A gunman is at large after fatally shooting a man in the Robinwood neighborhood of Annapolis Wednesday night Officers in the area heard gunshots around 11:09 p.m as they were trying to locate the shooting dispatchers who received a 911 call directed them to the crime scene in the 1300 block of Tyler Avenue Annapolis Police spokesman Kortlan Jackson said “They were able to get there ASAP,” Jackson said officers found 37-year-old Gregory Antonio Wells The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one. Officers and medics with the Annapolis Fire Department “attempted life-saving measures,” but Wells died at Anne Arundel Medical Center Detectives used video to identify a suspect He said police are seeking William Delonte Hairston whose address is listed in the 1300 block of Tyler Avenue in court records for a criminal case in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court last year that was placed on the inactive docket Jackson said detectives went to Hairston’s residence to serve a warrant for his arrest “We’re not too sure if he fled the area,” Jackson said “We just know he’s not at his place of residence that’s on file.” “We’re actively looking for him,” he added It was the third homicide of the year in Annapolis Alex Mann alex.mann@thebaltimorebanner.com Alex Mann covers Anne Arundel County for The Baltimore Banner He was a 2023 finalist for the Livingston Awards in local reporting he wrote for The Capital and for The Carroll County Times Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. Please review our community guidelines Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policies The Baltimore Banner is a trademark registered in the U.S for The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism Statement from Executive Vice President and General Manager Eric DeCosta pic.twitter.com/TNQrqw3me2 Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. Please review our community guidelines Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policies Click here to view our Terms of Sale.\n \n Click here to learn more about supporting local journalism.\n Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes. If the problem persists, please contact customer service at 443-843-0043 or customercare@thebaltimorebanner.com UPDATE: Annapolis Police have released the name of the victim as well as the name and photo of a wanted suspect in this homicide A man was shot and killed late last night in the Robinwood community He was reportedly struck with a rifle or shotgun and later died at the hospital but it is known that he was the father of three children Details surrounding the shooting remain unclear, and the Annapolis Police Department has not yet issued a public statement This story will be updated as more information becomes available State Casinos Generate Over $172 Million in March 2025 as Lawmakers Push for Online Gambling Legalization Eye On Annapolis is a community based site focusing strictly on Anne Arundel County These staff postings are general news postings made by our team of bloggers throughout the day and are not attributed to any one particular staff person Thank you for stopping by and hopefully for engaging with Eye On Annapolis with your comments and opinions both here and on our social channels There has never been a more critical time for community involvement than today–for any number of reasons Annapolis and Anne Arundel County are our homes and this site is about the quality of life we all share It is written for the local community by the local community A rabid raccoon was recently killed by a dog in Gastonia Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcement got a call about the incident Sunday evening a family dog had killed a raccoon in the 2200 block of Robinwood Road There was no human contact with the raccoon The dog was current on its rabies vaccination and received a booster shot Animal Care and Enforcement impounded the raccoon and sent it to the N.C Laboratory of Public Health in Raleigh on Monday Lab results returned Tuesday afternoon indicated that the raccoon tested positive for rabies Enforcement Specialist completed a neighborhood canvass in the area of Robinwood Road on Tuesday to notify the community of the positive rabies results and verify rabies vaccinations for family pets in the area Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement also notified Gaston County Department Health and Human Services about the incident The Gaston County Police Department Animal Care and Enforcement Division stresses the importance of having a valid rabies vaccination for all pet’s health and safety as well as the health and safety of their owners and community This represents the third confirmed rabies case in Gaston County this year 2025 at 1:03 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The Annapolis Police Department said a 16-year-old boy was shot Saturday in the city's Robinwood neighborhood (Jacob Baumgart/Patch Stock Photo)ANNAPOLIS MD — A teenager shot this weekend in Annapolis is in stable condition Officers said the shooting happened Saturday around 9:14 p.m That's located in the Robinwood neighborhood Authorities said they found a 16-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to the lower part of his leg Medics took him to the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore Authorities asked anybody with information to contact Detective Black at 410-268-9000 This map shows the area where the Annapolis Police Department said the shooting happened Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Robin Wood Kurowski passed away peacefully on Friday, August 16, 2024 at Compass Regional Hospice in Centreville, MD after a long, courageous, battle with cancer; she faced it head on, as she did all her challenges, and stoically fought until... View Obituary & Service Information The family of Robin Wood Kurowski created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Robin Wood Kurowski passed away peacefully on Frida.. Made with love by funeralOne Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application peacefully entered her eternal rest on December 12 She was a devoted wife to her husband of nearly 56 years a love story that stood as a testament to commitment and partnership Ruby’s legacy lives on through her four children who were all touched by her boundless love and warmth Ruby was a Godly woman who lived her faith daily always smiling and bringing light to those around her always willing to lend a helping hand and provide encouragement to anyone in need Ruby’s presence was a gift to all who knew her and her memory will remain a source of inspiration for her family and community Though her time on earth has come to an end Ruby Carlene Dearchs leaves behind a legacy of love and kindness that will forever be cherished by those she loved and those who loved her A celebration of Ruby’s life will be held Sunday Interment will be in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens Gulfport.  Flowers and/or donations can be sent to Robinwood Baptist Church in her memory.  She is now at peace with her Lord and Savior reunited with loved ones who have gone before her You will be dearly missed but never forgotten is honored to serve the family of Ruby Dearchs Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors to help celebrate the wins or soften the losses Her performance metrics might include things like “Number of smiles caused” and “Percent of petals sold”—if she wasn’t her own boss Wood and her daughter, Sadie Steller, co-own Robin Wood Flowers she says she considers herself more of the “hunter and gatherer in chief.” “Every morning I leave the house before dawn to go to the flower wholesale markets to pick out flowers for the day Then I come back to peruse the Dutch market to see what’s new there,” she says she handles weddings and the business side Wood opened her floral business in Evanston in 2001 It was a stark difference from her previous role—a radio deejay since 1972 Wood joined the station working with the sales department in advertising traffic “It was unusual to have a female on the air at that time so it sort of stood out from the pack,” she says she bounced around at a couple other stations for three years then covered features for WKRC for three years she left media and opened Robin Wood Flowers A combination of factors led to the career change: For one Wood became frustrated with radio’s changing format it was full of humor and mischief,” she says and people from out of town were brought in to make it better.” and deejays participated in more and more pranks to get attention There were more events like the pregnant bikini contest deejays can deejay for only so long; the hours start ridiculously early— something she admits hasn’t necessarily changed she’s always loved gardening and flowers—she calls it “magical,” watching flowers appear in the springtime—and she loves the constant learning Floral design and trends change every 10 years Memorable ones include Peter Frampton’s daughter’s wedding as well as arrangements for musicians and actors when they come to town We had to know: What’d she put together for Beyoncé Meritus Health will be hosting an event for seniors next month The Fall Into Better Health Senior Expo is planned from 9 a.m 9 in the Atrium and Room 142 in the Robinwood Professional Center And while the free expo will offer folks health tips and