Less than a year from now, the United States may be in the grip of another Trump-generated Constitutional crisis. The presidential election will be over—at least for those of us who believe in the ... [Continue Story]
Public Affairs
Study: Lawn Mowers and Leaf Blowers in MD Produce as much Pollution as Long Car Trips
It’s leaf blower season, adding new layers of unwelcome noise to the cacophony of daily life. Leaf blowers — along with gas-powered lawn mowers, ... [Continue Story]
- Settlement Five Years After Anton Black’s Death Includes Reforms To State Medical Examiner’s Office
- Council Highlights: A Commitment to Civility and Not So Fast on “Middle Housing” Zoning
- It’s a Big Deal: The Case for Shopping in Downtown Easton with Deena Kilmon
- Chesapeake Bay Region on Track for 2-million-acre Land Protection Goal
- Maryland Counties Weigh Zoning Restrictions In Advance of Cannabis Expansion
- Spy Moment: The Community Comes Together at Temple B’nai Israel
Spy Highlights
The Armory, WC and Chestertown: A Chat with President Mike Sosulski and Developers Jay Shah and Keith Coe
The first time the Chestertown Spy reported on the future of the vacant John H. Newnam Armory was three months after the community newspaper began operating in June 2009. The essence of that article was that Chestertown’s then-mayor, Margo Bailey, was making it clear to the state of Maryland that the Town would not pay […]
- From and Fuller: Speaker Johnson’s Stopgap Funding Bill and David Axelrod’s Message to Biden
- From and Fuller: Democratic Success in Kentucky and Virginia While Biden Poll Numbers Tank
- From and Fuller: A Possible GOP Split on Ukraine Funding
- Passing the Torch at Londonderry: A Chat with Christine Harrington and Irma Toce
- Spy Profile: The Mid-Shore Early Learning Center with Elizabeth North and Dr. James Bell, Jr.
- From and Fuller: Taking Stock of New Speaker Johnson and Biden’s International Leadership
The Arts and Local Design
Delmarva Review Announces 2024 Anthology
Delmarva Review, a national literary journal with local roots, announced publication of its 16th edition presenting new poetry, short stories, and ... [Continue Story]
- Spy Arts Diary: Home for the Holidays by Steve Parks
- Spy Review: Nov. 22, 1963, 60 Years Later by Steve Parks
- Coming Home: Anthony ‘Turk’ Cannon set to perform at CBMM’s Welcome Center Grand Opening
- Spy Daybook: Celebrating the Arts in Talbot County by Sheryl Southwick
- Creating Space for Dialogue: Adam Himoff’s Frederick Douglass Mural
- Spy Review: Transported by Darrell Parsons
Chesapeake Ecosystem
Discover the Mysterious Creatures of the Deep Sea at the St. Michaels Library with Horn Point’s Andrew Thaler
Perfectly timed for the season is an otherworldly exhibition found in of all places at the St. Michaels Library. Dr. Andrew Thaler, a deep-sea ... [Continue Story]
- Adkins Mystery Monday: Whose in the Garden?
