Dance, Eat, Play And Plunder In Havre de Grace With The Pirates Of The Chesapeake

Three hundred and seventy-three years ago, or thereabouts, a small ship attempted to trade with Native Americans at Palmer’s Island, now known as Garrett Island, on the Susquehanna River at the top of the Chesapeake Bay. The ship never made it to the island - it was captured in what was dubbed the first act of piracy in Maryland.

 

Several centuries later, the Susquehanna Museum at the Lock House in Havre de Grace is celebrating the history of piracy on the Chesapeake with a Pirate Gala on July 12. Aside from eye patches, peg legs, shoulder-mounted parrots, plank-walking and an unimaginable number of scurvy-mouthed “arghs!,” the event will also feature a reggae band, an auction, food and beverage, a costume contest and a re-created pirate encampment. Continue reading Dance, Eat, Play And Plunder In Havre de Grace With The Pirates Of The Chesapeake

40-Love: An Aberdeen Archrivalry Lives On

Fact: Early in 2006, Aberdeen’s interim city manager Don Brand abruptly resigned from his post.

Backstory: A high-ranking city official close to the situation told me Brand was abruptly “resigned” after he allegedly became belligerent in the lobby of city hall upon learning the “interim” tag was going to stick and that he had been passed over for the permanent city manager position. His profanity-laced tirade apparently drew the attention of several city employees and passersby and left this elected official with no other choice but to tell Brand the ride was over. Adding to the disgrace, Brand, who decided he would pack up his things and leave on the spot, had been driving a city-owned vehicle to work and had to bum a ride home from city police chief Randy Rudy. So Rudy drove a just-fired Brand and all his office belongs home in the city car, dropped him off and then returned to Aberdeen with the vehicle - leaving a very recently-unemployed Brand no doubt explaining to his wife why he was home in the middle of the afternoon. Continue reading 40-Love: An Aberdeen Archrivalry Lives On