Community

USPS Operation Santa Now Accepting Letters From Kids and Families Across the Country!

USPS Operation Santa Now Accepting Letters From Kids and Families Across the Country!

The U.S. Postal Service has officially kicked off the 2025 season of USPS Operation Santa, inviting children and families across the country to begin writing and sending letters to Santa Claus. The beloved program, now in its 113th year, connects letter writers with generous individuals and organizations who help fulfill their holiday wishes. Beginning...
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Waldorf Felon Sentenced to 16-Years for Murdering His Girlfriend’s Husband

Waldorf Felon Sentenced to 16-Years for Murdering His Girlfriend’s Husband

Keyon Slaughter, 28, of Waldorf, Maryland, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the December 2022 murder of Dana Bailey, Jr., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Slaughter pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed on June 20, 2025. Slaughter was sentenced on September 12, 2025, by the Honorable Danya Dayson. In addition...
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Developing The Workforce! Navy Selects Four NAWCAD WOLF Engineers for Leadership Program

Developing The Workforce! Navy Selects Four NAWCAD WOLF Engineers for Leadership Program

The Navy recently selected four members of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at Webster Outlying Field (NAWCAD WOLF) workforce for one of its flagship leadership development plans, the Journey Leadership Development Program (JLDP). “Developing the next generation of leaders is one of the most important NAWCAD WOLF strategic imperatives,” said NAWCAD WOLF...
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Court Ruling Ends Vape and Smoke Shop Sales of Hemp Products That Get You High

Court Ruling Ends Vape and Smoke Shop Sales of Hemp Products That Get You High

Maryland’s courts and cannabis regulators have shut down what many people saw as a “hemp loophole.” The Appellate Court of Maryland ruled on September 9 that the state’s cannabis law is valid, that Delta-8 and Delta-10 THC were never legal in Maryland, and that only licensed cannabis dispensaries can sell intoxicating THC products. Days...
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Last Chance to Discover Drayden African American Schoolhouse This Season

Last Chance to Discover Drayden African American Schoolhouse This Season

St. Mary’s County Government’s Museum Division of Recreation & Parks, in partnership with the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions (UCAC), will be offering the final free Open Houses of 2025 for visitors and the community at the Drayden African American Schoolhouse, on Saturday, September 20, 2025; Saturday, October 4, 2025; and, Saturday, October 18,...
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Charles County Commissioners Meeting Update – September 9th, 2025

Charles County Commissioners Meeting Update – September 9th, 2025

Friday, September 12, 2025 – On Tuesday, Sept. 9, Commissioners held their annual Preliminary State Legislative Proposals Public Hearing. The yearly process allows residents and government officials to propose legislation to state legislators to be added to the county’s state legislative package during the 2026 Maryland General Assembly Session. Commissioners heard 23 proposals during the...
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Calvert County Public Hearing on September 30th, 2025, for Master Plan of Prince Frederick Town Centers

Calvert County Public Hearing on September 30th, 2025, for Master Plan of Prince Frederick Town Centers

The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. to receive and consider written and verbal public comment regarding the draft Chapter 1: Town Centers and the draft Chapter 2: Prince Frederick Town Center Master Plan of the Master Plan of Town Centers....
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Keep Maryland Beautiful Grant Applications Now Being Accepted for 2026

Keep Maryland Beautiful Grant Applications Now Being Accepted for 2026

The Maryland Environmental Trust in partnership with the Maryland Department of Transportation, Maryland Department of Agriculture, and the Chesapeake Bay Trust are proud to present this year’s Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants program. The deadline to apply is December 1, 2025. About $357,000 is available for this year’s grant round.  The Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants program...
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Great Mills Woman Arrested for Murder of 11-Year-Old Child

Great Mills Woman Arrested for Murder of 11-Year-Old Child

On Thursday, May 8, 2025, deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, along with emergency medical services personnel, responded to the 22000 block of Castle Pollard Way in Great Mills for the report of an 11-year-old male juvenile not breathing. Life-saving efforts were attempted, and the juvenile was transported to a local hospital,...
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October 2025 Events at the Calvert Marine Museum

October 2025 Events at the Calvert Marine Museum

October is packed with fun at the Calvert Marine Museum, with two exciting new events debuting this month: Haunted Water Cruises aboard the Wm. B. Tennison and an Animal Mask-Making Workshop for tweens and teens. The museum will also host the annual Patuxent River Appreciation Day, Homeschool Day in Solomons, and family favorites like...
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UPDATE: Missing Person Shirley Located SAFE AND UNHARMED

UPDATE: Missing Person Shirley Located SAFE AND UNHARMED

UPDATE @ 16:58 – Located safe & unharmed. Thank you for sharing. All fire & rescue personnel being placed in service BOLO for missing person Shirley Scott (B-F-68 YOA). Last seen in Lexington Park wearing blue jean shorts, and white t/s with black lettering that says “I’m too sexy for my dreads”. Police, firefighters...
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Flour Donuts & Bakery in Leonardtown Closing Permanently

Flour Donuts & Bakery in Leonardtown Closing Permanently

Flour Donuts & Bakery has announced it will be closing its doors for good on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. The local favorite, known for its donuts, baked goods, and community presence, shared the news with customers this week. As part of its final days of operation, the bakery is offering 50%...
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Four Dedicated St. Mary’s County Coaches Chosen for Prestigious 2025 All Ripken Games in Aberdeen

Four Dedicated St. Mary’s County Coaches Chosen for Prestigious 2025 All Ripken Games in Aberdeen