information let’s not detract from the many programs and activities Meritus has in place year-round designed to help those 55 and older live their best lives “We want seniors to be able to age healthily,” said Beth Fields Dowdell director of Community Health and Outpatient Care Management “We want people to live a long healthy life.” Meritus is part of the 20% of the nation's hospitals to have joined in the Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative That means the health system focuses on important ways to keep older patients safe and supported Meritus offers a safe place to walk in the Robinwood Professional Center can use the hallways of the building to get in exercise out of the weather and away from vehicles More: Comings u0026 Goings: Meritus Health to open second pharmacy; Patriot Federal hires SVP The assistance provided to older patients isn’t just passive Meritus offers diabetes and prediabetes education. The classes are a comprehensive resource for people diagnosed with diabetes, prediabetes, for those who want nutritional assistance. To learn more about the classes, go to www.meritushealth.com/DiabetesEducation Meritus also offers a quarterly gathering for those 55 and older an activity and a speaker meant to offer older patients tips on living “The program offers tips on many aspects of aging such as meal prep how to perform chair exercises and many other things that can help improve quality of life,” Fields Dowdell said but keep an eye on the calendar at www.meritushealth.com/about/events Probably one of the farthest-reaching programs Meritus offers is its Care Callers they tend to make up the majority of participants Loneliness and social isolation have been shown to impact life expectancy as much as smoking Care Callers uses 81 volunteers and two staff to call 350 health system patients who have indicated they are lonely the patient and caller converse for 15 minutes to a half hour Since its inception in November 2021, more than 700 patients have participated, and 95% of the patients in the program report feeling less lonely after four months. To learn more about the program, go to www.MeritusHealth.com/carecallers “Conduit Gallery is honored to announce a solo exhibition of new works by Denton-based artist Robert Jessup The exhibition of large-scale paintings will be the nineteenth solo exhibition of paintings at Conduit Gallery for the artist since 1993 and mark the first body of work created in his new studio on Robinwood Lane in Denton and the painting methodology has been largely reinvented the yearning of color– the chase of desire that is painting– remain the defining drivers of the work.” New movements in Robert Jessup’s painting methodology have been driven largely by the change in medium Jessup’s paintings were created solely with oil paint The Robinwood paintings have all been rendered in acrylic which not only changes the tonality but the strategy in addressing the composition The thinned viscosity and faster drying time met Jessup’s impatience for laying down colored layers and improvisatory intuition Dense areas of color and line create weather patterns that churn across the canvas flowing in what Jessup describes as an “evolving dance of discovery.” Born in Moscow Robert Jessup received his BFA from the University of Washington in 1975 and his MFA from the University of Iowa in 1979 His work has been exhibited extensively since 1981 and is in numerous private and public collections including the metropolitan Museum of Art He is a Professor Emeritus from the University of North Texas where he taught painting in the College of Visual Arts and Design from 1991 to 2018 Washington and currently live and work in Denton Conduit Gallery and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" HAA Cultural Events Calendar — Muncie City Council has rejected a request for a zoning change necessary for a developer to build a convenience store and four-story hotel on the city's northwest side The council this week in a 9-0 vote declined to rezone the property near the southeast corner of Morrison Road and Williamsburg Boulevard Several residents of the nearby Eagles Nest and Robinwood neighborhoods had expressed concern about the effect such a development could have on their lives and property Some addressed the council at Monday's meeting The hotel and convenience store project had been planned by developer Surmukh "Mike" Singh of Fortville A representative of Singh appeared at Monday night's city council meeting and requested a vote on the proposed zoning change be delayed until March "to give us a little bit more time to prepare some additional documentation." the Muncie-Delaware Metropolitan Plan Commission had recommended the rezoning request be denied president of the Eagles Nest Homeowners Association told the council at Monday's meeting that residents of her neighborhood "chose this neighborhood for its quiet residential character and sense of security it provides." "The development would have a devastating impact on our community," she said leading to increased traffic and noise pollution discussed the negative effect that "light pollution" from the development could have on those living nearby "A hotel in our neighborhood will not just affect our health and safety," Wygant said The character of our neighborhood will change from a safe walkable place to one where people are afraid to answer their doors welcome a stranger or venture out after dark." told the council he moved to Muncie several years ago from Philadelphia "for peace and quiet." "I can go back to West Philly for the hotel experience," he said council member Ro Selvey said while the council supports development of businesses "we also as a council care about our neighborhoods." She told residents of the Robinwood and Eagles Nest neighborhoods that "we heard you loud and clear." Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com volunteers and well wishers joined the teaching staff of Robinwood Lane Elementary School to dedicate a memorial garden Tuesday afternoon The garden is located on the north side of the school by the building’s front door It contains five stone markers that bear the names of Michael Ferenchak (student); Amy Carkido (school nurse); Anastasia Weaver (kindergarten student); Sam DiGiacomo (employee); and Nathan Kinderdine (student) A decorated stone butterfly sits in the middle of the display surrounded by a red gravel walkway A concrete bench donated by M&J Crown sits to one side The walkway is surrounded by hosta plants and shaded by a cherry tree donated by Petitti Garden Center Other donors included Always Vinyl & Aluminum Boak & Sons Roofing and the Robinwood PTA “A lot of people took part in making this garden as beautiful as it is today,” Robinwood Principal Billiejo Johnson said during her dedication speech “Every time anyone walks into this school their hearts and their memories will be here for everyone to see.” released a box of small brown butterflies into the sunlight to commemorate those who were lost Labor and materials for the garden were provided by Second Nature Landscape Services Sam attended Boardman Schools and then worked for the system in the media and information technology departments It’s a great tribute,” Tony said of working on the garden It’s just a great memorial of the memories and of the people that we lost,” he said The school had difficulty finding a landscaping company that would do the work trying to find someone to do the job for us,” Wright said Staff watched through the school’s outside cameras everyday as the DiGiacomo family worked “without breaks they worked on the weekend,” Wright said “so we could get it in before our first snowfall We call Tony and his family our Christmas miracle,” she added “I’m sure that Sam (Tony’s son) is smiling down at his father as he completes his labor of love.” Many of the staff were there to honor the memory of Weaver who died within 10 months of each other in 2023 It was a difficult and traumatic time for everyone in the school “Our staff members were very close to her,” Wright said of Carkido The kids would often want to go to the nurse’s office just to sit and hang out with her so it was a big loss when she left us way too early.” She taught Carkido’s twin sons in her kindergarten class “(Amy) was here in and out everyday even when she was in pain and through her cancer struggle to make sure that these kids had what they wanted,” Johnson said “She even stayed after school to work in the after-school program so that she could be here for these students “The garden is absolutely tremendous not only for the garden but throughout tough times the Boardman community really rallied around us particularly the teachers and staff at Robinwood School,” said Joe Pratt of Boardman “The garden represents all of those who we lost,” Johnson said “And it is just a reminder that they have affected us all in such a positive way and this is our thank you to them for leaving us with just such big hearts and just to give back for everything they gave to us.” Wright remembered the difficulty of losing first a young student and then a dedicated nurse in such a short period of time “We needed something positive to come out of it,” she said Contact the newsroom by email at news@vindy.com thousands of children across Ohio will be biking safer thanks to the “Put A Lid On It” Campaign .. WARREN — Mayor Doug Franklin