Saturday, July 19, 2008
Harvest Moon over Deep Creek Lake
I spent some time this morning watching the US Olympic team training at ASCI on the whitwater course. WOW! They’re fast and incredibly skilled. Long & Foster Real Estate Inc is a proud sponsor of ASCI, and on behalf of everyone at L&F, we are pulling for these guys to have a strong showing in China at the Olympics next month. I have some video via YouTube below and a photo gallery of the session. My good friend Brian Homberg is deeply involved and had this to say in an e-mail to me earlier this week:
“Come and see them paddle, for they are true masters of whitewater sport. They will be demonstrating a dicey game of inches in an obscure and very physically demanding sport which takes years to master and about which they are very passionate. Their significance is that they are Olympic medal contenders visiting the whitewater haven of Garrett County on their way to Beijing, China.
Scott Parsons in particular has an excellent chance to finish for a medal and accomplish what no other male American kayaker has ever done, to be the first to win a medal at an Olympic Games. Dana Chladek of Bethesda, MD did it twice. She claimed the silver medal in both ?92 and ?96.
Scott has a chance to propel whitewater sport to a whole new level of public awareness with a medal finish. He placed 5th in the previous Athens Games. It has taken decades of the ratcheting up of all previous U.S. Teams to be able to compete in a European dominated sport, where whitewater kayaking and racing is popular and skiers, rock climbers and kayakers are national sports heroes and household names.
I will be rooting for him. Scotty (and his parents) trusted me to lead him down his first class 3 rapids at Nantahala Falls in NC when he was 9 years old many years ago.
Back in my younger days I competed with some of these athletes as a member of the U.S. Team in the 1990?s as I came close at the Olympic Trials on the Savage River in ?92 and even closer in ?96 to go to the Olympics in men?s singles kayak. My fantastic consolation prize is my two kids, Garrett County, and it?s beautiful whitewater treasures.
I know these team members personally and know how much of a shoe string you live on to be at a world-class level in whitewater slalom racing. Meet them and give them your support this Thursday at the Santa Fe Grill in McHenry from 12:30-2:00 pm! Wish them well in the coming weeks ahead!
They are very familiar with Garrett County’s spectacular rivers as one of the premier whitewater sport destination areas in the country, where residents warmly and skillfully hosted the 1989 World Championships on the Savage River. They are true ambassadors of a more amateur side of the Olympic Spirit.
But the real showcase is the public awareness side of preserving and conserving our free flowing rivers and streams as recreation areas. Get involved. Join our newly formed local paddling club www.youghpaddlingclub.org or be a volunteer for upcoming national and international events. There just might be a future Olympic Champion among the ranks of Garrett County school students. Scott Parsons didn?t have the Youghiogheny River or a whitewater training course in his town when he was younger. We both originate from Ohio and had to drive hours to get to whitewater rivers and races. There is a fantastic opportunity right here for learning and enjoying a fun and physical sport. Plug in at www.adventuresportscenter.com!"
Happy Paddling!
Brian Homberg
Whitewater Programs Manager
301-501-0131 cell
_________________
Significant improvement in reading and mathematics scores was recorded on the Maryland School Assessment (MSA) for 2008, building on the consistent progress made over the past five years, according to data released this week by the Maryland State Department of Education.
Garrett County schools showed improvement in both reading and math across the board - from the third through the eighth grade - with the single exception of fifth grade math.
The 2008 scores for Garrett County when compared to those of 2007 were as follows:
Third grade: reading, 80% proficiency in 2007, 84.5% in 2008; math, 79.4% in 2007, 85.1% in 2008.
Fourth grade: reading, 87.6% to 93.7%; math, 89.7% to 93.1%.
Fifth grade: reading, 82.8% to 89.5%; math, 82.5% to 79.9%.
Sixth grade: reading, 78.6% to 87%; math, 72.6% to 84.9%.
Seventh grade: reading, 75.7% to 91.1%; math, 76.4% to 77.3%.
Eighth grade: reading, 72.6% to 76.4%; math, 70.8% to 76.1%.
All of Garrett County’s scores, with the exception of fifth grade math, also exceeded the averages for the entire state. The state score average for fifth grade math is 80.5%, with Garrett County’s score (79.9%) less than one percentage point behind.
Garrett County’s eighth grade math average score (76.1%) is nearly 15 points above the state average (61.8%).
