Sep 3, 2020
It is encouraged for voters to vote by mail to limit COVID-19 exposure. All voters will be mailed a mail-in ballot application at the end of August. If voters want to receive a ballot, either by mail or electronically, they must fill out the application and return it to the Board of Elections office. Once the ballots are approved and ready for disbursement (late September), voters can send their completed ballot either by mail or place them in drop boxes that will be open starting in October. Drop boxes will be located at the Oakland Community Center and the Northern Outreach Center in Grantsville. These boxes will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Voters can also drop off their ballots at the Board of Elections office during normal business hours and at Northern High School on November 3, 2020.
In person voting will begin on Monday October 26th and run until Monday, November 2nd. Garrett County will have 2 early vote centers as in past elections: Oakland Community Center (14 N 8th St, Oakland) and the Northern Outreach Center (12601 National Pike, Grantsville). These vote centers will be open every day (including Saturday and Sunday), from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
On Election Day, both early vote centers will be open along with Northern High School located at 86 Pride Pkwy in Accident. Hours will remain the same, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Since all local polling locations will be closed, voters can appear at any vote center, any day, including election day.
Sep 2, 2020
Today we have a chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after noon. Some fog in the morning, then mostly cloudy, with a high near 76 degrees with a southwest wind 6 to 9 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. We have a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening, mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Be sure to check out this month’s Cover Story. You can find it here!
In addition, don’t forget to keep checking “here” for the final list of 2020 People’s Choice Challenge Nominees. Sarah has been reaching out to them all collectively and individually to inform them of their nomination. This year, all the nominees are winners and you “vote” and show your support by taking photos at their location or of you/your family using their product/service. If you see a nominee posting on social media, feel free to show your support by sending in a photo before the complete list is released. Here’s the link to more information and remember, photo entries have a chance to win $$$ prizes. Good luck!
Moving from our community to the national scene, Kiplinger’s just published the results of a national poll of their readers. When answering the question “which issue are you most concerned about as you decide who to vote for in the 2020 election?” 59% said the economy, 16% said social security and medicare, 15% said health care and 5% said taxes. Since it is Kiplinger’s readership, I am guessing it is likely skewed toward higher income, net worth and age, and likely not projectable to the general population, but interesting nonetheless.
On a global level, I bet you didn’t know that the Venice Film Festival, which dates to 1932, is the oldest film festival in the world. I didn’t know that until I read it in last Sunday’s New York Times.
Speaking of festivals, the sponsors had to cancel our always popular Art & Wine Festival due to the pandemic, but HART for Animals and GLAF are offering a Wine & Weekend Festival raffle with some really great weekend get-aways. Here’s the scoop…
I have been seeing and hearing examples of a somewhat rapidly dropping lake level over the past two weeks. Here’s a message from Bob Sutton, President of the Property Owners’ Association of Deep Creek Lake. Basically, we are near the lower rule bands… If you have a boat docked in a cove, you may want to consider Bob’s message when determining when you will take your boat out of the water.
And, speaking of HART, here’s a look at some of their impressive numbers for August YTD are as follows:
As of August 2020:
Spays & Neuters: 465
Rescue & Transports: 423
Adoptions: 102The revenues generated by the services at the HART Animal Center support the basic operating costs of the facility, including staff and maintenance, so that we may serve the animals and our community through our mission programs. We support those programs through donations and fundraising. HART uses 87% of all revenue to pay for those programs, including rescue, transport, spay/neuter, sheltering, and adoption.
Here’s a link to a great article in the Wall Street Journal (thanks for calling our attention to it Martha C.). The article covers travel to places like Deep Creek Lake and national parks during these times and highlights some local businesses and owners/managers, including Jodi and Joe Refosco, Steve Green and Megan Till. There’s also some great statistics.
Sarah and I have put together what we think is a timely and powerful workshop for entrepreneurs and managers (including non-profit). It will be in person and online over three sessions starting on September 30th at Garrett College. Here’s the scoop:
You and Your Business Survived the Pandemic, Now What?
