CENTREVILLE – Due to the excessive heat forecast for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, July 13^th – 17^th the Department of Community Services will be opening their buildings for use by the general public from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The buildings include: Kent Island Senior Center, Grasonville Senior Center, Kramer Center and Sudlersville Senior Center. Each building is air conditioned and has an ice machine and water readily available. Regularly scheduled classes and programs will proceed as normal; however, accommodations will be made for those in the community who are in need of a cool retreat. Please contact this department at 410-758-0848 if you are aware of any vulnerable citizens who do not have access to a cool environment.

The following information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Your body normally cools itself by sweating. During hot weather, especially with high humidity, sweating just isn’t enough. Your body temperature can rise to dangerous levels and you can develop a heat illness. Most heat illnesses occur from staying out in the heat too long. Exercising too much for your age and physical condition are also factors. Older adults, young children and those who are sick or overweight are most at risk. Drinking fluids, replenishing salt and minerals and limiting time in the heat can help.

Heat-related illnesses include

• Heatstroke – a life-threatening illness in which body temperature may rise above 106°F in minutes; symptoms include dry skin, rapid, strong pulse and dizziness.
• Heat exhaustion – an illness that can precede heatstroke; symptoms include heavy sweating, rapid breathing and a fast, weak pulse
• Heat cramps – muscle pains or spasms that happen during heavy exercise
• Heat rash – skin irritation from excessive sweating

For additional heat safety & preparedness information, visit the following website:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/index/shtml and call 911 in the event of an emergency.

State officials, members of the Historic St. Mary’s City Commission and Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Board of Governors, staff from both HSMC and CBMM, and members of the public all gathered in St. Michaels, Md., in June to help celebrate the beginning of construction of the new Maryland Dove.

As part of CBMM’s Maritime Day festivities, a keel laying ceremony for the new ship—a reproduction of the 17th-century trading ship that in 1634 accompanied the first European settlers to what is now Maryland—dignitaries from both sides of the Chesapeake Bay offered remarks and congratulations on the start of the historic project.

Remarks were given by Pete Lesher, CBMM’s Chief Curator; Regina Faden, Executive Director of HSMC; and Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, on behalf of Governor Larry Hogan.

“We are absolutely committed to preserving the heritage and the history of our state, and especially our maritime heritage,” Haddaway-Riccio said. “We are really pleased that this new Dove is going to be more authentic and more like the original Dove—I think that is something that is really to be commended.”

Also in attendance were State Senator Addie Eckardt, from District 37; State Senator Jack Bailey, from District 29; State Delegate Johnny Mautz, from District 37B; Michael Bibb, Commissioner for the Town of St. Michaels; Father William George, Chair of the Historic St. Mary’s City Commission; and Melissa Kelly, Eastern Shore Liaison for Senator Chris Van Hollen.

All of the day’s attendees were invited to sign their name on Maryland Dove’s new keel, to see the lofting of its new design, and to help make trunnels, or large wooden nails, that will be used during its construction.

Maryland Dove is owned by the State of Maryland and maintained and operated by Historic St. Mary’s City. CBMM’s construction of its successor will take place in full public view through 2021. To learn more about the existing Maryland Dove and CBMM’s construction of the new ship, visit marylanddove.org, a recently launched website dedicated to Maryland Dove’s past, present, and future.

This past school year, band students from Easton Middle School (EMS) enjoyed having the University of Maryland’s Mid-Atlantic Brass visit them as part of the Talbot County Art’s Council’s ongoing Artist-in-Residence Program. The brass quintet made four visits to EMS, providing master classes with EMS band students. This year students in four sixth-grade band classes experienced World History with World Music in an effort to show the importance of the arts in societies around the world.  Each visit involved a 45-minute presentation by the quintet, as well as class time to help develop a meaningful relationship between quintet members and the students they mentored. In addition, seventh and eighth-grade band classes received master classes from the visiting artists.

