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January 27, 2022

The Talbot Spy

The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community

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Adkins Mystery Monday: What Keeps Green Leaves in the Winter?

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Happy Mystery Monday! Do you know what herbaceous perennial has kept its green leaves despite the winter weather? Hint: this picture was taken in the floodplain, though this plant tolerates a variety of soil conditions.

Last week, we asked you about the pinxter azalea (Rhododendron periclymenoides)! Azaleas have characteristically long stamens that can be double the length of the petals. These native azaleas will bloom in April and May before they leaf out. If you are walking in the Adkins Arboretum woods in the spring, keep an eye out for pinxters blooming along Upland Walk and Blockston Overlook.

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

 ESEC Hosts Zoom Call on Agritech Between Maryland and the Netherlands

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The world trend toward more locally-produced food requires a fundamental shift in how global food supply chains are organized and puts new demand on the technology needed to produce sufficient, high quality, diverse and healthy food. This topic and more will be explored in an upcoming webinar titled Growth Opportunities for AgriTech between Maryland and The Netherlands on Jan. 27 from 9 am-10.30 am ET (Maryland time) and 15.00-16.30 CET (The Netherlands time).

Both Maryland and The Netherlands focus strongly on local food production and ways to benefit from their central locations with easy access to densely populated areas. In 2019, the Memorandum of Understanding was renewed between the Maryland Department of Commerce and InnovationQuarter, the economic development agency for the Rotterdam-The Hague area in The Netherlands, to drive innovative collaborations between the two regions in several focus areas of mutual interest. The Jan. 27 webinar is part of a new initiative to connect the Dutch AgriTech sector with leading Maryland companies and organizations.

“In this webinar, both regions will highlight the commercial opportunities for innovative companies in the fields of agritech and aquatech,” said Mike Thielke, executive director of the Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center, who is the moderator of the webinar and part of the planning team. “Our organization, which includes F3 Tech and CyberAg, in partnership with the state of Maryland, is ready to help soft land Dutch companies interested in entering the U.S. market.”

In addition to highlighting opportunities for collaboration, the webinar will focus on timely topics like controlled environment agriculture and cybersecurity in agriculture.

“Progressing the Dutch AgriTech sector by working with Maryland companies is mutually beneficial, especially when looking at the crossover with cybersecurity,” said Rolf Karst, Project Manager Internationalization, InnovationQuarter. “The Dutch AgTech sector has a strong track record but is also evolving rapidly. For the sector to support current levels of R&D expenditure it is crucial to scale up the national and international activities. The U.S. is seen as a growth market and Maryland is well positioned to attract further investment in AgTech and food production in general. By supporting the collaboration of companies from both regions we want to stimulate this opportunity for more sustainable and healthy food production.

Event speakers include:

Signe Pringle — Deputy Secretary, Maryland Department of Commerce
Rolf Karst — Project Manager Internationalization, InnovationQuarter
Eric Egberts — CEO, Dutch Greenhouse Delta
Bert Feskens — Senior Programme Manager, Security Delta (HSD)
Steve Connelly — Assistant Secretary of Marketing, Animal Industries and Consumer Services, Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA)
Ewing McDowell — Maryland Department of Commerce
Chris Hlubb — Program Director, F3 Tech
Andrew Rose – Managing Director, CyberAg
Nina Lamba — Assistant Director, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET)
Mike Thielke (Moderator) — Executive Director, Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center (ESEC)
The webinar is an initiative from InnovationQuarter, Maryland Department of Commerce, F3 Tech, Baltimore-Rotterdam Sister City Committee, Netherlands America Chamber of Commerce Washington Metro (NACCWM), CyberAg, IMET, Rotterdam Partners, Security Delta (SD) and the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

To register, please visit: https://events.innovationquarter.nl/MDNLwebinar

This is the first of several webinars the group plans to host in 2022. Webinar topics are expected to include cyberag; controlled environment agriculture; water management and responding to rising seas, unpredictable weather and climate change; row crop automation; best practices in multi-generational adaptive and resilient structural design.

