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November 21, 2024

Chestertown Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown

9 Brevities Archives Local Life

Mayor Cerino Hosts Forum on Marina-Business Collaboration

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Chestertown Marina

Chestertown Mayor Chris Cerino will hold a forum for downtown businesses this Thursday evening, 7 o’clock at Town Hall, 118 N. Cross Street.  The meeting will take place on the second floor.

Chestertown Marina Manager Samantha “Sam” Branham will be present to talk about how the first year went and plans for the future.  She and the Mayor are especially interested in hearing ideas about how the marina can work with local businesses.

Refreshments will be provided by Main Street Historic Chestertown.

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CAFO Moratorium Bill Announced

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Rianna Eckel, Senior Maryland Organizer for Food & Water Action, and Delegate Vaughn Stewart, one of the bill’s sponsors, celebrate the announcement of factory farm moratorium legislation. 

Maryland State Senator Clarence Lam and Delegate Vaughn Stewart announced legislation placing a moratorium on new and expanding factory farms in Maryland. These facilities are also known as CAFOs, or Confined Animal Feeding Operations. In Maryland, most factory farms are chicken operations, and the bill takes aim at facilities that produce more than 300,000 broilers, or meat chickens, per year.

Agricultural runoff is the leading cause of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the Chesapeake Bay, and the industrial waste produced by factory farms contributes heavily to the problem. This pollution leads to toxic algae blooms and “dead zones,” which are detrimental to the fishing and tourism industries.

Industrial agriculture also pollutes the air. Communities on the Eastern Shore, where factory farms are most dense, have some of the highest rates of asthma, respiratory disease, and certain cancers in the state, and low income and minority communities are disproportionately affected. A coalition of groups on and off the Eastern Shore worked for years to pass the Community Healthy Air Act, which would have required robust third party analysis of the air emissions coming from factory farms, and a study of the health effects. However, today, these communities remain without much-needed protections to their health and water.

“I am introducing this moratorium bill because there has yet to be a scientifically rigorous study on the effect factory farms have on the air quality on the Eastern Shore. All Maryland residents deserve clean air to breathe, and this bill will ensure that no large CAFOs are built until we know their effect on the surrounding community,” says Senator Clarence Lamb.

Delegate Vaughn Stewart says, “Large factory farms pose uncertain harm to both the environment and public health, and we should study these risks before allowing expansion. As a two-time cancer survivor exposed to Monsanto toxins as a child, erring on the side of human health is personal to me.”

“I believe it’s a perfect time to enact a moratorium,” says Monica Brooks of Concerned Citizens Against Industrial CAFOs. “Just knowing that our middle school children on Delmarva have the highest rates of asthma in the state should be enough. But also because my daughter and granddaughter are among those suffering from asthma despite no family history of respiratory diseases. But how about the fact that we know that particulate matter, ammonia and other toxins are being extracted through 18 industrial-sized fans, per house, directly into the air we breathe and potentially into the water we drink? If there were no toxins inside these buildings, there would be no need for the fans to protect the chickens. So why are the lives of chickens being placed ahead of the people?”

“We support a moratorium on factory farms because, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, air quality testing has not been done, and we still have not received scientific data,” says Mary Ashanti, President of the Wicomico County NAACP.

“Trying to regulate the poultry industry is like playing whack-a-mole,” says Lily Hawkins, Maryland Organizer with Food & Water Action. “Time and time again regulations have been delayed, implemented in a way that puts industry first, or never implemented at all. It’s time to protect communities and the environment by putting a stop to the growth of this exploitative industry.”

“We work alongside people fighting for a variety of causes — cleaner air in their neighborhoods, a restored Chesapeake Bay, safer workplaces for low-wage workers, and more sustainable food systems,” says Matthew Shultz, Executive Director, Center for Progressive Reform. “Large-scale industrial agriculture is a problem across the board. It’s time Maryland takes bold action to protect its residents and the environment.”

By Jorja Rose

Please direct all interview requests to Jorja Rose, Media Relations Coordinator for Food & Water Action. She can be reached at [email protected], or at (202) 683-2483. 

