Charles News

Man Flown to Trauma Center After Serious Crash Involving Cement Truck in Mechanicsville

Man Flown to Trauma Center After Serious Crash Involving Cement Truck in Mechanicsville

On Friday, July 18, 2025, at approximately 4:00 p.m., while driving in the area of Old Village Road and Cedar Grove Street in Mechanicsville, Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department Chief 2 came upon a serious motor vehicle collision with one trapped and unconscious. Firefighters and emergency medical services from St. Mary’s and Charles County responded...
Read More »

Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Shows Hypoxia Increased in June After Rainy May

Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Shows Hypoxia Increased in June After Rainy May

Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University show an increasing volume of hypoxia—waters with less than 2 mg/l of oxygen—in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia from early to late June. No hypoxia was observed in May, marking a later start to low dissolved oxygen conditions...
Read More »

New Mobile Crisis Services Announced for Charles and St. Mary’s Counties

New Mobile Crisis Services Announced for Charles and St. Mary’s Counties

The St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) and Charles County Health Department (CCHD) announce the launch of a new mobile crisis team serving St. Mary’s and Charles Counties. The mobile crisis team, operated by Affiliated Santé Group (Santé), will provide immediate support to individuals experiencing a behavioral health emergency. This expansion of crisis services...
Read More »

State Highway Administration Conducting Survey, Virtual Meetings to Gather Public Input on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Needs

State Highway Administration Conducting Survey, Virtual Meetings to Gather Public Input on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Needs

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration is committed to improve safety for vulnerable road users – defined as those walking, cycling or rolling – and is conducting an online survey and virtual meeting series to gather public feedback to help update the agency’s Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Assessment. Vulnerable road users are...
Read More »

Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission Selects Intralot for Lottery System Contract

Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission Selects Intralot for Lottery System Contract

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission (the Commission) today approved the recommendation of an award for a new Lottery Central Monitoring and Control System (LCMCS) contract to Intralot, Inc., of Duluth, Ga. The vendor that is awarded the contract manufactures the counter terminals and self-service vending machines that sell tickets at 4,300 Maryland...
Read More »

Maryland’s Summer Closure of Chesapeake Bay Striped Bass Fishing Begins July 16, 2025

Maryland’s Summer Closure of Chesapeake Bay Striped Bass Fishing Begins July 16, 2025

The Department of Natural Resources reminds Maryland recreational anglers that targeting striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries is prohibited from July 16 through July 31. This closure, now in its sixth season, is necessary to protect the species, because when water and air temperatures rise in the hottest part of...
Read More »

UPDATE: 26-Year-Old Man Killed After Crash Involving Tractor Trailer in Charles County

UPDATE: 26-Year-Old Man Killed After Crash Involving Tractor Trailer in Charles County

UPDATE 7/16/2025: On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at approximately 2:43 p.m., Troopers from the Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack along with Charles County Sheriff Deputies responded to United States Route 301 south of Maryland Route 257 for a report of a serious motor vehicle collision. Due to the circumstances, a Collision Reconstruction Specialist...
Read More »

Attorney General Brown Sues Trump Administration for Freezing $6.8 Billion in Education Grants Just Weeks Before School Year Begins

Attorney General Brown Sues Trump Administration for Freezing $6.8 Billion in Education Grants Just Weeks Before School Year Begins

Attorney General Anthony G. Brown joined a coalition of 25 states in suing the Trump administration over its unconstitutional, unlawful, and arbitrary decision to freeze funding for six longstanding programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education just weeks before the school year is set to start. Without this funding, many educational programs will...
Read More »

Charles County Board Of Education Announces Resignation of Linda Warren

Charles County Board Of Education Announces Resignation of Linda Warren

The Board of Education of Charles County today announces the resignation of Board Member Linda Warren. Warren represents District 4 on the Board. Her resignation is effective Friday, Aug. 1. In sharing her resignation with the Board, Warren cited personal reasons resulting in her having to relocate outside of District 4. State law requires...
Read More »

