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May 8, 2025

Chestertown Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown

  • Home
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Point of View From and Fuller Spy Highlights

From and Fuller: The GOP ‘Beautiful’ Megabill and Joe Biden’s Return

May 8, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller Leave a Comment

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Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the House Republican mega bill, which Donald Trump has called a “Big Beautiful Bill,” and Speaker Johnson seeks to send to the Senate for approval by the end of May. Al and Craig also shared thoughts on Biden’s return to the public arena during his recent interview with the BBC.

This video podcast is approximately 22 minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

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

Filed Under: From and Fuller, Spy Highlights

Publisher’s Note: Introducing the ‘Maryland Caucus’ Podcast with Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell

May 6, 2025 by Dave Wheelan

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Building on the success of our From & Fuller series with national political commentators Al From and Craig Fuller, the Spy is proud to launch an equally compelling new podcast: The Maryland Caucus.

This series brings together two of the most experienced and respected voices in Maryland public life—Len Foxwell and Clayton A. Mitchell, Sr. Their mission: to explore the evolving political terrain of Maryland, from the State House in Annapolis to the communities of the Eastern Shore.

Foxwell and Mitchell may come from different corners of the public square—one a strategist and public communicator, the other a jurist and administrative law expert—but they share a lifelong commitment to the mechanics and meaning of public service. Together, they offer something increasingly rare in American discourse: thoughtful, informed, and good-humored conversation grounded in facts, history, and lived experience.

Len Foxwell, founder of Tred Avon Strategies, is widely regarded as one of Maryland’s most influential political strategists. A veteran of nearly three decades in public life, he served as chief of staff to the Comptroller of Maryland from 2008 to 2020, where he was credited with helping build one of the nation’s most effective and forward-looking tax enforcement offices.

During that time, the Comptroller’s office recaptured more than $6 billion in unpaid taxes and won national praise for combating tax fraud and unethical financial practices. But Foxwell’s public impact wasn’t limited to budgetary stewardship. He also played a pivotal role in modernizing Maryland’s craft alcohol industry, working to ease outdated regulations and encourage growth for breweries, wineries, and distilleries across the state.

A writer and educator at heart, Foxwell also teaches professional writing and crisis communication at Johns Hopkins University. As one veteran journalist once wrote, “There are plenty of operatives who are talented and indispensable to their bosses. But only Foxwell has actually changed the trajectory of Maryland politics.”

Clayton A. Mitchell, Sr., brings an equally deep and distinguished record of public service. A native of the Eastern Shore, Mitchell served on the Maryland Department of Labor’s Board of Appeals for nearly 30 years, including four years as its Chairman. Appointed in 1994 by Governor William Donald Schaefer and reappointed by four successive governors from both parties, Mitchell presided over the state’s highest appellate authority for unemployment insurance disputes, helping shape how fairness and due process are applied to tens of thousands of Maryland workers.

A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Baltimore School of Law, Mitchell has also worked to expand legal access through education. He founded the Student Attorney Advocacy Program at his law school alma mater to ensure indigent claimants could receive representation in appeals proceedings. In addition to his public duties, he has maintained a part-time legal practice focused on administrative, land use, and environmental law.

Mitchell is equally respected for his civic leadership. He has served on the Selective Service Board and the Maryland Attorney General’s Environmental Advisory Council, authored legal reference works, and endowed a scholarship to help Maryland students pursue legal careers. As he said in a recent reflection, “Public service isn’t just about policy. It’s about people—about making sure the system works for everyone, especially those who don’t have a lobbyist or a lawyer.”

Together, Foxwell and Mitchell represent two sides of the same democratic coin—strategy and structure, politics and process, insight and institution. With the Maryland Caucus, they’ll shine a spotlight on the issues shaping Maryland today: education funding, judicial reform, land use, regional economics, environmental priorities, campaign strategy, and more.

