Deep Creek Lake MD News and Local Resources: Daily Notes

Yesterday was mixed weather-wise, with some rain in the afternoon.  Today we have a slight chance of showers before 2:00 pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66 degrees, with a southwest wind around 8 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. This evening will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.

Here’s a nice picture taken a few days ago by Bob Bona of the Yough River near Crellin.  Thanks Bob, nice photo.

Colorful River

The Garrett County Health Department has received eight additional positive COVID-19 results, bringing the current county total positives to 103. The new positive COVID-19 cases are all female, with one each in their teens, 20s, 40s, 60s, and 70s, and three in their 50s. All of the individuals are being advised to isolate at home or to seek immediate medical attention based on their signs and symptoms. For more information call 301-334-7770 or 301-895-3111.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s Daily Notes column, our individual and collective efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19 are important and the recent surge a bit scary, based on the recent uptick in Garrett County cases. According to Bob Stephens, Garrett County Health Officer, “If we as a community want our businesses, schools and churches to remain open, we need to renew our efforts to keep Garrett County safe and healthy.”

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is considering some changes in regulations relative to a number of fishing and boating issues, including zebra mussels.  They are seeking comment until November 3rd.  Follow this link to their newsletter with more details.

Speaking of DNR, we just received the latest edition of their HabiChat Stewards of Backyard Wildlife Newsletter.  They announced two interesting programs, one is on bats and the other is on snakes.  One is free and the other is only $5. Please consider signing-up and learning about both these beneficial critters!

The Garrett County Health Department, in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and local law enforcement agencies, will participate in the next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. This event will take place on October 24th, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at three local locations, providing the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Participants may bring their medication patches and pills, including pet medications, for disposal to one of the three local medication drop box locations:

• Sherriff’s Department, Oakland
• Oakland City Hall
• Maryland State Police Barracks, McHenry

It was a bit “crisp” this weekend, but was very nice and great walking weather as well, even with the clouds moving in Sunday afternoon.  Today we expect a chance of showers, mainly after 10:00 am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58 degrees and a calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%. We have a  chance of showers before 9:00 pm this evening, then a chance of rain, mainly after 2:00 am, with a low around 50.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued their winter 20/21 forecast for the nation.  They cover temperature, precipitation (Including drought forecasts) and other factors by region.  Very well-done and interesting and you can check it out here.

Speaking of the weather, here’s a weather-impacted photo of my entire grape crop for the season. Yep, I harvested a total of eight (8) “grapes” for the season on Saturday.  This is my third season, with the first yielding a few, which I pruned early to strengthen the vines, the second yielding nothing and now this pitiful “crop.” I heard many local folks did not get a harvest this year, but I think my biggest problem is not enough sun.  Next year…

Mike’s 2020 Grape Harvest

Heard on Friday that trout stocking continues in and around Garrett County.  Here’s the latest scoop for all you fisher people. It is a link to the latest DNR newsletter on fish stocking.

And, speaking of fish, and I don’t mean the frozen kind either, here’s a link to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fall Fish Zone newsletter on fishing and boating. It talks about bluegills, trout, celebrating first fish caught by youngsters and more.

Based on my grape farming success – or lack thereof – as documented earlier, it is good for this furball that I am not in charge of growing all of the pumpkins in the area. This is a really nice “action photo” as submitted by  Vicki Schwinabart.  Thanks for sharing Vicki, very nice work.

Fall Feast

I am going to end on a very important, somewhat somber note relative to a mini-surge in Garrett County COVID-19 cases, as indicated in a news release from the Garrett County Health Department/Joint Information Team.  This is important enough for me to include the release in its entirety right here and also in our Latest News section.  Please read and heed.  We need to protect our residents and visitors and also our local economy, businesses and their employees:

NEWS RELEASE

October 16, 2020 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –

Garrett County Notified of Seven Additional COVID-19 Cases

By Garrett County Joint Information Center Team

The Garrett County Health Department received seven additional positive COVID-19 results, bringing the current county total positives to 95. The new positive COVID-19 cases include:

• Two females in their 40s, both with symptoms and isolating at home
• One male in his 60s, with symptoms, isolating at home
• Three teens, two male and one female, all with symptoms and isolating at home
• One female in her 50s, with symptoms, isolating at home

“We are currently experiencing a surge in cases in Garrett County,” said Health Officer Bob Stephens.  “Contact tracing continues to reveal that the primary spread is through family, friends and social gatherings.  As the restrictions have been relaxed, it is more important than ever that community members be compliant with social distancing and face covering practices to prevent the spread of COVID.”

