Jay Fergusonjay@deepcreekvacations.com301-501-0420
Menu

Inmate labor saves money, Garrett County sheriff reports

For the Cumberland Times-News Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — Garrett County Sheriff Rob Corley has reported more than $40,000 in savings to the county this year through the new Inmate Work Program that began in January.

Corley told the county commissioners at last week’s public meeting that inmates have provided 5,395 hours of labor valued at $7.50 an hour for a savings of $40,462 to the county, according to a county news release. “This is huge,” Corley said.

Commission chairman James Raley thanked Corley for putting the program together. The inmates have provided maintenance services in county communities and are assigned to 28 sites from garbage collection to water treatment facilities.

Corley said the program has provided unskilled labor without cost to 30 county properties, municipalities and nonprofit agencies. His office used St. Mary’s County Detention Center as a blueprint for Garrett County’s plan. The inmates perform their duties under supervision of one full-time sheriff’s office employee.

“There’s no question it’s a good program,” said Mountain Lake Park Mayor Leo Martin, whose town was one of the first municipalities to use the free labor. “Inmates have done a lit bit of everything, from mowing and trimming grass to building walls. The inmates we’ve had working have good attitudes with good work ethics. They like getting outdoors and we haven’t had any problems with anyone. We used to provide inmates lunch, but now the sheriff’s office even packs their lunch.”

Corley said a Mountain Lake Park employee picks up an inmate five days a week to work with town employees and that Grantsville recently picked up inmates for storm cleanup.

The inmates also have mowed and cleared debris from 1.7 miles of trails at Adventure Sports Center International and have worked at the Oakland Cemetery, Youth Little League fields at Broadford Park and the Garrett County Visitors Center in McHenry, according to the release.

“If an inmate signs up for the program and does a good job, they can earn up to five days a month off their sentence,” said Corley. The program does not include sex offenders or violent criminals and inmates have to be sentenced for a maximum of 18 months, according to Corley. The detention center currently houses 73 inmates. County purchases have included three mowers and gasoline. “Next year, I think we’ll be able to take care of all county mowing contracts, and in the winter, do snow removal,” Corley said.

Agencies interested in participating in the program may call 301-334-1917.

More here

Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!

877-563-5350 – toll free — 

 Search Homes & Lots for Sale at Deep Creek Lake & Garrett County, Maryland
 —

Lots Of Meds Turned In

Garrett County residents turned in about 120 pounds of medications during the most recent National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 28, which was more than the combined total collected during the two previous Take-Back events, according to a county health department spokesperson. Garrett County agencies teamed up with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to participate in the national event. The DEA reported collecting a record-breaking 552,161 pounds, or 276 tons, of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at the 5,659 take-back sites available across the country.


‘Like’ on Facebook!

Support the Republican Newspaper! It’s only $9.95/year for the online edition!

In Garrett County, personnel from the sheriff’s office and the health department collected expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs at six sites. The event is designed to dispose of medicines that may be in home cabinets, and that have the potential to be misused and abused. The theme of the day was: “The streets aren’t the only place kids find drugs. Mind your meds!” The rate of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. is high, the spokesperson said, with more Americans currently abusing prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, and heroin combined, according to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Studies show that individuals who abuse prescription drugs often obtain them from family and friends, and from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of unused medicine, often flushing pills down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards. Garrett County’s Take-Back events were sponsored by the sheriff’s office, Drug Free Communities Coalition, and the health department. For information about future events, persons may call the health department at 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111.

More here.

Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!

877-563-5350 – toll free
Search real estate for sale at Deep Creek Lake & Garrett County

State's Attorney Files Motion In Rezek Verdict

‘Like’ on Facebook!

Support the Republican Newspaper! It’s only $9.95/year for the online edition!

Dec. 22, 2011

State’s Attorney Lisa Thayer Welch announced on Tuesday that she has filed in Washington County Circuit Court an Application for Leave to Appeal the Granting of the Motion to Reopen a Closed Post-Conviction Proceeding and the Granting of Post-Conviction Relief in the case of Roberto Oskar Rezek.

Washington County judge Daniel Moylan recently reversed Rezek’s 1980 murder conviction in the shooting death of Garrett County sheriff’s deputy David Livengood.

“For post-conviction proceedings, there is no automatic right to appeal an adverse decision, but the aggrieved party must ask permission from the Court of Special Appeals to proceed with an appeal,” Welch noted.

In the application, she cited a number of errors that she believes Moylan committed.

“If the application is granted, the Office of the Attorney General will pursue the merits of the appeal itself,” Welch said.

Judge Fred C. Wright III presided over Rezek’s Washington County jury trial more than 30 years ago. Rezek was sentenced to life plus 15 years for first degree murder, robbery, grand larceny, and breaking and entering.

Moylan ruled in November that Wright gave improper jury instructions. Citing two Maryland Court of Appeals decisions, Moylan said Wright’s instruction on the law to the jury should have been binding and not advisory.

