Spy Desk - Chestertown Spy

Historical Society Welcomes New Executive Director

December 6, 2023 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Maria Wood

The Historical Society of Kent County is pleased to announce the appointment of Maria Wood as its new Executive Director.

Wood, a local Chestertown resident with deep Eastern Shore roots, brings a wealth of relevant experience to the Society. From her days at Smith College to founding a national non-profit for children’s music to producing a film about sea level rise on the Eastern Shore, Wood has covered the landscape of projects that reach deep into the community. “Her course at Washington College’s Academy of Lifelong Learning, her occasional Chestertown Spy articles, and her leadership at River Arts make her well-known in Kent County. We are very fortunate to have someone with her breadth of experience and talent join us as the Society strives to rebuild and expand after the pandemic,” said Historical Society president Barbara Jorgenson.

And it is clear that Wood understands the Historical Society and its mission:

“History never feels very far away in Kent County, where Chestertown’s Historic District is also a present-day business district, generational family farms still dot the county’s landscape, and our towns and villages actively celebrate the roots of their Eastern Shore heritage,” said Wood.

“I’ve long appreciated the Historical Society of Kent County for the way it makes our history accessible: from exhibits at the Bordley Building, to an extensive archive and library, to author talks, historic tours, and community events. It will be a real pleasure to work with the staff and board on continuing and expanding the programs, events, and exhibits. There is a lot to learn and discover here, and I can’t wait to get started,” Wood continued.

Wood will meet Historical Society members at their annual holiday party on December 15. She will start her fulltime work for the Historical Society on January 2, 2024, when the Society’s office reopens after a holiday hiatus. At that time, Wood can be reached at (410) 778-3499 or by email at [email protected]. The Historical Society office is open for calls and emails Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Historical Society library and archives remain open only by appointment.

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Wow! Benedictine Raises Over $100,000 On Giving Tuesday

December 6, 2023 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The Benedictine Foundation raised over $100,000.00 on Giving Tuesday. The gifts included a generous match from a grandparent. Giving Tuesday, which is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.

“Benedictine is overwhelmed by the incredible generosity of its donors,” stated Claudia Cunningham, Benedictine Chief Advancement Officer. “One example is Bob Reinhardt who has been a dedicated supporter of Benedictine for many years.”

“Each year I make a trip to Benedictine to drop off my Giving Tuesday gift,” stated Bob Reinhardt. “I always knew about Benedictine but it wasn’t until I began to hear the wonderful stories of the students that visited the local library, where my late wife worked, that I made a promise to give to Benedictine.”

Reinhardt further commented, “I believe in keeping my donations close to home where I can see the impact that it makes. During my annual visit I am able to witness the incredible work that is being done for the children and adults with developmental disabilities and autism that Benedictine supports.”

Benedictine employs over 350 staff that are dedicated to serving children and adults with moderate to severe developmental disabilities and autism. For more information on Benedictine’s events, services and ways to support, please contact Claudia Cunningham at [email protected] or call 410 634 2292. Visit Benedictine at www.benschool.org.

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Maryland Farm & Harvest 5th Episode!

December 3, 2023 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Maryland Public Television’s (MPT) original series Maryland Farm & Harvest, now in its 11^th season, will feature farms and locations in Anne Arundel, Kent, and Worcester counties during a special Chesapeake Bay seafood-themed episode premiering on Tuesday, December 12. A preview of the episode can be found on the series’ YouTube channel here.

Maryland Farm & Harvest airs on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on MPT-HD and online at mpt.org/livestream. Following their broadcast premiere, episodes are also available to view using MPT’s online video player and the PBS App. Encore broadcasts air on MPT-HD on Thursdays at 11 p.m. and on Sundays at 6 a.m. Episodes also air on MPT2/Create® on Fridays at 7:30 p.m.

The popular weekly series takes viewers on a journey across the Free State, telling engaging and enlightening stories about the farms, people, and technology required to sustain and grow agriculture in Maryland, the state’s number one commercial industry.

Joanne Clendining, who has earned two regional Emmy® awards for her work on Maryland Farm & Harvest, serves as series host. She is joined throughout the season by Al Spoler, host of “The Local Buy” segments, and by a rotation of local chefs who each take a turn hosting a new segment called “Farm to Skillet,” during which viewers are led through the process of finding, preparing, and presenting the locally produced ingredients that make up some of the chefs’ favorite dishes.

With introductions filmed at Holloway Brothers Farms in Darlington (Harford County), the December 12 episode features the following segments:

• Scallop Aquaculture (Worcester County). Baywater Seafood in Snow Hill is Maryland’s sole bay scallop aquaculture company and one of only few in the United States. Matt Holloway, Bryan Dickey, and Lee Beauchamp – Eastern Shore natives who have been best friends since age six – grow scallops offshore in custom-made lantern nets. Viewers learn about the environmental benefits of these bivalves while following Matt, Bryan, and eco-tourism manager Claire Rush on a boat ride to retrieve mature scallops and prepare them for delivery to Oaked 110, where they are included in the night’s menu.