“I am very concerned that a continued surge in cases will require reimposing restrictions that we have worked so hard to relax,” Stephens said. “If we as a community want our businesses, schools and churches to remain open, we need to renew our efforts to keep Garrett County safe and healthy.”

For more information call 301-334-7770 or 301-895-3111.

The weather today will be cloudy then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 45 and a low around 32. Widespread frost overnight, mainly after 5am. Saturday will start with the frost mainly before 9 am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 50 and a low around 36. Sunday will be mostly sunny with a high near 58 and a low around 42.

We found this write-up and thought the advice was solid; in light of COVID-19, parks throughout Maryland have been overwhelmed this year. Try visiting Casselman River Bridge State Park and Sang Run State Park. Both lovely options that are a bit off of the beaten path.

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Office of the Secretary and representatives from MDOT’s business units met virtually last Friday with Garrett County officials. This was just one meeting of 24 around the state to update local officials and the public on the Hogan administration’s Draft FY 2021-2026 Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP), which details MDOT’s $13.4 billion six-year capital budget and transportation investments.

MDOT Administrator Tim Smith said MDOT has focused on construction this year: “We’re in the homestretch of the $63 million U.S. 219 realignment between (Interstate) 68 and Old Salisbury Road, so we’re planning on having that open to traffic by the end of the year,” he said. The $4.2 million intersection improvement at U.S. 219 and Mosser Road and the $1.7 million Wilson Run structure on Route 219 at Center Street projects were recently completed locally.

The Deep Creek Winter Sports Team has opened registration for the upcoming winter season!

The month of October is recognized as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Local businesses have played a vital role in allowing Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) students with disabilities to engage in work-based learning experiences.

The Garrett County Health Department offers the “Play Hard, Live Clean” campaign to every student in the Garrett County school system to promote a clean lifestyle.

Try to make it out to the Blood Drive, today, at Garrett County Health Dept. It will be held 9am – 5pm.

You should still plan to come to visit this weekend (if you’re not already here!!) — we are past “peak” on the foliage report because some wind and rain took down leaves but there are still pockets of great color!

I took this photo yesterday at Swallow Falls State Park. Not quite as vibrant as a few days ago but still really spectacular!

Cooling water temperatures have several species of fish active at Deep Creek Lake: Northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, yellow perch and walleye are biting. “Spinnerbaits and spoons are popular baits for northern pike; tubes, jigs and small crankbaits for smallmouth bass; and crankbaits and soft plastic craw baits for largemouth bass. Both smallmouth and largemouth bass are feeding heavily on crayfish and will often have a reddened snout this time of the year from nailing crayfish on the rocky bottom. Drifting live minnows is working well for catching yellow perch and walleye.”

More trout were stocked this week:

• North Branch Potomac River (Delayed Harvest): 600 rainbow trout
• North Branch Potomac River, Gorman (Delayed Harvest): 600 rainbow trout
• North Branch Potomac River, Kitzmiller (Catch and Release): 1,000 rainbow trout

The movie theater is open today through Sunday. Check out the schedule.

Have a great weekend!

The weather today will be mostly sunny with a high near 67 and a low around 40. Southwest wind 15 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. A slight chance of showers before 11pm.

The Garrett County Health Department has announced a fourth rabies case in the county.

Secret shoppers will be shopping Garrett County businesses to reduce alchohol use for those under 21.

Garrett Regional Medical Center celebrates 70 years!

Keep the Ruth Enlow Library in mind for resources to help the kids through school.

The Garrett County Health Department is collecting feedback to learn about how Garrett County residents, stakeholders, and partners think they’re doing. This short survey takes 2 minutes!

Another survey, the 2020 Maryland Young Adult Survey on Alcohol, is now open. Pass this 10-minute survey on to any  Marylanders between the ages of 18- 25 years old and they have a chance to win a $50 gift card or a grand prize $95 gift card. The survey is being conducted by the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy,

Kylie Mark, a senior at Northern Garrett High School, was recognized by Yumi Hogan and awarded the 1st place High School award for her artwork entitled Silence Speaks Loud at Maryland’s First Lady’s Art Gallery Exhibition on Friday, October 9, 2020.

I took this drone photo of the Upper Yough. Can you spot me in the yellow jacket?

