Jun 29, 2018
The weather for this weekend looks to be fantastic — Sunny, with a high near 80 and a low around 64 today. Then, Saturday and Sunday will be sunny, with a high near 85 and with a low around 69.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Annapolis Capital Gazette shooting victims and their families.
The Friends of Deep Creek Lake just sent us an update. One key point they made was the need for “wake reduction” practices due to the high-water levels on the lake at this time. In addition to the impact from the “monsoon season” they also called attention to the fact that the lake is at the top-end of the “Rule Band.”
Hey there, lizard lips! No, I wasn’t talking to my wonderful readers. I was talking to the reptiles and amphibians that will be featured at tonight’s “What’s That Reptile?” at the Discovery Center at 2:00pm.
The Kitzmiller Farmers Market, a producers-only market, will be held in Kitzmiller from 4:00pm – 6:00pm this afternoon at the park in downtown Kitzmiller. For you visitors, Kitzmiller is an old coal town on the Potomac River south of Oakland. It is very different than the lake-area.
There are some good acts at local venues Friday evening (and throughout the weekend). Ronnie Burroughs and Optimus Riff will be at the Black Bear tavern, and the Still Brewing Band will be at MoonShadow. Check our events section for details and additional events
The Board of County Commissioner’s previously scheduled Public Meeting for July 2nd has been cancelled. The next Public Meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 17th, beginning at 6:00pm at the Swanton Community Center.
Railey Mountain Lake Vacations has just announced a full remodel of Deepcreek.com, Suitesatsilvertree.com, and Willothewisp.com. This video is a neat animation to show the new site features.
Do NOT worry! I am unable to race in the Fast and Furriest Run and Walk Saturday morning, so there is a chance you can win. This event will not only be a lot of fun, but it will benefit the good folks (and critters) at HART for Animals too. If I do get to go, I will try to sneak-in disguised as a Miniature Schnauzer, so be on the lookout (and don’t tell anybody).
The second annual “Lions Chillin’ & Grillin’ for Vision: BBQ Fest” will be held Saturday at the Garrett County Fairgrounds (by the Lions Pavilion). This is another nice event for a good cause.
Terah Crawford will give a free performance at Noon Sunday at MoonShadow.
The Dove Center announced they are in urgent need of baby items, size 0-3 and 3-6 months, especially onesies, sleepers, socks, receiving blankets, and small diapers, wash cloths and towels, and bath items. Items may be dropped off at the office: 882 Memorial Drive, M-F between 8:30 and 4:30. The items do not have to be new but good condition, please. Thank you!
The Northern Garrett High School student team finished 5th in the recent state Envirothon competition. Students worked in small groups to complete tests in the areas of aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, and current environmental issues.
Did you catch our wDCT.live broadcast from the historic Drane House last night on social media? Here is Caroline reporting:
Jun 28, 2018
Yesterday was rainy in the morning but it cleared into a pretty nice day. Today’s weather will be a chance of showers early and then partly sunny, with a high near 70 and a low around 60.
Get some exercise – with a view – this afternoon and also meet a celebrity! Take a self-guided hike up to the historic Thayerville Fire Tower and get the opportunity to climb up the tower accompanied by a park ranger. You can also visit Smokey Bear at the Discovery Center before or after your hike.
Have fun and do good at the wings for young Bentley Blythe fundraiser this evening at Backbone Tavern. Music for adults and fun stuff for the kids.
Dr. Nicole Miller has been named the principal of Southern Garrett High School and will begin her appointment on July 1, 2018.
As someone (Mike) not originally from the Garrett County area, I love to learn about the history, places and people that helped make this great region what it is today. Friends of Blackwater are giving a lecture this Sunday: Tucker County’s Immigrant History in nearby Thomas, WV from 1:00pm – 3:00pm.
There’s a “Pocket Park” movie this evening from 8:00pm – 11:00pm at the Mountain Fresh Pavilion in Oakland. The film is Rock Dog!
This is different and a good value too: In celebration of Coney Days in Lonaconing, Dans Mountain State Park will be featuring a “Dollar Dip” at the pool on July 3rd. Adults pay only $1 per person and children five and under will get in free! The Dans Mountain Pool is just a few miles from Garrett County and the area’s only heated outdoor pool with a water slide.
Garrett College is offering a Maryland Boater Safety course at the college’s McHenry campus. The session will be held Saturday, July 7th, from 8:30am to 5:00pm. This course provides the basic information one will need to boat safely and enjoy your time on the water and is required for those born after June 1, 1972. Call 301.387.3069 for more information or to register.
Did you know that about three out of four Americans recycle? That’s great for the environment, but many of us are not following the rules according to the National Waste & Recycling Association. Many of us mean well but include items that cannot be recycled or items contaminated with food, resulting in what the industry calls “wishcycling.” Just thought I would share this public service message.
Speaking of recycling, here’s a shout-out to Bob Carney and the rest of the Deep Creek Real Estate crew that picked up trash yesterday on Glendale Road. Thanks folks. It takes a village.
