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October 31, 2025

ARCHIVE Chestertown Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown

8 Letters to Editor

Open Letter to Town Council: Petition for Faster Internet in Downtown Chestertown

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I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention a matter of utmost importance – the urgent need for faster internet services in our community.This has been a matter of contention for some time, and although promises were made years ago, there has been no apparent movement to a resolution to this vital deficit in our town’s infrastructure.

As it stands, our only available internet service provider in Downtown Chestertown offers a maximum speed of 250 megabits per second (mbps). In an era where reliable and high-speed internet is a fundamental requirement for both residents and businesses alike, this limitation puts us at a significant disadvantage.

The demand for faster internet services has become increasingly apparent with the growing reliance on digital communication, remote work, online education, and the overall expansion of the technology-driven landscape. Unfortunately, our current infrastructure falls short in meeting these evolving needs.

I understand the challenges posed by the existing utility lines in Downtown Chestertown, which prevent the installation of high-speed fiber optic cables underground. However, I believe that the time has come for our town council and Mayor to prioritize the enhancement of internet services for the greater benefit of our community.

I propose that the town explores alternative solutions, such as above-ground fiber optic installations or other advanced technologies, to achieve a minimum internet speed of 500 mbps. A faster and more reliable internet connection will not only enhance the quality of life for residents but also play a crucial role in boosting the competitiveness and productivity of local businesses.

In light of these considerations, I kindly request that the town council and Mayor take immediate action to make high-speed internet a top priority for Downtown Chestertown. I believe that investing in modern and robust internet infrastructure will contribute significantly to the growth and prosperity of our community.

I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to positive developments that will benefit all residents and businesses in Downtown Chestertown.

Melissa McGlynn
Chestertown

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

Rock Hall Town Council Candidate Forum

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The League of Women Voters of Kent County and the Greater Rock Hall Business Association will jointly sponsor a forum for the candidates for the Rock Hall Town Council on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, from 7:00  -8:30 pm at the Rock Hall Volunteer Fire House. Invited candidates running for the two open seats on the council include Richard Seewald, David Jones and incumbents Carolyn Jones and Eleanor Collyer. Candidates will have an opportunity to introduce themselves and will then answer questions from the League and GRHBA.  The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions and the candidates will each have a closing statement.  The forum will be followed by a Meet and Greet with James Cook, unopposed mayoral candidate.

The event will be livestreamed to facebook.com/LWVKCMD and available following completion of the forum on the League of Women Voters of Kent County’s website at kent-lwvmaryland.nationbuilder.com and the town’s website rockhallmd.com/town-hall.

No demonstrations, campaign signs or literature are allowed in the forum venue, including indications of support for a candidate on clothing, signage, or buttons larger than two inches.

The League of Women Voters in a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to promoting informed and active citizen participation in government; it does not support or oppose any political parties or candidates for office.

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

Presentation Hosted by League of Women Voters of Kent County

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The League of Women Voters of Kent County will sponsor a presentation, Kent County Public Schools and the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, by Mr.Tom Porter, Assistant Coordinator of Accountability and Implementation for Kent County Public Schools. Mr. Porter will discuss the Blueprint, what it is, the challenges it presents to our schools and what KCPS is doing to meet those challenges.

The program will be held on April 19, 2023, 7:00 p.m., at Emmanuel Episcopal Church at 101 Cross Street, Chestertown. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer period. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required by emailing [email protected] include Annual Meeting Reservation in the subject line of your email.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to promoting informed and active citizen participation in government; it does not support or oppose any political parties or candidates for office.

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

League of Women Voters Forum Schedule for the Primary Elections

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The League of Women Voters of Kent County announces its calendar of forums for the contested races in the upcoming July 19, 2022, Primary Election:

June 21, 7:00 – 8:30 pm: Kent County Commissioners Republican candidates– via ZOOM Webinar. Details to join the webinar will be posted on the League website:  kent-lwvmaryland.nationbuilder.com.

June 26, 1:30 – 3:00 pm: MD Senate District 36 Republican candidates. In person at Chesapeake College Cadby Theatre, and livestreamed to Facebook.

June 26, 3:15 – 4:45 pm: US House of Representatives District 1 Democratic candidates. In person at Chesapeake College Cadby Theatre, and livestreamed to Facebook.

June 28, 7:00 – 9:00 pm: Kent County Board of Education (nonpartisan). In person at Minary’s Dream Alliance, 9155 American Legion Rd., Chestertown, and livestreamed to Facebook.

In each forum, candidates will be given an opportunity to introduce themselves and will answer two questions from the League that they have received in advance.  The candidates will then respond to questions from the audience, and the forum will finish with closing statements from each participant.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to promoting informed and active citizen participation in government; it does not support or oppose any political parties or candidates for office.  

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

League of Women Voters of Kent County Annual Meeting April 6

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The League of Women Voters of Kent County will sponsor The Intersection Between Civil Rights and Women’s Rights, A Conversation between Dr. Martha Jones and Dr. Mia Bay, at Sumner Hall, 206 S. Queen Street, Chestertown, April 6, at 7p.m.

Dr. Jones is a professor of History at Johns Hopkins University and the author of How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All, which was selected as one of TIME’S 100 must read books in 2020. Dr. Bay is a professor of American History at the University of Pennsylvania and currently the Patrick Henry Fellow at the Washington College Starr Center of the American Experience. She is the author of the biography of Black Suffragist Ida B. Wells, To Tell the Truth Freely.

