Deep Creek Lake MD News and Local Resources: Daily Notes

The weather for today will be wet, with showers likely from mid- morning onward.  The high will be near 47 degrees and the low, in the wee hours, will get down to around 26.

Here’s a photo my wife took as we were driving out to Morgantown yesterday around Noon.  It is from 219 right across from Brenda’s Pizzeria. I thought the blue sky and the blue water contrasted well with the somewhat stark Winter foliage.

The Lake and Blue Sky

And, oh what a difference a week or so makes.  Here’s a photo submitted and taken by Ann Stuck from just off Glendale road that she took after a recent ice storm. It was actually daylight out.  That is the sun in the photo. Thanks Ann!

After the Ice Storm
By: Ann Stuck

Don’t forget that Garrett College’s All-in Business Plan Writing Competition starts today.  Great for any want-to-be entrepreneurs and there’s mentoring and coaching along with workshops and also a chance to win a $1,000 prize for best business plan.  Contact Jodi McClintock at 301.387.3142 or at jodi.mcclintock@garrettcollege.edu ASAP for more information.  There’s still time to sign-up.

For learning of a different sort, and for a different age group, the Oakland Ruth Enlow Library is holding their monthly Young Readers’ Book Club this afternoon from 4:00 pm -5:00 pm.  This is a book discussion group for children in grades six and up, with books distributed and learning and fun for all.  Check this link for more info.

Finally, don’t forget that the County Commisioners are holding their Public Meeting at the Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department this evening starting at 5:30 pm.  Here’s the link to the agenda.

I hope you all had a nice Valentines Day.  The weather over the weekend was nice too.  The weather for today will be a bit hazy to start, then mostly sunny with a high near 42 and a chance of rain and snow showers between midnight and 2:00 am, with the day’s low around 32 or so.

Happy Presidents’ Day

The origin of Presidents’ Day lies in the 1880s, when the birthday of president Washington was first celebrated as a federal holiday. In 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, which moved a number of federal holidays to Mondays. During debate on the bill, it was proposed that Washington’s Birthday be renamed Presidents’ Day to honor the birthdays of both Washington (February 22) and Lincoln (February 12).  Following much discussion, Congress rejected the name change. After the bill went into effect in 1971, however, Presidents’ Day became the commonly accepted name, due in part to retailers’ use of that name to promote sales and the holiday’s proximity to Lincoln’s birthday. Source: Encylopedia Britannica

The Ruth Enlow Library system is now offering portable mobile hot spots for checkout. For a period of time, patrons will be able to have internet access in their own homes through WiFi and tethering using these handheld rechargeable devices. Up to 10 devices can be connected at one time.Two hotspots will be available in Oakland and one in Friendsville. Stop by for more information and sign-up today to check out a hot spot!

Ruth Enlow Library is expanding by 28,000 titles! Allegany County libraries are joining Garrett County’s Polaris catalog, so customers anywhere in Western Maryland will be able to find and request items from any of the partner counties with just a click of a button. Due to this expansion, there will be three days, March 2-4, when Polaris will be unavailable. There will be no access to our online catalog, patron accounts, or Marina during this time. You will be able to check out items on these days (please bring your physical library card). The library also requests that you not return items on these dates, since the library will be unable to process the returned items until their system merger is complete.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources just reported final deer harvest numbers this season.  Hunters took almost 80,000 antlered and non-antlered deer this year, up just a bit from the prior year.  Weather impacted Garrett County numbers, which were down a bit from the previous year.  Here’s all the details, by county.

This one got me thinking about Deep Creek Lake.  Maryland DNR just placed some artifical, recycled fish habitat in a lake at Cunningham Falls State Park and I wonder if we have any opportunity for that at DCL?  I have not heard of anything like it before here in Garrett County.  Check out the article and let me know if you know of any artificial habitat at the lake here.

Have a great Monday folks…

The weather will be mostly cloudy today with a high near 22 and a low around 12. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Saturday will be sunny with a high near 36 and a low around 27. Sunday will be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain showers after 1pm, mixing with snow after 5pm. High near 38 and a low around 26.

