Deep Creek Lake MD News and Local Resources: Daily Notes

After rain on Thursday, Friday will have showers likely with a high near 58 and a low dipping to around 34. South wind around 15 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph. Saturday will be sunny, with a high near 51 and a low of 44. Breezy, with a west wind around 23 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. Showers are likely on Sunday, mainly before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50 and a low around 34.

How about checking out a hometown ball game this weekend and rooting for one of the local high school baseball teams.  Northern hosts Rockwood Friday afternoon and Southern hosts Frankfort at the same time.

It’s National Parks Week this week (April 20th – 28th) and it is a celebration of America’s 419 treasured sites throughout the country. Here in Maryland, there are 18 sites managed by the National Park Service, with some close by or on the way to the lake. Here’s a listing of all in Maryland along with some impressive statistics you can use to amaze and amuse your friends.

Well, April is also National Donate Life Month, a month-long dedication to encourage organ donation registrations, and a celebration of those that have saved lives through donating. Last year, more than 36,000 organ transplants were performed throughout the country, with more than 800 happening right here in Maryland.

Tomorrow morning, Friendsville’s Going Batty — installing a few bat houses and maybe a little celebration in the Friendsville Town Park. 10am.

Ramps (the wild onion, not the wood or metal kind) have a special place in Appalachian culture and cooking. I frankly had never tasted one until I moved to Garrett County a number of years ago. I have since sampled a variety of dishes incorporating them and they are all good. You can find out for yourself at the 18th annual Ramp Cook Off at the Discovery Center this Saturday. You can also tour their great facility or take a hike on one of the trails before or after the Cook Off.

Music, you want music?  As always, there’s a nice variety of talented local, regional and national acts around town this weekend. Black Bear Tavern seems to always have some strong acts, as does MoonShadow,  Mountain State Brewery and SipSide Lounge also often offer musical entertainment to accompany their food and spirits. Check out this weekend’s musical offerings here at our Entertainment Guide.

According to the Department of Natural Resources’ Maryland Fishing Report, “fishing at Deep Creek Lake is entering a new stage, as warmer water temperatures tease several species of fish to become more active. Smallmouth bass are active along rocky shores and points. Largemouth bass can be found in the cove areas.” There’s also some good trout fishing in the area according to the report.

Here’s a link to the latest edition of HabiChat, for stewards of Maryland’s backyard habitat and which is published by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.  This issue talks about native and non-native plantings among other things.

Please check out our Events Guide for local events I haven’t mentioned above and also our other guides for dining and other offerings, including specials. Have a great weekend.

Remember the “World’s Hardest 400 Meter Run / Walk / Crawl” is coming up soon:

Yesterday was another nice day at the lake. I washed my car over the weekend and due to the weather and a little luck, it is still clean as I write this Wednesday! Today’s weather will be a chance of showers and thunderstorms all day. Cloudy, with a high near 62 and a low around 53.

It’s National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Garrett County Department of Social Services, along with a number of local sponsoring organizations, is active helping protect those that cannot protect themselves. Here’s a photo of Sherri Heldreth and Max Hill of DSS spreading the word at their display table at the county Jobs Fair yesterday. Thanks folks.

Garrett County residents and visitors have access to five public beaches as well as two recreational water attractions. The Garrett County Health Department conducts two monitoring programs to ensure safe recreational environments and to advise the public of any unsafe swimming conditions (which rarely occur here).

Registration is now open for Summer session courses at Garrett College. A total of 23 courses are being offered this summer, with 17 of these courses being online. The remaining six courses will be held on the College’s main campus. All courses are open to current and future Garrett College students as well as students that attend other institutions and that may be “home” for the summer. A great way to accelerate progress towards a degree at a low cost.

Fill it out! A survey is being conducted by the Garrett County Health Department with the Garrett County Local Management Board, Garrett County Behavioral Health Authority, Mountain Laurel Medical Center, and Garrett Regional Medical Center. The results of the survey will help determine the prioritization of the next Garrett County Community Health Improvement Plan.

It’s Music Express Karaoke Night at Black Bear Tavern this evening starting at 8:00 pm.

A great cause: Mark your calendars for dinner at Dutch’s this Sunday, April 28th! From 11:30 am – 9:00 pm, a portion of sales will be donated to the Dove Center! $5 appetizers available, in addition to their regular menu items! Here’s a link to the Dove Center website.  Check it out to learn more about their work and services.

