MENU

Sections

More

September 27, 2025

Centreville Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Centreville

2 News Homepage News News Portal Highlights

Check in with Council President Ashley Kaiser: A Parting of the Ways with the Town Manager and Centreville Day

by Leave a Comment

With the unanimous support of her fellow council members, Ashley Kaiser took on her new role as president a few weeks ago. Since Ashley had served as vice president of the Council in her previous term, her adjustment to this new role hasn’t been particularly challenging. Nonetheless, nothing can be more difficult for any person in this position than to have an unanticipated vacancy in the town manager position. And that has turned out to be the case for President Kaiser as it was announced earlier this week that the current town manager, Charles “Chip” Koogle, and the Town Council had agreed to part ways.

In her first interview in her new role, Ashley talks about this current challenge and her and her colleagues. And on the lighter side, we also talk about the importance and fun expected on Centreville Day, planned for October 28th.

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

Doubling Down on Sustainability: A Chat with new Washington College Provost Kiho Kim

by Leave a Comment

Over the last decade or so, Washington College and hundreds of other institutions of higher learning have made it part of the mission to turn their campus into a sustainable one. While there could be some disagreement on what “sustainable” actually means, there is common agreement that 1.) it ultimately means a carbon-neutral physical plant and 2.) this is really hard for any school to pull off.

There has been some low-hanging fruit for some schools, such as the implementation of campus recycling and the construction of LEED-certified new buildings, but it remains very problematic to convert older dorms and classroom buildings, of which WC has many, into environmentally friendly structures. And that is just one on a long list of long-term challenges for a 238-year-old college to change gears.

And while many schools remain trapped in the gap between their aspirations (rhetoric) and deeds, Washington College made quite a statement in selecting the school’s new provost and dean, Dr. Kiho Kim, earlier this year.

Kim had gained significant recognition in the high-ed community for his leadership in turning American University in Washington, D.C., into a role model for its carbon-neutral campus. Taking over a decade of hard work by Kim and his colleagues, AU now sits in the top tier of university sustainability.

The fact that Washington College would seek out the skills of Dr. Kim and that Kim himself wanted the challenges for a smaller campus rather than a larger one may be a matter of fate, but it nonetheless is an extraordinary example of how seriously WC is taking this critical transformation.

Perhaps even more aspirational for those cheering Washington College is Dr. Kim’s powerful journey. From moving from South Korea to Canada at the age of ten with no English skills to landing in the chief academic officer position in one of America’s oldest and smallest liberal arts colleges is a powerful tale of perseverance that will no doubt motivate countless undergraduates at the beginning of their own journey.

The Spy sat down with Kim in his office at Bunting Hall last month.

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.

The Road from Here: A Chat with Eastern Shore Land Conservancy President Steve Kline

by Leave a Comment

The one thing that Steve Kline knew for sure when he took over as president of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy in 2021 was that he had inherited a mature, highly respected organization with a reputation for being a vital partner in the communities it serves.

And with that as a starting point, Kline has taken the last two years to work with his board of directors and staff on a new road map for the 33-year-old conservation nonprofit land trust with a primary objective of doing “less better.”

And that meant ESLC doubling down on its traditional work of seeking permanent land protection easements in the six counties of the Mid-Shore.

With the increasingly significant risks of sea level rise, big building projects like bridges and problems with traffic, more power lines and inappropriate sites for renewable energy projects like solar energy, preserving land has once again become ESLC’s greatest priority, with remarkable success stories in protected hundreds of acres in Kent, Dorchester, and Caroline counties this summer. But ESLC is doing more than just protecting land. They’re also trying to help make smart plans for how the land is used and how towns grow.

Steve sat down with the Spy a few weeks ago to update the Mid-Shore community on ESLC’s road from here.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. For more information about the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy please go here. 

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

QAC Area Agency on Aging Presents”Embracing the Caregiver”

by Leave a Comment

The Queen Anne’s County Department of Community Services Area Agency on Aging is thrilled to present the 2023 Maryland Access Point Caregivers Conference: “Embracing the Caregiver.” This event is dedicated to providing valuable support and resources to seniors and caregivers, offering an engaging and informative platform for everyone involved.

The conference will take place on Friday, November 17, 2023, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Grasonville Senior Center, located at 4802 Main Street in Grasonville.

This conference aims to bring together seniors and caregivers for a day of inspiration, education, and enjoyment. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from guest speaker, Loretta Woodard Veny, the author of “Being My Mom’s Mom, A Journey Through Dementia from a Daughter’s Perspective” and “Refreshment for the Caregiver’s Spirit.” Veny’s insightful presentations promise to inspire and empower attendees.

