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October 17, 2025

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

3 Top Story Point of View Angela

Going Native By Angela Rieck

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I attended a lecture about native plants by Mikaela Boley, Principal Agent Associate—Home Horticulture & Master Gardener Coordinator for the University of Maryland—Talbot County. I learned that most of our gardens are populated with non-native plants because that is what our nurseries stock. The obvious question is why select native plants over the readily available non-native plants?

Turns out there are a lot of reasons. First, native plants are usually lower maintenance than non-native plants. Native plants have adapted to the local climate and soil conditions. 

Native plants do not require fertilizer. Once the soil has been prepared and amended as needed (e.g., PH level, compost), native plants need no more. They have adapted to our ecosystem’s soil and can survive off the soil’s available nutrients without the help of fertilizers. Not only do we save time and money, but we eliminate fertilizer which is detrimental to the environment.  

With native plants, pesticides are also unnecessary. Native plants have developed natural defenses against indigenous insects, diseases, and fungi. (Many are still vulnerable to the local fauna such as bunnies and deer.)

Because native plants have adapted to the local climate and weather conditions, they are more likely to survive droughts and other conditions where lawns and non-native gardens struggle. Native plants in dry areas develop deep root systems that allow them to store water for long periods during our frequent droughts.  

Native plants are rarely invasive. I have English ivy and other invasive plants planted by a previous owner, and they are impossible to get rid of.

Planting native plants in troublesome areas prevents nutrient run-off into our waterways. Thanks to their deep root systems, native plants help stabilize and anchor the soil.

Native plants play an important role providing food and shelter for indigenous insects and wildlife. According to Boley, many gardeners build gardens specifically designed for local pollinators. Since our native insects, birds, and other wildlife have co-evolved with our native plant species, our local species depend on them for food sources and habitat. For example, there are specialist butterflies and bees that utilize only one species (or genus) of plant to lay eggs or feed larvae. An example locally is the Monarch butterfly whose caterpillars can only consume milkweed. Some specialist bees pollinate only one species of plant, and without those plants, there are fewer native bees.

I am convinced. I have decided to incorporate native plants into my existing gardens. Now, where to start? First, remember that there is no need to build a garden from scratch. You can add native plants to an existing garden, which is what I am going to do.

Mikaela Boley recommends three steps to building a native garden or adding native plants to an existing garden.

The first step is to identify the purpose of the garden. Do you want an edible garden? A garden that supports local pollinators? A perennial garden that blooms throughout the seasons? A solution to problem areas, such as soggy soil or bare spots? Or do you simply want to reduce your lawn footprint? Let’s face it, lawns are a lot of work; a native garden is a solution to a number of challenges that lawns present.

After you have identified the purpose, the second step is to analyze the soil and area conditions—PH level, type of soil (loam, sandy or clay), amount of sun or shade, level of moisture (is it soggy? dry?), and soil nutrients. There are inexpensive soil tests available locally that identify the PH and the nutrient needs. You can also use the National Resources Conservation Service to find typical soil at your location.

The final step is to choose native plants based on the purpose and conditions that have been identified in the previous two steps. Native plants are defined as plants that existed locally in pre-colonial times. 

There are a number of sources available to identify the local native plants on the Eastern Shore. There is a list of 417 local plants at https://www.allianceforthebay.org/plants/. Another online site for native plants (which includes soil and area recommendations) is the USFWS (US Fish and Wildlife Service) Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat & Conservation Landscaping. 

All of these sources provide plants native to the Eastern Shore. For those interested in other geographical areas, a Google search will help you find the types of native plants in your area.

Finding the actual plants is usually not as simple as going to the local nursery. On the Eastern Shore—the Atkins Arboretum, Environmental Concern, and some commercial nurseries carry them. They can also be ordered online.

Fall is a good time for planting, but you can also spend the winter planning your new environmentally friendly garden. 

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.

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

Which Is It? President Trump or King Donald? By J.E. Dean

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Judge me by what I do, not what I say. We’ve all heard that maxim, but have you used it recently in looking at President Trump’s first eight months in office? 

On October 18, there will be “No Kings” protests across the United States. A majority of Americans are concerned that Donald Trump thinks of himself as a king. Is Trump a king? 

Many of the President’s actions, and some of his words, suggest Trump thinks he is a king.  That is worrisome because historically kings enjoy, as White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller recently said, “plenary power.” Cornell Law School defines plenary power as “Complete power over a particular area with no limitations.”

