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July 14, 2025

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

Spy Highlights

Publisher Note: Just Once for the Talbot Spy in 2025

by

A few months ago, we asked our readers to take a survey about the Talbot Spy and how we might improve things. That input was extremely valuable, particularly in terms of how and when the newspaper should seek philanthropic support to help cover the Spy’s coverage of public affairs and culture.

The message coming back to us was pretty clear. The vast majority of you requested that we solicit donations from them only once a year, and we have agreed with that suggestion.

This week, we will launch our one-time campaign to support the Talbot Spy in 2025. I hope you will consider making a yearly donation to help keep this community news source operational, particularly during these challenging times.

I’d like to believe that our case for support for the Spy comes to you every day, 365 days a year, in the form of our 3 pm email blast and website updates. From our unbiased coverage of important local elections to celebrating local artists, the Spy has informed and sometimes delighted the community we all love so much daily since 2011.

The Talbot Spy runs lean, but our expenses are real—about $100,000 a year for our team of 15 writers and reporters, plus $20,000 for tech support and web services. Our generous ad sponsors help, but each year we rely on a small group of readers to close the gap, so the Spy can remain free and accessible to all in our community.

There is no precise dollar figure for the June campaign, but it requires approximately $50,000 from individual and foundation donations to maintain a balanced budget.

On behalf of all of us at the Talbot Spy, we would sincerely appreciate your support.

Please make a donation using this link, or one can send a personal check to the following:

CSM – Talbot Spy Fund
Mid-Shore Community Foundation
102 East Dover Street
Easton, MD 21601

With gratitude,

Dave Wheelan
Publisher and Executive Editor | The Talbot Spy

 

 

 

 

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

Maryland Caucus: Mid-Shore “Sanctuary” FUBAR and Wes Moore’s Trip to South Carolina

by

Every Wednesday, Maryland political analysts Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell discuss the politics and personalities of the state and region.

This week, Len and Clay discuss the confusing impact of the Trump administration’s designation of Talbot and Queen Anne’s County as “Sanctuary Jurisdictions” before Homeland Security took down the list last weekend. They also share thoughts on Wes Moore’s trip to South Carolina, which has fueled rumors that the Maryland governor may run for president in 2028. And, as always, Foxwell and Mitchell offer their winners and losers of the week.

This video is approximately 15 minutes in length.

********

This series brings together two of the most experienced and respected voices in Maryland public life: Len Foxwell and Clayton A. Mitchell, Sr. Their mission is to explore Maryland’s evolving political terrain, from the State House in Annapolis to the communities of the Eastern Shore.

Foxwell and Mitchell may come from different corners of the public square—one a strategist and public communicator, the other a jurist and administrative law expert—but they share a lifelong commitment to the mechanics and meaning of public service. Together, they offer something increasingly rare in American discourse: thoughtful, informed, and good-humored conversation grounded in facts, history, and lived experience.

Len Foxwell, founder of Tred Avon Strategies, is widely regarded as one of Maryland’s most influential political strategists. A veteran of nearly three decades in public life, he served as chief of staff to the Comptroller of Maryland from 2008 to 2020, where he was credited with helping build one of the nation’s most effective and forward-looking tax enforcement offices.

During that time, the Comptroller’s office recaptured more than $6 billion in unpaid taxes and won national praise for combating tax fraud and unethical financial practices. But Foxwell’s public impact wasn’t limited to budgetary stewardship. He also played a pivotal role in modernizing Maryland’s craft alcohol industry, working to ease outdated regulations and encourage growth for breweries, wineries, and distilleries across the state.

A writer and educator at heart, Foxwell also teaches professional writing and crisis communication at Johns Hopkins University. As one veteran journalist once wrote, “There are plenty of operatives who are talented and indispensable to their bosses. But only Foxwell has actually changed the trajectory of Maryland politics.”

Clayton A. Mitchell, Sr., brings an equally deep and distinguished record of public service. A native of the Eastern Shore, Mitchell served on the Maryland Department of Labor’s Board of Appeals for nearly 30 years, including four years as its Chairman. Appointed in 1994 by Governor William Donald Schaefer and reappointed by four successive governors from both parties, Mitchell presided over the state’s highest appellate authority for unemployment insurance disputes, helping shape how fairness and due process are applied to tens of thousands of Maryland workers.

