Charles News

Waldorf Man Charged with Home Invasion and Assault

Waldorf Man Charged with Home Invasion and Assault

On July 16, 2022, at 3:25 a.m., officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to an apartment in the 3900 block of Northgate Place in Waldorf for the report of a home invasion. A preliminary investigation revealed the suspect, Stacy Jermain Barksdale, 36, of Waldorf, forced his way inside an apartment where his...
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College of Southern Maryland Board of Trustees Vote to Modify CSM Vaccine Requirement for Students

College of Southern Maryland Board of Trustees Vote to Modify CSM Vaccine Requirement for Students

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) Board of Trustees voted July 11 to modify the college’s current vaccine requirement for students – allowing unvaccinated students to attend Hy-Flex classes, which are taught online and face-to-face simultaneously. Currently, CSM requires vaccinations for most students who are taking classes onsite, and masking is optional, though highly...
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Waterfowl Blind Site Licensing Process Now Available for 2022-23

Waterfowl Blind Site Licensing Process Now Available for 2022-23

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is again offering an online-only process for Maryland hunters to apply for a 2022-2023 waterfowl blind site license. From now through July 26, 2022, at 11:59 p.m., hunters may enter the annual lottery for the opening days of blind site licensing through the department’s Compass licensing portal....
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UPDATE: 46-Year-Old Waldorf Man Identified as Motorcyclist Killed in Motor Vehicle Collision

UPDATE: 46-Year-Old Waldorf Man Identified as Motorcyclist Killed in Motor Vehicle Collision

UPDATE 7/18/2022: On July 16 at 5:13 p.m., officers responded to the intersection of Acton Lane and Western Parkway in Waldorf for the report of a crash involving a car and a motorcycle. A preliminary investigation revealed a passenger car was making a left turn from westbound Acton Lane onto southbound Western Parkway. A...
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44th Annual Burchoil Jet Wars at Maryland International Raceway in Budds Creek – Saturday, July 16, 2022

44th Annual Burchoil Jet Wars at Maryland International Raceway in Budds Creek – Saturday, July 16, 2022

The 44th annual Burchoil Jet Wars is today! Saturday, July 16, 2022 at Maryland International Raceway! Witness the return of the BONESHAKER Jet Semi Truck, 300mph Jet Dragsters, Fire Breathing Jet Funny Cars, Warriors Outlaw, MPC Real Street, the full 1320 Fabrication ET Series, Wheelstanding Golf Carts, Fireworks and more! Its a Wild Night...
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UPDATE: Large Barn Fire in Bryantown Under Investigation, No Injuries Reported and No Animals Harmed

UPDATE: Large Barn Fire in Bryantown Under Investigation, No Injuries Reported and No Animals Harmed

UPDATE 7/18/2022: On Saturday, July 16, 2022, at 2:49 a.m., 50 firefighters from Charles and St. Mary’s County responded to 7040 Leonardtown Road in Bryantown, for the reported large barn on fire. Crews arrived on the scene to find a large equestrian Barn which was vacant. The owner is identified as Noe Zavala, with...
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Replica Firearm Recovered from Thomas Stone High School Student

Replica Firearm Recovered from Thomas Stone High School Student

On Thursday, July 14, 2022, at approximately 9:40 a.m., a concerned parent contacted Thomas Stone High School stating that she saw a male student with what she believed could be a weapon at the bus stop, and that the student got on the bus. School administration notified officers and the bus driver. Officers responded...
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Bunny Burkett’s Funny Car Gets Fresh Restoration at Maryland International Raceway

Bunny Burkett’s Funny Car Gets Fresh Restoration at Maryland International Raceway

The famed Bunny Burkett World Championship Winning Funny Car is now back at Maryland International Raceway (MIR)! At the end of the 2021 racing season, the funny car body was removed and transported to Ultimate Garage to be repainted after being exposed to weather elements for 12 years. As of today, the body has...
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Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Justice Department Launch Investigation of Maryland Department Of State Police Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Justice Department Launch Investigation of Maryland Department Of State Police Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today that the Justice Department has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into the Maryland Department of State Police (MDSP) under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act...
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U.S. Senators Urge MDOT to Halt Demolition of Harry Nice Bridge and Study Recreational Reuse Options

U.S. Senators Urge MDOT to Halt Demolition of Harry Nice Bridge and Study Recreational Reuse Options

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (all D-Md.) urged the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) to pause its plans to demolish the existing Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge until an independent review is conducted to determine the feasibility and cost of repurposing it for recreational...
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MDOT MVA Highway Safety Office Awarded Grant to Help Law Enforcement Combat Impaired Driving

MDOT MVA Highway Safety Office Awarded Grant to Help Law Enforcement Combat Impaired Driving

For the third straight year, the nationwide Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, also known as Responsibility.org, have awarded the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s (MDOT MVA) Highway Safety Office with a grant to support the state’s efforts to prevent motor vehicle crashes involving drug-impaired drivers....
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In-person Registration Assistance Available at Charles County Schools

In-person Registration Assistance Available at Charles County Schools

Parents and guardians who need assistance in registering their child to attend Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) can get in-person help at select schools. Due to employee work schedules during the summer, some schools do not have a dedicated staff member to process registrations. While parents and guardians can complete the registration process online...
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Governor Hogan Announces New Chief Legal Counsel, More Than 300 Additional Appointments

Governor Hogan Announces New Chief Legal Counsel, More Than 300 Additional Appointments

Governor Larry Hogan announced the appointment of Christopher Mincher to serve as Chief Legal Counsel, succeeding Michael Pedone, who has served in the post since February 2020. Pedone will return to practicing law in the private sector. The governor is also naming Heather Shek, currently Director of the Office of Governmental Affairs for the Maryland Department of Health,...
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Charles County Detectives Recover Crack Cocaine, Drug Distribution Materials, and Semi-Automatic Handgun After Search Warrant