Expect each episode to be as frank as it is thoughtful. Or as Foxwell recently quipped, “It may be called The Maryland Caucus, but we’re not handing out talking points.”

We hope you’ll tune in.

Stay tuned for the first weekly episode of The Maryland Caucus this Wednesday at 3 pm on all of our Spy platforms.

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

Filed Under: Spy Highlights

Publisher Notes: Spy Poetry and Deidra Greenleaf Allan

May 4, 2025 by Dave Wheelan

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Since its inception, The Spy has proudly found room for poetry. With a publisher well-versed in the form as an undergraduate at Washington College, and a grandfather who published the Poetry Magazine back in the day, poetry and its singular gifts have been central to our mission and content since 2009.

Over those years, we’ve been privileged to share a unique partnership with the Delmarva Review, one of the Mid-Atlantic’s premier literary journals, and its esteemed editor and publisher, Wilson Wyatt. Each week, we’ve had the honor of republishing some of the Review’s finest poetry, thoughtfully selected by Wilson. Through this collaboration, our readers have been consistently enriched by gifted writers whose work explores profound, accessible, and enduring themes of human experience.

It is with deep gratitude and sadness that we mark Wilson’s recent retirement. After 16 remarkable years, the Delmarva Review concluded its award-winning run with the release of The Best of the Delmarva Review last fall. This transition has made it essential for the Spy to continue our commitment to poetry, even without the guiding hand of the journal and its superb editorial team.

We are proud to announce that Deidra Greenleaf Allan will become the Spy‘s first poetry editor.

Deidra is an accomplished poet whose work has appeared in American Poetry Review, Poetry Miscellany, Puerto del Sol, West Branch, and Quartet Journal. In 2001, Robert Hass named her Montgomery County (PA) Poet Laureate. Since relocating to the Mid-Shore in 2022, she has become a dedicated advocate for the region’s poetry community.

Each week, Deidra will share poems that honor the Delmarva Review’s tradition of presenting accessible and resonant literary art, from voices here on the Eastern Shore to nationally recognized poets.

I am grateful to Deidra for taking on this role and thrilled that our readers will benefit from her discerning eye and finely tuned ear.

Dave Wheelan
Publisher

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

Filed Under: Spy Highlights

From and Fuller: The Garcia Case, Trump Blinking and Democratic Road to Recovery

April 24, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller 1 Comment

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Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the Abrego Garcia case and its impact on America’s rule of law. Al and Craig also discuss President Trump’s tendency to back down on several of his key policy positions and exchange ideas about Al’s opinion piece in The New York Times today, regarding how the Democratic Party can regain its vitality.

This video podcast is approximately 19 minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:


Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican Party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

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

Filed Under: Spy Highlights

From and Fuller: What Does a Constitutional Crisis Look Like and the Fate of Federal Reserve Chair Powell

April 17, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller 1 Comment

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Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the growing evidence that the United States is facing a significant constitutional crisis as the Trump Administration continues to defy court orders. Al and Craig also discuss the fate of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and the consequences of Donald Trump succeeding in firing him before the end of his term.

This video podcast is approximately 20 minutes in length

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

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

Filed Under: From and Fuller, Spy Highlights

From and Fuller: The Trump Tariff Retreat and Survival Outlook

April 10, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller 1 Comment

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Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the dramatic reversal of most of his recently announced trade tariff policy in the face of a declining government bond market. Al and Craig also compare notes on how the country and the world can survive the Trump administration until the next congressional election in 2026.

This video podcast is approximately sixteen minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

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

Filed Under: From and Fuller, Spy Highlights

Beyond Cinderella: Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks by Anke Van Wagenberg

April 5, 2025 by Anke Van Wagenberg Leave a Comment

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Working at the American Federation of Arts is just about as exciting as an art curator’s job can be curating international and American exhibitions, publishing catalogs, and related travel (while living in beautiful Talbot County). Bringing art to a wide public has been the AFA’s non-profit mission a
s the leader in traveling exhibitions internationally, since 1909 Showcasing the many incredible and innovative new footwear designs that promise to transform the field.

