U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Victor Demattia, age 64, of Mechanicsville, Maryland, yesterday to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing more than $400,000 in Civil Service Retirement benefits and Social Security benefits. Judge Messitte also entered an order requiring Demattia to forfeit...
Read More »

Marrick Properties Donates Welding Equipment to Help Trade Students Perfect Their Skills

Marrick Properties Donates Welding Equipment to Help Trade Students Perfect Their Skills

Marrick Properties recently donated a weld test bender that will give College of Southern Maryland (CSM) welding students an opportunity to evaluate the strength and integrity of their welds. The $1,316 piece of equipment is used by inspectors to bend weld specimens and provides immediate feedback to students as they perfect their skills. The...
Read More »

UPDATE: Southern Maryland Native/Myrtle Beach Police Police Officer Killed in Line of Duty – Expect Traffic Delays for Large Funeral Procession

UPDATE: Southern Maryland Native/Myrtle Beach Police Police Officer Killed in Line of Duty – Expect Traffic Delays for Large Funeral Procession

UPDATE: This upcoming Monday and Tuesday (10/12 & 13/2929), funeral services will be taking place in Charles County for Officer Jacob Hancher, a police officer in Myrtle Beach who was killed in the line of duty on October 3. Officer Hancher was from Charles County and his family still lives in this area. Members of...
Read More »

Thomas Stone High School Named 2019 Schools of Excellence by the American College Application Campaign

Thomas Stone High School Named 2019 Schools of Excellence by the American College Application Campaign

Thomas Stone High School was named a 2019 School of Excellence by the American College Application Campaign (ACAC) through the ACT Center for Equity in Learning. The ACAC strives to increase the number of first-generation college students and students from low-income families pursuing a college degree and other higher education opportunities. The campaign selects...
Read More »

College of Southern Maryland Inducts 13 Nursing Students into Alpha Omega Honor Society

College of Southern Maryland Inducts 13 Nursing Students into Alpha Omega Honor Society

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) inducted 13 nursing students into Alpha Omega, CSM’s chapter of the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN) Alpha Delta Nu Honor Society on Sept. 30. It was a virtual celebration that not only highlighted the students’ perseverance in their pursuit of academic excellence, but also put them on...
Read More »

Naval Air Station Patuxent River Gate 2 Closed from October 6 to October 13, 2020

Naval Air Station Patuxent River Gate 2 Closed from October 6 to October 13, 2020

NAS Patuxent River’s Gate 2 will close to all traffic at October, 6, 2020, at 9:00 a.m,  and will reopen on October 13, 2020, at 5:00 a.m., Drivers should use NAS Patuxent River’s Gate 1 during these dates. NAS Patuxent River’s Gate 3 remains closed. Visitors requiring Pass and ID services may still access...
Read More »

Building Service Workers Ensure Schools and Facilities are Ready for Re-Opening

Building Service Workers Ensure Schools and Facilities are Ready for Re-Opening

The COVID-19 pandemic has cast a spotlight on professions that often don’t get to center stage. In the wake of closures and lockdowns, governors around the country deemed food service workers, healthcare providers, service industry employees and others “essential employees.” Key workers provide services that focus on health and safety. One of the critical...
Read More »

Jaymi Sterling (Governors Daughter) Releases Statement on Her Resignation From the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office

Jaymi Sterling (Governors Daughter) Releases Statement on Her Resignation From the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office

For the last nine and a half years, I had the distinct honor to serve the citizens of St. Mary’s County as an Assistant State’s Attorney, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney, Chief of Staff and Deputy State’s Attorney. On Wednesday, September 30, 2020 I submitted my resignation from the office. In my most recent role...
Read More »

Charles County Public Schools and Health Department Offering Free Vaccinations to Students

Charles County Public Schools and Health Department Offering Free Vaccinations to Students

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) and the Charles County Department of Health are collaborating to offer required vaccinations for students at no cost. Maryland law requires students to have up-to-date immunizations, but with some physician’s offices having altered schedules in effect to slow the spread of COVID-19, some students may not have received vaccinations...
Read More »

Governor Larry Hogan and Maryland Superintendent of Schools Announce Return of Fall Sports on October 7, 2020

Governor Larry Hogan and Maryland Superintendent of Schools Announce Return of Fall Sports on October 7, 2020

Following a visit to schools in Frederick County today, Governor Larry Hogan and State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Karen Salmon announced the return of fall sports in Maryland. Each local school system will now have the ability to officially start the interscholastic athletic fall season in secondary schools beginning Wednesday, October 7, 2020. “Getting...
Read More »