Evidence of President Trump exercising plenary power is everywhere these days. Here are 10 examples:

Sending military troops into states despite requests from state governors to refrain from doing so. National Guard Troops have been sent to Los Angeles, Portland, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and even Memphis. In Memphis, National Guard troops were posted outside a Bass Pro Shop and a state visitors center.

Imposing monetary penalties and revoking security clearances for lawyers at law firms involved in criminal litigation of Donald Trump before his re-election in 2024.

Firing members of once-independent agencies, such as the National Labor Relations Board, Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and others.

Firing Inspectors General at 17 federal departments and agencies (some say 18). Inspectors General were once independent watchdogs within agencies charged with ferreting out waste, fraud, and abuse.  (RC)

According to Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN), the Trump administration expanded its use of immigration enforcement to target foreign nationals, particularly students, researchers, and legal residents—some for being accused of engaging in, or merely being adjacent to pro-Palestinian activism, some without any explanation at all.

Freezing grants to colleges and universities using spurious claims of antisemitism. The actions severely undermine the independence of American higher education.

Firing thousands of federal employees without cause or pressuring them to resign. These actions have effectively gutted many federal agencies, including FEMA, the CDC, the CFPB, and the Department of Education. Last week Trump, citing the “Democratic-caused shutdown” of the federal government, Trump fired the entire staff of the Office of Special Education Programs at the Education Department, effectively abolishing it. The office was created to ensure that students with disabilities are not discriminated against in federal education programs. Trump also fired 100 employees at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This office operates the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (988).

Rescinding grants made to address climate change. Without legislative authorization, Trump has made the Environmental Protection Agency into an office to promote the use of fossil fuels. 

Redecorating the White House to look like a royal palace with hundreds installations of gold, the erection of massive flagpoles and the construction, now underway, of an enormous ballroom more than doubling the size of the White House.

And one additional item—massive corruption by rewriting federal regulation of cryptocurrency while Trump, Trump family members, and others close to the President made large and wildly successful investments in crypto.

This list could go on to cite the indictments of Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, efforts to fire the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, apparent solicitation, and receipt of a gift of a Boeing 747 luxury jet to the Trump Presidential Library from Qatar.

President Trump is acting like a king with no respect or use for Democracy. He appears to be working to rig or set the stage to cancel the 2026 mid-term elections.

Concern over President Trump’s leadership is why more than 2,000 “No Kings” protests are planned for October 18, 2025, including in Easton and Cambridge. More information about No Kings and October 18 can be found here. 

J.E. Dean writes on politics, government, and other subjects. A former counsel on Capitol Hill and public affairs consultant, Dean also writes for Dean’s Issues & Insights on Substack.

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

Meeting Tom By Jamie Kirkpatrick

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I’ll try to keep this long story reasonably short: a few days ago, my wife and I found ourselves soaking in a pool of warm mineral water with ten other people we had never met before and will probably never see again. The day was chilly, but the water was deliciously warm (one degree above body temperature), and the lights were dim. Ahhh…finally some peas and carrots.

Now I don’t consider myself antisocial, but I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not very good at making small talk. My wife, however, wrote the book on small talk, so over the years, I’ve learned to let her steer the conversation while I ride along in the passenger seat. However, on this particular occasion, once we got in that soothing water, she was uncharacteristically quiet, so I closed my eyes and just let go. I think I might have and drifted off…

Wait; I need to back up. My wife and I have had an unusually peripatetic few weeks: in August, we visited friends on the Jersey shore. In September, we were off to Cape Cod to spend another few days with dear friends there. Now, it’s October, and here we were at The Homestead, a rambling, historic resort tucked into the Virginia slopes of the Allegheny Mountains. Why? Because my wife is a busy realtor, and busy realtors need an occasional recharge. This year, her company chose The Homestead as the site of its annual conference, so when my wife asked me if I wanted to join her, I decided to tag along. Good decision! 

We wound our way across the Blue Ridge Mountains and up into the Alleghenies. On the day we arrived at The Homestead, the foliage was just beginning to turn, the sky was azure blue, and that night, we had our first freeze warning of the season. I guess that was what put us in the mood for a good, warm soak in the resort’s historic mineral waters, but first things first: before my wife and I and all our other fellow-soakers could even put a toe in the soothing clear water, we were given a brief history lesson about the place. That’s when I learned that Thomas Jefferson used to come here often to “take the waters” because he felt bathing in them eased the aches and pains and inflammation in his joints, a medical condition that later became known as rheumatoid arthritis. Maybe that was the last image in my mind as I floated off in the steaming pool because when I opened my eyes a few minutes later, there he was staring straight at me—“Long Tom,” the Sage of Monticello himself.