Jun 27, 2018
Yesterday was a nice day; a little cooler though. Today’s weather will be showers and thunderstorms likely with a high near 72 and a low around 63. Rainfall could be heavy at times.
I hope you all voted in the primary yesterday. Thanks to all those that put their “hat in the ring” and ran for office. Locally, the commissioner race was tight in District 3; unofficial results are:
Commissioner District 1
Republican – Larry Tichnell
Democrat – Judy Carbone
Commissioner District 2
Republican – Paul Edwards
Commissioner District 3
Republican – Jim Hinebaugh
Want to travel the world with Girl Scout troop 1615? Join them today in Friendsville as they travel from Australia to Tanzania to Russia, Brazil and China too.
It’s Locals’ Day at Mountain State Brewing Company, Crab Cake Night at Black Bear, Pasta Night at Ace’s, Steak Night at Penn Alps and there are discounts at Smiley’s and Pine Lodge Steak House. Check out our dining guide for locations and contact information.
There’s Unplugged Bluegrass starting at 6:00pm at MoonShadow this evening and Team Trivia at the Greene Turtle starting at 7:00pm.
New Germany State Park just announced their lineup of events (most are free) for the rest of June and early July. Some interesting activities including volleyball, owl spotting and some nice music, among other things.
A little history here from friend and historian Al Feldstein. Here’s a photo, perhaps from the late 1800s/early 1900s, of Maple Street in downtown Friendsville.
Garrett College, in collaboration with Widmyer Driving School, LLC, will be offering Maryland Driver Education in a variety of settings in July: July 9th – 20th, 9:00am to 12:00 noon at the Southern Outreach Center (old Oakland Armory); July 16th – 27th, 5:30pm – 8:45pm at the main campus in McHenry; and July 30th through August 10th, 9:00am to 12:00 noon at the main campus in McHenry. Call 301.387.3069 for more information or to register.
The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce will hold a State of the County at the next Business Before Hours on Tuesday, July 10th, from 8:00am – 9:30am in the Crawford room at Wisp Resort.
Sharing a special video that brought tears to my eyes for a number of reasons, including their passion for their “mission,” and my passion for entrepreneurship. We all have unlimited possibilities for our lives.
Jun 26, 2018
Yesterday was really nice. The weather for today will be mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Tonight could have scattered showers, mainly after 11pm a low around 61.
The political advertising from candidates has been heating up, with signs, billboards and ads all over the county leading up to today’s primary. Fortunately, it has been a very civil race so far, and I would expect nothing less for Garrett County.
Here’s a quick link to the Garrett County Board of Elections home page. It shows the various ballots for today’s primary election. PLEASE VOTE!
Butterflies are free! And, so is the Butterflies and Flowers Walk at the Discovery Center today at 2:00pm. Observe butterflies and learn about native and non-native plants in Garrett County.
The second of four Deep Creek Lake hydrilla herbicide treatments is scheduled to take place today. During the process, boaters are asked to stay clear of the treatment boat. Please be alert and note that the schedule might change due to weather.
Back to elections for a second, just in case you were wondering, the earliest state primary, held on March 6th is in Texas, and the latest is September 13th in New York. Now you know!
Not a sure if there is space available, but there is a camp for kids at Camp Deep Creek in Accident starting today and running through the 29th.
The Race Across America concluded over the weekend. The world’s toughest bike race, is a bicycle race where racers cover over 3,000 miles as they travel from Oceanside CA to Annapolis MD rarely sleeping and rarely getting off the bike. You may have seen the timestation / checkpoint in Deep Creek near Trader’s Coffee house. Christoph Strasser won the men’s single category and completed the continuous race in 8 days, 1 hour and 23 minutes.
AAUW Garrett College Student Chapter has sent students to a national leadership training.
OK, one more late-breaking factoid on the election. According to the Baltimore Sun online, it appears that, due to a computer error, up to 80,000 Maryland voters will have the wrong information in the system and will have to cast a provisional vote today. This is due to a problem with data collected by the MVA; all votes will count.
The Garrett County Arts Council is hosting an Arts Connection event for artists and those interested in the arts, on June 28th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm. The event will be held at the Drane House, in Accident, the oldest house in Garrett County. Call GCAC at 301.334.6580 for more information.
A Swiftwater Rescue Technician class was held over the weekend with members from Kitzmiller, Bloomington, Oakland and Harford Fire Departments participating. All members completed and obtained their certifications. Thank you to Kitzmiller Volunteer Fire Department for sharing the photo below:
Jun 25, 2018
Chautauqua Performances Feature a Legendary Abolitionist, a Boundary-Breaking Supreme Court Justice, and a Fierce Humanitarian
Maryland Humanities brings Frederick Douglass, Thurgood Marshall, and Eleanor Roosevelt back to life through its program, Chautauqua: Seeking Justice. Actor-scholars portraying these three giants of social justice will travel to eight counties throughout the state, from July 5 until July 15.
