Last week, Netflix announced a blockbuster deal to purchase Warner Bros., including the film studio, the HBO MAX streaming service, and HBO, for $72 billion, to solidify its already dominant position ... [Continue Story]
Public Affairs
Talbot Preservation Alliance has Concerns with Easton’s 2025 Comp Plan
For more than two decades, the Talbot Preservation Alliance has been a steady voice on growth and land-use issues in Talbot County. As Easton works ... [Continue Story]
- Sobering Community Needs Report Draws Questions from Councilmember Montgomery on Data Accuracy
- On the Street Where You Live: Easton’s Complete Streets Design to Fix Traffic Trouble Spots
- Talbot County Grapples with Contentious Short-Term Rental Bill
- Crab Season Fades, Oyster Harvesting in Full Swing
- Easton Council Approves 2026 Parks Plan
- Maryland Projects $1.4 B Shortfall for Next Year — Five Times April Estimate
Spy Highlights
Maryland Caucus with Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell: The Worrisome Case of Kelly Madigan
Every Wednesday, but this week on Friday, Maryland political analysts Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell discuss the politics and personalities of the state and region. This week, Len and Clayton discuss the resignation of Kelly Madigan, Baltimore County’s first inspector general, who suggested that county leaders limited her independence. They also share their hot takes […]
- From & Fuller: Unpacking Trump’s Attacks on Alleged Venezuelan Drug Boats
- Chicken Scratch: The Subtitle of Life — by Elizabeth Beggins
- From & Fuller: Epstein Files Fallout and the Future of the GOP
- The Maryland Caucus: Maryland’s Budget Crisis + Redistricting Plans Set in Motion
- From & Fuller: What Was Lost During The Government Shutdown?
- Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: Maryland Redistricting Gets Serious and How the 1st District Could be Cut Up
The Arts and Local Design
Spy Review: A Choral Rose for Christmas by Steve Parks
Easton Choral Arts Society played its annual Christmastime songfest, “A Winter Rose,” before a full house in its new concert venue, St. Mark’s United ... [Continue Story]
- 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
- A Waterfowl Weekend with Artist Sandy Alanko
- 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
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
The Next Chapter for ShoreRivers
After an extensive search and hiring process, ShoreRivers is proud to announce the selection of Scott Budden as the organization's next Executive ... [Continue Story]
- 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 Levies Fines on Perdue, Valley Proteins for Environmental Violations
- Bay Climate Adaptation: The TNC Guide in Finding the Money for Major Infrastructure Change
Maryland News
A Cambridge Power Couple
Bernard and Danielle Johnson in their High Street headquarters. The couple is making a mark on Cambridge as business and civic leaders, setting an ... [Continue Story]
- City Manager Glenn Steckman Talks Cambridge
- 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.
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
Resilience, After All, Is a Gift By Katherine Emery General
Much of my recent writing has been concentrating on the fact that 2025 has been a difficult year for almost everyone. There is a heaviness in the air ... [Continue Story]
- Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: The New Hospital is Starting to take Shape
- Finding Light in a Heavy December By Katherine Emery General
- December 2025 Sky-Watch By Dennis Herrmann
- Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: It’s Time for Serious Football
- The Slow Unfurling of Christmas By Katherine Emery General
- Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: Checking Out Where the New Dairy Queen is Going
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
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 the carpel of a tulip tree, Liriodendron ... [Continue Story]
Commerce
Taste of Easton Announced for Spring 2026
The Easton Economic Development Corporation is proud to announce the first Taste of Easton and Easton Restaurant Week coming in Spring 2026. The two ... [Continue Story]
- Will Mapp Graduates from Leadership Maryland’s Executive Program
- A Delightful December! — Shopping, Exhibits and Events at The Market at Dover Station
- CWDI Announces Hire of Tracy Ward as Chief Administrative Officer
- Easton Prepares For Shop Small Saturday 2025
- Mid-Shore Real Estate with Chuck Mangold: 2025 Still Looking Pretty Darn Good
Community Notes
MPT Series Maryland Farm & Harvest Visits Locations in Talbot and Caroline Counties During December 9 Episode
Maryland Public Television’s popular original series Maryland Farm & Harvest, now in its 13th season, will feature farms and locations in Talbot ... [Continue Story]
- Town and Country’s Sixth Annual Rare Bourbon Raffle is Underway!
