The Spy - Chestertown Spy

Shore Legal Access welcomes Abigale Detrich as Sandy Brown Public Interest Intern

December 4, 2024 by The Spy Leave a Comment

Shore Legal Access recently welcomed Abigale Detrich as its fall semester Sandy Brown Public Interest Intern. Shore Legal Access is a nonprofit legal assistance organization that uses the legal system to protect and advance the economic stability of limited-means individuals and households on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Detrich, of Federalsburg, works with the organization’s Mid-Shore staff at its Easton office.

The Sandy Brown Public Interest Internship, created in honor of former long-time Shore Legal Access executive director Sandy Brown, offers a stipend to undergraduate and law students as they gain invaluable experience in the field of public interest law at a respected non-profit organization. The Internship is supported by the Campbell Foundation, with the goal of expanding the pool of diverse, qualified, and committed candidates for career positions in public interest work on the Eastern Shore.

“Abi continues the long line of passionate and skilled interns we’ve had as part of our Sandy Brown Public Interest Internship,” says Shore Legal Access Executive Director Meredith Girard, Esq. “In her time here, Abi has been a strong and caring advocate for the clients Shore Legal Access serves. She is enthusiastic for the work and well-liked by her colleagues.”

Detrich, an Eastern Shore native and graduate of Randolph-Macon College in Virginia, has taken a wide interest in the services Shore Legal Access offers to Eastern Shore residents facing civil legal issues who can’t afford a private attorney. She particularly values learning from Shore Legal Access’ case managers and attorneys and interacting with judges and court staff at rent court. These opportunities, she says, have given her the confidence to pursue her ambition to become an attorney.

Case manager Dalia Miguel, who has worked closely with Detrich during her internship, describes Detrich as “a go getter; someone I can rely on for help at the courthouse. Abi is not afraid to be outspoken and is very personable when she talks to our clients.”

Detrich cites her experience as an intern for Victim Services at the Virginia Department of Corrections for the support and compassion she provides to clients.

“The law is complicated,” Detrich says, “and lawyers are expensive. But everyone deserves access to legal assistance when they need it.” Detrich adds that working at Shore Legal Access has shown her how important it is to educate people about the law and its effect on their lives. After law school she hopes to return to the Eastern Shore to provide family law services to limited-means populations.

Detrich played lacrosse collegiately and recently began coaching her high school’s junior varsity lacrosse team.

Shore Legal Access connects individuals and families with volunteer attorneys to ensure justice is for all. Focus areas include criminal record expungement, economic stability, family law, housing, and life planning. For more information or to support Shore Legal Access, call 410-690-8128 or visit shorelegal.org.

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Benedictine’s Nancy Morris and a lifetime career of caring in Ridgley

December 3, 2024 by The Spy Leave a Comment

It’s becoming rare to see someone who has made a lifetime career commitment to one institution. This is particularly true in social work, where the need for this kind of experience is at an all-time high. But Nancy Morris is the exception, as she approaches three decades at Benedictine in Ridgley.

Benedictine is a year-round day and residential program serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It has been serving the state of Maryland for over 65 years.

In her Spy profile, Nancy talks about her work at Benedictine, including the good and bad days and her elation whenever a student takes a small step in progress. Nancy also discussed the significant advances in caring for those with disabilities of this kind and how technology is dramatically changing communication methods for non-verbal children and adults.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length. For more information about Benedictine, please go here

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Mid-Shore Health: The war against lung cancer with Drs. Rashmi Benda and David Oliver

November 29, 2024 by The Spy Leave a Comment

It is very much the case that society’s health war against cancer has made significant, sometimes astonishing progress in this century, but there remain certain forms of this dreaded disease that simply are harder for modern science to conquer, and one of them is lung cancer.

Despite significant investment in research and care, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and accounts for nearly 25% of all cancer fatalities. Despite advancements in early detection and treatment, the disease takes a severe toll on Americans, with smoking remaining a major contributor.

Nonetheless, progress is taking place. Early detection, such as low-dose CT scans and targeted therapies, have significantly improved lung cancer outcomes in the United States in 2024, leading to earlier diagnoses and more effective treatments. As a result, survival rates have steadily increased, offering hope to patients and families alike.

In the Spy’s continuing series on Mid-Shore health, we asked local experts, Dr. Rashmi Benda, the medical director of UM Shore Regional Health’s Requard Radiation Oncology Center, and Dr. David Oliver, its director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program at UM Shore Regional Health, to talk about the state of lung cancer on the Eastern Shore and how early detection remains the key factor is survivability.

This video is approximately eight minutes in length. For more information about UM Shore Regional Health’s screening program, please click here.

