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September 24, 2023

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

Arts Arts Portal Lead Spy Top Story

The Legacy of Good Endeavor Farm: A Chat with Author Ned Tillman

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For author Ned Tillman, the narrative for his book Good Endeavour: A Maryland Family’s Turbulent History 1695-2002 was discovered in boxes handed down from his parents, their parents, and generations before them.

From historical records and letters, Tillman created a fictional cast of characters based on his ancestors and documents pivotal moments in the annals of American history. His narrative takes readers on a journey through time, revealing the dramatic chapters of the nation’s story, including wars, the abolition of slavery, the tireless struggle for women’s rights, the meteoric rise of industry with its associated labor conflicts and environmental degradation, the devastating grip of the Great Depression, and the seismic waves of activism that swept the nation during the transformative 1960s and 70s.

But Good Endeavor extends beyond merely recounting the past. It’s an invitation to introspection, challenging readers to reflect on the complex moral challenges that continue to shape our society today. By delving into the past, Tillman encourages us to confront our impact on the planet and our shared history while inspiring us to take stewardship of our environment and society.

Tillman’s previous work includes The Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Saving the Places We Love: Paths to Environmental Stewardship, and the young adult novel The Big Melt.

The Bookplate continues its author event series in partnership with Chef Steve Quigg and The Kitchen for the fall season.

On Wednesday, September 13th at 6 pm, all are invited to The Kitchen and Pub at The Imperial Hotel to welcome author Ned Tillman as he discusses his historical novel, Good Endeavour: A Maryland Family’s Turbulent History 1695-2002.

The Spy recently interviewed Ned Tillman to talk about Good Endeavor and the craft of writing historical fiction.

For more event details, contact The Bookplate at 410-778-4167 or [email protected]. This event is free and open to the public, and reservations are not required. The next author event is scheduled for 9/20 with author David O. Stewart. The Kitchen at the Imperial Hotel is located at 208 High Street in Chestertown, Maryland.

This video is approximately six minutes in length.

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

Mid-Shore Arts: Shore Lit After Year One: A Chat with Kerry Folan

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Shore Lit recently marked its first-year anniversary, and founder/director Kerry Folan couldn’t be happier with their progress. The organization has successfully hosted eight community author events, creating a vibrant space for literature and conversation on the Eastern Shore.

But what sets Shore Lit apart is the quality of its literary events and the sense of community it fosters.

Folan, a professor of writing and literature at George Mason University in Virginia and a six-year resident of Easton, took the initiative to create the authors’ reading series to bridge the gap between art and culture and foster a greater sense of community.

“I feel like one of the reasons I moved here to the Eastern Shore is because, despite us having a very small, tight-knit community, we have incredible cultural resources,” Folan says. “That was really exciting to me but one piece I found to be missing was adult literary programming.” 

To that end, Shore Lit partners with the Easton Academy Art Museum, the Talbot County Free Library, Adkins Arboretum, Washington College’s Literary House, and more. These partnerships allow for diverse events that combine literature with other cultural elements, like Shore Lit’s Pride Pop-Up Bookshop during Easton’s Delmarva Pride Festival in June.

 “Gathering is how we actualize as a community. Community is a concept until you actually come together and sit in a room with somebody who may have different ideas or a different experience from you and listen.”

Upcoming events will include author readings by Tania James on September 15 and CJ Hauser on October 13, both at the Academy Art Museum. 

The Spy recently connected with Kerry via Zoom to talk about Shore Lit’s first year and her vision for the coming year. 

To stay updated on Shore Lit’s events and literary happenings on the Eastern Shore and to register for upcoming readings, go here.

 This video is approximately nine minutes in length.

 

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

How Coffee at Dunkin’ in Centreville became a Beacon of Support and Community

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Standing – Manager Denae Green, Fred,Brad McDaniel (District Manager) Sitting clockwise from left – John Wright, Bob Nilsson, James Watson, Charles Nesbitt, Bob Bailey, Robin Afron, Dave Peterson, Bill Moore & Frank Sprang

There’s a group in Centreville that’s been gathering weekly for a late morning coffee break and social hour centered around a single loosely enforced qualification. It’s a fun, laid-back hang with a group of interesting characters from diverse backgrounds who all have at least one thing in common: they’ve served in our nation’s armed forces, serve those who have, or just want to show their support. 

Fred McNeil, a U.S. Army vet, retired teacher and coach, and longtime Centreville civic booster, likes to invite potential new recruits to the group to “Come have a cup of joe with G.I. Joe.”