Their presentation will be followed by an opportunity for questions. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. A link for registration is available on the League of Women Voters of Kent County website at kent-lwvmaryland.nationbuilder.com.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to promoting informed and active citizen participation in government; it does not support or oppose any political parties or candidates for office.

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

League of Women Voters Presentation: Securing Maryland’s Voting Process

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The League of Women Voters of Kent County will sponsor a virtual lecture, Securing Maryland’s Voting Processes, on November 10, 2021, at 7 PM. The lecture will feature Dr. Natalie Scala and Dr. Josh Hehlinger, both of Towson University, speaking on election security and the integrity of our election processes.  The presentation will highlight the research results of three projects related to their work in election security: threat analysis and mitigations of Maryland voting systems; development of effective cybersecurity training modules for election judges; and threat analysis of mail-based voting, given COVID related impacts to election security.

Dr. Scala is associate professor and director of the graduate programs in supply chain management in the College of Business and Economics at Towson University.  She has earned the University System of Maryland Board of Regents Award for Excellence in Public Service, the system’s highest faculty honor, for her work in election security. Dr. Dehlinger is a professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences and the Director of the Computer Science Program at Towson.

Their presentation will be followed by an opportunity for questions via the Q & A function of Zoom. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.  A link for registration is available on the League of Women Voters of Kent County website at kent-lwvmaryland.nationbuilder.com.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to promoting informed and active citizen participation in government; it does not support or oppose any political parties or candidates for office.

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

Chestertown Council Wards 1 and 3 Forum

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The League of Women Voters of Kent County will sponsor a virtual forum for candidates for Chestertown Town Council Wards 1 and 3.  The forum will be held October 26th at 7:00pm. Robert Miller and Tim O’Brien in Ward 1 and Jose Medrano and Edward Gallo in Ward 3will answer questions prepared by the League, in addition to questions from the audience.

The Kent County Public Library will host the Zoom meeting.  Citizens can participate by joining the meeting at: https://marylandlibraries.zoom.us/j/99087501917

or listen at: One tap mobile:
US: +13017158592,,99087501917#  or +14703812552,,99087501917#

Questions from the audience can be submitted through the chat function of the webinar. A recording of the forum will be available on the League of Women’s Voters Website:  kent-lwvmdmaryland.nationbuilder.com.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to promoting informed and active citizen participation in government; it does not support or oppose any political parties or candidates for office.

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

National Voter Registration Day Is September 28

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The League of Women Voters of Kent County encourages citizens who are not yet registered to vote to do so. National Voter Registration Day is Tuesday, September 28, created and promoted with a view to increasing citizen participation in local and state elections across the country.

“Off-year” elections are a chance for voters to elect men and women who will have immediate impacts on their daily lives. Chestertown town elections will be held on November 2, 2021, to choose a mayor and town council member for both the first and third wards. Residents must be registered on or before October 1. U.S. Senate and House of Representatives elections, the Maryland gubernatorial election, and other important races take place in 2022.

Register Now online at voterservices.elections.maryland.gov or in person at the Kent County Board of Elections, 135 Dixon Drive, Chestertown, Phone: 410-778-0038 or 800-222-8683. Hours are 8:30a.m. to 4:30p.m. Monday through Friday.

In addition, residents will also be able to register at the Farmers Market on September 25th. The League of Women Voters will have a table with information and registration materials.

The League of Women Voters of Kent County Maryland (LWVKCMD) is a non-partisan organization that encourages informed and active participation in government and works to increase understanding of national, state, and local public policy through education and advocacy. The League does not support or endorse any candidates.

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

Virtual Forum for Candidates Running for the Rock Hall Town Council

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On Monday, April 26 at 7:00 p.m. candidates for the town council of Rock Hall will participate in a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Kent County and the Greater Rock Hall Business Association. The candidates participating include Brian Jones, David Jones, David Mayne,

James Cook, Tim Edwards, and Walter Elburn. The forum will be held via Zoom, and attendance is open to all. A link to the meeting can be located on the Facebook and the website of the Town of Rock Hall.

Lynn Dolinger will be the moderator for the evening.  Candidates will have an opportunity to introduce themselves and answer questions they have received in advance from the League of Women Voters.  Audience members may submit questions via chat to be answered by the candidates, and each candidate will also present closing remarks.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to promoting informed and active citizen participation in government; it does not support or oppose any candidates for office or political parties. Forums may not be recorded or filmed, unless with written agreement from the League of Women Voters.

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

League of Women Voters Meeting with Sen. Van Hollen

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Senator Chris Van Hollen

The League of Women Voters of Kent County invites the public to join us virtually for “A Conversation with Senator Chris Van Hollen”.  Sen. Van Hollen will keynote our 45th Annual meeting Wednesday, April 21stat 1:00 p.m.  The keynote speech will be followed by questions and answers with Sen. Van Hollen. The public is invited to join us for just the keynote address, or to stay for the annual meeting that follows.

To receive a Zoom invitation for the Annual Meeting, email Sandra Bjork at [email protected].

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to promoting informed and active citizen participation in government; it does not support or oppose any political parties or candidates for office.

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