Ed Rothstein Appointed as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families

Ed Rothstein Appointed as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families

Governor Wes Moore announced the appointment of Ed Rothstein as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families. Rothstein will assume the post as secretary on August 1st. Ross Cohen, who has served as the interim acting secretary, will continue supporting the department as deputy secretary. “Ed Rothstein has dedicated his career...
Read More »

Maryland State Police Make Over 190 Suspected DUI Arrested During First Week of July, 2025

Maryland State Police Make Over 190 Suspected DUI Arrested During First Week of July, 2025

Maryland State Troopers from all 23 State Police Barracks, including members of the SPIDRE Team, took on distracted, aggressive, and impaired driving this Fourth of July weekend. Troopers recorded 108 arrests for suspected DUI and issued more than 6,600 citations and warnings from July 4 to July 6th, 2025. Additionally, the SPIDRE Team assisted...
Read More »

UPDATE: GoFundMe Added – House Fire in Lusby Under Investigation, No Injuries Reported and All Pets Accounted For

UPDATE: GoFundMe Added – House Fire in Lusby Under Investigation, No Injuries Reported and All Pets Accounted For

UPDATE 7/14/2025: The displaced family has lost nearly everything in this devastating fire. A GoFundMe has been started by family members to assist the 2 adults and 3 children. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Family, friends and neighbors are assisting, however, clothing and other needs lists will be added when they become...
Read More »

Bell Sports Recalls Bicycle Helmets Due to Risk of Head Injury; Violation of Federal Standard for Bicycle Helmets

Bell Sports Recalls Bicycle Helmets Due to Risk of Head Injury; Violation of Federal Standard for Bicycle Helmets

Bell Sports Bicycle Helmets Hazard: The recalled helmets do not comply with the impact requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) mandatory federal safety standard for bicycle helmets. The helmets can fail to protect the user in the event of a crash, posing a risk of head injury. Remedy: Refund Recall Date: June...
Read More »

Police Recover Stolen Hyundai and Apprehend Three Kids, Ages 12, 13, and 14

Police Recover Stolen Hyundai and Apprehend Three Kids, Ages 12, 13, and 14

On Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at 3:20 a.m., officers responded to the 2100 block of Crain Highway in Waldorf for the report of several juveniles walking through an apartment complex parking lot, possibly breaking into cars. When the first officer arrived, he observed the juveniles enter a Hyundai Elantra and begin driving away. Officers...
Read More »

Inaugural DNR Waterfowl Photo Contest Winner Announced

Inaugural DNR Waterfowl Photo Contest Winner Announced

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) selected Josh Montgomery as the winner of the Inaugural DNR Waterfowl Photo Contest, with his image of his retriever carrying a canvasback duck. This image will be available on a new hard-card license offered through the MD Outdoors licensing and registration system, and on the DNR 2026 Maryland Natural Resource Calendar. ...
Read More »

Minor Injuries After Vehicle Strikes Pole in White Plains, Over 1,400 Without Power

Minor Injuries After Vehicle Strikes Pole in White Plains, Over 1,400 Without Power

On Thursday, July 10, 2025, at approximately 2:32 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to area of Billingsley Road and Fawn Lane in White Plains for the reported motor vehicle collision with unknown injuries. Crews arrived on the scene to find a single vehicle into a utility pole with power lines down...
Read More »

Pomfret Man Arrested Twice in Two Days, Faces Over 45 Charges for Burglary and Theft

Pomfret Man Arrested Twice in Two Days, Faces Over 45 Charges for Burglary and Theft

Abdul Aziz Bah, 29, of no fixed address, has been arrested twice within a 24-hour period and is now facing more than 45 charges related to burglary, mail theft, and property damage across multiple locations in Charles County. On July 6, 2025, patrol officers with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 9400...
Read More »

