Community

Nearly 400 Year-old Remains of Teen Found at St. Mary’s Fort Site

Nearly 400 Year-old Remains of Teen Found at St. Mary’s Fort Site

The Historic St. Mary’s City (HSMC) Department of Research and Collections has uncovered the human remains of a young European man, believed to have been buried in the late 1630s. The remains were found approximately 30 feet outside of what once was St. Mary’s Fort. This discovery may be one of the oldest colonial...
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Toy Gun Resembling Real Gun Recovered from a Charles County Middle School Student

Toy Gun Resembling Real Gun Recovered from a Charles County Middle School Student

On May 4 at 9:30 a.m., a student informed a school staff member that another student brought a possible gun to school and was showing it to other students. The gun was discovered to be a Splatrball gel gun, which has an orange tip, but could be mistaken for a real gun. The student...
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St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Seeking Identity Theft Suspect

St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Seeking Identity Theft Suspect

On Tuesday, May 2, 2023, at 7:45 pm, the pictured suspect accessed the employee break room at the Dollar General store in Leonardtown and stole a debit card from an employee’s purse. Anyone with information about the identity of the suspect or this incident is asked to contact Deputy Elijsha Munn at 301-475-4200, ext....
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Officers of the Year Recognized at Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

Officers of the Year Recognized at Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County, St. Mary’s Department of Aging and Human Services and Triad/SALT Council held their annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Day on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, at The White Rose facility in Callaway. The Officers of the Year for several agencies were recognized including Cpl. Daniel Holdsworth — the St. Mary’s...
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Criminal Justice Students Complete Internship at Sheriff’s Office

Criminal Justice Students Complete Internship at Sheriff’s Office

This week, 17 students in the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center Criminal Justice Program completed their nine-week session interning with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. The 11th- and 12th-grade students spent time at Sheriff’s Office headquarters, with the Criminal Investigations Division and Crime Lab, the St. Mary’s County Detention and...
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$942,000 Grant Awarded to Expand Broadband Infrastructure in Calvert County

$942,000 Grant Awarded to Expand Broadband Infrastructure in Calvert County

The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is pleased to announce another major step toward closing the digital divide for county residents. A grant awarded to Comcast through the state’s Connect Maryland Network Infrastructure Grant Program will expand broadband access to an additional 36 homes in the county and add nine miles of...
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St. Charles High School Student Charged with First Degree Assault After Choking and Spitting on Female Victim

St. Charles High School Student Charged with First Degree Assault After Choking and Spitting on Female Victim

On Wednesday, May 3, 2023, at 12:00 p.m., a male student at St. Charles High School was in possession of a female student’s cell phone and refused to give it back. Later, the female tried to recover her phone while outside of the school building, at which time the male grasped her throat, choked...
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28th Annual Southern Maryland Spring Festival is Back in Leonardtown – May 4th to May 7th, 2023

28th Annual Southern Maryland Spring Festival is Back in Leonardtown – May 4th to May 7th, 2023

The 28th Annual Southern Maryland Spring Festival will be held on Thursday, May 4th through Sunday, May 7th, 2023 at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds in Leonardtown, Maryland. For over twenty-five years, the Southern Maryland Spring Festival has enjoyed bringing the local community together for a weekend of family fun with carnival rides, entertainment,...
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Hollywood-Leonardtown Optimist Club Hopes to Emphasize the Need for Respecting the Law

Hollywood-Leonardtown Optimist Club Hopes to Emphasize the Need for Respecting the Law

The Hollywood-Leonardtown Optimist Club hopes to instill a strong respect for law in local children during the Respect for Law Banquet on May 2nd, 2023. Through the club’s Respect for Law program, they recognized eight law enforcement officers from St. Mary’s County. Those recognized included: Corporal Holdsworth of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office;...
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Hospice of the Chesapeake Caring for Life Gala Raises More Than $550,000!

Hospice of the Chesapeake Caring for Life Gala Raises More Than $550,000!

It was an evening of elegance matched by inspirational moments of generosity when Hospice of the Chesapeake held its Caring for Life Gala on April 22, 2023, in The Hall at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland in Hanover, Maryland. The event brought in more than $550,000 that will support the organization’s hospice, supportive and...
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School Resource Officer Investigating Assault at McDonough High School That Sends Student to Hospital

School Resource Officer Investigating Assault at McDonough High School That Sends Student to Hospital

On Monday, May 1, 2023, at 1:30 p.m., six students at McDonough High School assaulted another student at the school; the student was transported to a hospital with an injury that required treatment. The school resource officer has initiated an investigation and has contacted the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office regarding charges. The students...
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Concerned Citizen and Reserve Officers from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police Save Baby Owl in Bushwood

Concerned Citizen and Reserve Officers from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police Save Baby Owl in Bushwood

On April 30, 2023, a concerned citizen was traveling along Bushwood Road in St. Mary’s County when they observed a barred owl fledgling on the side of the road. According to the citizen, they returned to look for the owl after passing it. The search took about two hours, and the owl was finally...
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Anne Arundel County High School Teacher Charged for Sexually Assaulting Student, Released Same Day As Arrest

Anne Arundel County High School Teacher Charged for Sexually Assaulting Student, Released Same Day As Arrest

On January 26, 2023, the Anne Arundel County Police Department became aware of an alleged sex offense that occurred between a female student at Meade High School and a male teacher. According to the victim, the suspect touched her “private and intimate areas” over and under her clothing while in the school building. The...
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John Hanson Middle School Student Tased After Assaulting Officer

John Hanson Middle School Student Tased After Assaulting Officer

On Monday, May 1, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., school administrators at John Hanson Middle School were alerted a student was in possession of suspected cannabis. The student became aggressive with school employees and the school resource officer (SRO) and refused to follow commands. As additional officers arrived, the student became violent and struck an...
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Leadership Southern Maryland’s 10th Annual Golf Tournament Is Teed Up for Friday June 9, 2023!