The weather for today will be sunny, with a high near 62 degrees. This evening will be mostly clear, with a low around 50.  A nice day to take a hike or just a walk in the brisk, clear air.

Speaking of taking a walk, if you do, you will see that Monday’s rain and wind knocked a lot of the colorful leaves off of the trees.  But, there is still lots of color all around us, even if on the down-side of peak colors. All you skiing enthusiasts, take note that there will be a winter storm in the northeastern states and that some higher elevations may see some snow this weekend! It will be north of us, but a reminder of what is to come.

You can also walk around the Mountain Fresh Farmers Market in Oakland at the Pavilion today from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.  Here’s a link to their latest newsletter that includes a list of vendors, their products, health guidlines and even recipes.

Here’s a nice photo composition showing the lake’s clarity and some of the colors in the trees.  Thanks to Eric Williams for sharing with us.  Good job Eric.

Clear Water, Clear Skies

The Garrett County Health Department received four additional positive COVID-19 results, bringing the current county total positives to 83. The new positive COVID-19 cases include: two female teenagers, with symptoms, isolating at home; one woman in her 50s, with symptoms, isolating at home; and one male in his 20s, no symptoms, isolating at home. For more information call 301.334.7770 or 301.895.3111.

As mentioned in yesterday’s column, I have the “bobbing for apples” answer for you today.  The reason people don’t bob for pears is because pears do not float! While their cells are similar in size to those in apples, pears are “denser” and have fewer air pockets within, making them heavier for a similar sized fruit.  Now you know.

Good news for all you electric vehicle owners and the environment: Garrett College’s McHenry campus is one of the latest locations in Garrett County and western Maryland to have an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station installed by Potomac Edison, as part of a pilot program to benefit the environment by reducing auto emissions.

The County Commissioners will be holding their next meeting next Tuesday, October 20th, at 4:00 pm.  Here’s the link to the agenda and online information.

Today is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day and, as more people are home with their pets during the pandemic, there are more opportunities for them to “treat” their furry friends. But beware, table scraps and extra treats can add up quickly—just a 5 oz serving of dark meat turkey for your small dog can be the caloric equivalent of an entire 8-inch pumpkin pie for you! Research has shown that 1 out of 3 dogs and cats are overweight. In addition, insurance data reveals that pet owners with overweight pets spend as much as five times more in veterinary expenses than pet owners with average-sized pets.

So Trupanion, a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs, looked into its database of over 530,000 pets to uncover the common conditions (along with the condition’s avg. cost per year) that dogs and cats may experience from being overweight.  PLUS: 5 Tips to keep your dog or cat in shape.

Common conditions of overweight dogs with average cost per year: Cruciate Rupture: $3,800; Diabetes: $2,000; Lameness & Limping: $400; Arthritis: $300

Common conditions of overweight cats with average cost per year: Congestive Heart Failure: $1,200; Diabetes: $1,300; Lameness & Limping: $300; Arthritis: $300

5 Tips to keep your dog or cat in shape

1. Have your pet assessed by a veterinarian to determine what their ideal weight should be and have them make diet recommendations.

2. Be mindful of the number of treats a pet receives throughout the day. They can easily add up and lead to excessive calorie intake.

3. Make sure your pets get regular exercise and playtime.

4. Designate one person in the house to be in charge of feeding to make sure that the pets are fed the same amount consistently, and that they aren’t accidentally getting extra meals.

5. Don’t give in when they look at you with sad eyes or when they beg.

Yesterday was a bit dreary and cooler.  Today we have an 80% chance of showers, mainly before 9:00 am. High near 56 degrees, with a northwest wind 10 to 13 mph. Tonight will be mostly clear, with a low around 41.

Today is the deadline to register in advance to vote in the 2020 General Election; it’s also the deadline to update voter information. Voters will also have the opportunity to register, in person, during the eight days of early voting, October 26th through November 2nd, and on Election Day, November 3rd.

