Deep Creek Lake MD News and Local Resources: Daily Notes

Yesterday was another in a string of really nice days, with some cooling later in the afternoon along with some scattered thunder storms. Today’s weather will be partly sunny with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. A high near 84 and a low around 69.

There’s a Hound Hike at the Discovery Center this morning starting at 9:30am.  Hurry-up and bring Fido and have a nice walk with some other humans and canine friends.

Both Railey Realty and Taylor Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales have issued their Summer season Real Estate Guides, showing homes, lots and land for sale.  If you are like me and like to keep track of sales prices and offerings these are a fun read. And, if you are considering a purchase these are a great place to start in addition to our Deep Creek Times links (above) for each company.

Cindy’s Fund is hosting their Cancer Support Group this evening from 6:30pm – 7:30pm in the hospital boardroom in Oakland.  These are open to all.

We just found out that the May unemployment rate in Garrett County is 4.5%, unchanged from a year ago. That compares to a state unemployment rate of 3.9% and a U.S. unemployment rate of 3.8%. Howard County had the lowest in the state at 3.0% and Worcester County had the highest at 6.8%. These numbers were communicated by the Chamber with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, I believe, as the source.

Garrett County is updating its Comprehensive Plan, which lays out a long-term vision for the future of the county.  There is a related “sustainable environment” open house being held at Garrett College on July 16th from 3:00pm – 6:00pm.

That little body of water downstate called the Chesapeake Bay just received an “improved” report card showing increased bay health in a number of areas, including fisheries. The 2017 Chesapeake Bay Report Card issued by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science is good news for all of us in the state.

I have been hearing a lot of firecrackers going off around the lake already, so thought I would include this chart and information as provided by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.  I know fireworks have been a part of 4th of July celebrations for years, but safety is a must, especially with children in the vicinity. And, don’t forget the professionally produced fireworks displays in the area as a safe and recommended alternative…

The Commission suggests these safety tips when using fireworks:

• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
• Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents don’t realize that young children suffer injuries from sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
• After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them

We’re also adding the fact that a lot of dogs will get anxious around fireworks; be considerate not to spook someone’s pet.

Well, I think it is safe to say this past weekend’s weather was just about perfect. Lots of folks in and around the lake and our local establishments had plenty of activity.

Today’s weather will be partly sunny, with a high near 84 (HOT for Deep Creek Lake) with a “summer’s chance” (Sarah’s words) of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5pm. Tonight will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 69.

Welcome to the month of July. This month is named after Roman leader Julius Caesar, whose government named it upon his death to commemorate his month of birth. On this day in 1937 Amelia Earhart went missing and the Civil Rights Act was signed into law by President Johnson in 1964.

We want to take a moment to thank you, our faithful readers, for sticking with us as Sarah and I are celebrating one year of working for you!

Congrats to Jackie F. for winning our “Where Am I?” contest for June. Be sure to enter your guess for July’s contest today!

Children’s author Maggie Kemp will be at the Accident Library today from 1:00pm – 2:00pm and at the Grantsville library from 4:30 – 5:30. Her book “Sam, Fisherwoman: The Reel Story” about the adventures of a young girl, was inspired by Maggie’s own experiences at Deep Creek Lake.

The Maryland Geological Survey just installed a new seismometer on the Garrett College campus in McHenry. The state-of-the-art sensor detects vibrations in the Earth and feeds that signal into a nationwide monitoring system.  While quakes are rare in our region, there have been four centered in Maryland in the last decade.

Wisp just sent a release outlining their schedule of events for the fourth. We will have more comprehensive coverage of all lake-area activities for the fourth in the next couple of Daily Notes.

The Town of Accident’s 4th of July Homecoming is Wednesday, July 4 beginning at 9am.

Two local fireworks shows are planned for this week:

Broadford Lake Fireworks – Tuesday, July 3 at dusk (rain date July 5)
-admission is $3 per person, children 8 and under $1; the Community Concert Band and an octet of singers from the Choral Society will be on hand the evening of July 3 performing at Pavilion #1. Kona Ice and Lakeside Creamery will have items for purchase.

 

Deep Creek Lake “Fire on the Mountain” Fireworks – Wednesday July 4 at dusk (rain date July 5)
-check out the view from Garrett County Fairgrounds or The Lodges at Sunset Village with parking for $5 to benefit Team 1629 Robotics

Sorry, folks. We are having a technical issue with our webcam and it is currently down; we are working hard to get it back ASAP.

