Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown
Chestertown received very sad news today that former mayor Elmer Horsey has passed away. Horsey served as mayor of Chestertown from 1978 to 1993 and had long ties with Peoples Bank and was also president of the Springfield Foundation which was created by du Pont heiress Louisa d’Andelot Carpenter. He died at the age of 90.
The Spy will have additional coverage soon on Elmer Horsey and his special role in Mid-Shore history.
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Marianne Sade creates hand-cut original, playful, and often quirky collages from magazines and transforms them into settings mostly featuring crows. Her new picture book, “Tapum!” which she authored and illustrated, uses the same technique and captures the harmony of the world through the rhythm of a child’s drum. The children’s book is recommended for ages 0-4 years, yet is meant to be enjoyed by child and caregiver alike. She culled years of experience as a children’s librarian and artist to make this attractive book with rhyme and an upbeat message. The book was launched at The Robert Ortiz Studios, Chestertown, on November 4. Musical guests included the Kent County High School drumline under the direction of Dr. Keith Wharton and Fredy Granillo local guitarist/vocalist.
In addition, Sade holds a Certificate of Fine Arts from MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore). She has taught art to children at the Walters Art Museum as Senior Coordinator of Outreach, and has led art workshops and classes for all ages in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
From her artist statement: “My work invites you to explore the cleverness of our world that often hides right in front of you. The social yet inscrutable nature of crows captivates me, as does the collage form in creating my playful, yet stylish interpretations. I like to imagine what those birds are thinking as I reinvent them, while respecting their intelligence and ancient place as the ‘trickster’ and ‘creator’ in global mythology. We exist side-by-side, avian and human—their home mixes with our architectural bits. The bars become intersections in concrete and abstract in fun ways. My favorite medium, my first love, is a return (after sculpture and painting) to my childhood facility with collage and upcycling. Perhaps it’s similar to way a bird might construct a nest from what’s available. For me it’s a very pleasant way to concoct a new world around me.”
Sade’s work appears in “Local Color: the Chestertown Coloring book, Volume One: 35 Scenes by 17 local artists,” and has been in many shows, including a 52 foot billboard installation in Baltimore by “LED Baltimore.com” where one of her Crow Bars series first appeared in 2015. She is also an Art-O-Mat artist whose artomat.org makes art affordable through refurbished, yet, stylish cigarette vending machines around the country.
Sadé was the recipient of a 2022 independent artist grant from Kent Cultural Alliance.
You can contact her at [email protected] and see more of her work on Instagram at mariannesadeart or at local venues like the Chestertown Farmers’ Market, Dickens Festival, and Art Walks.
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While there are countless cases of small town communities gathering at the local park to hear music on summer nights in August, it was hard to beat having the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra play at Wilmer Park last Saturday night under almost perfect conditions.
With the Chester River as background, along with a perfect breeze for both the audience and the performers, clear skies and the late arrival of a summer moon, the BSO, led by Assistant Conductor Jonathan Rush, began with Jonathan Leshnoff’s Dancing Blue Crabs! The Orchestra closes the program with John Williams’ Superman March, in recognition of ‘Clark Kent’ and as lighthearted dedication to the county’s name.
A Spy was there to file this short report.
This video is approximately one minute in length.
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You know that the latest LWF election forum for the Kent County School Board primary candidates is not your average one when two of the questions involve the teaching of slavery and the possible banning of books. And while there seemed to be only reasonable responses to those perhaps unreasonable questions, it does give you a flavor of some of the more challenging topics raised in 90 minute question and answer at t Minary’s Dream in Chestertown last June 28 evening.
With the League of Women Voters of Kent County’s permission, the Spy has produced a slightly abridged version (90 mins vs. 120 minutes) of the evening’s discussion for our readers.