is urging the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to investigate for-profit hospital .. YOUNGSTOWN – Three independent candidates filed for Youngstown mayor Copyright © 2025 Eastern Ohio Newspapers, Inc. | https://www.vindy.com | 240 Franklin Street SE, Warren, OH 44482 | 330-841-1600 | Terms of Service Annapolis police are investigating multiple violent incidents over the weekend including two separate shootings and an assault involving a handgun and a knife officers responded to reports of gunfire near W Multiple shell casings were found at the scene Authorities have not yet identified any suspects officers responded to reports of multiple shots fired in the 1300 block of Tyler Avenue police discovered rifle and handgun shell casings but found only minimal property damage and no reported injuries officers were called to the 100 block of Gorman Street after a bar fight at Armadillo’s escalated into an assault Two victims reported being attacked by an unknown suspect after one of them attempted to speak with a woman the suspect allegedly pistol-whipped one victim and another unknown suspect slashed another victim on the cheek with a knife Both victims declined medical treatment and refused to be taken to the hospital and police are continuing their investigation Authorities are urging anyone with information about these incidents to contact Annapolis Police Department detectives Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling 410-280-CLUE (2583) OPINION: It’s Time for Two Ideas for City Elections: Nonpartisan Voting and Term Limits Bay Bridge Boat Show Sets Sail at Exciting New Venue – April 11-13 Robinwood Inn has a fascinating architectural history energetic owners and unique perks like a hot tub inside a greenhouse Falling tree limbs in Birmingham kills one person (WBMA) — If you drive any of the streets in the Robinwood community you’ll see just how dilapidated some of these houses are Residents say the houses have been abandoned for years Gladys Bollen has lived in the neighborhood for decades “We have elderly people out here that are scared to get out on their porches on account of all these abandoned houses Other residents are concerned about children who live in their neighborhood oh we didn’t know what to do?” Morgan said Neighbors are concerned about the value of their property dropping because of all the abandoned houses “If we wanted to do anything with our property how are we going to do that because our property is so depreciated You can’t get anything done,” Jennings said We reached out to Jefferson County officials We gave them a list of locations for some of the abandoned houses A Jefferson County spokesperson said there are 22 houses on their unsafe structure list here in Robinwood They’re working on a plan to submit to the Jefferson County Commission this month Washington County > Transit > Schedules & Route Maps dependable and accessible public transportation that enhances the mobility of our customers Email the Transit Department TTY users may call any government office through the Maryland Relay Service 1-800-735-2258 places and unique spaces with creative and artful imagery Liberal leave is in effect for all non-essential personal on Tuesday Essential personnel are expected to fulfill their duties as usual The starting time for today’s Board of County Commissioners meeting will be reevaluated at 9:00 am A fire that destroyed a townhome off Robinwood Drive on Tuesday afternoon started in the attached garage according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office No injuries were reported in the blaze in the 11100 block of Jade Court Washington County 911 received multiple calls from passersby at 3:47 p.m. but the fire marshal's office said a resident first discovered the fire A smoke detector sounding alerted the resident the fire marshal's office said in a news release More than 60 firefighters responded to douse the flames Flames were seen shooting from the front and left side of the townhome the roof of the smoldering structure was completely missing Charred framing jutted out from what had been the second floor of the building while firefighters in the burned out home doused hotspots The fire was brought under control in about 20 minutes The neighboring townhome suffered water and smoke damage The cause of the fire is being investigated by the state fire marshal's office Robinwood Drive was closed from Professional Boulevard to Mount Aetna Road Long Meadow and the Washington County Division of Emergency Services Even though the Western Maryland Blues Fest only spanned two days this year music lovers still got to enjoy a Sunday of the blues at a Hagerstown-area church Robinwood Church hosted its second annual Blues Sunday Festival featuring seven area acts in an outdoor show that went on despite some intermittent showers and we're trying to give it to them," said Vonita Townes music director for the church and organizer of the event a band that's performed over multiple Blues Fest weekends in the past who expected about 150 to 200 people to attend said this year's show grew considerably compared to last year "We put out an all-call a couple months ago and we were really prepared to pay a little bit but every band said we don't want anything Temperatures were also on the cool side on the grounds of the church Attendees got a little wet during some light sprinkles but most quickly popped up their umbrellas or sought refuge under tents It wasn't enough to dampen the spirits of blues lover Dee Barnhart who sat under a tent with friends Donnie and Lori Barton of Hagerstown it's something to make up for it," said Barnhart Blues Fest previously featured a free Sunday afternoon show at Hagerstown's City Park Donnie Barton said the group arrived about 10:30 a.m "It's just a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon," he said guitarist and singer Keith Boyce of Chambersburg Boyce said he appreciated the opportunity to play He thanked Townes for being the driving force behind the small festival "I think it's great for the local music scene," he said "It's just cool to see everybody get together and do this." A lightning strike started a two-alarm fire that heavily damaged a Woodbridge Apartments building along Robinwood Drive near Hagerstown Tuesday night Lightning struck the roof of the three-story building at 11565 Robinwood Drive shortly after 8 p.m. and immediately ignited the top section of the building Although the building was equipped with water sprinklers assistant director of property management for the Woodbridge Apartments said Wednesday afternoon that all of the tenants were safe "We have 100 percent confirmation that all the occupants are accounted for," he said The fire marshal's office said a woman was transported to a hospital for a pre-existing medical condition but was later released Katherman said all of the tenants were required to have renter's insurance He asked the residents to call the rental office if they needed help said he was sleeping in his third-floor bedroom when the building was struck by lightning Mills said the lights went out and the sprinklers started to gush water He grabbed his cellphone and backpack and started out the door Mills said he considered going back for more of his things but he saw fire above one of his windows and decided to retreat Mills was at the Seventh-day Adventist Church off Robinwood Drive where the American Red Cross set up its relief operations to help the victims The volunteers sat behind tables and privately assessed each family's situation regional communications officer for the Red Cross said Wednesday that volunteers were providing the fire victims with basic needs "We're providing immediate assistance now," Koors said said the roof and the third floor of the building were destroyed and the first two floors sustained significant water damage He said investigators also were trying to determine why fire hydrants in the area failed to produce an adequate flow of water which prompted fire commanders at the scene to call in tanker trucks Hagerstown spokeswoman Erin Anderson said the apartments were on the city's water system We couldn't have pushed anything additional through that system," she said of the hydrants Anderson said she couldn't speak further about the matter The fire marshal's office said in a news release that the fire Nearly 100 firefighters responded to the scene The blaze will be added to the Hagerstown area's extensive fire history which has been documented by the First Hagerstown Hose Co. Museum of Firefighting History on South Potomac Street When asked Wednesday if Tuesday night's blaze was the biggest apartment building fire ever in the area The conclusion was it is hard to nail down if it was the biggest Another devastating apartment building fire occurred Nov at the Hancock Center apartment building in Hancock He said it is unclear how many units that building contained There was a fear that the fire would spread through other buildings in downtown Hancock He said it is possible that those two apartment fires were the two largest such blazes in the county's history Plenty of other apartment building fires came to mind for Mayhue including a blaze at Northspring Apartments off Haven Road on Dec 1993; and Pinewood Apartments off Lynnehaven Drive on July 28 The latter two were started by a lightning strike Woodbridge Apartments was the second