Statement to Editor: NAACP Requests Independent Investigation of Easton Elementary School Knife Incident

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In a letter addressed to the Talbot County Board of Education, the regional imprint of the NAACP is calling on the organization to initiate an independent inquiry about the occurrence and handling of the traumatic incident that occurred on October 11, 2021 at Easton Elementary School. 

It is alleged that the potentially racially charged knife fracas involved two students who previously shared a friendship and culminated with one student bringing what is described as a “knife” to school to harm the former friend. The impending threat was brought to the attention of the would-be victim by a video on the popular social media platform, Snapchat. 

Fortunately, the incident did not progress to a physical assault. Still, the reports left much to be desired in the depiction of how the school administration handled the matter. The institution’s principal took two days to report the case to the police. Additionally, the mother was informed that safety measures are in place for her child but with no specificity. Moreover, the child who allegedly brought the knife to school was allowed to re-enter campus without the mother of the victim being informed. Due process was not apparent in the handling of this potentially explosive situation. To make matters worse, parents only learned of the alarming incident through the social media posts of the alleged victim’s mother lamenting the school’s lack of duty of care.

Outraged by this news, the NAACP has requested the school board to thoroughly examine the issue to determine exactly what happened. Most importantly, they intend to join forces with the board to prevent these occurrences in the future and implement systems to handle situations of this nature if they ever reoccur. To date the school board has declined to entertain the request of the NAACP. 

Read the full letter here.

Richard Potter, President
NAACP Talbot County Branch

 

 

Christ Church St. Michaels Breaks Ground on Talbot Street Project

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Pictured from left to right are John Masone, project representative; Dr. Robert Burger, Senior Warden; Tom King, project engineer; Susan Armstrong, Junior Warden; Michael Bibb, Town Commissioner; and Rev. Steven Mosher. Photo by Dan Daniel.

In 1672, the Anglican Church of England established the Parish of St. Michaels on Shipping Creek, which is now St. Michaels harbor. The church was one of the Chesapeake Bay area’s original “water churches” for the Church of England. In 2022, Christ Church St. Michaels will celebrate its 350th anniversary with a series of projects and events intended not only to serve parishioners, but also the greater St. Michaels community.

The keystone event of the anniversary year is the Talbot Street Project, which was begun on Dec. 5 with a groundbreaking ceremony. The Rev. Steven E. Mosher broke ground and addressed a large crowd of guests and church members. Rev. Mosher announced that the Talbot Street Project would transform the church yard into a newly landscaped area of walkways, benches, a memorial garden, and a Chapel.

Special guest Tom King of Noelker and Hull Associates, Inc., Frederick, MD, was introduced as the chief architect and structural engineer of the project. Mr. King will be working with the primary project contractor to create an extremely welcoming area bordering Talbot Street in front of the church in the heart of St. Michaels.

Michael E. Bibb, president, Commissioners of St. Michaels, stressed the importance of Christ Church in the history of the town that grew up around it. Rev. Mosher thanked Mr. Bibb and his fellow commissioners as well as the members of the Historic Commission and their staffs for their support in helping to bring this project to fruition.

The project, once completed, is intended to provide a host site for St. Michaels residents and visitors to have a relaxing moment while enjoying the town. Whether it be outdoor worship services, concerts, lectures, or special events, it is hoped that all will benefit from this inaugural project of Christ Church’s 350th anniversary celebration.

 

 

The Wonder Years by Angela Rieck

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It’s something that we are born with. But over time, as we begin to judge, accumulate experiences, and become distracted…it often fades. Fortunately, slowing down (from the pandemic and retirement), communing with nature, being with children, and seeing the world through someone else’s perspective can bring it back.

It is the simple and powerful question, “I wonder…?”

No inventions or scientific breakthroughs would have happened without that question.

Business leaders, such as Jeff Bezos attribute their success to it.

I wonder allows us to practice empathy. “I wonder how it would feel to be a different race or gender?”

I wonder…keeps our brains active.

I wonder…makes us life-long learners.

I wonder…inspires hobbies and collectors.

