Jul 31, 2020
The weather today will be showers, mainly before noon. Patchy fog before 9am; a high near 73 and a low around 63. Saturday will be a chance of showers, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. High near 76 and a low around 66. Sunday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 79 and a low around 62. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8am.
An update on the current local COVID-19 numbers is provided.
The National Main Street Center has announced a new grant program to assist small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program will fund solutions from 5,000 to 15,000 that help small business owners respond and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, and also help to revitalize and strengthen older and historic downtown commercial districts.
Maryland Governor Hogan has updated the order on face coverings; coverings are now required in all public spaces, indoor or outdoor, if social distancing cannnot be maintained.
A leaf vacuum has been added to our Online Marketplace. Just in time for the weekend!
The Music at Penn Alps season has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter, the organization explained “We have essentially no endowment and survive from generous contributions from our audience as well as government and arts organizations. When we ask for support..we need your help simply to survive!”
Maryland Department of Health has also issued a travel advisory, which takes effect immediately. This advisory strongly advises Marylanders against traveling to states with positivity rates of 10% or higher – currently Florida, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, Arizona, Alabama, South Carolina, Nebraska, and Idaho. Anyone traveling to Maryland from these states should get tested and self-quarantine while awaiting results.
Read this week’s freshwater fishing report from the MD DNR.
We are happy to launch the 2020 People’s Choice Challenge! NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN! This contest will celebrate what makes Garrett County and Deep Creek Lake, MD an awesome place! We also have a special announcement on how the voting will work this year! Stay tuned! 🙂
Remember to nominate your favorites across four categories:
NOTE: For any of our readers who make nominations this weekend (before Monday, August 3, 8am EST): you’ll be entered to win a free Deep Creek Lake, MD is My Happy Place t-shirt! We will draw 3 randomly selected winners from the pool of all nominations received by the deadline. We want to celebrate all that is great at Deep Creek Lake so make as many nominations as you’d like!
Jul 31, 2020
By Garrett County Joint Information Center Team
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced Wednesday that he is expanding the statewide masking order, and directing the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) to issue a public health advisory for out-of-state travel. These changes are based on the state’s data-driven approach to win the fight against the coronavirus.
The expanded order takes effect Friday, July 31 at 5:00 p.m., and requires all Marylanders over the age of five to wear face coverings in the public spaces of all businesses across the state. Face coverings will also be required in outdoor public areas, whenever it is not possible to maintain physical distancing.
The expanded order continues to provide certain exceptions, including for medical conditions.
The travel advisory, which takes effect immediately, strongly advises Marylanders against traveling to states with positivity rates of 10% or higher – currently Florida, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, Arizona, Alabama, South Carolina, Nebraska, and Idaho. It advises Marylanders to postpone or cancel travel of any kind to these areas until their positivity rates decline. Anyone traveling to Maryland from these states should get tested and self-quarantine while awaiting results.
The expanded face covering mandate now includes all of the following:
- Public transportation
- Indoors at any location where members of the public are generally permitted including, but not limited to:
- Religious Facilities
- Retail Establishments
- Foodservice Establishments
- Fitness Centers
- Gaming Facilities
- Indoor Recreation Establishments
- Personal Services Establishments
- Outdoors where unable to consistently maintain at least six feet of distance from individuals who are not members of their household
- Healthcare services including, but not limited to:
- Physician’s office
- Dentist’s office
- Hospital
- Pharmacy
- Laboratory
- Working in any area where interaction with others is likely, including, but not limited to:
- Shared areas of commercial offices
- Where food is prepared or packaged
For more information on the Governor’s new order and the travel advisory visit bit.ly/md-gov-july. For other coronavirus questions call the COVID-19 hotline at 301-334-7689.
Jul 31, 2020
By Garrett County Joint Information Center Team
The Garrett County Health Department received a positive COVID-19 result for one additional person, bringing the current county total to 45. The new positive COVID-19 case is an asymptomatic female in her 80s who is isolating at home.