A Roadmap to Post-Pandemic Success
Course # PF-114 Event Date 9/30/2020 – 10/14/2020 Course Times 5:00-8:15pm Location McH and Online – Hybrid Instructor Mike Tumbarello and Sarah Myers
Workshop Description: The world has been through a truly devastating period of pain and change. Beyond the death and sickness, there have been significant, fundamental changes to our way of life and to the way businesses operate and succeed or fail. This practical workshop will help small business and non-profit owners and managers take a deep breath and assess where they are now, where the business environment is, where it is headed and what steps they can and should take to ensure sustainable success for their enterprise. Based on years of experience and best practices utilized for clients and their own enterprises, Mike and Sarah will help students: conduct a personal and business mission/vision self-assessment, detail and understand changes to the business environment and buyer needs and behaviors, build and reposition their brand, execute against critical success factors, better communicate value to customers, build sustainable competitive advantage and manage their enterprise for success. All students will receive a workbook to drive thoughts, assessment, strategies and tactics designed to help them embrace change and drive their success.
Contact the Garrett College CEWD Department at 301.387.3069 for more information or to register for this course and others, including an upcoming workshop for new supervisors. They have some good offerings planned for the fall…
Sep 1, 2020
September 2020 Cover Story
Written/Edited by Mike Tumbarello
Garrett Regional Medical Center is a True Community Asset!
Every month I try to come-up with a relevant, interesting topic for our monthly cover story. Some months it is easy to come up with a story line and others are, well, not-so-easy. In late August I had my gallbladder removed at Garrett Regional Memorial Hospital (GRMC) and I thought I would write about that experience, or more specifically, about GRMC as a community asset here for us all.
I actually had another topic chosen and outlined before I went in for the surgery, but decided to do a short piece on GRMC as I was recovering at home. Not only did I want to give them some well-deserved kudos, but I also wanted to make sure our readers (both locals and visitors) were aware of this great asset here in the mountains of western Maryland. I also, frankly, wanted to help dispel the myth that GRMC may not be a cutting-edge facility. I had heard this a few times when my wife and I relocated to Garrett County in 2012 and since then, though not lately, probably because it is certainly not true and GRMC has been progressing and evolving rapidly based on the needs of our community.
I know that is due to a caring, customer-based mission and a talented community of health practitioners and some really strong leadership and management (and yes, leadership and management are related, but also very different on some levels).
I know choice of a health care professional and facility is a personal choice and is complex based on a number of factors. I won’t pretend that GRMC is a specific or perfect match for all people or procedures or all of the time. For example, I would perhaps go to a different facility if I need a highly specialized procedure with only a few national experts. But that aside, I think GRMC and our local health ecosystem is quite impressive and worthy of our support.
Garrett Regional Medical Center (GRMC) celebrated its 70th anniversary earlier this year amidst a national pandemic and the small community hospital originally established in 1950 continues to evolve to meet the needs of the community to which it is dedicated. From its start as a community hospital serving Garrett County, GRMC has grown into a true regional medical center serving a population of 46,000 people living in eight counties across three states. It has also become one of Garrett County’s largest employers with more than 500 team members.
The history of the hospital dates back to 1946, when George W. Loar, a resident of Oakland, left the town $135,000 in his will to be used for the construction of a county hospital. On May 15, 1950, Garrett County Memorial Hospital officially opened its doors. Today, GRMC has grown into an award winning, progressive, Joint Commission accredited acute care facility with 55 inpatient beds and a plethora of outpatient services.
“From our modest beginning as a small county hospital, our commitment to patient care and the community has never changed,” said GRMC President and CEO Mark Boucot in a recent press release celebrating GRMC’s anniversary. “We’ve worked to create a hospital able to provide the services people need, and the services we’ve provided over the years have reflected the changes and growth in the health care industry. That is certainly the case today. One of the best things that I was able to do when I came to GRMC was to develop the History Hall. Through creating the memorial to the hospital’s history, I learned about the hospital and the people who formed it. I’m grateful to be here and to cherish the unique history we have and the hospital it’s become.”