- Oxford Prepares Festive Welcome for Christmas on the Creek
- Oxford Holiday Market Returns December 12-14 to Oxford, Maryland
- 80-Plus Trees to Shine Along Oxford’s Docks this December
- Tidewater Rotary’s “Discover Rotary Night” Unites Community Leaders to Tackle Food Insecurity
- Caroline Foundation Awards $1 Million in Grants to 26 Caroline County Nonprofits
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
CARPE DIEM! ARTS ALIVE! December 9th OCEAN: Song of Solstice. Celtic Revelries for the Holiday Season
Carpe Diem Arts proudly presents another concert as part of the popular Arts Alive! lunchtime concert series presented at Brookletts Place in Easton ... [Continue Story]
- The Art of the Small Painting at The Trippe Gallery
- Academy Art Museum Breaks Ground On Henny and James Freeman Annex and Hormel Research Center at Historic Property on Talbot Lane
- SMAL Presents “Mix It Up” Exhibit at the Saint Michaels Community Center
- Zebra Gallery Hosts Opening Reception for The Way Home By Artist Ingrid Matuszewski
- Studio B Art Gallery Showcases Award-Winning Art & “Small Treasures” This Holiday Season
- Oxford’s Dan Weiss Becomes New Director of Philadelphia Museum of Art
Ecosystem Notes
Pickering Creek Revitalizes Junior Naturalist Program
A key part of the success of Pickering Creek’s annual EcoCamp is its Junior Naturalists (JNs). JNs, who are middle and high school students, form a ... [Continue Story]
Education Notes
Benedictine Community Celebrates Construction Milestone
Staff, supported students and adults and community members came together to celebrate the construction of new residential buildings on ... [Continue Story]
- Blueprint Board Approves Legislative Recommendations for 2026 Session
- Shaper’s Poinsettia Sale To Benefit Critchlow Adkins Returns
- Gunston Welcomes 47 Students to the National Honor Society
- 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
Health Notes
Mobile Dental Care Team Expands Access for Dorchester County Students
In Dorchester County, where many families face increasingly demanding work schedules, limited transportation options, and other barriers to accessing ... [Continue Story]
- For All Seasons Participates in National Rural Health Day Bus Tour
- Frosty’s Holiday Village Event Expands to Offer More Family Fun and Resources
- Talisman Therapeutic Riding Sleigh Celebration is Bringing Broadway to Maryland
- Choptank Health Recognizes National Rural Health Day
- UM Shore Medical Group-Cardiology Welcomes New Interventional Cardiologist
- McKenna Gillen, MS, OT, Joins University of Maryland Shore Regional Health Outpatient Rehabilitation Teams at Denton and Queenstown Locations
Commerce Notes
Taste of Easton Announced for Spring 2026
The Easton Economic Development Corporation is proud to announce the first Taste of Easton and Easton Restaurant Week coming in Spring 2026. The two ... [Continue Story]
- Will Mapp Graduates from Leadership Maryland’s Executive Program
- A Delightful December! — Shopping, Exhibits and Events at The Market at Dover Station
- CWDI Announces Hire of Tracy Ward as Chief Administrative Officer
- Easton Prepares For Shop Small Saturday 2025
- 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
Food Friday
Food Friday: On Your Marks!
