Spy Desk

Tidewater Singers to Hold Auditions for “Considering Matthew Shepard”

November 11, 2019 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The Tidewater Singers will hold auditions on November 11, 16 and 18 for singers and dancers to perform in Craig Hella Johnson’s, “Considering Matthew Shepard.” The oratorio will be presented on April 24 and 25 at Chesapeake College, in collaboration with the college’s theatre and music departments.

Singing auditions will be held on November 11 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm, and singing and dancing auditions will be held on November 16 from 10:00 am to noon in Chesapeake College Cadby Theater. Singing auditions will also be held on November 18 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm at Easton Church of the Brethren.

Singers should prepare a one-minute solo. They may sing unaccompanied or with piano, providing sheet music in the correct key. Dancers may prepare a 30-second solo or work with the choreographer on movement. Contact William Thomas at wthomas@chesapeake.edu with questions.

Under the direction of William Thomas, the Tidewater Singers is a choral ensemble based in Talbot County. The group was founded in 2001 with the goal of bringing varied and exciting quality music to the Eastern Shore.

The Tidewater Singers gratefully acknowledges the funding it has received from the Talbot County Arts Council and the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.

At the Trippe: Looking Back at Pan American Airlines

November 7, 2019 by Spy Desk 1 Comment

There’s an ancestral relation between Nanny Trippe of The Trippe Gallery and Juan Trippe, founder of Pan American Airways. This Saturday the gallery will be hosting a book signing by the authors of PanAm: Personal Tributes to a Global Pioneer from 12-3 pm. In 1927, Pan American Airways was modestly launched with a contract to fly the U.S. Mail from Key West to Havana, Cuba.

During 2017, friends and supporters of Pan Am commemorated this landmark event with the publication of a special 90th Anniversary volume that looks back at the history of the airline that helped mold the international commercial airline industry of today. A true collector’s item, this commemorative book contains more than 80 stories written by former Pan Am employees and international media friends who had personal experience with many of Pan Am’s key events during its history. The anthology recounts the history of Pan Am from its first flight to its very last.

Author Jeff Kriendler joined Pan Am in 1968 after graduation from Cornell University where he later lectured. Following a broad avenue of experience spanning in-flight services and public relations, he was named VP-Corporate Communications in 1982, remaining in that post until Pan Am’s demise in 1991. He is Contributing Editor for Airways Magazine and has produced three airline employee anthologies on Pan Am, Eastern Air Lines and Trans World Airlines. His 50-year career in aviation has provided painful lessons in Crisis Communications. He is Chairman of the Communications Committee of the Pan Am Historical Foundation.

James P. Baldwin is an author, speaker and consultant in the airline industry. With over 30-years experience in commercial aviation, he lectures on aviation matters around the globe. Mr. Baldwin is the author of The Evolution of the Airline Industry: Regulation, Events and Influencing Factors, Pan American World Airways – Images of a Great Airline and the blog “The Pan Am Series”. He also co-edited Pan American World Airways – Aviation History through the Words of its People with Jeff Kriendler. A retired Commander from the U.S. Naval Reserve, Mr. Baldwin obtained his J.D. Degree at the American University Washington College of Law and his A.B. Degree in International Relations at the University of Southern California.

For more information or to reserve a copy please call 410-310-8727, tripphilder@icloud.com

Town Creek Foundation’s Stuart Clarke Signs on with UM’s Center for Environmental Science

October 30, 2019 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) announces the hiring of Stuart Clarke as its new Vice President of Strategic Initiatives.

“I am delighted that Stuart Clarke will join us as our new Vice President for Strategic Initiatives,” said Peter Goodwin, president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. “Stuart is a highly respected environmental leader with 25 years of philanthropic experience. I am confident that his passion and professional commitment to the environment combined with his extensive experience will translate into profound benefits for our research, impact in Maryland and beyond, and the entire UMCES community.”

University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science/Cheryl Nemazie.

In addition to playing a pivotal role in identifying partners and funding opportunities and diversifying funding sources, the Vice President for Strategic Initiatives will be responsible for coordinating traditional institutional advancement activities with a primary focus on UMCES’ Strategic Initiatives that address pressing environmental issues, including research challenges surrounding coastal resilience, sustainable landscapes and seascapes, changing oceans and climate, and healthy urban waterfronts

“I am pleased to welcome Stuart Clarke,” said Charlie Monk, partner at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr and chair of the UMCES Board of Visitors. “I am confident that Stuart’s long-standing experience in the environmental community will assist our Board in advancing the interests of our world-class environmental institution. ”

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, a globally eminent research institution advancing scientific knowledge of the environment, is one of the 12 institutions that make up the University System of Maryland. Its scientists work from a network of research laboratories across the state to understand and discover solutions to environmental challenges in the Chesapeake Bay and around the world and to provide the scientific basis for policymakers and civic leaders to address pressing issues, from sustaining healthy crab and oyster fisheries to protecting coastal communities from sea-level rise.