Hughesville Man Who Hosted Large Party and Violated Executive Orders Sentenced to One Year in Jail

Hughesville Man Who Hosted Large Party and Violated Executive Orders Sentenced to One Year in Jail

UPDATE 9/25/2020: Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Friday, September 25, 2020, Shawn Marshall Myers, after a bench trial before District Court Judge W. Louis Hennessy, Shawn Marshall Myers, 42 of Hughesville, was convicted of two counts of Failure to Comply with an Emergency Order. Immediately after the trial, Judge...
Read More »

Officers in Charles County Searching for Critical Missing Elderly Man

Officers in Charles County Searching for Critical Missing Elderly Man

UPDATE 6/25/2020  @ 6:00 a.m: Mr. Kaval has been located safe and unharmed. 9/24/2020: Officers are currently searching for a critical missing man in Waldorf. William Gerard Kaval, 77 of Waldorf, was last seen in the area of Panera Bread on Festival Way in Waldorf at approximately 1:25 p.m. today. He was waiting for...
Read More »

Commissioners Approve State Capital Improvements Program for St. Mary’s County Public Schools

Commissioners Approve State Capital Improvements Program for St. Mary’s County Public Schools

The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County voted unanimously to authorize Commissioner President Randy Guy to sign a letter of support for an increase of $8,167,000 to the St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) FY2022 – FY2027 State Capital Improvement Program during their regular meeting Tuesday. Sept. 22. This funding is for the improve school...
Read More »

UPDATE: Detectives Investigating Murder at Waldorf Hotel, Police Identify Victim as 29-Year-Old Waldorf Man

UPDATE: Detectives Investigating Murder at Waldorf Hotel, Police Identify Victim as 29-Year-Old Waldorf Man

UPDATE: On September 21, at approximately 6:18 p.m., patrol officers responded to the Master Suites Hotel located in the 2200 block of Old Washington Road in Waldorf for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers found the victim, Kenneth Dionel Brawner, 29, of Waldorf, inside a room; he had a gunshot wound and...
Read More »

St. Mary’s County High School Campuses now Equipped with Lightning Detection Systems

St. Mary’s County High School Campuses now Equipped with Lightning Detection Systems

St. Mary’s County Public High Schools are now equipped with Lightning Detection Equipment at each of our three high schools. The lightning detection equipment includes an alert siren and visual strobe. When lightning is detected within 10 miles of each high school campus the alert siren and visual strobe will activate. After 30 minutes...
Read More »

Congratulations to St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Office Corrections Graduates

Congratulations to St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Office Corrections Graduates

Congratulations to the graduates of CELTP Session 64 of the Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy which held their completion ceremony on Sept. 4, 2020, which was closed to the public due to COVID19 restrictions. Sheriff Tim Cameron and the men and women of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office congratulate its four graduates from...
Read More »

Holiday Liquors in Waldorf Sells Winning Ticket for $1.15 Million Multi-Match Jackpot

Holiday Liquors in Waldorf Sells Winning Ticket for $1.15 Million Multi-Match Jackpot

A lucky Multi-Match player is Maryland’s newest millionaire after buying the ticket that won the game’s $1.15 million jackpot. The millionaire, who is the fourth player to hit a Multi-Match jackpot in 2020, matched the winning numbers in the Thursday, Sept. 17 drawing on a ticket purchased Sept. 16 at Holiday Liquors in Waldorf. The lucky player also...
Read More »

UPDATE: Charles County Middle School Employee Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse

UPDATE: Charles County Middle School Employee Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse

UPDATE 9/18/2020: Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Friday, September 18, 2020, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Anthony Tyrone Williams, Jr., 25 of Waldorf, to 25 years with all but 12 years suspended in prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor. On January 9, 2020, Williams...
Read More »

George Washington Carver Elementary School Closed Through Friday, September 18, 2020

George Washington Carver Elementary School Closed Through Friday, September 18, 2020

On Monday, September 14, 2020, St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) was notified of an employee at George Washington Carver Elementary School (GWCES) who tested positive for COVID-19 as a result of participating in a non-school related social event outside of St. Mary’s County. Through the process of contact tracing, and in coordination with...
Read More »

Maryland Department of Health Launches Virtual Live Diabetes Education Series

Maryland Department of Health Launches Virtual Live Diabetes Education Series

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today launched an eight-part diabetes education series for health care providers and residents with diabetes or at risk of diabetes. The webinar series, developed by MDH’s Center for Population Health Initiatives, is part of Maryland’s Diabetes Action Plan and is another tool aimed at preventing and managing diabetes...
Read More »