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March 10, 2025

Centreville Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Centreville

5 News Notes

NAACP Announces a Voter Registration Training on March 7

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Queen Anne’s County NAACP announces a Voter Registration Training on March 7, 2024, from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the Queen Anne’s County Public Library, Large Meeting Room. This free workshop, essential for those interested in helping register voters, requires official training by the Queen Anne’s Board of Elections Department.

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

Time to Sign Up: QAC Seeking Members for Several Boards and Commissions

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The Queen Anne’s County Commissioners are actively seeking individuals to fill vacancies on several Boards and Commissions.  The deadline for applications is February 29, 2024. The following boards and commissions have vacancies:

  • Broadband Advisory Council
  • Travel and Tourism Advisory Committee

The Broadband Advisory Council was formed to advise and provide recommendations to the County Commissioners on the provision of broadband services and infrastructure in Queen Anne’s County. The council has a vacancy in District 4, which is the area of Southern Kent Island. You can view the boundaries here https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/931/District-4-Detail-PDF
Meetings are held the third Thursday of the month from 4:00 – 6:00 PM in Centreville.

The Travel and Tourism Advisory Committee was developed to represent specific industries to provide countywide leadership in policy development, management and competitiveness to ensure that Queen Anne’s County enjoys greater economic benefits from travel and tourism spending. This committee meets the second Tuesday of the month at 8:00 AM in Chester.

For individuals interested in serving, the application process is accessible online at https://onboard.qac.org/. Alternatively, applicants may navigate to the official county website at qac.org and search for the specific Board or Commission to find the relevant application page.

To be considered for the vacancies, interested candidates are requested to submit their resume and a detailed letter of interest through the online application software.

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META (Minority Entrepreneurship Training Accelerator) Applications are Open!

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Take the first step toward transforming your business! Queen Anne’s County Economic & Tourism Development is excited to announce the development of a Minority Entrepreneurship Training Accelerator (META). This pilot program, developed and delivered by Upper Shore Community Development Partners and Rivers and Roads Consulting, is now accepting applications.

META is designed to provide five minority-owned businesses in Queen Anne’s County with the tools, resources, and foundation needed to scale small sole proprietorships into thriving and growing business operations. The program will provide a hands-on business coach and mentor that will work closely with each participating small business to guide them through the drafting of a business plan, the creation of marketing collateral, and establishing relationships with local banks, bookkeepers, insurance providers, and attorneys as needed.

Additionally, each of the selected businesses will receive a microgrant for strategic growth initiatives that align with their mission. The goal of the program is to place our minority-owned businesses on a path toward realizing increased revenues, improving resilience to economic shocks, and becoming job creators. Please feel free to share and help us spread the word!

Deadlines and Program Dates:

Friday, February 2:  Last day to apply, with applications due by 5pm.

Friday, February 16: Applicants will be notified.

Thursday, February 22, 6pm: META begins, with monthly meetings thereafter on the 3rd Thursday of each month (3/21, 4/25, 5/23, 6/20, and 7/18).

Applicant Requirements:

Participating businesses must be minority-owned with annual business revenues no higher than $22,000, interested in seeing their ventures grow, and in being part of a network of minority entrepreneurs. Applicants will be asked to provide information on their business, including financials as well as commit their time and efforts to complete the program.
Learn more and apply online
For more information, please contact Rebecca Clark, Economic Development Coordinator, at [email protected], 410.924.6009 (m), or 410-604-2100 (o).

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New Year Ushers in Single-use Plastic Bag Ban in Centreville

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 As 2023 quickly passes in the rearview mirror Centreville residents, visitors and businesses embark on new retail behaviors that don’t include single-use plastic bags. Like many jurisdictions throughout the country, the Town of Centreville instituted a single-use plastic bag ban that went into effect on January 1.
Centreville joins Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties and the City of Frederick whose plastic bag bans also started the first of the year. According to the Maryland Retailer’s Alliance, more than 70% of Marylanders now live in jurisdictions with carry out bag policies in place.

On July 20, 2023, Centreville Town Council passed the ordinance to ban single-use plastic carry out bags within Centreville town limits. For Town Council President Ashley Kaiser while the ban addresses single-use plastic bags the spirit of the ordinance is to encourage the use of reusable bags and eliminate the reliance on plastic bags, many of which end up polluting our highways and waterways.

“Consumers have an opportunity to play a significant role in the implementation of this bill. I don’t think that anyone who is shopping at a local business wants to burden a local business, but instead wants to support them. If a paper bag fee is going to be a problem for you, decline the bag,” says Kaiser. “There are things people can do to change their behavior like making a point to remember to always carry reusable bags with them,” she adds.

 Following that philosophy, the Town of Centreville launched a “Bring Your Own Bag” campaign in October in coordination with Plastic Free QAC. The campaign included specially designed reusable bags with a rack card featuring information on the bag ban as well as tips for how to remember to bring your bag to your next shopping trip.

