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St. Charles boys basketball falls in state finals
When the St. Charles high School boys basketball team arrived at the spacious XFINITY Center on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park on Friday for the 3A state championship game against Northeast of Anne Arundel County, the Spartans were looking to put the finishing touches on the most successful season in program history. St. Charles (21-6) had won the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference Championship in convincing fashion over Chopticon then followed that up with a region title before punching its ticket...
Fire officials push Congress to help attack growing wildfire threat
Wildfires are a growing threat to every state and fire officials are asking the federal government to step in to help. Fire agencies across the country need more support and less governmental red tape to fight these conflagrations effectively, officials said at a Thursday hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. As climate change increases the chances and spread of wildfires, the impacts of wildfires are being...
School board seeks $10 million more from commissioners
A state allocation short $22.5 million and county government’s desire for flat funding their share has put the Calvert school board in an uncomfortable spot. The frustration manifested itself early in the evening March 14 when the panel took a vote and failed to grant approval to revisions to Superintendent Andraé Townsel’s revised budget for fiscal 2025. The board then held a special meeting Monday to work on the budget, which by law needed to be presented to the Calvert County Commissioners for inclusion in...
Senators hear the case for cutting Americans' work week to 32 hours
In 1955, Walter Reuther, head of what was then known as the United Automobile Workers (UAW), told a Senate hearing that coming technological advancements would make a four-day workweek possible. That was the last Senate hearing on the subject for nearly 70 years. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee finally ended the draught on March 14 as lawmakers debated legislation, sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (Independent-Vt.) that would reduce the standard workweek to 32 hours without cutting employees’ pay. ...
St. Charles boys basketball falls in state finals
St. Charles High School senior Xavier Buchanan heads to the free throw line for a pair of foul shots in the first half of last Friday's 3A state championship game against Northeast at the University of Maryland. Buchanan led all scorers with 31 points in a losing cause as the Spartans squandered a 14-point fourth-quarter lead and fell to the Eagles 69-66 in that contest.
St. Charles boys basketball falls in state finals
Players from the St. Charles High School boys basketball team gather for one final huddle prior to the start of last Friday’s 3A state championship game against Northeast of Anne Arundel County at the University of Maryland. The Spartans led by 14 points early in the fourth quarter but eventually suffered a 69-66 setback to the Eagles in that contest.
Former La Plata council member dies at 39
Matthew Simpson, a La Plata council member from 2017 to 2021, died at his La Plata home on Feb. 29. He was 39-years-old. Simpson’s public service included volunteering as a board member with The Conservancy for Charles County, the Charles County Adult Guardianship Review Board, La Plata Business Association and at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, a press release said. He was a part of the Wills for...
Commissioners approve budget transfer to cover Coates' legal battle
Charles County is on the hook for more legal fees related to an appeal made by Commissioner Thomasina “Sina” Coates (D) about her being barred from voting on the job status of County Administrator Mark Belton. At the March 12 Charles commissioners’ meeting, a budget transfer was presented to the board asking for $426,300 to pay for already incurred expenses from the legal battle. “We need to carry over the...
Commissioners approve budget transfer to cover Coates' legal battle
Charles County is on the hook for more legal fees related to an appeal made by Commissioner Thomasina “Sina” Coates (D) about her being barred from voting on the job status of County Administrator Mark Belton. At the March 12 Charles commissioners’ meeting, a budget transfer was presented to the board asking for $426,300 to pay for already incurred expenses from the legal battle. “We need to carry over the...
Kent speaks of 'unsung heroes' in Calvert
To mark an important history month, the Fairview Branch of Calvert Library played host to an oral presentation Monday evening. March is Women’s History Month, and the presentation by Michael Kent was entitled “Unsung Achievements of African American Women of Calvert County.” Kent is the author of “Mulatto:The Black History of Calvert County.” After a brief introduction by four local members of the Institute for Cultural Communicators — Noah Foster, Christian Fierro, Jacob Foster and Connor Fierro — Kent delved into the writings of Charles...
