Charles News

Governor Hogan Announces More Than $13 Million in Highway Safety Grants to More Than 90 Agencies, Organizations

Governor Hogan Announces More Than $13 Million in Highway Safety Grants to More Than 90 Agencies, Organizations

Governor Larry Hogan announced more than $13 million in federal and state highway safety grants as part of a statewide focus to prevent motor vehicle crashes and eliminate roadway fatalities. The state funds were disbursed at the start of the fiscal year, and the federal funds will be distributed October 1 by the Maryland...
Read More »

Charles County Public Schools and Charles County Sheriff Team Up for We Care at North Point High School

Charles County Public Schools and Charles County Sheriff Team Up for We Care at North Point High School

Superintendent of Charles County Public Schools Maria Navarro, Ed.D., and Charles County Sheriff Troy Berry greeted teen drivers as they arrived at North Point High School. We Care is a collaboration between Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) and the sheriff’s office to remind young drivers to be safe on the road. Started more than...
Read More »

Police Investigating Fatal Motorcycle Crash In Charles County That Killed 28-Year-Old La Plata Man

Police Investigating Fatal Motorcycle Crash In Charles County That Killed 28-Year-Old La Plata Man

Maryland State Police are investigating a fatal motorcycle crash that occurred this morning in Charles County. At about 4:15 a.m., troopers from the Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack responded to Maryland Route 488 in the area of Kerrick Drive for reports of a crash in the area. According to a preliminary investigation, a...
Read More »

Effective October 1, 2022, Move Over Law in Maryland Expanded to All Stopped Vehicles Displaying Hazard/Warning Signals

Effective October 1, 2022, Move Over Law in Maryland Expanded to All Stopped Vehicles Displaying Hazard/Warning Signals

Beginning October 1, 2022, the Move Over Law in Maryland will expand to require motorists to make a lane change or slow down when approaching any stopped, standing, or parked vehicle displaying warning signals – including hazard warning lights, road flares, or other caution signals including traffic cones, caution signs, or non-vehicular warning signs....
Read More »

Walk to End Alzheimer’s Returns to Solomons on Saturday, September 17

Walk to End Alzheimer’s Returns to Solomons on Saturday, September 17

Southern Maryland residents are reuniting in person after two years for the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday, September 17 at Asbury Solomons. Held at the community for more than 20 years, the Walk was transitioned to a “walk at home” event during the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, more than 50 teams...
Read More »

Charles County Police Arrest Felon and Recover Handgun; Released Less Than 24 Hours Later

Charles County Police Arrest Felon and Recover Handgun; Released Less Than 24 Hours Later

On Thursday, September 8, 2022, at approximately 7:10 p.m., officers responded to the report of an individual armed with a handgun in the area of Caroline Park. As officers arrived in the area the individual fled on foot. A perimeter was established by responding LPPD and Charles County Sheriff’s Office units. The individual was...
Read More »

Professor Daphne Powell is Selected as First Recipient of the ‘Dr. Maureen Murphy Distinguished Professorship for Equity in Education’

Professor Daphne Powell is Selected as First Recipient of the ‘Dr. Maureen Murphy Distinguished Professorship for Equity in Education’

College of Southern Maryland (CSM) Technical Studies Professor Daphne Powell is marking her 20th year as college professor by taking on what she deems “the most extraordinary of her career accomplishments” to date. As the first recipient of the ‘Dr. Maureen Murphy Distinguished Professorship for Equity in Education,’ Powell is embarking on a three-year...
Read More »

Governor Hogan Proclaims September 11 As Day of Service and Remembrance

Governor Hogan Proclaims September 11 As Day of Service and Remembrance

Governor Larry Hogan today proclaimed a day of service and remembrance across the state of Maryland in memory of those lost in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The proclamation is part of an initiative that Governor Hogan, the Governor’s Office of Service and Volunteerism, and the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives observe to...
Read More »

Police Recover Handgun and Drugs from Vehicle During Traffic Stop; Released Less Than 24 Hours Later

Police Recover Handgun and Drugs from Vehicle During Traffic Stop; Released Less Than 24 Hours Later

