Columbus
Maryland Independent
Unlocking the secrets of Southern Maryland's museums
A mysterious painting, a relic from a dark night in history, a keepsake from a World War II vessel and a piece of candy. These are just some of the mysteries at Southern Maryland museums. Visitors to the Bayside History Museum in North Beach can learn about Camp Roosevelt, Maryland’s first permanent Boy Scout camp, see a list of each of the passengers on the Mayflower and an 1876 Wooten desk. But one everyday object on display has a mysterious background. ...
A rousing reading
Theresa Mitchell Dudley, vice president of the Maryland State Educators Association, recently visited Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School to donate 20 books to the school library on behalf of MSEA and read a book to Amy Segars’ fifth-grade class. Dudley was joined by Sean Heyl, president of the Education Association of Charles County, and Dedra Van Gelder, content specialist for library media for the Charles school system, who also read to and played the ukulele with Higdon chorus students.
Wilson inaugurated as sixth CSM president
Yolanda Wilson was officially inaugurated as the sixth president of the College of Southern Maryland on March 28. Wilson has served as the president since Jan. 3, 2023, and is the first African American to have the job in the college’s 65-year history. Before becoming the president of CSM, Wilson was vice president of instruction at the Ashe Campus and Alleghany Center of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, N.C. She...
Library links
Solar eclipse glasses will be available to pick up all day Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April 6; Monday, April 8; at the La Plata branch. Go to https://ccplonline.libnet.info/event/10414908. The Mobile Library — Homeschool recess will be held 10 a.m. to noon Friday, April 5, at Pisgah Park, 6645 Mason Springs Road in La Plata. Pop-Up Library services include Wi-Fi access, library card services, crafts to go, 500 by 5 starter kits, and materials for check out. Go to https://ccplonline.libnet.info. ...
Charles County briefs
Pair of town halls set for April 25 Charles County Commissioner Amanda Stewart (D) will host a town hall on April 25 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church, located at 2671 Mattawoman Beantown Road in Waldorf. The topic of discussion will be Waldorf Station (Greenberg Gibbons will be in attendance). Also Commissioner Gilbert “BJ” Bowling (D) will host a town hall on April 25 from 6 to...
Chancy title named state's 'One Book'
Maryland Humanities recently announced it had selected the selection of Myriam J.A. Chancy’s “What Storm, What Thunder” as its 2024 One Maryland One Book program. This marks the 17th year of Maryland Humanities’ state-wide reading and discussion program. The Haitian-Canadian-American author’s novel follows a cast of characters during the 2010 earthquake that struck Haiti. They realize that everything they thought was certain suddenly isn’t as they endure the chaos of...
Town hall talks growth in Charles
Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II (D) held a town hall on March 21, addressing growth in Charles County. Collins invited Jason Groth, the acting director of the county’s planning and growth management department, to speak on what the department has been working on and upcoming projects. “Charles County has been evolving constantly in the past half century,” Groth said. ...
Homicide victim identified after 25 years
After 25 years, a Charles County homicide victim was identified. In 1998, an unidentified woman was found deceased, lying in a field near Irving Road and Route 301 in Bel Alton. She was the apparent victim of a homicide, and the traditional ways of attempting to identify her led nowhere, according to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office. Detectives worked with numerous law enforcement agencies and local and regional news covered...
Charles County aims to become 'Stroke Smart'
Charles County agreed to become a “Stroke Smart County” after a unanimous decision at the March 19 county commissioners’ meeting. The Stroke Smart initiative was adopted locally by the town of La Plata in February 2022 and it was subsequently adopted statewide by former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) in May 2022. “Being stroke smart is a community effort,” Shellee Stine, the stroke coordinator for University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical...
Fire burns Waldorf home
On March 17, Waldorf Company 3 was dispatched to the 1000 block of Dartmouth Road in Waldorf for an outside fire. First responders arrived to find a single family home with smoke coming from the garage. After investigation, it was determined that a fire had started on the outside of the home and had extended onto the side and into the garage attic. The remainder of the fire was extinguished and units returned to service.
Community briefs
Beach campfire planned The town of North Beach will hold a campfire on the beach 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 29, at the boardwalk. There will also be hot chocolate and the making of S’mores. Go to www.northbeachmd.org. Planting days set Historic Sotterley is looking for helpers for its annual Growing for Good Volunteer...
Charles County briefs
Town hall planned to discuss budget, charter A town hall meeting hosted by Commissioner Gilbert “BJ” Bowling (D) will be held on April 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Waldorf Senior Center and Recreational Center, located at 90 Post Office Road Waldorf. Topics of discussion include the fiscal 2025 budget, charter government and development. A livestream will be available at www.facebook.com/bj.bowling.52. For more information, go to charlescountymd.gov. County...
Somers seventh grader named top speller in Charles
The best middle school spellers in the county were a’buzz earlier this month during the 46th Charles County Public Schools Spelling Bee. After securing a spot on a three-person team at their school’s Spelling Bee, students were invited to participate in the countywide contest hosted at Theodore G. Davis Middle School on March 13. Among the schools that fielded teams for this year’s Bee were Davis, John Hanson, Matthew Henson,...
Charles author pens 'Singing from the Staircase'
Eric Waldow recently published his book “Singing From the Staircase” through J2B Publishing. The 20-year-old La Plata resident, who graduated in 2022 from La Plata High School, is studying English literature at the University of Maryland Global Campus. Waldow is a member of the Charles County Chapter of the Maryland Writer’s Association, and J2B Publishing is owned by Jim Brewster of Newburg, who produces the monthly Maryland Writers Association article. ...
Freezing for Easter
Children participate in a “freeze dance” competition to win an Easter basket at Pinder Production’s Easter celebration on March 23. When the music stopped, children had to stop dancing or be eliminated from the competition. The event featured games, an egg hunt, a live DJ, a special appearance by the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs mascot Pinch and photo stations.
Connecting with Easter
The Easter Bunny plays Connect Four with children in attendance at Pinder Production’s Easter celebration at Grace’s Event Center on March 23. The event had competitions for children, games, an egg hunt, a live DJ, a special appearance by the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs mascot Pinch and photo stations.
McDonough students charged in 'fight club' related robbery, assault
On March 19, school administrators at Maurice McDonough High School alerted a school resource officer of an assault and robbery that occurred inside a bathroom during school hours connected with what police called a "fight club" within the school. Upon being notified, a school resource officer initiated an investigation that revealed the student was in a school bathroom when two other students entered, allegedly assaulted him and went through his pockets, a press release from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office says. ...
Charles survey shows satisfaction with life in the county down
Fewer people are “satisfied” with life in Charles County, according to a recent survey, and fewer than the national average say they believe there are enough jobs that pay at least minimum wage or that they feel safe in the county. At their March 19 meeting, the Charles County commissioners received an update from the county administration sharing key statistics that they found on how people perceive life in Charles County. ...
Charles school board names new elementary school
In a unanimous decision at their virtual March 18 meeting, the Charles County Board of Education decided on a name for the new elementary school in White Plains that will open at the start of the 2025-2026 school year. Elementary School 23, which is under construction off of St. Charles Parkway in White Plains, will be named Margaret Jamieson Thornton Elementary School. The recommendation for the name came from a...
In search of a home: With inflation and rising rents pushing housing further out of reach, some struggle to survive
For people who are homeless, just getting a meal every day can be fighting tooth and nail, and they could have to relocate everything they own on a whim if authorities decide that they cannot set up camp in a given location. “You got your good days and your bad days out there,” James, a local man who is homeless and asked to only use his first name, said. “None of them are really good, but some of them are just better than others.” ...
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