A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Baltimore School of Law, Mitchell has also worked to expand legal access through education. He founded the Student Attorney Advocacy Program at his law school alma mater to ensure indigent claimants could receive representation in appeals proceedings. In addition to his public duties, he has maintained a part-time legal practice focused on administrative, land use, and environmental law.

Mitchell is equally respected for his civic leadership. He has served on the Selective Service Board and the Maryland Attorney General’s Environmental Advisory Council, authored legal reference works, and endowed a scholarship to help Maryland students pursue legal careers. As he said in a recent reflection, “Public service isn’t just about policy. It’s about people—about making sure the system works for everyone, especially those who don’t have a lobbyist or a lawyer.”

Together, Foxwell and Mitchell represent two sides of the same democratic coin—strategy and structure, politics and process, insight and institution. With the Maryland Caucus, they’ll shine a spotlight on the issues shaping Maryland today: education funding, judicial reform, land use, regional economics, environmental priorities, campaign strategy, and more.

Expect each episode to be as frank as it is thoughtful. Or as Foxwell recently quipped, “It may be called The Maryland Caucus, but we’re not handing out talking points.”

This video is approximately 16 minutes in length.

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

Saying Goodbye to the Idlewild Tiles

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Idlewild Tiles 1 by J. Dean

Later this week, workers will destroy an installation of public art, the Idlewild Tiles. And when they are gone, Easton will have lost a treasure that most of us on the Eastern Shore did not know existed.

Easton is removing the tiles because weather and time are slowly but surely destroying them. They are flaking away, with bits of the tiles falling to the ground every day. Easton is right to remove the tiles, which are installed at the entrance to a large playground.

The tiles were never a permanent installation of public art. But we didn’t appreciate that when the tiles were installed in 2007.

The history of the installation is not particularly important, but it is admirable nonetheless. The town decided to install tiles painted by Easton’s schoolchildren and place them outside the playground in Idlewild Park. This was a brilliant decision. The installation of the tiles, each hand-painted by a child, must have exceeded the wildest expectations of the people who conceived the idea.

The artists who created the tiles are now more than twice their age when they made them. How many of them ever created a second work of art that went on public display?

When the town first announced the removal of the tiles, a public protest ensued. The decision was delayed, and alternatives were explored. There was no economically feasible alternative that would have allowed the tiles to be repaired or relocated. Many of them were already missing large pieces, and some were missing.

Easton has created a digital gallery where the artists and others can visit to see what the tiles looked like before their removal. It is worth a visit.

But when I saw news coverage that the tiles were on their last days, I decided to view them in person. I’m glad I did, but I did not go alone. I took along a camera. I wanted pictures of the tiles that capture, I hope, some of the essence of how I experienced them. I wasn’t interested in a catalog of the tiles but in a short series of photos that will enable me to revisit the tiles for many years into the future.

Here are a few of my pictures:

Idlewild Tiles 2
Idlewild Tiles 3
Idlewild Tiles 4
Idlewild Tiles 5
Idlewild Tiles 6
Idlewild Tiles 7

The Idlewild Tiles will be missed, but not forgotten, especially by the talented artists who created them.

Idlewild Tiles 8

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

From and Fuller: Trump’s Beautiful Bill in the Senate and Presidential Pardons

by

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller unpack the political stakes as both Senate Republicans and Democrats prepare their responses to the House-passed spending bill, which carries a projected $3.5 trillion deficit. Al and Craig also examine the evolving use—and misuse—of presidential pardons, focusing on how former President Trump has wielded this constitutional power to benefit MAGA loyalists and disgraced political figures.

This video podcast is approximately sixteen minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

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

The Maryland Caucus: Moore Vetos, Harris Present, and 3 Cheers for St. Michaels Baseball

by

Every Wednesday, Maryland political analysts Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell discuss the politics and personalities of the state and region.

This week, Len and Clay discuss Governor Wes Moore’s use of his veto power last week and trade thoughts on Congressman Andy Harris’s unique “present” vote on the Trump-supported House spending bill. And once again, they picked the winners and losers in the state over the last week.

********

This series brings together two of the most experienced and respected voices in Maryland public life: Len Foxwell and Clayton A. Mitchell, Sr. Their mission is to explore Maryland’s evolving political terrain, from the State House in Annapolis to the communities of the Eastern Shore.

Foxwell and Mitchell may come from different corners of the public square—one a strategist and public communicator, the other a jurist and administrative law expert—but they share a lifelong commitment to the mechanics and meaning of public service. Together, they offer something increasingly rare in American discourse: thoughtful, informed, and good-humored conversation grounded in facts, history, and lived experience.

