“Kings, and Persons of Sovereign authority, because of their Independency, are in continual jealousies… having their weapons pointing, and their eyes fixed on one another.” Thomas Hobbes, ... [Continue Story]
Public Affairs
Concerns Mount Over Condemned Robert Morris Inn in Oxford
Public concern deepened at the January 13 Oxford Commissioners meeting as town officials laid out the circumstances that led to the condemnation of ... [Continue Story]
- ICE Activity Raises Community Concerns in Talbot County, Police Board Says
- Easton Planning Commission Highlights: A Pause on Form-Based Zoning
- Easton Begins Review of Zoning Changes to Set Limits for Large Housing Projects
- A New Era and a New Challenge for the Neighborhood Service Center: A Chat with Chuck Callahan and Andy Hollis
- Easton Council Highlights: Downtown Parking
- Spy Longform Interview: A Case Study in Affordable Housing with Fello’s Ross Benincasa
Spy Highlights
Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: MD’s $1.5 Billion Deficit and the Land of No Easy Answers
Every Wednesday, but Friday this week, Maryland political analysts Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell discuss the politics and personalities of the state and region. This week, Len and Clayton discuss how Maryland’s $1.5 billion budget deficit is entering the 2026 session in the General Assembly, and the political consequences of the expected budget cuts needed […]
- From and Fuller: Trump Attacks on Federal Reserve Chairman Powell and Foreign Affairs Distractions
- Spy Review: Joe Pug at the Avalon
- From and Fuller: A New Year of Foreign Conflict and an ICE Shooting in Minneapolis
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: The 3 Top Maryland Issues to Watch in 2026
- Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden Read by Sue Ellen Thompson
- From and Fuller: A 2025 Year in Review
The Arts and Local Design
Spy Art Review: Centennial Salute to a Printmaking Icon by Steve Parks
A couple dozen chairs were set up for an audience expected to attend a panel discussion with five artists for the opening of the “Transference: Color ... [Continue Story]
- Looking Back and Forward with Talbot Arts: A Chat with Director Joan Levy
- Shrek the Musical Comes to the Avalon Just in Time for the Holidays
- Spy Review: A Choral Rose for Christmas by Steve Parks
- Spy Review: MSO’s Opera-Flavored ‘Holiday Joy’ by Steve Parks
- AI is Coming for the Music Industry
- Spy Review: Cinematic Classical Gas, by Steve Parks
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
Conowingo Dam Appeal Dropped, Allowing $340M Settlement To Go Forward—Maryland Matters
Maryland’s $340 million settlement with the owner of the Conowingo Dam can now move forward, after a group of Eastern Shore counties dropped their ... [Continue Story]
- Dorchester and Kent Drop out of Challenge to $340 million Conowingo Settlement
- The Next Chapter for ShoreRivers
- ShoreRivers Director to Step Down, Search for Successor Begins
- 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 News
Poll: Moore Approval Numbers Continue Downward Trend Even as Most Voters Would OK Second Term
Roughly half of Maryland voters said they would vote to reelect Gov. Wes Moore to a second term, even as the first-term Democrat’s job approval ... [Continue Story]
- More than 3,300 Marylanders Detained by ICE in 2025, Twice the Number of Preceding Years
- Delegate Proposes Bill to Bar ICE Officers From State Law Enforcement
- Transportation Officials Approve Rough Plans on Chesapeake Bay Bridge Replacement
- Let the Great Redrawing Begin: Redistricting Commission Votes to Move Forward on New MD Congressional Map
- The New House Speaker: Forged By Poverty, Fueled By Empathy
Health
Demystifying Palliative Care with Shore Regional Health’s Christina Ball
In a recent Spy conversation, Christina Ball, MS, AGACNP-BC, the director of UM Shore Medical Group-Palliative Care, broke down one of the most ... [Continue Story]
- Mobile Dental Care Team Expands Access for Dorchester County Students
- Lets Talk about It with Beth Anne Dorman: Making Sure Our Veterans Get the Help They Need
- 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
Brevities
Select Agent 86 Reconnaissance Footage: Taylors Island by Air
Following the distribution of Agent 86's aerial video of Hoopers Island last week, our division on nearby Taylors Island wrote to the Spy to ask 'What ... [Continue Story]
- Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: Let’s Grab a Soda at the Oak Hill Diner
- A Lifetime of Tea By Katherine Emery General
- Agent 86 Reconnaissance Footage: Hoopers Island by Air
- Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: Thinking About Next Summer
- Reclaiming Winter By Katherine Emery General
- Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: The Court House is Closed for New Years
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: Barbera d’Alba 2024 DOC from the Albino Rocca Winery
Ciao Tutti! This weekend at Piazza Italian Market, we will taste the Barbera d’Alba 2024 DOC ($18.95, 13.5% ABV) from the Albino Rocca winery in ... [Continue Story]
- Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage Opens Talbot Tour Ticket Sales
- Wine of the Week: Umbria IGT Grechetto from Argillae Winery
- Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo!
