Dec 19, 2018
Today’s weather will be sunny, with a high near 49 and a low around 32.
I had the pleasure of attending the Civic Club of Oakland’s annual holiday party yesterday. The lunch at Dutch’s was really good, but the real story was the awards given to three deserving members of the club. “Woman” of the Year was awarded to two worthy individuals: Marilyn Ruyman and Judi Merriman. Volunteer of the Year was Karen Lauer. I know all three of these wonderful, giving winners and offer a hearty congratulations!
Nine Northeast and Mid-Atlantic governors and the Mayor of Washington, D.C. announced yesterday a decision to move forward with a regional clean transportation initiative. These 10 members of the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI) will now transition from a year-long public comment phase, which engaged communities, businesses and stakeholders across the region, to begin crafting policies and programs to address their transportation challenges, improve mobility, provide more transportation options and curb the largest source of pollution that contributes to climate change.
MoonShadow Cafe is hosting its monthly Acoustic Rock Jam this evening from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Just bring your instrument and jam on. If trivia is more your thing, the Greene Turtle is hosting Team Trivia from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm.
Garrett Lakes Arts Festival has released its 2018 annual report with recaps of this past season and a look at the 2019 season. Next season looks to be another strong one, with Walt & Jackie in April, The Maryland Symphony returning in June with a Russian inspired concert, August has Seldom Scene and a return engagement by the Maryland Ballet Theatre of Aladdin and the Prophecy of the Ring. Wow!
The Community Trust Foundation recently granted $20,000 to Music at Penn Alps for their K-12 Tutoring Program. This was made possible through the Naylor Family Trust Fund and will provide private instrumental or vocal music lessons to youth in the region.
The holiday season is a great time of year but, as we have seen with our mentions of fire safety and portable generator safety in recent Daily Notes, there can be risks associated with some holiday or cold-weather activities. Yesterday, the Garrett County Health Department issued a release – Celebrate with Safety in Mind – on the impact of alcohol consumption and related safety tips for the holidays. It’s a good reminder.
Here’s an interesting one for you: Candystore.com recently asked 13,000 customers what the worst Christmas candies were and they got a mouthful (yes, that was a joke). I found the list surprising. The worst candy as voted on by the respondents was… Christmas Nougat Candy! Surprisingly, candy canes came in 13th. You can click here for the full report. Now, if you want to know the favorites, you can click here. Hint, the favorite in Maryland is Reese’s Cup Minis. You can click here for the full story on Christmas candy favorites.
Dec 19, 2018
By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department
The holidays are a time for celebrations, but it’s also a time when some people are more likely to drink beyond their limits than at other times of the year. Adverse consequences, ranging from fights to falls to traffic crashes, can also happen. Sadly, many often put themselves and others at risk because they don’t understand how alcohol affects their bodies during an evening of celebratory drinking.
Despite the potential dangers, myths about drinking persist, which can prove fatal for some. Scientific studies supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism provide important information challenging these widespread, yet incorrect, beliefs about how quickly alcohol affects the body and how long the effects of drinking last.
Alcohol’s effects on the body begin quickly. Critical decision-making abilities and driving-related skills are already reduced long before a person shows physical signs of intoxication.
At first, alcohol acts as a stimulant, so drinkers may feel upbeat and excited. But alcohol soon decreases inhibitions and judgment and can lead to reckless decisions.
As more alcohol is consumed, reaction time suffers and behavior becomes poorly controlled and sometimes even aggressive—leading to fights and other types of violence. Continued drinking causes the slurred speech and loss of balance we typically associate with being drunk. At these levels and above, alcohol can also cause blackouts, making so a person can not remember what happened while he or she was intoxicated. At higher levels, alcohol acts as a depressant, which causes the drinker to become sleepy and in some cases pass out. At even higher levels, drinkers face the danger of life-threatening alcohol overdose due to the suppression of vital life functions.
During an evening of drinking, it’s also easy to misjudge how long alcohol’s effects last. For example, many people believe they will begin to sober up—and be able to drive safely—once they stop drinking and have a cup of coffee. The truth is that alcohol continues to affect the brain and body long after the last drink has been finished. Even after someone stops drinking, alcohol in the stomach and intestine continues to enter the bloodstream, resulting in impaired judgment and coordination for hours.
