Deep Creek Lake MD News and Local Resources: Daily Notes

We have some sun in store! Today’s weather will be mostly sunny, with a high near 24 and a low around 17. Saturday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 24 and a low around 18. And, Sunday will be partly sunny, with a high near 28 and a low around 22.

Spruce Forest Artisan Village is hosting the 34th annual Christmas in the Village this Friday and Saturday. The event runs Friday from 4:00 – 8:00 pm and Saturday from noon to 8:00 pm.

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is being presented by the Cumberland Theater through December 23rd.  I’ll bet the drive to Cumberland is worth it, as White Christmas is a true classic and they do great work.  

The Mountain Fresh Farmers Winter Market is headed inside for the season and will be at Community Action in Oakland this Saturday from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. Check out their newsletter for offerings, pointers and a schedule for all the winter dates.  Enjoy!

Every year the Garrett College Wildlife Club puts out a neat calendar with photos from the students’ field experiences. The calendars are for sale ($10) at the college and select area retailers and the earnings go towards helping Natural Resources & Wildlife Technology program students in the club take their winter and spring field trips. Here’s the photo of a family of northern raccoon’s taken by Mike Mosser that will be on the cover of this year’s edition. Please consider purchasing to help this worthy cause.

First United Bank & Trust is proud to sponsor the 3rd Annual Christmas Charity Tour of Homes to benefit The “I Can Swim!” Program for Garrett County youth. This is the 3rd annual event and the homes are always magnificent! The tour runs on Friday, December 7th, from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm and on Saturday, December 8th, it runs from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

There’s lots of holiday-related events going on in the area this weekend.  Please check our Events section to see all of the good things going on.  Have fun.

The Frostburg Holiday Lamppost Committee is hosting the annual Frostburg Candlelight Tour of Homes, on Sunday, December 9th from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Call 240.529.8312 or Click Here for more information!

I bet you didn’t know that December is Small Business Administration Write a Business Plan month? Well, it is and if you have been considering a new business as a career move or as a “side hustle,” or just to pursue a dream, this may be a good time to get started. There are almost 1,000 small businesses in Garrett County and we are adding new ones all the time. The next one could be yours! Here’s a link to get you started.

Well, it snowed most of the day yesterday, but with limited accumulations. Also noticed the lake is starting to freeze in places. Today’s weather will be mostly cloudy and a chance of snow showers. High near 31 and a low around 20. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch and nighttime accumulation of around an inch possible.

I almost forgot to wish everyone a Happy Hanukkah. Lucky for me these two fur balls from HART for Animals reminded me as they send their own well wishes. Note their collars!

Don’t forget today’s Women’s Networking Lunch at Ace’s Run starting at Noon.  There are two local featured speakers (Leigh Clarke and Elizabeth Williams) as well as good food and relationship building.

Microsoft on Monday announced its intent to expand the Airband Initiative and bring broadband to three million unserved people in rural communities by mid-2022. Declaration Networks Group (including their brand Neubeam, which serves Garrett County) is a Microsoft partner in this endeavor. This is good news for all in need of rural broadband and the county as a whole.

There’s an Input Session for the new Friendsville Library today from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm to allow patrons to share their opinions and provide input on the proposed new library’s design and style.  Share your input and shape your library!

There are still holiday events going on this evening (and into the weekend) at the Oakland Community Center: The LED Community Christmas Tree and the Joy of Christ.  Check them out if you need to get a “dose” of Christmas spirit.

The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce just announced its 2019 Legislative Agenda. The issues included in the Chamber’s agenda are those items that the Garrett County Chamber believes could have the biggest impact through legislative action. Their top legislative priorities are as follows:

1. Oppose Increasing the Minimum Wage
2. Amend Maryland Healthcare Access Act of 2018 to Allow Maryland Small Businesses to Participate in Association Health Plans
3. Support Additional $2 Million Annual Allocation for State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund
4. Support Improvements to and Oppose Expansion of Mandated Paid Leave
5. Support Reduced Fees & Recommended Methods for Shoreline Erosion Prevention

Local Crisis Manager for Maryland State Police Special Ops, Erica Carlson, had her photo (taken during a training) published on the cover of Police magazine.