Chautauqua celebrates its 24th season this summer. Living history performances by actor-scholars are followed by question and answer sessions which spark spirited conversation and provide educational family fun. The Thurgood Marshall performance features an excerpt from the George Stevens, Jr. play, Thurgood, and will be followed by a dialogue with Dr. Lenneal Henderson. Henderson, an internationally recognized scholar, brought Marshall to life in the 2010 Maryland Humanities Chautauqua tour. Every Chautauqua performance is free and open to the public and opens with live local musical and theatrical acts.
Chautauqua performances will take place at: Garrett College in McHenry; Elkton Central Library; Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels; Harford Community College in Bel Air; Cecil College in Elkton; College of Southern Maryland in La Plata; Montgomery College in Germantown; Community College of Baltimore County in Catonsville; and Crofton Community Library. Learn more about Chautauqua at www.mdhumanities.org/chautauqua.
Chautauqua is supported in part by Old Line Bank, Baltimore County Commission on the Arts and Sciences, Talbot County Arts Council (with funds from the Maryland State Arts Council), and Karen and Langley Shook.
2018 Chautauqua Characters and Performers
Frederick Douglass (1818–1895)—a writer, orator, and abolitionist—was one of the most important African American activists of the 19th Century. 2018 is the “Year of Frederick Douglass”—the bicentennial celebration of the Marylander’s birth.
Douglass will be performed by Bill Grimmette, a living history interpreter, storyteller, actor, and motivational speaker who has worked in film, television, and on stage throughout the United States and abroad. He has appeared as Martin Luther King, Jr., W.E.B. Du Bois, Frederick Douglass, and Benjamin Banneker at Chautauquas in Maryland, Colorado, South Carolina, and at schools in the Northern Mariana Islands. He has also performed at the Smithsonian Institution, the Kennedy Center, and on National Public Radio. Grimmette has an M.A. in psychology from the Catholic University of America and has done post-graduate work in education at George Mason University.
Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) was a humanitarian, diplomat, and the longest serving First Lady in American history. She also advocated for fair labor laws, civil rights, women’s representation in government, and more social justice issues.
Susan Marie Frontczak—who has given more than 700 presentations as Marie Curie, Mary Shelley, Irene Castle, Clara Barton, and Eleanor Roosevelt across 38 of the United States and abroad in her 17 years as a living history scholar—will portray Roosevelt. Frontczak says her biggest challenge with Mrs. Roosevelt is to choose what pieces of her immense life to include in any given presentation and so has developed four distinct programs to explore different aspects of Roosevelt’s life. She also works with both adults and youth to develop their own living history presentations, including authorship of the Young Chautauqua handbook for Colorado Humanities.
Thurgood Marshall (1908–1993) was a civil rights activist from Baltimore who broke barriers as the lead NAACP attorney in Brown v. Board of Education and as the first African American Supreme Court Justice.
Marshall will be portrayed by Brian Anthony Wilson, who recently appeared as the great man in a full production of George Stevens, Jr.’s play Thurgood at Olney Theatre Center. A professional actor, Wilson’s recent stage credits include Romeo & Juliet: A Requiem and The Diary of Anne Frank (People’s Light, PA), Fences (J.A.G. Prod. in Woodstock, VT), and Titus Andronicus (Rowan University, NJ). Upcoming projects include Sweat (Philadelphia Theatre Company) and Gem of the Ocean (Arden, PA). Selected screen credits include Ocean’s 8, Glass, Creed, Limitless, 6 Souls, Soller’s Point, Crooked & Narrow, Keeping The Faith, The Postman/Siren (Freeform), Dietland (AMC), Bloodline (Netflix), Gotham (Fox), Bull (CBS), Broad City (Comedy Central), Blue Bloods (CBS), and The Sopranos and The Wire (HBO).
Dr. Lenneal Henderson is a Visiting Instructor at the College of William and Mary. He is also an Assistant Dean for Civic Engagement and International Affairs; Distinguished Professor of Government and Public Administration and Senior Fellow at the William Donald Schaefer Center for Public Policy and a Senior Fellow in the Hoffberger Center for Professional Ethics, Emeritus at the University of Baltimore. Dr. Henderson has been a consultant for more than 30 years in the areas of housing, education policy, energy management, and environmental policy. He has appeared as Thurgood Marshall, Martin Luther King, Jr., and A. Philip Randolph in Maryland, North Carolina, California, Texas, Virginia, Colorado and Nevada. Dr. Henderson is a former Board Chair of Maryland Humanities and a current member of the Virginia Humanities board. He received his A.B., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California, Berkeley.