The complete list for the state is as follows: third grade, reading, 83.0, math, 82.6; fourth grade, reading, 88.4, math, 88.5; fifth grade, reading, 86.7, math, 80.5; sixth grade, reading, 81.7, math, 75.8; seventh grade, reading, 81.1, math, 68.2; and eighth grade, reading, 72.8, math, 61.8.
Assessment scores across the state show marked improvement in the performance of students across racial categories and for students receiving special services. Scores are being expressed as the percentage of students in each system who scored at or above the proficiency levels set when the exams launched in 2003.
Composite MSA reading proficiency at the elementary grades has risen more than 24 percentage points in Maryland since 2003, while composite elementary mathematics proficiency has increased by nearly 24 points as well. Composite middle school reading proficiency has increased 18.6 percentage points since 2003, while composite middle school math proficiency has risen nearly 29 points.
State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick praised the continued dedication to educational excellence.
“Hard work in the classroom and strong grade-by-grade standards are really paying off for Maryland students, thanks to their efforts, as well as those of principals and teachers,” said Grasmick. “Our vibrant Voluntary State Curriculum has given birth to creative and consistent instructional programs. These scores tell us that schools are improving in every corner of the state.”
In addition to developing the highly regarded Voluntary State Curriculum, MSDE has bolstered school improvement through the Principals Academy leadership initiative, strong professional development, and a variety of teacher support programs for local school systems, according to a release from the department.
The percentage of students statewide scoring at the proficient or advanced levels for reading in grade three, for example, rose from 58.1 percent in 2003 to 83 percent this year. The percentage of students scoring in the proficient range for grade five mathematics rose from 55 percent five years ago in 2003 to 80.5 percent this year.
Results from recent assessments also prove that progress made in the early grades is being sustained as students progress through school. Reading and mathematics scores for third grade students have increased every year since the assessments were introduced. Middle school reading and mathematics scores have mirrored those improvements. Data show each class cohort scoring better than those in the previous years.
The results, according to a department spokesperson, also point to the importance of Maryland’s strong, centralized system of early childhood development, which has given many students “a leg up” on their studies.
“An increasing number of students are entering schools ready to learn, which has contributed to the consistently positive results in the early grades,” the spokesperson said.
Under the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements, all students must score at proficient levels by 2014.
NCLB charts the progress of the overall student population in the grades tested, as well as that of students receiving any of three categories of special services: Free and/or Reduced-Price Meals (FARMs), Special Education, and Limited English Proficient. It also follows the success of students in five racial subgroups: American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, African American, White, and Hispanic.
“These test results show conclusively that our efforts have paid off for all Maryland students and their families,” Dr. Grasmick said. “Our goals remain in sight, and the data prove that great principals and teachers - providing focused, compelling instruction - are the best recipe for reaching them.”
There has been strong, consistent improvement among students receiving special services. For example:
•The proportion of Maryland students receiving Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FARMs) scoring in the proficient range in elementary school reading jumped from 40.9 percent in 2003 to 76.6 percent in 2008.
•The proportion of students receiving special education services scoring in the proficient range in elementary school mathematics increased from 30.5 percent in 2003 to 66.7 percent in 2008.
The test results are open to appeals from schools and school systems. Whether schools and systems made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under the federal guidelines, as well as final MSA scores, will be released later this summer.
Also scheduled for release at a later date are the 2008 High School Assessment scores, graduation rates, and attendance figures.
Statewide, system, and local school MSA data is available on the Maryland State Department of Education’s improved report card Web site: http://www.mdreport-card.org.

Affordable workforce housing for low and moderate income people may soon be available at a proposed development called Lake Hill. Spearheaded by the Garrett County Community Action Committee, the community will be located near the proposed McHenry Business and Technology Park and the airport.
Community Action president Duane Yoder recently reviewed the Lake Hill development for the Garrett County commissioners, who approved the transfer of about 50 acres of the White Face Farm property for the project.
This week, Yoder provided more details about the project for the media, along with two architectural renderings of the proposed community.
Yoder called the commissioners’ support for Lake Hill “a great demonstration of how teamwork can be used to create affordable workforce housing in the McHenry area, close to where jobs are located.”
The president also noted that despite unemployment dropping in the county, the cost of housing has made it very difficult for young working families and even middle income persons to acquire a home in a market where the median home sales exceed affordability ratios of median household incomes by 10, when generally accepted rates are between two and three.
