Before I begin my day each morning, I spend a few minutes thinking about what I am grateful for (which is a very long list, I have been blessed). One of the things that I was grateful for this ... [Continue Story]
Public Affairs
No Kings in Easton: Hundreds Peacefully Protest against President Donald Trump
Just like more than 1,000 other communities throughout the United States, Easton took part in the non-violent day of protest called "No Kings" on ... [Continue Story]
- How Did the Mid-Shore Community Foundation Donate almost $4 Million for the new Regional Hospital?
- Talbot County Repeals DEI Language to Ensure Airport Work Continues
- Oh Never Mind: Homeland Security Removes Talbot and QAC from Sanctuary List
- Talbot County Named a “Sanctuary Jurisdiction” by Trump Administration
- County Council Highlights: FY2026 Budget Approved
- Easton Council Highlights: A Changing of the Guard
Spy Highlights
From and Fuller: The Los Angeles Protests and the Rise of Gavin Newsom
Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment. This week, From and Fuller discuss Donald Trump’s decision to send National Guard units to Los Angeles against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass to protect Immigration […]
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: Moore Budget Cuts and LA Protests Impact on MD Politics
- From and Fuller: The GOP Senate’s Big Beautiful Problem and Elon Musk Leaves the Building
- Publisher Note: Just Once for the Talbot Spy in 2025
- Maryland Caucus: Mid-Shore “Sanctuary” FUBAR and Wes Moore’s Trip to South Carolina
- Saying Goodbye to the Idlewild Tiles
- From and Fuller: Trump’s Beautiful Bill in the Senate and Presidential Pardons
The Arts and Local Design
Spy Review: Two Mid-Shore Classical Music Celebrations by Steve Parks
It’s hard to say whether the current musicians who play under the celebrated banner of the Juilliard String Quartet are more in demand as virtuoso ... [Continue Story]
- Spy Review: Steve Lowe’s “Salted Limes” Delivers a Taste of Eastern Shore Life
- Spy Concert Review: National Music Festival Opening Night by Steve Parks
- The Spy’s Laura Oliver Returns to the Avalon June 4th with More Stories
- Just in Time: The Juilliard String Quartet Comes to the Mid-Shore in June
- Chesapeake Music Celebrates its 40th Year Anniversary—A Time for Reflection and Celebration By Maria Grant
- Spy Review: New Singer/Songwriter Night at Foxy’s by Mark Pelavin
Chesapeake Ecosystem
FEMA Cancels $1 Billion for Flood Prevention Projects in Chesapeake Bay Region
As Crisfield Mayor Darlene Taylor sees it, the low-lying Maryland town has no future unless it can hold back rising water. Computer models suggest ... [Continue Story]
- Intense Maryland Energy Debates in Annapolis Fill a Single Afternoon
- Md. leads in carbon emissions reductions – Maryland Matters
- Maryland Levies Fines on Perdue, Valley Proteins for Environmental Violations
- Bay Climate Adaptation: The TNC Guide in Finding the Money for Major Infrastructure Change
- Mid-Shore Arts Plein Air Easton and ESLC Pair Up to Promote Land Conservation
- Wild-Caught Chesapeake Blue Catfish Phenomenon Booming: Thank Goodness
Maryland News
Amid High Energy Bills, Moore Touts $19 Million in Ratepayer Relief From Exelon
The parent company of BGE, Pepco and Delmarva Power will distribute $19 million to help its low- and middle-income customers in Maryland pay their ... [Continue Story]
- Embattled DJS Secretary Vincent Schiraldi Steps Down
- Potential 2028 Presidential Hopefuls Moore, Walz Steal Show at South Carolina Democratic Weekend
- Andy Harris stands alone as “Present” for vote on Budget Reconciliation Bill
- Moore Signs Two Energy Bills as June Rate Hikes Loom
- Banker, Blast Owner Ed Hale Preparing a 2026 Challenge to Wes Moore
Health
Let’s Talk About It with Beth Anne Dorman: Mental Health, Parents and Adolescence
This month, Beth Anne Dorman, CEO of For All Seasons, explores the profound challenges parents face as their children enter adolescence. While ... [Continue Story]
