Category: Essex

Essex Shooting Reported in Middleborough Area


Detectives are investigating a shooting that occurred just after 6 p.m., on April 21, 2021 in the Essex area near Lanflair and Dargun roads.

Responding officers located an adult male suffering from at least one gunshot wounds to the lower body. He was transported to an area hospital in critical but stable condition.

The Violent Crimes Unit of the Baltimore County Police Department is investigating this case. If you have any information about this shooting, please call Baltimore County Police at 410-307-2020.

Eastern Tech Student Earns $40,000 Scholarship


Munachiso Nkeonye-Mbaekwe, a senior at Eastern Technical High School, thought she was invited to appear on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on March 31 to talk about college admissions during the pandemic. So she and the 24 other featured students were surprised to learn the real reason for their participation in the live segment: that they were among the 27 students selected to receive $40,000 College Board Opportunity Scholarships.

Nkeonye-Mbaekwe and the other students were selected from a pool of students who completed The College Board’s six college planning steps: building a college list, practicing for the SAT, exploring scholarships, strengthening their college list, completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), and applying to colleges. As part of the program, drawings for $500 scholarships are held for the completion of each of the six steps.

Nkeonye-Mbaekwe is enrolled in Eastern Tech’s Academy of Health Professions/Allied Health Magnet Program.

“Our Academy of Health Professions/Allied Health curriculum is one of the most challenging magnet programs that we offer,” said school counselor Donna Murphy. “Through her participation in this program, Munachiso has gained a wealth of knowledge about the medical field, exploring the body and distinguishing between diseases and disorders that affect various body systems. She is OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] 10-hour HealthCare-certified as well as American Heart Association HealthCare Provider BLS/CPR [Basic Life Support/ Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation] and First Aid-certified.”

Active in her school, community, and church, and a caregiver in her family, Nkeonye-Mbaekwe is a member of the African Student Association, Latin Honor Society, National Honor Society, National Science Honor Society, Step Squad, and a mentor for Grade 9 students.

“Munachiso actively pursues opportunities to engage in service and learning in the community,” Murphy added. During summer 2019, Nkeonye-Mbaekwe earned an internship with the REAP (Research & Engineering Apprenticeship) Program at Morgan State University.

The College Board Opportunity Scholarships program is open to students in the United States, Puerto Rico, and U.S. territories, regardless of citizenship status. U.S. citizens and residents attending Department of Defense Education Activity schools abroad may also participate.

This program is open to students regardless of their family income. At least half of all scholarships (more than $2 million) will be designated for students whose families earn less than $60,000 a year. Whenever students who meet these requirements complete a step, they earn an extra entry in monthly drawings for scholarships.

Youtube Channel Profiles Golden Ring Mall


-photo courtesy of YouTube-

There is a YouTube channel that profiles the history of local malls in the region.

One of the malls featured is the former Golden Ring Mall in the Rossville area.

The mall opened in the 70s and closed in 2001. The mall’s old location has been the current home of The Centre at Golden Ring shopping center since its opening in 2002.

The video details the popularity of Golden Ring in the 1980s and early 90s as it housed the only movie theater in the area.

Then it is explained that the opening of Towsontown Mall in 1992 and the opening of the movie theater at The Avenue White Marsh in 1997 as a reason for the decline of Golden Ring.

I agreed with that assessment but felt that the creation of Campbell Boulevard also hurt Golden Ring.

The only way to get from Golden Ring to White Marsh Mall in the early 90s was to drive on the fast paced I-95. Once Campbell was built, motorists could drive safely from Golden Ring on Philadelphia Road to Campbell to White Marsh Mall.

The video was a nice trip down memory lane. I was hoping the author would have posted some old videos from inside the mall and had more original photos.

Some of the photos included the ironic Montgomery Wards photo and an outdoor picture of the old Stewarts from the highway.

I have seen many of these photos on social media, but it is probably difficult to find original photos of the old mall.

It is worth a view.

Three Men Fatally Shot in Essex ; One Self-Inflicted


Baltimore County Police report a preliminary investigation reveals 27-year-old Joshua Green shot three people at the Royal Farms along Middleborough Road in Essex just before 7:00 a.m. Sunday, March 28. Two victims were pronounced deceased on the scene and one is recovering at a local hospital.