Tour Dates (Alphabetical by County):
Anne Arundel County
Crofton Community Library
1681 Reidel Road, Crofton, MD 21114
Saturday, July 14, 2:00 p.m.: Frederick Douglass
Baltimore County
Center for the Arts Theatre at Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville
800 South Rolling Road, Catonsville, MD 21228
Friday, July 13, 7:00 p.m.: Frederick Douglass
Saturday, July 14, 7:00 p.m.: Eleanor Roosevelt
Sunday, July 15, 7:00 p.m.: Thurgood Marshall
Cecil County
Elkton Central Library
301 Newark Avenue, Elkton, MD 21921
Saturday, July 7, 6:00 p.m.: Frederick Douglass
Elkton Station Performing Arts Hall at Cecil College, Elkton
107 Railroad Avenue, Elkton, MD 21921
Tuesday, July 10, 7:00 p.m.: Thurgood Marshall
Charles County:
The Fine Arts Center at The College of Southern Maryland, La Plata
8730 Mitchell Road, La Plata, MD 20646
Tuesday, July 10, 6:45 p.m.: Frederick Douglass
Wednesday, July 11, 6:45 p.m.: Eleanor Roosevelt
Thursday, July 12, 6:45 p.m.: Thurgood Marshall
Garrett County:
Garrett College Auditorium at Garrett College
687 Mosser Road, McHenry, MD 21541
Thursday, July 5, 7:00 p.m.: Frederick Douglass
Friday, July 6, 7:00 p.m.: Eleanor Roosevelt
Saturday, July 7, 7:00 p.m.: Thurgood Marshall
Harford County:
Chesapeake Theater at Harford Community College, in partnership with Harford County Public Library
401 Thomas Run Road, Bel Air, MD 21015
Monday, July 9, 7:00 p.m.: Eleanor Roosevelt
Montgomery County:
Globe Hall in the High Technology Building at Montgomery College, Germantown
20200 Observation Drive, Germantown MD 20876
Wednesday, July 11, 7:00 p.m.: Frederick Douglass
Thursday, July 12, 7:00 p.m.: Eleanor Roosevelt
Friday, July 13, 7:00 p.m.: Thurgood Marshall
Talbot County
*Outdoors by the Steamboat Building at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
213 N. Talbot Street, St. Michaels, MD 21663
Monday, July 9, 7:00 p.m.: Frederick Douglass
Tuesday, July 10, 7:00 p.m.: Eleanor Roosevelt
Wednesday, July 11, 7:00 p.m.: Thurgood Marshall
*All Talbot County performances will be held outdoors. Please bring folding chair. In case of severe weather, program will be held in the Steamboat Building auditorium.
Jun 25, 2018
Today’s weather will be partly sunny, with a high near 72 and a low around 54.
Had to make a quick overnight trip down-state this weekend. Just got back to the lake-area as I write this and it is VERY good to be back. I am reminded why my wife Jean and I chose to live in Garrett County: beautiful scenery, friendly people and a much slower pace. Down-state has a lot going for it, but at this point in my life, I’ll take Garrett County any day!
The Garrett County Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Monday in the board room at the central office, 40 S. Second St. The board will meet in executive session at 4:05 p.m. directly after public comment to discuss personnel matters and legal advice regarding carryover funding
Greater Oakland Business Association is looking for some additional volunteers to help out with the Little Yough Music Festival on July 13th and August 17th and 24th. If you can volunteer to hand out programs, sell 50/50 raffle tickets, etc. please let Michelle Ross at Town Hall know. She can be reached at 301.334.2691.
Did you hear that the 6th annual Garrett County Opry is coming to town this Friday, June 29th? The Opry is sponsored by Community Action Committee, a local organization that does great things for those in need. The Opry runs from 6:00pm – 10:00pm-plus at Garrett College with a number of acts and all proceeds going to Meals on Wheels this year.
The Deep Creek Lake Lions Club does some amazing things with the proceeds from their boat auction/race, fundraisers and other events. Here’s a listing that gives a little insight that I thought worthwhile to share:
Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations and Sales has announced that their organization continues to expand; they have recently added several new agents to their company.
The Ruth Enlow Library invites all gamers to a Super Street Fighter II Turbo Tournament on July 9th, at 5:30pm. The tournament features RYU versus Ken, as well as 14 other fighters. Entry into the tournament, to be held at the Oakland branch, is free, and prizes will be awarded to the champions. The library will provide all gaming equipment. For more information, contact Thomas Vose at 301.334.3996 or thomas@relib.net.
My wife Jean (second from left in the photo below) had some friends up this weekend for their annual “girls weekend.” They had a great time, including a fun shopping trip to Schoolhouse Earth. I don’t know who that fellow with the horns is next to my wife but I intend to find out!
Jun 22, 2018
Local company welcomes seventeen new agents to their Deep Creek Lake real estate team.
Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales, a leading vacation rental and sales firm located in McHenry, Maryland, is pleased to announce the recent expansion of their real estate team.
Seventeen Deep Creek Lake area real estate agents joined the robust and highly regarded Taylor-Made sales division in June of 2018. Many of the new team members are accomplished agents with decades of experience in Deep Creek Lake real estate. With proven track records, they have successfully handled thousands of transactions.
“This is an exciting time at Taylor-Made, and we are pleased to welcome so many new faces! They perfectly complement our team of seasoned real estate professionals,” said Betsy Holcomb, Co-Owner of the real estate division.
Over the past ten years, Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales has grown and evolved. Taylor-Made employs over one hundred local residents, many of whom have been with the company since its early years. They are currently one of the largest vacation rental management companies in the Deep Creek Lake area.
