Attorney General Anthony G. Brown co-led a coalition of 23 attorneys general—joined by the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania—in filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle AmeriCorps by abruptly reducing the agency’s workforce by nearly 90%, cancelling its contracts, and closing $400 million worth of AmeriCorps-supported programs. AmeriCorps, an independent federal...
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By Chuck Steenburgh: Field selections for the 2025 College Sailing Open and Women’s Fleet Race National Championships, to be hosted by St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM), have been announced by the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA). Host SMCM qualified in both the women’s (May 20-23) and open (May 27-30) fleets. Each 36-team fleet consists...
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Maryland Governor Wes Moore released the following statement on the Trump-Vance Administration’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal: “The president’s budget proposal would kill jobs, hollow out health care and public education, and accelerate the reckless assault on Maryland’s economy that started on January 20. This isn’t fiscal stewardship; it’s fiscal sabotage. This is not...
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On March 21, 2025, four students from Calvert County Public Schools’ Future Farmers of America (FFA) demonstrated exceptional leadership and career readiness during the Region 3 Leadership Development Events. Angelina Perez earned a gold medal in the Senior Prepared Speech competition and will advance to the state convention in June. Raleigh Sterling received a...
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Dance Performance: Unspoken Words. May 5, 7:30 – 10 p.m., Hank Willoughby Foundation Center for the Arts (FA Building), Brad and Linda Gottfried Theater, La Plata Campus at 8730 Mitchell Road in La Plata. This spring, CSM’s Dance Ensemble students dive deeper into exploring how “the body says what words cannot.” Join them as...
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Photographers and nature enthusiasts are invited to submit their most beautiful images of the state’s flora and fauna to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2025 Photo Contest. As in past years, winning entries will be featured on the next Maryland DNR nature calendar to be published in late fall, and all winners will receive...
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The Town of La Plata will test early warning devices/sirens on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Testing is done twice per year in early May and early December. The testing lasts about a half hour. The tests consist of both siren alerts and audible notifications. The tests are conducted in conjunction with...
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Comments on Southern Maryland Newsnet’s Facebook page quickly followed the Board of Education’s vote to rename General Smallwood Middle School as Glymont Middle School, effective July 1, 2025. Between April 30 and May 1, about two hundred remarks appeared. Of those that clearly took a side, a little more than 70 percent objected to the change, just under 20 percent supported it, and the rest...
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Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) and the Board of Education of Charles County would like input on the 2026-2027 school calendar. The Board of Education typically approves the school calendar two years in advance. At the April 8 Board meeting, staff presented three draft calendar options for the Board’s consideration. Review the options here on...
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month and residents are invited to “Chalk the Walk” at participating public locations throughout Calvert County to raise awareness about the importance of children’s mental health. The Calvert County Family Network (CCFN) and Department of Parks & Recreation, in partnership with Calvert County Public Schools, Calvert County Sheriff’s Office,...
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On Tuesday, April 29, Jacob Dyer, Acting Director of the Department of Fiscal and Administrative Services, presented the county’s proposed fiscal 2026 budget of $594,293,300 an increase of 5.9 percent over last year. The General Fund budget was developed in alignment with Commissioners’ strategic priorities, incorporates departmental needs, and is shaped by community input...
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The Board of Education of Charles County at its April 28 work session approved the name Glymont Middle School to replace the name of General Smallwood Middle School. The name change takes effect July 1, 2025. General Smallwood Middle School will open for the 2025-2026 school year as Glymont Middle School. Eight Board members...
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Maryland State Police are reminding motorists to drive responsibly ahead of Cinco de Mayo weekend. To combat distracted, aggressive, and impaired driving, troopers at each of the 23 Maryland State Police barracks, as well as, the State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort (SPIDRE) Team will conduct statewide DUI saturation patrols and high-visibility enforcement. A...
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Michael Gerard Benedict, 50, of Newburg, is facing multiple criminal charges after two separate incidents earlier this month, according to court documents from the District Court for Charles County. In the most recent case, filed on April 28, 2025, Benedict was arrested and charged with three counts of second-degree assault on law enforcement officers,...
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This May, our grateful nation will come together to honor its fallen fire service heroes during the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, the official national tribute to firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty last year. As part of this heartfelt commemoration, we invite landmarks, buildings, fire departments, and communities across...
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The Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department proudly hosted the 79th Annual Southern Maryland Volunteer Firemen’s Association Convention on Saturday and Sunday, April 26-27, 2025. This year’s convention held special significance as long-time Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department member Tommy Mattingly Jr., was instilled as President of the Southern Maryland Volunteer Firemen’s Association. The two-day event brought...
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Now is the time to voice your concerns, questions and opinions. The Board of Education of Charles County and Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) are hosting a virtual Town Hall on Tuesday, May 6, at 7 p.m. through Zoom. The event is open to the public. Attendees must have an active Zoom account to...
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Nicholas Adam, principal of J.P. Ryon Elementary School, was named the 2025 Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Principal of the Year. Before coming to Ryon in 2023, Adam spent five years as principal of Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School after serving as an assistant principal at William A. Diggs and Malcolm elementary schools. “He...
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On Mother’s Day, May 11, 2025, St. Clement’s Island Museum in Colton’s Point and Piney Point Lighthouse Museum in Piney Point, will offer free museum admission for moms during normal operating hours, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please note regular admission prices apply to others with the party: St. Clement’s Island Museum: $3...
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Special Olympics Maryland-St. Mary’s County would like to thank Ryken High School for hosting the annual Spring Games. A special thanks goes out to the businesses, Sheriff’s Office, County and State Officials, and the NAS Patuxent River personnel that each year come out and support these individuals with intellectual disabilities both in school and...
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Juan Jared Perez-Lopez, 20, of Prince Frederick, has been indicted by a Calvert County grand jury in connection with a February fire at Calvert High School. Perez-Lopez was indicted on four criminal counts, including arson and reckless endangerment, stemming from the incident that temporarily disrupted operations at the school and endangered over 1,100 individuals....
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Charles County Public Schools Released the following information on Thursday, April 24th, 2025. “This morning, Westlake High School administrators observed a student smelling strongly of marijuana upon arrival to school. Administrators investigated and found the student had marijuana, paraphernalia, a handgun and ammunition. The items were confiscated, and police are conducting an investigation. Westlake...
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Governor Wes Moore presided over the second bill signing ceremony of 2025, which included The Expungement Reform Act, a key piece of the Moore-Miller Administration’s legislative agenda. “The legislation signed strengthens the Moore-Miller Administration’s all-of-the-above approach to public safety while creating pathways to work, wages, and wealth for rehabilitated Marylanders.” “Our strategy to make...
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Georgia Green, a special education teacher at Gale-Bailey Elementary School, was named the 2025 Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) nominee for The Washington Post’s Teacher of the Year Award program. One of five children born to educators, Green was inspired to go into the field of special education by her brothers — twins who are intellectually...
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Nonprofit professionals from across Southern Maryland gathered April 10 at the College of Southern Maryland’s (CSM) 15th annual Nonprofit Institute Conference at the La Plata Campus where participants learned about several opportunities for success in the mission of helping others. With new director Stephanie Rolle, CSM’s Nonprofit Institute only continues to grow in scope...
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