Yesterday brought us some snow, but with limited accumulations.  Today’s weather will be snow with a high near 27 and a low around 20. Light west wind increasing to 8 to 13 mph in the morning. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible and nighttime accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

The Garrett County Commissioners held their latest public meeting on December 3rd at the Courthouse in Oakland.  The commissioners made the county’s 2019 legislative requests to Senator Edwards and Delegate Beitzel. Here’s a link to the summary of the meeting, including details on the legislative requests.

Lots of activities for children and adults at the various branches of the Ruth Enlow Library today and this evening.  Check them all out on their website.

This one makes me happy to report: After years of stream restoration efforts, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources recently discovered native brook trout returning to once uninhabitable streams in the Casselman River watershed.  The 66-square mile watershed now has reproducing stock due to some special efforts by area experts and citizens.

If you and the family were dreaming of a… LED Christmas, there is a LED Christmas Tree “playing” to the music on 87.9 radio this evening at the Downtown Community Center (Old Armory) from 5:00 pm –  11:30 pm. Just pull up and tune your car to 89.7.  Really.  It’s magic I think and it will continue for additional days.

I just heard that the Dairy Queen in Oakland will be closing for a few days for renovations.  It looks like they will be closing this Sunday at 6:00 pm and reopening on the 14th of December. Better get your Blizzard “fix” before they start their renovations!

There’s a Women’s Networking Lunch at Ace’s Run on Thursday at Noon. Bring lots of business cards and meet other area business and non-profit executives.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced yesterday that the second segment of the muzzleoader deer hunting season opens December 15th and runs through December 29th. Hunters may use muzzleloading firearms to harvest sika and white-tailed deer during this season.

Read this short, touching story by Bridget Nolan Manley:

Today’s weather will be mostly cloudy, scattered snow and flurries until about noon. A high near 29 and low around 22. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

As I write these Daily Notes Monday evening I am in a thoughtful state of mind, as it is my 63rd birthday today.  I am reflective, thankful and even a little anxious over what the future holds, or specifically, how long my future will be. I went to a memorial service for a friend, Millie Shilke, this weekend who lived to the ripe old age of 95 and it reminded me of how fortunate I am to be alive and well in this great country of ours and in this beautiful county we live in. Life is good here in the mountains!

I know a number of our readers work, live or visit Allegany County and/or have an interest in economic development in Western Maryland, so this one’s for you: Allegany County is holding a Economic Development Visioning Session this evening from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm. There will be an open house, workshop, panel discussion and presentation.  The folks in Allegany and Garrett are really trying to find that “magic sauce” to drive organic economic development in the region.

Here’s a link to Generation West Virginia for events for millennials all around West Virginia in December. I am guessing you will flip (and also have a smile on your face) when you see the very short video embedded in the site. Click the link to see why!

Cindy’s Fund Cancer Support Group twice monthly meeting tonight from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm at the Garrett Regional Medical center. This group is informal and open to all that are touched by cancer.

Don’t forget that tonight is the second evening of the Joy of Christ performance at the Oakland Community Center (and the site of the LED Community Christmas Tree light display). Not only is the event free but there is free food and gifts as well. This event is produced by a number of area churches.

It’s never too snowy or cold to ride in Garrett County — we have some of the best roads and trails! Photo by Pat O’Hammy at the Meadow Mountian Overlook.

What’s new around town? Unfortunately, a local retail store is closing its doors.

Notice: The Maryland State Board of Public Works meeting scheduled for this Wednesday, December 5th has been cancelled due to the closure of state government offices to honor former president George Bush (41).  The agenda that had been planned for the meeting this week will be moved to the next meeting on December 19th. RIP president Bush.

