Charles News

Marbury Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Assault and Weapons Charges

Marbury Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Assault and Weapons Charges

UPDATE 4/4/2024: Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Friday, March 22, 2024, Charles County Circuit Court Judge Monise A. Brown sentenced James Stephen Gass, Jr., 32, of Leonardtown, to a total of 14 years in prison for two separate cases. Gass was sentenced to 9 years for First-Degree Assault against...
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Leadership Maryland Announces Emerging Leader Program Inaugural Class

Leadership Maryland Announces Emerging Leader Program Inaugural Class

Leadership Maryland, the statewide nonprofit offering professional development programs dedicated to building a better Maryland by harnessing the strength of its business and community leaders, announces the 40 individuals selected to participate in the first class of the Emerging Leader Program. The Emerging Leader Program’s Class of 2024 consists of 40 rising stars and...
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Southern Maryland College Fair on April 18, 2024

Southern Maryland College Fair on April 18, 2024

Parents and students are encouraged to virtually tour colleges through Naviance. Additionally, please look for notices of scheduled zoom opportunities with college representatives to be scheduled through Naviance. The Southern Maryland College Fair, sponsored by Calvert County and St. Mary’s County Public Schools, will take place on April 18, 2024 at the Hollywood Firehouse. 
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The Maryland Blue Catfish State Record Has Stood for 12 Years. Can It Be Broken?

The Maryland Blue Catfish State Record Has Stood for 12 Years. Can It Be Broken?

Article by A.J. Metcalf, Director of Communications for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources – The invasive fish has spread throughout Maryland in recent years, but the record held by an Oregon man still stands Ed Jones, an Oregon resident, said he’ll never forget the day he caught the Maryland state record blue catfish. It...
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Waldorf Man Indicted for Stalking, Sex Offense, and Other Related Charges

Waldorf Man Indicted for Stalking, Sex Offense, and Other Related Charges

In mid-February, 2024, Charles County Sheriff’s detectives initiated an investigation into the report of stalking after responding to a call in which a male drove up to two 15-year-old girls near St. Ignatius Drive, asked if they wanted to smoke, and told them to get in his car. The girls refused and ran away,...
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Charles County Sheriff’s Office Regrets to Announce Passing of Norma L. Cox

Charles County Sheriff’s Office Regrets to Announce Passing of Norma L. Cox

In Loving Memory of Norma L. Cox, ID# 11206, Office of the Sheriff. It is with heavy hearts, we share the passing of Norma Cox, a cherished member of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office family. Norma dedicated 30 years of her life (April 1994 – March 2024) to serving the CCSO and our community...
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Maryland State Board of Elections Announces Nearly 600,000 Voters Have Requested Mail-In Ballots Ahead of 2024 Presidential Primary Election

Maryland State Board of Elections Announces Nearly 600,000 Voters Have Requested Mail-In Ballots Ahead of 2024 Presidential Primary Election

The Maryland State Board of Elections is pleased to announce that nearly 600,000 voters have already requested a mail-in ballot for the upcoming 2024 Presidential Primary Election. This represents almost the same amount of requested mail-in ballots from the 2022 General Election. SBE anticipates the demand for requests to exceed the 2022 General Election...
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Maryland State Board of Elections Launches Voter Education Campaign in Advance of 2024 Presidential Primary Election

Maryland State Board of Elections Launches Voter Education Campaign in Advance of 2024 Presidential Primary Election

The Maryland State Board of Elections (SBE) today announced the launch of a multi-pronged voter outreach and education campaign ahead of the Primary Election on May 14, 2024. Designed to generate broad awareness of the Primary Election among Maryland residents, VOTE! MD encourages all eligible voters to make a plan to vote, while providing...
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Charles County Sheriff’s Office Celebrating Women’s History Month – Employee Spotlight

Charles County Sheriff’s Office Celebrating Women’s History Month – Employee Spotlight

Today, we’re shining a light on one of our incredible CCSO employees, Thelery Mack, a dedicated Quality Assurance Specialist at the Communications 9-1-1 Emergency Services Center. Thelery’s journey to CCSO took three decades and she said it was the best decision ever! When she first joined the workforce, Thelery was a federal government employee...
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Hospice of the Chesapeake’s Culinary Event Raises $100K for Care in Calvert County

Hospice of the Chesapeake’s Culinary Event Raises $100K for Care in Calvert County

The Calvert County community came together to enjoy fine cuisine, local wines and spirited dancing, helping to raise more than $100,000 for Hospice of the Chesapeake at the 11th annual Culinary Event held March 22 at The Hall at Huntingtown. All proceeds will be used to grow and strengthen programs in Calvert County and...
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Charles County Sheriff’s Office Conducting Impaired Driver Checkpoint Today

Charles County Sheriff’s Office Conducting Impaired Driver Checkpoint Today

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Traffic Operations Unit is conducting an impaired driver checkpoint on March 28, 2024, as part of an ongoing effort to educate and remind people about the dangers of impaired driving. The initiative is funded in part by the Maryland Highway Safety Office Impaired Driving Enforcement grant.
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Celebrating Success: New Graduates from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit!

Celebrating Success: New Graduates from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit!