According to detectives, the suspect left the store and returned home where he set his apartment on fire. Police later found him outside his apartment complex deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Detectives traveled to the home of the suspect’s parents where they discovered the two deceased; both individuals appeared to have been shot.

Detectives say all three incidents are connected and they are not searching for any additional suspects in connection to these three incidents.

Police Investigating Monday Shooting in Essex

Essex Shooting under Investigation by Baltimore County Detectives


Detectives with the Baltimore County Police Department are investigating a shooting that occurred just before 9 p.m., on March 22, in the Essex area near Ashbridge and Hadwick drives.

The suspect’s vehicle is described as a grey four-door Honda

The victim reported he was shot in the leg during an attempted robbery. The victim told police he was later driven to the hospital.

The Violent Crimes Unit of the Baltimore County Police Department is investigating this case. If you have any information about this murder, please call Baltimore County Police at 410-307-2020.

Perry Hall’s Defense Shuts Out Eastern Tech 16-0


They say that the defenses are usually ahead of the offenses in the early part of the season. With Friday night’s game being only the second game in 16 months for both Eastern Tech and Perry Hall, it is safe to say both defenses were way ahead of their offenses.

Both defenses combined for six turnovers, but the difference in Friday night’s game was Perry Hall Receiver Jeremiah Turner’s two touchdown catches in a 16-0 Gator win.

Perry Hall improves to 2-0 and still hasn’t allowed a point in their first two games after they shut out Catonsville 39-0 last week. Eastern Tech had defeated Sparrows Point 18-0 in their first game.

Gator Quarterback Jailen Knight threw both TD passes to Turner and completed two 2-point conversions in the second quarter for the only scores of the game.

Quarterback Trevor Knight and the Maverick offense couldn’t move the ball on the Gator defense in the first half. The passing game was limited but Knight and running backs Jerry Preisigner and Omari Lawrence were able to get in Gator territory in the third quarter with the running game.

Tech ran the ball down to the Gator 10-yard line, but the drive ended when Perry Hall’s defender Karon Brown sacked Knight on third down and intercepted him on a fourth-down pass.

Jeremiah Turner (7) had two touchdowns catches in the win.
Eastern Tech’s defense kept the team in the game. The Gators moved the ball into Tech territory on the first two possessions on the game but the Mavericks stopped the drive on a fourth down sack by Lawrence and then recovered a Gator fumble on the next series to keep the game scoreless after the first quarter.

It appeared Perry Hall was going to wear down the Maverick defense after going up 16-0, but the Gator offense would not score again.

Koren Brown scores on a 2point conservation
Gator receiver Mehkai Price’s 60-yard touchdown reception was called back near the end of the first half and Eastern Tech’s Noah Oliver had an interception off the Gators a few plays later to end the drive and the half.

Perry Hall was also looking for the knockout score in the fourth quarter, but Tech answered when Lawrence recovered a Gator fumble and returned the ball to midfield.

Knight and Tech moved the ball into Perry Hall territory on the next drive but never got in the endzone. Gator defensive backs Derrick Wallace and Daniel Johnson broke up two passes on back-to-back plays. That drive ended with a Gators sack.

Perry Hall won the special teams battle as they stopped a fake punt and recovered an onside kick to start the second half.

The Gators also recovered a fumble on a Tech kickoff return and sacked the Tech punter on fourth down to give the Gators the ball on a short field.

That resulted in one of the touchdowns.

Eastern Tech Student Elected to BCPS School Board


Students from across Baltimore County elected Eastern Technical High School junior Christian Thomas to be the next student member of the Board of Education of Baltimore County.

He will replace Dundalk High’s Josh Muhumuza, who is this year’s student board member.

A total of 2,914 middle and high school students from across the county cast online ballots on Wednesday, March 17. Thomas received 56.9 percent of the votes compared to 43.1 percent for the other candidate, Logan Dubel of Franklin High School. This is the first year, due to a change in Maryland law, that BCPS students have directly selected the next student member of the Board without approval from the governor.

Prior to voting, students were able to learn more about both candidates by viewing their resumes, written and video Q&A sessions, videotaped speeches, Instagram Live sessions, and campaigning via social media.

