St. Mary’s News

St. Mary’s County Government Veterans Day Operations 2025

St. Mary’s County Government Veterans Day Operations 2025

All St. Mary’s County Government (SMCG) administrative offices will be closed on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, in observance of Veterans Day. Offices will resume normal operating schedules on Wednesday, November 12, 2025. The November 11 closure also includes: All three St. Mary’s County Libraries (Charlotte Hall, Leonardtown, and Lexington Park) All three Senior Activity...
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Governor Moore Announces $62 Million in State Funding to Ensure Full November SNAP Benefits for Marylanders

Governor Moore Announces $62 Million in State Funding to Ensure Full November SNAP Benefits for Marylanders

Governor Wes Moore today announced the release of $62 million to ensure full November SNAP benefits for Marylanders. Authorized by executive order, the funding represents the State’s contribution to making SNAP recipients whole following a federal judge’s order that the Trump Administration provide contingency funding for the program. “One of the first and most basic...
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Maryland Lottery Winners For Week of Oct.27th to Nov.2nd, 2025

Maryland Lottery Winners For Week of Oct.27th to Nov.2nd, 2025

Two brothers claimed $500,000 in prize money from 10 Pick 5 tickets for the midday drawing on Oct. 29 purchased in Clarksburg, while scratch-off players in Denton and Rockville collected $100,000 each, for the top Maryland Lottery wins of the past week. On all games, players won more than $29.8 million across Maryland in...
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One Injured, One Flown to Trauma Center After Multi-Vehicle Collision in Great Mills

One Injured, One Flown to Trauma Center After Multi-Vehicle Collision in Great Mills

On Friday, October 31, 2025, at approximately 12:07 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the Dyson Building Center located at 20375 Point Lookout Road in Great Mills, for a serious motor vehicle collision with entrapment and one possibly unconscious. Crews arrived on the scene to find at least three vehicles involved...
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LSM Executive Program Studies the Realities of Economic and Workforce Development in Southern Maryland

LSM Executive Program Studies the Realities of Economic and Workforce Development in Southern Maryland

The Leadership Southern Maryland (LSM) Executive Program Class of 2025 met with regional economic and workforce development leaders at the Chesapeake Hills Golf Course Clubhouse in Lusby, Md., Oct. 8 to learn about Southern Maryland’s efforts to attract businesses, create jobs, build and retain workforce talent and grow the region’s economy Participants engaged in...
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Maryland DNR Reintroduces Brook Trout to Once-Vacant Streams

Maryland DNR Reintroduces Brook Trout to Once-Vacant Streams

In early fall, as the leaves on the trees in Maryland’s western counties signal their seasonal transition, brook trout prepare for a change as well as their spawning season will begin soon. During this time, males’ colors become more brilliant, and females create underwater nests called redds where they will lay their eggs. Maryland...
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Motorcyclist Flown to Trauma Center After Striking Tree in Bushwood

Motorcyclist Flown to Trauma Center After Striking Tree in Bushwood

On Thursday, October 30, 2025, at approximately 7:19 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Bushwood Road and Bushwood Wharf Road in Bushwood, for the reported motor vehicle collision involving a motorcycle. Crews arrived on the scene to find a single motorcycle off the roadway and into a tree...
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Bicyclist Flown to Trauma Center After Collision in Lexington Park

Bicyclist Flown to Trauma Center After Collision in Lexington Park

On Wednesday, October 29, 2025, Bay District Volunteer Fire Department Station 3 and surrounding EMS units were dispatched to a motor vehicle collision involving a bicyclist on Maryland Route 235 near the intersection of Lincoln Avenue in Lexington Park. Emergency Communications Center staff, including Assistant Communications Manager David Morris (E-Com2), was first on the...
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Governor Moore Declares State of Emergency to Address Economic Impacts of Federal Government Shutdown and Distribute $10 Million in Emergency Funding to Fight Food Insecurity

