Happening this week in and around Cecil County:
There will be a Grand Re-Opening of The Flag Shop in North East Nov. 1 to celebrate its new ownership.
Lotan “Bud” Poore owned The Flag Shop at 610 South Main St. for 20 years until his passing in July. Marsha Swezy recently took over the store.
“I plan to pick up where Bud left off,” she said, glancing around the small shop full of colorful flags, banners, windsocks and more.
No stranger to small business, she and her husband had a wood working business where they used to live Delaware County, Pa. making Adirondack chairs and other wooden furniture.
“But we moved here to follow my daughter,” she said, adding that included grandchildren. Swezy retired about 10 years ago but said operating The Flag Shop will be good to keep her busy.
“Our hours will be Thursday through Sunday 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.,” Swezy said, but added that could change if her grandkids have an event she wants to attend. “Check our Facebook page for changes.”
Among the changes Swezy is making at The Flag Shop is taking credit cards, of which Poore was not a fan.
“I’m also hoping to get onto social media,” she said, adding, “I need a teenager to help me figure that out.”
Swezy also operates Suburban Blooms from her home in North East, providing fresh flowers to floral businesses. She plans to expand into hyrdroponics to increase her yield.
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ThinkBig Network, a fibre optic internet service provider, officially entered Cecil County Friday with a ribbon cutting in front of the offices of The Elkton Alliance.
“This is fibre versus cable,” said Dee Ann Sobczak, co-founder of Think Big Network, based in Chestertown, Md. Unlike cable, these glass fibres don’t break down. “If you go back in 100 years they will still be there. They are very low maintenance.”
While there was a ceremonial groundbreaking at 101 East Main St., Sobczak said the actual construction of 55 miles of underground fibre optics has started at the Chesapeake Corporate Center on the east side of town. She said ThinkBig will offer residential and commercial service with asynchronous upload and download speeds.
“We plan to start adding subscribers in early 2025,” she said.
Alicia Calhoun, executive director of the Alliance, was among those welcoming ThinkBig to Elkton.
“It’s not every day a small town can experience something like this,” Calhoun said. “We’re so excited about what they want to do for Elkton.”
Elkton Mayor Rob Alt noted his town was the first in Cecil County to get cable television in the 1970s, but internet service has not progressed as quickly.
“We were behind in getting fibre optic in our community,” he said, adding that ends with the arrival of ThinkBig. He then declared Oct. 18 as ThinkBig Network Day in Elkton.
Del. Kevin Hornberger presented Sobczak with a citation and a US Flag.
“We would love to have you all over Cecil County,” Hornberger said. “But this is a first step.”
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If your business is a fan of the arts and local artists consider becoming a sponsor of the Cecil County Arts Council’s “Black & White Annual Auction and Dinner Dance,” to be held Nov. 1 at Schaefer’s Canal House Banquet Room in Chesapeake City.
There are 10 different sponsorship levels from $50 to $3,000, each with its own promotion benefits. Individual tickets can be purchased for $100.
The Black & White Annual Auction and Dinner Dance will be held from 6 until 10 p.m at 228 Bank St.
Get details and tickets or sponsorships at: cecilarts.org
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Martin’s Food Store in Rising Sun — part of the GIANT food chain — is taking part this week in the “Fill A Plate Food Drive” to benefit Ray of Hope Mission Center, a food pantry in at 960 Craigtown Road Port Deposit.
Shoppers are invited to donate non perishable food such as canned meats, canned fruits and vegetables, cereal, pasta and other shelf stable foods. The promotion runs through Oct. 27. Martin’s is located in the Rising Sun Towne Center on East Main Street.
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The town of Perryville will approve its most recent round of VLT Grant Funding as soon as the Nov. 5 meeting. The mayor and commissioners heard from Amanda Paoletti, Planning and Zoning Coordinator, about the projects chosen by an appointed committee to get full or partial funding.
Perryville uses a portion of its share of proceeds from Hollywood Casino to award grants to businesses, non-profits and for revitalization to help improve the town’s appearance and increase property values.
Under business grants, the committee had $20,000 to distribute, giving $15,000 to Dynamic Collision to help with its new warehouse on Route 40 near Perryville Station Shopping Center and $5,000 to Riverside Center to get new awnings, lighting and signage. All totaled, the requested assistance was in excess of $610,000.
For non-profits, $30,000 had been set aside. Grant funding was recommended for the Live For Thomas Foundation, Good Shepherd School, and Community Fire Company of Perryville.
Revitalization grant applications hit a record, Paoletti told the board, with 29 applicants. There is $50,000 on tap for this program aimed at homeowners for weatherization, roofing and other projects aimed at making the property look good from the sidewalk. Five homes were selected along Aiken, Broad and Front Streets.
George Patchell, Perryville Town Administrator, said the leftover funds will be rolled over and awarded to others on their lists.
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If you purchased a Fast Play Big Win Maryland Lottery ticket Saturday at Acme in the Big Elk Mall Shopping Center check that ticket. Lottery officials are waiting for the winner to come forward and claim a $20,000 prize.
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Cecil County Chamber of Commerce is in search of sponsors for its annual First Responders Appreciation Banquet to be held Nov. 12 at Sandy Cove Conference Center in North East.
Sponsorships — for businesses, organizations or individuals — start at $550. This gives the sponsor two tickets and signage in the program and on the official website. From there the sponsorships rise from $1,000 to $2,000.
The First Responders Appreciation Banquet will run from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Water’s Edge Dining Room, 60 Sandy Cove Road. Contact Jess Solak at the Cecil County Chamber of Commerce for details or to become a sponsor: jsolak@cecilchamber.com or get tickets by going to: https://www.cecilchamber.com/events/details/first-responders-appreciation-banquet-7269
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What’s the best beer to go with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup? For candy corn? Find out Oct. 26 at Bog Turtle Brewery, 10 East Main St. in Rising Sun.
There are two sessions, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and seating is limited. Tickets are $37.37 each and include a guided tasting with six Bog Turtle Brewery beer and Halloween candy combinations.
Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/833202518984297 for tickets and more information.
Business Beat is a weekly column on business happenings in and around Cecil County. If you are interested in having your business featured in this free column, contact Jane Bellmyer at jbellmyer@cecilwhig.com or 443-245-5007.
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