O’Malley Announces Appointment to Caroline County School Board

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley today announced the appointment of Walter B. Palmer, III, to the Caroline County Board of Education. Mr. Palmer is a life-long resident of Caroline County and comes from a family of teachers. He is an attorney with his own practice in Denton. Prior to opening his own practice, he served in the Office of the Caroline County State’s Attorney handling child support and juvenile cases.

“Mr. Palmer brings a broad knowledge and a wealth of experience to the Board,” said Governor O’Malley. “He is an active member of the community with a strong commitment to education. I am confident that Mr. Palmer possesses the skill and the leadership necessary to ensure every child in Caroline County receives the quality public education they deserve.”

From 1999 to 2002, Mr. Palmer served on the Caroline County Education Study Commission where he served as chair of the Performance Audit subcommittee. He has also been the attorney advisor for the North Caroline High School Mock Trial Team. Palmer is an active member of his church, the Rotary Club, Character Counts, and various mental health, addiction and family violence organizations. Additionally, Palmer has been a Boy Scout leader for decades.

A graduate of North Caroline High School, Palmer earned his BA in History with honors from Gettysburg College. He earned his JD from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary. In addition to the Caroline County Bar, he is a member of the Maryland Bar and the American Bar Association. Mr. Palmer resides in Denton.

Denton Police Seize 119 Grams of Crack Cocaine

DENTON, MD - A Denton man was arrested Saturday on drug-dealing charges after police seized 119 grams of crack cocaine from a home he was in, according to a news release from the Denton Police Department.

Police said Jermaine Lotez Ringgold, 38, of High Street was charged with possession of a large amount of drugs with the intent to distribute, drug possession with the intent to distribute, drug possession not marijuana, drug paraphernalia possession and failure to obey a lawful police order.

Police said Ringgold was riding on the back of a motor scooter driven by Michael Seth, 47, of Denton, which failed to stop at a stop sign at the Goose Creek gas station on North Sixth Street.

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Women Argued With Slain Man Over Money, Police Claim

DENTON, MD - Caroline County District Court records reveal more details on what happened the night Denton resident Louis R. Nichols allegedly was murdered and his body dumped in the Choptank River.

Police charged Charlene Ruth Weddle, 45, and Mary Sue Chider, 34, both of Denton, each with first- and second-degree murder and first-degree assault in the case. Chider, listed in court documents as Weddle's girlfriend, also faces counts of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and various conspiracy charges.

According to court records, Nichols, 71, lived at 312 S. Fourth St. with Weddle, the daughter of his deceased wife Ruth Nichols, and Chider. Police said the trio got into an argument which led to Nichols' death sometime between late Saturday night and early Sunday morning.

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Denton Man Charged With Arson

DENTON, MD - Maryland Deputy Fire Marshals have charged a Caroline County man with first-degree arson stemming from an early morning incident July 26 at 514 Market St. in Denton, according to a news release.

Court records from the Maryland Judiciary website show Richard Taylor Chapline, 23, who lived in the burned apartment building, is charged with first- and second-degree arson and first-degree malicious burning.

The records show Chapline is being held without bail in the Caroline County Detention Center.

Fire marshals said 35 firefighters from the Denton, Greensboro and Ridgely volunteer fire companies came to the apartment building at about 12:30 a.m. for the fire, which caused about $20,000 worth of damage. Fire marshals said the first floor was under renovations at the time and unoccupied, but sustained water damage.

Fire marshals said the fire originated in a second-floor bedroom of Chapline's apartment and was contained to the building's second floor. Fire marshals said the Denton Police Department detained Chapline at the scene for questioning and Chapline admitted to setting the fire.

from the Star-Democrat

Caroline Leads Mid-Shore in Number of Sex Offenders

DENTON, MD - The Caroline County Sheriff's Office manages more sex offenders than any other county in Maryland's Mid-Shore region, and the majority of those on its registry are categorized as the most dangerous offenders.

Lt. Ron Dixon has been in charge of overseeing Caroline's sex offender registry for three and a half years and enforcing its zero tolerance policy for those who try to skip out on their court-ordered appointments.

Dixon said as of July 18, Caroline has 73 registered sex offenders, the highest concentration of whom live in the Federalsburg area. He said on the Mid-Shore, Dorchester County currently has 61 sex offenders, while Talbot County has 45, Queen Anne's County has 31 and Kent County has 23.

"Every zip code in Caroline County has some sex offenders living in it," Dixon said.

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DelMarVa Post Offices Face Possible Closure

Well, it’s really MarVa post offices. Curiously, no Delaware post offices are under consideration for closure from the US Postal Service.

The Eastern Shore PO’s “under study” are:

Assawoman	VA		Massey	MD
Betterton	MD		Sanford	VA
Bivalve	MD		Saxis	VA
Craddockville	VA		Sherwood	MD
Crocheron	MD		Townsend	VA
Ewell	MD		Tyaskin	MD
Harborton	VA		Tylerton	MD
Henderson	MD		Upper Fairmount	MD
Hillsboro	MD		Willis Wharf	VA
Locustville	VA		Withams	VA

For a full list of the Maryland post offices “under study”, CLICK HERE.