We were alone; just Tom and me. I readily admit was I was a bit star-struck—wouldn’t you be?— and it seemed strange that suddenly, it was just the two of us in that pool. Where was my wife? Where was everyone else? Fortunately, I had enough sense to introduce myself. Tom was most gracious, but when I reached out to shake his hand, I found I couldn’t quite grasp it; it felt like nothing more than a wisp of smoke. Nevertheless, we chatted amiably for a few minutes about many things: the price of tobacco and cotton, about the amazing discoveries of Captains Lewis and Clark, about his ideas for a great public university, about Sally Hemings, and even about The Declaration of Independence. “That was quite an opening line,” I told him. 

Tom was forthcoming—charming, even— but I sensed he was curious, and that there was a question he wanted to ask me. I didn’t have long to wait. “Forgive me, Sir,” he said, “but I’m of the impression you are perhaps not from around here, nor, for that matter, from this time.”  

I nodded. “It’s now 2025.”

For an instant, he seemed startled, but he quickly became thoughtful. “So, tell me, friend: is America still a democracy?”

I hesitated, and in that moment, he seemed to understand everything I—we—are going through. He was silent for several minutes, and in the stillness, I became aware of thousands of tiny bubbles emanating up from a deep underground source, of the pungent smell of sulphur, and of an extraordinary mind that could make sense out of senselessness.

When Tom finally spoke, he said “Think on this, friend: when the people fear the government, there is tyranny, but when the government fears the people, there is liberty. It is all up to you…”

I felt a hand on my shoulder—my wife’s gentle touch. “It’s time to go,” she said.

I’ll be right back.

Jamie Kirkpatrick is a writer and photographer who lives on both sides of the Chesapeake Bay. His editorials and reviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Washington College Alumni Magazine, and American Cowboy Magazine. His most recent novel, “The Tales of Bismuth; Dispatches from Palestine, 1945-1948” explores the origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is available on Amazon and in local bookstores. His newest novel, “The People Game,” hits the market in February, 2026. His website is musingjamie.net.

Jamie Kirkpatrick is a writer and photographer who lives on both sides of the Chesapeake Bay. His editorials and reviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Washington College Alumni Magazine, and American Cowboy Magazine. His most recent novel, “The Tales of Bismuth; Dispatches from Palestine, 1945-1948” explores the origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is available on Amazon and in local bookstores. His newest novel, “The People Game,” hits the market in February, 2026. His website is musingjamie.net.

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

Put a Little Love in Your Heart by Maria Grant

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I’ve been disturbed and disappointed by the meanness and disrespect that I’ve witnessed by so many, including the leaders of the land, over the last few months. Why have so many gotten so mean? In many cases, compassion and kindness have flown out the window and been replaced by insults, name calling, and revenge. Such maliciousness has been out of control for so long that it is difficult to remember when mutual respect, decorum, and civility were front and center. 

Many people who work in public establishments have reported that customers have gotten meaner. Restaurant workers complain that more diners are exhibiting rude behavior. Hospital workers complain that patients have gotten more abusive. Passengers committing violent acts on airplanes, frequently fueled by alcohol, have become commonplace. 

Here are a few reasons why sociologists claim that meanness has become so pervasive. 

Learned behavior. People may have grown up in environments where hostile and inconsiderate behaviors were normalized, and they have internalized similar actions in their own lives. 

Demographics. America has become more diverse which has caused millions of Americans to panic, feel as though they are losing their place in the hierarchy, and hence react to others in a mean way. 

Social media. Digital platforms award negativity, outrage, and conflict and encourage mean-spirited behavior. Such behavior gets much more attention than civility. Plus, anonymity encourages people to express thoughts they wouldn’t say face-to-face.

Polarizing narratives. Constant exposure to fear-based narratives and political polarization can increase anger and distrust. 

Convenience culture. The rise of online shopping, delivery services, and other conveniences have reduced our dependence on others and limit our daily interactions that require empathy and connection.

Economic Inequality. High levels of inequality have left people afraid, angry, pessimistic, and mean.

