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Dry Conditions Lead To Statewide Open-Air Burn Ban In Maryland Due To Wildfire Threats Dry Conditions Lead To Statewide Open-Air Burn Ban In Maryland Due To Wildfire Threats
Dry Conditions Lead To Statewide Open-Air Burn Ban In Maryland Due To Wildfire Threats The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has implemented a statewide ban on open-air burning amid the "extremely dry conditions" that have plagued the region recently. According to officials, "extremely dry conditions persist across the state and have led to an above average number of wildfires statewide, and conditions are not expected to change in the near future." It was enacted on Friday, Nov. 1.  The ban will remain in effect until the Maryland Forest Service determines the state has received enough precipitation to reduce the threat of wildfires statewide, they added. …

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by Zak Failla
News
Officers, Victim Identified In Police-Involved In-Custody Maryland Death Officers, Victim Identified In Police-Involved In-Custody Maryland Death
Officers, Victim Identified In Police-Involved In-Custody Maryland Death The Maryland Attorney General's Office has identified the officers and suspect involved in an in-custody death in Washington County. New details have been released by investigators following a probe into the death of Hagerstown resident Kelvin Lashawn, 46, after he was taken into custody over the weekend. According to investigators, at approximately 10:15 p.m. on Oct. 26, members of the Hagerstown Police Department executed a search warrant at a home in the 100 block of East Washington Street, where they found Lashawn outside who was handcuffed and placed into a cruiser. While in the backs…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
These Are Maryland's Top Public Middle Schools: New Rankings Released These Are Maryland's Top Public Middle Schools: New Rankings Released
These Are Maryland's Top Public Middle Schools: New Rankings Released Several middle schools in Montgomery and Howard counties are among the best in Maryland, according to a new Niche report. Cabin John Middle School in Potomac topped the list, followed by three in Howard County: Clarksville, Mount View, and Folly Quarter middle schools. To determine the "best public schools in America," Niche's ranking was "based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from US Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings collected from millions of Niche users."  The results are similar to the top public high schools in the st…

