News – Page 2

Talbot County Government Celebrates Employees’ Years of Service Awards

October 7, 2019 by Amy Blades Steward Leave a Comment

This year, Talbot County Government is honoring 41 employees with awards for years of service. The ceremony was held in the Talbot County Free Library and included the Talbot County Council, County department heads, family and friends.

Corey Pack, President of the Talbot County Council commented, “We want to thank all of the County Employees for their dedicated and tireless service to the citizens of Talbot County. Opportunities are too few and far between to acknowledge your efforts and hard work. We are so pleased to be able to have you step up and be recognized today. To put it simply we applaud you and your service.”

The following employees were honored:

5-Year Service Awards: Back row, L-R: Warren Edwards, Dave Tyler, and Corey Willey. Front row, L-R: Kelly Stacey, Georgia Mens, Terri Johnson and Mary LeCompte.

5 Years of Service: Kari Jo Diefenderfer – Emergency Services; Christopher Divilio – Facilities Maintenance; Ryan Ebling – Public Works; Warren Edwards – Roads; Joseph Gamble – Sheriff; Terri Johnson – Sheriff’s Office; Robert Jones – Emergency Services; Justin Leary – Emergency Medical Services; Mary LeCompte – Administrative Services; Georgia Mens – Dept. of Corrections; Robert Musterman – Sheriff’s Office; Kelly Stacey – Family Drug Court; Dave Tyler – Emergency Services; and Corey Willey – Sheriff’s Office.

10 Years of Service: Harold Adams – Public Works; David Purnell – Public Works; and Owen Sutherland – Golf Course.

15-Year Service Awards: L-R: Martin Sokolich, Danielle Diefenderfer, and Grace Davis.

15 Years of Service: Grace Davis – Permits & Inspections; Danielle Diefenderfer – Emergency Services; Brian Harris – Parks & Recreation; Robert Messix – Emergency Medical Services; Martin Sokolich – Planning & Zoning; and Mark Stevens – Parks & Recreation.

20-Year Service Awards: L-R: Jessica Morris, Christine Corkell, and Bill Thomas.

20 Years of Service: Christine Corkell – Planning & Zoning; Wylie Gray – Emergency Medical Services; Andrew Hollis – County Manager; Kelly Jones – Emergency Medical Services; Judy Micheliche – Emergency Medical Services; Jessica Morris – County Manager’s Office; and Bill Thomas – Emergency Medical Services.

25-Year Service Awards: Brian Moore and Richard Bobitka.

25 Years of Service: Richard Bobitka – Emergency Medical Services; Larry Fike – Emergency Medical Services; Brian Moore – Facilities Maintenance; and Donald Sherwood – Golf Course.

30-Year Service Awards: Back row, L-R: Henry Dove, John Bechtel, Michael Dulin, and Michael Potter. Front row, L-R: Kathryn Baker and Lesley Jo Buchanan.

30 Years of Service: Kathryn Baker – Finance Office; John Bechtel – Roads; Lesley Jo Buchanan- Sheriff’s Office; Henry Dove – State’s Attorney; Michael Dulin – Roads; and Michael Potter – Roads.

L-R: Robert Messix (15 Years), Lois MacDonald (35 Years), and Larry Fike (25 Years).

35 Years of Service: Lois MacDonald – Roads.

Obtaining and Retaining Volunteers Workshop October 15

October 7, 2019 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Volunteers greatly extend the work of our non – profit organization. They allow us to provide services and programs that otherwise could not be considered because of limited resources. Where do you find the volunteers? Once committed, how do you assure that they are engaged and invested in your cause; and are powerful, effective voices in the community, speaking knowledgeably and persuasively about the good work performed by your organization.

The Stories of the Chesapeake: the heritage area for Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties will hold a volunteers workshop 10 AM, October 15, 2019 at Adkins Arboretum, Eveland Road, Ridgely, Maryland. This free workshop includes presentations from Robert Forloney,Allison Speight from the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, and Jenny Houghton and Ginna Tierman from Adkins Arboretum.

