Oakland Celebrates a Great Small Town Christmas

Nov 29, 2023

Join the Town of Oakland for A Great Small Town Christmas, on December 8th, 9th, and 16th, 2023. There are many free and family-friendly activities in downtown Oakland to celebrate the holidays.

A Great Small Town Christmas will kick off with a Light Up Night on Friday, December 8th at the Oakland B&O Museum. The event will start with a Walking Holiday Light Parade, led by Santa Claus starting at the Town Parking Lot at 5:30 PM. All are invited to participate in the walking parade as we make our way to the B&O Museum for the official tree lighting. Bring your own entry, just make it festive! Something new this year is the addition of Santa Paws! Dress up your furry friend in holiday-themed apparel and join us in the parade! Come out and join us for free cookies and cocoa from the Order of the Eastern Star and a special treat from Santa himself! There will be free sleigh rides available for guests.

On Saturday, December 9th the fun continues with Soup N’ Santa from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM! There will be multiple nonprofits handing out free soup (donations are appreciated), the chance to visit with Santa, kids activities, live music, sleigh rides, local shopping and store specials, and more. Your furry friend is invited again for visits with Santa as well.

In conjunction with Oakland’s Great Small Town Christmas Event, the House of Hope, Bucks for Hope Drive will take place on Saturday, December 9th from 9:00 AM – 12:00 NN. To contribute to this worthy cause, bring your cash donations to Second Street in downtown Oakland. The House of Hope prefers cash donations; however, will accept non-perishable food items as well. Started in 1978, by Chuck Nolan, the food drive has raised over $65,000 in donations and over 80 pickup loads of food.

On Saturday, December 16th, join select downtown businesses for a Cocoa Crawl from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Sample delicious treats while you complete your holiday shopping.

And while you’re shopping, don’t forget to look for the elf! The Lucky Elf promotion in downtown Oakland continues through Monday, December 19th. For every $25 spent in participating Oakland stores you visit, you receive a chance to win a variety of local gifts.

For a complete list of details regarding Christmas activities visit the Town of Oakland, MD Facebook page or website at www.oaklandmd.com.

Town of Oakland Sponsors Letters to Santa

Nov 29, 2023

On December 1st, the elves will be delivering a special mailbox to the Town of Oakland! Children of all ages can mail their letters to Santa using this special mailbox located at the Gazebo at the corner of Second and Liberty Streets. All letters mailed by December 15th will receive a personalized response and some of the elves’ favorite letters will be sent to WKHJ to be read on air on the morning show’s Christmas Party on December 22nd. There is no postage necessary to mail the letters to Santa. Be sure to include your child’s name and return address to ensure a response. For additional information, please contact Nicole McCullough at 301-334-2691.

Back in Action with Play Hard Live Clean

Nov 29, 2023

Play Hard, Live Clean (PHLC), a campaign that promotes healthy living for Garrett County public school students and their families, is back in action for its seventh year. The purpose of PHLC is to encourage youth to make good choices by recognizing and rewarding them for certain positive lifestyle accomplishments from kindergarten through graduation.

“The underlying premise of the program is that if a young person reaches the age of 21 without ever smoking, or abusing alcohol or drugs, they are virtually certain never to do so,” said Kendra McLaughlin, member of the PHLC team and Director of Health Education and Outreach, and Dental Services at the Garrett County Health Department.

“Last year 2,014 Garrett County students participated in the campaign in some way, representing 58% of the student body,” reported McLaughlin. “The campaign requires a lot of work and enthusiasm from our staff and school staff to bring it to life. But instilling the value of good choices that will help students stay healthy longer is always worth the effort.”

During the 2022-2023 school year, students in elementary and middle school completed month long challenges related to physical activity, choosing healthy drinks, and mindfulness. Students in high school completed monthly online challenges that included messages about living clean and being substance free. And for the first time, four high school students were hired as “Influencers” to assist the team from the Health Education and Outreach unit of the health department in spreading awareness about PHLC and representing the program in their schools and communities.