As you know, I like to share studies and information that provides insight into our world here at the lake and beyond.  I have been hearing that the real estate market around the lake is doing very well these days and thought I would share this broader study from WalletHub on real estate agents, and specifically, the attractiveness of their profession in various locations throughout the country. Some interesting and even surprising results.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will undertake restoration projects at lakes throughout Maryland under the new State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund, which provides $1 million for each of the next three years to improve state-owned lakes.

Share the things you love …. Deep Creek Lake, MD <3

Yesterday was just about perfect: sunny and 75 degrees. Today’s weather will be mostly sunny, with a high near 61 and a low around 47. Slight chance of showers overnight.

Today is Administrative Professionals Day. Thanks to all of our readers that support their colleagues as administrative professionals!

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State park????

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The annual Garrett County Jobs Fair is being held this afternoon starting at 1:00 pm at the CARC on the Garrett College campus.  I heard there are over 50 employers that will be present looking for employees for all sorts of positions and for all levels, including seasonal jobs at the lake.

Looks like they are doing roadwork (repaving) on 219 a couple of miles south of Glendale road.  It ends (or starts, if you are coming north) about where the Dental Health Group office is on 219.  Yesterday afternoon delays were at about 15 minutes, so please plan accordingly as I think they have more work to finish.

The town of Oakland is looking for sponsors for a number of events and initiatives, including: downtown flower pots, the town mosaic and the Little Yough Music Festival.  If you have a potential interest, please call or email Michelle Ross at 301.334.2691 or mainstreetgoba@gmail.com

We have a used dock newly listed and for sale in the Deep Creek Times Online Marketplace. It has a Trex and vinyl top and is a single slip dock with a swim platform. It is located in McHenry cove and you would have to pick it up.  Here’s the link to the listing Online Marketplace.

The Garrett Institute of Lifelong Learning (GILL) just announced their May schedule.  One course readers (and/or their relatives) might be interested in is Practical Boating on Deep Creek Lake for Seniors, which is scheduled for Saturday, May 4th, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon at Bill’s Marine. Call GILL at 301.387.3069 for more information.

Here’s a double shout-out: Donald E. Bossi is the president of the global nonprofit FIRST^® — the world’s leading youth-serving nonprofit helping young people discover a passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Bossi just gave an online shout-out (see below) to Garrett County’s FIRST teams (think LEGOs and robotics) and their great outreach to get FIRST teams in every school. Many readers and even locals may not realize what a great program we have in our schools and Sarah and I keep telling everyone that will listen how blessed we are here on the mountain.  Go kids, mentors, coaches and visionaries like Don!   

Yesterday was a nice day at the lake with a few boats out even if the temperature was on the cooler side.  Today’s weather will be mostly sunny, with a high near 74, a low around 45 and a chance of showers tonight.

Here’s an interesting factoid for you: NASA estimates that there are 117 million lakes on Earth, covering 3.7 percent of the continental land surface. About 90 million of these lakes are less than two football fields in size, or 0.5 to 2.5 acres. And we have one of the nicest lakes of all here in Garrett County!

Here’s an innovative way to say thanks to the administrative professional in your life: Garrett College is holding a special conference for administrative professionals this Wednesday, with some nice speakers scheduled along with a lunch session. It goes from 8:30 am – 1:30 pm. Contact Jodi McClintock from the college at 301.387.3142 or jodimcclintock@garrettcollege.edu for more information and to register.

Here’s a not-so-nice factoid for my readers.  Since you read Deep Creek Times, we know you are online, so I wanted to share this information. Unfortunately, there’s a new cyber crime scam out there targeting Instagram accounts and their followers, and while it is now targeting larger accounts, I am pretty sure they will migrate down to accounts with less followers.  The scam alleges “copyright infringement” and you can find out more here.  Please help spread the word.

With measles cases currently increasing at an alarming rate in the U.S., the Garrett County Health Department is urging all Garrett County residents to know their immunization status and get vaccinated if needed. The Health Department is available to provide information on measles and the measles vaccine to residents. You may call the Garrett County Health Department at 301.334.7770 or 301.895.5355.

Put the Mountain Maryland Native Plant Festival on your calendar for May 11th, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at New Germany State Park.  My wife and I try to get there every year and it is always nice, with lots of opportunities to buy local/regional, native plants for your yard and to gain some insight from experts. It is sponsored by the Maryland Native Plant Society in cooperation with a number of other organizations.