On September 4, 2022, at 11:49 p.m., officers initiated a traffic stop in the area of Crain Highway and Mitchell Road after observing the driver of a passenger car speeding. During the stop, officers learned the driver was in illegal possession of a firearm. The gun, which was loaded, was recovered. In addition, two...
Read More »

Accokeek Man Arrested After Violent Attack on Female Acquaintance and Crashing Vehicle into Marked Patrol Car

Accokeek Man Arrested After Violent Attack on Female Acquaintance and Crashing Vehicle into Marked Patrol Car

On September 7, 2022. at 12:28 p.m., officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shopping center in the 1100 block of Smallwood Drive in Waldorf for the report of a possible road rage in the parking lot involving a male and a female. Additional calls to 9-1-1 indicated the male was...
Read More »

Police Recover Nearly 100 Grams of Marijuana, Drug Distribution Paraphernalia, and Loaded “Ghost Gun” from Car

Police Recover Nearly 100 Grams of Marijuana, Drug Distribution Paraphernalia, and Loaded “Ghost Gun” from Car

On September 3, at approximately 11:20 p.m., officers responded to a call for a suspicious vehicle in the 6400 block of Ocelot Street. Upon approaching the car, officers smelled a strong odor of marijuana. Further investigation revealed nearly 100 grams of marijuana inside the car as well as a loaded polymer “ghost gun” –...
Read More »

SMECO Holds 84th Annual Meeting with Board of Directors Election on August 25, 2022

SMECO Holds 84th Annual Meeting with Board of Directors Election on August 25, 2022

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) held its 84th Annual Meeting on August 25, 2022, at the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department Social Hall in Mechanicsville, Md. The Board of Directors election was conducted online and by mail prior to the meeting. The following SMECO members were elected to serve on SMECO’s Board for three years:...
Read More »

Maryland Department of Natural Resources Hunter Education – September is Tree Stand Safety Awareness Month

Maryland Department of Natural Resources Hunter Education – September is Tree Stand Safety Awareness Month

One of the most popular pieces of equipment used by deer hunters is a tree stand. Tree stands can be dangerous if they are used incorrectly or carelessly. Nationally, one in three hunting injuries involves a tree stand. Falls from tree stands can be caused by a variety of factors, including a weakness in...
Read More »

Legacy Flight Academy and Southern Maryland Project Management Institute Hosting Aviation and STEM Event at Charles County Airport

Legacy Flight Academy and Southern Maryland Project Management Institute Hosting Aviation and STEM Event at Charles County Airport

Legacy Flight Academy (LFA) and the Southern Maryland Project Management Institute is partnering to host an Eyes Above the Horizon event on Saturday, September 24, 2022, at the Maryland Airport located at 3900 Livingston Road in Indian Head, MD 20640 The event is set to begin at 8 a.m., to 4:00 p.m. The purpose...
Read More »

Maryland Archery Hunting for Deer Starts September 9, 2022 and Continues Through January 31, 2023

Maryland Archery Hunting for Deer Starts September 9, 2022 and Continues Through January 31, 2023

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that archery hunting for white-tailed and sika deer opens statewide Sept. 9, and continues through Jan. 31, 2023. Archers may also use vertical longbows and vertical recurve bows Feb. 1-3, 2023 during the annual Primitive Deer Hunt Days. “A crispness in the air throughout much of...
Read More »

Southern Maryland Center for Independent Living Presents Two New Programs and Job Opportunities

Southern Maryland Center for Independent Living Presents Two New Programs and Job Opportunities

Southern Maryland Center for Independent Living (SMCIL) is excited to announce the launching of two (2) new programs within our organization. One will increase access to home health and self-direction for our consumers and the other will address the unique needs of individuals with disabilities and senior citizens that arose during the pandemic. These...
Read More »

Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Announce More Than $400,000 for Volunteer Firefighters in Charles County

Van Hollen, Cardin, Hoyer Announce More Than $400,000 for Volunteer Firefighters in Charles County