The group is an offshoot of a Veterans Book that meets at the Centreville branch of the Queen Anne’s County library. Supported in part by a federal grant, the book club meets the second Tuesday of every month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and aims to bring vets of all eras, ranks, branch, and length of service together to talk about their military and post-service experiences while providing, according to the mission statement, “an informal, supportive environment through works of literature.”

Diving in to both military fiction and nonfiction, the books that the group members read and talk about range from classic war stories to contemporary accounts of struggling with PTSD. McNeil, the moderator of this group, has seen firsthand that the material chosen can prompt therapeutical discussion by bringing up “closed off memories and emotions that are tough to share, particularly with those who haven’t experienced anything like it.”

Bob Nilsson & Gred McNeil

Bob Nilsson, a Vietnam-era Marine who lives in Symphony Village, heard about the start of the Veterans Book Club, signed up at the library, went to the first meeting, and even though he didn’t know anyone there he was impressed by the group’s motivating goals and fellowship.

Six months into the book club, a desire among attendees to get together more often led to the weekly Veterans Café.  They landed at the Centreville Dunkin Donuts where they meet every Monday from 11 a.m. to noon.

“It’s grown like wildfire,” says Nilsson. “Started out with a handful, now we get over a dozen vets almost every week, sometimes 20 or more. We talk and share stories. It’s an opportunity to socialize. Conversation and camaraderie – there’s no agenda, no leaders, no membership, no dues, no application necessary, and just three rules: no religion, no politics, and no rank. It’s just friendship.”

“Really,” he says, “anybody can come. Vets, their caregivers, relatives of people who served, people who just want to learn more about the experiences of veterans, but primarily we just want to provide a safe place for these vets to discuss their experiences openly with people who can relate and maybe help when and how we can.”

Helping vets is something Nilsson knows about. After his USMC stint, Nilsson made a career in the international construction business, traveling the world to manage massively complex projects. During the Gulf War, he began making trips to Bethesda Naval Hospital to visit veterans. These early trips led to over 4,000 visits over 20 years, which in turn resulted in his non-profit organization, the 100 Entrepreneurs Project which mentors and supports vets looking to start their own business. Nilsson utilizes his business connections to bring veterans and mentors together and to help companies understand the importance of supporting the veteran community.

Nilsson also stresses the importance of supporting veterans caregivers. He says, “Caregivers who have a loved one who was severely injured during their service may have to provide not only the care of that loved one but an income to maintain all aspects of their lives. We want to give those caregivers the emotional support and understanding that there are others who know what they’re going through. They’re a huge part of this effort and we want to support them as well as the veterans in their care.”

Regarding efforts to assist veterans through these social opportunities, Fred McNeil says, “Most people who have served get out, go along with their lives and maybe never even need the VA benefits due them, but there are veterans out there who need help. There are over 3,000 vets in Queen Anne’s County. Under the umbrella of the Centreville Veterans Information Center or CVIC, which helps support all these endeavors, our goal for this year is to make personal contact with at least 10% of those people. Some of these folks might be dealing with all kinds of personal issues – limited income, isolation and loneliness, malnutrition, physical and mental health difficulties, housing and transportation problems, and technological challenges like access to computers and internet.”

“Social media is one of the keys,” adds Bob Nilsson. “A majority of vets are over 65. We should educate older people in how the internet can keep them connected to friends and family, but also to meet new people who they have so much in common with or who may be able to help satisfy some of their specific needs. Some of our members might be entitled to pensions. To collect, they wouldn’t know how to begin navigating the online bureaucratic hurdles that can be so frustrating. We want to help them fix that.”

“We want to assist our fellow vets,” says McNeil, “and as a group, we’ll work with existing service organizations, auxiliaries, the VA, whoever can help the vet get what they need.”

The Monday get-together in particular has opened lines of communication and established relationships with others outside the world of service vets.   For instance, the vets have bonded with the Dunkin employees. Nilsson says, “I believe that interacting with those of us who have been in the military helps put a real face to some things they might have only heard about, if that. History is right here. Right in their own backyard. And we’ve grown close to the people who work there. We think the world of them.”

The lovefest is mutual. Of the vets group, Dunkin manager Denae ‘Dee’ Green says, “They’re amazing. They’re so positive and they brighten everything up. Every time I see them it makes me smile. I wish they could come in every day.”

On the Monday I sat in with the group, a message about the Veterans Café from Dunkin corporate senior management was being passed around. “This is fantastic,” it read. “Thanks for sharing – I’ll make sure the local restaurant team sees this and is recognized. Love that Dunkin can play such a role.”