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is thrilled to announce the graduation of three incredible K9 officers and their partners! Join us in congratulating: Charles County Sheriff’s Officer PFC John Fromme #543 and K9 Tango Forest Heights Police Department Corporal Khari Grooms and K9 Diesel Forest Heights Police Department PFC Jeremy Nugent and K9 Pyro...
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PG County Man Arrested for Burglaries in Charles County with Nearly $25,000 of Merchandise Stolen

PG County Man Arrested for Burglaries in Charles County with Nearly $25,000 of Merchandise Stolen

Detectives have arrested a suspect wanted in connection with four commercial burglaries that occurred at two Waldorf businesses. The burglaries occurred between March 17 and March 20th, 2024; one of the burglaries occurred in the 2300 block of Crain Highway and three others occurred in the 2400 block of Old Washington Road. In the...
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Waldorf Native Serves with U.S. Navy Aboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story

Waldorf Native Serves with U.S. Navy Aboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story

Petty Officer 1st Class Elantra Robinson, a native of Waldorf, Maryland, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek. Robinson graduated from Westlake High School in 2010. The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Waldorf. “Being a hard worker and being dependable...
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Maryland State Department of Education Publishes Graduation and Dropout Rates for the 2022-2023 School Year

Maryland State Department of Education Publishes Graduation and Dropout Rates for the 2022-2023 School Year

The Maryland State Department of Education released data on the four-year cohort graduation rate for students graduating from Maryland public schools in the spring of 2023. The four-year 2023 cohort graduation rate was 85.8%, down from 86.3% in the prior year. Students in the 2023 cohort entered ninth grade in the 2019-2020 school year...
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Thomas Stone High School Senior Dejah Bishop Receives Maryland Emerging Scholars Award

Thomas Stone High School Senior Dejah Bishop Receives Maryland Emerging Scholars Award

Dejah Bishop, a senior at Thomas Stone High School, was recently named a Maryland Emerging Scholar by the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education (MBRT) in collaboration with The Daily Record, a news media company in Maryland. MBRT recognizes 24 high school students out of nearly 300 applicants across the state to represent their school...
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Police Investigating Motor Vehicle Collision in Waldorf That Killed 33-Year-Old Bicyclist

Police Investigating Motor Vehicle Collision in Waldorf That Killed 33-Year-Old Bicyclist

On Sunday, March 24, 2024, at approximately 2:54 p.m., Troopers from Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack responded to Maryland Route 5 (Mattawoman-Beantown Road) and Pinefield Road for a report of a serious motor vehicle collision. Due to the circumstances, a Collision Reconstruction Specialist (CRS) was requested and TFC. M. Posch of the MSP...
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Police in Charles County Investigating Fatal Motor Vehicle Collision That Claims Life of Indian Head Woman

Police in Charles County Investigating Fatal Motor Vehicle Collision That Claims Life of Indian Head Woman

On Saturday, March 23, 2024, at approximately 9:52 p.m., Troopers from Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack responded to the 4800 block of Livingston Road for a report of a serious motor vehicle collision. Due to the circumstances, a Collision Reconstruction Specialist (CRS) was requested and TFC. J. Engleman of the MSP Leonardtown Barrack...
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Celebrating Maryland Day – March 25th, 2024

Celebrating Maryland Day – March 25th, 2024

What is Maryland Day? On March 25, 1634, the Ark and the Dove, carrying 150 European settlers, landed on St. Clements Island. In 1916, the General Assembly passed legislation officially making Maryland Day a state holiday. Maryland Day commemorates the first landing of English colonists on St. Clement’s Island on March 25, 1634 –...
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La Plata Police Department’s Compliance Coordinator Jacquelyn DeSoto Earns Accreditation Manager Certification Through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies

La Plata Police Department’s Compliance Coordinator Jacquelyn DeSoto Earns Accreditation Manager Certification Through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies

During the 131st Conference of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies C.A.L.E.A. (CALEA), LPPD’s Compliance Coordinator Jacquelyn DeSoto was awarded Accreditation Manager Certification. Ms. DeSoto is the second accreditation manager to earn the award in Maryland. Nationwide, only 67 individuals have received the prestigious certification from CALEA, with a current enrollment of...
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SMECO Nominating Committee to Meet in May 2024

SMECO Nominating Committee to Meet in May 2024

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative’s (SMECO) Board of Directors has appointed 10 members to the 2024 Nominating Committee scheduled to meet on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at SMECO’s headquarters in Hughesville. The committee will review candidate applications for the five Board positions to be elected this year. Elections will be held to fill one position...
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Decades-Long Mystery Solved: Jane Doe, Homicide Victim, Identified 25 Years Later Following News Report

Decades-Long Mystery Solved: Jane Doe, Homicide Victim, Identified 25 Years Later Following News Report

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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UPDATE: Suspect Suffers Serious Injuries After High Speed Crash During Pursuits Involving Suspects Wanted for Burglary of Gun Store in Charles County

UPDATE: Suspect Suffers Serious Injuries After High Speed Crash During Pursuits Involving Suspects Wanted for Burglary of Gun Store in Charles County

UPDATE 3/22/2024: On March 22 at 3:39 a.m., officers responded to the 2200 block of Crain Highway in Waldorf for the report of a burglary in progress. The initial information indicated a vehicle rammed through the back door of a pawn shop and at least three suspects entered the store. Officers arrived and observed...
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Police Investigating “Fight Clubs” at McDonough High School and Robbery Related to Fight Earnings

Police Investigating “Fight Clubs” at McDonough High School and Robbery Related to Fight Earnings

On Wednesday, March 19, 2024, school administrators at Maurice McDonough High School alerted a school resource officer of an assault and robbery that occurred inside a bathroom during school hours. Upon being notified, the SRO initiated an investigation. A preliminary investigation showed the student was in a school bathroom when two other students entered,...
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No Injuries Reported After Shed Fire Mechanicsville

No Injuries Reported After Shed Fire Mechanicsville

On Thursday, March 21, 2024, at approximately 2:15 p.m., firefighters from Mechanicsville, Hollywood, Leonardtown, Newburg, and Hughesville responded to the 29000 block of Rollins Lane in Mechanicsville, for the reported shed on fire. Crews arrived on the scene to report an approximately 20 x 20 shed fully engulfed in flames and threatening a residence....
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