My friends, relatives and I are depressed. The world is going to hell in a handbasket. The government shutdown is the longest in history. Flights are cancelled. Inflation is rising. The country is ... [Continue Story]
Public Affairs
Easton Economic Development: A Spy Check-in with Maureen Curry and Holly DeKarske
Easton’s future looks increasingly coordinated — and confident. In our Spy check-in on Discover Easton, Town Council member Maureen Curry and Easton ... [Continue Story]
- Spy Special Alert: A Food Insecurity Crisis Grows in Talbot County
- ICE Enforcement Impact on Talbot Mentors Families with Kentavius Jones
- Thousands of Maryland Seniors Notified of the End of their Medicare Advantage Plans
- Easton Council Highlights: Town Approves Election Finance Ordinance
- Maryland Unveils ‘Historic’ $340 Million Settlement with Conowingo Dam Owner
- Talbot Goes Purple Again: A Chat with Sheriff Joe Gamble
Spy Highlights
From and Fuller: The Real Impact of the Big Democrat Election Victories
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 the stunning Democratic wins in elections held in New York City, New Jersey, Georgia, and California, and their impact on President Donald Trump’s administrative goals. This video […]
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: Moore and Ferguson Not Eye-to-Eye on Redistricting
- Giving and Growing: Robbin Hill Reflects on 24 Years at Mid-Shore Community Foundation
- From and Fuller: The Government Shutdown and a Dangerous Political Game of Chicken
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: The Children’s Hunger Crisis in Maryland
- Chicken Scratch: Signs of Life — by Elizabeth Beggins
- From and Fuller: The “No Kings” Political Impact Now and In 2026
The Arts and Local Design
Spy Review: MSO Salutes 3 of the All-Time Greats by Steve Parks
It’s not unusual that a guest conductor will bring a different vibe in his choice of a classical repertoire to present to a one-time-only audience. ... [Continue Story]
- ESWA Launches First Holiday Book Festival at Cult Classic Brewery, Dec. 13
- Spy Review: Dracula’s Brides Seek Vengeance by Steve Parks
- Dracula Reimagined: Cambridge’s Groove Theatre Returns with a Feminist Twist
- The Bay to Ocean Journal 2025: A Mirror to the Shore’s Creative Heart
- Tred Avon Players Goes Hot n’ Cole in Oxford: A Chat with Director Marcia Gilliam and TAP’s Sammie Adams-Mercer
- Academy Art Museum Appoints Brian J. Lang as Director of Curatorial Affairs
Chesapeake Film Festival Podcast
The Spy-Chesapeake Film Festival Podcast: A Chat with Filmmaker Lance Kramer
This year, the Spy is expanding its commitment to the Chesapeake Film Festival by co-producing a monthly podcast with CFF Executive Director Cid ... [Continue Story]
- The Spy-Chesapeake Film Festival Podcast: A Chat with Filmmaker and CFF Artistic Director Cid Collins Walker
- The Spy-Chesapeake Film Festival Podcast: A Chat with Filmmaker Monda Raquel Webb
- The Spy-Chesapeake Film Festival Podcast: A Chat with Casting Director Kimberly Skyrme
- The Spy-Chesapeake Film Festival Podcast: A Chat with Director/Producer Ted Adams
- The Spy-Chesapeake Film Festival Podcast: A Chat with Rebekah Louisa Smith
Chesapeake Ecosystem
ShoreRivers Director to Step Down, Search for Successor Begins
ShoreRivers, a leading environmental organization dedicated to protecting the Eastern Shore waterways, announced that Executive Director Isabel ... [Continue Story]
- FEMA Cancels $1 Billion for Flood Prevention Projects in Chesapeake Bay Region
- 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
Maryland News
City Manager Glenn Steckman Talks Cambridge
Glenn Steckman, a native Marylander, began his career in municipal management of in-state communities such as Ocean City before rising through roles ... [Continue Story]
- Low-income Marylanders, Local Officials Left to Navigate ‘Roller Coaster’ of SNAP Disruption
- Moore pushes for Congressional Redistricting, sets up Confrontation with Senate
- Judge Appears Skeptical of Claim that Unaffiliated Voters Can Sue Maryland Over Closed Primaries
- Maryland, 14 Other Democratic States Launch Public Health Alliance to Counter Trump, Rfk Jr.
