WCTR News

RiverArts announces completion of the move to 200B High Street where the administrative office and RiverArts Store are now located (next to the Clay Studio). Additional improvements are also coming to the new location at 343 High Street. The grand opening of RiverArts’ Community Arts Center will take place in February. Also announced, new leadership for RiverArts in 2025. Chris Neiman has accepted the role as executive director and Kris Kelley as assistant director.

If you come across Impero Foods & Meats raw pork sausage products in your travels, take a closer look before buying. Some was manufactured by the Baltimore-based company without federal inspection.
The recalled items were from between Oct. 3, 2024, and Dec. 19, 2024. The following products are subject to recall :
10-lb. white cardboard box cases containing a plastic bag of “Old World Italian Sausage” with “rope” handwritten on the case. Also, 10-lb. white cardboard box cases containing a plastic bag of “Old World Italian Sausage” with “link” handwritten on the case.

The Queen Anne’s County Commissioners announced their recommendation for Brice Strang as the next Health Officer for the Queen Anne’s County Department of Health, following the upcoming retirement of Dr. Joseph Ciotola, MD at the end of the year. Brice Strang brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role. With over 10 years of service in public health, including his recent tenure with the Dorchester County Health Department, Strang has demonstrated leadership in a variety of public health initiatives.

On December 18th, Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to an address in Queenstown for a report of a past theft. An employee for the victim advised that 100 feet of copper valued at $100,000 had been stolen. The investigation is ongoing.

Queen Anne’s County announces that County Commissioner Jack N. Wilson, Jr. will serve as the new President of the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) for 2024/25. Commissioner Wilson was sworn in during the MACo Winter Conference, where he addressed nearly 900 government leaders, legislators, and partners gathered to discuss the upcoming legislative session and the fiscal and policy challenges facing Maryland in the year ahead.

Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff is warning of a Smishing Scam affecting our area. Scammers are sending fraudulent text messages posing as a road toll collection service, claiming you have an outstanding balance and are at risk of a late fee.
If you’ve received a text like this, the first and most important thing you can do is to not click on the link. File a complaint with the IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center) at: www.ic3.gov, including the phone number from where the text originated, the website listed within the text and delete the Smishing Text.

Some kind of electrical event involving a power surge protector is the apparent cause of a house fire in Massey Wednesday morning. The Evening Enterprise reports firefighters were dispatched at 6:26 a.m. for a structure fire in the 34000-block of Maryland Line Road. The fire originated in a first-floor bathroom.
A total of 40 firefighters responded. There were no injuries reported.

Washington College’s Center for Environment and Society (CES) is offering an alternative way to recycle your holiday tree. Instead of sending them to the landfill, the staff at CES is asking for donations of your old holiday trees to build extra bird habitat. As part of the Natural Lands Project, the trees will be arranged in brushy hedgerows and provide extra cover for overwintering wildlife. Thanks to community support, 94 trees were donated last year and were just time to offer some cover to bobwhite quails and other birds in snowy January.
Donated trees can be brought to Semans-Griswold Environmental Hall at 485 S. Cross Street in Chestertown

The Chestertown Lions Club completed their annual Christmas Baskets for the needy service project on Dec. 16, working with various clubs and organizations to deliver boxes of food and 577 bags of new toys to over 400 needy families and seniors in Kent County. The project has served Kent County since the 1980s and has been coordinated by the Lions Clubs of Galena, Millington, Still Pond, Rock Hall and Chestertown since 2000.

Recently, former Queen Anne’sCounty sheriff, the late Charles F. Crossley was honored by the American Legion with a wreath from Wreaths Across America, paying tribute to his service in the National Guard in addition to his sixteen years as Sheriff. Officials say Sheriff Crossley was more than just a leader; he was a mentor, a friend, and an enduring example of dedication and integrity. His legacy of service to both our country and our community will never be forgotten.