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April 10, 2021

The Chestertown Spy

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News News Homepage News News Portal Lead

Ajax Court Proposal Due for a Rebound?

April 8, 2021 by James Dissette Leave a Comment

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The Chestertown Recreation Committee pitched a revised Ajax basketball court proposal to the Town Council during Tuesday night’s rescheduled meeting. CRC member Frank Rhodes offered a Powerpoint narrative of the CRC’s enhancements.

Tuesday’s meeting brought in dozens of town residents expressing the pros and cons of upgrading the half-court by adding a second hoop and 20’ of additional asphalt.

Many of the community discussions have been guided by several misunderstandings: one, that the CRC would be transforming the site into a full-sized court; and that the court overhaul would supplant the children’s playground. Rhodes sought to clarify these issues. 

Instead, a new children’s play space, proposed and approved by the Town Council, would be moved to Wilmer Park once funding is completed; and the court dimensions are smaller than full-size adult court.

Acting Mayor Rev. Ellsworth Tolliver opened the meeting to public comment giving equal time for those in favor and those against the proposal to improve Ajax. 

The Council will make a decision during the first town council meeting in May.

Due to the length of the meeting and internet connectivity issues, the video clip is a snapshot of the many who called in or texted their support or disfavor of a renovated Ajax. Those in favor believe that an improved youth activity area is good for downtown and is invitational and a welcoming atmosphere to cultivate racial equity and enhance recreational opportunities for visitors.

Non-supporter issues ranged from keeping the court as-is but renovated; noise issues impacting local businesses; An overabundance of basketball courts; and that the plan represented a misuse of property in a commercial area.

To weigh the full spectrum of participants’ considerations, the Spy recommends viewing the full discussion when it appears on the town government YouTube channel here.  

Referencing off the graphic below, Rhodes read a prepared statement attached here:

“The presentation is for a Youth size Basketball court, which is 74’X 42’. Our proposed court will reside inside the easement, or 74’ X 35’, making it close to the original court size but smaller than a youth size. The original Ajax court was on a pad approximately 100’ X 36’

We believe this is an historic site because erected in 1978 this dual basket court provided an outlet for hundreds of parents who today have children of their own. There are other pocket courts today in Chestertown, but besides the historic significance, being close to downtown, next to the Gilchrest walking trail and restored environment, this is a safe space for youth to play hoops. This proposed court expansion is approximately 50 feet from the original and will be located on town owned property. The railroad station is also not in its original location, being moved closer to the basketball park to make way for the Cross street curve upon restoration of that area. The parking lot leading up to Ajax Pocket Park that serves the town is currently owned by the Barry family, who have sent a letter of approval, with a quote “ we view this project as an opportunity for more kids to participate in this healthy sport in a safe manner. This will make our wonderful town an even better place for all” Full letter was submitted to the M&C. The town does have a 15’ easement leading to the maintenance yard on this property. Also submitted to the M&C is a note from Mr. Robbie Gill, CEO YMCA Chesapeake region that says “ Hey Frank, thanks for the email. Sure thing sharing I’ve seen the site and it is a good outlet”. A letter sent to the town council by Robert Ortiz “ I am writing you wearing two hats at least. One as a citizen who lives in Chestertown and also as one of the few minority owned business owners who has a store in Downtown Chestertown across the street from the Ajax court location. I believe that the rail/trail section of Chestertown is actually the most diverse and integrated part of Chestertown. I regularly see children, adults, retired persons, working people, and persons of African American, Latin American and European American ancestry using this area. Anything our town council can do to enhance this area should be encouraged. The proposed improvements recommended by the Recreation Committee should be implemented”. There have been many more letters of support sent to the M&C.

We plan to fundraise locally through businesses and citizens. Minary’s Dream Alliance or MDA, a 501-3C will be the sponsoring organization collecting donations, approval letter sent to the M&C. We also plan to work directly through the town for implementation after approval. 

