Arrowhead Cove Dredging Project Shoreline Restoration Update

May 2, 2024

The sediment removal component of the Arrowhead Cove pilot dredging project has been completed. This project removed a portion of the accumulated sediment from the lakebed to revitalize the waterbody, provide greater boater access, and preserve the cove’s ecological integrity.

As of January 5, 2024, an estimated 11,000 cubic yards (or 734 truckloads) of accumulated sediment were removed from Arrowhead Cove to determine the efficiency and success of dredging other sediment-impacted coves of Deep Creek Lake.

Byco Enterprises, Inc. has made significant progress on the upland habitat restoration work portion of the Arrowhead Cove dredging project.

To enhance the ecological integrity of the area, twenty native trees were planted on the shoreline. This initiative, requested by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, also included the planting of numerous shrubs in the areas previously utilized for heavy equipment access to the lake. All equipment, supplies, and gravel used during the staging of the project has been removed and replaced with topsoil.

Byco graded the area, planted grass seed, and stabilized the soil with straw cover. Upland restoration of the project station area was completed on April 26. Byco will continue to monitor the area and water the newly planted trees and shrubs.

Additionally, the in-water submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) restoration in the dredging footprint is tentatively scheduled for the end of May.

This critical phase of the project will be conducted by the Department of Natural Resources’ Resource Assessment Service (RAS) staff. Last September, RAS staff carefully collected native SAV seeds from Deep Creek Lake and these seeds were processed and stored at an approved nursery/greenhouse throughout the winter.  The seeds were propagated for planting this spring.

The State of Maryland provided all the funding for the pilot project thanks in part to the efforts of former Senator George Edwards and Delegate Wendell Beitzel.

For more information about the dredging project at Arrowhead Cove, including project updates and community engagement opportunities, please visit ArrowheadCove.GarrettCounty.org.

Please contact Bruce Michael, Garrett County Watershed Coordinator, at bmichael@garrettcountymd.gov or 410-570-4554 with any project-related questions.

Garrett County Public Schools Hosts Successful 5th Grade Career Day with Community Support

May 2, 2024

In partnership with Garrett College, Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) held its annual 5th Grade Career Day on Friday, April 26th. This event allows students to experience various careers and interact with community members actively engaged in those careers. Additionally, each student experiences a soft skills seminar presented by the college staff where students learn valuable skills (effective communication, interpersonal skills, work ethic, time management, teamwork, etc.) that will help them succeed in any future workplace.

The community support of Career Day was overwhelming. Forty volunteers representing 21 different occupations generously gave their time to share their chosen careers with a total of 240 fifth graders from every elementary school in Garrett County. GCPS career coaches Mary Keller and Jon Hinebaugh thank the elementary school counselors, fifth-grade teachers, and the Garrett College staff for helping organize this event. Additionally, Mary and Jon would like to thank the college for the use of their facilities and the following community volunteers who presented their careers to the students:

• Scott Richardson: Garrett College–Adventure Sports
• Zach Burgess & Marissa Miller: Beitzel Corporation—Construction
• Melissa Clary, Jean Thomas & Ruth Beard: Brenda McDonnell’s Family of Restaurants—Chef
• Barb Law and Amanda Hefner: Child Care, Garrett County Community Action
• Kenny and Carol Allman: Garrett College–Computer Science & Cybersecurity
• Chuck Trautwein & NH senior Sophia Rankin: GCPS—Engineering
• Kelli Sisler: Garrett College–Fitness/Personal Trainer
• Lexi Trickett & SH students Haley Klotz and Lexi Nice: GCPS—Agriculture
• Josh Hook: McHenry VFD—Firefighter
• Dean Lytle & Fred Knox: GC Roads Department–Heavy Equipment Operator
• Judge Gregory, Christian Mash, & John Hughes: GC Courthouse—Lawyer
• Jessica Wilhelm: Timbercat Enterprises—Mechanic
• Major Steven Hershfeldt, Sgt. Ramos, Sgt. Wilson & SH students Kevin Shipway, Wyatt Parks, and Makayla Orr & NH students Nate Brenneman, Kambria Kyle, and Sarah Hamilton-Rumer: GCPS—Military
• Rob Smith: Buffalo Run Band—Musician
• Tony Rossignuolo and Luke Pratt: Maryland Department of Natural Resources—NRP
• Amanda Shreve: Garrett Regional Medical Center—Nurse
• Doug Beitzel: Garrett College Workforce Development—Paramedic
• F/Sgt. Bradley Williams & TFC Kurt Poland: Maryland State Police–Police Officer
• Terah Crawford: Taylor-Made—Realtor
• Kayla Amburgey & Cari Zbel: Hart for Animals—Veterinarian
• Kim Govi, Tasha Mongold & Michael Omps: Garrett College–Soft Skills

Second 2024 Rabies Case / Rabies Vaccination Clinics

May 2, 2024

Environmental Health Services of the Garrett County Health Department reports the second case of laboratory-confirmed rabies for 2024. Along with the case, the Department announces the first series of low-cost rabies clinics for 2024.