The final results are in for the community COVID-19 testing held on July 17. The total tests administered were just under 530, with only 5 positive results. The Garrett County totals were 445 testes, with only one positive, whose case was reported in an earlier release. The additional 4 positives were not from Garrett County and were not added to the county total.
Garrett County participants made up 84% of the total, with Marylanders from outside of Garrett County making up 5%, West Virginia residents making up another 5%. The rest of the participants were from across the U.S.
During the Governor’s press conference on Wednesday, he reported some interesting statistics that have been discovered through contact tracing. The governor announced the following findings based on recent interviews conducted with COVID-19 patients and the activities they had participated in.
Of those who tested positive:
-
- 44% had recently attended family gatherings
- 23% attended house parties
- 21% attended outdoor events
Additional information for those who tested positive:
-
- 54% work outside the home
- 39% shopped at retail stores
- 23% ate inside at a restaurant
- 23% ate outside at a restaurant
Of those testing positive for COVID-19 and who work, these occupations were represented the most:
-
- 25% health care
- 23% people who work in offices, without direct contact with the public
- 13% people who work in jobs that deal directly with the public
- 12% restaurant and food service employees
“Wearing a mask is the single-best mitigation strategy that we have to fight the virus, and the science and the data are very clear,” Governor Hogan said. “It’s the best way to keep you and your family safe, to keep people out of the hospital, and to keep Maryland open for business.”
Future community COVID-19 testing dates are being planned and will be announced on the health department’s Facebook page and website, garretthealth.org. Anyone going to the Garrett Regional Medical Center for a COVID-19 test must have a physician’s orders and must go through the lab. Please do not go to the emergency room for testing unless you are sick enough to need emergency care.
For more information, call 301 334-7770 or 301 895-3111.
Jul 30, 2020
I’m so sorry, dear readers! It looks like we had a glitch and the notes were not posted as timely as I had thought. I’ll make it up to you and have things posted EARLY tomorrow!
The weather today will be mostly cloudy with a high near 82 and a low around 63. A chance of showers and thunderstorms then showers likely after 8pm.
Did you know it is illegal to kill a snake in the state of Maryland? It’s true! It’s a law on the books.
The Garrett County Board of Education has announced the upcoming school year will begin virtually on September 8th and run at least 9 weeks.
The Deep Creek Mountain Land Company is offering a mid-summer land sale!
Let’s pause a moment and have a proper sendoff for the legacy Deep Creek Times webcam …. this webcam has been located near the 219 bridge for over 20 years! Sadly, a tree fell (as seen in the photo below) and the camera has been taken offline for the last time. Check out our new camera view courtesy of Don Nemith Builders and M-TEK.
Jul 30, 2020
At its most recent meeting, the Garrett County Board of Education decided that student instruction for the first term of the 2020-21 school year, which begins Tuesday, September 8, will occur in a virtual format for students as our county and state continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the guidance provided by the Maryland State Department of Education, the opening plan is a modified “red model” and allows for both virtual instruction and for in-person instruction for small, special populations of students. Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) defines special populations as students qualifying for special education, 504 students, at-risk students and homeless or displaced students.
During last spring’s school building closure, GCPS gathered student, parent, and educator feedback and has worked to improve the virtual learning experience through the following enhancements:
- A single digital platform called Schoology for students and parents to access instruction, assignments, and educator feedback
- Strategies to focus on individual student needs
- Continued efforts to ensure that students have proper devices and can connect digitally
- Increased professional learning opportunities for educators to instruct effectively in a virtual environment
Superintendent Barbara Baker stressed to the parents, students, and the community that the goal is to return to in-person learning for all children as soon as possible. A fully virtual model will be available to all students for the entire school year. According to Baker, “The safety of our students and staff is our responsibility, and we are making every effort to ensure the best possible learning opportunities while keeping everyone safe.” Any students or staff that return to the schools will return with full safety protocols in place. Ms. Baker also reminded the public that while the state remains in Stage 2 of Governor Hogan’s Roadmap to Recovery, GCPS is not permitted by the MSDE to return to full time in-person learning.
