Deep Creek Lake MD News and Local Resources: Daily Notes

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:

Sunday turned into a really nice day, with temperatures in the 60’s. Today will be cloudy, with a high near 46 and a low around 32. Rain after 4pm; chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

The Board of Trustees of the Ruth Enlow Library will meet today from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm, at the Oakland Library. The public is invited to attend.

There’s still time to register for the Chamber’s November Business Before Hours Tourism Update scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday) morning at 8:00 am at Wisp.

Correction: I just heard that Harvest Moon market will, in fact, not be opening again after all.  A little confusing, and not sure if that is final, but I wanted to communicate that latest news to our readers, as I had previously reported it would be opening.

The State of Maryland’s Planning Department has phase II of their “A Better Maryland” survey online along with results from Phase I of the initiative.  The survey allows you to provide input into the prioritization of strategies in 14 areas of importance to the state and its citizens. Go ahead, give them your feedback!

Here’s the latest Watershed Wisdom Update from the Friends of Deep Creek Lake. They do important work and are good folks. I agree with many of their positions and the need for funding and help from the state.  Not sure I agree that the snow was bad the other day (it was beautiful and important for area recreation and small businesses) 🙂 or that the lake and it’s tributaries have water quality troubles. Not perfect, and we want to improve water quality, but I am not sure “poor” is appropriate.  Perhaps somewhat  “challenged” on some measures. You decide and you can read their full newsletter here. 

Zillow just published an interesting online article on seven places in America that will “pay you” to move there.  I know we have, and have had, some good first-time home buyer incentives in Garrett County as well. Thought it was interesting as various municipalities, large and small, work to drive population growth.  It has me thinking about what else we can do here to drive our county population (about 29,000 – 30,000) that has been relatively flat and is aging.

The Greater Oakland Business Association (GOBA) meeting that was scheduled for Tuesday, November 20th has been cancelled.  The next open meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 16th at 6:00 pm at Oakland City Hall.  Committees need to be prepared to be at that meeting to present. You can contact Michelle Ross of GOBA/City Hall at 301.334.2691 with any questions or for additional information.

With 51 percent of American consumers saying that Black Friday no longer offers the best deals of the year, the personal-finance website WalletHub took an in-depth look at 2018’s Best Things to Buy on Black Friday. WalletHub determined that 14 percent of items offer no savings compared with their pre-Black Friday prices. Shop smart and please try to shop local dear readers.

This photo was posted on Instagram over the weekend by @dillinger_hollands– can you tell what it is?

Well, we had our first real “frozen precipitation event” (that sounds pretty cool) of the season yesterday.  Lots of organizations closed or delayed around town. Certainly was beautiful though.

We got our official precipitation reports from a weather reporting station in Oakland. For the last 24-hours:  2.3″ of snow | .88″ of precipitation. That will likely vary wildly around the county with the interesting combinations of snow, freezing rain and sleet we received.

Today will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 31 and a low of 28. A chance of snow showers and freezing drizzle before 1pm, then a slight chance of snow showers. West wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Saturday will be partly sunny, with a high near 38 and a low around 28. Sunday will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 38 and a low around 30. A chance of snow showers after 10am, mixing with rain after 2pm. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

A missing Ohio man was reportedly seen in Garrett County on Wednesday: Ninety-year-old Paul Markovsky was reportedly seen around 6 a.m. at Sheetz. Markovsky was seen driving a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, with Ohio plates “DU40GG” and is described as 5’7″ tall, weighing 145 pounds, and was last seen wearing a black insulated jacket, blue and white flannel shirt, blue jeans and brown shoes. Please call 301-334-1911 if you see him.

Don’t forget the Trouble in Gooseland show at Our Town Theater Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.

Our congratulations go out to Shelley Argabrite, Garrett County’s nationally-recognized strategic health planner and public health innovator. Shelley was named to the premier list of “Community Stars,” developed by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH). We have had the opportunity to interact with Shelley on some initiatives and know she is very deserving of this award.

What a turkey!  Turkey Trot that is. Why not get out there Saturday morning and help support the Southern Garrett Athletics Association while getting some exercise at their annual 5K run and 1 mile walk at Broadford Park. You can even register day-of.

Congratulations are also in order for Garrett Regional Medical Center (GRMC). Their Subacute Unit won its fifth consecutive Best Nursing Home award from US News & World Report, receiving the top rating for both the facility overall and for short-stay rehab. Keep up the good work GRMC, your community appreciates you.

