Brevities

Remembering Wyatt Clark

September 16, 2019 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

“Franny Schauber was a defining influence on Wyatt’s life,” recalled Wyatt’s brother, Butch. “He took him under his wing like a son.”

“Wyatt was a hard worker and he handled just about any problem that arose at the lumber yard,” Butch Clark continued.

In his off time, Wyatt enjoyed playing pool. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

“Wyatt was a giving person,” remarked Butch Clark. “If you needed something, he’d find a way to help. He was something else.”

Wyatt was married to the late Suzanne Clark, who predeceased him. He is survived by his brothers, James “Butch” Clark and his wife Bonnie of Worton, and John B. Clark of New Hampshire; a sister, Mary E. Clark of Baltimore, MD; a niece, Marlayne and a nephew, Mason.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, 130 Speer Road, Chestertown. Services will be held on Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at 11:00 am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Interment will be in Chester Cemetery following the service. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to Compass Regional Hospice, 160 Coursevall Drive, Centreville, MD 21617 or Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 508 High Street, Chestertown, MD 21620.

National Voter Registration Day Is September 24

September 14, 2019 by League of Women Voters Leave a Comment

The League of Women Voters of Kent County encourages those citizens who are not yet registered to vote to do so, especially to mark National Voter Registration Day, which is Tuesday, September 24. National Voter Registration Day, the fourth Tuesday of every September, was created and promoted with a view to increasing citizen participation in local and state elections across the country. “Off-year” elections are a chance for voters to elect men and women who will have immediate impacts on their daily lives. In Kent County, Maryland an election will be held on Nov 5, 2019 to choose a town council member for both the second and fourth wards. 2020 will bring the Presidential election, the US House of Representatives election, and many other important races.

Register Now online at voterservices.elections.maryland.gov or at 135 Dixon Drive, Chestertown, MD 21620. Phone: 410 778-0038 or 800 222-8683

MD 213 Chestertown Drawbridge Night Work

September 11, 2019 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Beginning Sunday night, September 15, State Highway Administration will perform routine maintenance/testing and minor repairs to the MD 213 drawbridge over the Chester River. Work hours will be overnight 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Motorists may see occasional test openings of the bridge lasting no more than 15 minutes each. With good weather we expect this work can be completed in about five nights.

Questions may be directed to:

Bob Rager
Maryland State Highway Administration
District Community Liaison
443-463-3768

Chestertown a Winner: Wilmer Park’s Broad Reach Receives Renowned Coda Award

September 4, 2019 by The Spy 1 Comment

Long before anyone outside of Chestertown was paying attention, anyone who visited Wilmar Park knew that the town had one of the most remarkable outdoor sculptures in the country. But it takes something like a CODAaward to advance that idea that artist David Hess’ masterpiece is now the subject of international acclaim.

“Broad Reach,” which is dedicated to Chestertown arts leader, Alex Castro, was recently presented with the prestigious design award earlier this summer.

For more information about Broad Reach please go here.

Remembering Kenneth F. Horrocks

August 31, 2019 by Spy Desk 2 Comments

Kenneth F. Horrocks of Chestertown, MD died on August 29, 2019 at home. Ken, 62, was born and raised in Chelsea, MA. He is the son of Edward William Horrocks of Revere, MA and the late Ruth Ellen Chiary Horrocks. Ken graduated from Revere High School in 1975 and was still living in the Boston area when he met his future bride, the former Brenda Lee Sutton of the Washington Avenue Suttons. The two married in 1980 and moved to Kent County, living first in Betterton and then in Chestertown.

Ken had a varied career and was an unabashed adventurer. He first worked with Kent Gas, before he and Brenda ran Amity Bakery for 12 years. Daughter Chelsea came along. The three took a memorable two year sail on their sailboat Dance, circumnavigating the Caribbean. He most recently owned and operated At Ease Home Inspections.

According to his family, Ken loved to sail, ride his motorcycle, and travel. His biggest regret was the fact that he would miss his 7-month old grandson growing up.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter Chelsea Horrocks Jennings, her husband Roland, a 7-month old grandson Samuel of Chestertown, MD, two brothers: Edward W. Horrocks and his wife Nancy of Clearwater, FL, and William E. Horrocks and his wife Debbie of York, ME, and a sister: Kathleen G. Horrocks and her husband Robert Boudreau of Waltham, MA.

