Community

UPDATE: Proposed Crisis Stabilization Center in Charlotte Hall No Longer Planned After Pascal Crisis Services Withdraws Application

UPDATE: Proposed Crisis Stabilization Center in Charlotte Hall No Longer Planned After Pascal Crisis Services Withdraws Application

St. Mary’s County Government announces that the public hearing regarding the proposed Crisis Stabilization Center in Charlotte Hall—previously announced and scheduled as part of the St. Mary’s County Board of Appeals meeting on Thursday, May 22, 2025—has been cancelled. The applicant, Pascal Crisis Services, Inc., has officially withdrawn their application for conditional use approval...
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Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Seeks Public’s Help Locating Multiple Wanted Individuals

Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Seeks Public’s Help Locating Multiple Wanted Individuals

The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating several individuals currently wanted on various criminal charges. Authorities are urging anyone with information about their whereabouts to come forward. Wanted Individuals: Jesse Holland III is wanted for Escape. Jamar Arsenio Brown is wanted for Burglary 4th Degree. John Howard Ogle...
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Purple Star School Designation Awarded to 10 Calvert County Schools

Purple Star School Designation Awarded to 10 Calvert County Schools

Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) is proud to announce that 10 of its schools have been awarded the prestigious Purple Star School designation by the Maryland State Department of Education for 2025. This honor recognizes schools that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to supporting military-connected students and their families. Established by the Maryland General Assembly...
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Charles County Commissioner Meeting Agenda for May 6 and 7, 2025, Meetings on May 7th and 20th for Proposed Tax Hike on Property

Charles County Commissioner Meeting Agenda for May 6 and 7, 2025, Meetings on May 7th and 20th for Proposed Tax Hike on Property

The County Commissioners will hold this public meeting “virtually” and in-person. SHOW UP AND MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!! Meetings is Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 4:30, public comments held at 6:30 p.m. (Full schedule below) This follows after the Charles County Commissioners voted 3-1 on April 22, 2025, to introduce Proposed Bill 2025-04, which...
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UPDATE: Public Meeting TODAY – Statements Released Following The Proposed Crisis Stabilization Center in Charlotte Hall

UPDATE: Public Meeting TODAY – Statements Released Following The Proposed Crisis Stabilization Center in Charlotte Hall

Maryland Delegate Matt Morgan released the following statement on May 5th, 2025. “This post is designed as a PSA for residents of Northern St. Mary’s. I am gathering more information about the proposed psychiatric urgent care facility on Mount Wolf Road in Charlotte Hall. I had no involvement in recruiting or funding this proposed...
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Cocaine and Vape Recovered from Thomas Stone High School Student

Cocaine and Vape Recovered from Thomas Stone High School Student

On Monday, May 5, 2025, at 12:55 p.m., a Youth Engagement Advocate (YEA), while conducting an administrative search, recovered a vaping device and cocaine from an adult student. The student will face disciplinary consequences in accordance with the Charles County Public Schools Code of Student Conduct and will also be charged criminally with possession...
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Police Say St. Mary’s County Woman Stole Over $19,000 From Kings Christian Academy and Historic Sotterley

Police Say St. Mary’s County Woman Stole Over $19,000 From Kings Christian Academy and Historic Sotterley

Angela Marie Hanson, 52, of California, Maryland, is at the center of two major criminal cases involving alleged financial thefts from local institutions in St. Mary’s County. Hanson has been indicted and separately charged in connection with two alleged theft schemes totaling nearly $20,000. Most recently, Hanson was charged on May 4, 2025, with...
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Father Andrew White School First Touch a Truck & Car Show on Saturday, May 10th, 2025

Father Andrew White School First Touch a Truck & Car Show on Saturday, May 10th, 2025

This Saturday, May 10, 2025, from 10:00 a.m., to 3:00 p.m., come support the FAW Destination Imagination teams who are gearing up to compete in their STEAM challenges at the Global Finals in Kansas City in May!!! Located at the Father Andrew White S.J. School, 22850 Washington Street in Leonardtown. $5 to enter, enjoy...
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St. Mary’s County Museums Offer Free Admission for Moms on Mother’s Day – May 11th, 2025

St. Mary’s County Museums Offer Free Admission for Moms on Mother’s Day – May 11th, 2025

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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FCTC Annual SkillsUSA Cruisin’ Into Spring Car Show in Leonardtown Rescheduled for Saturday, May 17th, 2025

FCTC Annual SkillsUSA Cruisin’ Into Spring Car Show in Leonardtown Rescheduled for Saturday, May 17th, 2025

The Dr. James A. Forrest Career & Technology Center’s Annual SkillsUSA Cruisin’ Into Spring Car Show has been rescheduled to Saturday, May 17, 2025.  The event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the school’s parking lot. Vehicles entered in the event may start arriving after 7:00 a.m.  Judging starts at 9:00 a.m....
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Maryland AG Joins 23 Other States in Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration’s Dismantling of AmeriCorps, the National Volunteer Public Service Agency

Maryland AG Joins 23 Other States in Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration’s Dismantling of AmeriCorps, the National Volunteer Public Service Agency

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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St. Mary’s College to Host, Participate in 2025 College Sailing National Championships

St. Mary’s College to Host, Participate in 2025 College Sailing National Championships

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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Hoyer, Moore Release Statements on Trump Budget Proposal

Hoyer, Moore Release Statements on Trump Budget Proposal

Maryland Governor Wes Moore released the following statement on the Trump-Vance Administration’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal: “T​he 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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Calvert County FFA Students Shine at Region 3 Leadership Development Events and Spring Judging

Calvert County FFA Students Shine at Region 3 Leadership Development Events and Spring Judging

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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CSM Offers Concerts, Writing Series, and More in May

CSM Offers Concerts, Writing Series, and More in May

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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Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2025 Photo Contest is Underway!

Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2025 Photo Contest is Underway!

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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Town of La Plata Testing Early Warning Devices and Sirens Today, at 10:00 a.m

Town of La Plata Testing Early Warning Devices and Sirens Today, at 10:00 a.m

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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Renaming Smallwood Middle School: What Our Facebook Readers Really Think – What do You Think?

Renaming Smallwood Middle School: What Our Facebook Readers Really Think – What do You Think?

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 and Board of Education Seeks Feedback on Draft 2026-2027 School Calendar

Charles County Public Schools and Board of Education Seeks Feedback on Draft 2026-2027 School Calendar

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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4th Annual Chalk the Walk for Children’s Mental Health Awareness

4th Annual Chalk the Walk for Children’s Mental Health Awareness

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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Charles County Presents Proposed Fiscal 2026 Budget

Charles County Presents Proposed Fiscal 2026 Budget

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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Board of Education of Charles County Changes Name of General Smallwood Middle School to Glymont Middle School, effective July 1

Board of Education of Charles County Changes Name of General Smallwood Middle School to Glymont Middle School, effective July 1

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 Increasing Patrols, DUI Enforcement Efforts for Cinco De Mayo Weekend

Maryland State Police Increasing Patrols, DUI Enforcement Efforts for Cinco De Mayo Weekend

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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Newburg Man Faces Multiple Charges Following Alleged Assaults and Hate Crime Incident

Newburg Man Faces Multiple Charges Following Alleged Assaults and Hate Crime Incident

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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Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters 2025 – Event to Remember and Honor Our Fallen Heroes

Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters 2025 – Event to Remember and Honor Our Fallen Heroes

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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