Deep Creek Lake MD News and Local Resources: Daily Notes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Also, please note the following important dates:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Late Season Sunset at the Lake

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

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

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

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

Garrett County

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

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

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

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

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

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

Red Morph Eastern Screech Owl by Zaphir Shamma

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yesterday we got some much needed rain throughout the day.  Today will be mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 58 degrees. West wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Tonight will be partly cloudy, with a low around 46.

As the lake-area weather cools, we would like to celebrate and announce our newest advertiser on Deep Creek Times: Deep Creek Fireplace and Outdoor Store.  Deep Creek Fireplace and Outdoor Store is your one stop shop for all your fireplace, outdoor kitchen, and firepit needs. Please check out their showroom at the lake, where they have over 20 live burning fireplaces on display and an onsite propane filling station.

A “Walking Take Back” Event was held on Wednesday, September 16th, at the Farmers Market at the Mountain Fresh Pavilion in Oakland. The Take Back was a joint event between the Garrett County Health Department and the Oakland City Police. A total of 5 pounds of prescription drugs were collected at the event!

Speaking of the Farmers Market, the Mountain Fresh Farmers Market will be held today at the Pavilion downtown from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.  Check out this link for information on offerings, vendors and guidelines.  Enjoy.

Plant a Tree! The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ online tree seedling catalog for the John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery is now open and accepting orders for spring planting at nursery.dnr.maryland.gov . They are excited to offer several new species this year, along with their usual selection, to suit individual planting needs.

Jeany Blamble at Brenda’s Pizzeria sent us over this announcement for their upcoming Job Fair on October 3rd.  Looks like they have lots of openings at Brenda’s Pizzeria, Ace’s Run and their upcoming operation, Spillway Kitchen and Bar.  I know they have a great team and that Brenda treats her people right, so please spread the word.

Job Fair Opportunity

If you see Brenda or members of her management team, please put in a good word for me, as I am hoping they hire me as official taste tester for all of their great food.  I will work for FREE, but I want a business card that says “Semi Big Cheese” or maybe, “Mozzarella Mike,” to acknowledge my new status as their official quality control food taster. Now that I think of it, unlimited Tiramisu would be a very nice addition to my (lack of) compensation package.  Just sayin’…

In an effort to help educate and inform voters prior to the General Election on Tuesday, November 2nd, the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a virtual forum on Thursday, October 15th, from 4:00-5:00 p.m., featuring the candidates for the At-Large seats on the Garrett County Board of Education. All three candidates have agreed to participate and the event is free and open to the public. The forum can be viewed on Zoom but attendees must register on the Chamber’s website at visitdeepcreek.com by October 14th to receive the link. It will also be live streamed on the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.

Today, showers are likely, clouds and a high near 53 degrees. Chance of precipitation is 80%. This evening, showers are likely, mainly before 2:00 am. Cloudy, with a low around 45.

The Garrett County Health Department has received positive COVID-19 results for two additional persons, bringing the current county total positives to 74. The new positive COVID-19 cases include two males in their teens, with symptoms, who are currently isolating. These are the only Garrett County residents currently isolating due to positive COVID-19 test results. For more information you can call 301.334.7770 or 301.895.3111.

Those readers that own property in home owners associations (HOAs) are likely getting ready to, or have just participated in, their subdivision’s annual owner meeting. One of the big topics within my HOA and on our board of directors, has been late season lake water levels. I have heard this from others at the lake as well. The Property Owners’ Association of Deep Creek Lake just issued their latest newsletter that addresses some of these issues and our collective expectations for relief.  You can click here for the newsletter.

Maryland Community development Week kicks off this week.  Here’s a link to the full programming list.  They have a broad array of virual events scheduled that range from the plans for Ellicott City’s historic district to community housing and other topics. Check it out.

The first presidential debate is today, and though we avoid politics on this site, I thought I would share this non-partisan event.. On Wednesday, FRONTLINE (Maryland Public Television) and Columbia University are hosting a virtual event to discuss the two major-party candidates. This virtual event will feature veteran FRONTLINE filmmaker Michael Kirk highlighting the defining moments that shaped Trump’s and Biden’s lives, as they compete for the votes of people living in battleground states such as Ohio. You must RSVP in order to receive the Zoom link for the event, which will be included in your email confirmation. If you are new to Zoom, please visit this page with instructions on how to get started.

