Mar 14, 2021
Garrett County Easing COVID-19 Restrictions Per Governor’s Orders
March 12, 2021, Oakland, MD – In a press conference on Tuesday, March 9th, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced the end of some restrictions and the reduction of others. These changes do not signal the end of the pandemic. Other safety measures remain in effect to continue to protect the many Marylander’s who have not yet been able to be vaccinated.
Garrett County will follow the lead of the state and adopt the changes in the COVID-19 mitigation measures beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 12th.
One of the key protective measures that remains in effect is Maryland’s statewide masking order, which requires masks or face coverings to be worn at any public indoor facility and in all public outdoor areas whenever it is not possible to maintain physical distancing.
Some of the changes that will take effect on Friday include:
- Capacity limits will be lifted on outdoor and indoor dining at restaurants and bars, retail businesses, religious facilities, fitness centers, casinos, personal services, and indoor recreational establishments. Bars and restaurants will be open for seated and distanced service only—patrons may not stand at a crowded bar.
- Large outdoor and indoor venues may begin operating at 50% capacity. This includes theaters; concert, convention, and wedding venues; racing facilities, and outdoor entertainment and sporting venues.
- Medical adult day care centers may reopen, with facilities able to set appropriate restrictions and safety measures.
- Quarantine requirements and other restrictions on out-of-state travel will be lifted. However, a Maryland Department of Health (MDH) travel advisory will remain in place, and Marylanders are encouraged to get tested for COVID-19 upon their return from out-of-state travel.
The Governor also announced that the Western Maryland mass vaccination site at the Prime Outlets in Hagerstown will open on Thursday, March 25
“Please understand that adjusting some of the restrictions does not mean we are no longer at risk,” said Board of Garrett County Commissioners Chair Paul Edwards, “We must all continue to take personal responsibility for our safety.”
All Garrett County Government buildings and facilities have reopened to the public but appointments are requested and masks must be worn.
COVID-19 information for Garrett County is available at garretthealth.org. Anyone with medical questions about the virus may call the Health Department COVID-19 Hotline at 301-334-7698.
Mar 10, 2021
Yesterday was much warmer and clear. Today will be sunny, with a high near 63 degrees. South wind 5 to 9 mph. Tonight will be mostly mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. South wind 7 to 9 mph.
We are happy to announce our latest advertiser to Deep Creek Times: 3:23 Cleaning Services is your go-to maid service, and commercial cleaning service in and around Accident, MD and owned by Jesse Lapp. Their guiding philosophy is: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” Colossians 3:23. For inquiries for residential deep cleaning or tailored services for your business, please call 301-501-4229 or visit www.323cleaning.com/
The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce invites all Chamber members to join us virtually today at 11:00 am for their March Marketing Roundtable: Garrett County Heritage Tourism Economic Impact Study. This is a virtual event, and is free to attend but limited to Chamber members. Register here. If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Duck at sarah@garrettchamber.com or 301.616.1129.
Cashmere Clothing Company at The Fort in McHenry is participating in Military March and March Madness and giving discounts to military personel. Check it out here or call them for more details.
More than 100 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose, and millions are addicted to these prescription pain medications. The Garrett County Health Department is promoting the Remove the Risk campaign, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) education and outreach campaign to raise awareness about the serious risks of keeping unused prescriptions in the home and to provide information about safe disposal of these drugs. Here’s the scoop!
Well, I have been hearing a new word in the American lexicon of late: Vacci-cation! Individuals and couples, usually of a certain age, are taking celebratory vacations once they get their COVID vaccine. Many folks, seeking to spread their wings after the past year, are traveling to bucket-list destinations or anywhere to celebrate. Pent-up demand and a surplus of spending money have itchy travelers eager to check off their bucket lists and are starting to drive the travel industry.
If you are one of the lucky ones that have or will have your vaccination completed soon, here are some tips in a good CNN piece for those of us that are vaccinated. It is worth the watch/read.
The County Commissioners have announced their public agenda for their next meeting which will be held on March 16th at 4:00 pm. Here’s a link to the agenda on their site.
Mar 9, 2021
Health Department Encourages Safe Removal of Unused Opioids
By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department
More than 100 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose, and millions are addicted to these prescription pain medications. One way to help keep your family and community safe is to start in your home and get rid of any unused or expired pain medication that may be hiding in cabinets, drawers, or anywhere else you store medicine. Remove these medicines as soon as possible to reduce the chance that your child may accidentally take medicine you do not need.