I stopped by the post office early yesterday morning, before 9:00, before the counter was open, to pick up some stamps from the machine in the lobby, and already there was a ... [Continue Story]
Looking at the Masters with Beverly Smith
Looking at the Masters: Grandma Moses
Anna Mary Robertson Moses was born on September 7, 1860, in Greenwich, New York. Her family worked on farms, and she described herself as a life-long ... [Continue Story]
Spy Poetry
Spy Poetry: Sheep in the Winter Night by Tom Hennen
Editor’s Note: The poet paints a cozy farmyard scene. We’re lulled into a sense of calm with amusing descriptions of the sheep. The allusion to the Christian religion makes us think of another night in a barn, long ago. What are the sheep listening for in the dark? Their wooly backs are full of light, […]
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 the carpel of a tulip tree, Liriodendron ... [Continue Story]
- Wine of the Week: Montepulciano D’Abruzzo from the Coste Di Brenta Winery
- Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo!
- Wine of the Week: Rosso del Veronese IGT
- Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo!
- Wine(s) of the Week: Thanksgiving Trio 2025
- Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the Photo!
Design with Jenn Martella
Design with Jenn Martella: Contemporary on the Chesapeake Bay
Design with Jenn Martella: Contemporary on the Chesapeake Bay When I began my home search after moving to Talbot County twenty one years ago, I fell under the spell of the charming village of Neavitt. I liked both its location near St. Michaels’ amenities but also its privacy from being a peninsula surrounded by various […]
From and Fuller Podcast
From & Fuller: Unpacking Trump’s Attacks on Alleged Venezuelan Drug Boats
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 & Fuller: Epstein Files Fallout and the Future of the GOP
- From & Fuller: What Was Lost During The Government Shutdown?
- 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
Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell
Maryland Caucus with Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell: The Worrisome Case of Kelly Madigan
Every Wednesday, but this week on Friday, Maryland political analysts Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell discuss the politics and personalities of the ... [Continue Story]
- 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
- 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
Columnist J.E. Dean
The Hegseth “Kill Them All” Order is Trump’s—and America’s—Nightmare By J.E. Dean
Just as the Epstein scandal was temporarily disappearing from the daily news, The Washington Post reported a more horrific story. Self-dubbed ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Hugh Panero
Netflix Makes a Blockbuster Move for Warner Bros by Hugh Panero
Last week, Netflix announced a blockbuster deal to purchase Warner Bros., including the film studio, the HBO MAX streaming service, and HBO, for $72 ... [Continue Story]
- 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
- The Awkward Gentrification of Bellevue 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
My Newest Word By Jamie Kirkpatrick
I love words! If I were King Midas, I would turn all the world’s words to gold. If I were a miser, I would horde every word in the dictionary. If I ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Laura Oliver
The Righting Life By Laura J. Oliver
Confession time. As a creative writing instructor, I’m super selective about the examples I use to demonstrate craft. If I’m going to share an excerpt ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Angela Rieck
America Divided By Angela Rieck
I watched the Ken Burns series, The American Revolution. It is his usual outstanding and comprehensive documentary film. The American Revolution is 12 ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Al Sikes
Will Humans Become History’s Losers? By Al Sikes
Is intuition obsolete? What about our accumulated layers of information and feelings or what we might call seasoning? Including, of course, the lessons from failures and the information-laden seams of character? Or, the fruits of relationships—the improvisational values of collaboration? It was 1959. One of the greatest jazz pieces ever composed, “Take Five”, was performed […]
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: Who Should Vote in Oxford?
What the heck is going on in Oxford? Last Tuesday, during an official Commissioner discussion on allowing non-residents the right to vote in local ... [Continue Story]
- How Far can Trump Push his Military Commanders? By Jim Bruce
- Letter to Editor: Councilmember Montgomery Wrong on Bias Claim
- Letter to Editor: Protecting What Makes Easton, Easton
- Letter to Editor: Electricity Rates and Artificial Intelligence
- Letter to Editor: RIP Civility
- Letter to Editor: Two Councilpersons Walked Into a Bar… and Out Came Bill 1622
