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At the End of the Lane: Discovering Blackthorne Cellars
Some places reveal themselves slowly. Driving along the roads surrounding Deep Creek Lake, it would be easy to miss the gravel lane off of Sand Flat Road leading to Blackthorne Cellars. There are no grand entrances or dramatic announcements. Instead, visitors find...
Garrett Regional Medical Center Receives $1 Million in Congressionally Directed Spending for Radiation Oncology Planning
WVU Medicine Garrett Regional Medical Center (GRMC) welcomed U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, representatives from the office of U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, and U.S. Rep. April McClain Delaney for a special presentation recognizing $1 million in congressionally directed...
GCPS Reminds Families and Drivers to Prioritize Bus Stop Safety
As students prepare to return to school on Monday, August 31, Garrett County Public Schools is reminding students, families, and motorists about the importance of bus stop safety. School bus stops are busy areas where students, families, and motorists all have a role...
‘Powering Possibilities’ Networking Event Slated
Western SBDC, County Business Development, College are sponsors Three organizations are joining forces to offer “Powering Possibilities,” a networking event designed for aspiring and established entrepreneurs. The Western Small Business Development Center, Garrett...
Garrett Regional Medical Center Wins $1 Million for Cancer Treatment Center Planning
Garrett Regional Medical Center is set to receive $1,000,000 in federal funding to plan and design a radiology department that would bring on-site radiation treatment to local cancer patients, one of three Garrett County projects included on U.S. Sen. Chris Van...
Sanitary District Lands $1.66 Million for New Gorman Water Well
The Garrett County Sanitary District, Inc. is set to receive $1,659,000 in federal funding to drill a new production well at Gorman, the largest of three Garrett County projects included on U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen's list of FY26 Congressionally Directed Spending...
Oakland Secures $1.09 Million in Federal Funding to Replace Aging Water System
The Town of Oakland is set to receive $1,092,000 in federal funding to overhaul its aging water system, one of three Garrett County projects included on U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen's list of FY26 Congressionally Directed Spending projects secured for Maryland....
Savage Highlands State Park to Open Aug. 28
The following is adapted from an announcement by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Maryland's Department of Natural Resources will officially open Savage Highlands State Park on Aug. 28, providing expanded access to tens of thousands of acres of state...
Know the Five Standard Responses
Today, we continue our focus on school safety. In an emergency, knowing what a response means can help students, staff, and families understand what is happening and what to expect. The Standard Response Protocol uses five simple, consistent responses: 📍 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃 Students...
Sailing Deep Creek Lake
One of my favorite parts of what I do is that I still get surprised. You’d think after writing about and photographing Deep Creek Lake for years, I’d have experienced just about everything. But, apparently not. When Cheryl invited me to join her for an afternoon sail...
Explore Historic Pedestrian Suspension Bridges
View the Savage River from a Unique Perspective The bridge over the lake on rt. 219. The bridge on Glandale Road. The Casselman bridge. There is no shortage of bridges in the Deep Creek Lake area, and the average weekend visitor will cross over them in their travels...
Rural Maryland Council Announces Fiscal Year 2027 Grant Recipients
The Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund (RMPIF) supports the operating activities of the Rural Maryland Council, including the administration of the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF) and funding for the State’s five...
GRMC Foundation Summer Soiree Raises Over $50,000 for Radiation Oncology
The Garrett Regional Medical Center (GRMC) Foundation’s Summer Soiree, held at The Red Barn on August 15th, raised more than $50,000 to support the Foundation’s Radiation Oncology Campaign and Garrett Regional Medical Center’s expansion of cancer care in the region....
Transportation Dept. Announces 2026-27 Bus Routes & Pass Information
The Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) Transportation Department is pleased to announce that bus pass information is now available for the 2026–27 school year. Student bus passes will remain unchanged from last year, meaning families do not need to update their...
August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month
National Breastfeeding Month is observed every August to raise awareness about the health benefits of breastfeeding, highlight the importance of community and workplace support, and promote health equity for nursing families. This year’s theme is Breastfeeding for a...
