An Educational News Source for Chestertown Maryland
Readers of the Spy might enjoy a recent article by Martha S. Jones of the New York Times that was published yesterday. The historian marks the 200th birthday of a conductor of the Underground Railroad with a visit to her birthplace, only to learn how climate change is washing away memories of “the ultimate outdoors woman.”
Please read the article here.
The pre-dawn planet show we sky-watchers have been enjoying in June will continue into July, but some changes are on the way as we progress through the month. Mercury’s orbit will swing it past the Sun where it will emerge on the other side of our star between July 25th to the 29th. Look for Mercury in the west around 8:30 pm on the 29th when it lies just below and left of a crescent Moon. The combination of the orbital movements of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn; and also that of Earth, will cause these planets to appear to rise sooner, although still in the very late evening or very early morning eastern skies.
Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are all moving toward opposition later this year when they will all be at their closest to Earth and at their greatest brightness in over a year.
Saturn rises before 11 pm in early July and from 1 am to dawn will be favorably placed for viewing. Saturn brightens this month and telescopic views will be great; its rings system tilted 13 degrees to our line of sight. Saturn will be just above and left of the waning gibbous Moon on July 15th.
Jupiter rises just after midnight on July 1st and an hour before on July 31st. It brightens too in July. Best views occur in the hours just before dawn when it will be the highest in the sky, and telescopic views will reveal many surface features, while binoculars will show its 4 brightest Moons as jewels on either side of the giant planet.
Mars rises around 2 am in the east and slowly brightens throughout the month. Mars will still appear small even in telescopes, but when at opposition in December it will be more than 2 times bigger and much brighter. This will be something to look forward to seeing; a special holiday gift for us this year!
Venus dominates the eastern sky before dawn and appears close to a number of bright stars during the month as it moves along its orbit. Venus is just above Aldebaran (Taurus) on July 1st; passes just above Orion July 16 to 18; and just below a nice waning crescent Moon on July 26.
Earth reaches aphelion in its elliptical orbit; farthest point from the Sun on July 4th. July’s Full Moon is on the 13th.
The Avalon had a memorable evening on Saturday night when both loyal trustees and its dedicated staff took over the theater for a well-deserved birthday party for the building itself.
In what is just one of several events this year commemorating the historic site’s opening in downtown Easton, the entire building, from the rooftop terrace to the newly modernized backstage, was open for inspection with the help of live music, wine, hors d’oeuvres from Piazza, and the US Navy Cruisers outdoor concert to finish off the night.
The Spy asked one of our intelligence agents to provide a short video summary of what took place.
This video is approximately one minute in length. For more information about the Avalon Theatre please go here.
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.”
Chestertown will celebrate the nation’s annual Juneteenth observance with The Frederick Douglass Juneteenth Celebration “Day of Acknowledgment,” Friday June 17 and Saturday June 18, hosted by the Bayside H.O.Y.A.S.
The event “honoring the history, culture and achievements of African American life on the Eastern Shore” will kick off with a block party Friday from 6-9 pm in Fountain Park with music by Dell Foxx Company and magician Anthony Ware.
Saturday will be packed with events from Noon to 8 pm at Wilmer Park and special events throughout the day in town including a Garfield Theatre presentation with special guest Phil Darius Wallace as Frederick Douglas at 2 pm. Tickets are recommended and can be found on the Garfield Center’s website. For tickets, go here.
At 3:30 a historic sign reveal will take place across from Henry Highland Garnet School commemorating the life of Charlie Graves, proprietor for four decades of the famous Uptown Club, and who hosted some of the biggest names in music including Ray Charles, Little Richard and Patti LaBelle.
At 5:45 the Frederick Douglass Community Activism Award will be given to community leaders who have excelled in promoting the prosperity and well-being of Black communities on the Easter Shore.
The afternoon will close with Somebarkin’ & Gerry Werner Band at Wilmer Park.
Sponsors for the celebration are The Peoples Bank, Mid-Shore Health Improvement Coalition, Kent Cultural Alliance, and Maryland Historical Trust. Partners include Bayside H.O.Y.A.S, Main Street Historic Chestertown, Black Union of Kent County, Town of Chestertown, and Washington College.
The Spy checked in with John Queen, President of Bayside H.O.Y.A.S, to find more about Juneteenth in Chestertown.
This video is approximately for minutes in length. For more about Bayside HOYAS, see their Facebook page.
As The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp prepares to welcome campers for its 35th summer in Ashford, Conn., CEO James Canton and Board Member Bradley Cooper announced today that the organization will open a second location on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in 2023, providing “a different kind of healing” to more children with serious illnesses and their families in the Mid-Atlantic.