Space is limited. RSVP to 410-778-1460 or info@storiesofthechesapeake.org

St. Vincent de Paul Receives Donation from Bay Country Chorus

October 7, 2019 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Alex Handy, President of the Easton MD Chapter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) is shown receiving a check from John Crovo current President of the Bay Country Chorus. The donation will help support the workings of the SVdP Thrift Center and Food Kitchen. In 2018 SVdP provided food to 535 seniors, adults and children each week. Plus an additional $145,864 in assistance for people who needed help financially or emergency shelter. The SVdP thrift center is located at 29533 Canvasback Drive behind Walmart and Giant. It features an upscale boutique for ladies, housewares, children’s clothing and sale of slightly used furniture. Hours are 1-4 pm on Tuesdays and 9–12 on Saturdays. Information can be had by calling 410-770-4505.

The Bay Country Chorus is an all-male a cappella singing group that performs four-part harmony in the barbershop style. During 2018 and 2019 the chorus made 30 appearances throughout the mid shore.Eighteen of these performances were at senior living facilities and at venues dealing with clients who are in rehab or dealing with dementia. Many were at no cost to the recipients. We hope to bring a little sunshine to these very special citizens. For information on joining the chorus or in booking a performance please call 410-820-4761.

Upcoming Programming at the Library October 21 to 26

October 7, 2019 by Talbot County Free Library Leave a Comment

Easton Library to Offer “Stitching Time”

On Monday, October 21, from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., the Easton branch of the Talbot County Free Library invites patrons to come in and work on their favorite needlecraft project (knitting, crochet, card making, what-have-you) with a group. Limited knitting and crochet instruction will be available 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.

Read with Tiger, a Pets-on-Wheels Therapy Dog at Easton Library

On Monday, October 21, at 4:00 p.m., the Easton branch of the Talbot County Free Library invites children 5 and older to bring a book or choose one from the library’s shelves to read with Janet Dickey and her dog, Tiger. 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 Discussion of “Killers of the Flower Moon”

On Monday, October 21, 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 National Book Award finalist Killers of the Flower Moonby David Grann.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.

Read with Wally, a Pets on Wheels Therapy Dog at St. Michaels Library

On Monday, October 21, 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 and 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 attend this program. For more information, please call the library at 410-745-5877, or visit www.tcfl.org.

St. Michaels Library to Offer Family Crafts

On Tuesday, October 22, at 3:30 p.m., the St. Michaels branch of the Talbot County Free Library will offer a family crafts program. Children of all ages are invited to come in and build their very own treasure box. All library programs are free and open to the public. Patrons do not need to pre-register to attend this program. For more information, please call the library at 410-745-5877, or visit www.tcfl.org.

Barbara Lockhart

St. Michaels Library to Offer Story Time

On Wednesdays, October 23 & 30, at 10:30 a.m., the St. Michaels branch of the Talbot County Free Library will offer a Story Time program for children 5 and under accompanied by an adult. All library programs are free and open to the public. Patrons do not need to pre-register to attend this program. For more information, please call the library at 410-745-5877, or visit www.tcfl.org.

Easton Library to Host Lunch & Learn: “The Secret Life of Heart’s Yearning”

On Thursday, October 24, at noon, in the Easton branch of the Talbot County Free Library, as part of the Friends of the Library’s Lunch & Learn series, author Barbara Lockhart will talk about her National Indie Excellence Awards finalist collection of short stories “The Night Is Young,” which features captivating characters living in rural communities on the Eastern Shore. Patrons are invited to bring a bag lunch; the Friends will provide refreshments. 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.

