The Talbot Spy

St. Michaels Running Festival A Success

Kathy Bosin — Sat, 19 May 2012 14:53:32 +0000

Perfect temperatures and a light breeze were St. Michaels’ gift this morning to the 1300+ visitors running in the inaugural St. Michaels Running Festival. Sponosored by the YMCA of the Chesapeake and benefitting the St. Michaels YMCA and Community Center, the event will continue throughout the afternoon with restaurants, awards, vendors, live music and fun for the family.

Wittman’s Mandy Tyler and Heather Gottleib brought their children Cullen and Emily out in strollers, and planned to walk the 5K. The entire Pullen family from Oxford were set to head out as a team. Others ran a 10K or a half marathon heading out of St. Michaels to McDaniel and back. With staggered starts for each of the three races, visitors to St. Michaels watched waves of walkers and runners moving through town all morning and well into the afternoon. The road to McDaniel was peppered with orange safety cones, water stations and volunteers. Safety crews, lots of volunteers and police were all on hand, working together. Over 1300 people pre-registered for this first year event. Smooth, organized and upbeat, we can expect the St. Michaels Running Festival to grow in the future.

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Avery Hall Benefit Solutions Employee Honored for Civic Involve

Spy Desk — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:48:23 +0000

Pictured is Cassandra Smith of Preston, a semifinalist for the State’s 2012 Parent Involvement Matters Award for her volunteer work with Caroline County Public Schools.

Cassandra Smith of Preston was recently chosen as the State’s 2012 Parent Involvement Matters Award semifinalist for Caroline County. Smith was selected, along with parents from Maryland’s 24 local school systems, to compete for this top statewide honor. The winner of the statewide award will be announced at the May 18 event at Eastern Technical High School in Baltimore.

Smith, Senior Account Executive, is responsible for group and individual insurance sales at Avery Hall Benefit Solutions in Easton, MD. She comments, “I have always had the deep desire to help people in whatever way I can in my work life – solving claims issues, helping people find insurance policies they need, and explaining the complex world of insurance to customers.” She adds, “I have carried that philosophy over into parenthood. I have a deep desire for children to have the best possible chance in life to grow into positive, productive adults – education and school life are critical to a child’s future.”

Her activities have included being involved with PTA’s at her children’s schools for the past 10 years, serving as an officer and/or on various committees. Currently, Smith is serving as president for Colonel Richardson High School PTSA and she helps out with fundraisers and events for the Colonel Richardson High School Band Boosters and High School Soccer Boosters.

Smith just wanted to be involved and support her children; not realizing it would turn into improving things for others. She comments, “My vision for the role of parents and guardians is that they would reinforce the importance of education at home. It’s the little things that matter! Ask your child questions about what they are learning, help with homework, develop relationships with your child’s teacher, and support the school’s PTA.”

Tresentes Named 2012 Talbot County Foster Parents of the Year

Spy Desk — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:40:50 +0000

Pictured left to right are Martha Reyes-Tresente and Guy Tresente, Talbot County’s 2012 Foster Parents of the Year.

Tragedy has turned to joy for foster parents, Guy Tresente and Martha Reyes-Tresente of Easton, who were named as the 2012 Talbot County Foster Parents of the Year by the Talbot County Department of Social Services. The Tresentes, who lost their only child, Grace Edyta, at 11 days old and could not have any more children, became licensed as foster parents in 2010. Guy Tresente, who was exposed to foster care through a high school friend, comments, “We view it as a ministry. I see children as the future.”

Over the last two years, the Tresentes have provided foster care and respite to 10 children. According to Christine Abbatiello, LGSW, foster care worker for Talbot County Department of Social Services, “They have been instrumental in working with three different sibling groups to keep the siblings together, even when it might mean driving long distances to keep the children in their schools.” She adds, “In addition, Guy and Martha have gone above and beyond to connect with the biological families of their foster children. They have also worked with some of the sibling groups to incorporate as much of their family of origin culture into their foster home.”

Since both Guy and his wife, Martha, speak Spanish fluently, they have also helped the Talbot County Department of Social Services recruit Spanish-speaking foster parents. Martha, who came to America from El Salvador in 1993 and to Easton in 2004, is the youngest of eight children. She and her husband are active in Emanuel Bible Believing Church in Easton. Martha, who went to seminary in Guatemala, also preaches at a church in Guatemala. She comments, “What is satisfying about doing foster care is giving children the affection and love when they come from a place where they may not have it.”