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15 Years of listening at the Stoltz: A Chat with the Avalon’s Al Bond and Ryan Finch

November 13, 2024 by The Spy Leave a Comment

The Stoltz Listening Room at the Avalon is a bit of a miracle for the Mid-Shore. Created under remarkable, unique circumstances, this intimate performance space on the second floor of the downtown theatre has blessed the regional music community and hundreds of performers since it first opened in September 2009. The philanthropy of the Stoltz family and their passion for music matched with a regional need for a smaller stage, has led to some of the Avalon Foundation’s most memorable moments.

As part of the Spy’s commitment to capturing oral history, we asked Avalon’s CEO, Al Bond, and its technical manager, Ryan Finch, to talk to us about how the Stlotz Room history and the remarkable impact it has had on both performers and audience members alike.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length. For more information about the Avalon Foundation please go here.

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Spy Nights: Morris and McGuiness at the Stolz on the Odyssey of Frederick Douglass

November 11, 2024 by The Spy Leave a Comment

On November 20, 2024, at 6:00 PM, join Jeff McGuiness and Lance Morris for a captivating Spy Night event that immerses guests in the rich history of Frederick Douglass and the Eastern Shore. Taking inspiration from McGuiness’s powerful photobook, Bear Me Into Freedom: The Talbot County of Frederick Douglass, and Morris’s transcendent interpretation of the voice of Frederick Douglass, this evening promises a unique blend of photography, storytelling, and history—along with a special treat.

The collaboration of Morris and McGuiness has gone from two guys doing a PowerPoint presentation to requests from four museums to create an immersive installation scheduled for launch in February 2026, the 250^th anniversary of America’s founding document, the Declaration of Independence. Spy Nights participants will be the first to view a rough cut of a sound and light experience like no other.

For the past seven years, McGuiness has used his lens to explore the landscapes and landmarks in Talbot County, Maryland, where Douglass was born and enslaved for the first eleven years of his life. The resulting collection of moving imagery offers a window into Douglass’s world, inviting viewers to reflect on the places that shaped his journey to freedom. The duo will discuss the creative process behind their work and the fascination both have with Douglass’s poignant return to Talbot County at the age of 59, having become an international celebrity.

Frederick Douglass: Coming Home will be a fitting opportunity to support the arts and culture programs of the Talbot Spy and Avalon Foundation while engaging with two experts in their fields.

Perfectly timed for an evening out, the event offers guests an inspiring cultural experience and a chance to enjoy dinner at some of Easton’s top-rated restaurants.

Purchase tickets here

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Let’s Talk About It: The reality of post-election stress with For All Seasons CEO Beth Anne Dorman

November 7, 2024 by The Spy 1 Comment

For understandable reasons, quite a number of our fellow citizens suffer every four years from the stress of their candidate (cause) not winning on Election Day.. It doesn’t matter what party candidate or political platform falls short when the votes are counted; the impact of loss and fear is not a simple case of being “bummed out.”

Beth Anne Dorman, the CEO of the Mid-Shore’s largest mental health providers, has seen this pattern now with three election cycles since she became the leader of For All Seasons. In our most recent conversation with the Spy, Beth Anne talks about the real dangers of this kind of emotional stress and suggestions on how to recover one’s mental health more quickly after this significant kind of event.

This video is approximately 12 minutes in length. For more information about For All Seasons, please go here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

How the Country’s oldest conservation organization is building membership on the Shore: A Chat with Izaak Walton League’s Jamie Pierson

November 4, 2024 by The Spy Leave a Comment

There was an important passing of the torch over the past year in the Mid-Shore conservation community. Jamie Peirson, who spends most of his time as a professor at Horn Point Laboratories in Dorchester County, has become the new president of the local Izaak Walton League.

Jamie said yes to this volunteer leadership position for several reasons. Independent of his research work, his passion for the natural world and outdoor recreation reflects a lifetime of engagement with nature. But Jamie has also been drawn to the Izaak Walton League’s long-standing role in lobbying for ecosystem protection. Given all these factors, he had no hesitation in taking over from the long-tenured former president Calvin Yowell, with the intended mission of growing the local chapter with families and younger outdoor enthusiasts.

Jamie stopped by the Spy Studio a few weeks ago to discuss his new role.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. To learn more about the Izaak Walton League Mid-Shore Chapter or sign up for membership please go here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Salon Talks at the Trippe Gallery with Jill Basham

October 31, 2024 by The Spy 1 Comment

Artist Jill Basham unveils a new chapter in her creative journey with “Another Side of Jill Basham,” exploring new mediums, techniques, and subject matter in a bold artistic evolution.

