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July 26, 2025

Centreville Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Centreville

1A Arts Lead

Avalon Donates New Gallery to AAM for Plein Air (Sort of): A Chat with Al Bond and Charlotte Potter Kasic

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The Avalon Foundation’s Plein Air Easton festival has been collaborating closely with the Academy Art Museum since the event began in 2005, and this year it faced a significant challenge. After years of using the AAM’s galleries to showcase the best of the Plein Air artists’ works, the museum made a strategic decision to keep its art exhibitions open for more extended periods, which made those spaces unable to accommodate Plein Air.

Gulp.

But rather than simply abandoning this long-lasting relationship, Al Bond, the CEO of the Avalon, and Charlotte Potter Kasic, the newly appointed AAM director, found a remarkable solution to not only keep Plein Air at the Academy but also create a new gallery space within its walls.

Through a few brainstorming sessions, Al and Charlotte realized Avalon utilizing professional-level temporary wall panels, temporary wall panels, there would be enough space for a new gallery in the AAM’s hallway and Performing Arts Room on the first floor, allowing Plein Air to maintain an exhibition space for the festival.

In their Spy interview about the new space, Al and Charlotte give a perfect example of creative problem-solving.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information about Plein Air in Easton, please go here. For the Academy Art Museum, please go here.

 

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

Let’s Talk About It with Beth Anne Dorman: Adolescence on Film and About Parents

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As part of our ongoing monthly series on mental health, The Spy welcomes back Beth Anne Dorman, CEO of For All Seasons, to help us navigate one of the most urgent issues facing families today: the emotional toll of adolescence in the digital age.

This month’s conversation centers on the critically acclaimed Netflix series Adolescence, which has sparked national reflection on how social media shapes — and sometimes distorts — the lives of teenagers. With raw, emotional storytelling, the series captures the growing crisis among young people who, under the unrelenting gaze of online platforms, make irreversible decisions with devastating consequences.

Together, we explore the show’s relevance for Mid-Shore families, the warning signs adults often miss, and what community resources are available when young people find themselves overwhelmed by anxiety, shame, or hopelessness.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. For more information about For All Seasons, please go here. To read more about Adolescence on Netflix, please go here. 

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

Erectile Dysfunction on the Shore: A Chat with Dr. Robert McDonough

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As Men’s Health Month draws to a close, The Spy, in collaboration with Shore Regional Health, felt it was a good time for a candid and timely conversation about erectile dysfunction.

Long considered too personal or stigmatized to discuss openly, ED has increasingly come into the light over the past decade, as veterans, accident survivors, and aging men seek medical solutions to restore not only sexual function but a sense of vitality and wholeness.

To help us explore this important topic, we spoke with Dr. Robert McDonough, who outlines the full range of treatment options available today. More importantly, he explains why ED is often more than a quality-of-life concern—it can be an early indicator of severe vascular or cardiac conditions that deserve urgent attention.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length. For more information about ED treatment at Shore Regional Health please go here. 

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

Art, Kids and the Academy Art Museum: A Chat with Lauren Dwyer

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It’s hard to think of one’s childhood without at least a faint memory of art class. That moment during a seemingly boring summer day when you were allowed to make a mess of yourself with paint, clay, and any other material lying around to create what a 5-year-old would consider “art” for an hour or so.

However, few will realize the importance of those first creative moments as they begin to explore their imagination, physical development, and problem-solving skills. It is simply a part of childhood that often goes unnoticed.

That’s not the case with Lauren Dwyer, the Academy Art Museum’s coordinator for Childhood & Youth Education. With a degree in child development and a passion for art education, Lauren runs the Minis at the Academy program. Designed for children aged 2-5, this program combines art exploration with early learning. Using a multi-sensory, inquiry-driven approach, we foster creativity, independence, and a lifelong love of learning through themes, literature, and the Academy Art Museum’s rich resources.