With thirty-nine sales agents, Taylor-Made’s real estate philosophy centers around the belief that technology, coupled with a collaborative team, can build a powerful business that thrives over the long haul. The company’s independent agents are encouraged to share resources to boost overall productivity and client satisfaction. With an in-house staff dedicated to strategic marketing, sales agents have access to services that include professional photography and videography, 3D tours and drone photography along with aggressive email and social media marketing.
By leveraging a strong knowledge base, years of experience in the local market and cutting-edge technology, experiences for both agents and clients will continue to soar moving forward.
Jun 22, 2018
Four Garrett College students recently participated in a national leadership conference sponsored by the American Association of University Women.
GC students Kalynn Eyler, Shermani “Jorhden” Kelsick, Mariah Long and Angela Lowry attended AAUW’s National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) held at the University of Maryland, College Park May 30th to June 2nd. The opportunity to attend NCCWSL was the result of Garrett College forming a new student chapter of AAUW in collaboration with the Garrett County branch of AAUW during the 2017-2018 academic year.
NCCWSL strives to assist women in closing the leadership gap and making an impact on their college campuses and in their communities by providing participants with the opportunity to be inspired by featured speakers, build real-world skills at workshops, connect with graduate programs and employers, discuss and debate today’s issues during panel and lecture seminars, and network with peers across the country and around the world to build lifelong relationships. The focus of the NCCWSL workshops and lectures is professional and leadership development to include activism with respect to women’s issues and valuing diversity (www.nccwsl.org).
The four students that represented Garrett’s student chapter of AAUW are especially grateful to those organizations that made this experience financially possible: AAUW National, GFWC Civic Club of Oakland and AAUW-Garrett Branch. They all agree that attending NCCWSL was empowering, inspiring and life-changing.
“By attending many ethnically diverse panels and workshops, I learned more about issues that affect all women, as well as issues that only affect certain minorities. With this, I now know how to use my privilege to pass the mic and give women of color a stronger voice in our fight for equity,” stated Lowry.
Long maintained that NCCWSL “was the greatest learning experience that I have ever been offered. I learned to defend myself in an Empowered Self Defense Workshop, how to build my own nonprofit, and met some fantastic women from all over the world. I would absolutely attend this conference again.”
Kelsick liked how presenters gave advice on starting a non-profit organization and helped inspire and prepare them for a career in law or engineering.
Eyler declared, “NCCWSL provided such an amazing opportunity to network with women who have made a huge impact on our journey toward social justice and equity. Connecting with these women gave me hope and a sense of accountability. I now can and will turn my thoughts and ideas into action. The variety of panels and workshops provided me with not only information, but tools. There was not one moment at NCCWSL that I wasn’t feeling moved and empowered.”
“Thanks to NCCWSL, I am eager to ‘challenge myself, inspire others, and create impact.’ I am ready to take action,” vowed Eyler.
Dr. Terry Lynn Kasecamp, Professor of Psychology and AAUW student chapter advisor, was thrilled that four of Garrett’s students took advantage of this opportunity to continue developing their leadership skills and learn more about how to use activism to facilitate change with respect to the issues that they care about.
“Given that all four of these students were highly engaged in raising awareness about women’s issues and valuing diversity before they attended NCCWSL, there is no doubt in my mind that this empowering experience will have a profound ‘ripple effect’ on others as these incredible young people continue to pursue their aspirations,” said Dr. Kasecamp.
Advisor Kim DeGiovanni was excited to hear that GC students came home empowered. “I can’t wait to see what they will do with what they have learned at NCCWSL,” said DeGiovanni.
AAUW-Garrett Branch President Judy Carbone is delighted that four student chapter members attended NCCWSL.
“This will have a significant impact on their personal and professional development and bring new leadership energy to campus student life,” said Carbone. “This is something that we at the Branch have been hoping to see for many years.”
“Most of all, we are so proud of all members involved in the chapter and all they have done to bring attention to women’s equity on campus. It has been a joy to watch each of the student members grow and develop under the guidance of two strong, capable women role models in Dr. Terry Kasecamp and Kim DeGiovanni, their advisors, and each find their own strong, capable voice,” added Carbone. “The AAUW-Garrett Branch members are grateful to Garrett College for seeing the potential in an affiliation with AAUW and commit to continuing our support for the Student Chapter.”
Dr. Richard Midcap, Garrett College’s president, said the students, their advisors and the AAUW-Garrett Branch leadership all deserve congratulations for their commitment to the ideals of the AAUW.
“Ensuring campus-based equity is an important endeavor,” said Midcap. “I appreciate the commitment our student leaders, faculty and staff advisors, and AAUW-Garrett Branch members have made to work toward this goal. I’m proud for Garrett College to have a voice in such a timely and necessary discussion.”
If you are an incoming or returning student at Garrett College, male or female, interested in women’s equity and would like to become a member of AAUW-Garrett College Student Chapter, please contact Terry Kasecamp (terry.kasecamp@garrettcollege.edu) or Kim DeGiovanni (kim.degiovanni@garrettcollege.edu) for more information. Anyone else is invited to join the AAUW-Garrett Branch and can contact Judy Carbone at judy@corgi-cottage.com or 301-616-5036.