Thomas is president of the Eastern Tech Class of 2022, vice-president/co-founder of the Eastern Tech Red Cross Club, vice-chair/co-founder of Eastern Tech Democrats, an executive officer of Eastern Tech’s student government association, treasurer of the National Honor Society, and member of the school’s theatre club and Future Business Leaders of America.

In addition to the National Honor Society, Thomas is a member of the National English Honor Society and National Latin Honor Society. He represents Eastern Tech on the Baltimore County Student Councils Board of Selected Students. Outside of school, Thomas serves as co-chair/founder of The Domino Effect Initiative (a nonprofit that provides mentors and other supports for students in need), and special events secretary for the Red Cross North Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region Youth Advisory Board Executive Committee.

Thomas’s tenure on the Board of Education will begin on July 1, 2021.

Olszewski & Crandell to Hold Town Hall


Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski announced his third annual series of town hall meetings to hear from constituents about their ideas and priorities.

The Seventh District Town Hall will be held on Tuesday, March 15 with Councilman Todd Crandell from 6 to 7 p.m.

“Please join the County Executive and me this Tuesday evening for this year’s Budget Town Hall meeting,” Crandell said about the virtual meeting.

Seven virtual meetings, one for each Council district, will provide a forum for public discussion focused on future budget priorities and ensure that community members have the opportunity to provide input into the budget planning process.

“In order to best serve the people of Baltimore County, we need to hear from them directly,” said Olszewski. “While this pandemic has upended our way our life, we remain committed to keeping Baltimore County’s government, open accessible and transparent so that we can continue to work with stakeholders in every community to build a better Baltimore County together.”

From 2016-2017, a total of two people testified on Baltimore County’s budget. In 2018, during his first year in office, Olszewski held the inaugural series of budget town hall meetings where over 2,000 residents attended, with hundreds sharing priorities for the county.

Last year, Olszewski held a second round of town hall meetings, which included a virtual opportunity for residents to share their priorities when in-person town hall meetings were canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

All Budget Town Hall Meetings will be livestreamed on Baltimore County Government’s YouTube page and Facebook page. Residents may also join by phone.

HS Football Returns With Local School Wins


With the arrival of COVID-19, all high school sports were canceled last spring and that entered in the fall as football and all fall sports were canceled.

Teams around the area were very grateful to start an abbreviated fall season in the spring. The season started a week later after Week One was cancelled with COVID restrictions.

Teams finally took the field last night in front of limited fans. Here are some of the results for Eastern Baltimore County high schools:

Dundalk 39 Patapsco 6
The Owls went on the road to defeat their cross town rivals Patapsco 39 to 6. Click here for the full story

Eastern Tech 18 Sparrows Point 0
The Mavericks started off their season with a shutout win on the road. Eastern Tech is looking to bounce back from a 4-5 season. Sparrows Point is looking to improve from their 2-7 season in 2019.

Kenwood 38 Chesapeake 0
Since Kenwood was a playoff team in 2019 & Chesapeake was only a one-win team last year, this game wasn’t expected to be close. And it was a blowout as the Bluebirds started off 2020/21 with an easy 38-0 win at home.

Perry Hall 39 Catonsville 0
The shocker of the evening was Perry Hall’s 38-0 whipping of Catonsville. The Gators were expected to bounce back from their 0-9 season in 2019 but not many were predicting a blow out win at Catonsville, who made the playoffs in 2019.

Media access is limited due to COVID-19 restrictions so please send photos, stats and scores to eastbaltco@gmail.com so we can post more information on our website.

Man Shot on Valley Arbor Court in Essex


Police are investigating a shooting in Essex that left one man injured this evening.

Officers responded to the unit block of Valley Arbor Court in Essex around 5:32 p.m. after gunshots were heard from inside an apartment. The preliminary investigation indicates that the victim, a 27-year-old man, suffered at least one gunshot wound to the upper body. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment.

Detectives from the Baltimore County Violent Crimes Unit have responded to the scene and continue to look for at least one suspect that fled the apartment on foot following the shooting.

Anyone who may have seen anything or who has additional information is asked to contact detectives by calling 410-307-2020. Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward when submitting tips through Metro Crime Stoppers.