On Tuesday, September 6, 2022, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (all D-Md.) announced $400,571.41 in federal funding for Maryland firefighters and first responders in Southern Maryland. The funding will directly impact fire departments, State Fire Training Academies, and nonaffiliated emergency medical services organizations to enhance their...
Read More »

CSM Foundation Golf Classic Returns for 31st Year, Raises More than $86,000 for Student Success

CSM Foundation Golf Classic Returns for 31st Year, Raises More than $86,000 for Student Success

One hundred and forty golfers teed off in support of the College of Southern Maryland on Thursday, August 11, 2022, raising more than $86,000 for student success and athletic programs. The Golf Classic, which returned to Swan Point Country Club in Issue for the 31st year, has raised more than $1.2 million since its...
Read More »

Four Students Charged in Connection with Altercations at North Point High School Football Game

Four Students Charged in Connection with Altercations at North Point High School Football Game

On Friday, September 2, 2022, at 8:30 p.m., several fights broke out at a North Point High School football game. The altercations occurred in different locations near the restrooms and in the school parking lot. Officers, who were working secondary employment as security, utilized pepper spray to disperse the crowd. No one was injured...
Read More »

Maryland Migratory Game Bird Hunting 2022-2023 Begins

Maryland Migratory Game Bird Hunting 2022-2023 Begins

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced the state’s 2022-2023 migratory game bird hunting seasons. Bag limits, season dates, and shooting hours can be found in the Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping. “Maryland hunters wait for September with anticipation as this month marks the beginning of the fall hunting season,” Wildlife and...
Read More »

Police Issue 22 Traffic Citations, Make Two Arrests and Recover Firearm During DUI Checkpoint in Charles County

Police Issue 22 Traffic Citations, Make Two Arrests and Recover Firearm During DUI Checkpoint in Charles County

On Monday, August 19, 2022, members of the CCSO Traffic Operations Unit, Maryland State Police, Maryland Transportation Authority Police and members of the Maryland State Highway Administration conducted a DUI checkpoint on Route 210. 22 traffic citations were issued, 2civil citations were issued for drug possession, and 2 arrests were made – one driver...
Read More »

Governor Hogan Proclaims September as 4th Annual International Underground Railroad Month

Governor Hogan Proclaims September as 4th Annual International Underground Railroad Month

Governor Larry Hogan today proclaimed September 2022 as the 4th annual International Underground Railroad Month in Maryland. The month acknowledges the significance of the Underground Railroad, and all those involved, for its contribution to the eradication of slavery in the United States and as a cornerstone for the more comprehensive civil rights movement that followed. Maryland...
Read More »

UPDATE: Charles County Sheriff’s Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to a Misdemeanor Charge

UPDATE: Charles County Sheriff’s Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to a Misdemeanor Charge

UPDATE 9/1/2022: On August 31, 2022, NiJee Pierre McWillis, a Charles County correctional officer pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of misconduct in office. In May, McWillis was indicted on two misdemeanor charges: misconduct in office and unauthorized access to computers and related material. An additional charge of copy / possession of a database...
Read More »

Maryland Senators Announce Over $10 Million in Direct Investments for Anne Arundel County and Southern Maryland Included in Key Committee Legislation

Maryland Senators Announce Over $10 Million in Direct Investments for Anne Arundel County and Southern Maryland Included in Key Committee Legislation

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced the inclusion of $10,170,000 in direct federal funding for local projects in Anne Arundel County and Southern Maryland within the Senate Appropriations Committee’s proposed annual funding legislation for fiscal year 2023. The projects encompass a wide array of local and regional priorities,...
Read More »

Governor Hogan Honors International Overdose Awareness Day and Recognizes September as Substance Use Disorder Recovery Month

Governor Hogan Honors International Overdose Awareness Day and Recognizes September as Substance Use Disorder Recovery Month

Governor Larry Hogan today announced that all flags in Maryland will be flown at half-staff today in honor of International Overdose Awareness Day. The occasion is observed annually on August 31st in remembrance of people around the world who have lost their lives to drug overdose and to help raise awareness regarding the substance use...
Read More »