September 2010 – Page 3 – Jay's Real Estate Blog

Redirected highway user revenue funds focus of PACE committee

Kevin Spradlin
Cumberland Times-News Wed Sep 22, 2010, 10:04 AM EDT

9/22 — CUMBERLAND — Perhaps for the first time in a long time, organizers of the annual Mountain Maryland PACE reception and legislative breakfast in Annapolis have latched on to a talking point on which jurisdictions across Maryland can agree.

The No. 1 priority for elected officials and business professionals alike, said PACE committee co-chairman David Moe, is to convince lawmakers to restore highway user revenue funds, which have been taken by Gov. Martin O’Malley to shore up the state’s budget.

Moe said the message of the 35th annual event, scheduled for Jan. 27 and 28, will convey in part how leaders in Garrett and Allegany counties have struggled to cope with the state budget cuts to local governments.

“The cut in highway user funds has been devastating for all municipalities,” Moe said. “It just cannot continue.”

More than a dozen PACE Committee members met Sept. 15 at Penn Alps Restaurant in Grantsville to begin planning for the 2011 event.

Other talking points are likely to include ensuring that funding of teacher pensions remains a state obligation — and is not shifted to Maryland counties — as well as Garrett County’s new strategic plan that is about to be published.

At the committee’s Sept. 29 meeting at the same location, Moe said this year’s theme should be finalized.

In January 2010, the theme was “Think Green, Think Mountain Maryland.” So far, 21 possible themes are being considered for the next PACE. Options include “The Summit of Success,” “Back to the Future,” A Place to Do Business” and “Getting There From Here.”

“It’s always a challenge to come up with something that’s unique,” Moe said. “The idea is to get state government to remember Western Maryland doesn’t end at Frederick.”

He said the theme does not necessarily have to incorporate the services and offerings of displayers, which often range from utility companies, defense contractors, tourism-related operations and higher education.

Attendance in 2010 was down by a little more than one-third, Moe said. However, the number of displayers and sponsorship dollars both were up.

PACE is a joint effort between the Cumberland-Allegany County Industrial Foundation and the Garrett Development Corp.

Kevin Spradlin can be reached at kspradlin@times-news.com

If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350

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Feds Fund Study Of Deep Creek Lake, Md., Tourism

MCHENRY, Md. (AP) ― The federal government is helping to fund a study of the tourist economy at Deep Creek Lake in western Maryland.

U.S. Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin announced the $20,000 grant Tuesday from the Appalachian Regional Commission. Local authorities must come up with an equal amount.

The project will study the demographics of lake visitors during different seasons of the year.

It also will analyze the revenue derived from vacation home rentals and spending patterns at area businesses.

Cardin says the study will help guide growth in ways that will preserve the lake for future generations.

If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350

State has new website tool for job seekers

Associated Press Associated Press Wed Sep 22, 2010, 07:54 AM EDT

— ANNAPOLIS (AP) — Maryland has launched a new tool on a website to help people find jobs.

Gov. Martin O’Malley on Tuesday announced an expansion of the Maryland Workforce Exchange. It brings together job search websites, employer websites and every job posting in Maryland in one place.

The announcement comes as the U.S. Labor Department announced that Maryland’s unemployment rate rose from 7.1 percent in July to 7.3 percent in August.

Republican Robert Ehrlich, O’Malley’s opponent in the November election, said creating a website isn’t enough after four years in office.

The Maryland Workforce Exchange identifies advertised Maryland jobs by industry, location and how to apply.

If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350

Garrett County adventurer to discuss Mt. McKinley climb

Photo courtesy of me @ the Savageman Triathlon Sunday

Presentation set Wednesday at GC
For the Cumberland Times-News
Mon Sep 20, 2010, 07:52 AM EDT

— CUMBERLAND — Garrett County native, renowned athlete, extreme kayaker and adventurer Jesse Shimrock will present his epoch “Summit2Sea” journey that took him from North America’s highest peak, Denali, also known as Mount McKinley, to the ocean.

The presentation will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Garrett College Auditorium and is the opening program for the Fall 2010 Garrett College Adventuresports Institute Colloquium series.

Sponsored by Eddie Bauer/ Whittaker Mountaineering, a manufacturer and supplier of outdoor adventure gear, the following appears on its FIRSTASCENT website, “Jesse Shimrock has set out to be the first person to climb the highest mountain in North America (Mount McKinley) and kayak the rivers that the mountain births, from its highest navigable source, all the way to the ocean, in one continuous push.”

According to Shimrock, “In February (2010) I developed the ‘Summit2Sea’ proposal, and when I received the phone call accepting my proposal my exhilaration went through the roof as you can imagine.”

Shimrock, who is no stranger to challenges, as he is among Garrett County’s most acclaimed athletes, holding a 1998 wrestling state championship, wrestling for Northern Garrett High School, has competed in numerous extreme kayaking competitions over the past 10 years. At age 19, he became a professional extreme kayaker, representing and competing for WAVESPORT Kayaks.