The American Federation of Arts is touring Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks. Building on the highly successful collaboration for the show Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture (2015–2017), the Bata Shoe Museum and the American Federation of Arts are collaborating again on a new groundbreaking exhibition that explores the intersection between design innovation and technological advancements in footwear.

Future Now features around sixty futuristic designs from the Bata Shoe Museum’s holdings as well as loans from prominent institutions, collectors, designers, and inventors. It explores how cutting-edge technologies, unexpected materials, and new ideas are transforming footwear today. The exhibition includes digitally designed and 3D-printed shoes, sneakers made from mushroom leather and reclaimed ocean plastics, and footwear created for the metaverse.

In the 19th century, shoemaking in the West was transformed from an artisanal craft into an industry driven by the invention of new methods and materials. The mass production of footwear made a variety of shoes accessible and affordable, and footwear consumption began to rise. However, industrialization also introduced new limitations: feet suddenly had to fit into predetermined sizes, and consumer choice was limited to the styles and colors selected by manufacturers. Industrialization led to ever-increasing levels of exploitation and waste as production and consumption grew. Today, many shoe designers and companies are grappling with this history. And while innovation remains at the forefront of the industry, the goals have begun to shift.

The footwear included in the exhibition is designed to address industrial-age problems and capitalize on postindustrial possibilities. The project features designers and brands including Salehe Bembury, Steven Smith, RTFKT, Mr. Bailey, Zaha Hadid, Nike ISPA, Safa Şahin, EKTO VR, Saysh, Benoit Méléard, SCRY, and many more.

The exhibition is co-organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Bata Shoe Museum. Guest Curator is Elizabeth Semmelhack, Director and Senior Curator at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada. Semmelhack applies her cultural art-history background to the mission of the museum by exploring the multiple roles and meanings of footwear through innovative and engaging exhibitions and publications. Most recently, she has curated The Great Divide: Footwear and the Age of Enlightenment (2021). Her recent publications include The World at Your Feet: The Bata Shoe Museum Collection (Rizzoli Electa, 2020), Collab: Sneakers x Culture (Rizzoli Electa, 2019), Dior by Roger Vivier (Rizzoli, 2018), Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture (Rizzoli Electa, 2015), and Standing Tall: The Curious History of Men in Heel (Bata Shoe Museum, 2015).

This exciting and well-visited exhibition tour was organized by AFA’s Curator Katherine Wright, PhD. It started in 2024 at the Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR, and next at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, Indianapolis, IN, and is currently on view at the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota, FL, until May 4, 2025, and will next go to the Figge Art Museum, Davenport, IA, May 23, 2025 – August 31, 2025 Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC, September 20, 2025 – January 4, 2026 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, MI, February 7 – June 8, 2026

Anke Van Wagenberg, PhD, is Senior Curator & Head of International Collaborations at the American Federation of Arts in New York and lives in Talbot County, MD. 

 

 

 

 