A few years ago, David Brooks authored an article in The Atlantic in which he opined that the reason America has gotten so mean is because, “we live in a society that’s terrible at moral formation.” By that he meant helping people to restrain their selfishness; coaching basic social and ethical skills; and encouraging people to find a purpose in life. 

The premise to this belief is that without strong moral formation, people feel disconnected, alienated and estranged from the world around them. And those emotions also turn into bitterness and a sense of rejection. People then begin to feel disrespected, unheard, and victimized. 

Without a moral compass, people turn to politics and tribalism. In many places around the world, including currently in the U.S., leaders capitalize on connecting with people who feel that sense of rejection. They believe that there is an ugly world out there, and they are not receiving their just rewards. These leaders encourage the populus to be angry and mean—to take what you can get and forget about the rest. With this mindset, morality becomes a luxury that they can no longer afford. 

The truth, as many prognosticators, including Voltaire, have stated, is that we each must cultivate our own gardens. We must celebrate people with moral behavior who instill a certain humility in us. And we must applaud the skills and habits that encourage consideration of others, treating people with respect, and promoting inclusivity. 

Such behaviors are the opposite of what’s happening in the U.S. right now. In the meantime, and until the ship rights, here are some initiatives that sociologists encourage us to master. 

Practice empathy. Try to put yourself in the place of others and imagine what they are going through.

Exude gratitude. Celebrate the good things in your life and the efforts of those around you. 

Support your community. Volunteer for good causes. 

Build a culture of appreciation. Praise and thank colleagues, neighbors, relatives, and friends, and create opportunities for recognition. 

Perform random acts of kindness. Let disabled people go ahead of you in line. Drive elderly neighbors to their appointments. Your kindness will have a ripple effect.

Maya Angelou once wrote, “It takes courage to be kind.” 

I agree. And let’s acknowledge that these days courageousness and kindness have taken a back seat. But in spite of today’s adversities, we can each vow that we will double our efforts to be kind and strive to make the world a better place, one act at a time. 

Maria Grant, a former principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm, now focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.

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

The Green Party Redefines Success in the Political Arena by David Reel

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Vince Lombardi, legendary head coach of the National Football League’s Green Bay Packers, often said, “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.”

The leadership of the Green Party in Maryland does not embrace that philosophy, at least when it applies to winning an election.

Earlier this month, Andy Ellis filed paperwork with the Maryland State Board of Elections to be the Green Party candidate in the 2026 general election for Governor of Maryland. He also filed paperwork for Owen Andrews to be his running mate as the Green Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor.

According to his campaign biography, Ellis has served as a Green Party organizer and former Green Party nominee for the Maryland House of Delegates. He previously served as co-chair of both the Baltimore City and Maryland Green Parties and has held national roles on the Green Party’s Presidential Campaign Support Committee, Ballot Access Committee, and Coordinated Campaign Committee.

He is also the founder of Debate Strategies, LLC, a consulting firm focused on public debate, civic engagement, and political augmentation.

Ellis is realistic about his odds of winning.

He has said candidly, “I would love it if we were the next governor and lieutenant governor. But I am a student of history and political science. … We’re not going to go and set expectations that we don’t think we can meet.”

As a self-described student of history and political science, Ellis is likely aware that Maryland voters have only elected two third-party candidates for Governor.

They are Thomas Hicks, the American Party candidate in 1858 and Augustus Bradford, the Union Party candidate in 1882.

With regard to setting campaign expectations, Ellis has three key campaign goals.

The first goal is to take necessary steps for their campaign to qualify for and receive public campaign financing from Maryland’s Fair Campaign Financing Act.

That was a fundraising strategy that Larry Hogan used when he requested and received public funds in his first run for governor.

With a goal of $120,000 in contributions from 1,500 Marylanders (capped at $250 each), the Green Party of Maryland could get a state-funded match of the contributions received from other sources.

Ellis and Andrews have already started fundraising with a campaign launch party that met a goal of $2,026.

Goal two is to secure an invitation to participate in gubernatorial debates, including, but not limited to, the debate sponsored by Maryland Public Television.

Andrews has said, “We think that if Marylanders are able to see and hear us, and see and hear our positions, then we’re more likely to achieve that top-line goal.”

The third goal is for the Green Party candidates to receive at least 4% of the total votes cast in the November 2026 gubernatorial general election.

If they do that, they will eclipse the best showing by a third-party gubernatorial candidate in Maryland since 1895 when the Prohibition Party candidate received 3.2% of the votes cast.