Way to go Ruth Enlow Library! They just became an official affiliate of the Choose Civility program that was started in Howard County a decade or so ago. They kicked it off Friday with a movie and have another event planned as well.

Is this perfection or what? This is a simple wDCT.live at the Deep Creek Lake State Park over the weekend….

The weather for this weekend looks to be fantastic — Sunny, with a high near 80 and a low around 64 today. Then, Saturday and Sunday will be sunny, with a high near 85 and with a low around 69.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Annapolis Capital Gazette shooting victims and their families.

The Friends of Deep Creek Lake just sent us an update. One key point they made was the need for “wake reduction” practices due to the high-water levels on the lake at this time. In addition to the impact from the “monsoon season” they also called attention to the fact that the lake is at the top-end of the “Rule Band.”

Hey there, lizard lips!  No, I wasn’t talking to my wonderful readers.  I was talking to the reptiles and amphibians that will be featured at tonight’s “What’s That Reptile?” at the Discovery Center at 2:00pm.

The Kitzmiller Farmers Market, a producers-only market, will be held in Kitzmiller from 4:00pm – 6:00pm this afternoon at the park in downtown Kitzmiller. For you visitors, Kitzmiller is an old coal town on the Potomac River south of Oakland. It is very different than the lake-area.

There are some good acts at local venues Friday evening (and throughout the weekend). Ronnie Burroughs and Optimus Riff will be at the Black Bear tavern, and the Still Brewing Band will be at MoonShadow. Check our events section for details and additional events

The Board of County Commissioner’s previously scheduled Public Meeting for July 2nd has been cancelled.  The next Public Meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 17th, beginning at 6:00pm at the Swanton Community Center.

Railey Mountain Lake Vacations has just announced a full remodel of Deepcreek.com, Suitesatsilvertree.com, and Willothewisp.com. This video is a neat animation to show the new site features.

Do NOT worry! I am unable to race in the Fast and Furriest Run and Walk Saturday morning, so there is a chance you can win.  This event will not only be a lot of fun, but it will benefit the good folks (and critters) at HART for Animals too.  If I do get to go, I will try to sneak-in disguised as a Miniature Schnauzer, so be on the lookout (and don’t tell anybody).

The second annual “Lions Chillin’ & Grillin’ for Vision: BBQ Fest” will be held Saturday at the Garrett County Fairgrounds (by the Lions Pavilion). This is another nice event for a good cause.

Terah Crawford will give a free performance at Noon Sunday at MoonShadow.

The Northern Garrett High School student team finished 5th in the recent state Envirothon competition. Students worked in small groups to complete tests in the areas of aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, and current environmental issues.

Did you catch our wDCT.live broadcast from the historic Drane House last night on social media? Here is Caroline reporting:

Yesterday was rainy in the morning but it cleared into a pretty nice day. Today’s weather will be a chance of showers early and then partly sunny, with a high near 70 and a low around 60.

Get some exercise – with a view – this afternoon and also meet a celebrity!  Take a self-guided hike up to the historic Thayerville Fire Tower and get the opportunity to climb up the tower accompanied by a park ranger. You can also visit Smokey Bear at the Discovery Center before or after your hike.

Have fun and do good at the wings for young Bentley Blythe fundraiser this evening at Backbone Tavern. Music for adults and fun stuff for the kids.

Dr. Nicole Miller has been named the principal of Southern Garrett High School and will begin her appointment on July 1, 2018.

As someone (Mike) not originally from the Garrett County area, I love to learn about the history, places and people that helped make this great region what it is today.  Friends of Blackwater are giving a lecture this Sunday: Tucker County’s Immigrant History in nearby Thomas, WV from 1:00pm – 3:00pm.

There’s a “Pocket Park” movie this evening from 8:00pm – 11:00pm at the Mountain Fresh Pavilion in Oakland. The film is Rock Dog!

This is different and a good value too: In celebration of Coney Days in Lonaconing, Dans Mountain State Park will be featuring a “Dollar Dip” at the pool on July 3rd. Adults pay only $1 per person and children five and under will get in free! The Dans Mountain Pool is just a few miles from Garrett County and the area’s only heated outdoor pool with a water slide.