Last week, the Clean and Green team placed mums in the planters around downtown Oakland.  This is the 3rd year the team, composed of volunteers, has kept the planters filled with summer and fall flowers. The mums were purchased by the team using prize money they were awarded at last year’s “Run for It” in Tucker County, WV. The team also weeded and added new mulch to the Veterans Park and built some pumpkin stacks at the Pocket Park. Thanks to all Clean and Green team members. Here’s a photo of some of their work:

Pumpkin Stack in Oakland Courtesy of Clean and Green Team

We have a number of new items in our Online Marketplace, including some boats.  Be sure to check out the Marketplace from time-to-time to see what is available.  And remember, we can post your ad for the low price of $25 for as long as needed until it sells!  And no, you can not sell your spouse on the Marketplace, so don’t even ask… 🙂

Speaking of markets, Lebanese Taverna, from the DC area is coming back to the lake-area this Wednesday.  So, if you want some good Lebanese cuisine, order today and remember to pick up when the truck comes into town to deliver Wednesday afternoon.  Jean and I have ordered twice and always good, and different too. Order by today – Tuesday, Oct 13th at 4:00 pm – for delivery on Wednesday, Oct 14th at 4:00 pm. Here’s the link for more information, the menu and the order form: https://bit.ly/2DDnyIn

And yet again, speaking of markets, Bear Creek Traders in McHenry is holding its Annual Tent Sale with savings up to 70%. You will find clothing and accessories for men & women, home decor, footwear, Deep Creek Lake Souvenirs and much more. Look for the huge white tent in their parking lot for amazing specials during this three day event.

Last Boat Ride of the Season

I just returned home from an out of town trip down to Ocean City for a long weekend getaway.  A nice, fun trip, but happy to be back in COLORFUL, BEAUTIFUL, PEACEFUL Garrett County. The weather for today is showers likely, mainly before 8:00 am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61 degrees, with an east wind 8 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Tonight we have a chance of showers, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.

For those readers out of town, here’s a photo submitted by regular reader and photo contributor Dee Dave that shows the beauty around just about every corner in Garrett County and the Deep Creek Lake area these days.  She took this “still life” in the Dutch’s parking lot.  Thanks for sharing Dee. Nice, rich colors…

Everyday Colors

Happy Columbus Day to all! I know some states are moving to not recognice the day, but I believe it is still a federal holiday, if perhaps a lesser one, and is still recognized in Maryland.  There will be no mail delivery today.  While there had been celebrations in 1792 to mark the 300th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage, Columbus Day was first officially proclaimed by President Benjamin Harrison in 1892, to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ landing in the Bahamas.

Moving right along to present day Garrett County, the Garrett County Health Department has received two additional positive COVID-19 results, bringing the current county total positives to 79. The new positive COVID-19 cases are a teenage male and a female in her 50s. Both have symptoms and are isolating at their homes. Currently there are a total of three residents isolating due to positive COVID-19 test results. For more information call 301-334-7770 or 301-895-3111.

I reported last week on the winners of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2020 Photo Contest.  Now, we all have a chance to vote on the Fan Favorite, which will also be included in the annual DNR calendar.  The DNR folks have narrowed the voting field down to four nice shots, and your votes determine the favorite.  Here’s the link for you to vote and learn more.

On Saturday, October 24th at 7:30 pm, Charm City Junction will perform a premiere YouTube video exclusively for the Garrett Lakes Arts Festival (GLAF) audience at no cost! GLAF is asking you to follow the link and sign up for this virtual event and also consider a donation to GLAF of ANY amount to help cover the costs for this performance. Here’s the link for more information, to register for the free event or to give a donation.

Finally, in keeping with the “fall is all around us” photo theme today, here’s a nice photo my wife took when we arrived home from the beach yesterday afternoon about 4:30.  It is a quick shot from our driveway that shows a sampling of our area’s peak colors (even in the rain).

Fall is All Around Us

Have a great week dear readers…

The weekend looks great! The weather today will be sunny with a high near 67 and a low around 55. South wind around 6 mph. Saturday will be partly sunny with a high near 68 and a low around 56. Sunday will be mostly cloudy with a chance of showers after 9am. The temperature will be a high near 67 and a low around 57.

Columbus Day, Monday, is looking to be mostly cloudy, showers likely; a high near 63 and a low around 55.

The Deep Creek Mountain Land Company has let us know that they are in the final stages of selling the remainder of their DCL lots. See more information here.

The MD DNR has a lot to report today: First, they were busy stocking trout across the state but, in Garrett County the following were stocked last week:

• Bear Creek: 600 rainbow trout
• Casselman River: 600 rainbow trout
• North Brach Potomac River (Westernport): 600 rainbow trout
• Piney Reservoir: 1,000 rainbow trout
• Savage River: 600 rainbow trout
• Youghiogheny River: 600 rainbow trout
• Youghiogheny River (C & R): 600 rainbow trout
• Youghiogheny River (Friendsville): 600 rainbow trout
• Youghiogheny River (Oakland): 600 rainbow trout

Next, the Deep Creek Lake Policy and Review Board hold a virtual meeting Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020 from 4-6 p.m.The meeting is open to the public. The public may attend and participate by Google Meet using this link or by telephone. Also, please visit the Deep Creek Lake Natural Resource Management Area website for more information on how to participate. An agenda will be posted on the website in the upcoming days.