- Undocumented Residents’ Access to State Health Insurance Marketplace Delayed From 2026 to 2028
Health
Lets Talk about It with Beth Anne Dorman: Making Sure Our Veterans Get the Help They Need
For many veterans, coming home means facing a different kind of battle, one that unfolds quietly, within families and communities. And on the ... [Continue Story]
- Senior Nation: Nature’s Multicolored Autumn Farewell by Susan Covey
- A Spy Chat with Shore Regional Health’s New Clark Breast Center Director Dr. Kathryn Kelley
- Working on “The Conversation” about Dying : A Chat with Jo Merrill and Dot Mayorga
- Lets Talk about It with Beth Anne Dorman: The Riddle and Some Answers for ADHD
- Mobile Integrated Health is a Lifeline for Talbot County Elders
Brevities
Under the Beaver Moon By Katherine Emery General
November 5th, the Beaver Full Moon. My husband was once again inpatient at Johns Hopkins Hospital. I’ve come to realize that hospitals, much like ... [Continue Story]
- Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: Time to Board the Ford
- The Rhythm of Family Traditions By Katherine Emery General
- November 2025 Sky-Watch By Dennis Herrmann
- Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: Spooks on Dover Street
- Dinner Table Debates By Katherine Emery General
- Agent 86 Reconnaissance Footage: A Spook Reports on Spooks in Talbot County
Education
Good News and Not So Good News: Talbot County Schools Gets their 2025 Report Card
The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has released the 2025 Maryland School Report Card, offering a detailed look at how schools across ... [Continue Story]
- Benedictine’s Next Chapter: A Chat with Executive Director Scott Evans
- Bryan Matthews Returns to Steady the Helm at Washington College
- John Lewis: Guiding Gunston’s Next Generation
- Getting to Know The Country School’s New Head Jay Parker by India Smith
- Dr. Bryan Matthews Appointed as Interim President of Washington College
Food & Garden Highlights
Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo!
Happy Mystery Monday! Can you guess what is pictured in photo #1? The answer to last week's mystery is greenbrier, smilax rotundifolia, ... [Continue Story]
Commerce
Mid-Shore Real Estate with Chuck Mangold: 2025 Still Looking Pretty Darn Good
Eastern Shore real estate continues to surprise. In this quarter's Spy interview, Chuck Mangold of Benson & Mangold Realty sits down to share why ... [Continue Story]
- A Thankful November — Shopping, Exhibits and Events at The Market at Dover Station
- Junkin Recognized as CFO of the Year
- Easton Entrepreneur Pays It Forward with Free Leadership Workshop this November 6, 7
- When Ticket Scams Hit Home at the Avalon
- Shore Legal Access Adds Three New Members to Board of Directors
Community Notes
Tilghman Watermen’s Museum Announces Holiday Fun for 2025
The Tilghman Watermen’s Museum announces its 2025 Holiday Display. For most of the year, the museum is committed to celebrating, documenting, ... [Continue Story]
- Ferry Lights with Santa Spark Oxford’s Christmas on the Creek
- Talbot County to Hold “Skate Out Hunger” Charity Skate on November 15 at the Ice Rink
- Talbot County Responds to Impacts of Federal Shutdown and SNAP Benefit Losses
- Limited tickets for Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 13 in St. Michaels
- Uncle Nace: The Day Freedom Came A Celebration of the Man, His Legacy and Our History
- They Came for the Crabs, but Stayed for the Kids
Senior Life Highlights
Cruisin’ with Christine: A Chat with Londonderry’s Susan Andrews
Over the last ten years, the Spy and Londonderry on the Tred Avon have collaborated on stories about this unique retirement community, which educates ... [Continue Story]
- Londonderry on the Tred Avon Welcomes Chef, Brendan Keegan, Jr.