For a full list of the Virginia post offices “under study”, CLICK HERE.

If you’re from Delaware, send a thank you note to Joe Biden.

Two Arrested for Caroline County Murder

DENTON, MD – Maryland State Police homicide investigators have charged two Caroline County women with the murder of a man whose body was found in the Choptank River near Denton Sunday morning.

The victim is identified as Louis R. Nichols, 71, of the 300-block of South Fourth Street, Denton, Md. Nichols lived at that address with Charlene Weddle, the daughter of his deceased spouse, and Weddle’s friend, Mary Chider. Nichols’ wife died about one month ago.

The first suspect is identified as Charlene R. Weddle, 45, of the 300-block of South Fourth Street, Denton, Md. She is charged with first and second degree murder and first degree assault. Following her initial appearance before a court commissioner, Weddle was incarcerated in the Caroline County Detention Center without bond.

The second suspect is identified as Mary S. Chider, 34, of same address. She is charged with first and second degree murder and first and second degree assault. She will be taken before a court commissioner for an initial appearance later this morning.

At about 11:00 a.m. on July 24, 2011, a man fishing in the Choptank River just north of business Rt. 404, saw a body in the water near the west bank of the river, not far from the old Rt. 404 bridge. Deputies from the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office responded, along with Natural Resources Police and criminal investigators from the State Police Easton Barrack.

State Police Homicide Unit investigators were called and continued the investigation. They were provided invaluable assistance from investigators with the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office, the State Police Easton Barrack, and members of the Caroline County State’s Attorney’s Office.

An autopsy of the victim conducted at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore determined the victim was murdered. Forensic pathologists found the victim had cutting wounds to his head and hands, none of which had injured vital organs, but some of which were wounds he likely sustained while trying to defend himself.

According to the medical examiner, the victim had also sustained blunt force trauma to the head and had been asphyxiated. Autopsy evidence indicated the victim was already dead when his body was placed in the river.

State Police homicide investigators obtained search warrants and processed the victim’s home and vehicle for evidence. Inside his home, investigators found blood and other evidence that indicates the victim was murdered there. Inside his vehicle, a conversion type van, they found blood evidence consistent with a body that was bleeding being transported in the vehicle.

During interviews with friends and witnesses, investigators learned Weddle was heard threatening to kill the victim Saturday night. A witness also saw Weddle driving the victim’s van at about 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning, near the river where the victim was found.

A motive for the murder remains unclear at this time. The investigation is continuing.

Young Caroline Men Build Political Experience

DENTON, MD - Two young men from Caroline County one barely out of high school, the other barely out of college have taken the political plunge by building careers in the Republican party.

At 23 years old, Matt Teffeau is a staff assistant for U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.-1st, and Matt Proud, at just 19, is the political and communications director for the Maryland Republican Party. Proud and Teffeau have aspirations in politics well beyond their current roles.

Both are members of the Caroline County Republican Central Committee, with Proud having been elected to his seat last year and Teffeau being appointed earlier this year. Proud also is the president of the Mid-Shore Young Republicans, with Teffeau as vice president.

Teffeau said though Republicans may be the minority in the state, the party represents the core conservative values of Maryland's Eastern Shore.

"We're both making small changes to make a big difference," said Proud of his and Teffeau's political efforts.

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Man’s Body Found in Choptank River

Three Rescued from Bay; One Man Still Missing on Sassafras River

DENTON, MD - The body of a man found Sunday morning in the water at Choptank River Yacht Club in Denton is at the state medical examiner's office awaiting a cause of death, police said Sunday night.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police found the body at about 11:30 a.m., and contacted Maryland State Police about an hour later. DNR alerts MSP when a death is considered suspicious or unattended.

Police continued investigating at the scene early Sunday night, and had tentatively identified the man, described as a black man, about 70 years old, who lived in the Denton area. At press time, police had not alerted the man's family and did not provide his identity.

The man's identity will likely become available today, with his cause of death pending autopsy results from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore.

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UPDATE -

Maryland State Police are investigating the death of a Caroline County man whose body was found yesterday in the Choptank River near Denton.

The man is identified as Louis R. Nichols, 71, of the 300-block of South Fourth Street, Denton, Md, where he lived with the daughter of his deceased spouse. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause and manner of his death have not been determined at this time. His body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy.

At about 11:00 a.m. on July 24, 2011, a man fishing in the Choptank River just north of business Rt. 404, saw a body in the water near the west bank of the river, not far from the old Rt. 404 bridge. Deputies from the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office responded, along with Natural Resources Police and criminal investigators from the State Police Easton Barrack. State Police Homicide Unit investigators were contacted and are leading the ongoing investigation. A cause of death was not immediately obvious to investigators.