We asked Lauren to stop by the Spy Studio a few weeks ago to share more information.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more information about the Academy Art Museum and its Minis program please go here.

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

How Did the Mid-Shore Community Foundation Donate almost $4 Million for the new Regional Hospital?

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The Spy is sure that more than a few Spy readers blinked their eyes the other day when they read the headline that the Mid-Shore Community Foundation (MSCF) had committed almost $4 million to support the building of the new UM Shore Regional Health hospital project. It was inevitable that the region’s largest community foundation would make a meaningful donation to this much-needed facility, but the Spy wanted to know how the MSCF could make such a significant commitment when historically their largest “stretch” grants were in the very low six figures.

Of course, we turned to Buck Duncan, president of MSCF, to answer that question, and it proved to be a lot more complicated than simply writing a check. The more one understands how Buck and his board assembled this commitment, the more one can appreciate the power and value of a community foundation, as well as the hundreds of its donors, who made such a meaningful gift possible.

And only Buck can make all of this such a good story to tell.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length. For more information about the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, please go here.

 

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

Talbot County Repeals DEI Language to Ensure Airport Work Continues

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If there were ever a textbook example of how federal politics can directly shape local outcomes, it was last night’s Talbot County Council meeting.

Armed with a directive from the Trump administration’s Secretary of Transportation, Council members were informed that federal funding for capital improvements like civilian airports—including Easton’s—would be contingent on the removal of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies from local government. The message was pretty straightforward: without eliminating DEI language from employee handbooks or discontinuing annual diversity reports, Talbot County could forfeit up to $48 million in federal grants earmarked for infrastructure improvements, specifically, runway modifications currently underway at the Easton Airport.

As shown in our highlight reel, pragmatism ultimately prevailed. The Council voted 4–1 to remove all DEI-related language and policies from the county’s public documents to preserve funding for the airport project in northeast Talbot County, whose goal is to comply with the Federal government’s FAA regulations.

Here is the full resolution:

Administrative resolution regarding the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement adopted by the County Council of Talbot County, Maryland on September 22, 2020, and diversity training for employees of Talbot County, Maryland.

Whereas, on June 23, 2020, the County Council of Talbot County, Maryland adopted an administrative resolution requiring the County Manager to:

Provide an annual report describing diversity training initiatives for employees of Talbot County, Maryland in the prior fiscal year, and Identify new opportunities for diversity training in the following fiscal year.

And whereas, on July 14, 2020, the County Council adopted an administrative resolution requiring the development of a diversity statement for the County applicable to County government.

And whereas, in accordance with the July 14 administrative resolution, on September 22, 2020, the County Council adopted by motion a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) statement, the objective of which is stated therein as follows:

By adopting this Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement, the County strives to foster an environment that welcomes and accepts diversity within County government.

The County is committed to:

Maintaining an inclusive, productive, supportive, open, innovative, and equitable workplace environment in which every individual is valued for his or her unique characteristics.

Fostering respect, understanding, and acceptance of differences.

Enabling employees to reach their full potential, thus enhancing the relationships among ourselves and optimizing the quality of services to our residents and fellow employees.

And whereas, following the adoption of the June 23 administrative resolution, the County Manager has provided annual reports to the County Council regarding diversity training.

And whereas, on March 26, 2024, the County Council adopted an administrative resolution adopting the 2024 employee handbook for Talbot County, Maryland.

The employee handbook contains provisions setting forth the County’s commitments to:

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Zero tolerance for harassment of any kind whatsoever, including:
Workplace harassment
Sexual harassment
Bullying
Intimidation
Threats and violence

And whereas, in accordance with the foregoing policies and applicable law—including but not limited to the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution—the County is a merit-based employer.

Employees and prospective employees enjoy equal opportunity in all employment decisions, without regard to:

Race
Creed
Sex
National origin
Disability
Or other protected characteristics

And the County does not discriminate based on such protected characteristics.