For the 2023-2024 school year, the Influencers are back in action and have been doing presentations at after school programs, promoting the program at football and volleyball games, and recording videos to be posted on social media to spread prevention messages. This year’s Influencers are Shelby Mark and Sarah Hamilton-Rumer from Northern High School and Allie Newman and Isabelle Hall from Southern High School.

Coming up in January, all elementary school students will be challenged to go at least ten days without drinking sugar-sweetened drinks or caffeine drinks. Middle school students will be challenged to go at least ten days without any caffeine.

“I like to encourage youth to stick to water or milk as their main drinks,” explained health department dietitian, Amy Ritchie. “The drinks that are popular with kids are generally full of caffeine or sugar which are nothing but empty calories that rob them of valuable nutrients. Those drinks can also stain their teeth, lead to cavities, and drain your wallet!”

Every Garrett County school was invited to apply for a mini grant from the health department to support a Play Hard, Live Clean physical activity challenge of their choosing. Yough Glades Elementary, Southern Middle, Northern High, Broad Ford Elementary, and Accident Elementary all applied and will be awarded between $425 and $750 to support their wellness activities and physical activity challenge.

Finally, the Play Hard, Live Clean team at the health department has created a campaign mascot, Ollie the Otter, to liven up the campaign this year. “We really liked the idea of an otter for a mascot because it represents playfulness, curiosity, and lots of positive energy,” explained PHLC team member and creator of Ollie the Otter, Lori Reichard. Keep watching for images of Ollie in schools and online.

PHLC is sponsored by the Garrett County Health Department with support from the Garrett County Public Schools. For more information about the program call the health department at 301-334-7730, or 301-895-3111, or visit PlayHardLiveClean.com.

Criminal Investigation: Posey Row Road, Grantsville, Maryland

Nov 27, 2023

The Maryland State Police McHenry Barracks is investigating a burglary that occurred between 10/1/2023 and 11/24/2023 on Posey Row Road located in Grantsville, Maryland. Unknown Suspects broke a window and entered the vacant property. While inside the residence the suspects stole a 1990s model Stihl 026 chainsaw and removed the copper water lines in the basement of the home.

Anyone who may have information about this crime is asked to contact the Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack

Fraud Alert Check Scams

Nov 27, 2023

At First United Bank & Trust we hold the security of your confidential information and your funds in the highest regard. Recently, there has been a rise in check fraud scams that are targeting both consumers and businesses. 

Fake checks continue to be one of the most common instruments used to commit fraud. Before you deposit a check you weren’t expecting or wire funds to an unknown recipient, here is what you should know

Tips to prevent fake check scams:

• Even if the check has “cleared,” you may not be in the clear. Under federal law, banks must make deposited funds available quickly, but just because you can withdraw the money doesn’t mean the check is good, even if it’s a cashier’s check or money order. If you have any questions about whether or not a check is good, talk to your banker. Be sure to explain the source of the check, the reasons it was sent to you, and whether you are being asked to wire money back.
• Don’t be fooled by the appearance of the check. Scam artists are using sophisticated technology to create counterfeit checks that look like the real thing.  Some are counterfeit money orders, some are phony cashier’s checks and others look like they are from legitimate business accounts. The company’s name may be real, but someone has dummied up the checks without their knowledge.
• Never ‘pay to play.’ There is no legitimate reason for someone who is giving you money to ask you to wire money back or send you more than the exact amount —that’s a red flag and that’s a scam. If a stranger wants to pay you for something, insist on a cashier’s check for the exact amount, preferably from a local branch.
• Do not respond to online solicitations for “easy money.” Social media scams like card cracking may offer “quick ways to earn extra cash,” but keep in mind that easy money is rarely legal money.
• Verify the requestor before you wire or issue a check. It is important to know who you are sending money to before you send it. Just because someone contacted you doesn’t mean they are a trusted source.
• Report any suspected fraud to your bank immediately. Bank associates are experts in spotting fraudulent checks. If you think someone is trying to pull a fake check scam, don’t deposit it—please report it. 
• Beware of fake check scams targeting small business owners.  If you receive a check from an unknown individual requesting a refund, it’s a scam.  Stay alert and be cautious to avoid falling victim. For information on how First United can help you protect your business against fraud, click on the link below or contact us today. 