St. Michaels Library to Host Horn Point Lab Lecture: “Lost and Found: The Historic Role of Oysters and New Approaches to Leveraging Their Ecosystem Services”

Dr. Matthew Gray

On Thursday, October 24, at 6:30 p.m., in the St. Michaels branch of the Talbot County Free Library, as part of Horn Point Lab’s “Science After Hours” series, Dr. Matthew Gray will describe how oysters and the services they provide can be leveraged to tackle serious environmental problems in the Chesapeake Bay and beyond.All library programs are free and open to the public. Patrons do not need to pre-register to attend this program. For more information, please call the library at 410-745-5877, or visit www.tcfl.org.

Easton Library to Host S.T.E.A.M. Festival

On Saturday, October 26, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., the Easton branch of the Talbot County Free Library will stage a S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math) program for all ages. Challenge Island, aS.T.E.M.learning program, will begin at 10 a.m.Ray Remish Remix will provide an interactive demo. There will be a wind tunnel, LEGOs, Make & Take, food, music, and more! 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.

St. Michaels Library to Host Family STEAM Program: Create Paper-Engineered Pop-Up Cards

On Saturday, October 26, at 2:00 p.m., the St. Michaels branch of the Talbot County Free Library will offer children 4 and older (children 7 and under must be accompanied by an adult) the chance to learn how to to create beautiful pop-up cards! All library programs are free and open to the public. Patrons do not need to pre-register to attend this program. For more information, please call the library at 410-745-5877, or visit www.tcfl.org.

Small Grants Available from the Stories of the Chespeake Heritage Area

October 6, 2019 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Do you have a project in need of a wee bit of funding? Trying to find funding for planning, design, or research as the first phase of a major project? The Stories of the Chesapeake Small Grant program may be the answer to your quest. We are pleased to be able to provide small grants up to $5000 for heritage projects within the Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area. Recent grants include oral histories, walking tour brochures, interpretative panels, and publication of research.

Eligible activities must address or complete a priority activity identified in and consistent with the goals, objectives, strategies and actions outlined in the Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area Management Plan, which can be found at w ww.storiesofthechesapeake.org

Eligible projects include planning; design; the development and presentation of interpretive exhibits, interpretive signage, materials, or other relevant products which promote, interpret and preserve the resources found in the heritage area; and new or pilot programs that encourage revitalization of and reinvestment in heritage area resources such as seminars, conferences, performances, reenactments, commemorations, and festivals.

Capital projects (i.e., “bricks and mortar” renovations, new construction, or purchase of property) are not eligible for a small grant.

Organizations must provide a dollar for dollar match and verify that the project may be completed by July 1, 2020.

Applications must be postmarked by October 11, 2019.

The application and instructions may be found on the Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area website: www.storiesofthechesapeake.org

Please feel free to call – 410-778-1460 or email info@storiesofthechesapeake.org with any questions.

Safety Procedures, Video Monitoring Increase in Maryland Public Schools

October 5, 2019 by Capital News Service Leave a Comment

A camera on the side of a Montgomery County, Maryland, school bus. (Photo by Teresa Johnson/Capital News Service

Maryland’s public school systems are continuing to ramp up student safety plans — from bus cameras to active shooter drills.

Plans include continuing to install security cameras in the hallways and entryways of schools — including at the elementary level — and putting the most up-to-date school safety training into action.

“We’ve got a schedule to phase those cameras in over a period of time, and we are working with the contracts for installation to make sure we do it properly and correctly,” said Montgomery County Public Schools Chief Safety Officer Ed Clarke.

Clarke said that it’s taken Montgomery County a while to install security cameras in elementary schools because there was a higher likelihood of violence in middle and high schools. Nationwide, there has been a higher rate of shooting incidents within the upper-level grades.

“That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be prepared at the elementary school level,” Clarke said.

In Maryland, there have been eight incidents of gunfire on school grounds in high schools and one in an elementary school since 2013, according to an Everytown for Gun Safety study.

At Great Mills High School in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, in March 2018, a teen fatally shot one student, injured another and killed himself.

One month earlier, 17 students and staff had been fatally shot at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. In 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut, a gunman killed 26 other people, 20 of them children.