We don’t intend to harm anyone when we celebrate during the holiday season, yet, violence and traffic fatalities associated with alcohol misuse persist, and myths about drinking live on—even though scientific studies have documented how alcohol affects the brain and body.
Because individuals differ, the specific effects of alcohol on an individual will vary. But certain facts are clear—there’s no way to make good decisions when you are intoxicated and there’s no way to sober up faster.
So plan ahead to avoid the dangers of alcohol. Use these tips if you host a holiday gathering:
- Offer a variety of nonalcoholic drinks—water, juices, sparkling sodas. Nonalcoholic drinks help counteract the dehydrating effects of alcohol. Also, the other fluids may slow the rate of alcohol absorption into the body and reduce the peak alcohol concentration in the blood.
- Provide a variety of healthy foods and snacks. Food can slow the absorption of alcohol and reduce the peak level of alcohol in the body by about one-third. It can also minimize stomach irritation and gastrointestinal distress the following day.
- Help your guests get home safely—use designated drivers and taxis. Anyone getting behind the wheel of a car should not have any alcohol.
- If you are a parent, understand the underage drinking laws—and set a good example.
For more information about keeping your holiday safe visit kNOwDRINKING.net. Projects of the kNOwDRINKING.net campaign are partially funded by SAMHSA and Maryland Behavioral Health Administration.
Dec 18, 2018
Yesterday was breezy but sunny. Today’s weather will be partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 34 and a low around 20.
I know I don’t have a lot of readers that are between the ages of three and five years old, but this post is for them (and their parents and grandparents). The Kitzmiller branch of the Ruth Enlow Library is holding its Children’s Story Time this morning from 10:30 am -11:00 am. Kids can look, listen, sing, and play while learning through stories, crafts, and other fun activities.
The County Commissioners invites the public to their Holiday Open House at the Courthouse today from 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm. You can browse the new art installation and there will also be entertainment and light refreshments. Now, if you have a few outstanding warrants for your arrest, you may want to pass on this one. Only kidding…
The Cindy’s Fund Cancer Support Group meets this evening from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm in the Garrett Regional Medical Center’s boardroom. This is open to all that are dealing with cancer, in recovery or providing support.
If you are planning to stop by the Garrett County Chamber’s Visitors Center please note that it will be closing at 2:00 pm on December 24th and closed all day on December 25th. It will also be closing at 2:00 pm on December 31st and closed all day on January 1st.
The office of the Maryland State Fire Marshall has some good advice on holiday fire prevention for all of us. Their information release yesterday covered everything from frying turkeys (never when frozen) to keeping your live Christmas tree fresh. You can check out their tips here.
Well, the holiday season is always followed by the tax season. Fortunately, Garrett College has two courses to help you become more knowledgeable about taxes:
- Income Tax Preparation 101 – January 8th and 19th, 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm, Garrett College McHenry campus; and
- Tax Reform with AARP Maryland – January 18th, 10:00 am – 2:30 pm, Grantsville Senior Center
Please contact the college’s Continuing Education & Workforce Development department at 301.387.3069 for more information.
The Garrett County Board of Education (GCBOE) is seeking a professionally-qualified consultant/firm to work with its members to create a strategic plan to address its strategic issues through a comprehensive, data-driven, and community-engaged planning process. The deadline for receipt of a proposal is Thursday, January 3, 2019 at 5:00 P.M. (EST)
Dec 18, 2018
The Community Trust Foundation recently granted $20,000 to Music at Penn Alps for their K-12 Tutoring Program. This was made possible through the Naylor Family Trust Fund and will provide private instrumental or vocal music lessons to youth in the region. For more information and to apply, visit www.musicatpennalps.org/scholarships.
Community Trust Foundation (CTF) is a local community foundation serving Allegany, Garrett and Mineral Counties. CTF is an organization created with gifts from generous people committed to local causes. For donors, the Foundation serves as a philanthropic advisor. For the community, the Foundation serves as a grantmaker and a civic leader. Through the support of its donors and fund holders, the Foundation grants to local nonprofit organizations working to build a stronger community in the areas of Arts & Historical Preservation, Health & Wellness, Vibrant Communities & Thriving Environment, and Education & Youth Leadership.
