Charles News

54th Season of Pro Motocross Championship This Weekend at Budds Creek National

54th Season of Pro Motocross Championship This Weekend at Budds Creek National

UPDATE 8/22/2025: Budds Creek Motocross Park shared the following information. “We are extremely disappointed to share that a Yamaha tent that was LOANED to our track was stolen today. These actions are unacceptable and will not be tolerated at our facility. We are now offering a $500 REWARD to anyone who can direct us to...
Read More »

Hospice of the Chesapeake Community Open House on September 9th, 2025

Hospice of the Chesapeake Community Open House on September 9th, 2025

Hospice of the Chesapeake invites the community to a Community Open House, 9 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, Sept. 9, on the John & Cathy Belcher Campus, 90 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena, MD. Remarks will begin at 10 a.m. Guests will hear from Becky Miller, CEO, and Michael McHale, former CEO, as they reflect on the...
Read More »

Hospice of the Chesapeake Announces Partnership with OnSite Medical House Calls to Expand Access to Palliative Care Home Visits

Hospice of the Chesapeake Announces Partnership with OnSite Medical House Calls to Expand Access to Palliative Care Home Visits

Hospice of the Chesapeake is proud to announce a new partnership with OnSite Medical House Calls, a trusted provider of medical house call services, to expand access to high-quality palliative care for patients in the comfort of their own homes. Through this collaboration, patients living with serious illnesses will have access to in-home palliative...
Read More »

Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission Now Accepting Applications for the 2025 Southern Maryland Equine Directory

Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission Now Accepting Applications for the 2025 Southern Maryland Equine Directory

The Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC), a division of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland, announces applications are being accepted for the 2025 Southern Maryland Equine Directory. There is no fee to be listed. Submission deadline is November 3, 2025. The directory is a comprehensive listing of equine businesses in five counties—Anne Arundel, Calvert,...
Read More »

Wrong Way Driver on Harry Nice Bridge Transported with Serious Injuries After Hitting Tractor-Trailer Head-on

Wrong Way Driver on Harry Nice Bridge Transported with Serious Injuries After Hitting Tractor-Trailer Head-on

On Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 2:04 a.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services from Charles County, MD, and King George, VA, responded to the Harry Nice Bridge for the reported motor vehicle collision involving a tractor trailer. 911 callers reported a head-on collision in the middle of the bridge within the Southbound lanes....
Read More »

Two Waldorf Men Arrested on Drug and Firearm Charges in Ongoing Investigation

Two Waldorf Men Arrested on Drug and Firearm Charges in Ongoing Investigation

Two Waldorf men are facing multiple drug and firearm charges after separate arrests tied to an investigation into suspected trafficking and illegal weapons possession, according to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office and court documents. On August 13, 2025, officers assigned to the Neighborhood Enforcement Team conducted a traffic stop in the area of St....
Read More »

CSM’s 34th Annual Golf Classic Raises More Than $80,000 for Student Scholarships and Programs

CSM’s 34th Annual Golf Classic Raises More Than $80,000 for Student Scholarships and Programs

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) Foundation’s 34th Annual Golf Classic, held August 7 at Swan Point Yacht and Country Club, brought together donors, community members, alumni, employees, and students for a day of competition, camaraderie, and a shared commitment to transforming lives through education. This year’s event raised more than $80,000 to support...
Read More »

Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Shows Hypoxia Volumes Remained Above Average in July

Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Shows Hypoxia Volumes Remained Above Average in July

Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University show an above average volume of hypoxia—waters with less than 2 mg/l of oxygen—in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia in early and late July. Early July saw an increase in hypoxia from late June, with volumes almost double...
Read More »

Attorney General Brown, Coalition Secure Major Win as Education Department Restores Previously Withheld Funding

Attorney General Brown, Coalition Secure Major Win as Education Department Restores Previously Withheld Funding

Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced that the U.S. Department of Education has released previously withheld education funding to Maryland. Last month, Attorney General Brown joined a coalition in filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s abrupt and unlawful decision to freeze this funding. On June 30, the Trump administration abruptly and unlawfully froze...
Read More »

Crime Solvers Offering Cash Reward After Multiple Waldorf Apartments Struck by Gunfire

Crime Solvers Offering Cash Reward After Multiple Waldorf Apartments Struck by Gunfire

Charles County Sheriff’s officers are continuing their investigation into a reckless endangerment case and are seeking information to identify the suspects. On Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at 9:46 p.m., officers responded to the 3000 block of Gallery Place in Waldorf for the report of the sound of gunshots. When officers arrived, they canvassed the...
Read More »

Linda J. Iverson, Ph.D., Named Chief of Schools for Charles County Public Schools

Linda J. Iverson, Ph.D., Named Chief of Schools for Charles County Public Schools

The Board of Education of Charles County at its Aug. 12 meeting approved the appointment of Linda J. Iverson, Ph.D., as Chief of Schools for Charles County Public Schools (CCPS). Iverson’s appointment is effective immediately and she will begin her new role with CCPS on Monday, Aug. 18. Iverson brings more than 30 years...
Read More »

Hurricane Erin (2025) – Summary, Forecast and Key Messages:

Hurricane Erin (2025) – Summary, Forecast and Key Messages:

Hurricane Erin (2025) – Summary & Forecast: While direct impacts are unlikely, rough seas and rip currents are likely to the East Coast. Current Status & Forecast Evolution Rapid Intensification: Hurricane Erin began as Tropical Storm Erin on August 11, strengthened swiftly, and became the first major hurricane (Category 5) of the 2025 Atlantic...
Read More »

Maryland Permanently Preserves 19 Additional Working Farms, Including 159 Acres of Charles County Farmland

Maryland Permanently Preserves 19 Additional Working Farms, Including 159 Acres of Charles County Farmland

In a continued effort to protect Maryland’s agricultural heritage, the Maryland Board of Public Works has approved 19 new easements through the Maryland Agricultural Preservation Foundation adding approximately 1,674 acres of preserved prime farmland across Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford, Washington, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne, Somerset, Charles, and Worcester counties. The easement included two farms...
Read More »

Board of Education of Charles County Seeking Applicants for District 4 Member Vacancy

Board of Education of Charles County Seeking Applicants for District 4 Member Vacancy

The Board of Education of Charles County is seeking qualified applicants to fill a vacancy that exists on the Board due to the recent resignation of a former Board member who represented Commissioner District 4. State law outlines criteria the Board must follow when filling a vacancy. The Board will receive applications for two...
Read More »

Is That Stream Healthy? Here’s How DNR Trains People to Survey Streams By Examining Wildlife and Habitats

Is That Stream Healthy? Here’s How DNR Trains People to Survey Streams By Examining Wildlife and Habitats

In some ways, the Maryland Biological Stream Survey Summer Training resembles other education programs. Participants sit through presentations and take tests. But some of those presentations involve walking through the woods to a nearby stream to watch the process of netting, identifying, and counting fish found there. And studying for the exams involves darting...
Read More »

PG County Police Corporal Arrested After Allegedly Pointing Gun at Wife During Argument in Charles County

PG County Police Corporal Arrested After Allegedly Pointing Gun at Wife During Argument in Charles County

Tyrone Daniel Thomas, 48, of Waldorf, has been charged with first-degree assault and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony or violent crime following a domestic incident that reportedly occurred earlier this year. The charges were filed after a detailed investigation by the Charles County Sheriff’s Office. According to charging documents,...
Read More »

Waldorf Man Charged in Charles County Road Rage Shooting

Waldorf Man Charged in Charles County Road Rage Shooting

Robert Derek Simms, 36, of Waldorf, has been charged in connection with a July 2025 road rage incident in Charles County that resulted in gunfire and minor injuries to an adult male victim, according to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. The incident occurred on July 10, 2025, when the victim stopped at a...
Read More »