Psychologists believe that people who wonder are better problem solvers, have less stress, and a more positive outlook on life.

And, on a personal note, I would not be able to write a weekly column without this little verb.  My creative processes typically involves wondering about life from a different perspective, or how something works, or why it works, or if it works.

My inspirations are nature, animals, history, and people. For example, after a relaxing walk in a pine forest I wondered if there was something about pine scent that impacted mood. (In fact, Japanese scientists have proven that pine trees produce phytoncides, which reduce stress, improve sleep, and have anti-inflammatory benefits. They call it forest bathing.)

I am very curious about animals. What senses do they have that we lack? How do they view us and each other? How do they connect with nature? Jim Hutto, a naturalist, spent a year being a “mother” to wild turkeys and discovered that when we was guiding his flock, a different world opened up to him. He saw animals, such as snakes, that he didn’t see when he was alone. He learned that turkeys experience joy; and have a unique language and community.

A sense of wonder keeps us young, too. There are many sources for wonder.

  • The arts: paintings, installation art, performance art, sculptures, writing, music, and theater.
  • Creating and building things.
  • Interacting with different people.
  • Chesapeake Forum, which offers courses from local experts https://chesapeakeforum.org/.
  • Public television (PBS), non-fiction channels, documentaries, and radio (NPR).
  • Museums, books, magazines, interest groups, book clubs.

So, how much more can this little verb do?

I wonder…

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

Senior Nation: Using Posture Power by Susan Covey

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Even in poor lighting or at a distance when all the details are fuzzy, you probably could recognize your friends simply by the way they stand or walk.  Posture is quite possibly the most unconscious expression of ourselves.  However, posture is so much more than how we sit, stand and walk; it includes all of our movements from dancing, shopping, getting dressed or playing an instrument.  Posture is not only interactive but reactive, responding to our feelings and perceptions of ourselves; to the way we want to present ourselves; to how others respond to us; and to the physical and emotional environments in which we find ourselves.

Posture can be clinically defined as ‘a state of skeletal and muscular balance and alignment that protects the body’s supporting structures from progressive deformity and injury’. (Freeman, S.)  Many of us realize the impact of good posture on appearance, but fewer may realize that good posture is vital to overall health and well-being.

GOOD POSTURE not only impacts the musculoskeletal system, but also breathing – giving the diaphragm and lungs more room to expand; digestion – keeping the internal organs in their natural position; concentration;  cognition – more oxygen to the brain;  energy levels; and confidence.  Even more significant to many of us, good moving posture – where the body is balanced over its base of support, plays a critical role in fall prevention.

POOR POSTURE on the other hand contributes to pain, discomfort, muscle imbalance, shallow breathing, limited energy flow and diminished functioning of our internal organs.  It can also cause stress on ligaments and joints which over time will ultimately lead to low-back pain, muscle knots, headaches, plantar fasciitis, bone spurs osteoporosis and respiratory problems.  Sitting in a slumped posture weakens the core muscles preventing maximal chest expansion which limits breathing capacity.  Poor posture also changes the position of internal organs causing faulty digestion/constipation.  Moving in poor posture, where the body is not balanced over its base of support, is what increases the chance of a fall and poor posture also “affects cognitive health because the brain uses 20% of the body’s oxygen and a misaligned spine negatively impacts the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain”. (Ratey, J.J.)

A few keys exercises to improve your posture:

  1.  Place interlaced fingers at the base of your skull, elbows out, then push the skull into your hands (visualize your ears moving back over your shoulders) Hold for a few seconds.

  2. Roll your shoulders up and backwards squeezing your shoulder blades together ten times.

  3. Arms at your sides, squeeze your shoulder blades together behind your back, hold and release.  Then hold your arms out in front at shoulder height and squeeze shoulder blades together as you bend your elbows pulling your arms and shoulders back.  Squeeze and release ten times.

