This is Part One of a series examining St. Mary’s County’s new school-zone speed-camera program. Part One focuses on public mistrust, conflicting official information, and the Sheriff’s Office’s record of transparency disputes. Later articles will follow the money, examine the location data, and compare the cameras with other safety measures requested by residents. The...
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Michael Berger, an electrical engineer, devoted and cherished husband and father, and enthusiastic member of the Corinthian Yacht Club, passed away unexpectedly August 2, 2025. Michael was 71 years old and is survived by his loving wife, Teresa Berger and two loving daughters, Shannon and Chelsea. He is survived by his siblings, Barbara Bumgarner...
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George John Brstilo, “UG”, passed away peacefully on April 18, 2025, in Piney Point, Maryland, just days shy of his 91st birthday. Born on April 24, 1934, in Chicago, Illinois, to John and Anna (Stochl) Brstilo. George lived a life marked by dedication, service, and joy. A proud U.S. Marine veteran, George served his...
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Ethel Lucille Buck (Pitcher), of Broomes Island, Maryland, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at Calvert Heath Medical Center December 15, 2023. She was born on January 10, 1934 on Broomes Island, Maryland to the late John J. Pitcher, Jr. and Amy Elliott Pitcher. Ethel is also preceded in death by her sisters and...
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Michael Allen Coleman, 73, of Huntingtown passed away November 7, 2023 at his home. He was born October 20, 1950 in Prince George’s County to Forrest Allen and Betty Lou (Fitzwater) Coleman. Michael grew up in Mitchellville and attended Frederick Sasscer High School. He was drafted into the United States Army at 20 years...
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JoAnne Sturdevant-Beach, 72, of Dares Beach, MD passed away peacefully at home on November 5, 2023 in Dares Beach, MD surrounded by her husband, John (Jack) Beach, and loving family. JoAnne was born on August 10th,1951 in Dares Beach, MD to Harry and Grace E. Sturdevant. She grew up with her 4 siblings, Patricia,...
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Allen L. Manges of Partlow, Spotsylvania County, Virginia passed away October 30, 2023. Allen was born in Drury, Anne Arundel County, Maryland on August 16, 1941. He attended Southern High School in Lothian. He served in the United States Air Force as a radio operator with the 6910th Radio Group, USAFSS, from 1959 through 1963...
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In the wee hours of Saturday morning, October 21st, 2023 angels were commissioned to escort John Gregory “Jack” Cullison to Heaven to be reunited with his wife Franny. John Gregory Cullison, better known as “Jack”, was born on October 30th, 1934, at his family home in Ridge, Maryland. He was the seventh child in...
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Myroslaw Kowalskyj, 97, of Dunkirk and formerly of Hoffman Estates, IL passed away September 12, 2023. He was preceded in death by his wife Eugenia Kowalskyj. Survived by children Oleh Kowalskyj (Irene) and Nadia Doerrler, grandchildren Terry and Lydia Kowalskyj and Michael Doerrler (Jessica), and great-grandchildren Benedict and Alexandria. A private service and interment...
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Mary Josephine Kemp, “Mary Jo”, 87, of Avenue, MD, passed away on August 29, 2023 at her home. Born on September 14, 1935 in Washington, D.C., she was the daughter of the late Kathryn Lovenia Carroll and the late Joseph Benjamin Carroll. Mary was the loving wife of the late William Leslie Kemp, whom...
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Mrs. Shirley “Big Shirl” Rooney (née Pfeifer) passed away peacefully at home August 24, 2023 in Chesapeake Beach, MD at the age of 88. Shirley is survived by her daughter Katherine “Kathie” Marie Stapleton (Rick), Prince Frederick, MD, granddaughter and caregiver Jennifer Spadaro, her partner Nicole Raftery, Chesapeake Beach, MD, and grandson John Michael...