Investigators have learned Nichols worked at a restaurant in Ridgely. He left work at about 9:00 p.m. on July 23rd and visited at a friend’s house nearby until about 10:00 p.m. At this point in the investigation, that is the last time he was seen alive.

The investigation is continuing.

Tax Differential Back on Table for Caroline Commissioners

DENTON - Caroline County officials do not want to let slide an issue they began discussing during last spring's budget process creating a more logical tax differential.

The differential is a tax break provided to Caroline residents living in an incorporated municipality and is aimed at offsetting duplicated services provided by the towns and the county, namely trash collection and law enforcement.

In this year's budget, the commissioners reduced the trash portion of the differential from 6 cents for every $100 of assessed property value to 1 cent. They reasoned it would be unfair to keep giving town residents a break on trash when county residents were going to now be charged $100 to use the county's trash collection sites.

During the budget process, the commissioners questioned how the figures for the tax differential were determined and agreed a more concrete method in setting them needed to be established.

At their meeting Tuesday, Commission Vice President Larry Porter called for the commissioners to begin talks again on the tax differential. Porter said he did not want to let the subject fall by the wayside.

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Wal-Mart Coming to Denton

DENTON - The news most everyone in Caroline County has been waiting for has finally been confirmed. Wal-Mart is coming to Denton!

The mega-merchandiser made it official, issuing a press release earlier this week that groundbreaking will begin on a Supercenter during the week of Sept. 19.

"Wal-Mart is excited to begin the construction of this Supercenter site in an effort to bring greater development to Caroline County, offer quality jobs with good benefits and a variety of goods at our everyday low prices to those in the community," said Mary Wilson, Maryland Market manager of Wal-Mart, in a press release. "We look forward to partnering with elected officials, community leaders and surrounding businesses to help address the needs of the local community."

The Supercenter is set to open next summer at 610 Legion Road, Denton, near state Route 404.

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Caroline County Names New Administrator

The Caroline County Commissioners announced July 12 the name of the new county administrator Kenneth C. Decker, the current town manager for Hampstead in Carroll County.

Decker replaces Richard Barton, who resigned his post on March 4 for personal reasons, and is expected to start work Aug. 15 in Caroline. The commissioners' executive assistant, Sara Visintainer, has been filling the county administrator post in the interim.

Commission President Jeff Ghrist said the county started with 39 applicants for Barton's position, which a citizen panel then narrowed down to 10 and finally four. Ghrist said the applicant pool was quite large to begin with and all of the final four were solid candidates for county administrator.

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Four Mid-Shore High Schools Rank Among Nation’s Best

Four Mid-Shore high schools were recently named by the Washington Post as being among the elite public high schools in the nation for college preparedness.

Easton (ranked 1,494), Colonel Richardson (1,741), Queen Anne's County (1,762) and North Caroline (1,886) high schools made the list that included 1,953 high schools.

Jay Matthews, the Washington Post education columnist, has been ranking Washington-area public schools using the Challenge Index since 1998. This year, the Post expanded its rankings to high schools across the nation.

According to the Post, the Challenge Index measures how effectively a school prepares its students for college. The formula divides the number of Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate or other college-level tests a school gave in 2010 by the number of graduating seniors.

According to the Washington Post, the rating can reveal the level of a high school's commitment to preparing average students for college.

Easton High School finds itself on the new Washington Post list after five years of being named one of the top public high schools in the nation by Newsweek.

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We discovered an error in the article (a good one, actually).  North Caroline HS also made the ranking. Sadly, no schools on the Lower Shore were included. – Ed.

Current Caroline Budget on Track to End Year in Black

With the current fiscal year drawing to an end June 30, Caroline County officials are hopeful they will not have to dip into their back-up fund to end it in the black.

Caroline Finance Director Margaret Roe appeared before the county commissioners Tuesday to give an update on the $41.5 million fiscal year 2011 budget as it entered its final stretch, and the outlook she gave was promising.

According to Roe's spreadsheets, the county has received $40.3 million in revenue and spent about $41.4 million a difference of $1.1 million. Not all of the county's tax revenue has been received at this point though.

"Right now, expenses are over revenue. But it's really too early to say how we're going to finish," Roe said.

Roe said the county is still expecting more income tax to be doled out from the state, but is not confident the amount coming will meet budgetary estimates. She said while Caroline needs $2.9 million more to meet expectations, the county may only receive between $2 million to $2.5 million.

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Greensboro Parade Cancelled

The streets of Greensboro will not be filled with fire trucks or marching bands this July after it was decided that there will be no parade during the town's annual carnival.

On Tuesday, Town Manager David Kibler said the Greensboro Volunteer Fire Company opted not to hold a parade during its carnival this year, set to run June 27 through July 2. Kibler said it will be the first time in quite a few years that there will be no parade.

GVFC President Richard Covert said the fire company members voted against a parade this year because of a lack of participation in the parades for the last three years. Covert said the fire company spent $700 on trophies for last year's parade, but had very few groups show up to take part.

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