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by Zak Failla
News
Maryland Attorney General's Office Probing Police-Involved In-Custody Death Maryland Attorney General's Office Probing Police-Involved In-Custody Death
Maryland Attorney General's Office Probing Police-Involved In-Custody Death The Maryland Attorney General's Office has launched an investigation after a suspect died while in police custody in Washington County overnight.  The AG's Independent Investigation Division (IID) is probing a police-involved in-custody death that was reported on Saturday in Hagerstown amid an ongoing investigation, officials say. According to investigators, at approximately 10:15 p.m. on Oct. 26, members of the Hagerstown Police Department executed a search warrant at a home in the 100 block of East Washington Street, where they found a man outside who was handcuffed and placed into a…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Maryland Man Charged With Attempted Murder Following Call For Shots Fired Outside Mart: Police Maryland Man Charged With Attempted Murder Following Call For Shots Fired Outside Mart: Police
Maryland Man Charged With Attempted Murder Following Call For Shots Fired Outside Mart: Police A stranger who fired shots at a driver who struck two women with a vehicle outside a Washington County business is facing serious charges, the Hagerstown Police Department announced. On Tuesday morning, officers were called to the 7 Mini Mart on West Franklin Street to investigate reports of shots fired after the women were hit by the car. Police say that after they were struck, Hagerstown resident John Michael Matthews-Hackett, 20, took out a handgun and fired a shot toward the driver of a Toyota Camry, which fled the scene while the shooter left the area on foot. Matthews-Hackett missed …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Residents Rescued From Roof Of Maryland House Fire Residents Rescued From Roof Of Maryland House Fire
Residents Rescued From Roof Of Maryland House Fire Some residents had to be rescued in Washington County on Saturday morning when a house fire broke out in Hagerstown, officials say. Crews were called shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 19 to the 200 block of Prospect Avenue where there was a smoke detector that activated inside an area row home. Upon arrival, firefighters rescued occupants from the roof of the residence and were able to knock down the flames and contain them to two of the nine units within the row, though others sustained smoke and water damage. From today’s fire in Hagerstown. Posted by Longmeadow Vol. Fire Co. on …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Knife-Wielding Man Courting Death Apprehended Safely In Maryland, Police Say Knife-Wielding Man Courting Death Apprehended Safely In Maryland, Police Say
Knife-Wielding Man Courting Death Apprehended Safely In Maryland, Police Say Officers from the Hagerstown Police Department did not grant the wish of a knife-wielding man who wanted to be killed after stabbing his victim multiple times, according to investigators. Kevin Leonard Quander is facing a host of charges following the investigation into an incident in Washington County, during which he attacked his victim before being subdued by a Taser-like device. Officers were responded late in the afternoon on Saturday, Oct. 12 to investigate a reported stabbing in the 100 block of West Franklin Street, and upon arrival, they found Quander chasing another man while hold…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Sheriff IDs 67-Year-Old Man Killed In Frederick County Mobile Home Fire Sheriff IDs 67-Year-Old Man Killed In Frederick County Mobile Home Fire
Sheriff IDs 67-Year-Old Man Killed In Frederick County Mobile Home Fire The cause of a fatal fire that claimed the life of 67-year-old Robert Raymond Cole in Frederick County over the weekend has been classified as "undetermined," investigators say. First responders were called around 9:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5 to the 11000 block of Highland School Road, where there was a reported fire in Myersville. Upon arrival, Frederick County Fire and Rescue Service crews found a mobile home with "extensive fire showing" and were informed that it may be occupied, prompting an emergency search. Paramedics found Cole unconscious inside, and he was pronounced dead at the …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Would-Be Bank Robber In Maryland Busted After Distressed Teller Makes Emergency Call: Police Would-Be Bank Robber In Maryland Busted After Distressed Teller Makes Emergency Call: Police
Would-Be Bank Robber In Maryland Busted After Distressed Teller Makes Emergency Call: Police A quick-thinking teller at a Washington County bank was able to foil an attempted bank robber who was quickly apprehended by police in Hagerstown. Earlier this week, William Manchester III, 39, who has no fixed address, was thwarted by a teller at F&M Trust on West Washington Street after he attempted to rob the branch. Officers from the Hagerstown Police Department were called at around 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 7, to investigate a reported robbery in progress. According to police, Manchester slid a note to the teller indicating he had a gun, demanded money, and threatened to shoot them…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
PA Robber, Child Rapist Nabbed By US Marshals In MD Found Dead In Cell PA Robber, Child Rapist Nabbed By US Marshals In MD Found Dead In Cell
PA Robber, Child Rapist Nabbed By US Marshals In MD Found Dead In Cell A robber — who was caught by US Marshals in Northern Maryland in July 2023 — has died in prison while serving time for raping a child, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections announced on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024.  Anthony James Raimo, 35 at the time of his arrest, of the 700 block of Harrisburg Pike, Dillsburg, was arrested on July 7, 2023, by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Washington County, MD Sheriff's Office, as Daily Voice previously reported. Raimo, now 37, was found unresponsive in his cell at State Correctional Institution in Houtzdale, PA, on October 8, 2024, accord…