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Winter Turkey Season Harvest Increase; Birds Bagged Birds in 22 Counties

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Photo courtesy of DNR.

Hunters reported taking 82 wild turkeys during Maryland’s 2020 winter turkey season, which was open statewide Jan. 23-25.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reports turkeys were harvested in 22 of the state’s 23 counties, with St. Mary’s and Garrett counties reporting the highest numbers.

The harvest was higher than the 73 turkeys taken last year. Adult males, or gobblers, comprised 42% of the harvest with the remainder being adult females and juveniles. Seventy-three percent were taken with a shotgun, but some hunters harvested their bird with a crossbow or vertical bow.

The winter turkey season was established in 2015 to provide hunters an additional hunting opportunity while minimizing conflicts with other hunting seasons. Turkey populations at one time were limited in Maryland. In the 1980s and 1990s, an extensive program to trap and relocate wild flocks successfully established populations in every county.

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Rural Maryland Council Funds $6 million in Grants; Caps off 2020 Achievements

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Enhancing quality of life is a goal that’s at the heart of most policymaking regardless of whether you are working from a community or town, county, state or national perspective. For most stakeholders identifying the problems is the easy part. Finding solutions, however, is a whole other story often laden with intertwining issues like funding and who can or should manage the process.

When the Rural Maryland Council (RMC) hosted its recent Summit this concept of how to create sustainable change was front and center as leaders from throughout the state provided examples of how they were championing solutions in their communities for complex issues in agriculture, aquaculture and forestry as well as health care, community development and economic development. The day-long Summit, titled Rural Maryland Rising: Investing in Resiliency, Collaboration, and Innovation, and RMC’s Annual Meeting which was held the evening before attracted nearly 300 rural residents, business owners, community leaders and legislators from across the state.

Keynote speaker, Paul Costello, Ph.D., executive director of the Vermont Council on Rural Development, set the tone for the Summit. “In the face of our rural challenges, to build unity and momentum to get things done, we need to carry relentless optimism,” says Dr. Costello. “Let’s stop defining rural as a failure and as a deficit. Let’s define it by its strengths and its critical importance to the future, and let’s work together for a New Ruralism, a renewal and re-engagement with all the creative forces for good in rural communities,” he adds.   

For Charlotte Davis, Dr. Costello’s remarks couldn’t have been more on point. “All too often when we are working in our communities we get too focused on identifying the problems. But when we get together to discuss the challenges, develop proactive solutions, and identify ways to implement those solutions that’s when real, sustainable change happens,” Davis says. “Through events like the Summit we can come together to share doable solutions. This brand of proactive problem-solving has really gotten the attention of our Maryland legislators,” she adds.

The Summit included breakout sessions, a 2020 session preview with Maryland legislators, and a luncheon panel session with Maryland cabinet secretaries and department leadership. The Summit also included a welcome by Maryland Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford and AgShowcase19, featuring four agricultural innovators who presented a TED-styled talk about how they are changing the face of agriculture in Maryland (and around the country).

Sponsored by the MidAtlantic Farm Credit, the session featured live, online audience voting/participation to determine award amounts for the presenters based on criteria such as relevance and innovation. The AgShowcase19 first place winner is Ovipost of Cordova, which automates cricket farming to help insects become an affordable, scalable, sustainable, high-protein ingredient for broad use throughout the agricultural supply chain. Tied for second place are:

MadTech Modern Agronomy of Huntingtown, last year’s AgPitch winner, which uses agricultural drones to give farmers comprehensive and detailed information about their crops.

Mercaris of Silver Spring, which provides up-to-date, accurate information on market conditions for organic and non-GMO commodities as well as a trading platform for buyers and sellers.

Terrapulse of College Park, which uses satellite imagery to provide public and private sector clients with real-time data to map and monitor land and how it changes over time.

The Honorable Peter Franchot, Comptroller of Maryland, did the official check presentation to the AgShowcase19 winners and closed out the Summit with brief remarks.

