Thursday December 31

Dec 31, 2020

Happy New Year’s Eve!

The weather today will be snow showers before 11am, then rain and snow showers likely. High near 35 and a low around 26. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 80%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

This week the Garrett County Health Department and Garrett Regional Medical Center ramped up their COVID-19 vaccination distribution as additional vaccine shipments reached the county. Following CDC recommendations, Garrett County’s frontline health care workers are the first ones receiving their first of the two-dose COVID-19 vaccinations.

For Garrett County, there is a currently reported total of 1,439 COVID-19 cases and a total of 46 deaths due to COVID-19 or its complications.

Free COVID-19 testing will continue today at the MEDCO Building in the McHenry Business Park.

Note that Maryland Governor Hogan’s current COVID-19 orders do not allow any dine-in foodservice after 10pm – no exceptions were made for the holiday.

Nearby Alpine Lake Resort is offering two dinner specials for the holiday. Tonight is a prime rib, salad, two sides, and dessert for $26. Dine-in or to-go. Tomorrow is a New Year’s Day brunch for $15 (dine-in only).

A 2021 reading challenge is being offered by the Ruth Enlow Library. Check out this log for “challenges” such as reading a book with a green cover and a book with a three-word title. It looks fun!

Wednesday December 30

Dec 30, 2020

Today we have a slight chance of showers after 1:00 pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 46 degrees. Southeast wind 6 to 9 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tonight we have a chance of rain showers before 1:00 am, then rain and snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Southwest wind 9 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. The chance of precipitation is 70%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

With the snowfall we have had in the past week, I am guessing many critters missed their daily meals.  As a result, I think a bunch of them (deer) decided to converge on my yard and eat my long needle pine trees.  They picked about half a dozen small- and mid-size ones clean, which is surprising since they had never touched them before.  They left the short needle pines alone.  Interesting. Here’s a photo documenting “the theft.”

Tree Picked Clean

With the pandemic has come additional participation in outdoor recreation such as hunting and fishing.  According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation hunting license sales are up more than 12% since last year, translating to more than one million more hunters this year. Fishing has also seen greater interest, with a 14% increase in fishing license sales nationwide.  Those statistics mirror increases in such activities as golfing and hiking, all of which align with what the Deep Creek area has to offer.

The Board of Garrett County Commissioners will not conduct a Public Meeting on Monday, January 4, 2021, as previously announced.  The next scheduled Public Meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.

Olivia Tennant took advantage of the weather and went ice skating here on Deep Creek Lake.

Tuesday December 29

Dec 29, 2020

Today we will have scattered snow showers before 10:00 am. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 28 degrees. West wind 5 to 9 mph becoming calm in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Tonight we will see increasing clouds, with a low around 17.

Garrett County’s COVID-19 case report as of yesterday includes:

• A total of 1,421 COVID-19 cases
• A total of 43 deaths due to COVID-19 or its complications
• A 7-day positivity rate of 11.8%, compared to Maryland’s rate of 7.4%
• A 7-day case rate per 100,000 of 53.2, compared to Maryland’s rate of 38.7

The first doses of COVID-19 vaccine began reaching the county last week, with both Garrett Regional Medical Center (GRMC) and the Garrett County Health Department receiving their initial shipments of vaccine. Additional shipments are expected this week. “Garrett County’s vaccination plan was put into action last week as GRMC began vaccinating their frontline workers,” said Garrett County Health Officer Bob Stephens. “We are following the CDCs recommendations for phased distribution of the vaccine. We have been informed that Garrett County will initially be receiving 600 doses per week.

Sunday, President Trump signed into law the new COVID Relief bill which includes reforms to the PPP program and additional funding for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has prepared a new resource guide to help you understand these changes and how they can benefit your business. If you were unable to participate in the Garrett Chamber’s recent call with the U.S. Chamber explaining the changes to the PPP and EIDL programs, and providing other details of the new relief bill, you can listen to the recording here.

Herrington Manor State Park yesterday reported trails with 2-3 inches of packed snow and ice, with some bare spots in places.  Ski rentals are still suspended due to the pandemic. Please call them at 301 334-9180 for more information.

This could be YOU! Maryland Environmental Trust (MET), a unit of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, is looking for volunteers who are passionate about land conservation to work in the field as Volunteer Land Stewards. Two virtual training classes are being offered in January and February. Registration is available via online form. Interested volunteers should email met.info@maryland.gov for more information.

A few people were burned over the weekend in Frostburg when they attempted to add isopropyl alcohol to a candle that burns that fuel.  Since some candles and fireplaces are equipped with ethanol/isopropyl alcohol storage and readers may be using them, I thought I would repeat the following tips from the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Please be careful!

