Recapping the top stories of the week for April 16-28, 2023

David M. Higgins II, Publisher/Editor

Apr 29

Every week, we curate four of the most significant stories from each county in Southern Maryland and the entire state. By simply clicking on the "Counties" tab on the local news website, readers can access the latest news and updates from each county in Southern Maryland and at the state level.

Calvert County

Calvert County Students Excel at Annual Envirothon Competition: On April 20, 2023, students from four Calvert County high schools gathered at King's Landing Park to participate in the 31st annual Calvert County Envirothon. The event tested their knowledge in various fields of natural resource management, including wildlife management, soil conservation, forestry management, and aquatic resources.

Maryland Court Rules Calvert Sheriff Acted Unlawfully in Withholding Public Records

Calvert Educators Honored at Commissioner's Meeting: Before reviewing the grueling Board of Education budget information, the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners recognized two distinct Calvert County educators' dedication and professionalism in fulfilling their roles as teachers and support professionals.

Calvert County Public Schools appoints new Director of Student Services: At the April Board meeting, the Board of Education of Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) announced the appointment of Ms. Cecelia Lewis as the Director of Student Services for the 2023-2024 school year. Ms. Lewis will take up her new role on July 1, 2023.

Charles County

Wade Elementary School Goes Green with Original Song by Dante James for Earth Day 2023: Wade Elementary School in Charles County, Maryland celebrated Earth Day 2023 in a unique way by releasing their annual Go Green video with an original song written and performed by an up-and-coming rap artist, Dante James. Dondre'Ana James and Thomas Jasmine co-wrote the song. The young singer-songwriter inspired the students to take action to save the planet.

Substitute Teacher Indicted on Multiple Sexual Abuse Charges in Maryland

Charles County Commissioners Discuss Growing Demands for Emergency Services and Proposed Budget for Fiscal 2024: On Tuesday, April 25, the Charles County Commissioners received a briefing on the state of emergency services in the county from 2017-2022. The Department of Emergency Services presented data on how the growing demands are affecting both staff and volunteers. The increased demands for service have stretched the department's staff, resources, and assets beyond its capacity to effectively respond to emergencies.

CCPS Announces Nominees for Teacher and Principal of the Year Awards, Including Finalists for Washington Post Awards: Piccowaxen Middle School's science teacher, Sherri Gibney, has been nominated for the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Teacher of the Year award. CCPS recently recognized the Teacher of the Year, finalists and nominees in its ceremony on February 23. The winner of the award will be announced in May.

St. Mary's County

SOMD Young Author Launches Second Book: Ava's Adventures in France: Ava Dockins, Southern Maryland's youngest author, has released her second children's book, Ava's Adventures in France. The book details Ava's recent trip to Jarnac, France, where she visited her grandparents.

Leonardtown Couple Arrested and Charged with Sex Crimes Against Minors

Governor Wes Moore signs bill to transfer child support unit to St. Mary's County Child Support Administration: Governor Wes Moore has signed "The St. Mary's County – Transfer of Child Support Unit and Personnel to the Child Support Administration Bill (HB 526)" into law. The bill, which was initiated by State's Attorney Jaymi Sterling and submitted by the St. Mary's County Delegation during the 2023 legislative session, is expected to save taxpayers of St. Mary's County more than $330,000 annually.

St. Mary's County Commissioners Hold Regular Business Meeting, Approve Various Departmental Requests: The Commissioners of St. Mary's County (CSMC) convened their regular business meeting on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. The meeting began with an invocation and pledge, followed by approval of the consent agenda. The Commissioners presented proclamations for National Library Week, Afterschool Professionals' Week, National County Government Month, and Administrative Professionals' Day.

State of Maryland

Service year bill tops list of nearly 150 signed into law: Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed into law a first-in-the-nation bill creating a statewide service year program that he hopes will become a national model. The act was one of 145 — including some duplicative identical House or Senate bills —signed into law during Moore's third bill signing on Monday. The governor led off the event by signing the service year bill, his top priority.

Cannabis commission finale comes as recreational expansion looms on the horizon

Maryland Governor Announces Over $100 Million in Scholarships and Grants for Higher Education: Maryland Governor Wes Moore has announced more than $100 million in state scholarships and grants for higher education for the upcoming 2023-2024 academic year. The funding will be provided through the Delegate Howard P. Rawlings Program of Educational Excellence Awards, which is Maryland's largest need-based program. The program will assist more than 43,000 students in attending postsecondary institutions in Maryland.

Maryland Department of Health Launches New COVID-19 Webpages as Federal Public Health Emergency Ends: The Maryland Department of Health has announced that it will be launching a new set of COVID-19 webpages as the federal Public Health Emergency ends in May. This move reflects the new phase of COVID-19 that we are in today, said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Laura Herrera Scott. The department will continue to actively monitor trends related to COVID-19 and offer robust information about COVID-19 on the new webpages.

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