Amie Denayer, Director of Quality and Compliance with Arcadia Living, will conduct Music Therapy sessions, providing a unique and therapeutic experience for participants. Additionally, the Grasonville Senior Center Manager, Ann Martin, will lead a popular “make a craft” session, adding a creative touch to the conference.

Cheryl D. Bush MS, RDN, LDN, the Family & Consumer Educator for the University of Maryland Extension Office, will showcase a “One Pot Healthy Meal” demonstration, emphasizing nutrition and wellness for caregivers and seniors.

The event will also feature various vendors, exciting giveaways, and door prizes.

While the event is free, registration is required due to limited space. RSVP by Friday, October 27, by calling (410) 758-1040.

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

More than a Name Change: Meredith Girard on Shore Legal Access

by Leave a Comment

For Meredith Girard, executive director of Shore Legal Access, formerly Mid-Shore Pro-Bono, the decision to change her organization’s name was a no-brainer. While Mid-Shore Pro-Bono accomplished much under that title in providing free legal services to the Eastern Shore, it wasn’t entirely clear to those who needed those services what that name meant or that the group covered the eight counties, some of whom were not located on the Mid-Shore.

Previously operating under a Mid-Shore Pro-Bono, Shore Legal Access embraced a new title and fresh branding, reflecting its widened scope and a renewed pledge to serving the eight counties of the Eastern Shore.

The Board of Directors, after adopting a strategic plan in January 2023, prioritized a renaming to mirror the organization’s entire geographical service area and encapsulate its mission and services more accurately.

Having gathered perceptions from partners, clients, and community leaders, the board quickly reached a consensus and selected the name, which outlines the expansive geography it serves and crisply defines its purpose and operations.

While their name and logo have changed, their mission to provide free and affordable legal representation to those who might otherwise be unable to access it has actually grown. Shore Legal Access supports individuals across various financial backgrounds with their civil legal issues, including family law, life planning documents, financial legal matters, criminal record expungement, and housing issues, facilitated by attorneys in every rent court across the Shore.

With Maryland’s legal landscape altering, especially with the legalization of cannabis and the impending changes in expungement rules, SLS is now prepared to assist individuals in navigating through these changes.

Their clinics, in Easton, and now Salisbury, offer access to volunteer attorneys who help with critical life-planning documents. Their network of volunteers, perhaps not widely known, delivers services valued at over two and a half million dollars annually, constituting 10,000 hours a year of free legal services.

The Spy asked Meredith to stop by the Spy Studio the other day to explain the name change and what it means for those in need of these essential services.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information about Shore Legal Access please go here.

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

Spy Booknotes: A Chat with Author Harvey Sloane

by Leave a Comment

There are only a few in a generation that, by luck or circumstance, are witnesses or actual actors in the significant events of history. But even more rare are those who experience them, decade after decade, throughout their lives. Harvey Sloane fits well in the latter camp.

From roots formed in Virginia, at St. Paul’s and Yale, and later in med school, Sloane moved to Kentucky in the early 1960s as a health provider in rural Appalachia. That first assignment also opened the door for the doctor to debate public policy and, eventually, two terms as mayor of Louisville when the city began desegregation. Over time, Harvey would be credited for his leadership during court-ordered busing, city worker labor strikes, and the creation the city’s mass transit system. He would later lose to Mitch McConnell by only four points for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat.

Perhaps others would have taken a bow after public office and an equally significant record as a Jefferson County judge, Sloane decided his next chapter would be, among other things, being the health commissioner for the District of Columbia and 12 years in Russia spearheading TB eradication efforts.

Given the richness of all these experiences, Harvey, who had never written a book before, set about to document those moments, which culminated in the publication of his memoir Riding the Rails this year.

With plans to have a book event this week in Easton, the Spy reached out to the author by Zoom to learn more about the book and this remarkable life.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. Riding the Rails is available here. To attend the book event please go here.

 

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

Boosting the Bay: Silver Swan Bayside Signs on for Oyster Partnership

by Leave a Comment

Astonishing views of the Chesapeake are part of the draw at Silver Swan Bayside, the popular special-event facility on Kent Island. The company is taking a step this fall to return the favor to Mother Nature, giving back to the Bay through an “Oyster Partnership” designed to help clean the Bay by boosting the population of one of  its signature creatures.

Silver Swan will celebrate the launch of this endeavor at its monthly open-to-the-public Supper Club event on Thursday, Oct. 19.

“The urge to try and help comes naturally here,” says David Andersen, Chief of Operations for Queen Anne Marina and Silver Swan Bayside. “It is hard from our waterfront location to overlook the treasure we have in the Bay, so it’s imperative that we do what we can to enhance the quality of the Bay and its ecosystem. “

Managed by the nonprofit Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Oyster Partnership gives individuals and businesses a chance to pitch in and boost the Bay’s health. Participating waterfront landowners sink cages full of baby oysters from their docks. They then care for those cages—by cleaning them and shaking out sediment regularly—while the oysters grow.

