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Dorchester Star
DCPS approves fiscal year 2025 budget in 3 to 1 vote
CAMBRIDGE — Although the Dorchester County Board of Education approved the district’s fiscal year 2025 budget on June 3, not everyone felt what was proposed was ready for approval. On social media, county residents shared there concerns, and board member Chris Wheedleton, who could not be at the meeting due to a work conflict, said he was shocked when he found out it had been approved. “I as a board...
County talks Blueprint with MACo
CAMBRIDGE — Maryland Association of Counties President Johnny Olszewski told the Dorchester County Council at a council meeting June 4 that Dorchester County is not alone in “feeling the pinch” from the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future requirements. “It’s large counties too,” said Olszewski, who is also the county executive for Baltimore County and the Democratic nominee Maryland’s 2nd congressional district. “I think we’re seeing, every year, a few more jurisdictions of varying sizes as sort of hitting that point where it’s like ‘Oh man, how...
Mingay places first overall at the annual running of IRONMAN Eagleman 70.3
CAMBRIDGE — Before Sunday morning’s sunrise had even begun, thousands of tri-athletes from across the world plunged into the cold of the Choptank river for a 1.2 mile swim, marking the start of the annual IRONMAN Eagleman 70.3 triathlon. The event, a Cambridge staple since 1997, is one of the longest-running triathlon events in the country. Family, friends and spectators lined the perimeter of Cambridge’s Gerry Boyle park, named after the late triathlon innovator Gerry Boyle, to watch the athletes battle the rigid course. Equipped...
Two plead guilty in Eastern Shore Hospital Center shooting and escape
CAMBRIDGE — Two men have pleaded guilty to charges related to an August 2023 escape from the Eastern Shore Hospital Center. Darrin Jeter, 20, of Rockville, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised probation for first-degree escape. With eight years of his prison sentence suspended, Jeter will have to serve two years in prison and will get credit for 310 days already served. Israel Labastida...
Darling Ingredients fined $15K for pollution violations
LINKWOOD — The Maryland Department of the Environment fined Darling Ingredients $15,000 for repeated pollution violations at its Linkwood facility. According to a news release from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, MDE inspections revealed 51 violations made between August 2023 and March 2024 by the owner of Valley Proteins, an animal waste rendering facility in Dorchester County that processes poultry byproducts. The company violated a requirement that it must leave at...
Dorchester County Council passes budget, looks ahead
CAMBRIDGE — The Dorchester County Council unanimously passed its balanced fiscal year 2025 budget at a meeting on May 28, acknowledging what it took to get the budget across the finish line as well as what challenges are likely coming down the pike. “Next year’s going to be bad,” Council President Lenny Pfeffer said at the end of the meeting. “This year we made it by the skin of our teeth to balance this budget.” ...
Hogan visits Dorchester County, receives endorsements from County Council members
CAMBRIDGE — U.S. Senate candidate and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan walked the aisles of Simmons Center Market in Cambridge last Wednesday afternoon, perusing meats and cheeses and checking out the old the antique cash registers that lined the top row of one of the market’s shelves. Walking the aisles with him were market owner and Dorchester County Councilman Ricky Travers, and County Council Vice President Mike Detmer. Both Travers, a Democrat, and Detmer, a Republican, endorsed Hogan from their respective sides of the aisle...
Remembering friends and neighbors on Memorial Day
CAMBRIDGE — Marine veteran and Dorchester County Council Vice President Mike Detmer has a vivid memory of a small moment that occurred while he was serving in Fallujah, Iraq in the early 2000s. Detmer was sitting on his rack, or bed, when he saw his friend and platoon mate Brad Arms enter the room shared by lance corporals and private first class Marines. Arms had just arrived back from patrolling with the infantry outside the city for multiple days. On these patrols, you could forget...
Rideout, Harrington not running for reelection
CAMBRIDGE — Come October, Cambridge voters will not see the names Stephen Rideout or Jameson Harrington on their ballots. The mayor and commissioner, respectively, have said they will not be seeking reelection for when their terms are up in 2025. For Rideout, who is turning 81 this summer, this has always been the plan. He said when he ran in 2022, he only intended to fill the remainder of former...
'Freaknik' event in Cambridge ends in eight arrests
CAMBRIDGE — An unsanctioned "Freaknik" event in the area of Greenwood Avenue and Cosby Avenue on May 25 resulted in eight arrests. According to a news release from the Cambridge Police Department, at least 400 people were estimated to have been a part of the gathering. Cambridge Police said there was fighting at the Cambridge event on May 25, and attendees gathered in residential complexes that have "no trespassing" and...
