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September 21, 2025

Chestertown Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown

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Fello Communities Opens Leasing Office at Easton Crossing

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On Thursday, Fello Communities hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of 407 Brookletts Avenue, the first completed building of the highly anticipated Easton Crossing community.

Easton Crossing is an ongoing community development project that will transform the 6.5-acre site of the former Perdue AgriBusiness operation into a vibrant, and walkable neighborhood. The development will include 117 new residential units, 30% of which are designated as affordable, and is designed to create an inclusive community where people of all abilities can thrive. Additionally, Easton Crossing will also feature ground-level commercial space and community amenities, such as walking paths and a fishing pond, to enhance the neighborhood’s livability for everyone.

“This ribbon cutting is the start of something bigger,” said Ross Benincasa, Senior Vice President of Community Development for Fello Communities. “Easton Crossing will bring new homes, new opportunities, and new energy to Easton. This is the first step in that journey—and there’s much more to come.”

The opening of 407 Brookletts Avenue marks an important step toward the construction and launch of the Easton Crossing community. This building will serve not only as the leasing hub for both Easton Crossing’s future residents and commercial tenants, but also will support Fello Communities properties across the Mid-Shore.

“At Fello Communities, we believe people deserve more than housing. People deserve homes,” said Jonathon Rondeau, President & CEO of Fello. “Housing is the foundation of everything in a person’s life. It is our responsibility to ensure that everyone in our communities have safe and accessible places to call home.”

Looking ahead, there will be additional progress throughout 2026 as sitework for the entire footprint of Easton Crossing is completed including stormwater management, fiber installation, underground infrastructure, and surface parking, all laying the groundwork for Building 509, a multifamily building and the next milestone in Easton Crossing’s journey.

About Fello:

Fello champions the rights of people with disabilities and invests in what matters most: real opportunities, strong relationships, and inclusive, equitable communities. Fello partners with people with disabilities to provide support services, develop inclusive housing, and create spaces where people feel genuinely connected—not just accommodated. Founded in 1961, Fello continues to lead with heart and purpose, building inclusive communities where everyone belongs. Learn more at www.fello.org.

About Fello Communities:

At Fello Communities, we develop and manage housing that’s built for belonging. Through community development and rental housing, we create inclusive, affordable, and accessible homes where people of all backgrounds and abilities can choose how and where they live. Founded in 2007, Fello Communities was created to offer people more options and better opportunities when it comes to housing. Our work bridges community development and long-term property management to create homes and communities that last. Learn more at fellocommunities.org.

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Qlarant Selected as Agile4Vets Team Member

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Qlarant has been selected, as part of TEAM Agile4Vets (A4V), to participate in the Veterans Health Administration’s Integrated Healthcare Transformation (IHT) 2.0 IDIQ contract.

Through this vehicle, VA Program Offices now have access to a proven, highly qualified pool, and Fully Mission Capable Veteran Integrated Contractor Teams (VITs) ready to deliver best value health system services across 4 Functional Categories (Health System Transformation and Innovation; Implementation and Operations Support; Healthcare Business Enabling Services; and Health Informatics).

This is a gamechanger that offers us all a major step forward in supporting the health and well-being of our nation’s Veterans

Through this contract, Qlarant as a VIT Member will:

✅ Support Veterans by delivering comprehensive, Veteran-centric healthcare solutions that improve quality of care.
✅ Enhance services with expanded capabilities designed specifically for healthcare transformation – enabling VHA to deliver the Best Care Anywhere across every healthcare market in the United States.
✅ Advance the VA mission by contributing directly to positive Veteran experiences while receiving the high-quality health and benefits they have earned.
✅ Partner on significant subcontracting opportunities that drive innovation and ensure highly reliable execution of critical VA initiatives.

This award represents more than a contract – it is a commitment from our Team of Teams to Our Veterans, to taxpayers, and to the core missions of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

We look forward to working with our partners and the VA to ensure the best possible outcomes for those who have served, and those who serve them.

About Qlarant

Qlarant is a not-for-profit, nationally respected leader in fighting fraud, waste, and abuse, improving program quality, and optimizing performance. It has a 50-year record of accomplishment of improving the performance of some of the Nation’s most important health programs. Qlarant uses subject matter experts plus innovative data science and technology to help organizations see risks, solve problems, and seize opportunities. The company provides customized solutions for state, federal and commercial industries across the nation. Headquartered in Easton, MD., Qlarant has offices throughout the country and employs over 600 people. Qlarant is a five-time winner of the Best Places to Work award.

