Charles News

Maryland Natural Resources Annual Photo Contest Begins

Maryland Natural Resources Annual Photo Contest Begins

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is accepting entries for its annual photo contest now through Aug. 31, 2017. Photographers – from novice to professional – can  enter online or by mail for the chance to win cash and other prizes. Winning entries will be posted online and featured in an issue of the quarterly Maryland Natural Resource magazine and adorn the...
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Maryland Lottery and Gaming Supports Problem Gambling Awareness Month

Maryland Lottery and Gaming Supports Problem Gambling Awareness Month

As Maryland Lottery and Gaming continues its deepening commitment to responsible gambling programs, the agency is proud to support a national effort to raise awareness of problem gambling. Maryland Lottery and Gaming is again participating in the National Council on Problem Gambling’s annual effort to promote March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month. “Reinforcing the...
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Maryland #8 in U.S. News & World Report “Best States” Rankings

Maryland #8 in U.S. News & World Report “Best States” Rankings

Maryland has been recognized as one of the best states in the nation to live in by U.S. News & World Report in their inaugural “Best States” ranking, which analyzed data in seven key areas – education, health care, infrastructure, economy, government, opportunity, and crime and corrections – to determine the state’s composite score....
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State Fire Marshal Reminds all Marylanders of Fire and Life Safety Issues During Power Outages

State Fire Marshal Reminds all Marylanders of Fire and Life Safety Issues During Power Outages

Severe storms are threatening Maryland. These storms may cause disruption in electrical service to our homes. State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci is cautioning citizens when using alternative light and electrical sources during power outages. “These easy to follow tips will help all Marylanders avoid injury or death during power outages,” said the State...
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Eighth Annual St. Charles Running Festival Set For April 1st, 2017

Eighth Annual St. Charles Running Festival Set For April 1st, 2017

The community of St. Charles, MD will once again join with Blue Point Timing and the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center to host the annual St. Charles Running Festival. The event, which features a 10-miler, 5K and the Chick-fil-A Kids Hero Fun Run, is open to runners of all abilities and will...
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North Point High School Criminal Justice Students Stand Out at Regional SkillsUSA Competition

North Point High School Criminal Justice Students Stand Out at Regional SkillsUSA Competition

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to recognize the Criminal Justice Students at North Point High School for their outstanding efforts during the first stages of the 2017 SkillsUSA competitions, in which they performed well enough to advance to state competitions later this year.  On February 4, sixteen students from North Point competed...
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Students Learn About Civil Rights Movement from Freedom Rider

Students Learn About Civil Rights Movement from Freedom Rider

Rev. Reginald Green talked about riots, mobs and being arrested. He was a Freedom Rider and shared his firsthand experiences from more than 50 years ago with Theodore G. Davis Middle School students. Davis social studies teacher Duania Darby invited Green to Davis on Feb. 24 after her seventh graders completed a unit for...
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La Plata It’s Academic team to compete in semifinals this weekend

La Plata It’s Academic team to compete in semifinals this weekend

The La Plata High School It’s Academic team advances to a semifinals playoff match, set for this Saturday, March 4, as winners of a regional competition recently held at NBC4 studios in Washington, D.C. The team of Captain Justin Cortez, Michael Gill and James Hume earned a total of 580 points in a match...
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Wednesday’s Pet is Zoey

Wednesday’s Pet is Zoey

Wednesday’s Pet for 3/01/2017 Zoey Featured Pet: Zoey Rescue Group: Humane Society of Calvert County Breed: Boxer/Rottweiler Mix Sex: Female Size: Large Adoption Fee: Contact group for fee Zoey is a 1-year-old Boxer mix. She is a smart girl that loves people. Zoey is a giant love bug. She is great with other dogs....
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Charles County Crime Report – 2/28/2017

Charles County Crime Report – 2/28/2017

The following is a sample of recent Charles County Sheriff’s Office investigations. For information about crimes not included in this report, visit CrimeReports.com and search by county, city, zip code or street address. ATTEMPTED BURGLARY: Sometime between Feb. 27 – Feb. 28, unknown suspect(s) tried to break into an office building in the 10600...
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Hughesville Man Dies in Weekend Boating Accident

Hughesville Man Dies in Weekend Boating Accident

The Maryland Natural Resources Police is investigating the death of a Calvert County man whose body was recovered late Sunday afternoon near his capsized boat south of the Patuxent River Bridge. Scott Lawson Suder, 41, of Hughesville, was last seen Saturday at about noon, prior to a violent storm that raced through the area....
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National Weather Service Confirms Tornado in Charles County

National Weather Service Confirms Tornado in Charles County

The National Weather Service in Baltimore MD/Washington DC has confirmed a tornado near La Plata and Waldorf in Charles County MD on February 25 2017. National Weather Service personnel completed a ground survey along with radar analysis and concluded a tornado that peaked at low-end EF1 intensity with winds of 90 MPH produced damage...
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SMECO Offers Scholarships for the 2017-2018 School Year

SMECO Offers Scholarships for the 2017-2018 School Year

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) is offering college scholarships for the 2017-2018 school year. Four high school seniors will be awarded $1,500 each. Students are eligible to apply if they live with parents or guardians who are SMECO customer-members. Seniors must be enrolled or plan to enroll full-time in an accredited college, university, or...
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VEX Robotics teams are Starstruck at competition