The Garrett County Health Department is promoting the Remove the Risk campaign, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) education and outreach campaign to raise awareness about the serious risks of keeping unused prescriptions in the home and to provide information about safe disposal of these drugs.
“If every household in Garrett County removed prescription pain medications once they’re no longer medically needed for their prescribed use, it would have a major impact on reducing the grip they have on our communities,” said Linda Costello, Prevention Specialist at the Health Department. “The easiest way to dispose of unneeded medication is at one of the three medication disposal boxes located around the county, or to pick up free Deterra disposal packets at the Health Department.”
Unused opioids—such as hydrocodone, morphine, and oxycodone—are dangerous to have in your home when they are no longer needed. Children or pets can accidentally take unused medications or visitors might search for them in your drawers and medicine cabinets. Remove the risk of your unused prescriptions and help address the devastating opioid crisis affecting so many American families. Proper disposal of unused prescriptions can save lives. Garrett County’s three drug disposal boxes are located at the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office, Oakland City Hall, and the Maryland State Police Barracks in McHenry. Access to some boxes may be limited due to the pandemic.
“It is crucial for adults to understand the important role they play in removing and properly disposing of unused prescriptions from their homes,” said Costello. “Many people who misuse pain medication report getting them from a friend or family member.”
According to the 2019 Maryland Public Opinion Survey (MPOS), 82% of Garrett Countians think it is easy to get pain medication from a friend or family member in order to get high. On MPOS, 77% of respondents reported that pain medications are stored in a medicine or kitchen cabinet, in a drawer, or on a shelf. In these locations, 75% of them are never locked up.
Opioids are powerful, pain-reducing medicines that can help patients successfully manage pain when prescribed for the right condition and when used properly. When misused or abused, however, these drugs can cause serious harm, including addiction, overdose and death.
Because teens and adults are gaining access to these medications through medicine cabinets of parents, grandparents, other relatives, and friends, education is key to promoting proper storage, monitoring, and disposing of prescription drugs.
To get the message out, the health department will be using radio ads and social media messages on their websites and Facebook pages. Promotion of the campaign is made possible through funds from a grant from the Maryland Department of Health. For more information about the Remove the Risk campaign or any of their prevention programs, call the Health Education and Outreach at the Garrett County Health Department at 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111.
Mar 9, 2021
Yesterday was quite nice. Today will be partly sunny, with a high near 55 degrees. West wind 8 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Tonight will be mostly clear, with a low around 34.
Even with things warming up yestrday, the lake remains frozen in parts. Here’s a nice photo submitted by Eric Williams of the frozen/slushy lake taken the other day. Note: Frozen lake water can be misleading and is always dangerous, especially as things start warming up. Thanks for submitting the nice photo Eric.
Tracks in the Ice
As of yesterday, a total of 5,777 (19.9%) of Garrett County residents have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 3,337 (11.5%) have received their second dose. These numbers include residents who have been vaccinated at any location within Garrett County or elsewhere. The percent of Maryland residents who have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine is 16.9% and 9.3% for second doses. Definitely moving in the right direction…
State-wide, providers have now administered 1,584,753 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, and 93.6% of all first and second doses received from the federal government. Providers are virtually out of first doses while awaiting this week’s shipments from the federal government.
We heard from the DNR that 3,500 trout were stocked in Garrett County yesterday. Youghiogheny River (Delayed Harvest): 1,000 rainbow trout; Youghiogheny River (Friendsville): 1,000 brown, golden, and rainbow trout; Youghiogheny River (Oakland): 1,500 brown, golden, and rainbow trout. Specific trout stocking details and locations can be found on DNR’s trout stocking map.
In related news, I also heard that about 10,000 fresh water sharks (about 5′ long) were introduced into the lake yesterday. The goal is to make things interesting come summer. Actually, only kidding, just keeping you on your toes… No sharks.
If you have some strong Maryland Pride, or want to get some, while exploring some “best of” lists on the state, check out this site. Maryland is such a rich and diverse state and this site bring that out.
Just down the street: NOAA and partners working together on oyster restoration in the Chesapeake Bay are striving toward a challenging, but possible, goal. They plan to restore oyster reefs in 10 Chesapeake rivers by 2025. In 2020, the pandemic and protocols put in place to keep NOAA and partner scientists and experts safe as they worked threatened to delay progress. But despite some initial setbacks, the team conducted work when safe and possible. And that led to some big achievements!