Within two years, Shimrock had risen to the top of the professional ranks. A personal goal was realized in 2001 when, in Durango Colo., he reached the final three in freestyle kayak competition, going head-to-head against two on this nation’s best kayakers, Andy Reddingfield and Eric Jackson. In the final results, Shimrock had doubled Reddingfield’s score and tripled Jackson’s. In that same year, he took a bronze medal in the North American Championships and qualified for the US Freestyle National Kayak Team.

Graduating with a degree in marketing from West Virginia University, Shimrock worked as a marketing manager for both Phenix Technologies and later for the Adventure Sports Center International. But the desire to return to his passion for challenge, both mentally and physically, led him back to paddle sports. In 2008, he became the head coach of the World Class Kayak Academy, an organization that operates worldwide. This opportunity took Shimrock to China and Tibet.

For more information about the Shimrock presentation, contact the Garrett College Adventuresports Institute at 301-387-3330 or adventuresports@garrettcollege.edu

If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350

Deep Creek Lake residents complain of overgrown algae

DEEP CREEK LAKE, Md. – After complaints from several Deep Creek Lake residents about algae blooms and overgrowth, state environmental regulators have investigated and found that the problems are not caused by excessive nutrients in the watershed.

Some residents believed that the blooms and aquatic grasses were due to an overload of nutrients, but state officials have determined that nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous are only at low levels in the streams and creeks that feed the reservoir.

Read the rest here.

If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350

Constellation agrees to buy $39M energy firm

It’s been a busy year on the power market for Constellation Energy and on Friday the company made another announcement that shows it is continuing to “investigate opportunities,” as a company spokesman said.

The Baltimore supplier of energy products and services said it has signed an agreement to acquire CPower, a New York provider of energy management and demand response services that reported revenues of $38.9 million in 2009….

….CPower, established in 2000, ranked No. 962 on the 2010 Inc. magazine list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies, with its 2009 revenues up 309 percent from $9.5 million in 2006, according to Inc. information. The company’s clients are in the industrial, commercial real estate, retail, institutional and residential sectors, according to its website.

Earlier this year, the company completed its $365 million purchase of two natural gas combined-cycle generation facilities in Texas from Navasota Holdings of Houston. Also this year the company agreed with Clipper Windpower to acquire the Criterion 28-turbine wind project in Garrett County. Koos said the Garrett County project is “about two-thirds constructed … this is our first wholly owned wind farm.”…

Read the full article here.

If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350

Wisp Looks To Winter With New Canopy Tour

Roger Leo, Eastern Seaboard Editor OntheSnow.com

Wisp has added a canopy tour to its offerings, which already include snowmobiling.

At A Glance
Where: Wisp Resort , 296 Marsh Hill Road, McHenry MD 21541

Info: More Information
Wisp Resort added a dimension to its Adventure Park this summer, the Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour and Challenge Course Zip Line, which will operate on a limited basis this winter.

The park began in 2001 as a snow tubing park, then added a Mountain Coaster in 2007, an ice skating rink in 2009, and the Canopy Tour this summer.

“You don’t have to be a skier or boarder to participate in a winter activity at Wisp,” said resort spokesperson Lori Epp.

Epp said Wisp’s Nordic Center operates at the other end of the resort from the Adventure Center, and offers snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling on the gold course.

Read the rest here.

If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350

Butterflies protected at Kitzmiller sanctuary

Baltimore checkerspot, state insect, found on 15-acre property
For the Cumberland Times-News
Mon Sep 20, 2010, 07:53 AM EDT

— KITZMILLER — Land-owners in the Kitzmiller area operating as Woodhill, LLC have decided to protect 15 acres that are home to rare butterflies through a conservation easement with the Maryland Environmental Trust and the Allegheny Highlands Conservancy.

Woodhill Sanctuary contains habitat for several rare, threatened or endangered butterfly species, including the official state butterfly.

The Baltimore checkerspot was designated the official insect of Maryland in 1973, and while once common in the region, the species has experienced significant de-clines in recent years. Woodhill Sanctuary is now one of only eight known Baltimore checkerspot colonies remaining in Maryland.

According to Jennifer Frye, ecologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Re-sources, the protection of Woodhill Sanctuary “ensures the preservation of this critical and uncommon habitat which currently supports at least five butterfly species included on the list of rare, threatened and endangered animals in Maryland.”

LLC trustee Vlad Dupre and his late wife, Elizabeth, have stewarded the property for more than 25 years. Though Dupre was unaware of the unique nature of the habitat on the property, he was pleased to learn of the option to protect the property with a conservation easement. The easement protects the rare habitat by requiring a habitat management plan to guide the maintenance of the area.

“My family and I are thrilled to contribute to the preservation of these endangered species of butterflies,” said Dupre. “We consider it a privilege to be a part of the efforts of the Maryland Environmental Trust to maintain and manage natural habitats for the people of Maryland to enjoy and learn from.”