- Senior Nation: Embrace Your Age, Live Your Best Life by Susan Covey
- Cruisin’ with Christine: A Chat with Londonderry’s Jennifer Hughes
- The Difference Between Try And Triumph Is A Little Umph! By Susan Covey
- Cruisin’ with Christine: A Chat with Londonderry’s Ken Sadler
- State Officials Launch 10-Year Plan to Boost Supports for Growing Senior Population
Arts Notes
SMAL Announces Annual “Martha Hudson Excellence in Watercolor Exhibit
Martha Hudson was well-known in the community for her watercolors depicting scenes of Eastern Shore Life. As a young art student, Martha was given a ... [Continue Story]
- Marshland Mercantile Showcases Local Artistry at the 2025 Waterfowl Festival
- ESWA Launches First Holiday Book Festival at Cult Classic Brewery, Dec. 13
- SMAL Announces Winners of 2025 Photography Exhibit
- Tribute to Sinatra with Vocalist Bob McDonald and Pianist Tony Nalker
- Studio B Art Gallery Welcomes Guest Artist Sandy Alanko
- Tred Avon Players Announces It’s 2026 Season
Ecosystem Notes
ESLC & Plein Air Easton Alumni Invitational Celebrates Eastern Shore Forests in the Fall
Visitors and residents of the Eastern Shore of Maryland know this region’s fall foliage is both uniquely vibrant and remarkably fleeting. Our bald ... [Continue Story]
Education Notes
Gunston Welcomes 47 Students to the National Honor Society
The Gunston School is pleased to welcome a record breaking number of 47 students to the National Honor Society (NHS). Joined by their families, ... [Continue Story]
- Foundation of HOPE Breaks Ground on HOPE Center
- Gunston School Transforms Education into Action with Civic Learning Day
- Gunston School’s 10th Annual Bull & Oyster Roast Raises $150,000 for Campus Technology Overhaul
- TCPS Appoints Student Representatives to Board of Education
- TCPS Education Foundation Celebrates Distinguished Alumni
- Easton High Student Receives National Merit Commendation
Health Notes
For All Season Cuts Ribbon on New Location in Cambridge
On October 22, For All Seasons and the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for the agency’s new location at ... [Continue Story]
- Choptank Health Marks 20 Years of Women’s Health Care
- Festival of Trees Celebrates “Forty Years of Silver and Gold”
- Dorchester Shore Community Outreach Team Announces New Team Member and Free Health Screenings in November
- University of Maryland Children’s Hospital Receives Record $50 Million Gift from Tom Golisano to Advance Pediatric Care in Maryland
- Choptank Health Expands Dental Team in Federalsburg
- Helping Workplaces Support Mental Health
Commerce Notes
Mid-Shore Real Estate with Chuck Mangold: 2025 Still Looking Pretty Darn Good
Eastern Shore real estate continues to surprise. In this quarter's Spy interview, Chuck Mangold of Benson & Mangold Realty sits down to share why ... [Continue Story]
- A Thankful November — Shopping, Exhibits and Events at The Market at Dover Station
- Junkin Recognized as CFO of the Year
- Easton Entrepreneur Pays It Forward with Free Leadership Workshop this November 6, 7
- When Ticket Scams Hit Home at the Avalon
- Shore Legal Access Adds Three New Members to Board of Directors
- Simpatico, Italy’s Finest 21st Birthday Celebration: Celebrating 21 Years of “All Things Italian”: Wine, Food, Gifts & More
Food Friday
Food Friday: Easing into Thanksgiving
November is the busiest time for cooks and food writers – we cannot get enough of complicated planning, and scribbling bulleted lists, and charting menus and spread sheets for ... [Continue Story]
Looking at the Masters with Beverly Smith
Looking at the Masters: St Martin’s Day and Martinmas
The Feast of St Martin, or Martinmas, is celebrated on November 11. El Greco’s painting “St Martin and the Beggar” (1597-99) (76”x41”) (National ... [Continue Story]
Spy Poetry
Spy Poetry: Prairie Spring by Willa Cather
Editor’s Note: This poem offers a wonderful contrast between the hard, thankless labors of adulthood and the insuppressible hopefulness and beauty of youth. Prairie Spring Evening and the flat land, Rich and sombre and always silent; The miles of fresh-plowed soil, Heavy and black, full of strength and harshness; The growing wheat, the […]
- Spy Poetry: In the Winter of My Sixty-Seventh Year by Susan Browne
- Spy Poetry: Week One by Sally Bliumis-Dunn
- Spy Poetry: Bus Stop by Laure-Anne Bosselaar
- Spy Poetry: Helping My Daughter Move into Her First Apartment by Sue Ellen Thompson
- Spy Poetry: In Green Ink by Meredith Davies-Hadaway
- Spy Poetry: Love Poem for an Apocalypse By Dave Lucas
Food and Garden Notes
Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo!
Happy Mystery Monday! Can you guess what is pictured in photo #1? The answer to last week's mystery is greenbrier, smilax rotundifolia, ... [Continue Story]
- Wine of the Week: Il Ruspo By Podere Barbi
- Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo!
- Wine of the Week: Lintori Vermentino Di Sardegna Vendemmia 2024
- Garden Club’s Maryland House & Garden 2026 Talbot Tour Will Showcase County History
- Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo!
- Wine of the Week: Heba Morellino di Scansano DOCG from the Fattoria di Magliano
Design with Jenn Martella
Design with Jenn Martella: “Westland”
Before I visited this property, I checked my primary reference book, “Where Land and Water Intertwine” but I found no home named “Westland”; I had assumed today’s featured house, built in 2005, had been built on the site of a home that had been demolished long ago since I drove down a straight gravel drive […]
From and Fuller Podcast
From and Fuller: The Real Impact of the Big Democrat Election Victories
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: A Rough Week for Trump in Court, with Russia and China, as Epstein Returns as the Front Page Story
- From and Fuller: Is Trump Winning the News Cycle and Governor Newsom Pulls the Trigger on Redistricting for 2026
- From and Fuller: The Political Impact of RFK Jr.s MAHA Agenda and Texas Redistricting Part 2
- From and Fuller: Ending ICE Madness and an Epstein Tipping Point?