The Summit capped off a year filled with many achievements for the Rural Maryland Council. Among the more significant achievements are:

Clearing the path for last mile broadband installation by supporting laws that allow electric cooperatives to utilize rights-of-way to be used for broadband.

Completing a report of agricultural education to address the shortage of skilled agricultural workers by ensuring that students are educated about agricultural career opportunities in much the same way they are presented with vocational and college career opportunities.

Providing $2.055 million in economic development support through the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RIMPIF) to the state’s five regional councils to be used to build capacity to support projects as well as an additional $3.92 million to fund grant projects focused on entrepreneurship, health care, and infrastructure.

Providing $1.027 million to fund 37 projects through the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF).

“Although we are humbled by the number of benchmarks and successes that RMC and our partners have achieved in 2019, we still have a lot of heady projects to tackle,” says Davis. “We must continue to work on issues like broadband so that our rural communities can equitably compete in a global economy. The balancing act between respecting and honoring our heritage to the land while implementing real change for a sustainable future will continue and we need everyone at the table to do this important work,” she adds.

Upcoming RMC events include the welcome breakfast for legislators on January 17, the legislative luncheon on January 31 and Rural Maryland Day on February 4. Stay tuned for the new Rural Maryland aspirations video, which will be released in early January.

Founded in 1994, the Rural Maryland Council operates under the direction of a 40-member executive board in a nonpartisan and nondiscriminatory manner. It serves as the state’s federally designated rural development council and functions as a voice for rural Maryland, advocating for and helping rural communities and businesses across the state to flourish and to gain equity to its suburban and urban counterparts. For more information, visit https://rural.maryland.gov or call (410) 841-5772, email [email protected]. For updates on all RMC events and activities connect with the Rural Maryland Council at facebook.com/RuralMaryland or on Twitter @RuralMaryland.

CONTACT: Carol D’Agostino, (410) 604-2319; [email protected]

 

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Hogan Announces Landmark Agreement with Exelon on Conowingo Dam

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Conowingo Dam during major release

Governor Larry Hogan today announced a comprehensive agreement between the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and Exelon Generation Company, LLC, which requires Exelon to invest more than $200 million in environmental projects and operational enhancements to improve water quality in the Lower Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay.

The agreement settles Exelon’s legal challenges to the water quality certification issued in 2018 by Maryland under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, removing the prospect of years of costly litigation and delay and, instead, setting the stage for immediate and lasting water quality benefits.

“Our administration has committed an historic $5 billion toward wide-ranging bay initiatives and taken bold and aggressive steps to address the challenges posed by pollution, sediment, and debris at the Conowingo Dam,” said Governor Hogan. “This settlement is a significant and positive step in the right direction, and with the cooperation of Exelon and upstream states, we can continue making progress in our efforts to preserve and protect this great national treasure.”

Under the agreement, Exelon will make a total investment of more than $200 million, including nearly $107 million in cash payments to support these environmental initiatives:

  • $52 million to implement new requirements for flow control that will create more natural conditions in the Lower Susquehanna River, resulting in enhancements to aquatic life and the downstream ecosystem, and better upstream migratory fish passage.
  • $47 million for climate resiliency projects, including submerged aquatic vegetation, clams, oysters, and restoration of living shorelines.
  • $41 million to significantly increase efforts to remove trash and debris flowing down the Susquehanna River.
  • $25 million for an unprecedented initiative to restore a healthy population of water-filtering mussels in the Susquehanna River, including contribution of land for the construction of a 40,000 square foot, state-of-the-art hatchery.
  • $19 million for other projects to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, including agricultural projects such as cover crops and forest buffers.
  • $12 million to support MDE and the Department of Natural Resources in overseeing and implementing the agreement.
  • $11 million⁠—over and above the commitments already made by Exelon in its 2016 settlement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service⁠—to make upgrades and operational changes to improve the passage of migrating fish and eels.
  • $5 million to conduct chlorophyll A monitoring and reporting.
  • $1 million for eel-related research and projects.
  • $500,000 to fund a study of dredged material management options.

