News Staff

The Queen Anne’s County Chamber of Commerce welcomed Sheriff Gary Hofmann recently as part of its ongoing seminar series, where he provided an in-depth look at the latest scams affecting businesses and individuals — and the steps they can take to protect themselves. The Bay Times and Record Observer reports
Hofmann outlined how small businesses, which often lack training and robust IT resources, are frequently targeted. Scammers may use stolen credit cards to place large orders, leaving businesses unaware until it is too late. To reduce risk, Hofmann recommended printing invoices and verifying identification when fulfilling pickup orders.

The Caroline County Board of Education has worked to update its strategic plan, which is a philosophical outline for the next five years of growth and guidance for CCPS. The plan is now available to view on the CCPS website and involves the following goals, along with more fine-tuned methods on how the Board plans to achieve them: Goal 1: Academic Excellence, Goal 2: Wellness, Goal 3: Equity, and Goal 4: Communication. The Board of Education’s next meeting will be held on September 2, which also happens to be the first day of school for Caroline County.

A 38-year-old woman was arrested Aug. 1, in Chestertown on charges originally filed in 2014 in connection with the disappearance of her two young children. Myeasternshoremd.com reports Catherine Hoggle was taken into custody around 8 a.m. in the Foxley Manor neighborhood, with assistance from Chestertown police. Hoggle is in custody after a grand jury indicted her on two counts of murder in the 2014 disappearance of her children, Sarah Hoggle, 3, and Jacob Hoggle, 2. The children were reported missing on Sept. 7, 2014, the last day they were seen. Their mother was the last person seen with them, the release stated.

Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) recently announced the appointment of Queen Anne’s County Commissioner Jim Moran as Vice Chair of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) for Fiscal Year 2026. The BRTB serves as the federally designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the Baltimore region. It plays a critical role in coordinating regional transportation planning efforts by working closely with local, state, and federal partners and oversees programs that improve transportation infrastructure, safety, freight movement, and long-term project funding across the region.

Queen Anne’s County Animal Services is once again joining shelters across Maryland for the return of the “Maryland 3,000” pet adoption challenge. Throughout the month of August, adoption fees will be waived at participating shelters across the state. The Bay Times and Record Observer reports locally, Queen Anne’s County Animal Services is encouraging residents to help find loving homes for as many animals as “paw”-sible.
The shelter currently has 246 animals available for adoption — including dogs, cats and one guinea pig — according to Adoption Manager Kayla Bateman. Although adoption fees are waived during the campaign, all regular adoption procedures still apply.

Update on a story we told you about last week. Maryland State Police (MSP) continue to investigate a fatal head on crash that occurred Friday night July 25th in Queen Anne’s County. The deceased is identified as Lisa Marie Arisman, 56, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Arisman was the front passenger in a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu involved in the crash. She was pronounced deceased on the scene by emergency medical service personnel.
The driver of a 2020 Nissan Frontier involved in the crash is identified as Kyle Wayne Crossly, 30, of Sudlersville. Crossly was transported to ChristianaCare Christiana Hospital in Delaware. Investigators of the crash are consulting with the State’s Attorney’s Office of Queen Anne’s County. Charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.

Recently, the Maryland Board of Public Works approved over $20.8 million in grant funding for upgrades towards the Rock Hall Wastewater Treatment Plant. The funding adds to an existing award from the USDA Rural Development program, building a strong foundation of support from multiple agencies.
Mayor James Cook celebrated what he deemed a major infrastructure milestone and was long-anticipated.
The funding includes $19.3 million from the Bay Restoration Fund and an additional $1.5 million from the Supplemental Assistance Water Quality Grant Program.

The Maryland Department of Human Services is investigating Caroline County Child Protective Services after staff failed to respond this summer to a Federalsburg home where state troopers found two children alone, living in human and animal waste. One child was naked, covered in dirt. Audio from law enforcement’s communications with one another shows troopers were frustrated by the lack of response; one threatened to file a complaint with the state if a Child Protective Services representative didn’t show. Several local officials told The Baltimore Sun that Child Protective Services has been providing “inadequate” responses to after-hours calls from schools and law enforcement for more than a year, putting children at risk and straining police resources.

On Tuesday, the Town of Greensboro announced it received multiple different grants for improvements around the town that total almost $400,000. The biggest grant received was a $250,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Board of Public Works to revitalize Jesse Sutton Memorial Park for Community Parks and Playgrounds Improvement, Phase 1. No word on specific plans for the park.

Kent County commissioners unanimously approved $46,751 Tuesday to replace a failed backup power system that supports 9-1-1 operations and critical county infrastructure. The uninterruptible power supply, installed in 1989, finally failed after more than three decades of service, said Pete Landon, director of the county’s emergency services office. The system provides backup power to radio systems connecting the 9-1-1 dispatch center to county network infrastructure, the detention center and sheriff’s office.