The GCPS Recovery Plan and Reopening will be released this week and includes detailed plans for virtual learning in which students will access learning online instead of face to face in the school building. They will engage in a combination of real-time virtual instruction, instruction on a more individualized schedule, and completion of assigned tasks. In addition to teachers and school counselors, additional personnel will provide learning support to students and parents.
GCPS is committed to instructing students in a virtual environment and looks forward to further preparations for a safe and productive 2020-21 school year. We will continue to provide more details in the coming days, including a request for families to enroll their students this school year in a learning model that best suits their children’s needs.
Jul 29, 2020
We had some localized rain storms in the area yesterday, but the rest of the day was really nice and the early evening was really beautiful. Today we’ll have patchy fog before 7:00 am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 82 degrees. Tonight will be partly cloudy with a low of 63.
Here’s a photo Sarah took in my yard after the rain yesterday. It’s the little things…
After the Rain
The Mountain Fresh Farmers Market is on at the pavilion in downtown Oakland today from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Check out the fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods and other neat items.
A hearty shout-out to my fellow Deep Creek Lake Lions Club members hosting our annual Blind Camper event at our park on Mosser Road this week. Chris and the gang work really hard to give our campers a great experience.
The virtual Chautauqua Fannie Lou Hamer Portrayal and Q&A: Raising Their Voices is on this afternoon from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. Go to our event listing for more information and for information on how to sign-up.
This week marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush. he act provides prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life.
Recent evidence shows that millennials are fleeing large, more expensive cities for more affordable, smaller locales (like the Deep Creek Lake area). The COVID-19 pandemic may continue to fuel this trend as dense city living becomes less attractive. Additionally, the economic and financial uncertainty that many Americans now face will make buying a home in pricey, large cities less feasible. In Maryland, 42.8% of millennials own their homes. Check out this new study for more insight.
And, here’s a photo of a triple bloom that my wife took yesterday in our yard after the rain. This one even has an added bonus with the grasshopper included at no extra charge.
Triple Bloom Day Lilly
Jul 28, 2020
The weather for today includes a chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2:00 pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 77 degrees and a west wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Tuesday Night will be partly cloudy, with a low around 62
Well, I guess it’s time to pass the buck! No, these are real bucks photographed by local photographer and loyal reader Dee Dave. She says they have been hanging out on Harvey’s Peninsula eating everything in sight. Sounds like the deer…and woodchucks… and rabbits… and chipmonks around my house. Nice photo Dee and thanks for sharing.
Young Bucks at Harvey’s Peninsula
Hey there folks, you too can contribute a nice wildlife, nature, location or family action photo to Deep Creek Times. We can’t publish them all but we try to get them in and it really adds some additional context to these Daily Notes. Submit any photos to info@deepcreektimes.com. Thanks, we appreciate it and so do our other readers.
The Garrett County Health Department received positive COVID-19 results for six additional persons yesterday, bringing the current county total to 44. Four of the new cases were reported at Dennett Road Manor Nursing Home, with three residents and one staff member included. Maryland reported 1128 new COVID-19 cases on Monday. We wish all a speedy recovery.
The Garrett County Board of Education will meet today in Executive Session from 4:00 pm to 4:45 pm then will reconvene for the public session portion of the meeting from 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm and will take action in the Public Session on certificated recommendations, negotiation parameters, and the plans for reopening of 2020-2021 school year. The Board will also discuss the draft five year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). There is no public comment at this meeting and it is virtual. Click here for more details.
A recent reader poll by Kiplinger found that 26% of respondents answered “yes, but I’m driving” when asked if they have plans to travel this summer. Almost two-thirds, 63%, answered “No, I’m staying close to home” and only 10% plan on flying. The Deep Creek Lake area is well positioned relative to the new normal travel-wise.
