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June 22, 2025

Chestertown Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown

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Archives Spy Chats

Does the Constitution Still Serve Us?: A Talk With Prof. Rich De Prospo

June 19, 2025 by James Dissette 2 Comments

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In a moment when democratic institutions are under renewed scrutiny, Rich De Prospo offers an intense critique of America’s foundational narratives in his latest book, Exceptionally Backward: Economic, Racial, Gender, and Generational Inequality in a Neo-Colonial U.S.

De Prospo is Director of American Studies; Ernest A. Howard Professor of English and American Studies at Washington College. During his tenure there, he has written more than six books often challenging the standard academic “take” on the roots and ascension of American literary history, and now offers an interpretation of the founding documents as what WVU Professor of Literature Timothy. Sweet calls “an anticipatory reaction against Europe’s emergent humanist modernity

De Prospo says the project began in the early days of COVID lockdowns, during a chance sidewalk conversation in Pennsylvania. There, a colleague mentioned an obscure Soviet-era book titled Marx and Engels on the United States, a compilation of 19th-century commentary on American inequality. Intrigued, De Prospo returned to Marx’s observations and found unsettling continuity between the past and present.

What followed was a sustained inquiry into the ideological framework of the U.S. Constitution, which De Prospo argues was never meant to promote equality or popular sovereignty. Instead, it was meticulously designed to entrench elite control.

“The so-called Revolution of 1776 had no intention whatsoever of altering inequality,” he asserts. “What the Constitution protected wasn’t liberty—it was elite rule.”

Throughout the book, and in his interview with The Spy, De Prospo confronts a number of cherished civic beliefs. He draws on the writings of Jefferson and Hamilton, the Federalist Papers, and recent scholarship by legal experts like Erwin Chemerinsky and political scientists like Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky. His conclusion: systemic inequality in the United States is not a deviation from its founding ideals—but rather their logical outcome.

This interview explores the persistence of Founding Father mythologies across political lines, the illusion of American “moderation,” and the cultural tug-of-war over who gets to define democracy. As De Prospo puts it, “This is not merely about originalism. It’s about whether a document built to preserve elite power can survive the demands of a democratic society.”

This video is approximately fourteen minutes in length. Exceptionally Backward: Economic, Racial, Gender, and Generational Inequality in a Neo-Colonial US can be be found on Amazon.

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

Filed Under: Archives, Spy Chats

Black Countryside Communities With Darius Johnson June 21

June 16, 2025 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

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On Saturday, June 21 at 1 p.m., at the Harwood Nature Center at Lawrence Wetlands Preserve, Darius Johnson will present “We’re Still Here,” a talk on the history of Black countryside communities in Kent County.

Darius Johnson is a historian and preservation scholar with Chesapeake Heartland, as well as a committed community advocate. His original research brings long-overdue scholarly attention to the rural Black communities of Still Pond, Coleman, Big Woods, and Butlertown—histories that have long been marginalized in favor of a predominantly Chestertown-focused narrative.

The project became deeply personal for Johnson. Raised in Big Woods, with family roots in Still Pond and Butlertown, he began tracing his genealogy and made a startling discovery: he is a direct descendant of James Butler, a free Black man who owned land in 1820, during a time when many like him were still considered property.

“Facts and figures related to African American history in Kent County have been increasingly documented and celebrated in recent decades, yet a deep and often complicated gap remains in sharing many of the stories of success, empowerment, and lived experience that give meaning to the data. We’re Still Here aims to take a step toward bridging that gap, write Maria Wood, Executive Director of the Historical Society of Kent County.

What began as a personal journey has evolved into a county-wide archival effort. With the help of cousins and neighbors, Johnson is collecting and digitizing family records, rare photographs, manumission papers, and newspaper clippings—some dating back before 1900. The result is a growing digital archive of stories that document resilience, kinship, education, and land ownership in Kent County’s Black countryside.

In collaboration with the Historical Society of Kent County, Johnson’s presentation will guide attendees through generations of Black life rooted in land, freedom, and family—stories that have too often remained in the shadows.

Johnson also called attention to the upcoming Legacy Day , August 15-17, 2025. celebrates the rich cultural heritage of African Americans in Kent County. It is an opportunity for all residents to have a great time recognizing their shared history. Legacy Day is offered free of charge to the community – thanks to the generous support of individuals, organizations, and businesses. Catch up with the virtual celebration at: https://sumnerhall.org

We’re Still Here is free and open to the public. Reservations are encouraged.

Please note: there is no parking at the preserve. Visitors are asked to use the town lots on the 300 block of Cannon Street. Those with limited mobility may call (410) 778-3499 in advance.

For additional information, contact the Historical Society at (410) 778-3499 or [email protected].

 

 

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

Filed Under: Archives, Spy Chats

A new president and immigration policies changes: A chat with ChesMRC’s Matthew Peters

January 31, 2025 by Dave Wheelan 1 Comment

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As the new Trump Administration begins to roll out its approach to border control and immigration policies, one group on the Mid-Shore is watching closely what those new initiatives might mean to the unique communities they serve is the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center based in Easton.

