Updated 7/2

New Germany State Park Offers Junior Ranger Program

New Germany State Park will offer Junior Ranger sessions on Tuesdays July 14 – August 18. Sessions will run from 2:00 – 3:00 P.M. at the Schoolhouse Nature Center. The Junior Rangers program features a variety of fun activities that teach kids about natural resources and conservation. This summer’s topics will include plant ecology, animal tracking, and outdoor skills. First-year Junior Rangers can complete the Basic and Advanced levels, and continue to participate in the program in many Maryland State Parks. The program is for children ages 8-14. There is a service charge of $2 per child for each session, or $10 per child for all six sessions.

Due to limited space, preregistration is preferred; however, drop-ins may be accepted if space is available.Accommodations for individuals with disabilities will be provided upon request by contacting the park office seven days in advance. For more information, contact Colleen Yeany at 301-895-5453. Email: cyeany@dnr.state.md.us For more information on New Germany State Park, visit their website at www.dnr.maryland.gov

Updated 7/1

Thayerville Water System Approved

The commissioners recently voted to approve a water system for the Mountainside and Thayerville areas at the lake. The service area will include properties along Rt. 219 beginning at the Rt. 219 bridge and south to Glendale Road, back Glendale Road to the bridge and approximately. six-tenths of a mile south of the Glendale Road intersection on Rt. 219. Water customers will pay for the system via an ad valorem tax. Depending on the loan obtained for funding the project, customers could pay between $.16 to $.28 per $100 of assessed value. Public water will not be available to customers for at least 1 1/2 years.

PFD Panda Award

This Summer you may see a NRP (Natural Resources Police) Officer talking to children on a boat on Deep Creek Lake. The Natural Resources Police (NRP) Officer may be presenting a PFD Panda Award to the children who are wearing the appropriate sized life vest (PFD – personal flotation device) while boating. Children are then asked to take a pledge from the NRP Officer and sign the certificate, along with the NRP Officer. On the certificate there is a coupon for a FREE ice cream cone at any one of the following McDonald’s stores: Deep Creek Lake, Oakland, Keyser’s Ridge, Cresaptown and Westernport McDonald’s.

78.66 Tons of Tires Recycled at Scrap Tire Event

On Saturday, May 9, 2009, the Garrett County Solid Waste and Recycling Division, General Services Department, hosted a Citizen Scrap Tire Drop Off Event, at the Garrett County Fairgrounds.

During the one-day event, Garrett County residents delivered approximately 5,000 passenger tires to the fairgrounds, for a total of 78.66 tons or 157,320 pounds of tires for recycling.

This year, the traffic pattern for the tire event was changed to provide better access to the drop off area and a safer route for departure . All vehicles entered the fairgrounds from the 2^nd gate on Mosser Road, unloaded their vehicle and used the main gate on Route 219 to exit the fairgrounds.

Citizen Scrap Tire Drop Off Events are sponsored by the Maryland Environmental Service, and are funded through the Maryland Department of the Environment’s Scrap Tire Fund. The fund was established by the General Assembly in 1991 as part of the Scrap Tire Recycling Act. It is now funded by the collection of an $.80 per tire fee on the sale of each new tire in the State, as amended effective April 1, 2005.

For additional information on the proper disposal of tires in Garrett County, please contact Kimberly Madigan, Recycling Coordinator at 301 387 0322.

Garrett County Arts Council Announces “Changing Channels” Exhibit

Award winning painter Robert Yonke will be the featured artist at the Garrett County Arts Council’s Gallery Shop in Oakland with an exhibition entitled “Changing Channels” from June 22^nd through August 7^th.

Yonke works out of his two home studios, one in Pittsburgh, PA and the other in the Swanton area. His watercolors reflect his love of music, the mountains, and the outdoors. His award winning paintings have been shown in many galleries throughout the region.

One of his favorite projects was providing original artwork for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s 2008 World of Bluegrass promotional materials. Bob spends as much time as he can at his summer home in Swanton. Most Friday nights you’ll catch him with his buddies pickin’ a little music in his garage. He enjoys traveling to the jams that can be found around the area.

“My work reflects personal interests. For example, I find that working on painting of a bluegrass artist allows me to relive the pleasure I’ve had picking with my friends” Yonke says.

In addition to working at his art, Bob enjoys teaching watercolor seminars around the region. He will be conducting a three-day watercolor workshop through the Garrett County Arts Council on August 22-24 at the Discovery Center. Pre-registration is required and can be made by calling the Arts Council.

