Frederick, MD – The Frederick Police Department’s evening and midnight patrol officers displayed excellent teamwork and proactive policing over the weekend. Officer L. Abed initiated a traffic stop on Saturday evening and called in reinforcements due to suspicious behavior by the vehicle’s occupants.
OFC Walsleben, K-9 handler Corrado, and OFC Malatesta promptly responded to assist Abed. During the field investigation, Officer Walsleben noticed a semiautomatic handgun in plain view inside the vehicle.
All three occupants were taken into custody without incident, with one of the suspects found to have an outstanding arrest warrant.
- Frantic search underway after teen girl vanishes without a trace in Maryland
OLNEY, Md. — A 17-year-old girl has gone missing in Montgomery County, and authorities are urging the public to help locate her after she was last seen one week ago in the Olney area.
Angelina Blaize was last spotted on the evening of Friday, April 11, near the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Olney-Sandy Spring Road in Olney. Her family and police have been unable to contact her since.
Blaize is described as being 5 feet tall, weighing 115 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Her clothing at the time she was last seen is unknown.
The Montgomery County Police Department is asking anyone with information about her whereabouts to come forward. The department has released a photo of the missing teen in an effort to aid the search.
The case remains open and active, with investigators continuing to track leads and follow up on any reported sightings.
Contact authorities with tips
Anyone who has seen Angelina or may have information that could assist in locating her is encouraged to contact the Montgomery County Police Non-Emergency line at (301) 279-8000, which operates 24 hours a day.
Key Points
- 17-year-old Angelina Blaize last seen April 11 near Georgia Avenue and Olney-Sandy Spring Road
- Described as 5 feet tall, 115 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes
- Montgomery County Police asking for public’s help in locating her
- Scanner glitch shocks Severna Park woman into massive lottery win
SEVERNA PARK, Md. — A casual lottery purchase turned into a six-figure surprise for a local woman who thought she’d bought a losing ticket—until the screen told her otherwise.
Brenda, a resident of Severna Park, claimed a $134,985 progressive jackpot on the FAST PLAY Grand Progressive game Friday after purchasing the ticket at the 7-Eleven located at 162 Ritchie Highway on April 13.
Initially unsure whether she had won anything, Brenda scanned the ticket’s QR code at the store’s ticket checker. The machine briefly went blank before displaying the prompt: “Go to Lottery.” That’s when she knew something was different.
Upon further inspection, Brenda spotted a winning match on her ticket: the number 25 appeared both in the “Winning Numbers” section and in the “Your Numbers” row, paired with the progressive jackpot symbol. The total prize listed for the jackpot was $134,985.
The Anne Arundel County winner said she plans to put the money toward her retirement savings.
Game launched earlier this month
The $10 Grand Progressive game, which began on April 1, has awarded four progressive jackpots to date. Brenda joins earlier winners from La Plata, Odenton, and a Pennsylvania resident who purchased a winning ticket in Laurel.
The game originally launched with 28 progressive jackpots; 24 remain as of Friday. Each jackpot resets to $100,000 and increases with each ticket sold. All six $50,000 second-tier prizes and 45 $10,000 third-tier prizes also remain unclaimed.
Key Points
- Severna Park woman wins $134,985 progressive jackpot on FAST PLAY ticket
- Winning ticket bought April 13 at 7-Eleven on Ritchie Highway
- 24 progressive jackpots and all second-tier prizes still available
- Maryland man wins $50K on first-ever lottery ticket
WALDORF, Md. — A St. Mary’s County postal worker hit a $50,000 jackpot with the very first lottery ticket he ever bought, after giving in to his mother’s suggestion during a routine shopping trip.
The Southern Maryland resident was accompanying his mother at Shoppers grocery store on Smallwood Drive in Waldorf when she encouraged him to try his luck. She recommended the $5 Big Money scratch-off game, and the two returned to their car where she walked him through the rules.
He scratched the ticket and uncovered a top-prize match, earning him a $50,000 windfall. The man described the moment as an overwhelming “rush” of emotion after realizing he’d won.
