Charles News

Charles County Public Schools 2023-24 Winter Break Operating Schedule

Charles County Public Schools 2023-24 Winter Break Operating Schedule

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) administrative offices are closed for winter break, Monday, Dec. 25, 26 and Jan. 1. Schools are closed Monday, Dec. 25, through Monday, Jan. 1, for winter break. Schools, offices and buildings reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, as noted in the Parent Handbook/Calendar. During winter break, some CCPS high...
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Sports Wagering Contributes $3.2 Million to the State During November 2023

Sports Wagering Contributes $3.2 Million to the State During November 2023

Maryland’s 13 retail and 12 mobile sportsbooks that operated during November 2023 combined to generate $3,199,529 in contributions to the state. Each sportsbook contributes 15% of its taxable win to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund, which supports public education programs. November’s statewide handle of $550,716,329 was Maryland’s largest single-month total, surpassing the $497,121,656...
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House Fire in Lusby Under Investigation, Neighbors and Firefighters Save Three Dogs, One Dog Perished in Blaze

House Fire in Lusby Under Investigation, Neighbors and Firefighters Save Three Dogs, One Dog Perished in Blaze

On Sunday, December 10, 2023, at approximately 4:35 p.m., firefighters from Calvert and St. Mary’s County responded to 1395 Gregg Drive in Lusby, for the reported house on fire with animals trapped. The owner/occupant is identified as Emad Dides, with the estimated loss of structure and contents valued at $250,000.00 Smoke alarms were present...
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Charles County Department of Health Advises of Coyote Found with Rabies in Waldorf Area

Charles County Department of Health Advises of Coyote Found with Rabies in Waldorf Area

The Charles County Department of Health has been notified that a coyote collected on 12/2/23 in the Charter Oak/Scarlett Oak in the Waldorf vicinity has tested positive for rabies. There was another sighting of a coyote with a similar description around the 13000 block of Ballantrae Lane in Waldorf, MD. We urge everyone to...
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School Resource Officer Assaulted at Thomas Stone High School

School Resource Officer Assaulted at Thomas Stone High School

On Friday, December 8, 2023, at 12:08 p.m., a school resource officer at Thomas Stone High School was assisting a school administrator with a student who was in the administrator’s office and acting disorderly relating to an argument they were having with another student. The SRO was in the doorway of the office when...
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Attorney General Anthony Brown Files Petition for Rehearing in Handgun Licensing Case Maryland Shall Issue v. Wes Moore

Attorney General Anthony Brown Files Petition for Rehearing in Handgun Licensing Case Maryland Shall Issue v. Wes Moore

The Office of the Attorney General filed petition for a rehearing en banc in the case of Maryland Shall Issue v. Wes Moore, in which the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled unconstitutional Maryland’s law requiring most citizens to obtain a license before acquiring a handgun. On November 21, 2023,...
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UPDATE: Virginia Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for the Murder of His Mother in Charles County

UPDATE: Virginia Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for the Murder of His Mother in Charles County

UPDATE 12/8/2023: Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, December 7, 2023, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Brandon Kiah Slade, 29, to Life in prison for the First-Degree Murder of Lenora Coates-Slade and the Wear and Carry of a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Injure. Slade...
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Waldorf Man Arrested After Burglary to Vacant Apartment; Police Seeking Second Suspect

Waldorf Man Arrested After Burglary to Vacant Apartment; Police Seeking Second Suspect

On December 4, 2023, at 11:09 a.m., officers responded to an apartment in the 2100 block of Crain Highway for the report of a burglary. Upon investigation, officers observed the front door was damaged and learned that two males had broken into a vacant apartment. The suspects fled prior to the officers’ arrival. Officers...
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Leadership Maryland Class of 2023 Graduates

Leadership Maryland Class of 2023 Graduates

Leadership Maryland announced that 48 members of the Class of 2023 have completed the professional development program dedicated to building a better Maryland by harnessing the strength of its local business and community leaders. Leadership Maryland honored the Class of 2023 at its 30th graduation ceremony held on December 5 at the Hilton Baltimore...
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CSM Sets Early College Program Information Nights for Parents, Families

CSM Sets Early College Program Information Nights for Parents, Families

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) is holding Early College Information Nights for parents at 6 p.m. this month and in January. While some meetings are held at particular schools, all meetings are open to CCPS juniors and seniors and their families regardless of the high school they attend. The Early College Program is...
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17-Year-Old Charged in Connection to Armed Robbery and Armed Carjacking in Waldorf

17-Year-Old Charged in Connection to Armed Robbery and Armed Carjacking in Waldorf

Detectives assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division have identified and charged a 17-year-old male in connection with an armed robbery case and a carjacking case that both occurred in November 2023 In one case, the suspect approached the occupant of a car on Grouse Place, brandished a firearm, and demanded the car keys. After...
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One in Custody After High Speed Chase and Crash in Waldorf

One in Custody After High Speed Chase and Crash in Waldorf

On Sunday, December 3, 2023, at approximately 8:10 p.m., police, fire and emergency medical personnel responded to the intersection of Muskrat Court and Hampshire Circle in Waldorf, for the unknown medical problems. The 911 caller reported an unknown aged male was unconscious in the driver seat of a black Cadillac which was parked in...
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$50,000-Winning Powerball Ticket Sold in Waldorf

$50,000-Winning Powerball Ticket Sold in Waldorf

Jackpot rolls to $435 million for Wednesday’s drawing Powerball continues to gain momentum with ever-higher jackpots and although no one hit the $412 million jackpot last night, one lucky player nabbed a $50,000 third-tier prize. Check your tickets closely if you visited Berry Country Market located at 7485 Bensville Road in Waldorf. The winning...
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11-Year-Old Flown to Children’s After Being Struck by Vehicle in White Plains