The candidates for the July 19th primary election are the following:
| Tracy Cameransi Non-PartisanJurisdiction Kent County Status Active Filed Regular -04/15/2022Email [email protected] |
Contact Information 13499 Still Pond Rd Still Pond, MD 21667- |
| Aretha L. Dorsey Non-PartisanJurisdiction Kent County Status Active Filed Regular -03/08/2022Phone (410) 708-2184 |
Contact Information 960 Washington St Chestertown, MD 21620- |
| William P. Gale Non-PartisanJurisdiction Kent County Status Active Filed Regular -04/15/2022Phone (410) 708-1228 |
Contact Information 24753 Langford Road Chestertown, MD 21620- |
| Piers Heriz-Smith Non-PartisanJurisdiction Kent County Status Active Filed Regular -04/15/2022Phone (410) 441-4417 |
Contact Information 382 Cypress St Millington, MD 21651- |
| Nivek M. Johnson Non-PartisanJurisdiction Kent County Status Active Filed Regular -02/15/2022Email [email protected] Website nmjohnson.com Facebook marylandnivek.m.johnson Twitter @johnson_nivek Other educationsfinest Phone (443) 480-0986 |
Contact Information 200 Lincoln Drive Chestertown, MD 21620- |
| “Trish” McGee Non-PartisanJurisdiction Kent County Status Active Filed Regular -04/15/2022Email [email protected] Phone (410) 708-6669 |
Contact Information 228 N Kent St Chestertown, MD 21620- |
| Frank B. Rhodes Non-PartisanJurisdiction Kent County Status Active Filed Regular -04/15/2022Phone (410) 708-3591 |
Contact Information 535 Morgnec Rd Chestertown, MD 21620- |
| Charles E. Welsh Non-PartisanJurisdiction Kent County Status Active Filed Regular -02/18/2022Email [email protected] Phone (410) 928-2349 |
Contact Information 167 Millington Rd Millington, MD 21651- |
This video is approximately 90 minutes in length. To see the entire debate, please go to the LWV’s website here.
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A Spy reader recently called our attention to Washington College graduate Benjamin Vandervoort whose heroic exploits during the D-Day invasion of Europe was eventually memorialized by John Wayne on the film, The Longest Day.
“Benjamin Hayes “Vandy” Vandervoort
From Wikipedia we learn that “Benjamin Hayes “Vandy” Vandervoort (March 3, 1917 − November 22, 1990) attended Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, where he was a member of the Washington Players drama club, the YMCA, the Mount Vernon Literary Society, and the football and track teams. He was also an officer of the Theta Chi fraternity. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1938, having enlisted in the army as a private on 23 July 1937. He was commissioned with the rank of second lieutenant on 16 March 1938.
Vandervoort transferred to the newly established paratroops in the Awards Distinguished summer of 1940, and was promoted to first lieutenant on 10 October Service Cross (2) 1941. Promoted to captain on 3 August 1942, he served as a company commander in the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and was Other work CIA promoted to major on 28 April 1943, and served as operations officer(S-3) in the 504th Parachute Regimental Combat Team in the invasion of Sicily and in the landings at Salerno.
He was promoted to colonel on 7 July 1946, and left the Army on 31 August. After studying at Ohio State University he joined the Foreign Service in 1947. He served as an executive officer in the Department of the Army in 1950-54, acting as joint political adviser to the commanding general United Nations forces and UN ambassador, Korea, in 1951-52, and studied at the Armed Forces Staff College (now the Joint Forces Staff College) in 1953. He served as a military attaché at the US embassy in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1955-58, and was assigned to the Department of State in 1958-60. He then served in the Executive Office of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), from 1960–66, also serving as a consultant on politico-military affairs to the US Army Staff in 1960, and as a plans and program officer on the Army Staff, Department of Defense, in 1964.
Vandervoort was portrayed by actor John Wayne in the film version of Cornelius Ryan’s history of D-Day, The Longest Day. The role was actively sought by Charlton Heston, but the last-minute decision of John Wayne to take a role in the film prevented Heston from participating. At the time of filming in 1962, Wayne was 55 – 28 years older than the 27-year-old Vandervoort had been on D-Day.
Benjamin Vandervoort died on November 18, 1990 at the age of 73.”