More importantly, meeting or exceeding that goal will maintain their status as a political party that will automatically be included on future Maryland general election ballots.

This goal is immensely important for the future viability for the Green Party and also for other third parties in Maryland.

Every time the Green Party and other third parties in Maryland fail to get 4% of the votes in statewide general elections, party volunteers have to collect 10,000 signatures from registered voters for their candidates’ names to be included on future general election ballots.

That signature collection process requires an inordinate amount of volunteer time and effort.

That time and effort could be reallocated to inform, energize, and mobilize Maryland voters who may be ready and willing to consider supporting the Green Party’s core values and their positions on such issues as economic matters, housing affordability, and increasing energy costs.

This has significant potential at a time when polling results are showing increasing voter disenchantment with the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.

The bottom line is, the Maryland Green Party is well positioned going into Maryland’s 2026 gubernatorial general election.

That is not because their candidates have any chance of winning that election.

They do have an opportunity to demonstrate to candidates of both major parties that the Green Party’s core values and issue positions resonate with at least 4% of the voters.
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That is meaningful, as Larry Hogan received 51.0% of the vote in his first run for governor and Anthony Brown received 47.2% of the vote, a difference of 3.8%.

It would also affirm that any third political party with realistic expectations, measurable goals, and effective campaign execution can achieve success in the political arena in Maryland without winning an election.

David Reel is a public affairs and public relations consultant. He is also a consultant to not- for -profit organizations on governance, leadership, and management matters. He lives in Easton.

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

All Is Not What It Seems: Moore’s Conowingo Dam “Victory” Spreads 30 Years of Illusion By Clayton A. Mitchell Sr.

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When Governor Wes Moore stood at the foot of the Conowingo Dam to announce what he called a “historic” 340-million-dollar environmental settlement, the optics were perfect. There he was, surrounded by energy executives, environmental advocates, and state officials, all smiling for the cameras. It looked like leadership. It looked like progress. But all is not what it seems.

Behind the political theater lies a deal that delays action, weakens accountability, and continues the decades-long habit of turning Maryland’s environmental failures into public relations victories. Moore’s settlement is a triumph of messaging over substance, and the people of Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay itself deserve better.

Most of the money in this deal will not arrive anytime soon. The payments are stretched out over 30 to 50 years, meaning that by the time the final check clears, almost every person who stood at that press conference will be long gone. Even worse, much of the so-called funding is conditional. The most critical piece, dredging the Conowingo reservoir to remove the mountain of silt and sediment choking the Susquehanna River, will not even begin until the Army Corps of Engineers completes yet another study years from now. And even then, Maryland’s Department of the Environment could decide not to dredge at all.

The problem is not complicated. The Conowingo Dam is a “silt superhighway”. As Carol Hughes of Direct Line News recently wrote, the dam has for decades acted as a conveyor belt that dumps massive amounts of sediment, agricultural runoff, and pollutants straight into the Chesapeake Bay every time it floods. The dam’s capacity to trap sediments has long been maxed out. When that wall of silt is flushed downriver, it clouds the water, smothers oyster beds, and feeds the dead zones that choke marine life. Yet the Moore Administration’s new deal still relies on future “peer-reviewed modeling” and “interim targets” rather than direct, measurable action.

The new settlement also avoids the politically uncomfortable truth that the Conowingo problem begins upstream in Pennsylvania. As Hughes noted, addressing that reality requires political courage that has been missing for years. It would mean holding Pennsylvania accountable, challenging powerful agricultural lobbies, and setting a hard deadline to dredge the reservoir and install sediment capture systems. Instead, Governor Moore struck a long-term deal with Constellation Energy that pushes the problem into the next generation while claiming victory now. He turned an environmental liability into a talking point and walked away with the headline he wanted.

Meanwhile, as Hughes reported, Baltimore City continues to pour millions of gallons of untreated or partially treated wastewater into the Bay each year. Hughes correctly pointed out that even after years of federally mandated consent decrees and billions spent on infrastructure, the city’s crumbling pipes still leak raw sewage into the Inner Harbor and beyond. Yet the same state and local leaders who decry climate change and preach environmental equity cannot summon the competence to stop human waste from entering the Bay. You cannot save a crab while flushing sewage into its habitat.