Jun 22, 2018
Garrett College’s Ashley Ruby was selected to join an elite team of professional content experts across the country for Complete College America. At GC, Ruby serves as director of advising and academic success and assistant director of the learning commons.
Established in 2009, Complete College America, is a national non-profit with a single mission: Leveraging our Alliance to eliminate achievement gaps by providing equity of opportunity for all students to complete college degrees and credentials of purpose and value.
The need for this work is compelling. According to the organization’s website (www.completecollege.org), between 1970 and 2009, undergraduate enrollment in the United States more than doubled, while the completion rate has been virtually unchanged.
Complete College America believes there is great reason for optimism and a clear path forward.
The CCA website states the following, “With a little more support – and a lot of common sense – we can ensure that many more young people get the high-quality college education that will help them live productive and fulfilling lives. All Americans will share in the benefits of their success.”
Ruby earned the role as content expert with Complete College America by demonstrating measurable results following implementation of two of CCA’s game-changing strategies at Garrett College: ’15 to Finish’ and proactive advising with academic maps.
These are two of the six strategies utilized by the CCA to boost student success, retention, and completion.
Dr. JR Kerns, Garrett College’s Interim Dean of Student Affairs, said Ruby’s selection will help students across the nation complete their educational programs.
“Being selected to such an elite team of professional content experts will allow Ashley to impact the lives of countless young people across the nation. Her work will not only help boost retention and completion rates for colleges and universities, but more importantly it will affect the lives of students who may not have been successful at the college level.”
The philosophy behind ’15 to Finish’ is all about boosting the number of students who are on track for on-time graduation by encouraging enrollment in 15 credits each semester (30 credits per year, including summers). ‘15 to Finish’ encourages students to take more credits, graduate on time and start earning faster.
Ruby applied the ’15 to Finish’ philosophy to multiple student onboarding activities; most notably, New Student Advising Day.
“Students are encouraged very early on to consider building momentum in their journey through higher education by taking 15 credits. Students that enroll in 15 credits per semester save time to degree, save money, and enter the workforce more quickly than if they were to only take the minimum of 12 credits” noted Ruby.
Equally important in higher education are providing clear pathways to degrees, careers and further education, as the majority of college students do not graduate on time.
Extra semesters and years get tacked on as students take courses that don’t count toward their degrees or when needed milestone courses aren’t available. Worse yet, in the absence of clear direction, graduation rates stagnate and students end up with loan debt but no degree (www.completecollege.org).
Under Ruby’s direction, the Advising and Academic Success Center of Garrett College functions within a foundation of proactive advising.
Advisors intentionally build relationships with students to establish a learning-centered experience. Additionally, advisors regularly use academic maps and proactive advising strategies to demonstrate a semester-by-semester plan toward on-time completion, indicating milestone and pre-requisite courses. As such, advisors are effectively able to monitor progress and provide intervention as needed.
“This prestigious role will allow her to network with other advising and higher education professionals, share expertise on the ’15 to Finish’ and proactive advising strategies, provide support to institutions wishing to implement these strategies, and represent Garrett College nationwide within the CCA platform.” Dr. Kerns added.
Jun 22, 2018
This weekend’s weather will be partly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms all weekend. Today a high near 65 and a low around 59; tomorrow a high near 70 and a low around 62; Sunday a high near 71 and a low around 58.
There’s an interesting “Create an Owl” program at the Discovery Center Friday afternoon at 2:00pm. You’ll get to meet a real live owl, learn about owl secrets and then create your own.
If you are hungry for some great seafood (and carved prime rib) visit Dutch’s at Silver tree Friday evening. They have their weekly Dinner Buffet from 5:00pm – 10:00pm. They also have boat docking, patio dining and live entertainment at their Harbor Bar.
The Baer Bones Band is performing at 6:00pm Friday evening at the Black Bear Tavern at the Fort in McHenry.
The 45th Annual Grantsville Days celebration is being celebrated all weekend in Grantsville, MD! The event starts with a parade tonight at 6:45pm and continues through the weekend with a craft show, food vendors, music and fireworks.
The Mountain Fresh Farmers Market will be held Saturday from 10:00am – 1:00pm at the Pavilion on first Street in Oakland. Lots of goodies in addition to the fresh fruits and vegetables.
The Mountain Laurel Garden Club is holding its 18th annual Secret Country Gardens Tour on Saturday from 10:00am – 4:00pm, rain or shine. Tickets may be purchased in advance at Arrowhead Market, the Discovery Center, Firefly Farms, Gregg’s Pharmacy, Green Acres Garden Center and from club members.
Charles Wesley Godwin will be appearing at Noon on Sunday at MoonShadow.
Finally, there’s a lot of other things happening around the lake this weekend. Check out our Upcoming Events section for more good stuff. Or, if the weather is not cooperating, check out a movie or have dinner at one of our local eating establishments. Have a GREAT weekend!
Here is the schedule for the downtown Oakland Pocket Park movies:
Jun 21, 2018
Yesterday was rainy a good part of the day or there were pockets of sun depending on what part of the county you were in; today will be a slight chance of showers with a high near 73 and a low around 60. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Happy Summer Solstice!
