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February 3, 2023

The Chestertown Spy

An Educational News Source for Chestertown Maryland

Spy Highlights

Spy Report: Soggy Dickens Weekend didn’t Dampen Spirits

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A few blown-out umbrellas and soggy costumes couldn’t stop Chestertown’s Dickens Weekend from returning after a pandemic hiatus.

After a pandemic hiatus, Dickens of a Christmas – Main Street Chestertown is welcomed back the 19th-century Victorian gala, transforming the historic district into a crowd of top-hatted and gothic black pleated dresses with a few Tiny Tims thrown in for good measure.

Fire jugglers, winged fairies on stilts, and Kent County High School Band and Garnet Elementary School Chorus and Bucket Band opened the festivities Friday evening. Along with International Strings and the American Rogues, who played Friday night and most of Saturday, music was the backdrop for the weekend despite Saturday morning’s rain.

Inside, the Bookplate bookstore hosted Lucy Maddox and Maureen Corrigan for book talks at Zelda’s Speakeasy while London Row packed in vendors selling their artisan wares. And, of course, carriage rides and Santa kept kids and adults entertained and in the spirit of the holidays.

A little rain can’t dampen this town’s holiday spirit, and the Spy was there to enjoy.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more about Mainstreet Chestertown, please go here.

A Republican Evening: The LWV Forum for Kent County Commissioner

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With the Democrats already set with their three candidates for Kent County Commissioner seats this November, it is left to the Republicans to decide who their top three will be starting in the upcoming primary election on July 19.

It turns out to be an exciting race from the Spy’s perspective as we watched the LWV forum from June 21st. That starts with the appearance of incumbent Ron Fithian on the Republican ballot. This is the first time the lifetime Democrat who switched parties a year ago, shares the same party affiliation as the two other incumbent colleagues, Tom Mason and Bob Jacobs.

The other thing that seemed clear that night is that all five candidates see the Route 301 corridor as the heart of the County’s future economic development plans.

This abridged video is approximately 90 minutes in length. To see the full debate, please go to the LWV’s website here.

County Commissioner
Ron Fithian
RepublicanJurisdiction Kent County
Status Active
Filed Regular -03/08/2022Email rhfithian@hotmail.com
Phone (410) 708-7606		 Contact Information
6170 Anderson Ave
Rock Hall, MD 21661-
Bob Jacob
RepublicanJurisdiction Kent County
Status Active
Filed Regular -01/31/2022Email bjacob@chesapeakecnc.com		 Contact Information
23993 Cliff Dr Ext.
Worton, MD 21678-
“Tom” Mason
RepublicanJurisdiction Kent County
Status Active
Filed Regular -04/11/2022		 Contact Information
23991 Melitota Rd.
Chestertown, MD 21620-
Albert Nickerson
RepublicanJurisdiction Kent County
Status Active
Filed Regular -02/18/2022Email albert.nickerson69@gmail.com		 Contact Information
13140 Goosedown Farm Lane
Worton, MD 21678-
John F. Price
RepublicanJurisdiction Kent County
Status Active
Filed Regular -02/04/2022Email jfprice4commissioner@gmail.com
Phone (410) 708-0607

 

Spy Reminder: Last Day to Register for Primary and LWV Board of Education Forum

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To vote in the 2022 Election, you must be registered to vote. To learn more about who can register to vote, click here.

The deadline to register to vote or update your voter registration information is June 28, 2022 for the Gubernatorial Primary Election; and October 18, 2022 for the Gubernatorial General Election. To register to vote or to check your registration status, click here. Your voter registration must be up to date with your current address. To update your voter registration, click here.

You may also register to vote or update your voter registration information in person during early voting or on election day. If you update your address on election day, you will be asked to complete a provisional ballot. An election judge will assist you with this process.

In other election news, the League of Women Voters of Kent County will host an election forum for the Board of Education primary election.  It will be held at Minary’s Dream in Chestertown. Please give the LWVKC website for more information.

