>A look back at the Unprecedented February of 2010
>
From the GarrettCountyWeather.com blog:
If you look under the Historical Weather tab of Garrettcountyweather.com you will find the Historic Garrett Snowstorm section. This section will be an ongoing project to document and depict famous weather events that have occurred in Garrett County and Deep Creek Lake over the years. If you have stories or photos you would like to share please send to admin@garrettcountyweather.com
>Our Bay: DNR Digest
>ASK AN EXPERT
What fishing opportunities are available in the winter?
Although many people tend to think of fishing in Maryland as a warm-weather activity, there are plenty of opportunities to be had during the winter months.
Excellent trout fishing may be found in many of the waters in the western and central regions of the state. Deep Creek Lake is known for the good ice fishing for yellow perch, walleye and numerous other freshwater species.
The winter months are a great time to target chain pickerel in open water ponds, small lakes and the upper regions of tidal rivers and creeks. Often these areas are thick with grass beds during the warmer months, but make for great fishing during winter.
Maryland anglers are fortunate to have good fishing for walleye, smallmouth bass and muskellunge in the upper Potomac River. These coldwater fish can provide a lot of action from shore or small boats.
>Police Need Help Finding a Wanted DC Fugitive
>Deandre Kelly considered armed and dangerous
Updated: Friday, 28 Jan 2011, 11:31 PM EST
Published : Friday, 28 Jan 2011, 11:31 PM EST
Maureen Umeh
maureen.umeh@foxtv.com
Video Story By MAUREEN UMEH/ myfoxdc
He’s considered armed and dangerous and tonight police need your help finding one of DC’s most wanted fugitives.
Deandre Kelly escaped from the Garrett County Maryland Detention Center Sunday night, while holding a gun to a jail deputy’s head.
Fox 5’s Maureen Umeh talked to a US Marshal who is hot on the trail of the wanted man.
>Federal Authorities Now Heading Investigation Into Fugitive's Escape
>
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The investigation continues into the whereabouts of a Washington, D.C., fugitive after he escaped the custody of Garrett County sheriff’s deputies Sunday evening. Deandre Kelly, 29, had been arrested by Maryland State Police within about 30 hours prior to the escape.
An MSP K-9 unit conducted a traffic stop on a silver 2009 Kia Optima with Maryland tags at approximately 5 p.m. on I-68 Saturday. The stop was conducted for a speeding violation. Kelly, the front passenger, provided false identification indicating his name to be John Williams, 29, Washington.
When the driver and rear passenger exited the vehicle, Kelly jumped into the driver seat and continued east of Friendsville. He attempted to use the emergency crossover and struck a snow embankment. He began traveling west toward Friendsville and exited south onto Rt. 42. As he continued to flee police, the vehicle struck a guardrail, a bridge pillar, and another snow bank before becoming disabled and coming to rest on Morris Ave.
Kelly was immediately placed under arrest and charged with two counts of CDS possession with intent to distribute, two counts of CDS possession, possession of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime, resisting arrest, false statement to a police officer concerning identity, possession of drug paraphernalia, and multiple motor vehicle charges.
Because of injuries sustained in the accident, he was first taken by ambulance to Garrett County Memorial Hospital for treatment. Troopers remained with Kelly until he was released from the hospital at approximately 7 a.m. Sunday morning.
Kelly was transported to the Garrett County Jail, where he was fingerprinted and accurately identified. He was found to be wanted by the United States Marshal’s Service, Washington. He was then taken to the MSP McHenry Barrack for processing before being seen by a district court commissioner. His bond was set for $100,000, and he was taken to the Garrett County Jail.
>Gov.'s Budget Plan Does Not Restore Highway User Fees
>
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Jan. 27, 2011
Despite pleas from 157 Maryland cities and towns, Governor Martin O’Malley’s proposed fiscal year 2012 budget included no additional Highway User Revenue and Police Aid funding for hard-hit municipalities.
Municipal leaders had called on the governor to restore full funding for municipal Highway User Revenues and Police Aid in his proposal.
Most municipalities lost 82% of their total state aid in the FY 2011 budget, and the FY 2012 budget proposal maintains the same funding amounts.
Since 2008, Highway User Revenues for municipalities have been reduced by 95% and Police Aid has been reduced by 35%. Highway User Revenue is funded through the gas tax and other transportation-related fees and is designed to be returned to Maryland communities for ongoing transportation related projects such as road repair, street maintenance, and snow removal.