“For 35 years, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp has been guided by Founder Paul Newman’s creative spirit, expanding programming to bring joy and hope to more children with serious illnesses while also increasing opportunities for their families to experience the healing power of Camp all year long,” said Canton, who was a cabin counselor during the Camp’s first summer in 1988. “This same commitment that expanded our reach from 288 campers in 1988 to now more than 20,000 children and family members annually also inspired us to pursue this opportunity to bring Camp magic to more children and family members in the Mid-Atlantic – a region that Hole in the Wall has served to some extent since its earliest days. We are thrilled for this next chapter and humbled by the Aspen Institute’s incredibly kind and generous donation – it’s a gift that will keep on giving.”
According to Canton, Camp’s multi-year exploration of adding a Mid-Atlantic location took an exciting, unexpected turn when it learned that the Aspen Institute’s 166-acre Wye River Conference Center in Queenstown, Md. was for sale and that the board was willing to donate a majority of the historic property to Hole in the Wall. In 1979, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., gifted the property to the Institute, which inspired the board to pay it forward. The historic property, which boasts scenic water views, tree-lined pathways and majestic meadows, contains several residential buildings and other conference facilities that will be renovated to provide a helpful starting point for Camp to begin programming.
“Since 1979, the Wye River campus has played an important role in the Aspen Institute’s history. This beautiful and protected site has hosted countless seminars and convenings, including some of international significance,” said Dan Porterfield, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. “We are now proud to make available a significant part of this land to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp to become their second location. Their mission to provide joy to children with serious illnesses and their families is inspiring, and secures a wonderful future for the Wye River campus.”
Maryland’s Eastern Shore represents an ideal Hole in the Wall location for many reasons. The Connecticut location’s on-site programming primarily serves those traveling from within a three-hour radius in the Northeast. The Maryland location will create an adjacent three-hour radius in the Mid-Atlantic, which contains some of the nation’s most prominent pediatric hospitals treating many of the populations that Camp hopes to serve at the Maryland location. Hole in the Wall’s plans for the new site are guided by Camp’s many years of experience serving children with serious illnesses while also answering the diverse needs of their families. The facilities and all programming will be designed to be family inclusive so that those most devastated and isolated by serious illnesses, including the rare disease community, will be able to find a caring community of support that understands their unique challenges.
Actor, producer and director Bradley Cooper is honorary chair of the committee leading the launch of the new location. Cooper, who volunteered as a cabin counselor at the Camp in 2006 and later joined the Board of Directors in 2014, has a deep, personal connection to the Mid-Atlantic having grown up near Philadelphia and graduated from Georgetown University.
“I’ve seen firsthand the life-changing impact of Hole in the Wall’s programs, which is why I’m honored and excited to see that Camp is bringing a much-needed escape, a support network and empowering experiences to the lives of some incredibly brave kids and families in the Mid-Atlantic,” said Cooper. “Just like when Paul Newman first started the Camp, this expansion into Maryland will rely on the generosity of many new friends who want to see these kids become campers and their family members experience all the magic Hole in the Wall has to offer.”
Following what is expected to be a one-year renovation, Hole in the Wall plans to open the Maryland location in summer 2023 by offering multiple sessions of Family Camp programming to serve those populations in the region who are most in need of Camp’s healing impact. In the meantime, Hole in the Wall’s Hospital Outreach program continues to bring Camp-style games and activities to several Mid-Atlantic hospitals daily with plans to establish a DC metro area regional office and expand to more medical facilities in the coming months.
All seven of the major planets will gather in the pre-dawn eastern sky this month. This is a relatively rare event, although I recall a similar line-up about 20 years ago, but in the early evening western sky.
On the morning of June 24th looking east about 1 hour before sunrise, the 5 “naked eye” planets will span the eastern sky in order of distance from the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will be seen, looking from left to right along a gently rising line of some 100 degrees along the ecliptic. The waning crescent Moon will also be nearby. All will be visible with the unaided eye.
Uranus and Neptune are also in the mix though binoculars will be needed to spot them. Uranus will be just east(left) of the Moon, and Neptune will be just west (right) of Jupiter. Mercury (magnitude +0.5) will be lowest to the horizon, and Venus (magn. –3.9) will be above and right. The Moon will be next in line mid-way from Venus toward the next planet, Mars (magn. +0.5). Jupiter (magn. –2.4) is next, followed by Saturn (magn. +0.4). These magnitudes (brightness) will help sky-watchers pin-point each planet. Also on the mornings before and after June 24th, the Moon will be closer to Mars or Venus respectively.
With no planets visible in the evening it is worth while to look at the Moon. A two day old crescent Moon will be just below the 2 brightest stars in Gemini; Castor and Pollux, just after sunset on June 1st. On June 5th the Moon will be near Regulus; Leo’s brightest star. The gibbous Moon is close to Spica (in Virgo) on June 9th, and the Full Moon is June 14th.
