After watching several reruns of video of the January 6, 2021 assault on the Capitol, I decided not to write about it this week. President Biden’s editorial in Monday’s Washington Post said enough ... [Continue Story]
Public Affairs
Easton Council President Race Begins: Don Abbatiello Files
Don Abbatiello has filed to run for Easton Town Council President in the upcoming election on May 6th. He has been the Ward 2 representative on the ... [Continue Story]
- Q&A with Cambridge Mayor-Elect Lajan Cephas
- Council Highlights: Should Talbot County charge overnight visitors a 6% accommodation tax?
- Maryland’s flagging economy and transportation infrastructure linked
- Cephas wins in Cambridge; ex-mayor’s comeback attempt falls short
- High quality oysters, fickle market greeting new season
- Five-year Maryland state budget projection foresees ‘enormous gap’ not seen in two decades
Spy Highlights
From and Fuller: Remembering Jimmy Carter and 2024 in review
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 death of former president Jimmy Carter and his political impact. Al and Craig also talk about their top stories from 2024. To listen to the audio […]
- Publisher Notes: Reader survey results on how to better spying in 2025 and holiday best wishes
- Talbot Mentors – Empowering Youth in Talbot County by Matt LaMotte
- From and Fuller: Budget turmoil and Musk power
- Let’s Talk About It: A mental health perspective after 10 years with For All Seasons CEO Beth Anne Dorman
- Trumpeter Swans: Two centuries later, a great big beautiful native returns by Tom Horton
- From and Fuller: The selection of a new FBI director under Trump and 1,500 Pardons from Biden
The Arts and Local Design
The Avalon is alive with the Sound of Music for the holidays
The Avalon Foundation is presenting the classic musical The Sound of Music starting this week. It’s a family tradition and community experience ... [Continue Story]
- Spy Art Review: Start your engines at AAM by Steve Parks
- Arts community gathers to celebrate Talbot Arts Champion Donna Ewing
- Spy Concert Review: MSO’s Joy to the Season by Steve Parks
- The Magic of Celtic Music: A Chat with Harp and Soul’s Meredith Davies Hadaway
- Step into elegance: The Bugatti Exhibition Preview Gala Reception
- The growing art scene in Easton by Steve Parks
Chesapeake Ecosystem
Md. leads in carbon emissions reductions – Maryland Matters
Here’s some rare good news for Marylanders on climate change: A new analysis of federal government data found that Maryland led the way when it came ... [Continue Story]
- 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
- Wild-Caught Chesapeake Blue Catfish Phenomenon Booming: Thank Goodness
- Blue Crab Populations are Down, But Experts are Not Worried
- First Baby Eagles Hatch on Reborn Chesapeake Island
Maryland News
Services scheduled for former Lower Shore Sen. Richard Colburn
A memorial service is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 2, for former state Sen. Richard Colburn, who died last Friday, Dec. 27, at University of Maryland ... [Continue Story]
- Lines drawn in advance of 2025 session, budget debate
- State confronting ‘two storms,’ Moore tells county leaders
- Supporters optimistic this is the year for beer and wine in grocery stores
- Moore, Jones shuffle top staffers ahead of challenging session
- State considers replacing Bay Bridge with new, wider spans along path of current crossing – Maryland Matters
Health
Mid-Shore Health: The war against lung cancer with Drs. Rashmi Benda and David Oliver
It is very much the case that society's health war against cancer has made significant, sometimes astonishing progress in this century, but there ... [Continue Story]
- Health advocates: Maryland needs to improve screening efforts for lung cancer
- Mid-Shore Health: Domestic violence on the Mid-Shore with Angie Price and Jeanne Yeager
- Let’s Talk About It: The reality of intergenerational trauma with For All Seasons CEO Beth Anne Dorman
- Let’s Talk About It: Suicide on the Mid-Shore with For All Seasons CEO Beth Anne Dorman
- Having a Baby in the 21st Century with Shore Health’s Jessica Genrich and Stephanie Blades
Education
Morgan State professor fined for presenting himself as licensed architect
The Baltimore Banner reported yesterday that Professor Dale Glenwood Green at Morgan State University was not a licensed architect and had ... [Continue Story]
- Slight increases on Maryland’s annual report card, but changes could be coming
- Radcliffe Creek School awarded grant to support students with ADHD and anxiety
- Spy-WHCP Check in with Dorchester Schools Superintendent Jymil Thompson
- Prekindergarten Expansion For Private Providers Off To A Slow Start
- Spy Survey Summary on Learning for a Lifetime on the Mid-Shore
Food & Garden Highlights
Adkins Arboretum Mystery Monday: Guess the photo!
