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July 6, 2025

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

2 News Homepage

Norm Bell Elected Oxford Commissioner

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Norm Bell defeated Josh Coder by 12 votes after all the ballots were counted after yesterday’s town election.

Coder requested poll watchers be present during the voting process. As a result, Oxford live-streamed the election process since poll watchers are not referenced in the town charter.

Bell told his supporters, “I want to congratulate Josh on his willingness to run for commissioner. I hope he will continue to lend his energy, to work for the greater good of “Camp Oxford”, as we come together to address the challenges that lie ahead.”

 

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

Easton Council Highlights: A Community Response to Gunsallus Proposal to End Funding of Ideological Organizations

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Two weeks ago, the Spy took note of Easton Town Council President Frank Gunsallus’s proposal to forbid the use of town funds to support organizations or causes he considered ideological.

Last night, there was a significant follow-up to the Gunsallus proposal and his intentions regarding such a legislative act.  With a packed meeting chamber, the Town Council heard from many residents who took issue with the council president’s comments from the May meeting and his example of the use of town banners displaying the LGBTQ pride flag. Other community members supported the measure. In addition, council members took turns expressing their responses to those who spoke.

Community Voices

Easton Town Councilmembers response

These video segments are 24 minutes and 13 minutes in length

 

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

Chasing the Silver with Marc Castelli

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MassoniArt in Chestertown will be offering a unique gallery experience this month in that it will be more of a museum exhibition than a typical showing of an artist’s work. Part of the reason for that is that quite a few of the 40 pieces of art are not even for sale, but more importantly, it was its gallery owner, Carla Massoni, who envisioned a retrospective exhibition that spanned over 40 years of Mid-Shore artist Marc Castelli’s breathtaking documentation of competitive sailing and those who sail them entitled Chasing the Silver.

The Castelli exhibition presents an opportunity to widen the lens on subjects Marc has painted during his long career. Chasing the Silver is the first time such a collection has been gathered from Marc’s personal portfolio for exhibition. This retrospective features watercolors of major world yachting events over the last 40 years.

Showcased will be paintings, pen and inks, posters, cartoons, and prints featuring America’s Cup challenges and defenses from 1987 to the last traditional monohull America’s Cup in 2006, as well as the Whitbread races in 1997-98, the sea trials and starts for the Global Challenges 2004-05, the 2006 Soling World Championship, the Star Boat World Championship 2016, and the USNA’s Kennedy Cup Regatta and the J-Class Yachts Regatta 2015.

The Spy sat down with Marc a few weeks ago to talk about his approach to painting racing boats, but it was also fitting to include his personal memories of growing up along the shores of Lake Michigan and falling in love with these extraordinary vessels and who he developed as an artist to paint them.

This video is approximately three minutes in length.

June 7 – August 7, 2024
Massoniart – Cross Street Gallery
Chestertown

June First Friday Reception – June 7, 5-8 pm

Artist Talks
Saturday, June 8, 12 noon
Sunday, June 9, 12 noon

July First Friday Reception– July 5, 5-8 pm

For additional information please visit www.massoniart.com. A portion of all sales will be donated to support sailing scholarships. 

Chasing the Silver for Forty Or So Years by Marc Castelli can be read here.

 

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

The Arc Mission for Behavioral Health: A Chat with Cindy Lindgren

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From the outset, the Arc has placed the behavioral health of its core constituency at the forefront of its mission, yet the significance of mental health in enhancing the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities might not always be apparent to the broader public. These individuals not only navigate the everyday hurdles presented by their physical or mental conditions but also, much like the wider population, experience periodic bouts of depression and anxiety.

In a recent conversation, Cindy Lindgren, the director of behavioral health at the Arc – Central Chesapeake Region, shared insights with the Spy on the distinctive challenges faced by those with special needs in recognizing the importance of, and gaining access to, mental health care.

While Cindy notes that the tigma surrounding mental health is gradually diminishing, but it continues to pose a significant obstacle, especially for those on the margins of society. The COVID-19 pandemic cast a spotlight on the mental health crisis among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, unearthing issues such as isolation, bullying, and difficulties in forming and maintaining relationships.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. For more information about the Arc please go here.

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

Mid-Shore Health: The Road to Recovery at Shore Medical Center’s Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Clinics

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It’s hard to forget for many Americans that heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Every year, millions lose friends and family to heart attacks, but a growing number of men and women are not only surviving that significant traumatic event but actually thriving with the help of places like UM Shore Medical Center’s Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Clinic.

In an insightful discussion with Sherrie Hill, RN, and Sally Worm, RN, from the rehabilitation clinics in both Chestertown and Easton, the Spy learned a considerable amount on cardiovascular disease risk management, distinguishing between uncontrollable (age, heredity, sex) and controllable (blood pressure, lifestyle) factors. We also had a new appreciation for the remarkable work these clinics perform in supervising programs for those recovering from high-risk heart conditions and supporting patients psychologically and physically.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. For more information about  UM Shore Medical Center’s Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Clinic program please go here.

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

Lakeside Update: Council to Vote on Resolutions 338, 247 and 348 at March Meeting

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Last night the Talbot County Council discussed and opened for public comments on three proposed regulations directly impacting the Lakeside housing development in Trappe.

Most of the discussion centered around Resolution 338, which aims to amend Talbot County’s comprehensive water and sewer plan for the Lakeside Wastewater Treatment Plant following a discharge permit issued by the Maryland Department of the Environment. 338 would align the county’s water and sewer plan with environmental regulations and mandate future plant expansions to require amendments for consistency.