Governor Moore Declares State of Emergency to Address Economic Impacts of Federal Government Shutdown and Distribute $10 Million in Emergency Funding to Fight Food Insecurity

Governor Wes Moore today declared a State of Emergency to address the economic impacts of the federal government shutdown and help deliver resources to support Marylanders’ health and welfare. The governor also issued an executive order that will provide $10 million in emergency funding to Maryland food security partners to address the crisis stemming both from the Trump...
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Bay District Volunteer Fire Department Safe Halloween Candy Giveaway This Friday, October 31, 2025

Bay District Volunteer Fire Department Safe Halloween Candy Giveaway This Friday, October 31, 2025

Bay District Volunteer Fire Department invites the community to a fun and safe Halloween celebration! Join us for an evening filled with treats — no tricks! Event Details: Date: Friday, October 31, 2025, from 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM, at 46900 S Shangri-La Drive, Lexington Park, MD 20653 – Who’s Invited: Children of all...
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No, Stores Aren’t Closing Because of SNAP — Here’s What’s Actually Happening (with Southern Maryland Resources)

No, Stores Aren’t Closing Because of SNAP — Here’s What’s Actually Happening (with Southern Maryland Resources)

Rumors are spreading online claiming that Walmart, grocery stores, and even dollar stores will “shut down” because SNAP (food stamp) benefits won’t be issued in November. Some viral posts have gone even further, falsely suggesting that when SNAP payments stop, people will “just take what they want” from stores, that “Walmarts are boarding up,”...
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UPDATE: Police Finally Arrest Fifth Suspect Charged in Connection to May 2025 St. Mary’s County Triple Shooting

UPDATE: Police Finally Arrest Fifth Suspect Charged in Connection to May 2025 St. Mary’s County Triple Shooting

UPDATE 10/30/2025: After nearly six months, authorities have finally made an arrest in the May 3 shooting near Chancellors Run and Pegg roads. On October 29, 2025, deputies with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office took 22-year-old Kareem Tyree Harris of Lexington Park into custody. Harris—previously named in court filings months ago—was served with...
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LEXINGTON PARK MURDER: Surveillance Video Shows Wife Giving Gun to Suspect Moments Before Killing Unarmed Man

LEXINGTON PARK MURDER: Surveillance Video Shows Wife Giving Gun to Suspect Moments Before Killing Unarmed Man

David Scott Jones, 58, of Lexington Park, has been charged in the murder of Carl Joseph Carpenter, that occurred during a confrontation outside a residence on Bellevue Court on October 27, 2025. Court documents filed in the District Court for St. Mary’s County show Jones faces six charges: first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault,...
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CSM to Launch New Aviation Maintenance Technology Associate Degree Program

CSM to Launch New Aviation Maintenance Technology Associate Degree Program

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) is helping students fill critical workforce gaps in the region with a new associate degree program in Aviation Maintenance Technology. The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) has approved the CSM Associate of Applied Science degree in Aviation Maintenance Technology program, making the college the first institution in the...
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UPDATE: Attorney General Brown Now Suing Trump for Unlawfully Suspending SNAP Benefits,

UPDATE: Attorney General Brown Now Suing Trump for Unlawfully Suspending SNAP Benefits,

UPDATE 10/29/2925: Attorney General Brown Sues Trump Administration for Unlawfully Suspending SNAP Benefits, with Governors of Kansas, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania joining. In Maryland, SNAP feeds over 680,000 Marylanders monthly. In May 2025, Maryland SNAP customers included 262,248 children under age 18; 121,615 seniors aged 62 and older; 128,705 people with disabilities; and 28,843 people...
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St. Mary’s County Reports Increased Levels of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

St. Mary’s County Reports Increased Levels of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

Ongoing reports of illness to the St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) have shown a significant increase in hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) and associated outbreaks in the county. SMCHD advises community members to practice preventative measures, especially families with young children in child care facilities and schools. Adults can also be affected...
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St. Mary’s County Organizations Highlight Local Food Resources As SNAP Benefits Potentially Lapse on November 1st, 2025