Garrett College is offering a Maryland Boater Safety course at the college’s McHenry campus.  The session will be held Saturday, July 7th, from 8:30am to 5:00pm. This course provides the basic information one will need to boat safely and enjoy your time on the water and is required for those born after June 1, 1972.  Call 301.387.3069 for more information or to register.

Did you know that about three out of four Americans recycle?  That’s great for the environment, but many of us are not following the rules according to the National Waste & Recycling Association.  Many of us mean well but include items that cannot be recycled or items contaminated with food, resulting in what the industry calls “wishcycling.”  Just thought I would share this public service message.

Speaking of recycling, here’s a shout-out to Bob Carney and the rest of the Deep Creek Real Estate crew that picked up trash yesterday on Glendale Road. Thanks folks.  It takes a village.

Yesterday was a nice day; a little cooler though. Today’s weather will be showers and thunderstorms likely with a high near 72 and a low around 63. Rainfall could be heavy at times.

I hope you all voted in the primary yesterday. Thanks to all those that put their “hat in the ring” and ran for office. Locally, the commissioner race was tight in District 3; unofficial results are:

Commissioner District 1
Republican – Larry Tichnell
Democrat – Judy Carbone

Commissioner District 2
Republican – Paul Edwards

Commissioner District 3
Republican – Jim Hinebaugh

Want to travel the world with Girl Scout troop 1615?  Join them today in Friendsville as they travel from Australia to Tanzania to Russia, Brazil and China too.

It’s Locals’ Day at Mountain State Brewing Company, Crab Cake Night at Black Bear, Pasta Night at Ace’s, Steak Night at Penn Alps and there are discounts at Smiley’s and Pine Lodge Steak House.  Check out our dining guide for locations and contact information.

There’s Unplugged Bluegrass starting at 6:00pm at MoonShadow this evening and Team Trivia at the Greene Turtle starting at 7:00pm.

New Germany State Park just announced their lineup of events (most are free) for the rest of June and early July.  Some interesting activities including volleyball, owl spotting and some nice music, among other things.

A little history here from friend and historian Al Feldstein.  Here’s a photo, perhaps from the late 1800s/early 1900s, of Maple Street in downtown Friendsville.

Garrett College, in collaboration with Widmyer Driving School, LLC, will be offering Maryland Driver Education in a variety of settings in July:  July 9th – 20th, 9:00am to 12:00 noon at the Southern Outreach Center (old Oakland Armory); July 16th – 27th, 5:30pm – 8:45pm at the main campus in McHenry; and July 30th through August 10th, 9:00am to 12:00 noon at the main campus in McHenry. Call 301.387.3069 for more information or to register.

The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce will hold a State of the County at the next Business Before Hours on Tuesday, July 10th, from 8:00am – 9:30am in the Crawford room at Wisp Resort.

Sharing a special video that brought tears to my eyes for a number of reasons, including their passion for their “mission,” and my passion for entrepreneurship.  We all have unlimited possibilities for our lives.

Yesterday was really nice. The weather for today will be mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Tonight could have scattered showers, mainly after 11pm a low around 61.

The political advertising from candidates has been heating up, with signs, billboards and ads all over the county leading up to today’s primary.  Fortunately, it has been a very civil race so far, and I would expect nothing less for Garrett County.

Here’s a quick link to the Garrett County Board of Elections home page. It shows the various ballots for today’s primary election. PLEASE VOTE!

Butterflies are free! And, so is the Butterflies and Flowers Walk at the Discovery Center today at 2:00pm. Observe butterflies and learn about native and non-native plants in Garrett County.

The second of four Deep Creek Lake hydrilla herbicide treatments is scheduled to take place today. During the process, boaters are asked to stay clear of the treatment boat. Please be alert and note that the schedule might change due to weather.

Back to elections for a second, just in case you were wondering, the earliest state primary, held on March 6th is in Texas, and the latest is September 13th in New York. Now you know!

Not a sure if there is space available, but there is a camp for kids at Camp Deep Creek in Accident starting today and running through the 29th.

The Race Across America concluded over the weekend. The world’s toughest bike race, is a bicycle race where racers cover over 3,000 miles as they travel from Oceanside CA to Annapolis MD rarely sleeping and rarely getting off the bike. You may have seen the timestation / checkpoint in Deep Creek near Trader’s Coffee house. Christoph Strasser won the men’s single category and completed the continuous race in 8 days, 1 hour and 23 minutes.

