Columbus
Southern Maryland News
Charles school board candidates face off at forum
The Charles County branch of the NAACP and the Sigma Alpha Lambda Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity hosted a forum for the board of education at-large candidates on April 30 at Waldorf West Library. Four out of five filed candidates attended the forum, with Andre R. Griggs Jr. missing the event. Griggs has yet to respond to any requests for comment this year from Southern Maryland News. The...
MetCom proposes increase to sewer charges in St. Mary's
The St. Mary’s County Metropolitan Commission presented a review of its ongoing projects and proposed sewer and water rate increases during Tuesday’s county commissioners’ meeting. The recommended fiscal 2025 capital improvement budget reflects a $1.66 million decrease for water projects and a $2.08 million decrease for sewer projects compared to what was proposed in the fiscal 2024 capital plan for fiscal 2025. MetCom’s audited fiscal 2023 outstanding debt was about...
Providence of Maryland expands service to Charles County
Providence of Maryland, a nonprofit that serves people with intellectual disabilities, expanded into Charles County last year to strengthen its mission and the communities it supports. The move into the county marked an expansion of Providence’s services that were not previously offered — housing. In other counties, one of the primary focuses is employment and finding opportunities for those the organization serves. “Our mission is very simple. It’s strictly about...
Waldorf mall has three violent crimes in one night
Last Saturday marked a violent evening on Mall Circle in Waldorf with an armed robbery, gunfire and a stabbing. On April 27 at 9:05 p.m., Charles sheriff’s officers were working at the Reithoffer Spring Festival in the parking lot at the St. Charles Towne Shopping Center when a 15-year-old male approached and said he had been shot, according to a release from the sheriff’s office. Diane Richardson, a spokesperson for...
Charles Board of Education shows out at budget hearing
The $17 million shortfall Charles County public school system is facing from the school board's budget request remained on the minds of many during an April 24 Charles commissioners' budget hearing. Nearly all of the approximate 20 speakers spoke on education funding, including several Charles school board members. Yonelle Moore Lee, the chairperson of the board of education, said, “Charles County Public Schools proudly educates more than 28,000 students daily...
Leonardtown junior prepares for Miss Maryland Teen USA
Lily Belle McDowell has been on stage many times before but the Leonardtown High School student is preparing to step onto arguably her biggest stage yet. After being selected as a Maryland State Finalist, McDowell will compete with the title Miss Leonardtown Teen USA in the Miss Maryland Teen USA competition, which will be held May 31 to June 1 at the Bethesda North Marriott in Bethesda. “I’ve always had...
Leonardtown junior prepares for Miss Maryland Teen USA
Lily Belle McDowell has been on stage many times before but the Leonardtown High School student is preparing to step onto arguably her biggest stage yet. After being selected as a Maryland State Finalist, McDowell will compete with the title Miss Leonardtown Teen USA in the Miss Maryland Teen USA competition, which will be held May 31 to June 1 at the Bethesda North Marriott in Bethesda. “I’ve always had...
Blue Crabs drop home opener
After opening the Atlantic League season with four games on the road against Gastonia, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs returned home to Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf on Tuesday evening looking to regain their winning ways in front of an enthusiastic, near-capacity crowd. However, Southern Maryland (1-4) fell behind Lexington 4-0 early, trimmed the gap to 4-2 and later got within a run at 6-5 but dropped an 8-5 decision to the Legends on April 30. ...
So close
St. Mary’s Ryken sophomore Austin Michael dives back to the bag after slapping a leadoff single in the top of the first inning at DeMatha on Tuesday. The Knights (14-10) had the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the first but failed to score and they eventually suffered a 4-1 setback to the Stags in that contest.
Opinions clash on solving school discipline crisis
The conversation of how best to restore order at the county’s oldest high school continues in the community and board rooms. On April 25, the Calvert County Board of Education’s evening work session started with a motion from member Lisa Grenis to direct Superintendent Andraé Townsel to provide the panel with an action plan for addressing disciplinary issues at Calvert High School for presentation at their May meeting. “I have...