I visited local business Tees Me T’s recently to pick-up t-shirts I had printed for our family vacation. What a cool little shop! Call Penny and see what she can do for your business or group.

Local Pastor Mr. Matthew Paugh, a self-described Methomennocostal, was a contributor to a new book available on Amazon. Mennocostals: Pentecostal and Mennonite Stories of Convergence (Pentecostals, Peacemaking, and Social Justice) speaks on the convergence of Mennonites and Pentecostals and their stories.

There are several dining specials this evening and entertainment options, too!

Winter seems to be back for the weekend just in time for downtown Oakland’s Winter Fest! Be sure to join the Wine Walk!

Also in Oakland (this weekend only) is the play 39 Steps. Four actors play all of the characters!

Something new and different is tomorrow: Pong For Pups is from 2- 5 pm at Black Bear Tavern. $5 per person includes drink chip and half of all drink proceeds benefit HART for Animals during the tournament.

Governor Larry Hogan has proclaimed 2020 to be the Year of the Woman in Maryland.

Wow .. Facebook really has a way of choosing the best feature frame (below — ughh! haha ☺️) but here I am with Marcia of Cashmere Clothing Co., our newest advertiser! Marcia and I went live together on Monday!

Cashmere Clothing is a women’s clothing boutique offering sizes Small through 3XL. Marcia is open at The Fort in McHenry (by Black Bear Tavern) on Wednesdays through Sundays: Wednesday 9am – 6pm, Thursday through Saturday  10am – 6pm and Sundays 10am – 3pm.

I offer you the opportunity to “Come Get Married in Deep Creek!”

Imagine an intimate and effortless lakefront Deep Creek wedding … The water will be reflecting diamonds at your feet and the lush mountain views will be the backdrop for a most memorable day …

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We can take those seemingly far-away dreams and make them come to life this spring! …. Jessica Fike Photography and The Deep Creek Wedding are joining together to create the first-ever Deep Creek Pop-Up!

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This wedding package is designed to fit any budget and it’s perfect for the couples not sure how to go about planning details, those who are interested in a small ceremony, or those who want a bit of an escape-from-it-all elopement option on the water’s edge.

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From the beginning, you’ll be in direct contact with two locals sharing their extensive wedding vendor connections and vast Deep Creek knowledge. Did you know Jessica has photographed over 200 weddings?! Both of us are here in Deep Creek 24/7 and we will be here for you through the entire process with no additional cost.

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Our specific Pop-Up package will offer the couple, and up to 30 guests, access to our expansive lakefront lawn, Deep Creek’s largest floating dock, a day-of-coordinator, a ceremony officiant, the best local beauty vendors, a sophisticated floral design, and two hours with Jessica – an amazingly talented natural light photographer.

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To make this special deal happen, The Deep Creek Pop-Up offer has VERY limited availability — message us today for full package details at info@thedeepcreekwedding.com)

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The weather today will be rain and snow showers likely. Temperature falling to around 34 by 5pm. West wind 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no snow accumulation expected during the day but 1 to 2 inches possible overnight.

It has been a little on the gray side here at the Lake but still beautiful views from Sieta Bonner-Achampong:

Don’t forget, send us an email to be entered in our lift ticket giveaway! The Wisp has announced they will be making snow through Saturday – as conditions allow – so we may just pick a winner on Friday (so you can visit the Wisp this weekend!)

Heidi’s Bakery Cafe in Oakland is opening for the 2020 season on Friday the 14th at 7 am. Also, This N That Grocery will be open on February 28th!

Check out the featured photo of the month!

The 2020 – 2021 Garrett County Public School calendar has been released.

MD DNR has reported the recent Trout stocking activities in Garrett County:

Gee, more rain yesterday and fog as well.  The weather for today will be… MORE RAIN! Yes, rain is likely before 5:00 pm, then rain and some snow likely, then rain again in the evening, including wind, with gusts as high as 34 miles per hour.  Temps will be in the mid 40’s to the low 30’s. No real accumulations expected.