And whereas it is the intent and desire of the County Council and County Administration that every County employee and prospective employee enjoys a welcoming workplace where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.

And whereas, the County relies heavily on financial assistance from the federal government in various projects—including, but not limited to, the pending airfield modernization program for the Easton Airport. The County would not be able to fund such projects without such assistance.

And whereas, on April 24, 2025, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation sent a letter to all recipients of U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) funding, including the County, stating in pertinent part:

Any policy, program, or activity that is premised on a prohibited classification—including discriminatory policies or practices designed to achieve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) goals—presumptively violates federal law.

Recipients of DOT financial assistance must ensure that personnel practices, including hiring, promotions, and terminations within their organizations, are merit-based and do not discriminate based on prohibited categories.

And whereas the County Council does not wish to jeopardize the County’s ability to receive critical federal funding, including DOT funding for the program.

And whereas, the employee handbook sets forth the intent and desire of the County Council and County Administration that every County employee and prospective employee enjoys a welcoming workplace where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect, consistent with:

Applicable laws and regulations
The County’s commitments to EEO, ADA, and zero tolerance for harassment

And whereas, notwithstanding the June 23 administrative resolution, the County Administration provides training to all employees regarding compliance with equitable laws and regulations, consistent with EEO, ADA, and zero tolerance for harassment.

And whereas, in consideration of the foregoing, the County Council deems it appropriate to adopt this administrative resolution such that:

The June 23 administrative resolution
The July 14 administrative resolution
And the DEI statement
Are of no further force and effect.

Now therefore, be it resolved by the County Council of Talbot County:

The foregoing recitals are not merely prefatory, but are a substantive part of this administrative resolution.

Effective immediately, the June 23 administrative resolution, the July 14 administrative resolution, and the DEI statement are of no further force and effect.

Effective immediately, the County Manager shall no longer be required to provide an annual report to the County Council detailing diversity training initiatives for County employees. However, the County Manager shall continue to inform the County Council regarding training afforded to employees in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

Nothing in this administrative resolution shall be construed as a repudiation of the intent and desire of the County Council and County Administration that:

Every County employee and prospective employee enjoys a welcoming workplace where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect, without regard to race, creed, sex, national origin, disability, or other protected characteristics.

Nor shall it be construed as a prohibition or limitation on the County Administration’s authority to provide training to all County employees regarding compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Be it further resolved that this administrative resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption.

Introduced by the County Council of Talbot County, Maryland at a regular meeting on June 10, 2025, at which meeting copies were available to the public for inspection.

Adopted by the County Council of Talbot County, Maryland at a regular meeting on June 10, 2025, at which meeting copies were available to the public for inspection.

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.

Talbot County Named a “Sanctuary Jurisdiction” by Trump Administration

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Talbot County has unexpectedly been named one of several Maryland jurisdictions designated as a “sanctuary” by the Trump administration—a move that could put federal funding at risk and place the county in the middle of a national immigration debate.

The announcement came Thursday as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to pressure local governments into supporting federal immigration enforcement. The list includes Baltimore County, Montgomery County, Queen Anne’s County, and the cities of Annapolis, Rockville, and Takoma Park, among others.

The designation follows an executive order directing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to identify localities that, in the administration’s view, do not fully cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The purpose is to cut off federal funds to jurisdictions that limit their involvement in immigration enforcement.

Talbot County’s inclusion raises questions. The county has not adopted any formal policy that restricts cooperation with ICE, and immigration issues have rarely been a topic of discussion in local government or public debate. Still, the Trump administration appears to be interpreting “non-cooperation” broadly.

The designation carries potential consequences. Talbot, like many rural counties, relies on federal grants for programs ranging from public safety and infrastructure to housing and health services. Even the threat of losing those funds could complicate budget planning and long-term community investments.