- A View of the Chesapeake Bay’s Health from its Headwaters
- PSC Chair Wants To ‘Lower The Temperature’ on Disputes over Renewable Energy Projects
- Sweet: To preserve the Bay, EPA and Hershey commit $2 million for Pennsylvania Farmers
- How a Wharf Went to the Park on a Bus by Marion Arnold
- Supreme Court Wetlands Ruling ‘Serious Setback’ for Bay
Maryland News
Promoting the Heritage of the Heart of the Chesapeake in Dorchester
On November 2, the Heart of the Chesapeake Country Heritage Area annual awards ceremony was held at the Dorchester Center for the Arts in Cambridge. ... [Continue Story]
- A Renewed Push in Maryland to Require the Sale of Cage-free Eggs
- Town Council Highlights: Sharing Perspectives on the Frederick Douglass Mural
- It’s All about Wastewater Treatment: A Chat with New Rock Hall Mayor James Cook
- Transportation Panel Eyes Toll Increases and Fees
- QAC Finds a Path for Biking: A Chat with Steve Chandlee and Steve Cohoon
Health
Some of the Longest Emergency Room Wait Times in Maryland Can Stretch Almost a Whole Day
With increased risks of food poisoning, burns from cooking, car accident injuries and the rise of wintertime ailments like the flu, the holiday season ... [Continue Story]
- The Arc’s Port Street Commons Update: A Chat with Angie DeMoreland and GGC’s Ben Harries
- MD Health Department Spending Plagued by ‘Pervasive Lack of Documentation’
- Molly Kirsch Named New Talbot Hospice Executive Director
- Breast Cancer Month: Oxford Resident Bonna Nelson’s Journey
- Medical Debt Leads to Compounding Troubles for Low-income Marylanders, Particularly for Black Families
Education
Church Hill Elementary Blue Ribbon Success Story: A Chat with Susan Davis Walbert
It is hard to escape the fact that a number of Mid-Shore public schools, particularly those serving economically disadvantaged students, are ... [Continue Story]
- Maco to State Leaders: More Clarity Needed to Implement and Fund Blueprint
- A New Leader at Chesapeake College’s Cambridge Center: A Chat with Lorelly Solano
- Chesapeake College Launches New Brand
- Board of Education may Change how the State Tracks Students’ College Readiness
- Mid-Shore Education:Talbot Schools Education Foundation Receives $3 Million Bequest
Brevities
Talbot First Night Wants to be Second in the Nation: A Chat with Mike Elzey and Carolyn Jaffe
As it celebrates 30 years of First Night, lead volunteers Mike Elzey and Carolyn Jaffe don't hesitate to share their pride in this remarkable event to ... [Continue Story]
Community Notes
rosty’s Holiday Village Moved to Anchor Church Due to Inclement Weather
For All Seasons will host the third annual free Frosty’s Holiday Village event on Friday, December 1, 2023, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Anchor Church at ... [Continue Story]
- December First Friday Weekend Events in Easton
- St. Vincent de Paul Feeds Record Numbers
- Talbot Family Network and Academy Art Museum Partner for Conversation on Race
- Easton Police Department announces first Community Police Academy
- Talbot Council Highlights
- Easton’s Engage East End Interactive Webpage Now Live
Senior Life Highlights
Brookletts Center Thanksgiving Dinner is a Tradition for Local Residents
The Talbot County Senior Center at Brookletts Place, part of Upper Shore Aging, was recently the gathering place for over 130 residents at its annual ... [Continue Story]
- Upper Shore Aging Announces New President and Executive Committee Members
- Upper Shore Aging Selected for 2023 Thome Aging Well Grant
- Upper Shore Aging Selected for 2023 Thome Aging Well Grant
- Londonderry Welcomes New CEO, Christine Harrington
- Londonderry on the Tred Avon Announces New Board President and New Board Members
- Senior Nation: It’s All About Balance
Arts Notes
Marcy Dunn Ramsey at Massoni
Marcy Dunn Ramsey’s exhibition Distillations represents the work created over the summer and fall months and will be featured in the High Street ... [Continue Story]
- Jay Fleming and Fresh Oysters at The Trippe December 1
- Easton Choral Arts Society Concerts will Travel “Home for the Holidays”
- “Holiday Joy” Is First of MSO’s December Concerts
- St. Michaels Branch’s December Lunch & Learn Presents Photographer Kristin Rutkowski
- Oxford Museum Presents A Special Exhibit For The Holidays: Crèches!
