Eastern Baltimore County News
– photo courtesy of Baltimore County Police Department –
Baltimore County Police received information that more than 50 headstones were damaged at St. Michael’s Ukrainian Cemetery in Dundalk.
The incident was called into police on Wednesday, Feb. 23 around 4 p.m.
Detectives continue to investigate this case.
Anyone with information about this case may contact precinct detectives at 410-307-2020.
Information may also be provided through iWATCH.
The Perry Hall Family Worship Center and the Office of Councilman David Marks are sponsoring a candlelight vigil in honor of the victims and families of Ukraine. This event is open to all.
The event will be held at Honeygo Park, 9033 Honeygo Blvd. in Perrt Hall on Friday, March 4 from 6 to 7 p.m.
“Please join the Perry Hall Family Worship Center and our office – and the larger community – at this candlelight village on Friday at 6 p.m. at Honeygo Park,” Councilman Marks said about the event. “Everyone is welcome.”
For more information about this event, go to the event’s Facebook page.
-photo courtesy of DRC-
The Dundalk Renaissance Corp. announced that its Executive Director Amy Menzer is stepping down to take a position with Baltimore County Government.
Menzer has served as the DRC Executive Director for the past 15 years.
Dundalk Renaissance President Dan Dawes thanked Menzer for her service to Dundalk and her commitment to the DRC.
“Amy’s vision and leadership over the past 15 years has been a key driver to propel Dundalk Renaissance to become the organization it is today. And while she will be greatly missed by the staff, board, partners and our Dundalk neighbors, her tireless and thorough work over the years leaves us on very solid footing,” Dawes said.
“Personally, having worked alongside Amy as a board member for 5 years, I’ll miss her passion for helping our community, but I think it’s great that she’s taking this opportunity to share her talents on an even larger stage to help more neighborhoods in Baltimore County.”
Menzer announced on social media that she is taking a new position with the Baltimore County Department of Planning working with Director Steve Lafferty.
“It has been an incredible honor to do community development work in Dundalk,” Menzer said in a statement about her time at the DRC.
“I have learned so much and been challenged beyond belief and been privileged to work with great people and make concrete positive things happen.”
The first of 12 prizes in the VaxCash 2.0 Promotion has been awarded to a 71-year-old Dundalk resident who visited Lottery Headquarters in Baltimore on Feb. 23 to claim the prize.
The winner, who chose to remain anonymous and use the nickname “Mi Familia,” received a call from the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) on Feb. 15 informing her of the win. She was in disbelief until she walked into the Lottery Winner’s Circle, where she enthusiastically danced around the room with Lottery staff.
“I didn’t believe it was real, until today,” the excited winner told Lottery officials. When asked why she chose to get the COVID-19 vaccine and booster, she said that she wanted protection from the virus.
“My mom convinced many of our family members to get the vaccine, too,” the winner’s daughter said. “She believes it is so important.”
The VaxCash 2.0 Promotion, which was announced by Governor Larry Hogan on Feb. 8, will award $2 million in cash prizes in weekly drawings from Feb. 15 to May 3. VaxCash 2.0 aims to incentivize Marylanders to get the COVID-19 booster. All Maryland residents 18 and older who have received an initial shot(s) and a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine at eligible facilities in Maryland at any time are eligible to win. No registration or entry is needed.
In addition to the $500,000 prize awarded to the Dundalk winner, 10 weekly drawings from Feb. 23 through April 26 will award $50,000 prizes. And the promotion will end on May 3 with a drawing to award a grand prize of $1 million.
The mother-of-three plans to use her winnings to buy her dream house.
“My mother is superwoman,” the winner’s daughter said. “She spent her life raising my siblings and me. This is her much-deserved compensation.”
VaxCash 2.0 follows last year’s successful collaboration between the Lottery and MDH for the VaxCash Promotion that ran from May 25 through July 4, 2021, awarding $2 million in prizes to vaccinated Marylanders. For complete details about VaxCash 2.0, including the official rules and a list of frequently asked questions and answers, visit the VaxCash 2.0 page.