• You should always store your ethanol or isopropyl alcohol in the container sealed and in a safe location that is away from kids.
• Ethanol burns clean; therefore, it can be difficult to see if the flame is still lit. Be sure to double-check before you attempt to move or refuel your fireplace.
• Only use approved fuel in your fireplace or candle. Using un-authorized types of ethanol or isopropyl alcohol can result in personal injury as well as fire damage to your personal property.
• Always clean up spilled ethanol or isopropyl alcohol immediately. You don’t want to have flammable liquid spilled on your possessions.
• Use a long match or lighter to get your fireplace lit. This is important as in some scenarios, your fireplace or candle can light on fire in a flash that can burn your hands.
• Never move a lit ethanol fireplace or isopropyl candle. This is such an important tip to follow as any spilled fuel could ignite a much larger fire that could put your home and self at risk.
• Never refuel your fireplace or candle while it is still lit.
• Never leave your fireplace or candlelit and unattended.

Monday December 28

Dec 28, 2020

Reflections

It doesn’t hurt to plan for the future. Here’s a link to  the Maryland Office of Tourism website with ideas for trips and places to visit in Maryland.  Check it out.

Friday, December 25, Saturday December 26, Sunday December 27

Dec 26, 2020

Thursday, December 24

Dec 24, 2020

The weather today will be rain showers before 11pm, then rain and snow showers between 11pm and midnight, then snow showers after midnight. High near 48 and low around 18. South wind 7 to 14 mph becoming west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

See more details for this storm and the East Coast.

Garrett County currently has a total of 1,460 cases and 37 deaths due to COVID-19 or its complications. Western Maryland counties hold the top three highest rankings for both 7-day rates tracked by Maryland (case rate and positivity rate) with Garrett County currently ranked as second highest for both.

7-day case rate per 100,000 residents – Maryland 14.6

1. Allegany County – 78.3
2. Garrett County – 76.8
3. Washington County – 75.4

7-day positivity rate – Maryland 7.4%

1. Washington County – 14.6%
2. Garrett County – 13.1%
3. Allegany County – 12.5%

The first doses of COVID-19 vaccine are also reaching the county this week: Garrett Regional Medical Center received a 100-dose shipment and the health department received 100 doses on Wednesday.

There will be no testing on Thursday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) at the MEDCO Building in the McHenry Business Park. Free COVID-19 testing will be held at this location on Tuesday, December 29 (9 am-12:30 pm) and Thursday, December 31 (10 am-2 pm). Preregistration is recommended to speed up the process on the testing day. Visit garretthealth.org for preregistration information.

Here’s an interesting story: “Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the first safe and effective vaccine for polio, vacationed with his family at Deep Creek Lake for six years, from 1957-1962. When asked what activities he and his two brothers enjoyed during summers at Deep Creek Lake, Peter Salk mentions comic books and card games, but, he declares, “The best was water skiing.” After seven years of spending summer vacations at Lake Erie, Jonas Salk did what Peter describes as a “wonderful thing” for his family. He bought a cottage at Deep Creek Lake, just two hours from their home in Pittsburgh. It’s likely that the Salks were introduced to Deep Creek Lake by their friends the Wishiks, who owned a place across the lake. The Wishiks had been influenced in their choice by Dr. Benjamin Spock, the renowned pediatrician, a Pittsburgh neighbor and professional colleague, who used to camp on the lot next to the one they purchased.”  Read more from Mountain Discoveries Magazine.

Be careful out and about tonight when this rain changes to snow but the light displays will look magical: Light display at the Oakland armory from 5pm-11pm and Broadford Park drive-thru from 6pm-9pm.

Merry Christmas Eve!

Wednesday December 23

Dec 23, 2020

Got some nice snow yesterday in the early hours and then some pellets, along with some serious wind.  Think we got five or six inches, at least around my home. Today will be mostly sunny, with a high near 41 degrees and with a southeast wind 7 to 10 mph. Tonight we have chance of showers after 1:00 am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Southeast wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Here’s a quick photo I took of my side yard yesterday afternoon.  The snow on the rail gives some indication of the amount, but due to the wind a lot of the snow was off the trees and rail:

Snow on Tuesday

We may be telling kids that Santa Clause is watching them this time of year, but kids are watching and copying what adults do all year long. “During the holiday season, think about the messages you are sending to children and youth about alcohol use,” said Linda Costello, coordinator of the Garrett County Health Department’s Just Like You! campaign. “Positive role modeling promotes healthy behaviors.” The campaign is designed to remind all adults how important it is for them to be a positive role model for the children and youth in their lives. For more information visit copycatfun.com or call Health Education and Outreach at 301.334.7730 or 301.895.3111.