• Crab Feast to Compost (Anne Arundel County). Every year, the Rotary Club of Annapolisholds its self-proclaimed “largest crab feast in the world,” but the event is notable for more than just its size. The feast is also zero waste, with 100% of its trash being either recycled or composted with the help of local company Veteran Compost. Viewers join local watermen catching crabs for the feast, witness the event’s massive crab steaming operation, follow members of the rotary’s “green team” during compost setup and sorting, and visit the facility where the food scraps are turned into nutrient-rich soil ideal for farming and gardening.

• Farm to Skillet: Chef Rodney Scruggs, Chestertown Farmers Market (Kent County).Chef Rodney Scruggs, executive chef at Watershed Alley in Chestertown, leads the audience through the Chestertown Farmers Market, where he finds all the locally produced ingredients he needs to make one of his restaurant’s most popular summertime dishes. After buying the necessary ingredients, Scruggs heads to the Watershed Alley kitchen to prepare his sweet corn panna cotta with green tomato consommé and a heap of lump crabmeat. The recipe will be available for viewers to try themselves at mpt.org/farm.

Nearly 16 million viewers have watched Maryland Farm & Harvest on MPT since its debut in 2013. The series has traveled to nearly 450 farms, fisheries, and other agriculture-related locations during its first 10 seasons, covering every Maryland county, as well as Baltimore City and Washington, D.C.

Past episodes can be viewed at video.mpt.tv/show/maryland-farm-harvest/, while episode segments are available on the series’ YouTube channel at youtube.com/c/MarylandFarmHarvest/featured. Engage with the show on social media @MarylandFarmHarvest on Facebook and @mdfarmtv on Instagram.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture is MPT’s co-production partner for Maryland Farm & Harvest. Major funding is provided by the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board.

Additional funding is provided by Maryland’s Best; a grant from the Rural Maryland Council Agriculture Education and Rural Development Fund; MARBIDCO; a grant from the Maryland Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Program; Farm Credit; Maryland Soybean Board; Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts; Wegmans Food Markets; Maryland Nursery, Landscape & Greenhouse Association; Maryland Farm Bureau; The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment; and a contribution made by the Citizens of Baltimore County. Other support comes from the Mar-Del Watermelon Association and Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation.

SYNOPSIS OF DEC. 12 EPISODE:

Meet the owners of Baywater Seafood in Snow Hill, Maryland’s only bay scallop aquaculture farm, and learn about their efforts to bring back a classic Maryland delicacy. Then, visit the “largest crab feast in the United States,” organized annually by the Rotary Club of Annapolis, and discover how it manages to produce zero waste. Finally, get green with envy as Watershed Alley chef Rodney Scruggs uses ingredients sourced from the Chestertown Farmers Market to create a sweet corn panna cotta with green tomato consommé during this week’s “Farm to Skillet” segment.

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Queenstown Bank Employees Raise Thanksgiving Dinner Money For Neighbors

November 30, 2023 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Queenstown Bank Employees Raise Thanksgiving Dinner Money For Neighbors United To Serve; Bank Matches Donation

Queenstown Bank employees recently had an internal fundraiser, “Denim Fridays for Dinners” where employees would donate each week for four weeks to wear denim on those Fridays. Donations collected were to be used to fund an area organization that feeds people in need over the Thanksgiving holiday.

The employees raised $1,400 and Queenstown Bank generously matched that donation, dollar-for-dollar, bringing the donation total to $2,800.

Queenstown Bank’s “3Cs Committee”, comprised of employees from a variety of departments within the bank, had decided to make Neighbors United to Serve (N.U.T.S.) in Denton, the recipient of the collected donations. The 3Cs Committee stands for, “Colleagues, Customers and the Community”; the three core groups of people that Queenstown Bank strives to enhance the lives of every day.

N.U.T.S. consists of a group of volunteers who, for 32 years, have banded together to feed those in need over Thanksgiving. They operate out of St. Luke’s Church in Denton, because of the space needed to produce, package and transport around 1,000 meals each Thanksgiving.

“Our folks really embraced the effort to help provide meals on Thanksgiving for people who need assistance, and we’re proud to have helped contribute. Thanks to Queenstown Bank for matching employee donations to help bring the total up to a very meaningful number. The total donated was more than all of us expected, and full credit goes to everyone who contributed,” said Queenstown Bank Marketing Manager/AVP Brandon Silverstein

Queenstown Bank of Maryland was established in 1899 and currently has nine branch locations within Queen Anne’s, Talbot, Caroline and Dorchester Counties, offering convenient, community banking with award-winning customer service. Visit www.QueenstownBank.com for our history and how community banking makes a positive impact on our communities. Member FDIC; An Equal Housing Lender.