Costs:

1) New macadam, $4800

2) Install new heavy-duty gooseneck poles , $3800

3) New extra strength poles, backboards and baskets $4800

4) New benches $2000

5) Unexpected costs $2000

6) Paint town seal at center court, local artist

7) Painting the court lines has been donated

Total approximate costs, $17,400

We plan to seek private donations. Basketball youth will help in fundraising with receipts for all funders. We already have people who want to help fund this project today. Back in 1978, the phone company and Delmarva power agreed to help with install of the posts. Maybe that might be a funding possibility we could pursue. One person donated funds for a gooseneck pole back in 1978. We would like this project to be a community effort. With the possibility of the Wilmer grant, the new marina and this court the town will start a path to attract more youth and younger families. Inclusivity for all!

The Ajax committee will maintain the court. Will the town maintain the lawn, and provide suggestions for moving the existing toddler playground to the side of the trail as proposed in our plan. We will raise the necessary funds for this project before implementation. Also, we would like to start the project with or without grant funding for Wilmer Park. The existing swing set and toddler playground will remain. We have submitted 309 signed names of approval to the M&C.”

 

 

Filed Under: News Homepage, News Portal Lead

Facing the Past: James Taylor Justice Coalition Makes their Case to Town Council

February 17, 2021 by James Dissette Leave a Comment

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One of the most sensitive issues of America’s past is the more than 4,000 terror lynchings that ended Black lives between 1887 and 1950.

In 1892 one lynching took place a few yards from the Kent County Courthouse on Cross Street: James Taylor. Like all victims of lynching, Taylor did not receive his day in court.

During Tuesday night town council meeting, Larry Wilson and Phil Dutton, co-chairs of the James Taylor Justice Coalition of Sumner Hall presented a slide show of the group’s plans to memorialize the dark chapter in Kent County’s history.

“We believe that acknowledging the unvarnished truth about the legacy of slavery is fundamental to unifying our community in peace and harmony, enabling us to work together to address the ongoing challenge of present-day racism,” Wilson recited from the Coalition’s mission statement.

Dutton explained that The James Taylor Coalition is partnered with the Community Remembrance Project of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama.

EJI, a prominent prison reform and racial justice organization, works in tandem with communities to “memorialize documented victims of racial violence and foster meaningful dialogue about race and justice.”

To that end, EJI created The Community Soil Collection Project, wherein soil from the sites of documented lynchings is sent to Montgomery and displayed in marked jars in their museum. Soil from the Chestertown site will find a place there.

Dutton sees the James Taylor Justice Coalition as a pathway for the community to process its racist past and, through education, help the community evolve into a better understanding of racial injustice and the steps needed to rise above it.

For more information about the James Taylor Justice Coalition, go here. For the Equal Justice Initiative, go here.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length. For more information about

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: News Homepage, News Portal Lead

Cohort Outbreak Reported on Campus; Students Affected Placed Under Mandatory Quarantine

February 16, 2021 by Washington College News Service Leave a Comment

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From the Washington College News Service:

Be advised that due to a COVID cohort outbreak within one residence hall, this location only has been re-classified to the campus RED Alert level and all students living in this particular hall are under mandatory quarantine. This decision was made in partnership with the Kent County Health Department leadership, and following guidance issued by the CDC and the State of Maryland. This quarantine went into effect on 8 PM on Feb. 12, and is expected to last up to 14 days.

A cohort outbreak is defined as 5 more related COVID cases within a 14-day time period. In the last several days, there have been a total of 11 positive COVID cases, all linked to this one specific residence hall. There has been no further spread.

Because this cohort outbreak is confined to a specific residence hall, Washington College is still operating at a Yellow Alert Level overall.

The mandatory quarantine has been enforced in order to stop the spread of the virus throughout the rest of the Hall and prevent further spread on campus. While all students who have tested positive were quickly moved into the designated Isolation housing per the established protocols, the remaining residents were potentially exposed to the virus prior to the positive test, due to the congregate setting.

