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Charles County Public Schools Celebrates Classes of 2021, Graduates Offered Over $157 Million in Scholarships

Charles County Public Schools Celebrates Classes of 2021, Graduates Offered Over $157 Million in Scholarships

The Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Class of 2021 will be honored this week during outdoor graduation ceremonies set for May 28 and June 1-3 at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf. The Class of 2021 is the first graduating class to participate in outdoor graduation ceremonies at the stadium. In prior years, seniors graduated...
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Henry E. Lackey High School Celebrates Class of 2021

Henry E. Lackey High School Celebrates Class of 2021

The 238 members of Henry E. Lackey High School’s Class of 2021 celebrated their graduation on Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at Regency Furniture Stadium. Lackey’s ceremony is the third Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) graduation held at the stadium. In gowns of blue and white, graduates filed into the stadium, scanning the crowd to...
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Westlake Wolverine Class of 2021 Celebrate Accomplishments in Graduation Ceremony

Westlake Wolverine Class of 2021 Celebrate Accomplishments in Graduation Ceremony

The Westlake High School Class of 2021 celebrated their accomplishments today during their graduation ceremony held at Regency Furniture Stadium. Under clear blue skies, a total of 257 seniors took to the stadium field to receive their diplomas. Westlake’s ceremony is the second Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) graduation planned for the stadium. Dressed...
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Thomas Stone Cougar Class of 2021 Celebrates High Achievements and Successes in June 2 Ceremony

Thomas Stone Cougar Class of 2021 Celebrates High Achievements and Successes in June 2 Ceremony

The Thomas Stone High School Class of 2021 on June 2 celebrated its accomplishments and triumphs in the culmination of their senior year. The graduation class experienced a senior year unlike any other graduating class before. In an outdoor graduation ceremony held at Regency Furniture Stadium, 248 members of the Cougar Class of 2021...
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Southern Maryland Folklife Center Presents Southern Maryland Folklife Summer Workshops at St. Mary’s College of Maryland

Southern Maryland Folklife Center Presents Southern Maryland Folklife Summer Workshops at St. Mary’s College of Maryland

The Southern Maryland Folklife Center will present the first annual Southern Maryland Folklife Summer Workshops at St. Mary’s College of Maryland this June 23-25, 2021. Attendance registration is required by visiting https://www.somdfolklife.org/. During the three-day event, workshops will be offered celebrating and supporting community-based living cultural traditions of Southern Maryland. The workshops will culminate...
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Charles County Government Now Offering 2022 Outreach and Restoration Grant Funding Applications

Charles County Government Now Offering 2022 Outreach and Restoration Grant Funding Applications

Charles County Government, in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust, is offering a 2022 Outreach and Restoration Grant Program. This grant program encourages residents to restore local green spaces, waterways, and natural resources through community engagement activities, and on-the-ground restoration projects that increase knowledge, change behavior, and accelerate stewardship of natural resources. The deadline...
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NAS Patuxent River Updates Select Programs Under New COVID Guidelines

NAS Patuxent River Updates Select Programs Under New COVID Guidelines

Naval Air Station’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR), Commissary, Navy Exchange, and other services announced updates to some of their programming following new DoD COVID guidelines. “We’re thrilled to be able to reopen some programs and expand others to our patrons while safely operating in a COVID environment,” said Jeff Sias, NAS Patuxent River...
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Governor Hogan Announces Additional Legislative Actions

Governor Hogan Announces Additional Legislative Actions

Governor Larry Hogan announced in letters to General Assembly leaders that, in accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the Maryland Constitution, he has vetoed the following legislation passed during the 2021 legislative session: HB 1322 – Primary and Secondary Education – School Personnel Not Returning to In-Person Instruction and Work – Accommodations and...
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Reward for Information in the Murder of Jazmiah Nelson Increased to up to $7,500

Reward for Information in the Murder of Jazmiah Nelson Increased to up to $7,500

UPDATE 5/28/2021: Detectives are continuing their investigation into the murder of Jazmiah Nelson who was shot and killed on May 22 in the 600 block of Pomonkey Way in La Plata. The reward in the case is now up to $7,500 for the tip that leads to the arrest of the suspect(s). Nelson was...
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Maryland State Police To Target Impaired, Aggressive, Distracted Drivers Over Memorial Day Weekend

Maryland State Police To Target Impaired, Aggressive, Distracted Drivers Over Memorial Day Weekend

With traffic expected to surge this Memorial Day weekend, additional Maryland state troopers will be on patrol and using a variety of initiatives to keep traffic moving, respond quickly to highway incidents and take appropriate enforcement action when violations are observed that threaten the safety of travelers. Beginning Friday, troopers from each of the...
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St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Seeking Whereabouts of Missing Man

St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Seeking Whereabouts of Missing Man

The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the whereabouts of James Laughlin Statter, age 38 of Lexington Park. Statter was last seen on foot in the Leonardtown area on May 26, 2021. Statter is a white male, 5’9” and weighs 245 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information on the...
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Charles County Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition on Saturday, June 5, 2021 in La Plata

Charles County Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition on Saturday, June 5, 2021 in La Plata

The competition, which will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 5, 2021, will be held at Christ Church, 112 Charles Street in La Plata, MD.  This year’s seven contestants will perform a recital before a distinguished panel of judges. The judges this year are Jody Gatwood, Professor Emeritus, The Catholic University of America...
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Charles County Public Schools Updates Plan for Graduation of 2021 Class

Charles County Public Schools Updates Plan for Graduation of 2021 Class

Elements in the plans have evolved for Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) high school graduations on May 28 through June 3 at Regency Furniture Stadium. As of May 20, students will receive five guest tickets to graduation, along with two parking passes. One parking pass is for a space at the stadium, the other...
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NAS Patuxent River to Reopen Commissary Wednesday, May 26, 2021, Following Pest Control Measures