Yoder also pointed to the fact that existing employers seeking to expand or recruit workers for new businesses are increasingly expressing concern over housing affordability.
“Housing is a critical economic development issue” stated Jim Hinebaugh, director of the Garrett County Department of Economic Development.
He also noted that because of the importance of housing to employers, the Garrett County Development Corporation and the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce have both made housing a priority.
Community Action’s proposal will utilize 40-50 acres and yield over 200 homes, according to Yoder. Approximately 170 additional acres will be placed in a permanent development ban as either a conservancy or a buffer around the airport. Additionally, softball and soccer fields adjacent to the development will be improved, and trail and picnic sites will be preserved as “green spaces.”
Yoder describes the appearance of the Lake Hill development as “an attractive and pleasing small town.”
“The uniqueness of this initiative is that it builds an attractive, sustainable community in an area rich with amenities,” Yoder said. “At the same time it builds a trust fund that will enable sustained work throughout the county.”
He added that the commissioners’ land transfer action was a state model for “Smart Growth.”
The Lake Hill plan calls for a mix of house types and prices, with the primary market being persons earning less than 150 percent of the area’s household median income, which is currently $60,000.
Only persons earning less than 150 percent of the median income will be eligible for reduced home prices. Higher income buyers will pay the full appraised market value, Yoder said.
The county’s land transfer, as agreed upon by the commissioners, will be made into a nonprofit land trust that will hold title to the property and provide land lease agreements to buyers.
“The cost of the land is removed from the price of the house, making the home more affordable to buyers,” Yoder said.
Additionally, development income will go to the land trust to rehabilitate or develop housing in other parts of the county.
The Lake Hill project grew out of local efforts to find solutions to the problem of affordable workforce housing. The Development Corporation and Community Action led a three-year effort through a task force of more than 30 people to devise such a plan, Yoder said.
According to Development Corporation chair Criss Kepple, the core of that plan describes strategies on how the community can work together to build and maintain housing that is affordable to people who work in the county and for young residents getting careers started in the community.
“The plan specifically recommends that the county look for ways it can provide land and infrastructure to achieve that goal,” Kepple said. “I believe Lake Hill provides an almost perfect site for a workforce housing community and clearly is consistent with the plan recommendation.”
She pointed out that the McHenry area is a major employment center, where workers living in the new housing development will not have to travel far to work.
“There is access to public utilities, and the area is designated as a growth zone,” Kepple added. “It also provides our workers who help make Deep Creek Lake a very attractive place to also enjoy its amenities while saving on energy and transportation.”
Yoder said he expects it will take several years to obtain the necessary funding and approvals for the Lake Hill project. He added that he anticipates a number of realtors and builders will participate in the build out and marketing of the development.
“The McHenry Business and Technology Park is expected to eventually attract businesses with higher wages,” Yoder add. “The Lake Hill housing development will not only support the county’s efforts to build the employment center by creating attractive housing for these future jobs, but will also create housing for those already working in McHenry and at Garrett College as well.”
Jul. 17, 2008
Governor Martin O’Malley announced yesterday that the Board of Public Works has approved more than $1.5 million in local Program Open Space (POS) funding for recreation projects at parks in Baltimore City and seven counties.
Among the projects that will receive funding is the Crystal Spring boardwalk trail that will be constructed in Mountain Lake Park. The $188,072 allocated will allow for expansion and handicapped accessibility of the trail.
Since 2007, Governor O’Malley and the BPW have preserved more than 2,556 acres of natural areas for public recreation and watershed and wildlife protection across Maryland. Since 1969, Program Open Space has provided funding for the preservation of more than 323,320 acres across the state. The money comes from a percentage of the real estate transfer tax and is used for local and state parks throughout Maryland.
Most Maryland residents live within 15 minutes of an open space or recreational area funded through Program Open Space.
The three-member Board of Public Works, chaired by Governor O’Malley, comprises state treasurer Nancy Kopp and state comptroller Peter Franchot. The BPW is authorized by the General Assembly to approve major construction and consultant contracts, equipment purchases, property transactions, and other procurement actions.