The Garrett County Health Department is now offering free Virtual Overdose Response Trainings. These one-on-one sessions will cover information about drugs that cause overdoses, as well as how to prevent, recognize, and respond to an overdose. After completing the training, you will receive Naloxone and a resource pouch, each of which will be delivered to you. To register for a virtual training, call 301.334.7724. Agencies and organizations may also request a virtual training for employees.

The Garrett County Health Department has also scheduled a virtual class to help parents and caregivers of children in grades 5-12 increase their knowledge of drug use in our society and learn how to empower their children to make good choices. The virtual How to Drug Proof Your Kids classes will be held every Tuesday from 6-7 pm for four weeks from January 12 through February 2, 2021. Here’s more details for you.

Here’s the scoop on hours holiday hours for refuse collection and landfill sites in Garrett County – “Thursday, December 24, 2020 – Christmas Eve: All collection sites are closed, The landfill, located at 3118 Oakland Sang Run Road, will be opening at 8:00 a.m. and closing at 2:00 p.m.; Friday, December 25, 2020 – Christmas Day: All collection sites are closed, The landfill is closed; Thursday, December 31, 2020 – New Year’s Eve: All collection sites are closed, The landfill, located at 3118 Oakland Sang Run Road, will be opening at 8:00 a.m. and closing at 2:00 p.m.; Friday, January 1, 2021 – New Year’s Day: All collection sites are closed, The landfill is closed.”

The Maryland Department of Planning, Maryland Historical Trust just issued their Winter bulletin.  It has some interesting content, especially on the history of “the bells” at a historic Baltimore church.

Sarah takes over writing Daily Notes tomorrow, as usual, for the remainder of the week, so I wanted to wish all a very Merry Christmas.  Here’s an action photo of me and the “big guy” (literally, he is over 12 feet tall) wishing all of our readers well. I wish all a very happy and healthy holiday and a great 2021.  Talk to you after Christmas.

Merry Christmas

Tuesday December 22

Dec 21, 2020

Today we can expect scattered snow showers, mainly before 1:00 pm and patchy fog before 8:00 am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 33 degrees. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Tonight will be mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 21. West wind 5 to 11 mph becoming south after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.

As of yesterday, Garrett County’s positive COVID-19 results are at 1,364 total cases, with 36 total county deaths due to COVID-19 or its complications. These numbers reflect 40 additional cases and 6 news deaths since the last statistics were reported on Friday, December 18, 2020.  The data shows that 27 of the deceased were patients in long term care facilities, representing 75% of the total. The age range for all COVID-19 related deaths in Garrett County is 59 to 99 years old.

Free COVID-19 testing will be held at the MEDCO Building in the McHenry Business Park, today, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. There will be no testing on Thursday, December 24, which is Christmas Eve. Preregistration is recommended to speed up the process on the testing day. Visit garretthealth.org for preregistration information.

The Town of Oakland will begin taking phone reservations for calendar year 2021 pavilion rentals beginning at 8:30 am on January 4th. Requests for rentals at Broadford Lake, the Glades Pavilion, and the Mountain Fresh Pavilion will only be taken via phone this year, which is different from prior years, as Oakland City Hall is closed to the public due to the pandemic. Walk-in guests will not be admitted into the building. To make reservations, please call 301.334.2691. For information on pavilions and updated pricing, please visit http://oaklandmd.com/rentals.html.

Why would anyone do this to others? The Maryland Office of the Attorney General has been alerted to illegal, unlicensed pop-up COVID-19 testing sites operating in Baltimore City.  Individuals are setting up “Free COVID-19 Testing” tables at random locations, including outside shopping centers and retail stores, and along the side of the road.  These testing sites are not authorized and the individuals operating them are not following CDC guidelines. The Attorney General is encouraging consumers to visit covidtest.maryland.gov for a list of more than 240 approved COVID-19 testing sites in Maryland. Be safe, and be cautious.

First let me state that my wife is the one in our family with all the DIY/craft skills.  Second, I thought some of our readers might be interested in this listing of all sorts of Christmas-related DIY projects, some pretty simple.  Maybe even get some ideas for next year.  Here’s the link.

I couldn’t find the full article, but also on diys.com, there was an article on the most popular Christmas trees around the world.They based their analysis on a number of factors including Instagram hashtags, global Google search volumes, height and the number of baubles needed to decorate. Here’s a few “factoids” from their effort:

• Italy’s famous Christmas tree in Gubbio, not only stands to be the tallest in the world, but is the most popular
• The Big Apple’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is the second most popular around the world – scoring perfectly for Google searches and Instagram hashtags
• You’d need 16,400 baubles to decorate the world’s largest Christmas tree in Italy

So, now you know…

Monday December 21

Dec 21, 2020

I can’t believe it is almost Christmas and that December is getting ready to come to a close.  I hope all of our Jewish friends had a great Hanukkah, which ended on Friday. And I also wish all those folks that celebrate Kwanzaa a great Kwanzaa (it starts December 26th).