The next public meeting of the Board of County Commissioners will be Monday, August 3rd at 3:00 pm. It will be live-streamed. Here’s a link to the agenda and connectivity information.
A new report by CoPilot identifies the states with the worst roads. Researchers analyzed road quality statistics from the Federal Highway Administration to rank states according to the percentage of all major roads in poor condition. In Maryland, 18.4% of all major roads are in poor condition, less than the national average of 26.4%. I do think Garrett County roads are even better, with limited potholes, which is surprising considering our winters.
Jul 27, 2020
Another great weekend weather-wise and all around I think. Today’s weather will be sunny, with a high near 83 degrees. West wind 7 to 9 mph. There’s a chance of showers and thunderstorms, with increasing clouds, and a low around 67 in the evening.
The lake was very busy, as were surrounding areas and establishments, over the weekend. I think people are so happy to get out of their houses and be in the open air. I have spoken to a number of local real estate professionals and also some restaurant and other entertainment venue owners and they are crazy-busy. I hope for our collective health and for the economy’s sake that we do not get any large bounce in cases locally and that things can stay robust. I note that unemployment claims in some areas of the country have been increasing again due to second-wave business closures. Let’s hope for a great finish to summer here at the lake. With only 38 cases in the County, we are very fortunate!
Here’s an important message from the desk of Dr. Jennifer Corder, Deputy Health Officer for Garrett and Allegany Counties. Diagnosing COVID-19 requires either a PCR test or an antigen detection test. The PCR test is the type of test used for the majority of people diagnosed with COVID-19. The community needs to be aware of the imperfections of these tests. Recently there has been a lot of chatter about so-called “false positive” PCR tests. The likelihood of a false positive PCR for COVID-19 test results is exceptionally low. PCR tests are fraught with a different problem, however, in that they produce an abundance of false negatives. Check out the full press release here fin our Latest News section for the complete story.
There’s a lot of talk locally (and all over) about school reopening plans. Here’s a statement and a link for information on state school openings from Dr. Karen B. Salmon, State Superintendent of Schools: “With the state firmly in recovery, local systems will have the flexibility to determine, in consultation with their local health officers, how they will open, and which groups of students and staff will be able to re-enter buildings. Some systems have begun to lay out a path to begin the year all-virtual, and some plan to move forward with a ‘hybrid’ approach. Our job is to help systems succeed and keep staff and students safe with established guardrails, regardless of which path they choose.”
Speaking of education, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Tuesday, July 28, 2020, meeting of the State Board of Education will be conducted entirely via livestream, and there will be no public access to the Nancy S. Grasmick State Education Building. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., State Board members and presenters will participate in the virtual meeting, and members of the public will be able to hear the audio and see presentations in real time via live stream. Click here for more information including details on how to call in.
The Mountain Laurel Garden Club is sponsoring a Garden Art & Collectibles Sale (rain or shine, no pets) on Saturday, August 1, 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., in the parking lot of Crossroads Church, Route 219/Sand Flat Road. The sale features items donated or made by members that were originally slated to be part of the boutique associated with the garden tour canceled earlier this summer. All workers and shoppers must wear masks and appropriate social distancing measures will be observed.
I read this (really!) in a fortune cookie I received recently at a Chinese restaurant in the Cumberland area and thought I would share: “You must get off your bottom to get to the top.” Well, I don’t know what philosopher came up with that, but I like it, as it reflects my own philosophy on life and business and is one I share with my consulting and coaching clients. Life can be tough and “you don’t have to be great to start, but you must start to be great.” You get it…
Have a great week dear readers…
Jul 26, 2020
NEWS RELEASE
July 25, 2020 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –
Understanding COVID-19 PCR Testing
By Garrett County Joint Information Center Team
From the desk of Dr. Jennifer Corder, Deputy Health Officer for Garrett and Allegany Counties. Diagnosing COVID-19 requires either a PCR test or an antigen detection test. The PCR test is the type of test used for the majority of people diagnosed with COVID-19. The community needs to be aware of the imperfections of these tests. Recently there has been a lot of chatter about so-called “false positive” PCR tests. The likelihood of a false positive PCR for COVID-19 test results is exceptionally low.