Bags were handed out at Centreville Day in October and at the Centreville Farmers’ Market Heck with the Malls market day in December and were made available at Town Hall. A limited supply of Town reusable bags and vintage farmers’ market reusable bags are currently available for consumers to pick up at Centreville Town Hall from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Centreville single-use plastic bag ordinance stipulates that retail establishments with the exception of food service facilities “shall charge, collect and retain at least 10 cents for each paper carry out bag that it provides to a customer.” Exceptions to the ordinance includes, but are not limited to:

  • Nonprofit fraternal, civic, war veterans, religious, or charitable organizations and fire companies can still use plastic carry out bags.
  • Due to cross contamination concerns restaurants may not allow customers to use their own reusable bags. Restaurants will provide paper bags, but will not charge a paper bag fee.
  • The Centreville Market’s Market and cottage food businesses can continue to use plastic.
  • Pharmacies and opticians will not charge a paper bag fee for prescription items.

Consumers and business owners who want to read the full text of the ordinance and frequently asked questions can visit townofcentreville.org and type “plastic bag ban” in the search window. For more information, please contact Carol D’Agostino, [email protected] or (410) 758-1180, ext. 17.

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County Commissioners Seeking Members for Several Boards and Commissions

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The Queen Anne’s County Commissioners are actively seeking individuals to fill vacancies on several Boards and Commissions.  The deadline for applications is January 31, 2024. The following boards and commissions have vacancies:

  • Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
  • Historic Stevensville Arts & Entertainment Advisory Board
  • Kent Narrows Development Foundation
  • Parks & Recreation Advisory Board

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee will advise and make recommendations to the County on bicycle and pedestrian access issues, act as a liaison between the public and the county and will independently and with County staff, identify, evaluate and seek out all grants and other financial programs available for the development and maintenance of bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

The Historic Stevensville Arts & Entertainment Advisory Board was created to develop, promote, and support diverse artistic and cultural centers that preserve a sense of place, provide unique local experiences, attract tourism, and spur economic revitalization and neighborhood pride. Strategies supported by the A&E District program include:

  1. Creating an accessible, unique arts destination;
  2. Leveraging the unique Stevensville identity, natural resources, and heritage;
  3. Facilitating opportunities for dynamic arts experiences that actively engage community members and attract visitors;
  4. Enabling artists of all disciplines to live, work, and prosper;
  5. Create an economically prosperous future; and
  6. Investing in the power of place. The A & E District helps further the county’s goals of reinvesting in existing communities and creating places that help people, businesses, the economy, and the environment thrive.

The Kent Narrows Development Foundation, Inc. facilitates the revitalization of the Kent Narrows, and work in cooperation with the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners and other governing bodies to establish objectives and guidelines for development and redevelopment of the Kent Narrows. Meetings are held the 4th Tuesday of the month at 9:00 AM.

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board advises the Department of Parks and Recreation and the County Commissioners on all questions of general policy relating to parks and public recreation in the County. Meetings dates and times can be found on www.qac.org

For individuals interested in serving, the application process is accessible online at https://onboard.qac.org/. Alternatively, applicants may navigate to the official county website at qac.org and search for the specific Board or Commission to find the relevant application page.

To be considered for the vacancies, interested candidates are requested to submit their resume and a detailed letter of interest through the online application software.

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

Books Cafe in Queenstown Starts Fice Weekend Run

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The 2024 Wye Parish Books Café, opening earlier in the year than ever, begins a five-weekend run on Friday January 12 and Saturday January 13, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., for its 21st year at St. Luke’s Chapel, Queenstown.  The popular sale of heavily discounted books and homemade food items will re-open on the next four Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., concluding on February 9 and 10.  

As in the past, many thousands of carefully sorted books will be offered at 90% off cover or market price. The Café section of Books Café will again provide good food and snacks for on-premises consumption in the cheerful Lunchroom, plus take-out and baked goods for home consumption, all at bargain prices.

  The largest sections at Books Café are the alphabetized displays of Fiction, current and classic, hardcover and paperback, with special sections on Mysteries and Historical Fiction.  Running a close second in popularity to the Fiction sections is History, covering all periods, with expanded offerings in Military History.  

For younger readers, there is a large collection for all ages in the Young People’s Room at the rear of the Main Hall.  Next door is the recently introduced Keepers’ Corner, with its highly browsable assortment of “collectibles, old favorites, and oddballs”.  

Over a dozen other collections, ranging from Animals to Art, Cooking to Religion, are spaced out around the Hall and in adjoining rooms.  This year’s featured special collection is a huge variety of books about Birds of the World. 

Sale proceeds support local community outreach organized by the Parish’s Episcopal Church Women.  Books Café accepts cash, checks, and the occasional IOU; no credit card sales.  Sales to approved dealers are by advance authorization only; any use of barcode scanners inside the premises is strictly prohibited.  

For further information on Books Café, call the Wye Parish Office at 410-827-8484. Contact:   Mary Campbell  410.758.3071

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Dr. John Demby Named new Assistant Principal at Queen Anne’s County High School

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Dr. Saelens and the Queen Anne’s County Board of Education are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. John Demby as a new Assistant Principal at Queen Anne’s County High School.