Yesterday was fairly mild but was overcast for most of the day. Today’s weather will be mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 61 and a low around 47.

We hope you all had a nice Easter weekend.  We sure did. We are blessed to be in beautiful, peaceful Garrett County and we want to extend our thoughts and prayers to all those impacted by the senseless bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.

There are buds in all stages of development on trees and shrubs around the lake and yards and meadows are filled with the yellows of daffodils and forsythia.  That means summer is coming soon!  I found this photo on the Internet and I think it really captures the excitement and energy of summer at the lake. Can’t wait!

The Maple Street Bridge over the Youghiogheny River in Friendsville will be closed for repairs for about six weeks. A news release issued by the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration said the closure, which begins Monday, is necessary to protect work crews and motorists and expedite the $500,000 project. General concrete repairs will be made.

Let go of my Lego!  Actually, there will be plenty of Lego blocks to go around at the Grantsville branch library’s Lego Club session this evening from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm. The program is designed for children ages 4 and up and features free building time with lots of building bricks. Children are encouraged to build a creation based on a new theme each month. For more information or to register, contact Hannah at 301.895.5298, or email hannah@relib.net.

Want to help preserve our regional biodiversity? Bring your work gloves, kneeling pads, favorite weeding tools and some elbow grease to remove unwanted plants from the native plant garden at New Germany State Park. As you work, you’ll learn how to identify common weeds and why protecting native plants is so critical for wildlife. The next session of “Weed or Wildflower” is April 26th.

Registration is now open for the 6th Annual Garrett County Birdfest which is taking place the weekend of May 3, 4, 5 at a variety of local state park venues. Even if you are not a super-duper birder, these guided walks look like they would be a fun learning experiences.

Live at the lake? Second home owner? Planning a visit in early July? Have an interest in living history? Then consider experiencing the special Chautauqua “Then and Now” festival to be held in Mountain Lake Park (just East of Oakland and about 15 minutes from the lake), the original home of Chautauqua in Maryland. The 25th annual Chautauqua living history series will take place over three days (July 5,6,7) and will include full days of activities and special presentations,  Each evening, the activities will conclude with interactive presentations from Maryland Humanities Chautauqua 2019, “Making Waves.”

Finally, as the lake-area continues to “awaken” from winter’s slumber, we welcome any and all photos of plant and animal life (including human animals) that you think worthy of publication to share with other readers.  We can’t promise we can publish all of them, but we will do our best. Please send all submissions to info@deepcreektimes.com. Thanks in advance for your submissions.

The weather today will be showers, with thunderstorms also possible; a high near 67 and a low around 49. Saturday will be partly sunny with a chance of showers, mainly after 3pm. High near 56 and a low around 39. Wind gusts as high as 24 mph. Sunday will be mostly cloudy, with a chance of showers; a high near 51 and a low around 42.

With Passover starting on Good Friday and Easter occurring this Sunday, we wanted to wish all of our readers a Happy Passover and Happy Easter. Since the two overlap this year, I thought I would include this interesting piece on the commonality between these two religious holidays.  Have a great holiday and weekend whatever your religion.

I had the pleasure of attending the Power of Possibilities Summit Thursday.  Congratulations to the winners and to Jodi McClintock and team at the college for a nice event. I especially enjoyed the keynote presented by Jeff Tobe, author of Coloring Outside the Lines.  I have not read the book yet, but if it has as much simple, practical management insight as his talk, it is worth a read and I wanted to pass along.

Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel William Pallozzi recently presented Bittinger Volunteer and EMT Heather Christner the Maryland State Police PCO of the Year award! Heather is the daughter of Glen and Patty Champlin. Congratulations Heather!

Greg Short & Friends will be at Sipside Lounge tonight beginning at 5:30.

The last indoor ‘Winter’ Farmer’s Market this coming Saturday (April 20). Then there will be two outdoor Markets at the Mt Fresh Pavilion, May 11 & 25, before the 2019 Summer Season starts June 1st. A reminder the indoor market is held at the Garrett County Community Action Conference Room at 104 E. Center Street in Oakland.

Last week’s An Evening with the Stars (#AEWTS2019) raised $47,000 for Cindy’s Fund. Tad Rodeheaver, Mason Wolf, Jake Sweitzer, and Brayden Warnick earned Crowd’s Choice with their Mötley Crüe‘ act and 5 doctors Becky Crowell, Margie Fridkin, Lynda Dougherty, Stephanie Sisler, & Abby Feathers earned Top Fundraiser and Judges Choice awards with their Spice Girls show.