Sunday was sunny and warm, with the temperature nearly reaching 60 degrees. Today’s weather will be a chance of rain and snow showers before 3pm, then a chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36 and a low of 25. West wind 16 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible overnight.

The Ruth Enlow Library has some nice programming scheduled for today in Grantsville (Story Tails at 4:30 pm) and Oakland (Needlework at 6:00 pm) and also a number of Open Houses coming up at the various branches, with the first one this Wednesday at the Friendsville branch.

Our congratulations go out to Jodi Taylor Refosco, co-owner of Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales in McHenry. Jodi has been named the new president of the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA), a national organization of vacation rental professionals and suppliers. Way to go Jodi!

The first quarter of Fiscal Year 2019 (July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019) is off to a good start for tourism in the Deep Creek Lake area and Garrett County in general.  According to the Chamber of Commerce, Garrett County experienced an 8.0% increase in county accommodations sales, a 6.3% increase in Admissions & Amusement collections, a 128% increase in Visitor Guide requests and a 17.13% increase in visitors to the Chamber’s website. I’m not surprised based on all the area has to offer, which is communicated very effectively by our Chamber.

Various local congregations are presenting the 20th annual Joy of Christ celebration which is set to kick off this evening at 6:00 pm and run through December 7th. Each night will feature Christmas music, free dinner, a warm festive atmosphere, crafts for the kids (and kids at heart), and a focus on the birth of Jesus Christ. This event is completely free to all, is casual and open to anyone wanting to join throughout the night. Nothing is sold and gifts will be given away. It is at the Oakland Community Center (old armory).

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Forest Conservancy District Boards invites all Maryland fifth-graders in private and public schools to participate in the annual Arbor Day Poster Contest. The theme for 2019 is: “Trees Are Terrific…and Forests are Too!” Read more.

Unfortunately, the first death in the State attributed to cold weather this winter has been recorded. The death occurred in Garrett County and was an adult male in the 65+ age range. There were 61 cold-related deaths in Maryland during the 2017-2018 winter weather season. From November through March, the Department of Health monitors temperature conditions and incidences of cold-related illnesses and deaths. Weekly reports can be found online at https://goo.gl/UHaaX8. The site also includes the state’s Extreme Cold Emergency Plan and fact sheets about cold weather health issues, carbon monoxide, driving tips for extreme cold weather, and warning signs of a heart attack.

Today will be cloudy with a chance of light rain; a high near 42 and a low around 36. Saturday will be showers likely, mainly between 10am and 4pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, cloudy, with termperatures staying near 42. Southeast wind 10 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. Sunday will be a chance of showers, mainly before 9am then partly sunny, with a high near 54 and a low around 38.

Check out the local, live music scene Friday evening: Jason Shaw is playing at Black Bear Tavern Friday evening from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm.  Sally Mae Foster is playing at Moonshadow Friday night from 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm.

The Center on Rural Innovation just announced a Rural Innovation Initiative that will work to bridge the opportunity gap in rural America by helping communities build the capacity to create resilient, innovation-based jobs. I am sure there are opportunities for Garrett County that could be enabled and funded by this effort.

Well, they finally called out the Marines!  Garrett County Marine Corps League Detachment 1234 will be collecting Toys For Tots at Walmart on Saturday from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. Stop by if you can and donate something to this worthy cause.

Speaking of Toys for Tots, local Internet Service Provider NeuBeam, a service of Declaration Networks Group, is donating $10 to Toys for Tots (toysfortots.org) for every Internet installation completed through the end of 2018.  Not only do new subscribers get the benefits of the Internet, but they also get to help others in need.  Nice job.

Oakland Weight Watchers has changed their name and has two new meeting times – see the details on our What’s New Around Town page.

If you want to venture to Morgantown on Saturday, there will be a book signing by the authors of A Perfect Tree for Mrs. B, which is a children’s book authored by two Garrett County teachers, Deborah Wagner-Brenneman and illustrator Melinda Bishoff.