And finally, just when you thought it was safe to get out of the water and enjoy this beautiful autumn weather, here’s a Maryland Emergency Management Agency photo from October, 2012.  Beautiful, but…

October 2012 Snow

Great weekend at the lake, with a still-elevated level of homeowners, visitors and boats on and around the lake (and at local establishments).  Today offers a slight chance of showers after 2:00 pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 72 degrees and a south wind 3 to 8 mph. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20% during the day and rising to 50% in the evening, with a low around 54.

Good outcome: An Amber alert was issued Sunday for a missing 9-month-old girl who was found unharmed in Pennsylvania, where police arrested a man who has been charged with kidnapping. Police arrested the man, from Meyersdale, and charged him with kidnapping his girlfriend’s infant. State troopers responded to a call of reported assault around 10:00 am Sunday to a Grantsville restaurant parking lot, in Garrett County.

Jean and I took my grandson Andy out to Double Oak Farms in Swanton to get some pumpkins and corn stalks. They have a nice selection, good prices and a non-commercial, relaxed atmosphere on their working farm.  Here’s a photo of some of our goodies set up in our yard.

Fall Has Arrived

Even as we are in early fall, there is still lots of activity on the lake, and I am not just talking about the human kind.  Here’s a photo I took looking out onto Stilwater Cove Saturday afternoon.  I liked the combination of the geese in a line and the low clouds.

Late Summer at Stilwater Cove

Good news: The Loar Auxiliary Gift Shop at Garrett Regional Medical Center:is now open to the public Monday-Thursday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and Friday 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Note that they are limiting in-store customers to four at a time and everyone is asked to follow the yellow tape on the floor for social distancing. Also, masks must be worn at all times. Be sure to follow them on Facebook for new items, sales and change of hours.

Well, now we have definitive proof.  Yes, thanks to this very nice photo submitted by Darla Annonio, I am now sure that our local bears definitely grow on trees!  At least, that is what it looks like based on all the bear silhouettes in the tree.  Thanks Darla for sharing the photo!

Bears in a Tree

For those members who were unable to attend the virtual Deep Creek Lake POA General Membership Meeting on September 19th, Bob Sutton, the group’s president, has provided the ability to watch the meeting through a video link. To view the video click HERE

Have a great Monday dear readers…

The weather today will be patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 68 and a low around 55. Calm wind becoming southeast 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Saturday will be partly sunny with a high near 71 and a low around 56. Sunday warms up more and will be partly sunny with a high near 74 and a low around 58. A slight chance of showers after 2am.

Here’s a nice article on “Saying goodbye to summer at Deep Creek’s Wisp … Resort”

Welcome to the first week of fall! The cooler transitional days ahead are a delight for anyone who loves the outdoors. The leaves are beginning to show a hint of color in the western region of the state, so make sure to get outside and enjoy this special time of the year.

AccuWeather shares this regional view of the foliage change:

Here is one of the first glimpses of fall sent into us from Eric Williams:

During the 53rd annual Autumn Glory Festival from Wednesday, October 7 – Sunday, October 11, the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce will have complimentary commemorative Autumn Glory Festival items available to the public, while supplies last, at the Garrett County Visitors Center in McHenry.

The Maryland Department of Transportation’s Annual Tour will be held on Friday, October 9, 2020 beginning at 10:00 a.m.  This meeting will be live-streamed at https://www.facebook.com/garrettcountygovernment/. Please click on the link below to view Garrett County Government’s Transportation Priority List for 2020.
Garrett County Transportation Priority List – 2020.

Thousand Acres Golf Club, at Deep Creek Lake MD, proudly welcomes back Bob Raley as the new club General Manager. Bob launched his career with Thousand Acres in 2007, with the construction of the first nine holes, currently available for play. He returns this month to oversee the completion of the back nine holes anticipated for completion in the summer of 2022.

GCPS is aware that Governor Hogan and the State Superintendent, Dr. Karen Salmon, recently made an announcement regarding the potential schedule of return to extracurricular activities including athletics. GCPS is aware of the announcement and is gathering additional information in order to plan their next steps.

The Mountain Maryland PACE committee has canceled the 2021 event due to concerns surrounding COVID.

There is some fun in store for this weekend! The 32nd Annual First United Charity Golf Tournament is today. This year’s recipient will be the United Way of Garrett County. Registration begins at 8:30 am through 9:45 am. Shotgun start at 10:00 am.

The Lincoln Reagan Dinner 2020 is tonight at 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm at Wisp Resort.