Len Foxwell, founder of Tred Avon Strategies, is widely regarded as one of Maryland’s most influential political strategists. A veteran of nearly three decades in public life, he served as chief of staff to the Comptroller of Maryland from 2008 to 2020, where he was credited with helping build one of the nation’s most effective and forward-looking tax enforcement offices.

During that time, the Comptroller’s office recaptured more than $6 billion in unpaid taxes and won national praise for combating tax fraud and unethical financial practices. But Foxwell’s public impact wasn’t limited to budgetary stewardship. He also played a pivotal role in modernizing Maryland’s craft alcohol industry, working to ease outdated regulations and encourage growth for breweries, wineries, and distilleries across the state.

A writer and educator at heart, Foxwell also teaches professional writing and crisis communication at Johns Hopkins University. As one veteran journalist once wrote, “There are plenty of operatives who are talented and indispensable to their bosses. But only Foxwell has actually changed the trajectory of Maryland politics.”

Clayton A. Mitchell, Sr., brings an equally deep and distinguished record of public service. A native of the Eastern Shore, Mitchell served on the Maryland Department of Labor’s Board of Appeals for nearly 30 years, including four years as its Chairman. Appointed in 1994 by Governor William Donald Schaefer and reappointed by four successive governors from both parties, Mitchell presided over the state’s highest appellate authority for unemployment insurance disputes, helping shape how fairness and due process are applied to tens of thousands of Maryland workers.

A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Baltimore School of Law, Mitchell has also worked to expand legal access through education. He founded the Student Attorney Advocacy Program at his law school alma mater to ensure indigent claimants could receive representation in appeals proceedings. In addition to his public duties, he has maintained a part-time legal practice focused on administrative, land use, and environmental law.

Mitchell is equally respected for his civic leadership. He has served on the Selective Service Board and the Maryland Attorney General’s Environmental Advisory Council, authored legal reference works, and endowed a scholarship to help Maryland students pursue legal careers. As he said in a recent reflection, “Public service isn’t just about policy. It’s about people—about making sure the system works for everyone, especially those who don’t have a lobbyist or a lawyer.”

Together, Foxwell and Mitchell represent two sides of the same democratic coin—strategy and structure, politics and process, insight and institution. With the Maryland Caucus, they’ll shine a spotlight on the issues shaping Maryland today: education funding, judicial reform, land use, regional economics, environmental priorities, campaign strategy, and more.

Expect each episode to be as frank as it is thoughtful. Or as Foxwell recently quipped, “It may be called The Maryland Caucus, but we’re not handing out talking points.”

This video is approximately 16 minutes in length.

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

From and Fuller: The House Passes a Controversial Budget and the Biden Age Redux

by

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the passage of the controversial Trump-supported House budget bill, which significantly reduces federal social assistance programs, maintains tax cuts for wealthy Americans, and will add $3.8 billion to the country’s deficit over the next ten years. Al and Craig also discuss new revelations about former President Joe Biden’s health while in office and the media attention it has caused.

This video podcast is approximately 23 minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

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

The Maryland Caucus: Moody’s Rating Blues and Reparations on Hold

by

Every Wednesday, Maryland political analysts Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell discuss the politics and personalities of the state and region.

This week, Len and Clay discuss the impact of Maryland’s first credit rating downgrade by Moody’s since 1973 and the political calculus used by Governor Wes Moore to block a state-approved bill to create a commission to study and recommend reparations for slavery and racial discrimination.  The duo also notes the State’s winners and losers over the last week.

********

This series brings together two of the most experienced and respected voices in Maryland public life: Len Foxwell and Clayton A. Mitchell, Sr. Their mission is to explore Maryland’s evolving political terrain, from the State House in Annapolis to the communities of the Eastern Shore.

Foxwell and Mitchell may come from different corners of the public square—one a strategist and public communicator, the other a jurist and administrative law expert—but they share a lifelong commitment to the mechanics and meaning of public service. Together, they offer something increasingly rare in American discourse: thoughtful, informed, and good-humored conversation grounded in facts, history, and lived experience.

Len Foxwell, founder of Tred Avon Strategies, is widely regarded as one of Maryland’s most influential political strategists. A veteran of nearly three decades in public life, he served as chief of staff to the Comptroller of Maryland from 2008 to 2020, where he was credited with helping build one of the nation’s most effective and forward-looking tax enforcement offices.

