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September 22, 2023

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

Spy Highlights

Let Us Now Praise Footner’s Rivers of the Eastern Shore: A Chat with Author Tom Horton

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No doubt, the last thing Tom Horton wanted to add to his long list of projects was another writing assignment. The author, filmmaker, college professor, and environmental journalist certainly had enough on his plate to justify turning down an invitation last year to write the forward to the second edition of Hulbert Footner’s “Rivers of the Eastern Shore.”

But, as noted in his Spy Zoom interview last week, Tom made clear he had no option but to accept the offer. For the entire span of Horton’s career as an environmental writer, starting with his work for the Baltimore Sun, Hulbert Footner’s “Rivers” has been one of those indispensable bibles of knowledge of not only one of the world’s most unique collection of rivers but an authentic and candid guidebook in understanding the Eastern Shore’s land and people as well.

As the Spy and the Talbot Historical Society team up next Wednesday at the Talbot County Free Library to host Karen Footner (Hulbert’s granddaughter who helped with the 2nd edition release), and Eastern Shore Dennis Forney (publisher emeritus of the Cape Gazette) for a special reading of the work, we asked Tom to give us a bit of background on why this book was so important to him and why he urges so many of his fellow Eastern Shore neighbors to have it on their bookshelves.

This video is approximately five minutes in length.

Celebration of 2rd Edition of “Rivers of the Eastern Shore” by Hulbert Footner
Readings by Karen Footner and Writer Dennis Forney
Talbot County Free Library – Easton
September 27, 2023 1 pm
Free admission

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Epic Tales, Lost Causes and New Perspectives on Tap at the Chesapeake Forum

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Suzanne Sanders and John Miller

Join Chesapeake Forum the week of October 3d for epic stories, lost causes and new perspectives.  The week kicks off with Savoring Shakespeare’s King Lear and The Lost Cause Mythology on October 3rd, followed by New Aspects of the War of 1812 on October 4th. 

Join instructors Suzanne Sanders and John Miller on Tuesday, October 3rd from 1-2:30 pm for the first of this Savoring Shakespeare series and the tragic tale of the old King who tried to put a price tag on his daughter’s love.  Over five weeks, the class will explore several of Shakespeare’s works at a relaxed pace,  reading together, discussing plot, themes, and sharing personal reactions.  The main direction of the classes will be decided by participants’ interests.

Savoring Shakespeare’s King Lear is five sessions Tuesday, October 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 from 1-2:30 PM.  $50.00. In person at the Easton Family YMCA.  To register, visit https://chesapeakeforum.org.

If Shakespeare’s not your thing, how about a lost cause?  In the Lost Cause Mythology,  Tuesday, October 3rd from 10-11:30 AM, Dominick “Mickey” Terrone examines the post-war effort to reframe the Confederate’s Civil War defeat in the best possible light. Over three sessions, Terrone will detail how the initial concept was identified and developed as a southern narrative written by former Confederates and eventually, their following generations. He will identify the major tenets and discuss how and why that version was preferred by those authors. He will show how novelists, poets, songwriters, and movie makers added to the distorted, heroic picture of the war and the antebellum South. Finally, he will cover the long-term impacts of the Lost Cause on the collective memories of the large majority of Americans today and how the Civil War still has significant relevance in the political life of Americans.

The Lost Cause Mythology is three sessions, Tuesday, October 3, 10 and 17 from 10-11:30 a.m.  $30.00.  HYBRID (in person at the Easton Family YMCA or via ZOOM).  To register,  visit https://chesapeakeforum.org.

In the years before the Civil War, the most significant battle of the young U.S. may have been the forgotten and under-appreciated War of 1812. In “New Aspects of the War of 1812”, on Wednesday, October 4th from 1-2:30 PM, William S. Dudley, former Director of the Naval History and Heritage Command and author of several books about the naval history of the war,  looks at how a woefully unprepared U.S. prevailed in an unequal fight with Great Britain, at that time, the most professional army on earth.  The War of 1812 constituted an existential crisis for our young nation. Considering the odds against the U.S., it was less a matter of winning outright than of surviving and outlasting a larger, more experienced enemy. This is a rare opportunity to look closely at a period of our history that some might say was pivotal to the building of the American nation.

New Aspects of the War of 1812 is two sessions, Wednesday, October 4 and 11 from 1-2:30 PM.  $30.  HYBRID (in person at the Easton Family YMCA or via ZOOM).  To register, visit https://chesapeakeforum.org.