AAUW Garrett College Student Chapter has sent students to a national leadership training.

OK, one more late-breaking factoid on the election. According to the Baltimore Sun online, it appears that, due to a computer error, up to 80,000 Maryland voters will have the wrong information in the system and will have to cast a provisional vote today. This is due to a problem with data collected by the MVA; all votes will count.

The Garrett County Arts Council is hosting an Arts Connection event for artists and those interested in the arts, on June 28th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm.  The event will be held at the Drane House, in Accident, the oldest house in Garrett County. Call GCAC at 301.334.6580 for more information.

A Swiftwater Rescue Technician class was held over the weekend with members from Kitzmiller, Bloomington, Oakland and Harford Fire Departments participating. All members completed and obtained their certifications. Thank you to Kitzmiller Volunteer Fire Department for sharing the photo below:

Today’s weather will be partly sunny, with a high near 72 and a low around 54.

Had to make a quick overnight trip down-state this weekend. Just got back to the lake-area as I write this and it is VERY good to be back. I am reminded why my wife Jean and I chose to live in Garrett County: beautiful scenery, friendly people and a much slower pace. Down-state has a lot going for it, but at this point in my life, I’ll take Garrett County any day!

The Garrett County Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Monday in the board room at the central office, 40 S. Second St. The board will meet in executive session at 4:05 p.m. directly after public comment to discuss personnel matters and legal advice regarding carryover funding

Greater Oakland Business Association is looking for some additional volunteers to help out with the Little Yough Music Festival on July 13th and August 17th and 24th. If you can volunteer to hand out programs, sell 50/50 raffle tickets, etc. please let Michelle Ross at Town Hall know. She can be reached at 301.334.2691.

Did you hear that the 6th annual Garrett County Opry is coming to town this Friday, June 29th?  The Opry is sponsored by Community Action Committee, a local organization that does great things for those in need. The Opry runs from 6:00pm – 10:00pm-plus at Garrett College with a number of acts and all proceeds going to Meals on Wheels this year.

The Deep Creek Lake Lions Club does some amazing things with the proceeds from their boat auction/race, fundraisers and other events.  Here’s a listing that gives a little insight that I thought worthwhile to share:

Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations and Sales has announced that their organization continues to expand; they have recently added several new agents to their company.

The Ruth Enlow Library invites all gamers to a Super Street Fighter II Turbo Tournament on July 9th, at 5:30pm. The tournament features RYU versus Ken, as well as 14 other fighters. Entry into the tournament, to be held at the Oakland branch, is free, and prizes will be awarded to the champions. The library will provide all gaming equipment. For more information, contact Thomas Vose at 301.334.3996 or thomas@relib.net.

My wife Jean (second from left in the photo below) had some friends up this weekend for their annual “girls weekend.”  They had a great time, including a fun shopping trip to Schoolhouse Earth.  I don’t know who that fellow with the horns is next to my wife but I intend to find out!

This weekend’s weather will be partly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms all weekend. Today a high near 65 and a low around 59; tomorrow a high near 70 and a low around 62; Sunday a high near 71 and a low around 58.

There’s an interesting “Create an Owl” program at the Discovery Center Friday afternoon at 2:00pm. You’ll get to meet a real live owl, learn about owl secrets and then create your own.

If you are hungry for some great seafood (and carved prime rib) visit Dutch’s at Silver tree Friday evening.  They have their weekly Dinner Buffet from 5:00pm – 10:00pm. They also have boat docking, patio dining and live entertainment at their Harbor Bar.

The Baer Bones Band is performing at 6:00pm Friday evening at the Black Bear Tavern at the Fort in McHenry.

The 45th Annual Grantsville Days celebration is being celebrated all weekend in Grantsville, MD! The event starts with a parade tonight at 6:45pm and continues through the weekend with a craft show, food vendors, music and fireworks.

The Mountain Fresh Farmers Market will be held Saturday from 10:00am – 1:00pm at the Pavilion on first Street in Oakland.  Lots of goodies in addition to the fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Mountain Laurel Garden Club is holding its 18th annual Secret Country Gardens Tour on Saturday from 10:00am – 4:00pm, rain or shine.  Tickets may be purchased in advance at Arrowhead Market, the Discovery Center, Firefly Farms, Gregg’s Pharmacy, Green Acres Garden Center and from club members.