Yonke’s work also includes wildlife and rural outdoor scenery including many Garrett County settings. He has been published in Mid-Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide, Turkey Call Magazine and other outdoor publications.

The public is invited to an Artist Reception on Tuesday, June 30, from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at The Gallery Shop, 206 E. Alder Street in Oakland. For additional information, call 301-334-6580.

Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations Ranks as a top Guest Satisfaction Superstar

Escapia, Inc. (www.escapia.com), the #1 provider of web-based management and marketing solutions for vacation rental managers today announced that Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations (www.deepcreekvacations.com) of Deep Creek, Maryland was named the #3 Guest Satisfaction Superstar. Guest satisfaction ratings were collected and analyzed using the EscapiaOne ratings and review system. All ratings are 100% verified and were submitted by more than 50,000 past guests of vacation rental firms across the country.

“We are thrilled to be recognized as the #3 guest satisfaction superstar by Escapia. We work incredibly hard to give our guests the best experiences possible so they’re happy to tell their friends. It’s nice to see that our hard work is paying off and our guests appreciate it” said Jodi Taylor-Refosco of Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations.

The high satisfaction scores reflect the kind of standout service recognized by guests through comments like these:

“We had a wonderful time on our mini vacation. The chalet had a wonderful view and it snowed all day on Saturday and it was beautiful. The house was great and took care of our family just great. I would recommend Taylor-Made and the chalet to anyone.” –Guest, stayed in a five bedroom chalet.

“Property location was perfect. Close to skiing and grocery. Easy to find and priced right. The bonus ski passes are reason enough for us to come back again. Would definitely recommend to our friends and would be happy to rent again next year!”
-Lucy, stayed in a four bedroom house.

Bill Furlong, CEO of Escapia, said “It is companies like Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations that are raising the bar for vacation rentals. This is incredibly important since vacation rentals are quickly moving from the specialty lodging category and into the mainstream of travel. It’s all about making sure the guests’ expectations are met and exceeded. It’s gratifying to see that our clients like Taylor-Made are able to enhance their business so much with the tools Escapia provides.”

About Escapia

Escapia, Inc., founded in 2000, is leading the Internet revolution in the $24 billion vacation rental industry with a comprehensive Internet business platform and breakthrough online marketing and booking services. Escapia empowers professional vacation rental management companies to reach new customers, manage guest and owner relationships, and perform trust-based accounting, housekeeping, maintenance and other mission critical aspects of their businesses. Seattle-based Escapia can be reached at 1-800-ESCAPIA, info@escapia.com or via the web at www.escapia.com.

About Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations
Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations (www.deepcreekvacations.com) is family-owned and operated to specialize in providing the most memorable family vacations. Their reservation staff place guests in dream vacation homes every day of the year. Taylor-Made’s knowledgeable and caring staff is dedicated to providing the best customer service to ensure the most of their guests’ vacations. Taylor-Made has a combined twenty-five years of experience in the property management industry. Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations’ top grade service and high standards allow them to provide every vacationer their special dream home.

Updated 6/15

Garrett County Chamber Holds Annual Membership Dinner at Wisp

McHenry, MD – The annual Garrett County Chamber of Commerce dinner, held Thursday, June 11, enjoyed a strong turnout this year at the Lodge at Wisp Resort. With entertainment by local favorite, “Boathouse,” the 183 attendees enjoyed dinner and saw the presentation of the Heise Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, and the President’s Award.

Bill Meagher won the Heise Entrepreneurial Spirit Award. Meagher owns and operates Lakeside Creamery, Copper Kettle Popcorn Factory and has been restoring buildings in Garrett County. Winners of the Heise Entrepreneurial Spirit Award must have originated and developed a business from inception, shown a willingness to take risks, shown community involvement, held high ethical standards and demonstrated leadership by overcoming a formidable problem that threatened business’ existence or shown business acumen through embarking on a creative, insightful or overlooked opportunity that will make an important contribution to Garrett County’s business environment through substantive community impact.

The Heise Entrepreneurial Spirit Award Committee, comprised of previous winners, selects three nominees to be voted on by the general Chamber membership. Past honorees include Jonathan “Smiley” Kessler, Bill Sisler, Olen Beitzel, Johnny Marple, Barry Rush, Dave Demaree. Last year’s recipient, Brenda McDonnell, presented the award to Meagher.