The Qlarant Foundation— the mission arm of the organization, has provided over $7 million in grants to charities throughout Maryland, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Florida and Texas. For more information, visit www.qlarant.com or contact [email protected]

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Allegro Academy Choral Music Theory Course

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Are you a choral singer or enthusiast who would like to enhance your musical knowledge? Consider joining Music Theory for Choral Singers this fall at Allegro Academy.  In four sessions participants will study basic music theory as it pertains to the choral world including rhythm, terminology, sight-reading, and various forms of choral music.  Teaching the course will be Amy Morgan, Director of the Allegro Women’s Chorus and Summer Sing Choir Festival, and Assistant Director and Accompanist of Easton Choral Arts Society.

Music Theory for Choral Singers will take place October 10, 17, 24, and 31.  Participants will meet 10:00-11:15am at Allegro Academy, 114 N. Washington St.  The cost for the four weeks is $100.  To register please email [email protected] or call 410-603-8361. 

Allegro Academy, a non-profit music conservatory located in downtown Easton, connects musicians through workshops, lessons, ensembles, and performances, and aspires to enrich the lives of music enthusiasts of all ages and incomes in our community. Academy Programs are supported in part by generous contributions from individuals, Talbot Arts, the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, and the Maryland State Arts Council.

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Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative Celebrates 10 Years: Over 100 Organizations Contribute 1 Million Data Points To Support Restoration

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Today, the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative (CMC)  kicks off its 10 year anniversary celebrations. Over the past 10 years, the CMC has partnered with over  100 organizations who are collecting water quality and benthic macroinvertebrate samples at 2,490  monitoring stations throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. 

“The Alliance is honored to lead the CMC project and work with so many of our community volunteers  and partners over the years,” said Liz Chudoba, Water Quality Monitoring Initiative Director, Alliance  for the Chesapeake Bay. “The collective impact of our efforts informs decision-making policies and  supports communities across the watershed.”  

Formed in 2015, the CMC began as a six-year cooperative agreement through the US Environmental  Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program, to integrate community and volunteer monitoring data  into the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership. The CMC team was awarded a second cooperative  agreement in 2021, continuing the partnership for an additional six years. 

The CMC is supported by five partner organizations: the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, the Izaak  Walton League of America, the Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring at Dickinson College, the  University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine  Research Reserve in Virginia at Virginia Institute of Marine Science. These organizations provide  technical services to monitoring groups in the Chesapeake Bay region in order to ensure data are of  known quality. 

“The CMC has allowed the Chesapeake Bay Program to expand its knowledge base and better  understand conditions throughout the watershed through broader engagement with the public,” said  Dr. Peter Tango, Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Coordinator, USGS at the Chesapeake Bay Program  Office. “This supports management of our ecosystems by working across local to regional scales to meet  state and federal goals for water quality improvements.”

Historically, there were many sources of data, including data collected by volunteers, local governments,  and NGO’s, that were not being used to track Chesapeake Bay and Watershed health at a broader scale.  To address this issue, the CMC team established a quality assurance structure that aligns with state and  federal regulatory decision-making processes and enables all data of known quality to be used together  across the region. This structure not only helps existing groups, but also breaks down the barriers and  enables more monitoring groups to become established in the watershed. To date, over 1.1 million data  points have been uploaded to and are publicly accessible on the CMC Data Explorer. 

“The CMC Data Explorer has been a game changer for sharing data,” said Mary Claire King, Citizen  Science Coordinator at Buttonwood Nature Center, who organizes a volunteer water monitoring  program in partnership with the Antietam Watershed Association. “Our monitoring program includes  28 testing sites, many of which are located on private property. The data explorer allows the landowners  a chance to connect with the data collected from their property in real time. It also provides incredible  graphs and visuals that we at Buttonwood and AWA use when working with the public to educate on the  importance of keeping our local waterways clean. It is such a useful resource for our organizations and is  very easy to use!” 

Community volunteers and partners are the backbone of the CMC. With the support of generous  individuals donating their days, evenings, and weekends, the CMC has increased temporal and spatial  data collection throughout the watershed. These data support significant insights on watershed health  from tidal estuaries in Virginia, to farms in Pennsylvania, to West Virginia trout streams, to Baltimore  Harbor, to communities in Anacostia, to wetlands in Delaware, and forests in New York. No matter the  reason individuals are collecting data, it is vital information being used to create positive change for  local ecosystems and communities. 

