Former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint

Washington College’s Institute for Religion, Politics and Culture will bestow its second annual Os Guinness Award for Service to the Public Good to former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, who served in Congress for 14 years, is the former president of the Heritage Foundation, and is current chair of the Conservative Partnership Institute in Washington, D.C.

The free, public event will happen Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. in the Prager Family Auditorium at 17 S. Washington St., Easton, where DeMint will also present a talk discussing his new book “Conservative: Knowing what to Keep.”

Named in honor of the influential public intellectual Os Guinness, the Institute’s annual Os Guinness Award recognizes men and women of exceptional accomplishment whose commitment to upholding America’s founding values of freedom, family, the strength of civic and religious organizations, and the rule of law has advanced the public good.

DeMint represented South Carolina’s 4th District as a Republican from 1999 to 2005, then was elected to the Senate and served there until 2013, when he stepped down to become president of the Heritage Foundation. He is currently the president of the Conservative Partnership Institute in Washington, D.C.

The Institute for Religion, Politics and Culture at Washington College studies the historic and continuing contributions of religion to political and cultural life, the enduring value of America’s founding principles, and pressing issues of public concern. For more information contact jprudhomme2@washcoll.edu.

This past weekend’s sunny brisk days could definitely be called the “perfect waterfowl weather” for the 49th annual Waterfowl Festival. Visitors flocked to the streets and venues in droves to enjoy amazing art, sporting vendors and heritage exhibits spread out over town.

The streets of Easton were bustling with activity on Saturday and Sunday with people of all ages enjoying food, art and music, making the downtown area vibrant with activity and showcasing the best of an Eastern Shore fall. This year’s official attendance came in at approximately 14,119 people, almost exactly the same as the previous year.

“The Festival has always been about celebrating our community – through wildlife art, our sporting heritage, and the Eastern Shore way of life,” said Festival President Kevin Greaney. “We made several changes this year to improve on our visitors’ experiences in preparation for our 50th anniversary in 2020 and we are very pleased with the results. This felt like one of our most exciting events in recent years. Guests seemed really happy and every venue was hopping on Saturday”.

More than fifty Festival Chairman – who volunteer countless hours and days to manage everything from venues and exhibits to ticket sales, transportation and security – and a veritable army of more than 700 additional community volunteers on Festival weekend make it all flow. “Guests often don’t realize that we are virtually an all-volunteer operation,” says Greaney. “From our leadership, to people working with visitors and behind the scenes, every gift of time is essential to making Festival work. We are so very grateful to everyone who came out to make our 49th year a success!”

The weekend kicked off with Waterfowl Chesapeake’s Premiere Night Party, attended by more than 550 guests – including corporate supporters, donors and art buyers – who turned out to enjoy an evening of food, cocktails and a preview of the Festival’s six downtown art galleries. Guests were also treated to new art experiences including two YETI “Quick Paint” projects in which Chestertown artist Mary Prichard created a landscape and 2019 Featured Artist Nancy Tankersley painting a Bay scene, both on tops of YETI coolers. David Turner also offered a “Quick Clay”, sculpting a duck in less than one hour. These items were auctioned off and won by determined bidders, with $2,300 in proceeds going directly to Waterfowl Chesapeake’s two Delmarva-based conservation projects for 2019. The William A. Perry Art and Decoy Auction also raised more than $3,800 for the Wm. A. Perry Scholarship Fund that benefits local college-bound students. “We felt the evening was great fun overall and were very pleased with the number of new people that joined the party,” said Waterfowl Chesapeake Executive Director Margaret Enloe.

More than sixty business, community and elected leaders gathered early Friday morning for “Coffee & Conservation” event, co-hosted by Waterfowl Chesapeake and the Talbot County Office of Tourism and Economic Development to kick off the official start of the Festival. Guest speaker Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Ricco delivered a thoughtful address focused on the agency’s work to bolster the outdoor recreation economy across the state and interesting aquaculture opportunities in the county.

Saturday kicked off with a bang – and no one was deterred by the cold temperatures. Waterfowl’s downtown “Beer Wetland”, now in its second year, was teeming with activity all day. It was the perfect venue for getting together with friends, enjoying a beer with grilled oysters and enjoying live music supplied by local musicians. The venue showcased eight craft brews from four regional breweries – most notably, the “Wood’rfowl Brew” made especially for Waterfowl weekend by RAR Brewing in Cambridge.