SCAM ALERT: Unofficial Fundraising Efforts Following Tragic Incident

SCAM ALERT: Unofficial Fundraising Efforts Following Tragic Incident

The Charles County Volunteer Fire/EMS Association, in coordination with regional Fire/EMS agencies, is issuing an urgent warning to the public regarding unauthorized fundraising efforts being circulated in the name of the Maryland State Firefighters Association. We have been made aware of individuals or groups falsely advertising the need to assist the family involved in...
Read More »

CSM Welcomes Megan Allen as Executive Director of Compliance and Risk Management

CSM Welcomes Megan Allen as Executive Director of Compliance and Risk Management

The College of Southern Maryland is proud to announce Megan Allen as the Executive Director of Compliance and Risk Management, effective July 29th, 2025. Allen fills a vital leadership role at the college, focused on strengthening institutional compliance, advancing risk management strategies, and supporting effective policy governance. Allen has more than 20 years of...
Read More »

How Too Many Deer Are Harming Maryland’s Forests

How Too Many Deer Are Harming Maryland’s Forests

Maryland is home to a diversity of native wildlife and plant species, and the balance between the two can sometimes be difficult to manage. Like rabbits overrunning a garden, an overpopulation of deer will have detrimental effects on the undergrowth and vegetation in a forest. For the Maryland Forest Service, successful stewardship requires finding...
Read More »

Charles County Appoints Jim Chandler as New Director of Economic Development

Charles County Appoints Jim Chandler as New Director of Economic Development

Charles County Acting Administrator Deborah Hall announces the appointment of Jim Chandler as the new Director of Economic Development. Chandler brings a wealth of experience in economic revitalization, community development, and public-private partnerships to the role. His appointment is effective Aug. 18. Mr. Chandler most recently held senior executive leadership roles in Prince George’s...
Read More »

17-Year-Old Charged As An Adult After Shooting Victim With His Own Gun During Sale

17-Year-Old Charged As An Adult After Shooting Victim With His Own Gun During Sale

On Saturday, July 5, 2025, officers were alerted to a victim who arrived at a hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound. The victim told officers he was shot while meeting with a person on Sharpersville Road in Waldorf to purchase AirPods, with the the victim further indicating that during the transaction, the suspect...
Read More »

Waldorf Man Charged with Multiple Child Sexual Abuse Offenses in St. Mary’s and Charles Counties

Waldorf Man Charged with Multiple Child Sexual Abuse Offenses in St. Mary’s and Charles Counties

Terrod Lamar Branson, 39, of Waldorf, has been charged with multiple counts of rape, sexual abuse of a minor, and assault following allegations involving a female juvenile victim, according to court documents filed in the District Court of Maryland for St. Mary’s County. Branson faces charges including first-degree rape, second-degree rape, third-degree sexual offense,...
Read More »

Four Serial Shoplifters Arrested, Police Recover Over $4,000 Worth of Stole Items

Four Serial Shoplifters Arrested, Police Recover Over $4,000 Worth of Stole Items

On Sunday, August 3, 2025, at 1:34 p.m., patrol officers responded to a business in the 3300 block of Western Parkway in Waldorf for the report of a shoplifting in progress. Loss prevention employees observed two females and a male enter the store, grab two carts and reusable shopping bags, and walk around the...
Read More »

Waldorf Multi-Fatal Fire Investigation Update – Victim Identification Ongoing and Smoke Alarm Findings

Waldorf Multi-Fatal Fire Investigation Update – Victim Identification Ongoing and Smoke Alarm Findings

UPDATE 8/13/2025: The Office of the State Fire Marshal continues to investigate the cause of the deadly multi-fatal fire in Waldorf that claimed the lives of six people, including four children, on Sunday morning. Preliminary information indicates the victims are believed to be the wife and three children of the homeowner, along with the...
Read More »