11-Year-Old Flown to Children’s After Being Struck by Vehicle in White Plains

On Tuesday, December 5, 2023, at approximately 5:55 p.m., police, fire and rescue personnel responded to the area of 8467 Billingsley Road in White Plains, for the reported motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian. Crews arrived on the scene to find an 11-year-old male was struck by a vehicle. Police on the scene advised...
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Detectives Arrest Suspect Wanted for Non-Fatal Shooting That Occurred in Waldorf, October 2023

Detectives Arrest Suspect Wanted for Non-Fatal Shooting That Occurred in Waldorf, October 2023

On October 29, 2023, an altercation occurred between two males inside a business on Business Park Court. Investigation found that an unknown person who was not involved in the altercation, shot the victim and fled. The victim was transported to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. Through investigation, the suspect was identified...
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Maryland’s Muzzleloader Deer Hunting Resumes December 16

Maryland’s Muzzleloader Deer Hunting Resumes December 16

The second half of Maryland’s muzzleloader deer hunting season will reopen Dec. 16 and run through Dec. 30, 2023. This first half of the split season was held in October. Hunters may use muzzleloading firearms to harvest sika and white-tailed deer during this time. “The late muzzleloader season is a vital part of the successful management of Maryland’s...
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UPDATE: Maryland State Police Conducting Death Investigation of 77-Year-Old Benedict Bridge Employee

UPDATE: Maryland State Police Conducting Death Investigation of 77-Year-Old Benedict Bridge Employee

UPDATE 12/5/2023: On December 2, 2023, at approximately 8:25 p.m., Maryland State Troopers responded to the Benedict Bridge tender station for a wellness check. Troopers arrived on the scene to find the drawbridge operator, John Roper, age 77, on the floor unconscious and not breathing. Fire and rescue personnel from Calvert and Charles County...
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UPDATE: 17-Year-Old Succumbs to Injuries After Single Vehicle Collision in Pomfret

UPDATE: 17-Year-Old Succumbs to Injuries After Single Vehicle Collision in Pomfret

UPDATE 12/5/2023: On Monday, December 4, 2023, at approximately 11:33 a.m., Troopers from Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack responded to Maryland Route 229 (Bensville Road) in the area of the Indian Head Rail Trail, for a report of a serious motor vehicle collision. Due to the circumstances, the Maryland State Police CRASH Team...
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Chesapeake Life Center Expands Children and Teens Grief Program To 3 Counties

Chesapeake Life Center Expands Children and Teens Grief Program To 3 Counties

This winter, Chesapeake Life Center will offer its Stepping Stones Four-Week Grief Support Group for newly bereaved youth. Additionally, families will have the option to attend in Anne Arundel, Charles or Calvert counties. The group is for children and teens ages 6 to 18 whose loss occurred within the last 12 months. Counselors will...
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Nanjemoy Man Sentenced for Reckless Endangerment After His Son Shoots Himself with Gun

Nanjemoy Man Sentenced for Reckless Endangerment After His Son Shoots Himself with Gun

On November 27, 2023, Christopher Thomas Chaillet, 36, of Nanjemoy, pleaded guilty in Calvert County Circuit Court to reckless endangerment and permitting a child to have access to a firearm. The evidence showed that Chaillet, who possessed a valid Maryland handgun permit, knowingly left a loaded handgun in his truck while his 2-year old...
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November 2023: 38 Motor Vehicle Crash Fatalities Reported

November 2023: 38 Motor Vehicle Crash Fatalities Reported

Maryland transportation and safety officials are urging all travelers in the state to rededicate themselves to safety on our roadway as preliminary data for 2023 shows a deadly trend for the year. In November, according to preliminary data, 38 people died in Maryland as a result of motor vehicle crashes. So far in 2023,...
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Waldorf Woman Scratches Her Second Big Lottery Score in Just 1 Year!

Waldorf Woman Scratches Her Second Big Lottery Score in Just 1 Year!

Waldorf player “Twice Is Nice” picked up a $50,000 win on the Ultimate Cash game, only a year after winning $100,000 on a different scratch-off. The $50,000 prize follow’s her 2022 $100,000 score, and will fund a tiny house investment project After she collected a $100,000 Lottery prize in December 2022, a winner from...
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UPDATE: Young Boy Passes Away After Fierce Fight with Cancer

UPDATE: Young Boy Passes Away After Fierce Fight with Cancer

We regret to announce the passing of Finn Cusick on Sunday, December 3, 2023. His family shared the following “At 3:16 p.m. Finn took his last breath and made his journey home. It was very peaceful. He is with God and is suffering no more.” The Charles County Sheriff’s Office shared the following. “On...
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Maryland Natural Resources Police Graduates Class of 2023

Maryland Natural Resources Police Graduates Class of 2023

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police (NRP) welcomed 14 new officers following graduation of its 64th Basic Recruit Class on November 30, 2023. Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz addressed the 14 new officers at their graduation ceremony at Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel. “Congratulations to the hard-working men and women...
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Charles County Sheriff’s Office Warns of Scams

Charles County Sheriff’s Office Warns of Scams

Over the weekend, we received reports of scams in which the suspect called the victims and identified himself as a retired CCSO officer. In each case he told the individual they had an outstanding warrant and in order to settle it, the person had to purchase pre-paid credit cards and then make contact with...
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