Random customers get in on the fun too. They buy gift cards for the group or rounds of coffee or donuts by the dozen. The good vibes are palatable.

CVIC has also initiated other efforts to serve local vets. A boat trip is planned as are field trips to the Washington D.C. war memorials and the Air Force Museum in Dover. There’s a glee club starting that will go to hospices and other facilities and sing for their patients and also attend events to sing the national anthem.

Thank You For Serving, viewable on QACTV & YouTube, are half hour episodes released every two weeks with McNeil taking some time to introduce a veteran to the community and share their experiences. Seeing the faces and hearing the stories of the servicemen and women who have lived them, “Lets the community know there are people who have sacrificed a part of their own lives for the sake of others,” says McNeil. “They’re not asking for anything. They just want you to know they’re there.” Those interviews will be forwarded to the Library of Congress for their collection.

“Also,” says McNeil, “the military is a sister and brotherhood. Though women are always welcome in any of these groups, there are plans for a women’s veterans club in Queen Anne’s County to address more specifically the needs and concerns of female vets.

“It’s past time to organize area vets in an organic way that asks nothing of them except show up,” he says. “We can’t help them if we don’t see them.

“Two veterans talking together is good. More is better.”

Drop in on a Monday Veterans Café at Dunkin or sign up for the Veterans Book Group at the Centreville Library. Contact Fred McNeil at 410-758-2850 or Bob Nilsson at [email protected] for more info regarding the Centreville Veterans Information Center. Find out more about the 100 Entrepreneurs Project on your socials and at 100entproject.com.

Brent Lewis is a native Chesapeake Bay Eastern Shoreman. He has published two nonfiction books about the region, “Remembering Kent Island: Stories from the Chesapeake” and a “History of the Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department.” His most recent book, “Stardust By The Bushel: Hollywood On The Chesapeake Bay’s Eastern Shore”won a 2023 Independent Publishers award. His first novel, Bloody Point 1976, won an Honorable Mention Award at the 2015 Hollywood Book Festival. He and his wife Peggy live in Centreville, Maryland.

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

A Totally Different Drummer: Solace and Strength by Drumming at Camp New Dawn

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For almost 30 years, Compass Regional Hospice has been helping children and families navigate the challenging journey of grief from the loss of a loved one.

Every August, Camp New Dawn holds a four-day, three-night bereavement retreat on the grounds of Camp Pecometh outside near Centreville, where children and families attend

therapeutic workshops, age-specific grief support groups, and may participate in supervised camp activities such as swimming, fishing, and arts and crafts. 

“Grief is isolating in itself on a very natural level. When they show up here they’re all of a sudden in this amazing community of people who are on a similar walk.” says Camp New Dawn Director Rhonda Knotts. 

A haven for those learning how to cope with grief, the camp experience offers a combination of therapeutic activities, group discussions, and individual counseling, as participants are guided towards embracing their emotions, sharing their stories, and learning coping mechanisms.

This summer’s retreat hosted guest artist Josh Robinson, a professional percussionist and drum facilitator, who led an afternoon of drum-making and synchronized drumming. 

Robinson, a percussion teacher and member of the Philadelphia-based “Alo Brasil,” a 14-piece Samba group, has spent 20 years teaching the therapeutic benefits of drumming to groups and businesses nationwide.

At Camp New Dawn, Robinson guided children and families through creating and personalizing their own drums out of 20-gallon plastic containers and colored tape. Each unique drum carried a specific message of encouragement or positive wish as reminders of the experience throughout the year. 

Robinson sees the drumming experience not only as a physical outlet and stress reduction exercise but as a way to express emotions. Drumming provides a non-verbal means of expressing emotions that might be difficult to communicate through words. The intensity and rhythm of drumming can help individuals convey their feelings of loss and grief.

The Spy visited Camp New Dawn to watch Josh Robinson work his percussion magic and offer a new language to express grief, courage, and a sense of accomplishment.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more about Josh Robinson, go here. For more about Compass Regional Hospice, go here.

 

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

Restoring the Mighty Corsica: A Chat with Riverkeeper Annie Richards

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For ten-thousand years the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers have played a pivotal role in shaping and sustaining our surrounding environment. They are crucial components of our complex ecosystem and cultural landscape, offering a myriad of benefits that impact both aquatic and terrestrial life.

