Aaron Shier - Talbot Spy

Save the Date: Brown Bag Lunch at TC Free Library, Easton

January 22, 2014 by Aaron Shier

“Free Black Women on the Antebellum Eastern Shore: Three Women, Three Stories” is the program title for the February Brown Bag Lunch. Laura Weldon, Cambridge resident and historian, will be the featured speaker at the monthly event on Thursday, February 20, at the Easton Branch of the Talbot County Free Library, 100 W. Dover Street.

There is no charge for this public program sponsored by the Friends of the Talbot County Free Library. Guests are invited to bring their lunch or just come to listen. Coffee and sweets will be provided. The program begins at noon and lasts approximately one hour.

Weldon took a break from her undergraduate studies in history at Towson University to raise her four children but continued to study as a volunteer interpreter of the slave and free black communities at Hampton National Historic Site in Towson from 1987 until 1995. She and her family moved to Cambridge in 1995. In 2009, when in Weldon’s own words, she was “assured my children could make their own sandwiches and not starve,” she resumed her formal studies at Salisbury University, completing her Bachelors degree in 2010.

She began working on her Masters degree that same year, concentrating in free blacks and their communities in antebellum Maryland and Upper South Colonial history. Her current research focuses on free black women on the Eastern Shore, and free blacks and slaves who served in the US Colored Troops.

Currently Weldon volunteers with the Dorchester County Historical Society as a researcher, interpreter of Dorchester County’s rich Black History, and in developing the Society’s outreach programming. She also works for Dr. Lois Narr and as a substitute teacher in the Dorchester County Public Schools.

For more information, please contact the Talbot County Free Library at 410-822-1626.

Julie Barnett, Publicity Chair, Friends of the Talbot County Free Library
410-822-0923
[email protected]

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Forever Stamps, Forever More Expensive this Weekend

January 22, 2014 by Aaron Shier

Many of us do just about everything online these days, including conducting the majority of our correspondence. But snail mail is not dead yet! If you still mail letters, it might be a good time to grab some Forever stamps from the US Postal Service, which are slated to rise from 46 to 49-cents each this weekend.

Read the full story here.

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WC ShorePower Project Kicked Off in Easton

January 21, 2014 by Aaron Shier

The Town Creek Foundation and the Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College today launched the ShorePower Project, an initiative that will help municipalities on Maryland’s Eastern Shore significantly reduce their energy expenditures.

The ShorePower Project aims to replicate in other county seats the success CES achieved with a pilot project in Chestertown. Between 2008 and 2011, Chestertown’s electricity consumption dropped by roughly 300,000-kilowatt hours per year. This amounted to a greater than 11 percent decrease and an avoidance of more than $130,000 annually in costs. It also constituted an overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 200 tons per year.

In the first year of the ShorePower Project, staff will work with partners Cambridge, Easton, Salisbury and Snow Hill. Partnerships with other county seats on the Eastern Shore will be forged in the future.

ShorePower is funded by a $150,000 grant from Easton-based Town Creek Foundation. Established in 1981 by retired printing industry executive Edmund “Ted” Stanley, Town Creek Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation dedicated to a sustainable environment.

The ShorePower Project is being led by Briggs Cunningham, Energy Programs Manager at CES, and Mary Yates, recently hired as ShorePower Project Coordinator. In shaping the program, the two have consulted closely with officials from the Maryland Energy Administration, the Maryland Department of the Environment, and the Maryland Municipal League. Going forward, they will work with agencies and vendors to inventory each municipality’s energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions, develop recommendations for achieving energy savings and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and build capacity for ongoing tracking and evaluation. A 15-member ShorePower Advisory Board, drawn largely from regional experts in environmental science and policy, will help oversee the project.

The ShorePower Project was officially kicked off at an event Friday afternoon, January 17, at the Tidewater Inn in Easton. Speakers included partners from the project plus Abigail Hopper, Director of the Maryland Energy Administration, and Robert Summers, Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment. For more information on the ShorePower Project, please contact Briggs Cunningham at 410.810.7174 or [email protected].

The Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College was founded in 1999 to promote interdisciplinary learning, research and exemplary stewardship of natural and cultural resources. The Center’s educational resources include a Geographic Information Systems lab, a public archeology lab, two research vessels, and the 5,000-acre Chester River Field Research Station.

Kay MacIntosh, Director of Media Relations, Washington College
office: 410-810-7408 cell: 443-480-2363
[email protected]

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Adkins Arboretum Names New Trustees

January 21, 2014 by Aaron Shier

Adkins Arboretum announces the appointment of three members to its Board of Trustees. Darlene Housley, Michael Jensen and Kelly Hardesty Phipps joined the Arboretum Board at its January meeting.

Housley, of Chestertown, served on the Arboretum Board from 2001 to 2007 and was instrumental in expanding the Arboretum’s community events, most notably its holiday caroling celebration. A retired lawyer, she is active in Emmanuel Episcopal Church and in many civic organizations, including Kent County Historical Society, and has been active in the Kent County Garden Club. Her special interests include gardening and historic preservation.

Jensen, of Chestertown, is president and owner of Unity Landscape Design/Build, a landscape design and construction business, and Unity Church Hill Nursery, a garden center and nursery in Church Hill. After studying landscape architecture at Temple University, he launched his business more than 20 years ago with the investment of a single pick-up truck. Today Unity Landscape Design/Build provides design services in addition to permitting, shoreline erosion control and living shoreline installation, and landscape installation and maintenance for residential and commercial properties.

Phipps, of Centreville, served two terms on the Arboretum Board before assuming presidency of the Queen Anne’s County Garden Club in 2010. Active in St. Paul’s Church, Queen Anne’s County Garden Club, Corsica River Yacht Club, Queen Anne’s County Mental Health Committee and Queen Anne’s County Master Gardeners, she is assistant manager of a family-owned restaurant, The Narrows. In her previous term, she was instrumental in expanding the Arboretum’s annual gala, Magic in the Meadow, to be a successful fundraising event.

Located in Caroline County, adjacent to Tuckahoe State Park, Adkins Arboretum is a private partnership between the nonprofit Adkins Arboretum and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The facilities are owned by the state but are operated and financed by the Arboretum under a 50-year lease.

The Arboretum serves residents and travelers in the region with leadership provided by a 17-member Board of Trustees representing Caroline, Kent, Talbot and Queen Anne’s Counties. Through its multi-year Campaign to Build a Green Legacy, it will build the W. Flaccus and Ruth B. Stifel Center at Adkins Arboretum and a “green” entranceway to broaden educational offerings and research initiatives.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. Open year round, the Arboretum offers educational programs for all ages about nature and gardening. Through its Campaign to Build a Green Legacy, it will build the W. Flaccus and Ruth B. Stifel Center at Adkins Arboretum and a “green” entranceway to broaden educational offerings and research initiatives promoting best practices in conservation and land stewardship. For additional information about Arboretum programs, visit www.adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

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Maryland Fire Marshal Provides Winter Heating Safety Tips

January 21, 2014 by Aaron Shier

As Marylanders prepare for another winter weather event, we depend on multiple types of heating sources to stay warm inside our homes. State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci is providing Marylanders life and home saving heating safety tips.

“Heating our homes during these winter weather events presents a potential danger for home fires in Maryland,” according to the Fire Marshal. “Please follow these guidelines, as we work together to reduce the number of residential fires throughout our State.”

