Every year I host a Gingerbread house party. Our children and their children each decorate a gingerbread house. Most of my large family participates. This year, I am making 30 houses. Actually, the ... [Continue Story]
Public Affairs
Maryland Projects $1.4 B Shortfall for Next Year — Five Times April Estimate
Legislative budget analysts are warning of a $1.4 billion budget gap for fiscal 2027, driven by federal economic policies, that is projected to grow ... [Continue Story]
- The Top 5 Things to Get Excited about Waterfowl Festival 2025 with Deena Kilman
- Easton Economic Development: A Spy Check-in with Maureen Curry and Holly DeKarske
- 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
Spy Highlights
From & Fuller: What Was Lost During The Government Shutdown?
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 winners and losers of the Senate-backed deal to end the government shutdown. Kat Engst is guest-hosting this week and next while Dave Wheelan is on assignment. […]
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: Maryland Redistricting Gets Serious and How the 1st District Could be Cut Up
- From and Fuller: The Real Impact of the Big Democrat Election Victories
- 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
The Arts and Local Design
A Waterfowl Weekend with Artist Sandy Alanko
If it’s November in Easton, you can’t help but notice that the streets are busier, tents are appearing throughout town, and talk is all about the ... [Continue Story]
- Spy Review: MSO Salutes 3 of the All-Time Greats by Steve Parks
- 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
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
Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: Checking Out Frank and Anna Johnston Place
Locust Grove on Peachblossom Creek off of Baileys Neck Road was built c. 1865 by Frank Johnston, who married Anna Goldsborough. When comparing this ... [Continue Story]
- Under the Beaver Moon By Katherine Emery General
- 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
Education
Dorchester Education Foundation Launches Wyatt Scholarship
The Dorchester Education Foundation launched its first major public event on Saturday, November 8, with a waterfront fundraiser that combined ... [Continue Story]
- Good News and Not So Good News: Talbot County Schools Gets their 2025 Report Card
- 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
Food & Garden Highlights
Wine of the Week: Langhe Nascetta DOC “Anas-Cëtta”
Ciao Tutti! This weekend at Piazza Italian Market we will taste a white wine from the Langhe Nas-Cetta del Commune di Novello 2021 ($26.99, 12.5% ... [Continue Story]
Commerce
Easton Prepares For Shop Small Saturday 2025
The holiday season kicks off in Easton with Shop Small Saturday! On November 29th, locals can show their support for the backbone of the state’s ... [Continue Story]
- Mid-Shore Real Estate with Chuck Mangold: 2025 Still Looking Pretty Darn Good
- 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
Community Notes
Experience ‘Bear Me Into Freedom’: An Immersive Journey through Frederick Douglass’s Legacy
During the Waterfowl Festival the Talbot Historical Society will feature daily showing of "Bear Me Into Freedom", in an immersive video ... [Continue Story]
- Tilghman Watermen’s Museum Announces Holiday Fun for 2025
- 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
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
New Collection of Bill Peak’s Library Columns Debuts
On Monday, December 1, at 6:00 p.m., the Easton branch of the Talbot County Free Library will host the official launch of Bill Peak’s new book ... [Continue Story]
- Bayside Quilters of the Eastern Shore Hosts Fourth Annual Handmade Market
- Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Music Director Michael Repper Receives Two GRAMMY Nominations
- SMAL Announces Annual “Martha Hudson Excellence in Watercolor Exhibit
- 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
Ecosystem Notes
Eastern Shore Land Conservancy Celebrates 35th Anniversary
There may be no better phrase than “humble beginnings” when reflecting on the inception of Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC). “Humble” comes ... [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 Seasons Brings Awareness to Mental Health Challenges of Family Members and Caregivers of Veterans
In honor of Veterans’ Day this month, For All Seasons is bringing the focus to the mental health of families and caregivers of veterans, active ... [Continue Story]
- UM Shore Medical Group-Pulmonary Care Welcomes New Providers
- For All Season Cuts Ribbon on New Location in Cambridge
- 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
Commerce Notes
Easton Prepares For Shop Small Saturday 2025
The holiday season kicks off in Easton with Shop Small Saturday! On November 29th, locals can show their support for the backbone of the state’s ... [Continue Story]
- Mid-Shore Real Estate with Chuck Mangold: 2025 Still Looking Pretty Darn Good
- 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
Food Friday
Food Friday: Green Beans, Reimagined
I have never bought a can of cream of mushroom soup. I have never willingly consumed it. I will never buy a can of cream of mushroom soup. That is my mantra. If I could ... [Continue Story]
Looking at the Masters with Beverly Smith
Looking at the Masters: Chrysanthemums
The chrysanthemum was noted as early as the 15th Century BCE in China. The boiled roots of the plant were used in a remedy for headaches. ... [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
Wine of the Week: Langhe Nascetta DOC “Anas-Cëtta”
Ciao Tutti! This weekend at Piazza Italian Market we will taste a white wine from the Langhe Nas-Cetta del Commune di Novello 2021 ($26.99, 12.5% ... [Continue Story]
- Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo!
- 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!
Design with Jenn Martella
Design with Jenn Martella: Gobbler Hill circa 1858
This exquisite four parcel, sixty-five acre property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is located on one of Kent County’s highest points, at the intersection of two state routes near Chestertown. The two-story, five-bay wide, two bays deep, center hall plan was built in 1858, during the transition from Greek Revival […]
From and Fuller Podcast
From & Fuller: What Was Lost During The Government Shutdown?
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 Real Impact of the Big Democrat Election Victories
- 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
Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell
Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: Maryland Redistricting Gets Serious and How the 1st District Could be Cut Up
Every Wednesday, Maryland political analysts Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell discuss the politics and personalities of the state and region. This ... [Continue Story]
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: Moore and Ferguson Not Eye-to-Eye on Redistricting
- 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
Columnist J.E. Dean
Mr. President, Your Ends Do Not Justify Your Means by J.E. Dean
President Trump describes himself as a consequential President. Regrettably, that is true. There is little doubt he will leave America different than ... [Continue Story]
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
Traditions By Angela Rieck
Every year I host a Gingerbread house party. Our children and their children each decorate a gingerbread house. Most of my large family participates. ... [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: A Debt of Gratitude
Today is Veterans’ Day. Like most older people, I recall all the parades and other forms of remembrance I observed and participated in growing ... [Continue Story]
- Letter to Editor: Dr. Harris: First, Do No Harm
- 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