The beauty of many of the Bay’s tributaries led Capt. John Smith to write in 1612 to write, “Heaven and earth have never agreed better to frame a place for man’s habitation,” and while that praise still holds, the health of rivers—like the Bay—is a constant concern requiring long-term monitoring and preservation techniques.

Feeding in the Chester River, the six-mile Corsica River and its navigable streams have been widely popular for kayakers, canoers, paddleboarders, and fishing and maintain an active public dock at Centreville Wharf.

The river’s health, however, has been an uphill battle, but Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards quickly notes that the whole picture is not bleak. In fact, some testing points water quality is showing a 30% recovery.

“The Corsica River, which converges with the middle Chester River at a junction of key waterways, struggles with several water quality parameters. Its relatively shallow nature poses issues with flushing and tidal flow. Unfortunately, the Corsica River ranks as one of the weakest performers in terms of water quality monitoring carried out by Shore Rivers,” Richards says.

From April to March, Richards and her Corsica River volunteers test the water quality twice a month, looking for changes in the water quality parameters, including dissolved oxygen levels, clarity, chlorophyll A (floating plant matter), nitrogen, and phosphorous levels.

“Corsica is not a surprise when we look back at Maryland Department of the Environment’s data whose series of tests in all of the sub-watersheds of the Corsica of which there are 45. 21 out of those 45 tested high high in phosphorus,” Richards says.

With science data in hand, Richards says that Shore Rivers meets in Annapolis every winter to advocate for better laws that can improve water quality and implement correct land use policies on the Eastern Shore.

Partnering with the Natural Lands Project, a program that runs out of the Center for Environment and Society at Washington College, the Annapolis meetings also provide a platform to plan for continued restoration projects, including returning native grasses to replace critical lost habitats.

The Spy recently talked with Shore Rivers Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards about their ongoing stewardship and plans to enhance the health and quality of the Queen Anne’s river.

ShoreRivers is a nonprofit organization working to improve the health of Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education. ShoreRivers was created in 2017 when the Chester River Association (CRA), Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy (MRC), and Sassafras River Association (SRA) merged.

 

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

Jinx by Jim Dissette

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Generally, coincidences in our lives are polite handshakes between similar, overlapping events, thoughts, and encounters, the kind as children we blurted “jinx” when saying the same thing at the same time, thus imbuing it with a glow of meta-meaning… and penalties if last to say it.  But children start out as eerie and dance outside of our ideas of causality. Toasters are magic. Phases of the moon are magic.

And this is not to say every coincidence sparks a sense of the arcane. Take for example, the story of Tsutomu Yamaguchi from Nakasaki Japan, who went to Hiroshima for business the day of the bombing, survived and went back home to Nagasaki…and survived that bombing.

While mathematicians like Joseph Mazur in his book Fluke lay down their cold calculus of how coincidental things fall into the realm of the mathematically possible, others have laced together hypotheticals that lean toward the Matrix and submit that the Jinx factor lies outside our mechanical world-view: Carl Jung, Nobel physicist Wolfgang Pauli, and Arthur Koestler, to name a few. And we’re back to toasters and moon phases.

A few years ago, I encountered one of these overlaps that first stayed in the realm of quiet handshakes between reasonable, coinciding events.

I was looking through the internet for landscape photographers searching for an image for a client’s book cover when I came across a name that rang a distant bell. Lila Garnett. It took me a while to recall that as a child, my mother would occasionally invoke Lila’s name when viewing remarkable in life she felt her old friend would appreciate: a school of dolphins off our dock in Florida, the wavering citrus yellow curtains of the northern lights in Rhode Island.

Hers was a distinct name, but there were probably hundreds of Lila Garnetts in the world and this photographer was far too young to have been my mother’s friend. I decided to send Lila Garnett an email, sure to trigger a warning that she believed I was an outpatient.

I simply asked if her mother had the same name and if her family was from Virginia. She wrote back: yes. And she didn’t call the police.

I asked if I could call her. Amazingly she agreed. I told her about my mother’s mentioning ‘Lila Garnett’ and that I know one other Garnett as kid at camp, Jimmy Garnett. That was her brother she told me, knowing that he’d gone to camp in New Hampshire.

So far, all in the vanilla realm of coincidence while also discovering that my uncle, as a minister, also performed her parents’ wedding.

The rest of the conversation included our mutual interest in Virginia history and her extensive research into her family ancestry there and ended the conversation on the pleasant note that two strangers had overlapping connections.

Several days later, I recalled another mention of the Garnett name, this time from an 1864 letter my great-great grandmother wrote. Her husband, my great-great grandfather, Randolph Harrison, lay dying from a bullet wound in the neck, shot during the battle of The Crater outside of Richmond.