“The western corner of Maryland is seeing peak foliage setting in, headlined by the vivid yellows, reds, and oranges of maple leaves.”

A like-new DR chipper newly listed in our Online Marketplace. Check under the “miscellaneous” category.

Thanks to Gena Sweeney for sharing a few amazing fall foliage photos with us!

We hope you have a chance to ejoy Autumn Glory weekend! It’s truly the most wonderful time of the year! Our Celebrating Autumn Glory page has a number of new events listed and be sure to check out the details for the Oktoberfest at Shrimp on the Barbie, Cars and Ice Cream and several craft shows that were recently added!

The weather today will be sunny with a high near 57 and a low around 42.

I have to say I’m a little disappointed in seeing that great forecast; the Thursday night of Autumn Glory has always been the Oompah Celebration. There was usually a Fireman’s Parade, an Oompah band, traditional German dinners, and more. All of this has been cancelled because of COVID-19.

Things are a little different this year, but! There still will be some happenings to celebrate Autumn Glory this weekend. Check out our Celebrating Autumn Glory event page for the events we know about.

At the Autumn Glory Kick-Off yesterday, the Chamber of Commerce named Terry Helbig as the 2020 Honorary Golden Ambassador of the 53rd Annual Autumn Glory Festival. Congratulations, Terry!

Garrett. 8 Cinemas is still working through the logistics of being reopened. This past week, they were closed again. They have let us know that they will be open for showings tomorrow, October 8.

A reminder that the landfill is on the Winter Schedule: The change to winter hours denotes that on Saturdays, the landfill will close at noon and the scales are closed. No commercial loads, or loads that need to be weighed, will be accepted on Saturdays until April 15, 2021.

The collection sites remain open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sundays from noon until 6:00 p.m.

Also, please note the following important dates:

• The landfill and the collection sites are closed Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 26) and Christmas Day (Friday, December 25).
• The landfill and the collection sites are open Columbus Day (Monday, October 12), Veterans Day (Wednesday, November 11), and the day after Thanksgiving (Friday, November 27)
• On Election Day (Tuesday, November 3), the sites are closed due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. The landfill is open.

Here’s an amazing sunset from Red Run Cove shared with us by Chip Mathieson:

I hope you have a chance to get out and enjoy all of the Autumn Glory Festivities!

Yesterday was just about perfect weather-wise.  Left my office for a bit of air and a quick swim and then took my wife for a nice lunch at Brenda’s. Today will be sunny, with a high near 66 degrees and a west wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Tonight will be mostly clear, with a low around 44 and with some wind.

I am glad President Trump is home now and recuperating, but I am still concerned about his team and all those with COVID-19 throughout the nation and world.  Some poorer, developing nations are getting hit really hard, as are some areas in this country.  Plus, small businesses and their employees are really getting hammered. I sure hope things are better in the near future. In the meantime, we all need to be thinking about what we can do to support local individuals and businesses that may not be as fortunate as we are.

I bet you didn’t know that there are over 250 species of spiders in Maryland?  Well there are and the latest edition of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ HabiChat newsletter covers that topic and many more, including monarch butterflies, stem nesting bees, native grasses and how to support garden wildlife.  Here’s the link.

Speaking of nature, the Mountain Fresh Farmers Market will be taking place this morning at the pavilion in downtown Oakland from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.  The plan is for the outdoor markets to continue through October.

According to the Baltimore Sun, Maryland officials reported 413 new cases of the coronavirus and six new deaths associated with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, yesterday, while the state’s reported seven-day positivity rate declined for the first time in 11 days.

With some states choosing to delay further reopening or even bring back some previously lifted restrictions due to surges in COVID-19, the personal-finance website WalletHub yesterday released updated rankings for the States with the Fewest Coronavirus Restrictions. WalletHub utilized a measure of 17 variables for each state to determine their rank. I thought readers might find the article interesting.