The “Chesapeake Marketplace” at Easton Middle School, with free admission this year, was the place to be for shopping and for the kid’s activities like the Chesapeake Mermaid, children’s story times, arts and crafts and a classroom full of conservation exhibits. If the number of children playing is any indication, families certainly seemed to enjoy the more family-friendly atmosphere which included an expanded food vendor area and a new birds-of-prey demonstration “Wings Across America” offered by the Earth Conservation Corps.

In the six downtown Art Galleries, more than one hundred of the finest nature and wildlife artists – some here for their first Festival, some returning favorites – came from all over the world. A constant stream of visitors flowed in and out of the galleries all day, enjoying sculptures, paintings, photographs, carvings and many new art pieces that defy traditional genre definitions. Featured Artist Nancy Tankersley’s exhibition showcased her love of local watermen at work, including the Featured Painting “Podgin’ for Oysters”. Tankersley had a solid weekend, selling several pieces, although the featured piece still remains available for purchase. Festival’s new venue, Art at the Library, offered an exhibit from the local Working Artists Forum, who were really pleased with the turn out.

Across town at the Bay Street Ponds, temperatures didn’t stop our regional hunting dogs from showing off their skills at the Retriever Demonstrations, though the hardy spectators there and during the fishing activities were bundled up tight on Saturday.

The even larger Sportsman’s Pavilion focused on the regions’ sporting heritage and was a beehive of activity all weekend. With additional vendors like Duck Camp, EukanubaTM, Boss Shotgun Shells, National Wild Turkey Federation, the giant Molly’s Place Sporting Goods tent, and an additional tent for duck and goose call-makers, several major vendors completely sold out of their wares. Activities onsite like the Kids’ Goose & Duck Calling Clinics, led by champions from the World Waterfowl Calling Contest®, saw registration fill quickly and helped introduce one hundred of the youngest Festival guests to the sport of duck and goose calling. The excitement surrounding the North American Diving Dogs® was palpable and many festival-goers took advantage of the stadium seating to enjoy the competition. Over 150 dogs competed, not counting the many amateur “try-its’ that happened in between the various heats.

The Festival’s World Waterfowl Calling Contests presented by Molly’s Place Sporting Goods crowned Ritson Galloway its first international winner in the Jr. Duck Calling Contest while Kile Jones of Paducah, Kentucky took his second win in the World Goose Calling Championship. Saturday evening after the contest finals, callers and other sportsmen and women enjoyed the revamped Sportsman’s Party at the Elks Lodge. It was a rocking event thanks to the support of YETI, Molly’s Place, Bass Pro Shops, Drake Waterfowl and several more corporate sponsors who supported the 2019 championships and also offered terrific raffle prizes for the party. More than 200 people enjoyed dinner of crab cakes and fried chicken, raffle prizes from sponsors, the Festival Beer Garden on tap and music by James Avedon well into the night. Across the street, the Buy, Sell, Swap offered visitors the opportunity to learn about the Shore’s waterfowl-related heritage by visiting with traders and collectors. At the Harry M. Walsh Artifacts Exhibit next door guests had the singular opportunity to see museum exhibitions and private historic collections not found anywhere else.

“The Waterfowl Festival owes a great deal of thanks to our many corporate, business, promotional and non-profit partners for their new or continued support this year,” says Greaney. “We absolutely couldn’t do it without each and every one of them and the services offered by the Town of Easton and Talbot County, too. We are particularly grateful for the funding we received from the Maryland State Arts Council.”

The Mid-Shore Community Foundation’s Annual Report to the Community and Awards Breakfast will be held on November 22, 2019, 8:30 AM at the Tidewater Inn in Easton, Maryland.

The community event, which is held each fall, ratifies the work of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation and is evidence to the generosity and good will that exist throughout the Mid-Shore Region.