- Let’s Talk About It with Beth Anne Dorman: For All Seasons in All Seasons
- Let’s Talk about It: Dare to Lead Training Shapes Mid-Shore Leaders with For All Seasons Beth Anne Dorman
- Mid-Shore Health: Getting to the Heart of Heart Disease with Dr. Ian Davis
- Let’s Talk About It: A Different kind of Valentine with For All Seasons CEO Beth Anne Dorman
- Mid-Shore Health: The role of forensic nursing with survivors of sexual and physical assault
Education
MD Senate Panel’s vote on Blueprint bill straddles House, Administration Versions
A Senate committee advanced parts of Maryland’s sweeping education reform plan Friday, splitting the difference between versions of the bill advanced ... [Continue Story]
- Wood Foundation awards $100K grant to Radcliffe Creek School
- Morgan State professor fined for presenting himself as licensed architect
- Slight increases on Maryland’s annual report card, but changes could be coming
- Radcliffe Creek School awarded grant to support students with ADHD and anxiety
- Spy-WHCP Check in with Dorchester Schools Superintendent Jymil Thompson
Food & Garden Highlights
Wine of the Week: Verdicchio Di Matelica DOC
Ciao Tutti! This weekend, we will taste a new wine to our collection, the Verdicchio Di Matelica DOC ($19.50, 13% ABV) from the Societa Agricola ... [Continue Story]
Brevities
In Praise of Fireflies by Katherine Emery General
My social media algorithm is filled with kindergarten teacher posts, environmental studies, gardening, farming, reading, books, and cooking, ... [Continue Story]
- Agent 86 Reconnaissance Footage: A Spy in New York
- Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: Saints Peter and Paul Opens New School
- Positive Action by Katherine Emery General
- Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: A New Business in the County
- Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: Everything Needed for Building
- Rocky Mountain High by Katherine Emery General
Commerce
Richard Bodorff named Chair of Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission
Edward H. Kaplan, since 2007 the chair of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission, will retire from that post effective June 30, 2025. Governor ... [Continue Story]
- Easton Utilities Welcomes Summer Interns
- The Blue Crab Opens in St. Michaels Under New Ownership
- The Blue Crab Opens in St. Michaels Under New Ownership
- Scottish Highland Creamery Hosts Community Ice Cream Social to Celebrate 20 Years of Scooping Joy in Oxford
- Free Business Seminar at BAAM Academic Center on June 28
Community Notes
Talbot Interfaith Shelter Celebrates Its Volunteers
On Wednesday, June 11th, Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS) welcomed its volunteers to the Easton VFW for a luncheon in their honor. Demonstrating TIS’s ... [Continue Story]
- Easton Police Department Graduates Two New Officers from Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy
- In Pride Month, Transgender Marylanders Reflect on Strengths, Weaknesses, of State Protections
- Life of Frances E.W. Harper Re-enactment
- Talbot Thrive’s Rolling Rodeo Teaches Bicycle Safety to Over 80 Students at White Marsh Elementary School
- Talbot County Democratic Forum Annual Meeting June 8
- Congressman Harris Says Talbot and Queen Anne’s County are not Sanctuary Jurisdictions
Senior Life Highlights
Senior Nation: Partners in Care Help Elders Age in Place
How can older adults live independently and thrive in their own homes as they age? In our interview with Kathleen Dormody, the local director of ... [Continue Story]
- Talbot County’s Senior Resource Fair Welcomes Over 200 Attendees for a Day of Connection, Care, and Community
- It’s All Happening at the Talbot County Senior Fair May 21
- Senior Nation: Gardening a Great Boost for Body and Soul by Susan Covey
- Cruisin’ with Christine: Listening to the Nurse with Lorraine Flisher
- Senior Nation: April Is Parkinson’s Awareness Month by Susan Covey
- Will Orange Crush be the new State cocktail? By Lisa Gotto