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Animal Care Shelter for Kent County to Participate in Mega Adoption Event

November 29, 2023 by Spy Desk 1 Comment

Hundreds of pets will be looking for homes for the holidays as part of Brandywine Valley SPCA’s (BVSPCA) December Mega Adoption Event®. The Animal Care Shelter for Kent County (ACSKC) is one of nine regional shelters to participate on December 9^th and 10^th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens will be available to adopt for just $35 at ACSKC and all participating locations.

The Mega Adoption Event was founded eight years ago by BVSPCA. Since then, BVSPCA and their partners have found homes for more than 13,000 pets. ACSKC is thrilled to participate in an initiative that has directly impacted thousands of deserving animals.

The $35 adoption fee includes the animals’ spay/neuter surgery, all age-appropriate vaccines, and a microchip. Adopters must have an approved application prior to meeting the animals, and are strongly encouraged to complete an online application prior to the event. Adopters should also bring a leash for a dog adoption or a carrier for a cat adoption. ACSKC recommends bringing any dogs in the home to meet a potential new canine family member. Outdoor meet-and-greet areas will be available, and meetings will be facilitated by ACSKC staff.

Event details and the adoption application may be found at acskc.org/events.

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UUCR to Hold Annual Soup Sampler and Sale

November 29, 2023 by Spy Desk 1 Comment

Our second annual Soup Sampler Supper and Sale will be held at Unitarian Universalists of the Chester River on Friday, December 8 at 5:30 p.m. We hope you will join us for this festive and important fundraiser! For $20 you can fill up on a variety of soups, breads, and light desserts — and you can even come home with extra quarts (@ $10) and loaves (@ $6) to eat later!

We need to get a “head count,” so please don’t show up without letting us know you are coming. You may purchase a ticket after service on Sunday, December 3, or to make a reservation email Jane Hardy at [email protected].

Unitarian Universalists of the Chester River is located at 914 Gateway drive in Chestertown.

Hope to see you on December 8!

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Jay Fleming and Fresh Oysters at The Trippe December 1

November 28, 2023 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Photographer and author Jay Fleming will be at the Trippe Gallery during First Friday Gallery Walk December 1 to sign copies of his two well known books, “Working the Water” and “Island Life”. These books are must haves for every Eastern Shore library! On exhibit will be select photographs of Jay’s as well as a gallery artist group show. Out front will be served freshly shucked oysters from local waters. Stop by and meet Jay, have an oyster(or two), a glass of wine and share in the spirit of Moonlight Madness in downtown Easton! Give the unique gift of original art for Christmas! For every $25 spent, you get a ticket for the fabulous gift basket drawing at 9pm!

The Trippe Gallery is located at 23 N Harrison St. in Historic downtown Easton. For more information or reserve a personalized copy of either book please call 410-310-8727 or email [email protected]. Hours: Monday12-4, Wednesday/Thursday 11-4, Friday/Saturday 11-5, Sunday 11-3.

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Marcy Dunn Ramsey “Distillations” Exhibition Open Dec. 1 at MassoniArt

November 28, 2023 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Pearly Dawn

Marcy Dunn Ramsey’s exhibition Distillations represents the work created over the summer and fall months and will be featured in the High Street gallery from December 1 – 30. Marcy’s cool blues and dancing reeds invite us to celebrate in the joys of winter. Join us for a glass of cheer at the High Street gallery during the Opening Reception on First Friday, December 1.

Also featured will be work by ceramic artist Julia Weber Yensho who is new to the gallery.

MASSONI ART is pleased to announce the release of Marcy & Meredith Davies Hadaway’s new book project: Small Craft Warning. Marcy and Meredith share a love and appreciation for the eastern shore and its waterways. They work as advocates for our local rivers in the hopes that others will become good stewards of our waterways. In Small Craft Warning Marcy and Meredith use their gifts to capture the beauty of inner and outer landscapes of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

“…a collection of miniatures – paintings of just a few square inches in gouache, poems in small syllables and brief lines—that reflect on both
the fragility and the magnitude of our world.” – Marcy

Distillations will be on exhibit in the 203 High Street gallery. Our Annual Holiday Artists Exhibit will be featured in the Cross Street gallery. We are happy to open our galleries to you outside of our regular hours. Private appointments may be scheduled at any time by contacting either Carla Massoni (410-708-4512) or Kate Ballantine (410-310-0796) in advance.

Dancers

Schumann Fog

Chrysanthemum ceramic by Julia Weber Yensho

Gallery Hours:
Thursday, Friday – 11-4; Saturday 10-5,
Sunday –12-3

For additional information please visit www.massoniart.com.

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Letter to the Editor: Regarding New Sculpture in the Park

November 24, 2023 by Spy Desk 21 Comments

As if the status of the Armory and 98 Cannon are not enough to keep people on edge, I am going to add another item to the list.

