Charles News

No Injuries After Single Vehicle Overturns in Bryans Road

No Injuries After Single Vehicle Overturns in Bryans Road

On Monday, June 6, 2022, at approximately 4:30 p.m., police, fire and rescue personnel responded to the 7300 block of Billingsley Road in Bryans Road, for the reported motor vehicle collision with one overturned. Crews arrived on the scene to find a single vehicle on its side with both occupants out of the vehicle....
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Hughesville Man Arrested After Serious Motor Vehicle Collision in Mechanicsville, 8-Year-Old and One Adult Flown to Trauma Centers

Hughesville Man Arrested After Serious Motor Vehicle Collision in Mechanicsville, 8-Year-Old and One Adult Flown to Trauma Centers

On Saturday, May 4, 2022, at approximately 6:00 p.m., police, fire and rescue personnel from St. Mary’s and Charles County responded to the area of New Market Road (Rt.6) and Whalen Road in Mechanicsville, for the motor vehicle collision reported serious with one trapped. Firefighters from Charles County arrived on the scene and found...
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Maryland’s Spring 2022 Turkey Harvest Sees 8% Increase

Maryland’s Spring 2022 Turkey Harvest Sees 8% Increase

Maryland hunters harvested 4,208 wild turkeys during the spring 2022 regular and junior turkey seasons, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported. This year’s harvest was 8% higher than the 2021 harvest and just 2% below the record harvest of 4,303 set in 2020. “Although certain areas have experienced declines in turkey populations, some regions of...
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Five La Plata Police Officers Receive Class II Commendations

Five La Plata Police Officers Receive Class II Commendations

Sergeant Philip Thompson, Corporal John Piersa, Police Officer First Class David Clements, Police Officer First Class Jordan Madison, and Officer Robert Tippett receive Class II Commendations in two separate incidents involving illegal firearms. On May 9, 2021 (Mother’s Day), multiple units responded to the area of Marvin Gardens for the report of shots fired....
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Police Recover Box Cutter and Knife from Mary H. Matula Elementary School Student

Police Recover Box Cutter and Knife from Mary H. Matula Elementary School Student

On Wednesday, June 1, 2022, at 1:50 p.m., a student at Mary H. Matula Elementary School reported to a teacher they saw another student with a box cutter. The teacher and a school resource officer recovered the box cutter and spoke with the student. Through further investigation, it was learned a different student was...
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MDOT SHA to Replace Underground Pipe Along Port Tobacco Road – Work Starting Saturday, June 4, 2022

MDOT SHA to Replace Underground Pipe Along Port Tobacco Road – Work Starting Saturday, June 4, 2022

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) will conduct a one-day project on Saturday, June 4, to replace an underground pipe on MD 6 (Port Tobacco Road) in Nanjemoy, Charles County. A detour will be in place until repairs are complete later that day. Beginning at 8 a.m., crews will close...
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Charles County Youth Orchestra Presents Third Annual Concerto Competition: A Free Concert on Saturday, June 4, 2022

Charles County Youth Orchestra Presents Third Annual Concerto Competition: A Free Concert on Saturday, June 4, 2022

The competition, which will begin at 3:00 p.m. on June 4, will be held at Christ Church, 112 Charles St, La Plata, MD. This year seven contestants will perform a recital before a distinguished panel of judges. The judges this year are Jody Gatwood, prize winner in several international violin competitions and Professor Emeritus,...
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State Fire Marshal Investigating Kitchen Fire in Waldorf, One Transported to Hospital with Minor Burns

State Fire Marshal Investigating Kitchen Fire in Waldorf, One Transported to Hospital with Minor Burns

On Thursday, June 2, 2022, 2022, at approximately 11:25 a.m., 50 firefighters in Charles County responded to 2575 Robinson Place in Waldorf, for the reported house on fire. Firefighters arrived on the scene in minutes and reported fire and smoke showing from the front of the 2-story residence. Crews made entry and reported a...
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Governor Hogan Announces Launch of New Maryland.gov

Governor Hogan Announces Launch of New Maryland.gov

Governor Larry Hogan announced that the Maryland Department of Information Technology, in coordination with its partner NIC USA, has launched a new version of the official State of Maryland website, Maryland.gov. The upgrade supports Maryland’s ongoing push toward a unified and mobile-friendly citizen experience across all channels. Maryland.gov analytics and metrics are reviewed annually...
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La Plata High School Celebrates 273 Graduates with Over $14 Million in Scholarships

La Plata High School Celebrates 273 Graduates with Over $14 Million in Scholarships

La Plata High School celebrated its ninety-fourth commencement ceremony celebrating the Class of 2022 June 2 at Regency Furniture Stadium. The class demonstrated traits they share with their school’s mascot — the Warriors. Kailyn Pratta, the class president, recalled the years she and her peers shared which culminated in graduation. After a traditional freshman...
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Thomas Stone High School Celebrates 2022 Graduation, More Than $29.5 Million in Scholarships

Thomas Stone High School Celebrates 2022 Graduation, More Than $29.5 Million in Scholarships

Members of Thomas Stone High School’s Class of 2022 had one more quick adjustment to make before graduation. In hopes of beating a storm that was forecast to sweep the area this afternoon, the school moved its ceremony up by 15 minutes, from 1 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. Thursday. Pivoting is the name of the...
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Henry E. Lackey High School Celebrates Big and Small Accomplishments at Graduation

Henry E. Lackey High School Celebrates Big and Small Accomplishments at Graduation

