Columbus
Maryland Independent
Brewster's books honor first responders
The Maryland Writers’ Association created the Writers’ Round Table Program to encourage writers, poets, playwrights and authors through monthly articles and activities. The Notable Maryland Author articles and associated Fun With Words writers’ prompts are the centerpiece of the program. Each month, Southern Maryland Newspapers will feature a Maryland Writer’s Association article about an author. Marylanders are encouraged to read the articles and try their hand at the writing prompts each month. ...
Charles County employees no longer get off Monday after Super Bowl
Charles County employees will have to be back to work bright and early on Super Bowl Monday next year. At their June 11 meeting, the Charles commissioners approved county government’s 2025 calendar in a split vote, after two commissioners were advocating for more holidays for county employees. Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II (D), Commissioner Ralph E. Patterson II (D) and Commissioner Thomasina “Sina” Coates (D) voted in favor of...
Organizations catalog 65 Black beaches, other historical sites
Historical locations are important and recently the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation partnered with the Chesapeake Conservancy to shine a light on some of these lesser-known areas in the country. A total of 65 historical Black beaches and other regional places of historical significance, including 30 in Maryland, made the list. “It’s all a story of resiliency,” Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation President and Founder Vince Legget said to Southern...
Community split on renaming school bearing slave owner's moniker
After a survey, stakeholder sentiment on whether or not to rename General Smallwood Middle School is split. Results revealed at the June 11 Charles County Board of Education meeting revealed that while some stakeholder groups who were surveyed skewed one way or another, the overall results of the 646 surveyed reflect 42% in favor of renaming the school and 42% against. The remaining 16% reported that they had “no opinion.” ...
Officials band together to give child unforgettable birthday
Local officials came together to give Jabril Carroll, a local boy battling a rare and aggressive brain tumor, an eighth birthday party with his own parade and his favorite superheroes last Saturday at the community outreach center in Bryan’s Road. The June 8 event was brought together through the efforts of Del. Edith J. Patterson (D-Charles), Commissioner Thomasina “Sina” Coates (D), G.S. Proctor & Associates and Gloria Jolly of the Bryans Road Shopping Center Community Outreach Center. ...
Vehicle fire under investigation
The Marbury Volunteer Fire Department responded on June 10 at 5:10 a.m. to a vehicle fire at 8315 Dashing Place in Welcome. The fire took 10 minutes to control and resulted in a loss of $2,550. A second vehicle in the driveway was also damaged, and the fire’s cause remains under investigation, according to the Maryland fire marshal’s office. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Office of the State Fire Marshal at 410-414-3600 or 410-414-3611.
Fire results in $300,000 of damages
On June 5 around 6:26 p.m., the Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department responded to 5612 Needlefish Court in Waldorf for the report of a fire. The blaze took 50 minutes to control and resulted in structural losses of $250,000 and the loss of $50,000 in contents in the home, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The fire began in the attic of the home, according to the fire marshal office. The preliminary cause is undetermined and the fire remains under investigation.
Community briefs
Cain to perform Virgil Cain will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, June 14, at the Blue Dog Saloon and Restaurant, 7940 Port Tobacco Road in Port Tobacco. Cain has performed his solo show for the last 20 years throughout the east coast. Call 301-392-1740. Roof Top car night set Rod ‘N Reel Resort will host...
Charles County briefs
Students, teacher earn History Day recognition Three Charles County Public Schools students recently competed in the Maryland History Day competition at the University of Maryland, College Park and received awards. Marcellus White, an eighth grader at Piccowaxen Middle School, Madisyn Felix, an eighth-grader at St. Mary’s School Bryantown, and Liam Carsia, a seventh-grader at Milton M. Somers Middle School, were each honored with awards. Theodore G. Davis Middle School social studies teacher Sydney Houdeshell was honored as the 2024 History Day Teacher of the Year. ...
Library links
A teen collaborative art project will be held all day June 14-15 and 17-20, at the Waldorf West branch. Help make Teen Central an art space. Free showers will be available 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, June 14, at the Waldorf West branch. No registration required. Get Inked will be held 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, June 14, at Shop53 Tattoo & Art Studio, 6 St. Mary’s Ave.,...
