House Fire Reported on Wolf Trap Court in Perry Hall


It was a busy night for fire crews in Eastern Baltimore County and that continued into the morning as a fire was reported in Perry Hall.

This house fire was reported with people trapped on Wolf Trap Court.

The White Marsh Volunteer Fire Company reported that units from the area responded to find a townhome on fire on Sunday around 3:44 a.m.

A second alarm was dispatched as the fire spread to two adjoining homes.

Crews were battling this fire around three hours.

There also reported fires in Parkville and Dundalk on Saturday evening.

BCPS Board to Hold November Meeting


The Board of Education will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at its Greenwood Campus, 6901 N. Charles Street, Building E, Towson, Maryland 21204.

The Board’s regular open session will begin in person at approximately 5 p.m. The Board will then meet in closed session as permitted by law. The open session will reconvene at 6:30 p.m.

A special order of business will be held to recognize the outgoing Board members.
Public comment and attendance will take place in person at the meeting, with limited capacity.

Registration for stakeholder and general public comment will continue to be through the online registration form, and only those preregistered stakeholder groups and selected general public comment speakers will be allowed access to the building.

In addition, members of the public who want to attend only to view the Board meeting in person will register online in advance and be randomly selected (based on capacity).

For more information, visit the Board’s website, and click on “Participation
by the Public.”

The school system is committed to accessible communication with its stakeholders.

Accordingly, the scheduled Board of Education meeting will be streamed on the BCPS Web site and BoardDocs and broadcast on BCPS-TV (Comcast Xfinity channel 73, Verizon FiOS channel 34).

Hyatt Won’t Remain County Police Chief


It was announced by Baltimore County that Melissa Hyatt will not return as Baltimore County Police Chief. She released the following statement on Wednesday.

“It is with heartfelt and mixed emotions that I announce my last day as Chief of the Baltimore County Police Department is December 4th. Police chiefs are appointed for finite terms in order to accomplish specific goals and objectives of County leadership. With the end of my term quickly approaching, I am both saddened to be leaving my Baltimore County family and excited to see what the future holds.

During my tenure as Chief, we worked through challenging times. I am so very proud of our many accomplishments, including initiatives that sharpened our focus on community trust, public safety, and officer wellness.

I want to personally thank every police officer, professional staff member, and community member who supported this important work. As a result, this agency is better equipped to face the future and serve our much-deserving county. I wish nothing but the best for the Baltimore County Police Department and our entire community.”

Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski released a statement about Hyatt’s departure.

“Chief Hyatt is a world-class public safety professional who has led efforts to modernize the Baltimore County Police Department, helping us to enact critical reforms to strengthen the agency,” said Olszewski. “We are grateful for her tireless commitment to the people of Baltimore County and remain thankful for her service as we begin the process of identifying a successor who will help ensure Baltimore County remains a safe place to live, work and raise a family.”

Community Meeting for New Towson Schools


BCPS will host a community stakeholder meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 6:30 p.m. to review the recommended mitigation option for the Towson High School renovation and replacement school project, including recommendations based on stakeholder input from a 30-day comment and survey period as well as the requirements of the Maryland Historic Trust (MHT) Section 106 process.

The meeting will be held at West Towson Elementary School cafeteria/gymnasium
6914 N. Charles Street in Towson.

Man Fatally Shot on Ticker Circle in Lansdowne


Baltimore County homicide detectives continue investigating the circumstances surrounding a fatal shooting that occurred Thursday, Nov. 10, in the 4300 block of Tucker Circle.

At approximately 9 p.m., officers responded to the location following a reported gunshot wound.

When officers arrived, they located a teenage male suffering from a gunshot wound inside the home. Medics transported the teenager to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Credit Union Commits $50,000 to BCPS


At a reception honoring recipients of its 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 “Putting Students First Grant” program, First Financial Federal Credit Union announced a $50,000 commitment to Baltimore County Public Schools over the next five years.
Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, the credit union will award 10 $1,000 grants each year through the 2027-2028 school year.

Putting Students First Grants of up to $500 each were first offered in the 2021-2022 school year through
a partnership between First Financial and The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools.

The Putting Students First Grant program, available to BCPS educators and school administrators, supports student services and curriculum enhancements.

The grants are reviewed, judged, and selected by a joint committee of Education Foundation and First Financial employees.

Recipient schools for 2022
include: Battle Grove Elementary School, Cedarmere Elementary School, Charlesmont Elementary School, Cromwell Valley Elementary Regional Magnet School, Featherbed Lane Elementary School,
Glyndon Elementary School, Loch Raven Technical Academy, Perry Hall Elementary School, Riverview Elementary School, and Western School of Technology and Environmental Science.

“First Financial’s commitment to extend and enhance the Putting Students First Grants brings extra sparks of excitement and motivation to the educators in BCPS,” said Deborah S. Phelps, executive
director of The Education Foundation.

“This opportunity will allow educators to create and design additional innovative, research-based programs. It will provide them supplies and resources to implement the programs contributing to the overall learning environment for our students and allow educators to continuously embrace the total child. The foundation extends its utmost gratitude to First Financial Federal Credit Union for being our ‘Education Champion’ for Team BCPS.”

Founded to serve the financial needs of educators, First Financial is well known for its commitment to enhancing education in the community it serves.
“Seeing the impact this partnership has had within the educational community made it easy for us to decide to continue this initiative,” said First Financial President and CEO Eric Church.