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Ellen Fahey Kubisiak, 89, of Solomons, MD and formerly of Silver Spring, MD, passed away on June 4, 2023 at the Hermitage at Solomons. Born December 31, 1933 in Washington, DC, she was the daughter of the late Joseph J. Fahey and Gertrude (Lucas) Fahey. Ellen graduated from Notre Dame Academy, Washington, DC in...
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Letter to the Editor, Oct. 2021 To the Editor; On behalf of the Relay For Life of St. Mary’s County, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the community for your support of the 23rd annual Relay For Life that was held at Historic St. Mary’s City on October 3, 2021. The...
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The Calvert County Department of Parks & Recreation will hold a virtual public meeting to receive input for the planning and construction of the new Harriet E. Brown Community Center. The meeting will be held Monday, June 7, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. through Zoom. Citizens are invited to participate to provide input on the...
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Mary Evelyn O’Neill Pineault, widow of James Martin O’Neill and Edward J. Pineault, died at Sunrise of Mount Vernon Assisted Living Facility in Alexandria, Virginia on April 11, 2021, just a month shy of her 89th birthday, from advanced dementia. The youngest child of Howard Marvin Humphreys and Catherine Isabel Gott, Mary Evelyn was...
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“In the Same Boat as Me” By Meghan Cobourn On the surface, it would appear that Evan McCarthy is your average, talented sailor. With years of experience on Broadneck High School’s racing team and a US Sailing Level 2 Instructor certification under his belt, it would be easy to think that he was born in...
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Yvette Jefferson is doing her part to raise awareness about the critical importance of organ donation. Years ago, Yvette’s father Junious was in end-stage heart failure and passed away while waiting for a heart transplant. Since her father’s lifesaving gift didn’t come in time, Yvette has become a Donate Life ambassador to encourage others...
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Jordan Andrew Topolski, 29 of Mechanicsville, MD passed away on February 4, 2021. He was born on November 26, 1991 in Leonardtown, MD to Mark Edward Topolski and Amy Lynn Reeger Topolski. Jordan is a lifelong resident of St. Mary’s County. He attended Chopticon High School and was employed for over three years as...
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I am writing on behalf of Calvert Collaborative for Children and Youth. There is a great need for a permanent community center in Prince Frederick to ensure that residents have recreational, community building, learning and outdoor activities that come with having a robust community. This need has been documented over the years by Calvert...
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Letter to Editor: It’s been a year of disappointment and challenges for the St. Mary’s County youth with livestock. Shows were cancelled. Maryland 4-H cancelled in person activities. Learning opportunities were limited to online and virtual sessions. The St. Mary’s County Fair was cancelled. The St. Mary’s County 4-H Livestock Auction was cancelled. Morale...
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UPDATE: 5/19/2020: U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm today sentenced Dante Tyler-El, age 54, of Landover, Maryland, to 150 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for carjacking and for using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Tyler-El entered his guilty plea...
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To the Editor, The following comments are addressed very specifically to St. Mary’s County Commissioners Hewitt, Guy, and Morgan. From 2006 to 2016 I was a Deputy Sheriff with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. I held assignments in Patrol, Investigations, and Special Operations as well as a number of collateral duties. I often...
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The following letter to the editor was submitted to SMNEWSNET.COM. Letter to the Editor: The group called: Southern MD area Secular Humanist (SMASH) are sponsoring an event of teaching young boys how to be “Drag Queens” on this coming June 23, 2019, at 2:00pm, starting with their so called “Story Hour” which gives the...
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WALDORF – Southern Maryland Roller Derby’s first bout of 2019 is coming to a track near you! This rematch versus the Mason Dixon Roller Vixens will be at Capital Clubhouse in Waldorf, on Saturday May 18. Come and enjoy a day of derby with us! Doors open at 5:30pm, and the first whistle blows...
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Memorial Day: A Day to Remember the Fallen
Monday, May 26, 2025, is Memorial Day. This day is a national holiday, for remembering and honoring men and women, who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. Waterloo, New York, was declared the official birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966. The holiday had many origins,...
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