For more information or to learn how you can support your community through the foundation, please contact CTF at 301-876-9172 or ctf@ctfinc.org.
Dec 17, 2018
The weekend was rainy but not as rainy as some places downstate, where the ground is truly waterlogged, with severe runoff issues. Today’s weather is partly sunny, with a high near 35 and a low of 22. Breezy, with a west wind 18 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph.
We just received the latest Dispatch (Fall/Holiday edition) from the Property Owners Association of Deep Creek Lake. This issue covers some important updates and information for all that live on/around the lake and/or use it for recreation. You can find the complete edition here.
The Garrett County Department of Solid Waste & Recycling announced their Holiday Hours on Friday:
-The landfill will be open normal hours on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day
-The refuse collection sites will close at 12 noon on Christmas Eve and remain closed on Christmas Day
-The Landfill and collection sites will also be closed New Year’s Day
Governor Larry Hogan will join Dr. Karen Salmon, Maryland’s State Superintendent of Schools, on Tuesday to announce the newest Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools. I will keep an eye out to see if any Garrett County schools make it this year. Some visitors and second homeowners may not realize we have some exceptional schools and a highly regarded school system here in the mountains around the lake.
State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci is reminding the Citizens of Maryland to take care in the use of portable generators. Many people use portable generators during power outages. The most common risks of using the generators are carbon monoxide poisoning, electrical shock, electrocution, and fires. The photo they sent is a bit fuzzy, but here’s a link to their page for a better view.
Did you know that the average American expects to spend $633 on Christmas in 2018, with $341.82 (54%) going towards gifts, $132.93 (21%) going towards travel, $88.62 (14%) going towards other expenses, and $69.63 (11%) going towards decorations? With Christmas so near, I thought I would share that little factoid from LendEDU along with the rest of their recent study on holiday spending. Remember, there are plenty of great small shops in Garrett County that have great, unique gifts for sale.
Its half-price pizza Monday at Brenda’s every Monday, and the Greene Turtle has their senior night buffet from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm this evening. Check out our Dining Specials for some other listed specials on pizza, wings, etc. from other local establishments.
Dec 15, 2018
Continuing Education & Workforce Development recently announced two courses scheduled for the beginning of January 2019.
Income Tax Preparation 101
January 8 and 19, 6-8:30 p.m., Garrett College McHenry campus
This two-session workshop will provide an overview of Federal and State of Maryland Tax Returns. Facilitators will provide information about determining which tax return to file, filings status, and deductions. Participants will learn which filing option may present them with the maximum return.
Instructors for the course are Bernard B. Kahl, CPA and Dr. Jesse Ketterman Jr. Kahl is a native of Cumberland and vice president of Turnbull, Hoover & Kahl PA., overseeing the daily operations in the Garrett County office. He previously worked in the banking industry for several years before starting his career at Turnbull, Hoover & Kahl. Ketterman, an accredited financial counselor, works as an extension educator for University of Maryland Extension serving Allegany, Garrett, and Washington counties focusing on financial and health insurance literacy. Course registration fee applies.
Tax Reform with AARP Maryland
January 18, 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Grantsville Senior Center
Learn about many of the elements in the Tax Cut and Jobs Bill of 2017 that may affect you. Join Ted Meyerson, of AARP Maryland, as he reports on key provisions in the bill that might affect older adults. Key provisions include, but are not limited to the following: revised tax brackets, tax credit for non-child dependents like elderly parents, medical expense deduction changes, state and local tax deductions, and personal exemptions. Lunch will be provided. Early registration is encouraged as limited seats are available for this course. There is no cost for the course; however, registration is necessary for meal count.
For additional information on the above courses, contact Terry Beachy at 301-895-4700 or terry.beachy@garrettcollege.edu. To register, contact Garrett College Continuing Education & Workforce Development at 301-387-3069
Dec 14, 2018
Second-grade students at Broad Ford Elementary School participated in a poster contest in conjunction with Red Ribbon Week to educate others about the risks of tobacco use. The contest was sponsored by the Drug-Free Communities Coalition (DFCC) Action Teams and coordinated by Suzanne Wilburn who is a member of the DFCC Action Teams and also a Classroom Intervention Teacher at Broad Ford.