On April 25, 2024, a dog whose rabies vaccination was current encountered a skunk in Deer Park. The skunk was submitted for rabies testing to the Maryland Department of Health Rabies Laboratory, and a positive rabies result was received on April 30, 2024.  The owner was advised to have their dog boosted against the rabies virus and closely monitor the dog for 45 days.

This incident serves as a timely reminder for pet owners to check the vaccination status of their dogs, cats, and ferrets. The vaccination clinics will begin on Thursday, May 16 and conclude on May 22, 2024. Pet owners are encouraged to check the following schedule for the exact times and locations of the clinics in their area.

The clinics are as follows:

• Swanton Community Center, Thursday, May 16, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Garrett County Health Department, Saturday, May 18, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
• Grantsville Elementary School, Monday, May 20, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Friendsville Elementary School, Wednesday, May 22, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

The cost of the vaccination is $5 per animal at the clinics. Dogs must be on a leash and under the control of a responsible individual. Cats and ferrets must be brought to the clinic in a cage or a tightly secured box with air holes. If a cage or carrier is not available, the cat must be carried in a pillowcase or a suitable cloth sack. Close contact with the animals at the clinics increases the risk of bites or scratches. Please be prepared to restrain and control your animals to avoid a potential incident.

Unvaccinated dogs and cats exposed to rabid animals face the possibility of being euthanized to protect their owners and the general public. The grief that comes from losing a family pet can be avoided by keeping vaccinations current.

To protect your pets and family, keep your pets’ rabies vaccinations up to date. Although Maryland law requires dogs, cats, and ferrets over four months of age to be vaccinated against rabies, they may be adequately vaccinated at three months of age. Dogs and cats need to be revaccinated every three years. Puppies and kittens, vaccinated between the ages of three and twelve months, and dogs and cats receiving their first vaccination, must be revaccinated 12 months later.  Ferrets need to be revaccinated every year.

Failure to vaccinate pets against rabies in Maryland is a violation of the Annotated Code of MD Health General Article 18, Section 318 and may be punishable by a fine of up to $500 per animal. For more information about rabies or these clinics, call Environmental Health at 301-334-7760.

Garrett County Public School End-of-Year Calendar Changes

May 2, 2024

Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) has received approval from the Maryland State Board of Education and Dr. Carey Wright, State Superintendent, to waive the last day of school for students, which falls on Monday, June 10, 2024. Therefore, the last day for students will be June 7th. Both June 6th and 7th will be a three-hour early dismissal for students. Teachers’ last day will be Tuesday, June 11, 2024.

Furthermore, we have considered the needs of Broad Ford Elementary and Southern Middle Schools. These students will not have school on Friday, June 7th, making their last day Thursday, June 6th. This decision has been made to provide ample time for the staff at each school to prepare for changes next year, ensuring a smooth transition for everyone involved.

Record of River and Climatological Observations for April 2024

May 2, 2024

May Special Board of Education Executive Session

Apr 30, 2024

The Garrett County Board of Education will hold a special Executive Session on Monday, May 6, 2024, at 7:00 PM. The Board will meet in closed session under its quasi-judicial function to consider an appeal. The meeting will be conducted virtually via Zoom and is not open to the public.

Part or all of the meeting may be closed pursuant to the General Provision §3-305 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

Raptors cool off Garrett with Sweep

Apr 30, 2024

Montgomery College rallied to defeat visiting Garrett College, 8-7, and complete a sweep of Saturday’s baseball doubleheader as the Lakers’ hopes for hosting a playoff sub-regional took a critical hit.

The Raptors – 7-1 winners in the opener – overcame 3-0, 6-3, and 7-6 deficits in the nightcap, earning the win as Will McDonnell hit a two-run homer in the home fifth. McDonnell finished with two homers and three RBI.

Garrett (25-25 overall, 10-8 NJCAA Division II Region 20) dropped from fourth to fifth place in the region standings with the losses. Starting the last week of the regular season, the Lakers can still finish anywhere from fourth to 10th in the region, with the top eight teams qualifying for the playoffs.

“We control our own destiny,” said GC head coach Eric Hallenbeck. “We don’t have to worry about winning and scoreboard-watching. We’ve got six games left [as of Tuesday] and four of them are at home. Hopefully that will be an advantage for us.

GC had won eight of its previous 10 games heading into the doubleheader with Montgomery. That had boosted the Lakers into fourth place, which is the final slot for hosting a sub-regional.

Angel Oquendo (double, two runs, three RBI), Easton Rhoten (double, two runs), and Jacob Kennel (two doubles, run, RBI) each had two hits for the Lakers in the nightcap. Zach Hallenbeck and Chance Ritchey each had a hit, a run, and drove in a run.

Eddie Frye (3-1) earned the win with three innings of one-hit relief for the Raptors.
Garrett closes the regular season with division doubleheaders against CCBC-Essex, first-place Frederick Community College, and CCBC-Dundalk. The Lakers would have to win at least four of those six games to avoid a road playoff opener.