VEX Robotics teams are Starstruck at competition

Fourteen teams from Charles County Public middle and high schools competed in the 2017 Southern Maryland VEX League Robotics Championship held Feb. 4 at the College of Southern Maryland’s (CSM) La Plata campus. The competition is split into two challenges — one for middle schoolers and one for high school teams. The VEX League...
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Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 2/27/2017 to 3/3/2017

Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 2/27/2017 to 3/3/2017

During the week of February 27, to March 3, 2017, automated speed enforcement cameras will be activated in the following school zones: Smallwood Drive at Wade Elementary Marshall Corner Road at McDonough High School Leonardtown Road at Grace Christian Academy Piney Church Road at St. Charles High School Cameras are activated Monday through Friday, all...
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NAVAIR Veteran Seeks to Make a Difference for Other Vets

NAVAIR Veteran Seeks to Make a Difference for Other Vets

It took a few minutes for Ryan Daniels to realize what had happened. The former Marine Corps Staff Sergeant was traveling with a convoy in May 2011 in a restive part of southwestern Afghanistan that had seen plenty of combat action. His mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle, or MRAP, had just hit a large, improvised...
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Free Mulch Available to Charles County Residents

Free Mulch Available to Charles County Residents

The Department of Public Works Environmental Resources Division is pleased to announce that mulch is available for free to all Charles County residents, while supplies last. The Piney Church Road Mulch Facility will reopen on Wednesday, March 1. Mulch loading will resume on Saturday, March 4 from 7:30 a.m. to noon. Commercial entities are...
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Spectacular Scratch-Off Win Sends Lucky Charles County Woman House Hunting

Spectacular Scratch-Off Win Sends Lucky Charles County Woman House Hunting

Shopping for a new home tops the to-do list of Maryland’s newest millionaire, who is a Charles County scratch-off fan. The lucky 54-year-old won $1 million playing the Maryland Lottery’s Million Dollar Spectacular game. The Bryans Road resident found her lucky $20 instant ticket after visiting her sister. She stopped at Bryans Road US...
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Wednesday’s Pet is Nigel

Wednesday’s Pet is Nigel

Wednesday’s Pet for 2/22/2017 is Nigel Featured Pet: Nigel Rescue Group: Calvert Animal Welfare League (CAWL) Breed: Chihuahua Mix Sex: Male Size: Small Vetted: Neutered and Up-to-date with routine shots Adoption Fee: $200.00 Nigel is a handsome 2-year-old Chihuahua Mix. He is an adorable, sweet, loveable boy looking for his forever home. He gets...
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UPDATE: Mechanicsville Man Killed in Motorcycle Accident in La Plata

UPDATE: Mechanicsville Man Killed in Motorcycle Accident in La Plata

2/1/2017: On Saturday, February 18, 2017, at approximately 4:30 p.m., police fire and rescue personnel responded to a motor vehicle accident involving a motorcycle and car in La Plata. The accident occurred on Route 301 in the area of Sadie Lane and Fairgrounds Road. One fatality has been reported. Troopers from the Maryland State Police...
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UPDATE: Lexington Park Man Killed in Motorcycle Accident in Hughesville

UPDATE: Lexington Park Man Killed in Motorcycle Accident in Hughesville

UPDATE: On February 19, 2017 at approximately 7:20 p.m., Troopers from the Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack responded to a motor vehicle collision involving a motorcycle on Leonardtown Road at Webbs Place. A preliminary investigation conducted by Troopers indicates that a 2009 Kawasaki EX500 motorcycle, operated by Nathan William Guterry, 25 of Lexington Park,...
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85,193 Deer Harvested During 2016-2017 Hunting Season

85,193 Deer Harvested During 2016-2017 Hunting Season

Maryland hunters harvested 85,193 deer during the combined archery, muzzleloader and firearm seasons (Sept. 9, 2016-Jan. 31, 2017), according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The harvest exceeded the 2015-2016 total by more than 1,000 deer. Included in the statewide total were 7,684 deer taken on Sundays open for deer hunting, representing an increase...
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UPDATE: Bicyclist Dies From Injuries Sustained in Waldorf Motor Vehicle Crash

UPDATE: Bicyclist Dies From Injuries Sustained in Waldorf Motor Vehicle Crash

UPDATE: The bicyclist, George Ernest McNab, 59, of Waldorf, was pronounced deceased on February 17. The investigation is ongoing. 2/15/17: On Wednesday, February 15, 2017, at approximately 5:35 a.m., officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Smallwood Drive West near Thoroughbred Court in Waldorf for the report of a crash...
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Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 2/20/2017 to 2/24/2017

Speed Camera Locations for Charles County 2/20/2017 to 2/24/2017

During the week of February 20, to February 24, 2017, automated speed enforcement cameras will be activated in the following school zones: Indian Head Highway at Smallwood Middle School Berry Road at Jenifer Elementary School Poplar Hill Road at Malcolm Elementary School Middletown Road at Westlake High School Cameras are activated Monday through Friday, all...
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Drugs and Counterfeit Money Seized in Port Tobacco Drug Bust

Drugs and Counterfeit Money Seized in Port Tobacco Drug Bust

On Sunday, February 12, 2017, at approximately 10:30 p.m., officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 8700 block of Plenty Highlands Place in La Plata for the report of suspicious activity. A witness observed people moving things from a vacant house. Upon approach, officers observed a large quantity of marijuana on...
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