Charles News

State Fire Marshal Investigating Large Garage Fire in Mechanicsville, No Injuries Reported

State Fire Marshal Investigating Large Garage Fire in Mechanicsville, No Injuries Reported

5/25/2022: On Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at approximately 8:45 p.m., firefighters from St. Mary’s and Charles County responded to 26446 Three Notch Road in Mechanicsville, for the reported structure on fire. Crews arrived on the scene to find a 3-bay detached garage fully engulfed in flames. 45 firefighters responded and controlled the fire in...
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United States Flag and Maryland Flag Ordered at Half-Staff Due to Mass Shooting in Uvalde, Texas

United States Flag and Maryland Flag Ordered at Half-Staff Due to Mass Shooting in Uvalde, Texas

As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on May 24, 2022, by a gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, President Joseph R. Biden ordered the United States Flag lowered to half-staff effective immediately and returned to full-staff at sunset, Saturday, May 28, 2022. As...
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Charles County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Possible Overdose at Maurice J. McDonough High School

Charles County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Possible Overdose at Maurice J. McDonough High School

On May 24, 2022, at 1:15 p.m., a student at Maurice J. McDonough High School consumed several pieces of candy knowing they were possibly tainted with an unknown substance intended to cause a high. The student became ill and was taken to a hospital by ambulance and treated. Parents are urged to talk with...
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Charles County Sheriff’s Office Locate Lexington Park Sex Offender Who Made Multiple Threats of Mass Violence

Charles County Sheriff’s Office Locate Lexington Park Sex Offender Who Made Multiple Threats of Mass Violence

UPDATE 5/25/2022: Officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office located Earl Benjamin Washington, Jr., 46, in St. Mary’s County today. Emergency medical personnel responded to the area of Three Notch Road and Town Creek Drive in California, for the reported male suspect being unresponsive and vomiting blood. As medical personnel were responding to the...
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Cargill Voluntarily Recalls 795, 8oz Boxes of Product Containing Jif Peanut Butter Due to the Potential for Salmonella Contamination

Cargill Voluntarily Recalls 795, 8oz Boxes of Product Containing Jif Peanut Butter Due to the Potential for Salmonella Contamination

Lititz, Pa.(May 23, 2022) – Cargill is voluntarily recalling select lots of Milk and Dark Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz® Crackers, Peanut Butter Meltaways, Peanut Butter Eggs and Fudge sold locally through the Wilbur Chocolate Retail Store in Lititz, Pa. and online at Wilburbuds.com. The products contain Jif® peanut butter that was recalled by the...
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Ford Recalls Over 39,000 SUV’s Due to Risk of Fire Even If Vehicle is Turned Off

Ford Recalls Over 39,000 SUV’s Due to Risk of Fire Even If Vehicle is Turned Off

Ford has recalled over 39,000 SUVs after 16 engine compartment fires. One injury, zero crashes have been reported. Of the 16 fires, 14 of the vehicles have been owned by rental companies. The recall covers certain 2021 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles in the United States that were built between December 2020 and...
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Governor Hogan Calls on Comptroller Franchot to Minimize Impact of Scheduled Summer Gas Tax Increase

Governor Hogan Calls on Comptroller Franchot to Minimize Impact of Scheduled Summer Gas Tax Increase

Ahead of the summer travel season, Governor Larry Hogan called on Comptroller Peter Franchot to immediately take steps to halt or minimize the impact of the legislative gas tax increase that his office is scheduled to announce in the coming days. Under legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2013, the Comptroller announces gas...
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Charles County CFC Allison Middleton Named 2021 Correctional Officer of the Year

Charles County CFC Allison Middleton Named 2021 Correctional Officer of the Year

Charles County Detention Center (CCDC) Director Brandon Foster, along with Sheriff Troy Berry and members of the CCSO and CCDC Command Staff, are proud to announce that Correctional Officer First Class Allison Middleton has been named the 2021 Correctional Officer of the Year. CFC Middleton was nominated for this recognition by her supervisor, Sergeant...
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Police Arrest Waldorf Man for Armed Robbery of a Citizen

