MENU

Sections

More

December 6, 2025

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

Health Health Lead

Working on “The Conversation” about Dying : A Chat with Jo Merrill and Dot Mayorga

by

Talking about death rarely makes it onto anyone’s to-do list. However, for Dot Mayorga and Jo Merrill, it’s the kind of conversation that can lead to peace, clarity, and a sense of control during life’s most challenging moments. Both women are experienced professionals in hospice and social work, having spent decades supporting individuals and families through the end-of-life journey.

Their upcoming workshop, “Let’s Talk… About the Hard Stuff,” encourages a small group to tackle the conversations most people avoid: discussing dying while there’s still time to prepare for what comes next.

Mayorga and Merrill are well-acquainted with the emotional landscape of grief, caregiving, and loss, having guided both clients and loved ones through these experiences. They offer not therapy or theology, but practical guidance rooted in their lived experiences—approaches that are gentle, accessible, and surprisingly hopeful.

On Saturday, October 25, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (lunch included), they will facilitate discussions that can often feel impossible to have around the dinner table, but can ultimately be one of the greatest gifts families can share.

Dot and Jo sat down with the Spy last week to talk about the workshop.

Sign up: email Jo Merrill [email protected]
Date, Saturday, October 25, from 10:00-4:00 (lunch included,) Small group limited to 12 participants

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

Profiles in Spirituality: A Chat with Rev. Mark Tooley on Lutheranism and the Reformation

by

Rev. Mark Tooley’s journey began in Owensboro, Kentucky, where he was raised as the youngest of six in a large Catholic family. Surrounded by cousins, music, and small-town gatherings, he was well prepared for the close-knit communities he now serves as pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Easton. His intellectual curiosity led him across several denominations before he discovered that Lutheran theology offered, as he puts it, “the place of the most grace.”

That insight guided him to seminary, ordination, and ministry as a family pastor, and in 2022, he accepted the call to Emmanuel, where he now serves his congregation with warmth, intellect, and a touch of humor.

As part of our ongoing Profiles in Spirituality series, The Spy spoke with Rev. Tooley about the Lutheran Church’s deep connection to the Reformation and why Immanuel will celebrate it at the Talbot Agriculture and Education Center next Sunday.

This video is approximately eight minutes in length.

Reformation Celebration
Date: Sunday, October 26, 2025
Location: Talbot Agriculture and Education Center, Easton, Maryland
Time: 10:30 a.m. – Divine Service, followed by family activities, a free bluegrass concert by Flatland Drive, and concluding with a Vesper service and free chicken dinner. Contact: Immanuel Lutheran Church 315 North College Avenue, Easton, MD 21601 Phone: (410) 822-5665 Email: [email protected] Website: www.immanueleaston.org

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

Tred Avon Players Goes Hot n’ Cole in Oxford: A Chat with Director Marcia Gilliam and TAP’s Sammie Adams-Mercer

by

Tred Avon Players keeps its 2025 season swinging with Hot ‘n’ Cole: A Cole Porter Celebration, directed by Marcia Gilliam. A familiar face to TAP audiences, Gilliam, in our short Spy interview, notes why this light, witty tribute to one of America’s greatest songwriters will be a big crowd-pleaser when it opens next weekend. More than forty Porter tunes—sharp, romantic, and clever as ever—fill the stage in a mix of new arrangements and classic charm.

The show also comes as TAP welcomes its new executive director, Sammie Adams-Mercer, who highlights the logistics of the production.

Hot ‘n’ Cole: A Cole Porter Celebration! runs for eight performances, Thursdays through Sundays, from October 23–November 2 at the Oxford Community Center, 200 Oxford Rd, Oxford, Md. Showtimes: Thursday–Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students, available at tredavonplayers.org or by calling (410) 226-0061 

This video is approximately two minutes in length. For tickets and more information, please visit the TAP website.

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

A New Direction for Chesapeake College’s Todd Center: A Chat with Professor Robert Thompson

by

When the Spy learned that Chesapeake College’s 900-seat Todd Performing Arts Center in Wye Mills had quietly been reinventing itself after the pandemic, it didn’t take us long to ask Professor Robert Thompson, who has been the center’s director for years, for a quick check-in on the college’s plans. And it was pleasing to learn that the Todd is eager to prioritize celebrating the region’s people and culture. In our chat, Rob talks about that transformation, from ghost tales and harvest hauntings to community-built theater that aims to make the region hear itself anew.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more information about the Todd Performing Arts Center at Chesapeake College, please go here.

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

Easton Council Highlights: Town Approves Election Finance Ordinance

by

Easton resident Lance Simon might have been speaking for the entire Town Council when he summarized his argument in favor of adopting Ordinance 840, which adds campaign reporting requirements for town elections. Simon notes that it adds much-needed transparency by tracking and publicly reporting candidate spending. He said that cities like Salisbury, Bel Air, Laurel, and Ocean City already have similar policies and would give residents important information about campaign funding. His remarks are this week’s Council highlights, as well as councilmember comments.