The Maryland ALS and BLS July 2019 protocol updates are now available online for EMS providers. We wanted to share the cover as Garrett County represents with JT Collins and Phillip Rumor on the statewide manual!

Since Easter is later this year, the local egg hunts have been really spread out. Here are a few happening this weekend:

Yesterday at the lake was sunny, warm and wonderful.

Here’s a short summary of the April 16th Garrett County Commissioners public meeting if you were unable to attend.

The Grantsville branch of the Ruth Enlow Library is hosting Garden Planning 101 this morning from 11:00 am – Noon in their library meeting room. If gardening is not your thing, the Accident branch of the library is holding their monthly Coffee, Books and More meeting this afternoon from 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm, where you can discuss the library staff’s favorite reads and recommendations.

Black Bear Tavern is hosting Music Express Karaoke this evening from 8:00 pm – 11:30 pm.  I would participate, but Black Bear is an advertiser and if I “sing” (and that is being generous), I would likely scare away all of their other patrons.   That said, I have heard these are fun nights, so check it out.

On May 7th, from 4:45 pm-7:00 pm (including a discussion at 6:30 pm) the Garrett County Suicide Prevention Committee will present a special screening of Suicide: The Ripple Effect.  This important documentary will be aired at the Garrett College Auditorium.

I am putting in a plug here for a very nice, smart, honest, hard-working student of mine: Susan Liller. Susan owns the L&L Cleaning Service in Garrett County (named after her daughters) along with managing Ari’s Pizza in Oakland.  If you are looking for a home cleaner, please consider Susan, who can be reached at 301.616.0443 or susan@iceweb.net.

This one is troubling and important at the same time, especially when you think of Garrett County’s aging population and relative affluence around the lake. Research firm Comparitech estimates that there are five million cases of elder fraud in the United States each year, resulting in a combined loss of $27 billion! They estimate Maryland seniors lose over half a billion dollars due to fraud each year. Here’s the link.

Yesterday was a really nice, windows open-wide, day around the lake. Today’s weather will be partly sunny, with a high near 67 and a low around 50.

We made the back cover of the new Deep Creek Marry-land magazine!

Garrett Regional Medical Center (GRMC) keeps impressing us with their new programs and efforts. GRMC just announced that their new MHealth mobile app is available to provide GRMC patients with such information as lab results, radiology reports, visit history and billing.

A sailboat and a jet ski have been recently added for sale on our online marketplace – look under the “BOATS” tab. Also, we have a reader looking for an aluminum dock.

You can stay in Garrett County this evening and still experience another “world” by attending a lecture on Benazir Bhutto, the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan. The Chautauqua-style lecture, from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm, will be given by local entrepreneur Kam Gillespie, former employee at the World Bank and currently owner of Haley Farm in Oakland.

You have two choices for something a bit different this evening and they are both from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm.  There’s an Acoustic Rock Jam at MoonShadow (bring your instrument and join-in or just listen) and Team Trivia at the Greene Turtle (six rounds open to all). Both establishments have nice brews and nice eats too.

Don’t forget the Power of Possibilities (POP) Summit is this Thursday at the college. Sarah and I founded POP in 2014 and Jodi McClintock has been running it the past couple of years. This year’s session includes business plan competitor pitches and an interesting keynote on creating a new customer experience.  Check it out and support entrepreneurship in the county. I will be there. Call 301.387.3069 to register.

If you are around for Easter, please check out our Dining Guide for some ideas.  I know Penn Alps, Ace’s Run and Dutch’s have nice buffets planned and you can call any listing on our Guide to check their hours and if they have any specials planned for Easter Sunday.

On April 25th the Strategic Facilities Committee of the Garrett County Board of Education will hold an all-day informational workshop at the Board of Education Central Office in the Board Room. Topics to be presented will include student enrollments, educational programs, facility conditions and expenditure, the cost of ownership, school system finances, county demographics and housing, and county finances related to school operations and capital needs. The presentations will be preceded by a brief business meeting of the Committee beginning at 8:30 am. The workshop and meeting are open to the public.

Yesterday morning saw what was hopefully the season’s last snow, with a dusting and temperatures around freezing. Today’s weather will be mostly sunny with a high near 61 and a low around 50. West wind 10 to 15 mph.