Had a very nice time at dinner with fellow Lions last evening. We hosted a dinner for our blind skiers after they spent a day on the mountain. Great kids and families and a wonderful time had by all.  Ed King even led us all in a funny song on sausage making (who knew):

LIONS Blind Skier Dinner

Jodi McClintock at Garrett College is looking for a few more participants for the All-In: Business Plan Writing Series and Competiton.  Classes officially begin next Tuesday, February 18th.  Participants will learn how to create a practical business plan, conduct market and competitor analysis, understand offer development, build financial and operating plans and design a go-to-market roadmap.  Plus, all participants get a mentor and also receive valuable start-up coaching.  If you (or someone you know) are considering starting a business, call Jodi ASAP at 301.387.3142 or email at jodi.mcclintock@garrettcollege.edu

Dedicated reader and regular Deep Creek Lake visitor, Clark Frazee, contacted us to share the recent passing of his uncle, Mason Wainwright Callis, Jr.  Mr. Callis was a great fellow, loved the lake area and knew and positively impacted a number of folks in the community.  I wanted to mention the passing of Mr. Callis here and thank Clark for sharing.  Condolences to family and friends.

It’s even raining trout! DNR just yesterday placed over 2,400 rainbow trout in the Casselman river, with more planned stockings around the state and in Garrett County. You can check the scehdule and even a map to see where the next batch will “land.”

OK, as a reward for you for reading today’s Daily Notes, here’s an opportunity to win some lift tickets. Send an email to info@deepcreektimes.com with “Lift Tickets” in the subject line by this Sunday, midnight. Tell us your favorite season at and around the lake and why, for a chance to win.  The randomly chosen winner will win two lift tickets that you can use any time THIS season. That’s it. We’ll report the vote counts and winner next week.

After a rainy Monday, the weather for today will be rainy, with showers, mainly before noon, then a chance of rain after 2:00 pm. High near 43 and a low around 26.

It’s Ladies Lounge Day at Sipside Lounge in Oakalnd.  They have 25% off wine, unlimited chocolate and prizes.  Check it out. After, or before you stop for a drink, consider going to Southern High School to watch the Boys Team take on Notre Dame starting at 6:00 pm.

The Board of County Commissioners have announced the agenda for their next public meeting which will be held a week from today (February 18th). Some good topics on the agenda and note it starts at 5:30 pm and will be held in the Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department and not the courthouse in Oakland!

Review request: For anyone interested in Meshach Browning (or pioneer-era western MD history for that matter), please take a look at the draft tri-fold brochure in this post’s images below and let the Lions Club know if you see any issues, especially with historical accuracy. These brochures will be distributed as part of a community-based art project, and then probably the remainder provided to the visitor’s center and at the Meshach Browning trailhead. Comments can be done via Facebook messenger or email Chris Nichols at dimesy23@gmail.com.Thanks! 

Lions Club Brochure

And, here’s the map for the reverse of the brochure.  Interesting…

Map for M.B. Brochure

After a snowy weekend, the weather for today will be rainy, with a high near 44 and a low about 40. There will be a southwest wind 11 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

All-in, we probably had snow of 3-4 inches from Friday through Sunday morning.  Here’s a photo I took for you off my front porch Sunday, just to give out-of-towner’s a sense of the accumulations (after some melting):

After Weekend Snow

First United Bank & Trust recently donated $5,600 to the Garrett County Habitat for Humanity.  This donation was collected during the 2019 Christmas Charity Tour of Homes sponsored by First United.  The mission of the Garrett County Habitat for Humanity is to build safe, adequate houses for those in need who live or work in Garrett County, Maryland.  Nice job to all involved. Here’s the photo of the check presentation:

Tour of Homes Check Presentation

 

The state just posted the agenda for the Board of Public Works meeting in Annapolis on February 19th.  Here it is for those interested.