Saturn will be best viewed an hour before sunrise when it is at its highest in the sky. Jupiter, also well up then, offers the most visible surface details for those with telescopes. Mars’s surface features remain challenging even in telescopes this month even as it brightens. Venus is brightest of all, and on June 26th the Pleiades star cluster may be seen just above Venus and Mercury.
Overall June will be an excellent month for sky-watchers to enjoy!
The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) today announced the launch of Maryland Mobile ID in Apple Wallet, providing Marylanders with an easy, fast, and secure, digital version of their MDOT MVA-issued driver’s license or state ID card. Starting today, Maryland residents can choose to add their driver’s license or state identification (ID) card to Apple Wallet, and seamlessly and securely present it using iPhone or Apple Watch at select Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport security checkpoints, within Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).*
“Maryland is proud to be a leader once again in safe innovation with the implementation of Maryland Mobile ID in Apple Wallet,” said Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. “As we look to the future, we are committed to enhancing convenience and accessibility while maintaining the highest safety and security standards for our state and citizens.”
Maryland is the second state to implement IDs in Apple Wallet, and Maryland Mobile ID is currently the only form of mobile phone-based identification issued by MDOT MVA. It is only available to individuals with a current, valid Maryland-issued driver’s license or ID and serves as a companion to the physical, plastic driver’s license or ID – it is not a replacement and Marylanders must continue to carry their physical driver’s license or ID with them.
“Maryland Mobile ID in Apple Wallet offers additional security and privacy benefits than the physical state ID or driver’s license because Marylanders get to review the personal information they share with others, and use biometric authentication with Face ID or Touch ID to authorize it,” said MDOT MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer. “Over time, we expect the locations accepting mobile ID to grow, but we are excited to partner with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to allow Maryland residents to present their Maryland Mobile ID in Apple Wallet at participating airports.”
Following a digital driver’s license pilot conducted by the MDOT MVA in 2017, the launch of Maryland Mobile ID in Apple Wallet is the next step in delivering on Governor Hogan’s customer service initiative and on MDOT MVA’s goal to provide the safest and most secure products for its customers.
How to add Maryland Mobile ID to Apple Wallet
To enroll and use Maryland Mobile ID in Apple Wallet, Maryland residents must have a valid and easily readable Maryland driver’s license or ID card, as well as an iPhone 8 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 4 or later, with the latest version of iOS or watchOS. You must also live in Maryland and have your device set to United States.
Adding Maryland Mobile ID to Apple Wallet can be done in just a few simple steps. Maryland residents can tap the + button at the top of the screen in Apple Wallet on their iPhone, select “Driver’s license or State ID,” and follow the on-screen instructions to start the set-up and verification process.
How to Use Maryland Mobile ID at an Airport
At this time, Maryland Mobile ID is accepted only at select TSA terminals at participating airports around the country.
To use Maryland Mobile ID in Apple Wallet at a TSA checkpoint, residents can simply tap their iPhone or Apple Watch near the identity reader. Residents’ devices will then display what information is being requested by the TSA, and only after authorizing with Face ID or Touch ID is the requested information released from a device. Since the information is shared digitally, residents do not need to hand over their iPhone or Apple Watch to present their Maryland Mobile ID.
Maryland Mobile ID in Apple Wallet is Private and Secure
Maryland Mobile ID in Apple Wallet is private and secure. Identity data is encrypted and helps protect against tampering and theft. When using Maryland Mobile ID in Apple Wallet, neither Apple nor MDOT MVA have access to when or where a Maryland Mobile ID is presented.
In the instance that an iPhone or Apple Watch is lost or stolen, residents can use the “Find My” app to easily lock their device and help locate it, or remotely erase their device. Additionally, biometric authentication using Face ID or Touch ID ensures the only person who added the ID to the device can view or present their ID or license in Apple Wallet.
Maryland Mobile ID and Maryland myMVA Account
Marylanders who would like to add Maryland Mobile ID to Apple Wallet are encouraged to sign up for a myMVA account. If additional verification is needed, customers can complete the process through their myMVA account. Customers can also remove their Maryland Mobile ID at any time through their account, as well as opt out of the service completely.
myMVA is unique to each customer and provides several other services, including driver’s license information and vehicle registration status. Customers can order replacement driver’s licenses or ID cards through myMVA should theirs be unreadable for Maryland Mobile ID.
To learn more visit https://mva.maryland.gov/
*Travelers should refer to checkpoint signage to confirm availability.
It’s been a chilly Spring, often dipping to 50 degrees as the sun begins to set, but the Chestertown Ukulele Club cheerfully meets every week to jam outside Jamie Hurley’s Washington Avenue home. For the past two years, ever since Covid disrupted their customary indoor sessions, members of this musical group have gamely gathered outdoors, even during the winter months, to play their instruments and sing along.