The Big Money game launched in Maryland lottery retailers in early February. This marks the third top prize to be claimed since its release. Four top prizes and ten $5,000 second-tier prizes remain unclaimed.
Shoppers in Waldorf, where the winning ticket was purchased, will receive a $500 bonus for selling the top-prize scratch-off.
Game still loaded with prizes
Despite the man’s declaration that this may be his last ticket ever, he left open the possibility of playing again in the future, suggesting a potential try at larger games like Mega Millions or Powerball.
Key Points
- St. Mary’s County man wins $50,000 on first-ever lottery ticket
- Big Money scratch-off still has four top prizes and ten $5,000 prizes left
- Shoppers grocery store receives $500 bonus for selling winning ticket
- Deadly house fire in Faulkner claims lives of two Charles County men
FAULKNER, MD — Two men were found dead Thursday morning after a house fire tore through a two-story home in Charles County, with investigators still working to determine what sparked the blaze.
Key Points
- Fire broke out around 6:15 a.m. on April 17 on Brunswick Road in Faulkner
- Two residents, ages 62 and 70, were found deceased on the second floor
- Hoarding conditions inside the home hindered firefighting efforts
Firefighters face extreme conditions in early morning blaze
Responding units from the Bel Alton Volunteer Fire Department and surrounding stations arrived at 9690 Brunswick Road to find the residence fully engulfed. Initial reports indicated that the homeowners were unaccounted for.
Firefighters battled the flames under severe hoarding conditions, which significantly hampered their ability to suppress the fire. It took 50 personnel approximately two hours to bring the fire under control.
Victims identified, one tenant escapes unharmed
Crews later located the bodies of the homeowners, identified as 62-year-old Robert Bowling and 70-year-old Kim Dickens, on the second floor. A tenant living on the first floor managed to escape the fire without injury.
Damage to the structure is estimated at $175,000, with an additional $75,000 in lost contents. While smoke alarms were present in the home, their operational status has not been confirmed.
The victims were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for autopsies.
- ICE bill dies in Annapolis standoff: Maryland Values Act fails in final hours
ANNAPOLIS, MD — A proposal to end Maryland’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities under the 287(g) program failed in the final hours of the legislative session, after lawmakers in the House and Senate could not agree on final bill language.
The measure, known as the “Maryland Values Act,” sought to prohibit local jurisdictions from working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including ending the 287(g) program agreements in place across several counties. The program allows local law enforcement to assist ICE in identifying and detaining undocumented immigrants.
State Senator William C. Smith Jr. (D-Montgomery), a leading advocate of the bill, supported stronger limits on all cooperation with ICE. But Senate and House negotiators reportedly could not reach a consensus on whether limited, non-287(g) interaction with federal agents would still be permitted.
As a result, the bill stalled and ultimately died before reaching a final vote. The failure means jurisdictions like Cecil, Frederick, and Harford counties will continue participating in 287(g), while Carroll, Garrett, St. Mary’s, and Washington counties retain more limited cooperation.
“Maybe other counties will join the bandwagon to help remove illegal aliens from our state,” a supporter of the program said in response to the bill’s failure.
County detention centers under scrutiny
ICE recently highlighted that the Baltimore County and Howard County detention centers have released undocumented immigrants without prior notice to ICE, drawing criticism from immigration enforcement advocates. ICE has expressed concern that such practices jeopardize public safety by allowing individuals to avoid immigration processing.
The 287(g) program has been a flashpoint in the state for years. Opponents argue it damages trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement, while supporters say it is a critical tool for enforcing federal immigration law and protecting residents.
The failed legislation marks a setback for immigrant advocacy groups that had pushed for a complete separation between local law enforcement and ICE.
Key Points
- The Maryland Values Act, which sought to end ICE cooperation, failed to pass in the 2025 legislative session.
- The bill stalled due to disagreement between the Maryland House and Senate over limited versus total cooperation with ICE.
- Several counties, including Frederick and Cecil, will continue operating under 287(g) agreements.
The legislative impasse preserves Maryland’s existing ICE partnerships, with some counties maintaining or expanding their involvement in federal immigration enforcement.
