The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community
A trusted spy in the community has provided us recent surveillance footage of Maryland Governor Wes Moore ducking into Out of the Fire restaurant on Tuesday for a quick lunch. In an impromptu chat with other diners, the newly-elected governor made it clear to Easton would be seeing a lot of him in the future. We can only suspect it is OOTF’s pizza that wants him to come back so often.
A few days ago, the Spy was passed a note suggesting we look into the remarkable conwidence that accorded a few days ago in Anne Arundel County on New Year’s Day. According to the Annapolis Capital, Becca Paterson McNally gave birth to one Reese Davenport McNally at precisely 12:01 A.M. at the Luminis Medical Center, making Reese the first baby born in that county.
That was wonderful news for Annapolis, and mother and child are in good health, but the twist to the story is that this is the second time for Becca’s family, the Pattersons of Easton, had achieved the “First” title. In turns out Reese’s mom, Becca herself, won that distinction as the first baby in Talbot County in 1991 when her mom, Robin Davenport, gave birth at the Easton hospital.
It is yet to be determined if the Patterson family is gearing up for another “First in Line” award; only time will tell.
Readers can read the full story here (major paywall)
Alfred Hitchcock, indeed, would have been delighted by the recent gathering of turkey vultures at the Easton grain elevator plant off off Dover Street. Still, one suspects that most residents that pass by the large processing center might find the sight of the bird conferees a tad off-putting.
That was the response from one of our Spy readers, and they inquired as to what the town might do to disband this rather spooky convention of hundreds of vultures. We don’t have an answer for any municipality response, but we have seen this phenomenon before.
Ten years ago, Spy editor Kathy Bosin explored a similar occurrence on an AT&T cell tower off St. Michaels Road. In that article, she explains that these remarkable gatherings are called “wakes” because it mirrors a traditional wake where family and friends gather to pay their respects to a loved one. And while the birds do not express grief of any type, their bowed heads and black silhouettes remind the solemn atmosphere of a funeral.
We asked one of spies to capture some reconnaissance film to share.
This video is approximately is less than one minute in length.
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The Spy’s favorite Baltimore Magazine writer, the Mid-Shore’s very own Lydia Woolever, continues this month with her ongoing special stories about the Eastern Shore and the Chesapeake Bay.
This time around, with the help of photographers Jay Fleming, Timothy Hyman, And Mike Morgan, Lydia takes on the complex impact the Chesapeake Bay Bridge has had on Maryland since it first opened 70 years ago.
Read on here.
Readers of the Spy might enjoy a recent article by Martha S. Jones of the New York Times that was published yesterday. The historian marks the 200th birthday of a conductor of the Underground Railroad with a visit to her birthplace, only to learn how climate change is washing away memories of “the ultimate outdoors woman.”
Please read the article here.
Another Spy has filed their report on the historic launching of the Maryland Dove at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum from earlier the week.
This video is approximately three minutes in length. For more information on the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum please go here.
The Eastern Shore seemed to have escaped the worst of a major Coastal Flood storm last Friday but even this moderate incident can demonstrate the the impact of rising sea levels.
One of our Spies filed this short video report.
This video is approximately one minute in length.
A spy was able to share a photo of Governor Larry Hogan visiting the mural to commemorate Frederick Douglass in Easton.
The mural, painted by world-renowned muralist Michael Rosato of Cambridge, Maryland, features a timeline of the life of Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey Douglass and his wife, Anna Murray Douglass. Painted on panels, the work chronicles the factors that shaped Douglass as a man and advocate for human rights, highlighting his emphasis on education, and his work in a shipyard and The North Star newspaper. It also focuses on the family’s proud history of military service and illustrates Douglass’ lasting contributions to the progression of African Americans from slavery to the White House.
It can be viewed on the Easton Rails Trail at 505 South Street in Easton.
Attendees line up for a look inside a Maryland National Guard A-10
The weather cooperated for this year’s Easton Airport Day, an annual aviation showcase featuring historic aircraft, information on careers in aviation, and the famous rubber chicken drop. Hundreds of people come to see modern and vintage aircraft and to learn about flying.
The most interesting aircraft on display was a C-47 Skytrain that dropped paratroopers in Normandy, France, as part of the D-Day invasion in 1944. The airplane is the military version of a DC-3.
C-47 Skytrain at Easton
The C-47 is now owned by a foundation. It regularly flies to airshows and aviation museums.
Visitors were not permitted to get into the aircraft, but a side door was open. Inside was a box of rubber chickens that were dropped from the plane later in the day as part of the festivities.
The rubber chicken drop is a competition where airplanes attempt to hit a pickup truck by dropping the chickens as they fly over. You might call it a “chicken bombing.”
If you attend airshows, you have probably seen a Yakovlev-Yak-52, an aerobatic Russian training aircraft first flown in the 1970s. Several were at the airport, including one looking like a fresh arrival from the Soviet Union.
Later in the day, the airplane flew as part of a large formation over the airport.
The cockpit of one of the Yaks was open to permit visitors to view the controls.
Parked near the Russians was a Douglas Dauntless, a World War II Navy fighter. The plane was launched from aircraft carriers and saw combat, including at the battles of Midway and Coral Sea.
Dauntless
Only a few of these aircraft remain in flying condition today. I was fortunate to see this one.
Attracting surprisingly limited attention at the show was a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. The supersonic interceptor first flew for the U.S. Air Force in 1958 for many years for NATO allies.
Because of its stubby wings and quirky handling characteristics, it was known as “the widow maker” in Germany. Germany lost 116 pilots in accidents involving the plane.
Easton’s F-104
The F-104 is on permanent display at the airport but is usually behind a chain link fence. Airport Day provided my first opportunity to see the plane up close. It is unfortunately exposed to the weather. It needs renovation and is not in flying condition. The red material in the engine intake is to prevent birds and other critters from nesting inside.
My time at Airport Day was limited, so we missed seeing the mass formation and the chicken drop.
We did see two aircraft fly. The first was a Civil Air Patrol plane that passed low over the field.
The second was a drone filming the event from a hover above the crowd.
Airport Day 2021 was a huge success. I plan to attend next year.
It’s one thing to say that restaurants are getting creative during this era of COVID, but it’s another to see a great example of this phenomenon. So when the Spy took note of the news that Out of the Fire was going to offer an online market of foods from their kitchen or found locally, it was a welcome sight indeed.
Devoted OOTF fans (of which there are many) throughout the Mid-Shore can now order the famed breads (including pizza dough), deserts, and signature hot sauces and jams. For egg lovers, Out of the Fire is also offering local duck and chicken eggs from Caroline County’s Duck Farm. And while local eggs are a treasure in themselves, the OOTF style even extends to the festival cartons they come in.
For additional information on the Out of the Fire Market, please go here.