- Christmas in St. Michaels at the The St. Michaels Museum
Ecosystem Notes
Pickering Debuts New Trail at New Woods
At the Center’s annual donor Pig Roast this autumn Pickering debuted the first trail loop in the new woods they acquired in fall of 2022. Thanks to ... [Continue Story]
Education Notes
Talbot County Free Library offers Computer Help Sessions
The Easton branch of the Talbot County Free Library (TCFL) is now offering a digital specialist to help the community to navigate through the basics ... [Continue Story]
- Foundation of HOPE Annual Gala to Honor Local “Women of HOPE”
- Gunston Invited to Join Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association
- Community Conversation on Isaiah Fountain Trial this Saturday
- Woman’s Club of St. Michaels Scholarship Applications Welcomed
- Lectures On the Shore Hits the Road with Neil King
- A few Final Chesapeake Forum Fall Classes
Health Notes
UM Shore Medical Center at Easton Nationally Recognized
University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton, a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), has received an "A" ... [Continue Story]
- For All Seasons Podcasts Offer Strategies for Managing Stress During the Holidays
- Seminar Focuses on Trends in Pancreatic Cancer Care
- Preliminary Testing Confirms High Cases of Avian Influenza in Caroline County
- Talbot County Department of Social Services Hosts Thanks for Giving Event for Foster and Adoptive Parents
- Frosty’s Holiday Village: A Free Event for All Ages
- UM Shore Regional Health Presents Service Awards To Team Members
Food Friday
Food Friday: Thanksgiving Prep
This is the final countdown to Thanksgiving. Six days to go! I went to the grocery store yesterday, just to get some milk, and was practically trampled by stressed-out ... [Continue Story]
Looking at the Masters with Beverly Smith
Looking at the Masters: Banksy
Banksy is a contemporary English street artist whose graffiti and stencil art appear suddenly, anywhere in the world, and in unexpected places. First ... [Continue Story]
- Looking at the Masters: The Feast Day of St Hubert
- Looking at the Masters: All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day, and Day of the Dead
- Looking at the Masters: America’s Favorite Halloween Story
- Looking at the Masters: Marigolds and Snakes
- Looking at the Masters: Teresita Fernandez
- Looking at the Masters: Asters and Ravens
Design with Jenn Martella
House of the Week: “Hilltop Hotel” Redux
The early decade of the 20th century was the “golden age” of steamships on the Chesapeake Bay. Some catered exclusively to Western Shore city residents who wanted a weekend or a summer vacation on the Eastern Shore to escape the heat of summer. Today’s feature began its life as the “Hilltop Hotel” that welcomed seasonal […]
From and Fuller Podcast
From and Fuller: Speaker Johnson’s Stopgap Funding Bill and David Axelrod’s Message to Biden
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: Democratic Success in Kentucky and Virginia While Biden Poll Numbers Tank
- From and Fuller: A Possible GOP Split on Ukraine Funding
- From and Fuller: Taking Stock of New Speaker Johnson and Biden’s International Leadership
- From and Fuller: The GOP Failure to Select a Speaker of the House
- From and Fuller: The Hamas Attack on Israel and a Leaderless House of Representatives
- From and Fuller: The Speaker McCarthy Exit and the GOP House Mess
Columnist J.E. Dean
Time is Running Out for Sane Republicans to Rescue Their Party by J.E. Dean
Less than a year from now, the United States may be in the grip of another Trump-generated Constitutional crisis. The presidential election will be ... [Continue Story]
- And I am Also Thankful For . . .. by J.E. Dean
- Trump’s Plans for Retribution Undermine Democracy by J.E. Dean
- Republicans Lost Big in Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia Last Night, But Trumpism Lives by J.E. Dean
- A Day in The Life, 2023 by J.E. Dean
- The U.S. House of Representatives Is a Mess but Not Hopeless by J.E. Dean
- Why Isn’t Anyone Running for Office on a Platform or Inspiration? By J.E. Dean
Columnist Howard Freedlander
Out and About (Sort of): Not Multiple Choice by Howard Freedlander