For further information about becoming a foster parent in TalbotCounty, call 410-820-7371. The next Parents Resource for Information Development and Education (PRIDE) Training begins on June 6, 2012.

Food Friday: Baking Biscuits

Jean Sanders — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:10:07 +0000

The saga of preparing the Tall One for the big wide world continued over the past weekend. To become a man of the world he surely needed to know how to bake his own biscuits, of which he is extremely fond. And while riding his bike over to the excellent Flying Biscuit for the occasional treat is all well and good – it is better to have first hand knowledge, with that hand covered in flour up to his elbows.

There are schools of thought about biscuits. There are Southern versions, Northern versions and Maryland Beaten biscuits. The flour changes and techniques vary, but in the end there is nothing more wonderful than the warm butter spilling over the fluffy, crumbling biscuit, hot out of the over and oozing golden, greasy charm.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons chilled butter, cubed
3/4 cup milk

Pre-heat the oven to 425°F

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Cut butter into mixture until it begins to look like cornmeal.
Slowly add milk into the middle of the dough. Knead dough with your fingers and add milk when necessary. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness. Cut with biscuit cutter. (We use an old aluminum cutter that was my grandmother’s for everyday, when we are shooting for fancy, for holiday ham biscuits, we use a Champagne flute, for tinier, more-appropriate-for-company mouth-sized morsels.)

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Be careful not to scorch the bottoms!

Some people feel that handling the dough is not good technique – but then they probably haven’t eaten Maryland Beaten Biscuits. I have never baked MBB as they seem are a little more labor intensive. Although I bet not too many Maryland Beaten Biscuit bakers have any stress. 30 minutes of pounding the dough seems a wee bit excessive to me… http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/maryland-beaten-biscuits-10000001965148/

Bon Appétit has a mighty fine cream biscuit: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/11/cream-biscuits

Merrill Stubbs from Food52 added cheese to her biscuits, making the irresistible even more sublime: http://www.food52.com/recipes/11454_cheese_biscuits

As the Tall One is cooking in a shared kitchen with a lot of young cooks this summer I sent him off with a colossal box of Bisquick, a roll of parchment paper and a cookie sheet. Lord knows he won’t have a Champagne flute for cutting the biscuits, so he will probably employ a handy dandy red Solo cup instead. Each generation devises its own techniques. And when he gets married, I may pass on the maternal aluminum biscuit cutter.

“Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits.”
-Carl Sandburg

I’ll Bet I’ll Have Another

Andy Goddard — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:58:03 +0000

After serious consideration, I have decided to root for I’ll Have Another to win the Preakness this Saturday. None of the other names strike my fancy, and wouldn’t it be nice to see a Triple Crown winner this year ? A quick search on the computer informs me that only eleven horses have won all three events, the last was Affirmed in 1978. In 2008 Big Brown came close, winning the first two, but was overtaken by Da’Tara, a long shot.

The official Preakness drink is the Black Eyed Susan, named after the blanket of flowers that are placed over the winner. This has never made any sense to me, as these are not in bloom until later in the season; however, with global warming…) There seems to be some confusion on the drink recipe. Some versions call for whiskey and vodka, and sweet and sour as the mixer. I’m in favor of the ingredients listed below. Mixing whiskey and vodka in one cocktail seems like a recipe for a hangover to me.

Post time is about 6:00 pm. And fyi, I’ll be drinking a mint julep.

Black Eyed Susan
1 oz vodka
1 oz rum
3/4 oz triple sec/Cointreau
pineapple juice
orange juice
lime wedge

In highball glass ad ice, and liquors, equal parts juices. Shake, or stir vigorously if you don’t have a shaker, garnish with lime wedge.

Let’s Be Shore – Using Humanities To Promote Civil Discourse

Kathy Bosin — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:19:01 +0000

Most adults would agree that civil dialogue, in which opposing viewpoints are expressed, listened to and actually heard, is less common in our society every day. It even seems that with the mass communications that we have available to us, every minute of every day – in our cars, in our homes, in our pockets – we’re less connected to meaningful dialogue than ever before.

As our local communities try to deal with issues such as land use and our local economy, limited county budgets and watershed implementation plans, there’s a pressing need for inclusive dialogue and finding common ground.

Let's Be Shore Staff on set - photo credit Linda Farwell

The Maryland Humanities Council aims to address this issue in five counties on the Eastern Shore – Kent, Queen Anne, Talbot, Dorchester, Wicomico and Worcester. Their program “Let’s Be Shore”, kicked off in 2011, culminates this summer, with a series of public workshops and events. The Humanities Council proposes that engagement with the humanities—history, ethics, literature, philosophy—can foster productive debate and help us talk, listen, disagree, and find commonalities.