For more information about the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative, visit: https://www.chesapeakemonitoringcoop.org/. 

For data in the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative, visit: https://cmc.vims.edu/data-explorer

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The Eastern Shore Writers Association and Cult Classic Brewing Company Announce Inaugural Holiday Book Festival

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The Eastern Shore Writers Association (ESWA), in partnership with Kent Island’s Cult Classic Brewery, is proud to announce the first ever ESWA HOLIDAY BOOK FESTIVAL, taking place on Saturday, December 13, 2025.

Open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the ESWA Holiday Book Festival at Cult Classic will offer book lovers an opportunity to connect with their favorite authors from all over Delmarva and discover new voices across a variety of genres. There will be books for sale, signings, readings, giveaways, and for the convenience of holiday shoppers, gift-wrapping services. Attendees are encouraged to enjoy the host location’s food, beverages, and hospitable cheer throughout the day.

Now celebrating its 40th year, the Eastern Shore Writer’s Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving writers and their supporters throughout Delmarva. In addition to this year’s Holiday Book Festival, ESWA’s annual efforts include the long-running Bay to Ocean Writers Conference and the publication of the Bay to Ocean literary journal. https://easternshorewriters.org/

Cult Classic is a brewery, bar, restaurant, and live entertainment venue hosting everything from concerts and comedy to creative revels and community fundraisers. Dedicated to supporting the arts, this locally owned business regularly hosts author presentations, a popular book club, and writers get-togethers. Teaming up with ESWA seems like the perfect plot twist.  https://cultclassicbrewing.com/

For media inquiries or to schedule interviews with ESWA representatives please contact Brent Lewis at 410-310-8216 or [email protected]. Organizers are excited to share more about this event and would appreciate your help in spreading the word.

Remember: It’s time for the Holidays – and books make great gifts.

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MassoniArt Exhibition: Marcy Dunn Ramsey Summer In The Aerie

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Marcy Dunn Ramsey 
Summer In The Aerie
September 20 – October 12, 2025

Reception / Artist Talk: Saturday, September 20, 11am – 1 pm
First Friday  – October 3, 5-7pm

MassoniArt is proud to present Summer in the Aerie, a small collection of new work produced this summer in Marcy Dunn Ramsey’s studio overlooking the Chester River. The exhibit will be featured in our gallery along with sculptor, Claire McCardle, from September 20 – October 12.  

Marcy’s work will be on exhibit in our 113 South Cross Street gallery.  Hours during the show are Thursday – Friday, 11am – 4pm, Saturday, 10am – 5 pm, and Sunday 11am – 2pm. Private appointments may be scheduled at any time by contacting Carla Massoni. 410-708-4512 

Coming Exhibitions:
Marc Castelli / Annual Downrigging Exhibit
Mules Feet and Dead Man’s Pennies
October 25 – November 30, 2025
Holiday Exhibition
Featuring favorites from our gallery artists!
December 1 – January 30, 2026
In addition to featured exhibitions, MassoniArt continues its tradition of showcasing a diverse selection of works by represented gallery artists throughout the year. Visitors are encouraged to explore the full breadth of the gallery’s offerings during their visit. 
For more information please visit www.massoniart.com.

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HOME Artist Residency at Kent Cultural Alliance

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Left to Right: Claudio Beorchia, Rachel Seburn, Peter Bruun

The Kent Cultural Alliance announces the start of the fall session of its SFW Resident Artist Program.  Three exciting artists will join KCA this fall for “HOME” – a community based artist residency in partnership with Kent Attainable Housing, Rebuilding Together Eastern Shore, and the Talbot Interfaith Shelter. 

Artists Claudio Beorchia (Refrontolo, Italy), Peter Bruun (Damariscotta, Maine) and Rachel Seburn (Brooklyn, New York) will join KCA for this six-week residency session, creating engaging works that shed light on housing security and equity, as well as healthy and safe homes, here on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.  