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by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
One Killed In Frederick County Mobile Home Fire Under Investigation: Officials (DEVELOPING) One Killed In Frederick County Mobile Home Fire Under Investigation: Officials (DEVELOPING)
One Killed In Frederick County Mobile Home Fire Under Investigation: Officials (Developing) One person was killed overnight in a fire that broke out inside a Frederick County home, officials confirmed. First responders were called around 9:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5 to the 11000 block of Highland School Road, where there was a reported fire in Myersville. Upon arrival, Frederick County Fire and Rescue Service crews found a mobile home with "extensive fire showing" and were informed that it may be occupied, prompting an emergency search. An unconscious person was found inside, officials said, and treated by paramedics at the scene, though they were pronounced dead. No details abo…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Tractor-Trailer Driver Charged For Causing Fatal Chain-Reaction Crash On I-70: MD State Police Tractor-Trailer Driver Charged For Causing Fatal Chain-Reaction Crash On I-70: MD State Police
Tractor-Trailer Driver Charged For Causing Fatal Chain-Reaction Crash On I-70: MD State Police A truck driver from Georgia who got behind the wheel of his tractor-trailer while intoxicated is facing charges in Maryland for causing a fatal five-vehicle crash in Washington County. Ray Pittman, 62, was arrested on Thursday night after setting off a chain-reaction crash that resulted in the death of 27-year-old Hagerstown resident Morgan Suter. ** I-70 WB CLOSED at DUAL HWY / US40 / Exit 32 ** IAO I70 WB & BEAVER CREEK RD PERS INJURY COLLISION CO10 E03 RS10... Posted by Washington County MD Fire Calls on Thursday, October 3, 2024 Investigators say that shortly after 5 p.m.…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
These Are Maryland's Top Public High Schools: New Rankings Released These Are Maryland's Top Public High Schools: New Rankings Released
These Are Maryland's Top Public High Schools: New Rankings Released A pair of Montgomery County public high schools were ranked the best in Maryland, followed by some in Howard County, according to a new Niche report. Poolesville High School took the top spot in Maryland - and 32nd overall in the nation - followed by Walt Whitman High School, River Hill High School, Winston Church Hill High School, and Marriotts Ridge High School. To determine the "best public schools in America," Niche's ranking was "based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from US Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings collected …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Two Children, Adult Airlifted In Washington County Crash On I-70: Maryland State Police Two Children, Adult Airlifted In Washington County Crash On I-70: Maryland State Police
Two Children, Adult Airlifted In Washington County Crash On I-70: Maryland State Police A 19-year-old driver was hospitalized, and two children and an adult passenger were airlifted from a crash scene on I-70 in Washington County, state police say. Baltimore resident Yelson Aguilar was among four hospitalized following a rollover crash in Big Pool early on Tuesday morning. According to state police, shortly before 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 10, troopers were called to a stretch of the interstate, where there was a reported single-vehicle crash with four injuries.  Investigators say that Aguilar was taken by paramedics to Meritus Medical Center, while two 6 year olds were flown t…

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by Zak Failla
News
Suspect Inserted Combustible Material In Mercedes Gas Tank In Maryland: Fire Marshal Suspect Inserted Combustible Material In Mercedes Gas Tank In Maryland: Fire Marshal
Suspect Inserted Combustible Material In Mercedes Gas Tank In Maryland: Fire Marshal A Mercedes in Washington County was damaged early on Sunday morning when an incendiary fire broke out in Hagerstown. Crews from the Hagerstown Fire Department responded at approximately 5:15 a.m. on Sept. 8 to the 1000 block of Security Road to investigate a reported car fire.  Firefighters responded to the scene, where they found the fire was already extinguished, though the vehicle suffered significant damage. According to investigators from the Maryland Fire Marshal, the cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary, with an open flame to combustible material that was inserted …

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by Zak Failla
News
Adult Caretaker Convicted Of 'Karate Chopping,' Abusing Autistic Man: Maryland AG Adult Caretaker Convicted Of 'Karate Chopping,' Abusing Autistic Man: Maryland AG
Adult Caretaker Convicted Of 'Karate Chopping,' Abusing Autistic Man: Maryland AG An adult caretaker responsible for assisting a vulnerable patient in Washington County has been convicted of assaulting an autistic man, the Maryland Attorney General's Office announced. Hagerstown resident Kehinde Oluwatobi Ososanya, 38, is facing more than a decade in prison after he was found guilty by a Washington County Circuit judge for his handling of a 30-year-old intellectually disabled patient he was responsible for. According to the AG, Ososanya, who worked at the Arc of Washington County residential program as a direct support professional, took the man to an urgent ca…