Man airlifted after collision with bus
Emergency personnel on Wednesday morning respond to the 5000 block of Mason Springs Road in Indian Head, where a collision between a school bus, with no children onboard, and a pickup truck occurred. Personnel found the driver trapped inside the truck and had to cut through the vehicle to free him. A medical duty officer operated on the scene due to the severity of the injuries before the man was airlifted to an area trauma center for further treatment.
St. Mary's commissioners send off projects list to state
Now all they can do is wait and cross their fingers. The St. Mary’s County commissioners approved their fiscal 2025 Consolidated Transportation Program and sent off their wish list of projects to the state during Tuesday’s meeting in Leonardtown. To no one’s surprise, the Gov. Thomas Johnson Bridge was at the top of the letter, and was the county’s No. 1 project for most of the last two decades. ...
Charles County gets $1.1 million for rural connectivity
Secretary of Housing and Community Development Jacob R. Day presented a $1.1 million grant to Charles County commissioners on March 12 to help extend broadband services into rural areas. The $1.1 million grant comes from The Connect Maryland: FY24 Home Stretch–Difficult to Serve Properties program that utilizes $24,223,815 of the state’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund to provide financial assistance to local jurisdictions to further the state’s digital access efforts, according to the Office of Statewide Broadband’s plan. ...
North Point girls basketball falls in semifinal
On a night in which they were actually dubbed the visiting team despite playing in their own gymnasium, the North Point High School girls basketball team saw its season come to an end on Tuesday evening when the Eagles were upended by Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School 51-31 in one of two 4A state semifinals. North Point (22-6) had enjoyed a perfect run through the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference slate which included a lopsided victory over Leonardtown in the SMAC championship game that it hosted. But...
St. Mary's planning board raises concerns over housing project
New housing units may be coming to Hollywood in the near future, but hurdles need to be cleared before that can happen. The St. Mary’s County Planning Commission heard plans Monday night of a proposed 18 townhomes that are slated to be built between Route 235 and Mervell Dean Road near Clark’s Mill Road. Five of the units are slated to be for “workforce housing.” The property is located at 44410 K & R Way. ...
St. Charles boys basketball heads to state finals
Following a season in which it won the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference title, the St. Charles High School boys basketball team continued its gritty, postseason success on Wednesday afternoon when the Spartans rallied to upend Stephen Decatur High 63-61. The Spartans will next take on Northeast High of Anne Arundel County, which beat Long Reach High of Howard County in this week’s other 3A state semifinal. That game is slated for Friday, March 15, at 7 p.m. at University of Maryland’s Xfinity Center. ...
Maryland legislators propose bill to legalize online gambling
HANOVER, Md. - Maryland lawmakers are considering a bill that would legalize internet gaming in the state. Guests would no longer need to travel to casinos to play table games and use slot machines. Opponents say new legislation would pose significant risks to existing Maryland casinos.
Calvert nonprofit plans on ‘righting the wrongs’ with reparations
Finding a remedy for the institutional and social injustices that persist in society sounds like a daunting task. In Calvert County, a group of citizens is ready to accept the challenge and have organized their effort. The Calvert Concept Charitable Corporation announced this month that after three years in the development stage they are ready to serve as a prototype for other organizations. In a press release, the 501c(3) nonpartisan...
Commissioners brace for budget cuts
If it seems a little lighter than usual, that’s because it is. As currently proposed by county government staff, Calvert’s operating budget for the next fiscal year would be roughly $3 million less than the current year’s budget. As he and other government leaders gave the county commissioners a rudimentary look at the spending strategy for fiscal 2024, Mark Willis, county administrator, stressed, “This is a draft. Money is tight.” ...
Vacant house burns in Charles
The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office reported that a vacant house in the 3100 block of Leonardtown Road in Waldorf burned on March 11 at approximately 4 p.m. The fire was discovered and reported by a passerby, and the Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department took about 20 minutes to bring it under control. The fire, which caused approximately $100,000 in damages, was started on the interior of the building, according to the fire marshal’s office. Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Southern Regional Office, at 443-550-6831.
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