According to Nancy Larson, representing the Talbot County Arts Council, “This latest project was initiated by members of the board of directors of the Talbot County Arts Council who were dismayed by the near total absence of young people attending Mid-Shore Area performances of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, and Chesapeake Music.  A study group concluded that younger people might begin attending if they could be introduced to classical music in various appealing forms at the secondary school level.”

Don Buxton adds, “This opportunity enabled Chesapeake Music, who is a partner in the program, to enhance what our organization is already doing in the schools. Chesapeake Music’s YouthReach Program has introduced students to music through school assemblies and one-on-one residencies provided through the organization’s First Strings Program in Talbot County schools for many years. This year, through a generous donor we have been able to offer free tickets to come to concerts which was very well received.”

The objective of the program is to provide the student body a rare opportunity to learn from the skill and experience of graduate-level musicians, to both inspire a lifelong love of classical music among the general student body and allow music students to benefit from the skill and enthusiasm of young professional-level musicians, who are qualified as music teachers and who are participating as volunteers.

Donna Ewing, Band Instructor at EMS, comments, “The University of MD graduate students greatly enhanced our program, giving students a chance to hear and learn from accomplished musicians.  Having four sessions allowed The Mid-Atlantic Brass to get to know the students and the students eagerly looked forward to their return.  It was a joy to watch the interaction between our students and the Mid-Atlantic Brass and to hear the musical growth made over the four sessions!”

The Mid-Atlantic Brass asked students about which popular arrangements they would like to hear performed. Among the songs selected included “Star Wars March of the Resistance,” and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Lauren Patin, the French horn player with Mid-Atlantic Brass comments, “We have definitely seen improvement being here all year. It’s been cool to be out of the University of Maryland bubble and be with students who don’t have access to something like this.”

Dylan Rye, trumpet player with Mid-Atlantic Brass, states, “The most rewarding thing was the one-on-one interactions with the kids.”

Trombonist Matthew Larson, adds, “It was fun when they didn’t know the trombone could do some of the things it did musically.”

Mid-Atlantic Brass, comprised of students from the University of Maryland (UMD) School of Music, has been performing around the DC metro area for the past two years. Last spring, they were recognized and invited to be a part of the UMD School of Music Honors Chamber Showcase. The University of Maryland portion of the initiative is being managed by Dr. Robert DiLutis, Professor of Clarinet and Director of the Community Engagement Office at the School of Music.

Talbot County Public Schools has been involved through the encouragement of former fine arts supervisor Dr. Marcia Sprankle and her successor, James Redman. The EMS component is managed by band director Donna Ewing with the assistance of chorus director CJ Freeman.  Chesapeake Music has been represented by executive director Donald Buxton and Hanna Woicke, chair of the YouthReach Committee. Participating Talbot County Arts Council board members are Nancy Larson and Bill Peak. Housing during the quintet’s overnight stays in Talbot County has been organized by Chesapeake Music president Courtney Kane, with generous hospitality provided by Hanna and Peter Woicke and Liz Koprowski.

If the pilot program proves successful, it is hoped funding will be found to continue the initiative in future years at Easton Middle School and possibly expand the project to include other local schools. The program is made possible by a grant from the Artistic Insights Fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, with funds from an Arts-in-Education grant from the Talbot County Arts Council, using revenues provided by the Maryland State Arts Council. Carpe Diem Arts also supported the program.

Terry Kokolis, new Director of the Talbot County Department of Corrections, had a schedule on this particular day which included seeing that the lobby walls were painted a brighter more inviting color,  speaking to the Talbot County Council in the evening about his vision for the department, after which he would visit the night shift staff at his facility to get the tone of the jail after hours. His passion for his work is evident when you talk with him.

Kokolis says, “I am in Talbot County to impact the day-to-day operations of the department. I am proud when I can make a difference on both sides – empowering and training the 50 staff members to feel they are a significant part of the organization and creating a blend of programming which benefits the 70 or so inmates.”