Claudio Beorchia is an interdisciplinary and site-responsive artist who often works through participatory and relational practices. He studied Design and Visual Arts at Iuav University in Venice and at the Fine Arts Academy Brera in Milan. He holds a PhD in Design Sciences at Iuav University Doctorate School. His doctoral research focused on the design of learning situations and educational environments. He often works through art residencies and has participated in more than 30 programs. He has been artist in residence in many European countries, in China, Japan and the United States. https://www.claudiobeorchia.it

Peter Bruun is an artist and community-builder living in Maine. His work grows out of a belief that art can be a bridge between people, creating openings for compassion, reflection, and connection. Trained as a painter, he has developed a practice that moves fluidly between the studio and public spaces, drawing on both traditions of figurative art-making and social practice. At the center of his work is a conviction that art can accompany us through our hardest passages, offering grace and recognition. Whether through his drawings, collaborative installations, or his work convening communities, Bruun’s practice continues to ask how creativity can help us live more openly with one another. https://bruunstudios.com/

Rachel Lea Seburn is a Canadian transdisciplinary artist living in Brooklyn, NY. She received an MFA from the University of Georgia in 2023. Mediums include sculpture, painting, public art, installation, super 8 film, sound and curatorial. Her work is mainly concentrated outside the gallery as public art and architectural interventions. She is a sculpture educator, with a focus on collaborative student-led public projects, and co-runs the Temporary School with art educator Lisa Novak. She is half of the twin art practice Temporary Investments, and co-founder of the transient gallery Parking Lot Platform. She is an initiator, collaborator, and will forever question our built environment and sculptures’ role in it. https://rachelseburn.com

KCA looks forward to going “back to school” this fall. Two of these visiting artists will lead  workshops at Kent County High School and Kent County Middle School, and one will work with seniors in our community through a workshop at Upper Shore Aging.

 

Public events for HOME are as follows:

Monday, September 29, 2025 – MEET THE ARTISTS at KCA at 5 pm.  This is a formal presentation by each of the artists about their work and lives as artists.  There will be an opportunity for Q&A  followed by a light reception.  

Saturday, October 18, 2025 – OPEN STUDIO at KCA from 11 am to 2 pm. This event provides the public an opportunity to engage with the artists while they are at work in their studio preparing for the HOME Exhibition.

Friday, October 31 – OPENING NIGHT at KCA from 5-8 pm.  Join us for the opening of HOME: An SFW Residency Exhibit.

Saturday, November 1, 2025 – ARTISTS’ TALK at KCA at 1:00pm. Join us for this more formal presentation of new work created by these resident artists. The presentation will be followed by a light reception.

Exhibit Hours:

Wednesdays – Fridays from 10 am to 4 pm, Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm through Dec. 13..

This residency is made possible by a generous grant from the SFW Foundation, with additional support from the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, the Maryland State Arts Council, and The Hedgelawn Foundation.

For more information, please contact the Kent Cultural Alliance at 410-778-3700 or visit www.kentculture.org

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 Lyon Rum’s Golden Hour to Host Fall Jazz Residency with SPH+2

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The Golden Hour {Rum Room}, Windon Distilling Company’s new tasting room & event space, is thrilled to welcome local saxophonist/composer Stephen Philip Harvey back for a monthly jazz residency this fall. After an incredible response to the five-month sold-out residency earlier this year, Harvey and his trio (SPH+2) return this month for another series of intimate concerts, featuring original music and stellar cocktails. The first show in the series is set for Friday, September 19, with doors

opening at 5pm for cocktails and one dynamic set from 6-7:30pm. Tickets are $40 and available from Windon Distilling here. Following the September date the trio will perform again on October 17, November 21, and December 19. The November show will be a very special live recording session, as Harvey composed an array of songs during this two-part residency. Jaime Windon, owner of Windon Distilling Company, is bursting with excitement for the return of jazz nights. “Stephen and his fellow musicians are phenomenal. Being able to showcase such incredible artists in my new favorite feels like an absolute dream,” she says. Adding, “Listening to original music that was inspired by the Golden Hour is sublime!”

For more information about the Golden Hour, please visit

https://www.lyonrum.com/golden-hour/. For more information on Harvey and his music, please visit

www.stephenpharvey.com. 

Other Relevant Links:

Ticket Link – https://checkout.square.site/merchant/ML99JHEJ0G5N0/checkout/IGN3VOK4DW7IAR5PCP7BMOSR

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Community Invited to Support 2025 Talbot Resource Expo with Household & Personal Item Donations

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The Neighborhood Service Center invites community members, businesses, faith groups, and organizations to make a difference by contributing much-needed personal and household items for the upcoming 2025 Talbot Resource Expo, taking place Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Easton Elementary School.