And, speaking of NOAA, here’s some insight into resoration efforts and progress relative to habitat rejuvenation on the Great Lakes. Working together we CAN turn things around.
Mar 8, 2021
Garrett County Making Progress in Vaccinating Residents
By Garrett County Joint Information Center Team
Vaccinations against COVID-19 are continuing in Garrett County and across the nation. Each week the Garrett County Health Department coordinates vaccine clinics that vaccinate about 600 people, with first and second doses.
A total of 5,777 (19.9%) of Garrett County residents have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 3,337 (11.5%) have received their second dose. These numbers include residents who have been vaccinated at any location within Garrett County or elsewhere. The percent of Maryland residents who have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine is 16.9% and 9.3% for second doses.
During most weeks the Health Department receives a total of 600 doses of Moderna vaccine, 300 first doses and 300 second doses. Last week they also received an initial shipment of 100 doses of the new Johnson and Johnson vaccine and a clinic is being planned to begin using this vaccine. The weekly allocation for Johnson and Johnson has not yet been specified, but an additional shipment is not expected until the last week of March.
“The recommendation has always been to get your vaccine as soon as you are eligible and appointments are available, regardless of which vaccine is being used at that time,” said Garrett County Health Officer Bob Stephens. “It may not be possible to choose which kind of vaccine you will get, because availability of each kind will continue to vary and you will be playing a game of chance if you try to wait for a specific kind.”
Other Garrett County locations receiving vaccine from the State of Maryland include Walmart Pharmacy, Mountain Laurel Medical Center, and Garrett Regional Medical Center. Walgreens Pharmacies are participating in the Federal Pharmacy Program, and are receiving vaccine supply directly from the Federal Government.
As the number of vaccines distributed continues to go up, the COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Garrett County ontinues to remain low.
Today’s county information includes:
- A 7-day case rate of 1.97 per 100,000 Garrett County residents, which is well below Maryland’s case rate of 12.6
- A 7-day positivity rate of 1.8%, compared to Maryland’s rate of 3.36%
- A total of 1,847 COVID-19 cases
- A total of 60 deaths due to COVID-19 or its complications
Additional COVID-19 resources:
- If you have COVID-19 like symptoms, schedule a testing appointment at the Health Department by calling 301-334-7697.
- Free COVID-19 testing is available (with or without symptoms) on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the MEDCO Building in the McHenry Business Park. Pre-registration is recommended. Visit garretthealth.org for more information.
- For all other COVID-19 related questions, or to report a COVID-19 compliance issue, call the local COVID-19 Hotline number at 301-334-7698.
Mar 8, 2021
I hope you all had a great weekend. Weather was cool but clear. Today, we expect it to be sunny, with a high near 47 degrees, with a west wind 6 to 9 mph. Tonight, will be partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Southwest wind around 8 mph.
As we emerge from the “deep freeze” I thought I would share this cool photo taken by Karen Dewitt the end of February at Swallow Falls State Park. Thanks for sharing Karen!
Frozen Falls
Don’t forget to check out this month’s Cover Story on Swanton resident Mark Clookie and his team working to prevent human trafficking. While human trafficing takes many forms and has many victims, I think the article and Mark’s work is especially noteworthy during Women’s History Month.
Maryland Public Television is creating an American Portrait TV special showing what makes you uniquely Maryland. They have already heard from hundreds of Marylanders, but they are still in search of some distinctive stories and differing perspectives. Now is the time to share your story and possibly be featured in the program. Grab your phone, record your story, and submit it by clicking this link.
Don’t forget the Deep Creek Lake Lion’s Club annual boat auction is tentatively set for June 12, 2021. This is a great fundraiser for our club and a great way to donate or purchase a boat. Here’s a link to the club’s Facebook site and some photos. Always a good time and for a great cause.
And, speaking of great causes, the Civic Club of Oakland is holding their first-ever “Anything & Everything Goes” Flea Market, Yard Sale and Makers Market on Saturday, May 1st from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm in the Farmers Market Pavilion. They have indoor and outdoor vendor slots available. Click this link for a little more information.
