Pittsburgh Symphony Returning
Once again the Garrett Lakes Arts Festival will bring the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra to Garrett County as part of its summer season. The celebrated group will play at Wisp Resort on Friday, July 13. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. This summer the PSO will perform Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Mozart’s Symphony No. 39.
Tickets to the event are $40 for adults and $10 for students up to age 18. Children 5 and younger will be admitted free, but a ticket is required. For tickets, persons may call the GLAF office at 301-387-3082 or go online to www.artsandentertainment.org. GLAF is partially supported by grants from Garrett County Arts Council, Maryland State Arts Council, and Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour. GLAF makes all its performances accessible to persons with disabilities.
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!
"Beltway UFO" has DC Talking
Reports: It’s a drone headed to NAS Patuxent
By Thomas Tobin and Carissa DiMargo
| Thursday, Jun 14, 2012 | Updated 9:27 AM EDT
…On Wednesday night, Facebook and Twitter users went wild over sightings of a saucer-shaped vessel being towed on local highways. The buzz called to mind the frenzy in 1947 Roswell, albeit in a much more modern way….
But we can take the “unidentified” out of “unidentified flying object.” (And yes, we realize that it wasn’t actually flying, either.) The military has confirmed to News4 that the 82-foot-long craft is an unmanned military aircraft, known as an X-47B drone.
Maryland State Police towed it on a flatbed trailer from Garrett County, Md., to Naval Air Station Patuxent River — but even they didn’t know what it was at the time, police said….
—
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!
White-water rafting is still a rush on man-made river
Published: Saturday, June 16, 2012, 7:07 AM Updated: Saturday, June 16, 2012, 8:46 AM
Susan Glaser, The Plain Dealer By Susan Glaser, The Plain Dealer
“Bump!” my husband screamed as our raft slammed into a rock. Never mind that the rock wasn’t real. The river wasn’t real, either.
This was, however, real white-water rafting. Very real.
“Paddle left,” guide Casey Beall yelled from the back of our raft. “Hard left.”
The four of us paddled left — though not hard enough, apparently. Our raft slammed into the concrete rock in the middle of the man-made river, then bounced off.
Undeterred, we continued our way around the one-third-mile loop, a circular channel filled with well-placed obstacles and swirling, frothy water. Then we paddled over to the conveyor belt, rode it up to the top of the hill, slid back into the water — and did it all over again….
About four hours from Cleveland, in the mountains of western Maryland, is a white-water rafting course that draws Olympic athletes in training — as well as families like mine, with young and inexperienced rafters who feel safer trying the sport in a more controlled environment.
The course, owned by the nonprofit Adventure Sports Center International, is one of just a handful in the United States, but the number is growing, says Mike Logsdon, acting executive director of the facility. It opened in 2007.
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!
ASCI, Deep Creek Lake, Announces Lower Rates For Local Residents
Whitewater rafting on Garrett County’s – and the world’s – only mountaintop river park is open to local residents every Monday for only $25 per person, according to Suzanne Nicolas, event coordinator at the Adventure Sports Center International.
To take advantage of the special offer, residents need proof of residence with an ID or tax bill, Nicolas said.
By adjusting water flow from the pump house – and with the flip of a switch – ASCI course operators can move adjustable plates underneath the artificial river and generate waves up to four-feet tall. “But the course is also as much for beginners as advanced paddlers,” said Michael Logsdon, ASCI’s acting executive director. “So we have features to modify the channel and affect the water horizontally and vertically.”
ASCI’s 1700-ft long whitewater course and its 550-acre Fork Run Recreational Area, for climbing, hiking and biking, is now in its sixth season atop Marsh Mountain in McHenry.
So far this year, ASCI has welcomed a record crowd for its Memorial Day weekend All-American Whitewater Festival and “overwhelming support” from local restaurants and businesses for last weekend’s gathering of Wounded Warriors in conjunction with Team River Runner Rendezvous, Logsdon said.
ASCI will be the site Saturday, June 16, for the Mud Dog Run, a high intensity 5k obstacle run for competitors in two categories: a competitive pack departing at 10 a.m. and general packs leaving every 30 minutes after. For ticket and race information, visit http://www.clickitevents.com/mud-dog-run.html/. After the event, the whitewater course will be available for rafting, kayaking, duckies and riverboards. ASCI will also be the start and finish for the Gran Fondo bike ride on June 23.