During that time, the Comptroller’s office recaptured more than $6 billion in unpaid taxes and won national praise for combating tax fraud and unethical financial practices. But Foxwell’s public impact wasn’t limited to budgetary stewardship. He also played a pivotal role in modernizing Maryland’s craft alcohol industry, working to ease outdated regulations and encourage growth for breweries, wineries, and distilleries across the state.

A writer and educator at heart, Foxwell also teaches professional writing and crisis communication at Johns Hopkins University. As one veteran journalist once wrote, “There are plenty of operatives who are talented and indispensable to their bosses. But only Foxwell has actually changed the trajectory of Maryland politics.”

Clayton A. Mitchell, Sr., brings an equally deep and distinguished record of public service. A native of the Eastern Shore, Mitchell served on the Maryland Department of Labor’s Board of Appeals for nearly 30 years, including four years as its Chairman. Appointed in 1994 by Governor William Donald Schaefer and reappointed by four successive governors from both parties, Mitchell presided over the state’s highest appellate authority for unemployment insurance disputes, helping shape how fairness and due process are applied to tens of thousands of Maryland workers.

A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Baltimore School of Law, Mitchell has also worked to expand legal access through education. He founded the Student Attorney Advocacy Program at his law school alma mater to ensure indigent claimants could receive representation in appeals proceedings. In addition to his public duties, he has maintained a part-time legal practice focused on administrative, land use, and environmental law.

Mitchell is equally respected for his civic leadership. He has served on the Selective Service Board and the Maryland Attorney General’s Environmental Advisory Council, authored legal reference works, and endowed a scholarship to help Maryland students pursue legal careers. As he said in a recent reflection, “Public service isn’t just about policy. It’s about people—about making sure the system works for everyone, especially those who don’t have a lobbyist or a lawyer.”

Together, Foxwell and Mitchell represent two sides of the same democratic coin—strategy and structure, politics and process, insight and institution. With the Maryland Caucus, they’ll shine a spotlight on the issues shaping Maryland today: education funding, judicial reform, land use, regional economics, environmental priorities, campaign strategy, and more.

Expect each episode to be as frank as it is thoughtful. Or as Foxwell recently quipped, “It may be called The Maryland Caucus, but we’re not handing out talking points.”

This video is approximately 20 minutes in length.

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

This Summer at the Avalon: Something Old, Something New for Mid-Shore Kids

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The Avalon Foundation is excited to announce a dynamic mix of tradition and innovation in its 2025 Summer Programming. As always, you can count on the classic experiences families know and love—but this year, they are expanding with even more to explore.

The Spy asked program director Christina King and teacher Rene Masaracchia, the delightful Mrs M, to come by the Spy studio last week to give some background and updates on this remarkable program for young children.

From returning favorites to fresh new opportunities, this summer’s lineup offers more depth, variety, and ways for kids to get involved, be inspired, and make lasting memories.

As they note, and due to popular demand, as determined from their waitlists of years past, they are expanding this year’s offerings to 3 sessions of Curtain Call Junior! Your young person can be enrolled for all three weeks since each week will offer a different script and show.

In addition, Short Week Big Show is back for the 4th of July week, minus Friday, July 4th, for campers entering grades 2-8!

The Avalon was also excited to announce Passport Around the World & Mini Monets sessions of our new Early Childhood Arts Exploration Program! Aimed to serve our youngest campers, those entering grades K-2, this week starts with a beloved children’s book, and it incorporates literacy, routine, and experiences in visual and performing arts, along with some of our traditional games and activities.  The campers then present a Friday performance to showcase the week. Your young person will have fun, be immersed in the arts, and combat summer slide while at the Avalon Theatre.

Taking part in theatrical productions at all ages has true literacy benefits. The new Early Childhood Arts Exploration Programs are designed and led by the fabulous early childhood educator, Renee Masarachia. She has over 20 years of experience enriching the education and lives of all she touches. Affectionately known as “Ms. M”, she will make every week sparkle for your young artists while incorporating her knowledge and expertise in the early childhood sector.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For information and to sign up, please go here.

 

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

Chicken Scratch: A phoenix and a submarine sandwich by Elizabeth Beggins

by

“Look at that!” Grace exclaimed, arms extending as if conducting an orchestra. “The clouds are on fire again!”