PCR tests are fraught with a different problem. They produce an abundance of false negatives. This means people are given news making them think they do not have COVID-19 when in fact they do. You can only imagine how this results in further undetected spread. Anyone who has had one positive PCR test is by definition, a COVID-19 case. It does not matter if the person has symptoms or not.
Usually, there is no need to repeat a PCR test, but some have had their tests repeated. If a repeat test is done and it is negative, one of two things has occurred.
Option one: the person has convalesced in the interval and is no longer shedding the virus and the test is truly negative.
Option two: the person is no longer shedding the virus at detectable levels of the test itself (some tests only detect viral levels at relatively higher concentrations and some tests are more sensitive and detect viral levels at lower levels for example). The test is false negative.
Once you test positive, you isolate for a designated period of time, and a subsequent negative test does not change that recommendation.
False negatives occur frequently. There are people in some hospitals on ventilators who have false negative COVID-19 results! Eventually, when retested, you will find (if you take a sample from deep in the lungs) the test is finally positive. Our testing situation is imperfect, but it’s all we have.
So how do we manage this imperfect situation with regard to testing? We wear masks, distance and wash our hands. We act as if we might have it and we protect ourselves and our families from others who might have it. That’s the state of the world. We are coexisting with COVID-19 indefinitely and balancing risk and benefit. We have all of our eggs in one basket, the vaccine basket. Until an efficacious and safe vaccine becomes available, we need to use the only tools we have in our toolboxes.
Antibody tests are a different topic entirely, and I have not addressed it here.
For more information call the Garrett County COVID-19 hotline at 301-334-7698.
Jul 24, 2020
The weather today will be mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms; a high near 76 and a low around 62. West wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Saturday will be mostly sunny with a high near 82 and a low of 63. Sunday will be mostly sunny with a high near 82 and a low around 64.
The state fire codes are now available online.
The Maryland State Department of Education invites live public comments in future meetings of the Maryland State Board of Education beginning with the next virtual meeting scheduled Tuesday, July 28, 2020.
AT&T Adds 40 New 5G Markets, Goes Nationwide – including Garrett County.
Maryland legislature passed over 600 pieces of legislation, many of which relate to employment issues, that will take effect on October 1, 2020.
Maryland DNR offers a weekly fishing report — check it out — and you can submit your photos to the Maryland Angler’s Log. The Log provides fishing hints, suggestions and even prime fishing locations.
Maryland Public Television is sharing summer fun ideas of playful activities and simple crafts to do with kids.
At a special meeting and public hearing held on June 22nd, 2020 the Mayor and Town Council of Oakland, MD reviewed several written notices from persons interested in filling a vacant seat on the Town Council — the Council appointed Colleen Nordeck to fill the vacancy.
Did you now responding to the census is the law? Counting every person living in the United States is done every ten years following Article 1, Section 2 in the Constitution.
Teach your dog new tricks with Skyhoundz – today at 4:30 at the Lion’s field!
Tomorrow Mountain Fresh Farmers Market is open from 10am – 1pm.
Jul 24, 2020
The Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area’s Mini Grant Program is now accepting applications. The mini-grant program is a one to one cash or in-kind matching grant for up to $2,000.00 designed to provide funding for non-capital projects including innovative exhibits, tours, events, planning and projects which build upon interpretive themes identified in the Heritage Area’s Management Plan. These include: Transportation, Man and Nature, Historic Recreation, and Cultural Uniqueness.
“We are pleased to once again offer the mini-grant program to the local community”, said Kim Folk, Heritage Area & Groups Director. “These projects will help foster heritage tourism and boost awareness for our residents.”
Projects should seek to attract cultural and heritage tourists to the region. Non-profit organizations and local jurisdictions are eligible. Individuals and businesses with proposals fitting the guidelines may apply in partnership with non-profit organizations. Applications and guidelines are available online at www.garrettheritage.com. The deadline to apply is September 30, 2020 by 4:00pm.