He adds, “People support what they build, so I will work with staff to think out of the box and I think they will enjoy doing that.”

Kokolis replaces Director Doug Devenyns who retired in June 2019 after 29 years in the correctional services field. He brings years of corrections experience, serving most recently as Superintendent of Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities. In that position he was responsible for the operations of the Jennifer Road Detention Center, a maximum security 750-bed intake facility hosting the Detention Division and Pretrial Services. Concurrently, he was also responsible for the Ordnance Road Correctional Center, a medium security 650-bed sentenced facility.

His career in corrections began after he was discharged from the military. He attended American University on the GI Bill where he completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Administration of Justice. He comments about what attracted him to the field, “There were influential people in the criminal justice field. American University was one of the schools given grant money to improve programs affecting law enforcement and public safety during this time.”

He began his career as a correctional officer in Montgomery County, which was one of the counties working with the Vera Institute of Justice, an organization working with government and civil leaders to improve justice systems across the country, and the National Institute of Corrections Resource Center, which provided innovative correctional services and training. He states, “Everything exciting in corrections was happening in Montgomery County. I was able to be a part of implementing unique and new strategies in my early career and it captivated me.”

He quips, “No one grows up wanting to work in a jail. It’s being able to make a difference in people’s lives in this profession which has kept me in it all these years. As I moved up the ranks, I could control outcomes and that was very satisfying.”

Kokolis adds, “Doug Devenyns did a great job here and was an active administrator. I want to continue Doug’s programs, building upon the good relationships he established with the mental health agencies and medical providers, public partners, law enforcement, and the Circuit Court and District Court judges. I will continue those relationships forward.”

Some of the new initiatives Kokolis hopes to implement include enhancing and improving the technology for communication in the department, expanding staff development training, and recognizing employees’ accomplishments. He states, “We need to create staff enhancements to retain employees who will be with us for their careers.”

For the inmate population, Kokolis hopes to strategize and develop offerings which can best address an inmate’s re-entry in the community. This includes expanding the pre-trial release and diversion program, working with Parole and Probation to meet with clients before they are released to make an earlier contact in the probation process. He would like to expand the Medically- Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program, consolidating offerings to measure the program’s effectiveness. He also hopes to continue the “Inside Out Dad Program” and start an “Inside Out Women’s Program.”

He adds, “This is what I am comfortable doing. How you treat inmates reflects the civility of the population.”

Kokolis also has a history of advocacy for correctional systems, having served on numerous boards and commissions, as well as providing expert testimony to the state legislature. He was appointed by Governor Hogan to the Justice Reinvestment Act (JRA) Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board and the Police and Correctional Training Commission representing Maryland’s 23 county jails.  He also served on the Commission to Reform Maryland’s Pretrial System representing Maryland Association of Counties.

Corey W. Pack, President, Talbot County Council, adds, “Mr. Kokolis has the proven leadership skills and knowledge to successfully lead the Department of Corrections and continue with the expansion of cognitive programs offered to the inmate population.”

Adkins Arboretum will host Project WILD, a professional development workshop about wildlife and conservation, for K–12 teachers on Sat., Aug. 3 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Presented by Kerry Wixted, wildlife education and outreach specialist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the workshop is perfect for teachers in both formal and informal settings, as well as anyone with an interest in environmental education.

A project of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Project WILD is dedicated to helping students learn how to think, not what to think, about wildlife and the environment. All curriculum materials are back by sound education practices and theory and represent the work of many within the fields of education and natural resource management from across the country.

The workshop will cover pollination, field investigations, inquiry-based learning and more. All participants will receive two free Project WILD guides filled with more than 100 lesson plans. The course counts as professional development for Maryland Green Schools and for Maryland Master Naturalists.