I received a press release from ASCI today (more from their website):
The U.S. Olympic Team-Canoe/Kayak will be training at ASCI July 14-18, and you’re invited to come see the action! The public is welcome to view the team training on ASCI’s whitewater course for FREE! The U.S. Olympic Team-Canoe/Kayak for 2008 is:Scott Parsons (K1), Benn Fraker (C1), Heather Corrie (K1W), Casey Eichfeld and Rick Powell (C2). The team’s two coaches are Silvan Poberaj and Cathy Hearn. Casey and Ricky are part-time ASCI employees, and Ricky is enrolled at the Adventure Sports Institute beginning this fall. Scott Parsons is a resident of Bethesda, MD.
Click the photo for a larger, more detailed version:
Jul. 10, 2008
by Don Sincell
“Legendary” seems like an inadequate description of the late Art Rooney, the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. His legacy began when he and a twin sister were born in 1901 to Welsh parents in a room above their saloon in Mc-Keesport, Pa.; evolved throughout the 87 years of his fascinating life; and continues to this day through the work of his five sons, his siblings, grandchildren, and various other relatives and associates.
Ruanaidh -which is Gaelic for “Rooney” - is the name of new book, a 12-year labor of love by one of those five sons, Deep Creek Lake resident Art Rooney Jr.
And much of the labor that went into the book took place at Rooney’s home along Lake Shore Drive.
“Soon after we moved in, I was showing the now late Judge Fred Thayer around the house,” Rooney said. “When we went into our loft, which has a window that overlooks the lake, Fred said, ‘It looks like a lot of work could be done in this space.’ And believe me, he was right.”
It was there that Rooney filled many of the pages of 41 journals that, with the editing assistance of good friend and long-time sports columnist for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette Roy McHugh, would ultimately become the 485-page Ruanaidh, The Story of Art Rooney and His Clan.
“For many years, Mort Sharnik, former associate editor for Sports Illustrated, kept after me to write down the events and stories of my dad’s life so that they would not be forgotten,” Rooney said. “I was about 60 when I finally started writing. I’m terrible with a typewriter, so I filled journal after journal with handwritten accounts. Unfortunately for Roy [Mc-Hugh], by handwriting is not much better than my typing!
“But he did a masterful job of editing and rewriting where necessary,” he said.
Rooney said that it was very important to him that the writing style in the final version would be such that the reader could “hear” the author’s voice.
“My biggest worry was that readers who knew me would say that it was not my ‘voice’ in the book,” Rooney said. “So I gave ex-cerpts to my friends, including Garrett County’s Judge Thayer and Troy Gnegy, to get their opinions. They really liked what they read, and said that reading it was like sitting down and talking with me, so I was very pleased about that.”
Art Jr., the second eldest of the five Rooney brothers, played football for St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., graduated with a degree in history, studied drama at Carnegie Tech and in New York City, served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, and then joined the Steelers organization as personnel director. He supervised the scouting and drafting of the Steelers’ first four Super Bowl championship teams in the 1970s.
Ruanaidh consists of 74 chapters, each divided into memoirs or anecdotal segments, some shorter than one page.
“I do ‘jump around’ a little bit in the book, and it can be read in pieces,” Rooney said, “but it is written in chronological order.”
Rooney will be signing copies of his book at the Book Mark’et in Oakland on Saturday, July 19, which are from a second printing.
“The first printing sold out quickly. I was shocked, but delighted, that there would be so much interest,” said Rooney. “So we arranged for a second printing of 3,000 copies.”
Interestingly, the cover of the book, designed by Rooney’s cousin Kathy Rooney, features a photo of Art Rooney Sr. and his brother Dan Rooney in baseball uniforms. The pho-to was taken in 1924 when they played for the Wheeling Stogies of the Mid-Atlantic League.
The book includes an account of when the Roon-ey brothers were “banned” from Frostburg after getting into a fistfight with the Frostburg players, who evidently were taunting the Rooneys with “anti-Cath-olic” jibes.
In that 1924 season, Art Rooney had a .369 batting average for the Stogies, second best on the team, and brother Dan hit .359. Dan, incidentally, would go on to become a Franciscan priest.
Rooney was a member of the varsity teams in football, basketball, baseball, and track at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (then Indiana Normal School), and was also an outstanding boxer.
“Dad loved all sports and was very good at playing them, but baseball was real-ly his passion,” Art Jr. said. “So that’s why I chose to use that photo on the cover of the book.”