Arts Notes
Book Signing at Hummingbird Inn
Cindy Bonner’s latest novel, An Unfinished Marriage, examines the drama and family repercussions of the collapse of a marriage. As with all of ... [Continue Story]
- Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Honors National Arts Leader Deborah Rutter and Conductor Julien Benichou with Legacy Awards
- Bayside Quilters Installation at Talbot County Free Library
- SMAL Announces Winners of Annual Members Show
- Forest Music Returns to Adkins Arboretum
- Kent County Chapter of Delmarva Pride Center Hosts “Authentic Selves” Exhibit at Garfield Center in Celebration of Pride Month
- The Church of the Holy Trinity Presents Chopin Performed by Yury Shadrin and Tian Lu
Ecosystem Notes
ShoreRivers Safe to Swim Weekend Report 6/13
Along with summer swimming comes ShoreRivers Bacteria Monitoring season. It is advised that people not swim 24-48 hours after a major ... [Continue Story]
Education Notes
114th Gunston School Commencement Celebrates The Class of 2025
The Gunston School celebrated its 114th commencement this past Saturday, June 7, honoring the Class of 2025 with a waterfront ... [Continue Story]
- Woman’s Club of Saint Michaels Awards Two Scholarships
- The 10th Annual Chesapeake Children’s Book Festival
- Schools Recognize Community Partners Of The Year
- Schools Recognize Community Partners Of The Year
- Blueprint Gets a Road Map: Two Agencies That Oversee School Reform Agree to Clarify Roles
- Easton Elementary Students Work to Enhance Oyster Habitat in the Chesapeake Bay
Health Notes
Talbot Hospice and the Child Loss Community to Dedicate Healing Garden in Honor of Rhonda Higginbottom
Talbot Hospice, in collaboration with the Child Loss Community, will host its annual Child Loss Remembrance and Celebration of Life Ceremony on ... [Continue Story]
- Prioritizing Children’s Mental Health in the Summer
- New $2.4 Million Investment in Medical Program to Put More Doctors on the Shore
- Choptank Health Welcomes Carmen Grant to Easton Health Center
- Talbot County Health Department Issues Clarification on 21 Matters Program
- Choptank Health Promotes Bill Baxendale to Facilities Director
- Talbot Department of Social Services Educates Resource Parents and Kinship Caregivers on Solving Concerning Behaviors
Commerce Notes
Richard Bodorff named Chair of Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission
Edward H. Kaplan, since 2007 the chair of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission, will retire from that post effective June 30, 2025. Governor ... [Continue Story]
- Easton Utilities Welcomes Summer Interns
- The Blue Crab Opens in St. Michaels Under New Ownership
- The Blue Crab Opens in St. Michaels Under New Ownership
- Scottish Highland Creamery Hosts Community Ice Cream Social to Celebrate 20 Years of Scooping Joy in Oxford
- Free Business Seminar at BAAM Academic Center on June 28
- Easton EDC Announces New Board Leadership
Food Friday
Food Friday: Chicken on a Stick
Anthony Bourdain said: “Everyone should know how to roast a chicken. It’s a life skill that should be taught to small children at school.” Roasted chicken is just the ... [Continue Story]
Looking at the Masters with Beverly Smith
Looking at the Masters: Miriam Schapiro
Miriam Schapiro was born in 1923 in Toronto, Canada, to Russian Jewish parents, but she was brought up in Brooklyn, New York. One of her grandfathers ... [Continue Story]
Design with Jenn Martella
Design with Jenn Martella: Farmhouse Meets Modern
For many years on my way to Easton, I drove past a long straight driveway lined with mature trees that soon curved out of sight to obscure any view of the house. The property was surrounded by farmland, so I surmised this house was a quintessential Eastern Shore farmhouse. I learned it was originally the […]
- Design with Jenn Martella: Landscaping at The Miracle House
- Design with Jenn Martella: The William Smith House, c. 1794
- Design with Jenn Martella: The Tilley House Redux
- House of the Week: Go Dutch Colonial!