The Project WILD workshop is $25 for Arboretum members and $30 for non-members. Advance registration is required at adkinsarboretum.org or by calling 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

CENTREVILLE – Hop on the bus and join us for the August 29, bus trip to Shenandoah Caverns where the cool air of the caverns will refresh you and the natural wonders will amaze you.

The Queen Anne’s County Department of Community Services is hosting this adventure which includes motor coach transportation and tour admission. Admission includes a guided tour of the caverns and a self-guided tour of Main Street of Yesteryear, American Celebration on Parade and the Yellow Barn.

The caverns tour consists of a one mile, one hour walk. A light jacket and comfortable shoes are recommended for the tour. Food items will be available for purchase at a small café onsite or bring a lunch and enjoy the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The cost is $76.00 per person and the minimum age requirement is 21.

This trip requires a moderate activity level and may be strenuous.

A volunteer(s) will be sought to act as trip chaperone on a first come first serve basis. As compensation for performing chaperone duties the volunteer(s) will attend free of charge. If you are interested in volunteering as chaperone please contact the Department of Community Services, 410-758-0848 ext. 2710.

Pick-Up/Drop-Off Locations are at the senior centers in Sudlersville, Grasonville and Kent Island.  To register call 410-758-0848 ext. 2710. The deadline to register is August 9^th.

Members of the public are invited to join the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s Shipyard Education Programs Manager Jenn Kuhn and shipyard volunteer John Aiken on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10 and 11, for a workshop on stand-up paddle construction. Registration is required.

One of CBMM’s Apprentice for a Day Shipyard Programs, participants in this unique workshop will learn bent shaft laminating and shaping skills. From 9am–4pm each day, guests will plan, design, and construct a paddle perfectly suited to their needs and goals. Each participant will go home with their own custom-made paddle. Materials and basic tools are included in the registration fee, and participants are encouraged to bring a lunch.

The cost for this program is $200, with a 20% discount for CBMM members. To register, or for more information, visit cbmm.org/standuppaddle.

CBMM’s Apprentice for a Day Shipyard Programs take place year-round, offering demonstrations, workshops, intensives with visiting master craftsmen, on-the-water experiences, and customized programming. Programs take place on weekends and select weekdays, and include a variety of programs for every interest and age. To find one that’s right for you, visit cbmm.org/shipyardprograms.

A few weeks ago you were sitting back admiring your freshly planted garden. Neat little rows of tomato, pepper, squash, and cucumber plants accompanied by flowers and herbs were all planted in view from your back deck. As you sat there basking in the evening sun, relishing in your hard work, a little moth fluttered from flower to flower sipping nectar. With her hummingbird like flutters, the Carolina Sphinx moth floated through your garden, unassumingly laying her eggs on your newly planted tomato and pepper plants. Within a few days, from her little green eggs emerged a tiny but very hungry green caterpillar. Since that day, the ravenous little green Tobacco Hornworm caterpillar has spent his days munching away, perfectly hidden by the copious green foliage of your tomato plants, growing bigger and bigger. You begin to notice stems of complete defoliation. Maybe you think it’s a bunny or deer having a nighttime nibble as the little green caterpillar stays camouflaged, until the moment you notice the red-tipped horn and the very large green body of a caterpillar measuring almost 4” in length hanging on your prize winning tomato plant. During the last month the hornworm caterpillar has gone through 4-5 instars (growth stages) while feasting in your garden. If the hornworm reaches the final growth stage he will begin to wander looking for the perfect site to pupate. Once the perfect site has been found the caterpillar will form a pupal cell below the leaf litter or soil.

However, in our area there are many natural predators that love to make a meal of the delicious protein rich hornworm caterpillar or eggs. Birds, small animals, and insects find the hornworm caterpillar particularly delicious. Paper wasps use the caterpillars as a future food source in nest cells containing the wasp’s eggs. In sci-fi movie fashion, parasitic wasps (Braconid wasps), also use hornworms as a food source for their young, but in a much more diabolical manner. The small parasitic wasp inconspicuously stings the caterpillar depositing her eggs inside the hornworms body. As the larval wasps develop they devour the caterpillar, feeding on its blood as they grow. In the final pupal stage, the immature wasp spin small white cocoons that resemble grains of rice that protrude from the body of the living hornworm. Eventually, the parasitized hornworm will fall victim to the wasp and will stop eating and die. Using nature as your method of control is perhaps the best way to rid your garden of this very hungry caterpillar, so just sit back and watch the show.