• Ensure chimneys are cleaned annually or more frequently if used as the primary heating equipment.
• Use properly sized fireplace screens or enclosures. Never use a flammable liquid to start a fire.
• When disposing of cooled ashes, do not use paper or plastic containers to remove them, instead use a metal container. Ashes will insulate hot embers long after the fire is considered out.
• Make sure fuel burning stoves are installed according to local fire codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Have your furnace inspected and serviced annually.
• Check portable electric heaters for frayed/damaged wires and ensure they are clean and placed on a flat level surface. Use only “listed” appliances by an approved testing laboratory and follow manufacturer’s instructions.
• Do not use extension cords with portable space heaters. The extension cord can overheat and cause a fire.
• If you use kerosene fuel fired heaters, use only “K-1” kerosene fuel. Never fill the unit inside, remove it to the exterior after it has cooled before refueling. Note: Portable kerosene heaters are banned for use in Baltimore City.
• Open a window enough to provide proper ventilation.
• Keep combustibles (furniture, curtains, clothing, paper goods, etc.), at least (3) three feet from all heat sources.
• Fuel burning appliances can produce the deadly, tasteless and odorless gas known as carbon monoxide. Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms inside your home to provide an early warning of carbon monoxide levels.
• Always turn off portable heating equipment when leaving the room for extended periods. Portable heaters should never be operated unattended.

Along with these heating tips, check to make sure your smoke alarms are in good working order. “Take this opportunity to check in on elderly family members and neighbors to ensure they have working smoke alarms and CO detectors, as well as helping them to follow these important fire safety tips,” stated Geraci.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal is an agency of the Department of State Police dedicated to helping protect citizens from fire and explosion through a comprehensive program of education, inspection, investigation and fire protection engineering. For more information on fire safety call 1-800-525-3124, log onto our website at: www.mdsp.org/firemarshal

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MD State Police Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics, This Weekend

January 21, 2014 by Aaron Shier

The temperatures are down, but the tents are up as final preparations are being made for Maryland’s largest and most unusual outdoor winter events set to occur this Friday and Saturday at Sandy Point State Park.

The 18th Annual Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics will be the main event of 2014 Plungefest this weekend, as thousands of warm-hearted people brave the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Their “plunges” will raise money to support year-round sports training and competition provided free to children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Governor Martin O’Malley is set to complete a perfect record of plunging every year since he has been in office. He will be joined by Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel Marcus Brown, Natural Resources Police Superintendent Colonel George Johnson, Anne Arundel County Executive Laura Neuman, and many others as they take a quick dip in the Bay for a great cause.

Plungefest Weekend will begin Friday morning as more than 40 Super Plungers begin their quest to plunge once an hour for 24 hours. At noon Friday, more than 400 police officers are expected to hit the beach in the Police Plunge. Friday afternoon, polar bears from multiple area businesses will participate in the Corporate Plunge.

Sandy Point State Park will open at 8:00 a.m. Saturday to begin welcoming the more than 10,000 who are expected to plunge in the main events, along with their families, friends and a lot of spectators. A kid’s plunge will be held on the beach at 11:00 a.m. The MSP Polar Bear Plunge will occur at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Those interested in registering to plunge, sponsoring a plunger, or learning more about the events are urged to visit www.plungemd.com. Potential plungers can also register on-site the day of the plunge. Plungers are asked to raise a minimum of $75 for Special Olympics. They will receive an official Plunge sweatshirt, will qualify for other great prizes, and will know they have helped thousands of Marylanders with intellectual disabilities realize their full potential.

Plungefest is free and open to the public. The Carnival Funfest tent will be filled with a 40-ton sand sculpture, along with vendors selling food and other products. The Rams Head Live tent will feature live music all day long. The 98Rock Hot Spot tent will also have music and an assortment of vendors. There will be a variety of other sights to see and locations to visit throughout the Plungefest venue.

Plungers and spectators are urged to use the free Polar Express shuttle service, which is available at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium, Anne Arundel Community College, and Kent Island High School. There will be no general parking at Sandy Point. All those parking at the park must have a pass issued by Special Olympics.

Alcohol is not permitted in the venue except in three specific areas. Security will be in place to ensure the alcohol restrictions are adhered to. Plungefest is hosted by the Maryland Park Service. All visiting the park are urged to respect the venue and help preserve the park by obeying all rules and respecting this great natural resource.

Plungefest is produced by Special Olympics Maryland with assistance from a team of law enforcement agencies, business sponsors, and committed citizens. The event is part of the Maryland Law Enforcement Torch Run, which coordinates year-round events to support Special Olympics. Special Olympics is the adopted charity of law enforcement worldwide. Law Enforcement Torch Run programs exist and support Special Olympics in all 50 states and 45 foreign countries.