On Thursday, March 5th, at 6:30 pm, Dr. Deborah Landau, Conservation Ecologist with Maryland/DC Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and Appalachian Laboratory fire ecologist Dr. Mark Cochrane will present “Wildfire in Appalachia: Fire history of the Central Appalachians and implications of a changing climate to our forests’ health” as part of the Watershed Moments Community Learning Series. This presentation will be held at the Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg, Maryland, and is free and open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 6:00 pm. Contact Rhonda Schwinabart, Coordinator of Outreach, at 301.689.7102 or visit www.umces.edu/watershed-moments.

Happy Monday folks!

The weather today will be snow. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 31 and a low around 21. Breezy, with a west wind 16 to 24 mph, with gusts as high as 39 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible and total nighttime accumulation of around an inch possible. Saturday will be mostly cloudy with scattered snow showers. High near 31 and low around 24. New snow accumulation of less than a half-inch possible. Sunday will be partly sunny, with a chance of snow. High near 38 and a low around 32.

We’re in the snowglobe this morning… from the Wisp Mountain webcam:

According to the Garrett County Health Department, there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Garrett County nor Maryland (at this time).

Western Maryland Health System is now UPMC Western Maryland, merging into the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center hospital network.

The Oakland Town Council has given approval for the construction of new mountain bike trails in Broadford Park. The Garrett County Composite Mountain Biking Team made the proposal to the Town so the team could fundraise for the estimated $150,000 it would take to build the trails.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources seeks public comment on the proposed 2021 fiscal year work plan for Potomac Garrett, Green Ridge, Savage River, Chesapeake and Pocomoke State Forests. Annual work plans help identify priorities within the scope of the forest’s long-range management plan. The comment period ends on February 28, 2020.

There are a few events and local entertainment acts happening this weekend! Appreciate the fresh snow and enjoy your weekend!

The weather today will be cloudy with rain likely with a high near 51 and a low around 29. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Mike Dailidenas shared a cool panorama with us — here’s a clip of part of the photo:

The County Sheriff’s Office has an opening for a Public Safety Communications Officer (911).

Have you made your guess in the “Where Am I?” contest this month?

The town of Friendsville will be holding its municipal election on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, with polls scheduled to be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Running for one of three open council seats are incumbents Pamela Humberson, Edward Kelley and Julia Sines. Also running is James Hook. The town of Friendsville maintains a separate register of voters; however, if one has registered at the Board of Elections and is a resident of Friendsville, he/she automatically qualifies to vote in the municipal election. Applications for absentee ballots can be obtained by calling the Town Hall at 301.746.5919.

Looking to spend a night on the town for Valentine’s Day? A local Girl Scout troop 55004 is offering to babysit for kids ages 6-13! $6/hour $30 for 5-10pm. Call Dawn for questions or more information– 814-418-0878.

It’s Wrestling at HOME for Southern Garrett High School — from 5 – 7pm.

The weather for today will be a bit messy.  Rain, freezing rain, and sleet are likely before 3:00 pm, there’s then a chance of rain between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm, then a chance of freezing rain after 5:00 pm. The high will be near 33, with wind gusts later in the day approaching 25 miles per hour.  Rain and a chance of freeqing rain overnight, as the temperatures start rising toward the morning.

February is National Pet Dental Health Month and HART is offering free dental screenings/assessments for pets and is giving a 15% discount on any work scheduled within 60 days of a pet’s free assessment (call HART for specifics). Sounds like a good deal. I may even try to sneak in and get some work done on my mouth (sorry Dr. Yant)!  Here’s a photo of HART’s volunteer of the month, Beth Luers.  Beth and her husband are both friends and they both volunteer at HART.

HART Volunteer Beth Luers

Just heard that the Maryland Park Service is upgrading its online reservation system with new features that will make it easier for customers and park staff to use. The new version of the online reservation system will be available to customers February 13th and will be unavailable February 6th – 13th. Once the new version is installed, the reservation site will be mobile-responsive, adjusting to any screen size, and featuring a more modern look and feel.

Have a problem in your life?  Well, there may be a class that is able to help you find a solution. The Oakland branch of the Ruth Enlow Library is holding their “Be a Problem Finder” class this evening at 6:00 pm. Students will learn to pinpoint the root causes of issues in their life, and how they can take the steps needed to fix them.  It will be presented by speaker Jerry Frigaard!