“The Chestertown Ukulele Club Has Been Playing Year ‘Round in Spite of Covid”. Left to right: Gale and Barbara Quist, Cheryl Hoopes, John Guthrie, Doug Gates, Jamie Hurley, Mare Schumann, Leslie Raimond, Linda Davis, Lolli Sherry.
“Call it crazy, but as long as the temperature is going to be around 50 and it isn’t raining I send out an email and people just show up”, says Jamie. “I guess it’s a good example of ‘if you build it they will come’”. It helps of course that she provides a roaring fire pit, a couple of propane heaters and warm-from-the-oven cookies to ward off the chill.
Created 10 years ago by ukulele enthusiast Jamie and led by her brother Ford Schumann on his guitar, the group now has 55 members. For years they got together and played in what’s affectionately known as “Jamie’s Parlor”, spending a couple of hours warmed by good music, friendship and hot soup. But Covid changed all that and now the music takes place outdoors, often accompanied by enthusiastic song birds as well as a gutsy backup rhythm provided by Doug Gates on his authentic washtub bass.
Leaders Jamie Hurley and Ford Schumann warm up the group on a chilly evening.
Ukulele clubs have sprung up all over America in recent years, perhaps because this popular instrument is so reasonably priced yet capable of supporting extraordinary musicianship. A scroll through YouTube will find a ukulele cover of almost any song you can think of.
The Chestertown club’s songbooks reflect the members’ wide musical interests. Any given week will find them playing selections ranging from Fats Waller to the Beatles, Johnny Cash to Bob Dylan, Irving Berlin to the Grateful Dead. Traditional Hawaiian songs are also in their repertoire and the club is often invited to play at local luau parties. They traditionally kicked off the monthly Open Mic sessions at the Garfield Center and played at other local events.
Are you interested in trying it out? Newbies are enthusiastically welcomed and even offered a loaner “uke” if needed. For more information contact Jamie at MarySHurley@mac.com.
Country Current
The Chestertown Tea Party Festival returns after a two year hiatus. Highlights include Pyro Musical Fireworks Saturday night, the popular US Navy band the Country Current, and the Tea Party re-enactment at 2 pm.
Gillespie & Son and Cross Street Realtors are the lead sponsors for the fireworks.
The festival kicks off Friday, May 27 with a Street Party at the foot of High Street from 5 to 9 pm. The party, hosted by Main Street Chestertown and featuring the popular Best Kept Soul (BKS) band will keep you dancing all evening to your favorite soul, rock, and R&B tunes. There will be a variety of food trucks. Beer and wine will also be for sale
Saturday’s festivities begin with the Chestertown Tea party Festival Parade, commencing at 10 AM, complete with fife and drum groups, community bands and the award winning Largo High School “Blue and White Marching Machine.”
Members of the 1st Battalion Maryland Loyalists, 1st Maryland Regiment, 1st Battalion New Jersey Volunteers, 4th Company Brigade of Guards and Clotz’s Battalion will set up camp on the shores of the Chester River and perform maneuvers at the Courthouse prior to the re-enactment.
The Heritage Village, located on the Courthouse lawn features colonial chocolate making, beer brewing, grocers, sutlery, woodworking and blacksmithing. Highlights include a presentation by members of the Lenape Nation and a portrayal of Benjamin Banneker, innovative Black astronomer, mathematician, and naturalist. Walking tours of historic Chestertown are available between 11 and 3 pm.
Musical performances include strolling colonial musicians, rousing sea chanties, English country dancers, cloggers, country, bluegrass, soul, R&B and even a children’s’ jug band. The Country Current, US Navy’s premier modern country and cutting edge bluegrass are the featured act on the festival Main Stage, scheduled for 12:30 pm. And do not miss Yvette Hynson and the Sumner Hall Children’s Choir singing Aretha Franklin’s iconic R-E-S-P-E-C-T at 11:45.
The Garfield Center for the Arts features a presentation honoring Phyllis Wheatley, the first published African American poet, virtuoso musician Stephen Christoff playing colonial music on a variety of instruments. Also returning is Katherine Fahey and her Crankie show, old fashioned story telling art form using a long illustrated scroll wound on two spools – a moving panorama accompanied by live music.
Saturday evening the sky will be lit up with Pyro Musical fireworks – fireworks set to music! The fireworks will be set off at dusk from Wilmer Park and visible all around Chestertown.
The fun continues Sunday afternoon in Wilmer Park, with the Tea Party Beer Fest, complete with live music, craft beers from 8 different local breweries, artisan vendors and the infamous Raft Race. Children’s activities include facepainting, a puppet show, instrument making followed by playing in a jug band.
For more information and a full schedule of events please visit https://www.chestertownteaparty.org/.