Charles Wesley Godwin will be appearing at Noon on Sunday at MoonShadow.

Finally, there’s a lot of other things happening around the lake this weekend. Check out our Upcoming Events section for more good stuff. Or, if the weather is not cooperating, check out a movie or have dinner at one of our local eating establishments. Have a GREAT weekend!

Here is the schedule for the downtown Oakland Pocket Park movies:

Yesterday was rainy a good part of the day or there were pockets of sun depending on what part of the county you were in; today will be a slight chance of showers with a high near 73 and a low around 60. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Happy Summer Solstice!

Be careful on Route 219 near the 219 bridge this morning; it seems they are still cleaning up from a box truck and a tractor trailer collision; both drivers are doing ok.

Hurry-up and get ready! You can take a guided hike with the naturalist to the historic Brant Mine this morning at 10:00am. The hike begins in the center of the newly-designed mine room at the Discovery Center. The hike is approximately 1 3/4 hour. Moderate walking.

Congratulations to Oakland’s Dave Bruffy who won a prestigious national professional award recently: the CTAA 2018 Transit Manager of the Year. Way to go Dave!

Our friends the next county over at the Allegany Arts Council are looking for paid teachers for their summer arts camp.  They offer a week-long art camp to kids around the area–lasting from 9:00am-3:00pm, Monday-Friday. Email Samantha at skennedy@alleganyarts.org or call 301.777.2787 for more information.

Speaking of the Allegany Arts Council, they are hosting their 10th annual Plein Air Competition and Exhibition on September 24th – 29th and they are looking for host families to house the artists. My wife and I (Mike) are hosting again this year and have done it in past years and have met really nice, interesting, and talented artists. Call the Allegany Arts Council at 301.777.2787 for more information.

Meet my twin brother today at the Discovery Center! Smokey Bear (OK, he’s a lot better looking than me) will be there from 1:00pm – 3:00pm.

Wendy, of Wendy’s Towne Restaurant in Oakland, has announced she will be stepping back and out of the business as of July 31 and her employees will be opening the new Third Street Diner in August.

There is a documentary on Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg being screened at Cottrill’s Opera House in Davis, WV this evening at 6:30pm. Just a few miles from Deep Creek Lake.

This sounds fishy to me! Largemouth and smallmouth bass are most active in the early morning hours, which is the best time to be out on the lake due to boat traffic later on in the day. The evenings also offer good shallow-water fishing. The Department of Natural Resources presents a complete fishing report online, including all areas of the state, on a regular basis.

As reported previously in our Daily Notes, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has been monitoring water quality at Deep Creek Lake since 2009. They now have an interactive map and additional reports showing trends and current data for all sorts of water-quality measures.

Today is #NationalSelfieDay!

SMILE from your Deep Creek Times Team! 🙂

There were some brief and sporadic showers yesterday. Today’s weather will be more chance for showers and thunderstorms. A high near 74 and a low around 61.

It’s Open Mic Night at MoonShadow this evening from 6:00pm – 9:00pm. There are still openings.

Team Trivia is on for this evening at the Greene Turtle in McHenry from 7:00pm – 9:00pm.

Congratulations to friend and colleague Ashley Ruby, Director of the Advising & Academic Success Center at Garrett College, who was selected to join Complete College America, a non-profit dedicated to eliminating achievement gaps among students by providing “equity of opportunity” to all. Way to go Ashley!

Another “Congratulations” goes out to the Oakland Renaissance Arts & Entertainment District! The Application Committee was awarded the 2018 Asa M. McCain “Spirit of Oakland” Award at last night’s GOBA (Greater Oakland Business Association) meeting. This award recognizes individuals or groups that have contributed to the betterment of the community and is voted on by the GOBA membership.

The photo below is courtesy of the Garrett County Arts Council and shows GOBA President Fred Gregg presenting the award to team members Mikey Virts, Michelle Ross, Bob Carney, Karen Reckner and Frank Shap.

Theatre on the Lake starts its season with the Old Red barn New Play Reading Series on June 29th, with the main season beginning on July 5th with the presentation of People at the Edge of Town.