Silver Swan has committed to 50 cages on its docks, a number that Andersen says would rank as “one of the bigger installs” in the Bay-wide program.

After a period of roughly nine months, the oysters get big and strong enough to be planted on “sanctuary” reefs that are off limits to commercial harvesting. Along with many other shellfish, oysters possess a clean-water superpower. In the process of eating bits of floating algae and phytoplankton floating, they remove nutrients like nitrogen, a key ingredient in fertilizers. Excess nitrogen is bad news for water quality, but abundant oysters can help—scientists say  a single adult filters the nitrogen out of 50 gallons a day.

Healthy, unharvested oyster reefs also boost the blue crab population. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation cites one study finding that juvenile crabs growing up on healthy oyster reefs survive at rates three to four times higher compared with crabs on a sandy, oysterless bottom.

“The fact that this program cleans the water in the bay is a great enough reason to participate, but the positive effect it has on the crab fishery that our watermen depend on makes it a project we cannot turn away,” says Amanda Bramble, Director of Events and Sales at Silver Swan. 

In the days before the Supper Club event on Oct. 19, Silver Swan Bayside and Chesapeake Bay Foundation workers will sink those 50 cages. There will be some expert talk over that dinner about the Oyster Partnership, as well as an opportunity for landowners to sign up to participate next year if they want.

The five-course meal with wine and cocktail pairings will be prepared by Chesapeake Chef Service, a team of private chefs specializing in shore-to-table foods sourced from local waters and local farms. The October menu is still in the planning stages, but Bramble says diners can expect some delectable items that speak to healthy Bay living. 

“This dinner and the project it celebrates is just a natural step for Silver Swan Bayside,” Bramble says. “It’s a perfect fit with our mission of helping this community and its visitors to celebrate the milestones in their lives amid the awesome beauty and bounty of the Chesapeake.”

For reservations for October’s Supper Club, please email [email protected] or call them at 443.249.0400.

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

Let Us Now Praise Footner’s Rivers of the Eastern Shore: A Chat with Author Tom Horton

by Leave a Comment

No doubt, the last thing Tom Horton wanted to add to his long list of projects was another writing assignment. The author, filmmaker, college professor, and environmental journalist certainly had enough on his plate to justify turning down an invitation last year to write the forward to the second edition of Hulbert Footner’s “Rivers of the Eastern Shore.”

But, as noted in his Spy Zoom interview last week, Tom made clear he had no option but to accept the offer. For the entire span of Horton’s career as an environmental writer, starting with his work for the Baltimore Sun, Hulbert Footner’s “Rivers” has been one of those indispensable bibles of knowledge of not only one of the world’s most unique collection of rivers but an authentic and candid guidebook in understanding the Eastern Shore’s land and people as well.

As the Spy and the Talbot Historical Society team up next Wednesday at the Talbot County Free Library to host Karen Footner (Hulbert’s granddaughter who helped with the 2nd edition release), and Eastern Shore Dennis Forney (publisher emeritus of the Cape Gazette) for a special reading of the work, we asked Tom to give us a bit of background on why this book was so important to him and why he urges so many of his fellow Eastern Shore neighbors to have it on their bookshelves.

This video is approximately five minutes in length.

Celebration of 2rd Edition of “Rivers of the Eastern Shore” by Hulbert Footner
Readings by Karen Footner and Writer Dennis Forney
Talbot County Free Library – Easton
September 27, 2023 1 pm
Free admission

 

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

Mid-Shore Education: Facing the Challenge of Maryland’s Blueprint with QAC Superintendent Patricia Saelens

by Leave a Comment

As part of our ongoing conversations about public education on the Mid-Shore, we sat down with Queen Anne’s County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Patricia Saelens, last month for an update of that county’s challenges and opportunities as one of the most robust public school systems in the state of Maryland.

One example of this distinction was the news this week that U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona recognized Church Hill Elementary School and Matapeake Elementary School as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2023. Those two schools beat out more than 9,000 schools nationwide to make that list. 

That kind of recognition is common for QAC schools. Year after year, the school district continues outperforming other schools on both the Eastern and Western Shore. 

And yet, as Dr. Saelens notes in our Spy interview, it’s not always peachy even in QAC. After taking the job in the middle of the COVID crisis, which Saelens considers the most challenging years of her professional life, she and her peers are still having to find their way in negotiating the unanticipated challenges that have come with the implication of the state’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. In our chat, the superintendent highlights the positives and negatives of the multi-billion dollar effort to improve public education, including the funding formula and its impact on county budgeting.

 

This video is approximately ten minutes in length.

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