Speaking of problems, I’m glad I’m not the person “responsible” for the technical glitch in tabulating the Iowa Caucus results. Talk about pressure. I hope it gets worked out and truly finalized by the time you read this Wednesday morning.  We live in interesting times, which makes me all the happier to have a home and life in the mountains of good ol’ Garrett County.

If you have been reading my columns here for a while, you know I like to “infuse” little tidbits and info-bits every once in a while, especially related to the state of Maryland and travel in general.  I just read a report of a study of over 1,000 upscale hotels all over the world on their most stolen items.  They are, in decreasing theft-rate order: towels, bathrobes, hangers, pens and cutlery.  Interestingly, while not a high rate of theft according to the study, people do try to steal hotel mattresses. One hotel in Italy even had the grand piano in their lobby stolen. Really! Here’s the link to the findings.

Finally, here’s a nice message and update on the potential transition of the Savage River Lodge.  Mike and Jan are (surprisingly) nearing 70 and after 25 years of seven-day weeks, are considering the next stage of their life.  Good people and a very nice place.  We wish them luck however and whenever a change comes their way.

The weather for today will be wet, with showers forecast.  Expect a low of 35 and a high of 51, with wind up to 15 miles per hour.

Had a nice trip to Annapolis yesterday where I had a confirmation hearing in the Maryland State Senate as a new member of the Maryland Venture Fund Authority.  I was appointed by Governor Hogan.  I am honored and will continue to do my best to support small business and small business formation in our state and especially our mountain region. There’s lots of opportunity out there for entrepreneurs.

Here’s a cool photo of Wisp back in the day.  I found it on a historic photo site where it was uploaded by Offlake Realty.  Note the vehicles and the limited trees…

Wisp Back in the Day

Did you see that whale surfacing at the lake the other day?  OK, we all know there are no whales at the lake, but I also know many of our readers are keenly interested in the environment and bio-diversity/mass reductions of species.  Here’s a brief piece on efforts between the US and Canada to save the North Atlantic Right Whale population.  Check it out if you have a minute. We can all make a difference at many different levels and in many different ways.

Hunters reported taking 82 wild turkeys during Maryland’s 2020 winter turkey season, which was open statewide January 23rd – 25th. Garrett and St. Mary’s counties had the most birds harvested. Here’s the details.

I hope you all have a better day today than those wild turkeys did! Gobble the day up…

Yesterday was a nice, bright day, with a lot of the snow that fell Saturday night, and previously, melted.  Today will be partly sunny, with a high near 56 and a low around 43. West wind 9 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph, and with a chance of showers in the wee hours of the evening.

Please don’t forget that you can get the complete, multi-faceted weather summary and forecast on our weather page.  We believe it is the most complete weather report for around the lake-area as we use a number of sources, including National Weather Service reports and the local weather station at Garrett College.  Click here to check it out.

The lake has not completely frozen over yet, but some of the coves had ice during the recent cold spell.  A number of hardy ice fisher(wo)men ventured out Saturday and there were even a few left on Sunday afternoon.  Here’s a photo of the fishermen along Cherry Creek Cove taken by my wife on Saturday. It’s a bit fuzzy but it shows the level of activity there.  Please be very careful out there as there is plenty of open water on the lake.

Ice Fishing at Cherry Creek Cove

Happy Black History Month folks.  First proposed in 1969 by educators at Kent State University, and then practiced at various educational and other institutions, it was then recognized by president Gerald Ford as part of the Nation’s bicentennial celebration.

After months of training, the Office of the State Fire Marshal Bomb Squad is prepared to deploy its newest bomb disposal robot – the new Telerob Telemax PRO. The robot will be placed into service and ready to mitigate possible explosive hazards as of today. It cost $400,000 but that is a small price to pay if it can safe just one life.

Hungry?  Don’t forget that today is Half-Price Monday (for pizza) at Brenda’s Pizzeria.  There are those and other specials to be found on our events and dining specials pages.  They are just a click away. Tell them Mike at Deep Creek Times sent ya!

