WCTR News

Recently, a traffic stop was initiated near the Matapeake School Complex. DFC Schultz was conducting speed enforcement in the area of Route 8 and Camp Wright Lane. A vehicle was observed on radar traveling 56 mph in a posted 40 mph zone. DFC Schultz followed the vehicle and initiated the stop in a posted school zone.
The driver was identified as James Brown, a 61-year old man from Stevensville. A probable cause search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun inside the center console, and a search of Brown located 88 Oxycodone pills in a clear plastic baggie, as well as CDS paraphernalia. Brown was placed under arrest at the scene.

An informational public meeting on a proposed solar generating facility in Caroline County will be held virtually from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday. The proposed project site encompasses about 163.84 acres at 26844 Hobbs Road in the Denton area of Caroline County. The Star Democrat reports the meeting concerns ICFTS MD Solar’s application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity to construct a 4.6-megawatt solar photovoltaic generating facility at 26844 Hobbs Road. The application is filed with the Maryland Public Service Commission as Case No. 9835.

On February 28, the Tidewater Rotary Club hosted a high-impact food packing day as part of its FOLKS (Feeding Our Local Kids & Seniors) initiative to combat food insecurity in Talbot County. Nearly 40 volunteers gathered at the Easton Airport ACE Center to assemble 2,268 meal packets containing a total of 13,608 servings of fortified macaroni and cheese or rice and beans with vegetables. The Talbot Spy reports the meal packets will be distributed to all Talbot County elementary schools, local food pantries, and Meals on Wheels, ensuring nutritious, easy-to-prepare food reaches children, families, and seniors who need it most.

Community members are calling for Caroline County Public Schools to take action against a teacher who posted a video to Facebook that many say contains insensitive comments. The Star Democrat reports on the North Caroline High School website, Shannon Robinson is listed as a special education teacher. Attempts to reach Robinson were not immediately successful on Monday afternoon. In the video, the woman calling herself Dr. Robinson sits in what appears to be an office or classroom setting and uses what many are viewing as questionable or offensive language and terms for students who talk during class.

The Morgnec Road Gateway Committee has announced five finalists for a new gateway public art installation associated with the Morgnec Road Solar project, officially opening the public voting phase of what has been described as a community-driven process. The Evening Enterprise reports the committee was formed to guide the design and selection of a permanent public art feature welcoming residents and visitors into Chestertown.
With the finalists now selected, the committee is inviting area residents to take part in selecting the winning proposal by reviewing the finalist designs and casting a vote to help determine the future gateway artwork for Kent County. Voting will begin at 5 p.m. Friday, March 6 and will close at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 12.

Maryland State Police say they are investigating a deadly crash that occurred Friday afternoon in Caroline County.
WBOC reports troopers responded to a crash on Maryland Route 480, also known as Ridgely Road, north of Eveland Road, around 2 p.m. They say upon arrival, they found a car and a box truck off the road. They say the investigation indicates the box truck crossed the center line, and the car tried to avoid a head-on crash by moving onto the shoulder, where the crash occurred. The driver of the car was 30-year-old Joseph Dsouza from Ridgely, who was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS, according to MSP.

A new roadmap for the town’s future is now official. At their Feb. 10 Mayor and Council meeting, Betterton formally adopted an updated Comprehensive Plan while swearing in Dorcas Coleman to serve on the Betterton Appeals Board. Kent County News reports Town Administrator Tom Mogle said the plan will serve as the community’s long-range guide for preservation, infrastructure planning, housing and responsible growth over the coming years.
The Comprehensive Plan emphasizes environmental stewardship, improved stormwater management and development within the town’s designated growth area to protect rural land and waterways. Mogle noted it reflects extensive work by the Planning Commission, and that public input from residents identified smart growth — while protecting the Chesapeake Bay and Sassafras River — as a priority.

A Delaware man wanted on multiple warrants fled police Monday, prompting a multi-agency search in the Galena area and a temporary lockdown at Galena Elementary School. The Kent County News reports the incident began when the Smyrna Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a Dodge truck within its jurisdiction. The vehicle fled, and before entering Maryland, a passenger exited the truck and was detained by Smyrna officers. Authorities were able to positively identify the driver as George C. Wallace, 41, of Townsend, Delaware. A covert unit followed the truck as it crossed into Maryland and traveled into the Galena area. The vehicle was later found abandoned on Mill Lane. Wallace remains at large.

The Delmarva Power Customer Relief Fund has temporarily paused the acceptance of new applications. As a result, the three previously scheduled application days in Queen Anne’s County have been cancelled. The program, administered by The Salvation Army and funded through Delmarva Power, has received a high volume of applications across the region. In addition to Queen Anne’s County, the program serves residents in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, and Talbot counties.

Queen Anne’s County is inviting residents, park users, and community members to help shape the future of parks, recreation, and open space by participating in a countywide Parks & Recreation Survey.
Feedback from the survey will help guide the update of the County’s Land Preservation, Parks & Recreation Plan (LPPRP), a long-range planning document that we update every five years. The LPPRP serves as the County’s roadmap for preserving farmland and natural resources, expanding recreational opportunities, and planning for parks, trails, and public access to land and water. The updated plan will be submitted to the Maryland Department of Planning and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Community input is a key component of the planning process and also provides a pathway for grant funding.