The Talbot Resource Expo is more than a single day of services — it is a bridge to self-sufficiency for individuals and families in need. Each year, the Expo connects residents with vital resources such as energy assistance, health screenings, veteran services, educational programs, food distribution, and more. These services help people stabilize their immediate situations and take the next steps toward independence and long-term well-being.

The need in Talbot County is growing, particularly among seniors. Rising costs for housing, utilities, food, and healthcare mean many older adults are struggling to make ends meet — often for the first time in their lives. Families with children, single adults, and seniors alike turn to the Expo to access essentials they might otherwise go without.

How You Can Help
The Expo is seeking donations of new, unopened cleaning products, hygiene items, paper goods, and socks, including:

  • Cleaning Products: Laundry detergent, bleach, all-purpose cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, trash bags, dish detergent, dish cloths, scrubbers/sponges
  • Hygiene Products: Toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, body wash, bar soap, lotion, deodorant, wash cloths, towels, baby and adult diapers, wipes
  • Paper Goods: Paper towels, toilet paper
  • Miscellaneous: Socks

The Talbot Resource Expo is powered by community generosity — your contribution helps create a stronger, more resilient Talbot County.

Donation Drop-off & Pick-up Options

  • Drop Talbot Resource Expo donations at Neighborhood Service Center, 126 Port Street, Easton, MD
  • Leave donations at one of these drop-off sites during September 2025:
    • Brookletts Place, 400 Brookletts Avenue, Easton
    • St. Michaels Community Center, 103 Railroad Avenue, St. Michaels
    • Talbot County Free Library, 100 W. Dover Street, Easton

“By donating essential items, you’re not only helping meet immediate needs, you’re empowering our neighbors to work toward stability and self-reliance,” said Cardeaner Robinson, Maryland Energy Assistance Program Director for Neighborhood Service Center. “Your support can make all the difference for a family, a senior, or an individual who just needs a helping hand to move forward.”

For more information, call Cardeaner Robinson at 410-763-6746.

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Eastern Shore Witch Paddle to Benefit Clark Comprehensive Breast  Center- 2025

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Some on the Eastern Shore have heard of “Witch Paddles”. They are trending across  the country in October. See this Cool video of Colorado Witch Paddle . But so far no  one has done one for breast cancer causes and it seems a natural fit. After all, what  were witches but early American female healers? And where better to have a Witch  Paddle than on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in Talbot County? There were even a  couple of witches tried right here on Plain Dealing Creek! And of course October is  Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Eastern Shore has tons of warm, flat water  here, so clearly it was meant to be! 

On October 15th from 4:30pm to 7:30pm, the first ever Witch Paddle supporting breast cancer patients through diagnosis, treatment and beyond, will be held at the Oaks  Waterfront Hotel in Easton. Proceeds will benefit the Clark Comprehensive Breast  Center in the effort to procure their own Faxitron machine (which will greatly speed up  diagnosis and allow more procedures to be scheduled in the Center as opposed to the  hospital) and Breastcancer.org which provides free up to the minute information to over  20 million patients and providers around the world to help them make the best decisions  possible. 

The event aims to host 40+ paddlers dressed in witch costumes and 100+ enthusiastic  viewing participants to cheer them on! Individual paddlers can register and create their  own team and local businesses are encouraged to sponsor their own paddlers or  sponsor various stations at the event. The web link for paddler registration and/or  donations): Eastern Shore Witch Paddle at the Oaks .   

The community is invited to view the event at no cost (but contributions are appreciated)  along with complimentary popcorn and s’mores by the firepit and free witch hats to kids  and the young at heart who go for face-painting or pumpkin painting. There will also be  

a fancy VIP pier with an open bar and spooky hors d’ ouvres for paddlers who reach a  total team goal of $250 (or donors who contribute the same). A cash bar and a cauldron  of waters will also be available for general viewers on the lawn. 

Mark your calendars for this fun and fund-raising community event. Children must be  accompanied by an adult and pets are not allowed. If you are interested in volunteering  please contact Stephanie Johnston at [email protected] or Sara Biden at  [email protected]. 

Click here for Eastern Shore Witch Paddle Sponsorship Details or see attached packet. Also attached is event flyer with clickable link and QR code for registration and  donations. (In both Word and PDF formats)

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