Students were given the option to return to their primary residence for the quarantine period, or remain in place in the residence hall.  Any student who opted to leave campus was required to complete paperwork that provides details on where they will be for their quarantine and acknowledges that the family members in the residence are aware of and accept the risks associated with having contact.

Any student departing campus is required to quarantine for a full 14 days, and must provide a negative COVID test result from within 72 hours of their return date.

Students who complete this quarantine on campus are to remain in their suite. Meals, mail, library materials and other necessities will be delivered. Students are able to sign up for daily outdoor exercise time, which will be done under the supervision of College staff.

All students who remain on campus for this quarantine will be tested on Tuesday 2/16 and again on Friday 2/19. Health Services staff will administer and supervise each test. Students who quarantine on campus may be able to clear quarantine sooner than Feb. 25, with a second negative test.

Filed Under: Health Portal Highlights, News Homepage, News Portal Lead

WC Students Returning Under Strict Guidelines

January 22, 2021 by James Dissette Leave a Comment

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Vice President and Dean of Students Sarah Feyerherm attended Monday’s Town Council meeting to update the Council on Washington College’s plans for student attendance during the continuing pandemic.

Students began returning to the campus on Tuesday 19th. Feyerherm told the Council, with 400 students planning to be on campus, 238 off-campus, and 400 staying at home. The return will be staggered over two weeks.

With traditional classrooms closed, all students will attend classes online. Currently, the campus is closed except for deliveries.

Feyerherm states that strict guidelines are in place to prevent large student gatherings both on campus and off-campus. Aside from using the dining hall and exercise outside, campus activities will be limited.

As students return to campus, they will be tested for virus infection. Testing will be ongoing, with each student being tested every two weeks with 24-48 hour lab results from the University of Maryland. The students are expected to quarantine between initial tests.

If an on-campus student tests positive, quarantine and isolation places are available. Off-campus students will be allowed to quarantine at their residence. Weekly testing results will be posted on their website.

A re-evaluation of the safeguards will be made in late March.

Ward 4 Council Person Meghan Efland asked about concerns the town might have with off-campus housing and how to address them. Feherherm told the Council that any observed behavior concerns should be reported to the town police or directly to her office.

Mayor Cerino said he would be remiss if he did not air his concern, adding “this is definitely a conundrum for the mayor and council because we obviously want the College to succeed because it is a huge engine for Chestertown educationally, economically and culturally,” but that if guidelines are not met, non-symptomatic students with the virus could unintentionally endanger the more vulnerable in the community.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. More about Washington College may be found here.

Filed Under: Health Portal Highlights, News Homepage, News Portal Lead

Kent County Vaccine Roll-Out: A Chat with Health Officer Bill Webb

January 13, 2021 by James Dissette 11 Comments

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As the national and Maryland Covid-19 positivity rates spike, the need for clear instructions about how, when and where to get the vaccine is front and center in our lives.

The Spy interviewed Kent County Health Officer Bill Webb to discuss the Maryland vaccination plan and how it is being implemented in Kent County.

Maryland will distribute the vaccines to five different priority groups based on relative risk of exposure or developing serious illness.Vaccinations will be given at the Kent County Health Department in Chestertown.

Currently, Kent County is in part 1A of the three-part plan. 1A is the vaccination of frontline hospital staff health care workers, nursing home residents and staff, law enforcement and firefighters, EMS, all licensed, registered, and certified health care provider, correctional health care staff and officers. 1A is by invitation, and the injections are administered at the Kent County Health Department in Chestertown.

As the roll-out continues, an online application process will be required. For those without internet services or who have difficulty with the application, a network of volunteers is standing by.

Despite a recent Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommendation that anyone above the age of 65 get the vaccine, Maryland Governor Hogan said yesterday that the State would continue its original immunization plan.  

The most accurate way to find out when you may get the two-shot vaccine is to go to the Maryland Covid Link here.

The Kent County Health Department at 125 South Lynchburg Street in Chestertown may be reached at 410-778-1350

This video is approximately seven minutes in length.