Baltimore County police officers responded to a landfill in the 10000 block of Philadelphia Road in White Marsh.
This was in reference to a body that was found at the scene on Friday, Feb. 25 around 1:30 p.m.
The remains were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner where an autopsy can be conducted.
This suspicious death investigation remains ongoing at this time.
– photo courtesy of Overlea Falcons MBasketball Facebook page-
Parkville and Overlea are in the boys basketball regional finals as they defeated two local schools to get to the finals of their regions.
The Knights improved to 22-0 with an 89 to 65 win over Dundalk in the 4A playoffs. Parkville recently won the Baltimore County title last week.
Also Overlea defeated Sparrows Point in the 2A Regional Semifinals 77 to 22 on Monday.
Parkville will play the winner of Catonsville/Dulaney on Wednesday and the Falcons will host the winner of Carver Vo-Tech/Dunbar also on March 2.
Baltimore County Fire Department reported a woman died and another was seriously injured in two separate Dundalk electrical fires on Sunday.
The first fire took place in the 7000 block of Dunhill Road in Dundalk and took the life of Vesta Irene Cooper, 92, She was declared dead at the scene at her home in after the fire started on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 1:30 p.m.
Fire crews were called for a dwelling fire with rescue. A neighbor who called 911 reported the house on fire and an elderly female possibly trapped.
Crews arrived within three minutes of dispatch, entered the home and found the victim in the living room.
Fire investigators determined this was an accidental fire that began with a damaged electrical cord.
Later that night, a 72-year-old woman was critically injured in a Sunday night two-alarm apartment fire. She was transported to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
Fire and Police units were dispatched at 11:38 p.m. to an apartment fire in the 6900 block of Mornington Road in Dundalk. Fire crews found smoke and fire in the living room of one unit; a second alarm was called due to multiple rescues.
Responders found the critically injured victim in the bathroom. Eight other patients were treated for minor injuries; four of those were transported to hospitals.
Fire investigators determined this was an accidental fire caused by electrical failure of a series of connected extension cords.
The Baltimore County Fire department reported an apartment fire in Dundalk overnight.
The two-alarm fire was reported in the 6000 block of Mornington Road on Monday, Feb. 28 at 1:33 a.m.
Crews reported that five people were transported from the scene.
A 72-year-old woman died from her injuries from the fire a few days later. Other fours were displaced.
Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) announced that masks will become optional in all BCPS schools and facilities, starting Tuesday, March 1.
This decision was based on new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance released on Feb. 25.
Masks have been required in all BCPS since the start of the school year.
The Maryland General Assembly’s Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review (AELR) committee voted to approve the Maryland State Board of Education’s decision to lift the state mask mandate and to give local school districts the ability to make an independent decision about mask mandates. The CDC also announced changes to the metrics it uses to determine whether to recommend face coverings.
Based on new CDC metrics, Baltimore County is currently in the low transmission range.
“With a high vaccination rate and all of our metrics heading in the right direction, I am confident that we can now safely move to optional masking for students and educators,” said County Executive Johnny Olszewski. “I applaud BCPS for taking this step.”
“The Board of Education is committed to providing a healthy school environment for all students and staff,” said Board Chair Julie Henn. “We are thankful for the extraordinary efforts, flexibility, and patience of students, families, teachers, support staff, and administrators over the past several months. We appreciate the continued efforts of Dr. Williams and his team to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 in our schools, preserving in-person instruction.”
“We greatly appreciate the support of all members of Team BCPS over the past two years,” said Superintendent Darryl Williams. “Working together, we have been able to follow the science and safely return to in-person learning, keep school buildings open through the Omicron surge, and are now able to lift some COVID restrictions.”
Baltimore County police officers responded to a shooting in Essex on Saturday at 11 p.m.
Officers were called to the 1400 block of Hadwick Drive for a fight that escalated into a shooting on Feb. 26.
When officers arrived, they located a male victim suffering from a single gunshot wound. Medics transported the individual to an area hospital for treatment.
Detectives with the Department’s Violent Crimes Unit are asking anyone with information about this case to contact them at 410-307-2020.