An online informational meeting will be held via Zoom for anyone interested in learning more about the program on Thursday, August 6, 3:00-4:00 p.m. You must register to receive a link for the meeting. Register at https://bit.ly/3fNBbmA or contact Kim Folk, kim@garrettchamber.com or 301-387-5238 for more information or to find out how your project fits the criteria.
The Mini-Grant Program is funded in part by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority.
Jul 24, 2020
The Maryland State Department of Education invites live public comments in future meetings of the Maryland State Board of Education beginning with the next virtual meeting scheduled Tuesday, July 28, 2020. Members of the public are encouraged to submit comment(s)/feedback to the State Board of Education to share their views on issues pertaining to matters under Board authority and the administration of State public school systems.
Though the meeting still will be hosted as a virtual teleconference, via the Cisco application WebEx, the public will have the opportunity to call in and speak live during the usual three-minute time allotments offered.
“We want to continue our commitment to transparency and open communication,” said Brigadier General Warner I. Sumpter, USA, Ret., President of the Maryland State Board of Education. “As we transition from focusing on emergency measures addressing the COVID-19 pandemic to more regular agenda items, we again invite the public to participate and provide comment in real-time by telephone access.” Since March, members of the public were asked to submit their comments in writing to the State Board for distribution to all members.
The public comments will be conducted via phone only, and require the participant to dial in to a meeting, use a passcode, then wait until called on for comment by the Board President. Comments are limited to three minutes per speaker, monitored by staff. More details regarding the new procedure for public comment is available online: http://marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Documents/PublicCommentGuidelinesVirtualMeeting.pdf
Registration will close at 3 p.m. on the last business day preceding the Board meeting date. A person who desires to speak to the Board must register with the Office of the State Board of Education by calling 410-767-0467 and leaving a voice mail message or by submitting a written request to stateboard.msde@maryland.gov prior to each State Board meeting for distribution to State Board members. Written submissions emailed to the State Board should indicate “Public Comment” in the subject line and reference the meeting date (i.e. SUBJECT: Public Comment for Month/Day/Year”).
Sign-up for public comment is limited to 10 speakers. Registration is first-come, first-served. The first 10 speakers will receive confirmation of registration, along with the call-in number, passcode to join the meeting, and the guidelines and procedures for public comment.
Questions or comments should also be sent to stateboard.msde@maryland.gov.
Jul 24, 2020
Residents of Maryland are protected by the most up-to-date editions of two key safety codes. The 2018 editions of NFPA 1, Fire Code™ and NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code®, both part of the National Fire Protection Association’s codes and standards, have been adopted by the State Fire Prevention Commission as part of the overall revision of the State Fire Prevention Code that became effective in Maryland on February 7, 2020.
With the assistance of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Maryland State Fire Prevention Commission is happy to announce the online availability of the the Maryland Fire Code – NFPA 1 and the Mayland Life Safety Code – NFPA 101 . The codes are also available to view directly on the OSFM Blog Page
Both codes are widely used across the country to protect people and property in new and existing buildings. NFPA’s Life Safety Code, used in all 50 states, mandates building design construction, operation, and maintenance requirements to protect building occupants from the dangers caused by fire, smoke, and toxic fumes. NFPA 1 integrates the two most widely adopted fire codes in the country, NFPA 1, Fire Prevention Code and the Uniform Fire Code. The latest edition of NFPA 1 provides requirements necessary to establish a reasonable level of fire safety and property protection from hazards created by fire and explosion.
“Safety is our top priority,” said State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci. “The online editions of these widely used codes will allow us to provide the highest level of protection for the people of Maryland. When such substantial codes are updated with the latest safety advancements, our citizens deserve to have those protections.”
