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Labor Day Weekend – 2013 – Fun things to do at Deep Creek Lake!

Have a SAFE, FUN FILLED Labor Day weekend at Deep Creek Lake!
labor-day-weekend-2013
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LIVE MUSIC at DEEP CREEK LAKE

Thursday August 29

Boardwalk –DJ
Harbor Bar — The Masons, 6

Friday August 30

Black Bear Tavern — Paul Berger, 6
Boardwalk — Karaoke, 8-12
Harbor Bar — TBA,  6
Little Yough Music Festival — The Carper Family, 7

Saturday August 31

Black Bear Tavern -Maxell House, 6
Boardwalk — Back Seat Driver,  5-8
Harbor Bar — TBA, 6
Long Branch Saloon — TBA
Mountain State Brewing — Live entertainment, 1-4

Monday September 1

Black Bear Tavern – Paul Berger, 6

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Wisp Outdoors Labor Day Equipment Sale

Dates: August 30, 2013 – September 02, 2013
Location:

Wisp Outdoors Equipment Blow Out Sale

Friday, August 30 thru Monday, September 2

9am – 5pm – Wisp Outdoors Adventure Park

Wisp Outdoors Rental Equipment: Limited supply.

Come early for the best selection adn save big $$$$!

Sale equipments includes but not limited to
Kayaks,
Canoes,
Mountain Bikes,
Paddleboards and Accessories.*

Click here for additional product information and pricing

*Products are in limited supply and based on availability and subject to change.

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Blue Moon Rising Open House

Name: Blue Moon Rising Open House
Date: July 16, 2013 – September 5, 2013
Event Description:
Open House Tours
July 5th,2013 and last until September 1st, 2013
Monday- Friday: 4pm – 5pm
Saturday & Sunday: 11am – 3pmFor more information call us 240-442-5287 or email info@bluemoonrising.org

Location:
We are so new that we don’t have an official address yet. 219 near Gravelly Run Road.
Contact Information:
Fees/Admission:
FREE
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Little Yough Summer Music Festival

Name: Little Yough Summer Music Festival
Date: August 30, 2013
Time: 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Event Description:
The Little Yough Summer Concert Series will begin its 17th season! Come to downtown Oakland and join us for a night under the stars. Bring your chairs, blankets and refreshments if you would like.   They are every Friday evening from July 5-September 6, concerts begin at 7:00 pm and go until approximately 9:30 pm.  You can also come a little early and get some food from one of our many delicious food vendors. Concerts are held in the Mt. Fresh Pavilion on Town Park Lane next to the Little Yough river. Complete performers descriptions can be found at www.agreatsmalltown.com . Concerts are FREE, but donations are graciously accepted. Hope to see you there!2013 Line-up

August 30-The Carper Family
September 6- The Remedy

Location:
Mt. Fresh Pavilion on Town Park Lane in downtown Oakland next to the Little Yough River.
Date/Time Information:
7/6/2013-9/06/2013 Concerts begin at 7:00pm
Contact Information:
Michelle Ross 301-334-2691
Fees/Admission:
FREE
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Mountain Fresh Farmers Markets in Oakland

Name: Mountain Fresh Farmers Markets in Oakland
Date: August 31, 2013
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Event Description:
Mountain Fresh Farmers Markets feature the area’s freshest fruits, vegetables, berries, and herbs as well as plants, eggs, honey, cut flowers, delicious grassfed meats, goat’s milk cheeses, home baked goods, jams & jellies, hand made crafts, and more each Wednesday and Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm in beautiful downtown Oakland, just a 15 minute drive south from Deep Creek Lake.We’re a “Producer-Only” market, meaning that you are purchasing the items directly from farmers, bakers, and artisans, as we do not allow any reselling at our market.