Spy Report: Chestertown Artists at the American Craft Council Show

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Last weekend the Spy went across to bridge to visit the American Craft Council Show in Baltimore to find five Chestertown artists who were attending the weekend event.

Now in its 45th year, this ACC event, formerly known as the Baltimore American Craft Show, was a welcome return for artists after two pandemic closures.

The Baltimore Convention Center was awash with crafts from all over the country, from giant steel fabricated rabbits to sheer silk scarves and miniature gold-leaf fantasy creations, glazed pottery and glass bowls that looked like candy and cases upon cases of jewelry.

Even among the cavalcade of visitors that would eventually account for 20,000 shoppers, we found our Chestertown artists, and even though they had little time for conversation we captured a few images as they talked with customers. It was inspiring to see them among presenters in this prestigious council flagship show.

Seasoned veterans of the national craft and art show circuit, glass artists Patti and Dave Hegland, potter and sculptor Marilee Schumann, silk textile artist Yuh Okano, and floorcloth designer Faith Wilson displayed their new creations.

“After so many pandemic shutdowns, it was great to see old friends and see what they’re up to. We all had masks on, so sometimes it took a few seconds to recognize each other,” Wilson quips.

And it was a tough weekend to have a show in Baltimore. The Preakness was running, the Orioles were playing, universities and colleges were having graduations and Saturday was sweltering. Nevertheless, craft and art shoppers were happy to get out to discover what their favorite artists have been creating.

And besides, who can pass a seven-foot steel rabbit or prowling bear without having it sent directly to home? We know who did.

To see more of these gifted Chestertown artists go to:

Marilee Schumann here.

Hegland Glass here.

Yuh Okano here.

Faith Wilson here

This whirlwind video is approximately four minutes in length.

 

 

Cross Street Leads Three Cheers for Two Generous WC Lacrosse Players

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The Spy noticed an heartwarming and novel event during a rather chilly First Friday in downtown Chestertown a few days ago. Cross Street Realtors celebrated two Washington College athletes by participating in the new NCAA ruling allowing amateur athletes to profit from their talent and personas.

A tectonic shift in how college athletes can profit from their images has been underway since last summer with the NCAA’s decision to allow the “NIL”(Names, Image, Likeness) rule. Now there are no restrictions on amateur athletes profiting from their success and receiving endorsements similar to professional athletes.
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Recently highlighted in the Baltimore Sun for befriending a Kent County man with autism who was having a hard time during the isolative months of the pandemic, Kain Domenech and Erik Parry, juniors on the Washington College lacrosse team, were selected for a NIL honor by Cross Street.

Both student-athletes have brothers with similar challenges and empathize with those facing the same issues. Each day, one of them would connect with their new friend to see how his day was going and plan to continue the connection after the academic year ends.

Stacy Kendall, owner and principal broker at Cross Street, sees their sponsorship as a way to recognize Domenech and Parry’s care and value for others.

Here, Sarah King, associate broke and new Executive Director of Kent County Chamber of Commerce, introduces and awards the town and College’s first NIL recipients.

This video is approximately two minutes long.

Compass Reflects on a Challenging Year: A Chat with Heather Guerieri & Kenda Leager

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Like many others, Compass’ CEO Heather Guerieri was cautiously optimistic last January that her hospice organization would have a much easier year than in 2020. With vaccines becoming more available, and many of her 90 employees planning on returning to work, Guerieri had good reason to believe that this critically important nonprofit health service provider, with its full range of services for those needing special care at the end of their lives,  support for their families, and help in  the grieving process.

2021 might be considered a better year than 2020 according to Heather and her colleague Kenda Leager, but the fundamental impact of COVID remained significant on Compass.  And yet, there was a great deal to celebrate as well.  In their Spy interview, Heather and Kenda talk about some of those highlights, including the expansion of their main facility in Centreville, the successful use of technology in connecting with their clients, and the continued support of donors to the Compass mission.  We also talk about other changes, including the closing of their in-patient facilities in Chestertown.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information about Compass or to make a end-of-year donation please go here.

