Happy Easter and Happy Passover to all of our readers and your families!
Today’s weather can turn colder and develop into snow showers; a high of 35 this afternoon and a low of 26. Little to no accumulation expected. Tomorrow, when most of the egg hunts are happening, will be sunny with a high of 52 and a low of 32. Saturday night into Sunday we can expect a mix of rain and snow showers with a high of 41 and low of 26.
Many Christians do not know the origins of Passover, so here’s a little bit of history for you: The eight-day festival of Passover is celebrated in the early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan, March 30-April 7, 2018. Passover (Pesach) commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. Pesach is observed by avoiding leaven and highlighted by the Seder meals that include four cups of wine, eating matzah and bitter herbs, and retelling the story of the Exodus.
And, for our non-Christian readers, here’s a little bit on the origins of Easter for you: Easter is a Christian holiday that celebrates the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. In the New Testament of the Bible, the event is said to have occurred three days after Jesus was crucified by the Romans and died in roughly 30 A.D. The holiday concludes the “Passion of Christ,” a series of events and holidays that begins with Lent—a 40-day period of fasting, prayer and sacrifice—and ends with Holy Week.
There’s a number of Easter Buffets planned by local restaurants, including Ace’s Run, Penn Alps and the Greene Turtle if you don’t feel like cooking or just want share some great food.
Local First Lego League Team 3659 NeXT GEN recently won the first-place Champion’s Award at the Maryland State First Lego League Championship. For the 2017-2018 season, the topic was hydrodynamics (exploring problems with water) and NeXT GEN decided to solve the problem of elderly people not drinking enough water. The team’s solution is the Pick Me Up Coaster, a drink coaster that reminds the user to drink more water by using lights and sounds.
Next week is National Public Health Week (April 2-8) and the Garrett County Health Department is sponsoring a step challenge with prizes awarded for the most steps. Participants may use total steps recorded on any kind of fitness tracker from 12:00 am to midnight each day. Sign up or learn more about the Step Challenge here!
Don’t forget to enter our “Where Am I Contest” today before the new edition is posted! One random correct entry will be pulled to win a $25 gift card to Dutch’s!
I’ll leave you with this photo my wife Jean took at Swallow Falls State Park (Tolliver Falls) a few years ago. Spring, and then Summer, may get here yet… Have a great holiday weekend!
Showers today with thunderstorms likely tonight. A high near 60 and a low near 36. There is a hazardous weather warning indicated there could be localized flooding overnight.
Today is National Vietnam War Veterans Day, which honors the sacrifices of American soldiers and their families during the period of the Vietnam War. Today is the date of departure of United States military personnel from Vietnam in 1975. I truly thank you all for your service.
There’s a fundraiser this evening at Cornucopia Café in Grantsville to raise money for the Tim Umbel Memorial Scholarship from 6:00pm-8:00pm! Each year, the scholarship awards two Northern High School students $500 to honor Tim Umbel, a previous Northern Garrett Husky who passed in 2002.
If you didn’t click on the event above, you’ll want to know that we are excited to announce a new format to our events page. You will be able to view events in a list or a calendar format! Also, there will be a link to the address and photos if available. The full changeover will be in our April edition (Monday).
Did you hear the buzz? There was a class on beekeeping this week at Garrett College. Here’s a photo of instructors Chip Lee and Jerome Hope Cassidy in action with a “bee box.” All students received one!
The weather may be playing games with us, offering spring weather and then blasting us with snow again, but we know the calendar says it’s officially spring. To jump start your health this spring, the Garrett County Health Department is offering a Steps Challenge to help you increase your physical activity.
“Walking is a great way to get the physical activity needed to obtain health benefits,” said Amy Ritchie, Registered Dietician at the Health Department. “Walking doesn’t require any special skills, and it doesn’t require a gym membership or expensive equipment.”
The Steps Challenge corresponds with National Public Health Week, which is April 2-8, and is for total steps throughout the day, which includes your everyday steps and intentional exercise. Participants may use total steps recorded on any kind of fitness tracker (step counter, step counter app, Fitbit, etc.) from 12:00 am to midnight each day.
“We have a few basic step counters available at the Health Department if you don’t have access to one,” said Ritchie, “Or, you may log 2,000 steps per mile of walking, or 6,000 steps for 60 minutes of aerobic exercise.”
Steps will be logged on MyGarrettCounty.com/steps from a computer or mobile device throughout the week, with online trophies being earned for various levels of participation.
“We are challenging participants to get at least 7 trophies during Public Health Week, April 2-8,” Ritchie said. Participants will have a chance to earn up to 14 trophies for the week, one trophy for each day they walk at least 6,000 steps, and one trophy each day they increase their steps to 8,000 or more per day.