Alpine Lake Resort is hosting an Oktoberfest Golf Scramble. Cash only and includes hot dogs, homemade pepperoni rolls, chicken salad, chips, and refreshments on the turn! Prizes and Skillholes, too!

Also, it’s a busy day tomorrow! Shabby Patina “Back To School” Market begins at 9:00 am, the Mountain Fresh Farmers Market begins at 10:00 am, the Meshach Browning Community Art Piece Unveiling begins at 12:30 pm and Women’s MINI-Monologues begins at 2:00 pm tomorrow September 26.

The weather today will be mostly cloudy with a high near 70 and a low around 51.

We had exceptional photos shared with us by Ken Oyerly. You may have seen this image on our Instagram @deepcreektimes:

And the second photo of heat lightning from Ken — be sure to check out his work at https://fieldsofvisionphoto.picfair.com/all_images.

Garrett County has proceeded, per state directive, to allow expanded indoor operation at restaurants from 50 to 75 percent capacity. As the Governor announces continued phased openings or, as he eases restrictions related to the COVID -19 State of Emergency, those actions will apply in Garrett County unless the Garrett County Health Officer directs otherwise.

The sign marking Negro Mountain and its elevation along Route 40 has been donated to the Grantsville Community Museum. Senator Edwards has asked for new signs to be installed and has received a favorable response. The Grantsville Community Museum has been closed due to the Covid-19 virus, but is still accepting historical memorabilia from northern Garrett County. If you have items to donate to the museum, call president Sue Beachy at 301-895-5387. The museum is not accepting visitors now but they hope to open to the public next spring.

The Turkey Trail will be part of this year’s Autumn Glory festivities. The website will feature a map along with a listing of local turkey dinners served in our region. To be included in the listing, restaurants, and organizations are requested to submit a form to the Heritage Area by September 30.

The Garrett County Chamber will also host an Autumn Glory Float Contest from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, 2020. The floats will be available for viewing at various locations and you can vote for your favorite at visitdeepcreek.com/53rd-annual-autumn-glory-festival.  The top three vote-getters will win cash prizes!

Today will be mostly sunny, with a high near 68 degrees and with a west wind 6 to 10 mph. This evening will be partly cloudy, with a low around 49.

I just heard that Brenda’s Pizzeria will be holding a job fair in the near future and I promised to spread the word.  If you know someone looking for a position, check back here for more information.  Brenda has a really strong, dedicated team and that is largely beause she treats her people right and develops and retains talented people.  I’ll let you know more when Brenda sends some details over. Gee, now I want some Brenda’s pizza…

Mike Hough, Garrett County Director of Economic Development, has announced his resignation effective November 10th, 2020. Mike joined Garrett County Economic Development after his retirement as the Western Maryland and Pennsylvania Regional President of BB&T Corporation. We wish Mike well and the county the best of luck in finding a long-term candidate to fill this critical position.

Don’t forget that the Wednesday Mountain Fresh Farmers Market will be held again today in downtown Oakland at the pavilion from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. The Producer’s Association asks all to please wear a mask and follow distancing guidlines at the event.

The official 53^rd annual Autumn Glory Festival brochure is now available at the Chamber’s welcome center in McHenry. A detailed listing of Autumn Glory Festival happenings from October 7 – 11, 2020, the brochure also includes information on the 2020 Fall Foliage Heritage Driving Tours, Turkey Trail Dinners, Royalty Court, Float Contest, Craft & Gift Sale, Car Show, Farmers Market, Oakland’s Celebration of Autumn Glory, Autumn Glory Sales, Corn Maze, Farmers Market & Craft Show and other things.

With overdose deaths here and elsewhere a constant threat, the Garrett County Health Department has acted swiftly and decisively, distributing Narcan and related training  through a number of sites in August and September. Narcan is available by appointment at the Garrett County Health Department. If you are interested in obtaining Narcan, or would like to host an Overdose Response Training, call 301.334.7724.  For substance abuse services, call the Garrett County Center for Behavioral Health at 301.334.7680.

Garrett Lakes Arts Festival (GLAF) has announced the date for their virtual annual meeting, which will be held on November 19th starting at 5:00 pm.  They will be sending out more information and a link in the near future.