Dr. Demby is a proud graduate of Queen Anne’s County High School (Class of 1990). Dr. Demby has extensive experience as a high school administrator, having served as the Supervisor of Community Outreach Adult Education at Sussex County Vocational School, as well as serving as the Supervisor of Student Services & Human Resources at Sussex Technical School. He also served as the Principal of Sussex Technical High School from 2010-2021. He is a graduate of Wilmington and Delaware State Universities, and received a Doctorate Degree in Innovation and Leadership from Wilmington University. His career in education began in Alternative Education at Delaware Technical and Community College as a Teaching Assistant/Youth Care Worker. Dr. Demby resides in Smyrna, Delaware.

Of this new appointment, Dr. Demby says, “It is truly an honor to return to my alma mater. Go Lions!”

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Sweet: The Washington Capitals Hockey School Program

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 Queen Anne’s County Public Schools is excited to announce a dynamic partnership with the Washington Capitals Hockey Team, ushering in a new level of sports education within our district. The Washington Capitals Hockey School Program has generously provided each school in our county with a complete set of street hockey equipment (40 sticks, 40 pucks, and 40 hockey balls), age-appropriate lessons, and county-wide professional development. This collaborative initiative aims to empower our Health and Physical Education teachers by offering them a unique opportunity to integrate a comprehensive floor hockey unit into their yearly lesson structures.

The Washington Capitals Hockey School Program represents more than just a donation of equipment; it is a commitment to fostering a passion for physical activity and teamwork among our students. By providing resources and expertise, the program ensures that our teachers are equipped to deliver engaging and developmentally appropriate lessons in line with the latest educational standards. The impact extends beyond the classroom, fostering a love for the sport and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle among our students.

This collaboration exemplifies the shared commitment of Queen Anne’s County Public Schools and the Washington Capitals Hockey Team to invest in the well-rounded development of our students. We look forward to the positive impact this program will have on our school community, promoting fitness, teamwork, and the joy of learning through sports.

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Queen Anne’s County Celebrates 23 Years of Character Counts!

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Two decades ago, the people of Queen Anne’s County identified the significance of positive character traits and committed to integrating these values into their daily lives. In a continued effort to foster a community guided by strong ethical principles, the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners officially embraced the “Six Pillars of Character” in 2000, solidifying Queen Anne’s County as a “Character Counts!” community.

Character Counts!, an initiative advocating for the adoption and embodiment of the Six Pillars—trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship—has been instrumental in shaping the moral fabric of our community. This ongoing commitment aims to promote character development and ethical behavior among all citizens, both corporate and individual.

The collaborative efforts between Character Counts! and the Queen Anne’s County public school system have proven immensely successful. Over 100,000 character education experiences have been delivered to children, facilitated by an impressive cohort of over 1,500 volunteer character coaches and mentors.

“I have been a Character Counts! Coach in the past and the experience of working in the classroom gives great satisfaction, said County Commissioner Phil Dumenil. If you are on the fence about signing up to be a coach, please do it! The experience is truly amazing.”

Local businesses, organizations, and nonprofits have played a pivotal role in advancing the mission of Character Counts! These entities have actively participated as Businesses of Character, offering volunteer support, financial contributions, and aiding in spreading the crucial message of good character throughout our community.

Through the unwavering dedication of Character Counts!, Queen Anne’s County continues to strive towards strengthening personal character traits, fostering families of character, and building a more cohesive and ethically sound community.

In recognition of the 23rd anniversary of Character Counts!, the Queen Anne’s County Board of County Commissioners extends an invitation to all citizens to join in celebrating this milestone. Let us commemorate the enduring impact of Character Counts! in shaping a community guided by values and ethical principles.

For more information about Character Counts! and its initiatives, please visit https://www.peopleofcharacter.org/.

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Earth Data Employees Help Get the School Year Off to a Good Start

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Earth Data Employees Help Get the School Year Off to a Good Start

Employees of Earth Data, Inc. in both Maryland and Virginia committed to helping get the school year off to a positive start by donating time and supplies.

“We continue to be proud of how our employees seek opportunities to really make a difference in the communities where we serve. Their generosity of spirit is evidenced every day in the ways that they show up and contribute to make our communities stronger both in Maryland and Virigina,” comments Earth Data president Mark Williams.

The Virginia staff of Earth Data, Inc. purchased and donated $265.00 worth of school supplies to WAVY 10 New’s Operation School Supplies to benefit schools in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.

In Maryland, employees of the Centreville office helped pack food items for CarePacks, a weekend food program aimed at preventing hunger among Talbot County’s most economically vulnerable students.

For further information on Earth Data, visit earthdatainc.com.

For more than 47 years, Earth Data, Inc. has been providing field-oriented water resources and geospatial consulting services using high-tech tools to collect, analyze, manage, and distribute data in sophisticated ways. For further information, visit earthdatainc.com.

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