ShoreRivers and Washington College recently celebrated the completion of the North Commons Bioretention project, which installed numerous bioretention practices in the North Commons parking lot to better manage and treat stormwater runoff. Urban stormwater runoff is one of the most damaging threats to our waterways because it contains nutrients and other harmful pollutants, and can contribute to localized flooding. The project culminated in a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Kent County Chamber of Commerce on May 6, 2022.

The gym at H.H. Garnet Elementary School was turned into a hub for community resources Friday evening, May 6. The occasion was a Community School Fair that saw nearly 30 organizations on hand to provide attendees with information about services available for them. This was the inaugural run of what is planned to become an annual event at the elementary school in Chestertown.

Seniors Conner Dean, left, and Kendall Langenfelder have been named Bayside Scholar Athletes for Kent County High School. Dean has played on the soccer and baseball teams. Langenfelder has played soccer and softball and run on the indoor track team. To be eligible for the Bayside Scholar Athlete honor, a student must be a senior with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher and have no failing grade on their transcript. They also must have played two or more sports their senior year.

The Board of Directors at Chestertown RiverArts is proud to announce the appointment of its new Executive Director, Chris Sade. Sade will assume the organization’s leadership in May 2022.

Whether they are in pre-school, high school or any grade in between, Kent County Public Schools has summer programs for students of all ages.

The University of Maryland Chester River Health Foundation (CRHF) was awarded an allocation of state tax credits to support its efforts to raise nearly $150,000 to fund a replacement hematology analyzer for the laboratory at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. CRHF is one of just two health-related organizations awarded tax credits this year from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.

A meeting has been set to hear public input on a proposal to name the media center at H.H. Garnet Elementary School. The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 11 at the school. H.H. Garnet Elementary School is located at 320 Calvert St., Chestertown. Kent County Public Schools system is considering naming the media center after a distinguished individual who has made significant contributions to education. Community members are encouraged to attend the upcoming meeting and share their thoughts.

The 2022 Maryland Legislative Session, which adjourned on April 11, was a huge success for cleaner water and healthier rivers. In collaboration with the broader environmental community, ShoreRivers weighed in on over 30 bills. In particular, the bill on “zombie” discharge permits (HB649) will result in significant changes to the way the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) monitors facilities for their discharge into waterways. The passing of this legislation came after a multiyear effort by ShoreRivers’ Riverkeepers and a broader coalition of environmental organizations advocating that MDE end the practice of administratively continuing expired discharge permits.

Teaching may not have been Karen Carty's first career, but her move into education six years ago has shown it to be her true calling. Carty was celebrated for her work Monday evening, April 25 when she was named the 2021-22 Kent County Public Schools Teacher of the Year. She is a science teacher at Kent County Middle School.

At the Garfield Center for the Arts, playwrights, directors and actors who delight in the art of the 10-minute play are at it again! Short Attention Span Theatre (SAST) offers an evening of 10-minute plays, designed to hold your attention for “just. long. enough.”

Auditions for this year’s SAST will be held at the Garfield Center on Saturday, May 7 at 2:00 PM, Monday, May 9th at 6:00 PM and Wednesday, May 11th at 6:00 PM. We are seeking actors and stage crew. Auditions will consist of cold readings from scripts being considered for presentation.