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October 18, 2021

The Talbot Spy

The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community

Ecosystem Eco Homepage

Senate Set to Vote on Funding for Reconstruction of Chesapeake Bay Islands

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The Senate Appropriations Committee has signed off on $37.5 million in spending that could launch the reconstruction of James and Barren islands in the Chesapeake Bay.

The Aug. 4 approval sets up a vote before the full Senate. The legislation will then undergo negotiations between the House and Senate to merge their differing versions of the measure, which is part of the $53 billion Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill.

The current House bill does not include the James and Barren funding.

The $1.9 billion undertaking, called the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island Ecosystem Restoration, will rebuild two eroding islands off the coast of Dorchester County, MD. In all, it will create more than 2,100 acres of new land.

The fill will be dredged from the shipping channels for the Port of Baltimore, keeping the lanes open for cargo traffic.

The funding would cover the first year of planned construction. Critically, the move transfers the effort off the “new start” phase, where projects can languish for years, said Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland.

“The project will build the resiliency of Dorchester County communities, provide new habitats for a variety of fish and wildlife, support commerce at the port and enhance safety for boats and ships navigating the Bay,” Cardin said. “Having worked for years to make this vision a reality, I am heartened to announce that we are finally taking decisive steps toward giving the Mid-Bay Island Project what it needs to move forward in earnest.”

By Jeremy Cox

SHA Archaeologists Search for Home of Harriet Tubman’s Father in Dorchester County

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Archaeologists with the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) are working this week on a property in Dorchester County that local historians believe may have been the home of Harriet Tubman’s father. The property, part of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), is thought to have once been home to the Underground Railroad conductor herself and her family.

“Finding Harriet Tubman’s father’s home would be an amazing discovery,” said Dr. Julie Schablitsky, MDOT SHA’s Chief Archaeologist. “Being able to add a new chapter to her life through archaeology and share it with the traveling public is an honor.”

Working in partnership with USFWS, MDOT SHA is searching the area southwest of Cambridge in hopes of discovering the location of the home for possible inclusion in the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway. The byway is an existing 125-mile, self-guided scenic drive that includes more than 30 sites related to the life and Harriet Tubman, the famous abolitionist known for her role as a conductor on the Underground Railroad.

The byway and its centerpiece, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center, represent the collaborative efforts of MDOT SHA, USFWS, the Maryland Department of National Resources, the National Park Service and others. During Maryland’s COVID-19 emergency, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday by reservation only. For details and reservations, go to the center’s website.

Harriet Tubman was born in Dorchester County on the Thompson Farm around 1822. Eventually, she and her mother were enslaved by the Brodess family but her father, Ben Ross, continued to live on the Thompson Farm until 1846. Ross cut timber on the plantation, much of it for the Baltimore shipyards, and was provided a home and 10 acres around the mid-1830s. Harriet Tubman lived at his home around 1840.

“Any artifacts the archaeologists find will mean so much to the community,” said local African American historian and community member Hershel Johnson. “Even if they can’t establish where Ben Ross’s house is, any insight into how Harriet lived will be invaluable in understanding the history that led to her involvement with the Underground Railroad.”

Dorchester County is known as “Harriet Tubman Country.” Over the next two weeks, MDOT SHA archaeologists will dig and document everything they can to explore, promote and share the history of African Americans and their heroic stories of survival.

“Maryland’s Eastern Shore is a place where you can literally walk back in time,” said MDOT Secretary Greg Slater. “Our archaeologists show MDOT SHA’s work with local communities goes well beyond building and maintaining roads. We help research and preserve local history – in this case one of the most important chapters in American and African-American history.”

“It is critical for the stories of Maryland history to be documented and shared,” said MDOT SHA Administrator Tim Smith. “For MDOT SHA archaeologists to lead the way in discovering them is a source of pride for our department.”

The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge protects more 32,000 acres of tidal marsh, mixed hardwood and pine forest, managed freshwater wetlands and cropland. To learn more, visit www.fws.gov/refuge/blackwater or or go to @BlackwaterNWR on Facebook. The USFWS works with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats. For more information on the work of the USFWS, visit www.fws.gov.

Dorchester Voters Pick School Board Members; Kent, Talbot Races Unopposed

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Voters in Dorchester, Talbot, and Kent counties elected candidates to 4-year terms on their county school boards.

Dorchester was the only county that had contested school board races.

In District 1, Mike D. Diaz defeated Phil Bramble to win a seat on the Dorchester County Board of Education. Diaz won 62% to 37%.

Susan Morgan ousted incumbent Philip W. Rice, the current school board president, in District 3, winning 68% to 31% for Rice.

Laura Hill Layton kept her District 5 seat, defeating Voncia L. Molock in a rematch of the 2016 election. Layton had 66% to 34% for Molock. In 2016, Layton won 73% to 27%.

In Talbot County, candidates for the three seats up for election ran unopposed.

Candace Henry won District 2, Susan Delean-Botkin was re-elected in District 5, and Mary Wheeler was re-elected in District 6.

In Kent County, Joe Goetz and Francoise Sullivan were unopposed in their bids for the two seats up for election.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doris Lewis, Longtime Dorchester Register of Wills, Dies on Election Day

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Doris Keene Lewis, who served as Register of Wills for Dorchester County for more than four decades, died on Election Day.