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, code enforcers in Maryland participated in an NFPA training program that covered the code’s requirements and ways it can be best utilized. NFPA made this training and the associated codebooks available free to the government code enforcement officials in the state. Free training and codebooks help to reduce costs for Maryland taxpayers. In addition, such training ensures that code enforcers have the latest reference materials.
Jul 23, 2020
The weather today will be partly sunny with a high near 80 and a low around 63. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. West wind 6 to 8 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Mike’s wife, Jean, is the President of the Civic Club of Oakland and they have this message to share: “Some UN-happy news…We have cancelled the Antique & Maker Market this year. We know it is an Autumn Glory tradition for many people but we had to make the safety of our visitors, vendors and members a priority. This event is our main fundraiser. All of the money we raise goes back to local non-profits. If you would like to donate to this cause, visit our web site and click on the ‘donate now’ button https://civicclubofoaklandmd.com/about-us. Any funds donated this way will be earmarked for non-profit donations. Thank you for your understanding and support. See you next year!”
Also, the Garrett County Festival of Trees planning committee has announced the cancellation of the 2020 Festival of Trees. Please follow their Facebook page for updates and ways to donate to keep the festival going. I know everyone is anxiously awaiting the return of the festival on November 26 and 27, 2021.
Not all is cancelled — Skyhoundz is back!! This weekend the Skyhoundz Disc Dog Competition takes place at the Lion’s Club Ball Field next to the HART Animal Center on Saturday, July 25 from 9am – 4pm. You can learn tricks of your own with your pup Friday, July 24 at 4:30 for a $5 donation! Please remember social distancing!
There are no specific plans for school reopening just yet…. Superintendent of Maryland Schools, Dr. Karen Salmon, announced that MSDE will extend flexibility to local school systems to determine re-openings while instituting guardrails and protocols for in-person instruction.
The Garrett County Health Department received a positive COVID-19 result for one additional person yesterday, bringing the current county total to 35.
Funds remain available in the Garrett County COVID-19 Business Assistance Grant program and the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Grant program.
Have you completed the 2020 Census? Take a few minutes and save a visit, please!
There are a few more items that have had the price lowered in our online marketplace. Treat yo’self! 😊
Jul 22, 2020
Today’s weather includes a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5:00 pm. Sunny, with a high near 83 degrees and a mild southwest wind of 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. There’s a chance of evening showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3:00 am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67.
I thought I would start you off with a nice sunrise photo today. It was submitted by Elizabeth DeVoss and taken in the Wisp area. Nice job and thanks for sharing Elizabeth!
Sunrise at the Lake
Good news for Garrett College and our community. Garrett College’s accreditation has been reaffirmed by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), one of six regional accrediting bodies across the nation. MSCHE’s accreditation decision covers the next eight years, with Garrett College’s next reaccreditation visit set to take place in 2028. The Commission granted reaccreditation with no additional requirements.
The Mountain Fresh Farmers Market is open today at the pavilion in downtown Oakland from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. They are following some specific precautions due to the pandemic. Click here for details.
As of yesterday afternoon, the Garrett County Health Department received positive COVID-19 results for three additional people, bringing the current county total to 34. The new positive COVID-19 cases include: An asymptomatic female in her 50’s, staff member at Dennett Road Manor Nursing Home, isolating at home; A male in his 50’s, with symptoms, isolating at home; A female in her 20’s, with symptoms, isolating at home.
Here’s a link to a great Deep Creek Lake vacation video as submitted by Karl Schmitt. Looks like Karl and his family had a GREAT time! Thanks for sharing Karl.
Here’s a link to another video, this time to a video of a bear and a lady with the bear really close. This video is not from the Deep Creek Lake area, but I thought it was interesting. I am not sure I could or would be so calm if a bear came right up next to be like that.
Finally today, the 2020 People’s Choice Challenge is starting soon. This is Deep Creek Times’ exclusive and original celebration to recognize Deep Creek Lake area attractions, organizations, products/services and professional favorites. Nominations will be from July 29th through August 12th and voting will take place from August 17th through September 7th. More to follow in coming Daily Notes.