News Staff

A person suffered burns to the face trying to put out a fire that destroyed a 12-by-16-foot shed on Hillside Road Tuesday. The Evening Enterpise reports The property at 200 Hillside Road is located east of Truslow Road, just outside of Chestertown in Queen Anne’s County. Firefighters brought the blaze under control in 20 minutes, according to the notice of investigation. According to the preliminary report, the fire was accidental and caused by an “unspecified electrical malfunction.”

The Kent County Sheriff’s Office has charged a second suspect with armed robbery and related crimes in a home invasion this spring. The Evening Enterprise reports 32 year old Kimberly Bronte Wilson of New Castle, Delaware is being held in the Kent County Detention Center without bond. In addition to armed robbery and home invasion, Wilson is charged with first- and second-degree assault; use of a firearm in a felony or violent crime; first-, third- and fourth-degree burglary; theft, $1,500 to less than $25,000; and conspiracy to commit these offenses. A co-defendant was arrested back in September.

Washington College’s campus garden is asking community members to donate their unwanted pumpkins post-Halloween. Instead of sending pumpkins to the landfill, the college’s campus garden is collecting them to be salvaged for food. Ripe pumpkins are a great source of vitamins and nutrients and can be used in a variety of recipes, fed to the campus garden’s chickens and pumpkins can be composted to create a nutrient-rich soil that benefits the garden’s plants.

The count of nearly 1,000 mail-in votes on Thursday clinched seats on the Kent County Board of Education for Laura McKenzie and John Queen. The Evening Enterprise reports while the results are unofficial until the election is certified after a final canvass next week, the outcome will not change. The term is four years, beginning in January 2025. After Thursday’s count of 971 mail-in ballots, when she received 341 votes, McKenzie maintained a double-digit lead in the four-person race. Her total of 5,320 represents 37.5% of the votes cast.

In recognition of Economic Development week, Queen Anne’s County Economic and Tourism Development highlighted essential community collaborations that shape the economic future of shore living through Power of Partnerships at Chesapeake College recently. The Bay Times and Record Observer reports bringing together key stakeholders, industry leaders, and community partners, the Power of Partnerships explored the collaborative efforts shaping the future of the county.

Chestertown Ward 1 Council member Tim O’Brien submitted a letter of resignation to the Chestertown Town Council this week. The Chestertown Spy reports the letter follows a legal filing and ongoing litigation claiming O’Brien’s residential move from Ward 1 to Ward 4 immediately disqualified him from holding the Ward 1 seat as per the town charter and that the amended Resolution (No. 06-2023) only allows future candidates the allowance to move to a different ward after two years of service, not retroactively.

A lobbying effort that could create at least one military veterans treatment court on the Eastern Shore continues to gain momentum. The charge is being led by Josh Marks who wrote to the Kent County News and Bay Times Record Observer this summer, stating he is part of a group hoping to establish the court. His initiative was broached in Calvert County in 2022.

Republican Rep. Andy Harris, who has represented Maryland’s First Congressional District since 2010, seeking an eighth term in the U.S. House of Representatives won decisively Tuesday with 63% of the vote. His Democratic challenger, Blane Miller, earned 34 %. Joshua O’Brien garnered 3%.

Queen Annes County Board of Education Results

District 2

Mathew Drayer
5,692 5,445 321 NR 11,458 56.33%
Richard “Dick” Smith
4,483 3,793 297 NR 8,573 42.15%

District 3

Carrie Sutherland
9,249 8,586 567 NR 18,402 97.70%

District 4

Kendra L. Eichler
9,170 8,571 567 NR 18,308 97.76%

Kent County Board of Education results according to the state Board Of Elections.

Piers Heriz-Smith
921 957 253 NR 2,131 16.49%
Laura McKenzie
1,784 2,800 395 NR 4,979 38.53%
John Queen
1,138 1,524 321 NR 2,983 23.08%
Francoise Sullivan
1,212 1,193 330 NR 2,735 21.17%