A research project from the Center for Homeland Defense and Security said there have been 415 shooting incidents reported in schools nationwide since 2010.
Clarke said that “there are guidelines in federal law that show there are restrictions to who the footage can be shared with for specific reasons.”

Clarke said that in public safety emergencies caught on school security cameras, law enforcement can request footage from a school. The school may review and honor the request under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, where a public safety exception is made out of immediate concern.

Law enforcement would need a subpoena for footage from less serious events, Clarke said.

Parents also have permission to view security footage if their child is involved.

“I think it’s a good tool for parents if students are involved in serious incidents, because the school has that video footage,” Clarke told Capital News Service.
Worcester County schools security chief Steve Price said all schools there have cameras, which are being reevaluated for location and number.

Price and Clarke said that security footage is not kept on file forever.

Clarke said that the deletion of video data comes down to the storage capacity and software issues associated with each camera system. He said that they have different retention periods, according to different manufacturers.

Price said that he’d like to have a security command post in his office where law enforcement could look at the cameras off school grounds, and in an emergency, from their vehicles.

Video recording is also happening on school buses.

A 2011 state law allows cameras on the outside of stopped school buses to record drivers passing illegally.

All counties do not have exterior school bus cameras, and more rural counties do not have enough violations to justify the need to purchase costly equipment, according to the Maryland State Department of Education.

Montgomery County has interior and exterior cameras on 100 percent of the county’s buses this school year, said Todd Watkins, the district’s school transportation director.
“We have ones for enforcement on the left side of the bus and we also have additional outside cameras that take continuous video surveillance footage on all sides of the bus,” Watkins said.

Worcester County schools and Howard County schools, for example, do not have any security cameras on the outside of their buses.

Howard County Public Schools Transportation Director David Ramsay said that the installation of cameras on the outside of their buses was under consideration for years and approved in June.

Installation is underway, Ramsay said, solely to mitigate motorists passing stopped school buses.

The Maryland Center for School Safety does not have information on security cameras and referred questions to the state’s education department.

The Maryland State Department of Education said that there is no data set tracking the number of cameras in all school districts. Each district holds its own information on the number of exterior bus cameras.

Price said that bus drivers don’t have the ability to view the interior video, and the school system makes “parents aware every school year of these cameras and we are cautious about how the videos are viewed and used.”

Watkins said that bus camera footage deletes over a period of time after its hard drive is filled up, where the newest footage replaces the oldest.
The Maryland Safe to Learn Act of 2018 requires public school systems to update their school emergency plans to include how each school will address behavioral threats and emergency events.

This behavioral threat assessment was required to be put in place by Sept.1.

“Our school district will be training behavioral threat assessment teams in case a staff, school member or the school as a whole is faced with a threat from a person, or a community threat,” Clarke said.

Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations President Lynne Harris, and the Maryland Parent-Teacher Association President-elect Marla Posey-Moss, said security cameras are an important safety measure, but improvements could be made.

Posey-Moss said that parents and students should be more involved in any decision made in the school about the technology, including data privacy, evidentiary use and who could view the images.

Posey-Moss said schools should consider sound input on security cameras, so if an incident occurs, more information may be shared with authorities.
Clarke said security cameras in schools don’t record audio and it’s not under consideration.

But internal school bus cameras have audio recording capability, Watkins said.

Maryland law states that a person must provide consent to recorded audio conversations when there’s an expectation of privacy.

That law doesn’t apply on school buses because there’s no expectation of privacy,” Watkins said. “There’s signs on each bus that say they’re equipped with audio and video recording devices to make students aware.”

Unlike schools, where Watkins said cameras could have an overflow of incoherent audio from a far away distance, school buses are recording from much closer.
Cameras aren’t just used for outsiders coming in — they are used to monitor student behavior.

Harris said that schools have security cameras in public spaces like hallways and entry and exit ways but refrain from obvious private locations like restrooms.