- Talbot Co. Garden Club January 27 Lecture Will Savor All Aspects of Coffee
- Wine of the Week: Vino Rosso Gaio Gaio 2022 from Calabretta Azienda Vinicola
Commerce
A Great New Year — Shopping, Exhibits and Events at The Market at Dover Station
Celebrate the New Year at the Market at Dover Station! Merchandise is restocked and fresh, events flourish, and the fine art beckons. Join Easton ... [Continue Story]
- Maryland Lost 25,000 Federal Jobs in 2025, Latest Data Show
- Chesapeake Fire & Ice is Back For 2026
- Fello Secures $500,000 State Grant for Easton Crossing Community
- Business Owners Encouraged to Enroll in Talbot Works Business Academy
- Hines, Westerfield and Lahman Graduate from Leadership Maryland’s Programs
Community Notes
Important Dates Set for 2026 St. Michaels Commissioner Election
The Town of St. Michaels has announced key dates for the 2026 Commissioners election. Residents planning to run for office or to vote in the upcoming ... [Continue Story]
- Hunger in Talbot County: Community Response Meets a Growing Need
- Strong Community Response to Bridging the Divide Forum Prompts Venue Change to Easton Firehouse
- Delmarva Pride Center Hosts Second Annual Town Hall on the Future of LGBTQ+ Protections in Maryland
- Connecting Communities: Talbot Thrive Drives Regional Trail Momentum
- St. Michaels Sets May 4 Election for Town Commissioners
- YMCA of the Chesapeake Welcomes Jim Harris and Andy Cheezum to Corporate Board of Directors
Senior Life Highlights
Cruisin’ with Christine: A Group Chat with Duval Mills, Jennifer Hughes, and Ericka Taylor
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]
- Cruisin’ with Christine: A Chat with Londonderry’s Susan Andrews
- 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
Arts Notes
Academy Art Museum Welcomes Five New Members to it’s Board of Trustees
The Academy Art Museum (AAM) is pleased to announce the appointment of five new members to its Board of Trustees, strengthening the Museum’s ... [Continue Story]
- Leon Fleisher Academy Students Child Prodigies in Concert
- Oxford Community Center Upcoming Activities January, February, March 2026
- Easton Choral Arts Invites you to “Come Fly With Us” This Spring
- SMAL Announces 2026 Mixed Media Exhibit Winners
- Carpe Diem Arts Announces 2026 Arts Alive: Second Tuesdays Lunchtime Concert Series at Brookletts Place
- Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Presents February Ensembles Series Concerts Featuring Mozart, Schubert, and Penderecki
Ecosystem Notes
Black Water Rising to Host Free Composting Workshop Led by Jonathan Williams
Black Water Rising is hosting a free workshop on home and community composting led by Jonathan Williams on Thursday, January 22nd at the Dorchester ... [Continue Story]
Education Notes
Gunston Joins Top 7% of Schools Nationally with AP Platinum Honors
The Gunston School is proud to announce that it has been named to the Advanced Placement® (AP) School Honor Roll as a Platinum member, the highest ... [Continue Story]
- New Year, New Courses at Chesapeake Forum
- Special Free Screen of Film by Ken Burns on American Revolution January 14th
- Don’t Miss These CBMM Speaker Events This Winter