The Spy had interviewed Mayor Megan Cook and Councilmember David Montgomery six months ago when they had proposed the legislation. You can see their interview here.

The Council moved to a vote and adopted Ordinance 840 unanimously.

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.

Main Street Maryland Takes the Stage on Main Street in Easton: A Chat with Christine McPherson

by

While Marylanders are still becoming familiar with their communities’ Main Street program throughout the state, on the Mid-Shore, that’s not an issue.  Over the last twenty years, our largest towns, including Cambridge, Chestertown, Denton, Easton, and Centreville, have all participated in the state’s Main Street program, and each one can point to tangible success stories as a result.

Maryland’s Main Street program is helping small towns across the state rediscover the power of their historic downtowns. Rooted in a national model from Main Street America, the initiative supports communities that want to revitalize their commercial cores while preserving local character, focusing on four key areas—design, promotion, economic vitality, and organization—to create a framework that’s as much about people as it is about place.

Starting next week, Main Street Maryland will take the stage in downtown Easton at the Avalon Theatre for a series of workshops, presentations, and to highlight our regional success for representatives from New Cumberland to Ocean City, and the Spy was curious to talk with Christine McPherson, who leads the Main Street effort in Maryland, to understand better how some of the State’s small towns are making real progress.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. For more information about Main Street Maryland, please go here.

 

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

The Power of Clay and Repetition: A Chat with AAM Guest Curator Rebecca Cross

by

In 2022, at the tail end of the pandemic, the American University Museum invited curator Rebecca Cross to organize a show on contemporary ceramics. The exhibition—an ambitious collaboration among seven artists—opened under limited hours, but its impact was significant.

Recognizing the artists’ extraordinary effort, Becca began reaching out to other institutions. The show caught the eye of the Academy Art Museum’s Lee Glazer, who had seen it in Washington and imagined how beautifully it would fit the AAM.. From that spark came this second installation—slightly re-imagined but still carrying the same creative spirit—before traveling next to the Fuller Craft Museum in Boston.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more information about the Academy Art Museum and this exhibition, please go here.

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

Mobile Integrated Health is a Lifeline for Talbot County Elders

by

Mobile Integrated Health is a term that doesn’t fully capture the mission it serves in a community. It’s called MIH for short and is so vital to the country’s aging population that it now has its own awareness month in October. But what does it actually mean?

We asked Rachael Cox, a member of the Talbot County Commission on Aging and a long-time veteran of the County’s Emergency Services Management, to explain the fundamental role this important outreach service plays for some of the county’s low-income elderly residents.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. For more information about the Talbot County Commission on Aging, please go here.

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

Profiles in Philanthropy: The Hole in the Wall Gang Starts to Camp at Wye

by

A few years ago, the Spy ran a good news story that the Mid-Shore philanthropist Arthur Houghton’s famed Wye Institute, just off of Wye Island in Queen Anne’s County, had to donate to Hole in the Wall Gang.  This remarkable campus had served as a leadership camp, a think tank, and the eventual home of the Aspen Institute for decades until the organization made a strategic decision to close its operations at the site.  The idea that the non-profit would use the approximately 500 acres to host extremely ill children and their families was welcomed news for the entire region.

But who was the Hole in the Wall Gang? The Spy wanted to know, so we spent some quality time with Arthur Houghton’s stepson, Jeff Horstman, and a few members of the Hole in the Wall Gang’s senior management team to discuss the organization’s mission in a 2023 interview.

Two years later, the Spy returned to Wye for an update with Jeff and Vermont-based HITWG board member Bonnie Ferro, who also co-directs the Charles P. Ferro Foundation, about her family’s decision to make a $1 million lead donation to construct its welcome center and infirmary as part of the organization’s $15 million phase one project.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. To make a donation to the Hole in the Wall Gang or to learn more about its programs, please go here.

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

The Spy and Maryland Public Television Share the Avalon Stage to Share “Maryland by Air”

by

With a packed house in the Avalon’s main stage, Spy commentator Craig Fuller continued his own “Conversations with Craig Fuller” on Wednesday night with special guest and the newly appointed Maryland Public Broadcasting president, Steven Schupak, for a community screening of MPT’s remarkable “Maryland by Air” documentary. The film, which follows well-known Maryland aviators, including the Mid-Shore’s own Hunter Harris, captures our beautiful state from a bird’s-eye perspective, vividly coming to life on Avalon’s state-of-the-art high-definition big screen.

We wanted to share the entire program with our readers, including the film, to share the magic of this very special MPT production team.

This video is approximately 90 minutes in length.

 

 

 

 

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