The highlight of the event will be the presentation of awards, which recognize individuals and organizations whose contributions have made a positive and substantial impact on the community.  This year’s honorees include Kathy Bosin, Andrew Meehan, Eric and Harriette Lowery of Frederick Douglass Honor Society, Cristy Morrell of Imagination Library Talbot County, Gail Benjamin of Talbot Interfaith Shelter, Hugh Grunden of Easton Utilities and Nancy Shockley of Dorchester County Local Management Board.

Attendees at this year’s event will hear remarks from Dr. Karen Salmon, State Superintendent of Schools, who has a distinguished career in education and spent more than 30 years as an educator on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Sponsors for the breakfast include: CBIZ MHM, LLC; Shore United Bank; The Peoples Bank; The Easton Group at Morgan Stanley; Jim Vermilye, CFP®, The SRVP Group at Baird; Ronald Flohr CFP®, The Pritchett Group at Merrill Lynch; Valliant Wealth Strategies at Raymond James; Radcliffe Financial at Cetera; Nagel Farm Service, Inc.; Tri-Gas & Oil Co., Inc.; Easton Utilities.

“The work of the Foundation is truly a collaborative effort and we invite the community to join us,” said Buck Duncan, Mid-Shore Community Foundation President.  “Together, we have created a strong and lasting resource for the Mid-Shore Region and Fiscal Year 2019 was an excellent year!”

Duncan emphasized the significance: “The Foundation has experienced phenomenal growth – total assets have increased to $93.4 million and we were able to distribute $4.9 million in grants and scholarships in Fiscal Year 2019.”

Space is limited advance registration is required.  For additional information and/or to register, please visit www.mscf.org/annual-awards-event.

With nearly 10,000 vehicles a day traveling MD 328 (Matthewstown Road) and increased traffic on Black Dog Alley near Easton, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) will signalize this busy Talbot County intersection next week.

The new signals will enhance safety by facilitating turns and crossing movements for Black Dog Alley drivers, particularly during peak-commute periods. MDOT SHA will place temporary message boards along MD 328 to alert drivers of the new signal. Work includes converting the existing flashing beacons to full-color traffic signals with video detection for improved traffic management, as well as signage and line striping. Rommel Engineering and Construction of Linthicum is expected to complete the project in two days for an estimated $30,000.

MDOT SHA works hard to maintain safe traffic mobility in work zones for motorists, as well as our crews. Drivers need to stay alert, focus on driving and, look for reduced speed limits, as well as other driving pattern changes. Drive like you work here and slowdown in construction zones.

Jim Koerner

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is pleased to announce the addition of Baltimore native Jim Koerner to its staff. Koerner joins CBMM’s Preservation & Interpretation department as its new Exhibits Specialist, and will be responsible for exhibit production, fabrication, and installation and maintenance of CBMM exhibitions.

Koerner comes to CBMM with extensive museum experience, having served as the visual presentation technician for the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray, Fla., and a contractor for the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. He also worked as a professional art handler for Bonsai Art Services, where he was contracted out to museums such as the National Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Museum of American Art, The Renwick Gallery, and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Koerner taught art history for Towson University and the Community College of Baltimore County, and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Corcoran School of Art, now the George Washington University Corcoran College of Art and Design, and a Master of Fine Art from Towson University.

In Baltimore, Koerner served as associate director and exhibits coordinator for Gallery 788, an adaptive arts organization dedicated to presenting the breadth of artistic production unique to the region, and did volunteer consulting work for other galleries and organizations. Since joining CBMM, he’s also participated in the museum’s outreach efforts with Habitat for Humanity Choptank.

“I am excited to be part of all that is happening at CBMM as it evolves over the next several years and look forward to having an impact on how visitors experience this unique place,” Koerner says.

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to preserving and exploring the history, environment, and culture of the entire Chesapeake Bay region, and making this resource available to all.

Every aspect of fulfilling this mission is driven by CBMM’s values of relevancy, authenticity, and stewardship, along with a commitment to providing engaging guest experiences and transformative educational programming, all while serving as a vital community partner. For more information, visit cbmm.org or call 410-745-2916.

Easton Library to Offer Stitching Time

On Monday, November 18, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., the Easton branch of the Talbot County Free Library invites patrons to come in and work on their favorite project (knitting, crochet, card making, what-have-you) with a group.  Limited knitting and crochet instruction will be provided for beginners.  All library programs are free and open to the public.  Patrons do not need to pre-register to participate in this program.  For more information, please call the library at 410-822-1626, or visit www.tcfl.org.