Participants who earn at least 7 trophies, print out the log from the website, and bring it to the Garrett College CARC booth at the Garrett County Health Fair will receive one free day pass to swim at CARC. The 2018 Garrett County Health Fair is scheduled for Saturday, April 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Garrett College Community Aquatic & Recreation Complex (CARC).
“Counting steps is a great way to motivate yourself to increase your activity and at the same time improve your heath,” Ritchie said. “Health benefits of regular exercise can help protect you from heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, obesity, back pain, osteoporosis, and can improve your mood and help you to better manage stress.”
Participants who need a step counter should register on MyGarrettCounty.com/steps, select the option to pick up a free step counter and follow the directions on the website.
For more information about the Steps Challenge visit MyGarrettCounty.com/steps, or call 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111.By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department
The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the appointment of Liz Morin, Garrett Container Systems, Inc. and Paul Cornish, Patriot Chrysler Dodge and Jeep to the 2017-2018 Board of Directors.
Mrs. Morin and Mr. Cornish are filling open seats that were recently vacated. Mrs. Morin is filling a term that will expire June 30, 2019 and Mr. Cornish’s term will expire June 30, 2020.
“While it’s difficult to fill a Board seat mid-year, we are thrilled to have Liz and Paul joining the Chamber Board,” said Jan Russell, Chair of the Board. “The Chamber is an industrious, proactive organization that is diligently working to create a vibrant business community and premier destination in Garrett County. Liz and Paul will be great assets as we strive to continue to provide outstanding products and service to our members.”
The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce is governed by a 15-member Board of Directors consisting of a diverse group of businesses with a county-wide focus. Directors serve three-year terms and one-third of the Board is elected annually by the Chamber membership. Per the organization’s bylaws, open Board seats are filled by appointment by the remaining Directors.
For more information about the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, please visit us online at www.visitdeepcreek.com or call 301.387.4386.
Yesterday morning we had a freezing rain that covered local trees and structures and extended through the afternoon. Today will be rain showers and patchy fog; high of 54 and low of 47. We could receive a quarter of an inch to half an inch of rain today.
Just heard that Liz Morin, Garrett Container Systems, Inc. and Paul Cornish, Patriot Chrysler Dodge and Jeep have been appointed to the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Congratulations to Liz and Jim.
Team Trivia is available this evening at the Greene Turtle in McHenry from 6:30pm – 8:30pm and its open mic night at MoonShadow.
The Maryland Office of Small, Minority and Women Business connects the small business community with public and private sector opportunities throughout the state. A lot of people are not familiar with this organization, so here’s a link.
There is a warning for freezing rain today until 1pm then it will warm up to about 45 degrees and we will have rain showers through the afternoon. A low of 41 degrees tonight and rain showers will continue through the night.
Southern Garrett High School newspaper staff members are creating a 90th Anniversary edition of The Acorn paper and would like to hear from former staff members, editors, and advisors who helped the seed, which began at Oakland High School, grow into the Mighty Oak over the years. Please send any stories, quotes, memories about The Acorn to Acorn advisor Heather Savage at heather.savage@garrettcountyschools.org
Congratulations to Casey, Stacie and Ella Griffith on the grand opening of Ella’s Enchanted Treehouses! These treehouses are neat, raised structures (with indoor plumbing) in Bittinger, MD.
The Chamber of Commerce is holding a Trip Preview presentation for their 2018 China Trip this Thursday, March 29th from 5:30pm to 7:00pm in the Conference Room at the Visitors Center. The event is free to attend but registration is required because seating is limited. Call 301.387.5237 for more information or to register.
Dear readers, please don’t forget to send us all of your non-profit event or community news information. We are always looking for relevant events/developments to share with our readers. Send any information to info@deepcreektimes.com and please be sure to include a link to your website or Facebook site, where applicable. THANKS!
Did you see the “Deep Creek Times Bears” over the weekend? This photo was taken from Marta S’ yard just up from our webcam on Lake Shore Drive:
The National Police Bloodhound Association is holding its annual Spring Training Semtnar in McHenry, Maryland on Aprii 28th. The six-day event which wiii enci May 3’d,and is a 40-hour Man-Trailing Law Enforcement Bloodhound Training and Certification program which is made up of eight-hours of Classroom and 32 Hours of Field Training.