Ruanaidh has drawn lots of praise from sports writers and editors from around the country, including:
“A terrific read! Funny stories, sad ones … a unique look back at the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers and their beloved patriarch.” Tom Danyluk, Pro Football Weekly.
“Art Rooney Jr. has produced an encyclopedic memoir that is informative and entertaining and populated by more real-life characters, including the Chief of the Steelers tribe, than Damon Runyon ever managed to fictionalize.” John Troan, retired editor of The Pittsburgh Press.
“I’ve found over the years that Steeler fans are among the most intense readers and collectors of good stories about their beloved team, and this book is overflowing with those stories.” Peter King, Sports Illustrated.
“A thoughtful and interestingly detailed history of the Pittsburgh Steelers by Art Rooney Jr., the team’s vice president, who was the mastermind of arguably the greatest player draft in NFL history.” William Buchan-an, retired Boston Globe reporter.
“A warm and witty accounting of the life and times of Art Rooney, NFL pioneer and perhaps America’s greatest sportsman and artisan.” Mort Sharnik, former associate editor, Sports Illustrated.
The July 19 book signing at the Book Mark’et will begin at 11:30 a.m.
Rooney has been married to married Kathleen (Kay) Kumer for over 46 years. They are the parents of four children and have six grandchildren. When they are not at their Deep Creek Lake house, they reside in Mt. Lebanon, Pa., near Pittsburgh.
Jul. 10, 2008
Two part-time Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI) staff members, Rick Powell and Casey Eichfield, secured spots on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team – Canoe/Kayak at the Augsburg, Germany, World Cup this past weekend, and will compete in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, in August along with three other team members.
Rounding out the rest of the team are Scott Parsons of Bethesda, Benn Fraker and Heather Corrie, and Olympic coaches Silvan Poberaj and Cathy Hearn.
The five-person Olympic team has just confirmed it will travel to ASCI for training next week from Monday through Friday. According to Matt Taylor, executive director at ASCI, the team will have exclusive use of the recirculating whitewater course daily in the morning and again late in the afternoon.
ASCI has invited the public to watch the U.S. representatives prepare themselves for the Olympic competition in Beijing.
Persons may visit the ASCI web site at www.-adventuresportscenter.com or call 301-387-3250 for information on the Olympic Team’s schedule while in Garrett County.
I had the pleasure of touring the Alpine Village Motel recently at an open house held by Suzanne Roszell, the listing agent. Talk about a unique piece of Garrett County history! The hotel is one of the few remaining commercial establishments on the waters of Deep Creek Lake. There are 29 lakefront rooms, dock slips available for guests, a beach area, outdoor swimming area and several native stone woodburning fireplaces throughout the property. Rooms styles vary, but all offer unique living quarters and a rustic flavor of the mountains. Better yet, you can walk to Garrett 8 Cinemas, the Honi-Honi bar, Arrowhead, Uno’s and more! Plenty of parking area, and right in the heart of Deep Creek Lake’s commercial activities! Roughly 45,000 sq ft!
If you have dreamed of owning and perating a business at Deep Creek Lake, this is an opportunity that you will want to look in to. The property is listed for sale through Long & Foster Real Estate at a price tag of $5.75 million. I have a photo gallery below, as well as a video of a stream that borders the property and flows into Deep Creek Lake beside Alpine Shores.
I had the pleasure of touring the Alpine Village Motel recently at an open house held by Suzanne Roszell, the listing agent. Talk about a unique piece of Garrett County history! The hotel is one of the few remaining commercial establishments on the waters of Deep Creek Lake. There are 29 lakefront rooms, dock slips available for guests, a beach area, outdoor swimming area and several native stone woodburning fireplaces throughout the property. Rooms styles vary, but all offer unique living quarters and a rustic flavor of the mountains. Better yet, you can walk to Garrett 8 Cinemas, the Honi-Honi bar, Arrowhead, Uno’s and more! Plenty of parking area, and right in the heart of Deep Creek Lake’s commercial activities! Roughly 45,000 sq ft!
If you have dreamed of owning and perating a business at Deep Creek Lake, this is an opportunity that you will want to look in to. The property is listed for sale through Long & Foster Real Estate at a price tag of $5.75 million. I have a photo gallery below, as well as a video of a stream that borders the property and flows into Deep Creek Lake beside Alpine Shores.