More here.

Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!

877-563-5350 – toll free

Judge grants new trial for W.Va. man in Garrett deputy's 1979 slaying

By DON AINES dona@herald-mail.com

2:16 p.m. EST, November 23, 2011
HAGERSTOWN—
More than three decades after he was convicted of killing a Garrett County Sheriff’s deputy, Roberto Oskar Rezek was granted a new trial this week in Washington County Circuit Court.

Judge Daniel W. Moylan on Monday reversed Rezek’s 1980 convictions for first-degree murder, robbery and other offenses in the 1979 shooting of Deputy David Livengood during a burglary at an Army-Navy surplus store in Oakland, Md., court records said.

Moylan ruled that the instructions on the law given the jury by Judge Frederick C. Wright III should have been binding and not advisory. In his opinion Moylan cited two Maryland Court of Appeals decisions in 1980 and 1981 which the state’s highest court ruled “the court’s instructions are binding on the jury.”

More here.

Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!

877-563-5350 – toll free

Arrest made in string of Deep Creek burglaries

From Staff Reports
The Cumberland Times-News Wed Sep 28, 2011, 12:58 PM EDT

— OAKLAND — A Grant County couple was arrested recently on numerous burglary and theft charges stemming from alleged burglaries of a Deep Creek Lake residence that occurred over a seven-month period, according to the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office.

Joshua Todd Culp, 30, and Jessica Dawn Picou, 23, both of Mount Storm, W.Va., were charged with multiple counts of first-degree burglary, theft between $1,000 and $10,000, destruction of property and possession of burglary toolss.

Culp remained jailed Wednesday at the Garrett County Detention Center on bond of $450,000 and Picou remained jailed on bond of $70,000.

Both defendants were served arrest warrants when investigators located them in a campground area in Grantsville.

Police said the burglaries occurred between December and June when residences were forcibly entered.

Flat-screen televisions, DVD players and other electronic items were stolen. Some of the stolen property was recovered during the course of the investigation.

The sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate the matter. Investigations are also being conducted by Maryland State Police regarding other breaking and enterings in the Deep Creek Lake area.

More here.

Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!

877-563-5350 – toll free

Garrett County receives grant to stop illegal school bus passers

Sheriff plans to curb frequent traffic violations
Michael A. Sawyers
The Cumberland Times-News Wed Jul 27, 2011, 11:14 PM EDT

— CUMBERLAND — Garrett County Sheriff Rob Corley said that a $20,000 state grant will keep officers on the road before and after school in an effort to reduce the number of vehicles illegally passing school buses.

The money comes from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention and is part of $548,411 being given to various law enforcement agencies throughout the state.

During a one-day survey in February, bus drivers throughout Maryland reported 7,028 violations, 4,000 of which were by oncoming drivers who ignored the stop arms of buses. Another 2,665 vehicles traveling in the same direction as the buses passed on the left and 366 actually passed illegally on the right.

“We have had these grants for four years now and they are reducing the violations, though the problem is ongoing,” Corley said Monday. “One particularly bad spot is U.S. 219, at Sand Flat Road.”

Corley said the buses stop in the right lane of the two southbound lanes on the three-lane road. Southbound drivers often continue past the stopped bus, even though red lights are flashing and a stop arm is engaged, the sheriff said.

“Our officers charged numerous drivers this past school year,” Corley said. “We often get calls from other motorists who have witnessed violations. We also meet with school transportation officials to identify problem areas.”

Corley said the grant pays for overtime work, thus allowing officers to apply their full shifts to other enforcement efforts. The deputies either follow buses on their routes or set up for observation at known problem areas.

The money may also be used for driver education by way of public service announcements.

There were 4,712 school bus drivers involved in the one-day survey in February, about two-thirds of the drivers in the state.

The Allegany County Sheriff’s Office and the Cumberland Police Department each received $10,000 grants.

Jay Walbert, transportation director for Allegany County schools, said drivers have two-way radios and are asked to immediately report violations if they note a license plate number and vehicle description.

“We average three run-throughs a week,” Walbert said. “They can happen anywhere, but two spots with frequent run-throughs are the three-lane on McMullen Highway (south of Middle Ridge) and not far from the (Maryland State Police) barrack on National Highway.”

“When in doubt, stop,” Walbert cautions. “Our bus drivers see vehicles pass the bus on the right or door side. Students stepping down from the bus are extremely vulnerable in that kind of setting. Drivers need to take this law very seriously.”

Walbert said some buses are on the road daily during the summer for special programs. “We had 10 buses on the road today,” he said Monday.

“We try to minimize red-light stops during the summer because other drivers are probably not expecting them.”

Cumberland Police Lt. Steve Schellhaus said only one complaint about a bus-passing violation has been received in recent years.

“I attribute that to the grants that have put our officers in cruisers behind the buses,” Schellhaus said. “Fortunately, we have never had a kid struck (getting on or off a school bus) in the city.”