While certainly different from previous years’ events due to the pandemic, the 53^rd  Annual Autumn Glory Festival is kicking off today.  You can pick up copies of the official guide to events at the Garrett County Visitors Center located at 15 Visitors Center Drive in McHenry or download it online at visitdeepcreek.com/53rd-annual-autumn-glory-festival

Today we will have patchy fog between 7:00 am and 8:00 am. Otherwise, it will be sunny, with a high near 62 degrees. Tonight will be mostly clear, with a low around 49. West wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

The Garrett County Health Department received positive COVID-19 results for one additional person over the weekend, bringing the current county total positives to 76. The new positive COVID-19 case is a female in her 30’s with no symptoms who has already completed her isolation. There is one Garrett County resident currently in isolation due to positive COVID-19 test results. For more information call 301.334.7770 or 301.895.3111.

Management at Garrett 8 Cinemas has made the decision to close Monday – Wednesday beginning yesterday. They will remain open Thursdays through Sundays. I wanted to make sure all were aware in case someone was planning a visit to the movies before Thursday.

The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) plans to reopen its six E-ZPass® Customer Service Centers within the MDOT MVA branches at limited capacity and by appointment only beginning Tuesday, October 13th. Note that all customers must schedule an appointment to visit an E-ZPass Customer Service Center in these MDOT MVA locations by calling 410.537.8400.  Services are also provided 24/7 to citizens in the comfort of their home at ezpassmd.com or via the Interactive Voice Response system, at 1.888.321.6824.

Congratulations go out to Jeff Hinebaugh, Director of Emergency Services at Garrett Regional Medical Center, Crystal Sadowski, Dave Sweitzer, and Jeremy Whitacre who represented GRMC in the annual Marine Corps Golf Tournament held in late September. The team finished in second place. Personally, I generally shoot in the low 70s, then I really get awful on the second nine holes…

Here’s a fish story for you anglers seeking some new arrivals: Yep, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources just stocked 2,000 trout yesterday in Garrett and Allegany counties. Here’s the details and locations.  Get ’em while they are still wondering what the heck happened!

As the sun sets on the summer boating season, I thought I would share this photo submitted by regular contributor Ed O’Connor of his dock at sunset on Saturday.  Ed is fortunate to still have his boat in the water at this point due to low end-of-season water levels (note his dock placement). Thanks for sharing Ed and I hope you get some more days in…

Late Season Sunset at the Lake

I hope you all enjoyed the great weekend.  Weather was crisp, but it was sunny and beautiful out.  Today will be cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 53 degrees. Tonight will be mostly clear, with a low around 39.

We certainly offer our best wishes, prayers and hope for a speedy recovery to President Trump, the first lady, others in our government and all that have contracted COVID-19. This year has certainly been a challenging one for our county and its citizens.  I do hope that we can all put our political differences aside and move forward as one nation.

On a more positive note, Jean and I had the chance to eat at the Rooster’s Nest in Grantsville Saturday evening.  The restaurant is owned by Sandy Fazenbaker, one of my stronger and favorite students from when I taught at Garrett College.  Sandy is a long-term cook/food worker that was able to make her entrepreneurial vision a reality.  It is a nice, reasonably priced, “country place” with a variety of offerings, and with noteworthy BBQ and grilled offerings. My steak was great! Give it a try for a casual meal and tell her Mike says Hi!

Took this photo looking west from the 219 overlook north of Accident on Saturday.  I think the photo just about sums up the Garrett County countryside in a nutshell.  With all the leaves looking to be at almost peak, the ride up and around was really nice.  I urge readers to walk, run or ride around the county to experience the season’s beauty.

Garrett County

During the 2019-2020 school year, each public school in Garrett County participated in the Garrett County Health Department’s Play Hard, Live Clean (PHLC) campaign, a healthy lifestyle campaign designed to encourage youth to make good choices by recognizing and rewarding them for certain positive lifestyle accomplishments from kindergarten through high school. The culmination of the campaign for seniors is the awarding of a scholarship to one Northern High student and one Southern High student who earned points for participation in PHLC. The scholarship can be used for work expenses, health expenses, or further education of any kind. The winners for 2019-2020 were Alexis House from NHS and Jacob Nazelrod from SHS. Congratulations Alexis and Jacob.

Please check out this month’s Deep Creek TImes Cover Story if you have not had a chance to yet.  The Cover Story is on the innovative fundraising approach and great work being conducted by Deep Creek Lake Watershed Foundation to help maintain Deep Creek Lake water quality.  You can find the article here.