Montgomery County Public Schools has tried to do a more strategic analysis with their security camera placement in public, unmonitored spaces, like stairwells, Harris said.

“In middle and high schools, it’s about … the fact that some students are making bad choices and finding places in school to do what they shouldn’t be doing, like using illegal substances,” Harris said.

Linnette Attai, a K-12 privacy expert and founder of a global consulting firm, PlayWell LLC, said students may be used to cameras but questions what she sees as an acceptance toward technology rather than an expectation of privacy.

Attai said there needs to be thoughtful discussion about bringing technology into schools and how student data will be kept secure — part of complicated, new territory.

“If we look at the past five years, we’ve seen a rush of technology in schools for beneficial purposes, but schools are still catching up in terms of work they need to do and school infrastructure that schools need to put in place…we want these schools to be secure,” Attai said.

Beyond cameras, schools have built and are building security vestibules, which hold visitors in a lobby-like area for evaluation before they can be admitted into the school.
A teacher’s union representative says safety measures should go beyond cameras and locked doors.

It’s important to consider school programming beyond security measures, said Maryland State Education Association representative Adam Mendelson.

Mendelson said this includes “smaller class sizes so students have more individualized attention, more mental health staff in schools like counselors and psychologists, and adequate training and implementation of restorative practices programs.”

The Maryland Center for School Safety has a safety tip line for all grades in Maryland K-12 public schools, where students and faculty can report threats and other concerning behavior.

The center reported 451 incidents of general school complaints, bullying and drugs since Oct. 3, center Executive Director Kate Hession told Capital News Service on Sept. 11.
Currently, the recorded number of tips is too small for the center to release more detailed information, but by the end of the year they plan to share more figures.

The Maryland Safe To Learn Act of 2018 states that all public schools in Maryland must incorporate an active shooter drill into their annual schedule that is developmentally and age appropriate.

Maryland school systems require safety drills like fire drills, bus evacuation drills, lock down drills, evacuation, reversive evacuation — when students retreat into the school from outside activities — severe weather drills, shelter in place drills, and drop, cover, and hold drills, according to state guidelines. Schools in Maryland are anticipating an active shooter drill that will be required statewide after regulations are finalized.

“I’ve been in Maryland all my life and it was great to see the government and legislation come together to make schools safer,” Clarke said. “The No. 1 thing we can do is to engage all our students and staff in conversation… if you see something, say something, do something, but the best thing is to have a good relationship with our kids and that’s what will help us get through these crises.”

By Teresa Johnson
Capital News Service

Talbot Community Connections Board Honors William Banks

October 5, 2019 by Amy Blades Steward Leave a Comment

Talbot Community Connections recently honored longtime board member William Banks for his 17 years of service on the board. Banks, who is now an Emeritus Board Member, was involved with the years of the Board. He was presented with a proclamation from the Maryland Senate.

“Bill Banks has been such a positive energy on our board. We wanted to honor him as an Emeritus Board Member as he played such a vital role in helping to establish our Children’s Advocacy Center and building awareness about our organization in the community,” notes Amy Steward, President, Talbot Community Connections.

L-R: Talbot Community Connections Board Members Amy Steward, President, William Banks, Emeritus Board Member, and Ruth Sullivan, Vice President.

Talbot Community Connections (TCC), an eleven-member volunteer board, was formed to raise funds to enhance the Talbot County Department of Social Services’ (TCDSS) capacity to respond directly to problems of safety and well-being of county citizens. The funds raised provide help to abused children through the Talbot County Children’s Advocacy Center (TCCAC), families in crisis, the unemployed and working poor, and disabled and frail elderly. TCC awards provided funds for respite care, prevention of evictions and utility disconnects, therapeutic activities for children with disabilities in foster care, housing fuel, transportation, and a fatherhood program. TCC funds are able to help individuals stay in the community, families stay united and families stay in their homes. In 2018, TCC donated $29,400 to support the Talbot County Department of Social Services and the Talbot County Children’s Advocacy Center.