Be careful on Route 219 near the 219 bridge this morning; it seems they are still cleaning up from a box truck and a tractor trailer collision; both drivers are doing ok.
Hurry-up and get ready! You can take a guided hike with the naturalist to the historic Brant Mine this morning at 10:00am. The hike begins in the center of the newly-designed mine room at the Discovery Center. The hike is approximately 1 3/4 hour. Moderate walking.
Congratulations to Oakland’s Dave Bruffy who won a prestigious national professional award recently: the CTAA 2018 Transit Manager of the Year. Way to go Dave!
Our friends the next county over at the Allegany Arts Council are looking for paid teachers for their summer arts camp. They offer a week-long art camp to kids around the area–lasting from 9:00am-3:00pm, Monday-Friday. Email Samantha at skennedy@alleganyarts.org or call 301.777.2787 for more information.
Speaking of the Allegany Arts Council, they are hosting their 10th annual Plein Air Competition and Exhibition on September 24th – 29th and they are looking for host families to house the artists. My wife and I (Mike) are hosting again this year and have done it in past years and have met really nice, interesting, and talented artists. Call the Allegany Arts Council at 301.777.2787 for more information.
Meet my twin brother today at the Discovery Center! Smokey Bear (OK, he’s a lot better looking than me) will be there from 1:00pm – 3:00pm.
Wendy, of Wendy’s Towne Restaurant in Oakland, has announced she will be stepping back and out of the business as of July 31 and her employees will be opening the new Third Street Diner in August.
There is a documentary on Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg being screened at Cottrill’s Opera House in Davis, WV this evening at 6:30pm. Just a few miles from Deep Creek Lake.
This sounds fishy to me! Largemouth and smallmouth bass are most active in the early morning hours, which is the best time to be out on the lake due to boat traffic later on in the day. The evenings also offer good shallow-water fishing. The Department of Natural Resources presents a complete fishing report online, including all areas of the state, on a regular basis.
As reported previously in our Daily Notes, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has been monitoring water quality at Deep Creek Lake since 2009. They now have an interactive map and additional reports showing trends and current data for all sorts of water-quality measures.
Today is #NationalSelfieDay!
SMILE from your Deep Creek Times Team! 🙂
Jun 20, 2018
There were some brief and sporadic showers yesterday. Today’s weather will be more chance for showers and thunderstorms. A high near 74 and a low around 61.
It’s Open Mic Night at MoonShadow this evening from 6:00pm – 9:00pm. There are still openings.
Team Trivia is on for this evening at the Greene Turtle in McHenry from 7:00pm – 9:00pm.
Congratulations to friend and colleague Ashley Ruby, Director of the Advising & Academic Success Center at Garrett College, who was selected to join Complete College America, a non-profit dedicated to eliminating achievement gaps among students by providing “equity of opportunity” to all. Way to go Ashley!
Another “Congratulations” goes out to the Oakland Renaissance Arts & Entertainment District! The Application Committee was awarded the 2018 Asa M. McCain “Spirit of Oakland” Award at last night’s GOBA (Greater Oakland Business Association) meeting. This award recognizes individuals or groups that have contributed to the betterment of the community and is voted on by the GOBA membership.
The photo below is courtesy of the Garrett County Arts Council and shows GOBA President Fred Gregg presenting the award to team members Mikey Virts, Michelle Ross, Bob Carney, Karen Reckner and Frank Shap.
Theatre on the Lake starts its season with the Old Red barn New Play Reading Series on June 29th, with the main season beginning on July 5th with the presentation of People at the Edge of Town.
Local writer and “dream consultant” Rose Gordy will present “Dreamscape Poetry’ as part of the 2018 Mountain Maryland Writers Workshop. Her session is scheduled for Friday, July 27th from 11:00am until 12:30pm at Swallow Falls State Park. There are other experts presenting that week as well.
The AAA forecasts that 64% of American families travelling this summer plan to take a road trip. Of course, the lucky ones will travel to the Deep Creek Lake area. WalletHub has actually conducted an analysis of the best and worst states to take a road trip. I’ll let you decide if you like their findings and methodology and find out where Maryland lands.
Jun 20, 2018
The second annual “Fast & Furriest” 5K fun run and one-mile walk is taking place at the HART Animal Center on Saturday, June 30, to benefit HART for Animals. Each participant who registers before June 24 will receive an event T-shirt and a goodie-bag. Participants may run or walk with or without their dogs.
“Last year’s event was a huge success,” says “Fast & Furriest” co-chair Debbie Beitzel. “It’s heartwarming to see our community come together for such a good cause.” Candy DeGiovanni, event co-chair agrees. “People came out to run, walk, and support HART and their mission. Many brought their four-legged runners too!”
Registration is $30 for the 5K run and $20 for the one-mile walk. Registration after the deadline is $35 for the 5K run and $25 for the one-mile walk. Children under 10 may enter for free but will not receive a T-shirt.
The top three 5K runners across the finish line will each receive a prize. For more information and to register, go to www.hartforanimals.org/events.