Clark begins his position December 2. He is responsible for coordinating traditional institutional advancement activities with a primary focus on team science initiatives with foundations, NGOs, inter-governmental bodies, and the private sector.

“I am very excited to join UMCES’ leadership team at this critical time,” said Stuart Clarke. “Given the profound environmental challenges that we face as a state, a nation, and a globe, strong, sound science may be more valuable than it has ever been. I am eager to get to work helping to expand and strengthen UMCES’ partnerships and to support UMCES’ scientists in their critical work.”

Before joining UMCES, Clarke served as the Executive Director of the Town Creek Foundation, a private philanthropic foundation dedicated to a sustainable environment. His previous philanthropic experience includes assignments as a Program Officer with the Turner Foundation managing a grant-making portfolio including national water quality protection and environmental and as Development Director of the Southern Partners Fund supporting social justice organizing in the South. He has also served as co-chair of the Maryland Climate Commission that provides governance for State initiatives to address climate change and as a trustee for Greenpeace USA.

Clarke is currently a Trustee of the Maryland Institute College of Art; the Blue Mountain Center, an artist and activist retreat center in the Adirondack Mountains; and the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers. He formerly served as director of the Environmental Grantmakers Association.

He served as Assistant Professor of Political Science at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts; as the Director of the Atlanta Outward Bound Center; and as the Chief Operating Officer of Hands On Network, a national network of community-based centers for volunteerism and civic action.

He received an undergraduate degree in Government and Law from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania and a graduate degree in political science from Yale University.

Op-Ed: Thriving – Not Simply Surviving – in the Delmarva Oasis by Jim Bass

October 29, 2019 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Last weekend we at Eastern Shore Land Conservancy held our annual Party to Preserve where we discussed Delmarva Oasis, an initiative to protect 50% of the Delmarva Peninsula we love and call home by the year 2030. Protecting land –specifically placing low-lying and waterfront properties in easements to limit future development – is critical to the future of Delmarva as flooding episodes such as this increase in frequency and severity.

The timing of this year’s Party to Preserve was fitting as many attendees had difficulty traveling due to exceptionally high tidal flooding. Across the Shore you may have noticed this if you drove on low-lying roads, tried to visit a waterfront business, own property own or near the water, or have friends or family who meet any of the above criteria. I think that almost every person on the Eastern Shore falls into one of those categories. This was a widespread flooding event which impacted our whole region, and without a drop of rain fallen.

Maryland’s Eastern Shore is the nation’s third-most vulnerable region to the threats of sea level rise, following south Florida and coastal Louisiana. As this type of flooding becomes deeper and more chronic, the region’s existing vulnerabilities will only become worse. Shorelines will fail, school and work commutes will be disrupted more frequently, vehicles will corrode, and infrastructure will be weakened. Flooding from hurricanes and tropical storms will also become worse in the future as sea level rise drives storm surge further inland. All of which reinforces the necessity for a widespread land preservation effort like Delmarva Oasis to ensure that nature is allowed to play its role in protecting our communities and our lives.

It’s not fair to say that recent flooding is a complete and direct result of climate change. The moon was almost entirely full which pulls tides higher than normal. Tropical Storm Melissa, well out into the Atlantic Ocean, was large enough to drive Chesapeake Bay waters higher than normal and prevent some of the tide’s regular ebbing. But we would be naïve to think that sea level rise is not playing a major role in the increased impacts of flooding that we are experiencing today. Tides today are a foot higher than they were a century ago, and that number is growing increasingly every day. Sea level rise is not an abstract concept for future community planning – it is a concrete, measurable phenomenon occurring right now which is impacting our lives and those of waterfront community members across the country.

Protecting fifty percent of Delmarva means utilizing conserved and protected lands and open spaces as protective barriers between our towns and the flood hazards which surround us. Fifty percent of Delmarva means investment not only in natural resources, but also the space we need to thrive as a vibrant community on the Eastern Shore. Fifty percent of Delmarva means towns and people as well as land.