apartment building fire in two months in the Hagerstown area A June 12 fire at Cortland Apartments in the North End of Hagerstown displaced 46 people Editor's note:This story was updated at 8:30 p.m walked around the booths at Tuesday's substance abuse resources fair hosted by Meritus Health with tears in her eyes and Palmer was ready to be involved to help others “I wanted to find out what this was all about so I could bring her legacy to life and let people know about her story so that I could help somebody else,” Palmer said Community organizations joined together at Robinwood Professional Center to provide information about resources for addicts and their loved ones The fair featured a new peer support program for patients battling addictions The four peer recovery coaches are people who were once addicts and who have had or seen mental health problems They went through training before the program began around four months ago the community peer recovery coach in the new program said patients have responded well to him sharing his story "It's an extension of my own personal recovery out there," he said He contacted organizations on various state and local lists about addiction and mental health "It really did take a village for me to get where I’m at … It took a decision on my part and then I grabbed on to all the resources available and they’re available to everybody who wants them,” he said such as the Washington County Health Department Division of Behavioral Services Representatives shared information and resources offered by their organizations "The more people can see the face of harm reduction the more likely they’ll share with other individuals,” David Washington the coordinator for the harm reduction program New organizations such as the Compassionate Wellness Center The Compassionate Wellness Center has around 130 clients and offers therapy mental health and substance abuse programs to people ages 5 and up "We're just happy to be in the community and happy to start working," Clinical Supervisor Lori Close said Palmer stressed the importance of battling the rising opioid crisis She talked about an article she heard about with "depressing statistics" about drug use in Washington County “I have grandchildren that I do not want to be affected by this," Palmer said but it did and it will unless we get a grip on it and educate.” director of the Behavioral Health Services department at Meritus said sharing resources at events is important “There is hope in regards to getting some type of treatment for whatever their addictions may be,” Smith said “I’ve been living in the solution for a while now claiming the hospital's new pharmacy breaks a contract between the two entities The company also alleges that Meritus last year sold the suite where the Walgreens store is located in "a bad faith attempt" to avoid having to comply with the contract Meritus maintains that it did not act in bad faith but "in accordance with the legal contract between Meritus Health and Walgreens." The response is in a letter that was sent to Herald-Mail Media's editor and signed by Greg Snook chairman of the Meritus board of directors The letter was published Monday in The Herald-Mail "Meritus Health believes that any actions taken by the hospital to support our patients and employees were done in accordance with the contract and in furtherance of our mission," the letter states "We hold high respect for the legal process we can’t share all of the details during this phase of the process." does business as Walgreens and has a nationwide chain of pharmacies it has operated a pharmacy in Suite 105 of the Robinwood Professional Center at 11110 Medical Campus Road The professional center is attached to the hospital the lawsuit was filed last week in U.S District Court for the District of Maryland Meritus officials said they received formal notification of the lawsuit last week What does Walgreens allege?Walgreens and Meritus signed a lease in December 2013 for the pharmacy company to operate a store in Suite 105 of the Robinwood Professional Center The lease stipulates that "no part of the Robinwood medical campus would be used for the operation of a retail pharmacy," the lawsuit states An outpatient retail pharmacy is different from the inpatient hospital pharmacy which Meritus has long operated to serve people while they are being treated in the facility The lawsuit quotes part of the lease agreement the landlord (Meritus) agrees that "no portion of the Building which is owned leased or controlled directly or indirectly by Landlord or any of its parents subsidiaries or affiliates nor any other buildings on the Robinwood medical campus (including or affiliates" will be used for a retail pharmacy The clause "was intended to protect Walgreens and the Walgreens Pharmacy against competition from other retail pharmacies" and was a "material inducement" for Walgreens to sign the lease and invest in the Robinwood pharmacy Walgreens learned that Meritus was planning to use some space at the hospital for a retail pharmacy The lawsuit says the company "advised Meritus that any such second pharmacy" would violate the lease agreement It says Walgreens asked that Meritus not proceed with those plans Meritus sold Suite 105 to Water Street Investments LLC Walgreens' lawsuit charges that the sale "was a bad faith attempt by Meritus to avoid having to comply" with the lease Meritus Pharmacy opened in April Walgreens asserts that the restrictive clause is attached to and runs with the property It also charges that Walgreens has suffered "lost revenues and loss of its investment in the continued operation of the Walgreens Pharmacy" because of the Meritus Pharmacy The company also is asking that Meritus be ordered to stop operating the pharmacy and not allow any other retail pharmacy It also seeks "an award of money damages for losses caused to date by the operation of the Meritus Pharmacy and the costs and attorneys’ fees incurred in prosecuting this action." Meritus rejected Walgreens' allegation that it acted in bad faith by selling Suite 105 we did not act in bad faith," the statement reads "The sale and assignment were permitted under the contract The letter to the editor describes the Meritus Pharmacy as a "small" facility in the hospital lobby intended to "support the prescription needs of our patients and our employees." "The goal of Meritus Pharmacy is always to provide great service to our patients and ensure those being discharged from the hospital are able to get any prescribed medications before leaving the building," the letter reads Home sales: Interest rate hikes, demand for housing send market into 'uncharted waters,' Realtor says Hager Hall's future: Sale pending for restaurant, nightclub, event center complex in Hagerstown A life of songs: After 83 years, Rohrersville's music man bids the band farewell nonprofit hospital and health system is rooted firmly on a foundation of trust and transparency with our community." Given that the board members "feel it is important to share" that Walgreen Co "Our position on this matter is simple: we acted in accordance with the legal contract between Meritus Health and Walgreens and our intent in developing the Meritus Pharmacy was to serve our community," the letter states A lawsuit filed by a national pharmacy chain against Meritus Medical Center has been settled out of court District Court for the District of Maryland after the hospital opened its own pharmacy for the public The suit claimed the hospital's new pharmacy broke a contract between the two entities A trial on the matter was set for March 22 according to a scheduling order filed in November But a court filing in late January shows the two parties reached a settlement and that U.S The settlement order came roughly six months after Meritus filing a motion in June to dismiss the suit Back-and-forth court filings between Meritus and Walgreen in June and early July laid out arguments for and against the lawsuit's dismissal Rubin issued an opinion July 11 siding with Walgreen's argument not to toss the lawsuit Background:Walgreens sues Meritus, claiming new pharmacy violates contract; Meritus says it doesn't Walgreen filed a preliminary injunction and request for a hearing over the Meritus Pharmacy's operation Walgreen and the judge agreed not to go forward with the hearing and instead proceed to trial in March After orders to exchange evidence and depositions through the fall the docket shows the case was referred to Magistrate Judge Susan K 5 and a settlement conference between the parties was scheduled for Jan which stated the case could be reopened "for good cause" within 30 days "the dismissal shall be with prejudice," meaning Walgreen could not refile the lawsuit in the same federal court Details of the settlement were not disclosed “The Meritus Pharmacy is open and will continue to stay open for our employees and patients," the hospital said in a statement provided by Jeannie Constable Meritus corporate communications executive director "Meritus and Walgreens have resolved the disputes between them and the litigation has been voluntarily dismissed Meritus is unable to comment further on this matter.” confirmed the settlement in an email Thursday night but said the company would not comment further it has operated a pharmacy in Suite 105 of the Robinwood Professional Center at 11110 Medical Campus Road The professional center is attached to the hospital Walgreen and Meritus signed a lease in December 2013 for the pharmacy company to operate a store in Suite 105 of the Robinwood Professional Center which Meritus has long operated to serve people while they are being treated in the facility subsidiaries or affiliates" will be used for a retail pharmacy The lawsuit says the company "advised Meritus that any such second pharmacy" would violate the lease agreement Meritus sold Suite 105 to Water Street Investments LLC Walgreens' lawsuit charged that the sale "was a bad faith attempt by Meritus to avoid having to comply" with the lease Meritus Pharmacy opened in April Walgreens asserted in the lawsuit that the restrictive clause is attached to and runs with the property In a statement emailed to The Herald-Mail in May A letter to the editor sent in May to The Herald-Mail by hospital board President Greg Snook described the Meritus Pharmacy as a "small" facility in the hospital lobby intended to "support the prescription needs of our patients and our employees." "The goal of Meritus Pharmacy is always to provide great service to our patients and ensure those being discharged from the hospital are able to get any prescribed medications before leaving the building," the letter reads assisted by the Anne Arundel County and Naval Academy departments are on the scene of an apartment fire in the Robinwood community crews were dispatched to the 1300 Block of Tyler Avenue for the fire heavy fire was visible from the rear of the apartment building Each building houses three townhome style apartments Initially it looks like two  apartments were heavily damaged by fire 2021 at approximately 2:15pm the Annapolis Fire Department was dispatched to the 1300 block of Tyler Avenue for a reported structure fire with multiple calls First arriving fire crews found a middle of the row townhome with heavy smoke and fire showing from the second floor with extension into adjacent homes First arriving crews made a quick attack on the fire while additional fire crews made entry into the adjacent homes in an attempt to prevent the fire from spreading further By the time access was made to the adjacent homes it was discovered that the fire had extended into the attic spreading into the adjacent homes causing further damage All occupants were out of the affected homes prior to arrival of the fire department There were a total of 3 townhomes affected 2 of which sustained severe damage and the third home sustained minor damage one civilian transported to a local area hospital with smoke inhalation and one firefighter with minor burns The Red Cross was contacted to assist with the displacement of approximately 10 civilians It took approximately 30 minutes and 56 firefighters to bring the fire under control The Anne Arundel County and Naval District Washington Fire departments provided mutual aid Investigators from the Annapolis Fire and Explosives Services Unit determined the fire to be accidental caused by smoking materials coming in contact with a plastic covered mattress in the bedroom on the second floor At this time there are no other reported injuries to civilians or firefighters The Housing Authority has been notified and is on scene helping those displaced 6 things you need to know in order to choose the right cancer doctor Governor Rutherford named Rodel Fellow in Public Leadership Meritus Health will close one of its two urgent-care facilities next week said this week that urgent-care services will end at 7 p.m Tuesday at the Robinwood Professional Center at 11110 Medical Campus Drive east of Hagerstown Meritus Health’s other urgent-care facility at the Sylvania Centre at 13424 Pennsylvania Ave The Sylvania Centre facility has been open from 8 a.m Butler said no jobs would be lost because of the closure “It just made more sense to consolidate into one location,” she said The consolidation will allow people to schedule appointments at the urgent-care facility from 11 a.m “We’ll hold appointments so (patients) won’t have to wait,” she said The emergency department at Meritus Medical Center will remain open 24 hours a day seven days a week to handle life-threatening situations In addition to the extended office hours at the Sylvania Centre urgent-care facility Meritus Health will expand the availability of same-day sick appointments at the following primary-care offices: 22911 Jefferson Blvd.White Oak Pediatric & Adult Medicine Urgent-care facilities work in a similar manner as hospital emergency rooms Dan Dearth is a reporter for The Herald-Mail He can be reached via email atdan.dearth@herald-mail.com One of Franklin's public elementary schools has been named a National Blue Ribbon School The district announced in a news release Sept 21 that Robinwood Elementary has been honored as a 2021 National Blue Ribbon School and as an Exemplary High Performing School.  The award recognizes public and private elementary middle and high schools nationwide that have demonstrated consistent excellence and have made progress in closing student achievement gaps Robinwood Elementary School principal Chad Nelson said the award means a lot to the school's staff students and the Franklin Public Schools community "It does feel good because we have teachers and families that are so dedicated each and every day to ensure that each and every child is growing in their own way It was just really nice to see how those results are showing beyond Franklin and even at the national or federal level as well and that it's being noticed," Nelson said in a Sept Nelson said the school focused on highlighting its work on continuous improvement in its application for the award after being nominated this spring He said the focus on continuous improvement has become engrained as the school's culture "We really created a system to look at getting better each and every day as staff for our students and really utilizing our data whether that is formative data or even subjective or objective data in order to improve and get better," Nelson said the school has focused on student growth in a year's time with a year's input in areas such as leadership art and math versus a focus on getting students to proficiency "We want all of our students to improve and all of them to grow So I would say that would be one of the things that mindset has established," said Nelson The school's motto — ROAR - Respectful, Organized and Responsible — goes beyond just academics Nelson said the school's goal is to help students become good people "We need to also teach those behaviors that we expect of our students and then encourage them in ways as well to meet those behaviors because academics are one side of the coin but the other side is really who they're going to be as people and we want to make good people here," said Nelson The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a U.S. Department of Education effort in its 39th year and has given about 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools. Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year, according to the program's website The department honors schools in two categories: Exemplary High Performing Schools and Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state's highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state's highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school's student groups and all students Robinwood Elementary will be honored in a ceremony in November in Washington along with representatives from other National Blue Ribbon Program schools from across the country For more information about the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, visit nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/ Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12 COVID-19 kept Piedmont Community Charter School from formally marking the completion of its new high school campus in Gastonia but all of the school’s students are finally enjoying it together.  “It’s an absolute dream come true,” said Jennifer Killen Piedmont Charter’s head of school who began working at the school 19 years ago as a teacher’s assistant She never imagined she would have a hand in building a new high school campus “My heart is just full of gratefulness.”  Here are several key takeaways from the new campus:  Piedmont Charter’s new campus cost the school $20 million and features a 70,000-square-foot school building with 32 classrooms on two floors a full-sized gymnasium for basketball and volleyball games as well as physical education, a fine arts auditorium with more than 300 seats and an outdoor soccer field.  the school’s South New Hope Road campus which now serves grades five through eight cost the school just more than $5 million by the time it opened in 2010 according to Piedmont Charter.   which are fitted with Apple TVs and sound bars, include two science labs fine arts classrooms and a health sciences classroom.  Many of the school’s features, such as a large commons area to be used for lunch and smaller student commons on each floor, have yet to be fully used by students due to the pandemic The student commons have floor-to-ceiling dry erase walls meant for collaboration among students.   Some of the most notable perks of the new campus include facilities made specifically for school use said High School Director Ernie Bridges.  theater arts didn’t have a home stage to perform on nor did the school’s sports team have home fields The school’s theater arts department used the Little Theater of Gastonia to perform and the school’s sports teams used other venues across the county to play on.  “Theater arts has a better facility to put on performances,” he said “We’re able to have home basketball games home soccer games for boys and girls instead of going to somebody else’s site.”  has attended Piedmont Charter since kindergarten Tharp and his teammates enjoy seeing their school colors as they run up and down the court they now call home "We used to play at a church for basketball Now we get to see our logo on the court and have our own home floor It feels like an actual high school," he said Though there’s not an associated timeline, the school plans to build a baseball and softball complex at the Robinwood Road campus.  Student morale is high despite the pandemic High school students used to share a building with middle school students but now have their own space which has generated a newfound school spirit.  "The biggest thing is just having our own school now," said Nataleigh Turlington a senior who has attended Piedmont Charter since kindergarten "Now we have all of our own classrooms."  Turlington and her fellow students also didn’t have a traditional first day of school in their new building The students began the school year completely online and later transitioned to in-person learning four days a week Some students opted to remain learning remotely.   Once high school students moved into the new building earlier this school year Bridges noticed a substantial increase in school pride and morale from last school year to this school year despite any pandemic dampers.  It feels like a completely different student body and he expects morale to increase in the coming years.  “I’m noticed elevated pride in the kids and the other thing that I’m seeing is they’re really taking care of it,” he said “I only see that going up when we’re all in-person and we’re not wearing masks.”   Opening the new campus allowed the charter school to free up space at the elementary campus located on East Second Avenue, and middle school campus.   Piedmont Charter hired an additional teacher for each grade level in grades kindergarten through fourth grade and two additional teachers for each grade level in grades five through eight.  High school enrollment alone increased from 366 students during the 2019-20 school year to 574 this school year The high school campus has a capacity of 600 K-12 enrollment at Piedmont Charter increased by 500 students to a total of 1,800 according to the school. Killen expects the Piedmont Charter's total enrollment to reach 1,900 students next school year Business and health sciences programs will be a new focus at Piedmont Charter.  A mathematics teacher at the school began offering business classes at the school this school year.  Bridges hopes to soon partner with Gaston College so students in Piedmont Charter’s health sciences program can earn nursing certifications as they finish high school.   Students have shown promising, long-term interest in the programs – especially health sciences Bridges said. The school currently offers three health sciences courses, which each have more than 20 students in them.  “We’re filled up in health sciences,” he said.   president of Piedmont Charter’s board of directors noted that paying tribute to Gaston County through the design of the new building was a critical aspect of the project.  Commuters who pass or stop by the high school campus - designed by Little Diversified Architectural Consulting and constructed by Rodgers Builders both of Charlotte - may notice that the school building’s exterior aesthetic mirrors that of old textile mills throughout the county.   “It echoes some of the mill buildings you see in the county,” Satterfield said “It’s the same rhythm [as a mill] with the glass high in the gym and the brick low.”  Much of the inspiration for the design came from a particular building along Spencer Mountain Road through Ranlo School leaders took photos of the building before it was demolished and gave them to the architects for them to use as a guide for the exterior.   designed the school's electronic sign along Robinwood Road.  You can reach reporter Gavin Stewart at 704-869-1819 or on Twitter @GavinGazette A long-planned road-improvement project moved forward Tuesday when the Washington County Board of Commissioners awarded a nearly $7.8 million construction contract to widen a portion of Robinwood Drive east of Hagerstown The Robinwood Drive Corridor II project will increase a one-mile stretch of the roadway from two lanes to four between the entrances of Meritus Medical Center on Medical Campus Road and Hagerstown Community College on Academic Boulevard Robinwood Drive will be a four-lane divided roadway between those intersections connecting to a new roundabout that replaces the traffic signal at the intersection of HCC’s entrance and Youngstoun Drive the county deputy director of public works “This is a major corridor improvement,” County Administrator Gregory B Murray said prior to the five commissioners’ unanimous approval to award the contract to Milani Construction LLC of Washington The total construction contract amounts to $7.79 million which includes $7.685 million for widening the roadway and the new roundabout Another $105,000 to be paid by HCC is part of Milani’s bid to install a new wall and fencing at the college’s entrance The roundabout — which will have two through-lanes on Robinwood Drive similar to many installed by the Maryland State Highway Administration — will be built with a concrete apron surrounding a raised and landscaped center median Overhead street lighting will be added near the roundabout for increased pedestrian safety to and from the college Slocum said the project also includes new traffic signals and equipment at the intersection of Medical Campus Road and the Elks Lodge entrance as well as storm-drain upgrades and new curbing along the length of the project Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalks and ramps will be installed along the north side of the new roadway Some temporary lane closures are likely with various stages of the widening and paving processes but Slocum said the county intends to keep at least one lane open at all times Slocum said he has spoken to the presidents of Meritus and HCC about potential traffic delays associated with the work He also told the commissioners that he expects “a bit of chaos,” but the county and contractor will do their best to manage the work with marginal disruptions Two other bidders came in under the county engineer’s estimate of about $9.17 million Two bids received exceeded the engineer’s estimate Slocum told the commissioners that officials solicited feedback about Milani a company the county has not worked with prior to this project Milani officials said they intend to subcontract about 23 percent of the overall work to local companies in the county “which is about $1.5 million to $2 million in paving alone,” Slocum said McKinley said after Tuesday’s meeting that congestion on Robinwood Drive has been an issue for years noting it is not unusual for that area to gridlock once or twice a day when traffic is heavy between Meritus and HCC “I think the advantage of what we did today with the Robinwood project will enhance the traffic flow in so many ways,” McKinley said Safety was a key component in the widening to better allow ambulances access to and from the hospital facilities on Medical Campus Drive Other infrastructure projects will be in the works for that area over the next few years including extending Yale Drive to HCC and extending Professional Court that juts off Eastern Boulevard North to intersect with Yale Drive The Hagerstown-Washington County Industrial Foundation is in the process of developing its proposed Mt which officials estimate could potentially create about 2,000 jobs over the next 15 years that will continue to improve the traffic flow of Robinwood,” McKinley said I think the Yale Drive project will be good.” the county needs to finalize its contracts with Milani who anticipates giving the go-ahead for work to start by July 8 Milani will be given 500 consecutive calendar days to complete the job which is expected to be completed by mid-November 2014 including $8.15 million in Capital Improvement Plan funds and the $7.79 million contract is fully funded at the start of fiscal year 2013-14 on July 1 Inspections will be handled by county staff and consultants throughout the process The evolving tug of war over new patients in the growing local health care market has pivoted to southeast Gastonia this week Almost a dozen urgent care centers already exist or are slated to open soon in Gaston County Carolinas HealthCare Urgent Care – Robinwood while hoping to tap into the fastest growing corner of the city The new venture is located at 3320 Robinwood Road in the Harris Teeter-anchored Kendrick Commons shopping center It is the third urgent care center to open in Gaston County under the umbrella of Atrium Health Atrium has been operating similar venues on Park Street in Belmont and on Cox Road in Gastonia for several years The new facility has more than 3,000 square feet and treatment of minor injury and illness including strains Staff members at the new center spent the last week going through some final training and ensuring everything was up to speed technology wise The goal will be for its convenient location to cater to patients allowing them to be seen quickly before continuing their day-to-day activities and not go a long distance from their neighborhood as with Atrium’s other urgent care centers such as the one it recently opened near CMC Main in Charlotte Patients will be able to reserve their spot online combination urgent care and primary care centers have become strategic tools for tapping into new business offering same-day appointments and a potential long-term relationship with a primary care provider CaroMont Health will employ the same approach with its new clinic on West Trade Street near downtown Dallas And Med First Primary & Urgent Care is also opening soon on the 2200 block of East Franklin Boulevard in Gastonia You can reach Michael Barrett at 704-869-1826 or on Twitter @GazetteMike 2022 at 5:48 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The Annapolis Police Department said two juveniles were shot and hospitalized Monday in the city’s Robinwood community A stock photo of an Annapolis police car is shown above MD — Police announced that two children were shot Monday evening in Annapolis Medics flew both victims to unnamed hospitals He is still in the hospital in stable condition Officers said doctors released the other victim Another minor got hurt while she was running away Authorities said doctors treated and released her from the hospital “This is a community that cares," Buckley said at a Tuesday press conference Police said the bullets hit the children while they were playing outside with other people around Officers think the shots were intended for somebody else They don't think the shooting was gang-related either "What happened to the code where we don’t harm women and children?" said Joshua Hatch the public safety committee chairman for the Caucus of African-American Leaders "What happened to the code where we say that children are off-limits?” The unknown shooter or shooters walked into the neighborhood from a wooded area before firing the shots Police said a home was also hit by a bullet The assault took place in the Robinwood community This is a public complex operated by the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis “It is particularly troubling that it is not the first time that this has happened in our communities," said Melissa Maddox Evans the executive director and the CEO of the housing authority “It is not right to have to live somewhere and fear that your child can’t play outside for fear of being shot at or that you can’t sit in a bedroom or a living room and not fear a random bullet coming through your house.” Evans mentioned that the housing authority lets the Annapolis Police Department use two of its units 24/7 for emergency assistance. Those properties are located in Robinwood and Harbor House another public housing complex in the city Authorities said nobody was in the Robinwood unit at the time of the shooting The agency prefers its officers to be on patrol Annapolis Police Chief Edward Jackson said he is looking for creative ways to use those units in the future Jackson reassured that he is dedicated to community policing The chief believes he can proactively battle violence by establishing connections and trust with residents “It doesn’t mean that we are being soft on crime,” Jackson said I think they are cowards in the sense that they can’t face their own issues or have the courage to ask for help.” The police chief additionally urged families schools and churches to instill peaceful virtues in the city's youth He thinks strong values can prevent kids from entering the legal system down the road Jackson drove home that point by speaking alongside some of Anne Arundel County's most prominent religious figures we have got to work together," said Pastor Sheryl Menendez of Glen Burnie's Light of the World Family Ministries The Annapolis Police Department did not name any suspects The chief said he will personally reach out to the FBI about this shooting the District 6 County Council member who represents Annapolis warned the shooter(s) that they won't be able to hide from the law “You are lucky that the young people survived," the County Council chair said and turn yourself in because I know this police department The Annapolis Police Department asked anybody with information to call its detectives at 410-260-3439. Tipsters can stay anonymous by contacting the Metro Crime Stoppers of Maryland at 1-866-7LOCKUP, on metrocrimestoppers.org or through the P3 Tips mobile application Metro Crime Stoppers offered a cash reward of up to $2,000 for details that lead to an arrest or an indictment "I’m not disparaging when it happens to adults children are suffering," said Alderwoman Rhonda Pindell Charles the chair of the city's public safety committee “We must do something because doing nothing will continue all of this.” Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County news After months of labor (much of it volunteer) and preparation the 34-acre Robinwood Lake at the Warlick Family YMCA is open for summer activities to answer a couple of questions the Y's Executive Director Michelle Miller has been asked a few thousand times in the last couple of weeks: the safety and liability issues of an outdoor swimming beach are simply not worth the effort (2) Will there be a diving tower similar to the three-platform affair where many a Gaston youngster proved either courage or poor decision-making in the past "You wouldn't believe the number of people who have asked us those questions," said Miller the lake will not provide a swimming experience." that doesn't mean the lake doesn't have a lot to offer for members and for summer campers "We have 20 kayaks and 20 paddleboards available," she said our canoes are reserved for camper use because canoes have more of a learning curve but we're hoping to eventually offer canoe classes for adults." Kafsky said the response of the Y's membership to the opening of the lake has been very positive with more than 430 of them having used the lake in the last couple of weeks Another attribute of the lake is the outdoor chapel which fronts its waters and offers seating for up to 150 adults "We've had several churches do their Sunday morning services over there," said Kafsky All we ask is that their offering collection be contributed to our fund to provide recreational opportunities for children who otherwise could not afford it." Kafsky also noted that the lake features a large floating fishing pier and that so far the richly-stocked lake has yielded good results The Piedmont Area Wildlife Stewards have also contributed an osprey nest tower to the lake and the large predatory birds are often seen at the lake and its environs A large deck area with rocking chairs overlooks the lake as does a sundeck with lounge chairs off the two pools "This truly is a remarkable setting for a Y," said Miller "With the lake and the woods and all the property we have A part of that potential will soon be realized with the official opening of the Y's walking/jogging/hiking trail system the trailhead for which will be on the south side of the lake's dam There will be some elevation gain and loss we're just waiting to get the signage up to declare them officially open." Miller thanked the husband and wife team of Ron and Janet Sytz for donating time and resources to make the trail system a reality She and Kafsky also gave special thanks to: • Joel Long of GSM Services who helped spearhead the entire project and brought out employees from the company to clear space and build platforms • Jon Mark Hovis of Hovis Lawn Care who did much of the finishing work • Local Boy Scouts where helped build platforms and constructed a campfire ring Bill Poteat may be reached at 704-869-1855 The Annapolis Police are investigating a shooting that happened Sunday afternoon in the Robinwood community along Forest Drive On October 23, 2022, at approximately 6:10 pm, Annapolis Police officers responded to Anne Arundel Medical Center for a reported shooting that occurred in the 1300 block of Tyler Ave was in the 1300 block of Tyler Avenue when he was shot in the lower torso The victim was driven to the hospital by his girlfriend where he received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries The police have not released any information on a suspect or an arrest Annapolis to Host “Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos” Festival on October 29 at Maryland Hall Three Suspects Wanted For Armed Carjacking at Westfield Annapolis Mall If you’re one of the many people yearning to get the experience of an innovative new YMCA that’s been rising beside Robinwood Lake “We are still on schedule for getting the keys Dec and then opening in the middle of December,” said Gaston Family YMCA CEO and President Tony Sigmon “A lot of the things that are left to do will come together pretty quickly.” Nearly a year and a half has passed since officials broke ground on the new Robinwood Lake YMCA – an aesthetically imposing complex being built on the bank of a 34-acre reservoir it will replace the outdated Central Branch YMCA near downtown Gastonia that has been in service for decades Sigmon said it’s “amazing” to think how far the project has come “We have been charging hard for over three years and we are looking forward to getting the doors open and getting members in to enjoy the YMCA,” he said “That’s going to be the finish line for us but it’s also the starting line for the future.” What started as a $16 million venture was boosted to a $20.5 million capital campaign after construction began The cost went up as YMCA leaders decided to increase the footprint of the complex from 48,000 to a full 60,000 square feet which includes interest on the construction loan officials have raised about $19 million to date Fundraising efforts are still going full steam ahead Plans are to retain the YMCA’s current membership rates to $76 for a family of two adults and dependents Scholarships will help to pay for those who can’t afford those rates provided they fall under income thresholds and meet certain requirements Visitors using the large indoor lap pool and separate recreational pool will have a clear view of Robinwood Lake through a glass wall They’ll also be able to sit outside on a grand deck overlooking the water A playground and athletic fields for soccer field hockey and other sports will flank the east side of the YMCA A trail leading to the other side will guide people toward the woods where a campground and more than three miles of natural trails will be built throughout the 110-acre site will take the lead soon in blazing those trails Trail and campground elements will also likely be completed as part of Eagle Scout projects “That work will continue on through the spring,” he said All the standard YMCA amenities will be in place including a gymnasium for basketball and other activities and three to four exercise studios with a ‘spin stadium.’ The 10,000-square-foot fitness center with include machines from about five different vendors Floor machines will be there along with staples such as bench presses and squat racks “The cool thing is we’ll have everything from equipment that’s specifically designed for folks with Parkinson’s disease and post-stroke patients and other machines like stepmills and Jacobs Ladder,” Sigmon said Permits have been approved for the YMCA to rebuild and fortify the earthen dam that makes Robinwood Lake what it is a boathouse will allow members to rent canoes kayaks and fishing boats with electric trolling motors Artificial reefs will be built in the lake catering to the 36,000 largemouth bass and bream that were stocked there last spring Wood duck nests and osprey stands have been installed around the water which has an average depth of 18 to 25 feet A chapel on the east bank of the lake will provide a unique place for faith-based services Kids ages 6 to 11 will relish access to a 24-foot-tall adventure climbing center roll and tumble” area for toddlers and crawlers,” Sigmon said A special café and smoothie bar near the lobby will provide a place for visitors to grab a quick bite to eat at different times of the day who owns Guilty Pleasures Catering and Bakery in Gastonia “We’re really excited about what he’s going to bring with the breakfast and bakery type things,” said Sigmon The Annapolis police department investigated a shooting in the Robinwood community yesterday afternoon of Laurel was arrested for the homicide and is currently awaiting his initial appearance before the District Court Commissioner Surgeon will be charged with first and second degree murder and lesser offenses This is the 5th homicide in Annapolis in 2016 This is a fluid and active investigation the Annapolis Police are urging anyone with information to come forward by calling detectives at 410-260-3439.  If people wish to remain anonymous, they can also contact the Annapolis Police Tip Line at 410-280-CLUE or Metro Crime Stoppers Source: APD Annapolis City Attorney leaves for position in the Hogan administration Gastonia leaders have approved a preliminary subdivision plat that outlines a plan for 51 new homes near Robinwood Lake submitted the plan for constructing the new residences at the corner of Elam Street and Winterlake Drive The Gastonia Planning Commission unanimously approved it during its regular meeting May 9 The subject of the new development most recently came before the planning commission last December JP Development submitted a rezoning request for the 19 acres of land there which was already subdivided into nine total tax parcels zoned for residential use with 12,000-square-foot lots JP Development asked for that to be converted to an R-8 residential zoning designation that would allow 8,000-square-foot lots increasing the number of homes it could squeeze onto the land When some questions arose about that proposal the firm withdrew its request to allow for more time to talk to nearby residents about the change “Several of their questions were good questions that we needed to answer,” JP Development Group owner Tom Pearson said at the time The rezoning proposal came back before the planning commission in January with some additional conditions for the subdivision A number of neighbors voiced concerns about the increase in traffic which resulted in the commission approving the change Elam Street and Winterlake Drive are not constructed to city standards So the developer will be responsible for installing concrete curb and gutter sidewalks and any other necessary improvements to bring the road frontage up to those standards Streams flow through portions of the wooded property and a very small lake serves as the signature feature of the land Pearson said the single-family houses that Eastwood Homes builds as part of the new development will range in price from $350,000 to $450,000 exceeding the value of many of the neighboring homes there now “I think it could be one of the prized developments in Gastonia,” he said “It will really have some unique qualities about it.” it appears that the victim did indeed pass away from injuries received from this shooting This is the 6th homicide in Annapolis this year https://twitter.com/iAmNEW_/status/747243379377876992 Annapolis police are reporting that a man has been shot in the Robinwood community officers responded to the 1400 block of Tyler Avenue for a report of a shooting Officers located a victim inside a vehicle The victim was transported to Anne Arundel Medical Center with serious injuries Detectives are actively investigating this incident Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Annapolis Police Department detectives at 410-260-3439 You can also call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-877-7LOCKUP and submit an anonymous tip If your tip leads to an arrest or indictment you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000 While police are saying that the victim was injured and is being treated at the hospital the initial report indicated that the patient was DOA It is unknown if this shooting is related to a call received last night for shots in the same neighborhood At 10:40pm last night witnesses report that seven Annapolis City police cars responded to the neighborhood with lights and sirens which were all turned off once they turned into the community Anne Arundel First Alert was also reporting that police were responding to a reported shooting We will update the story when more is known Baysox cap series with 5-2 loss to Altoona Police release name of man killed in Robinwood neighborhood Imagine the tranquility of yoga class with a waterfront view the organization acquired the former Robinwood Lake Swim Club property off Robinwood Road south of East Hudson Boulevard in Gastonia The YMCA plans to build a $16 million state-of-the-art facility on the property with almost the entirety of Robinwood Lake as its centerpiece “It’s going to make the Y one of just a handful of YMCAs in the country that will have a waterfront for activities,” Gaston Family YMCA CEO Tony Sigmon said “You couldn’t paint a better picture than to have this at the Robinwood Lake property.” It would be the first Gaston YMCA to offer water-related activities as part of its on-site programming Members will be able to use the 108 acres of lake property for boating The local organization will also take activity suggestions from other partner YMCAs and camps on waterfronts No official determination has been made whether swimming will be offered at the new location The space is expected to mimic a traditional YMCA with wellness and multipurpose space group exercise studios and an aquatics venue with family and lap pools Plans also call for views overlooking another 70 acres of land surrounding the water Sigmon said the YMCA wanted to create a place where people can go to get healthy families can participate in activities together and teens can learn about leadership and how to give back to the community ‘You raised the bar on what we are looking for,’” Sigmon said It would replace the aging Main Branch YMCA on West Franklin Boulevard in Gastonia But the project requires help from the community He says donors have contributed half the money needed for the project The YMCA is relying on the Gaston community to come up with the other $8 million “We have a big challenge in front of us but this is one of those things that’s going to help change the landscape of Gastonia,” Sigmon said “We’re working with a fundraising council and a fundraising committee of volunteers and Gaston citizens to lead this.” Sigmon says construction will begin when about 95 to 97 percent of the money is raised You can reach Eric Wildstein at 704-869-1828 and www.Twitter.com/TheGazetteEric.