Susan S. Covey is the Director of Health and Fitness at Acts Bayleigh Chase, Easton

Mid-Shore Food: A Chat with Banning’s Food Pioneer Steve Mangasarian

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It’s hard for Steve Mangasarian to forget the early days of high cuisine on the Eastern Shore. After years of training with some of the top chefs in the New York City area and a few years in Vermont bringing a new brand of American food to the rural communities along the Connecticut River, a mixture of a love of sailing and dislike of snow, Mangasarian relocated to Easton to replicate his haute cuisine mission in Talbot County.

With fine dining restricted to places like 208 Talbot in St. Michaels and the Tidewater Inn in Easton, the opening of Columbia on Washington Street was the birth of a new era for the Mid-Shore. Rather than having to cross the Bay Bridge, diners could discover how our extraordinary local ingredients could be used to produce an exceptional dining experience.

After years of success and high praise from customers as well as accolades from critic forums like Zagats, Steve retired with plans to leave the kitchen pursuing other passions, but that plan didn’t last long. Within a year, he was back with the management of the beloved Hill’s Drug Store sandwich shoppe and the opening of Breakfast in Easton, the popular, cash-only morning grill. And eventually, he and his partner decided to open Banning’s Tavern to recapture the fun and comfort of a traditional English pub.

The Spy talked to Steve about his remarkable culinary history in Talbot County as well as the challenges he and his fellow restaurateurs are experiencing as he slowly brings Banning’s back to life after suffering through the pains of the COVID pandemic.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information about Banning’s Tavern please go here.  For Breakfast in Easton please go here.

 

Town of Easton Asks Residents for Help in Updating Its Comprehensive Plan

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The Town of Easton is about to update its Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan), which expresses the community’s vision for the future and a strategic map on how to reach that vision. Comprehensive planning is an important tool for the town to guide future land development to ensure a safe, pleasant, and economic environment for residential, commercial, industrial, and public activities. 

And they want to know what you think. 

When preparing the Comp Plan, the Town relies upon the input of people with various interests in the future of our community (e.g., residents, business owners, people who work in Easton, etc.)  The first opportunity to provide input on the Plan is available now in a survey on a few of the issues we expect to encounter throughout this Update process. To access a video that will describe the upcoming process and to take the survey go here.

 

The Eastern Shore Gets a Preview of Floods to Come by J.E. Dean

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The news reports were ominous—high tides on parts of the Eastern Shore would be four feet over normal. Not good. And there isn’t much to do about it other than moving whatever looks as though it could float away or be destroyed by water to a safe location if you are lucky enough to have one.

The two high tides of the “weather event” occurred while I was out of town. I monitored the news closely and activated a few security cameras to see if my yard was now a lake. I was relieved not to find someone’s boat in my backyard. All seemed well, but there is no substitute for looking at things directly.

On Saturday morning, I returned home from DC. From bridges, I could see that water levels were high, but the roads on my route, 50, 322, and Oxford Road, were clear. No water and, more importantly, no signs that there had been flooding.

After getting home, I loaded my goldendoodle into my car to see what was going on in the town of Oxford. The worst of the flooding was now more than 12 hours ago. How bad could it be?

The answer to that is that there were signs of flooding everywhere. A family was canoeing near the tennis courts. Several roads were closed with cones. From a distance, you could see that parts of some streets remained under water. You also could see evidence of “high water marks” on several buildings. The water, I learned, had been at least two or three feet higher than what I was seeing.

The flooding was nothing like 2012, when Hurricane Sandy left much of Oxford underwater, but was a reminder that Oxford, like most of the Eastern Shore, is vulnerable to flooding.  As I looked at the minor flooding this year, I thought, “What will we be seeing ten years from now?”

I took my dog to the Strand. The beach was underwater. Several people were walking the strand, not only enjoying the pleasant weather, but also curious about what had happened. From talking to a couple of them, I sensed they were relieved. “We dodged a bullet,” one of them said.

Interested in documenting evidence of the flooding, I shot a few photograph. In reviewing them for this story, I found them sorely lacking in the sensationalism one expects in any article that references climate change.   By themselves, the photographs are not especially alarming.  But taken together with this year’s bizarre weather nationally–“bomb cyclones,” massive fires in Oregon and California, and an unusually high number of hurricanes—suggest that more trouble is on the way.  Viewed from this perspective, our recent flooding is another prelude to “a big one,” a weather event devastating our region. 