“Let’s Be Shore” will bring people with differing opinions together for a series of public forum discussions, workshops and interactive events. Covering topics such as land use, water and agriculture, the project promotes informed dialogue and civic engagement on issues critical to Marylanders. The goal is to bring people of differing opinions and points of view together for respectful and effective civic dialogue that will promote healthy, working relationships across local communities.

Beth Barbush and Jean Wortman, of the Maryland Humanities Council started the project last fall. They spent three months talking to various stakeholders on the Shore, collecting interviews with organic and conventional farmers, environmentalists, scientists and others representing broadly differing perspectives on Shore land use issues. 28 audio interviews were created, and of them eight were chosen that represent the broadest views in our communities. Award-winning film maker Doug Sadler created video portraits of the eight residents living and working on the Eastern Shore. The videos capture some of the polarized conversations around clean water advocacy efforts around the state.

Phase Two of the project begins in June, and shares the information collected through a website in which citizens can contribute to the conversation, and “sharing stations” at local places such as farmer’s markets, fairs and public events around the Shore. The goal is to engage citizens in the stories, the perspectives, to ask questions and collect citizen comments. Social media will also play a role in engaging citizen participation. The project is not advocating any one point of view, but rather, is advocating civil discourse, and offering public forums for these dialogues.

Phase Three begins in late summer, with a series of public events in which a humanities piece such as a film or speaker initiates the conversation, and moderators will walk the audience through a discussion. The expectation is passionate, respectful dialogue that will help to build long term relationships in our communities, and even cultivate solutions.

Currently scheduled “Sharing Station” tour stops:

June 7, Thursday – Cambridge Farmer’s Market

June 8 Friday - Eastern Shore Land Conservancy’s Rural Job Summit, Easton

June 9 Saturday – Chestertown Farmer’s Market

June 14, Thursday – Kent Island Farmer’s Market

June 23, Saturday – Nanticoke River Jamboree, Vienna

June 26, Tuesday – Camden Avenue Farmer’s Market, Salisbury

June 30, Saturday – Centreville Day

July 7, Saturday – Easton Famer’s Market

July 28, Saturday – Chesapeake Folk Life Festival (Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum), St. Michaels

Please note that events/dates may change. Visit www.letsbeshore.org or www.mdhc.org for the most up-to-date information.

The Spy will follow this project, offering stories each leg of the way. Stay tuned for the June 1^st launch of the project website, and updates about sharing stations and public events.

Robert E. Lee Program at St. Michaels Library May 24

Talbot County Free Library — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:45:38 +0000

On Thursday, May 24, at 2:00 p.m., in the St. Michaels branch of the Talbot County Free Library, “the library guy,” Bill Peak, will host a discussion of Elizabeth Brown Pryor’s award-winning biography Reading the Man: A Portrait of Robert E. Lee Through His Private Letters.

All library programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at 410-745-5877 or visit www.tcfl.org.

Date and Time of Event: May 24, 5:30 p.m.
Location: 106 Fremont Street, St. Michaels
Contact: Bill Peak, telephone: 410-822-1626

University of Maryland Hosts First UM Ventures Symposium on Entrepreneurship

Simon Kelly — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:40:07 +0000

The first symposium on “the notion of entrepreneurship” by the newly formed University of Maryland (UM) Ventures was a breakthrough event for technology collaboration between the Baltimore and College Park campuses, said Jay A. Perman, MD, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).

UM Ventures is a joint effort among the technology transfer offices at the two campuses and the entrepreneurial business services programs at College Park, and is a core initiative of the new collaboration called MPowering the State.

The theme of the symposium, held May 11 at the UM BioPark, was starting a company based on discoveries made by University of Maryland faculty. The event featured more than a dozen entrepreneurial researchers.

“By joining these forces, UM Ventures will stimulate discovery and new business development. And this first symposium gives you a terrific perspective [on academic entrepreneurship],” Perman said as he welcomed faculty, venture capitalists, and business men and women to ‘The UMVentures: Symposium on Entrepreneurship, A Tool Kit for Launching a University-Based Startup.’

It was a full day of interaction among expert panelists from corporate perspectives, including CEOs of University of Maryland startup companies, legal fundamentals, and foundations for success by patent attorneys and intellectual property managers, and startup funding resources by public and private financial experts.