- From and Fuller: Elon Musk’s 3rd Party and the Epstein Files MAGA Civil War
- From and Fuller: Is the Iran Bombing a Win for Trump and NYC Politics
Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell
Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: Moore and Ferguson Not Eye-to-Eye on Redistricting
Every Wednesday, Maryland political consultant Len Foxwell and advisor to the Republican Ed Hale campaign Clayton Mitchell discuss the politics and ... [Continue Story]
- Maryland Caucus Podcast with Foxwell and Corchiarino: Maryland’s Emerging Financial Perfect Storm
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: Can Maryland Democrats Redistrict Out Andy Harris?
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: A Pastor Espinal Update, Andy Harris MIA, and Van Hollen Shoutout
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: The ICE Detention of Talbot County’s Pastor Daniel Espinal
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: Route 50 Traffic and 3rd Span for the Bridge
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: Moore Budget Cuts and LA Protests Impact on MD Politics
Columnist J.E. Dean
Light at the End of the Tunnel? By J.E. Dean
The election results are in from Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Georgia, California, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. Republicans and MAGA lost. ... [Continue Story]
- Lucca is Fifteen! By J.E. Dean
- The Miracle of No Kings 2.0 by J.E. Dean
- Which Is It? President Trump or King Donald? By J.E. Dean
- Mental Illness and Civic Responsibility By J.E. Dean
- To Achieve the Highest Standards, Hegseth Must Go by J.E. Dean
- Should Trump Prosecute the Person Who Posted the Spaghetti Picture? By J.E. Dean
Columnist Hugh Panero
ICE Trauma and Drama on the Shore by Hugh Panero
Daily images of hooded, heavily armed ICE agents snatching people on US soil are traumatizing. As reported in the Spy in July, this hit home in ... [Continue Story]
- Homeland Security Threatens Canada Goose Migration by Hugh Panero
- Balancing the Maryland Budget in Extraordinary Times by Hugh Panero
- The Death of TikTok by Hugh Panero
- The Awkward Gentrification of Bellevue by Hugh Panero
- Mr. Biden, It’s Time to Hand Over the Keys by Hugh Panero
- The Mess in Oxford Gets More Messy by Hugh Panero
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
Times Two By Jamie Kirkpatrick
On the recommendation of a friend, I’ve been reading Timothy Egan’s “A Pilgrimage to Eternity.” It’s not my usual fare, but it’s a ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Laura Oliver
Attachment Theory By Laura J. Oliver
It was supposed to last a hundred years. The trust set up to protect Eagle Hill was to keep the woodland along the Magothy River safe from developers, ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Angela Rieck
College Football Is Back to School By Angela Rieck
Some of my favorite sounds of autumn are the sounds from football. The ratatat percussion section of the college marching band. Spectators shout, ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Al Sikes
The Duck Is Limping by Al Sikes
Tuesday’s election results were clear—the Democrats won, the Republicans lost. This was an across the board defeat. There were no shoots of Spring. The President’s most fervent supporters said the problem was that Trump was not on the ballot. I say, excuse me, Trump has chosen to put himself on everything but the granularity of […]
Opinion
Remembering Mike Hiner by Robbie Gill
I was heartbroken to hear that Mike Hiner passed away last week. He was an incredible individual, and I was grateful to have the opportunity to work ... [Continue Story]
- Character Is Policy by Johnny O’Brien
- Trump Policies Disrupt the Eastern Shore Soybean Market by Wilson Dean
- As the Supreme Court Term Begins… Some Reflections by Margaret Andersen
- Opinion: Marylanders Need Pro-Business Policies by Jamie McNealy
- Spy Daybook: Just Because You Can; Does Not Mean You Should by Calvin Yowell
- Reflections on the YMCA Legacy of Ellen Rajacich by Robbie Gill
- The Imprisonment of Judge Carmichael and the Suspension of Habeas Corpus by Paul Callahan
- 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
Letters to the Editor
Letter to Editor: Dr. Harris: First, Do No Harm
What began as a big-hearted, one-day food collection in Salisbury turned into a spirited protest about what demonstrators called “devastating and ... [Continue Story]
- Letter to Editor: Losing Dave McQuay
- Letter to Editor: Americans want to Play Fair
- Letter to Editor: Bill 1622: A Solution Without a Problem That Will Irreparably Harm Talbot
- Letter to Editor: Easton’s No Kings Stood Up for Democracy
- Letter to Editor: I Can’t Take It Anymore
- Letter to Editor: Hands Off the White House