It was cool this weekend and the snow has stuck around.  Saw lots of folks at the Wisp Tube Park and also on the slopes.  Today’s weather shows a slight chance of rain showers this afternoon, then a chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38 degrees. Tonight we will have rain and snow showers likely before 1:00 am, then scattered snow showers. Cloudy, with a low around 28. West wind 9 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Here’s an action photo of Santa and friends during last week’s snowfall as submitted by Margaret Dungan.  The photo of Santa shows the snow on the fields across the road as well.  Thanks for submitting Margaret.

Santa and Snow

I bumped into my friend and former colleague Scott R. as I was entering the Book Market in Oakland on Saturday.  Scott was loaded down with presents for family and friends.  He mentioned he was especially trying to shop local this year and it looked like he was doing a good job of it.  If you still have some presents to buy, please consider our local merchants.  Thanks!

This is heartwarming: On Saturday, on National Wreaths Across America Day at 2,557 participating locations, dedicated Americans in every state honored our nation’s heroes by safely placing a total of 1.7 million veterans’ wreaths on their headstones and remembering them, by saying each name out loud. A wonderful effort!

Speaking of our veterans, here’s the latest edition of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs newsletter.  It just came over and there is some interesting content in there.

As of Friday, Garrett County’s total positive COVID-19 cases stand at 1,324, with a total of 30 deaths, an increase of 32 cases and 2 deaths since the last report on Wednesday, December 16^th. Garrett County is currently above the state average for COVID-19 statistics: 7-day positivity rate among Garrett County residents is 12.8% (Maryland rate is 7.8%); 7-day case rate per 100,000 among Garrett County residents is 73.4 (Maryland rate is 42.8).

In case you missed it or are out of state, Governor Hogan late last week announced new testing and quarantine requirements for travel, and a new public health advisory to limit gatherings, citing data from contact tracing that shows family and other social gatherings and out-of-state travel lead to the most cases and the highest risk of exposure to COVID-19. The new measures include:

• Expanded Testing and Quarantine Requirements for Travel: The Governor’s emergency order requires Marylanders to limit travel to essential purposes only and requires anyone who travels outside of Maryland, or anyone who travels into Maryland, to either obtain a negative COVID-19 test result or self-quarantine for 10 days. (Except for the bordering state of Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, DC).
• Public Health Advisory: Maryland Department of Health issued a public health advisory warning against non-essential activities and holiday gatherings with people outside one’s immediate household, limiting gatherings of more than 10 people.

Looking for holiday fare to watch this season? Well, Maryland Public Television has some good content for you and your family. Check out MPT’s holiday fare for some good, clean holiday programming. There’s plenty to stream from our video player and apps! From classic Christmas carols, how to make a delicious seasonal feast, who we have to thank for Christmas lights, and more. Whether naughty or nice, there’s something for everyone. Enjoy!

I am wishing all of our readers a great Monday and a safe, happy and healthy rest of the week and beyond.  Talk to you all tomorrow…

Friday December 18, Saturday December 19, Sunday December 20

Dec 18, 2020

The weather today will be patchy fog between 11am and 2pm and areas of freezing fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 28 and a low around 18. Saturday will be partly sunny with a high near 38 and a low around 27. Calm wind. Sunday will be a chance of snow showers before 2pm, then a chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38 and a low around 30.

FRESH LEBANESE FOOD DELIVERY! Make sure to place your order with Lebanese Taverna today and pick-up tomorrow, Saturday, at 3pm.

What’s New Around Town?

Where Am I? gift card contest

The Garrett County Health Department has a few initiatives … in 2021, kick the nicotine habit! Also, there is a new moms and babies case management program that was recently launched.

Go! Garrett County supports local businesses and community resources by offering participation points for watching videos from locals and reading articles that help citizens take good care of ourselves, our families, and our neighbors. To start earning great rewards, while learning about resources, services, and activities in Garrett County, register for a FREE account at gogarrettcounty.com/register.

You can win with First United Bank & Trust. Have you seen their promotion to celebrate their 120th anniversary? They are giving away 120 prizes! The top two cash prizes are valued at $1,900 and $2,020; representing the year First United began and the year they turned 120. An additional 118 prizes will be award as well, each with a cash value of $120.

Garrett College has announced plans to continue with multiple course modalities this spring.

Santa will be showing up in Downtown Oakland tomorrow, Saturday, from 12pm-2pm. It will be a free, contactless experience!

The last winter Farmer’s Market of the year is also tomorrow. REMEMBER it’s from 11am – 1pm at the Simon Pearce Building at 255 Glass Drive in Mountain Lake Park.

Enjoy the snow today dear readers! I’m going to try to get out and cross country ski today!