News Staff

Mid Shore Behavioral Health, Inc. (MSBH), in partnership with the health departments of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot Counties is holding the sixth annual “The Mid-Shore is Going Purple Together” event, taking place on Saturday, September 27th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Church Hill Park in Church Hill, MD. Organizers say it’s an event to celebrate recovery, offer support to those affected by substance use, reduce stigma, and promote community healing.

A Baltimore man pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment last week in connection to a shooting at a Greensboro grocery store in February. Jeffrey Smith Sr., 47, of Baltimore, entered the plea for the singular count on Aug. 20. Nine other charges, including first- and second-degree attempted murder, first- and second-degree assault and firearms counts, will not be prosecuted by the state as part of the plea agreement.
The shooting occurred on Feb. 12 in the parking lot of the Save A Lot on Greensboro Road. Police did not identify any victims immediately following the incident.

A possible “solar garden” occupying a 10-acre parcel of agricultural land straddling the Marydel-Caroline County line drew almost two dozen residents to the Marydel town hall meeting room recently.
The Caroline Review reports solar project planners from Denver-based Pivot Energy presented the proposal and answered questions during the 2-hour meeting. Social media posts on the town’s Facebook page prior to the meeting stated mostly opposition to the project in principle and referred to the sprawling utility scale solar project on nearly 800 acres along State Route 313 between Goldsboro and Greensboro.

Clayton Mitchell, a Stevensville resident formerly of Kent County, is serving as an adviser to the gubernatorial campaign of Dundalk native and storied businessman Ed Hale Sr. The Kent County News reports Hale, previously a registered Democrat, declared his intention to run as a Republican in the upcoming election. Taking the podium at Canton Waterfront Park, he said his campaign would focus on public safety and education. His formal announcement came just three months after he informally declared his candidacy as a Democratic opponent to incumbent Gov. Wes Moore.

Police arrested a tractor-trailer driver on an assault charge last week after he allegedly hit a car three times at a red light in Easton. The Star Democrat reports David Dziergowski, 33, of Glen Burnie, was charged Thursday with first-degree assault, reckless endangerment and five traffic citations. According to court documents, just after 7:30 a.m. that morning, police met with a woman who said her car was hit three times by a tractor-trailer going eastbound on Route 50 at the Dover Road intersection. The tractor-trailer driver, later identified as Dziergowski, continued driving when the light turned green and did not attempt to stop, the woman told police.

The State Fire Marshal is investigating a fire involving a stolen vehicle which took place early Aug. 24. WBOC reports the Queenstown Volunteer Fire Department responded to the 200 block of Arrington Road at 2:14 a.m. to find the front half of a 2017 Nissan Road engulfed. Firefighters managed to extinguish the flames in just five minutes, with damages estimated at $10,000. The vehicle was stolen from Prince George’s County without the owner’s knowledge, according to a press release.

No one wants to get stuck in traffic on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge — which is why the Maryland Transportation Authority is releasing the best travel times ahead of Labor Day. Thursday, the best time is before 11 a.m. and after 9 p.m. Friday, before 10 a.m. and after 9 p.m. Saturday, before 9 a.m. and after 6pm. Sunday, before 11 a.m. and after 6 p.m. and Labor Day Monday, before 10 a.m. and after 10 p.m.

Kent County fire officials are on the look out for a person seen on video surveillance, running from a home on fire in Kennedyville over the weekend. The blaze broke out around 1 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23 at a vacant residence on Augustine Herman Highway. Investigators believe the same home was intentionally set ablaze back on Feb. 28 — less than six months ago. Roughly 40 firefighters from two alarms responded early Saturday and brought the blaze under control in about 20 minutes, officials said. Damage is estimated at $50,000.

Throughout the past two years, solar energy has been a major topic of discussion on the Eastern Shore. The Star Democrat reports the conversation was raised again at the Caroline County Commissioners’ bi-weekly meeting Tuesday, where the commissioners dissected a proposed legislative bill on solar. The solar energy ordnance would bring the county in compliance with state law. The bill focuses on maintaining accessory solar, which is residential solar that is generating power for a property’s electrical use.

The first round of interviews for Chestertown’s next town manager is expected to wrap up mid-week. The Evening Enterprise reports the successful candidate will succeed Larry DiRe, whose last day on the job was Aug. 1. In all, seven applicants from a pool of 40-plus gained an interview, either in person or via the Zoom video conference platform. According to town officials, three applicants were interviewed Friday, Aug. 15; two more were interviewed Monday, Aug. 18; and the final two will be interviewed tomorrow (Wednesday, Aug. 20).
Three finalists will be brought back for a second interview.