>Keep it competitive
>Maryland’s deregulated utility market has produced remarkable benefits for consumers, the economy and the environment
Garrett County By Federico Pena
4:11 p.m. EST, January 27, 2011
Not long after my tenure as secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, Maryland lawmakers took the progressive step of introducing competition to the electric utility sector, and today the state’s energy marketplace has matured into one of the most successful in the nation. Innovation has replaced the inefficiencies of the old monopoly system, giving customers new choices, competitive prices and an efficient, reliable power supply.
Consider these recent developments:
•Since 2007, more than 1,700 megawatts of generation have come on line in Maryland in the form of upgrades at existing plants and delayed or withdrawn plant retirements. That’s the equivalent output of a large nuclear power plant at a fraction of the cost.
>Hunting provider fined $1,500 for bear-baiting
>From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Thu Jan 27, 2011, 02:56 PM EST
OAKLAND — A Garrett County hunting provider who pleaded guilty in district court Thursday to a black bear violation was fined $500 and also ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution to the Wildlife Conservation Enforcement Fund, according to Sgt. Art Windemuth of the Maryland Natural Resources Police.
Lee C. Brenneman, 64, Accident, had been charged on the opening day of bear season in October with using corn and molasses to attract bears to his property near Bittinger.
A utility vehicle, seized at the time by Cpl. Walter May, was returned to Brenneman by Judge Leonard J. Eiswert.
Brenneman’s client that day, Donald D. Gutermuth, 53, Baldwin, had been charged with hunting bears with the aid of bait. Gutermuth chose to pay a fine of $500 rather than stand trial.
Other hunters were charged on the opening day of bear season.
• Charles D. Crigger II, 52, Middle River, hunting near Swanton, paid fines of $447 for hunting with aid of bait, $177 for not wearing orange and $227 for not staying in visual contact with his bear-hunting partner.
• Earnold L. Crigger, 52, Middle River, hunting near Swanton, has court date of March 10 for hunting with aid of bait and not keeping visual contact.
• Jerome S. Ziemski, 55, Baltimore, hunting near Swanton, has Feb. 17 court date for hunting with aid of bait and not keeping visual contact.
• Rex A. Penick, 55, Westminster, hunting near Grantsville, paid $500 fine for hunting with aid of bait.
• Terri L. Penick, 48, Westminster, hunting near Grantsville, paid $500 fine for hunting with aid of bait.
• Donald Sneckenberger, 75, and Doy Sneckenberger, 46, both of Hagerstown, hunting near Little Orleans, do not have trial dates determined yet for hunting with aid of bait.
History in the making - Republican News
Jan. 20, 2011
Now in his senior wrestling season at McDaniel College, Grantsville resident and Northern High School graduate Brock Glotfelty (above right) set a new McDaniel record for individual wrestling victories when he recorded a 12-3 major decision over Rick Danilkowicz (pictured left) of Johns Hopkins in the heavyweight division this week. This was Glotfelty’s 21st straight win of this season and the 113th of his collegiate career, which broke the previous McDaniel record of 112 held by Charlie Conaway. With a 113-20 career mark, Glotfelty set the program record in 19 fewer matches than did Conaway, who finished his 1996-2000 tenure with a record of 112-40. With more than a month remaining in the season, Glotfelty also enters the Centennial Conference’s top five in career wins. Gettysburg’s Jake Dell (1995-98) holds the conference record with 140 victories. Photo courtesy of Del Carpenter.
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Residents Reminded To Renew Subscription For Rescue Squads
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Jan. 20, 2011
The leadership of the Southern and Northern Garrett County rescue squads have issued a reminder to all residents that it is time to renew the $25-$35 membership fee to the organizations. Residents who pay the annual fee can then be transported by the squad free of charge anytime throughout the year. Those who do not pay the fee will be responsible for payment.
All Garrett Countians should have received notice late last year to renew this payment. Persons are to fill out a subscription card and provide the $25 fee to be covered for the year for the Southern Garrett squad. The fee for the Northern Garrett squad is $35 per family, and $25 for senior citizens. Persons should note that Northern Garrett does not have a physical mailing address at either the Friendsville or McHenry station. Subscriptions must be mailed to the organization’s post office box. The address is Northern Garrett County Rescue Squad, PO Box 293, Grantsville, MD 21536.