Observation: We continue to experience significant and challenging delays in the receipt of mail for our businesses. I know others in the area and nationwide have been experiencing similar challenges, but it seems like it is getting worse and not better. We recently received a return-address Christmas Card that we mailed in December. Yikes! If you have any insight or ideas, let us know at info@deepcreektimes.com.
If you are an entrepreneur or know an entrepreneur, you should know that Sarah and I are offering two very cost-effective workshop series in the near future. Both are designed to help small businesses and non-profits succeed and grow post-pandemic and to practice proven success tools. One of these starts in March via Zoom through Allegany College and the other will be offered on the Garrett College campus starting in April. Reach out to us at info@deepcreektimes.com if you want some pre-release information.
Have a great Monday and rest of the week dear readers…
Mar 7, 2021
| ************“ANYTHING &
EVERYTHING GOES!”
Civic Club of Oakland
FLEA MARKET, YARD SALE & MAKERS MARKET
************
Sat. May 1st
10 am – 1 pm
Farmers Market Pavilion
Downtown Oakland-MASKS REQUIRED
Civic Club to Sponsor a Bake Sale, Plant Sale, “Flea” Table & more. Beverages Available.
50/50 Raffle
*****************
|
First Annual Flea Mkt /Yard Sale/Makers Market
Sponsored by the Civic Club BENEFITING LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATONS!
*******************
WELCOMING ANY
& ALL VENDORS:
“SELL YOUR STUFF”
(Crafters, Artists, Yard Sale Sellers, Avon, Pampered Chef, Thirty-One, etc.)
Advance Space
$25/table inside pavilion
$15 outside space (w/out table)
“DAY OF” SPACE
$30/table inside pavilion
(if available)
$20 outside space (w/out table)
Set up May 1 @ 8am ~ spaces self-chosen on a first come basis. Mail a check with advance registration by April 24 or payment due at setup for “day of” spaces. No refunds.
INFO & REGISTRATION:
CivicClubOfOaklandMD.com OR
GFWC.OAKLAND@yahoo.com
|
Mar 3, 2021
The weather for today will be sunny, with a high near 46 degrees and with a west wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Tonight we have a chance of rain and snow showers before 2:00 am, then a chance of freezing rain, and then a chance of snow showers and freezing rain after 3:00 am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 28.
Whoot hoot, spring is here. Well, sort of. March 1st marks the first day of meteorological spring, but astronomical spring — which is more widely regarded as the start of the season — is still about three weeks away. Meteorologists recognize spring as spanning March, April and May for consistency’s sake in weather record-keeping and also based on temperature trends in the U.S.
Here’s a neat photo of the lake showing the mist touching the lake in the morning hours. It is a recent photo taken and submitted by Ainsley Benton. Thanks for sharing Ainsley.
Misty Lake
Purchase a Paw Print and help a homeless animal. Each paw print you purchase supports Mocha’s Fund, which provides emergency medical care to homeless animals rescued by HART. The fund covers issues such as broken bones, infections, malnutrition and many other problems. Check out the list of businesses and buy your prints now through March 31st! Look for the Paw Prints around town at local businesses including: Deep Creek Beverage, Dutch’s, Moonshadow, Mountain State Brewing, Schoolhouse Earth, Taylor Made and Black Bear.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources stocked 4,800 trout throughout the state yesterday, including 3,000 brown, rainbow and golden trout at Bear Creek. And, don’t forget that the DNR has a survey they would like you to take in support of some recent assumptions they made regarding brook trout. The anonymous
short survey is to test your trout identification skills.
Congratulations to coach Dennis Gibson, the men’s basketball team head coach at Garrett College. Coach Gibson, earned his 700th career win on February 24th, with a double-overtime 107-100 victory against arch-rival Allegany College of Maryland on the road at Bob Kirk Arena. For the past 36 years, Gibson has served as the head men’s basketball coach, golf coach, and athletic director for Garrett College. Quite an achievement for Dennis and the college!
The Maryland State Board of Education will host a special meeting onThursday, March 4th at 4:15 pm. The meeting will be conducted virtually. Members of the public will be able to hear the audio and see presentations in real time via livestream: http://marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Pages/meeting-agendas/2021/2021-03-04.aspx. The agenda is available at: http://marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Pages/meeting-agendas/2021/2021-03-04.aspx.