For further information or to donate to Talbot Community Connections, visit talbotcommunityconnections.org.

Senator Chris Van Hollen to Speak at Kennedy-King Unity Dinner

October 4, 2019 by Talbot County Democratic Forum Leave a Comment

The Talbot County Democratic Forum’s 2019 Kennedy-King Unity Dinner will be held on October 20 at the Milestone Event Center. The event begins with a reception at 5:30 PM, followed by dinner and keynote speaker U. S. Senator Chris Van Hollen.

Talbot County Democratic Forum President Mickey Terrone said that the goals of Kennedy-King Untity Dinner are to provide a venue for dialogue and insight into current issues and encourage participation in our 2020 election. As chair of the 2018 Senatorial Campaign Committee, Senator Van Hollen quoted his friend, Congressman John Lewis: “The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democratic society, and we’ve got to use it.”

Committed to finding common sense solutions to everyday problems, in 2015 Congressman Van Hollen released a comprehensive plan to address the problem of growing inequality and build an economy that works for everyone. His priorities included “creating more and better jobs, strengthening small businesses, and increasing educational and job training opportunities for individuals of all ages and in every community.”

Elected by a strong majority to replace retiring Senator Barbara Mikulski in 2016, Senator Van Hollen has co-sponsored bills addressing the cost of drugs, nuclear proliferation in Saudi Arabia, limits on Russian nuclear forces in relation to the expiration of the START treaty, and voter registration efforts. He is also encouraging a senate vote on the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 passed in the House to address gun violence.

Senator Van Hollen firmly believes that our country must live up to its promise of equal rights and equal opportunity for all and remains committed to common sense solutions to the problems we are facing. Current events will be addressed, and before adjourning the Talbot County Democratic Central Committee will present its Democrat of the Year award and the Talbot County Democratic Women’s Club will present its Woman of the Year Award.

Cost is $50 per person. For more information and reservations, visit demforum.com

Chesapeake Forum: Lifelong Learning in Talbot County Begins a New Era

October 4, 2019 by The Spy Leave a Comment

There is something a bit noble about the nine board members of Talbot County’s Academy for Lifetime Learning when they found themselves without an anchor sponsor over a year ago. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum had just given them notice that with its many significant projects underway and with a limited staff, it would need to suspend their sponsorship. While many volunteer boards take that news with resignations, all nine immediately agreed to begin anew with the creation of the Chesapeake Forum.

While it may take them some time to reach their enrollment high of over 500 students a year, board members John Ford and Glory Aiken highlight in our Spy interview their belief that the future and need for adult learning will grow well beyond those numbers soon enough.

This video is approximately two minutes in length. For more information about Chesapeake Forum or to enroll in a class please go here.

Even you can learn Community Spanish! Mid-Shore Pro Bono Offers Language Classes

October 4, 2019 by Spy Desk 1 Comment

This instructive and interactive program is intended for any English-speaker who wishes to learn limited amounts of everyday Spanish.

Taught by a Chesapeake College instructor and offered by Mid-Shore Pro Bono in partnership with Mobilizing for the Humane Treatment of Immigrants (an immigration task force) this program focuses on Speaking in Spanish, Listening in Spanish and Cross-Cultural Issues.

Classes will be held on Monday and Thursday for three weeks. Date are Oct. 28, 31 and Nov. 4, 7, 11 and 14, from 11:00- 1:00 pm and costs $185.00. ($150 for the class and $35 for the materials) A manual with accompanying CD’s will be provided. A sliding fee scale is available. We will not be accepting credit cards and checks need to made payable to Mid-Shore Pro Bono, Inc.

Location: Classes will be held at the YMCA in Easton.

If you are interested in attending, please email eamstevens@midshoreprobono.org. Class size is limited to 16. We will confirm your interest and provide more details about the class and payment.

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