Garrett Trails’ Giving Tuesday

Nov 25, 2023

It’s through your generosity that we are able to continue providing high-quality hiking and biking trails for everyone in our community. This upcoming Tuesday (or any time that you would like), we ask that you go to garretttrails.org and donate any amount that you can to support us, and by extension the residents and visitors of Garrett County. There are many deserving nonprofits you can choose to support, we are grateful when you choose us.

MHT Sees Bethel Center Progress

Nov 23, 2023

Pictured left to right: Mountain Lake Park Town Council member and MLPHA Treasurer, Linda Fike, MLPHA President, Karen Wooddell, MHT Taylor Means Research and Preservationist Specialist, MHT Stacy Montgomery Capital Programs Administrator, and Mountain Lake Park Mayor, Don Sincell. Photo courtesy of Mark Stutzman.

Standing rustic and regal, Bethel Center continues to undergo an extensive restoration. Two representatives from the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) made a site visit to examine the progress of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church reconstruction project. In just a few months, the interior floor, walls, and roof were up, giving the building a solid presence at its new home in Mountain Lake Park. Originally located at the corner of 5th and High Streets in Oakland, MD, the church’s congregation opened its doors in 1900 and was an African-American sanctuary for three decades. It was repurposed and moved in the 1930s to serve as a buggy and blacksmith’s shop on an Amish farm in Pleasant Valley. Fortunately, the family who used it daily kept the building intact for nearly one hundred years. What will be called Bethel Center, the only African-American church to exist in Garrett County has found a final location for future generations to learn about the contributions of a population that had been forgotten over time.

A local history chronicler, Albert “Al” Feldstein took interest in the A.M.E. Church many years ago. He frequently posts historical points of interest in Western Maryland on his Facebook page Feldstein’s Historical Stuff. He was present at the site visit and made sure MHT was aware that officials in the town of Oakland took steps to reacquire the building. They engaged a specialized architect to assess the church’s integrity and outline what would need to be done to properly restore it. Unfortunately, the proposed plans never made it to fruition.

“This is an effort that has been ten years in the making,” Al said emphatically. “But it finally took a group of determined people like the Mountain Lake Park Historical Association, the town, and others to make it a reality.”

It required even more than sheer determination since the deconstruction of the church, moving it, and reassembly would come with a significant cost. As part of an African-American Heritage Preservation Program (AAHPP) grant, MHT awarded $100,000 toward the relocation and reconstruction work. Without proper funding, the church would have fallen into further ruin and possibly have been lost. The site visit included two representatives from MHT, Stacy Montgomery a Capital Programs Administrator, and Taylor Means, a Research and Preservationist Specialist. Mayor Don Sincell who initiated the project and has taken on procuring contractors explained the steps up to the point of their inspection. Both representatives were glad to see how much had already been accomplished and noted that this was the first AAHPP grant application awarded in Garrett County.

Although Bethel Center will not become an active congregation, it will be a public space for learning about local African-American history and be available for events or special services. Sincell provided an overview of how the church originally served parishioners and how it will benefit people today.

“I would like to see this become an annual field trip for children in the county,” said Sincell. “This building represents an important part of the local history of which many people here are unaware. And if someone wants to have a wedding, baptism, or memorial service in the church, it would be a special place to do so.”

African-American history for Garrett County was largely lost following the decline of railroad travelers visiting the mountaintop into the 1930s. With a lack of employment opportunities in the service industries, many people left for places like Westernport where the paper mill was a lead employer, and Cumberland where factories were still booming. The minority population in Garrett County around the turn of the last century is being rediscovered through extensive research. Cooperation with the Garrett County Historical Society and independent researchers are revealing African-American residents who not only helped prop up the local economy but also married, began families, and were buried in local cemeteries. The goal of resurrecting a heritage destination and uncovering forgotten people will enhance the tapestry of local history, according to volunteers dedicated to the project. A future hope of those involved in Bethel Center is to develop a heritage pilgrimage tour to learn about African-American people who once lived, worked, and contributed to the development of Garrett County.