Sarah’s other local business, The Deep Creek Wedding, is launching the first edition of their magazine today! Check out the Deep Creek Marry-land magazine for 40 pages of details, vendors, and insider tips on getting married here in our Deep Creek area. Sign up via email to receive your downloadable copy!

Garrett County Sheriff Rob Corley has put out an advisory stating that individuals claiming to be from the power company have been attempting to get into residences in the Oakland area. Potomac Edison does not have crews doing that at this time so it is believed to be a scam. Residents are advised to not allow anyone they do not know or are not expecting into their homes. Please help spread the word.

The County Commissioners have been holding open-to-the-public budget work sessions where county departments and other organizations present their budget requests for the next fiscal year. There is another work session scheduled for this afternoon at 4:30 pm at the county court house. The Garrett County Health Department and various County Departments will present their budgets to the commissioners at this session.  Here’s more information including the schedule for the public presentation of the FY 2020 budget in late May.

Congressman David Trone is hosting an Opioid Epidemic Workshop from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Thursday in Hagerstown.  The workshop features a discussion about the impact on our residents and will feature a panel of experts in the field. Representatives from local and regional organizations will also provide resources and information to attendees.

The Chamber has scheduled its bi-monthly Business Before Hours for Tuesday, May 21st in the Sundown Village Cafe Yurts at Wisp Resort. The 2019  “Legislative Wrap-up” will provide information that impacts Garrett County and/or your business. Hear directly from Senator George Edwards and Delegate Wendell Beitzel as they provide a summary of this year’s Maryland General Assembly session.  https://www.visitdeepcreek.com/events/details/business-before-hours-legislative-wrap-up-2019-25439

Rides are filling up for the 2019 Garrett County Gran Fondo bike race on Saturday, June 22nd.  Actually, the Gran Fondo, sponsored by Garrett Trails, is a number of races, for “almost” all level of cyclists.

Yesterday was rainy and  dreary. Today will be cloudy with snow showers likely before 3pm. A high near 39 and a low around 34. Windy, with a west wind 25 to 28 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

I attended the Garrett County Health Fair on Saturday and from all that I saw and heard it was a great success.  Lots of folks of all ages and backgrounds attended and there were quite a variety of healthcare-related exhibitors including providers and information sources. Very well done.

Broadband provider NeuBeam™ has announced the opening of an Internet Connection Center (ICC) on Liberty Street in Oakland. The ICC stems from a joint program between NeuBeam and the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service to help bridge the nation’s Digital Divide and will operate in space provided by Garrett County Community Action Committee and will be open to the general public with two kiosk terminals.

As part of the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 27th you can bring your unwanted/unneeded prescription pills for disposal to any one of three Garrett County Drug Take Back Site drop boxes: Oakland City Hall (8:30 am – 4:30 pm); Garrett County Sheriff’s Office (24/7); and McHenry State Police Barrack (24/7).  These drop boxes are available nearly around the clock, but can only accept pills or patches, not liquids, needles, or sharps.  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Garrett Lakes Arts Festival (GLAF) is holding their first concert of the season on April 27th: Walt and Jackie’s “Legends” concert will be held at 7:30 pm in the Garrett College auditorium. Their thoughtfully chosen cover songs and selections of original compositions highlight both performers’ celebrated talents and versatility and will deliver a great experience.

The week of April 28th – May 3rd is Oakland’s annual “Spring Clean: Clean Up, Paint Up, Fix Up” where all residents are encouraged to put out mattresses, washers, dryers, sofas, chairs and up to 100 pounds of construction debris for pickup at no charge and to clean-up their homes and lots. Contact City Hall 301.334.2691 or the Oakland Street Department 301.334.3253 for more information.

Finally, while this brief piece by the state of Maryland does not uniquely apply to Garrett County, we are part of a truly great state and region. And, we more than hold our own as to a lot of the factors mentioned, especially quality of life and of course, natural beauty!

It was a great Saturday night for @hole_in_the_donut:

Yesterday was a nice day at the lake. Today will be showers and thunderstorms (mainly after 4pm). High near 66 and a low around 50. Winds gusting today up to 33mph. Saturday will be partly sunny, with a high near 67 and a low around 51. Chance of precipitation overnight is 30%. Sunday will be mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. A high near 68 and a low around 45. Southeast wind 8 to 14 mph with gusts as high as 30 mph.

