WCTR News

Business minded residents of the Eastern Shore are invited to an exciting showcase of regional entrepreneurship at the 2025 Upper Shore STRT1UP Roadshow. Join the Upper Shore Regional Council, and Washington College’s Department of Business Management on Tuesday, April 15 at 2:30 – 6 p.m. on Washington College’s campus as aspiring entrepreneurs from Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne’s counties pitch their innovative business ideas for a chance to win significant cash prizes.

The Kent County Department of Social Services provided more than $7 million in direct benefits to county residents and supported a wide range of services and programs in fiscal year 2024, according to its newly released annual report. The Kent County News reports Director Shelly Neal-Edwards said the department made “meaningful progress” in meeting the complex needs of the community over the past year. Key priorities included strengthening collaboration, promoting equity in service delivery, supporting capacity building in partner agencies and encouraging innovation.

The Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public’s assistance in locating several suspects in a significant alleged theft from the Queenstown Nike Factory. Police tell WBOC that they received reports on Thursday, March 27, at about 2:45 p.m., of an alleged theft from the store. Four masked suspects entered the Nike Factory Store and took a large amount of clothing items, according to police. The Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff shared multiple security footage images Friday of what appear to be the suspects removing the clothing.

Queen Anne’s County Planning Commission will meet on Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 8:45 AM in the Planning Commission room at 110 Vincit Street in Centreville Maryland. View the agenda here. https://www.qac.org.

A day-long law enforcement operation on Flatland Road ended peacefully Friday when a man experiencing a mental health crisis surrendered after firing multiple gunshots and prompting widespread community response.
The incident began around 5:45 a.m. March 28, when Chestertown Police Department and Kent County Sheriff’s Office responded to shots fired in the 100 block of Flatland Road. Witnesses, including neighbor Todd Hughes, reported hearing gunshots around 5 a.m., followed by someone knocking on a nearby door.
At approximately 1:30 p.m., the subject voluntarily exited the residence and surrendered without incident. He was taken into custody and transported to a local medical facility for a mental health evaluation. Criminal charges are pending, Chestertown Police Chief Ron Dixon, lead agency on the incident, said.

A single-alarm fire broke out at a two-story, wood-frame, single-family dwelling located in the 5400 block of Eastern Neck Road in Rock Hall, Kent County, Maryland. The fire inflicted an estimated $30,000 in damage to the structure and its contents. The incident, reported at approximately 6:30 PM, was discovered by the homeowner. The fire originated in the interior first-floor kitchen, with preliminary investigations indicating the cause as accidental due to unattended cooking.

Will Kent County police cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when and if they call? More specifically, will they participate in the 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement agencies to collaborate with ICE to detain immigrants?
Kent County Sheriff Dennis Hickman acknowledges this is a complicated issue, based on recommendations from the Maryland State’s Attorney’s Office. A 2018 guidance memorandum states that law enforcement agencies can cooperate, but are not required to do so and could be liable in certain situations.

Household hazardous waste drop-off, electronics recycling and latex paint collection are scheduled for Saturday, April 5 at the Nicholson Drop-off Center. Hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine, at 23750 Larney Nick Road, near Chestertown. Maryland Environmental Service is the host. The event is only for residents of Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties. There is no charge. This event is specifically for household wastes that are toxic, corrosive, ignitable or reactive. There is a limit of 20 gallons or 250 pounds of acceptable waste per residence.

In an effort to streamline costs and increase efficiency, Kent County officials have brokered a deal to share soil between two major construction projects underway in Millington — the $16 million wastewater treatment plant and the Millington Senior Village housing development. Both projects require major earthwork: the housing development needs fill to elevate the site, while soil must be removed from the future treatment plant property to lower it to the correct grade. County officials saw an opportunity to save taxpayer money by using the excavated soil from one site to supply the other.

Kent County High School Principal Kris Hemstetter has been named Principal of the Year by the Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals in collaboration with the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Chris Truffer, executive director of the Maryland Association, was on hand to present the award to Hemstetter, noting that out of 255 high schools in Maryland, she was the Principal of the Year for the state. She is now in the running for the National Middle Level and High School Principals of the Year awards.