NEWS ANALYSIS Amanda Bessicks, the newly-elected Cecil County State’s Attorney, is resigning her post as of 3/15/2019 due to health reasons, according to a letter sent to the county Circuit Court administrative judge.. Her resignation cuts short a promising career as the county’s chief prosecutor and a reform-minded leader for an office that has...
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A CECIL TIMES Special Report Cecil County Animal Services failed to inspect multiple kennel businesses in 2018 and is only now scheduling inspections, according to the county attorney, after CECIL TIMES reported previously that many inspections were not conducted or licenses issued as required by county law. “The County acknowledges it has been late...
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A CECIL TIMES Special Report Cecil County’s government-operated Animal Services agency recently raided two locations, in Elkton and Rising Sun, and took into custody 63 animals as part of an investigation of alleged animal “neglect” by a non-profit animal rescue organization, according to county officials. But there are many unanswered questions about licensing and...
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NEWS ANALYSIS The state of Cecil County is “great and getting better,” according to Cecil County Executive Alan McCarthy, and he will seek a second term in office in 2020 to continue to promote economic development, job creation and educational improvements in the county. McCarthy, who delivered his annual “state of the county” address...
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NEWS ANALYSIS It was a snowy December night in Middletown, DE a decade or so ago, when the Delaware Department of Transportation (DELDOT) held a public meeting to showcase its plans for a Route 301 toll road around the rapidly growing town. Mark Tudor, the project director, glibly touted the glossy pictures and charts...
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Home values rose 9 percent in southern Cecil County and parts of Elkton over the past three years, according to new state property assessments– reflecting a resurging real estate economy in the county and a blessing for homeowners who suffered major losses in values during the recession that left them with mortgages higher than...
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NEWS ANALYSIS A new $200 milllion water park and resort, planned for Perryville near the existing Hollywood Casino, could mark a new era in Cecil County economic development—with a potential ripple effect to attract other new amenities to the western area of the county and revive past development dreams that were dashed by the...
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UPDATED A new state “report card” on the quality of local schools gave top rankings to just three Cecil County elementary schools—Calvert, Charlestown and Kenmore—while most middle and high schools scored the middle rank, with three stars on a five-star rating scale. The new state system is designed to broaden measures of school quality...
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NEWS ANALYSIS It was a bit like the first day of school when the new Cecil County Council met this week for its first worksession with two new members and, at least for a few minutes, no teacher in charge of the classroom. There was also a nearby hall monitor, trying to lay down...
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Two newly-elected members of the Cecil County Council took their oath of office on Monday (12/3/2018), marking a transition to a new generation of senior officials under Charter government, and a new roster of members on the county’s school board and Orphans’ Court. A highlight of the inaugural events was an impassioned...
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Andy Harris, the incumbent Republican for Maryland’s First District US House seat, won a bitterly contested fight against Jesse Colvin, a Democrat and first-time political candidate, as the overwhelmingly Republican district held to its majority party roots amid signs of discontent and an erosion of Harris support in some key areas. The District, which...
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Bill Coutz won the only contested seat for the Cecil County Council in Tuesday’s general election, scoring a landslide victory over a political newcomer, Cody Kirk. Coutz, a Republican. will take the District 2 seat to replace the retiring Joyce Bowlsbey. All seats on the five-member Council are now held by Republicans. Coutz, who...
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In one of the few contested races on the November general election ballot in Cecil County, voters returned Carolyn Crouch to the Orphans Court, where she has served for 12 years, and filled two other seats with new judges. There were four candidates—three Republicans and one Democrat—seeking three available seats on the court. Crouch,...
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In the first four days of early voting for the November general election, statewide turnout surged over the last mid-term national election four years ago, while in Cecil County, where few local races are contested on the ballot, early turnout was sluggish. But if the local-only contests drew yawns, and the top-of-the-tickets gubernatorial race...
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NEWS ANALYSIS Jesse Colvin, a former US Army Ranger and the Democratic challenger in the Dist. 1 race for the US House, was polite and respectful, even as he delivered political body blows to his Republican opponent, incumbent Rep. Andy Harris during a candidates’ forum on a CECIL.TV delayed broadcast on the Internet. For...
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