Leadership Southern Maryland’s 10th Annual Golf Tournament Is Teed Up for Friday June 9, 2023!

Driving, putting, fun, and networking are back again this year as Leadership Southern Maryland (LSM) celebrates its 10th Annual Golf Tournament. This prestigious event will take place on Friday, June 9, 2023, at Breton Bay Golf and Country Club in Leonardtown, Maryland. All golfers are welcomed and encouraged to join regional leaders from throughout...
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St. Mary’s County Commissioners to Host Public Forum on Tuesday, May 9, 2023

St. Mary’s County Commissioners to Host Public Forum on Tuesday, May 9, 2023

The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County (CSMC) will host a Public Forum on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. in the CSMC meeting room in the Chesapeake Building, located at 41770 Baldridge Street in Leonardtown. Public Forums allow residents to speak directly to the Commissioners on topics of their choosing. Residents may offer...
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Easy Digital Enrollment for School-Based Health Centers Now Available in St. Mary’s County

Easy Digital Enrollment for School-Based Health Centers Now Available in St. Mary’s County

WellCheck and the St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) have partnered to implement a new digital enrollment tool for School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) in St. Mary’s County. This simplified, electronic process is now available at smchd.org/sbhc and works on most electronic devices, including smartphones and tablets. The WellCheck technology allows students, staff and community...
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Three Charles County Public School Students Named 2023 Carson Scholars

Three Charles County Public School Students Named 2023 Carson Scholars

Three Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) elementary students were recently named 2023 Carson Scholars. The Carson Scholars program recognizes students for high academic achievement, humanitarian qualities and community service. Honored this year as new Carson Scholars are: Garcelle Hinson, fifth grade, Malcolm Elementary School Sydney Pennycooke, fifth grade, Mary H. Matula Elementary School Troy...
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St. Mary’s College of Maryland Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Cassie Gurbisz Leads SMCM’s Participation in $3.5 Million NSF Grant Collaborative

St. Mary’s College of Maryland Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Cassie Gurbisz Leads SMCM’s Participation in $3.5 Million NSF Grant Collaborative

St. Mary’s College of Maryland is part of a collaboration of six institutions that was recently awarded a $3.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The project, led by Penn State, focuses on how aquatic plants and animals, such as clams, salt marshes and seagrasses, affect carbon cycling in the Chesapeake Bay. Estuaries...
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Charles County Receives Close to $3 Million in Grants to Expand Rural Broadband Access

Charles County Receives Close to $3 Million in Grants to Expand Rural Broadband Access

The Charles County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce that Governor Wes Moore is awarding $2,960,126 to expand high-speed internet access to an estimated 427 households and businesses across Charles County through Connect Maryland. Connect Maryland is an initiative to close the digital divide through the Office of Statewide Broadband. The Connect Maryland Network...
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Charles County Commissioners Meeting Update and Proposed Fiscal 2024 Budget – April 25 and 26, 2023

Charles County Commissioners Meeting Update and Proposed Fiscal 2024 Budget – April 25 and 26, 2023

On Tuesday, April 25, 2023, Commissioners received a briefing on the state of emergency services in Charles County, from 2017-2022. Director Michelle Lilly and Deputy Director Tony Rose provided an overview of total calls, volunteer versus career response to calls and provision of transports, peak hours analysis, and disparate impacts in different parts of the...
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Police Investigating Two Related Altercations at La Plata High School

Police Investigating Two Related Altercations at La Plata High School

On Friday, April 28, 2023, at 12:10 p.m., two students assaulted another student in a classroom while classes were transitioning. The assailants fled from the school but were identified. Shortly after, another fight occurred in the main lobby of the school. The students were separated by school administrators and the school resource officer (SRO)....
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UPDATE: Annapolis Man Sentenced to 4 Months in Federal Prison for Threatening to Murder United States Congressman Ted Cruz

UPDATE: Annapolis Man Sentenced to 4 Months in Federal Prison for Threatening to Murder United States Congressman Ted Cruz

U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Justin Kuchta, age 40, of Annapolis, Maryland, to four months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for threatening to murder a United States Member of Congress. The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland;...
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Pickleball Courts Coming to Calvert County Parks and Recreation Facilities

Pickleball Courts Coming to Calvert County Parks and Recreation Facilities

The Calvert County Department of Parks & Recreation has begun work to create additional outdoor pickleball courts at the Harriet E. Brown Community Center, Solomons Town Center Park and Hallowing Point Park. Staff began work adding lines for three pickleball courts on the basketball courts outside the Harriet E. Brown Community Center. The courts...
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When Marylanders Register Their Vehicles, They Can Now Support the Environment and Statewide Tree Plantings

When Marylanders Register Their Vehicles, They Can Now Support the Environment and Statewide Tree Plantings

There is a new way for Marylanders to help restore tree cover and mitigate the harmful effects of pollution in the “Old Line State.” The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration, in partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, is offering state residents a convenient option to donate toward the planting of...
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