In 2015, the hospital became clinically affiliated with West Virginia University Medicine, and Garrett County Memorial Hospital officially became Garrett Regional Medical Center. The new affiliation allowed GRMC to greatly expand services, which now include cardiopulmonary, heart and vascular, cancer care, infusion therapy, nephrology, orthopedics, wound care, behavioral health, dermatology, and a host of other outpatient services not typically found in a rural hospital setting.
GRMC has received numerous national recognitions for quality of care, patient outcomes, and patient safety. This year the hospital was awarded a coveted 5-star rating by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, named a Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital by the Chartis Group, and received an ‘A’ grade by the Leapfrog Group for their achievements in providing safe, high quality health care.
Recently, GRMC has been named a top hospital for patient experience by Becker’s Hospital Review, a leading publication of the health care industry. This distinction recognizes GRMC as being among the top five hospitals for patient experience in the state of Maryland. In addition to GRMC, other Maryland hospitals to make the list include Johns Hopkins Hospital and Mercy Medical Center, both in Baltimore; Atlantic General Hospital, in Berlin; and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda. GRMC is certainly in good company in the patient care arena.
I hope this short article helped you learn a little more about our local healthcare asset. For further information about GRMC you can go to https://www.grmc-wvumedicine.org/ Stay healthy and happy…
Mike Tumbarello
September, 2020
Sep 1, 2020
Happy September folks! Yesterday afternoon was rainy, with today holding a 20% – 30% chance of showers, mainly before 11:00 am and after 3:00 pm. Fog in the morning. Today’s temperature will reach a high of about 74 degrees and we will have a low around 63.
Some of my fellow Deep Creek Lake Lions are running in the Virtual 2020 Tucker Community Foundation fundraiser. I offered to run with them if one of them carried me. No one volunteered, so I just made a small donation to help our team and our blind skier program. Here’s the link to find out more or to donate to our team if you are able. If you have any questions concerning the event, please contact Jeff Fellers at +1 304-478-2930 or runforit@tuckerfoundation.net Any help appreciated.
And, speaking of the Deep Creek Lake Lions, a Meshach Browning-themed community art project will be unveiled on September 26th at noon at the Deep Creek Lake Lions Club Park on 1249 Bumble Bee Rd. The project consists of over fifty 3D-printed plaques depicting Meshach Browning which have been painted and decorated by community members and assembled into a mosaic. The production of these panels was paid for by an IMPACT GARRETT COUNTY grant awarded by the Population Health, Innovation & Informatics Unit at the Garrett County Health Department with primary funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. There will also be a launch that day of another community project. Click here for the scoop!
Wow, Garrett Regional Medical Center (GRMC) has been named a top hospital for patient experience by Becker’s Hospital Review, a leading publication of the health care industry. This distinction recognizes GRMC as being among the top five hospitals for patient experience in the state of Maryland. In addition to GRMC, other Maryland hospitals to make the list include John Hopkins Hospital and Mercy Medical Center, both in Baltimore; Atlantic General Hospital, in Berlin; and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda.
I wrote about my own great experience at GRMC yesterday and I am going to post this month’s Cover Story in the next day or so and it will delve further into GRMC and its position in our community. In the meantime, you can go here to read the full press release from GRMC on the Becker’s Hospital Review honor. I am impressed and GRMC deserves our congratulations!
The next Garrett County Board of County Commissioners Meeting will be held on September 8th. The meeting will be live streamed at
https://www.facebook.com/garrettcountygovernment/ Agenda (
click here) session times are approximate and the commissioners may close a portion of this public meeting and move into Executive Session to comply with a specific constitutional, statutory, or judicial requirement that may prevent public disclosure about a particular proceeding or matter. To comment on agenda items – please send to
gccomments@garrettcounty.org
Finally today, here’s a nice photo taken by Ellen Callahan while boating along North Glade Cove. Nice photo and looks like the water was a mirror! Thanks for sharing Ellen.
North Glade Cove