Location:
Downtown Oakland at the corner of South First Street and Alley 3/Town Park Ln, just off Route 39 across the railroad tracks from the Oakland B&O Museum.
Date/Time Information:
Wednesdays & Saturdays, 10 am to 1 pm
Contact Information:
Call 301-334-6960 or email info@MountainFresh.org
Fees/Admission:
Free Admission
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SuGO Sunday: LEGO Robotics

Name: SuGO Sunday: LEGO Robotics
Date: September 1, 2013
Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
SuGO teams building their Sumo Robot.
Event Description:
Come and build Sumo Wrestling Robots using LEGO MINDSTORMS.SuGO teams form at 1:00pm, and build until 3:30pm. Teams can be families or friends and No experience is necessary. All equipment is provided, and help is available for rookie teams. At 3:00, teams move to the arena and the SuGO bots battle it out tournament style.

This is a great activity for LEGO lovers of all ages.
Experience the latest LEGO Robotics hardware and push your creativity to the limit..

Light refreshments are available for purchase.

Location:
GEARS Inc. 116 Industrial Park Drive, Accident MD 21520
Date/Time Information:
First Sunday of every Month. 1:00-5:00pm
Contact Information:
Phil Malone (301) 387-2331
Fees/Admission:
$10 per team of free for GEARS members. Yearly Membership is $25.
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“COUPLES” 18 HOLE SCRAMBLE

Name: “COUPLES” 18 HOLE SCRAMBLE
Date: September 1, 2013
Time: 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Event Description:
18 HOLE CAPTAIN’S CHOICE/SCRAMBLE GOLF TOURNAMENT.  EACH TEAM WILL CONSIST OF 2 LADIES AND 2 MEN AND THERE WILL BE PRIZES AND FOOD AVAILABLE FOLLOWING PLAY.
Location:
OAKLAND GOLF CLUB
Date/Time Information:
SUNDAYS AT 2 PM
Contact Information:
MAX HILL
Fees/Admission:
$5 TOURNAMENT FEE + GREENS FEE
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Sunday September 1 – Deep Creek Discovery Center

10:00 a.m. Canoe with the NaturalistJoin the Naturalist for a guided tour to Meadow Mt. Cove. Learn about the plant & animal life of GarrettCounty’s wetlands. Basic canoeing skills will be covered. $10/adult; $5 for age 12 & under. Must pre-register as space is limited. Meet at the DiscoveryCenter. 2 hr.

2:00 p.m. Fish Prints.  Join us for the ancient tradition of Gyotaku. Make a poster or print. 45min.

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Door Entry Systems and School Resource Officers in Garrett County Public Schools

Garrett County Public Schools have been proactive in implementing additional security measures in all

schools over the past six months.  New door security hardware and the incorporation of School

Resource Officers (SROs) have been put in place for the opening of schools on Monday, August 26

The school system has placed cameras and video recording equipment, access control door entry

systems, and entry intercoms/buzzers at all schools to provide additional security for the students, staff,

and visitors.  Also, the security software will allow for a keyless entry system for all employees and

will allow the schools to be locked at all times during the school day.

Parents and guardians who want to access a particular school will need to ring the buzzer at the front

door entrance.  Office staff will communicate through the intercom system and, if approved, will grant

access to the building.  A photo identification may be required.

The Garrett County Commissioners have funded two full-time School Resource Officers (SROs) for

the upcoming school year:  one for the northern end of the county and one for the southern end.

Sheriff Robert Corley will have the overall responsibility for  Lt. Clark Warnick and Deputy Tim

Sanders.  Lt. Warnick and Deputy Sanders are full time law enforcement officers of the Garrett County

Sheriff’s office and will have offices in the schools.  Their daily law enforcement and educational

activities will be coordinated with the local school administration staff.

Mrs. Cynthia Downton, President of the Garrett County Board of Education, stated, “The safety and

security of our students and staff are paramount to the Board of Education.  We appreciate the support

of the Garrett County Commissioners, Garrett County Sheriff’s Office, and the Maryland State

Department of Education for their support of these important safety initiatives.  In addition to these

measures, we remind our school staff and community members to continue to be vigilant regarding

strangers around school grounds or in our schools.”

More here.