- House of the Week: Captivating Craftsman Bungalow
- Design with Jenn Martella: The Dover, a Sears, Roebuck & Company Design
From and Fuller Podcast
From and Fuller: The Los Angeles Protests and the Rise of Gavin Newsom
Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment. This week, From and ... [Continue Story]
- From and Fuller: The GOP Senate’s Big Beautiful Problem and Elon Musk Leaves the Building
- From and Fuller: Trump’s Beautiful Bill in the Senate and Presidential Pardons
- From and Fuller: The House Passes a Controversial Budget and the Biden Age Redux
- From and Fuller: Trump’s Big Beautiful 747 and Spotting Democratic Early Birds
- From and Fuller: The GOP ‘Beautiful’ Megabill and Joe Biden’s Return
- From and Fuller: The Impact of Poll Ratings on Trump and his new Digital Coin
Columnist J.E. Dean
A Third Party? Divided We Fall by J.E. Dean
Last week was a doozy that reminded us that the world is not in a good place. Half the country believes we are in a “golden age,” led by “THE most ... [Continue Story]
- What the President is Doing for Us by J. E. Dean
- Pardon Me, Mr. President, But Are You Corrupt? By J. E. Dean
- Our President and Bruce Springsteen by J.E. Dean
- Springtime’s Blessings by J.E. Dean
- The Answer, My Friend, Is Blowing in the Wind by J.E. Dean
- Trump is Making Us Question Again (Well, at Least Some of Us) by J.E. Dean
Columnist Hugh Panero
Balancing the Maryland Budget in Extraordinary Times by Hugh Panero
Balancing the state budget in extraordinary times is hard. It is an ugly game of Whack-a-Mole. A large percentage of the expenses are baked into the ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Craig Fuller
Conversations with Craig Fuller: Ambassador and Author Frank Lavin
My friend and former White House colleague Ambassador Frank Lavin has a book coming out in March about his experience in the White House and ... [Continue Story]
- Midair collision over the Potomac: Week two update by Craig Fuller
- A midair tragedy last night in Washington by Craig Fuller
- The Classic Motor Museum starts a new trip in St. Michaels: Craig Fuller talks to Mike Iandolo
- A Community Town Hall focuses on education in Talbot County by Craig Fuller
- MPT, the Chesapeake Bay and Viewers Like You: A Chat with Station Manager Steven Schupak
- So Much Money, So Little Time by Craig Fuller
Columnist Jamie Kirkpatrick
Harambee By Jamie Kirkpatrick
In the summer of 1968, I was two months shy of my 20th birthday and on my way to Nairobi, Kenya. That, in itself, is a story. I was supposed to be on ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Laura Oliver
Finding Home By Laura J. Oliver
One summer afternoon, before I’d entered first grade, I climbed a rickety metal stool near the kitchen sink and discovered a lemon meringue pie ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Angela Rieck
A Precious Right by Angela Rieck
Before I begin my day each morning, I spend a few minutes thinking about what I am grateful for (which is a very long list, I have been ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Al Sikes
GOAT vs. TOAD by Al Sikes
The moment was vivid. I have written about it before, so apologies if this is your second time through. The year, 1986. The President: Ronald Reagan. On the other side of the table, Secretary of Commerce, Malcom Baldrige. Me, well I was talking to the Secretary about coming to work for him heading the National […]
Opinion
The Imprisonment of Judge Carmichael and the Suspension of Habeas Corpus by Paul Callahan
163 years ago o,n May 27, 1862, the Talbot County courthouse was surrounded by Union troops to support federal Provost Marshals in the arrest of Judge ... [Continue Story]
- Character Rot: Sounding the Alarm by Johnny O’Brien
- A Conservative Look at the Trump Tariff Policy by David Montgomery
- The Need to Call Out Gunsallus Falsehoods by Megan Cook
- I Support Don Abbatiello for Easton Council President by David Montgomery
- Maryland’s Budget Crossroads Demands Unity, Not Division by Patrick Firth
- The Political is Personal: Reflections on DEI by Margaret Andersen
- New report reveals value of resource conservation for Shore businesses by John Horner
- Presidential pasts and an impending future by Steve Parks
- Gov. Wes Moore: Now’s the time to fix our fiscal crisis
- Maryland’s fiscal apocalypse by Clayton A. Mitchell, Sr.
- Consent first, investigate later by Aubrey Sarvis
- Analysis: Moore’s delicate balance as the session gets under way
- Electric Workboats on the Chesapeake? By Rob Etgen
- Reflections on cabinet choices by J.T. Smith
- Balancing Growth and Green: Chestertown’s Greenbelt Plan Faces a Solar Challenge by Steve Kline
Letters to the Editor
Letter to Editor: Another Shameful Act by a Shameful Administration
“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to rename an oil ship named after gay rights activist Harvey Milk, a move that pointedly comes at ... [Continue Story]
- Letter to Editor: The “Big Beautiful Bill” is only Great for Billionaires
- Letter to Editor: Votes for Women – Bring Out the Sashes!
- Letter to Editor: When Civility Wins: A Victory for Easton
- Letter to Editor: Trump and the Declaration of Independence
- Letter to Editor: Protect Talbot County: Property Rights, Privacy, and Tourism at Risk
- Letter to Editor: Gunsallus and “Irresponsible Growth”
