Maryland State Police beginning Friday will increase enforcement efforts to combat impaired, aggressive, and distracted driving throughout the July 4th holiday weekend. Maryland State Troopers from all 23 barracks across the state will conduct high-visibility patrols from Friday July 4 to Sunday, July 6. The State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort (SPIDRE) team – a...
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Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Friday, June 27, 2025, Charles County Circuit Court Judge William R. Greer, Jr. sentenced Ricardo Kevon Colbert-Lyles, age 24, of Waldorf, to 25 years in prison for Conspiracy to Commit the First-Degree Murder of Aden Christopher Garcia. Upon release, Colbert-Lyles will be on probation...
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July 2, 2025 – Maryland State Police are investigating a fatal pedestrian crash that occurred early this morning, Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in Charles County. The deceased pedestrian is identified as Kory Branson, 45, of Bryans Road, Maryland. He was pronounced deceased on the scene by Charles County emergency medical services personnel. The driver...
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When you check your Powerball ticket on the Maryland Lottery app at 2:30 a.m. and it shows you’ve won $50,000, it could seem like quite a dream. That’s what happened to one La Plata woman, but she soon realized it wasn’t a dream. Thanks to a Powerball Quick Pick ticket from the June 25...
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UPDATE 6/30/2025: No charges have been filed as of Monday, June 30th, 2025. The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is continuing their investigation with assistance from the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office. Maryland State Police Helicopter Trooper 7 landed nearby and transported the patient to the MedStar Washington Hospital Center with serious injuries. His condition...
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Thomasina O. Coates, 60, of Waldorf, a sitting member of the Charles County Board of Commissioners, has been permanently barred from voting on any matters involving the employment of County Administrator Mark Belton. The ruling, issued June 30, 2025, by the Appellate Court of Maryland, upholds a permanent injunction initially granted by the Circuit...
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Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard, the largest Italian Ice concept in the world, is turning up the summer heat with a flavor-packed, refreshing treat! The new Rocket Pop Italian Ice is a playful twist on a classic—where cherry, lemon, and blue raspberry flavors collide to create a cool, new purple Ice bursting with...
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District Court of Maryland Chief Judge John P. Morrissey, with the approval of Supreme Court of Maryland Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader, has named Charles County District Court Judge Kenneth A. Talley as the new administrative judge for District 4 (Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties). Judge Talley’s new role is effective August 1,...
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Make a splash this summer as the swimming pools at Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) high schools open to those looking to beat the heat. The outdoor pools at La Plata and Thomas Stone high schools opened earlier this week with the outdoor pool at Maurice J. McDonough High School set to welcome swimmers Monday,...
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The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ new online licensing system, MD Outdoors, is now available for residents and visitors to purchase Maryland hunting and fishing licenses as well as associated stamps and permits, boat and off-road vehicle renewal registration, and other services. MD Outdoors provides residents and visitors a convenient one-stop shop, replacing the former...
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A Maryland Lottery player in Charles County got the weekend off to a great start on Friday with the purchase of a FAST PLAY Gold Rush Progressive ticket that won a whopping $2,041,396. The lucky ticket was sold at Mutts Liquors located at 4541 Indian Head Highway in Indian Head. The $30 Gold Rush...
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UPDATE 6/30/2025: Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack along with Charles County Sheriff Deputies responded to Maryland Route 5 (Mattawoman Beantown Rd) at Mirkwood Lane for a report of a serious motor vehicle collision. Due to the circumstances, the Maryland State Police CRASH Team responded to assume the investigation. A preliminary investigation conducted by Troopers...
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As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, the Office of the State Fire Marshal joined the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services and public safety partners to promote fireworks safety and encourage Marylanders to attend licensed, professional fireworks shows across the state. This year, 139 public fireworks displays are scheduled across Maryland...
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Six Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) teachers were named 2025 outstanding teacher honorees last month by Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO). The annual awards program recognizes teachers for outstanding achievements in teaching science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The teachers honored for mathematics were Pauline Shaker of Mary B. Neal Elementary School and Deborah...
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A Maryland Lottery retailer in Charles County sold a $50,000 third-tier winning Powerball ticket from last night’s drawing. The ticket was sold at Lady’s Liquors at 6474 Crain Highway in La Plata. The winning numbers from the June 25 drawing are 2, 12, 37, 51, 61; the Powerball number was 22. The third-tier winner matched four...
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On June 18, 2025, a Calvert County jury convicted Brandy Leigh Leagan, 31, of Prince Frederick, of two counts of child neglect and impaired driving. The jury deliberated approximately 15 minutes. On the evening of January 21, 2024, Leagan left the Lord Calvert bowling alley with her two minor children in the back seat....
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On June 20, officers with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Judicial Services Section located and arrested Dejon Elijah Warren, 25, of Waldorf, who was wanted in connection with an incident that occurred on May 18, 2025. During that incident, officers responded to reports of gunfire in the 4500 block of Ruston Place in Waldorf....
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The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating three vehicle-related crimes that occurred on June 23 in the Bannister and Wakefield neighborhoods. Charles County Crime Solvers is offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspects in these cases. The three recent incidents are as follows: Vehicle Theft – 2200...
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UPDATE 6/25/2025: On June 25, 2025, at approximately 3:15 p.m., police, fire department, and emergency medical services personnel responded to the intersection of Washington Avenue and Rosewick Road in La Plata for a report of a motor vehicle collision involving a passenger car and a motorcycle. First-arriving La Plata Police Department officers initiated CPR on...
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Charles County Sheriff’s Detectives and Forensic Science Investigators have identified the body of a woman who was found murdered almost 25 years ago. Jane Doe was her name for investigators for 25 years, but her true identity has now been learned – LaQuanda Denise “Niecey” Williams who was just 31 years old when her...
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On Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at approximately 12:42 p.m., firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the Ruth B. Swann Park located at 3100 Ruth B Swann Drive in Bryans Road to assist police in searching for a missing 86-year-old male. The 911 caller reported he was taking a walk on the trail when he...
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UMCES’s flagship Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card, developed in collaboration with local stakeholders, is a proven tool for measuring the latest available data and communicating social, environmental, and economic health to inspire action. The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) released its 19th annual Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card, the...
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College of Southern Maryland (CSM) Professor of Business Christopher Ripley was recently awarded the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Teaching Excellence award. The award was presented at the ACBSP’s annual conference, held June 19-22 in Las Vegas. “As someone who’s dedicated decades to both business and education, this recognition is deeply...
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The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) has been named the 2024 “Member of the Year” by The Patuxent Partnership (TPP), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing science, technology, and growing the STEM workforce pipeline in Southern Maryland. The announcement came during TPP’s Annual Dinner on June 3, held in Historic St. Mary’s City....
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On Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at approximately 8:30 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of St. Charles Parkway and Demarr Road in White Plains, for the reported motor vehicle collision involving a motorcycle with one laying in the roadway. Dispatchers advised multiple 911 callers reported a car versus a...
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