According to the letter sent by the Southern squad, the non-profit organization has been in operation since 1973, and was for many years completely free. However, because of a drop in membership and time constraints for members, some are now being compensated for their work. Budget constraints and the downturn in the economy led to the payment plan.
The subscription membership plan for Southern Garrett was started on Jan. 1, 2007. Northern’s program started some years earlier. The program has allowed the rescue squads to bill all patients to cover the costs associated with emergency care, but to do it without creating a financial burden for citizens.
Persons who pay the fee are eligible for free care from either Southern or Northern Rescue Squads, as the program is reciprocal between these two organizations. However, persons are advised that it does not cover costs from other ambulance services.
For more information, residents may contact the rescue squad that serves their part of the county.
Police continue search for Garrett jail escapee
Jeffrey Alderton
The Cumberland Times-News Tue Jan 25, 2011, 03:22 PM EST
OAKLAND — While there have apparently been no sightings of Garrett County Jail escapee Deandre Kelly since his escape Sunday night, some information is being provided to law enforcement by the public, the Western Troop state police commander has said.
Shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday, Kelly, a black man who is said to be 6 feet tall and weighing up to 250 pounds, allegedly assaulted two jail officers and displayed what was possibly a handgun at that time. He allegedly forced the officers to release a door that allowed him to exit the lockup at 311 E. Alder St. according to the sheriff’s office.
What happened after Kelly made good his escape is apparently unknown, or is not being disclosed in the face of region-wide efforts by state, federal and local police to find the man who police said should be considered armed and dangerous.
Direction and means of travel at the time of the escape as the outside temperature hovered in the single digits has not been made known — if investigators have determined those circumstances. Clothing that Kelly was wearing when he entered the bone-chilling outdoors has not been made known.
“This is a very multiagency, multijurisdictional effort to locate this fugitive. We are working diligently to locate him,” said Sheriff Rob Corley. He said a reward of $6,000 being offered in the case is the result of the joint investigation that includes federal, state and local law enforcement in various jurisdictions.
Maj. Mike Bittinger of the sheriff’s office said the escape is being investigated by the sheriff’s office and that no administrative action has been taken against the assaulted officers, who apparently were not injured.
The sheriff’s office provided the first news about the escape in a faxed news release to the Times-News at 4:18 a.m. Monday, less than eight hours after the escape occurred. A photo of Kelly was provided to the Times-News about five hours later and a $6,000 reward in the case was announced later in the day in the increasing efforts to take Kelly off the street.
Following the escape, the sheriff’s office reported Kelly is believed to be out of the area. However, checks of locations in Cumberland by Cumberland Police on Monday were made at the request of the sheriff’s office.
Kelly’s first encounter with Garrett County law enforcement over the weekend occurred at about 5 p.m. Saturday following a single-vehicle accident at Friendsville.
After crashing his vehicle, Kelly drove away from troopers but was arrested a short time later following a seven-mile pursuit. His vehicle was impounded and a loaded handgun was seized at the time of the arrest
Kelly was treated at Garrett Memorial Hospital for minor injuries stemming from the crash. Upon his release from the hospital, he was taken to the McHenry barrack for arrest processing by state police on numerous drug, weapon, assault and traffic charges.
At about 1 p.m. Sunday, Kelly was escorted by troopers to the Garrett County Jail, where he was held on $100,000 bond before he escaped about eight hours later.
Among the resources involved in the investigation are the Maryland State Police Fugitive Unit including the Western Maryland Unit, the Baltimore Unit and the Prince George’s County Unit; the MSP Special Apprehension Unit; the MSP Tech Surveillance Unit; the MSP Intelligence Division; Cumberland and McHenry barracks; the C3I Unit and the C3I Narcotics Unit; MSP K-9 Unit on standby; as well as the Frederick County and Garrett County narcotics units.
Capt. James Pyles, Maryland State Police Western Troop commander, said Tuesday afternoon that some information is being received from the public.
“We want to thank the citizens of Garrett and Allegany counties for providing information. Hopefully this will lead to a successful arrest,” said Pyles.
Anyone with information on Kelly’s whereabouts is asked to call the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office at 301-334-1911 or C3I at 301-777-0326.
Contact Jeffrey Alderton at jlalderton@times-news.com