According to her obituary, Lewis, of Golden Hill, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. She would have celebrated her 82nd birthday on Nov. 18.

Lewis was the spouse of the late Reginald D. Lewis and was first elected as register of wills in 1974. She was last re-elected in 2018.

She is survived by her daughter, Helen Lewis Peel; two grandchildren, Matthew Peel and Emily Bond; and three great-grandchildren, Makayla Peel, Jackson Bond, and Wyatt Peel.

Helen Lewis Peel announced her mother’s passing in a Wednesday afternoon Facebook post, writing:

“Yesterday my mom passed away peacefully. Aside from the immense love for her family, she loved her county, state and nation.

“She took great pride in serving as Register of Wills for many years and was humbled by the love and support of all whose votes kept her in office. It seems no coincidence that she would pass on Election Day.

“Please keep our family in prayer.”

In lieu of flowers, it was Lewis’s wish that memorial contributions be made to her lifelong church. Contributions may be sent to: St John’s United Methodist Church Memorial Building Fund, 3347 Golden Hill Road, Church Creek, MD 21622.

Arrangements, which are being handled by Newcomb & Collins Funeral Home, P.A., are incomplete at this time.

Prior to her election, Lewis worked for 17 years in a law office that specialized in probate, corporate and real estate law. She graduated from South Dorchester High School and Goldey Beacom College, Wilmington, Del.

She was a member of the Maryland Register of Wills Association, St. John’s United Methodist Church, South Dorchester Folk Museum, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Friends of Blackwater, and Quota International of Cambridge.

Mid-Shore Counties Favor Trump, But Margins Differ From 2016

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Voters in Talbot, Dorchester, and Kent counties again favored Republican Donald Trump for president.

Democratic challenger Joe Biden outperformed Hillary Clinton in one county, while the incumbent had a higher percentage of the vote in 2020 in the other two.

In Talbot County, Trump’s margin of victory slipped from 2016.

Unofficial 2020 results show Republican incumbent Trump with 50.5% of the vote in Talbot County. Democrat Joe Biden garnered 47.3% and Libertarian Jo Jorgensen had 1.1%.

Vice President Joe Biden (Photo by Gage Skidmore)

Biden is faring better in Talbot County than Hillary Clinton did in 2016. Trump took 53.06% of the county’s vote four years ago, Clinton had 42.81%, Libertarian Gary Johnson had 3.13%, and Green Jill Stein had 1 percent.

The 2020 numbers likely will shift as election officials count remaining ballots on Nov. 5 and Nov. 13.

Republican incumbent Rep. Andy Harris also saw his Talbot County support dip in the 2020 race for First District.

Harris sits at 54.9% in Talbot and Democratic challenger Mia Mason has 45%.

In 2016, Harris had 60.8% of the vote in Talbot County, with 35.79% for Democrat Joe Werner and 3.41% for Libertarian Matt Beers.

In Dorchester County, Biden underperforms Clinton; Harris maintains margin of victory

Trump leads Biden 58.2% to 39.5% in the county. In 2016, Trump had 55.7% to 41.35% for Clinton.

Harris currently has 62.1% of Dorchester’s vote, with 37.7% for Mason. In 2016, Harris had 61.27%, Werner had 35.82%, and Beers had 2.9%.

Biden polls lower in Kent County: Harris essentially unchanged

Trump has 52.5% of Kent’s vote this year; he had 49.36% in 2016.

Biden has 44.9% compared to 46.31% for Clinton four years ago.

Harris essentially maintained his margin of victory from 2016.

Four years ago, Harris had 56.36%, Werner had 40.44%, and Beers had 3.2%.

Harris currently has 55.4% of Kent’s vote this year and Mason has 44.4%.

This post has been updated to correct the election year in which Joe Werner challenged Andy Harris.

Dorchester County Health Department Announces Second Case of COVID-19

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The Dorchester County Health Department announced Wednesday the second diagnosed case of COVID-19 in Dorchester County. The individual is a female, in her 70s, and hospitalized with underlying medical conditions.

The Health Department is currently investigating the case with the help of the Maryland Department of Health. Communicable Disease nurses will identify contacts and advise them of any necessary actions to take. The Health Department will share information, as soon as possible, if any risk to the public is identified.

The local contact tracing investigation for Dorchester’s first confirmed case, regarding a male in his 50s, has concluded. The individual is self-isolating at home and recovering. No risk to the public has been identified.

Residents are reminded to stay home, practice social distancing, and wash your hands and disinfect frequently touched surfaces often.

“We understand the sacrifice we are asking you to make by staying at home and practicing social distancing,” says Dr. Casey Scott, Deputy Health Officer. “This is not easy, and we do not take this lightly. However, it is very important to follow
the guidance of the Governor and our state health department to try to limit the spread of this virus.”

Individuals experiencing flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath, should call their health care provider for guidance. Everyone does not need to be tested for COVID-19. Testing is only indicated in certain circumstances.

Visit coronavirus.maryland.gov for information and resources about COVID-19 in Maryland and follow Dorchester County Health Department’s Emergency Preparedness Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dorchesterhealthemergencypreparedness for updates.

Dorchester County residents with general questions or concerns about COVID-19 can call the Dorchester County Health Department at 410-228-3223 Monday through Friday, 8am-4:30pm or 2-1-1 after hours. Call takers cannot share any additional details about the cases, but can help answer residents’ questions.