Maryland
‘It’s a shame’: Families shocked by abrupt summer camp closure in Maryland
For decades, the summer camp at the Patuxent River 4-H Center in Bowie, Maryland, served thousands of kids.
But now, the camp has announced it’s closing its doors, sending shockwaves to parents now looking for other options.
The camp has been a staple for families living in and around Prince George’s County.
Families and their kids said this was an important part of their childhood, especially coming out of the pandemic.
“After that long break during COVID of just not really being near anybody, it was really good for me to really get out there pushing myself out there and like meet new people,” Allison Holley said.
For the last four years, Holley and her brother have looked forward to a week at camp away from their parents. This year, she was looking forward to being a counselor.
“I was surprised at first,” Holley said after learning of the closure. “I was just like, ‘We’ve been going there for so long, like that’s crazy,’ and then I got really sad because I’m not going to see a lot of those people again.”
The center posted on its website that the summer camp would be closing for good this year, leaving parents stunned and questioning why the camp would shut down.
“It’s a shame,” parent Joanna Shane said. “It will be something that they don’t get to have.”
“Very disappointed, because this is what we do every summer. This is what we were planning,” parent Julie Holley said.
The abrupt announcement comes at a time when parents say many other camp slots are filling up.
“Now, I will have to look for other alternatives … The only thing is, there’s no other camps like 4-H in this area,” parent Christine Bennett said. “You have to travel, like almost to the Eastern Shore.”
In a statement, the 4-H center wrote, in part: “It has truly been an honor to be part of so many childhood memories over the years. For many of us, it has been a second home. It has been a place where children gained confidence.”
That was a key reason why parents like Julie Holley said she wanted to send her kids there.
“Learning about nature, appreciating the environment. And not only that, but they’re off their cellphones, they’re off their tablets and they don’t even think about them the whole time,” she said.
The center sent a statement to News4 listing the reasons for the closure, saying in part, “Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, finances and the funding to keep Patuxent River 4-H Center operating and many repairs to the buildings, we are forced to close.”
Campers hope Patuxent River 4-H leaders and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission reconsider the decision.
“4-H made a really big impact on my life,” Allison Holley said. “I was so excited to be a counselor, and I really, really, really hope it opens back up.”
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Maryland Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 27, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from April 27 drawing
18-31-33-36-62, Powerball: 03, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 27 drawing
Midday: 8-0-7
Evening: 2-4-3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 27 drawing
Midday: 6-6-2-1
Evening: 2-5-6-3
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from April 27 drawing
Midday: 7-0-5-0-2
Evening: 9-9-9-1-8
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 27 drawing
9 a.m.: 06
1 p.m.: 10
6 p.m.: 08
11 p.m.: 12
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Bonus Match 5 numbers from April 27 drawing
08-16-34-38-39, Bonus: 04
Check Bonus Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning MultiMatch numbers from April 27 drawing
01-15-17-41-42-43
Check MultiMatch payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from April 27 drawing
20-31-33-44-65, Powerball: 19
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Keno
Drawings are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Maryland Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes above $600, winners can claim by mail or in person from the Maryland Lottery office, an Expanded Cashing Authority Program location or cashiers’ windows at Maryland casinos. Prizes over $5,000 must be claimed in person.
Claiming by Mail
Sign your winning ticket and complete a claim form. Include a photocopy of a valid government-issued ID and a copy of a document that shows proof of your Social Security number or Federal Tax ID number. Mail these to:
Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center
1800 Washington Boulevard
Suite 330
Baltimore, MD 21230
For prizes over $600, bring your signed ticket, a government-issued photo ID, and proof of your Social Security or Federal Tax ID number to Maryland Lottery headquarters, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, MD. Claims are by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This location handles all prize amounts, including prizes over $5,000.
Winning Tickets Worth $25,000 or Less
Maryland Lottery headquarters and select Maryland casinos can redeem winning tickets valued up to $25,000. Note that casinos cannot cash prizes over $600 for non-resident and resident aliens (tax ID beginning with “9”). You must be at least 21 years of age to enter a Maryland casino. Locations include:
- Horseshoe Casino: 1525 Russell Street, Baltimore, MD
- MGM National Harbor: 101 MGM National Avenue, Oxon Hill, MD
- Live! Casino: 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD
- Ocean Downs Casino: 10218 Racetrack Road, Berlin, MD
- Hollywood Casino: 1201 Chesapeake Overlook Parkway, Perryville, MD
- Rocky Gap Casino: 16701 Lakeview Road NE, Flintstone, MD
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Maryland Lottery.
When are the Maryland Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 11 p.m. ET Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 Midday: 12:27 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 12:28 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.
- Pick 3, 4 and 5 Evening: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- Cash4Life: 9 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash Pop: 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. daily.
- Bonus Match 5: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- MultiMatch: 7:56 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
- Powerball Double Play: 11 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Maryland editor. You can send feedback using this form.
NASA calls Artemis II mission ‘just the beginning’
The Artemis II crew landed safely back on Earth after a 10-day mission around the moon. NASA said it was the first moon mission “of many more.”
Jessica Watkins, who has already made NASA history, is now set for a second trip to space.
The astronaut from Gaithersburg, Maryland, was announced last week as the spacecraft commander for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission expected to launch later this year.
Here’s what to know about Watkins.
Who is Jessica Watkins?
Watkins was born in 1988 in Gaithersburg, Maryland, located about 25 miles northwest from downtown Washington DC.
It was in Maryland where she first had dreams of going to space. While attending an after-school program at Judith Resnik Elementary School in Gaithersburg as a 9-year-old, she learned the school was named after the second American woman who went to space.
“I learned that you could go into space as a career, and I was definitely hooked,” she told Stanford Magazine in 2022.
She later moved to Lafayette, Colorado, which she considers her hometown, according to NASA.
After graduating with her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, Watkins received her doctorate from UCLA in 2015.
“Jessica Watkins has been shaping the future of space exploration since her days at UCLA,” the university said.
What experience does Jessica Watkins have with NASA?
A geologist by training, Watkins was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017 after working on Mars rover science teams.
She first left earth in 2022 as the mission specialist on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission, logging 170 days in space.
It was a historic mission for Watkins, who became the first Black woman to live and work at the International Space Station.
“I think it really is just a tribute to the legacy of the Black women astronauts that have come before me, as well as to the exciting future ahead,” Watkins said during an NPR interview.
NASA said her mission duties included “maintaining the space station and contributing to science experiments that not only might improve life on Earth, but also allow researchers to learn more about the effects of long duration spaceflight on the human body.”
In addition to her spaceflight experience, Watkins was named to NASA’s Artemis team, a group of astronauts eligible for future missions to the Moon.
Her experience will now bring her back to the ISS. Watkins will join Luke Delaney, Joshua Kutryk and Sergey Teteryatinikov to replace the Crew-12 mission at the space station.
NASA said the mission is targeted for September.
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