Wilburn presented information about tobacco to the second graders, with much of the information focusing on the new trend of vaping and Juuling (in reference to a specific kind of vaping device).
Nearly 100 students participated in the contest, and staff members of the Garrett County Health Department’s Health Education division judged the entries.
Pictured above from left to right are Kyle Witt (1st place winner), Gwyneth Browning (3rd place winner), Brielynn Pavelko (2nd place winner), and Wilburn. For more information about the DFCC Action Teams or for help quitting tobacco, call the Garrett County Health Department at 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111.
Dec 14, 2018
This weekend’s weather will be mostly rainy. Rain today, mainly after 1pm. A high near 43 anda low around 38. Saturday will be periods of rain. High near 46 and low around 47. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Sunday, rain likely, mainly before 10am then cloudy, with a high near 40. East wind around 6 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible and a low around 31. Rain and snow showers possible into Monday morning.
Wisp Resort is opening today from 9am-9pm for the 2018-2019 season! The Mountain Park will open on Saturday, December 15 from 10am-7pm and Sunday, December 16 from 10am – 5pm with Snow Tubing and Mountain Coaster. Here’s a photo I took one evening this past week:
Interesting facts: Wisp Resort began snowmaking on Wednesday, November 21 and as of 6:00 am Thursday, December 13, a total of 56 million gallons of water had been pumped equating to approximately 367 acre feet of snow while running the system for 319 total hours.
As of Thursday evening (when I write these Notes), Maryland and Pennsylvania police are still searching for a suspect believed to have been involved in two armed bank robberies in Garrett County. The robber allegedly “hit” the First United Bank in Friendsville and then the M&T Bank in Grantsville. Area schools were locked-down and police rallied to the scenes. Interestingly, M&T Bank’s Oakland branch went ahead and hosted the Chamber’s Business After Hours last evening, which was well attended and well done.
Congratulations are in order for Alice Blayne Allard, whom Sarah and I first had the pleasure of working with through the Power of Possibilities entrepreneurship program and business plan competition (which Alice won in 2016). Alice just purchased a site to construct her new building in the McHenry Business Park to build her cooperage business. She will be making barrels there for the local and not so local distilled spirits industry. We are very proud of her.
The Grantsville branch of the Ruth Enlow Library will be having their Christmas Open House Friday from 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm. They will have live music, crafts, prize drawings, refreshments and (based on a tip from an elf we know) a special visit from Santa.
Proposed new textbooks for the elementary band program are on display for review by the general public on the first floor of the Central Office and at Accident Elementary School. Please feel free to provide comments about these textbooks on the comment sheets provided at each location or contact Mrs. Penny Proudfoot, Director of Elementary Education, at 301-334-7644, for questions or for more information.
Local pet adoption center HART for Animals has a holiday tree with wishlist items for adoptable animals. Stop by and pick up a tag.
Also of note and deserving of our congratulations are those recently recognized by the Oakland – Mt. Lake Park Lions Club: Eric Robison, Gene Flinn, Regis Marucci, Mark Marucci and Chuck Olssen. The Lions and these fellows do some important work making our community a better place and we tip our respective hats to them!
Don’t forget that there will be s’mores, store specials, Santa, sleigh rides, a petting zoo and music in downtown Oakland on Saturday from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm as part of their Great Small Town Christmas celebration.
Even though it’s winter, there are still fish looking to be caught in the lake. According to the latest edition (and last of the season) of the Maryland Fishing Report, fishing for yellow perch and walleye along the steeper shorelines has been good with minnows under a slip bobber or fishing close to the bottom with a lip hooked minnow on a jig head. The report also comments on fishing action for other lake fish. I always thought the fish went down to Florida for the winter! Who knew?
Dec 13, 2018
The weather for today will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 41 and a low around 33.
Speaking of the weather, I noticed the Wisp has been taking advantage of the cooler weather and making snow on their slopes. Their tube park, which is a lot of fun for us non-skiers, also looked covered and groomed yesterday evening. Yeah!
Garrett County has some great things going on all around for the holidays, but if you live downstate or are traveling there for the holidays, there’s a lot of things going on state-wide this month, some of which might be of interest to our readers.