And they were. Peach and papaya marbling into blueberry, and that shade of vermillion lipstick your mother wore in the 70s. It was the kind of sunset that tempts poets to be insufferable, a full-blown celebration unironically staged above a strip mall.

Truth didn’t bother looking. She was busy at the back of her Subaru, scowling at her receipt like it had just suggested she try intermittent fasting for her mood.

“Eight bucks,” she grumbled. “And I didn’t even get the virtuous eggs. I settled for the morally questionable f*ckers because that was all they had.”

Grace kept looking back to the sky, like it might spill a secret if she paid it close enough attention.

“Maybe it’s the universe’s way of saying, ‘Good job not collapsing in public today,’ she said. “Like a gold star for endurance.”

Truth huffed, “Cool. Maybe if I collect five, I can cash them in for one functional nervous system.”

She wedged a bag into the trunk with the low-level rage of someone who’s spent too long on hold with their insurance provider. The breeze carried overtones of pizza and pollen.

Abstract painting suggesting a sunset with clouds and soft colors

J. M. W. Turner (1830), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

“You used to love skies like this,” Grace said gently. “Remember that trip to the Blue Ridge, chasing fall colors? We worked through our midlife crisis on a steady diet of Alanis Morissette and TED Talks about becoming our ‘authentic selves.’”

“That was fifteen years ago,” Truth said, slamming the trunk shut. “Back when I still believed I could make a difference.”

Finally, she glanced up—reluctantly, like she was being dared. “Okay, it’s pretty,” she admitted. “But so is a funeral wreath.”

“I saw an osprey today,” Grace persisted, leaning back against the car. “Just riding the wind like it was having the greatest time. I think I want to be that osprey when I grow up.”

Truth sighed. “The osprey doesn’t get emails that start with ‘just circling back.’ I spent seventy dollars this week for an orthopedist who told me to do some stretches and get back to him if I’m still broken next year.”

“Dang! For that amazing price you got premium indifference,” Grace teased. That’s concierge-level neglect.” Then, exhaling a little too sharply, she snapped. “I swear, if I get one more podcaster telling me I’m not thriving because I didn’t journal hard enough…”

Truth blinked, surprised. “You okay?”

“Fine,” Grace exhaled, smoothing her voice. “Just tired of being blamed for bleeding in a trauma center.”

Truth actually laughed—a quick bleat that almost startled her—as she wrapped her faded denim jacket across her chest. “My kid called today. He and his girlfriend are thinking about moving to Portugal. Affordable healthcare and good pastries.”

“You going with them?” Grace asked.

Truth shook her head. “Nah. Somebody has to stay here to mourn the American Dream.” She paused, then added, “You know, I used to think we’d tear it all down and build something better. Now I just hope the store doesn’t close before I run out of melatonin and milk.”

They stood there, quietly, as the clouds rearranged themselves again—one minute a phoenix, the next a submarine sandwich.

“Sometimes,” Truth said, softer now, “I think beauty’s just nature’s version of gaslighting us. Like, ‘Hey!—look over here while the scaffolding collapses.’”

“Maybe,” Grace said, arms folded. “But I’m still going to look. Not everything has to solve something to matter.”

“Even if it’s just the planet crumbling in a flattering filter?” Truth replied.

Grace grinned. “Especially then. If we’re going down, I’d rather be watching the sky than doomscrolling on the toilet.”

Truth snorted, “Now that’s a bumper sticker!”

They stood a bit longer, two women marinated in pink light. Eventually, Grace nudged her friend with an elbow. “Okay. Let’s get home before the dumpster fire melts the ice cream.”

An audio version of this essay, read by the author, is available here.

Elizabeth Beggins is a communications and outreach specialist focused on regional agriculture. She is a former farmer, recovering sailor, and committed over-thinker who appreciates opportunities to kindle conversation and invite connection. On “Chicken Scratch,” a reader-supported publication hosted by Substack, she writes non-fiction essays rooted in realistic optimism. To receive her weekly posts and support her work, become a free or paid subscriber here.

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

From and Fuller: Trump’s Big Beautiful 747 and Spotting Democratic Early Birds

by

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, Al and Craig dive into the political and ethical controversy surrounding President Donald Trump’s acceptance of a used Boeing 747 from the Qatari government as a potential replacement for the aging Air Force One. They also discuss the expanding field of Democratic presidential hopefuls making early moves in key primary states like New Hampshire and Iowa.

This video podcast is approximately 20 minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

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