Charles News

A Message from Sheriff Troy D. Berry Regarding Body Worn Cameras:

A Message from Sheriff Troy D. Berry Regarding Body Worn Cameras:

A Message from Sheriff Troy D. Berry Regarding Body Worn Cameras: I want to take this opportunity to let you know exactly where we are in terms of body worn cameras for our agency. The bottom line is we want the cameras as soon as possible. In fact, on April 20, 2021, I gave...
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Barn and House Severely Damaged After Fire in Hughesville, No Injuries Reported, One Cat Saved

Barn and House Severely Damaged After Fire in Hughesville, No Injuries Reported, One Cat Saved

On Tuesday, April 27, 2021, at approximately 3:35 p.m., firefighters from Charles, Calvert, St. Mary’s, and Prince George’s Counties responded to 15975 Covington Road in Brandywine, for the reported barn on fire. Crews arrived on the scene to find a 60×50 foot barn fully engulfed in flames and collapsed on the ground, with extensions...
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AUDIO: Father and Daughter Dead After Drowning in Waldorf, Third Victim in Critical Condition

AUDIO: Father and Daughter Dead After Drowning in Waldorf, Third Victim in Critical Condition

UPDATE 5/2/2021: On May 1, 2021 at 5:58 p.m., Charles County Emergency Services (911) received calls regarding multiple drowning victims in a pool at a residence in the 1200 block of Jefferson Lane in Waldorf. A Fire Unit from Station 3 in Waldorf with four personnel were the first to arrive on the scene....
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Effective Immediately, Naval District Washington Returns to Health Protection Condition Bravo / Bravo Plus

Effective Immediately, Naval District Washington Returns to Health Protection Condition Bravo / Bravo Plus

Installations under Bravo include Naval Support Activity Bethesda, Naval Support Activity Washington, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Naval Support Activity South Potomac while Naval Support Activity Annapolis is under HPCON Bravo Plus. This order applies to military and civilian personnel assigned to Naval District Washington. Personnel should continue to follow CDC guidance as well...
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Prescription Drug Take Back Day Collects More Than 11,500 lbs. of Drugs in Maryland

Prescription Drug Take Back Day Collects More Than 11,500 lbs. of Drugs in Maryland

Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office announced today that the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 20th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day held on Saturday, April 24, 2021, collected 11,536.59 pounds of potentially...
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Maryland Fire Related Deaths Reach Record Low in 2020

Maryland Fire Related Deaths Reach Record Low in 2020

Preliminary data concerning the number of fatal fires investigated by or reported to the Office of the State Fire Marshal indicates 51 Marylanders succumbed to injuries related to hostile fires. This represents a 22% decrease in fire-related deaths as compared to 65 deaths reported in 2019 and is 6% below the previous record low...
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Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in Search of Host Families for 2021 Season

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in Search of Host Families for 2021 Season

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs are looking for host families for fully vaccinated professional baseball players for the summer. Become a part of the Blue Crabs family and receive awesome benefits and rewards! We are looking for families to take in our players from May 14, to early October. All that a host family...
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Charles County Last Day of School for Students is Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Charles County Last Day of School for Students is Wednesday, June 16, 2021

The last day of school for Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students for the 2020-21 school year is Wednesday, June 16. The last day of school for teachers is Thursday, June 17. The following is the end-of-year schedule for students. Friday, June 11: two-hour early dismissal for all students (in-person and virtual/report card preparation time...
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Construction of CSM’s New Center for Health Sciences Building Now Underway at Regional Hughesville Campus

Construction of CSM’s New Center for Health Sciences Building Now Underway at Regional Hughesville Campus

Construction of the College of Southern Maryland’s (CSM) new Center for Health Sciences building is underway at the college’s Regional Hughesville Campus. Construction is currently on track for completion in fall 2022. The Center for Health Sciences will be the second building on CSM’s Regional Hughesville Campus and will serve as a central, convenient...
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Flag Status Alert: United States Flag and Maryland Flag at Half-Staff for Death of Delmar Police Corporal Keith Heacook