The Chesapeake Forum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing lifelong learning opportunities to residents of the Eastern Shore.  To receive Chesapeake Forum’s newsletter, please send your name and contact information, including mailing address, to [email protected].

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Mid-Shore Education: Facing the Challenge of Maryland’s Blueprint with QAC Superintendent Patricia Saelens

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As part of our ongoing conversations about public education on the Mid-Shore, we sat down with Queen Anne’s County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Patricia Saelens, last month for an update of that county’s challenges and opportunities as one of the most robust public school systems in the state of Maryland.

One example of this distinction was the news this week that U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona recognized Church Hill Elementary School and Matapeake Elementary School as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2023. Those two schools beat out more than 9,000 schools nationwide to make that list. 

That kind of recognition is common for QAC schools. Year after year, the school district continues outperforming other schools on both the Eastern and Western Shore. 

And yet, as Dr. Saelens notes in our Spy interview, it’s not always peachy even in QAC. After taking the job in the middle of the COVID crisis, which Saelens considers the most challenging years of her professional life, she and her peers are still having to find their way in negotiating the unanticipated challenges that have come with the implication of the state’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. In our chat, the superintendent highlights the positives and negatives of the multi-billion dollar effort to improve public education, including the funding formula and its impact on county budgeting.

 

This video is approximately ten minutes in length.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

CFF Spotlight: A Passion for Oysters with Filmmaker Dave Harp

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It didn’t take long for Dave Harp and his long-time cohorts, Tom Horton and Sandy Cannon-Brown, to come up with the title of their new documentary film on Chesapeake oysters. While sharing drinks at a local bar, it was declared that the film’s goal was to document and pass along the incredible passion for oysters on the Eastern Shore.

And that is what was accomplished in “A Passion for Oysters,” which will be shown at the Chesapeake Film Festival on September 30th and a few weeks later in Cambridge.

By showcasing the strong passion found in the watermen, scientific, and environmental communities, the 45-minute film gives the audience reason for encouragement as all three important segments work together as never before to save Maryland’s oyster and its unique culture.

The Spy sat down with Dave last week at the Spy studio to hear about the film and, yes, his passion for oysters.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. To attend the world premiere please find tickets and more information here.

 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Both Sides Now: A Proposed Chesapeake National Recreation Area with Jim Lighthizer and Rob Newberry

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Not too long ago, Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen and State Senator Paul Sarbanes fulfilled the long-lasting aspirations of many of the state’s most devoted conservationists by submitting for Congress’s approval a proposal to create a Chesapeake National Recreation Area.

According to the lawmakers, CNRA will increase diverse public access to the Chesapeake Bay and strengthen the culture of stewardship across the region. Additionally, the CNRA will highlight the stories that often go untold – those of Indigenous peoples, free and enslaved Blacks; the role the Bay played in the earliest days of the Maryland and Virginia Colonies; the critical part the Bay has played, and continues to play, in the region’s economy; and the story of watermen and -women who are essential to the economic success and health of the Bay region.

As part of the Spy’s mission to provide different viewpoints on issues that directly impact the Mid-Shore’s quality of life and ecological health, we asked Dorchester County’s Jim Lighthizer, who originally proposed this designation in the 1980s. At the same time, he served as Anne Arundel County Executive and Queen Anne’s County’s Captain Rob Newberry, chair of the Delmarva Fisheries Association, an outspoken opponent of the pending legislature, to offer their unique points of view.

Jim Lighthizer

Rob Newberry

 

 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

QAC to Experiment with Ramp Closures to Head Off Route 50 Beach Traffic

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Those who drive with Google Maps turned on will be familiar with this scenario; caught up in a hopeless traffic jam, your map app pops up with the enticing message that you might save 20 minutes of this mess if you exit and follow the side road to avoid congestion.

That happens almost every weekend along Route 50 in Queen Anne’s County. As the traffic from the beach to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge slows to a halt as cars wait their turn to cross the western span, hundreds of smartphones go off, telling drivers to detour to the parallel Route 18 to save time.

Many of those drivers do save a few minutes, but the consequences of having those cars in this secondary road are becoming a nightmare for the almost 30,000 residents in the area who need that state highway for their everyday needs.

From grocery shopping to children’s soccer games, the Kent Island community is finding itself increasingly isolated for sometimes hours at a time as Route 18 fills up with beach traffic.