HART For Animals continues to do GREAT things for our furry friends, and HART’s numbers year-to-date, as of September 2020 certainly support that: Spays & Neuters: 508,      Rescue & Transports: 503, and Adoptions: 115. The revenues generated by the services at the HART Animal Center support the basic operating costs of the facility, including staff and maintenance, so that HART may serve the animals and the community through their mission programs. Those programs are supported through donations and fundraising. HART uses 87% of all revenue to pay for those programs, including rescue, transport, spay/neuter, sheltering, and adoption.

Speaking of HART, their fundraiser in partnership with GLAF, the “Wine & Weekend” Raffle justfinished and they announced the winners, which we congratulate:

Diane Ward Lett, Laytonsville, MD
Lisa Jan, McHenry, MD
Audrey Glassberg, New York, NY
Gary & Luanne Ruddell, McHenry, MD
Thearin Wendel, Reston, VA

We have an owl, or actually owls, on our property that sometimes keep us awake at night, listening to their rythmic “hoots.” And that is not at all a complaint, as it is one of the neat things about Garrett County. I was reminded of our local feathered friends when I saw the results of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2020 Photo Contest.  The grand prize winning photo was taken by Zaphir Shamma of Gunpowder, and while the subject of Zaphir’s winning subject is not from our area, I thought it was worthy of inclusion here. Great photo Zaphir!

Red Morph Eastern Screech Owl by Zaphir Shamma

That’s all for today folks.  Have a great week…

The weather today will be partly sunny with a high near 50 and a low around 36. West wind 5 to 13 mph. Saturday will be patchy frost before 10 am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 54 and a low around 39. Sunday will be partly sunny,with a high near 56 and a low around 43. Note – scattered showers after 3pm. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Our friend, Glenda, has shared the official weather measurements for the month of September: Average HIGH temperature was 73.8, and the average LOW temperature was 51. Total precipitation was 2.6 inches.

Breaking news this morning: President Trump and first lady test positive for COVID-19

I made a mistake yesterday in announcing the Spread the Warmth program — please note that this is an Oakland Oil program. What a great way to help our community!

The fall foliage in Garrett County is “near peak” — the link has several area photos taken by local park rangers.

The MD DNR mentioned they will begin fall stocking of thousands of brown, golden, and rainbow trout in select creeks, lakes, and rivers across the state starting in early October.

The September “Where Am I” winner was David Weaver! Congratulations, David! Make sure you check out this month’s contest photo.

As we talk about enjoying our great “lake” (hint-hint for the contest above….) Mike has written an excellent Cover Story. Take a moment to read and maybe get inspired.

Thank you, Kelly: We have selected Kelly’s photo for our Featured Photo of the Month.

This weekend make plans for the Mountain Fresh Farmers Market on Saturday and the One Maryland One Book 2020 Discussion on Sunday.

The weather today will be mostly sunny with a high near 58 and a low around 40. West wind 5 to 11 mph.

Our newest cover art (and below) can be attributed to Bella’s Custom Designs. Miss Bella is only 11 years old and is offering hand-lettering and custom art work. We’re honored we can support a young entrepreneur in her new endeavor and look for her art to be a monthly feature. Please contact her if you need any design work done! Thank you, Bella!

Reported by the Garrett County Forestry Board: Sometime between Sunday 9/27/20 and the morning of Tuesday 9/29/20 two fire danger signs were stolen from along Route 219. The signs were located at the pull-off near the former Bill’s Outdoor Center and were beneficial in informing both residents and travelers of changing fire danger conditions. If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact the MD Forest Service Garrett County Office at 301-334-3296 or Natural Resources Police at 301-777-7771.

Did you know October is Mars Month? Thank you to Bob Doyle, Emeritus, Frostburg State University for the October Garrett County Skies report.

Through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund, Garrett College can now offer scholarships for area businesses wishing to provide employees with the opportunity to obtain industry required professional certification or licensure.

Maryland Courts are having to get creative in finding remote locations to get back to work. One Maryland county is using the Cow Palace; Garrett County is reported to use a high school gym.

The CDC is recommending lower-risk and limited-contact Halloween activities this year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our new advertiser, the Deep Creek Fireplace and Outdoor Store is connected to the Oakland Oil’s “Spread the Warmth” initiative. By purchasing your fuel oil for your home, $0.5 per gallon will earn credit towards fuel for your church!