Closer to home,  Herrington Manor State Park will be hosting a holiday open house on Saturday from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, with Santa expected to make an appearance. Also on Saturday (and Sunday) the Oakland Volunteer Fire House is holding an open house to commemorate their 125th anniversary.  That is impressive and congratulations are in order for all those that work so hard to protect us all. Thanks folks.

On Sunday, the Garrett Community Concert Band will present its holiday concert on Sunday at 2:30 pm in the Garrett College auditorium. The title of this year’s concert is “Good Tidings at Christmas,” and it will feature a variety of holiday favorites, both secular and religious, plus a special Hannukah piece dedicated to the people who lost their lives recently in the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. That’s a nice touch I think.

Yesterday was snowy and windy all day, but it appears without a lot of accumulation.  Today’s weather will be cloudy, with a high near 35 and a low of 32. A chance of freezing rain before 2am, then a chance of rain. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

I have heard from many of our loyal readers that they enjoy the Daily Notes every morning with a good cup of coffee.  So here’s a few facts I just picked up from the Wall Street Journal: More than two billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide every day; The industry employs 125 million people; Beethoven’s morning coffee was made from exactly 64 beans each time. Now you know!

The Black Bear Tavern has a Music Express Karaoke Night this evening from 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm.  They invite all to come over and “sing your lungs out.”

Even as the weather grows colder, there is still good fishing at the lake and in streams according to the State of Maryland DNR Fishing Report.  They report everything from trout, to chain pickerel on the hooks. I am sure, as the report notes, that fishermen are looking forward to the ice fishing season once the lake freezes over to a safe thickness.

Oakland and its “A Great Small Town Christmas” program has a lot of activities and shopping events starting with the Our Town Theater Christmas Market on December 1st and the official tree lighting on the 7th outside the B&O Railroad Museum.  They are also having another Lucky Elves (that’s Elves, not Elvis) contest.

The Red Cross is holding a blood drive on Friday December 7th at the American Legion from 12:30 pm – 6:00 pm.  Call 1.800.RED.Cross to schedule an appointment to donate.  Thanks!

“Job” opportunity: St. Peters Church in Oakland asked us to spread the word that they are looking for a new Santa for their activities this season. Their past Santa has stepped down. Perhaps a contract dispute or he moved to the North Pole permanently or he may have gotten a promotion. But, what’s higher than Santa?  Seriously, if you are a member of their parish (or not) contact Patricia at Secretary@GarrettStPeter.com to learn more.  Ho, ho, ho.

OK, here’s more on coffee or specifically on a few “fillers” mentioned by the Wall Street Journal that used to be included by greedy coffee merchants way back in the day: baked horse liver, burnt rags and brick dust. Really. I think it is safe to say you will not find any of those in the coffee provided by our local Garrett County merchants.  Have a great one folks.

Yesterday was cold, windy and snowy, and hopefully another harbinger of a great local ski season. Today’s weather will be cloudy, with a high near 20 and a low around 17. Snow showers likely, mainly before noon. Wind chill values as low as zero. Breezy, with a west wind 20 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

As always, we try to keep you updated on the most recent and year to date snowfall totals each season. This morning, I am awaiting confirmation for the amounts in the last 24-hours but it will be updated as soon as possible.

There was a house fire on Penn Point Road in Oakland early yesterday.  While the house was a total loss, the occupant was alerted by the smoke alarm in the home.  Don’t forget to check your smoke alarms.

Good news: Garrett Regional Medical Center (GRMC) recently unveiled a million-dollar fundraising campaign to purchase a new CT Scanner that will enhance patient care. Direct donations for the CT Campaign can be made online by visiting  www.grmc-wvumedicine.org.  Contact Steve Bortz of the GRMC Foundation at 301.533.4304 or sbortz@gcmh.com for more information.

Garrett College will host their first ever home wrestling match tonight, Wednesday, November 28, 2018 at 7pm vs. Penn State Fayette.