A doctor Garnett was summoned to attend Randolph’s wound and save his life.

I called Lila again, asking if she had a relative in Richmond, a physician, during the Civil War. Yes, she said, her great-great-grandfather was a doctor in Richmond who tended the war’s wounded.

Suddenly I was now in the realm of Jung-Pauli synchronicity, Jinx times 10,000.

Trying to suppress magic thinking, I was left with the fact, as clear as any mathematics, that 160 years ago, our 2x great grandparents intersected in the space-time roulette of life, and we found each other to discover it.

And oddly, the only thing I’ve ever won in a lottery or drawing, was a toaster.

Jim Dissette is the editor of the Chestertown Spy.

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

Mid-Shore Traffic Control: Chestertown and SHA Share Data and Solutions to Slow Down Route 213

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At Monday’s Chestertown town council meeting, State Highway Administration (SHA) representatives Ken Fender and Rich Baker tackled the persisting issue of vehicle speed on Rt 213/Maple Avenue/Washington Avenue, alongside other intersection safety concerns across the town.

SHA, the Chestertown town council, along with Chestertown resident David Bowering and Michael McDowell have met once a month since last Fall to discuss Rt. 213 safety issues..

Baker, Assistant District Engineer of Traffic, shed light on various community apprehensions, backed by intensive studies conducted last December. These include speed checks, pedestrian movements, and accident data – the results of which are crucial in formulating protective measures for vulnerable users like pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.

In a surprising find, data indicated a drop in the proportion of larger trucks since 2015, possibly due to signage on Rt 301 and changes brought on by construction activities in Centreville.

Key intersection improvements were discussed, particularly at 213 and Cross Street/Philosophers Terrace. One proposal involves splitting side roads to alleviate congestion and lessen accidents. While pedestrian signals for Kent and Queen did not meet approval, a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon was green-lighted to bolster pedestrian safety.

Temporary speed strips on Rt.213 near Queen St. and sidewalk enhancements on Rt. 20 were proposed as interim solutions to slow traffic and aid pedestrian movement, particularly around the basketball court and park area.

Despite these advances, some attendees expressed skepticism about the timing of the December study, citing the absence of college students and unfavorable weather conditions. In response, Fender assured the possibility of a repeat study.

Speed feedback camera signs were also floated as a stop-gap measure to control speeding, while longer-term solutions are in the pipeline.

David Bowering, who led the Rt. 213 study in 2015 expressed optimism about the collaborative efforts, stating, “Positive things have come out of our initial discussions and cooperation.”

The installation of pedestrian crossing signals and other safety measures hinge on meeting specific criteria and securing federal funding. The SHA remains instrumental in determining feasible actions, underlining the symbiotic relationship between town officials and state engineers.

The meeting wrapped up, acknowledging the constructive partnership and shared commitment to addressing the community’s concerns, signaling hope for safer Chestertown streets in the future.

This video is approximately eight minutes in length.

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

Chestertown and Cambridge Advocates for Tax Differential at Maryland Municipal League Conference

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The ongoing effort to find county and town tax parity was highlighted at Monday’s town council meeting. The issue is moving forward as the Town explores State legislative assistance.

Chestertown Mayor David Foster and Ward 2 Councilman Tom Herz recently took an active role in addressing the longstanding issue of tax equity during the Maryland Municipal League (MML) Southern Summer Conference. They were joined by Cambridge Mayor Steve Rideout. 

The key concern for Chestertown and Cambridge was the Maryland tax differential or tax rebate problem, which has persisted for over 40 years. The county commissioners’ failure to fulfill their commitment to funding a study on tax equity prompted Chestertown to lobby other municipalities facing similar issues.

During the conference, the town leaders engaged in productive conversations with neighboring municipalities in Kent, Caroline, Talbot, and Dorchester counties. It became apparent that there was widespread interest in tackling the tax differential problem and advocating for fair treatment of municipal taxpayers.

To strengthen their cause, town representatives utilized their role as the chairman of the  Council of Governments to reach out to other municipalities in adjacent counties. These efforts resulted in discussions with the Intergovernmental Affairs Director for the Comptroller’s Office, who showed interest in supporting Chestertown’s endeavors by providing data and general support.

Recognizing the need for legislative action, the town advocates, in collaboration with other municipalities, submitted a legislative action request to the Maryland Municipal League (MML). The goal is to prompt a change in the language and laws concerning tax set off, ensuring that municipalities have a seat at the negotiation table and guaranteeing tax equity. Although negotiation details and studies remain to be addressed, progress is being made.