The Senior Staff of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce received the President’s Award from Charlie Ross, President/CEO of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce. The Senior Staff is comprised of Regina Sweitzer, Director of Office Administration, Sarah Duck, Director of Marketing, Katie Tasker, Director of Advertising, and Jessica Stullenbarger, Executive Assistant. The President’s Award recognizes achievement in building the business community in promoting Garrett County beyond its borders and in creating a dramatic shift that improves the quality of life for Garrett County citizens.

Board of Directors’ Chairman Rob Michael and Interim Chamber President Joyce Bishoff presided over the annual meeting portion of the evening. They extended appreciation to the Board’s outgoing members, Oakland Mayor Asa McCain and Jimmy Flannigan of Nu-Way Interiors, and welcomed new Board Members, Cris Kepple of Janes and Kepple, P.A. and Nancy Railey of Railey Mountain Lake Vacations.

Door Prizes for the annual dinner were graciously provided by Chamber members. Soothing Touch Massage provided a full body massage, which was won by Robin Fultz. Kentuck Knob provided two guest tours, which were won by Sharon Roszell & Senator George Edwards. Deep Creek Salon & Massage provided a haircut & style and a bag of A/G hair products which was won by Lisa Thayer-Welch.

Updated 6/11

Swanton man’s body recovered from Deep Creek Lake

The body of a Swanton man was recovered from Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County 12 hours after his pontoon boat washed ashore, according to Maryland Natural Resources Police.

Charles Daniel Alt, 52, was reportedly the sole occupant of a 20-foot pontoon boat that had washed ashore at about 10 p.m. Monday in the Thousand Acres area of the lake, according to Sgt. Art Windemuth, Natural Resources Police public information officer.

The boat’s motor was running and all electronics and navigational lights were in operation when the boat was found.

Alt’s death remains under investigation by NRP criminal investigators, who are awaiting autopsy results from the Maryland Medical Examiner’s Office in Baltimore.

NRP conducted an immediate search of the lake until 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, with the assistance of the Maryland State Police medevac helicopter. The search resumed at daybreak and the body was discovered at 9:15 a.m. in the Shoreline Drive area. The location is about a quarter mile from where Alt’s boat was discovered.

Maryland State Police assisted in the recovery of the body. A forensic examiner with the Maryland State Medical Examiner’s Office was also dispatched to the scene by the Garrett County 911 center.

Updated 6/1

DNR Encourages Citizens To “Keep Fawns Wild”
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds people who may encounter fawns this spring to not disturb them. White-tailed deer give birth to their fawns in late May and early June. While they may appear orphaned, in most cases the doe will be nearby. Removing the fawn from the wild for care is unnecessary and usually endangers the health of the animal.

“If you encounter a fawn, enjoy the moment, but leave it alone and don’t try to catch it,” said Rande Brown, Game Mammal Biologist with DNR Wildlife and Heritage Service. “If the fawn attempts to follow you, gently push on its shoulders until it lies down and then slowly walk away, the same as the doe would if she wanted the fawn to stay put.”

Newborn fawns have almost no body odor, and their spotted, reddish-brown coat helps them blend into their surroundings. Fawns instinctively lie motionless when approached by a potential predator. This seemingly helpless state is a behavioral adaptation that has helped white-tailed deer survive for ages. Despite this strategy, curious fawns will sometimes wander around in their new surroundings. Although fawns may appear to be alone, the doe is always close by, even though unseen. Too often, well-intentioned people find and remove fawns from the wild believing they are helping an orphaned animal.

Removing deer from the wild and keeping them in captivity is against the law in Maryland. Furthermore, the unnatural conditions of life in captivity can lead to malnutrition, injury, and stress at the hands of a well-meaning captor. Wild animals that become accustomed to humans can pose health risks and become dangerous as they mature.

For questions regarding fawns or other young wild animals, contact the USDA Wildlife Services Information Line, toll free, at (877) 463-6497 or DNR’s Wildlife & Heritage Service at (410) 260-8540. Visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife to learn more about white-tailed deer.

Developer Suspends Construction of McHenry Maryland Indoor Waterpark Resort

Local businessman Jonathan Kessler has announced that after five years of planning, development plans for Aqua Mountain Indoor Waterpark Hotel Resort have been suspended.

“I understood from the beginning that the chances of success for a new concept such as an indoor family resort development would be a lofty goal to achieve in Garrett County Maryland,” Mr. Kessler explains. In 2003 only 30 Indoor waterpark resorts existed in North America; today that number has grown to132 family resorts. “The areas that have successfully developed these attractions have done so by aggressive leveraging of public/private partnerships. That kind of support has not been forthcoming in Garrett County, Maryland,” Mr. Kessler adds.