Candidates for St. Mary's school board's District 4 seat debate
Candidates hoping to earn a place on the St. Mary’s County Board of Education were able to voice their concerns during a District 4 public forum last week at the Lexington Park library. The April 25 debate was originally scheduled to be held April 11 along with those for at-large, District 2 and the judge races, but the District 4 event was pushed ahead after just Charles L.V. Carrington was in attendance. Incumbent Mary Washington, who said she had an illness and death in family,...
Coates hosts town hall on development, charter
Commissioner Thomasina “Sina” Coates (D) hosted a town hall on April 29 at a church to give updates to District 2 on growth, economic development and the charter. Her last town hall was held nearly a year ago on May 19, 2023, according to Charles government’s calendar. Each county commissioner individually hosts their own town halls periodically, some as often as monthly. Coates opened the meeting on Monday by explaining...
Maryland horse racing has peaks and valleys through the decades
While many horse racing enthusiasts often associate racing in Maryland with the upcoming Preakness Stakes, the famed middle jewel in thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown for three-year-olds, the Free State actually offers racing virtually year round for both thoroughbred and standardbred horses, both of which have plenty of common synergies. Both thoroughbred and standardbred racing in Maryland can trace their roots through a handful of families that have a continued impact on the “Sport of Kings” at thoroughbred tracks Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course and Timonium...
Maryland horse racing has peaks and valleys through the decades
While many horse racing enthusiasts often associate racing in Maryland with the upcoming Preakness Stakes, the famed middle jewel in thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown for three-year-olds, the Free State actually offers racing virtually year round for both thoroughbred and standardbred horses, both of which have plenty of common synergies. Both thoroughbred and standardbred racing in Maryland can trace their roots through a handful of families that have a continued impact on the “Sport of Kings” at thoroughbred tracks Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course and Timonium...
St. Mary's Ryken baseball falls at DeMatha
St. Mary's Ryken High School senior pitcher Sam Canady fires to the plate in the bottom of the first inning against DeMatha on Tuesday. Canady and the Knights suffered a 4-1 setback to the host Stags in that contest at Riverdale Park.
St. Mary's deputy suspended after assault charges filed
A deputy approaching his fourth year with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office was suspended this past weekend after being charged with misdemeanor second-degree assault. According to a St. Mary’s sheriff’s office press release, the deputy, Donald Anthony Shubrooks, 29, of Lexington Park, reported the incident after it had happened. According to the press release, St. Mary’s County Sheriff Steve Hall (R) said that in accordance with the agency’s policy...
Legal gray areas hinder police watchdogs
Three years after state lawmakers celebrated the passage of the Maryland Police Accountability Act, the rollout of the new police oversight systems has proven slow, inconsistent and rife with disagreements about how to implement the new oversight process — challenges that frustrate critics and administrators alike. But the Maryland General Assembly has shown little appetite for revisiting the law, leaving many of the unresolved questions about the new police oversight systems in the hands of local governments. ...
Southern Maryland police briefs
Man allegedly steals shoes at gunpoint On April 23, officers responded to Butte Place in Waldorf around 6:30 p.m. for the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, officers located a man who reported that he was forced to get into a black Honda Civic at gunpoint where he recognized the man driving the car as Joshua Dylan Marable, 18, as they had both previously attended North Point High School...
316th Security Forces Group, AAFES unveils new 24/7 retail market
The 316th Security Forces Group, alongside 316th Wing leadership and members from the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, attended a ribbon cutting on Thursday for the new unattended retail unit located at the Security Forces building. After working with the installation’s Community Action Board and Community Action Team for over a year, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Tyler J. Hughes, 316th Security Forces Squadron commander, highlighted the significance of the new retail market. ...
Southern Maryland News
473+
Posts
4M+
Views
For over 100 years, Southern Maryland News has provided Charles, St. Mary's and Calvert with unprecedented coverage of local news, sports and politics.
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. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.