The officials also received support from other sources. Conversations with Ocean City’s mayor, who had previously pursued legal action, revealed a willingness to support Chestertown’s legislative efforts. Positive feedback and support were also received from the Attorney General’s Office, Comptroller’s Office, and Governor’s Office.

“We’re doing this process deliberately and we’re doing it the right way. Mayor and mayors before him having engaged with the county commissioner to try to get this problem solved,” Herz says. 

The collective efforts of Chestertown and other municipalities demonstrate a determination to rectify the imbalance and ensure fair treatment for all municipal taxpayers across Maryland.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length.

 

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

Mid-Shore Food: Making a Stone Age Diet a Kid-Healthy Favorite

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Last Friday, Chestertown’s Modern Stone Age Kitchen Restaurant and Bakery became the launch site for a significant pilot program—to impact the health of the Eastern Shore by introducing Kent County 6th-graders and families to healthy eating.

Conceived in partnership with Midshore Health Coalition, the initiative aims to promote healthy eating habits and cooking skills among students and their families.

Christina, Dr. Bill Schindler, and the Modern Stone Age Kitchen staff invited 15 families to enjoy pizza made from scratch for the inaugural class. The month-long series of classes will focus on transforming familiar foods like pizza into nutritious options. The program aims to make a lasting impact on participants’ dietary choices.

“One of the things we focus on at the Modern Stone Age Kitchen is taking real familiar food and just making it as healthy as nourishing as it can be. And a lot of times we use pizza as a teaching tool,” Bill Schindler says.

To accommodate participants’ schedules and potential transportation challenges, the program offers evening classes with two time slots. Content is digitally recorded to allow participants to access it remotely and review it at their convenience. At the end of each class, participants receive recipes and ingredients to recreate the dishes at home, ensuring access to resources necessary for healthy cooking.

John Queen of Bayside Hoyas will assist in distributing food to families facing transportation obstacles. Queen also was instrumental as a liaison with Kent County schools.

“Christina wants to impact the demographic that doesn’t come downtown to the restaurant, and at the same time, I was looking for someone to partner with in a meaningful way because the Hoyas have already been involved with food recovery and food delivery,” Queen says.

Using popular foods as a starting point, the initiative bridges the gap between everyday meals and nutritious options, empowering individuals to make healthier choices. The pilot program will provide valuable data to refine and expand efforts to promote healthy eating and cooking skills among middle school students throughout the community.

“Especially being former educators, it’s near and dear to our hearts to be able to give back to the schools and really be able to spread this message because it’s important,” Christina Schindler says.

In addition to engaging students, the program encourages family involvement, recognizing that the entire household plays a crucial role in fostering healthy eating habits

The Spy Interviewed Bill and Christina the day before the event.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. To find out more about Modern Stone Age Kitchen go here. For more about Bayside HOYAS, go here.

 

 

 

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Spy Exit Interview: Chestertown Town Manager Bill Ingersoll

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Capturing decades of public service in a mere ten-minute video is an impossible task., especially when attempting to encapsulate the career of an individual dedicated to fostering community growth, embracing change, and overcoming challenges

For forty-seven years and serving five mayors since 1975, Chestertown Town Manager Bill Ingersoll has overseen the day-to-day operations of the town, managed the town’s budget with the town council, coordinated departments and personnel, implemented policies and initiatives set by the town council, and addressed the needs of the community.

In essence, his efforts have been instrumental in shaping the very fabric of the town we know today.

He’s seen it all—a dramatic reconstruction of impoverished neighborhoods, the creation of Wilmer Park and two others, the waterfront and marina development, and weathering a prolonged recession with limited budgets are but a few examples Ingersoll oversaw during his term as town manager in a complex college community steeped in 18th century American history.

A third-generation Chestertown resident—his grandfather moved to the Quaker Neck area from Chicago in 1911—Ingersoll’s care for and knowledge of the town served him well after a Vietnam-era stint in the Coast Guard and a job for a grant writer opened up the town administration in 1975.

Close to the end of his tenure as Chestertown’s administrative manager, Bill Ingersoll recently talked to the Spy and reflected on his work from the era town hall shared a small building with the police station to the recent building resurgence and economic rebound the town enjoys today.

Sure to be on hand when the new town manager takes the reigns, Ingersoll says “he’s not going anywhere” and will help in any way he can during the transition.

This video is approximately 12 minutes in length.

 

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