The Appalachian Laboratory of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) will host Dr. Rob Dunn, North Carolina State University, to discuss his latest book, Delicious: The Evolution of Flavor and How it Made Us Human. The event, which is part of the Lab’s Watershed Moments Community Learning Series, will take place on Thursday, March 25, at 6:30pm on Zoom. Registration for this event is required. To register, visit https://www.usmf.org/robdunn/.
Mar 2, 2021
Yesterday was VERY windy. The weather for today will be sunny, with a high near 36 degrees. West wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low around 25. West wind around 8 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
The Deep Creek Lions Club just experienced another great year hosting their Blind Skier program for area youth interested in experiencing the thrill of downhill skiing. The club just held three programs in February and will be holding their guide appreciation event this evening. Here’s a photo of some of our members, guides and skiers.
DCL Lions Blind Skiers Participants
Hey there fisherpeople: By my rough count, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has placed over 40,000 trout in the state’s lakes and streams, including in Garrett County. These fish, along with others, are just waiting for anglers to try their luck at catching them. Here’s a link for you to learn more.
And, speaking of the Maryland DNR, campers looking to reserve a campsite on Maryland’s public lands can now use the Department of Natural Resources online reservation system to book one of 18 primitive sites at Savage River State Forest’s Big Run campground in Garrett County.
The results for USA Today’s Best Recreational Trail are in! The nearby C&O Canal Towpath finished eighth in the voting, and the adjoining Great Allegheny Passage finished ninth. Here’s the scoop.
Authorities are investigating numerous acts of vandalism at Broadford Lake Park. The incidents occurred in January and February. Oakland City Police were alerted that structures in the park were spray painted with obscene pictures, words, and identifying names like “Tay-Tay” and “DJ”. It is estimated the damages to the park total several thousand dollars. A reward is being offered for any information leading to an arrest. Please contact the Oakland Police Department at (301) 334-2100 or oaklandmdpolice@gmail.com with any information.
The folks at First United Bank & Trust are proud to be celebrating their 120th anniversary—but what they are most proud of is their legacy of partnering with this community. And to celebrate our anniversary, they are giving away huge cash prizes! Here’s more information for you.
Mar 1, 2021
March is Here!
Well folks, we made it to March and things are looking-up on a number of fronts and spring is just around the corner. In case you were wondering, March is the third month of the year and named after Mars in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. I have been told I may have a bit of Martian in me (you know, the ancestry.com thing) so I am looking forward to an especially good month!
Yesterday was rainy, with some localized flooding. Today, expect rain and snow showers before noon, then a slight chance of rain showers between noon and 1:00 pm. The temperature will be falling to around 35 degrees by 5:00 pm. West wind 9 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. Tonight, we have a slight chance of snow before 9:00 pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 16. Northwest wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
The Garrett County Commissioners will be having their open meeting today at 4:00 pm. It will be held virtually. Here’s the agenda and directions on how to connect.
March is Women’s History Month and was set aside to honor women’s contributions in American history. In 1980, a consortium of women’s groups and historians successfully lobbied for national recognition. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8th 1980 as National Women’s History Week. In 1987, Congress passed Public Law 100-9, designating March as “Women’s History Month.”
Check out the March Cover Story which will be posted today. The article discusses a technologically enabled effort designed to prevent human trafficing. The non-profit effort was co-founded and is run by Mark Clookie, a Swanton resident with 33 years as a sworn law enforcement officer. After you read our Cover Story be sure to check out the Prevention Now webite at www.prevention-now.org. This is a very important undertaking and worth the read.
The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce invites all Chamber members to join them virtually on Wednesday, March 10th at 11:00 am for our March Marketing Roundtable: Garrett County Heritage Tourism Economic Impact Study. This is a virtual event. Nichole Parker with Parker Phillips will present the findings of their Economic Impact Study completed at locations around Garrett County from 2019 – 2020. That should be interesting. Free to attend but limited to Chamber members. Register here. If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Duck at sarah@garrettchamber.com or 301.616.1129.
COVID-wise, Maryland providers have administered 1,306,944 total doses of COVID-19 vaccines, and 93.8% of all first doses received from the federal government. The state is averaging a new record of 34,228 shots per day. My wife Jean is now volunteeering at the vaccine site in McHenry and as I expected, our Health Department has their act together and it was well run, with hundereds of vaccine shots administered on Friday, which was her first day as a volunteer.