Happy Mystery Monday! Can you guess what is pictured in photo below? The answer to last week's mystery is a nurse log, pictured in ... [Continue Story]
Brevities
Glimmers by Katherine Emery
The ancient 500 foot rock formations at Vedauwoo recreation area were created by wind, ice, and water. Vedauwoo (an Arapahoe word meaning “land of ... [Continue Story]
- Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: Heading over to Harrisons on Tilghman Island
- Agent 86 Reconnaissance Footage: The Bugatti Report
- Happy New Year by Katherine Emery
- Yule by Katherine Emery
- Talbot Historical Society Project Rewind: Saying hello to Easton’s snowman
- The Magic of Keepsakes by Katherine Emery
Commerce
Talbot County Liquor Board 2025-2026 license applications now available
The application process for the 2025-2026 liquor licensing period is now available to the public. Businesses and individuals interested in applying ... [Continue Story]
Community Notes
Talbot County crews respond to winter storm to keep residents safe
Winter Storm Blair brought significant snowfall and icy conditions to Talbot County, and local crews are working tirelessly to ensure the safety of ... [Continue Story]
- Chesapeake Fire & Ice is back For 2025
- Miles River Yacht Club speakers series – January 9
- Agent 86 Reconnaissance Footage: Talbot County Holiday Assessment
- Mid-Shore Gives 2024 raises $102K in 24 hours
- CBMM Summer Camp registration opens Jan. 2
- Easton Police Department graduates three from Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy
Senior Life Highlights
December Fitness Feature: Leg Strength
Our legs make up the largest of our muscle groups which include the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Low body strengthening is a vital part of ... [Continue Story]
- Cruisin’ with Christine: Protecting the Londonderry Community with Rich Williams
- Londonderry on the Tred Avon honors its Veterans
- Enjoy the health benefits of Thanksgiving Day by Susan Covey
- Cruisin’ with Christine: Serving the Londonderry Community with Pat Bradley
- Upper Shore Aging Hosts the Re-Dedication of the Amy Lynn Ferris Adult Activity Center
- Cruisin’ with Christine: Erica Hardeo and the Art of Engagement at Londonderry
Arts Notes
Lyon Rum celebrates new event space with live jazz and cocktails
Windon Distilling Co. is probably best known for their award-winning spirit line, Lyon Rum. Having just finished their 11th year of production, the ... [Continue Story]
- Easton Choral Arts invites new singers to join creation
- Within Our Reach: Mixed Media Works by Bridget Z. Sullivan on view through Feb. 28 at Adkins Arboretum
- Working Artists Forum presents local color art show & sale July 17-20, 2025, call to artists
- TAP casting call: The Man From Earth
- Prestigious 2025 grants awarded to Chesapeake Film Festival
- Two former child prodigies-a pianist and a violinist-will perform at Chesapeake Music’s February 16 Interlude Concert by Maria Grant
Ecosystem Notes
Biden to ban future offshore drilling across more than 600 million acres
With just two weeks left in his presidency, Joe Biden will prohibit future oil and gas drilling off the entire East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf ... [Continue Story]
Education Notes
Jen Wagner hosts Intuitive Mosaics with Chesapeake Forum
What better way to chase away the winter blues than with an afternoon spent making art? Join artist Jen Wagner in her downtown Easton studio for a ... [Continue Story]
- Understanding Dementia with Beth Hobson and Chesapeake Forum
- Talbot County Public Schools recognizes advanced placement scholars
- Waterbirds make a splash at Chesapeake Forum
- Chesapeake Forum’s Preview Party lights up post-holidays
- Superintendents seek ‘partnership’ with Moore on changes to Blueprint education reform plan
- Radcliffe Creek School awarded grant to support students with ADHD and anxiety
Health Notes
Health Education classes offered in Chestertown
Several health education classes will be offered this year by the Rural Health Care Transformation initiative at University of Maryland Shore Medical ... [Continue Story]
- University of Maryland Shore Regional Health announces winter weather closures
- First baby of 2025 arrives at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton Birthing Center
- Free presentation will offer tips on mindful eating for memory care
- UM Shore Medical Center at Easton recognized as high performing in maternity care for fourth consecutive year
- Londonderry to host health care careers presentation in partnership with University of Maryland Baltimore
- Primary Stroke Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton earns honors from American Heart Association
Commerce Notes
Talbot County Liquor Board 2025-2026 license applications now available
The application process for the 2025-2026 liquor licensing period is now available to the public. Businesses and individuals interested in applying ... [Continue Story]
- Rural Maryland Council honors rural community advocates
- Three from EU graduation from Leadership Programs
- Nominations accepted for Talbot County’s Community Impact awards
- US court blocks Kroger acquisition; Harris-Teeter to remain in Easton (for now)
- Qlarant earns Top Workplaces Award for 5th time
- Hines named Vice President of Electric and Utility Projects
Food Friday
Food Friday: 2025
Happy New Year, gentle Spy readers! I’m feeling optimistic about the upcoming year. I should probably check back in about three months to see how these new 2025 rules of ... [Continue Story]
Looking at the Masters with Beverly Smith
Looking at the Masters: A Victorian Christmas