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Chestertown Ward 2 Councilman Tom Herz recently filed paperwork to run as a candidate for Kent County Commissioner according to his Facebook page. He is currently working on a ‘Herz for Commissioner’ Facebook page where he will soon begin posting public events and policy priorities.
The Spy will be publishing an interview in the near future.
Photo by Jane Jewell.
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A letter from Kent County School Superintendent Karen Couch posted on the KCHS School Board website on October 14 announced the resignation of the resignation of KCHS Principal Joe Graf.
Rock Hall Elementary Principal Mrs. Kris Hemstetter has been reassigned to KCHA as principal. Mrs. Gillian Spero will be reassigned as principal of Rock Hall Elementary for the remainder of the school year.
This is a developing story.
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A Chestertown neighborhood group, The Chesmar Community Association, has filed an appeal with the Kent County Planning and Zoning Board, challenging the zoning status of the American Legion property on American Legion Road.
This challenge could prevent the final purchase of the property by the widely supported Minary’s Dream Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to “meeting the many needs of youth and families in Kent County, MINARY’S DREAM ALLIANCE exists to provide opportunities for mentoring, tutoring, vocational training, and college readiness. MDA offers families and youth a safe, welcoming environment where they feel comfortable, not intimidated, and accepted for who they are.”
During the pandemic, the property was one of the main facilitators of the county-wide food outreach program and has recently been a staging area for a Washington College Starr Center educational program.
See the current article in the Spy on the project.
Kent County Planning and Zoning hearing will be held on Monday, July 19, 7 p.m. at 400 High
Street. It is open to the public.
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Annie Richards
Annie Richards joins the ShoreRivers team as the new Chester Riverkeeper in January. As Riverkeeper, Richards will be the primary voice for the Chester River and its tributaries, working through the core, science-based strategies of advocacy, enforcement, outreach, and water quality monitoring to achieve cleaner waterways. ShoreRivers Riverkeepers regularly patrol their rivers and tributaries, advocate for strong clean water laws, engage with our communities, and serve as guardians for these living resources.
Richards comes to ShoreRivers with a lifetime of experience on the Chester and in local communities. For ten years, she served as an educator, captain, and fundraiser at Echo Hill Outdoor School. While there, she helped manage their fleet of historic Chesapeake Bay workboats and provided students of all ages with outdoor education centered on Chesapeake ecology and the unique resources found along the Chester. Richards also has proven skills in nonprofit development, campaign management, and grant writing.
“I am thrilled to be joining the ShoreRivers team, and to advocate for a river that I have called home for so much of my life,” says Richards. “I am dedicated to protecting and restoring the Chester’s natural resources and to cultivating a stronger, healthier, more accessible waterway for all.”
Richards has a BA in English Literature with a minor in Anthropology from Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. She lives just outside Chestertown with her husband and son.
Richards joins ShoreRivers as Tim Trumbauer, the previous Chester Riverkeeper, moves with his family to Maine for a new adventure. An Eastern Shore native, Trumbauer reflects, “For the past seven years I have worked at ShoreRivers, I have been lifted by the dedication, creativity, and indomitable spirit of my colleagues, volunteers, and partners. The time has come for me to let the next great Champion of the Chester begin her legacy. My family and I are relocating to the mid-coast region of Maine, where, rest assured, I will continue my passion for improving water quality.”
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Due to COVID-19, the Mid-Shore Community Foundation’s 2020 Annual Awards and Report to the Community was held as a virtual format this year.
The annual event highlights recent activities and recognized individuals and organizations whose contributions have made a positive and substantial impact on the community.
This year’s honorees include: JoAnn Asparagus-Murray, Childlene Brooks, Anne Clucas and Debbie Molchan of St. Vincent de Paul, Jeff Horstman of ShoreRivers, Sandy Brown of Mid-Shore Pro Bono, Megan Cook and Emily Moody of CarePacks, Clay Washington of Kennard African American Cultural Heritage Center, Larry Wilson of Sumner Hall, Ruth Clendaniel of Dorchester Retired Educators Association, Cesar Gonzalez of Cambridge Community Radio, and Sara Rich of Choptank Community Health System.
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