To build this Delmarva Oasis in the face of climate change and sea level rise, ESLC is engaging government partners at the local and state level to bring funding and resources to the region which will result in safe, adaptive, and resilient communities now and in the future. We are working with property owners across the region to consider their vulnerability and identify adaptation solutions. And we are building partnerships with local businesses to ensure that the economic base of the Eastern Shore, rooted in agriculture and small business, remains strong and competitive. But this is not enough. To build true regional resilience and preserve a vibrant Eastern Shore, we must have full engagement from all residents and community members to protect what we love and value. We must identify the things worth protecting, the things that make us unique, and use them as a guide and inspiration for building resilience and ensuring a future where we thrive, not simply survive, here on the Eastern Shore.

Jim Bass is the Coastal Resilience Program Manager for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

Talbot County Women’s Club Offers “Chopped Talbot” October 27-30

October 29, 2019 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The Talbot County Women’s Club is holding a series of monthly fundraisers called “Chopped Talbot” which features six local restaurants competing to be named the “Chopped Champion.” The first restaurant to participate will be Osteria Alfredo October 27-30th. There is a $60.00 charge per guest at each venue and includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. Contest will run through May 12, 2020 with the winner announced after that. For additional information and tickets, go here.

Money raised will support the Club’s mission to give back to the community. Previous projects have included backpacks for middle-schoolers, baskets of food for the Department of Aging, donating to Interfaith Shelter, etc.

Golfers raise $45,010 at Birdies for Benedictine Charity Golf Tournament

October 22, 2019 by Spy Desk

Golfers hit the greens during Benedictine’s Charity Golf Tournament at Talbot Country Club, Oct. 18. Left to right: Benedictine Board of Trustees President, Charley Mills, Paul Pantano, and Benedictine Board of Directors President, Tom Collamore.

Over 60 golfers participated in Benedictine’s annual Charity Golf Tournament held on Friday, Oct. 18 at the Talbot Country Club in Easton, Md., raising $45,010 in support of Benedictine’s mission to help children and adults with developmental disabilities achieve their greatest potential. Funds raised directly support the organization’s programs and services that provide community-based learning opportunities for over 150 adults as well as on-campus functional academics for the School’s 60 students.

“For over 30 years this event has helped to raise more than $1 million dollars and we couldn’t be more grateful for the support of the players, sponsors, and the friends of Benedictine who come out to play year-after-year,” said Foundation Director, Barry Smale.

The tournament was co-chaired by Tom Collamore, President of the Board of Directors and Larry Hoffman, past President of the Board.

Players took home goodie bags that included a custom golf hat made by Benedictine’s graphics department, the organizations on-campus print and embroidery shop that provides vocational training for people with disabilities, thanks in part to the events presenting sponsor, PNC Bank. Support from various community partners included: Insurance Solutions, Fred Frederick Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Tri Gas & Oil, J.M. Mullen

Electrical Services, Inc., PK Law, American Legion Caroline Post 29, and Harris Crab house that donated a bushel of crabs for a crab-feast raffle.

The day on the greens ended with a reception at the venue’s outdoor patio which included drinks and a seafood spread followed by dinner in the River Room prepared by Executive Chef, David Hayes. Taking home the winner’s cup was the foursome: Matthew Bradley, Matt McDougal, Dave Mummert, and Wes Sims.

Op-Ed: Kirwan Funding Workgroup Final Recommendations by Laura Price

October 21, 2019 by Spy Desk

By now, I hope that you have heard about what Kirwan is. That is the short name for the Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education, which is the multi-billion dollar overhaul for how education will be funded in Maryland. As part of my duties for Talbot County and the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo), I have followed education legislation closely, especially since the “Maintenance of Effort” (MOE) law was passed in 2012.

I have attended all of the smaller funding workgroup meetings from July through October. After the full Kirwan Commission issued their recommendations last year, but never discussed how it would be paid for or how it might be split between the State and Counties, this workgroup was formed to make funding recommendations to the full commission. That commission will reconvene in a couple weeks and then issue their final recommendations to the legislature in Annapolis for the 2020 session. One thing to keep in mind is that it was not the charge of the Kirwan commission to address actual curriculum in our school systems. I would encourage you to read the full report online to find out specifically the policy areas they addressed.

The first six meetings consisted of background information on the education recommendations and how funding formulas work. I wrote in depth on that subject for the Star Democrat in their September 1st edition. The charge of this group was to figure out how to split cost equitably between the State and Counties and how it could be paid for by considering various formulas and data.

The vast majority of the conversation throughout was on the “counties’ ability to pay.” There was very little, if any, discussion on how the State was going to be able to afford their share. The sense was that the counties would be able to contribute more and there were not any numbers even provided to the workgroup until just one week ago, at their October 8th meeting. Then they were expected to vote on the entire package on October 15th, only having seen the final numbers for a few hours.

