Charles News

UPDATE: Maryland State Police Investigating 56-Year-Old Charles County Man Struck and Killed in Waldorf

UPDATE: Maryland State Police Investigating 56-Year-Old Charles County Man Struck and Killed in Waldorf

UPDATE 7/25/2021: On Saturday, July 24, 2021, at approximately 10:02 p.m., Troopers from the Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack responded for a report of a serious motor vehicle collision on United States Route 301 (Crain Hwy) in the area of Smallwood Drive in Waldorf, Maryland. Due to the seriousness of the collision, the...
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AUDIO: Police Investigating Motorcycle Collision in La Plata, Operator Transported to Hospital with Life-Threatening Injuries

AUDIO: Police Investigating Motorcycle Collision in La Plata, Operator Transported to Hospital with Life-Threatening Injuries

On Friday, July 23, 2021, at approximately 7:45 p.m., police, fire and rescue personnel responded to the area of Crain Highway and Fairgrounds Road in La Plata, for the reported motor vehicle collision involving a motorcycle. Police arrived on the scene in under 3 minutes from dispatch and found a male unconscious in the...
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Minor Injuries Reported After Motorcycle Crash at Maryland International Raceway

Minor Injuries Reported After Motorcycle Crash at Maryland International Raceway

On Friday, July 23, 2021, at approximately 6:30 p.m., police, fire and rescue personnel responded to the Maryland International Raceway located at 27861 Budds Creek Road in Mechanicsville, for the reported motor vehicle collision involving a motorcycle. Crews arrived on the scene to find a 61-year-old male with minor injuries. The operator of the...
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Man Sentenced to Two Life Sentences for Rape and Solicitation to Kill Victim and Witness

Man Sentenced to Two Life Sentences for Rape and Solicitation to Kill Victim and Witness

Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Friday, July 23, 2021, Charles County Circuit Court Judge William R. Greer, Jr. sentenced Daniel Jonathan Felts, 38, to two life sentences in prison for Second Degree Rape, Possession of Child Pornography, and two counts of Solicitation to Commit Murder. On April 21, 2021,...
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MedStar St. Mary’s Award Scholarships to Six Area Students

MedStar St. Mary’s Award Scholarships to Six Area Students

For 20 years, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital has supported students in the Southern Maryland region by providing scholarships to individuals pursing degrees in health care. Since 2001, 169 students have received support through this program. For 2021, six area students were awarded $132,000 in scholarships to help them continue their journey to become the...
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New “Destructive” Severe Thunderstorm Warning Category to Trigger Wireless Emergency Alerts on Mobile Phones

New “Destructive” Severe Thunderstorm Warning Category to Trigger Wireless Emergency Alerts on Mobile Phones

Severe thunderstorms can be life-threatening, but not all severe storms are the same. Hazardous conditions range from tornadoes, large hail storms, and widespread straight-line winds called derechoes, to cloud-to-ground lightning and flash flooding. Starting August 2, the National Weather Service will better convey the severity and potential impacts from thunderstorm winds and hail by...
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Lightning Strikes Steeple of Church in Waldorf

Lightning Strikes Steeple of Church in Waldorf

On Wednesday, July 21, 2021, thirty three fire and EMS personnel responded to the Calvary Gospel Church, on Berry Road in Waldorf, just after 2:00 P.M. Firefighters arrived on scene in minutes, and reported fire showing from the roof, they stretched a line to the attic area and extinguished all fire. There were no...
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Maryland Emergency Management Agency Awards $4 Million to Fire, EMS, and Rescue Departments

Maryland Emergency Management Agency Awards $4 Million to Fire, EMS, and Rescue Departments

The Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) announced awards of $4 million in federal funding made available through the Recovery for the Economy, Livelihoods, Industries, Entrepreneurs, and Families Act (RELIEF) of 2021. MEMA will distribute these funds to 181 volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue departments throughout the State of Maryland to assist with hardship relief...
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Traffic on Maryland Roads and Highways Begins to Exceed Pre-Pandemic Levels

Traffic on Maryland Roads and Highways Begins to Exceed Pre-Pandemic Levels

According to new data from state transportation officials, traffic on Maryland roads and highways has begun to approach and exceed pre-pandemic levels. “Holiday travel during the Fourth of July Weekend exceeding 2019 levels is an important milestone signaling our state’s strong recovery from the pandemic,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Traffic volumes are exceeding pre-pandemic...
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Governor Hogan Announces Nearly $30 Million in Awards for Broadband Infrastructure

Governor Hogan Announces Nearly $30 Million in Awards for Broadband Infrastructure

Governor Larry Hogan today announced awards to expand broadband internet access to more than 12,000 households in 18 counties. Administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Office of Statewide Broadband (OSB), $29,472,131 in grant funding will support network infrastructure projects by local internet service providers that will provide connectivity to unserved...
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A Reminder to Marylanders: Keep Wildlife in the Wild

A Reminder to Marylanders: Keep Wildlife in the Wild

Each year during the spring and summer months, the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) receive reports of captive wildlife situations in which residents attempt to care for or possess wild animals. These attempts are often made with good intentions but pose serious risks to both the...
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Heat Advisory in Effect for Saturday, July 17, 2021

Heat Advisory in Effect for Saturday, July 17, 2021

A Heat Advisory Alert in effect from noon to 8pm on Saturday July 17th. Heat index values up to 107 expected, in Calvert, Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, Charles, and St. Mary’s Counties. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young...
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Charles County Sheriff’s Office Invites County Residents to Participate in 2021 Citizens Police Academy

Charles County Sheriff’s Office Invites County Residents to Participate in 2021 Citizens Police Academy