Four dedicated baseball coaches from St. Mary’s County were recently hand-selected to participate in the 2025 All Ripken Games, an elite three-day tournament held at the world-renowned Ripken Experience in Aberdeen, Maryland. The coaches—RJ Bean, Ryan Shephard, Mikey Farrell, and Jimmy Jones—were chosen through a rigorous vetting process that recognizes their commitment to developing...
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Governor Moore Announces State Grant Awards to Support Smart Manufacturing Efforts

Governor Moore Announces State Grant Awards to Support Smart Manufacturing Efforts

Governor Wes Moore today announced that the Maryland Department of Commerce has awarded a dozen local manufacturers with grants to implement smart manufacturing efforts. The $180,000 in funding is through the Maryland MADE grant program, which helps small manufacturers invest in the adoption and deployment of smart manufacturing and high-performance manufacturing technologies that will increase...
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Southern Maryland Residents Invited To Welcome 24 Veterans Home From Honor Flight on Saturday Sept. 27th in Calvert County

Southern Maryland Residents Invited To Welcome 24 Veterans Home From Honor Flight on Saturday Sept. 27th in Calvert County

The Capital Region Honor Flight is inviting the community to welcome home and thank the return 24 Veterans on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at the Huntingtown High School. Community members are invited to gather between 6:30 and 7:15 p.m. to greet the veterans when their bus arrives at 7:30 p.m.. Organizers hope to see...
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Governor, Comptroller Highlight Importance of Increasing Housing Supply in Maryland

Governor, Comptroller Highlight Importance of Increasing Housing Supply in Maryland

Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman joined Governor Wes Moore in approving more than $782 million today during a meeting of the Board of Public Works. Treasurer Dereck E. Davis was unable to attend. During the meeting, Governor Moore highlighted his recent executive order directing state agencies to invest in strategies that will increase housing production in Maryland. The Board of...
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A Silent Fire: Breaking the Stigma of Mental Health in the Fire Service – By Fire Chief Jason Turner

A Silent Fire: Breaking the Stigma of Mental Health in the Fire Service – By Fire Chief Jason Turner

A Silent Fire: Breaking the Stigma of Mental Health in the Fire Service – By Bay District Volunteer Fire Chief Jason Turner SMNEWSNET Editors Note – “In October of 2024, Jason Turner, at just 27 years old, made history as the youngest Fire Chief elected in the Department’s 80-year history. By then, Turner had...
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Warrant Issued for Ted William Taylor Jr. in Connection with Assault, Attempted Murder and Theft Cases in Southern Maryland

Warrant Issued for Ted William Taylor Jr. in Connection with Assault, Attempted Murder and Theft Cases in Southern Maryland

Ted William Taylor Jr., 35, of Solomons, is currently wanted by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office on charges of first-degree assault and second-degree attempted murder. In addition to these serious allegations, Taylor is facing active theft charges in both St. Mary’s and Calvert counties related to two separate incidents that occurred in late...
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St. Mary’s County Government Releases 2025 State of the County Video

St. Mary’s County Government Releases 2025 State of the County Video

St. Mary’s County Government (SMCG) is proud to announce the release of the 2025 State of the County video, now available to the public and can be watched below. Produced annually by the Public Information Office, the video highlights major accomplishments of county government over the past fiscal year, offering residents an overview of progress...
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U.S. Navy VX-31 Delivers Historic Harriers to West Coast Museums

U.S. Navy VX-31 Delivers Historic Harriers to West Coast Museums

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, Patuxent River, Maryland: In a powerful tribute to Marine Corps aviation history, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 31 delivered two AV-8B Harrier II+ aircraft to aviation museums on the West Coast, in July and August, marking the end of their operational service and the beginning of their legacy as...
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Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Armory Pavilion in Prince Frederick

Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Armory Pavilion in Prince Frederick

The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) announces the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Armory Pavilion was held on Tuesday, September 9th, 2025. The ceremony represents another milestone in the transformation of the site, honoring the property’s history while starting a new chapter of progress. The former Louis L. Goldstein Armory building stood...
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CSM Recognizes Graduates of Seven Healthcare Career Programs

CSM Recognizes Graduates of Seven Healthcare Career Programs

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) recognized 46 students on August 28, 2025, for completing programs that prepare them to step directly into critical healthcare roles. These graduates earned credentials across seven high-demand fields, helping meet a growing regional and national need for skilled professionals. “Tonight, we celebrate students who completed their programs with...
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14 Charles County Students Earn Scholarships Through Local Juneteenth Foundation

14 Charles County Students Earn Scholarships Through Local Juneteenth Foundation

Fourteen Charles County high school graduates from the Class of 2025 were recently awarded scholarships through the Charles County Juneteenth Foundation Inc. The foundation is a nonprofit organization with a mission to provide educational opportunities about Juneteenth and its history, bring awareness to the rich African American heritage of Charles County, provide scholarship opportunities...
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Joint Base Andrews Air Show – Saturday and Sunday September 13th, and 14th, 2025

Joint Base Andrews Air Show – Saturday and Sunday September 13th, and 14th, 2025

The 2025 Joint Base Andrews Air Show will open its gates on Saturday, September 13, and Sunday, September 14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The event is free to attend, requires no tickets, and is expected to draw more than 100,000 visitors from across the National Capital Region. The theme of...
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Maryland Governor Wes Moore Announces 2026 Re-Election Campaign

Maryland Governor Wes Moore Announces 2026 Re-Election Campaign

In a video released Tuesday, September 9th, 2025, Wes Moore announced he is running for Re-Election. “Marylanders need a governor who will continue to look out for them and stand up for our jobs, our health care, and our rights.” “While we stand up for middle-class Marylanders, the president of the United States is bending...
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