For further information, please visit https://extension.umd.edu/queen-annes-county/master-gardener-home-gardening or see us on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/QueenAnnesCountyMasterGardeners For more information contact: Rachel J. Rhodes, Master Gardener Coordinator at (410) 758-0166 or by email at rjrhodes@umd.edu.

University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all people and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, or national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political affiliation, or gender identity and expression.

Pictures:

Hornworm Parasitic Wasp: Hornworm parasitized by Braconoid wasps. If you see hornworms or other caterpillars in your garden, clustered with white cocoons, leave them alone. Photo taken by Rachel Rhodes

2 Hornworm: This duo of caterpillars can gain more than one thousand times their weight during their life span. Photo taken by Rachel Rhodes

Carolina Sphinx Moth: Photo Credit: Dr. Mike Raupp, Professor of Entomology, University of Maryland (photo is copyrighted and may not be used without Dr. Raupp’s permission) The Carolina Sphinx Moth flies at dusk and females lay eggs on members of the nightshade family including tobacco, tomato, and occasionally eggplant, pepper, and potato.

Resources:

Horning in on your tomatoes-Tomato and Tobacco Hornworms: https://bugoftheweek.com/blog/2013/1/9/horning-in-on-your-tomatoes-tomato-and-tobacco-hornworms-imanduca-quinquemaculatai-and-imanduca-sextai?rq=tobacco%20Hornworm

Tobacco-Tomato Hornworm:

https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/tobacco-tomato-hornworm-vegetables

Featured Creatures: University of Florida http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/field/tobacco_hornworm.htm

Did you know that research and trends are indicating that children today have more early childhood trauma than their parents?

A new Children’s Health Initiative, a collaboration between the Talbot County Health Department (TCHD), Talbot County Public Schools (TCPS), and Talbot County Department of Social Services (TCDSS), provides an early intervention program for children in kindergarten through second grade with mild to moderate adjustment problems to classroom settings that produce behavioral problems. The initiative is based on studies that early childhood investments decrease the risk for many physical, behavioral, and social problems later in life.

The first year, the initiative was able to increase capacity in several areas without new county funds, however, this year, Talbot County Government is investing $100,000 in the FY2020 school health budget to support the initiative. The additional funds will predominately fund behavioral health trained workers to assist children with coping and adjustment skills, self-confidence, and interpersonal relationships using theraplay.

Fredia Wadley, MD, Health Officer, Talbot County Health Department, points to research by James J. Heckman, PhD, a Nobel Memorial Prize winner in economics and an expert in the economics of human development, which says that the best investment is in quality early childhood development from birth to five for disadvantaged children and their families. Dr. Wadley explains, “The children born now will be less prepared for success in life unless we do something during their early development to give them a healthy start.”

Heckman further explains in his research that adverse early environments across the economic spectrum create deficits in skills and abilities that drive down productivity and increase social costs—thereby adding to financial deficits borne by the public. According to research done by the Talbot County Health Department, 39 percent of Talbot County children live in single-parent households and there are 216 homeless students in Talbot County. In addition, there are a number of children in the county who are experiencing trauma with parents who have addiction and mental health problems. Multigenerational poverty, people living longer, a more mobile population, along with advances in Internet technology have all impacted this breakdown of the family support structure.

Kelly Griffith, Superintendent of the Talbot County Public Schools, comments about the collaborative, “We are all working with the same families. We came to a common understanding around educating our community about early intervention and prevention so we can be more proactive.”