NAS Patuxent River to Reopen Commissary Wednesday, May 26, 2021, Following Pest Control Measures

NAS Patuxent River reopened its base commissary beginning Wednesday, May 26, 2021 following a five-day closure for pest control measures. “Health protection and safety is paramount to our mission,” said Capt. John Brabazon, NAS Patuxent River commanding officer. “We appreciate the proactive efforts of our Commissary staff, NAS Pax River Public Works, and our...
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Police in St. Mary’s County Investigating Armed Robbery at Charlotte Hall 7-Eleven

Police in St. Mary’s County Investigating Armed Robbery at Charlotte Hall 7-Eleven

On Tuesday, May 25, 2021, at approximately 3:45 a.m., Troopers from the Maryland State Police and Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Charlotte Hall 7-Eleven at 29969 Three Notch Road, in Charlotte Hall for the report of an armed robbery. The business reported two black males armed with weapons...
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CSM Commemorates 62nd Spring Commencement During May 14 Virtual Graduation Ceremony and Watch Party

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) celebrated 466 candidates for 480 associate degrees and 271 certificates during its 62nd Spring Commencement Ceremony, held May 14. The 2021 graduating class earned several exceptional characteristics, including having spent their last academic year participating in distance learning with limited in-person instruction. While the 2021 CSM graduates turned...
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CSM Pinning Ceremony Celebrates 67 Nursing Graduates as Part of 2021 Commencement Activities

CSM Pinning Ceremony Celebrates 67 Nursing Graduates as Part of 2021 Commencement Activities

The Spring 2021 College of Southern Maryland’s (CSM) 67 nursing candidates for graduation celebrated their achievements May 12 when they attended their nursing recognition and pinning ceremony. It is a time-honored ceremony that has CSM faculty welcoming their students as peers and colleagues in the field of nursing. Like much of their last year...
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Former Air Force Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $1 Million in Government Funds

Former Air Force Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $1 Million in Government Funds

Eddie Ray Johnson, Jr., age 60, of Brandywine, Maryland, pleaded guilty on May 14, 2021, to the federal charge of theft of government property, in connection with a scheme to use his government-issued travel credit card to obtain more than $1.1 million in cash advances. The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States...
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NAS Patuxent River Seeking Volunteers for Clean the Bay Day on June 1st to June 3rd

NAS Patuxent River Seeking Volunteers for Clean the Bay Day on June 1st to June 3rd

On Tuesday, June 1, from 3:30 p.m., to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 2, 7:00 a.m., to 8:30 a.m., and Thursday, June 3, 3:30 p.m., to 5:30 p.m., Join Pax River for a great opportunity to get some volunteer hours under your belt and contribute to the beautification of NAS Patuxent River and the our...
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Charles County Public Schools Partner with Sheriff’s Office to Provide 2021 Summer Camps

Charles County Public Schools Partner with Sheriff’s Office to Provide 2021 Summer Camps

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) is partnering with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) to provide summer camp for students. The camps are run by CCPS School Resource Officers, include lunch and are free for students. Space is limited and registration is required. The following are available camps. Space is limited and parents must...
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Police Investigating House in Pomfret Shot Up / Crime Solvers and Private Donor Increase Reward up to $5,000

Police Investigating House in Pomfret Shot Up / Crime Solvers and Private Donor Increase Reward up to $5,000

On May 12, 2021, at 10:47 p.m., an unknown suspect fired nearly 12 rounds from a gun into a house in the 7700 block of Pomfret Road in Pomfret. The house was occupied at the time; however, no one was injured. Several of the rounds went through the front of the house and out...
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UPDATE: Standoff Ends Peacefully, Suspect in Custody After Hours Long Barricade in Lexington Park

UPDATE: Standoff Ends Peacefully, Suspect in Custody After Hours Long Barricade in Lexington Park

UPDATE 12:05 P.M., Suspect is in custody, medical personnel has been requested to the scene due to suspect having effects of tear gas. Firefighters have been requested to the scene to assist with ventilating the apartment. 5/18/2021: St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Deputies are at the scene of a “barricade Situation” at the Indian Bridge Apartments,...
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UPDATE: La Plata Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Attempted Murder After Stabbing His Ex-Girlfriend and Her Mother Over 30 Times

UPDATE: La Plata Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Attempted Murder After Stabbing His Ex-Girlfriend and Her Mother Over 30 Times

UPDATE 5/10/2022: Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, April 28, 2022, Charles County Circuit Court Judge Donine Carrington Martin sentenced Deon Lennard Johnson, 26, of La Plata, to 40 years in prison for Attempted Second-Degree Murder, two counts of First-Degree Assault, Fourth-Degree Burglary, and Failure to Comply with Peace...
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Threat of School Shooting at Leonardtown Middle School Deemed Non-Credible

Threat of School Shooting at Leonardtown Middle School Deemed Non-Credible

SMNEWSNET.COM will not be posting a copy of the threat or providing links to it, and ask that the public stop sharing the threat online. The following email was sent to parents of students of Leonardtown Middle School. May 16, 2021 Dear Leonardtown Middle School Families, We have been made aware of a threat...
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Governor Hogan Announces End of Statewide Mask Mandate

Governor Hogan Announces End of Statewide Mask Mandate

Governor Larry Hogan today announced the end of the statewide mask mandate, aligning Maryland with new CDC guidance. This order will take effect Saturday, May 15, along with the lifting of all capacity limits and restrictions that the governor announced earlier this week.  “Today is the day that so many of us have...
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