Town Fair Returns With Great Celebration


The Perry Hall Town Fair returned today with a full celebration. There were local businesses, churches, food, music and fun activities for the whole family.

Prizes and free promotional gifts were given out by businesses.

There were elected officials but only Republicans as Councilman David Marks (picture d), and Delegate Joe Boteler were at a booth. There were no elected Democrats at the fair. Non partisan School Board Vice Chair Julie Henn (pictured with Marks) was also at the event.

Baltimore County Police (pictured) set up a recruitment booth at the fair.

The fair was cancelled in 2020 as a result of COVID-19.

The Perry Hall/White Marsh Business Association and the PHWMBA Community Foundation presents The Town Fair each year to bring businesses & the community together.

Jerry’s Toyota and Weis Supermarkets are among the sponsors of the event.

Three CCBC Essex Players Named All-Americans


When a team is one win away from the national title, there is a good chance that team is going to have some all-Americans.

That is the case at CCBC Essex as three men’s soccer players from the team have been named NJCAA All-Americans.

Kota Tsuchisawa was named first team; Brendan LeMaster was named second team and Ethan Stewart was named third team.

CCBC Essex made it to their first NJCAA title game in 30 years before falling to Southeastern in overtime.

Marks Gives Update on Closed Joppa Road Bridge


Councilman David Marks released a statement that he received from Baltimore County on the replacement of the Joppa Road Bridge near Honeygo Elementary School.

The bridge has been closed since January and drivers have been rerouted to Ebenezer Road to drive from Belair Road to Honeygo Boulevard.

Here is the statement from Baltimore County:

“Wereconstruction of Bridge No. B-0545 on Joppa Road, however the actual re-opening may not take place until August. The extended duration is due to workload constraints, labor and material availability and a more complicated design than originally anticipated.

Our bridge maintenance contractor will be remobilizing at the site this week to begin constructing the new cast-in-place concrete abutment caps (top portions of the abutments). This operation should take between 2 to 3 weeks to complete.
Concurrently we are finalizing the engineering plans for the replacement superstructure (top portions of the bridge that spans between the abutment supports). The superstructure will be made of precast concrete slabs which are the most efficient and economic choice for this bridge. Due to the asymmetric orientation of the existing abutments several different size precast concrete slabs need to be design and detailed. Typically on these types of superstructures only one interior and one exterior slab design/details are needed.

We have placed a high priority on completing this project. Should you have any further questions please advise us.”

County Police Officer Arrested for Theft


Deandre Ross is suspended without pay from the Baltimore County Police Department after being arrested and charged with theft, attempted theft, and misconduct in office.

It’s alleged Ross, who is a four-year veteran with the police department, attempted to steal the identity of a deceased woman whose house he was dispatched to, on March 16.

Dispatchers sent Ross to the home in response to a sudden death call. Detectives with the Baltimore County Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Bureau began to look into the matter after the victim’s family members filed a theft report for a missing laptop.

Following their investigation, detectives forwarded their findings to the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office; prosecutors presented the case to a grand jury.

Ross has been indicted on multiple theft charges as well as misconduct in office. He remains held without bail, at the Baltimore County Detention Center, pending a bail review hearing.

“Following a criminal investigation by our detectives and an indictment by a Baltimore County grand jury, a Baltimore County police officer was arrested, charged, and suspended without pay for allegations involving theft,” said Police Chief Melissa Hyatt.

“We will work closely with the Baltimore County State’s Attorney throughout the criminal proceedings as we do in every criminal investigation. This incident is by no means representative of the fine work that your Baltimore County police officers perform on a daily basis. I can assure you that we remain committed to serving our communities with the utmost integrity and fairness.”

Essex Man Arrested for Rape from Old Case


Baltimore County Police responded to a call of a past sexual assault on a child after 11 a.m. on Feb. 25. Responding officers met with the victim, an adult female, who advised that she was sexually assaulted by her youth pastor Don Martin approximately 30 years ago. The preliminary investigation revealed the victim was sexually assaulted at Martin’s residence during a sleepover.