Deep Creek Lake POA – Commissioners' Comments

Some of the comments that our county Commissioners made at the latest DCLPOA meeting:

 

1.      Odor on Lake Shore Drive.   I was not aware that the odor was again a problem at this location or any other station.    The County has taken preventative measures and invested capital into control (not totally eliminating) this.  Here is more detail about how this is controlled:

 

Odor Control

The Deep Creek Lake sewage collection system is predominately a series of pressure sewers and force mains, with a few areas of conventional gravity collection lines, that transport wastewater via seventeen major pumping stations to the wastewater treatment plant located on Mayhew Inn Road.  The collection system consists of approximately 40 miles of pipeline and is essentially a closed system except at major pumping station wet wells, at points of discharge into gravity sewer segments, and at air release valves.

Since the spring of 1985, the Garrett County Sanitary District/Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has been addressing sewer gas odors.  Odorous conditions are caused primarily by the generation of hydrogen sulfide from sulfate compounds naturally occurring in domestic sewage.  Odors are created when oxygen levels are depleted in the wastewater due to naturally occurring bacteriological action and hydrosulfide is converted from a liquid form to hydrogen sulfide gas.  Anaerobic bacteria which grow in slime coatings inside sewer pipelines also reduce sulfates to sulfide to obtain oxygen for metabolic processes.

There are three basic approaches to correction of hydrogen sulfide odor problems – masking, removal and prevention.  Masking entails the addition of deodorant chemicals to hide the odor; removal is generally accomplished by adsorption into activated carbon; and prevention is accomplished by maintenance of aerobic conditions in the collection system and retardation of slime growth.

 

Since system initiation, DPU has tested and utilized numerous methods for odor control including:

 

  • *Activated Carbon Canisters at the major pump stations and treatment plant
  • *Injection of Hydrogen Peroxide
  • *Injection of Potassium Permanganate
  • *Injection of Ferric Chloride
  • *Installation of Iron Oxide & Wood Chip Media Filters at major pump stations and air release vaults
  • *Injection of Sodium Hypochlorite
  • *Injection of Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide)
  • *Sealing of infrastructure with a silicone caulking
  • *Installation of rubber seals on major pump station vault lids
  • *Installation of waterless vapor odor control units utilizing odor neutralization products
  • *Citrus based floating degreaser in major pump stations
  • *Citrus based air enhancing products
  • *Injection of an iron enriched mixture to bind water phase sulfides in the collection system
  • *Injection of a naturally-occurring, non-pathogenic bacteria that changes the biofilm in the collection system to reduce noxious and corrosive gas production
  • *Installation of dry-chemical media scrubber units

 

 

We are currently utilizing the iron oxide and wood chip media filters, seals on pump station vault lids, citrus based air enhancing products, and the dry-chemical media scrubber units.  The recently added dry-chemical media scrubber units capture the odorous air being emitted from the system and permanently remove gases from the air through chemisorption.  During this instantaneous process, gases are adsorbed, absorbed and captured throughout the entire volume of the media.  The gases are then chemically transformed into harmless solids that remain trapped inside the media.

 

DPU has also retrofitted the influent piping in the major pump stations to minimize turbulence in order to inhibit release of odorous gases and installed odor logging units that continuously sample and record the levels of odorous gases in the system.

 

All major pump stations are manually checked on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and weekends.  In order to manually view the sewage levels in the pump station vaults and to break up any mat that forms on top of the wastewater or to perform any maintenance on the pumping system, the vault lids must be opened which will allow gases to escape from the vault when open.  Once maintenance procedures are completed, personnel are instructed to close and secure vault lids.

 

2.      Public Hearing on September 24, 2013 that will allow pubic commentary on request for a permit for commercial personal watercraft by Bill Meagher.   The Board of County Commissioners will take all public commentary including that of Mr. Meagher, the Planning Commission, Deep Creek Watershed Board of Zoning Appeals, and Department of Planning and Land Development under advisement.   I would encourage members of the POA to submit their opinion to my attention and attend the hearing.