Police Arrest Waldorf Man for Armed Robbery of a Citizen

On May 18, 2022, at 11:40 p.m., officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Post Office Road near Henry Ford Circle for the report of a citizen robbery. A preliminary investigation showed the victim was walking home from work when he was approached by a male who displayed a...
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State Fire Marshal Investigating Vehicle Fire in La Plata

State Fire Marshal Investigating Vehicle Fire in La Plata

On Saturday, May 21, 2022, at approximately 11:45 a.m., firefighters from Charles County responded to 6310 Hawkins Gate Road in La Plata, for the reported vehicle on fire threatening a structure. Crews arrived on the scene and found a vehicle fully engulfed in flames with extensions into the structure. Firefighters extinguished the fire in...
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Charles County Youth Orchestra, Osman Kivrak, Director Celebrates Its Graduating Seniors

Charles County Youth Orchestra, Osman Kivrak, Director Celebrates Its Graduating Seniors

The graduating seniors of the Charles County Youth Orchestra, Eileen Browning, Sam Chernoff, Candace Jackson, Sidney Lewis, Blythe McCammon, and Kelsey Njembu were honored at the CCYO concert on Saturday, May 15, 2022. Blythe McCammon, violinist and a member of CCYO for six years, will attend Towson University to major in Violin Performance. She...
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Charles County Public Hearings: Ollie’s Bar and Grill, Lucianna’s Steak House, and Berry Country Market

Charles County Public Hearings: Ollie’s Bar and Grill, Lucianna’s Steak House, and Berry Country Market

Public Hearing: Ollie’s Bar and Grill Post Date:05/20/2022 7:00 AM LEGAL NOTICE Application has been made to the undersigned by Doreen Elizabeth Harris, Ripley, LLC, t/a Ollie’s Bar & Grill 2, 6970 Hawthorne Road, La Plata, Maryland 20646, to redefine the licensed premises to include a defined Outside Service Area. This application is made...
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Governor Hogan Announces Plan to Deploy $198 Million in Small Business Relief

Governor Hogan Announces Plan to Deploy $198 Million in Small Business Relief

Governor Larry Hogan announced that the State of Maryland will deploy up to $198 million in federal small business relief through the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). Maryland was the first state in the nation to submit its SSBCI deployment plan to the United States Treasury Department, and today was one of the...
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Police Recover Replica Handgun from Thomas Stone High School Student

Police Recover Replica Handgun from Thomas Stone High School Student

On Friday, May 20, 2022, at 8:53 a.m., school administrators at Thomas Stone High School were made aware that a student was possibly in possession of what appeared to be a handgun. The school resource officer located the student and found a replica 9mm airsoft gun, which resembles a semi-automatic firearm. The gun was...
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Waldorf Structure Fire Remains Under Investigation, No Injuries Reported

Waldorf Structure Fire Remains Under Investigation, No Injuries Reported

On Saturday, May 21, 2022, at approximately 9:55 p.m., firefighters from Waldorf, La Plata, Hughesville and surrounding departments responded to 3403 Whitefir Court in Waldorf, for the reported structure fire. Crews arrived on the scene in under 4 minutes and found fire showing from a 2-story residence. The fire started on the exterior of...
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AUDIO: Police Investigating Shooting in White Plains, One Victim Flown to Trauma Center with Gunshot Wound

AUDIO: Police Investigating Shooting in White Plains, One Victim Flown to Trauma Center with Gunshot Wound

On Saturday, May 21, 2022, at approximately 4:25 p.m., police responded to the area of 3695 Prince Edward Drive in White Plains, for multiple 911 callers reporting shots fired. Dispatchers advised to all responding units, multiple 911 callers reported 10 to 20 shots were fired and advised one subject was possibly shot. Police arrived...
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Precise Systems Awarded 5-Year, $41 Million Contract to Provide Services for the Presidential Helicopters Program Office

Precise Systems Awarded 5-Year, $41 Million Contract to Provide Services for the Presidential Helicopters Program Office