Flag Status Alert: United States Flag and Maryland Flag at Half-Staff for Death of Delmar Police Corporal Keith Heacook

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has ordered the United States Flag and Maryland State Flag be lowered to half-staff effective immediately and returned to full-staff at sunset on the day of interment (not yet known). This action is in honor of Corporal Keith Heacook of the Delmar Police Department, who died in the line of...
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PHOTOS: Governor Hogan Celebrates Groundbreaking of Charles County Broadband Expansion Project

PHOTOS: Governor Hogan Celebrates Groundbreaking of Charles County Broadband Expansion Project

Governor Larry Hogan celebrated the groundbreaking of a major $6 million broadband expansion project to provide high-speed internet service to approximately 1,400 residents of Nanjemoy and Cobb Neck in Charles County. “The sudden shift to teleworking, telehealth, and distance learning that we have seen over the past year during the COVID-19 pandemic has further...
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Governor Hogan Lifts Outdoor Mask Mandate, and Ends Restrictions on Outdoor Dining Beginning Saturday, May 1, 2021

Governor Hogan Lifts Outdoor Mask Mandate, and Ends Restrictions on Outdoor Dining Beginning Saturday, May 1, 2021

With consistent improvements in key statewide health metrics and a fast pace of vaccinations, Governor Larry Hogan lifted the outdoor mask mandate in Maryland and all restrictions for outdoor dining. The governor also announced that the state has entered a new phase of its vaccination campaign, moving to direct scheduling at mass vaccination sites...
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Charles County Board of Education Approves First Charter School in Charles County

Charles County Board of Education Approves First Charter School in Charles County

The Board of Education voted on April 26 to approve the first charter school in Charles County. The Phoenix International School of the Arts (PISOTA) will open in the 2022-2023 school year as a middle school serving Grades 6-7 and expand the following year to include Grades 6-8. Located in Waldorf, the school will...
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Governor Hogan Visits Hollywood Drive-Thru Vaccine Clinic, St. Mary’s Fort, and New Harry Nice/Middleton Bridge Project

Governor Hogan Visits Hollywood Drive-Thru Vaccine Clinic, St. Mary’s Fort, and New Harry Nice/Middleton Bridge Project

Governor Larry Hogan was in St. Mary’s County Wednesday, April 28, 2021, as he continues to visit vaccine clinics and infrastructure projects across the state. St. Mary’s County Vaccination Clinic. Governor Hogan toured a drive-thru vaccination site run by the St. Mary’s County Health Department, which has the capacity to administer approximately 1,000 vaccines per...
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Governor Hogan Statement on State Board of Education Vote to Require Full In-Person Learning for 2021-22 School Year

Governor Hogan Statement on State Board of Education Vote to Require Full In-Person Learning for 2021-22 School Year

Governor Larry Hogan issued the following statement welcoming the Maryland State Board of Education’s unanimous vote requiring Maryland school systems to offer full in-person learning for the 2021-22 school year: “The science supports getting our children back into school for in-person learning, and every student in Maryland should have that opportunity right now. To...
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No Arm Left Behind: Governor Hogan Announces Drive-Thru, No-Appointment Vaccinations at Six Flags, Regency Furniture Stadium, and Ripken Stadium

No Arm Left Behind: Governor Hogan Announces Drive-Thru, No-Appointment Vaccinations at Six Flags, Regency Furniture Stadium, and Ripken Stadium

Governor Larry Hogan announced that Maryland has begun drive-thru, no-appointment vaccinations at the Six Flags America, Regency Furniture Stadium, and Ripken Stadium mass vaccination sites. Marylanders are now able to drive up to these sites for a vaccination without an appointment. Maryland providers have now administered more than 4.43 million vaccines. According to CDC data,...
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Two Charles County First Responders & the “Latham Family” Will be on Family Feud, May 4, 2021