To combat this significant impact on quality of life and safety, Queen Anne’s County is now working with the Maryland State Highway Administration and Maryland Transportation Authority to experiment with temporary closings of the most popular exit points along Route 50 to measure its impact.

The Spy asked Queen Anne’s County Commissioner Jim Moran and County Administrator Todd Mohn to provide more details about the September weekend tests.

This video is approximately 6 minutes in length.

This is the offficel QAC press release:

Temporary Ramp Closures Planned in Queen Anne’s County along US 50/301

In a joint effort with the Maryland State Highway Administration and Maryland Transportation Authority, we are excited to announce a new initiative to help keep summer beach traffic on US 50/301.  This new pilot program is aimed at enhancing traffic flow and ensuring the safety and mobility for local services by reducing congestion on MD Route 18 and other adjacent local roadways. Following the success of a similar program in Anne Arundel County earlier this summer, Queen Anne’s County in partnership with the Maryland State Highway Administration and Maryland Transportation Authority, will be launching this program on the eastern shore which will close or restrict access onto US 50/301 from several on-off ramps along the heavily traveled corridor.

The temporary entrance ramp closures are scheduled to begin in mid-September.

County Commissioner Jim Moran expressed his enthusiasm for the program, saying, “we understand the impact these unprecedented traffic backups are causing the citizens of Queen Anne’s County and we remain committed to finding solutions to alleviate some of the impacts to our residents. The County has been working on our own “Beach to Bridge Plan” and are pleased to be partners with the state to be in a proactive position to launch our own pilot. This has been a complicated exercise as we have 15 ramps along a 9 mile stretch of US 50/301. We also have the Kent Narrows, multiple shopping centers, gas/convenience stores, and schools to take into consideration. Comparing our situation to Anne Arundel County’s 2.5 mile corridor with 3 ramps has made our proposal more challenging and we understand that refinements will be likely be needed going forward.  After this year’s pilot program is concluded, we are planning to hold some Town Hall meetings to receive comments and suggestions that can help us all prepare for next year’s beach traffic season”.

To ensure smooth travel during the closure period, drivers are encouraged to plan their routes ahead of time. Visitors heading to or from the beach are advised to stay on Route 50, which will remain unaffected by the ramp closures.

Queen Anne’s County and the State Highway Administration are working diligently on the final details of the program. Prior to its official launch, comprehensive information about the closures and alternative routes will be released. This will enable residents to plan their travels during the affected period and minimize any potential inconveniences.

To stay updated on the latest developments and receive timely announcements regarding the temporary entrance ramp closures, residents are encouraged to follow Queen Anne’s County Government on social media @QACGOV and visit the official website at www.qac.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Al Silverstein on Scott Wagner’s Flyer Campaign Against Bob Willey

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Three weeks ago, the most controversial issue in the Easton Council President election race might have been whether or not the city would continue to offer free EV charging stations in the downtown area. With only five days left before the September 12th election, things are decidedly different now.

Over the last week or so, flyers attacking former Easton mayor Bob Willey, now seeking the Town Council president position, have been mailed to every household in town. Clearly marked as being sponsored by Talbot County resident Scott Wagner, some in the community have quickly tied Mr. Wagner’s negative campaign to Al Silverstein, former Easton Council member and also current candidate for Easton Town Council.

Given the general public concern over the flyer campaign, the Spy asked Al Silverstein to come by the Spy Studio today to respond to questions related to his relationship with Mr. Wagner directly.

This video is approximately four minutes in length.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Community is Invited to 9/11 Day of Remembrance Ceremony

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The Easton Economic Development Corporation (Easton EDC) along with community partners the Town of Easton, the Talbot County Government, Talbot County Department of Emergency Services and the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals invite the public to a Day of Remembrance Ceremony on September 11, 2023.

Throughout the summer, volunteers have been working together to help strengthen relationships between members of the community by supporting projects that exemplified the theme, “We Are One: Community Supporting Community.” The project is one of many across the country that will pay tribute to the individuals lost and injured on September 11, 2001, as well as honor the first responders and the many others who have risen to service in a crisis. The purpose of this awareness effort is to empower the general public to be caring, responsive community members should their fellow citizens need their support and to be mindful of the work of first responders in their community. The Day of Remembrance ceremony concludes the summer events.

“Easton is a resilient community, one that has supported its citizens through hundreds of years, through the good and the challenging times,” remarked Mayor Megan Cook. “I am proud of the summer-long project that helped our neighbors get to know each other and reinforce the idea that everyone will reach out and lend a hand across the city in times of need.”