Christmas traditions we cherish were established during Queen Victoria’s reign (1837-1901). Others are as old as the ancient Roman Saturnalia ... [Continue Story]
Design with Jenn Martella
Design with Jenn Martella: Chesapeake Sunset Cottage
It is always a pleasure to feature designs by my fellow architects and I am very pleased to kick off the new year to feature another design by architect Mark McInturff, FAIA. When the Owner purchased this property eight years ago, the cottage was a wreck caused by a broken frozen pipe on the second […]
- Design with Jenn Martella: A Christmas Card to One and All
- Design with Jenn Martella: Historic Gem, circa 1890
- Design with Jenn Martella: “Sol y Sombra”
- Design with Jenn Martella: Fox Harbor Farm
- Looking at the Masters: Of turkeys and Thanksgiving
- Design with Jenn Martella: Third Haven Friends meeting complex
From and Fuller Podcast
From and Fuller: Remembering Jimmy Carter and 2024 in review
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: Budget turmoil and Musk power
- From and Fuller: The selection of a new FBI director under Trump and 1,500 Pardons from Biden
- From and Fuller: The Trump agenda and the realities of governing
- From and Fuller: Trump cabinet appointments and the future of “Talking Heads” media
- From and Fuller: The eating of political crow with election predictions and the gender and race impact on the 2024 Election
- From and Fuller: Final predictions for Election Day and fatal flaws in Harris and Trump Campaigns
Columnist J.E. Dean
Trump asks Congress to abdicate its constitutional responsibility by J.E. Dean
After watching several reruns of video of the January 6, 2021 assault on the Capitol, I decided not to write about it this week. President Biden’s ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Hugh Panero
The Awkward Gentrification of Bellevue by Hugh Panero
In 2022, Talbot County first heard about a new fourteen-home luxury housing development in the Village of Bellevue, one of twenty-two unincorporated ... [Continue Story]
- Mr. Biden, It’s Time to Hand Over the Keys by Hugh Panero
- The Mess in Oxford Gets More Messy by Hugh Panero
- Be Like a Cicada and the Catharsis of Dreams by Hugh Panero
- Let’s Retire the Word “Retired” by Hugh Panero
- Top 15 Indicators That You Are Too Old For Technology by Hugh Panero
- Dune Part 2 and My Son Got Me Back Into a Movie Theater by Hugh Panero
Columnist Craig Fuller
A Community Town Hall focuses on education in Talbot County by Craig Fuller
The Avalon Foundation and The Spy collaborated on another in a series of candidate Town Halls with the most recent this week bringing together a live ... [Continue Story]
- MPT, the Chesapeake Bay and Viewers Like You: A Chat with Station Manager Steven Schupak
- So Much Money, So Little Time by Craig Fuller
- One Amazing Story by One Amazing Individual by Craig Fuller
- A Presidential Debate: No Commission / No Audience / Perhaps, No Gloves by Craig Fuller
- An Enjoyable and Important White House Story by Craig Fuller
- Biden’s Two Biggest Problems: Perception and Trust by Craig Fuller
Columnist Jamie Kirkpatrick
The Shift By Jamie Kirkpatrick
Horror stories about holiday travel abound. Spoiler alert: this is not one of them… I hope you all got my postcard—the one I sent last week from ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Laura Oliver
Forecast: Happiness Laura J. Oliver
Clustered around two tables at a Chinese restaurant, I am one of 12 women ostensibly here to have lunch and to learn more about feng shui, the Chinese ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Angela Rieck
New Year’s Resolution 2025 Edition by Angela Rieck
Well, it is time for New Year’s resolutions. While I am not particularly good at keeping them, I am skilled at making them. I am not alone in my ... [Continue Story]
Columnist Al Sikes
Who is president? By Al Sikes
This is of course now old news (Tweets have a short life). Republicans and Democrats in the United States House of Representatives concluded negotiations on a massive appropriation bill to keep the government operational until March of next year. But recall before going further: “to retain respect for sausages and laws avoid watching them in […]
Opinion
The Real Debate We Need by Heather R. Mizeur
It matters that the leader of the Free World has the faculties and mental acuity to perform the functions of such a demanding job. While it’s ... [Continue Story]
- When Peace Visited War: A Christmas Story by Tom Timberman
- A Christmas Carol 2023 by Maria Wood
- The Carbon Darwin Award by Bob Moores
- America’s Civil War of Weaponized Words and the Middle East by Tom Timberman
- Here’s a Test: Can You Recognize a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing? By Maria Grant
- What Happens Next to Israel, Hamas, Palestinians and the US? By Tom Timberman
- Still No Planning? By Carol Voyles
- America is Losing Control of the Israel/Palestinian Global Narrative by Tom Timberman
- 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
Letters to the Editor
Letter to Editor: Thanks to the Bridge Family for Snow Removal
I stopped to thank the guys filling up trucks at Talbot County's "Salt Barn." I specifically spoke to Ryan Holden, an Easton resident employed by the ... [Continue Story]
- Letter to Editor: Talbot County Council continues to ignore illegal actions
- Letter to Editor: More lies and innuendo from Pay Attention America in Talbot County
- Letter to Editor: Talk with our neighbors
- Poem to the Editor: Times Like These
- Letter to Editor: Don’t attack those whom you disagree with
- Letter to Editor: I’m proudly voting for Kamala Harris