Don’t forget to come out to the Outdoor Studies Open House in room #111 of Garrett College’s GIEC building Saturday starting at 9:30 am. Prospective students and parents will get to meet staff, faculty, alumni and students in the award-winning, unique Adventure Sports and Natural Resources & Wildlife Technology programs. If you know someone who loves outdoor adventure or is interested in the natural environment this event is for them. Call 301.387.3044 for more information and to RSVP or just come on out on Saturday.

Brushes and Blush, a Girl’s Day Out, will be held Sunday afternoon at 2:00 pm at the Deep Creek Lake Volunteer Fire Company. The fundraiser will feature demos and tutorials on age-appropriate skin care and makeup applications featuring Beauty counter educator and advocate, Hilary Findo. All the products will also be available for sale with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Foster Appalachia.

An online company called Sickweather offers a web application that forecasts flu and allergy trends with supposed “85%+ accuracy.”  They just announced that they are now providing their forecasts for 50 US cities, with more coming.  While our area is too “small” to get specific coverage, I thought my readers might be interested in checking this out for the national and big-city projections.

Lots of things to do this weekend from music to education. The Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park has some nice, interesting activities (inside and outside, for both children and adults) this weekend.  Here’s their list, and check our Upcoming Events section for more details and other events.

Friday November 16
All Day – Hands on Science Room Open and Scavenger Hunts Available

Saturday November 17
11:00 a.m. Story & Craft – Join us for the story Stinky Owl, featuring the birds of our Aviary.  After make an origami owl craft and meet a live owl. Free1:00 p.m.  Roving Naturalist – Meet some of the folks that care for the animal ambassadors in the Discovery    Center.  During this time, live animals will be out for a close-up hands on experience.

Sunday November 18
11:00a.m. Pinecone Bird Feeders and Songbird I.D. – It’s that time of year again! As you are making a pinecone bird feeder to take home with you, learn about the birds that are stopping by the Discovery Center bird feeders.
2:00 p.m. Aviary Feeding – Join us to learn some interesting facts, hear each bird’s story, and watch these amazing raptors eat!

Lastly, there is a free event for Southern High School students *ONLY* this Sunday …. check it out if you have a student at SHS!

 

As I write these notes Wednesday evening, all the talk is about the Deep Creek Lake area’s upcoming storm warning. When Sarah adds in the weather in the morning things will be much “clearer” but there has definitely been buzz around town for this first storm. We shall see.

The Snow Emergency Plan for Garrett County is be implemented at 0745 (AM) today. Once the Snow Emergency Plan has been placed in effect, Maryland Law requires motorists to operate vehicles that are equipped with snow tires as designated by the manufacturer or equipped with chains. Studded tires are allowed from November 1 through March 31. During the declaration of a snow emergency, a person may not park a vehicle on any highway designated as a snow emergency route.

The following highways have been designated as snow emergency routes in Garrett County:

Interstate 68                Maryland Route 38               Maryland Route 495

U.S. Route 40               Maryland Route 39               Maryland Route 546

U.S. Route 50               Maryland Route 42               Maryland Route 560

U.S. Route 219             Maryland Route 135             Maryland Route 669

I’s Locals Night this evening at Dutch’s at Silver Tree. There are more deals in our Dining Specials section.

Go ahead, shout it out. Music Express Karaoke is at the Black Bear Tavern this evening from 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm.

Here’s a short “heads-up” piece from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration for you readers interested and active in the environment, fishing and even beachcombing. We all can help scientists protect endangered species, which in this case is the rare Atlantic Sturgeon. Interesting.

Well, as you know we have lots of deer in the area. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced that the two-week firearm hunting season for sika and white-tailed deer opens November 24th and runs through December 8th. This is apparently the most popular time for Maryland hunters.

Go back in time, way back and attend one of the concerts by Mountainside Baroque in Cumberland this coming weekend.  This performance incorporates a soprano accompanied by a lutenist (bet you don’t see or hear that word every day).

On the other side of the globe, Travel + Leisure just announced Japan as their 2018 Destination of the Year.  Japan is the 2018 destination of the year for many reasons — dynamic cities, whimsical islands, unparalleled natural beauty — but perhaps what truly makes it a winner is its ability to keep travelers coming back for more. Japan is great, but I think Deep Creek Lake and the mountains of Western Maryland are pretty special too, and easier to get to!  Sayonara for now folks!

Correction: Deep Creek Times incorrectly reported the November 14 Board of Education Public Meeting would be at Northern Middle School when it should have been reported as being held at the Central Office in Oakland. Our apologies for the mistake.