- Come in From the Cold to Enjoy the Forum’s Winter Preview on Zoom
- Critchlow Adkins Children’s Centers Celebrates Two Staff Members’ Leadership Milestones
- Kent Island Student Selected as First Recipient of St. Andrew’s Foundation Summer Study Abroad Scholarship
Health Notes
UM Shore Regional Health Announces 2026 Safe Sitter® Dates
The University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System, is hosting upcoming ... [Continue Story]
- All About Your Image: A Local Non-Profit Supporting Individuals Living with Mental Illness
- First Baby of 2026 Arrives at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton Birthing Center
- For All Seasons Appoints Directors of Finance and Development
- UM SRH Cancer Center Announces Appointment of Ashraf Youssef, MD, as Medical Director of Requard Center for Radiation Oncology
- Frosty’s Holiday Village Brings Repeat Visitors and Newcomers
- Talbot County Department Offers “Thanks for Giving” Training
Commerce Notes
A Great New Year — Shopping, Exhibits and Events at The Market at Dover Station
Celebrate the New Year at the Market at Dover Station! Merchandise is restocked and fresh, events flourish, and the fine art beckons. Join Easton ... [Continue Story]
- Maryland Lost 25,000 Federal Jobs in 2025, Latest Data Show
- Chesapeake Fire & Ice is Back For 2026
- Fello Secures $500,000 State Grant for Easton Crossing Community
- Business Owners Encouraged to Enroll in Talbot Works Business Academy
- Hines, Westerfield and Lahman Graduate from Leadership Maryland’s Programs
- Taste of Easton Announced for Spring 2026
Food Friday
Food Friday: Starve a Cold
We have had a minor delay in exploring our new neighborhood this week. We have been ticking off the daily drudge chores that come with moving - getting garbage and recycling ... [Continue Story]
Looking at the Masters with Beverly Smith
Looking at the Masters: Epiphany
Epiphany was celebrated on Tuesday, January 6, this year. The King James Version of the Book of Matthew tells the story: “There came wise men from the ... [Continue Story]
Spy Poetry
Spy Poetry: In This Brief World by Deidra Greenleaf Allan
Editor’s Note: In the spirit of the approaching new year and its opportunity for resolutions and personal change, this poem explores the poet’s journey toward self-acceptance and her understanding of the path to happiness. This is the last poem from Spy Poetry for the foreseeable future until more funding can be secured to support this […]
Food and Garden Notes
Wine of the Week: Barbera d’Alba 2024 DOC from the Albino Rocca Winery
Ciao Tutti! This weekend at Piazza Italian Market, we will taste the Barbera d’Alba 2024 DOC ($18.95, 13.5% ABV) from the Albino Rocca winery in ... [Continue Story]
- Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage Opens Talbot Tour Ticket Sales
- Wine of the Week: Umbria IGT Grechetto from Argillae Winery
- Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo!
- Talbot Co. Garden Club January 27 Lecture Will Savor All Aspects of Coffee
- Wine of the Week: Vino Rosso Gaio Gaio 2022 from Calabretta Azienda Vinicola
- Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo!