Montgomery 7, GC 1

Van Rosenbaum (two runs, two RBI) and Trey Mason (run, RBI) each collected three singles as the Raptors banged out 16 hits in Saturday’s opener.

The Raptors broke a 1-1 tie with a four-run third inning as unbeaten Jared Hurlburt (5-0) combined with Daerek Sawyer on a three-hitter.

Easton Rhoten (run), Colby Schmitz (double), and Zach Hallenbeck each had a hit for Garrett.

Garrett 6, WCCC 1

Stefan Machkovski (2-1) yielded one unearned run over five innings for the win while Alphonso Westbrook earned his fourth save with two shutout innings last Friday as the Lakers topped host Westmoreland County Community College.

Machkovski gave up five hits with six strikeouts and two walks while Westbrook allowed just one walk over his two innings pitched.

Easton Rhoten (run, RBI) led GC’s 11-hit attack with a pair of doubles while Chance Ritchey (double, two runs, two RBI), Angel Oquendo (double, run, RBI), and Jonathan Padgett (run) each had two hits. Ty Giblin reached base twice with a double and a walk.

Jacob Smith’s run-scoring sacrifice fly in the home seventh ruined GC’s shutout bid.

E-ZPass Issues Warning to Customers on Smishing Scam

Apr 30, 2024

The E-ZPass Group is issuing an alert to all E-ZPass customers about a text messaging scam targeted at customers of tolling agencies across the United States. The scam aims to deceive customers into entering their personal data and financial information into a fake website.

Customers receiving text messages claiming to be sent by “E-ZPass Toll Services” that direct them to click a link to pay an outstanding toll balance to avoid a late fee should be aware that this message is fraudulent. The toll account information provided in these texts is neither valid nor accurate.

E-ZPass warns customers to delete the texts immediately and do not click on any links embedded in the text messages. Customers who have clicked the link and completed the form should immediately contact their financial institution and notify E-ZPass of any erroneous information posted to their accounts. In Maryland, customers should contact DriveEzMD at 1-888-321-6824 or live chat at www.driveezmd.com (Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.). In-person Customer Service Centers are open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Extended hours are in effect Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. View full list of center locations here https://driveezmd.com/contact-us/.

Recently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a public service announcement warning the public about a wave of fraudulent SMS texts attempting to scam toll road users.  The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has received over 2,000 complaints reporting fraudulent texts representing road toll collection service from at least three states. The complaint information indicates that the scam appears to be moving from state to state. The texts claim the recipient owes money for unpaid tolls and contain almost identical language. The “outstanding toll amount” has been similar among the complaints reported to the IC3.  However, the link provided within the text is created to impersonate the state’s toll service name, and phone numbers appear to change between states.

E-ZPass advises customers that if you receive one of these texts, file a complaint with the IC3, www.ic3.gov.

“Scam attacks through emails and text messaging are on the rise in our country and protecting the safety of E-ZPass customer information is of paramount importance to us”, stated PJ Wilkins, E-ZPass Group Executive Director. “We will continue to work with our partnering states to alert our customers of any criminal activity that places them at risk, and we encourage E-ZPass customers to be vigilant in ensuring that their personal and financial information is not compromised by falling prey to these fraudulent schemes.”

Garrett College Public Schools, College Host Fifth-Grade Career Day

Apr 30, 2024

Photo by John Rudd Grantsville Elementary School students sit with Melvin the Monkey at the Fifth-Grade Career Day in the Performing Arts Center at Garrett College last Friday. Melvin was representing Wyatt Wilkens, a Grantsville Elementary student who is currently undergoing treatment for leukemia.

There were about 240 more students than usual on Garrett College’s McHenry campus last Friday.

And they were a bit younger than the average college student – actually, quite a bit younger. That’s because the College and Garrett County Public Schools were partnering on Fifth-Grade Career Day, offering the students a glimpse of what their futures might hold.

“What we’re trying to do is broaden their horizons,” said Jon Hinebaugh, GCPS career coach for the northern end of the county. “We’re focusing on careers that are locally available as well as those intangible ‘soft skills’ that all employers are seeking.”

Participants were able to choose sessions covering nearly two dozen career fields. Computer science/cyber security, engineering, nursing, paramedic, culinary, police, fire fighting, the military, carpentry, personal training, and farming were just some of the careers covered by instructors actually working in those fields.

“It takes a lot of planning and a lot of help from our community partners to develop Fifth-Grade Career Day,” said Mary Keller, GCPS career coach for the southern end of the county.

Hinebaugh praised the support GCPS received from the College in hosting Career Day.

“The assistance we’ve received from Chantel [Lowdermilk] and Susan [Rexroad] has been so valuable,” said Hinebaugh, referring to the College’s events staff. “We’re working with real pros.”

Lowdermilk, the College’s events coordinator, said the event provided “a huge opportunity for fifth-graders to have a college experience at such a young age.”

“Our hope is to make this a positive experience they will remember, and hopefully have them return in the future as Garrett College students,” added Lowdermilk.