Dawn breaks over the Magothy River, the promise of another spectacular day.
Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community
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The Oxford Museum is proud to announce two special June programs in addition to its current antique quilt exhibit, The Fabric of History. Quilts are among America’s most traditional forms of creative expression. Once viewed merely as a decorative craft and even dismissed as merely “women’s work,” historic quilts are now appreciated as a highly sophisticated artform, combining intricate patterns, bright colors and extraordinary needlework. These works reveal very personal stories of celebration, community, and identity. Although the makers of many quilts remain unknown to us, their passion and creativity are unforgettable. The museum exhibit is a stunning collection of 30 antique and traditional American quilts, featuring Maryland quilts including local examples from Talbot County Historical Society and the Oxford Museum’s own collection
If you own a quilt and would like to know more about it, you can schedule a 30-minute Documentation Day appointment at the museum with guest curators Kay Butler and Catherine Spence from The Fiber Arts Center of the Eastern Shore. They can give you an approximate age of the quilt, its pattern and other details. This is not an appraisal. Documentation appointments are $25 per quilt and will be available between 10 am and 4 pm on Saturday, June 7. Appointments can be schedule on the museum’s website,
On the weekend of June 21/22 additional quilts will be on display at St. Paul’s Church, 225 S. Morris St., Oxford. On Saturday, June 21 from 10 am – Noon, Kay Butler and Catherine Spence will conduct a quilt-turning program, also known as a bed-turning. Bed-turning is a way to display quilts while telling their story. It originated long ago as a social event. A married woman might hold a bed-turning in her home among family members and friends. Quilts would be piled on top of each other on a bed. The hostess would then turn back each quilt, one by one, as she talked about each quilt. We won’t have a bed, but we will have a full stack of quilts, and Kay and Catherine will explain each one as they are turned. This event is free to Oxford Museum members, and $25 for non-members, attendance is limited to 40 people. Following the turning on Saturday, the St. Paul’s exhibit will be open to the public from Noon-4 pm with free admission. Sunday the exhibit hours will be 10am – 4 pm with free admission.
The Oxford Museum and Shop, 101 S. Morris St, is open to visitors from 10 to 4 PM, Friday through Monday. Admission is free. The Fabric of History exhibit will run through July. For more information on the museum and membership please visit the website at https://oxfordmuseummd.org/
“Square Within a Square”
Annapolis, Maryland, ca. 1875
Courtesy Fabric Arts Center of the Eastern Shore
This Annapolis quilt features a center medallion pieced with early green, yellow and pink fabric. The succession of borders surrounding the center are made of squares, triangles and stars.
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Oxford resident Dave Donovan has announced his candidacy for the position of Town Commissioner in the election to take place on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
Donovan was a partner in the Washington, DC office of WilmerHale, an international law firm. In addition to 27 years with WilmerHale, from which he retired at the end of 2018, he served from 2005 to 2011 as the General Counsel of the Washington Redskins NFL franchise—and for part of that time, also as the team’s Chief Operating Officer. During his career, he represented national and international corporations, executives, and individuals in matters involving employment law, internal investigations, securities, products liability, oil & gas, fraud, contracts, pension liability, corporate control, trademark, and international antitrust.
For 15 years, he was responsible for recruiting and hiring more than 800 attorneys at WilmerHale. During his NFL tenure, he was involved in hiring executives in finance, stadium operations, security, transportation, and communications.
Donovan received his law degree in 1984 after graduating magna cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center. He grew up in a small town in western Iowa, and both he and his wife—who have been married for 44 years—graduated from Iowa State University in 1980. After careers in the D.C. area where they raised two sons and a daughter, the couple purchased a home in the Oxford Historic District following his retirement, after nearly a decade of regular visits to Oxford to see lifelong friends. They now have two grandchildren.
“I had no aspirations with respect to elective office when we moved to Oxford,” Donovan said, “but following an initial difficult experience with the Historic Commission and then observing and participating in Town Commission meetings over the past several years, friends and acquaintances here convinced me that I had something to offer. This is a wonderful town and we feel so fortunate to have found such an idyllic place to spend the rest of our lives.”
“Recent progress, however, has been hard-fought, and unfortunately some 2-1 votes on the Commission in the past two years have created or needlessly exacerbated divisions and diverted the Commissioners from addressing important challenges we face.”
“Perhaps most distressing is the failure, or even refusal, of the Commissioners to engage in open dialog with the citizens. Too often, decisions are made without adequate consultation, or important questions—on everything from personnel decisions to election issues to the mismanagement of the Strand project—are simply ignored.”
“It is critical that Oxford voters have a choice in this election to change the status quo. I hope that if I am fortunate enough to be elected, I can help restore confidence and avoid some of the needless mistakes of the past several years.”