At settings such as Frederick Street, officers will sometimes sit and watch because of the large field of view, according to Schellhaus.

“I meet with school transportation people monthly,” he said. “That kind of cooperation allowed us to point out that a bus stop at Industrial Boulevard and Cedar was dangerous, so the school board relocated that stop to a safe place.”

The first day of school in Allegany County is Aug. 24.

Contact Michael A. Sawyers at msawyers@times-news.com.

More here.

Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!

877-563-5350 – toll free

Security increasing at Garrett County Courthouse

Public no longer will be able to walk into the sheriff’s department
From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Wed Jul 20, 2011, 11:43 PM EDT

OAKLAND — Improvements to the Garrett County Courthouse, including a remodeled 911 center, are bringing changes to security as well.

Starting next month, the public won’t be able to just walk into the sheriff’s department. They’ll have to be buzzed in.

“The reason we have to do that, the 911 center needs to be a very secure facility,” Sheriff Rob Corley told Garrett County commissioners on Tuesday, adding that the new arrangement will take a “little getting used to.” Staff moved into the remodeled space two weeks ago, he said.

“It takes away a little bit of the face-to-face, hands-on communication,” Corley said. “It’s going to make the courthouse a little safer.”

Also during their regular meeting Tuesday, commissioners: 

• Approved a $24,950 bid from Environmental Resources Management of Annapolis to complete a Garrett County Land Preservation Parks and Recreation Plan.

• Approved a bid of $243,434.47 from BYCO Enterprises Inc. of Grantsville for Hopeland Village road and utility improvements.

• Approved a bid of $15,481 from Howard Uniform Co. of Baltimore to provide new uniforms for the Garrett County Sheriff’s Department and Detention Center.

• Congratulated Commissioner Jim Raley for being named to the Governor’s Marcellus Shale Committee. Raley is one of five Garrett County residents appointed to the committee.

The others are Sen. George Edwards, Oakland Mayor Peggy Jamison, Shawn Bender, president of the Garrett County Farm Bureau, and Paul Roberts, co-owner of Deep Creek Cellars winery.

More here.

If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.

Questions about real estate? I can help! Call me!
ANY Listing. ANY Sign. ANY Broker. ANYtime!

>Grants to help put inmates to work

>BALTIMORE — The Allegany County Sheriff’s Office and Garrett County Sheriff’s Office have received grants aimed at providing the judicial system with meaningful diverrsionary sentencing options that place adult non-violent offenders into unpaid work assignments.

Funded by the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention, the programs enable the courts to assign offenders to provide maintenance and clean-up work in the community and public buildings.

Allegany County’s grant is for $30,647 and Garrett County’s is $25,785.

More here.

If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.

877-563-5350 Questions about ANY listed property? I can help! Call me!
Visit the ‘I Love Deep Creek & Garrett County group’ on Facebook! News, events, photos, real estate, community, info, more! 1,750+ members & growing!

>Garrett jail escapee nabbed in Virginia

>From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Tue May 03, 2011, 02:26 PM EDT

— OAKLAND — Garrett County Jail escapee Deandre Kelly, who fled from the lockup in January, was arrested Monday night in Bedford, Va., by U.S. marshals, according to local law enforcement sources.

Further details of the arrest were not immediately available.

Kelly, 29, of Washington, D.C., allegedly displayed a handgun and forced correctional officers to unlock a door that allowed him to escape Jan. 23.

The search for Kelly since the escape has included the participation of the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, Maryland State Police, Maryland Natural Resources Police and Oakland Police.

If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.

877-563-5350 Questions about ANY listed property? I can help! Call me!
Visit the ‘I Love Deep Creek & Garrett County group’ on Facebook! News, events, photos, real estate, community, info, more! 1,750+ members & growing!

>Two guards fired over January incident

>Jeffrey Alderton
Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Tue May 03, 2011, 11:10 PM EDT

OAKLAND — The investigation into the escape of 29-year-old Deandre Kelly from the Garrett County Detention Center in January has not yet been completed but Sheriff Rob Corley has already taken action in the case.

“Through the investigation, administrative actions were taken against two officers who were relieved of their employment at the detention center and have since been replaced,” said Corley.

The identity of the officers who were relieved of their duties has not been disclosed.

The sheriff also said that he is working with the county commissioners to improve conditions at the detention center to “create a safer working environment.” He said equipment has been upgraded and new personnel have been hired as part of the ongoing process.

The investigation into the Jan. 23 escape is being conducted by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. The agency was requested to investigate the matter at the request of the sheriff.

“This case is by no means closed,” said Corley on Tuesday after announcing Kelly’s arrest.

Contact Jeffrey Alderton at jlalderton@times-news.com

If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.

877-563-5350 Questions about ANY listed property? I can help! Call me!
Visit the ‘I Love Deep Creek & Garrett County group’ on Facebook! News, events, photos, real estate, community, info, more! 1,750+ members & growing!