Sarah and I have developed a class for local organizations – for-profit and non-profit – to help them assess “where they are” and determine a course of action to drive post-pandemic success.  The class (which meets for three Wednesday evenings) is being offered through Garrett College Workforce Development (call them at 301.387.3069 to register). We will include personal and organizational assessment approaches as well as strategic and tactical opportunities to help drive your success. Here’s the scoop…

Mike and Sarah Class

Yesterday was crisp and sunny.  The weather for today will include areas of frost before 9:00 am. Otherwise, today will be sunny, with a high near 63 degrees. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Tonight will be mostly clear, with a low around 45.

Positive COVID-19 cases continue to slowly increase in Garrett County, with the total positive cases currently at 72. The two most recent cases include a male in his 30s who has symptoms and did not need to be hospitalized, and a female in her 60s who has symptoms and is isolating at home.

Governor Larry Hogan announced on Friday that capacity for indoor operations at restaurants may increase from 50 to 75% as of 5:00 pm yesterday, with strict distancing and public health measures in place. This announcement was made in conjunction with Maryland Restaurant Week that began yesterday. I am sure that the state’s continued low testing positivity rate was taken into consideration. Maybe things are looking up as we have not seen a post-Labor Day spike in cases some feared.

I know restaurants and their workers have been especially hard-hit by the pandemic, so I am sure they welcome this relief.  Along those lines, I heard that the Brenda’s Pizzeria dining room has now opened back-up.  Good luck Brenda and team! Your takeout was a big help during the past few months. Don’t forget to consider all of our local restatuants for a nice meal that supports our local community. Here’s a link to our Dining Guide for you to savor.

As a result of improved health metrics throughout the State, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is encouraging in-person instruction and providing $10 million in grant awards to support Maryland school systems that reopen to students this fall. Each grant award will include a base amount of $200,000 as well as a per-student allocation. Funds can be used for expenses related to building readiness and transportation.

During Child Passenger Safety Week the Garrett County Health Department is promoting several webinars hosted by Maryland Kids In Safety Seats (MD KISS) to educate families and increase the safety of children in vehicles. Here’s the scoop:

• Webinar – Questions about Car Seats? Ask the Experts! Wednesday, September 23, 2 p.m.: Am I using the right car seat for my child? When can I turn my child forward facing? Why can’t I get my car seat tight? Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will answer these questions and more in an interactive presentation. Register: https://bit.ly/2CMgoBO
• Webinar – Traveling Safely with Your New Baby. Thursday, September 24, 11 a.m.: Geared towards expectant parents and new caregivers, this presentation will provide a basic overview of how to keep baby safe while traveling in the car. Register: https://bit.ly/3hpF1mZ
• Video Seat Check Saturday – Saturday, September 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Maryland is collaborating with the District of Columbia and Virginia to host a first of its kind Regional Virtual Seat Check Event. Caregivers will attend one-on-one video appointments with a Child Passenger Safety Technician using Zoom to obtain answers to their car seat questions. Register: https://bit.ly/2QmN5sq

With winter comes risk.  Here’s some tips that just came over the wire from our State Fire Marshal, Brian S. Geraci, and that can save a life:

• Ensure chimneys are cleaned annually or more frequently if used as the primary heating equipment.
• Use adequately sized fireplace screens or enclosures. Never use a flammable liquid to start a fire.
• When disposing of cooled ashes, do not use paper or plastic containers to remove them, instead use a metal container. Ashes will insulate hot embers long after the fire is considered out.
• Make sure fuel-burning stoves are installed according to local fire codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Have your furnace inspected and serviced annually.
• Check portable electric heaters for frayed/damaged wires and ensure they are clean and placed on a flat level surface. Use only “listed” appliances by an approved testing laboratory and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Do not use extension cords with portable space heaters. The extension cord can overheat and cause a fire.
• If you use kerosene fuel-fired heaters, use only “K-1” kerosene fuel. Never fill the unit inside; remove it to the exterior after it has cooled before refueling. Note: Portable kerosene heaters are banned for use in Baltimore City.
• Open a window enough to provide proper ventilation.
• Keep combustibles (furniture, curtains, clothing, paper goods, etc.) at least (3) three feet from all heat sources.
• Fuel-burning appliances produce a deadly, tasteless, and odorless gas known as carbon monoxide. Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms inside your home to provide an early warning of carbon monoxide levels.
• Always turn off portable heating equipment when leaving the room for extended periods. Portable heaters should never be operated unattended.

Along with these heating tips, check to make sure your smoke alarms are in good working order. “Routine maintenance and safe operation of heating equipment, combined with properly installed and operating smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, are a life-saving combination for all Marylanders,” stated Geraci.