Local writer and “dream consultant” Rose Gordy will present “Dreamscape Poetry’ as part of the 2018 Mountain Maryland Writers Workshop. Her session is scheduled for Friday, July 27th from 11:00am until 12:30pm at Swallow Falls State Park. There are other experts presenting that week as well.

The AAA forecasts that 64% of American families travelling this summer plan to take a road trip.  Of course, the lucky ones will travel to the Deep Creek Lake area.  WalletHub has actually conducted an analysis of the best and worst states to take a road trip. I’ll let you decide if you like their findings and methodology and find out where Maryland lands.

Yesterday was another beautiful day at the lake. Today’s weather will be a chance of showers and thunderstorms likely with a high near 76 and a low around 63. Some rain could be heavy.

Join the Naturalist at 2:00pm today for a walk around the Discovery Center grounds observing the butterflies that use our native plants and learn the difference between native and non-native plants and their effects on our environment.

There’s a rabies clinic this evening at Bittinger Fire Hall from 5:00pm – 7:00pm. You can bring your animal to get vaccinated and they will also have dog and cat licenses available.

The good folks at Cindy’s Fund are hosting their Cancer Support Group for those with cancer or those supporting them this evening at 6:30pm in the Hospital Board Room. It is open to all.

Summer officially starts this week and so does HABco’s summer coworking hours! They’ll now be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays for anyone wanting to use the space to get some work done!

The Garrett County Courthouse was evacuated yesterday morning after a suspicious envelope containing a white powder and a handwritten note was found at about 10:30am. Later, Sherriff Rob Corley said the envelope was not hazardous.

From Town of Oakland: CSX will be closing the Railroad Crossing at Second Street, Monday, June 25 at 7am and it will remain closed through Wednesday, June 27th at 5pm to complete the railroad crossing/tracks repair and replacement.

wDCT.live was out in the field yesterday – it’s a hard job but someone has to do it! …..but, you could do it, too!

Anthony Istrico shared a few photos of his family having a blast on the water at Deep Creek Lake, too!

The weather was great this weekend, with a large number of folks out on and around the lake. The weather for today will be mostly sunny with a high near 84 and a low around 69.

In my lake-area travels this weekend, I saw a lot of families and extended families enjoying themselves and celebrating Father’s Day. I hope all of you Dads had a great weekend, as I sure did.

Libraries Rock!  That’s the theme for this Summer’s Reading Club that begins today and runs through August 31st this year at all branches of the Ruth Enlow Library. Stop by your local branch and pick up the reading list.

While at the Oakland branch of the Library this afternoon, you can bring any unwanted papers to Free Shred Day. The library is partnering with Sunrise Shred to offer a free paper-shredding event for the public from 3:00 – 6:00pm.

The Property Owners’ Association of Deep Creek Lake is accepting board nominations until June 30th. They have some very specific guidelines that are followed.

Learn some of the history of the early 1700 era farm at the Friends Store today at Sang Run State Park. Meshach Browning was there, Native Americans had an encampment nearby, and the Friend family has quite a significant history in the area.

Don’t forget! The primary election is June 26th, and early voting (Voting Centers open from 10:00am to 8:00pm) ends this Thursday. There are two centers to vote until then: Oakland Community Center and the Northern Outreach Center (in Grantsville).

Join us in welcoming a new advertiser Flipside Sounds! Flipside Sounds will be a new record and accessories shop located in Downtown Oakland with a planned opening in early July: “A music shop to rewind or fast forward into the wonders of vinyl records”. Flipside’s sister business, Sipside Lounge, has an estimated opening in October of this year.

Our water temperature gauge is working! The water temperature at the Northern end of the lake at surface is currently 74 degrees.

There’s just about a week left to sign-up for the Garrett College’s boater safety course on July 7th. There’s pre-work required and this course usually fills up, so if you are interested call 301-387-3069 for more information or to register. Happy boating!

The Learning Beyond the Classroom (LBTC) bus is having some minor mechanical issues but, not to worry, the LBTC activities will still be held bus or no bus! No registration required; just show up with your little ones – the schedule is below:

Monday:
Friendsville Town Park 9:30-11am
McHenry Apartments 1-2:30pm

Tuesday:
Grantsville Senior Center 9:30-11am
Avilton Community Center 1-2:30pm

Wednesday:
Bloomington Park 9:30-11am
Kitzmiller School Building 1-2:30pm

Thursday:
Glades Park in Oakland 9:30-11
Loch Lynn Church of God 1-2:30pm

Friday:
Pleasant Valley Community Center 9:30-11
Crellin Church of the Brethren 1-2:30

Yesterday’s weather was wonderful. The weather for this weekend will be mostly SUNNY the entire weekend! Today will have a high near 73 and a low around 49. Saturday will have a high near 77 and a low around 61. Sunday will have a high near 83 and a low around 67.