Spy Report: Santa Shows Up on High Street

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I can’t feel my toes or my hands, but I don’t care because Santa is coming to town in a firetruck was Friday night’s mantra around Fountain Park as throngs of kids with parents in tow shivered and waited for the famed North Poler to arrive with his signature arctic blast, and candy.

The Fountain Park tree lighting ceremony and Santa’s grand entrance on a very red Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company ladder truck marked Chestertown’s official Christmas holiday season kick-off, with more to come next week with the fourth annual “Dickens of a Christmas” weekend, December 3-5.

The chill remained for Saturday’s gala parade sponsored by Mainstreet Chestertown organizations along with the Kent County Community Marching Band, Olaf, Rudolph and the Grinch, and floats showcasing community groups and upcoming events.

The day set the right tone for the holiday spirit and judging by the crowd, Chestertown is ready for it. Here are a few highlights from Friday night and Saturday.

This video is approximately five minutes in length.

 

 

 

Spy Moment: A Perfect First Friday

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Shops and galleries opened their doors wide for Chestertown’s July First Friday. For some venues it was the first day open since the pandemic began. Art galleries, from River Arts to Tish Fine Art Plus and Artists Gallery were crowded with guests celebrating the Fourth of July weekend.

We couldn’t get everyone in on our walkabout, but here’s a glimpse of some smiling faces.

This video is approximately two minutes long.

 

Compass Adds New Hospice Wing to Honor Mildred Barnette and Keep Mission Going

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For any Kent or Queen Anne’s County family who has lost a loved one, but was fortunate to have Compass hospice support at the end of that person’s life, there should be a certain degree of gratitude for Mildred Barnette.

While most of those who use Compass’s hospice care may not have a clue who Mildred is, they owe her a lot for her vision as the founding director of Compass Hospice for the loving, compassionate care of grandparents, parents, spouses, or children at their end of life.

Fortunately, one anonymous donor did know of Mildred Barnette’s remarkable contributions to the Mid-Shore community and quietly worked with current director Heather Guerieri to provide the leadership gift for the new wing of the Compass Centreville facility. And while the Compass board respects the privacy of this generous philanthropist, the staff and volunteers can’t hide how thrilled they are with the major $5 million addition.

The addition of five new patient bedrooms, family rooms, children’s space, and a commercial kitchen, are indeed major improvements but they are also essential to Compass’s commitment to Kent and Queen Anne’s community. While most of the Compass patients can use the organization’s services at home, Shore Regional Health Chestertown hospital, or in the soon-to-be-built facility in Caroline County, the Centreville home base is now able to take on far more of the region’s most serious of cases.

The Spy sat down with Heather a few weeks ago for a quick tour of the new wing and how the Barnette Center is a perfect way to honor Mildred’s important legacy of hospice care for the entire Mid-Shore.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more information about Compass please go here.

Both Sides Now (Part Two): Preserve Talbot History’s President David Montgomery

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As the Mid-Shore community begins a weekend of celebration of Juneteenth, the national commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, it seemed like the appropriate time to focus on the controversial “Talbot Boys” Confederate memorial that sits on the Talbot County Courthouse lawn. While the arguments for maintaining or moving the statue are now increasingly well-known to Spy readers, for the first time, we have reached out to the two organizations who have either taken the lead in preserving it where it stands now (Preserve Talbot History) or moving it (Move the Monument Coalition) to a less controversial location to provide short summaries of each group’s position.

We conclude today with Preserve Talbot History’s President David Montgomery. In his interview with the Spy, David talks about the misinterpretations those seeking to move the Talbot Boys have on the statue and a false reading of Eastern Shore history. He also talks about his organization’s proposal to build a memorial to commemorate soldiers from the Union side of the Civil War. David also responses to the recent lawsuit by the NAACP/ACLU against the Talbot County Council and how the community should embrace its full history as part of its tourism industry. Finally, he speaks about his group’s desire to see a county-wide referendum on the future of the Talbot Boys.

On Wednesday, the Spy published our interview with Move the Monument Coalition leaders Ridgely Ochs and Jess Taylor. You can view that video here.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information about the Preserve Talbot History organization please go here.