Pizza, pizza. The Home Schoolers Series will be held this afternoon from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm at the Accident branch of the Ruth Enlow Library.  Home-schooled students will hear a brief lecture and then proceed to a local pizza place to create their own personal pan pizzas.  Preregistration required, so call this morning if interested.

Speaking of pizza, I heard that Brenda’s Pizza will be closed a few days this week – reopening Friday – as they get new flooring installed. Their full menu will be available at their carry out window during this time and Traders Coffee House is open and has limited seating.

Also at the library, the Cover2Cover Adult Book Club will meet at the Kitzmiller library this evening from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm. The book selection for this month will be Secrets of Garrett County: Little-Known Stories & Hidden History of Maryland’s Westernmost County by James Rada.  I have had the pleasure of meeting James at a workshop and also have read this book.  It is worth a read even if you can’t make tonight’s event, as it is filled with interesting tidbits, stories and history and is a very easy read.

There’s Team Trivia tonight at the Greene Turtle in McHenry from 6:30 pm until 9:00 pm.  The casual team format makes for a relaxing time, along with the good food.

There’s an “Out of the Box Workshop: Time Management” this Thursday from 10:00 am-Noon at Garrett College.  Call 301.387.3069 for more information or to register.

I just heard that Senator George Edwards and Delegate Wendell Beitzel have announced that they will hold their annual pre-legislative briefing on Monday, December 3rd starting at 6:30 pm. This meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Garrett College GEIC Building, in Room 111. All citizens are encouraged to attend and are free to ask questions.

Yesterday had mixed weather around the lake, including wind, rain and a dusting of snow. The weather for today will be cloudy, with a high near 25 and a low around 19 degrees. Breezy, with a west wind 18 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible and nighttime snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Yesterday afternoon Governor Hogan announced an executive order to establish an Emergency Commission on Sixth District Gerrymandering to fulfill the order issued on November 7th by the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. The Governor has appointed three members of this nine-member multi-partisan commission which will convene immediately to meet the district court’s requirements. Garrett County is in the Sixth District and current and future boundaries will impact citizen “clout” statewide.

For all my nature-loving readers: The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is offering holiday discounts on Natural Resource magazine, their annual calendar and Golden Age passes. 

Cyber Monday continues to be an important part of retail holiday spending in the US. According to projections from Adobe Analytics, yesterday was expected to bring in $7.8 billion in sales this year, and will be the single largest online shopping day in the U.S, eclipsing Black Friday ($6.22 billion) and Thanksgiving ($3.3 billion). As we await final numbers, please, please remember our local small businesses.

The County Commissioners yesterday announced the agenda for their next board meeting on December 3rd. The agenda includes road a road naming, hazard mitigation updates, business park land sale and a legislative update. The meeting is, as usual, open to the public.

The weather this weekend was interesting, from cool and sunny to an ice storm Saturday, then warmer on Sunday. Here’s a landscape photo I took showing the ice on trees Saturday morning. The weather for today will be rain showers before 2pm, then rain and snow showers likely. Temperature rising to near 43 by 10am, then falling to around 34 during the remainder of the day. South wind 13 to 16 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Tonight, a low-temperature tonight of 24 with a west wind 18 to 21 mph and gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

As you continue to digest your Thanksgiving meal, consider some of these facts from the University of Illinois Extension: About 88% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving, and that represents over 700 million pounds of the bird (I think I ate most of that, unfortunately).  Here’s the link to some additional factoids for your reading pleasure.

I went to the Festival of Trees on Friday.  I never cease to be amazed at the creativity of various individuals and teams.  Some of the themed trees (and wreaths) were truly works of art.  I hope that the Dove Center had another successful fundraising event. It looked like they did, based on the smiles and crowds.  The chili dogs weren’t bad either (just performing quality control, of course).