For over 12 years, the organization has been helping immigrants and multicultural communities on the Delmarva by providing legal assistance, education programs, job support, health services, language classes, and community integration resources.

Given that background, the Spy asked its director, Matthew Peters, to come by our Zoom studio for a conversation about what this might mean for the Mid-Shore’s increasingly diverse communities and share some of the organization’s highlights in 2024.

This video is approximately ten minutes in length. For more information about ChesMRC please go here .

 

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

Filed Under: 2 News Homepage, Spy Chats

Profiles in Spirtuality: A Chat with The Easton Group’s Stephanie Saunders

January 27, 2025 by Dave Wheelan 1 Comment

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If somone had to guess where one of the Mid-Shore’s top financial services executives goes on vacation, there is a good chance they would be wrong regarding Stephanie Saunders. While her peers might head off to trips in the Bahamas and tours of Europe, Stephanie has chosen the likes of Pakistan and the Philippine Islands when she takes a break from being a senior vice president at The Easton Group, a local affiliate with Morgan Stanley in Easton.

From her early days as a teller at St. Michaels Bank to now managing one of the largest investment portfolios on the Shore, Stephanie sees this remarkable professional growth as just another example of her lifelong relationship with her God. Part of that relationship is using her faith to use her vacation time to work with community organizations in some of the most economically challenging countries in the world.

The Spy asked Stephanie to come by the Spy Studio a few weeks ago to talk about her faith and how those “holidays” have become some of her life’s most spiritually rewarding experiences.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length.

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

Filed Under: 1 Homepage Slider, Spy Chats

Mid-Shore Profiles: A chat with Andy Hollis on future of Delmarva Community Services

January 20, 2025 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

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One of the most notable nonprofit leadership appointments made on the Mid-Shore in 2024 was the Delmarva Community Center’s (DCC) board of directors announcement that Talbot County’s Andy Hollis would be their next president and CEO.

DCC is one of those organizations that might not have the greatest name recognition in the region, even after 50 years of its founding, but most residents, no matter where they live, are instantly aware of their importance when told that the organization provides the Mid-Shore with the vitally important public transportation system in Kent, Caroline, Talbot, and Dorchester County.

And in Cambridge and Dorchester County, the impact of the DCC is even more significant. They offer housing support, senior and adult day care, meal delivery, and regular social activities designed to enhance the quality of life for older adults.  DCC also provides comprehensive programs to support children with After-school programs, tutoring, and much-needed recreational activities and nutrition programs.

In short, this is a $20 million business with nearly 300 employees, which might be one reason the DCC recruited Andy Hollis as their leader. After decades of running large organizations and being the county manager of Talbot County, Hollis has a unique skill of management and strategy that has consistently made these large organizations work and work well.

Given the scope of the DCC’s mission on the Mid-Shore, we asked Andy to stop by the Spy studio to talk about his new assignment and some of the goals that he and his board hope to have success with over the next five years.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length. For more information about Delmarva Community Services please go here. 

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

Filed Under: 1 Homepage Slider, Spy Chats

Publisher Notes: Reader survey results on how to better spy in 2025 and holiday best wishes

December 24, 2024 by Spy Desk 2 Comments

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As we approach the close of 2024, we extend our warmest holiday greetings to you!

To allow our hardworking Spy team some well-deserved rest after an eventful year, The Spy will operate on limited coverage from December 24 through January 5. We look forward to returning refreshed and ready to serve you in 2025.

The Spy community is nothing short of extraordinary in a time when local news is facing significant challenges nationwide. In a region with a population of fewer than 250,000 across four counties, our network of Spy newspapers attracts an incredible 1 million unique visitors annually.

This remarkable engagement reflects not only the uniqueness of The Spy but also the vibrant, engaged communities in Chestertown, Centreville, Talbot County, and Cambridge. To all of you—our readers, supporters, and contributors—the editors, writers, and volunteers are deeply grateful for your unwavering support.

Last week, we invited you to share your thoughts on The Spy’s content and how we can continue to improve. Today, I’m excited to share some key takeaways from your invaluable feedback.

First, thank you to the hundreds of readers who took the time to participate in our survey. Your insights were thoughtful and constructive, and we are actively considering them as we plan for 2025. A more detailed update will follow in January.

One theme that stood out in the feedback is your high regard for our coverage of local stories and developments. Many of you expressed a desire for more consistent reporting on local government activities, and we’re eager to explore creative ways to meet this need.

Another area of focus was political balance. Several readers highlighted the absence of socially conservative, pro-Trump perspectives among our local columnists, op-eds, and letters to the editor. As publishers, we recognize this gap and assure you that we’ve made efforts to recruit conservative voices. However, the current political climate has made it challenging for many of these individuals to participate publicly.

With the recent election of a new President and the resulting shift from campaign politics to governance, we hope this will encourage more diverse viewpoints to join the conversation.

