Good morning, good people,

Can you imagine how much fun it is to write about all the ‘Good News’ happening in Crisfield? I have to admit, I’d do this for free. Actually, I am! 🙂

But it really is a *joy* to see Crisfield come alive and to see us working together for the good of the whole. Here are a dozen topics I know you will appreciate hearing about:

​Hello again, good people,

It’s always a pleasure to have the opportunity to share ‘Good News’ I have learned about during the past month. There is much going on in Crisfield once again that includes new businesses, new events, new community involvement and alliances, and new progress in becoming the “#1 unique tourist destination on the Eastern Shore“. Here are 14 topics you will find of interest:

January 18, 2017

To donate, download this form: GCAC Fundraiser 2018 – charts and donor form

Hello, good people,

As promised, I am sending you this newsletter as a Special Fundraiser Newsletter for the Greater Crisfield Action Coalition. This is only the second time we have asked for funds from the community of supporters since we formed in May 2015. We are all volunteers working with the limited funding we have put in ourselves or raised previously from individuals or organizations within the community. Right now we are in great need of funding for operations and grant writing. These are a priority in order to cover our basic costs and seek larger grant funding and other major funding opportunities.

​Hello, good people,

There was so much *Good News* in Crisfield in the last month, I hardly knew where to start, so I grouped the topics for better understanding:

How times flies! As we approach the end of 2017, let us again celebrate what is new in Crisfield as we look forward to even more progress by the 2018 season. Here’s what I learned about:
TWELVE CHURCHES OF CHRISTMAS:

• A new event this year is “The 12 Churches of Christmas,” a bus tour of Crisfield’s historic churches hosted by Crisfield Storyteller Joe Paden of the Crisfield Story Project and the Somerset County Arts Council. It’s set for Saturday, December 9th. The bus departs from the Food Lion parking lot at 5:30 PM. See more details on the announcement at the bottom.

Hello, good people,

Are you ready for some GOOD NEWS? Lots of GOOD NEWS?? Yes, we’re heading into winter, but good things continue to happen in Crisfield every month. Here’s the latest:
THE GATHERING PLACE:

• The Circle Inn sold last week, and they are already OPEN! They painted the exterior and have put up a new sign that says, “The Gathering Place – former Circle Inn.” I understand the new owners are Ronnie and Glenda Mrohs. This restaurant was always a favorite of locals in particular, and has been in business under the previous owners for many decades. I have a feeling the Mrohs will do very well, and I hope you will support them as they embark on their new journey in the restaurant business.

CAFE’S CARRYOUT:

• Dan and Mary Nelson are shooting to open Cafe’s Carryout by mid to late December. The name implies this is Water’s Edge Cafe’s Carryout, which it is. Water’s Edge Cafe, Dan and Mary’s other restaurant, has started to get too busy with carryout orders in addition to orders from those dining in. It just made sense to separate the two. The new restaurant will focus on carryout orders only, and will enable patrons of Water’s Edge Cafe to get their favorite dine-in foods as a carryout. Dan is having the exterior painted, and is doing a full renovation inside. He also bought a complete set of chef grade kitchen appliances including a state of the art, double stacked pizza oven. Cafe’s Carryout is in a good location that is centrally located and visible from the main highway. Plus it has convenient parking for carryout customers. Dan and Mary have had great success with Water’s Edge Cafe, and the Carryout Cafe will be the perfect complement.

Hello, good people,
Here we are into October and at the end of the “season” in Crisfield, and we are still finding *Good News* happening now as well as things already getting in motion for the 2018 Season. Below are the details I’m able to share:
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT:

• Crisfield made another step of progress last week when Steven Skerritt-Davis, the Program Director for the Maryland State Arts Council, spoke before the Mayor and Council about the Arts & Entertainment Program and application process. This is the first such meeting before the Council, but Jen Rafter, the city’s grant writer, has held several meetings with the Somerset County Arts Council and others in the community about forming an A&E District in Crisfield that would likely include all of uptown and perhaps part of the downtown area. The exact boundaries haven’t been decided yet, but we do know there is good support in the community to see this move forward. It will likely come before City Council for a vote around the first of the year because February 1st is the deadline for beginning the application process by sending a letter of intent to apply. There are two primary benefits to having an Arts & Entertainment District: One is that the property owner would get a Real Property Tax Credit that would encourage renovation while discounting the property taxes on the improvements. Another benefit is that the program gives artists a reduction in state income tax for those working and selling in the district. These incentives would be substantial for those who convert the property into one of the eligible types of artistic work such as painting or carving, dance or performance, creation of original jewelry, clothing or design, etc. These types of businesses appeal to tourists who would purchase or support the activities being offered, along with Crisfield’s residents.

Hello, good people!
It’s hard to believe Labor Day has come and gone, and I’m overdue for another newsletter. Nevertheless, it is my pleasure to report to you over a dozen positive signs of movement, momentum, and growth for our beloved Crisfield. Here are the details:
JOHNNY’S SWEETS:

• Johnny’s Sweets will be opening probably before the end of the year at the location previously held by Blue Crab Cafe. Johnny’s Sweets will offer a variety of baked goods including apple fritters and doughnuts as well as candies and ice cream. It will be a nice addition to Crisfield that locals and visitors will enjoy.

TIM AND DORIS’S:

• Tim Howlett and his wife Doris are relocating their gift shop north of town to the location previously known as Nachyo Taco not far from the City Dock. The shop will be filled with glassware, gift items, and Amish furniture. There are two things tourists like to do: shop and eat. So Tim and Doris’s shop will provide another retail outlet for our visitors to downtown as well as City residents.

Hello, again, good people,

I apologize for being late with this newsletter. There was a bad storm in Crisfield, which knocked out my Internet, and it took a week for the cable company to get to me for the repair. In any case, there’s a lot of Good News to report, and more coming…
WEBCAM:

• Crisfield’s first webcam launched on August 2nd, with WBOC-TV doing live broadcasts and special features about Crisfield in several broadcasts that day. The Greater Crisfield Action Coalition (GCAC) signed a two year contract for a WBOC-TV webcam to broadcast views of Crisfield during the news and weather reports. A different business or organization will sponsor the webcam each month, starting with Water’s Edge Cafe. Set atop Captain’s Quarters condominiums, the camera takes in views of the Tangier Island Cruise Boat at dock, the Crisfield water tower, the waterfront, buildings, and boats around the marina in addition to the horizon and water traffic leading to the City Dock. The camera will take in sunsets and sunrises too. The WBOC engineers were impressed with the views of the Crisfield waterfront, and they weren’t the only ones. When they called Spectrum tech support to get the final connections for high speed Internet that would enable the engineers to remotely control the camera, the lady from Spectrum in NC who could also see the views the camera was capturing said, “Oh, it’s beautiful there. Where is this…?!” Meteorologist Dan Satterfield said he has been wanting a camera in Crisfield for a long time. He said storms come from the direction of the camera, and he’ll be able to watch the clouds roll in as storms approach Delmarva. Chet Cornman, WBOC Media Consultant, said the broadcasts are not only viewed by WBOC’s 500,000 viewers, but many people outside the area view the webcams online, and this will help promote Crisfield beyond the Delmarva region.