I had the pleasure of receiving a briefing yesterday on the county’s Work Ethic Diploma program for high school students. The collaborative effort is designed to ensure a more workforce-ready high school graduate based on the achievement of certain levels of attendance and involvement, being drug-free and other factors. This will be the first graduating class, with up to 100 students from both high schools.

Where’s the stuffing? The spring turkey season kicks off this Saturday with Junior Turkey Hunt Day. The regular season is open from April 18th – May 23rd.  There are restrictions and limits so check out this special  Department of Natural Resources site page for more details. Good luck, to the turkeys that is. 🙂

Don’t forget the Garrett County Health Fair and Family Fun Festival is this Saturday, from 8:30 am -12:30 pm at the CARC on the Garrett College campus. Always informative and fun.

Please be advised that Kendall Drive, between the church and Crellin Elementary School area, will be temporarily closed during the hours of 12:30 p.m. through 3 p.m., on Sunday, April 14, 2019 for the Crellin Outreach Program Easter Egg Hunt.  Any questions can be directed to the Garrett County Health Department at 301-334-7730

Beardog Lodge shared this photo of their playful pup with us:

Garrett College is hosting a special Administrative Professionals Day Conference on April 24th. Chuck Olsson, head of Human Resources at First United Bank & Trust, will be leading the session titled ‘Leading Your Life With Purpose’ from 8:00 am – 1:30 pm. The fee of $79 includes lunch. Contact Jodi McClintock at 301.387.3142 or jodi.mcclintock@garrettcollege.edu.

As usual, there’s lots of musical entertainment going on around the lake this weekend.  Consult our Entertainment Guide for cool acts at Sipside Lounge, Black Bear Tavern and MoonShadow. And of course, check out our Upcoming Events Guide for a variety of events including a number of cool experiences (think birds and salamanders) at the Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park.

There truly is a light at the end of the tunnel. The Big Savage Tunnel, located south of Meyersdale, Pa., and an iconic landmark along the Great Allegheny Passage between Pittsburgh and Cumberland, is now open for the season. So consider dusting off your bike, putting on your helmet and “hitting the passage” for a nice spring ride.

As the middle of the country gets pounded with another blizzard, remember it could get worse. Here’s a photo looking down Baltimore Street during the big flood in Cumberland in 1924 (courtesy of local author/historian Al Feldstein). Note the folks on balconies and looking out of upper floor windows at the water. Almost 100 years ago and I still feel bad for those poor folks.

The weather for today will be mostly sunny, with a high near 60 and a low around 49. Southeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph.

The Southern Garrett Marching Band headed down to Walt Disney World yesterday to march at the Magic Kingdom. We wish them a safe and fun trip. Please give our best to Minnie and Mickey.

Each spring, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students of the 6th District with entries due by April 19, 2019.

The new and improved Annual State Park and Trail Passport is now available with some additional features. At a cost of between $75 – $100 per year, and with a number of multi-use benefits, I wanted to make sure our readers were aware.  Here’s the link.

It’s Team Trivia at Mountain State Brewing company this evening from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. This six round game is open to all and there are prizes.  It’s Music Express Karaoke Night at Black Bear Tavern this evening from 8:00 pm – 11:30 pm. Stop by and “sing your heart out” to new or old favorites. Both these establishments have great food and beverages as well.

Our Town Theatre in Oakland will be hosting an Old Time Music Jam tonight from 7:00  pm – 9:00 pm. Anyone interested in attending is welcome! Beginners to advanced musicians are encouraged to bring instruments and participate.

Last week over 36,000 trout were stocked in streams throughout Maryland and the fishing has been good. Garrett County received a bunch of rainbow and golden trout. Here’s more information for all you spring anglers.

Each year, the Maryland Forest Service responds to an average of 200 wildfires that burn 2,200 acres of forest, brush and grasses. Spring is the main “season” for wildfires due to an abundance of underbrush and other “fuel.”  Here’s a short piece by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources on wildfires and what we can do to prevent them.

Don’t forget that the Garrett County Health Fair and Family Fun Festival is this Saturday at the CARC (Community Aquatic & Recreation Complex) at Garrett College in McHenry from 8:30 am until 12:30 pm.  It is free and a great, fun way to get health-related information to help you and your family.

The Garrett County Board of Education will hold a Special Business Session on Monday, April 15, 2019 to review, discuss and possibly approve the FY2020 Proposed Operating Budget. The meeting will be held at Central Office in the Board Room. Public comment will begin at 3:00 p.m. after which time the Board of Education will discuss the Proposed Operating Budget.