Have a wonderful Monday and rest of the week dear readers…
Feb 28, 2021
This month’s Cover Story is a bit different and is on a serious subject: Human Trafficking. Many may think that human trafficing is limited to the large cities in the United States and throughout the world, but that is not the case. As this Cover Story indicates, human trafficking takes many forms and can also take place in rural areas like Garrett County. We are fortunate to have people like Swanton resident Mark Clookie and his team working to prevent human trafficking in all its forms. This article covers their efforts and can inform our readers about this different type of “pandemic.” We thank Mark, his partner Kristen Harris and the rest of their team as then seek to prevent trafficking.
DEEP CREEK LAKE AREA RESIDENT COMBATS HUMAN TRAFFICING
A 40 year law enforcement veteran working with a colleague in Portland, Oregon has launched a nation-wide non-profit organization to combat human trafficking in the U.S. Swanton resident, Mark Clookie, served for 33 years as a sworn law enforcement officer, retiring as the Director of the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) in 2013. Since then Mark worked as the Vice President for Investigations and Law Enforcement Development at the International Justice Mission (IJM), the world’s largest anti-slavery organization, and as a consultant and board member for other nonprofits combating human exploitation. He currently serves our community as an officer of the Deep Creek Volunteer Fire Company in McHenry, and as a member of the Southern Garrett County Rescue Squad.
Mr. Clookie explained that while working at IJM headquarters in Arlington, VA, he and a colleague, Ms. Kristen Harris, a former Criminal Analyst for the FBI, hatched the idea for a “first of its kind” effort to prevent human trafficking. After much consideration and planning they co-founded and recently launched “Prevention Now”, a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization. Mr. Clookie explained that after nearly a half century of combined law enforcement experience, he and Ms. Harris had grown frustrated with “responding to crimes after the fact; there must be a way to better protect vulnerable members of society and to prevent them from ever becoming victims in the first place”.
According to Mr. Clookie, most people do not fully understand the extent and impact of human trafficking. “Human beings are being bought, sold, traded and exploited for any number of purposes from sexual slavery to organ harvesting.” He went on to explain that no community is free from human trafficking. “It is not just an issue for large urban areas, but can be found in rural, small towns and communities as well. Often, trafficking in more rural environments involves the sale of children by their own parents to support the parent’s drug habits.”
As of 2014, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated that just the forced labor aspect of human trafficking generates $150 billion in profits annually. According to the ILO there are over 21 million victims trapped in modern day slavery. Regarding national statistics, Mr. Clookie advised, “some estimate there are hundreds of thousands of victims in the U.S. alone.” Mr. Clookie expressed great appreciation for the hundreds of organizations currently fighting human trafficking in the U.S., but explained these organizations are often working independently and, by nature, are locally focused. He went on to explain that human trafficking can take many forms ranging from isolated, local activity to large scale transient criminal enterprises and everything in between.
Mr. Clookie related, “Prevention Now will leverage data to identify root causes of human trafficking as well as who is most at risk of becoming a victim. The data used to inform the process will come from multiple local, state and national entities including information on criminal trends, trafficking, income, race, age, state policies, child welfare and juvenile services. We have begun to collaborate with a broad spectrum of partners to include: other nonprofits, law enforcement, government agencies, educators, clergy, counselors and the like, to gather this information. Once this material is gathered, we will leverage cutting edge technology such as: machine learning, artificial intelligence, and predictive analytics to determine who is most at risk and what actions can be taken by us and our partners to prevent future victimization. What could be better than preventing a vulnerable child or adult from ever being victimized in the first place?”
“Prevention Now is the first anti-trafficking nonprofit to use technology to this extent in focusing on proactive, data driven solutions. We are anxious to share information and solution sets with our partners to help them as they provide direct services to survivors and those at risk of becoming victims. It should be noted that although our focus will be on preventing victimization, our model will also quite naturally support efforts to reduce demand and apprehend traffickers.”
As a new nonprofit, Prevention Now’s greatest need is financial support. If you wish to provide a tax deductible donation or want to learn more about their work, please visit: www.prevention-now.org.
Feb 24, 2021
Today we have a slight chance of showers after 1:00 pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 51 degrees (Wow!) and southwest winds 9 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Tonight we have a slight chance of rain and snow showers before 11:00 pm, then a slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. West wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
The Leigh Friend Solar Project is a new 3.2 megawatt DC (MWdc) community solar project located in Friendsville. With 9,300 ground-mounted solar modules, the project generates enough clean, renewable solar energy to power the equivalent of 405 homes per year. Here’s a photo for you, which is beautiful, but also a bit ironic, as it shows dense clouds over the solar panels. Great new addition to the area and one more step toward environmental sustainability.
