A pickup truck went up in flames outside a Grasonville hotel early Friday morning, according to the Grasonville Volunteer Fire Department.  Crews were dispatched to the Best Western hotel after a guest noticed the fire and called at about 12:45 in the morning.   The vehicle involved was a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD. Fire crews say the blaze started in the engine compartment.  Fire officials estimate the damage at around $10,000. The preliminary cause is listed as accidental, tied to an unspecified electrical or mechanical issue under the hood.  

TechOps Specialty Vehicles (TOSV) is building a new 40,040-square-foot corporate headquarters and fabrication facility in Stevensville. The Queen Anne’s County Planning Commission approved the major site plan for the facility, which will be located on Ellendale Farm Lane near the local Target.  The new facility will be an upgrade from the company’s current location at 218A Log Canoe Circle. Reliable Development Company LLC is spearheading the project, which will focus on designing and fabricating custom mobile command centers, emergency response, and military vehicles. 

The Town of Chestertown finalized the acquisition of a $104,000 parcel at 116 N. Cross St. The property is directly adjacent to the existing Town Hall. Municipal officials are planning to transform the downtown commercial lot into a public pocket park while holding it in reserve for future municipal building expansion.  The Mayor and Council formally adopted an ordinance to push the acquisition forward once the property’s appraisal clears. The land sits a short distance from the nearby Wilmer Park and the downtown business corridor.