On a related note, we were pleased to see that most readers understand and support The Spy’s nonprofit mission. While opinions varied on the best ways to secure funding, there was broad acknowledgment that financial support is essential. We’re committed to finding thoughtful and minimally intrusive ways to raise the modest funds necessary to sustain our work.

Thank you again for being such an integral part of The Spy community. Here’s to an exciting 2025 filled with fresh ideas, meaningful stories, and continued collaboration.

In the meantime, we have set up a special end-of-year donation page, which can be found here.

Happy Holidays!

Jim Dissette

Publisher and Editor

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

Filed Under: Archives, Spy Chats

Frankie Girl comes back to Chestertown: A chat with author Kae Wagner

December 19, 2024 by James Dissette Leave a Comment

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With two years and four popular books under her belt, author Kae Wagner returned to her childhood stomping grounds last week to talk about her novels set in Kent County and how The Frankie Girl Series has been on her mind for decades, even as she made her way professionally as an executive coach and business and leadership writer.

Wagner says that her return visit sparked memories of her childhood on the family farm near Kennedyville and revealed that the landscape in her first novel, Saturday Night at the Trailer Park, is replete with identifiable locations even though their descriptions might be slightly camouflaged.

In fact, the trailer park in the novel was a stop on her father’s church bus route, and her lingering curiosity about the park and the challenges its low-income families endured became a central motif for Wagner’s character exploration.

Sixteen-year-old Frankie Taylor, born into family turmoil, financial hardship, and carrying the dark luggage of a family secret, becomes a protagonist whose arc to adulthood is quickly becoming a cult hero.

Twin themes of redemption and forgiveness have captivated readers responding on Amazon and Goodreads, with some reaching out to her personally about their own struggles.

In a recent podcast interview, Wagner said, “I did not expect the amount of feedback that I get from fiction, I think, because there’s this theme of forgiveness and redemption, and it touches people. People have called me, texted me, written to me… I love the impact it has on them.”

And Wagner is not shy about marketing her books. Her years as a business writer and marketing consultant shaped her sense of being direct about “getting her books out there,” an especially daunting task in a world of self-publishing, where so many books are placed on Amazon and forgotten or never found.

As for Frankie Girl, her forthcoming book, billed as the last in the Saturday quintet, will not be the last we read of Frankie.

The Bookplate bookstore is in the process of bringing Kae Wagner back to town for a reading. More will be revealed.

To find out more about Kae Wagner and her books, go here.

This video is approximately eight minutes in length.

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

Filed Under: 1 Homepage Slider, Archives, Spy Chats

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

December 3, 2024 by The Spy Leave a Comment

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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

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

Filed Under: Spy Chats, Spy Highlights

The Magic of Celtic Music: A Chat with Harp and Soul’s Meredith Davies Hadaway

December 2, 2024 by Spy Staff Leave a Comment

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Each year, December is a busy time for the Mid-Shore-based Celtic band Harp and Soul. For more than a decade, it has played to sellout crowds at the Mainstay in Rock Hall, and now they have added a special appearance on Wednesday night at the Stolz Room for the third and last of the Spy Nights series in Easton with their special brand of soulful and timeless melodies.

Since this is the first appearance in Talbot County for Harp and Soul, we asked group member and harp player Meredith Davies Hadaway to give us a sneak preview of their performance and a short introduction to the Celetic tradition in music and why audiences have craved it for centuries.

This video is approximately two minutes in length. For tickets, please go here.

The Mainstay

$20
Sunday 12/8
4:00 pm

(410) 639-9133

[email protected]

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

Filed Under: 1A Arts Lead, Spy Chats

Spy Exit Interview: Betty Huang and the Working Artists Forum

July 29, 2024 by Dave Wheelan Leave a Comment

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For the record, artist, and Easton gallery owner, Betty Huang is not giving up on her art or Studio B on Goldsbrough Street, but she’s actually retiring from being the president and board member of the Working Artists Forum after 12 years of leading this Mid-Shore arts organization. Given this remarkable tenure, the Spy thought it appropriate to ask Betty to participate in our ongoing chats with community leaders in all fields about their contributions and impressions about the organizations they have served and their future.

With an active membership that has grown from 30 artists to now over 100, there is good reason to celebrate WAF’s unique success. A grass-roots group with no paid staff, Working Artists Forum has a mission to support local artists and showcase their work in statewide exhibitions, as well as provide workshops and educational programs for those artists to develop their skills and advance their careers. Under Betty’s leadership and her supportive volunteers and board members, WAF has increasingly used art as a way to raise funds to support art programs in Mid-Shore public schools and, more recently, using WAF art shows to raise money for breast cancer research and patient care.

Betty stopped by the Spy Studio a few weeks ago to reflect on the growth of the organization and how it has helped her personally with her art, a passion she finally was able to return to after a successful professional career with the International Monetary Fund.  She also talks about her arrival in Easton in 2006 and her immediate love affair with the Eastern Shore.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length. For more information about the Working Artists Forum please go here.

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

Filed Under: 1 Homepage Slider, Spy Chats

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