WCTR News

Radcliffe Creek School’s (RCS) Board of Trustees has announced the selection of Dr. Jennifer Durham to serve as its next head of school, beginning July 1, 2025. This appointment follows a months-long nationwide search, which was led by Search Consultant Kirk R. Duncan and the school’s Search Committee, and included engagement and input from members across the Radcliffe Creek community. Chestertown Spy reports since 2018, Durham has served as the director of learning support for grades 7-12 at The Potomac School in McLean, VA

Washington College Professor Mindy Reynolds of the biology and molecular biology department has been awarded two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants totaling $139,861 to support her undergraduate students’ research on toxic substances and education resources for two-year colleges. Baytobaynews.com reports the grants will fund projects that explore the effects of arsenic and phthalates, as well as develop resources for other educators to incorporate original research into their classrooms.

Maryland State Police confirm the investigation is continuing of a pedestrian-involved fatality earlier this month in the 6500-block of Church Hill Road (also known as state Route 213), which is just outside of Chestertown in Queen Anne’s County. The Evening Enterprise reports o charges have been filed. The deceased has been identified as Charlie H. Collins Jr., 71, who was living near Chestertown at the time of his death. Previously, he lived in Millington. The driver of the vehicle involved in the crash was reported uninjured and remained at the scene, according to an MSP news release. The driver has not been identified.

Early voting in the 2024 General Election ends Thursday, October 31st. According to Kent County’s Board of Elections there are approximately 14,000 registered voters in the county and voters have continued to register with same day registration still open on Election Day, Nov. 5. Election Director Cheemoandia Blake nearly 3,000 ballots had been cast by early voters in Kent as of Wednesday. While the deadline to request a mail-in ballot by mail has passed, registered voters can still request that a mail-in ballot be sent to them via email. To request web delivery of a mail-in ballot, visit SBE’s ballot request form online. Requests must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 1.

The Sultana Education Foundation’s annual Downrigging Weekend Festival returns to the historic port of Chestertown, the weekend of Nov. 1-3. The Kent County News reports the festival features one of the largest annual gatherings of wooden ships in North America, along with lectures, fireworks, exhibits, and more. Proceeds from the festival support Sultana’s environmental literacy programs as well as educational programs operated by the nonprofit ships participating in the festival.

The Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff is investigating a fraud case. Saturday night, a deputy met with the victim who advised she was contacted by someone who said they were from PayPal and that there was a problem with her account. At the suspect’s request the victim purchased $1620 worth of gift cards. The suspect was also able to gain access to her bank account information and used it to purchase an additional $2700 worth of gift cards. The case remains open for further investigation.

The Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area is hosting two community conversations about the feasibility study for a National Heritage Area centered on Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area extending from the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal (C&D Canal) to and including Dorchester County.
National Heritage Areas are places where historic, cultural and natural resources combine to form cohesive, nationally important landscapes. One is happening at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 31 at the Kent Cultural Alliance, 101 Spring St., Chestertown.

The Bay Bridge Run will take place on Sunday, November 10. The participants will run or walk the 6.2 miles from Northrop Grumman on the western shore, across the eastbound span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, along Pier One Road and up Route 8 to the finish line in Chesapeake Bay Business Park.
The eastbound span of the Bay Bridge will be closed at 12:00 am Sunday morning to prepare for the runners and is expected to reopen by 2:00 pm Sunday afternoon.

Deputies with the Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff arrested a Nottingham, MD woman for possession of a large amount of suspected fentanyl during a routine traffic stop. A deputy was traveling eastbound on Route 50 in Grasonville when his in-car License Plate Recognition System alerted him to a vehicle with a suspended registration. During a traffic stop and search, 27 wax folds containing a substance suspected to be fentanyl powder and additional controlled dangerous substance (CDS) paraphernalia were found in a bag belonging to the passenger, identified as Danielle Maria Prefach. Upon questioning, Prefach admitted the substance was fentanyl.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) held a meeting this week to review recent studies that suggest the Chesapeake Bay’s striped bass (or rockfish) populations continue to struggle. WBOC reports according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation,a 2024 stock assessment update showed the number of rockfish remains below sustainable numbers despite multiple recent efforts to reduce their mortality. Studies conducted in Maryland and Virginia suggest similar issues with lower levels of juvenile fish in consecutive years.