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

Let’s Talk About It with Beth Anne Dorman: Mental Health, Parents and Adolescence

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This month, Beth Anne Dorman, CEO of For All Seasons, explores the profound challenges parents face as their children enter adolescence. While parenting is never easy, the teenage years often present the most demanding and emotionally charged phase, particularly when mental health concerns emerge unexpectedly. In this two-part series, Beth Anne offers thoughtful insight into how parents can support their children through this turbulent stage of development. In part two, she reflects on the recent Netflix drama Adolescence, which portrays a family grappling with the unthinkable trauma of a child in crisis.

This video is approximately eight minutes in length. For more information about For All Seasons please go here. To read more about Adolescence on Netflix please go here. 

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

Making the Case for Nursing: A Chat with Shore Regional’s Danielle Wilson

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In this month’s installment of our ongoing series on healthcare on the Eastern Shore, The Spy sat down with Danelle Wilson, Chief Nursing Officer at Shore Regional Health, last week to discuss her path from military service to nursing leadership—and the urgent need to rebuild the nursing workforce as the region prepares for a major healthcare transformation.

With ground broken on a new $500 million regional medical center across from Easton Airport, Shore Regional Health is focused on attracting and retaining qualified nurses to meet the demands of a growing and aging population. As Wilson notes, “The new facility is more than just a building—it’s a commitment to innovation, excellence, and the future of healthcare on the Mid-Shore.”

Maryland is facing a significant nursing shortage. In 2022, nearly 25% of hospital nursing positions were vacant statewide, with a projected shortfall of 15,000 registered nurses by 2036. The challenge is even greater on the Eastern Shore, designated as a medically underserved area.

Wilson sees promise in new partnerships—with Chesapeake College, Salisbury University, and the University of Maryland School of Nursing—as well as programs like UMB’s R-HEALE (Rural Health Equity and Access Longitudinal Elective), which help train healthcare professionals committed to rural service.

“People want meaningful, flexible careers,” Wilson says. “And nursing offers that. At Shore, we’re building not just a hospital, but a pipeline—from classroom to bedside.”

As Nurses Week approaches, Wilson emphasizes the importance of recognizing frontline caregivers, supporting their well-being, and creating career pathways that last a lifetime.

“Whether you’re just starting out or looking for a new chapter, there’s a place for you in healthcare,” she says. “And we want you to find it here.”

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

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

The Spy and Avalon Launch New Series with Craig Fuller: Good Dog with Meg Daley Olmert

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Service dog training watching a Broadway theatre production

The Spy and the Avalon Foundation are teaming up this year to present a new live interview series featuring Spy columnist Craig Fuller in conversation with some of the Mid-Shore’s most interesting and thought-provoking individuals.

The series will debut with a timely discussion between Fuller and Meg Daley Olmert, acclaimed author of Made for Each Other: The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond. Together, they’ll explore one of the Eastern Shore’s favorite topics—dogs—and their extraordinary role in healing, especially for those coping with PTSD.

Here is a short one-minute clip of Meg for a future Spy interview talking about her work.

In a first for the Avalon Theatre, well-behaved dogs and their human companions are welcome to attend the event together in the main theatre. See below for details

This unique evening promises to be enjoyable for humans and canines alike. It celebrates that special bond that brings comfort, connection, and recovery to so many.

Join us for what promises to be a fascinating and heartwarming kickoff to the new series.

Tickets are $25, and they can be purchased here or by calling the Avalon at 410.822.7299. Proceeds of the event will support the Spy and Avalon with their public affairs programming. Meg will be selling and signing her book after the event 

Dogs are welcome

Guests are welcome to bring their dogs to the Avalon. The conversation will be held in the main theatre, with appropriate spacing for dogs to find a peaceful place to settle down. Prior to the beginning of the program, the Avalon will show dog-friendly video clips on the big screen for their audience, and free Milk Bones will be handed out. 

We expect adults who bring their pets to always have the dog on a leash. The dog owner also assumes responsibility for their pet’s behavior.

 

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