The Adventures Sports Center International is a not-for-profit, 501 © charitable organization formed to promote adventure tourism and healthy outdoor lifestyles. The center has taken more than 55,000 people rafting since it opened in 2007. Programs are designed for groups and individuals of all skill levels and backgrounds.
For more information about ASCI programs and reservations, please call 301-387-3250, email asci@adventuresportscenter.com or visit www.adventuresportscenter.com
—
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!
Dockdogs regional championships at deep creek lake
On June 29 thru July 1, local residents can watch the 300 or more expected competitors in a variety of “off the dock” stunts, big air jumps and other aerial jumps at the first of four Highflying Dockdogs competitions.
Dockdogs Worldwide, Inc. can be found on their website at http://www.dockdogs.com.
The event is open to the public free of charge.
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!
Citizens already have shown opposition to this proposal
To the Editor: Cumberland Times-News
Please accept this correspondence in formal opposition to the draft of Zoning Ordinance: Garrett County Land Management Ordinance that has been proposed and shared for public comment.
After last year’s in-depth discussions concerning amending the comprehensive plan and after the overwhelming majority of public commentary, at that time, being opposed to this measure, we are deeply concerned that this issue has resurfaced.
In our opinion, the proposed zoning draft will have a negative impact on Garrett County. County-wide zoning is an issue that has been discussed and defeated many times in the past.
Our residents’ relative freedom in land use is a virtue that should be embraced and expanded upon. Zoning laws dictate how owners may and may not use their property. Zoning seeks to virtually control every aspect of a property’s use.
It is justifiable that zoning be criticized. Restrictions of zoning impose infringement upon and violate property owners’ rights to develop, use and maintain their land in the way they see fit. It easily strips property owner’s rights to unencumbered use of their land.
Zoning in this form is counterproductive to economic benefit and hinders development in our free economy.
This zoning draft is not limited to construction and development. It controls the smallest details and nuances of an owner’s use of his or her property. Where zoning is imposed, a property owner’s neighbors can have a greater say over a property than the owner! Zoning has a direct impact on everyone.
In limiting development opportunities, property owners are denied the right to lease their land for economic benefit. Thus, if zoning restrictions are enacted, property owners should rightfully be provided the compensation lost.
Maryland encompasses strict environmental controls and promotes green energy. The draft zoning ordinance seeks to undermine our state’s policies. Garrett County must be realistic about the volume of fiscal challenges ahead.
Our county has already realized economic benefit from the wind farm projects. With that said, it would not be fiscally or environmentally responsible for Garrett County to limit or stifle future development prospects.
We appreciate the opportunity to submit written . The majority of your constituents are not receptive to any further governmental intrusion.
Robert Spangler
Frostburg Road
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!
Nominate Candidates for Garrett County's 2012 Most Beautiful Person
This year marks the 26th year of Maryland’s You Are Beautiful program. Each county establishes how they wish to celebrate volunteer efforts in their county. The mission of the program is to promote local community—living, working, and playing together for a better tomorrow.
Celebrating 26 years honoring volunteers in Maryland, The Maryland You are Beautiful Program, in conjunction with the Governor’s Office of Service and Volunteerism, and Maryland Life, is now accepting nominations for the 26th Annual “Maryland’s Most Beautiful People” Volunteer Awards. The deadline for nominations is August 24, 2012.
Each year the pubic is invited to nominate individuals or groups that have made significant contributions to communities through their unpaid volunteer efforts. A local committee then chooses GC’s Most Beautiful Person.
All nominees for Garrett County will be recognized by the Board of County Commissioners at a local award ceremony. One nominee will represent the County at a statewide ceremony and dinner in Baltimore later in the year.
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!
Military explains Beltway UFO sighting
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
WASHINGTON — The nation’s capitol is already known for its heavy traffic, but even seasoned D.C. motorists were surprised when what looked like a UFO joined them on the Beltway.
Images of what looked like a classic flying saucer being hauled on a trailer flowed across the Internet soon after it was sighted June 13, according to MSNBC. The tractor trailer hauled the aircraft from Garrett County, Md. to Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
Military officials soon revealed that the strange craft was not a crashed UFO, but the new X-47B — an unmanned drone designed to take off and land on aircraft carriers. In the coming months, the drone will be flying over the base and the surrounding area along the Chesapeake Bay.
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!
Joanna Guy crowned Miss Maryland
Joanna Guy has been crowned Miss Maryland and will represent the state in the Miss America pageant next year.