The Baltimore County Police Crimes Against Children Unit believes there is a potential for victims of similar incidents involving this suspect. If anyone has information, they should contact detectives at 410-307-2020. Callers may remain anonymous.

56-year-old Don Giovanni Martin from the 600 block of China Clipper Lane in Essex was arrested on Monday, June 21 and charged with second-degree rape, second-degree sex offense and second-degree assault in connection to a rape that occurred more than 30 years ago. Martin remains at the Baltimore County Detention Center on a no bail status pending a bail review hearing.

If you have been the victim of a sexual assault, there is help available for you 24-hours a day. You can call the police non-emergency line at 410-887-2222 or contact any one of these resources:

Turn Around 24-hour hotline: 443-279-0379
Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County: 410-828-6390
Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Greater Baltimore Medical Center SAFE nurse: 443-849-3323

Perry Hall Fair Returns Saturday, June 26


After being canceled because of COVID in 2020, the Town Fair will return this Saturday June 26 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in front of Perry Hall High School, 4601 Ebenezer Road. There is no entrance fee for The Town Fair. No Pets allowed.

Parking is available on the lot and nearby on-street parking, but there is also a free shuttle from Faith Fellowship church at Perry Hall Square near the Y.

The Town Fair will have lots to offer everyone in the family! The Kids Adventure Zone is bigger than ever-great local vendors, fabulous food, and much more! Proceeds from The Town Fair directly benefits our community through donations to local projects.

DJ in the Beverage Garden. Limited seating based on Baltimore County Guidelines, but you can dance to the music ANYWHERE!

The Perry Hall/White Marsh Business Association and the PHWMBA Community Foundation presents The Town Fair each year to bring business & community together.

SHA to Repave Broening Hwy & Belclare in Dundalk


The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) will begin milling and resurfacing MD 695A (Broening Highway) at Belclare Road in the Dundalk area of Baltimore County starting on Thursday, June 24. Crews will work overnight weeknights through the morning of Friday, July 2.

Each night, Belclare Road at Broening Highway will be closed and detoured between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. the next morning. Crews will use temporary digital message boards, traffic signs, barrels and cones to direct traffic using a detour route via Dundalk Avenue and Dunhill Road.

Broening Highway will remain open to traffic at night with a temporary single lane closure. All other side-street access along Broening Highway will be open during the overnight work hours.

In case of inclement weather, the overnight daytime intersection work and detour will take place the next possible day. MDOT SHA’s contractor, P. Flanigan and Sons, Inc. of Baltimore, is performing the work.

The pavement milling and resurfacing work is part of an ongoing $3 million MDOT SHA project to improve 1.3 miles of Broening Highway, in coordination with MDOT Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA). The project began fall 2020 and will be complete late summer 2021, weather permitting.
MDOT SHA works hard to maintain safe traffic mobility in work zones for our crews as well as our customers. Drivers need to stay alert, focus on driving and, look for reduced speed limits, as well as other driving pattern changes. Drive like you work here and slow down in construction zones.

BCPS to Add 15 Minutes to School Day Next Fall


The school year for Baltimore County Public Schools ended today, but BCPS made an announcement for the 2021-22 school year.

Baltimore County Public Schools announced that 15 minutes will be added to the school year next fall. BCPS did not specify if the time would be added to the beginning of the day, the end of the day or a combination of both. Here is their first release.

“BCPS is pleased to announce the school day will be expanded by an extra fifteen minutes beginning with the 2021-2022 academic year. Within this expanded day, we will provide increased instructional time for our students, the statement said.

“Specifically, elementary students will have additional mathematics instruction while our secondary students will have additional college and career readiness skills embedded throughout their day. We look forward to an exciting new school year.”

Another Round of Thunderstorms Forecasted for Area


The US National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington is calling for an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms in Baltimore County and central Maryland on Monday, June 21.

The US National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington’s best estimate for storm timing this afternoon is between 5 to 7 p.m. for Baltimore County.

The Baltimore County Emergency Management added that damaging winds are possible if a severe thunderstorm warning is issued and citizens need to know where to shelter to protect themselves from falling trees.