Leigh Friend Solar Project
The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that a 90 year old woman in Seattle walked three miles each way in the cold and snow to get her vaccine so she could be comfortable and see her two great-grandchildren. Oh, I forgot to mention that she had a hip replaced a year ago. Way to go Fran Goldman!!!!
The Garrett County Health Department announced yesterday that they have received the delayed shipment of vaccines. In related news, the Health Department has been notified of additional deaths due to COVID-19 complications this week, bringing the total county deaths to 60 persons. “Each death from COVID-19 complications is sad, and we offer condolences to their loved ones,” said Garrett County Health Officer Bob Stephens. “The age range for deaths in Garrett County is from 18 to 102, with the average age being 81. Sarah and I send our condolences to the families of the victims.
I heard a rumor yesterday that a coffee shop is going in on Alder Street in downtown Oakland. Great news and we will let you know when we get additional, verified information.
We have covered the recent donation of Water Quality Meters for the lake by the Deep Creek Lake Watershed Foundation. Here’s a photo of a DNS biologist deploying one in the lake a few months ago. Should help provide some perspective on the size of the meters.
Tourism accounted for 10% of the global economy before the pandemic, but it has been hammered since. When 200 tourism experts, owners and officials in 70 countries were asked in January about the prospects for recovery in international tourism in their country, 68% said Q4 of ’21 or ’22. When asked when they expected international tourism to reach pre-pandemic levels, 84% of the same group said 2023 or later! I have said it before, but the Deep Creek Lake area is very well positioned for continued tourism and success.
As of Monday, the State of Maryland official report shows that Maryland providers have administered 1,087,086 total doses of COVID-19 vaccines, and 98.3% of all first doses received from the federal government. The state is averaging 27,604 shots per day. As of yesterday, 16.3% of Garrett County residents have received their first dose of vaccine, and 6.97% have received both of their doses. In comparison, the state rates are 12.36% for the first dose and 6.05% for second. Thanks to our Health Department and all involved for their great work on getting the vaccines administered!
The Lodges at Sunset Village has a special 72 hour sale going on through Friday for 2022 Winter Season rates! They are guaranteeing the lowest rates if you book now. Here’s more info on this top-rated destination or you can call them at 301.387.2227.
Feb 23, 2021
County Total Deaths Due to COVID-19 Complications Reaches 60
By Garrett County Joint Information Center Team
Sadly, the Health Department has been notified of additional deaths due to COVID-19 complications this week, bringing the total county deaths to 60 persons. While Garrett County’s case rate has been low for several weeks, health officials continue to remind everyone how important it is to remain vigilant in protecting the communities most vulnerable members by wearing face coverings, social distancing and avoiding large gatherings.
“Each death from COVID-19 complications is sad, and we offer condolences to their loved ones,” said Garrett County Health Officer Bob Stephens. “The age range for deaths in Garrett County is from 18 to 102, with the average age being 81. Our vaccine efforts continue to prioritize senior citizens who are 65 years and older, and we hope to offer appointments to additional community members for their first doses in the next week.”
When clinics are opened up for mid-March and beyond, the link will be available on the garretthealth.org website, and will be announced on the Health Department’s social media and local news venues. Today’s county information includes:
- A 7-day case rate of 2.46 per 100,000 Garrett County residents, which is the lowest in the state, and well below Maryland’s case rate of 12.78
- A 7-day positivity rate of 1.97%, which is the second lowest in the state (Kent County is at 1.39), and about half to Maryland’s rate of 3.9%
- A total of 1,836 COVID-19 cases
- 3% of county residents have received a COVID-19 vaccination and 6.97% have received their second doses compared to the state rates of 12.36% for first and 6.05% for second
Up-to-date county COVID-19 data and other information is available on garretthealth.org. For all other COVID-19 related questions, or to report a COVID-19 compliance issue, call the local COVID-19 Hotline number at 301-334-7698.
Feb 23, 2021
GCHD Receives Vaccine Shipments Delayed by Weather
By Garrett County Joint Information Center Team
The Garrett County Health Department is pleased to announce that enough COVID-19 vaccine doses were received on Monday to be able to fulfill all vaccine appointments scheduled through March 5th. No additional vaccination clinics will be rescheduled during that time. Even with the shipment and vaccination delays, 16.3% of Garrett County residents have received their first dose of vaccine, and 6.97% have received both of their doses. In comparison, the state rates are 12.36% for the first dose and 6.05% for second.