Gov. Martin O’Malley joined the conservation groups in thanking the Garrett County landowners for their foresight.

“I want to thank Woodhill LLC for their generous donation,” said O’Malley. “By preserving this butterfly sanctuary we are helping ensure that future generations fully experience Maryland’s rich wildlife and natural wonder.”

If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350

Deep Creek tributaries free of water quality issues, MDE says

Citizens group questions sample location, size
Megan Miller
Cumberland Times-News Sun Sep 19, 2010, 08:02 AM EDT

— DEEP CREEK LAKE — While Deep Creek Lake might have water quality issues with nutrients levels in some of its coves, those problems don’t appear to be flowing in with the streams that feed the lake.

That’s according to a report released in mid-August from the Maryland Department of the Environment. Officials outlined the report’s findings Thursday in a meeting of the Deep Creek Lake Workgroup.

Lake-goers have complained of algae blooms and overgrowth of aquatic grasses in some coves, pointing to an overload of nutrients such as phosphorous as a potential cause.

But the data examined by MDE showed that in the watershed, meaning the waterways outside the body of the lake, nutrients including nitrogen and phosphorous are present only in low levels.

“We’re not saying it’s not impaired,” said Ross Mandel, an official with the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin. “We’re just saying it’s not impaired by nutrients.”

Not everyone agreed with MDE’s assessment of the situation. Barbara Beelar, director of local conservation group Friends of Deep Creek Lake, pointed out that MDE looked at data gathered in only a few of the dozens of tributaries feeding Deep Creek Lake.

“I’m concerned about the blanket statement that there is no nutrient impairment of the watershed,” Beelar said. “It’s only four tributaries out of fifty-ish you’ve taken a look at.”

She pointed out that most of the streams sampled feed into the northern part of the lake, while nutrient-related problems seem more concentrated in the southern part.

The report looked at the watershed as a whole, and also looked separately at the overall water quality of the lake. It contained data collected by MDE and the Department of Natural Resources at different periods over the last decade.

MDE officials say they plan to proceed from this point with studies of any existing problems in the lake from a more localized approach. An MDE field monitoring group will conduct water quality monitoring and other testing through the upcoming months, and could potentially conduct dye tests on septic systems in the lake area — with the permission of property owners — in the spring.

Septic systems are one of the potential sources of phosphorous, along with things like crop fertilizers and animals in pastureland.

Another assessment of the health of Deep Creek Lake is scheduled to be released sometime in the next few months.

Friends of Deep Creek Lake plans to publish the lake’s first-ever ecosystem health report card with the help of EcoCheck, a team affiliated with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The report card will factor in things like land-use patterns, watershed boundaries and available data from testing conducted by multiple agencies. In addition to “grading” the lake, the report card will include suggestions of things property owners can do to improve the watershed’s scores.

If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350

SHA is Trying to Get You Out of a "Rut" this Fall

From theBaynet.com

It happens in an instant. Driving through a suburban or rural area and a deer jumps in your path. What do you do? The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) is providing tips to help avoid crashes involving deer and other nocturnal animals….

Here are some tips to minimize the risk of hitting a deer:
• Be extra attentive between sunset and sunrise – this is when deer primarily feed;
• Use your high beams when appropriate to illuminate the eyes of deer;
• “Never veer for deer” – brake firmly but do not jerk the steering wheel. Sudden movements could cause a more serious crash with a fixed object or another motorist;
• Be cautious—if you see one deer it’s likely part of a herd;
• Obey deer crossing signs placed in areas known for high deer populations;
• Always wear your seat belt;
• Avoid distractions like cell phones, food and radios; and always
• Always drive sober.
If a collision is unavoidable and you do hit a deer, be sure to consider the following:
• Do not touch the deer. An injured deer can hurt you and further injure itself;
• If possible, move your car off to a safe location to avoid a secondary crash with another vehicle; and
• Call the police and try to be as specific as possible about the location.
Over the years, SHA has used some innovative approaches to assist with the high number of deer crossings.

…In Garrett County, SHA recently installed high fencing to not only prevent deer from crossing, but also Black Bear and other large animals.
Residents or motorists that notice a deer that has been struck should log onto roads.maryland.gov and click “Contact Us” for an online service submission form to have the animal removed. A complete list of SHA’s maintenance shops is also located on the website.

Read the full article here.

If you are thinking of 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! 877-563-5350

Month: September 2010

Redirected highway user revenue funds focus of PACE committee

Feds Fund Study Of Deep Creek Lake, Md., Tourism

State has new website tool for job seekers

Garrett County adventurer to discuss Mt. McKinley climb

Deep Creek Lake residents complain of overgrown algae

Constellation agrees to buy $39M energy firm

Wisp Looks To Winter With New Canopy Tour

Butterflies protected at Kitzmiller sanctuary

Deep Creek tributaries free of water quality issues, MDE says

SHA is Trying to Get You Out of a "Rut" this Fall

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