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

Filed Under: Spy Highlights

Spy Concert Review: All-Mozart, Start to Finish by Steve Parks

April 4, 2025 by Steve Rideout Leave a Comment

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Although the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra’s all-Mozart concert series comprises only three works from his voluminous canon, the program spans all but the last three years of Mozart’s too-short life and brilliant career.
Conducted by MSO music director Michael Repper, the opening night concert at the Easton Church of God starts at the beginning, 1764, with young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 1, composed between the ages of 6 and 8. The next two pieces, among Mozart’s most mature works – symphonies 40 and 41 – were written in 1788 during one of the most productive periods of his prolific genius, along with a companion piece, Symphony No. 39, finished just three years before his death after completing one of his most beloved scores for the stage, “The Magic Flute” opera. That and his “Requiem,” composed in 1791, the year of his death. Apparently, it was never played for its author on his deathbed or thereafter.
Symphony No. 1 in E-flat major, reflects influences by composers known best to him as a child, his father Leopold and Johann Sebastian Bach’s son, Christian, who Wolfgang befriended as his family was in London while his dad recuperated from a lingering illness. The second movement of his first symphony features a four-note violin motif – C, D, F, E – that resurfaced in several subsequent works, including Symphony 41, better known as “Jupiter,” which concludes the concert and lends the series its title, “Mozart’s Jupiter.” The 15-minute child-prodigy Mozart’s debut opens with an at-once sonorous and lively allegro, followed by a more somber cello-and-bass led andante and an exuberant upper strings finale.
Repper then outlined the last two full symphonies credited to Mozart, though he wrote a staggering 600 compositions in all – from concertos and opera scores to sonatas and chamber quartets and quintets. Both his 40th and 41st symphonies are considered the apotheosis of his mastery of that classical form.
The 40th, aside from being one of only two symphonies he composed in a minor key (G), is among his darker complete works, opening with a somber allegro accompaniment of lower strings before the familiar first theme is introduced by woodwinds and violins, followed by a bass-heavy backbeat, led by Chris Chlumsky, in an intensifying concluding theme. The third movement, the traditional minuet, is all but undanceable though its rhythm is nevertheless refreshingly optimistic as played by woodwinds, principally clarinets (Dennis Strawley and Wendi Hatton), with horn accompaniment (Mark Hughes and Anne Nye). The finale opens with a rising strings-led arpeggio competing with clarinets driving a contrapuntal theme toward a perhaps tragic operatic ending.
After intermission, Repper warned the audience that Mozart was “showing off” in the final movement of his 41st and last symphony, “Jupiter.” He meant the remark as a compliment to the master’s unbridled skill and daring.
The simple but profound opening – some compare it to Beethoven’s Fifth – violins subtly introduce the four-note motif repeated throughout the first-movement allegro vivace, fiercely rendered with full-orchestra gusto. The second-movement andante, as defined by the term “cantabile,” is a songlike respite or shelter from the storm. The third-movement minuet, following the symphonic habit of the day, extends the contrastingly sunny disposition of his final symphony as opposed to his brooding 40th. The “Jupiter” 41st ends with a celebration of his great gift to generations of music appreciators even yet to discover him “showing off” by juggling bits of five themes borrowed from personal musical inspirations to create a greatest-hits classical “album” played in two minutes. It could leave you breathless. It seemed so for Repper, the conductor.
Think what Mozart may have accomplished with another 35 years of life. But maybe that was the presentiment that drove him – all the way to Jupiter and back.
MOZART’S JUPITER
Concert series opened April 3 at Easton Church of God, continuing at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 5, Epworth United Methodist Church in Rehoboth Beach, and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 6, Community Church, Ocean Pines. midatlanticsymphony.org
Steve Parks is a retired New York arts critic now living in Easton.

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

Filed Under: Spy Highlights

From and Fuller: Trump Liberation Day and Wisconsin Election Results

April 3, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller Leave a Comment

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Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the impact of President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” plans to impose an international 10% tariff on all imported goods coming into the United States and more punitive tariffs on major export countries like China, Mexico, Japan, and Canada.  Al and Craig also talk about the special election results from Wisconsin and Florida.

This video podcast is approximately 21 minutes in length.


To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

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

Filed Under: From and Fuller, Spy Highlights

From and Fuller: What does the Signal Chat Signal for Team Trump

March 27, 2025 by Al From and Craig Fuller 2 Comments

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Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the political impact on the Trump Administration and international relations after disclosing a Signal instant messaging chat with the Secretary of Defense and other high-ranking officials on war plans related to Yemen bombing targets in the Middle East.

This video podcast is approximately sixteen minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

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

Filed Under: From and Fuller, Spy Highlights

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