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by Zak Failla
News
Train Derailment In Maryland Under Investigation 24 Hours Later Train Derailment In Maryland Under Investigation 24 Hours Later
Train Derailment In Maryland Under Investigation 24 Hours Later First responders in Washington County had their hands full on Sunday following a multi-car train derailment that remains under investigation a day later.  According to fire officials, at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 25, crews from the Hagerstown Fire Department were called to the 300 block of South Burhans Boulevard, where there was a reported derailment. In total, nine cars wound up off the tracks. From Hagerstown Fire Department: “At 3:30pm, units from HFD were alerted to the area of the 300 block of South Burhans... Posted by Hagerstown Police Department on Sund…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Peeping Tom Caught By Minor At Maryland Target Location Busted With Child Porn: Sheriff Peeping Tom Caught By Minor At Maryland Target Location Busted With Child Porn: Sheriff
Peeping Tom Caught By Minor At Maryland Target Location Busted With Child Porn: Sheriff A Peeping Tom who was caught holding a phone under the door at a changing room in Washington County was also busted with child pornography, according to the sheriff's office. In June, the sheriff's office was advised about a suspicious suspect who targeted an underage girl who was trying on clothing at Target on Cole Road in Hagerstown. According to investigators, the minor spotted a black cellphone being held under the door by an unknown man who was later identified as 48-year-old Hancock resident Terry Lee Smith. During the investigation, a search and seizure warrant was served at S…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Man Threatened To Burn Down Maryland Home During Dispute With Landlords: Fire Marshal Man Threatened To Burn Down Maryland Home During Dispute With Landlords: Fire Marshal
Man Threatened To Burn Down Maryland Home During Dispute With Landlords: Fire Marshal A dispute between a landlord and tenant turned fiery and landed one man behind bars in Washington County after he threatened to burn down the home he was renting, according to the Maryland Fire Marshal. Randy Sigler, 65, who was renting a home in Hagerstown, is facing up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for threatening arson during a dispute with his landlord and her husband. Officials say that shortly after 2 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 17, members of the Washington County Sheriff's Office responded to a home in the 13600 block of Grandview Drive to investigate a reported dispute between …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Man Serving Time Faces New Charges For Auto Shop Arson, Stolen Truck In Frederick: Sheriff Man Serving Time Faces New Charges For Auto Shop Arson, Stolen Truck In Frederick: Sheriff
Man Serving Time Faces New Charges For Auto Shop Arson, Stolen Truck In Frederick: Sheriff The man who set a Maryland auto shop on fire and stole a pick-up truck that was later found parked in the Potomac River has been apprehended in Frederick County, authorities announced. In late May, first responders were called to Hi Lo Auto Sales in the 5000 block of Urbana Pike, where there was a reported fire and theft at the business. The incident was reported shortly before 3 a.m. on Wednesday, May 29. According to the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, upon arrival, fire crews were met by smoke coming from the building, and it was later determined that it was a case of arson by the fi…

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by Zak Failla
News
Narcotics Task Force Busts Pair For Multiple Drug, Weapon Offenses In Washington County Narcotics Task Force Busts Pair For Multiple Drug, Weapon Offenses In Washington County
Narcotics Task Force Busts Pair For Multiple Drug, Weapon Offenses In Washington County A pair of suspected drug dealers operating out of a home in Washington County are facing a host of charges following a bust in Hagerstown, authorities announced. Destinie Kisha Capers and Imeir Sirage Delaney were arrested on Tuesday following an investigation by the Washington County Narcotics Task Force during the execution of a search and seizure warrant at a home on West Washington Street on Tuesday. According to officials, both Capers and Dlaney were stopped by investigators, where they were found to be in possession of a Flock 45 caliber handgun with a fully automatic "switch" on the …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
'Crackling Noise, Glow' On Maryland Porch Alerted Family To Fire, Investigators Say 'Crackling Noise, Glow' On Maryland Porch Alerted Family To Fire, Investigators Say
'Crackling Noise, Glow' On Maryland Porch Alerted Family To Fire, Investigators Say A faulty extension cord is to blame for a Washington County fire that left a family displaced and destroyed a home in Hancock on Sunday afternoon, according to investigators. Four dozen firefighters from the Hancock Volunteer Fire Company responded at around 3 p.m. on July 21, when the occupants of a White Oak Ridge residence reported that a blaze has broken out in their home. According to the Maryland Fire Marshal, one occupant inside the home heard a crackling noise, and observed a glow outside the home, which turned out to be the flames that broke out on the front porch. The occupant wa…