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is now accepting applications for its 2021 Citizens Police Academy (CPA) class, set to begin in September. This 12-week program will begin on September 15, 2021, and will be held on Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. through December 8, 2021, with the exception of Wednesday, November...
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U.S. Government Launches First One-Stop Ransomware Resource at StopRansomware.gov

U.S. Government Launches First One-Stop Ransomware Resource at StopRansomware.gov

As part of the ongoing response, agencies across the U.S. government announced new resources and initiatives to protect American businesses and communities from ransomware attacks. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), together with federal partners, have launched a new website to combat the threat of ransomware....
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30 Days Left to Renew Driver’s Licenses, Permits & ID Cards that Expired During the State of Emergency

30 Days Left to Renew Driver’s Licenses, Permits & ID Cards that Expired During the State of Emergency

The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) is reminding Marylanders that under Governor Larry Hogan’s Executive Order issued on May 12, 2021, driver’s licenses – both non-commercial and commercial (CDLs) – learner’s permits and identification cards that expired during the COVID-19 State of Emergency must be renewed by August 15, 2021....
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NDW Indian Head Firefighters/EMTs Recognized for Lifesaving Incidents

NDW Indian Head Firefighters/EMTs Recognized for Lifesaving Incidents

Members of Naval District Washington (NDW) Fire and Emergency Services Indian Head Company were recognized for lifesaving during a July 13, 2021, ceremony at the fire house with Naval District Washington Commandant Rear Adm. Michael Steffen and Naval Support Activity South Potomac (NSASP) Commanding Officer CAPT Todd Copeland. The awards covered an astonishing four...
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Wild Birds Unlimited of La Plata Receives Prestigious Recognition

Wild Birds Unlimited of La Plata Receives Prestigious Recognition

Barbara and Chip Whipkey, owners of the local Wild Birds Unlimited, were recognized at the company’s annual Enterprise Leadership Conference for their hard work with the Highest Flying Fledgling award. This award recognizes new franchise store owners with the highest sales volume during their first full year of business. “We are truly honored to...
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VIDEO: Police Investigating Assault in Mechanicsville in Which Two Victims and Two Suspects Are Flown to Trauma Centers

VIDEO: Police Investigating Assault in Mechanicsville in Which Two Victims and Two Suspects Are Flown to Trauma Centers

UPDATE 7/13/2021: On July 11, 2021, at approximately 8:03 p.m. deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 40400 block of Kavanagh Road in Mechanicsville, for the reported hit-and-run collision involving injury. Preliminary investigation determined numerous suspects blocked a roadway and assaulted five victims who were in two separate vehicles, with baseball...
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Patrol Officer Locate and Recover Loaded Firearm and Narcotics During Traffic Stop in Waldorf

Patrol Officer Locate and Recover Loaded Firearm and Narcotics During Traffic Stop in Waldorf

On Sunday, July 11, 2021, at 11:30 p.m., officers initiated a traffic stop in the area of Vivian Adams Drive and Leonardtown Road in Waldorf, after observing a traffic violation. Officers located a loaded 9mm “ghost” gun from the driver’s waistband. In addition, they found 100 grams of marijuana, prescription narcotics, a scale, and...
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Waldorf Air Force Lieutenant Facing Federal Charges for Using a Hidden Camera to Produce Child Pornography

Waldorf Air Force Lieutenant Facing Federal Charges for Using a Hidden Camera to Produce Child Pornography

A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Jason Daniel Ort, 36, of Waldorf, Maryland, with possession and production of child pornography.  The criminal complaint was filed on June 16, 2021 and unsealed on July 7, 2021 after Ort’s arrest and initial appearance in U.S District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland....
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Bird Illness Investigation Continues in Maryland and Eight Other States

Bird Illness Investigation Continues in Maryland and Eight Other States

In late May, wildlife managers in Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky began receiving reports of sick and dying birds with eye swelling and crusty discharge, as well as neurological signs. More recently, additional reports have been received from Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. While the majority of affected birds...
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Maryland State Police Warn Citizens of Fraud Scheme Using State Police Barrack Phone Number

Maryland State Police Warn Citizens of Fraud Scheme Using State Police Barrack Phone Number

The Maryland State Police at the JFK Highway Barrack are issuing a warning about a fraud scheme being run today in which the caller is using the barrack phone number and telling people they are wanted on a warrant, but could avoid arrest if the provided money or gift cards. Troopers at the JFK...
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Local Firefighters House Destroyed After Fire in Charles County, Fire Marshal Investigating

Local Firefighters House Destroyed After Fire in Charles County, Fire Marshal Investigating

On Friday, July 9, 2021, at approximately 6:23 p.m., firefighters responded to 15485 Christina Place, for the reported structure on fire. Dispatchers advised they received four 911 calls reporting the house was on fire. Two of the four 911 calls reported the homeowners/occupants were not home at the time the fire started. Crews arrived...
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White Plains Man Wins $150,000 Keno Prize at Westlake Liquors

White Plains Man  Wins $150,000 Keno Prize at Westlake Liquors

A White Plains grandfather who works for the city government in Washington, D.C. says he buys Lottery games in the district once in a while. However, most of his Lottery play takes place in Maryland and that’s unlikely to change, especially after he won a $150,000 prize from the Maryland Lottery! The 70-year-old reports...
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Police Arrest Couple at California Walmart with $1,200 in Stolen Merchandise

Police Arrest Couple at California Walmart with $1,200 in Stolen Merchandise

On Thursday, July 1, 2021, Trooper J. Pope of the Maryland State Police Leonardtown Barrack responded to Walmart, 45485 Miramar Way, California, for a reported theft. Upon arrival, the two suspects had fled the store on foot, but one was quickly apprehended and the other was located inside a U-haul truck in the parking...
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