Easton Library to Host Book Discussion: Varina

On Monday, November 18, at 6:30 p.m., in the Easton branch of the Talbot County Free Library, the Easton book group, which is open to all, will discuss Varina, a novel by National Book Award winner David Frazier about the life of Varina Davis, wife of the president of the Confederacy.  All library programs are free and open to the public.  Patrons do not need to pre-register to participate in this program.  For more information, please call the library at 410-822-1626, or visit www.tcfl.org.

Children Get to Read with a Pets on Wheels Therapy Dog at the St. Michaels Library

On Monday, November 18, at 3:30 p.m., the St. Michaels branch of the Talbot County Free Library invites children to bring a book or choose one from the library’s shelves to read with Maggie Gowe and her dog, Wally.  All library programs are free and open to the public.  Patrons do not need to pre-register to participate in this program.  For more information, please call the library at 410-745-5877, or visit www.tcfl.org.

Children to Celebrate Native American Culture at St. Michaels Library

On Tuesday, November 19, at 3:30 p.m., in the St. Michaels branch of the Talbot County Free Library, JoAnn Brown, owner of Justamere Trading Post (the largest Native American shop in Maryland), will share Native American artifacts, trivia, storytelling, and craft-making with children of all ages (children 7 and under must be accompanied by an adult).  All library programs are free and open to the public, but patrons must pre-register to participate in this program.  For more information, please call the library at 410-745-5877, or visit www.tcfl.org.

St. Michaels Library to Host Discussion of “Crashing Through”

Book Discussion: Crashing Through: The Extraordinary True Story of the Man Who Dared To See

On Wednesday, November 20, at 3:30 p.m., in the St. Michaels branch of the Talbot County Free Library, the St. Michaels Library book club, which is open to all, will discuss “Crashing Through:The Extraordinary True Story of the Man Who Dared To See” by Robert Kurson.  All library programs are free and open to the public.  Patrons do not need to pre-register to participate in this program.  For more information, please call the library at 410-745-5877, or visit www.tcfl.org.

Easton Library to Host Lunch & Learn on Mindfulness & Meditation

On Thursday, November 21, at noon, the Easton branch of the Talbot County Free Library will host a Lunch & Learn program in which Dr. Maggie Black and Dave Parker will talk about the science behind, and benefits of, these powerful practices.

Dr. Maggie Black and Dave Parker

A native Marylander, Dr. Maggie Black is a licensed psychologist at Shore Neurocognitive Health in Easton, where she specializes in the issues adults face as they age.  Her practice focuses on psychotherapy for adults of all ages and neurocognitive testing/dementia care for older adults and families.  She began training and incorporating mindfulness and meditation practices into her work with clients over the last several years, and has seen the benefit in her clients and in her own life.

Dave Parker, also a Maryland native, is an architect and builder by trade.  He was raised Catholic and educated by Jesuits at Gonzaga High School in Washington DC.  After a vigorous start to his career in Ocean City, MD, he went on a cross-country, soul-searching trip by motorcycle in the 1990s.  On this journey, he had the good fortune to meet a group of Tibetan Buddhist teachers who changed his life.  Since that time, mindfulness and meditation have been a central to the way Dave handles day-to-day life and challenges – rather an unusual coping tool in the construction industry!

Maggie will talk with you about the science and neurobiology behind meditation and how mindfulness and meditation change your brain and increase your sense of wellbeing.  Dave will take the audience through some simple meditation practices that will help de-mystify the question, “How do I meditate?”  Finally, learn how mindfulness and meditation can help you through the hectic holiday season, and in hectic political times.

All library programs are free and open to the public.  Patrons do not need to pre-register to participate in this program.  For more information, please call the library at 410-822-1626, or visit www.tcfl.org.