“We are not just an academic institution, we are a healthcare institution and the advantages of starting a company are many,” said UMB 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year Scott Strome, MD, FACS,, professor, School of Medicine. Strome co-founded startup Gliknik, Inc. with CEO David Block, MD, MBA, at the BioPark. Starting a company provides fulfillment, opportunities for nontraditional funding, and revenue for the School and the inventor, said Strome, who is chair of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

The symposium also celebrated an annual 10 percent rate of industrial funding at UMB. Phil Robilotto, DO, MBA, assistant vice president at the UMB Office of Technology Transfer, (pictured) said that with additional human and funding resources, the University has “a real opportunity to increase an impressive list of startups.”

He said, “Faculty come into our office asking how to start a company and run a company. If you think about this, if you spent your life in research, you don’t have any background in this. We put them in touch with the right people to get things going.”

For more information on UM Ventures and the symposium. click here.

$300 Million Revenue Bill Passes in Annapolis,18 Democrats Join 42 Republicans Against Tax Hikes

Maryland Reporter — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:04:00 +0000

The action on the budget and tax hikes was all over but the shouting by Republicans as the House of Delegates approved a final spending plan, shifting half of pension costs to the counties, and raising state income taxes on people making over $100,000 per year.

Twenty-two different Republican delegates rose during the three-hour debate to decry the budget action.

“When we left session [April 9], the budget was balanced,” said House Minority Whip Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, echoing a common theme. “I say enough is enough.”

Almost all Republicans voted against the budget that passed in April.

But Democratic leaders said the pension shifts, fund swaps and tax increases were needed to protect the state’s investments in K-12 education, universities, health care and public safety.

The tax hikes amounted to $6.25 a week ($325 per year) for a married couple making $250,000, said House Majority Leader Kumar Barve. He said he and his wife would be paying an additional $4.88 per week and “I am willing to pay that price” to maintain state programs.

10 Democrats vote against budget, 18 against tax hikes

In the end, the Budget Reconciliation and Act passed 86-51, with 10 Democrats joining 41 Republicans in opposing the plan that changes funding formulas and allocation of revenues. The 10 Democrats included those from more conservative swing districts and Montgomery County liberals who objected to the pension shift that would hurt their county.

The 10 Democrats were: Tiffany Alston, Prince George’s; Charles Barkley, Jim Gilchrist, Ariana Kelly, Ben Kramer, Heather Mizeur and Kirill Reznik, all of Montgomery County; Sonny Minnick and Mike Weir, Baltimore County; Johnny Wood, St. Mary’s, and David Rudolph, Cecil.

Only one Republican supported the budget measure, Del. Wendell Beitzel, Garrett, who serves on the Appropriations Committee.

The debate was far shorter and the vote even closer on the State and Local Revenue and Financing Act, which passed 77-60, just six more votes than needed for it for a constitutional majority.

CORRECTED: Eighteen Democrats joined all 42 Republicans present to vote against $300 million in tax hikes. The 18 Democrats were: Tiffany Alston, Prince George’s; Charles Barkley, Jim Gilchrist, Ana Sol Gutierrez, Ariana Kelly, Ben Kramer, ~~Heather Mizeur~~, Kirill Reznik, all of Montgomery County; Pam Beidle and Ted Sophocleus, Anne Arundel; Eric Bromwell, Steve DeBoy, Sonny Minnick, Johnny Olszewski, and Mike Weir, Baltimore County; John Bohanan and Johnny Wood, St. Mary’s; Mary-Dulany James, Harford; and Kevin Kelly, Allegany.

Original story>

By Len Lazarick
Len@MarylandReporter.com

Message Systems CEO George Schlossnagle is an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) 2012 Finalist in Maryland

Simon Kelly — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:59:07 +0000

COLUMBIA, Md., May 14, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Message Systems today announced that CEO George Schlossnagle was named a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) 2012 program in Maryland. The award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Awards will be presented at a special gala on June 28 at the Baltimore Waterfront Marriott.

“It’s an honor to be recognized as a finalist for an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award,” said Schlossnagle. “At Message Systems, we are committed to delivering the best messaging technology solutions possible. It’s very exciting to be acknowledged for our innovation, growth achievements and genuine commitment to our business.”

Now in its 26th year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 140 cities in more than 50 countries throughout the world.

Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young National Entrepreneur Of The Year Program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the Ernst & Young National Entrepreneur Of The Year Overall Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 17, 2012. The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.