Elements of the agreement will be submitted for approval to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as part of the licensing renewal for the dam.

“This agreement charts a bold course for clean water and climate resiliency in the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay,” said Maryland Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles. “This comprehensive, enforceable commitment by Exelon is part of Maryland’s holistic strategy to improve water quality and accelerate the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay.”

The settlement builds on commitments Exelon has previously made to improve environmental and recreational conditions at and around the dam. In 2016, Exelon entered into a settlement agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to implement critical improvements to the fish passage facilities at the dam, which Exelon estimates will require investments exceeding $300 million. Exelon also estimates that it will invest more than $120 million to make enhancements to recreational sites, including dredging of Broad Creek, Conowingo Creek, Peters Creek, and Glen Cove Marina.

Scientific reports confirm that the Conowingo Dam has reached full capacity and can no longer stop pollution from entering the bay, which severely threatens the state’s and region’s ability to meet Chesapeake Bay cleanup goals. The Hogan administration’s holistic strategy includes conditions relating to the proposed relicensing of the dam, a pilot project on beneficial reuse of dredged material, and an unprecedented, multi-state Watershed Implementation Plan specifically for the effects of upstream discharges and the lost trapping capacity of the Conowingo Dam on Chesapeake Bay restoration.

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Chestertown Marina Hosts Grand Opening Nov. 1

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The Town of Chestertown will host the grand opening of the newly renovated Chestertown Marina on Friday, Nov. 1 at 1:00 p.m. The opening will be celebrated on the lawn of the newly named Cerino Center, which houses the Marina and ShoreRivers offices at 207 S. Water Street. All are welcome to attend.

The event coincides with the first day of Sultana Downrigging, a weekend festival devoted to tall ships and bluegrass music, during which a large area of the parking lot will be taken up with food tents and a music stage. Overflow parking is available at Wilmer Park and the foot of High Street, both within one block of the Marina. Free hot cider and cookies will be available during the event.

Mayor Chris Cerino states that “It’s been a long journey, and we’re thrilled that work on the Marina renovations is now complete.  The dedication ceremony is to thank all of the state and federal agencies that made this possible, as well as all of the individuals who helped along the way.  We now have an attractive, functional waterfront that will serve as an economic engine for Chestertown, Kent County, and the Upper Eastern Shore for years to come.”

The short program will be emceed by Mayor Chris Cerino, with remarks by Director Walter F. “Pete” Landon from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Kenneth C. Holt, Maryland Department of Commerce Asst. Secretary Tom Riford, and United States Department of Agriculture DE/MD State Director Denise Lovelady.

After nearly two years of construction, the completely refurbished Marina features a brand-new marina office with handicap accessible bathrooms and showers plus laundry facilities for visiting boaters, floating and fixed docks with state-of-the-art utility pedestals, wood bulkheads and boardwalks, a gas dock, and underground utilities. As part of the $6.3 million project, the site was raised by nearly two feet to address nuisance flooding.

Funding for the Marina project was provided by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Waterway Improvement Fund, United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development, the State of Maryland, Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development, Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, and private donors who contributed over $1.2 million.

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After 10 Year Hiatus, Gunston Golf Closes Season with ESIAC Golf Championship Stroke Play Win

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Paget Kellogg

Gunston School’s golf team marked the close of the first season of golf after a nearly ten-year hiatus with a victory in stroke play at the 2019 Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Association Golf Championship. Gunston headed to Glen Riddle Golf Club in Berlin, Md. on October 22 as rain showers were in the forecast. Wet weather held out long enough for tournament play to conclude. By round’s end, Gunston’s captain, freshman Paget Kellogg, was at the top of the leaderboard, shooting a 41, two strokes over the field.

Gunston’s remaining golfers battled with Salisbury School, Salisbury Christian, and Worcester Prep for the team title. Salisbury Christian won the team match; Gunston finished third.