The articles that have been written across the state so far have reported that the State would fund about $2.8 billion more for a total after 10 years of $10.2 billion per year. The counties would fund an additional $1.2 billion for a total by 2030 of about $9.2 billion. This is a bit misleading because current 2020 funding from the counties combined is $6.7 billion, for an actual increase by 2030 of $2.5 billion.

So, why is there a discrepancy between the two numbers? The current MOE law mandates an automatic escalator for counties that have funded below the statewide average. Therefore, costs were going to go up significantly every year anyway. The total projected by DLS (Dept of Legislative Services) rose to $8 billion by 2030. The figures that are being reported are based on that number of $8 billion growing to $9.2 billion paid for by the local jurisdictions. But it only tells half the story.

Since Tuesday, MACo has recalculated what that MOE number would actually be under current law based on using the best data available. DLS used a “trendline” assumption. Since many counties have contributed well above what was actually required, this was not the most accurate number to base a projection on 10 years out. The MOE amount required for all 24 jurisdictions combined is $7.1 billion, not $8 billion. This changes what the counties increase is from $1.2 to $1.9 billion in additional state mandated increases.

This is the largest unfunded state mandate placed on the counties in history. If the State leaders think that it such a good idea and are really committed to doing all these things for the schools across the state, maybe this should just be a STATE plan and let them pay for it. I’m not sure why we are all taking for granted that this has to be funded by the county governments at all.

But what people really want to know is how much their taxes may have to go up to pay for it. I can’t tell you what the State’s plan is to pay for their $2.8 billion share. All I can speak to are the limited revenue sources for the counties and our only real means to pay for the increase is through property tax. Keep in mind, these amounts are only to pay for the local share, the State still has to figure out to pay their part, which may require additional State tax increases.

Why would the counties be forced to raise taxes? The numbers are so big for every county, that there isn’t any way to “cut” our way to be able to absorb these State mandated increases. County services would be almost non-existent in many cases. Most counties are maxed out in their income tax rate at or near 3.2%.

Let’s talk some numbers. In Talbot County, currently we fund our Board of Education $42.5 million per year, which accounts for over 70% of their total budget and about half of our total county budget. The MOE law, based on the MACo calculation over the next 10 years mandates a funding increase to $48.3 million per year, an increase of 13.6%. Under the Kirwan recommendations, that number balloons to $75.2 million per year, a total increase of 76% by the year 2030.

Assuming that the increased spending is funded only through property taxes, what might that mean to your tax rate? Currently our rate is just under 64 cents per hundred dollars of assessed value. Using the median house value in Talbot of $350,000, that homeowner is paying $2230 in property taxes each year. Under the Kirwan funding requirement, that same homeowner could pay an additional 48 cents per hundred or $1685 for a total of $3915, a potential rate of $1.12.

You may also ask, but Talbot (along with several other counties in the state) has a revenue cap on the property tax, how can you raise it? That does not apply when it comes to education spending. The MOE law of 2012 permits/requires a county to break their tax cap to pay for increased funding for education only.

While the numbers are big for every county in the State, Talbot’s numbers are completely out of step with other jurisdictions. The next highest local percentage (MOE + Kirwan) increases are Baltimore City at 43% and PG County at 42%.

On the Eastern Shore, Kent is the next highest at 38%. They currently fund $18 million per year, under MOE, that rises to $20.2 million and under Kirwan, the total becomes $29.7 million. This could equate into a property tax increase of 38 cents, from $1.02 to $1.40.

For Caroline, the increase is 33%. Current funding is $15.2 million, under MOE that actually decreases to $14.6 million and under Kirwan, the total becomes $23.7 million. This could equate into a property tax increase of 32 cents, from 98 cents to $1.30.

In Dorchester county, the increase is 23%. They currently fund $20.1 million per year, under MOE, that rises to $24.4 million and under Kirwan, the total becomes $26.9 million. This could equate into a property tax increase of 23 cents, from $1.00 to $1.23.

We, the counties are not being given a choice and very little voice, when the legislature in Annapolis will vote on these recommendations and mandate that the counties must pay for them. This is not a judgement on whether we believe in better education for our children; this is just the reality of what it will mean to the average taxpayer across the State of Maryland.

Laura Price, a member of the Talbot County Council, serves on the executive board of directors for the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo). She is chairman of MACo’s Budget & Tax Committee and also serves on MACo’s Legislative Initiatives Committee.

