The St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) has partnered with the Responsible Retailing Forum to sponsor the 21 Matters™ program. This initiative assists local businesses licensed to sell alcohol in ensuring that staff consistently inspect IDs and refuse sales to underage customers. The majority (95 of 96) of completed inspections from April to June...
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The College of Southern Maryland is proud to announce Megan Allen as the Executive Director of Compliance and Risk Management, effective July 29th, 2025. Allen fills a vital leadership role at the college, focused on strengthening institutional compliance, advancing risk management strategies, and supporting effective policy governance. Allen has more than 20 years of...
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Maryland is home to a diversity of native wildlife and plant species, and the balance between the two can sometimes be difficult to manage. Like rabbits overrunning a garden, an overpopulation of deer will have detrimental effects on the undergrowth and vegetation in a forest. For the Maryland Forest Service, successful stewardship requires finding...
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The U.S. Navy’s Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications Program Office (PMA-271) and Strategic Communications Wing 1 (SCW-1) announced the official popular name for the Navy’s new Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission aircraft: E-130J Phoenix II. In October 2024, the placeholder name E-XX was officially designated as E-130J. As of today, the...
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Terrod Lamar Branson, 39, of Waldorf, has been charged with multiple counts of rape, sexual abuse of a minor, and assault following allegations involving a female juvenile victim, according to court documents filed in the District Court of Maryland for St. Mary’s County. Branson faces charges including first-degree rape, second-degree rape, third-degree sexual offense,...
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Dale Lee Buckler, 58, of Bushwood, is facing multiple criminal charges in two separate cases filed in the District Court for St. Mary’s County. In the first case, filed July 28, 2025, Buckler is accused of stealing equipment from Wentworth Nursery in Mechanicsville on July 11, 2025. According to court documents, Dep. Nichols of...
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Michelle E. Brown, 46, of Mechanicsville, has been charged with one count of indecent exposure following an incident at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center, according to court documents. The charge stems from an August 6, 2025, report in which a female incarcerated individual told the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office that...
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Robert James Grinder, 35, of Leonardtown, faces four separate theft cases in the District Court for St. Mary’s County, each tied to alleged incidents at local retailers. Court records show that three cases were filed by application for charges earlier this summer, while the latest case resulted in an on-view arrest and Grinder being...
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Camisha M. Strickland, 53, of Chaptico, has been charged with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of resisting or interfering with arrest following an incident in Bushwood on August 9, 2025, according to court documents from the St. Mary’s County District Court. Deputy Shannon Lacey of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office...
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Dillon Cole Heiston, 32, of Leonardtown, has been charged with robbery, second-degree assault, and misdemeanor theft following an incident at a convenience store on Point Lookout Road, according to court documents filed in the District Court for St. Mary’s County. On August 12, 2025, deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded around...
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UPDATE 8/12/2025: On Thursday, May 8, 2025, deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office along with emergency medical services personnel responded to the 22000 block of Castle Pollard Way in Great Mills, for the report of an 11-year-old male juvenile not breathing. Life-saving efforts were attempted, and the juvenile was transported to a...
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Jamere Andre Alexander, 37, of Fairfax, VA, is facing multiple firearm and traffic charges following an incident at the Maryland International Raceway in Mechanicsville on August 2, 2025, according to court documents. Troopers were called to the raceway after a vehicle struck a parked, unoccupied RV near a concession stand. Officers identified Alexander as...
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John Kelly, the founder and administrator of the popular Mid-Atlantic Severe Weather Alert Facebook page, suddenly passed away on August 5, 2025, at the age of 50. His partner, Jennifer Kelly, announced his death in a heartfelt social media post, noting the loss was unexpected and that he had no life insurance. For years,...
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The Annual Golf Tournament benefiting Hospice of the Chesapeake is one of the region’s most popular charity golf event. It’s held at a spectacular time, on a beautiful course and for an even better reason — every swing brings hope and every putt makes a difference. This year’s event will take place Thursday, Sept....
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The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County are seeking applications from residents who are interested in serving on a local Board, Committee, or Commission. Volunteering to serve as a member of these groups is an excellent way to meet new people while contributing to the successful operation and development of our community! Visit www.stmaryscountymd.gov/boards for...
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The Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (PMA-263) program team put Long Range Tactical (LRT) systems through their paces during a two-week technical demonstration in Chaptico, Maryland in mid-July. Five vendors attended the event to help inform the Marine Corps of the functions and capabilities available on the commercial market for...
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Join the Second District Volunteer Fire Department & Rescue Squad for our Third Annual Beach Party! We’re bringing the community together for an afternoon of fun, food, games, and summer celebration — perfect for the whole family. 📅 Date: Saturday, August 23, 2025 🕒 Time: 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. 📍 Location: SDVFDRS Fire...
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On Sunday, August 10, 2025, at approximately 3:30 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Chancellors Run Road and FDR Boulevard in Great Mills, for the reported motor vehicle collision with injuries. Crews arrived on the scene in under 1 minute to find a two vehicle head-on style collision...
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UPDATE 8/9/2025 @ 10:45 P.M.: Per the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, Cassandra has been located unharmed – thank you for sharing. The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the community’s assistance in locating Cassandra Dorothy Foard, a 27-year-old White female, who was last seen in Lusby, Maryland, at approximately 9:30 a.m. on...
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The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) has formed a cross-functional Artificial Intelligence (AI) Task Force to lead the strategic integration of AI in teaching, learning, and operations. This initiative reflects the college’s commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation while advancing the goals outlined in its Built for Success strategic plan. Launched in spring...
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Doug Hovland, coordinator of laboratory support for chemistry and biochemistry, served as the local host for the National Association of Scientific Materials Managers (NAOSMM) annual conference this July in Richmond, Virginia. Hovland has been a member of NAOSMM since 2014 and began planning work for the conference in fall 2023. His primary tasks were...
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St. Mary’s County Government’s Department of Recreation & Parks (R&P) is pleased to offer three exciting bus day trips in the coming months: Washington, D.C., Ocean City, MD, and a holiday trip to New York City. Saturday, September 6: Washington D.C. Join R&P on a day trip to the nation’s capital. Participants are free...
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Underwater grass abundance in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay – a key indicator of water quality – fell from 38,188 acres in 2023 to 36,794 acres in 2024, according to data reviewed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. This acreage remains short of the state’s 2025 restoration goal of 79,800 acres. The...
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Maryland’s six casinos combined to generate $165,661,894 in revenue from slot machines and table games during July 2025. The statewide total was down $4,159,416 (-2.5%) compared to July 2024. Casino gaming contributions to the state during July 2025 totaled $71,857,827, a decrease of $305,727 (-0.4%) compared to July 2024. The July 2025 contributions included...
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On Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at approximately 12:43 a.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the area of Point Lookout Road and Potato Hill Farm Lane in Leonardtown, for the reported motor vehicle collision with injuries. The 911 caller reported they rolled their vehicle and was currently in the Dominos parking lot...
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