Public opinions varied, with some supporting the resolution for ensuring development aligns with comprehensive plans, particularly regarding impacts on schools, roads, and taxes. Others opposed it, arguing it unfairly targets the town of Trappe and hinders its growth management.

The meeting concluded with plans to vote on Resolutions 338, 347, and 348 in March after considering all public inputs and the Planning Commission’s recommendations.

This video is approximately 30 minutes in length.

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

A New Leader at Chesapeake College’s Cambridge Center: A Chat with Lorelly Solano

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The last time the Spy chatted with Lorelly Solano a few years ago, she had just begun her work at the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center. And her focus in 2019 was to help the organization train interpreters to help offer bilingual services on the Mid-Shore to various businesses and nonprofit institutions. 

One of the schools that Lorelly worked closely with at the time was Chesapeake College, so it was not a surprise to find her almost five years later working with that institution as the new director of its Cambridge Center. As the Mid-Shore continues to grow with a diversity of cultures and languages, Dr. Solano was immediately attracted to the challenge and opportunity of making the Cambridge campus a regional leader in adult education for high school equivalency, English language acquisition for immigrants, and non-credit courses like skilled trades.

In her new role, Solano has made it a goal to mirror the community’s diversity within the Center, ensuring that when people visit, they see themselves represented.  

Last month the Spy came by the Cambridge Center to learn more about Dr. Lorelly’s plans.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. For more information about Chesapeake College and its Cambridge Center, please go here.

 

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

Centreville Town Council Candidate Profiles

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For many years now, the Spy has been interviewing candidates for local elections using the long-form format to discuss their motivation for running and their priorities without an artificial time limit for their answers. Giving those running for office quality time to explain a position or advocate a cause is the most effective way for citizens to fully understand the most critical issues at stake.

And we are pleased to keep this tradition alive and well at the Centerville Spy.

On October 2, Centreville will go to the polls to elect two Town Council members. Those running for those seats are incumbents Ashley Kaiser and Steve Kline, and Jeff Kiel, a former member of the council.

The Spy interviewed each over the last two weeks to share their thoughts about Centreville and its future.

These videos range in length from eight to twelve minutes.

Ashley Kaiser

Steve Kline

Jeff Kiel

 

 

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

Poet to Poet: Meredith Davies Hadaway Chats with Sue Ellen Thompson

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Editor”s Note. Next week, the Spy will launch an experiment with our partner the Avalon Foundation to use their brilliant Stoltz Listening Room for poetry readings called Spy Nights. On Wednesday, the 27th at 6 pm sharp, the Eastern Shore’s most distinguished poet, Sue Ellen Thompson, will take the stage for a reading from her new book, Sea Nettles.

There are a few notable things to be said about this event. The first time, to my knowledge, the Avalon has ever made a poet a “headliner” in the most complimentary sense of the word. It will also be the Spy’s first effort to move beyond its internet comfort zone to co-sponsor public readings by some of our most remarkable contributors. And finally, this kind of celebration is way overdue to pay tribute to the extraordinary work of Sue Ellen Thompson.

While it’s understandable that the Mid-Shore community, like the United States itself, doesn’t track the poetry world as closely as it does music, Thompson is considered a rock star of sorts. It is almost the equivalent of having someone like jazz pianist Brad Mehldau living in the hood. In this case, that hood happens to be Oxford, Maryland.

Given the breadth of Sue Ellen’s work over a lifetime and her observations of the dramatic change in poetry since she began her journey at Middlebury College in the 1960s, the Spy thought it best to ask Chestertown’s Meredith Davies Hadaway, her friend, and fellow poet, to spend a few minutes talking to Sue Ellen, poet-to-poet, for the community to get a better sense of her work and times.

This video is approximately nine minutes in length. For Tickets please go here. 

Meredith Davies Hadaway will also be taking to the Avalon stage with fellow poets Erin Murphy and Amanda Newell as Word Girls on November 15. For tickets and more information please go here. 

SPY NIGHTS: A WRITERS SERIES
SUE ELLEN THOMPSON
Stoltz Listening Room
Doors: 5:30pm / Talk: 6:00pm
WED 9/27 6:00PM

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

Spy Exit Interview: Londonderry’s Irma Toce is Leaving the Building

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Having a title like chief executive officer is an appropriate one for the individual tasked with running a multi-million dollar budget as well as overseeing a vast physical campus but Irma Toce never sees her job through the lens of a traditional business leader. Her decades of experience in leading residential retirement communities had told her well before she took on the CEO role at Londonderry at Tred Avon in 2014 that her job was building a unique sense of place there.

For Irma, that rebuilding started with the staff. With morale suffering from the impact of the 2008 recession and high occupancy rates, that sense of place (and purpose) was the missing ingredient. In fact, she still recalls visiting Londonderry during the interview process and was bewildered that such a beautiful place with such wonder residents was having any problems at all.

And that personal mission has been very much in evidence at Londonderry for almost ten years. With full occupancy, healthy financials, and a culture of authentic community, Irma not only helped steady the ship but clearly had a great time doing it.

The Spy continues with our ongoing series of exit interviews with some of the Mid-Shore’s most talented individuals as they come to the close of long-term impactful leaders of our leading community organizations and businesses, of which Irma is at the top of the list.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information about Londonderry on the Tred Avon please go here.

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