 

Filed Under: Health Portal Highlights, News Homepage, News Portal Lead

Mid-Shore COVID Vaccine Rollout: A Chat with Shore Health’s Lead Pharmacist Kevin Chapple

December 17, 2020 by Dave Wheelan 3 Comments

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Perhaps never before has the tagline of “make sure to ask your pharmacist” been more relevant to our community than after hearing the news that a coronavirus vaccine shipment had arrived on the Eastern Shore on Tuesday. And in the case of Mid-Shore, the pharmacist to ask is Kevin Chapple, who is the Regional Shore Health’s director Of pharmacy for the system’s five coverage.

In our Zoom chat from yesterday, Kevin and the Spy talk about the rollout plans for the vaccine at their Chestertown, Easton, and Cambridge hubs over the next year. We also talk about who should take medication and the health system’s capacity to manage this historic campaign to protect the region from the worldwide pandemic.

This video is approximately ten minutes in length. For more information about Shore Regional Health and COVID please go here
.

Filed Under: News Homepage, News Portal Highlights, News Portal Lead

Frontline Health Care Workers Get First Round of COVID-19 Vaccines

December 16, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

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Fifteen University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) frontline health care workers from throughout the hospital system’s five-county region were vaccinated today with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Those vaccinated included employees from emergency departments throughout the Shore, COVID units and infectious disease departments, as well as respiratory therapists, nursing staff, environmental services team members and security personnel.

University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) and University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM) began vaccinating its frontline health care workers on Monday. The vaccine is being administered in a tiered system that prioritizes frontline team members involved in patient care.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was the first vaccine granted emergency authorization in the United States on December 11, nine months into the COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 300,000 Americans.

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health were the first in the U.S. to test the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, studying its safety, efficacy and dosing, and hosted clinical trials. Vaccine experts from around the world have determined that the new vaccine is safe and effective.

UMMS received an initial shipment of 975 vaccine doses and has fairly allocated doses across its 13-hospital System, with additional vaccine delivery expected later this week. UM SRH intends to administer of its allocations of the COVID-19 vaccine to team members this week.

Vaccines are being distributed according to the Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine — developed by the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) — as well as ACIP’s Ethical Principles for Allocating Initial Supplies of COVID-19 Vaccine. These guidelines ensure the vaccine is allocated ethically across our populations of health care professionals, including students, faculty and other essential workers, while still in limited supply.

“For many months, we have been looking forward to the day when vaccines would be available to protect our health care workers and very soon for the community at large,” said Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, president and CEO of the University of Maryland Medical System. “As we begin vaccinations, and finally begin the process of ending this pandemic, I’m thankful to our UMMS and UM School of Medicine colleagues who have been working tirelessly to care for our community and lead in the development of innovative treatments and vaccines.”

Ken Kozel, president and CEO, UM SRH, said he is proud of the way the UM SRH team has tackled the continually evolving challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During these past nine months, and well before that, the dedication, perseverance and skill of our Shore Regional Health family has always been incredible to witness,” Kozel said. “This vaccine is the hope we have all been waiting for — not just for our frontline health care workers, but also our communities. The recent authorization of this safe and effective vaccine paves the way for our System to begin vaccinating our frontline staff. We are proud to be among the first in the country to receive this life-saving vaccine so we can continue to care for the communities we love and who trust us to provide exceptional care.”

William Huffner, MD, chief medical officer and COVID-19 incident commander for UM SRH, said he is proud of the UM SRH team effort in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and looks forward to turning the page on this moment in our nation’s history as more people are able to be vaccinated in the coming days and months ahead.

“This vaccine is a critical part of our ability to successfully combat this highly infectious disease,” Dr. Huffner said. “We have been looking forward to this day for months. Protecting our communities is what we do. Now, with the vaccine, we can ensure we are further protecting our frontline teams’ ability to do just that.”

The first UM SRH team member to receive the vaccine was Rosa Mateo, MD, an infectious disease specialist with UM SRH. Dr. Mateo oversees the COVID care units at UM Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown, Dorchester and Easton. Dr. Mateo believes in the science behind the vaccine.