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by Zak Failla
News
Bomb Threats Called In To Retirement Home Lands Man Behind Bars: Maryland Fire Marshal Bomb Threats Called In To Retirement Home Lands Man Behind Bars: Maryland Fire Marshal
Bomb Threats Called In To Retirement Home Lands Man Behind Bars: Maryland Fire Marshal The man who made several bomb threats targeting a retirement home on different occasions has been arrested, according to the Maryland Fire Marshal. Hagerstown resident John Calvin Walls, 60, is facing charges following an investigation into voicemails that were left at the Williamsport Retirement Village in Washington County. According to investigators, Walls allegedly "threatened to blow up the tranquil home offering assisted living, rehabilitation, long-term care, and respite care."  On Monday, investigators from the fire marshal's office responded to the retirement home when an emp…

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by Zak Failla
News
Rescue From Greencastle Farm Silo With Help From Washington County Crews (PHOTOS) Rescue From Greencastle Farm Silo With Help From Washington County Crews (PHOTOS)
Rescue From Greencastle Farm Silo With Help From Washington County Crews (Photos) Someone became trapped in a grain silo in Pennsylvania on Friday morning — and was freed with the help of emergency crews from Maryland.  The call to a report of someone "trapped in a grain silo" in the 14000 block of Williamsport Pike in the Greencastle-Antrim area came into Franklin County 911 at 11 a.m. on June 14, according to the Washington County Division of Emergency Services. Around 10:50 today, Qnt27 alerted for confined space rescue in Franklin County Pa (Greencastle) units from Co3 arrived... Posted by Longmeadow Vol. Fire Co. on Friday, June 14, 2024 Soon…

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by Jillian Pikora
News
Woman Charged For Running Sex, Human Trafficking Ring Across Maryland: AG Woman Charged For Running Sex, Human Trafficking Ring Across Maryland: AG
Woman Charged For Running Sex, Human Trafficking Ring Across Maryland: AG A Baltimore woman has been indicted by a Washington County grand jury in a 135-count indictment stemming from a years-long investigation by the Maryland Attorney General's Office into a human and sex trafficking ring, authorities announced. Kenika Danielle Leach, 33, has been charged following a two-year multi-agency investigation, which helped the AG's Organized Crime Unit to identify nearly a dozen women from Hagerstown who were allegedly trafficked by her and her organization at hotels and motels throughout Maryland. According to the AG, in December 2021, the Baltimore Police Department …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Washington County High School Evacuated, Dismissed Early For HazMat Situation Washington County High School Evacuated, Dismissed Early For HazMat Situation
Washington County High School Evacuated, Dismissed Early For HazMat Situation Some students in Washington County got an unexpected half-day while fire crews investigated a HazMat situation at Boonsboro High School on Monday morning. Shortly after 9:45 a.m. on June 3, the Washington County Division of Emergency Services and fire and rescue personnel from multiple agencies were called to the building, which had to be evacuated after "a substance was discovered in the mechanical room."  Be advised at this time the Boonsboro Fire Department and Washington County DES HazMat crews are investigating a HazMat... Posted by Boonsboro Fire Department on Monda…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Curious Cat Rescued Hours After Crawling Into Car Engine In Maryland Curious Cat Rescued Hours After Crawling Into Car Engine In Maryland
Curious Cat Rescued Hours After Crawling Into Car Engine In Maryland A ferocious feline in Maryland may have used one of its nine lives after being caught in a precarious position that required intervention by first responders in Washington County. Crews from the Hagerstown Fire Department made a special save this week after a cat found itself trapped in the engine well of a parked vehicle.  The driver said that she was driving in the area when she spotted a cat going under her car, prompting the first call to the department, though they initially found nothing under her vehicle. She then went home, and slept more soundly than the cat that had navigate…

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by Zak Failla