Starting drama
Esperanza Sanchez Soliz, 8, of Waldorf performs during the first concert of the Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School drama club on June 4. Students from grades 2 to 5 took part the musical “THWAKED” by Dave and Jean Perry under the direction of Denise Pratt, the school’s music and orchestra teacher. The scenery and costumes were made by the young artists, and the club extended their thanks Karen Lewis, principal Brown Elementary.
Kazim honored with CSM faculty award
The College of Southern Maryland honored early childhood professor Shaneeza Kazim with the college’s Faculty Excellence Award during its Academic Excellence Award Recognition ceremony on May 8. The award honors faculty for outstanding achievement in classroom teaching, contributions both to their department and the college, professional development and community commitment. “Being chosen for this award is an incredible honor and privilege, as I am being recognized by my colleagues for...
Police: Man shot in face by son in Nanjemoy
Charles sheriff's officers arrested a teenager who allegedly shot his father in the face on Memorial Day. Officers responded on May 27 around 1:30 a.m. to a shooting in the 9100 block of Jessie Lizzy Place in Nanjemoy. A man was allegedly shot in the face by his 18-year-old son, and the son fled prior to police arrival on the scene, according to Diane Richardson, a spokesperson for the Charles...
Over 600 people flood neighborhood for social media promoted pool party
On June 1, at 7:30 p.m., patrol officers responded to Inheritance Drive in Brandywine following reports of an exceptionally large party, traffic complaints and disorderly behavior. Upon arrival, officers observed approximately 200 cars parked on the street and in yards throughout the neighborhood, a press release from Charles County Sheriff’s Office said. Hundreds of people, possibly between 600 to 800, were attempting to attend a pool party at a single-family...
Waldorf middle school's first nurse retires after 28 years
After working in Charles public schools for nearly three decades, Shelley Rutkai, one of the county’s longest standing nurses and the only nurse that John Hanson Middle School has ever known, will retire this summer. Rutkai, formerly Presnell, grew up in southern Prince George’s County and attended nursing school at The Catholic University of America. Rutkai did not always know she wanted to work in a school, but fell in love with helping students after given the opportunity 28 years ago. ...
Police: Man shot in face by son in Nanjemoy
Charles sheriff's officers arrested a teenager who allegedly shot his father in the face on Memorial Day. Officers responded on May 27 around 1:30 a.m. to a shooting in the 9100 block of Jessie Lizzy Place in Nanjemoy. A man was allegedly shot in the face by his 18-year-old son, and the son fled prior to police arrival on the scene, according to Diane Richardson, a spokesperson for the Charles...
Southern Maryland police briefs
Traffic stop leads to gun, drug charges On May 28 at 1:58 a.m., Officer J. Gordon of the Charles sheriff’s office initiated a traffic stop in the 5100 block of Indian Head Highway in Indian Head for equipment violations on a vehicle. Upon contacting the driver, the officer noted the driver’s license was suspended. The officer also observed a bottle of cough syrup with codeine in plain view, a release...
Charles school system receives federal dollars for electric school buses
Charles County Public Schools has been awarded a $1.2 million rebate through the Environmental Protection Agency 2023 Clean School Bus Program. The funding will support the replacement of six of the system’s buses with “zero-emission, clean electric school buses,” according to a release from the school system. The school system will receive two of the electric buses, with the remaining four electric buses to be designated to Charles County bus contractors. ...
Charles public schools to host variety of summer camps
Charles County Public Schools is offering enrichment camps, academic and athletic programs and career exploration this summer for students in kindergarten to the 12th grade. Summer enrichment camps for students in kindergarten through eighth grade will be held in two sessions — June 24-28 and Aug. 5-9, Mondays through Fridays. The morning sessions will be held from 8:30-11 a.m. with the afternoon session from 12:30-3 p.m. Camps for students in Grades 1 through 8 will be held at Mattawoman Middle School and Berry Elementary School....
College of Southern Maryland holds 65th commencement
The College of Southern Maryland celebrated its 65th spring commencement on May 10 with ceremonies highlighting The School of Liberal Arts, the School of Professional and Technical Studies and the School of Science and Health. The college celebrated 449 candidates for graduation for earning 367 degrees and 111 certificates during three commencement ceremonies. Of the graduates, 46.3% percent were from Charles County, 30.5% percent were from St. Mary’s County, 21.8%...
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.