Projects throughout the year included citizen responder trainings, a community mosaic project, community conversations, and creation of downtown banners illustrating the theme.

“We are so grateful to be in  such a supportive community. Teaching our community how to keep themselves and their neighbors safe is the first step in making our community resilient and able to endure whatever may come our way,” Geneva Schaffle, Emergency Management Coordinator, adds.

This year’s ceremony will incorporate volunteers from several local towns in the area, including the Easton Middle School Band and representatives from the Talbot County School system, local law enforcement officers and fire department volunteers, and members of local churches. Keynote speaker and Talbot County Council Vice President Pete Lesher will remark on the significance of the annual ceremony to the Easton community. Following the ceremony, the public is invited to a reception at the Talbot County Free Library which will feature works of art created by program participants.

“We Are One: Caring for our Community” is funded through The Arc of The United States through a sub-grant from Ameri-Corps, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service and leads the nation’s volunteer efforts for Patriot Day and the national 9-11 Day of Service and Remembrance Project.

The ceremony will take place at the Service Memorial on the corner of West and Dover Streets in Easton, MD with a 8:30 am commencement. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to the Talbot County Free Library on Dover Street.

Event website: https://discovereaston.com/weareone/

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Mid-Shore Education: Learning Leadership at the Summer S.T.E.M. Camp

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For several years now, the Spy has worked with Summer S.T.E.M camp volunteer coordinator Bob DeGour to profile some of the outstanding local high school students who lead this unique summer program. While the mission of the STEM camp itself is reason to put the spotlight on this innovative program, which encourages local elementary school students to spend part of their summer break to learn more about science and math, this project has always had an equally impressive impact on the rising juniors and seniors to run every aspect of the camp’s program.

From curriculum development to fundraising, these high school students are given full control over of the summer camp. While DeGour helps by offering advice to these young leaders, it was always Bob’s intention to give maximum autonomy to his leadership team to encourage self-reliance, creativity and ultimately the confidence needed to not only enrich the lives of the participants but adopt life lessons for the future.

And after five summer terms, those young leaders have taken that experience and applied to their own personal goals. Several have them have gone on to be admitted to the Naval Academy or been accepted at some of the most competitive undergraduate colleges and universities in the country.

This year, the Spy sat down with Nathan Henckel and Ariyonna Dodd to talk briefly about the 2023 camp year and its impact on both their younger students and their own personal development.

The STEM Camp is co-sponsored by the YMCA of the Chesapeake and Talbot County Public Schools.

This video is approximately three minutes in length. To learn more about the Naval Academy Summer S.T.E.M camp program please visit their Facebook page here.

 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Mid-Shore Ecosystem: One Last Chance to Hold Off a Big Box at Kent Narrows

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Recent initiatives to seek critical area allocations on the Mid-Shore are finding significant pushback from citizens worried that they are contrary to the spirit of County comprehensive plans created to protect important habitats.

In one recent example, the Poplar Hill Farm development in Easton, which had plans for more than 400 homes, was withdrawn last month after the developer faced strong community opposition to using critical area allocations to build out a residential development.

And last week, there was a similar debate in Queen Anne’s County on how those allocations would be used. In this case, the question of the table was a proposal to provide allowances for a 150,000-square-foot storage facility at Kent Narrows to be built.

In the second of two formal reviews in front of the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners, the applicant sought final approval for the structure after the first review resulted in a 5-1 vote in favor of the development project.

In public comments at the August 8 meeting, Bib Zillig, a citizen advocate against the proposal, once again made his case by reminding the commissioners that the proposed land use was contrary to the spirit of the QAC Comprehensive plan. Zillig and several other environmental advocates outlined the fallout of overdevelopment, swelling traffic, and stressed infrastructure to these ambitious undertakings.

In response, the Commissioners asked QAC Department of Planning & Zoning County’s Planning and Zoning staff Amy Moredock and Stephanie Jones, who helped coordinate the latest update of the comprehensive plan, their analysis of the proposed use.

They reported that the project aligned with the comp plan, particularly concerning stormwater management. They further stated that the applicant’s proposal had minimal need for sewage capacity, and that the project documented a commitment of the developer to exceed minimum zoning standards.

It is anticipated a final decision on the application will be made at the next County Commissioners meeting.

The Spy captured both points of view to share with our readers.

This video is approximately 8 minutes in length.

 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.