Cambridge police investigating alerts of shots fired
CAMBRIDGE — The Cambridge Police Department is investigating two shots fired incidents. According to a press release from CPD, officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert around 3:41 a.m. on May 25 for multiple shots fired in the area of Race and Muir streets. Police said officers on the scene found spent 9mm shell casings in the area. Officers did not find any victims or notice any property damage. Police said...
Dorchester BOE narrows down superintendent search to two candidates
CAMBRIDGE — The Dorchester County Board of Education has narrowed down its superintendent search to two candidates. An announcement of an offer is expected as soon as this week. In a June 3 press release, the Board of Education said it had received 37 qualified applications through its partnership with Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, the group selected to support and guide the search. The largest number of applications came from Maryland, but applications were submitted from applicants across the country. ...
NDHS Eagles fly the nest
HURLOCK — Although the rain prevented 149 North Dorchester High School graduates from ending their graduation ceremony at the flagpole outside the school to throw their caps into the air — an NDHS tradition — it didn’t stop those caps from flying through the sky of the school’s auditorium on May 29. Before those caps reached the heights of the building, and before the students wearing them walked across the auditorium stage to receive their diplomas from Dorchester County Public Schools Interim Superintendent Jymil Thompson...
'Unparalleled resilience, adaptability and determination'
CAMBRIDGE — It was during summer break of last year that Wil and Luke Reinbold found out they just might end up sharing a title other than twin. “I was starting on college applications and they were asking for my class rank,” Wil said in an interview with the Star Democrat. “So I emailed my guidance counselor, and she got back to me and told me that I was ranked first, and I was tied with my brother.” ...
Cambridge Rotarians tour Patriot Point
Hugh Middleton, Patriot Point vice president of operations and development, and his wife, Joy, hosted a tour of Patriot Point for the Rotary Club of Cambridge. Hugh spoke about the history of the retreat and its mission. “Patriot Point is the Military Bowl Foundation’s 294-acre retreat that provides safe, secure and tranquil outdoor recreational retreat facility for wounded, ill and injured active duty service members, veterans and their families and caregivers who face daily struggles related to their time spent defending our great nation,” he...
Caucus of African American Leaders, Alpha Kappa Alpha ask for Malkus Bridge Resolution
CAMBRIDGE — A wave of pink and green formed among a sea of residents and visitors at the start of a Cambridge City Council meeting on May 20. The pink-and-green-clad women, members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, had come to the City Council meeting with members of the Caucus of African American Leaders to ask that a resolution regarding the Frederick C. Malkus Jr. Bridge be introduced. “You may...
Hurlock vehicle fire under investigation
HURLOCK — The Office of the State Fire Marshal is investigating a vehicle fire that occurred on Mission Hill Road in Hurlock on May 22. According to a news release from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the fire started in the passenger compartment of the black, four-door Pontiac. The preliminary cause of the fire is still under investigation, but the Office of the State Fire Marshal said the...
New Beginnings Youth and Family Services receives donation
Aaron’s, a rent-to-own furniture store in Easton, donates $1,000 to New Beginnings Youth and Family Services on Feb. 15. New Beginnings offers programs and activities to “increase critical thinking skills while creating a positive learning environment for children and their families,” according to its website. Pictured in the photo (adults from left) are New Beginnings Executive Director Goldie Cooper, Cambridge City Council President Lajan Cephas, JoAnn E. McCready, and Aaron’s Sales Manager Jennifer Kilmon along with three children in the New Beginnings program.
Teen continues Dorchester seafood heritage, celebrates one year of retail
CAMBRIDGE — The rain held for off long enough Thursday afternoon beside Cambridge Creek, allowing attendees of the Choptank River Crab & Oyster Co. ribbon-cutting event to mingle, eat fresh seafood and celebrate 19-year-old Mason Little's wholesale and retail business. Hosted by the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce, the ribbon-cutting event recognized the one-year anniversary of Little's retail venture. Although he is young, Little isn't new to the seafood biz. He...
Dorchester Garden Club awards scholarships to two Dorchester County Students
The Dorchester Garden Club presented college scholarship awards to two high school graduates from Dorchester County at a ceremony at Dorchester Career and Technology Center on May 20. This year’s recipients were Myra Lehn of Cambridge South Dorchester High School, who will be studying to become a dermatologist at Towson University and Peter Lescomb of North Dorchester High School who will be studying meteorology at Salisbury University. This year’s Dorchester Garden Club scholarship committee included club members Billie Norton, Patti Hopkins, Becky Wozny and Julie Bryan. “Both Myra and Peter have had outstanding academic achievements and are well deserving of these scholarships as they continue on in their studies,” noted Committee Chair Billie Norton.
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