 

3.     Realignment of Route 219 – Oakland (Bypass).   Commissioner Raley spoke to this question by stating that this project was moved to #2 on the Board of Garrett County Commissioners Capital Transportation Plan.  The 3 mile section of Route 219 from the PA line south to Interstate 68 is the #1 Project for the County and this project will begin construction this fall.  Questions on this plan should be addressed to John Nelson with the County Department of Planning and Land Development.

 

4.     Thayerville Water Project.   The question on different ad valorem tax rates for different sanitary districts in the Deep Creek Lake Watershed.   This is a question that will require an extensive answer and I would happy to facilitate such an response or session to meet.   In short, there are many water and sewer projects with different costs and distinct debt service obligations and terms of repayment.  If members would like me to compile a financial report let me know.    The County’s General Audit will show this in brief and a copy of this can be sent to anyone if needed.

 

5.      Thayerville Water Project.  Questions and comments on real property taxes and ad valorem tax rate for the Thayerville Water System.  I am not sure if there was question on this or just a comment.  In any event I will be available to further talk about this.

 

6.      Marcellus Shale.   Comments and questions on an economic development survey.  Commissioner Raley serves on the Governor’s Advisory Commission and I will speak with him about this and I will assure that information is posted on the County’s website.

 

7.      Glendale Road – Thayerville Water Project.  Request for a Public Hearing to receive public commentary on the financial impact (long term) for property owners who must connect to the System.  I am not certain a public hearing is what should occur due to the fact that all legal requirements have been met. However, the Board of County Commissioners is certainly open to set up a work session to listen comments and provide clarification.  I am not sure who would facilitate this on behalf of the person who asked today’s question or if the POA wants to take the lead but I will do what I can on behalf of the County.

 

8.      “Western Conveyance”  In 2003 the Board of Garrett County Commissioners began the process of extending the boundaries of the Deep Creek Lake Sanitary District in order to provide public water and sewer service to Shingle Camp Terrace, Brenneman Drive, Sandy Shores, Stockslager Road Extension, Penelacres, Slide Hollow, and Marsh Hill Subdivision.  Public Hearings and Public Informational meetings were conducted as required by the Environmental Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland in 2004 and 2006 and the project has been under engineering design since 2007.  During the period of 2007 to the present the Department of Public Utilities and the County Attorney have been securing easements and rights of way for all service lines.  At this time plans are to finalize project engineering design this summer and fall, solicit bids for the project over the winter months, and begin construction in the spring/summer of 2014.   The Board of County Commissioners would like to provide all property owners who would be in the service area with updates on the project status, a timeline for all phases of planning and construction, public hearing notice, system connection cost estimates, and other pertinent information.  The County would like to develop an email distribution list to provide this information.  Interested parties should contact County Administrator, Monty Pagenhardt to be added to the mailing list for this project.

Much more here.

Deep Creek Lake Property Owners Association – August 2013

Some info from the latest meeting of the Deep Creek Lake POA:

The  General Membership meeting was opened with words of greeting from Senator George Edwards and Delegate Wendall Beitzel.  Then the County Commissioners – Chairman Bob Gatto, Gregen Crawford and James Raley – came to the microphone and offered their comments.  A separate eBlast is being issued concurrently with these notes which reports on their comments.  David Myerberg, Chair of the Policy & Review Board [PRB] and also Chair of the Deep Creek Lake Watershed Management Plan Steering Committee [WMP] reported on the working of both groups and then responded to questions from the membership.  He mentioned the upcoming meeting on September 11, of the WMP, which will be held from 1 to 4:30pm in Conference Room 107, Garrett County Health Department, at 1025 Memorial Drive, Oakland.

More here.

County schools get good progress report

New security measures, resource officers in place in Garrett County schools

For the Cumberland Times-News Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — Garrett County Public Schools have installed new door security hardware and incorporated school resource officers for the opening of schools.

The school system has placed cameras and video recording equipment, access control door entry systems, and entry intercoms/buzzers at all schools to provide additional security for the students, staff and visitors. The security software will allow for a keyless entry system for all employees and will allow the schools to be locked at all times during the school day.

Parents and guardians who want to access a particular school will need to ring the buzzer at the front door. Office staff will communicate through the intercom system and, if approved, will grant access to the building. A photo identification may be required.