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Unofficial vote tallies tonight indicate that Don Abbatiello has won a decisive victory over incumbent Frank Gundallus with 2,207 votes over 976, with some 230 absentee ballots yet to be counted.
Easton Council President
Don Abbatiello: 2,207
Frank Gunsallus: 976
Ward 2
Robert Rankin: 493 votes
Lynn Keefe: 228 votes
Ward 4
Elmer Davis: 253 votes
Cameron Keefe: 128 votes
Moonyene Jackson-Amis: 103 votes
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Easton residents have an important opportunity to help shape their town’s leadership. The election for Town Council President and representatives from Ward 2 and Ward 4 is being held today, Tuesday, May 6, from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
President of the Council
Don Abbatiello (Current Ward 2 Councilperson)
Frank Gunsallus IV (Incumbent)
Councilperson from the Second Ward
Lynnette D. Keefe
Robert J. Rankin
Councilperson from the Fourth Ward
Rev. Elmer N. Davis, Jr. (Incumbent)
Moonyene S. Jackson-Amis
Cameron Keefe
Easton Firehouse
315 Leonard Rieck Drive
Easton, MD 21601
These local races matter—your vote helps determine how Easton grows, governs, and serves its residents. Turn out and take part in shaping your community’s future.
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After an extensive search, the Town of Easton is excited to announce the hiring of Andrew “Andy” Kitzrow as our next Town Manager. Kitzrow takes this new role after serving as the Salisbury City Administrator since 2023, and as the Deputy City Administrator since 2017. As Easton Town Manager, he will be responsible for overseeing all town operations, acting as a leader to personnel, and serving as a key point of contact for the Mayor, town leadership, Town Council, and residents of Easton.
“Every new beginning comes from the courage to let go of the familiar,” said Kitzrow. “As I step into the role of Town Manager for Easton, I do so with great excitement for the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Kitzrow brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role, with 19 years served in local government, including seven years in executive leadership roles. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005, Kitzrow would begin a long career in community administration by serving as a Recreation Program Director, and later a Recreation Superintendent for Wicomico County before landing his role as Deputy City Administrator for the City of Salisbury in 2017.
In his roles as Deputy City Administrator and City Administrator for Salisbury, Kitzrow championed many successful projects and initiatives, including:
The establishment of the Arts, Business, and Culture Department promotes tourism, revitalization, and economic growth.
The introduction of THRIVE, an employee health and wellness plan designed to holistically improve the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of City staff.
The launching of two youth community centers, which now serve hundreds of youths while fostering growth and community engagement.
The recruitment of top talent in numerous critical roles throughout the organization, including Police Chief and Fire Chief.
Overseeing teams that secured over $25 million in state and federal grants.
“This was an extensive process, because we wanted to get the right person for the job,” said Mayor Megan Cook. “We partnered with Sumter, a local government consulting firm, to assist us with the search for not just qualified, but really exceptional candidates. We received applicants from all around the country, and as luck would have it, found the best prospect right here on the Shore. We’re so excited to have Mr. Kitzrow’s leadership and expertise on our team here in Easton, and I am excited to work with him on helping our great town continue to thrive.”
The search for a new town manager began in August of 2024, with Easton Police Chief Alan Lowrey filling in as Acting Town Manager throughout the process. “Chief Lowrey stepped up for us in such a big way,” added Mayor Cook. “Our staff and our town have been so lucky to have his outstanding leadership over these last several months — I can’t overstate how important his time here has been for us during this transition.”
Kitzrow’s appointment was approved by the Town Council at their meeting on Monday, May 5, and he is scheduled to begin serving as Easton Town Manager on July 7.
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The Chesapeake Bay watershed comes in all shapes and sizes. Meander down this portion of the canal near Great Falls, Virginia.
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Feeling Cool by Nancy Tankerlsey
Now hanging at Easton’s liveliest art gallery, the Trippe Gallery, is the “Art of the Garden” exhibition. This popular annual show is celebrating its 9th year! In concert with “Art in Bloom” promoted by Discover Easton, the exhibition will feature floral arrangements inspired by a particular painting by members of The Garden Club of The Eastern Shore for the opening reception Friday May 2 from 5-7pm.
The exhibition will showcase the work of a talented group of artists who have taken inspiration from the natural world to create stunning pieces that explore the intersection of art and horticulture. The paintings display an exploration of the harmonies of color, texture, and form, and showcases the incredible diversity of artistic styles and techniques used to capture the beauty of nature.