In nearby Cumberland, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is hosting “WinterLand on the Western Maryland” train rides Friday’s, Saturday’s and Sunday’s through December 23rd.
The Hickory Environmental Center’s Open House is this afternoon from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm. Guests are welcome to tour the nature hall and see short demonstrations in the planetarium. There is no admission fee, and all are welcome.
Garrett 8 Cinemas is upgrading the seating in each of their theaters.
Like games? You can come out to Mountain State Brewing Company this evening at 6:30 for a free and fun game of Team Trivia! Team Trivia allows you and any amount of players on your team to compete and test your knowledge for some nice prizes. It’s free and they have great pizza and make their own beer.
The Community Development Network of Maryland is hosting Western Maryland Community Stakeholder Meetings on December 20th in Cumberland and Frederick. You can register for either session here.
The PACE Committee is excited to share that registration for the 43rd Annual Mountain Maryland PACE event held in Annapolis is now open! You’ll find all the details you need on their website. By the way, PACE stands for Positive Attitudes Change Everything. Isn’t that the truth!
Dec 12, 2018
On Friday, December 7, 2018, Garrett County officials met with representatives from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Deep Creek Lake Policy Review Board, the Deep Creek Lake Property Owners Association, the Friends of Deep Creek Lake and the Deep Creek Watershed Foundation at the Garrett County Offices in Oakland, MD to discuss developing the scope of work for a Deep Creek Lake Sedimentation Plan.
The group came to consensus that the new plan will build on “Goal 6: Prevent erosion and sedimentation to the greatest extent possible to protect water resources from increased sediment loading and associated water quality problems” in the existing Deep Creek Lake Watershed Management Plan, October 1, 2014, adopted with Amendments March 7, 2016; pp 22-24 https://www.garrettcounty.org/resources/planning-land-development/pdf/Adopted%20DC%20Watershed%20Mgt%20Plan.pdf.
The Watershed Management Plan, agreed upon by Garrett County, and the Departments of Natural Resources and the Environment, is the foundation for providing the direction for protecting, enhancing, and restoring the resources of the Deep Creek Watershed. The new sediment mitigation scope of work will help identify the causes and mechanisms of sediment erosion and sources of sediment impacting the lake. Funding for the new plan has been identified. The plan will be developed in 2019.
For specific questions about the Deep Creek Lake Sediment Mitigation Plan or the process, please contact Kevin Null, Garrett County Administrator at knull@garrettcounty.org, or Bruce Michael, Director, Resource Assessment Service at bruce.michael@maryland.gov.
Dec 12, 2018
Today’s weather will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 37 and a low around 31. A slight chance of snow and freezing rain from 11pm through Thursday morning.
The Lake is beginning to freeze in places, too. I’ve even seen a few coves with people standing on the ice so far this year. As a reminder, the ice thickness can drastically vary so PLEASE be cautious if you are venturing out onto the ice at any time. Here are the MD DNR guidelines for lake-ice safety. You can see our Lake temperature reading is hovering right at 32 degrees.
The Polar Express Pajama Party arrives this morning at 10:00 am at the Oakland branch of the Ruth Enlow Library and then proceeds to the Oakland B&O Railroad Museum train station. There will be stories and crafts at the library followed by a movie and activities at the train station. Sounds cool for all the young ones in town.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has released the results of a survey of 2,200 Maryland residents regarding deer hunting. More than 70 percent of those surveyed think that deer should be hunted to help manage for a healthy population and over half of those surveyed think the department does a good job conserving and managing the deer population. Click here to read more.
Don’t forget that the LED Community Christmas Tree along with music is still around every evening from 5:00 pm – 11:30 pm. You can pull up and tune your car radio to 87.0 for the rolling 45 minute show.
Like the library? Want to play a role in making it even better? Join the Friends of the Library and share your ideas for fundraising and for programs this evening from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm at the Oakland branch. They do a great job and want to keep giving the community what they want and need, so go over and share your thoughts and ideas.
Don’t forget that there is Team Trivia this evening at the Greene Turtle in McHenry from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm. It’s free and fun and they have good food and nice beverages. Any number can play.