Design with Jenn Martella
Design with Jenn Martella: Small Changes Make a Big Impact
Five years ago, I featured this distinctive property in St. Michaels’ Historic District. The property now has a new Owner whom I met recently and she told me about her changes to the landscape and interiors. I was quite intrigued as her style differed from the previous Owners. Since many of you take advantage of […]
- Design with Jenn Martella: Old and New in Rock Hall
- Design with Jenn Martella: New Year-New Duplex
- Design with Jenn Martella: A Christmas Card: “The Snuggery”
- Design with Jenn Martella: Royal Oak Mid-Century Modern
- House of the Week: Treasure in Trappe
- Design with Jenn Martella: Contemporary on the Chesapeake Bay
From and Fuller Podcast
From and Fuller: Trump Attacks on Federal Reserve Chairman Powell and Foreign Affairs Distractions
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 New Year of Foreign Conflict and an ICE Shooting in Minneapolis
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: The 3 Top Maryland Issues to Watch in 2026
- From and Fuller: A 2025 Year in Review
- From and Fuller: The Trump 2026 Election Strategy and FIFA Peace Prize
- From & Fuller: Unpacking Trump’s Attacks on Alleged Venezuelan Drug Boats
- From & Fuller: Epstein Files Fallout and the Future of the GOP
Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell
Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: MD’s $1.5 Billion Deficit and the Land of No Easy Answers
Every Wednesday, but Friday this week, Maryland political analysts Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell discuss the politics and personalities of the ... [Continue Story]
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: Top Maryland Stories and a Few Winners and Losers in 2025
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: An Annapolis Future with a Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk
- Maryland Caucus with Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell: The Worrisome Case of Kelly Madigan
- The Maryland Caucus: Maryland’s Budget Crisis + Redistricting Plans Set in Motion
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: Maryland Redistricting Gets Serious and How the 1st District Could be Cut Up
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: Moore and Ferguson Not Eye-to-Eye on Redistricting
Columnist J.E. Dean
Why I Worry About War and a Lot More By J.E. Dean
I saw the elephant in the room after I watched the video of the President dropping two F-bombs and flipping a bird at a UAW worker in a Michigan Ford ... [Continue Story]
- What Will Trump’s Legacy Be? By J.E. Dean
- Trump Has Killed the Kennedy Center, So Let’s Build a New One By J.E. Dean
- If You Can’t Say Anything Nice… By J.E. Dean
- The Self-Destruction of Trump by J.E. Dean
- The Hegseth “Kill Them All” Order is Trump’s—and America’s—Nightmare By J.E. Dean
- Thanksgiving 2025 By J.E. Dean
Columnist Hugh Panero
The False Nostalgia of Movie Theaters by Hugh Panero
The battle over Netflix's bid to buy Warner Bros. has triggered fears that it will mean the end of the movie theater. The reaction is based on ... [Continue Story]
- Netflix Makes a Blockbuster Move for Warner Bros by Hugh Panero
- AI is Coming for the Music Industry
- ICE Trauma and Drama on the Shore by Hugh Panero
- 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
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
The Third Law By Jamie Kirkpatrick
Last week, Sir Issac Newton would have celebrated his 383rd birthday. Remember Sir Isaac? He was the gentleman who, while “in a contemplative mood,” ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Laura Oliver
Love-bombed By Laura J. Oliver
I'm being love-bombed by ChatGPT. I want to hate it, but do I? I just googled a column I recorded for my show, This is How the Story Goes on ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Angela Rieck
Redefining Beauty By Angela Rieck
I was flipping through channels last month and stopped at the NCAA Women’s Volleyball championship. I was surprised that a women’s volleyball game was ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Al Sikes
Way Beyond Woke by Al Sikes
“Kings, and Persons of Sovereign authority, because of their Independency, are in continual jealousies… having their weapons pointing, and their eyes fixed on one another.” Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan International Relations is not some new term thought up by a “woke” celebrity. Thomas Hobbes, who is said to be the philosopher-mind behind strict realism in foreign […]
Opinion
Donald the Red: The Modern Viking by Jim Bruce
Donald Trump is a 21st-century throwback to Erik the Red, the Viking chieftain and explorer who first claimed Greenland and established settlements ... [Continue Story]
- Election 2026: Heather Mizeur and Rick Hughes on Respectful Civic Engagement
- Horn Point Cuts Put Chesapeake Oyster Recovery at Risk by Sarah Gavian
- This Bears My Love to You Pooh by David Wheelan
- When Money Buys the Right to Be Heard, the People’s Voice Is Drowned Out by Tom Dennis
- “Fail First” is a Failure Always Ali Asghar Kassamali
- Remembering Mike Hiner by Robbie Gill
- 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
Letters to the Editor
Letter to Editor: Renee Good needs a Talbot County Vigil
I would like to propose that residents of Talbot County hold a vigil for Renee Nicole Good by the Courthouse. Certainly, we can pull together to honor ... [Continue Story]
- Letter to Editor: Regarding a Dan Watson Candidacy for Talbot County Council
- Letter to Editor: Five Years After January 6 the Truth Is Still Under Attack
- Letter to Editor: Trump is Acting like a Dictator
- Letter to Editor: Lessons from Geese
- Letter to Editor: The Grinch Known as Talbot County’s Short Term Rental Bill 1622
- Letter to Editor: Who Should Vote in Oxford?