Chestertown is the recipient of a large number of sculptures, to be sprinkled around the community, under the auspices of the Chestertown Public Art Committee, which answers to the Town Council. Many citizens have noticed the expanding number of additions to the streetscape of our historic town, and reviews are mixed. Home to a vibrant and varied arts community, for which we are all grateful, it appears that any location selected is acceptable to the Town.

I am going out on a limb and saying it may be necessary to reconsider the placement of such art in Fountain Park, our town’s centerpiece. This park has been a feature for over 100 years, and has benefitted from ongoing cooperation between the Town and Chestertown Garden Club. I recently learned that one of the art works, described as “resembling the head of a character in The Mandalorian” and the same color as our beloved fountain, sitting on a pedestal, will find a new home in Fountain Park.

Yes, it is a public space. Yes, the Victorians collected follies and sculptures. But the head of an alien is hardly in character with the space and should not find a home there. Perhaps it would look well in front of the Visitor’s Center, a more readily visible location. Or centered in the roundabout by Royal Farms at the south end of High Street.

I ask the Town Council to reconsider this particular item placed in this particular space. Further that the Council request that the Public Arts Committee look at the collection to find a more suitable piece, if Fountain Park is indeed to host one of these sculptures.

Sincerely,

Karen Paul Mack

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Bookplate Author Events During Dickens Weekend

November 24, 2023 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The Bookplate plans to host two speakers in town during Chestertown’s “Dickens of a Christmas” Festival Weekend. Both events will be held in the Kent Cultural Alliance’s Raimond Cultural Center on Spring Street.

On Friday, December 1st at 6pm, all are invited to the Raimond Center to meet popular local author Wendy Sand Eckel as she discusses her newest mystery. In Killer in a Winter Wonderland, the much-anticipated holiday-themed fourth book in the Rosalie Hart Cozy Mystery Series, Wendy once again brings the fictional town of Cardigan, Maryland to life and delights with suspense, humor, and mouth-watering menus.

Wendy Sand Eckel

Holidays are fickle things — often good, but sometimes not so good. It’s December in the quirky town of Cardigan, and Rosalie Hart has been thrown several curve balls. For one, her ex-husband has booked a semester break vacation to Dubai with their only daughter, Annie, leaving Rosalie alone for Christmas. And following a renovation, Rosalie’s restaurant, the Day Lily Café, is open for business with an expanded dining room and a chef with an inflated ego. To make matters worse, when her head waiter and best friend Glenn Breckinridge is concerned about a neighbor who hadn’t returned home, they learn he had been murdered while riding his bike on River Road. In the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle, Rosalie and Glenn pair up once again to uncover who killed Bill Rutherford on that raw wintry night.

With delectable menus, high stakes sleuthing, and the rich atmospheric scenes only the holiday season can provide, Killer in a Winter Wonderland is a cornucopia of delicious fare, compelling new and returning characters, and a fast-paced tale that will keep one riveted to the last page.

Degrees in criminology and social work, followed by years of clinical practice, helped Wendy Sand Eckel explore her fascination with how relationships impact motivation, desire, and inhibition. Combined with her passion for words and meaning, writing mystery is a dream realized. She is the award-winning author of the Rosalie Hart Mystery Series. Murder at Barclay Meadow and Death at the Day Lily Café were published by Minotaur Books in 2015 and 2016. Death at the Day Lily Café was selected “Best Cozy of 2016” by Suspense Magazine. She is an active member of the Mystery Writers of America and the International Association of Crime Writers.

Katie Charles

Eckel lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in her dream house where she alternately gazes out her windows at the Chester River and hovers over the stove, creating succulent, sometimes experimental, meals for family and friends. She lives with the love of her life and two rescued orange tabbies, Frodo and Sam.

Then on December 2nd at 11 am, all are invited back to The Raimond Center to meet Assistant Professor of Literature, Katherine Charles, as she lectures on The Making of A Christmas Carol.

Katie Charles is Associate Professor of English at Washington College, where she has taught for the past six years. Her teaching and research concentrate on eighteenth-and-nineteenth-century literature written in English, with a special focus on the history of the novel and experimentations in novel form. Before returning to graduate school, Katie was a journalist, a professional background that contributes to her affinity for Charles Dickens, another jobbing writer who was under the pressure of continual deadlines.

For more event details visit Dickens Weekend Schedule (mainstreetchestertown.org/dickens-festival/) or contact The Bookplate at 410-778-4167 or [email protected]. These events are free and open to the public. Reservations are not required. The next author event sponsored by The Bookplate is on 12/13 with Peter & Evan Osnos and will be held back at The Kitchen at The Imperial. The Raimond Cultural Center is located at 101 Spring Avenue in Chestertown, Maryland.

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