This is the 4th consecutive yeff that this annual training event has recently been in Garrett County. The NPBA was founded in 1962 by the Connecticut, Rhode Isiand, and New York State Police. It presently has 200 members from all over the United States. Last year, seminar hosted 69 participants from 47 different Law Enforcement Agencies from 19 states and} countries, including Germany at this particular seminar. Among the 18 administration and field instructors this year, groups will be broken down into a student/instructor ratio of 4:1.
Field training will consist of urban, rural, hard and forest work with trails up to 30 some hours old for some teams and the teams will be training all around Garrett County in the towns and parks. Previously to 2015, the NPBA conducted this seminar in Cattaraugus County, New York frorn 2AA0 b 2014, but frcm the late 1980’s up until 200A, estabiished its host location at the 4-H Learning Center near Bittinger on Route 495. The Seminar offers training and certification. Certification is valid for one-year.
The NPBA holds two seminars each year, the Garrett County seminar in the Spring, and the other in October in North Carolina. Both seminars are arlapproved Licensure and Certification Course of the Maryland Higher Education Commission provided by the Continuing Education Workforce Development Department of Garret College issuing 4 Continuing Education Units. The host location for the Ganett County Spring Seminar is the WISP Resort in McHenry, Maryland.
After a sunny and cold weekend, the weather for today will remain sunny and warmer, a high of 41. Tonight will have increasing clouds, low of 25, and wind gusts up to 25mph. Be careful on your commute tomorrow morning as we could have some freezing rain until about 11am.
CONGRATULATIONS! 🎉 Over the weekend, GaCo Team 1629 was undefeated to win the Chesapeake Central Maryland Qualifier!! A strong showing by the seniors – Patrick Lee (Chairmen’s Presenter / Programmer), Tori Miske (Chairmen’s Presenter / Drive Coach), and Dawson Beitzel (Robot Driver) – helped take the team to the top! Team 1629 also took home the Chairman’s Award which is the most prestigious award at FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), It honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST.
Why not spend some time at one of the branches of the Ruth Enlow Library in the county today? They also have some nice children’s events planned for early evening.
Today through Sunday will be mostly sunny! ☀️☀️☀️ Temperatures will be hovering around 32 as the high and 17-19 as the low all weekend.
St. Peters Catholic Church in Oakland is hosting the last of their Lenten Fish Dinners Friday evening from 4:30pm-6:30pm. A good deal and a great group of folks.
Samantha’s Beat the Winter Blues & Corn Hole Tournament will be at the County Agriculture Hall in McHenry starting at 11:00am Saturday. Music, food, beer, games with all proceeds going to Samantha Funding for the Arts.
The Maryland Insurance Administration will be in Garrett County in April to offer a variety of consumer materials on all types of insurance products from annuities to title insurance and health, auto and homeowners insurance. Trained staff will be available on April 14th and 16th at a variety of locations.
There will be a briefing on a new partnership between the Chamber and Garrett County Public Schools on April 16th at 5:30pm at the Oakland Armory. The partnership’s goal is to provide a work-ready pool of potential employees to local employers via a Work Ethic Diploma.
The $1.3 trillion spending agreement reached by Congress this week contains good news for conservation efforts in rural areas including the Farm Bill, America’s largest single source of conservation on private lands; full funding for the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund; and $425 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Well, its been a white Spring so far but we didn’t quite get all the snow that was expected. Today will be partly sunny with a high of 32 and a low of 19.
There is one weather-related change for the weekend and there may be more: New Germany State Park’s EGGstreme Easter Egg Hunt has been rescheduled from this Saturday to March 31st due to the weather. It will run from 10:00am – 2:00pm.
There’s a Kids Consignment Sale in Morgantown, WV starting today and into Saturday. If you need “stuff” for the little ones, take a ride. Planning for 150 consignors and 30,000 items for sale.
Don’t forget that pre-employment testing for Deputy Sheriff and Correctional Officer with the Garrett County Sheriff’s Department will take place this Saturday, March 24th at 8:00am in room 111 at the Garrett College GIEC. For additional details visit https://www.garrettcounty.org/sheriffs-office/career.
A Frostburg State University alum is going into space! Check out the video on Ricky Arnold. I hear he will also be telecasting down to earth for area students to ask him questions on April 9th. I will share more when I get the specifics.
A recent study found Maryland to be the second most innovative state in the Nation! With the U.S. projected to spend $553 billion on research and development in 2018 and multiple cities vying to become the location of Amazon’s HQ2, the personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on 2018’s Most & Least Innovative States. Some info on Maryland from the study:
Innovation in Maryland (1=Most Innovative, 25=Avg.):
2nd – Share of STEM Professionals
4th– Projected STEM-Job Demand by 2020
28th– Eighth-Grade Math & Science Performance
2nd– Share of Science & Engineering Graduates Aged 25+
2nd– Share of Technology Companies
3rd – R&D Spending per Capita
11th – Venture-Capital Funding per Capita
This video was NOT recorded at Deep Creek Lake but it easily could have been — I have seen more than one bear on the golf course!