The 211 graduates of Henry E. Lackey High School celebrated their accomplishments — big and small — during their graduation ceremony June 1 at Regency Furniture Stadium. “For about 720 days, we have been getting up early, preparing ourselves and keeping it together all for this moment,” Tyne Kidd, president of the Class of...
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Westlake High School Confers 268 Diplomas at Graduation Ceremony

Westlake High School Confers 268 Diplomas at Graduation Ceremony

A flood of teal, accented with orange, washed over Regency Furniture Stadium on June 1, 2022, when Westlake High School’s Class of 2022 held graduation ceremony. The 268-member class — which racked up more than $18 million in scholarship offers — was led by valedictorian Ann Ubaka and salutatorian Casey Metzger. Both Ubaka and...
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Charles County Police Investigating Threat of Mass Violence at Robert D. Stethem Educational Center

Charles County Police Investigating Threat of Mass Violence at Robert D. Stethem Educational Center

On June 1, 2022, after students at Robert D. Stethem Educational Center were dismissed for the day, a student told a parent that they heard about another student who made a threat to commit mass violence at the Center. The parent contacted school administrators who notified a school resource officer (SRO). The SRO initiated...
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Replica Firearm Recovered from St. Charles High School Student

Replica Firearm Recovered from St. Charles High School Student

On June 1, 2022, at approximately 1:40 p.m., a student at St. Charles High School reported to a school administrator that another student was in possession of a handgun. The student was located and a replica handgun, which turned out to be a pellet gun, was recovered from the student’s backpack. The Charles County...
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Maurice J. McDonough High School Celebrates a Sense of Community at Graduation

Maurice J. McDonough High School Celebrates a Sense of Community at Graduation

Orange and purple reigned May 31 when Maurice J. McDonough High School’s Class of 2022 graduated at a ceremony held at Regency Furniture Stadium. The class was the second of seven that will graduate from Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) through June 3. The 223 graduates made up one of the smallest classes in...
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Charles County Summer School Starts July 6, 2022, All Courses Free for Students

Charles County Summer School Starts July 6, 2022, All Courses Free for Students

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) 2022 summer school program starts Wednesday, July 6. The schedule includes a mix of make-up and original credit courses. All make-up credit courses will be taught in person and original credit courses will be virtual through the Apex Learning and Zoom online platforms. Costs for all summer school courses...
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Replica Firearm Recovered From Student at La Plata High School Student

Replica Firearm Recovered From Student at La Plata High School Student

On June 1, 2022, at approximately 9:30 a.m., a staff member at La Plata High School reported to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer (SRO) that a student might be in possession of a firearm. The SRO located the student in a classroom and recovered a replica handgun, which turned out to...
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UPDATE: Police Identify Two Students Responsible for Raising Confederate flag at La Plata High School

UPDATE: Police Identify Two Students Responsible for Raising Confederate flag at La Plata High School

UPDATE 6/1/2022:  Charles County Sheriff’s detectives have identified two La Plata High School students as the people responsible for raising a Confederate flag in the school’s parking lot during the overnight hours of May 18, 2022. Investigators worked closely with the Charles County Public Schools and have also consulted with the Charles County State’s...
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Suspected Marijuana Edibles Recovered from Student at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School

Suspected Marijuana Edibles Recovered from Student at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School

On June 1, 2022, a school administrator at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School notified a Charles County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer (SRO) of a student in possession of suspected marijuana edibles. The SRO recovered the edibles from the student and notified a parent. Parents are asked to talk with their children about the dangers...
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St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Seeking Wanted Individual, Shawn Starcher

St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Seeking Wanted Individual, Shawn Starcher

The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the whereabouts of Shawn Christopher Starcher, age 49 of Waldorf. Starcher was placed on pretrial supervision with a GPS device for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Attempting to Elude Police by Failing to Stop. On May 28, 2022, Starcher violated the conditions of his...
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Police Arrest Waldorf Man for Church Burglary and Robbery of a Citizen

Police Arrest Waldorf Man for Church Burglary and Robbery of a Citizen

On May 16, 2022, at 7:00 a.m., officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a burglary at a church located in the 100 block of Village Street in Waldorf. Through investigation, officers identified the suspect as Stephan Matthew Somosky, 33, of Waldorf, and obtained an arrest warrant. On May...
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St. Charles High School Kicks Off 2022 Graduation Ceremonies

St. Charles High School Kicks Off 2022 Graduation Ceremonies

The 336 graduates of St. Charles High School kicked off the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) 2022 commencement season May 31 at Regency Furniture Stadium. Principal Richard Conley in his farewell address to the Spartan Class of 2022 commended the students on braving four years of school like no others in recent history. The...
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Charles County Class of 2022 Includes Over 2,000 Graduates with Over $166 Million Offered in Scholarships

Charles County Class of 2022 Includes Over 2,000 Graduates with Over $166 Million Offered in Scholarships

The Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Class of 2022 will be honored during outdoor graduation ceremonies set for May 31 through June 3, 2022, at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf. CCPS has partnered once again with Regency Furniture Stadium and the Charles County Government to provide nearly 2,100 seniors with graduation ceremonies. The Class...
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Maryland Natural Resources Urges Waterway Safety as Boating Season Hits Full Throttle

Maryland Natural Resources Urges Waterway Safety as Boating Season Hits Full Throttle

The outdoor temperature is rising, and Maryland’s waterways are about to get a lot busier. The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) reminds anglers, boaters, swimmers, and all waterway users to take proper precautions. In 2021, Maryland had 145 reportable boating accidents; 51 of those accidents caused injuries, and six were fatal. These numbers are...
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