The County Commissioners are holding their next public meeting on Tuesday, April 16th at the Courthouse in Oakland. The meeting starts at 3:00 pm with the public session beginning at 4:00 pm.  Here’s a link to the agenda and note all times are approximates.

Yesterday started out overcast and a little wet but developed into a nice day. Today’s weather will be sunny, with a high near 56 and a low around 38. Some gusting winds up to 21mph.

I returned home to Garrett County in the wee hours yesterday morning from a trip to California. When I left San Diego it was 84 degrees.  When I landed in Baltimore it was 69 degrees. When I got to the lake it was 50 degrees!  May be cooler now, but it will all be worth it when the great crisp, fresh mountain summer air and natural, green beauty come into full “bloom.”

Magician Tim Canter will perform two free Comedy magic Shows this morning at the Friendsville Library.  There will be two showings, 9:20 am 10:30 am in the town hall next to library. It’s free and intended for all ages!

Here’s a link to a really well-done piece on the Great Allegany Passage Bike Trail on Wildfulness.  It is their latest piece and will prove interesting to cyclists- and non-cyclists alike.

This year’s Power of Possibilities Entrepreneurship and Community Leadership Summit is being held on April 18th from 8:30 am – 2:30 pm at the Garrett College special events center.  In addition to hearing from this year’s business plan competition participants, you can take-in the keynote by entrepreneur and author Jeff Tobe, whom Insider Magazine has dubbed “the guru of creativity.” The session costs $54, and only $10 for students.  Call 301.387.3069 for more information or to register.

The Chamber’s April Business After Hours is this Thursday, from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm.  It will be hosted by the Garrett County Board of Realtors and will be held at Uno’s Pizzeria and Grill. Here’s the link for more information and registration.

Experienced choir producer and conductor Charles B. Logan is forming the new One Mountain Community Gospel Choir at the lake.  All (over 18) are welcome to join in singing the “good news” from its new home at Wisp Resort.  There’s an initial information session planned for Thursday, April 18th from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm.  You can text Charles at 301.501.3511 for more information.  Good luck to all on this new effort!

Did you know that 54 million Americans say they don’t understand their car insurance?  WalletHub just did a study of auto insurance costs, providers and consumers’ attitudes and I thought I would share it here.  You can also find out where Maryland ranks cost-wise and some of the least expensive providers in the state. Interesting and actionable information.

Docks are going in and it’s looking a lot more like summer around here:

The weather today will be a slight chance of showers before 3pm. Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 62 and a low around 37. West wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

One of our readers is in search of (ISO) an aluminum dock – do you have one for sale?

Auditions for next Our Town Theatre production, Gracefully Ending, will be held TONIGHT from 7-9 pm at the theatre. There are parts for 2 females, 30s and older, and 3 men, late 20s and older. Audition materials will be provided at the audition.

Also, Our Town Theatre will be hosting an Old Time Music Jam on April 11 at 7 pm. Anyone interested in attending is welcome! Beginners to advanced musicians are encouraged to bring instruments and participate.

On behalf of the Play Hard Live Clean Campaign and the Garrett County Drug-Free Communities Coalition, there is a new drinking prevention survey posted for Southern and Northern High School students. Please share with your teens! Students can win a variety of prizes (including a $500 scholarship each year).

Tomorrow is a Wine Tasting and Music Fundraiser benefitting the Flowery Vale Fitness Center in Accident. Event is from 5pm-7pm and is $25 per couple.

The Northern Garrett High School literary magazine has been published. I have to say I am impressed! If you are interested, we can put you in touch with the high school to get your own copy of this student-written and student-edited publication.

New Germany State Park will host a three-day Maryland Hunter Education Course on April 16, 18 and 20. The class is for first-time hunters obtaining their hunter education certification. Students must attend all three sessions to be eligible. Any student under the age of 13 must have an adult (21 years of age or older) accompany them during all three sessions. For more information, visit the MD DNR page.

A reminder to make your nomination(s) for the 2019 Heise Entrepreneurial Spirit Award in this week. The deadline is close of business on Friday, April 12. The Heise Entrepreneurial Spirit Award was named in honor of Helmuth and Evelyn Heise, founders of Will O’ the Wisp and Wisp Resort and the award honors a business owner that has shown similar entrepreneurial qualities.