Precise Systems announces the award of a 5-year, $41M contract to continue providing project management, acquisition management, and technical support services to PMA-274, the Presidential Helicopters Program Office. PMA-274 is responsible for the life-cycle management of the VH Presidential Helicopters, including the VH-3D, VH 60N, VH-92 aircraft and their support systems. Precise is partnered...
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NSWC IHD Employees Receive Top Navy Civilian Service Awards

NSWC IHD Employees Receive Top Navy Civilian Service Awards

Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) employees Frank Tse and Scott Bumgarner were honored with top civilian service awards on May 12, 2022. Tse, Systems Engineering Department chief engineer, was awarded the Department of the Navy (DON) Meritorious Civilian Service Award, and Bumgarner, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt engineer, was honored...
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Fire and Rescue Personnel Responding to 84 Lumber in Mechanicsville for High Angle Rescue

Fire and Rescue Personnel Responding to 84 Lumber in Mechanicsville for High Angle Rescue

On Thursday, May 19, 2022, at approximately 10:30 a.m., firefighters from Mechanicsville and Hollywood Volunteer Fire Departments responded to the 84 Lumber located at 37675 New Market Turner Road in Mechanicsville, for the service call. The 911 caller advised two workers were stuck in a stalled boom truck, approximately 70 feet in the air....
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NSWC Indian Head Division Employees Recognized at Command Honorary Awards Ceremony

NSWC Indian Head Division Employees Recognized at Command Honorary Awards Ceremony

Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) recognized individuals and teams who made significant contributions to the command’s mission at the annual Honorary Awards ceremony, May 17 at the College of Southern Maryland’s Velocity Center. “One thing my senior enlisted master chief mentors from my Navy career taught me is the importance...
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Peers Recognize CSM Professor Dr. Richard Bilsker With Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award

Peers Recognize CSM Professor Dr. Richard Bilsker With Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award

College of Southern Maryland Professor of Philosophy Dr. Richard Bilsker was recognized during the college’s 63rd Spring Commencement, and during the college’s Academic Excellence Awards program, for receiving the CSM Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award. The award is bestowed upon a full-time professor by members of CSM faculty. “The faculty excellence in teaching award is...
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Charles County Commissioners Adopt Fiscal 2023 Budget of $494 Million

Charles County Commissioners Adopt Fiscal 2023 Budget of $494 Million

On Tuesday, May 17, 2022, the Board of County Commissioners adopted a balanced General Fund budget of $494,446,200, an increase of 9.8 percent over last year. The adopted budget provides historic funding for Charles County Public Schools, makes critical investments in core programs and services, record-level investments in public safety, and does not increase...
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CSM Announces 2022 Spring Commencement Candidates for Graduation

CSM Announces 2022 Spring Commencement Candidates for Graduation

The following students were recognized as candidates for associate degrees, certificates or letters of recognition at the College of Southern Maryland’s (CSM) 63rd Spring Commencement ceremony held Friday, May 13, 2022, at the La Plata Campus. The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) celebrated 432 candidates for 438 degrees and 136 certificates during its 63rd...
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CSM Commemorates 63rd Spring Commencement with 432 Candidates Receiving 438 Degrees, 136 Certificates

CSM Commemorates 63rd Spring Commencement with 432 Candidates Receiving 438 Degrees, 136 Certificates

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) celebrated 432 candidates for 438 degrees and 136 certificates during its 63rd Spring Commencement May 13 at the college’s La Plata Campus. The event marked the return of in-person festivities for the time-honored tradition since the beginning of the global pandemic in 2020. Of the students celebrated, 160 are...
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Berry’s D’Ambrosio Named 2022 Principal of the Year for Charles County Public Schools

Berry’s D’Ambrosio Named 2022 Principal of the Year for Charles County Public Schools

Every time he uses chopsticks, Louis D’Ambrosio silently thanks his first-grade teacher, Rose Eckmann. During a weeklong unit studying Japan, Eckman tasked her students with practicing using chopsticks to pick up pink erasers from their desks. At the end of the week, Eckmann brought in a hot plate and made the class a meal...
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