WCTR News

On July 12, Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of trespassing at Castle Marina, located at 301 Tackle Circle in Chester, where an unwanted subject was onboard a private vessel. Turns out that person had apparently been in contact with the owner who was looking to sell the boat, but that owner was out of town and the person on the vessel had no authorization to be there. Authorities say upon inspection, several items aboard the vessel were found to be damaged. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Last week, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy finalized the permanent protection of Southeast Creek Farm, through a donated easement co-held by Maryland Environmental Trust (MET). This new easement, covering nearly 100 acres, marks a conservation win for Queen Anne’s County, which has now exceeded state goals by preserving more than 43% of its agricultural zoned land. Once primarily agricultural, Southeast Creek farm has transformed into a lush and thriving grassland habitat through Washington College’s Natural Lands Project (NLP).

With a public hearing on a proposed ordinance authorizing the purchase of 16,874 square feet of property scheduled for July 23, the Town of Queenstown claimed it has no plans for expansions to the wastewater treatment plant at this time. The Bay Times and Record Observer reports the town is seeking to purchase the back lot of the subdivided property, adjacent to property the town currently owns, according to Queenstown Town Manager Amy Moore. As of now the town has no plans for the property, but Moore noted that a sewer main currently extends underground from Charity Lane to the wastewater treatment plant.

On Sunday, residents, friends, family and individuals from several states came together to support the Puckett family at the Mason and Bentley Puckett Funeral Fundraiser in Caroline County. The Star Democrat reports
Mason, 1, and Bentley, 3, died on June 29 in an accidental drowning, according to the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office. Less then two days after the tragic news was broken, business owners and residents rallied together to create meal trains and events in support of the Puckett family. The community event Sunday was started by Victor Reynolds, head of communications for CASA of Caroline and Owner of Bayside Hotdogs.

The Kent County 4H Fair runs July 16th to the 19th. Organizers say there is something for everyone as always from great food, arts and crafts, tractor pulls, and midway rides. Also, the 4-H Livestock and Cake Auctions are happening. The focus of the fair is agricultural education and providing educational opportunities for county youth. The greased pig contest, bull-riding, and the 4-H livestock and cake auctions are popular events at this annual celebration supporting the young 4-H members. Find out more at www.kentcountyfair.org.

The Queen Anne’s County Department of Emergency Services, along with partnering agencies, will conduct a Full-Scale Emergency Sheltering Exercise at Centreville Middle School on Wednesday, July 16 and Thursday, July 17, from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. This important preparedness exercise is designed to simulate a real-world emergency response, including the setup and operation of a public shelter. Residents in the area may notice increased activity at the school, including emergency vehicles, uniformed personnel, and volunteers participating in the exercise.

The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) has announced upcoming full-span closures on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge as maintenance and replacement work is conducted in the coming days.Starting Monday, the eastbound span will close from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night through Wednesday, July 16. On July 17, the eastbound closures are scheduled for 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., and then Saturday from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. MDTA says these nighttime closures allow for deck removal and replacement as part of the eastbound bridge deck replacement project. Traffic patterns will be shifted to allow two-way traffic on the westbound span.

The day-long search for a missing Centreville woman has ended safely. The Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff is pleased to report that Linda Mullikin has been located alive and conscious and is currently being transported for medical care. The Bay Times and Record Observer reports authorities were searching for 83-year-old Linda Mullikin, who has dementia.

Queen Anne’s County officials have been alerted to a scam involving fake invoices that appear to come from a local government agency. Scammers are using publicly available information to create official-looking requests for wire transfers—often for things like zoning or permit fees. They advise to be cautious of unfamiliar or urgent invoices, requests for wire transfers and emails from suspicious or unfamiliar addresses.

The woman responsible for a more than 20 vehicle crash on the Bay Bridge has been sentenced in Queen Anne’s County Circuit Court. The Bay Times and Record Observer reports 49 year old Gwendolyn Persina of Chester, was sentenced to three years of incarceration with all but 315 days suspended, which is the time Persina has served in jail from the time of her arrest. The State’s Attorney says Persina was sentenced for causing a life-threatening injury to another while operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. This was the most serious charge that Persina was charged with and the maximum penalty for the offense is three years in jail and a $5,000 fine.