Tomorrow — the Hickory Environmental Education Center is holding their annual Christmas Open House. Tour the nature hall and see short demonstrations in the planetarium. I heard they have a few really great murals to see, too!
The Deep Creek Watershed Foundation does some great work for us all protecting the lake and the surrounding area and asked me to post this Holiday Greeting to all our readers. I urge you to go to their site to learn more about the organization and their work and also to please consider a donation.
Dec 11, 2018
The weather for today will be sunny, with a high near 30 and a low around 24. West wind gusting as high as 29 mph.
I bet you didn’t know that today is International Mountain Day! Well, it is, as it was designated by the United Nations General Assembly back in 2003. There may be bigger or taller mountains in the world, but we are the only mountain with Deep Creek Lake “on top.” The theme for this year’s International Mountain Day is mountain farming, which is very appropriate for our area.
Here is a photo from @jwampler14 on Instagram:
The Garrett Lakes Arts Festival (GLAF) is holding its annual meeting and open house this afternoon from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm in the office of GLAF Executive Director Mary Callis (room #329 at Garrett College, across from the new STEM building). There will be free cookies and hot chocolate and you can ask questions and learn about the upcoming 2019 season, which should be another great one.
There was a propane leak on Glen Meadow Road last evening. A faulty check valve was to blame; HazMat teams, EMS and several Fire Departments were on site about 7 hours. There were no injuries.
On Friday Garrett County officials met with representatives from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Deep Creek Lake Policy Review Board, the Deep Creek Lake Property Owners Association, the Friends of Deep Creek Lake and the Deep Creek Watershed Foundation to discuss developing the scope of work for a Deep Creek Lake Sedimentation Plan. Here’s the summary from that meeting.
State Comptroller Peter Franchot has announced that nominations for the Cornerstone Award for Local Business Excellence are now being accepted. This new award celebrates businesses that strengthen Maryland’s economy, generate jobs and tax revenue, develop new ideas and are a leader in their local community. I can think of at least a dozen Garrett County businesses that are deserving. The nominating period closes the end of December.
There’s a “Stand Together – Opioid Town Hall Meeting” this evening from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Bloomington Volunteer Fire Department. I continue to be impressed with our county’s response to the Opioid crisis and this is one more example.
Also on the Opioid front: We just heard that the county has received a federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration called the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program Planning Grant. The grant runs for one year and will address the gaps in opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and/or recovery services and access to care. The Health Department, along with other county groups are the recipients of the grant. That’s good news indeed and congratulations are in order.
The Chamber of Commerce is hosting their December Business After Hours on Thursday, December 13th, from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm at M&T Bank in Oakland. Bring a new, unwrapped toy for the local “Toys for Tots Campaign” to this Business After Hours and you will receive a free ticket to a future Business After Hours event.
Dec 10, 2018
Yesterday was quite cool but was a nice day. Today’s weather will be sunny, with a high near 32 and a low around 18.
Every once-in-a-while something unexpected and truly wonderful happens. Saturday, I had the honor of attending the wedding of my former student Josiah Hannah and Lily Rembold. I witnessed a truly amazing and unbelievably moving ceremony and offer my public congratulations here to this very special couple!
The Ruth Enlow Library experienced a good number of visitors at their open house Thursday and received lots of input on possible styles for the new Friendsville library. People who missed it can drop by the library any time between now and next Thursday to see proposed designs and comment, or they can take a 3-minute picture survey online.
Congratulations are in order for Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Flintstone. Many of our visitors pass Rocky Gap on the way out to the lake, so I wanted to let you know that Rocky Gap received 25 awards from Casino Player magazine’s “Best of Gaming Awards” for 2018.
Speaking of congratulations. Second-grade students at Broad Ford Elementary School recently participated in a poster contest in conjunction with Red Ribbon Week to educate others about the risks of tobacco use. The contest was sponsored by the Drug-Free Communities Coalition (DFCC) Action Teams and coordinated by Suzanne Wilburn who is a member of the DFCC Action Teams and also a Classroom Intervention Teacher at Broad Ford. Here’s a photo of the student winners. Great work kids!
Broad Ford Students
The State of Maryland has a nice program going called TREE-MENDOUS Maryland where you can order a tree to be planted in honor of a loved one. Not only a creative gift but helps the environment. You can even purchase a small grove of trees.