Because of the vaccine delivery delays, two COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics scheduled at the MEDCO Building in the McHenry Business Park were cancelled and all appointments were automatically rescheduled for a later day at the same time as the original appointment.
“We are so glad we received our delayed shipments of vaccine and we are back on track to vaccinate those people who have appointments scheduled for both this week and next,” said Garrett County Health Officer Bob Stephens. “Since we needed to move some appointments into the upcoming weeks, when appointment links are opened in the next week or so, the available appointments will be clinics in mid-March and beyond.”
Some of the rescheduled appointments were for second doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Although the recommended interval between the first and second dose of the Moderna vaccine is 28 days, the CDC advises that when necessary the second dose may be administered up to 6 weeks, or 42 days, after the first dose.
Persons who had their appointment rescheduled should have received an email and a phone call generated by the Health Department through the vaccination appointment system. If your questions were not answered by the automated email or phone call, call the hotline at 301-334-7698.
Testing for COVID-19 through the Garrett County Health Department is continuing both at the Oakland Office for persons with symptoms on Monday through Friday with an appointment (301-334-7697), and at the MEDCO Building in the McHenry Business Park (with or without symptoms) on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pre-registration at MEDCO is recommended. Visit garretthealth.org for registration information.
Up-to-date county COVID-19 data and other information is available on garretthealth.org. For all other COVID-19 related questions, or to report a COVID-19 compliance issue, call the local COVID-19 Hotline number at 301-334-7698.
Feb 23, 2021
Yesterday’s weather was “interesting,” starting with snow and then transitioning to rain, very windy before turning back to snow in the evening. The snow emergency was lifted at 3:00 pm yesterday. Here’s a photo I took yesterday morning of my front yard.
Icicles and snow
The weather for today will include rain showers, snow showers, and freezing rain before 1:00 pm, then rain, possibly mixed with snow showers. Patchy fog before noon, with a high near 37 degrees. West wind 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no ice accumulation expected. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Tonight will be partly cloudy, with a low around 30. West wind 7 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
In 2021, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fishing and Boating Services adopted a new catch and release regulation for brook trout in all put-and-take trout management waters, as well as all waters east of Interstate 81. These efforts will help protect our native brook trout.In order for this regulation to be effective, proper identification of trout species is necessary. The department would like your help. Please take this anonymous short survey to test your trout identification skills.
Today’s meeting of the Maryland State Board Education will begin at 9:00 am and the agenda and materials are available at:
http://marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Pages/meeting-agendas/2021/2021-02-23.aspx There will be no public access to the Nancy S. Grasmick State Education Building, 200 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. Members of the public will be able to hear the audio and see presentations in real time via the livestream.
Pastor Tom at St. Peters in Oakland has announced that the parish is participating in Giving Tuesday today to advance the success of Catholic Ministries. Don’t miss out on this chance to make a difference in the life of St. Peters parish and in the lives of neighbors in need who are supported by the ministries of the Archdiocese. Learn more or make a gift now or send in the envelope that was mailed to parishoners.
Here’s a great video of Ben Riegsecker, owner of The Casselman Inn, sharing the Uncommon Story of this historic Inn & Restaurant. This is a story of a local, family-owned business in Grantsville Maryland that has cared for and loved serving the local community for over 180 years. It is part of First United Bank & Trust’s Uncommon Story series. Definitely worth watching…
Staying connected! That’s what the Partners After School (PAS) @ Oakland is doing with its programming this school year. When the COVID-19 crisis hit, virtual programming was the answer. The Oakland online program meets virtually with students three times a week for one hour each day. Thanks to the Garrett County Public Schools Meal Program, the staff of PAS @ Oakland have been able to pick up and deliver food to all their students each week along with a packet of materials and supplies for the activities for the following week. This is also allowing the staff to touch base with the parents to see how they are doing and to offer any resources they may need.
The County Commissioners will be holding their next public meeting on March 1st. The meeting will be Live Streamed at https://www.facebook.com/garrettcountygovernment/
Agenda session times are approximate. Note that the Board of County 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. Here’s the agenda and additional specifics for you.