Gunston’s golfers played in matches against teams throughout the Eastern Shore this fall. The team makes its home at Prospect Bay Country Club and finished the season with a 6-15 record.

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Chestertown Lions Club Adds Generous Support for Garden Club’s “Good Seeds” Project

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Pictured left to right: 1st row: Marlene Moores, Phyllis Roberts, Connie Schroth. 2nd row: Lion Pere Roberts, Barb Macbeth, Garden Club President, Rick Coffman, Lions Club President, Bob Moores, and Lion Henry Hart.

On a beautiful fall Wednesday morning, the Chestertown Lions Club presented a check for $1,200 to the Chestertown Garden Club to support the” Good Seeds” garden project.

The check was presented on October 9 adjacent to the newly installed decorative compass rose which is implanted in the walkway leading to the Henry Highland Garnet Elementary School’s main entrance. 

The check was presented by Rick Coffman, Lions Club President to Barb Macbeth, Garden Club President. The donation will cover the cost for the seating bench, which is seen in the photo, for use by students during their out-of-doors environmental class work. 

Connie Schroth, Co-Chair of the Good Seeds Project commented, “On behalf of the Chestertown Garden Club and the Good Seeds Project Committee, I want to extend our profound  gratitude to the Lions Club for your contribution toward our success in making Garnett Elementary School’s entry a welcoming educational and recreational place for the community and children.”

“From the beginning, the Good Seeds Project had been incredibly fortunate to have so many who have contributed to its creation  – designers, local businesses, horticulturists, Chestertown officials, school personnel, parents, individual donors, and volunteer weeders – and the Garden  Club is thankful and proud to have an ongoing part in its existence,“ she continued.

“The Lions Club support enables the Good Seeds Garden to enhance our community, attract new families, and foster pride in our schools and neighborhoods. THANK YOU.” 

 

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Anchor & Plow Restaurant Opens in Rock Hall

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Main Street Rock Hall and the Greater Rock Hall Business Association held a ribbon cutting on June 18 to celebrate the opening of the new Anchor & Plow Restaurant at 21325 Rock Hall Rd, Rock Hall. Pictured are owner Tyler Parsons (holding scissors) and family and friends, including the portrait of Tyler’s mother Peggy Parsons, who died in 2018.
Restaurant hours: Tuesday-Thursday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sundays 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

 

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Mid-Shore Pro Bono Attorney Receives 2019 Service Award

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Pictured: Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals Mary Ellen Barbera, Andrea Ross, Esq, and Sharon Goldsmith of the Maryland Pro Bono Resource Center.

(Easton, MD) Andrea Ross, Esq., a volunteer attorney with Mid-Shore Pro Bono, received a 2019 Maryland Pro Bono Service award earlier this month at the annual Maryland State Bar Association meeting in Ocean City, Md.

Ross was presented with the 2019 Lee A. Caplan Award in recognition for her dedication and commitment to ensuring equal access to civil legal services through her work with Mid-Shore Pro Bono’s Economic Stability Project. Since relocating to the Eastern Shore in 2013 after practicing bankruptcy law in New York City, Ross has volunteered at monthly Debtor Assistance Clinics where low-income clients receive free half-hour bankruptcy consultations with a licensed attorney.

A resident of Kent County, Ross recognized the need to expand these services beyond Talbot County and was instrumental in creating a second location for Debtor Assistance Clinics in Chestertown. During her six years as a volunteer attorney, Ross has provided 433 hours of pro bono time to 535 clients.

“While only on the Eastern Shore for a short time, Andrea recognized the unique challenges low-income clients face in a rural community. The Eastern Shore’s large land area can be a barrier to a client getting to the legal services they need. Many lack transportation and most cannot afford to take off from work for the time required to travel to a clinic or meet with an attorney,” said Sandy Brown, Mid-Shore Pro Bono Executive Director. “In addition to providing our clients with compassionate and top-notch representation, Andrea has also been a partner and advocate in our efforts to bring civil legal services to all corners of the Eastern Shore.”

For Immediate Release
Contact: Megan Miller
757-871-0763
[email protected]

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