Ms. Guy is well known locally for her many accomplishments including a number of academic achievements such as Maryland Distinguished Scholar. She also won the Miss Maryland Outstanding Teen contest in 2009.
Her aspirations include graduating from Cornell where she currently attends with a dual degree in political science and music. She hopes to serve us in the US Senate and sometime along the way, perform with the Capital Steps.
One former teacher, Doug Oxford from Southern High School, said “accomplishments like this do not happen over night. This is a culmination of a lot of hard work over many years. Certainly, Joanna demonstrates that dreams can come true for little girls from small towns and good things are likely to continue for Joanna.”
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!
Zoning amendment angers Deep Creek Lake marina owners
Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — Despite opposition from multiple marinas at Deep Creek Lake, the Garrett County commissioners ap-proved an amendment to the Deep Creek Zoning Ordinance to add a new category for boat rentals as a separate service that would not offer any of the other services associated with a marina.
Upon suggestion of the planning commission and after receiving a request from Bill Meagher, owner of the Lakeside Creamery, to amend the ordinance, commissioners approved the amendment at their June 5 public meeting. Commissioners Gregan Crawford and Robert Gatto voted in favor of the amendment, with chairman Jim Raley opposing it. During a May 31 public hearing, Raley noted that he had concerns about Meagher’s decision not to offer services on-site.
Meagher plans to offer 12 personal water crafts and four pontoon boats as rentals as well as offer guided tours. He would use local marinas for services. After approaching the planning commission, he learned he would need a special exception to do so.
“We didn’t want to do sales, we didn’t want to do repairs, we didn’t want to do a lot of the things that the marina does. The only thing we wanted to do was a boat rental business,” Meagher said at the public hearing.
Ed Schofield, general manager of Deep Creek Lake Boat Rentals, noted during the hearing that Meagher’s decision to rely on the competition for services was perplexing.
“No way you can be part of this business and not have sales. You are kidding yourselves,” said Schofield.
Phil St. Moritz, owner and president of Bill’s Marine Service, indicated during the hearing that his business would not service Meagher’s boats.
“He (Meagher) said, ‘We are going to work with marinas.’ We are not going to service them,” said Moritz. “We are not going to launch them.”
St. Moritz noted that there are already too many boats in the water in that area with boat rentals from both Bill’s Marine Service and Deep Creek Marina, which provides rental operations to Will O’ the Wisp.
Meagher indicated that he could get services from Deep Creek Lake State Park and could hire a mechanic in-house. However, Meagher would have to go to a marina on the lake to purchase fuel or would have to fuel on-site.
“I want to work with the people here, but I get it if they are saying they don’t want to work with me,” said Meagher.
Silver Tree Marine, LLC and Patterson Boat Co. also opposed the amendment change, according to Carol Jacobs, president of Aquatic Center Inc., who also opposes the ordinance amendment.
“The marinas brought experts with decades of experience in the field of rentals and service, which were ignored by two of the three commissioners,” said Jacobs in an email to the Times-News. “Additionally, instead of obtaining a special exemption for his one property from the Zoning Appeals Board, he took a different route and requested a zoning ordinance amendment for all properties through the county commissioners. This means that several new boat rental operations can now be added to Deep Creek Lake without adequate parking, space, fuel and launching and service facilities, which will decrease public safety.”
During the hearing, Meagher indicated that Lakeside Creamery had 56 parking spaces that will fit all uses. Meagher said he heard all the concerns about safety and would take it under advisement.
“Our goal is that our customers and our guests would stay all on our property,” said Meagher. “We aren’t looking at them crossing the street. … Our goal was to provide another service to the community that our guests are looking to have. Our space is very similar to other spaces in size and parking. We do have the ability to accommodate our guests.”
Bob Nickle, general manager of Bill’s Marine Service, asked, “How can you say no to one and yes to another? It (zoning ordinance) is to govern growth in the Deep Creek watershed. If you keep making small amendments to it, it’s not worth the paper it’s written on. I don’t think it’s fair that someone is requesting to change the rules mid-stream.”
The commissioners also received four letters of opposition to the amendment in the ordinance, according to Raley.
“To grant this individual an exception would do little to benefit anyone other than the individual at the cost of unfairly penalizing those of us who are willing to comply with regulations,” wrote Brian C. O’Brien of Silver Tree Marine in an email to the commissioners.
Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@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!