The Garrett County commissioners have funded two full-time SROs  — one for the northern end of the county and one for the southern end. Sheriff Robert Corley will have the overall responsibility for Lt. Clark Warnick and Deputy Tim Sanders, who have offices in the schools. Their daily law enforcement and educational activities will be coordinated with the local school administration staff.

“The safety and security of our students and staff are paramount to the board of education,” said Cynthia Downton, president of the Garrett County Board of Education. “We appreciate the support of the Garrett County commissioners, Garrett County Sheriff’s Office and the Maryland State Department of Education for their support of these important safety initiatives. In addition to these measures, we remind our school staff and community members to continue to be vigilant regarding strangers around school grounds or in our schools.”

More here.

Deep Creek Lake Management Plan Steering Committee Meeting

The Deep Creek Lake Management Plan Steering Committee will be holding its first meeting on September 11, 2013 at the Garrett County Health Department Conference Room (RM 107) located at 1025 Memorial Drive, Oakland, MD 21550. The public is invited to attend. Please click on the following link for more information:  Steering Committee Meeting

 

Fall Foliage Forecast: Best Chance for Vibrant Display in Mid-Atlantic

By Jillian MacMath, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
August 28, 2013; 7:41 AM

As summer comes to a close and fall weather ushers in the changing of leaves, this year’s most vibrant display of foliage will occur across the mid-Atlantic. Meanwhile, surrounding regions may be hindered by flooding rain and unseasonable temperatures.

“Most important is really what happens at the end of September and beginning of October into the middle of October. That’s really the crucial period,” according to Dr. Marc Abrams, professor of Forest Ecology and Physiology at Penn State University.

Abrams began observing how weather conditions affect fall foliage more than 25 years ago.

The AccuWeather.com 2013 Fall Forecast predicts near-normal temperatures and precipitation for the mid-Atlantic region, allowing bright, colorful leaves.

More here.

Deep Creek Property Owners Association elects officers

For the Cumberland Times-News Cumberland Times-News

MCHENRY — The Property Owners’ Association of Deep Creek Lake Inc. elected officers and board members during the general membership meeting Saturday.

Robert Hoffmann was elected president, Karen Smith secretary and Tom Myers was re-elected treasurer. Susie Crawford was elected first vice president and Ed Neff was elected vice president for communications. Chris Nichols was re-elected vice president for membership and assistant treasurer.

Newly elected board members include Anthony M. Lombardi, Barbara Hafer and Lauren O’Brien. Robert Hoffmann, Susie Crawford, John Quilty and Katheryn Gemberling were re-elected to three-year terms. Three past presidents — Roger Titus, Scott Johnson and Lou Battistella — were awarded emeritus status, joining two other past presidents as members of the emeritus board.

Lombardi is the CEO of Monongahela (Pa.) Valley Hospital and has owned a home on the lake since 1991. Now retired and a former treasurer of Pennsylvania, Hafer has owned her lake home since 1986. O’Brien is the manager of Silver Tree Marina and was raised in her family’s home at the lake.

During the general membership meeting, state and county leaders were given an opportunity to comment on issues that affect the membership. Topics covered included the watershed management plan, Thayerville water line project and related traffic issues, the recent sewage spill at the northwestern end of Marsh Run Cove and the proposed western conveyance line.

Board members presented reports on the upgrading of the POA website, an update on the mini-marina zoning issue, the safe drilling issue related to Marcellus shale and the mapping of the lake and members’ dock locations. Outgoing president Troy Ellington reported on the work of the various committees of the board and moderated a question-and-answer session.

The POA was formed in the early 1940s and was incorporated in 1949. It continues to represent its members in front of the various boards, commissions and governmental organizations that have control of the lake and the watershed around it.

The mission of the POA is to bring together the property owners of the Deep Creek Lake area to promote, preserve and protect the quality of life, environment, recreational opportunities, historic sites and historic areas in, on and around Deep Creek Lake.

For more information, visit http://www.deepcreeklakepoa.com.

More here.