“Recognizing how critical quality education is to our future, we’re proud
to deepen our support of the grant program and extend this partnership for another five years.”

To learn more about First Financial and membership eligibility, visit the credit union’s website or call
Member Services at 410-321-6060, option 5.

County to Give Essex Residents Trash Carts

New pilot program will distribute high-quality trash carts for residential trash pickup in the Essex community


In the latest effort to improve quality of life for residents and expand vermin abatement efforts, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski announced a new pilot program to distribute high-quality trash carts for residential trash pickup in the Essex community.

Beginning on Thursday, Nov. 3, new 65-gallon trash carts will be delivered to approximately 4,300 residences in Essex neighborhoods that currently receive bi-weekly trash pick-ups as part of a targeted pilot to provide a safer, more efficient and environmentally friendly means of handling trash. Postcards were mailed during the week of October 23 to residences that will receive these carts.

“We are fully committed to Essex, and addressing basic quality-of-life issues is an important step in renewing the business district and reinstalling civic pride,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. “This initiative, coupled with upcoming streetscape and roadway projects, will help pave the way for the revitalization of Essex.”

For the first phase of this targeted pilot, Baltimore County’s Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT) leveraged $380,000 in ARPA funding to purchase trash carts emblazoned with the County seal, which will be distributed to approximately 4,300 homes beginning this week.

“Keeping our streets clean is important for the quality of life in our communities, including for public health,” said U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen. “This effort to distribute trash carts to over 4,000 homes will help strengthen sanitation operations and improve the overall well-being of Baltimore County residents. I’m proud to have fought to pass the American Rescue Plan to support local priorities that impact the everyday lives of Marylanders from our streets to our schools and small businesses.”

This is the latest effort in Baltimore County’s ongoing place-based revitalization initiative in the Essex community.

Last year, Olszewski joined with local officials and neighborhood leaders to discuss community concerns, including public safety, code enforcement, access to recreational spaces, as well as other social and economic disparities. Rat infestation and loose trash was a common concern for most participants.

Recognizing the need for a coordinated response to address these issues, Olszewski is leading a cross-departmental effort that is dedicating concentrated resources to support the Essex community’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic while combatting these historical challenges.

“We are excited to kick off this pilot project in Essex and, if used properly and consistently, the new carts will assist us in our vermin abatement efforts as well as promote environmental friendliness by keeping trash covered in the community,” said Baltimore County Department of Public Works and Transportation Acting Director D’Andrea Walker. “This initiative is one of several DPWT community revitalization projects planned in response to community concerns, and we look forward to this area once again becoming a destination location

The carts are free-of-charge to residents and are to be used for household trash only. Recyclables, yard materials and hazardous waste should continue to be disposed of separately.

The large, sealable trash carts will — when used appropriately — effectively contain trash, eliminate litter and, combined with other ongoing eradication efforts, continue to reduce the number of rodents in the area. Should residents move, occupants are asked to leave the trash cart at their current residence.

Based on the success of this targeted pilot, Baltimore County will explore opportunities to expand this program.

For questions about the program, please contact Baltimore County Department of Public Works and Transportation officials at solidwaste@baltimorecountymd.gov.

Arrest Made in Carnaby Drive Shooting


Detectives from Baltimore County Police Violent Crimes unit have arrested a 60-year-old male in connection to the shooting that occurred in Windsor Mill Thursday evening.

At approximately 9:30 p.m., officers responded to the 2500 Block of Carnaby Drive, 21244, for a report of a disturbance.

When officers arrived, they located female victim suffering from at least one gunshot wound. The victim was transported to an area hospital where she is listed in stable condition.

The suspect remained on scene of the shooting, and was eventually taken into custody without incident.

Police Report Two Lansdowne Incidents Affecting Students


The Baltimore County Police Department is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding two incidents that occurred in the Lansdowne area this week. Detectives are looking into whether the cases are connected.

On Wednesday a Lansdowne High School student reported that while she was walking to school over the footbridge, near Twin Circle Way she was assaulted by an unknown person. She was able to get to school and report what happened.

On November 1, a middle school student reported a male subject exposing himself. Since the initial report, the Baltimore County Police Department has assigned additional officers to the Lansdowne area to ensure the safety of students.

The department is also working closely with the Baltimore County Public School System to address community concerns and provide resources.

Families are being asked to speak with students about safety practices as they travel to and from school. The following are important tips to reiterate with your child(ren):

Always tell a responsible adult where you are going.

Try not to walk anywhere alone. Walk with a friend or a group.

Don’t take shortcuts through the woods, a back street or empty lot.

Do not share personal information with strangers – in person, over the phone, through text messages, on gaming platforms, or on any other electronic communications.

Pay attention to your surroundings when walking home. Avoid distractions and make sure you can hear what is happening around you.

If approached by someone you don’t know, run to safety.

Know safe places you can go – a police or fire station, the library, a store, or a friend’s house.

If a stranger follows you or grabs for you, yell loud! Shout, “I don’t know you!” Fight back and make as much noise as you can.

Tell your parents about places you don’t feel safe.

Please remember to contact the police (call 911) if you see any suspicious activity in your neighborhood.

Police Investigating Catonsville Shooting


Detectives with the Baltimore County Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit are investigating a shooting that left one male injured Tuesday morning in Catonsville.

Officers responded to the scene at approximately 2:50 a.m.

When officers arrived at the intersection of Fredrick Road and Poplar Avenue, they located an adult male victim suffering from a single gunshot wound.

Medics transported the male to an area hospital for treatment.