As an educator and businessman, I know the importance of a good science, technology, engineering and mathematics (S.T.E.M.) education for our young people. Add-in the arts, and you get S.T.E.A.M. which is really hot (pun intended) these days.  The Kitzmiller branch of Ruth Enlow library is hosting a STEAM Kids event today from 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm.  Even experiencing S.T.E.A.M. at a young age can open up a world of learning and career opportunities for youth and the team at the library does a great job of helping us out in this area.

Speaking of the library, they are hosting a LEGO Club this evening from 6:00 pm – 7:30 at the Oakland branch, with a themed build for children four and older.  Some may not know the tremendous program we have in Garrett County from K-12 and at Garrett College in LEGO competitions and robotics.  We have some great student teams that have won international recognition and competitions, all helping our students build many skills in addition to STEAM.

I went to the movies Saturday evening with my wife and we watched Widows, an interesting film with an all-star cast that dealt with “survival” and determination. Not an academy award nominee, but some good entertainment with some interesting action. We have the local up-to-date movie listings all the time on Deep Creek Times.

Calling all local artists. The Allegany Arts Council is hosting a Holiday Market Artisan Village again this year, from December 4th through the 30th and they are accepting applications for “consignment” from area artists. We have so many artists, artisans, and makers around the lake — here is the application from the Allegany Arts Council.

The weather for the weekend will be: today – sunny, with a high near 36 and a low of 28. A slight chance of freezing rain after 3am. Saturday will be rainy with a high near 42. and a low around 38. South wind 7 to 14 mph. Sunday will be partly sunny with a high near 49 and a low of 37.

We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. We sure did. I (Mike) had an especially nice day celebrating my grandson’s first birthday as well as having friends and family over for a nice dinner.  We also had some international students over for dinner and enjoyed that added aspect to the day.  I am truly blessed and thankful.

Well, the Festival of Trees, the event that unofficially kicks-off the holiday season in Garrett County is back today and Saturday for its 11th year. There is something for everyone, including visits with Santa,  great food, treats, craftspeople and of course the wonderful, creative trees and wreaths (which you can bid on after the public event is complete Saturday evening).  Plus, the proceeds go to help the very important work of the Dove Center non-profit.

Happy Birthday to you!  By you I mean the Gallery Shop of the Garrett County Arts Council that is celebrating its second birthday. The event goes from 10:00 am – 5:30 pm on Friday at their location on south second street. They represent some wonderful artists and I always find something worthwhile for gifting.

The Garrett Lakes Arts Festival (GLAF) is holding a Black Friday sales event on season tickets (30% discount).  I know many of our readers like the arts and especially the GLAF performances that feature a variety of music.  So, if you want to give a different type of gift, or just give the gift of great music to yourself, go to their site on Friday.

MoonShadow in McHenry is presenting music Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They are hosting Greg Short, Gilbert Lee, and Billy Breslin, respectively on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Do you remember the 60’s band called The Animals? Well, this isn’t about them. But it is about meeting the Roving Naturalists (and the animals they care for) at the Deep Creek Lake State Park Discovery Center on Saturday from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm.

The Pleasant Valley Holiday Bazaar is Saturday from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. at the Pleasant Valley Community Center.

The Harvest Moon Market is holding a Blowout Holiday Sale With Artists and Gifts and 75% off their inventory (some items are excluded).  They are closing and trying to sell their remaining inventory during the sale this Saturday from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. 

Our new water temperature gauge is set-up and reporting information. It’s a temporary device and certainly not scientific but gives good insight; reporting every 15 minutes. Check it out and see what you think even if you aren’t planning on jumping-in this weekend.

As is usually the case, there are lots of events in the area this weekend.  Check out our Upcoming Events section for additional events this weekend.

When visiting or even relocating here, it may be easy to forget the lake area’s rich history, including its historic dependence on natural resources such as coal and timber, so I thought I would include this brief story on the Farmington, West Virginia mine disaster that occurred 50 years ago.  That disaster claimed 78 lives and is a reminder of the area’s mining history, which is still present, though to a much lesser degree.