Maryland State Police Press Release

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Pre-Concert Lectures Offered for BSO Concerts

January 18, 2014 by Aaron Shier

Growing in popularity at the Chesapeake College, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra concerts are the pre-concert lectures. They feature Matthew Spivey, BSO vice president of artistic operations, and the conductor or soloist for the evening’s concert. Spivey leads a lively discussion followed by questions from the audience.

These lectures offer insights into the evening’s program. Spivey said, “They provide a special opportunity to hear our world-class guest artists provide unique understanding of the works we are about to hear. I enjoy asking them questions and getting a behind -the-scenes perspective on what makes these concerts so exciting.”

As BSO vice president of artistic operations, Spivey manages all aspects of artistic planning and execution for the orchestra. He has worked with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Spivey studied clarinet performance at the New England conservatory of Music. He also holds an Executive MBA from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Spivey’s lectures start at 7PM on the evening of the performance and seating is open. The next BSO concert is Friday, 8PM, January 24 featuring Mozart’s Horn concerto No. 3 with Philip Munds as soloist. The orchestra will also perform Mozart’s Symphony No. 25 “Little G minor,” the Overture to the Marriage of Figaro, and Symphony No. 58, the “Prague.” The guest conductor is Joshua Weilerstein.

Tickets are $40 and $10 for students. They can be purchased at the door or call 410 827 5867.

Baltimore Symphony concerts at Chesapeake College are presented by the Mid-Shore Symphony Society and supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council, the Talbot County Arts Council and the Kent County Arts Council .

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Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake Celebrates Mentoring Month

January 17, 2014 by Aaron Shier

January is National Mentoring Month and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake (BBBSGC) is not only celebrating their many volunteers but challenging others in the community to get involved to help improve the life of local children. There are many different ways to get involved; become mentor, volunteer to serve on a committee or participate in one of the many exciting special events throughout the year such as Bowl for Kids’ Sake, The Biggest Little Tailgate, Golf for Kids’ Sake or MentorZing.

“Big Brothers Big Sisters carefully pairs children who are facing adversity with volunteer mentors who have passed a screening process”, said Jessica Mimms, Eastern Shore Director. “Through the mentoring relationship, families, children and mentors continue to have access to professional support and trainings to help them succeed.”

Research shows Mentoring Works! Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Survey™ (YOS) data finds that 94 percent of Littles in the community-based program maintained or improved their avoidance toward risky behaviors. Eighty-eight percent maintained or improved their parental trust, and 83 percent maintained or improved their scholastic competence.

Several Eastern Shore counties have recognized January 2014 as National Mentoring Month. Wicomico, Worcester, Dorchester, Somerset, Queen Anne’s and Kent Counties have all presented proclamations to BBBSGC. These proclamations encourage county residents to “Be Someone Who Matters to Someone Who Matters.”

Show your support for your local BBBSGC agency on social media at www.facebook.com/BBBSES and www.twitter.com/BigBroBigSis_ES.

Big Brother Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake is a nonprofit, youth development organization which is committed to help children reach their fullest potential through professionally supported, one-to-one mentoring relationships and a full range of youth programs with measurable impact. The programs are tailored to the needs of the children and the availability of volunteers. To become a mentor, or to volunteer for any of our events please call 410 543-2447 or visit www.biglittle.org.

Alex Schardt
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake
410-543-2447
[email protected]

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Tips For Parents: Does Addiction Run in the Family?

January 17, 2014 by Aaron Shier

According to Talbot Partnership for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention, one of the most common questions raised is: Why do some people get addicted while others do not?

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), no single factor can predict whether a person will become addicted to drugs. Risk for addiction is influenced by a combination of factors that include individual biology, social environment, and age or stage of development. The more risk factors an individual has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction. For example:

Biology. The genes that people are born with—in combination with environmental influences—account for about half of their addiction vulnerability.