“I have been fighting COVID-19 for more than nine months now and I’ve been waiting for this day since the pandemic started,” Dr. Mateo said. “We finally have the tool we’ve been waiting for to finish the fight against COVID-19. I’m excited to be the first team member to receive the vaccine. I did this not only for myself, but for my family, my co-workers and all the patients that may need to visit us from our communities. This vaccine will help us get back to our normal lives, before the pandemic started.” 

UM SRH looks forward to being able to vaccinate employees across its five-county region in the days and weeks ahead, as more vaccine supply becomes available. For the latest information and updates on UM SRH COVID-19 response efforts, visit umshoreregional.org/coronavirus.

Filed Under: News Homepage, News Portal Highlights, News Portal Lead Tagged With: coronavirus, covid, frontline, health care workers, Shore Regional Health, umms, vaccine

Human Rights Commission Ordinance Moves to Committee

November 3, 2020 by James Dissette 4 Comments

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An ordinance bill to establish a Human Rights Commission was on its way to passage during Monday night’s Town Council meeting—until it wasn’t.

The ordinance will now go to a committee of council members to resolve textual inconsistencies between the Resolution Against Racism and the Ordinance Establishing a Human Rights Commission.

The Resolution Against Racism was revised before its passage on September 7 to extract the sentence “The Human Rights Commission will be empowered to investigate and resolve allegations of discrimination in employment, housing, by town agencies and by businesses.” It was removed to clarify that the Commission was not designed to function as an investigative or punitive mechanism.

However, Ward 2 Councilman Tom Herz pointed out that the same text appears in the language of the current ordinance and needed to be removed to be in concert with the final resolution’s language.

Merz also wants the Council to consider widening protections against discrimination of all kinds. While fighting systemic racism was fundamental to writing anti-discrimination policy, Herz said that he wanted the ordinance to be more inclusive and consider adding “age, race, religion, color, sex, ancestry, country of origin, marital status, disability, and sexual orientation” to the list of protected right.

Additionally, Herz offered a motion to amend Ordinance 02020 in committee and resubmit it to the Council for passage. Mayor Cerino seconded the motion to move the ordinance into committee to address changes, additions and edits to the text.

That meeting, open to the public, will be held on Monday November 9 from 7pm-9pm.

Commenting to the Spy today, Herz said that the Council needed to be sensitive to getting the ordinance right.

This video is approximately nine minutes in length. 

Filed Under: News Homepage, News Portal Lead

COVID-19 on the Shore after Eight Months with Dr. William Huffner

October 27, 2020 by Dave Wheelan Leave a Comment

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The last time the Spy sat down with Dr. William Huffner, UM Shore Regional Health’s chief medical officer, was March 13 of this year. While the country was waking up to the severe threat of COVID-19, it was also before Governor Larry Hogan would issue his “stay-at-home” order for the state of Maryland, and before any cases of coronavirus had been reported on the Mid-Shore.

Since that afternoon in mid-March, the Mid-Shore has had approximately 3,290 cases of COVID and 80 deaths related to the pandemic. It has been a trying time for Dr. Huffner and his colleagues, but as he notes in our most recent interview, he is incredibly proud of the way Shore Regional Health has been able to perform during the crisis. In particular, Huffner stresses that Shore was at a significant advantage, given its relationship with the University of Maryland Medical System with its network of specialists and access to equipment and personal protection.

And while Dr. Huffner has been pleased with his team’s response so far, he is the first to say that the Mid-Shore is not out of the woods. With the arrival of colder weather and evidence that points to a new surge in local cases, vigilance, including social distancing, mask-wearing, and hands-washing, are the essential tools to limit the community’s exposure over the next several months as the world waits for a vaccine in 2021.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. For more information about Shore Regional Health and COVID information please go here.

 

 

Filed Under: Health Homepage, Health Homepage Highlights, Health Portal Lead, News Homepage, News Portal Lead

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