St. Mary’s County Organizations Highlight Local Food Resources As SNAP Benefits Potentially Lapse on November 1st, 2025

St. Mary’s County organizations are alerting residents that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits may not be distributed on November 1, 2025, due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. This potential interruption could impact more than 11,000 county residents who rely on SNAP benefits for access to food and groceries. The County recognizes the...
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Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Shows Hypoxia Conditions Improved in Late August and September

Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Shows Hypoxia Conditions Improved in Late August and September

Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University showed an above average volume of hypoxia—waters with less than 2 mg/l of oxygen—in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia in early August, that then decreased to below average in late August and September. Early August hypoxia remained consistent...
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CSM Night of Engineering Promotes Pathways to Industry Careers on October 29th, 2025

CSM Night of Engineering Promotes Pathways to Industry Careers on October 29th, 2025

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) is inviting aspiring engineers to explore how regional partnerships are expanding career opportunities during Night of Engineering on October 29, at 6 p.m. Attendees will be introduced to the associate of science degree programs at CSM, transfer pathways to four-year bachelor’s degrees with the University System of Maryland...
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Police Investigating Single Vehicle Hit and Run in Mechanicsville

Police Investigating Single Vehicle Hit and Run in Mechanicsville

On Monday, October 27, 2025, at approximately 10:17 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of 27337 Thompson Corner Road in Mechanicsville, for the reported motor vehicle collision with unknown injuries. Crews arrived on the scene to find a single Ford pickup truck off the roadway, into a utility pole...
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Governor Moore Statement on SNAP Benefit Impacts Due to the Federal Government Shutdown

Governor Moore Statement on SNAP Benefit Impacts Due to the Federal Government Shutdown

Governor Wes Moore released the following statement regarding SNAP benefit impacts due to the federal government shutdown: ​“In a letter dated Oct. 10, the Trump Administration directed the State of Maryland not to issue SNAP benefits. The Trump Administration is also choosing not to release contingency funding for the program, as required by law....
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Ridge VFD Auxiliary Member Awarded With Prestigious Fire and Life Safety Award

Ridge VFD Auxiliary Member Awarded With Prestigious Fire and Life Safety Award

On Friday, October 24th – During the 66th Annual Mid Atlantic Life Safety Conference and Awards Banquet in Annapolis, MD, Ridge VFD Auxiliary Vice President Jessica Snyder was awarded the 2025 John C. Spiker, Sr. Excellence in Life Safety Educator of the Year Award for her outstanding work as our Fire Prevention Co-Lead. This...
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Leonardtown Firefighters Rescue Dog That Fell Down Small Cliff Alongside Breton Bay

Leonardtown Firefighters Rescue Dog That Fell Down Small Cliff Alongside Breton Bay

On Thursday, October 23, 2025, at approximately 3:00 p.m., firefighters from Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department responded to the 41000 block of Solitude Lane in Leonardtown, for the reported animal rescue. 911 callers reported a dog fell down a cliff and was approximately 20 feet down the inaccessible area. Our volunteers responded with 7 personnel...
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Youth, Veteran, and Military Waterfowl Hunting Days Scheduled for 2025-26 Season

Youth, Veteran, and Military Waterfowl Hunting Days Scheduled for 2025-26 Season

Maryland’s youth hunters, veterans, and military personnel will be afforded a unique opportunity to experience the tradition of waterfowl hunting on two special hunt days: Nov. 1, 2025 and Feb. 7, 2026.   “We encourage experienced waterfowl hunters to share waterfowling traditions and the legacy of conservation with youth and veteran hunters,” said Maryland Department...
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College of Southern Maryland Fall Enrollment Reaches Five Year High

College of Southern Maryland Fall Enrollment Reaches Five Year High

This year, the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) welcomed its largest fall enrollment class in five years, as students make new investments in their future success. CSM saw an enrollment increase of 7.7 percent compared to fall 2024, with 5,192 total students now enrolled. This is the third consecutive year fall enrollment has grown,...
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