Suitland Man Arrested in Waldorf Following Vehicle Pursuit, Break-Ins, and Loaded Firearm Recovery

Suitland Man Arrested in Waldorf Following Vehicle Pursuit, Break-Ins, and Loaded Firearm Recovery

Kent Leroy Smith Jr., 34, of Suitland, was taken into custody on July 4, 2025, after a multi-hour police response involving a vehicle pursuit, foot chase, home break-ins, and the recovery of a loaded handgun. Smith, who had multiple outstanding warrants at the time, is now being held without bond at the Charles County...
Read More »

UPDATE: White Plains Woman Charged with First-Degree Assault Following Stabbing in Waldorf

UPDATE: White Plains Woman Charged with First-Degree Assault Following Stabbing in Waldorf

UPDATE 7/8/2025: Delaina Kyle Sweet, 36, of White Plains, has been charged with first-degree assault and possession of contraband in a place of confinement following a stabbing incident that occurred on July 7, 2025, in Waldorf. According to court documents, officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded at approximately 12:27 p.m. to a...
Read More »

High Heat, Chance of Severe Storms and Flood Watch for Southern Maryland

High Heat, Chance of Severe Storms and Flood Watch for Southern Maryland

The National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC has issued a Flood Watch, a Heat Advisory, and Hazardous Weather Outlook for Southern Maryland, including St. Mary’s, Calvert, Charles Counties. The Flood Watch is in effect from 2:00 PM EDT this afternoon, Tuesday, July 8th, 2025, through this evening. IMPACTS can include – Excessive runoff may...
Read More »

MAWS Act Introduced As First-of-its-Kind Legislation to Facilitate Use of Invasive Blue Catfish in Pet Food

MAWS Act Introduced As First-of-its-Kind Legislation to Facilitate Use of Invasive Blue Catfish in Pet Food

Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) joined Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), Vice Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee and Co-Chair of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force, to introduce the bipartisan Mitigation Action and Watermen Support (MAWS) Act alongside Representatives Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) and Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02). The bill takes aim at one of the greatest...
Read More »

Large Funeral Procession Expected for Firefighter Ronald J. “Ronnie” Wright

Large Funeral Procession Expected for Firefighter Ronald J. “Ronnie” Wright

UPDATE 7/8/2025: Today, Funeral services will held at 9:30 a.m., Interment will follow at Trinity Memorial Gardens, with a procession leaving the station at 10am. Intersections along the procession route will be controlled by assisting police departments and fire departments until the procession proceeds through. Please follow their directions. We thank you in advance...
Read More »

Protect Your Dogs’ Health: Harmful Algae Mats Can Pose Danger to Pets

Protect Your Dogs’ Health: Harmful Algae Mats Can Pose Danger to Pets

As summer has begun, Maryland Department of Natural Resources scientists caution the public to be vigilant about freshwater algae mats that can sometimes be a health hazard for dogs and other animals. Benthic algae mats are accumulations of algae that can vary in structure and appearance, but are often dense, green, and fibrous. Benthic...
Read More »

Police Investigating Hughesville Man Killed in Fourth of July Crash

Police Investigating Hughesville Man Killed in Fourth of July Crash

The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit is investigating a fatal crash that took place in Brandywine Friday evening. The deceased driver is 48-year-old Gregory Wilson of Hughesville. On July 4, 2025, at approximately 7:00 pm, officers responded to the 15500 block of Brandywine Road for a single-vehicle crash. Gregory...
Read More »

Online Licensing Process for Maryland Waterfowl Blind Sites Begins July 16, 2025

Online Licensing Process for Maryland Waterfowl Blind Sites Begins July 16, 2025

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is again offering an online process for Maryland hunters to apply for a 2025-2026 waterfowl blind site license. From July 16 through July 29, 2025, hunters and riparian landowners may enter the annual lottery for the opening days of blind site licensing. Hunters and riparian landowners with a DNR ID...
Read More »