Easton Library to Stage “Breakneck Hamlet”

On Thursday, November 21, at 6:30 p.m., acclaimed Chicago actor Timothy Mooney will bring his hilarious, truncated version of “Hamlet” to the Talbot County Free Library’s Easton branch.  His performances at festivals across the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom have drawn rave reviews, and he was SOLD OUT in the sweet prince’s own kingdom of Denmark.  Mooney describes his “Breakneck Hamlet” as having been “recklessly sliced” from Shakespeare’s original, cutting a four-hour play with dozens of parts down to a single hour with a single actor.  This “breakneck” performance reveals Hamlet as “a thrilling chameleon, with an immense intellectual capacity and a wicked sense of humor.” Rather than the usual “melancholy Dane,” Mooney’s Hamlet “fights like hell” with barely a second-long pause throughout.

Timothy Mooney

Timothy Mooney is a veteran of some 60 fringe festivals (he performed “Breakneck Julius Caesar” at last year’s inaugural Tampa International Fringe Festival), and 15 years of touring colleges and high schools across the US with his award-winning one-man shows. “Breakneck Hamlet,” Mooney’s eighth one-man play, follows other amazing feats of memory and performance, including “Moliere than Thou,” “Lot o’ Shakespeare,” and “The Greatest Speech of All Time” (composed of actual historical speeches ranging from Socrates through Martin Luther King). Mooney is also the author of the popular acting textbook, “Acting at the Speed of Life; Conquering Theatrical Style.”  On November 21^st, his skill at turning rhetorical complexity into theatrical power will get a harrowing, thrilling test, boiling the greatest play of all time down to a one-man, one-hour romp.

All library programs are free and open to the public.  Patrons do not need to pre-register to participate in this program.  For more information, please call the library at 410-822-1626, or visit www.tcfl.org.

The 2019 Model Boat Show (MBS) will be held on Saturday, November 9^th at the Oxford Community Center (OCC).  This show coincides with the Easton Waterfowl Festival and the 52^nd Annual Oxford Antiques Show & Sale.

This year marks the seventh Model Boat Show at OCC, an event that always ranks as one of the most popular throughout the year.  About 45 nationally recognized boat modelers from the Delmarva Peninsula and beyond will share their enthusiasm, skills, techniques, and stories with each other and with the interested public.  Some boats are made from “scratch,” others from kits.  Some are display-only models, while others are intended to actually sail.

The displays range from Chesapeake-style watercraft such as skiffs, skipjacks, bugeyes and log canoes to historical sailing ships, motorboats and much more.  Many of the techniques used to build these model ships and boats are identical to those developed by master shipwrights over a century ago,while others are thoroughly modern,including photogrammetry, laser cutting, and 3D printing.  There will be models and books for sale, an opportunity to win a few kits and other surprises in the raffle, and special events for kids.

New this year is an oyster raw bar and refreshments tent out on the front lawn.  The tent will be near the bridge that connects to the Oxford Firehouse, so when enjoying your Firehouse lunch you can add oysters and a Bloody Mary to the menu.  The Bloody Mary mix has been donated by the wonderful GEORGE’S MIXES®

The oysters coming are the Fisherman’s Daughter Brand Oysters.  They are a local Chesapeake Bay farm raised oyster harvested off the shores of Tilghman Island, Maryland. You will taste a medium to light saltiness with a sweet finish within the meat. The oyster features a deep well with rolled edges for easy shucking.

Fisherman’s Daughter Brand and its parent organization Phillips Wharf Environmental Center are a local non-profit charged with promoting education and stewardship for the Chesapeake Bay. All proceeds from oyster sales fund education and aquaculture training programs for a sustainable future for the bay and its many working watermen.

Additional sponsor support for the 2019 Model Boat Show are Campbell’s Boatyards, Cutts and Case Shipyard, Brewer’s/Safe Harbor Oxford Marina, Aloft Aerial Photography, Attraction Magazine, Tidewater Times and The Talbot Spy.  This program is funded in part by a grant from the Talbot County Arts Council with revenues provided by the Maryland State Arts Council.

Tickets are $5 at the door, children under 12 are free. The oysters are “A buck a shuck” with the revenue going directly to Phillips Wharf Environmental Center and the refreshments are available for sale to benefit the OCC. For more information, visit oxfordcc.org or call 410-226-5904. Oxford Community Center is a non-profit organization aimed at enriching lives with history, culture, education, entertainment and community.