The Board of County Commissioners is holding a public meeting this afternoon starting at 3:00 pm at the County Courthouse.  Here’s the agenda.

The weather today will be cloudy with a high near 41 and a low around 32. A chance of rain and snow showers before 8pm, then a chance of snow showers. Little or no snow accumulation expected. Saturday will be a chance of snow showers before 1pm, then a chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36 and a low around 29. Sunday will be a slight chance of snow showers, mixing with rain after noon, then gradually ending. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41 and a low around 37.

We’d like to take a moment to welcome Lenina and the Lake Pointe Inn as the newest Deep Creek Times advertisers!

Lake Pointe Inn is a 10-room bed and breakfast located lakefront on Deep Creek Lake. An adults-only resort, Lake Pointe offers all the comforts of a fine bed and breakfast with award-winning appointments in the arts and crafts tradition. Light snacks in the afternoon and a complimentary glass of wine are included.

Justin Berk, a Maryland meteorologist, shared this topographic map of Maryland and (second photo) of Deleware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. These maps were 3-D printed by Virginia Tech grad student Peter Forister.

Average winter snow:
McHenry = 104”
Baltimore = 21”
Ocean City = 12”

The MD DNR reports St. Mary’s and Garrett counties harvesting the highest numbers of turkeys in Maryland winter turkey season January 23-25. Overall, 82 wild turkeys were harvested statewide; 9 in Garrett County.

Garrett Mentors is hosting the Chamber February Business After Hours on Thursday, February 13th from 5:30 pm- 7:30 pm at Dutch’s at Silver Tree. Register with Holly at (301) 387-6171.

The Lake hasn’t frozen over yet but there is still fantastic fishing for crappie, walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, and chain pickerel. Read the full fishing report this week.

The Maryland Geological Survey will lead professional surveying societies of Maryland and Pennsylvania in a new survey of monuments along the Mason-Dixon Line. This will be the first complete survey in 40 years of the line, which was marked in a 1760s survey that defined the Maryland-Pennsylvania border.

Join the Grantsville Library for a family-friendly way to spend your afternoon today! Fun Factory features crafts and activities on days that the schools dismiss early for staff development. Hannah Byler Contact Email: hannah@relib.net Contact Phone Number: 301-895-5298

Shane Masters, Keith Roberts Trio, Greg Short & Friends, Derek Shank, Ronnie Burroughs are on the slate for entertainment this weekend.

Mt. Fresh Winter Farmers Market will be held tomorrow from 11am – 1pm. Remember it is the “winter market” so it will be held at Garrett County Community Action at 104 East Center Street in Oakland, Maryland 21550.

The weather today will be a chance of snow showers, mainly between 10am and 5pm. Cloudy, with a high near 32 and a low around 28. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Our water and air temperature gauge is beginning to look more like the winter we want to see!

There is a chance building for more snow as a Nor’easter makes its way up the coast. It probably won’t be much accumulation, though.

What a stunning view from yesterday shared by Gena Sweeney:

What’s New Around Town?! This N That Grocery to name one!

The Hogan administration recognized 40 professionals as Maryland’s first class of Climate Change Professionals, an international credential administered by the Association of Climate Change Officers, during the meeting of the Board of Public Works. Read more.

The Garrett County 911 center is in its final stages of testing the Text To 911 and is in need of testing with the carrier Sprint. If you have Sprint as a cellular phone service and are willing to take part in the testing, please contact Ken Collins directly at kcollins@garrettcounty.org or phone 301-334-8943.

Any high school students with an interest in forestry, fisheries, wildlife, or parks management are invited to participate in a Natural Resources Careers Camp, July 19-25 at the Hickory Environmental Education Center in Garrett County. Read more.

The WV Maple Syrup Producers Association is working with Western MD maple producers to find ways to help the industry thrive. They are requesting help through your participation in this quick survey: http://ow.ly/YOlZ50y81kH

The next public meeting of the Board of Garrett County Commissioners will be Monday, February 3. The agenda is here.