Analysis of the Kirwan Recommendations
Kirwan Preliminary Report

Striped Bass Index Documents Below-Average Year

October 19, 2019 by Spy Desk

Scientists carefully conduct a seine net survey along the Chesapeake Bay during the summer.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the results of the young-of-year striped bass survey, which tracks reproduction of the species in Chesapeake Bay. The 2019 juvenile striped bass index is 3.4, below the 66-year average of 11.6.

The young-of-year striped bass survey measures the annual spawning success of the state fish, commonly known as rockfish. The index represents the average number of recently hatched striped bass captured in samples taken during the survey.

During this year’s survey, biologists collected more than 51,000 fish of 54 different species, including 445 young-of-year striped bass. While the abundance of some important forage species like silversides, spot, and menhaden increased in Maryland waters, the survey showed that white perch and yellow perch experienced below-average reproduction.

Weather, river flows, and availability of food for newly hatched fish are all important factors in the spawning success of fish such as striped bass. Although the specific cause of this year’s poor spawning has not yet been determined, large variations in annual reproductive success are normal for the Bay’s striped bass population. Typically, several years of average reproduction are interspersed with high and low years. While three of the past five years have produced strong numbers of young-of-year striped bass, the department is recommending continued monitoring and conservation measures.

“The Chesapeake Bay spawning stock is still capable of high reproductive success under the right conditions,” Assistant Secretary for Aquatic Resources Bill Anderson said. “We will continue to work with our partners along the Atlantic coast and implement measures to responsibly manage the Chesapeake Bay striped bass population.”

Beginning in 2018, the department launched initiatives aimed at reducing striped bass mortality during the fishing season. Those measures included new regulations on size limits and mandatory circle hooks, plus an education campaign on safe catch-and-release practices that now includes an advisory system on optimal conditions for fishing.

The department has monitored the reproductive success of striped bass and other fish species in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay since 1954, making this one of the oldest fish surveys in the country. Twenty-two survey sites are located in the four major spawning areas: Choptank, Nanticoke, and Potomac rivers and the Upper Chesapeake Bay. Biologists visit each site three times per summer, collecting fish with two sweeps of a 100-foot seine net. After each observation, scientists safely and carefully return the fish to the water.

The index number is the result of averaging the number of recently hatched striped bass caught in each of these samples.

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science conducts a similar survey in the southern portion of Chesapeake Bay.

Rep. Andy Harris to Hold Three Town Halls on Eastern Shore

October 9, 2019 by Spy Desk

Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01) announced three upcoming local town halls, October 13 in Caroline County and Talbot County and October 14 in Worcester County. The Town Halls are free, open to the public, and include an extended question and answer session with the Congressman. Topics of discussion will cover a wide variety of issues of interest to constituents, including gun control proposals and 2^nd Amendment Rights, health care, and impeachment proceedings.

Town Hall information:

Sunday, October 13
2:00-3:00 PM
Greensboro Volunteer Fire Company
13760 Greensboro Road
Greensboro, MD 21639

6:30-7:30 PM
Talbot County Free Library
100 West Dover Street
Easton, MD 21601

Monday, October 14
5:30-6:30 PM
Stephen Decatur High School
9913 Seahawk Road
Berlin, MD 21811

Talking About Another Chesapeake Bay Bridge

October 8, 2019 by Spy Desk

Talking About Another Chesapeake Bay Bridge Interested in learning more about this issue? Pros & cons will be presented on Thursday, October 17th, 2019 at the Democratic Club of Kent County general meeting at the Chester River Yacht & Country Club, 7738 Quaker Neck Rd, Chestertown, MD 21620.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., for dining and socializing. Program begins at 7 o’clock. Presenters: Samuel Shoge is currently Economic Development Coordinator for Talbot County Department of Economic Development & Tourism; co-founder of Kent County Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals, and owner of Shore Studios.

Previously Mr. Shoge was Assistant Director of Admissions at Washington College, served on the town’s Planning Commission & the board of directors for the Potomac and Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling. Mr. Shoge served for one term on the Chestertown Town Council, representing Ward 3, served on the town’s Planning Commission, and is a former volunteer fire fighter.

Elizabeth Watson has been a consulting community planner with Heritage Strategies, LLC; is a volunteer member of the board of the Kent Conservation and Preservation Alliance; former Executive Director of Eastern Shore Heritage, Inc.; co-author of Saving America’s Countryside: A Guide to Rural Conservation (National Trust for Historic Preservation); producer of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s film Living Off the Land. Wake Forest University recognized Ms. Watson as a Distinguished Alumna in 2017, and in 2018 she was honored by the American Planning Association as a Fellow in the College of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Contact: Virginia Kerr Democratic Club of Kent County Cell number: 443-480-3552 Email: ginnykerr@gmail.com

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