Here’s the updated agenda for the December 19th Board of Public Works meeting to be held in Annapolis. Readers may remember that the meeting scheduled for last week was canceled and “merged” into this one, so if public works are your thing, we have the latest agenda for you here.
Get your hiking shoes ready. The State of Maryland has announced the statewide schedule of First Day Hikes for January 1st. Of course, our own state parks are on the list and hosting hikes, so check it out.
Dec 7, 2018
The public is invited to attend a Garrett County Opioid Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, December 11 at the Bloomington Fire Department, beginning at 6 p.m.
“We continue to bring the community together for open conversations about how drugs are affecting this county and what we as individuals, and as a group, can do to help this issue,” said Sadie Liller, Prevention Coordinator, Garrett County Health Department. “This is the fourth in a series of town meetings, and we hope the series will continue, with other communities standing up to take initiative and do events in their communities.”
The meetings are a collaboration between Garrett County Health Department, Community Action, Garrett Regional Medical Center, Mountain Laurel Medical Center, and other concerned agencies and citizens. The group has called their initiative “Stand Together – Garrett County Against Drug Abuse.”
Previous Town Hall Meetings were held in Oakland, Grantsville, and Friendsville over the past year, with a total of nearly 250 people attending the events.
Presenters at the events, including public health, physicians, community members, and those in recovery, talk about their individual experiences, community perceptions, and how to help those in need.
“The group has put together a speaker’s bureau, and we hope these town hall meetings will generate interest from community organizations, churches, and businesses,” Liller said. “Groups who are interested in scheduling a speaker can call to be connected with a person to present on the topic of their choice.”
“Come out and share your concerns about drug abuse in your community,” said Gregan Crawford, Community Action Vice President. “Learn about substances and their effects, as well as what prevention, treatment, and recovery resources are available.”
For more information about the Town Meetings call Sadie Liller at GCHD at 301-334-7730 Ext. 6599, or Gregan Crawford at Community Action at 301-334-9431, Ext. 6177.
Dec 7, 2018
We have some sun in store! Today’s weather will be mostly sunny, with a high near 24 and a low around 17. Saturday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 24 and a low around 18. And, Sunday will be partly sunny, with a high near 28 and a low around 22.
Spruce Forest Artisan Village is hosting the 34th annual Christmas in the Village this Friday and Saturday. The event runs Friday from 4:00 – 8:00 pm and Saturday from noon to 8:00 pm.
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is being presented by the Cumberland Theater through December 23rd. I’ll bet the drive to Cumberland is worth it, as White Christmas is a true classic and they do great work.
The Mountain Fresh Farmers Winter Market is headed inside for the season and will be at Community Action in Oakland this Saturday from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. Check out their newsletter for offerings, pointers and a schedule for all the winter dates. Enjoy!
Every year the Garrett College Wildlife Club puts out a neat calendar with photos from the students’ field experiences. The calendars are for sale ($10) at the college and select area retailers and the earnings go towards helping Natural Resources & Wildlife Technology program students in the club take their winter and spring field trips. Here’s the photo of a family of northern raccoon’s taken by Mike Mosser that will be on the cover of this year’s edition. Please consider purchasing to help this worthy cause.
Family of Northern Raccoons NRWT calendar
First United Bank & Trust is proud to sponsor the 3rd Annual Christmas Charity Tour of Homes to benefit The “I Can Swim!” Program for Garrett County youth. This is the 3rd annual event and the homes are always magnificent! The tour runs on Friday, December 7th, from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm and on Saturday, December 8th, it runs from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
There’s lots of holiday-related events going on in the area this weekend. Please check our Events section to see all of the good things going on. Have fun.
The Frostburg Holiday Lamppost Committee is hosting the annual Frostburg Candlelight Tour of Homes, on Sunday, December 9th from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Call 240.529.8312 or Click Here for more information!
I bet you didn’t know that December is Small Business Administration Write a Business Plan month? Well, it is and if you have been considering a new business as a career move or as a “side hustle,” or just to pursue a dream, this may be a good time to get started. There are almost 1,000 small businesses in Garrett County and we are adding new ones all the time. The next one could be yours! Here’s a link to get you started.