Services will be held on Sunday, September 1, 2019 at 3:00 PM at Fellows, Helfenbein, and Newnam Funeral Home 130 Speer Road Chestertown, MD 21620 where relatives and friends may call one hour prior to the service (2-3). A reception will follow at the Chestertown Church of the Nazarene 6943 Church Hill Road Chestertown, MD, 21620. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, 401 North Broadway Baltimore, MD 21231.

September 2019 Sky-Watch

August 25, 2019 by Dennis Herrman Leave a Comment

Fall officially arrives this month with the Autumnal Equinox on September 23rd at 3:50 am EDT. Hours of daylight and darkness are just about equal then, as the Sun appears to cross the Celestial Equator of the sky. From now until Winter Solstice in December day length will continue to shorten and the night sky will appear sooner for Sky-watchers.

The Sun appears to move across our sky annually, along a path we call the Ecliptic. Actually this apparent annual motion of the Sun is caused by Earth revolving around the Sun in its orbit. The ecliptic also marks the path of all the Zodiac constellations across the sky. The ecliptic has a low angle to the western horizon from September 27 to October 11th this year —— but stand nearly straight up from the eastern horizon before sunrise. This gives us an opportunity to observe the “false dawn;” also known as the Zodiacal Light.

The zodiacal light, a faint, cone-shaped glow arises from sunlight reflecting off fine dust particles in the plane of the solar system, which is why it lines up with the ecliptic. To see the light sky-watchers need to observe from a dark site shortly before twilight begins. The zodiacal light will have a broad base near the eastern horizon which tapers as it rises up toward the zenith. Books often call the zodiacal light “ethereal;” which is why we need a dark site from which to look for it.

Jupiter and Saturn continue to be the main evening planets in September; though both have shifted well to the southwestern sky. Indeed Jupiter will be very low to the horizon by 1:00 am; but there will be several good hours to see it before then. Saturn will remain in view well past midnight because it is some 30 degrees to the left of Jupiter. On September 5th the First-Quarter Moon will be seen just to the lower right of Jupiter, and the Waxing-Gibbous Moon will be just below Saturn on the 8th.

Venus and Mercury will make very fleeting appearances near the end of September, very low in the western sky, amid rather bright twilight. Venus will be easier to spot because it is brighter, but we will need to wait until October and November before Venus will gain enough altitude to be seen more easily. Mercury’s orbit will turn it back toward the Sun into early October and out of sight. Mars is too close to the Sun to see now, though it will return to view in the east before dawn in November. September’s Full Moon comes on the 14th.

Remembering Bobby T.

August 22, 2019 by Steve Meehan Leave a Comment

Robert Hopper Thompson, Jr., passed away August 19, 2019. He was 71.

“Bobby T” will be remembered for his infectious smile, signature white hair, good humor and kind personality.

Thompson will also be remembered as a lifelong athlete. A native of Centreville, he graduated from Centreville High School where he lettered in baseball, basketball and soccer, along with playing the saxophone and leading as the drum major in the school band.

His sports career continued at Bridgewater College in Virginia where he graduated in 1970. Always a promoter of soccer and never afraid of an athletic challenge, Thompson dribbled a soccer ball a purported eight miles from campus to the county courthouse in Harrisonburg to win a bet; the reward was two hot dogs at a town diner. While on the varsity baseball, Thompson was scouted for the Pittsburg Pirates organization.

Thompson returned to the Eastern Shore and started working as a gym teacher in Kent County, but that was short lived. He spent most of his career working in construction-related areas, including for David A. Bramble, Inc., Dixon Valve & Coupling Co., and KRM Development Corp. In his later years he was a driving instructor.

He was active in local adult baseball, softball, soccer, and basketball leagues as a player and referee. He will be widely remembered for his contribution as a baseball coach from the youngest kids in tee-ball to young adults. His knowledge of the game, his good-humored hardworking attitude, and his fostering of sportsmanship had a lasting impact on the many he coached.

Thompson was also an avid golfer and held a scuba search and rescue certificate. He was active in the Chestertown Optimist Club’s Tea Party booth during the years they were frying clams and crab cakes.

He would say his greatest accomplishment were his children, Rob and Jana, both of whom have that Bobby T positive demeanor. From an early age, he was active in their lives, including helping to coach their youth teams and supporting them in their respective ventures as young adults.