This pattern of inaction and self-congratulation is not new. For decades, well-funded environmental groups, state agencies, and political leaders have drafted glossy agreements filled with buzzwords like “climate resilience” and “changing environmental conditions.” Billions have been spent. Targets have been pushed from 2025 to 2035 to 2040. And yet the Bay’s health remains stagnant. EPA data shows that the Conowingo Dam no longer traps sediment effectively, and despite more than 6 billion dollars in regional spending since 2014, only 59 percent of nitrogen reduction goals have been met. 

The easy wins, wastewater plants and point source controls, are done. The hard work, tackling Pennsylvania’s agricultural runoff and sediment flow, keeps getting postponed because it is politically inconvenient.

Moore’s so-called steady hand in these negotiations looks more like a sleight of hand. He inherited a mess, but rather than fix it, he packaged it into a press release and moved on. This deal gives him credit now and leaves future governors, taxpayers, and watermen to deal with the consequences later. Oversight over 30 years is not leadership. It is abdication disguised as prudence.

Maryland does not need more committees, consultants, or cleverly branded restoration plans. It needs action. As Carol Hughes argued, the path forward is clear. Dredge the Conowingo now. Fix Baltimore’s wastewater system and tie every dollar of state aid to measurable upgrades. Invest in oyster aquaculture, mussel hatcheries, and nutrient removal technologies that deliver results. And above all, demand accountability with real consequences for agencies and entities that fail to meet benchmarks.

The Chesapeake Bay is one of America’s great natural treasures. But it will not be saved by more studies, slogans, or settlements that stretch beyond the lifetime of those who sign them. If Governor Moore truly wants to lead, he should stop managing the problem politically and start solving it practically. Because at this point, Marylanders have heard enough promises. 

The Bay does not need another plan. It needs a comprehensive cleanup. And until that happens, all is not what it seems.

Clayton A. Mitchell, Sr. is a life-long Eastern Shoreman, an attorney, and former Chairman of the Maryland Department of Labor’s Board of Appeals.  He is the co-host of the Gonzales/Mitchell Show podcast that discusses politics, business, and cultural issues. He is also an advisor to the Ed Hale for Governor campaign. 

 

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Too Many Strikeouts for Greatness by Len Foxwell

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Friday night’s 15-inning epic between the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners – which spilled over into a delirious Saturday morning – is unquestionably one of the best postseason games ever played.  It has been suggested, perhaps with more than a bit of recency bias, that it is THE greatest.

There, I disagree. To be sure, many of the elements of greatness were present. Most notably, the game’s best pitcher in Detroit’s Tarik Skubal, and a catcher – Seattle’s Cal Raleigh – has broken multiple records with his historic 60 home run season.

That said, a game that featured 37 strikeouts in 98 official at-bats – a whopping 38 percent of the total – cannot be considered the best game in October history.

For the sake of historical context, the 16-inning epic between the Astros and Mets in Game 6 of the 1986 NLCS – believed by many to be the greatest of all time – featured just 20 strikeouts in 110 official at-bats. Fewer than 20 percent. Game 7 of the 1991 World Series – my personal choice for the honor? Just 13 strikeouts in 69 at-bats – again, fewer than 20 percent. This was a game pitched by future Hall of Famers Jack Morris and John Smoltz.

There is just nothing good about this notion, promoted by analytics nerds who have never played this game, that contact is less important than launch angles and exit velocity. Or that a blizzard of strikeouts is fine, so long as they serve as bookends around an occasional tape measure home run.

We have seen, throughout this postseason—the Orion Kerkering Game in Dodger Stadium comes immediately to mind—what can happen when the batter simply puts the ball in play. A strikeout, by contrast, is a total failure because the batter isn’t even giving his opponent the chance to make a mistake. It removes the element of strategy from the game, which is abundant, making the product less exciting and, therefore, less appealing to the fans.

Len Foxwell is the principal of Tred Avon Strategies, a communications and political consulting firm in Annapolis.  A Johns Hopkins lecturer and HopStart director, Len previously served as Chief of Staff to Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Salisbury University, where he also served as Special Assistant to the President.

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

Four Life Principles by Angela Rieck

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Working in a corporation is like being in middle school. Corporations bring out the worst in people. In an effort to get ahead, some employees take credit for others’ work, sabotage coworkers, and treat their colleagues harshly., while demonstrating different behavior to their bosses. Surviving in corporate America while keeping my own integrity required sacrifice, confidence, and a strong will. 

While working in this environment, I discovered a book that guided me through the morass and has helped me throughout life. The book is called The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. He claims that it is based on ancient Toltec wisdom.

