WCTR News

The Town of Chestertown, in partnership with Washington College, will soon add composting — the natural process of recycling organic matter into fertilizer — to its services for residents. Jenny Lee Freebery, chair of the Chestertown Environmental Committee, announced the project during a March town council meeting. Between the Chestertown Armory and the Semans-Griswold Environmental Hall at Washington College, 485 S. Cross St., two 95-gallon bins will be placed, courtesy of Shore Soils, a composting company in Stevensville.

ShoreRivers’ swimmable bacteria testing program is underway, with weekly results available in both English and Spanish. Every summer, ShoreRivers deploys a team of community scientists to monitor bacteria levels at popular swimming and boating sites to provide important human health risk information to the public.
The samples are then processed, using standard scientific protocols, in ShoreRivers’ in-house labs.
Results are posted every Friday, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, at shorerivers.org/swim

The Town of Chestertown, in partnership with Washington College, will soon add composting — the natural process of recycling organic matter into fertilizer — to its services for residents. Jenny Lee Freebery, chair of the Chestertown Environmental Committee, announced the project during a March town council meeting. Between the Chestertown Armory and the Semans-Griswold Environmental Hall at Washington College, 485 S. Cross St., two 95-gallon bins will be placed, courtesy of Shore Soils, a composting company in Stevensville owned

An application for a 365-unit residential development near the in-construction regional medical center in Easton has been submitted to the town’s Planning Commission for review, though it’s drawing criticism from some town and county officials. The Star Democrat reports the project, Fox Chase Estates, is proposed on 112 acres of land off of Airport Road nestled within the Easton Technology Center. Developers are seeking town approval through Easton’s planned unit development process, which would allow the homes to be built on the commercial-zoned land.

Heather Tarr, 30, from Arnold, Maryland, has been arrested and charged in connection with a theft scheme at the Target store in Stevensville. The total value of the reported thefts exceeds $4,500. On June 18, at approximately 3:48 p.m., Deputy Meehan responded to a report of theft at the Stevensville, Maryland, Target. Dispatch informed him that the suspect had left the store and was seated in a vehicle in the parking lot. Tarr was allegedly found with about $500 worth of stolen goods, but that other thefts of the same store in May by Tarr had netted about $4,500 in stolen goods.

With a major heat wave the past few days, Maryland’s new heat safety standards for workers are being put to the test, including in Easton. Dustin Otto, construction division manager for the Town of Easton, helped create a health safety and prevention plan for Easton’s public works employees. It outlines the steps the town will take to protect its outdoor workers during periods of extreme heat, incorporating the state’s new standards.

On June 16th, 2025, at approximately 9:33PM, deputies with the Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff were dispatched to the Hilton Garden Inn in Grasonville, for a report of child neglect.
Upon arrival, deputies met with a hotel employee who advised that two patrons, identified as James Grant of Laurel, and Carrie Zauner of Columbia had allegedly left their child unattended in their hotel room while they went to The Jetty Restaurant and Dock Bar. Deputies found the couple in the bar and escorted them back to the hotel, where a welfare check was conducted. The child was found asleep in the room, unattended. A family member was contacted and responded to take custody of the child. Grant and Zauner were placed under arrest, and each charged with Reckless Endangerment and Neglect of a Minor.

On June 21, a structure fire occurred in the 5600 block of South Main Street, in Rock Hall, Kent County, Maryland, involving a two-story single-family dwelling. The incident was reported at approximately 4:49 A.M. and was discovered by the occupant of the home.
The Rock Hall Volunteer Fire Company responded with a total of 25 assisting firefighters to contain the fire. One alarm was raised, and the fire was brought under control within 25 minutes. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries as a result of this fire.

Cooling Centers are open in Queen Anne’s County through June 28th. If you’re aware of a vulnerable community member without access to a cool environment please call the QAC Department of Community Services at 410-758-0848. The list of cooling centers is up on the Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

Although an official ordinance to ban single-use plastic bags in Queen Anne’s County did not pass due to a tie vote recently, County Commissioner Phil Dumenil announced a campaign encouraging the community to none-the-less bring their own bags when shopping during the commissioners’ roundtable discussion June 10. The Star Democrat reports the entire community is encouraged to continue efforts for reusable bags and limit single use plastics as they join in the campaign