I went to what was likely the best Chamber Business After Hours event last evening at Trader’s Coffee House. Saw Brenda’s cool new take-out area, had some great conversations with folks and had some amazing food, including my favorite, Brenda’s meatballs!

The Masons appear Friday evening at 8:00pm at Black Bear Tavern in McHenry.

Check out Shakespeare in the Park at the Spruce Forest Artisan Village Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening at 7:00pm. The Cumberland Theater will be performing Twelfth Night.

There have been multiple counterfeit $100 bills used at local Oakland businesses recently. The $100 bills do say “For Motion Picture Purposes”, but they look very realistic. If you have any information on these counterfeit bills, please contact the Oakland Police Department at 301.334.2100.

Fish at the lake appear to be transitioning to their summer mode and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has the details and also recommends bait for everything from Bluegills to Walleye.

The Canaan Valley Mountain Bike Festival is being held this weekend. There are a number of components so check out our events listing and then go to their site for details. Garrett County Artist Annie Simcoe designed the festival poster and will have her work displayed at Blackwater Bikes during the festival.

Did you know that the Lodestone Golf Course at Wisp was ranked the “#2 course you can play in Maryland” by GolfWeek Magazine, 2018? They also have stay and play deals. Call 800-462-9477 for details.

The 23rd Annual Walk for Hospice of Garrett County will be held on Sunday at Glades Town Park in Oakland starting at 2:00pm. This is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Hospice.

Learn about our state’s transportation plan; Every five years, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) develops a 20-year vision for transportation in the state known as the Maryland Transportation Plan (MTP). Comments and questions can be emailed to 2019MTP@mdot.state.md.us and all comments received through June 29th will be addressed in the draft plan anticipated in Summer 2018.

Calling for makers! The Civic Club is looking for a few makers for their Antiques, Makers and Collectibles Fair during Autumn Glory – makers of rugs, pottery, re-purposed, cast iron, quilts, wood work and the like. They already have a basket maker and blacksmith joining them. Email gfwc.oakland@yahoo.com for more information.

Yesterday was a really nice day. Today’s weather will be sunny with a high near 72 and a low around 51.

Hurry up and get dressed! Why, you ask? So, you can take the guided hike at 10:00am this morning with a naturalist to the historic Brant Mine. The hike begins at the Discovery center and once at the mine site you will see the remnants of a coal mine that was operated in the 1920’s.

Heard that Paul and Naomi Yoder who own the farm next to Heidi’s Bakery & Café (Heidi is their daughter) named their newborn horse after my friend Millie Shilke.  That is a nice honor for a wonderful lady. Thanks folks and I wish Millie the Philly a long and wonderful life just like my friend Millie.

As I write this Wednesday evening, my wife jean is out with some of her friends at their monthly needlework night. Well, you also can enjoy your hobby with some folks today at the Oakland branch of the Ruth Enlow Library from 2:00pm – 4:00pm.

New Germany State Park has some nice programs for kids and adults throughout the second half of June.  And, most of them are free!

School’s out for summer! The Superintendent of Garrett County Schools, Ms. Barbara Baker, has announced Mr. James Maddy will be the new principal of Northern Garrett High School beginning July 1, 2018.

Don’t forget that the Chamber’s Business After Hours is this evening starting at 5:30pm at Trader’s Coffee House (under Brenda’s Pizza). You should be able to pay at the door as a walk-in. I hope they serve Brenda’s famous meatballs, as they are my favorite.

On a more serious subject, there is an Opioid Town Hall Meeting at the Southern Garrett County Rescue Squad from 6:00pm – 8:00pm this evening. My opinion:  I have been very impressed with the response to the Opioid epidemic from our law enforcement professionals, health department and other local organizations. Thanks folks.

I bet you didn’t know this was sea turtle week!  Well it is and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has a nice site with some very interesting information and videos for you to visit.