Pundits have bemoaned the state of American democracy, as have academics and citizens disappointed in our political leaders. Doom and gloom are prevalent throughout our sadly disruptive and disparate society. Despite my innate optimism, I too feel depressed (not clinically) by our instability. Covid was an invasive disease. We lived differently. Now we live dislodged […]
- Out and About (Sort of): Contrast in Beaches by Howard Freedlander
- Out and About (Sort of): Small Museum, Strong Message by Howard Freedlander
- Out and About (Sort of): Combustible by Howard Freedlander
- Out and About (Sort of): Destination Supplants Sussex by Howard Freedlander
- Out and About (Sort of): Speech by Howard Freedlander
- Out and About (Sort of): Holocaust Anew by Howard Freedlander
Columnist Hugh Panero
America’s Crash Course on the Law by Hugh Panero
Over the last few years, as our judiciary system has pushed back against Trump's disregard for the rule of law, we have been drinking from a legal ... [Continue Story]
- Walking Back Hospital Bombing: Misinformation When the Media Gets it Wrong
- Aging in Politics by Hugh Panero
- Make the Tech Noise Stop? By Hugh Panero
- Planning Your Digital Death and Other Happy Thoughts by Hugh Panero
- The Insidious Impact of Our Attention Economy by Hugh Panero
- Hollywood Workers Go on Strike by Hugh Panero
Columnist Craig Fuller
To EV or Not to EV? By Craig Fuller
This is a question for our time. I decided the best way to find out what the world of electric vehicles (EV) was all about would be to dive into the ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Jamie Kirkpatrick
Eight by Jamie Kirkpatrick
Dear Kat, Today is our 8th wedding anniversary. If we were dogs, we’d be celebrating 56 tail-wagging years together, but we’re simply humans, so ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Laura Oliver
Time Enough by Laura J. Oliver
Emily, my youngest, who lives in D.C., is coming for the weekend. I need to vacuum and plan menus, change the sheets in the loft, scrub the guest ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Angela Rieck
Nature Wins by Angela Rieck
Nature’s Rules This is the time of year when we reflect on our lives and realize how blessed we are. You will, no doubt, read columns about ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Al Sikes
“He Gets Us”: From Jesus to Frederick Douglass by Al Sikes
“He Gets Us” is what I call the Jesus campaign. Its creators noted: “One of the interesting things that happened while we were producing this was the casting. We wanted to use people that we thought would immediately elicit judgment from others.” They used art (casting) to further their mission, a modernization of the Second […]
Opinion
America is Losing Control of the Israel/Palestinian Global Narrative by Tom Timberman
The US Government reacted very quickly after Hamas's brutal 10/07/23 assault on southern Israel. From the highest Washington levels, America's ... [Continue Story]
- Things To Do In A Deer Stand by Rob Etgen
- Towards A National Directory Of Gun Violence by Stan Salett
- Wars, Political Chaos, Confusion and Anger: What to Do? By Tom Timberman
- Are We Judged by the Company We Keep? By Maria Grant
- October 7 Perspective by Bob Moores
- Rockfish Conservation by Rob Etgen
- Thoughts from the Mayor Of Crisfield on the Tawes Crab Feast and Clam Bake by Darlene Taylor
- The House is Dysfunctional; Where’s the Contingency Plan? By Tom Timberman
- On Becoming a Master Naturalist by Rob Etgen
- Be Very Afraid. He’s Coming After You by Maria Grant
- Not Normal by Bob Moores
- How Durable is America’s Constitutional Representative Democracy? By Tom Timberman
- The Work and Legacy of Historic Preservationist Michael Bourne by Chris Havemeyer
- An Educational Imperative by Washington College President Mike Sosulski
- Honored By Scouting by Howard Freedlander
Letters to the Editor
Letter to Editor: Regarding the Recent Mural of Frederick Douglass in Easton
We at The Bailey-Groce Family Foundation, Inc. and Operation Frederick Douglass on the Hill are committed to preserving the legacy of Frederick ... [Continue Story]
- Letter to Editor: Trump Is Morally Unfit for Any Office
- Letter to Editor: Orwell Was Right, As Lakeside Demonstrates
- Letter to the Editor: Un-Republican and Very MAGA
- Open Letter to St. Michaels Commissioners: The Local Tax Structure
- Letter to Editor: Please Address Long ER Wait Times
- Thanks Former Mayor Willey for Easton Parks