The livestream from the Board of Education public meeting held 11/14/18 is below:

The weather certainly has changed: When I left work last evening my car had an icy slush on it. Today’s weather will be partly sunny, with a high near 31 and a low of 25. Tonight has chance of freezing rain and sleet, mainly after 4am.

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING: Heavy mixed precipitation possible and total snow accumulations of 2 to 5 inches and ice accumulations of one tenth to two-tenths of an inch are possible. There is still uncertainty regarding precipitation types and amounts with this system.

There’s a number of events going on at the various branches of the Ruth Enlow Library today, including programming for children and adults, and culminating in a meet/greet/Q&A with local author Ellen Callahan in the evening.

Go North young wo/man, go North. There’s a Greater Grantsville Business Association (GGBA) networking event this evening at the Cornucopia Cafe starting at 6:00 pm.

The Board of Garrett County Commissioners has approved the creation of a County Communications Office. This office will proactively provide government information to the public and will be staffed by one part-time employee: Deep Creek Times’ own Sarah Myers! Sarah will help the County fulfill its strategic plan and tactical communications goals. Congratulations Sarah!

Due to the threat of inclement weather tomorrow, the Cat Wars event has been canceled. The organizers hope to reschedule in the spring.

Our Town Theater in Oakland is presenting Trouble in Gooseland this Friday evening at 7:00 pm and this Saturday afternoon at 1:00 pm. This is a children’s show and is less than one hour in length.

Congrats to the Garrett Regional Medical Center Loar Auxilary for earning the Maryland State Achievement award!

We shared this cute little guy on Instagram –the puppers Oakley swims in 21-degrees at Deep Creek Lake, MD! Photo by Randy Krom.

We had a little snow-rain mix yesterday evening but the day was mostly fine until the afternoon. Today’s weather will be cloudy, with a chance of snow showers this afternoon. A high near 35 and a low around 21. West wind 8 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Less than an inch of snow accumulation expected during the day and less than an inch of snow overnight.

The Fourth Annual Trader’s Cookie Party is this afternoon from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm.  I am guessing there will be great cookies and other goodies for tasting and ordering and that the original Cookie Monster (Jean Thomas) will be on site.

Here’s some trivia for you: Since it’s Tuesday, that means that Mountain State Brewing Company in McHenry is holding their team Trivia this evening starting at 6:00 pm.

The Board of Education will hold two public meetings tomorrow (Wednesday, November 14th) at Northern Middle School. The first is at 4:00pm and the other is at 7:00pm. There will be a discussion about the proposed RISE plan.

Well, some good news: The Harvest Moon Market in McHenry is staying open (Thursday – Sunday).  Some not so good news: The Subway restaurant next to High Mountain Sports is closed for renovations and I heard a rumor that it might be for a while as I heard they may be looking to sell. Not sure of the specifics at this time. I tried to eat there one or two times a week after working out (and generally looking fairly motley). Bummer.

Hmm, looks like they are having some fun in 21531!  The annual Friendsville Holiday Decorating Contest for town residents and businesses is on, with fun, prizes and bragging rights for the next year at stake. Winners will be named on Monday, December 17th. Ho, ho, ho…

The Chamber’s next Business Before Hours is scheduled for 8:00 am on Tuesday, November 20th at Wisp Resort. This will include their annual update on local and state-wide tourism.

Here’s a tip: If you are a student, parent or grandparent, please remember to complete a new or updated Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible.  It is needed to apply for any federal or state aid and the sooner it is completed, the sooner you can be considered for financial aid. Just looking out for our readers and their families.

A special thanks to Joni P for sharing that an “Outdoors Maryland” segment on iceboating on Deep Creek Lake will be featured on Maryland Public TV tonight; watch online or find it on your MPT channel at 7:30pm.

The weather for today will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 42 and a low around 34. A 40% chance of showers mainly after 3pm.

Don’t forget that today is the formal celebration of Veteran’s Day and there may be some closures around town, including the library, for example.

Here is a new website to help veterans navigate the return to civilian life: http://main.westernmarylandvet.md.brainfuse.com/

Saw an intense, complex film at Garrett 8 Cinemas Saturday evening, “The Girl in the Spider’s Web: a New Dragon Tattoo Story.” Good action and entertainment. It stars Claire Foy, who plays the Queen in the series “The Crown.” This part is just a little different for her. Quite a transition.

