News Staff

37 year old Troy Michael Sellman of Queenstown, has been added to the Queen Anne’s County Animal Abuse Registry after pleading guilty to animal abuse charges, according to Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney Lance Richardson. Sellman entered a guilty plea in Queen Anne’s County District Court on Nov. 24, 2024, for failing to provide proper shelter for a Cane Corso dog, violating Maryland Criminal Law Article 10-604, Richardson said. The offense is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

Last week, deputies from the Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff executed a search and seizure warrant at a residence in the 400 block of Melvin Avenue in Grasonville in connection with an on-going assault investigation. During the operation, deputies encountered and secured 18-year-old Ryan Bless.
While searching the residence, Deputies located a loaded shotgun. Bless was arrested and charged with possession of a rifle/ shotgun as a disqualified person, as well as illegal possession of ammunition.
Bless was processed, held without bond, and transported to the Queen Anne’s County Detention Center.

Queen Anne’s County is kicking off the Fiscal Year 2026 budget process, emphasizing transparency and community involvement. The County Administrator will present the proposed budget to the County Commissioners on March 25, launching a series of public work sessions and discussions. Residents are encouraged to follow along and engage in the process. Upcoming Budget Work Sessions include:
March 27, 5:00 PM, April 1, 5:00 PM and April 10, 5:00 PM.

Kent County Chamber of Commerce is Hiring a Deputy Executive Director. The job description states the individual must be both detail-oriented and customer service focused in order to ensure the effective internal operations of the Kent Chamber. As the first contact for members and the community, the Deputy Executive Director will work to maintain a welcoming environment both in person and through electronic communication. This role is a part-time, salaried position – $34,000 per year at 28 hours per week.

The Town of Chestertown Carpenter Park Playground Improvement Project is moving forward. The contractor and town manager met on site Wednesday to discuss the project’s footprint. The swing set will be set up again after the rubberized base is poured and dried. Governor Wes Moore’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget included more than $47 million for local grants through Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Program Open Space and Community Parks and Playgrounds Program, to expand and enhance public access to recreation and open space throughout Maryland.

Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff is on the look out for a fugitive. Blair Albanese is wanted on an Arrest Warrant for Violating a Protective Order. He is 43 y/o, 6’0, 200lbs., and his last known address was on Gentry Ct., in Annapolis. If you have any information related to his whereabout please contact our office at Sheriff-Info@qac.org or call the Anonymous Tip Line at 410-758-6666

The Kent County Democratic Central Committee will appoint two members to reach its full membership of five men and five women, pursuant to articles III and X of the Maryland Democratic Party bylaws. To achieve gender balance, one of the appointees will be female and one will be male. The appointees will fill current vacancies on the committee and serve out the remainder of unexpired four-year terms that end Nov. 2, 2026.
Qualified applicants must be residents of Kent County, registered Democrats, and willing to volunteer considerable time to support the Democratic Party and its candidates.

Governor Wes Moore recently congratulated Avail Enclosure Systems, a manufacturer of prefabricated buildings used to house electrical equipment and critical infrastructure, on expanding its operations on the Eastern Shore. The company—currently located on Millington Road in Queen Anne’s County, where it employs 117 workers—is leasing an additional 12,000 square-foot facility three miles away in Kent County, creating 45 full-time jobs at the new facility over the next two years.

This year Chestertown Environmental Club (CEC) on April 26 will be hosting its 15th Anniversary of Chestertown Earth Day. Events planned for this year include live entertainment, a volunteer trashwalk, children’s activities, along with a large EV vehicle and EV bike section. The festival will be held from 9am to 1pm at park Row, downtown Chestertown.

Chestertown resident April Amaya-Luis was recently detained by ICE and sent to US Immigration’s and Customs Enforcement Field Office in Baltimore. Amaya-Luis has been undocumented in Maryland for more than two decades. On February 4th, she went for her customary check-in with her probation officer in Chestertown. Luis had plead guilty to a misdemeanor for probation in exchange for no jail time and immigration officers were waiting for her on the way out. They handcuffed her and by late that evening she was transported to the US Immigration’s and Customs Enforcement Field Office in Baltimore, housed in the George H. Fallon Federal Building at 31 Hopkins Plaza.