Spy and Avalon Collaboration

Watch Last Night’s Avalon-Spy Town Hall Meeting with School Board Candidates

October 3, 2024 by Spy and Avalon Collaboration

Last night, the Avalon Foundation and the Talbot Spy co-hosted a Town Hall meeting for four of the six candidates running for the Talbot County Board of Education.

Spy Columnist Craig Fuller served as moderator and engaged the candidates in a series of questions about public education in Talbot County. We encourage our readers to watch the evening’s program.

The Avalon has created a helpful voter guide for residents to help determine their district and candidates. Watch below.

This video is approximately 120 minutes in length.

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

Avalon Spy Town Meeting Tonight with School Board Candidates and Guide to Voting

October 2, 2024 by Spy and Avalon Collaboration

The Avalon Foundation and the Talbot Spy have announced that the two organizations will collaborate once again on a community Town Hall meeting, this time for candidates running for the Talbot County Board of Education. The meeting will be held Tonight, October 2, at 6 p.m. at the Avalon main theatre to discuss the educational issues facing our community.

Spy Columnist Craig Fuller has agreed to host the evening’s program. Mr. Fuller has lived in Talbot County for the last seven years. Before his arrival, he served four years in the White House as assistant to President Reagan for Cabinet Affairs, followed by four years as chief of staff to Vice President George H.W. Bush. He later was the CEO of public affairs firms and associations in Washington, D.C., before his retirement.

The program is anticipated to last 120 minutes. It will be live-streamed on the Mid-Shore Community Television YouTube channel and the Avalon Facebook page. Attendance at the Avalon will be on a first-come basis, and there will be no charge for admission. Donations, however, are welcome to support the cost of this event and future community programming.

The Avalon has created a helpful voter guide for residents to help determine their district and candidates. Watch below.

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

Avalon and Talbot Spy to Host Board of Education Town Hall October 2

September 19, 2024 by Spy and Avalon Collaboration

The Avalon Foundation and the Talbot Spy have announced that the two organizations will collaborate once again on a community Town Hall meeting, this time for candidates running for the Talbot County Board of Education. The meeting will be held on October 2 at 6 p.m. at the Avalon main theatre to discuss the educational issues facing our community.

The program is anticipated to last 120 minutes. It will be live-streamed on Mid-Shore Community Television and the Spy’s Facebook channel. Attendance at the Avalon will be on a first-come basis, and there will be no charge for admission. Donations, however, are welcome to support the cost of this event and future community programming.

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

Easton Election Tuesday: Spy-Avalon Council President Candidate Profiles

September 11, 2023 by Spy and Avalon Collaboration

Easton residents are encouraged to vote for Easton Town Council President tomorrow at the Easton Fire House between 7 am and 8 pm. The fire house is located at 215 Leonard Rieck Drive..

Last month, the Spy and the Avalon Foundation interviewed three out of the four candidates. Those interviews are reposted below.

Readers can also watch the Avalon-Spy special Town Hall meeting with all four candidates here.

The Talbot Spy and the Avalon Foundation recently agreed again to provide special coverage of Easton’s September 12th election for Town Council president. As part of this partnership, the two organizations have decided to hold a Town Hall meeting at the Avalon Theatre on august 29th at 6 pm. Moderated by Spy columnist and Easton resident Craig Fuller, all four candidates have been invited to participate in an hour-long discussion on the future of Easton.

The Spy and Avalon also agreed to broadcast individual candidates’ profiles before the Town Hall gathering.

Last week, Dave Wheelan, the Talbot Spy’s editor, sat down with candidates Frank Gunsallus, Al Silverstein, and Bob Willey to discuss their backgrounds, qualifications, and priorities if elected to office. The fourth candidate, Kevin Bateman, did not respond to our invitation to participate.

In these interviews, the candidates talk about their backgrounds, motive for running for the office, priorities and address some of the town’s challenges.

These interviews average 20 minutes in length.

Frank Gunsallus

Al Silverstein

Bob Willey

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

The Avalon and Talbot Spy: The Easton Council President Election Town Hall Meeting with Craig Fuller

August 30, 2023 by Spy and Avalon Collaboration

Last night the Avalon Foundation and the Talbot Spy co-sponsored a town hall gathering for the four candidates running for Easton Town Council President. With a full house in downtown Easton, and some 300 watching online, Spy Columnist Craig Fuller moderated the 90 minute conversation about the future of Easton..

We present the entire evening in full.

The election will be held of September 12th.