Family and friends will gather to remember Bobby T at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, August 24 at Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home (arrangements by Marvin V. Williams Jr., Funeral Director), 130 Speer Road in Chestertown. Family and friends may call from 11:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Bobby T Memorial Scholarship Fund, payable to and care of Chesapeake Bank & Trust Company, 245 High St., Chestertown, MD 21620.

Kent Goes Purple 5K Color Fun Run/Walk This Saturday

August 21, 2019 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Everyone get ready for colorful fun on Saturday morning, August 24, for the Kent Goes Purple 5K Color Fun Run/Walk, which begins and ends in Wilmer Park on the banks on the Chester River. Unlike an obstacle race or even a typical 5K race, the 5K Color Fun Run/Walk will be about bringing together our youth and community at large to “Go Purple” and take a stand against substance abuse in a super fun way while getting doused in a vibrant array of colors as you make your way from the start to the finish. Music to be provided compliments of DJ Brian Jones.

Register online. The pre-Race Day registration fee is $35 for those 18 and older and $20 for those under 18. Online registration will close on Friday, August 23. On-site registration will still be available on Saturday morning, August 24, at Wilmer Park from 7:30 to 8:25 a.m., although the price for all on-site registrations will be increased to $40. Complete color run packets to be limited to the first 250 registrants.

Race Day Registration/Check in begins at 7:30 a.m. at Wilmer Park. Participants will pick up their color run packets at that time, which will include a t-shirt. Parking is available in the Stepne Station parking lot across the street from Wilmer Park. Start time is 8:30 a.m. The course
proceeds southeast along Quaker Neck Road and then heads northwest up John Hanson Road, which involves a challenging hill and a few curves amongst views of the bucolic Kent County countryside. At the halfway mark the run reverses course and heads back to the finish line in Wilmer Park.

A water station will be available mid-way through the course, but participants are encouraged to bring additional food/beverages. Questions about the 5K Color Fun Run/Walk or Kent GoesPurple should be directed at kentgoespurple@gmail.com.

Legacy Day in Pictures

August 20, 2019 by Jane Jewell Leave a Comment

Honorees and guests at the reception on Friday evening. From left, Mary Grinell, Bill Leary, Rev. Bobby Brown, Airlee Johnson, George Shivers (in back), Rev. Mae Etta Moore, Jeanette Sherbondy (in back), Amanda Tuttle Smith, Joyce Moody, Joan Groce, and Mary Fisher. — Photo by Jane Jewell

The 6th annual Legacy Day was held in Chestertown on Saturday, Aug. 17. This year’s theme was the Historic African-American Churches of Kent County. A reception was held on Friday in the Historical Society’s Bordley Center to honor the churches and the various volunteers. The Bordley exhibit, summarizing the history of Kent County’s black churches, will be open through the end of August.

Harriett Tubman as portrayed by Janet Johnson. — Photo by Jane Jewell

During the reception, there was a surprise visit from Harriet Tubman (as portrayed by Janet Johnson) who spoke about her role in liberating enslaved people on the Underground Railroad on the Eastern Shore of Maryland the 1850s before the American Civil War.

The weather on Saturday–though hot–was good. There had been a worrying forecast for occasional showers and then a few drops did begin to fall just around five but it stopped as suddenly as it began, as if in respect for Legacy Day. So the parade started right on time. First came the cars and motorcycles. The Grand Marshals, Rev. Bobby Brown and Rev. Mae Etta Moore, arrived in a beautiful classic car.

The cars and trucks were spectacular. They ranged from newer sports cars — many convertibles with the roofs down –to classic cars including a model T, a 1936 vintage, and one of the highly-prized 1956 Chevy Belaires. There were also many motorcycles and trucks. After the parade, all the cars were parked together on display for most of the evening on Park Row and spring St. near the Post Office.

Following the parade, there was a street party with music by Quiet Fire and DJ Lonnie Butcher, with dancing until 10 p.m. This year’s festival featured the return of the dance contest, a popular feature the first year of Legacy Day. The Dance contest was divided into 3 age divisions: under 9, 9 to 16, and adults. Adults had the opportunity to compete either as solo dancers or as couples.

Yvette Hynson, MC for the Legacy Day parade and street festival. — Photo by Peter Heck

L-R Grand Marshalls for the 2019 Legacy day, Rev. Bobby Brown & Rev. Mae Etta Moore, watch the parade with Legacy Day chair Airlee Johnson who is wearing her neon yellow-green Legacy Day T-shirt — Photo by Peter Heck