Pizza anyone? Ledo’s now has a Monday special of a free cheese pizza if you buy one of the same size with three toppings. Plus, Brenda’s still has her half price pizza’s on Monday. There are other specials around town as well listed in our Daily Specials guide.

Maryland Attorney General announced Friday that the Consumer Protection Division closed 2,290 cases in 2018, assisting Maryland patients in saving or recovering over $2.8 million due to them from insurers. In this day and age, it really pays to know there are solutions available should you have a healthcare and/or insurance “issue,” so I thought I would include this for our readers.

From the Southern Garrett Athletic Association: At the recent 1A Boys State Cross Country meet, the Southern team placed 5th out of 17 teams! Congratulations to Griffin Horner and Drew Helbig on their 6th and 10th place finishes, respectively.

November 1st was the first day of the Oakland Jazzercise “Planksgiving Challenge” but it’s not too late to join! in addition to the planks, they challenge you to write down 5 things for which you are thankful. Write them for you or share a few with us. We’d love to hear!

Leave the Ferret home! I mean it. The Wall Street Journal recently listed 13 animals banned by American Airlines as emotional-support flying companions. In addition to ferrets, the list includes goats, hedgehogs, insects, rodents and spiders. So, now you know not to bring your pet tarantula on the plane when you travel to visit the family for Thanksgiving. Or, you could just drive to/stay at the lake and hang-out with all your furry friends with no hassles.

Just a reminder to all you serious and not so serious fishermen out there: The Fall trout stocking season is complete and I hear there is some good fishing out there.  Garrett County received a majority of rainbow trout, but some brown and even some golden were stocked in the area as well. Good luck.

The social app Snapchat is jumping into original scripted shows — a new series called “Deep Creek” was released yesterday morning (only on the app). It will be a total of 10 episodes that are about 7 minutes each. Here’s a screenshot from Snapchat.

 

The weather for today is rain likely during the day and changing to snow after 9pm. High near 43 and low around 23. Breezy, with a south wind 16 to 21 mph decreasing to 9 to 14 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 43 mph. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. Saturday is expected to have scattered snow showers, mainly before 9am and then partly sunny. A high near 29 and a low around 20. Breezy, with a west wind 18 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 43 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Sunday, Veteran’s Day, will be sunny, with a high near 38 and a low around 27.

Observation: For a rural area, we are fortunate to have some excellent medical/dental professionals in Garrett County.  I have had a problematic dental “issue” and had a critical appointment yesterday and really feel blessed that we have Dr. Yant and his team. Real pros! Add Garrett Regional Medical Center and our other area physicians and health care providers and we are really in good shape (except for my jaw, but that will change). Feel good dear readers.

It’s Hands-on at the Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park all day on Friday in the science room. There’s also scavenger hunts on Friday, and other cool stuff all weekend.

Please don’t forget to honor our veterans this weekend (and Monday).  As mentioned earlier in the week, Garrett College will be holding their Fallen Veterans Roll Call starting at 7:00 am today, with special events held throughout the day, in and around the auditorium.  I have found that even attending for 15 minutes is quite moving and really puts things in perspective. Also, note that all veterans will be admitted for free to the basketball game Friday evening at 7:00 pm. Thank you to ALL of our veterans and their families.

The Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) is accepting nominations of local businesses that have transformed lives in our community during the past three years in the state.  While you have to be a MEDA member to submit the nomination, I am pretty sure one of our Economic Development folks would submit if you have a good nominee (start with Kim Durst and tell her Mike sent you).  Learn more here.

The annual Art Beckman Breakfast to Benefit Cindy’s Fund is on Saturday at the Southern Rescue Squad in Oakland from 7:00 am – Noon.  This is a great cause, good time and some great, all-you-can-eat breakfast grub too.

Even though we are in the “shoulder season” here at the lake, there’s still a number of events going on this weekend, including musidc at a few nice local venues, learning opportunities at the library and activities at the state parks.  See all that’s available at our Upcoming Events section.

Sunday evening the Loch Lynn Church of God is celebrating Pastor Brenda Bernard, who has been serving as the Children’s Pastor for 25 years!

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is proposing some new regulations on a number of topics (snakeheads anyone?) and they are asking for public comment until November 18th.  Some of the topics don’t apply to us, but they do downstate and we have a pretty good “fishing” population of readers at Deep Creek Times, so thought I would share the “whole enchilada.”  

All that jazz! The newly-formed Garrett Jazz Ensemble will be hosting its first event on Sunday, November 25th at 6:00 pm at the special events center at Garrett College.  If Dr. Sean Beachy is involved, and he is, you know it will be well-done.