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

Spy-Avalon Easton Council President Candidate Profiles

August 21, 2023 by Spy and Avalon Collaboration

The Spy and Avalon also agreed to broadcast individual candidates’ profiles before the Town Hall gathering.

In these interviews, the candidates talk about their backgrounds, motive for running for the office, priorities and address some of the town’s challenges.

These interviews average 20 minutes in length.

Frank Gunsallus

Al Silverstein

Bob Willey

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

Spy-Avalon Election 2023: Easton Council Ward Three Candidate Profiles

April 14, 2023 by Spy and Avalon Collaboration

About a month ago, the Talbot Spy and the Avalon Foundation agreed to partner in providing the community with candidate profiles for those running for the Easton Town Council for Ward One and Ward Three in the May 2 election.

We continue with Ward One candidates Ron Engle (incumbent) and challenger David Montgomery.

Interviewed by the Talbot Spy editor Dave Wheelan, with the technical support of the Avalon’s Mid-Shore Community Television MCTV, these profiles center on three primary subjects; a candidate’s background, qualifications, and priorities if elected to office. These interviews average 20 minutes in length.

We think that our viewers will walk away much better informed on those critical themes, but will also recognize, as did the Spy and Avalon crew, that our community is all the more enriched by having such a unique collection of dedicated citizens among us.

Ron Engle

David Montgomery

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

Spy Long-Form: The Proposed Poplar Hill Farm Housing Development in Easton

April 8, 2023 by Spy and Avalon Collaboration

The Poplar Hill Farm project, a proposed housing development in Talbot County, was the topic of recent discussion for both the town and county planning commissions. The project’s potential impact on the Maryland designated critical area has raised concerns among residents and officials alike. The critical area is a designated area of land that is protected by law due to its sensitive ecological and environmental significance.

On April 2, a joint listening session was held at the Avalon to discuss the viability of the project and its potential impact on the critical area. With the help of our partner, the Avalon’s MCTV, the Spy has condensed the two-hour meeting into three segments to fairly explain the project in its entirety, every citizen comment, and finally a short response by the developer’s attorney.

The first segment features Ryan D. Showalter, a lawyer representing the developer. Showalter outlines the developer’s plans for the project and addresses concerns raised by the planning commissions and residents. He discusses the steps the developer has taken to minimize the project’s impact on the critical area and how the project aligns with local and state regulations.

The second segment features public comments from residents who express their concerns about the project’s potential impact on the critical area. Many residents voice their opposition to the project, citing concerns about increased traffic, loss of wildlife habitat, and the potential for pollution in the area’s waterways.

The final segment features Showalter responding to questions raised by resident comments. He addresses the concerns raised and explains how the developer plans to address these issues. He emphasizes that the project is still in the planning stages and that the developer is committed to working with the community to address any concerns and ensure that the project is in compliance with local and state regulations.

While this project and its approval process will have a direct impact on Easton, the entire Mid-Shore community, all of whom are facing similar growth issues, should take special note of this process and some of the uniques challenges that come with growth.

Segment one (Summary) and two (public comments) are approximately 30 minutes in length. Segment three (developer response) is 7 minutes.

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

Spy-Avalon Election 2023: Town of Easton Mayoral Candidate Profiles

March 23, 2023 by Spy and Avalon Collaboration

About a month ago, the Talbot Spy and the Avalon Foundation agreed to partner in providing the community with candidate profiles for those running for the mayor of Easton in the May 2 election.

These profiles are available for viewing in two different formats. The first, appearing below, are edited versions similar to other Spy interview format where we limit the content to each candidate’s commentary. They average about 15 minutes in length. MCTV will be broadcasting these interviews in their entirety until election day and can also be watched on the Avalon website here.

Megan Cook

Al Silverstein

Bob Willey (incumbent)

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

Avalon/Spy Survey Results: From Growth to Dog Parks Challenge Easton

March 21, 2023 by Spy and Avalon Collaboration

With close to 370 responses to the latest Avalon/Spy survey on challenges facing Easton, the number one concern for the community turned out to be its environment and the impact of growth. That finding was one of several takeaways from the poll’s results, followed by the issues of public safety, drug abuse, traffic, and affordable housing.
In addition to submitting responses to top-rank issues, participants shared their top questions for mayoral candidates and their personal concerns for the municipality.

The Spy and Avalon Foundation will co-host a public town hall meeting on April 16 at 6 pm at the Avalon Theatre with Spy columnist Craig Fuller as moderator to discuss these concerns as the community prepares for its mayoral election on May 2.

Here are our results:

Top Ten Concerns/Challenges for Easton