State prisoners released after serving time for rape or sexual assault were more than three times as likely as other released prisoners to be re-arrested for rape or sexual assault during the 9 years following their release, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today. Released sex offenders represented 5% of prisoners released in...
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With extra traffic expected 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 23...
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Charles County Sheriff’s detectives are asking for the public’s help locating Kimberly Nicole Horbacz, 26, of Indian Head. She was reported missing last month by a family member who was concerned they hadn’t heard from her. It is believed she may be in the company of a male acquaintance. She has been known to...
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So you’ve heard about our beautiful state parks and now you’re ready to camp. That’s great and we can’t wait to see you. If you’re new to camping or maybe just new to camping in Maryland, we’ve created a frequently asked questions page just for you. We want to eliminate the guesswork and make...
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As temperatures continue to rise, so will the number of mosquitoes throughout the state. The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s mosquito control program urges residents to take measures on their own property to help reduce mosquito populations. Aside from being a nuisance, mosquitoes can carry harmful diseases like West Nile virus. “The best way to...
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One of the world’s oldest wildlife migrations is set to begin on Maryland’s coastal bays and beaches. For 350 million years, the May and June full and new moons have fostered a giant migration of horseshoe crabs. Coming from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, millions of these prehistoric arthropods clumsily invade Maryland’s beaches...
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As the Memorial Day holiday approaches, Maryland State Police will join forces with law enforcement agencies locally, along with those in Delaware, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. to remind drivers and passengers of the importance of seat belt use, while also highlighting their “Move Over” laws. New to the region’s Click...
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Maryland’s regular striped bass season gets underway on May 16, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that conservation regulations put in place last year are in effect through the end of 2019. When fishing in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when live-lining or chumming, and must use circle hooks...
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Today, Thursday, May 16, 2019, has officially been designated as “Move Over Day”. Troopers from all over the State of Maryland will be aggressively enforcing Move Over Law violations. As of today, 13 Law Enforcement Officers have been killed across the nation this year due to traffic-related incidents, as well as an unknown number...
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Wild turtles are currently heading to their breeding and nesting sites. During this time of year, wild turtles can often be seen crossing roads and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources urges drivers to be cautious and give turtles a “brake.” Common turtles found on the road include eastern box turtles, snapping turtles, painted turtles and...
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Governor Larry Hogan signed a number of critical health care and crime prevention measures, including legislation that will add more Marylanders to the health insurance rolls, and raise the minimum age tobacco can be sold to 21 amid an epidemic of teen vaping. The governor also signed Laura and Reid’s Law, which introduces tougher...
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Following deliberations by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) on the status of the striped bass population along the Atlantic Coast, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources continued its ongoing leadership in striped bass conservation efforts. At the ASMFC meeting, Maryland again addressed the most pressing problem facing the Chesapeake Bay’s striper population — the significant volume...
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The American Red Cross Greater Chesapeake Region announces Misty L. Bruce as Executive Director of the Red Cross’ Southern Maryland Chapter. The highly visible role leads and directs volunteers and employees in the Southern Maryland Chapter to ensure the American Red Cross’ goals and mission are achieved. The population served by the chapter ranges...
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A group of Marylanders are at risk of having their driver’s licenses or identification cards recalled in June if they don’t satisfy document requirements that are part of the federally-mandated REAL ID process. The overall deadline for obtaining a REAL ID is October 1, 2020, but more than 66,300 Marylanders with a new REAL ID...
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Governor Larry Hogan, chairman of the Chesapeake Executive Council, announced that the results of the 2019 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey showed that the Bay-wide blue crab population increased 60 percent from last year, to an estimated total population of 594 million crabs. “We are proud of our administration’s strong record of skilled environmental stewardship, which...
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Tyson Foods, Inc., a Rogers, Ark. establishment, is recalling approximately 11,829,517 million pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken strip products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of metal, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The frozen, ready-to-eat chicken strip items were produced on various dates...
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As Cinco de Mayo approaches on Sunday, Maryland State Police are urging those who plan to celebrate with alcohol to be safe and smart and avoid impaired and distracted driving. With an increase in impaired drivers expected throughout the state this weekend, state police will be conducting saturation patrols at each of the 23...
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On Tuesday, April 23, 2019, at approximately 1:50 p.m., firefighters from Bay District Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to a residence on Nicholas Court, in California for the report of a fire. A photographer for SMNEWSNET.COM was a block away when the fire was dispatched and arrived at the residence prior to the arrival...
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Governor Larry Hogan signed into law several important measures to improve public safety. These are among 195 bills the governor signed today alongside Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller and Speaker Pro Tem Adrienne Jones. “We are very proud to enact these critical public safety measures to continue to make our state safer,” said...
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Spring is here and the planting season is underway throughout much of Maryland. That means motorists traveling Maryland highways and rural roads may find themselves sharing the road with the large, slow-moving farm equipment from one of Maryland’s 12,300 farms. Planting season usually extends from early April through May. “Farmers are legally allowed to...
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The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that the state’s trophy striped bass season will begin April 20 and last through May 15. Anglers may catch one striped bass per day, with a minimum size of 35 inches, in the Chesapeake Bay from Brewerton Channel to the Virginia state line. Maryland is part of a...
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On Friday, April 12, 2019, at approximately 12:45 p.m., personnel from the Maryland State Police Aviation Command (MSPAC) received a request from the Anne Arundel County Fire Department requesting a helicopter to assist them with the extraction of a medical patient from a cargo ship. Anne Arundel County Fire Department and the United States...
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UPDATE 4/8/2019 @ 11:15 a.m.: The two victims killed in the townhouse fire on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, in Chesapeake Beach have been identified by friends and family members as Wendy Welch, 52, and Stephanie Link, 13. Welch and Link were grandmother and granddaughter. No official ruling has been given for the fire, but...
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Each year, distracted driving results in more than 28,000 injuries on Maryland roads. April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) Highway Safety Office is working with State and local law enforcement to encourage motorists to Park the Phone before they drive. “Distracted driving is...
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On Tuesday, March 26, 2019, at approximately 12:30 a.m., firefighters from Calvert, Prince Georges County, and Annapolis responded to Bob White Court in Dunkirk, for the reported house fire. Crews arrived on scene to find smoke and fire showing throughout the residence and sounded a second alarm. Anne Arundel County Fire Department reported 66...
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