That thought is depressing; hopefully I’m wrong.  But, if you believe the weather scientists, our vulnerability to flooding and hurricanes is increasing.  We should be worried, but many of us are not, at least not enough to take action.   Some continue to question the scientists.  Others, even some that accept Climate Change as serious risk, doubt anything can be done about it.  

What will it take for voters to agree that climate change is an existential threat? That is the question that comes to mind as I read in The Spy and elsewhere about new real estate developments on the Eastern Shore that, if some scientists are to be believed, will be subject to regular flooding in as little as 20 or 30 years.

It’s not clear what the Eastern Shore and dozens of other places in the U.S. that face the threat of routine flooding and “super storms” can do to prepare. Building new sand dunes in Oxford to stem erosion of the shore is not a solution. It’s a Band-Aid—a welcome Band-Aid—but only a fool would suggest it is anything other than a Band-Aid.

The tougher question for Eastern Shore counties, the State of Maryland, and, yes, the Federal government, is whether its time to stem development in areas that face the greatest vulnerability from flooding and worsening extreme weather. Until the trend towards worsening, life-threatening weather has been stemmed, development in vulnerable areas is foolhardy. When that new development gets destroyed or damaged in the next storm, who is going to pay the bills to compensate for the damage?

Is it appropriate to view the recent flooding as a wake-up call? I would argue yes, although for anyone regularly reading about this year’s weather, it was the 100th wake-up call. Will we respond to it? And if we do, how do we find the national resolve to respond in a meaningful way?

If you have not watched the Spy’s short video documenting some of the flooding in Oxford, you can watch it here. 

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, birds, and occasionally, golden doodles. 

 

Santa Comes to Christmas in St. Michaels this December

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Santa will be helping Christmas in St. Michaels celebrate its 35th year of weekend festivities with several appearances in St. Michaels during the December 10 -12 slate of events.

The highlight for children and families is Saturday’s Breakfast with Santa, which takes place from 8-10:00 a.m. on Dec. 11 at the waterfront Foxy’s Harbor Grille. Limited $10 tickets are available in advance, with online purchasing available.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be participating in the Talbot Street Parade, which follows the breakfast and begins at 10:30 on Saturday. The event was suspended last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Spectators will also see plenty of people dressed as Santa for the Santa Dash as they run in the fun-filled, rain or shine Saturday event.

Santa is joined by Christmas in St. Michaels Treasurer Linda Seemans, left, and President Pat Martin, right, to help plan his and Mrs. Claus’s appearances in this year’s Dec. 10 – 12 events.

Christmas in St. Michaels also brings holiday music to the historic town, including a special Mid-Shore Community Band performance of seasonal music from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon on Sat., Dec. 11 at the corner of Railroad Avenue and Talbot Street. The Jackson Jubilee Singers are set to perform at 1:30 p.m. with soul-stirring gospel music.

This year’s events also include the return of the new Lighted BoatParade; a Tour of Homes; Holiday Meals; a Marketplace and Sweet Shoppe, and a Light up the Night drive-by house and harbor tour.

The 2021 Christmas in St. Michaels collectible ornament features Maggie the Fire Truck—a local legend with an interesting history—and was rendered by local designer and artist Scott Sullivan.

The goal for this year’s events is to raise funds to distribute grants to local beneficiaries. More than 25 family services, education and child development, and community enhancement organizations depend on Christmas in St. Michaels funds to support their programs and activities.

Christmas in St. Michaels began in 1987 when a group of energetic volunteers recognized the need for daycare services in the community. Funds were raised through community support, and a daycare center was established, now known as Critchlow Adkins Children Centers. Sponsors and patrons of Christmas in St. Michaels since that time have helped raise more than $1.4M in support of numerous local non-profit organizations.

Proceeds from Christmas in St. Michaels help the people served by local non-profit organizations, with event updates, online purchases, and more about Christmas in St. Michaels at christmasinstmichaels.org.