Environment. A person’s environment includes many different influences, from family and friends to socioeconomic status and quality of life in general. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, stress, and quality of parenting can greatly influence the occurrence of drug abuse and the escalation to addiction in a person’s life.

Development. Genetic and environmental factors interact with critical developmental stages in a person’s life to affect addiction vulnerability. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it will progress to more serious abuse.

So what are some things you can do to prevent your child from going down the wrong path?

· Tell your child about the family history of alcohol and/or drug abuse and addiction.

· Set boundaries and monitor behavior.

· Model positive and healthy behavior.

· Help your children learn to regulate their emotions.

· Encourage overall good health.

· Be there.

· Lock Your Meds.

· Eat dinner together at least four times a week, or as often as possible.

· Get to know the parents of your children’s friends.

For further information on the dangers of alcohol and other drugs, contact Talbot Partnership at 410-819-8067. Please also visit our website at www.talbotpartnership.org or find us on Facebook.

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Maryland Legislature to Consider Rescission of 1860s Pro-Slavery Law

January 16, 2014 by Aaron Shier

Some Maryland lawmakers say they are seeking to correct a past wrong, and want to repeal a pro-slavery law that remains in effect after more than 150 years.

The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ended slavery in the United States, but the initial proposed 13th Amendment – called the Corwin Amendment – would have done just the opposite.

The Corwin Amendment, named after politician Thomas Corwin of Ohio, would have permanently prevented Congress from overriding state slavery laws.

The Corwin Amendment was approved by Congress in 1861, and was ratified by Maryland the following year. However, the outbreak and outcome of the Civil War prevented it from ever becoming the law of the land.

Maryland and Ohio were the only two states to ratify the amendment through legislative vote. Illinois ratified the amendment by constitutional convention, which was ultimately considered invalid because ratification required state legislative approval. While Ohio rescinded the law in the 1860s, Maryland’s acceptance of the amendment has yet to be overturned.

Shannon Welch, a Chevy Chase native who is now a senior at Wesleyan University, in Middletown, Conn., stumbled across the Corwin Amendment during a summer internship at the Center for Legislative Archives in Washington, D.C. She said she read about Ohio’s ratification and recission of the measure and was curious about Maryland’s connection to the amendment. When she discovered that her home state had not rescinded the 152-year old law, she took action.

One of the people she reached out to was her state senator, Brian Frosh, D-Montgomery County. Frosh, a Wesleyan University graduate, agreed to initiate the legislation to rescind Maryland’s ratification of the measure.

“I contacted him on a whim,” Welch, 21, said. “I sent an email to multiple state representatives to see why this had never been overturned, and Senator Frosh emailed me back.”

Frosh, who is running for state attorney general, said, “We ought to put Maryland on the right side of history.”

He does not anticipate any problems getting the bill passed.

“I don’t believe this will be a heavy lift.” Frosh said.

Delegate Curt Anderson, D-Baltimore, Delegate Jill Carter, D-Baltimore and Delegate Joseph F. Vallario, Jr., a Southern Maryland Democrat, are sponsoring the bill in the House of Delegates.

To supporters, the measure to rescind the pro-slavery law has little to do with legality and more to do with legacy.

“The Corwin Amendment is an amendment that failed, therefore any efforts to undo it at this point, is symbolic,” said Jonathan L. Entin, a professor of law and political science at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. “I believe that the legislators in Maryland are saying, ‘We are embarrassed that our past legislators did this ridiculous thing, and we want to set the records straight.’”

Entin said that it is common for legislators to correct past laws that conflict the liberties afforded by the U.S. Constitution. “Massachusetts did not ratify the Bill of Rights until 1939, it was also symbolic.” Entin said.

He explained that the symbolism lies in the fact that the U.S. Constitution has a supremacy clause through which federal laws supersede state laws. For this reason, the 13th Amendment, which ended slavery, applies to every state. In another example, Entin also referenced an Alabama interracial marriage ban that was not repealed until 2000.

“It doesn’t matter what the Alabama Constitution says. If Alabama had tried to enforce that provision, it could have been tried in court and the U.S. Constitution would prevail.” Entin said.

Capital News Service

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