Yesterday started with an ice storm which then transitioned to snow. We had somewhat of a break last night while today’s weather will continue on as snowy. Temperatures expected to be a high near 28 and low near 20 and, at least, 3-5 inches of snow accumulation. Winds could gust over 25mph and make conditions difficult.
There are many closings and delays today: we’ve heard about Garrett and Allegany County Public Schools, several small businesses as well as, surprisingly, the LaVale’s Country Club Mall.
Here’s a view of my front yard and driveway from my porch yesterday, the first day of Spring, about Noon. Difficult to see the individual snow flakes but it was really snowing hard at that point, and there is ice underneath it all.
Here’s some wisdom shared by Shannon Shine of Shine Time Creative Studio in Cumberland:
At 23, Oprah was fired from her first reporting job.
At 24, Stephen King was working as a Janitor and living in a trailer.
At 28, J.K. Rowling was a suicidal single parent living on welfare.
At 30, Harrison Ford was a carpenter.
Vera Wang failed to make the Olympic figure skating team, didn’t get the Editor-in-Chief position at Vogue, and designed her first dress at 40.
Alan Rickman gave up his graphic design career to pursue acting at 42.
Morgan Freeman landed his first MAJOR movie role at 52.
Louise Hay didn’t launch her publishing company, Hay House until she was 62.
If you haven’t found your dream career yet, it’s not too late. You aren’t a failure because you still don’t know what you want to be when you grow up. It’s OK if you have literally ZERO idea of what to do next.
=> Never tell yourself you’re too old to make it.
=> Never tell yourself you missed your chance.
=> Never tell yourself you don’t have what it takes.
Because whatever you were born to do, you can still do it. Thanks for sharing this Shannon
After eight years of service to Appalachia, Earl Gohl ends his tenure with Appalachian Regional Commission. Earl visited Garrett County several times we personally worked with him. He has left big shoes to fill at ARC and is a great partner and advocate for Appalachian economic and community development.
As the snow falls in Garrett County on this first day of Spring, I thought I would talk a little about Women’s History Month. I have seen a lot of stories, events and articles covering, celebrating and even “dissecting” this annual March fixture and wanted to add some thoughts. I have included the piece on the “Dinner Party” art exhibit currently at Garrett College because I think it sums up where we are as a society relative to celebrating women and their contributions, challenges and opportunities.
I think it is great that students of all backgrounds came together to make this Dinner Party exhibition a reality. I think it even more important to recognize that while events, lectures and articles have occurred throughout the month in support of women, there is still a long way to go, and that working together we, as a global society, can continue to benefit from inclusiveness and understanding of all on this giant ball we call earth.
I recently read a New York Times piece that printed obituaries from the past of important, courageous and even famous women that never “qualified” to get their obituary in the Times when they passed. The Times hopes to rectify that by now printing “missed” obits in its future editions. A great idea.
Yet, even as we celebrate women this month, Money Magazine ran a great article on the female investment gap, estimating that it could reach one million dollars by age 65 for high earners. That estimate resulted from a complex analysis based on some serious assumptions, but to me it indicates there is obviously a significant problem that goes beyond mere salary parity. It will also have an impact on the economy and society with implications far beyond that of individual women and their families. So, think about March as being about women and all they have done and continue to do and perhaps, based on some past exclusions, consider March being about March Sadness and not just about March Madness on the basketball court. Below is the piece on the Dinner Party…
GC Students Recreate ‘Dinner Party’ Art Exhibit, Open to the Public
Garrett College’s Psychology of Women and American Association of University Women (AAUW) students recreated the Dinner Party, an iconic work by feminist artist Judy Chicago. Students created their own place settings featuring women and men who worked toward gender equality during each wave of the women’s movement.
The art exhibit opened on Monday, March 5 and will be open to the public through Friday, March 9th from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., March 8-16 and March 26-29 in Room 620A on the McHenry campus of the College. For more information on the exhibit that is open to the general public, persons may contact Dr. Terry Kasecamp, Professor of Psychology, at 301-387-3005 or terry.kasecamp@garrettcollege.edu.
Pictured in the first row, from left to right, are: Shermani “Jordan” Jones, Mariah Long, Lillian Tasker, Gabirella Wildensen, Angela Lowry, and Kayleah Ferguson. In the second row (left to right) are: Jordyn Thomas, Gavin McConnell, Kalynn Eyler, Liutaurus Repsys, April McKinley, Tiffany Hutzel, Robert Lawson, Jonathan Caughman, Dr. Terry Lynn Kasecamp, and Dr. Richard Midcap.
