District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Kiara Smith, 28, of Prince George’s County, to 42 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, in connection with the scheme. Judge Boardman also ordered Smith to pay $3.5 million in restitution and...
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The Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, a cooperative effort between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, estimates a total of 349 million blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay in 2026, a 46% increase over the estimate of 238 million crabs last year. The survey also estimated...
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The number of wildfires in Maryland in 2025 remained steady but total acres burned nearly doubled, largely due to arson, according to the Maryland Forest Service’s Annual Wildland Fire Report. The report covers wildfires across 3.2 million acres of land overseen by the Maryland Forest Service. In Maryland, 172 wildland fires burned 8,167 acres during...
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The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Gun Crimes Unit charged a man with 66 offenses in connection with a violent crime spree on Friday afternoon. The suspect is 68-year-old Larry James Simpson of Glen Burnie. Additional charges against him maybe pending. Simpson committed multiple shootings and carjackings at five locations across the northern portion...
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The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Homicide Unit charged a son with murdering his mother on Tuesday. The suspect is 54-year-old Darrick Alston of Cheverly. He’s charged with fatally stabbing 80-year-old Brenda Wheeler of Cheverly. On May 12, 2026, at approximately 9:10 am, officers with the Cheverly Police Department were called to a domestic...
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St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the National Public Honors College, graduated 400 students with Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees during an outdoor ceremony on the College’s Townhouse Green. Alumnus Brandon Scott ’06, Baltimore’s 52nd mayor, delivered the keynote address. In his message, Scott told the Class...
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The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) will host industry, academic, and elected leaders for the Southern Maryland Regional Quantum Technologies Forum on Wednesday, May 20, at the La Plata Campus to explore the growing impact of quantum technology on regional industries and workforce development. The event will take place at 8:30 a.m. – 4:30...
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Police make three arrests after two large-scale illegal car rallies were dismantled by members of the Maryland Car Rally Task Force this past weekend in Baltimore and Montgomery counties. The joint operation started at 9:00 p.m. Friday night and continued through 3:00 a.m. Saturday morning. During the enforcement, police located and dismantled two exhibition...
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By: Christine Condon, May 4, 2026 – Maryland Matters. MM is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. In dark corners and supply closets in firehouses across Maryland sit gallons upon gallons of a toxic firefighting foam that firefighters can no longer use. In 2022, the state legislature passed a...
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The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) celebrated its 127 student athletes and their achievements during the annual athletics banquet on Wednesday, April 29. The special night of recognition honors the hard work student athletes put in each day to find success in their sport and in the classroom. CSM President Dr. Yolanda Wilson opened...
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Maryland State Police are investigating a fatal crash that occurred early Sunday morning in Anne Arundel County. The deceased is identified as Yolanda Hardy, 33, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland. She was pronounced deceased on the scene by emergency medical services personnel. She was a passenger in a Ford Explorer involved in the crash. The...
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Spring is a season when we celebrate nature’s emergence and revival, and it’s also when we recognize its awesome and sometimes devastating power. In April, we celebrated Arbor Day with a renewed purpose to plant more trees and at the same time recognized Flood Awareness Month with goals to better protect our lives and...
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UPDATE 5/12/2026: A 27-count Indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court charging four men in connection with a conspiracy that used the “Jaws of Life” to commit robberies of convenience store ATMs in Maryland and the District, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Jeff Crews, 35 David Walker, 40 Maurice Roots, 35 Kevin...
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Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced today that five defendants associated with the Sin City Deciples outlaw motorcycle club were sentenced after pleading guilty to participating in a criminal organization and engaging in a motorcycle theft scheme exceeding $100,000. The convictions arise from a multi-jurisdictional investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General’s...
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The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) welcomed 41 business students to its Delta Phi chapter of the international honor society, Kappa Beta Delta, representing the largest class in CSM history. Inductees were recognized during a ceremony at the Regional Hughesville Campus on Thursday, April 23. The honor society is open to business students in...
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Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland (USAO-MD), honored 19 staff members, eight law enforcement officers, and one civilian, for their contributions to upholding the Office’s mission. USAO-MD hosted its annual awards ceremony at the Edward A. Garmatz United States District Courthouse where Hayes also introduced 19 new Assistant U.S. Attorneys,...
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The Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit is investigating Friday’s fatal crash involving a school bus in Accokeek. The deceased driver is 23-year-old Dequan Gravely of Bryans Road, MD. On May 8, 2026, at approximately 7:20 a.m., officers responded to Indian Head Highway and Pine Drive for a reported collision involving three vehicles. The preliminary...
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Fongie Victor Tengwei, 40, of Lanham, has been charged in Charles County District Court with four misdemeanor offenses after authorities said he used another person’s identifying information during an alleged fraud attempt at a Navy Federal Credit Union branch in Waldorf. The charges include identity fraud involving information theft valued at $100 to less...
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Lexcia Mackenzie Carr, 26, of District Heights, is facing misdemeanor charges of obstructing and hindering, failing to obey a reasonable and lawful order, and disorderly conduct after an early-morning traffic stop in North Beach, according to District Court records filed in Calvert County. The case, filed May 5, 2026, remains open in District Court...
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The weather’s warming and the sunlight is lengthening, leading us all to spending more time outside. Continuing our exploration of the diverse and wonderful ecology of Maryland, we turn to the ephemeral spring moons and all they represent! Recorded in English as far back as 1779, Indigenous peoples of the Americas have named the full...
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Governor Wes Moore approved the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s 2026 Qualified Allocation Plan, which allocates State funding and federal tax credits to fund affordable housing projects. The plan will guide more than $300 million worth of investments in housing development by incentivizing project readiness and community amenities, increasing the federal tax...
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The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fishing and Boating Services Unit has been awarded $96,572 from the nonprofit Blue Convergence Fund to develop a climate resilient fishery management plan for the state. This project was funded in February 2026 as part of the 2025 Climate Resilient Fisheries Engagement Grants and is one of only 11...
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Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard will celebrate National Italian Ice Day on Sunday, May 3, 2026, with a free small Italian Ice offer for app users. Guests can receive a free small Italian Ice with the purchase of any treat at participating Rita’s locations nationwide. The single-use reward will be available through the...
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MSP April 30, 2026 – Maryland State Police are investigating a fatal crash in Prince George’s County. The deceased is identified as Brenda Godbolt, 61, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland. She was pronounced deceased on the scene by emergency medical service personnel. Godbolt was the driver and sole occupant of a Mazda 3 involved in...
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In celebration of Governor Wes Moore proclaiming May to be Bike Month, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) today announced a series of events highlighting the importance of bike safety, equitable access and healthy lifestyles. The events further the Department’s Serious About Safety initiative to protect lives and reduce the number of road fatalities, especially for...
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