In his book, he lists four principles or agreements. The first agreement is Be Impeccable with Your Word. Following this principle means that we speak with integrity, meaning that we don’t lie or gossip. By doing this, we can “own” what we do and become role models for others. 

The second principle is Don’t Take Anything Personally. What others say or do is a projection of their reality, not ours. This is one of the hardest things to understand, because we believe that others think like we do. But praise or criticism is about what the speaker values. Let me give you an example. 

I had a boss who was notorious for berating us during presentations, the larger the audience, the nastier the behavior. One of my colleagues was making a presentation to a large group, and our boss interrupted her repeatedly, heckling her.

Despite our boss’s attempts to intimidate and embarrass her, she remained calm and patiently asked for clarification. This boss brought everyone to tears, myself included. 

After the presentation, I went over to console my colleague. But she didn’t need consoling. She asked me, “Do you think that the other people in the room thought I was stupid or that our boss was mean?”

“Obviously, they thought that our boss was mean.” I responded. “But what about all the criticism,” I continued. “You worked so hard on that presentation; you even took notes when she spewed her vitriol.”

“Of course,” she replied. “Our boss wasn’t pleased, so I needed to change the presentation.”

“But your presentation was good,” I replied.

“I was satisfied with it,” she said.

“But didn’t the criticisms, hurt?” 

“Oh no,” she replied. “Both praise and criticism are about the person giving it. Her criticism or praise for that matter was about what she valued.”

“Let me give you an example,” she continued. “What if someone told you that they love your hair. It doesn’t mean that you have good hair. It means that you have hair that that person values. There is no objective measure of hair…just perceptions. The same goes with criticism. If that person didn’t like your hair, it is because she doesn’t like that kind of hair. It has nothing to do with your hair.”

Praise is wonderful and those who give it are saying “We value the same things.” I believe that praise givers are confident, happy people. To keep our integrity, I recommend praising as often and as much as possible. 

Criticism, however, is hard to take unless we are confident and believe that we did our best.

The third agreement is Don’t Make Assumptions. It goes without saying that all of us make assumptions and create stories frequently. Our assumptions are based on our experiences and not on the other’s experience. For example, what if I waved to someone and they didn’t wave back. The only information that I have is that person didn’t wave back. From there I make assumptions, “that person didn’t see me,” “that person doesn’t like me,” “that person broke her arm.” All of these are stories that we “jumped” to. When an employee would come to me about an issue, the first thing that I asked him was to separate the facts from the story. 

Do your Best. As long as you do your best, you can be immune from criticism. Your best may not be good enough for someone, but it is your best, and you maintain your integrity by doing so. Your best will change, I cannot walk as quickly as I used to, but as long as I do the best that I can, I can feel good about what I have accomplished.

Pretty simple stuff, but extremely powerful.

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Mental Illness and Civic Responsibility By J.E. Dean

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Former Clinton administration Labor Secretary Robert Reich recently expressed regret that the press is reluctant to report on Donald Trump’s mental decline. Reich is right. We are not reading enough about the President’s state of health in the mainstream media. Because so much depends on the President’s ability to fulfill his duties as President, Americans need to know that their president is healthy and fit for the job.

Much of the press, unfortunately, has become reluctant to write negative things about the President for fear of retribution or a billion-dollar lawsuit. Mainstream media’s reluctance is understandable, even though the constant stream of lawsuits and threats of abusive regulatory actions, such as revoking broadcast licenses, are themselves evidence of what many of us see as the President’s mental instability.

In recent weeks, I have raised the President’s obvious decline with friends and asked them whether they see the same things that I do. For the most part, these conversations confirm that it isn’t Trump Derangement Syndrome or just distaste for the President’s policies that have caused me to conclude that the President, and, more importantly, the United States, is in big trouble. 

To use one of the President’s favorite words, we have a lunatic running the country. I use the term “lunatic” loosely because I am not a psychiatrist. But as Bob Dylan once sang, “You don’t need to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.”

An ill and dangerous wind is blowing across America and, because of America’s leadership role in the world, it’s blowing everywhere else as well.

Some of Trump’s antics strike me as crazy but are generally harmless. Yes, I don’t like Trump’s “improvements” to the White House, but those decorations won’t start a war or cause a recession. The only harm caused by much of the “Trump show” is embarrassment—for Trump and the United States.

Unfortunately, other initiatives that the President has launched in his second term are harmful. He has turned the Department of Justice into a personal retribution machine against those he believes have harmed him. 