There had been a collaborative 10 years ago between the Talbot County Public Schools and Channel Marker, Inc. through a Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration (SAMSA) grant which addressed some of these issues. After the grant ran out, the number of children helped in Talbot County schools was reduced from 90 students to 30 students in Kindergarten through second grade.

Dr. Wadley adds, “We looked at existing services, asking what were their capacity and where were the gaps, and started there.”

Accomplishment to date include: 1) adding a second employee to both the Healthy Families Program in TCHD and the Infant and Toddlers Program in TCPS; 2) adding a social worker to county elementary schools to support high-risk students and their families; 3) implementing a five day program with new federal dollars at the Family Support Center (Early Head Start) for children that will allow mothers to work; 4) implementing a Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Team (START) program through TCDSS and TCHD to help mothers using drugs get treatment and support for their children; 5) hosted  “Healing Neen,” the first conference on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and “Resiliency,” a movie by James Redford about what children need to cope with adversity; and 6) establishing through TCHD a telehealth program with Johns Hopkins for three specialty pediatric clinics.

Among the goals of the initiative are to 1) get children born healthy; 2)concentrate on early childhood development and the prevention and mitigation of ACEs; 3) increase the percentage with school readiness skills and competencies, and 4) provide early detection of behavioral problems and services for behavioral modification.

The Children’s Health Initiative continues to seek new partners. For All Seasons has come on board to supplement the work being done by Eastern Shore Psychological Services in the schools. Through their ACE trained professionals, For All Season is also able to provide ACE training for the community.  Corey Pack, President of the Talbot County Council, comments, “We applaud these efforts as new partners are being brought on board as the initiative moves forward.”

The group started meeting when Griffith became Superintendent of the Talbot County Public Schools and she realized she needed help in meeting the needs for her families. Linda Webb, Director of the Talbot County Department of Social Services, reflects, “Our relationship is unique. As a newcomer to Talbot County, it has been valuable in helping me to learn the landscape here. And, our work together is making a real impact on expanding services in the community.”

Dr. Wadley points to changing demographics in Talbot County and the need to educate the public about these needs. She concludes, “Not everyone is seeing the needs we have in the county. In addition, people don’t know about our services and how to use them. Sharing our resources to meet the growing needs is critical.”

For All Seasons received a grant from the Queen Anne’s County Local Management Board that will provide a four-day training in Theraplay for over 35 members of For All Seasons clinical team. Theraplay is a child and family therapy for building and enhancing attachment, self-esteem, trust in others, and joyful engagement. It is based on the natural patterns of playful, healthy interaction between parent and child and is personal, physical, and fun.

Theraplay interactions focus on four essential qualities found in parent-child relationships: Structure, Engagement, Nurture, and Challenge. In treatment, the Theraplay Practitioner guides the parent and child through playful, fun games, developmentally challenging activities, and tender, nurturing activities in each of the four dimensions.

According to Lesa Lee, LCSW-C, and Clinical Director at For All Seasons, who was the first to be trained in Theraplay, “The most common use of Theraplay is to build on the attachment between child and caregiver. It can also be used in individual therapy, especially in assessing and building a child’s capacity to manage challenges and tolerance for structure.”

Lee adds, “It assesses the strengths and vulnerabilities of child and family and can be used from a state of pre-pregnancy through adolescence. For at-risk mothers, it can help how a mother feels about her baby – creating an early attachment to her child.”

Theraplay sessions create an active, emotional connection between the child and parent or caregiver, resulting in a changed view of the self as worthy and lovable and of relationships as positive and rewarding.

For All Seasons serves Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne, and Talbot counties. For All Seasons Rape Crisis Center offers certified sexual assault victim advocates; counseling and support groups, free and confidential services in English and Spanish, support in the hospital, police department, and court, and referrals to social and legal services. For All Seasons English Hotline is 1-800-310-RAPE (7273) and Spanish Hotline is 410-829-6143.