Charles County Detectives Recover Crack Cocaine, Drug Distribution Materials, and Semi-Automatic Handgun After Search Warrant

On Thursday, July 7, 2022, members of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Section, with assistance from the CCSO Emergency Services Team, Special Operations Division, and K9, served a search warrant at a house in the 9500 block of Kline Drive in La Plata. A resident of the home, James Leroy Brown, III,...
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Narcotics Detectives Recover Four “Ghost Guns,” an AR-15 Rifle, 16 Pounds of Marijuana, LSD, and Drug Distribution Paraphernalia

Narcotics Detectives Recover Four “Ghost Guns,” an AR-15 Rifle, 16 Pounds of Marijuana, LSD, and Drug Distribution Paraphernalia

On Friday, July 8, 2022, as a result of an ongoing investigation into drug distribution allegations, members of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Section, with assistance from Emergency Services Teams from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, served a search warrant in the 5400 block of...
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Eight Maryland Citizens Facing Federal Charges Relating to Over $1.6 Million Dollars in Cares Act Covid-19 Fraud, Including Identity Theft and Unemployment Insurance Fraud

Eight Maryland Citizens Facing Federal Charges Relating to Over $1.6 Million Dollars in Cares Act Covid-19 Fraud, Including Identity Theft and Unemployment Insurance Fraud

A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging nine defendants in relation to a Maryland and California CARES Act COVID-19 unemployment insurance scheme. The indictment charges the defendants with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and theft of United States Postal Office arrow keys.  The indictment was returned on June 21, 2022, and unsealed...
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No Injuries Reported After Lightning Strike Causes Shed Fire in Mechanicsville

No Injuries Reported After Lightning Strike Causes Shed Fire in Mechanicsville

On Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at approximately 1:03 a.m., firefighters from St. Mary’s and Charles County responded to the 36000 block of Army Navy Drive in Mechanicsville, for the reported structure on fire. A firefighter who lives in the neighborhood responded and located two large sheds on fire with exposure to a third large...
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Charles County Summer Meals To Be Distributed Curbside Starting Monday, July 18, 2022

Charles County Summer Meals To Be Distributed Curbside Starting Monday, July 18, 2022

Following an announcement made earlier this summer by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), the Lunch on Us program is pivoting to a curbside meal distribution model. The free meal program is an attempt to ensure all children ages 2 to 18 are receiving meals over...
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State Fire Marshal Investigating Vehicle Set Ablaze in Waldorf, No Injuries Reported

State Fire Marshal Investigating Vehicle Set Ablaze in Waldorf, No Injuries Reported

On Friday, July 8, 2022, at approximately 5:50 a.m., police responded to 12065 Forgotten Farm Place in Waldorf, for the reported vehicle fire reported out. Officers arrived on the scene to find a 2-door Infiniti G35 sedan completely burnt that had self-extinguished. The owner is identified as Tyrone Holmes with the estimated loss at...
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Charles County Youth Orchestra Hosting Three Summer Concerts in July 2022

Charles County Youth Orchestra Hosting Three Summer Concerts in July 2022

Charles County Youth Orchestra’s Secret Garden concerts in the beautiful Meditation Garden of Christ Church (112 Charles Street, across from the courthouse) this summer will be held on three consecutive Saturdays, July 16, 23, and 30 at 8:00 p.m. The concerts will include performances by student ensembles who are participants at this year’s CCYO...
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Governor Hogan Announces $18.8 Million for Chesapeake Bay Restoration Projects

Governor Hogan Announces $18.8 Million for Chesapeake Bay Restoration Projects

Governor Larry Hogan and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the award of $18.8 million to 22 ecological restoration projects that will improve water quality and habitat in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, while building local resilience to climate impacts. These awards encompass 77 unique sites that will be restored using best management...
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CSM Vice President Tracy Harris Tees Off, Wins Big at Veterans Golf Event

CSM Vice President Tracy Harris Tees Off, Wins Big at Veterans Golf Event

Just as the members of the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) Hawks golf team took top honors this year, CSM’s Vice President of Student Equity and Success Tracy Harris won the first-place medal in the Senior Family Division at the Veterans Golf Association (VGA) tournament held in Orangeburg, S.C. June 27. The VGA is...
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VIDEO: Governor Hogan Announces More Than $127.6 Million For Broadband Grants

VIDEO: Governor Hogan Announces More Than $127.6 Million For Broadband Grants

Governor Larry Hogan today announced that, through the state’s Connect Maryland initiative, the Office of Statewide Broadband has awarded more than $127.6 million to local jurisdictions, Internet Service Providers, educational, and community organizations to increase high-speed internet access and affordability. The funding will help provide broadband service to an estimated 15,000 households that are currently unserved...
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Charles County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Fireworks Lit Off Inside Westlake High School

Charles County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Fireworks Lit Off Inside Westlake High School

On July 6, 2022, at 9:58 a.m., a student attending a summer school program at Westlake High School lit a non-aerial firework in the main lobby of the school. As a result, officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office and school staff evacuated the building due to smoke. Once it was determined to be...
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Police in Charles County Arrest Woman with Multiple Arrest Warrants

Police in Charles County Arrest Woman with Multiple Arrest Warrants

On June 28, 2022, at 8:00 p.m., officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to a neighborhood in the 2600 block of Poplar Court in Waldorf for the report of an domestic dispute. While in route, officers learned a woman involved in the dispute had three open warrants for failing to appear in...
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