Two Charles County First Responders & the “Latham Family” Will be on Family Feud, May 4, 2021

Justin Lucas posted on Facebook, the following information: This is your 1 week reminder! The Latham Family, Dean, Taylor, Justin, Donald and Jimmy from Indian Head Maryland will be on Family Feud next Tuesday night May 4th at 8:30 on WDCA!!! If you are not in the Washington DC area, go to www.familyfeud.com to...
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CSM’s Robotics Team, the Talons, Are Back in Business at Skills Tournament

CSM’s Robotics Team, the Talons, Are Back in Business at Skills Tournament

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) competitive robotics team – the Talons –participated in the University of Nebraska – Lincoln Inaugural Remote Skills Event April 16-17. The Talons were one of 13 colleges in the national weekend tournament which was Nebraska’s first remote, skills-only VEX U event, hosted by UNL’s VEX U team. The...
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SMECO Opens New Electric Vehicle Charging Station in Charles County

SMECO Opens New Electric Vehicle Charging Station in Charles County

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) announced the opening of the first of its SMECO EV Recharge public charging stations for electric vehicles in Charles County. The station is located at Laurel Springs Regional Park on Radio Station Road in La Plata. Additional charging stations at White Plains Regional Park, the Charles County Department of...
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MDOT SHA Begins Improving Roadways in Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s Counties

MDOT SHA Begins Improving Roadways in Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s Counties

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) will begin improving several roadways in southern Maryland this week. Through late spring, MDOT SHA crews will be resurfacing and applying new lane markings on roadways in Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties. Motorists can expect overnight and daytime lane closures while the work is taking place. Crews will be working in the following locations: Charles...
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Army Veteran Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges in Maryland for Supplying Forged Military Discharge Certificates to Individuals Applying for Military Waivers to Obtain Commercial Driver’s Licenses

Army Veteran Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges in Maryland for Supplying Forged Military Discharge Certificates to Individuals Applying for Military Waivers to Obtain Commercial Driver’s Licenses

Philip Mungin, 58, of Bryans Road, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to forgery of a military discharge certificate and identity theft, in connection with a scheme in which Mungin provided fraudulent DD-214 discharge certificates to individuals for fraudulent military waiver applications for commercial driver’s licenses in exchange for payment. The guilty plea was announced by...
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Waldorf Man Charged with Illegal Possession of a Firearm

Waldorf Man Charged with Illegal Possession of a Firearm

On April 21, 2021, members of the Firearms Investigation Unit, with the assistance of the Emergency Services Team from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, served two search warrants related to an on-going firearms investigation. During one of the searches, detectives recovered a loaded firearm and ammunition inside the residence. The subject of the investigation,...
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Local Author, Meredith Johnson, Announces the Publication of Her Children’s Book – Just Momma

Local Author, Meredith Johnson, Announces the Publication of Her Children’s Book – Just Momma

Local author, Meredith Johnson, announces the publication of her children’s book Just Momma. Meredith is a self-published children’s author who loves to encourage kids to use their imaginations. In this vividly imaginative book, she does just that. Just Momma is the story of two brothers named Ethan and Tyler who love to pretend. By...
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State Association Names Wade School Counselor as Maryland Elementary School Counselor of the Year

State Association Names Wade School Counselor as Maryland Elementary School Counselor of the Year

Constance Johnson, a school counselor at William B. Wade Elementary School, was recently named the Elementary School Counselor of the Year by the Maryland School Counselor Association. When Johnson started with Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) in 2014, she split her time between Wade and C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School before beginning at Wade...
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Severe Thunderstorm Warning in Effect for St. Mary’s and Calvert County

Severe Thunderstorm Warning in Effect for St. Mary’s and Calvert County

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Northwestern St. Mary’s County, and Central Charles County until 1:30 p.m. At 12:43 p.m., a severe thunderstorm was located near Nanjemoy Creek, moving northeast at 45 mph. HAZARD…60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. IMPACT…Damaging winds will cause some trees and large...
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