Renowned for her expansive impressionistic landscapes and signature low horizon lines, artist Jill Basham invites viewers to experience different directions in her upcoming exhibition, “Another Side of Jill Basham,” which opens November 1 at The Trippe Gallery.

This show reveals the artist’s exploration into a variety of techniques, subject matter, as well as medium, allowing her to tap into an emotional depth and range. While Basham is best known for her sweeping skies and expansive vistas, this exhibition offers a glimpse into a broader creative vision. The works on display range from her signature oil landscapes to more abstract realism, as well as intimate still lifes, dynamic city scenes, and rugged cliff sides and waterfalls. Some pieces feature gouache, a departure from her usual medium of oil.

While Jill has built her career on impressionistic brushwork, several pieces in “Another Side of Jill Basham” take a more abstracted approach, reflecting the artist’s desire to push beyond her established comfort zone. “Exploration is necessary for growth as an artist,” Basham explains. “With exploration comes new ideas, and these ideas can build on one another, leading to new ways of expressing emotion and perspective.” This sentiment is echoed by Trippe Gallery owner, Nanny Trippe, who shares, “I have known Jill a long time and watched her growth as a significant contemporary artist. I approached her with an idea of an exhibition tapping into another side of her creativity, giving her the freedom to paint from perhaps a different vision/version of inspiration. I am really excited to share these works!”

In the first of many salon talks, Nanny talks to Jill about this unique shift and the unique freedom that the show allowed her to experience.

The exhibition runs through November 30, with an opening reception with the artist on Friday, November 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. The Trippe Gallery is located at 23 N Harrison Street. For more information, please call 410-310-8727.

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Mid-Shore Health: Domestic violence on the Mid-Shore with Angie Price and Jeanne Yeager

October 29, 2024 by The Spy Leave a Comment

Domestic violence isn’t always evident; it’s more common than you think, and often those experiencing it suffer in silence.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Spy recently sat down with Angie Price, CRNP, DNP, WHNP BC, RNC OB/C EFM, a nurse practitioner with University of Maryland Shore Medical Group (UM SMG)-Women’s Health and Jeanne Yeager, who is executive director of the Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence in Easton. Price and Yeager discussed the importance of domestic violence screening during annual well-woman exams and the partnership between women’s health providers at UM SMG-Women’s Health and the Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence.

That partnership includes collaboration and communication to other providers, as well as referrals to ensure patients receive the assistance they need to find resources like transitional housing, pet assistance, legal assistance, medical and mental health assistance, and safe transitions for children, including school enrollment.

Domestic violence is a tragic and traumatizing experience. But you can get through it with a strong support system and a solid plan. If you or someone you know experiences domestic violence, having a safety plan can save your life. Learn more about the Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence at mscfv.org. Help is also available via the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

This video is approximately 10 minutes in length.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Tred Avon Players BLITHE SPIRIT with Alison Lynch and Christina Underwood

October 18, 2024 by The Spy Leave a Comment

There is nothing like a classic Noël Coward comedy to kick off an Eastern Shore fall, and the Tred Avon Players had that in mind when they decided to produce Blithe Spirit, starting next week at the Oxford Community Center.

The Spy sat down with TAP director Alison Lynch and actor Christina Underwood, who plays Ruth Condomine, to get a sneak preview of this fun story of novelist Charles Condomine, who invites an eccentric medium, Madame Arcati, to his home to conduct a séance as research for his next book.

However, things take a turn for the otherworldly when Madame Arcati accidentally summons the ghost of Charles’s first wife, Elvira, who is determined to disrupt his new marriage. Chaos ensues as Charles is caught between two wives—one living and one deceased—in a battle of wits and wills.

The production features a stellar cast of local talent, bringing Coward’s unforgettable characters to life. Greg Allis takes on the role of Charles Condomine, the skeptical novelist, with Christina Underwood as his strong-willed second wife, Ruth. Jackie Royer portrays the ghostly and mischievous Elvira, Charles’s first wife, while Michelle Spain embodies the spirited medium, Madame Arcati. Herb Zeigler and Debbie Harmon play Dr. Bradman and his wife Violet, the Condomines’ loyal friends, and Lindley Bounds completes the cast as Edith, the eager-to-please maid.

Performances will be held at the Oxford Community Center, 200 Oxford Rd, Oxford, Md. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows start at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm. Tickets are adults $25 / students $15 (fees included). Thrifty Thursday (October 24) and Sunday matinees sell out quickly!

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.tredavonplayers.com or contact the box office at (410) 226-0061.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

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