The “Fast & Furriest” Fun Run and Walk is made possible in part by Taylor-Made Vacations and Real Estate. Other sponsors include Apriori Beauty, the Bredel Veterinary Clinic, the DeGiovanni Family, Debbie Beitzel, Michael & Mercedes Pellet, G&D Beitzel Logging Inc., Dusk to Dawn Painting, Deep Creek Dog Training, John & Susan Pucciano, Morningstar Employees, AR Stix & Shirts, Garrett, Copper & Boomer, Schoolhouse Earth, Eagle Rock Construction, Deep Creek Fitness, Beitzel Excavating, Flipside Sounds, Germain HVAC LLC, Homes and Land Magazine, In Memory of Lisa Myers, Jared & Laura Fike, John’s Body Shop, John & Shelia McCracken, Mountain State Brewing Company, Netty’s Massage & Body Work, R. Gregory Construction, Sage Title Group, Team One Auto, The Painted Cupboard, Tom Thumb Pest Control, LLC, Walnut Hills Farm, and Whispering Oaks.
Jun 19, 2018
Yesterday was another beautiful day at the lake. Today’s weather will be a chance of showers and thunderstorms likely with a high near 76 and a low around 63. Some rain could be heavy.
Join the Naturalist at 2:00pm today for a walk around the Discovery Center grounds observing the butterflies that use our native plants and learn the difference between native and non-native plants and their effects on our environment.
There’s a rabies clinic this evening at Bittinger Fire Hall from 5:00pm – 7:00pm. You can bring your animal to get vaccinated and they will also have dog and cat licenses available.
The good folks at Cindy’s Fund are hosting their Cancer Support Group for those with cancer or those supporting them this evening at 6:30pm in the Hospital Board Room. It is open to all.
Summer officially starts this week and so does HABco’s summer coworking hours! They’ll now be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays for anyone wanting to use the space to get some work done!
The Garrett County Courthouse was evacuated yesterday morning after a suspicious envelope containing a white powder and a handwritten note was found at about 10:30am. Later, Sherriff Rob Corley said the envelope was not hazardous.
From Town of Oakland: CSX will be closing the Railroad Crossing at Second Street, Monday, June 25 at 7am and it will remain closed through Wednesday, June 27th at 5pm to complete the railroad crossing/tracks repair and replacement.
wDCT.live was out in the field yesterday – it’s a hard job but someone has to do it! …..but, you could do it, too!
Anthony Istrico shared a few photos of his family having a blast on the water at Deep Creek Lake, too!
Jun 18, 2018
The weather was great this weekend, with a large number of folks out on and around the lake. The weather for today will be mostly sunny with a high near 84 and a low around 69.
In my lake-area travels this weekend, I saw a lot of families and extended families enjoying themselves and celebrating Father’s Day. I hope all of you Dads had a great weekend, as I sure did.
Libraries Rock! That’s the theme for this Summer’s Reading Club that begins today and runs through August 31st this year at all branches of the Ruth Enlow Library. Stop by your local branch and pick up the reading list.
While at the Oakland branch of the Library this afternoon, you can bring any unwanted papers to Free Shred Day. The library is partnering with Sunrise Shred to offer a free paper-shredding event for the public from 3:00 – 6:00pm.
The Property Owners’ Association of Deep Creek Lake is accepting board nominations until June 30th. They have some very specific guidelines that are followed.
Learn some of the history of the early 1700 era farm at the Friends Store today at Sang Run State Park. Meshach Browning was there, Native Americans had an encampment nearby, and the Friend family has quite a significant history in the area.
Don’t forget! The primary election is June 26th, and early voting (Voting Centers open from 10:00am to 8:00pm) ends this Thursday. There are two centers to vote until then: Oakland Community Center and the Northern Outreach Center (in Grantsville).
Join us in welcoming a new advertiser Flipside Sounds! Flipside Sounds will be a new record and accessories shop located in Downtown Oakland with a planned opening in early July: “A music shop to rewind or fast forward into the wonders of vinyl records”. Flipside’s sister business, Sipside Lounge, has an estimated opening in October of this year.
Our water temperature gauge is working! The water temperature at the Northern end of the lake at surface is currently 74 degrees.
There’s just about a week left to sign-up for the Garrett College’s boater safety course on July 7th. There’s pre-work required and this course usually fills up, so if you are interested call 301-387-3069 for more information or to register. Happy boating!
The Learning Beyond the Classroom (LBTC) bus is having some minor mechanical issues but, not to worry, the LBTC activities will still be held bus or no bus! No registration required; just show up with your little ones – the schedule is below:
Monday:
Friendsville Town Park 9:30-11am
McHenry Apartments 1-2:30pm
Tuesday:
Grantsville Senior Center 9:30-11am
Avilton Community Center 1-2:30pm
Wednesday:
Bloomington Park 9:30-11am
Kitzmiller School Building 1-2:30pm
Thursday:
Glades Park in Oakland 9:30-11
Loch Lynn Church of God 1-2:30pm
Friday:
Pleasant Valley Community Center 9:30-11
Crellin Church of the Brethren 1-2:30