The weather for today will be partly sunny with a high near 24 and a low around 16.

We wish all of our readers and their families a safe, healthy and Happy Thanksgiving! 

We’ll be back with a new Daily Notes tomorrow.

Today’s weather will be cloudy, with a high near 30 and a low around 15. A chance of snow showers mainly after 1pm; total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. West wind around 18 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. Tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, will be mostly sunny, with a high near 24 and a low around 14.

Many of our readers will be traveling today (after reading the Deep Creek Times, of course) so I thought I would share some traffic projections from the Maryland Department of Transportation. Follow the link and you will know and can share at the Thanksgiving table tomorrow to impress your family. Be safe.

It’s Locals Day at Mountain State Brewery, with 30% off all flat bread pizzas. There are other deals listed in our Dining Specials should you want to take it easy before the big Thanksgiving cooking (and eating) frenzy. Please note that some local (non-dining) establishments close early today, so always check before planning a visit to a government agency or other entity, such as the library, which is closing at 5:30 pm.

Don’t forget to “shop small” this week as the holiday shopping season officially kicks-off. From Oakland through to Grantsville and in-between, we have some great local shops.  Remember to check our Shopping Guide for local retail establishments and especially visit them on Small Business Saturday, which is celebrated around the state. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our community and our advertisers listed in the Guide help us keep Deep Creek Times free to all readers.

Here’s one for the fisher(wo)men among us: A photo of a young man with the northern pike he caught in a river in Minnesota.  It’s a whopper that measured in at 45.25 inches. We have Northern Pike here at the lake, but most pike measure only a few feet long at best. I wonder if this pike’s even larger cousin is just waiting at Deep Creek Lake to make someone as happy as this fellow.

There is an opportunity to “Huff & Puff Before You Stuff” with Jazzercise at 9am tomorrow morning!

Today’s weather will be cloudy, with a high near 32 and low around 24. A chance of snow showers; total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

The horrific fires are still burning out West and, I heard yesterday, won’t be contained until the end of November. According to Justin Berk, we have seen smoke from the fire here on the East Coast.

There were a few fires in Garrett County over the last few days, too. A house fire in Friendsville, a car fire in Mt. Lake Park and I just heard about another, unconfirmed, home fire in Grantsville. To my knowledge they are unrelated and all are under investigation by authorities.

There are some programs for infants, children, and young readers today at the Ruth Enlow Library’s Oakland and Kitzmiller branches.

There’s a Cancer Support Group sponsored by Cindy’s Fund this evening at the Garrett Regional Medical Center (GRMC) from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. It is open to all those impacted by cancer: patients, survivors, caregivers, family and friends.

The Garrett Community Concert Band will be presenting its winter concert, Good Tidings at Christmas, in the Garrett College auditorium on December 2nd starting at 2:30 pm. Tickets will be available at the door; adults $8, students $2, children under 6 yrs are free. They are some talented folks and the price makes for a nice family outing.

Growing up here in Garrett County, some of the tradition and culture of West Virginia has been shared with us. Sarah wanted to share the story of the pepperoni roll — she used to have one every day as part of school lunch. Have you had one yet?

I love this time of the year especially because people come together to do good deeds and help others.  I just heard that the St. Peter’s Senior Moments 50+ Gang has voted to make their Christmas donations to the Warm the Children Fund and to the area’s Meal’s on Wheels program.  They also invite all to join them for their “Crazy Christmas Luncheon” at Moonshadow at 1:00 pm on December 5th.

We do our best to recognize and include events from non-profits in our Daily Notes and/or Upcoming Events, so please send any announcements for fundraisers, etc. to us at info@deepcreektimes.com. It especially helps if you include a link to a web page for additional information.

Did you know that Thanksgiving is the day of the year with the most home fires caused by kitchen equipment and that Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci warns that the leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking?  The National Fire Protection Association has prepared a list of Thanksgiving Safety guidelines to help ensure a safe holiday for us all: