A Queenstown woman is headed to prison for three years after pleading guilty to a drug charge. She will will also then spend three more years on supervised probation.  Hope Saunders, of Queenstown, was sentenced on October 15th. She had pled guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine. The case started with an investigation by the Queen Anne’s County Drug Task Force which led investigators to get a search and seizure warrant for Saunders’ home. When investigators searched the home, they found cocaine and packaging material, US Currency and a digital scale with cocaine residue on it. Investigators said the amount of cocaine, along with the scale and the cash, showed an intent to distribute the drug. Investigators also took a cellphone that belonged to Saunders, and they found a series of text messages between Saunders and several other people which confirmed that drugs were being distributed. Deputy State’s Attorney Christine Rickard and Assistant State’s Attorney Jessica Davidson prosecuted the case.

During the meeting of the Kent County Commissioners, held earlier this month, regional growth was the central theme, specifically highlighting proposed housing developments, zoning updates, and solar initiatives. The session included presentations from Chestertown Mayor Meghan Efland, Planning, Housing, and Zoning Director Carla Gerber, and County Administrator Shelley Heller. The meeting also touched heavily on localized issues impacting the county’s future landscape, including managing homelessness and integrating utility-scale solar plans into regional land use guidelines.