Trump has also thrown the concept of government ethics into the trash. Federal policy on cryptocurrency, for example, has facilitated the Trump family making billions since he took office in January. Coincidence? Or corruption? 

And what about the President’s posts on his social media platform? Visit there and you will find a video of Trump and OMB director Russ Vought, AI generated, dressed as the grim reaper. Firing federal workers, ending foreign assistance and efforts to fight climate change, and cancelling research grants to elite universities are funny, right? No, they aren’t. I found the grim reaper video disgusting. Only mentally ill people would post such garbage on their social media pages.

I could go on and quote from President Trump’s recent speech before generals and admirals at Quantico last week, reference mental gaffes (such as claiming to end seven wars but not being able to remember the countries involved), and, of course, post videos of the President looking “not well.”

America needs to take a hard look at the man who is our president. Trump may not admit it, but he is supposed to work for the American public. There is a reason there is a group called “No Kings” and serious efforts are underway to end Republican leadership of the House of Representatives.

The government used to encourage us: “If you see something, say something.”  I see a president in serious mental decline. There, I said it. And if you take a close look at the President, what he does, says, and his physical appearance, I think you’ll agree.

The 25th Amendment was passed for a good reason.

J.E. Dean writes on politics, government, and other subjects. A former counsel on Capitol Hill and public affairs consultant, Dean also writes for Dean’s Issues & Insights on Substack.

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Both Sides Now By Jamie Kirkpatrick

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One of my favorite folk anthems from back in the day was Judy Collins’ rendition of Joni Mitchell’s haunting song “Both Sides Now.” Remember it? The song and the singers looked at both sides of clouds, of love, and of life, seeing the duality—the yin and yang—of human existence. Back then, it was still possible to imagine that different—even opposite—perspectives could exist in nature simultaneously. Now, not so much. Sigh…

It’s hard to be in two places at once. My wife and I know this because we maintain homes on both sides of the Chesapeake Bay and we’re forever confusing what’s in the refrigerator of one home or the other. Or we’re transporting items—clothes, food, charging devices—back and forth until we forget something at Home A that we need at Home B. We’re not even sure which place to call “home.” I tend to favor the east side of the Bay; my wife’s roots run deep on the western shore. But we manage. Our situation is resolvable whether by the old-school tactics of negotiation and compromise. Try telling that to the powers that be up on Capitol Hill. 

As I write this, the government is still shut down. The President and the Constitution are still at odds with each other. The Supreme Court is as divided as a tennis court. We are so polarized that a conclave of generals and admirals sit in stoney silence while their Commander-in-Chief wanders off into impenetrable claptrap that makes absolutely no sense to anyone. If anyone in their right mind is considering invoking the 25th Amendment, no one says it out loud for fear of retribution. Even Mario Puzo couldn’t have imagined such a Godfather style of governance.

And yet, we have it. I may be old, but I know I wasn’t alive in the 1850s when this nation drifted ever closer to the shoals of civil war. Was the gulf between the states then like the chasm between the red and blue ones now? We know there were families split asunder, brothers turned into enemies, neither side seeing any way to bridge the gap by any means other than bloodshed. There was no possible way to consider opposing sides of an issue then, and there isn’t now. There is simply “my” side which is always the “right” side, or “your” side which is always wrong. There are no longer “both” sides.

I admit it: I fall into this very trap. It is inconceivable to me that one human being cannot choose to love another human being regardless of gender. Or that someone cannot arrive in this country and be made to feel unwelcome. Or that race and/or gender should matter in soldiering or in any other profession, for that matter. But I am fully aware that there are many people who would vehemently disagree with any of those statements. Not “both” sides, just “my” side.

If clouds, love, and life can have two sides, why can’t we? While the extremes may have become irreconcilable, I believe there is sufficient room in the middle, enough space to see both sides. Yes, there are times when traffic on the Bay Bridge is hopelessly snarled. Yes, it’s aggravating and frustrating, but we eventually make it across and arrive home, on one side or the other. Both are good.

I’ll be right back.

Jamie Kirkpatrick is a writer and photographer who lives on both sides of the Chesapeake Bay. His editorials and reviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Washington College Alumni Magazine, and American Cowboy Magazine. His most recent novel, “The Tales of Bismuth; Dispatches from Palestine, 1945-1948” explores the origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is available on Amazon and in local bookstores. His newest novel, “The People Game,” hits the market in February, 2026. His website is musingjamie.net.

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