Yesterday was warmer and sunny but it seems that we are in for some challenging weather today. The Snow Emergency Plan is in effect.
This morning will be freezing rain changing to snow at about 1pm; high near 30 and low of 23. We are expecting 1-3 inches of snow during the day today with an additional 3-5 inches expected tonight.
And, speaking of Easter Egg hunts, and to hopefully totally EGGcede your expectations (and be inclusive), Sarah has posted a comprehensive list of all the local Easter Egg hunts on our events page and Facebook page.
21 year old Megan Shaffer has been found guilty of Second Degree Murder in the death of 24 year old Alexander Stevens. Garrett County Circuit Court Judge Ray Strubin revoked bond after the jury verdict, and Shaffer will be sentenced at a later date. It was in January 2017 when Stevens was found naked with a slashed throat in Savage River State Forest below High Rock and near Pine Swamp Road.
Today will be clear but increasing clouds a high of 46 and a low of 27. Things will make a turn to snow and freezing rain overnight; snow accumulations of 1-2 inches possible.
FSU’s Performing Arts Center will present “Musical Journey to Bulgaria” this evening at 7:30pm. The concert will be performed by Bulgarian musicians Lora Tchekoratova, pianist and Georgy Valtchev, violinist, with the goal of introducing music from the Balkans to the Western stage.
The next Business Before Hours will be on Tuesday, March 20th from 8:00am – 9:30am in the Crawford Room at Wisp Resort. The topic of discussion is “Maryland Elections Preview” featuring political analyst Barry Rascovar.
We just posted a rustic dining room table and chairs for sale in our Online Marketplace under ‘Furniture”.
The Ruth Enlow Library will host a free lecture titled “Abraham Lincoln: Roots of His Moral Integrity” with Dr. Duane Cummins, Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University. The lecture is scheduled for Wednesday, April 11th from 6:00pm – 7:30pm at the Oakland library. To register for this event, contact Bonnie at 301-334-3996 x0117 or bonnie@relib.net.
Congratulations to the University of Maryland Baltimore County, Retrievers, who made history over the weekend by becoming the first 16th seed to defeat a #1 seed in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. I know there are a number of UMBC alums in Garrett County. Be proud!
Partly sunny today – some snow showers expected. A high of 28 and low of 22. Tomorrow will be a chance of snow, sleet and freezing rain but it doesn’t look like there will be any accumulation. A high of 33 and a low of 20. Sunday will be mostly clear with a high near 42 and low near 20.
MoonShadow in McHenry is hosting live music Friday (Herb & Hanson at 8:00pm), Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon this weekend.
Don’t forget to stock up on healthy, local goodies at this Saturday’s Winter’s Farmer’s Market which runs from 11:00am to 1:00pm this Saturday at the Community Action building on Center Street in Oakland.
Need fleas? The Garrett County Flea Market, including yard sale items, crafts, vendors, and more, runs this Saturday from 8:00am until 3:00pm at the Garrett County Fair Grounds. Concessions will be provided by the Garrett County Fair Board.
Consider taking a drive up to Meyersdale this weekend for the Pennsylvania Maple Festival, which runs from the 17th through the 24th.
The Maryland Humanities Council just announced this year’s book selection – Bloodsworth: The True Story of the First Death Row Inmate Exonerated by DNA Evidence by Tim Junkin. The book encapsulates a historical criminal justice milestone that took place in the State of Maryland. I am sure the library and local book clubs will be holding discussion.
The Garrett County Sheriff’s Department will conduct pre-employment testing for the positions of Deputy Sheriff and Correctional Officer on Saturday, March 24th, at 8:00am at the Garrett College GIEC Building – Room 111. A full job description, minimum requirements, and employment application can be found by visiting www.garrettcounty.org/sheriffs-office/career.
The Property Owners of Deep Creek Lake just issued their Winter edition of Deep Creek Dispatch. Good information on the lake and an especially nice piece on famed outdoorsman Meshach Browning.
West Virginia University at Potomac State College will be presenting Willy Wonka, a musical, this weekend and next. Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for students. Music Direction is by Sean and Debi Beachy, (both of Garrett County) and whom will also be playing keyboards for the production on:
Friday, March 16 @ 7:30
Saturday, March 17 @ 2:30
Sunday, March 18 @ 2:30
Friday, March 23 @ 7:30
Saturday, March 24 @ 7:30
Sunday, March 25 @ 2:30
