National Night Out events scheduled
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office invites all to the 2024 Annual National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 6, for an opportunity to meet and socialize with sheriff’s office personnel. National Night Out is a nationwide community-building campaign encouraging residents to unite and form relationships with local law enforcement.
Participating neighborhoods include Birch Way, Cecil Mills, Cedar Cove, Clarks Rest, Country Lakes, Golden Beach, Hollywood Shores, Leonard’s Grant, Meadow Lake, Persimmon Hills, Spring Valley, St. James Neighborhood, Town Creek, Villages of Leonardtown, Westbury, Wildewood and The Woods at Myrtle Point.
To register your neighborhood event or for more information about National Night Out, visit the website at www.firstsheriff.com/community/national-night-out or email smcnno@stmaryscountymd.gov. Preregistration is requested by Aug. 2.
New planning commission member sought
The St. Mary’s County commissioners are seeking applications from residents who are interested in serving as a volunteer member of the St. Mary’s County Planning Commission.
The planning commission is charged with reviewing certain development applications and plans for consistency with the St. Mary’s County Comprehensive Plan and various provisions of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Generally, the planning commission meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. Applicants must have some business and/or planning experience. Learn more about the Planning Commission at www.stmaryscountymd.gov/plancom.
Interested citizens should complete the online application (including a resume) at www.stmaryscountymd.gov/boards. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Aug. 5.
Questions about St. Mary’s boards, committees or commissions may be directed to Diane Gleissner at 301-475-4200, ext. 1700, or Diane.Gleissner@stmaryscountymd.gov.
Registration opens for Citizens Academy
Registration is now open for the 2024 session of St. Mary’s County government’s Citizens Academy. Citizens Academy provides participants with the opportunity to learn more about county government programs and services. The 2024 academy will run from Sept. 3 to Nov. 5. Classes will be held on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. Participants are required to attend at minimum seven of the eight class sessions.
Citizens Academy is open to St. Mary’s County residents, 18 years of age and older and limited to 25 participants. This program is free, but advance registration is required to participate; the deadline to register is 5 p.m. on Aug. 23. To register, or for more information, including the full list of 2024 session topics, dates, and locations, visit www.stmaryscountymd.gov/ca.
Crime Solvers accepts tips
St. Mary’s County Crime Solvers allows people to submit anonymous tips related to alleged crimes in the county. In some cases, rewards up to $1,000 will be given for information leading to the arrest of criminals.
To submit a tip, call 301-475-3333 or text TIP239 along with the message to CRIMES (274637).
Free back-to-school vaccine clinics offered
The St. Mary’s County Health Department is hosting free back-to-school vaccination clinics for children ages birth to 18. Appointments are recommended. A parent or guardian must be present and bring the child’s immunization record and any related school forms. To make an appointment, call 301-475-6807 or 301-278-1412. Clinics will be held on various dates through Sept. 21 at the school-based health canters at Spring Ridge and Margaret Brent middle schools. For more information, visit smchd.org/immunizations.
Libraries in need of ‘memory lab’ donations
The St. Mary’s County Library is seeking donations for its memory labs at each of the library branches. The memory labs will allow patrons to take their physical memories and make them digital. VHS tapes, cassettes, film negatives, slides, photos and documents can all be converted to digital files in just a few simple steps.
If you have any of the following items in good working condition that you’d like to donate, you can bring them to the nearest St. Mary’s County Library branch. Items needed include VCRs and DVD players; camcorders that play Video8, Hi8, Digital8 and MiniDV; and audiocassette, CD players reel-to-reel players. Donations will not be returned.
For more, go to www.stmalib.org/library-services/makerspace-at-leonardtown-library/memory-lab/.
Health department launches mentoring resource
The St. Mary’s County Health Department has partnered with Maryland-based technology firm WellCheck to launch the St. Mary’s County Mentoring Exchange. The digital platform provides an opportunity for parents and caregivers to explore youth mentoring programs and events in the community and connects local youth mentoring programs with resources to support their work. Community service providers can also use the platform to refer their clients to youth development opportunities in the county.
Visit smcmentors.org for more information about local youth mentoring opportunities.
Mulch available for free at landfill
St. Mary’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation continues to offer free mulch for residents to pick up from the St. Andrew’s Landfill. Mulch is available for residents to pick up between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, as supply allows. Residents are responsible for the loading and delivery of the mulch. Bring a shovel, pitchfork or similar hand tool to load the mulch and a tarp to cover the load if necessary. More information, call 301-863-8400 or go to www.stmaryscountymd.gov/dpw.
Roller skating offered at Leonard Hall
Family Skate is offered at the newly renovated Leonard Hall Recreation Center in Leonardtown every Sunday afternoon from 2 to 5 p.m. Entrance is $5 per person and skates are available to rent for $2.50 or bring your own skates.
Online registration is available at stmaryscountymd.gov/recreate, click the Online Registration button and then choose Special Events. For more information, call 301-475-4200, ext. 1800, or email webtrac@stmaryscountymd.gov.
Sidewalk construction scheduled in Lexington Park
St. Mary’s County Department of Public Works & Transportation will be installing new sidewalks, curbs and asphalt on South Shangri La Drive between Great Mills Road and FDR Bolevard. The project will include a paved walking path along the north side of Willows Road, from South Shangri La Drive to Lancaster Park. The project was scheduled to begin in mid-June, with completion expected in approximately 30 days.
Drivers are asked to remain alert for equipment, work crews and changing traffic patterns. Consider alternate travel routes to avoid delays in traffic. Message boards and signage will be deployed in the area prior to and during the project to serve as a reminder. For additional information, contact John Wise at 301-475-4200, ext. 3531.
Environmental review information for bases available
The Department of the Navy and the US Environmental Protection Agency, with concurrence from the Maryland Department of the Environment, are beginning a five-year review of existing Record of Decision documents and ongoing remedial (environmental cleanup) actions at the Webster Outlying Field, and completed the sixth five-year review of existing Record of Decision documents and ongoing remedial actions at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River. A review is required for remedial actions which result in any hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants remaining at a site at levels that do not allow for unlimited use and unrestricted exposure.
The review for the Webster Outlying Field contains information on one Munition Response Site: UXO-0001 Former Aerial Bombing Range. The Navy will submit draft findings to MDE in June. The final report will be made available to the public in September.
The completed review for the NAS Patuxent River contains information on the multiple environmental restoration sites. The final report has been reviewed by EPA and MDE and is available to the public.
For more information, contact the Public Affairs Officer Patrick Gordon at patrick.a.gordon10.civ@us.navy.mil. Environmental documents are available for review at the NAS Patuxent River public website at https://go.usa.gov/xSjbt and the Webster Outlying Field Public Webster Administrative Record site at https://go.usa.gov/xSjbJ/.
Oral histories of Lexington Park ‘Flat Tops’ available online
The St. Mary’s County Historical Society, in partnership with St. Mary’s County government, recently announce the digitization of the Lexington Manor Oral History Collection, which is now available to the public on the St. Mary’s County Historical Society website at www.stmaryshistory.org.
The collection features eight interviews with former residents of the Lexington Park and Lexington Manor “Flat Tops” neighborhoods, both from their early days as WWII and post-WWII Navy housing for civilian contractors.
For more information, contact the historical society at 301-475-2467.
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