Although the indoor waterpark resort will not be developed, there are other doors of opportunity to open. With views overlooking Deep Creek Lake’s McHenry Cove and Wisp Ski Resort, the fourteen acre site is stunning. The land has over 600 feet of frontage on state highway 219 and Mr. Kessler has invested in improvements to the land that include the development of a new SHA entrance, as well as extended sewer, water and utilities through the property.

Currently on the site is the new Lodges at Sunset Village. The log cabin hotel will open for guests in June of 2009. The fourteen beautifully furnished and accessorized cabins can accommodate up to 130 people in 21 suites ranging in size from 512 square feet to 1,400 square feet. Railey Mountain Lake Vacations has been selected as the property management company of the hotel complex. The property is the first newly developed hotel development to the Deep Creek Lake area in decades and is seen as an important addition to overnight accommodations for visitors. Visitors may make reservations by calling 866-320-1633 or at www.deepcreek.com.

The acreage along Route 219 is available for purchase. The land planners have designed several layouts for buyer consideration. The property can be toured by contacting Debra Savage at Railey Realty at 301-387-2000.

Maryland Park Service Issues New Policies Regulating Alcoholic Beverages in Maryland State Parks
New Restrictions to be Phased in Throughout 2009

The Maryland Park Service (MPS) will be phasing in new restrictions regarding the consumption of alcohol at Maryland State Parks throughout 2009.

The Park Service is informing the public about new policies - which will eventually prohibit the use of alcohol without a permit in state parks except in full service cabins - through multi-lingual signs, multi-lingual brochures, notification on the MPS website, on-site education by park staff and communication through the reservation service.

The new policies are designed to increase safety in Maryland parks and bring the state’s alcohol policy in line with that of parks in neighboring states.

“We want to ensure a quality experience for all State Park visitors and protect the family atmosphere of Maryland State Parks, “ said Nita Settina, Superintendent, Maryland Park Service. “This new policy will increase the safety of visitors, state park staff and Maryland Natural Resource Police (NRP) officers.”

The initial goal of enforcing the new regulations is to maximize voluntary compliance. NRP officers will monitor all park properties - with a special focus on day-use areas, campgrounds and other areas where alcoholic beverages have previously been permitted - to detect and address violations of the new policy and regulations.

Officers will advise visitors in possession of alcohol outside of permitted areas to remove all alcoholic beverages from the park or to secure them in a locked vehicle. Visitors will be allowed to transport alcoholic beverages through a park to areas where alcohol is permitted, such as a boat launch or designated shelter.

Park Rangers and other MPS staff will, in the absence of extenuating circumstances like obvious intoxication, disorderly conduct or other illegal or unsafe activity, make those in violation of the policy aware of the new restrictions and request that they voluntarily comply with the new rules.

The following policy and additional restrictions will be phased in over the course of 2009:

Effective March 31, 2009

• The consumption or possession of an open container of an alcoholic beverage of any kind is prohibited in all Maryland State Park day-use areas, beach areas and other areas with picnic tables not associated with a designated shelter or campground area, unless an alcohol permit has been issued,
• Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in youth group camping areas.
• Alcoholic beverages will continue to be permitted in campgrounds, shelters and full service cabins. Those persons with a valid reservation for a campsite, cabin or shelter are considered to have an alcohol permit.
• Alcohol permits may be issued upon request by the park manager for special events operating under a use agreement.
• A fee of $35.00 will be charged for each alcohol permit.
• The alcohol permit must be displayed on-site.
• An alcohol permit may be revoked for cause by the park manager, their designee or a Natural Resources Police officer.

Effective November 1, 2009

• The consumption or possession of an open container any alcoholic beverage is prohibited in all Maryland State Park areas, with the exception of full-service cabins, unless an alcohol permit has been issued.
• Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in campgrounds and at non-designated shelters.
• Alcohol permits will only be issued through a reservation for a designated shelter or other facility approved by the Superintendent.
• A fee of $35.00 will be charged for each alcohol permit.
• The alcohol permit must be displayed on-site.
• Alcohol permits may be issued upon request by the park manager for special events operating under a Use Agreement.
• An alcohol permit may be revoked for cause by the park manager, their designee or a Natural Resources Police officer.

The phased approach to enacting the new alcohol policy is designed to avoid confusion to visitor expectations, since campsite and shelter reservations have already been made for the 2009 season.

In order to avoid costly visitor notification procedures, visitor complaints and requests for refunds, the new policy will not be fully implemented until the close of the 2009 State Park camping season on November 1, 2009.