Maryland Fire Department Receives Grant to Purchase Needed Equipment
The program, in collaboration with the National Volunteer Fire Council, provided a total of $1.5 million to 150 volunteer fire departments nationwide A volunteer fire department in Maryland was among 150 nationwide recipients of a $10,000 grant through the State...
Charles Carroll of Carrollton: The Last Signer & the First Stone
Editor’s Note: In advance of the August 20th presentation at the Oakland B&O Museum, we are pleased to share this published article by Craig Rhinehart. It tells the fascinating story of Charles Carroll of Carrollton (the last surviving signer of the Declaration of...
Updated Student Cell Phone Policy for 2026-27 School Year
Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) has an updated student cell phone policy for the 2026-27 school year, which provides clear expectations for personal cell phone/personal digital device use during the school day. The updated policy was approved during the June 2026...
Back-to-School Update: New Cafeteria Point of Sale System
Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) is introducing a new cafeteria point-of-sale (POS) system for the 2026-27 school year, providing families with convenient tools to manage student cafeteria accounts and purchases. All students enrolled in GCPS will continue to...
Mrs. Heather Roth Selected as New Friendsville Elementary Principal
Garrett County Public Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Heather Roth as the new Teaching Principal of Friendsville Elementary School, effective for the 2026-27 school year. Roth brings a strong connection to the Friendsville community to her new...
Man Faces Felony Arson Charges Following State Fire Marshal Investigation into Oakland Fire
A man is facing felony charges following a July fire investigation by the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal. The accused is identified as Chad Edward Care, 43, of Hedgesville, West Virginia. Care is facing first- and second-degree arson charges and two counts...
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Surveys at Deep Creek Lake
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will conduct Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) surveys in Deep Creek Lake next week.Operations will begin on Monday, August 17 and conclude in the afternoon on Wednesday, August 19.For everyone's safety and...
Two Winners Take Home Backpacks Loaded with School Supplies
Two local winners will be heading into the 2026-27 school year with backpacks full of school supplies, thanks to a special back-to-school giveaway hosted by Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS). As part of GCPS' Back-to-School campaign, participants had the...
Garrett County Public School Students Demonstrate Academic Growth in 2025-2026 MCAP and AP Assessments
Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) students demonstrated strong academic growth across several state assessments during the 2025-26 school year, according to results presented to the Garrett County Board of Education (GCBOE) during the August 11th Board Meeting....
Final Week of Public Schools Summer Food Service Program
The Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) Food & Nutrition Services (FNS) Department would like to remind families that next week, August 17-21, 2026, will be the final week for the Summer Food Service Program. To ensure students have meals beyond the program's end...
Notice of Curriculum Review and Public Comment Period
Garrett County Public Schools invites community members to review and provide feedback on Wayfinder, a K-12 future readiness and social-emotional learning curriculum currently under consideration for district-wide adoption. Following a thorough vetting process by our...
Where the Wildflowers Grow
Take a walk on the wild side of flowers that is… A wildflower is any flowering plant that grows in nature without being intentionally planted or cultivated by humans. Thriving in uncultivated spaces like meadows, forests, and along roadsides, they are native to their...
Little Yough Summer Music Festival: Eight Weeks of Free Friday Night Concerts
Music lovers are invited to spend their Friday evenings in downtown Oakland as the Oakland A&E District and the Garrett County Arts Council proudly present the Little Yough Summer Music Festival, a long-running, much-loved summer tradition featuring live music....
Notice of Investigation: Structure Fire Garrett County Lightning Strike 3753 Gorman Road, Oakland
Date: 8/11/26 Time: 3:11 am Location / Address: 3753 Gorman Road, Oakland, Garrett County Type of Incident: Structure fire Description of Structure / Property: 40 ft by 45 ft farm barn Injuries or Deaths (YES/NO/NA): No # of Displaced: 0 Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $...
School Safety Starts with a Shared Language
As we continue our focus on back-to-school, today we focus on school safety. This is the first of four parts to be shared regarding school safety. When an urgent issue arises, clear and consistent communication matters. Garrett County Public Schools has adopted The "I...