Featured art in the exhibition will be oil paintings by Nancy Tankersley, Beth Bathe, Jill Basham, Meg Nottingham Walsh, Lynn Mehta, Zufar Bikbov, David Diaz, Cynthia Rosen, Christine Lashley, Georganna Lenssen as well as fine art photography by Nanny Trippe, acrylic paintings by Hanna MacNaughtan and botanical watercolors by Lee Boulay D’Zmura.
The Trippe Gallery invites you to come enjoy this exciting diverse collection of art by many of your favorite artists in the exhibition “The Art of the Garden”. The exhibition will run through June with new works added throughout. The gallery will be open on First Fri
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by Spy Desk
And, you can see the complete set of candidate interviews here.
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by Spy Desk
The U.S. Department of Agriculture in April announced the termination of its $3 billion “climate smart” program, a grantmaking initiative that was supporting hundreds of millions of dollars in conservation work in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
An April 14 USDA press release called the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, which promoted farm conservation measures with climate benefits, as a “slush fund” with high administrative costs and often low payouts to farmers.
It said some of the projects may continue under a new initiative called Advancing Markets for Producers, but only if 65% or more of the project’s funds were going directly to farmers and the work aligns with Trump administration priorities.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the Biden administration’s climate smart program was designed to “advance the green new scam” and benefited nongovernmental organizations more than farmers.
“We are correcting these mistakes and redirecting our efforts to set our farmers up for an unprecedented era of prosperity,” Rollins said.
The climate smart program was launched in 2022 as part of a “once-in-a-generation investment” that would enable universities, businesses and nonprofits to work with farmers to promote conservation measures that would help them adapt to climate change and market the products they produced.
Most projects did not begin until 2023 or later because of delays in paperwork, and some had just started up last year.
But the USDA froze funding for the program in January, leaving organizations that had incurred costs unable to recoup their expenses. In its announcement, the department clarified that it would honor eligible expenses incurred prior to April 13, 2025, but would review existing grants to determine whether they could continue.
Some working with the program said it appeared they would be able to successfully reapply under the new program, but others were unsure.
Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit, was managing a $59 million climate smart grant that supported work it was carrying out with a dozen other organizations on farms from Maine to South Carolina. With funding stalled, it laid off 60 employees in early April, leaving it with fewer than 10.
“We are honestly not sure what the announcement means for our project,” said Hannah Smith-Brubaker, Pasa’s executive director. “They said we can reapply, but we don’t know if that means for our current project or a completely new project under the new program.”
Smith-Brubaker said Pasa’s project did not meet the 65% farmer payment threshold because the USDA was not counting costs of providing technical assistance to farmers for planning, implementing and maintaining projects.
She said about 45% of the project’s funding went directly to farmers, but if the technical assistance were included, farmer support under the grant would be between 75%-85%.
Richa Patel, a policy specialist with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, also said it was “disappointing” that the department was not counting technical assistance as part of the farmer support funding.
With the USDA already reducing its own staff, she said, “the administration must take every opportunity going forward to increase access to technical assistance and support the staffing levels necessary to provide efficient and dependable customer service for our farmers — those working directly with USDA and those working with the farmer-serving organizations it partners with.”
Lack of technical support is considered a major impediment to widespread adoption of conservation measures by farmers.
Mike Lavender, the national coalition’s policy director, said he welcomed the ability to continue some projects under the new initiative, but said the USDA did not provide any clarity about whether grant recipients can make modifications to meet the new criteria.
As a result, he said the announcement brings “unnecessary hardship nationwide to farmer-serving organizations and likely farmers as a result of USDA changing program requirements and cancelling projects midstream.”
Nationwide, the climate smart initiative made awards to 140 organizations, businesses and institutions, which were supposed to benefit more than 60,000 farms and cover more than 25 million acres of farmland. The USDA estimated that, if successful, the work would sequester an amount of carbon equivalent to removing more than 12 million gas-powered cars from the road.
Hundreds of millions of dollars of that work was to have taken place in the Chesapeake watershed, managed by nonprofit organizations, universities, agribusinesses and others. The five-year program was one of the largest investments ever made in support of conservation measures on farmland in the Bay region.
It supported many traditional conservation practices such as nutrient and manure management techniques that reduce emissions of nitrous oxides, a powerful greenhouse gas. It also supported measures that curb runoff, such as cover crops, stream fencing and no-till farming. Those measures also help build organic matter in the soil, which allows it to absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Smith-Brubaker noted that just a 1% increase in organic matter in a farm’s soil absorbs 22,000 more gallons of water per acre, keeping it from washing nutrient-laden runoff into local streams.
The climate smart program also promoted monitoring efforts to quantify how well the conservation efforts were working, and it supported marketing efforts to inform consumers about the environmental benefits of that work — which could increase the value of those products and expand markets.
By Karl Blankenship, Bay Journal
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