Maryland Wildlife Advisory Commission
Come out and see us
Michael A. Sawyers
Cumberland Times-News
— How many of you out there know what the Maryland Wildlife Advisory Commission is?
That’s what I thought.
Good for you over there in Finzel and you out there in Little Orleans. Not many others do, but that isn’t really all that surprising.
The Maryland Wildlife Advisory Commission is a group of citizens appointed by the governor to advise the Maryland Wildlife & Heritage Service about things that have to do with coots and coyotes and deer and doves. They meet pretty much monthly in Annapolis.
It has been a while, but I attended a couple of their gatherings and those were only slightly more interesting than a Frostburg Mayor and Council meeting on a slow night. However, I’ve been reading the WAC minutes online and the banter, questions and appear to be more insightful in recent times.
There are nine seats on the commission.
Existing members whose service continues are Chairman V. Wilson Freeland, Vice Chairman Jeffrey D. Plummer, Gary E. Fratz, Edwin R. Fry, Timothy W. Lambert and E. Joseph Lamp, Ph.D.
Just recently, three new members have been appointed: Jacquelyn Bonomo, Charles Rodney and Lou Compton.
Fratz, a Garrett County resident, is our guy.
The WAC doesn’t have any power. The WAC vote doesn’t hold any official sway when it comes to deer seasons or trapping regulations or how far away from an occupied dwelling you can be when you shoot at a squirrel, but it certainly helps when the balloting comes down on the side of the good guys.
One example is the WAC vote in the 1990s to have a bear hunt in Maryland.
I would like to see the WAC become less obscure and more of a two-way street.
What am I saying?
I’m saying I’d like to see the WAC get out and meet with and talk to the people of Maryland. I’m thinking hunters when I say that, but everybody who has thoughts about the state’s wildlife would be invited.
Instead of meeting only in Annapolis, take the WAC on the road once or twice a year to place such as Rocky Gap State Park or some nice meeting place in Harford or Charles or Wicomico counties.
Give me some advance notice when the WAC is coming out this way and I’ll do my best to build the crowd.
Besides, Gary Fratz wouldn’t have to drive so far to every WAC meeting. I think he has done great, missing only five meetings since January of 2008 and attending one other via conference call.
I think WAC members should be conduits that can take the thoughts, desires and longings of the people who live in their parts of the state and relay them to the movers and shakers at the wildlife agency. Maybe the individual WAC members already meet with their neighbors to discuss these sorts of things. I don’t know for sure. I hope they do.
It is actually a bit difficult to contact individual members or even to find out where they live.
I mean, is Edwin Fry an Eastern Shore guy or from Hagerstown? Would a hunter talk to him about duck hunting in Talbot County or gobbler hunting on the Indian Springs Wildlife Management Area? I think it would help to know, in a public way, from the where each member hails.
Agency spokesman Bob Beyer has told me that phone numbers and towns of residence are private information that cannot be passed on.
There is a general e-mail address for the WAC at www.dnr.state.md.us that you can use to make contact and somebody will get back to you.
Great to see new commissioner Lou Compton on board. Some of you know that Lou has already been a force for hunters by way of the Maryland Bowhunters Society. And, of course, Tim Lambert has been a long-time stalwart for the hunters of Maryland, holding office in the former Maryland Sportsmen’s Association.
So, this is my request for the WAC to seek a higher profile among the license buying public and, by doing so, become a little more constituent friendly.
Come out and see us.
Deep Creek fish kill toll at 1,000 — and counting
Investigators hopeful death rate slowing down
Megan Miller
Cumberland Times-News
— DEEP CREEK LAKE — The death toll of the June fish kill in Deep Creek Lake has reached approximately 1,000 and counting, but environmental investigators are hopeful the rate of fish deaths is slowing.
Investigators are attributing the fish kill to unprecedented high water temperatures in the lake, combined with the speed at which the water temperature rose. The water heated up too quickly for the fish to become acclimated.
“The vast majority of fish kills are really natural, as this one apparently is as well,” said Maryland Department of the Environment Program Manager Charlie Poukish, who investigated the incident. “Our main interest, of course, is to get out quick enough to try to document if there is some sort of toxin — the old canary in the coal mine.”
But instead of a toxin, Poukish said the Deep Creek Lake fish appear to be victims of a combination of stresses. Those stresses, including the higher water temperature, made them more susceptible to parasites.
“We noticed a very heavy parasite load on the fish,” Poukish said, adding, “The ultimate cause of death was really septicemia, which was brought on by a common bacteria found in nature which really doesn’t affect fish until they’re stressed.”
Long term monitoring by the Department of Natural Resources showed that the lake’s surface water temperature in July was the hottest it’s been through the entire data collection period — the years 2000, 2002 to 2003, and 2008 to 2010.
Temperatures in the upper layer of lake water were between 76 and 80 degrees. Many of the dead fish were cold water species, such as yellow perch, walleye, smallmouth bass and northern pike, that thrive in temperatures less than 73.4 degrees.
Insufficient oxygen levels in deeper layers of the lake might have prevented the fish from escaping to cooler water below, Poukish said.
The first dead fish began appearing on or around July 17. Escalating numbers of dead fish prompted an investigation by local environmental agencies, MDE and the Department of Natural Resources.
Testing is ongoing to determine the specific type of protozoan parasite found on the fish, Poukish said.
There appears to be no threat to human health, and the fish parasite cannot infect people, according to MDE officials. But touching, eating, swimming with, or coming into close proximity to any dead fish should still be avoided.
Fish kills and algae blooms may be reported by calling 1-866-MDE-GOTO or 877-224-RBAY.
Governor Martin O'Malley Announces Appointments to Various Boards and Commissions
ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 6, 2010) – Governor Martin O’Malley today announced appointments to the Maryland Council for Educator Effectiveness; the University System of Maryland Board of Regents; the Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation Funding; the State Health Services Cost Review Commission; and the Task Force to Study Nanobiotechnology.
“I am proud to announce the appointments to the various Boards and Commissions across the State. Each appointee brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will serve as an asset to the Boards they will serve on,” said Governor O’Malley. “We have worked hard to compile a list of individuals from across our State with diverse educational, career, geographic, gender and ethnic backgrounds to continue to help protect Maryland’s priorities.”…
R. Lamont “Monty” Pagenhardt is being appointed as a representative of rural areas in Maryland. He is County Administrator for Garrett County and is a former Director of Human Resources and Personnel Services for Allegany County. Mr. Pagenhardt is a resident of Garrett County.
Garrett College unveiling training center to public
Facility will offer work force prep programs
From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News
— ACCIDENT — Public tours of the Career Technology Training Center located in the Northern Garrett Industrial Park in Accident, the newest facility of Garrett College, will be offered Aug. 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Continuing Education/ Workforce Development staff members will answer questions about the center and its program offerings and the new occupational scholarship.
The tour will include refreshments. For directions or more information, call 301-387-3069.
Courses and programs offered at the CTTC will be primarily work force preparation and work force development, according to Julie Yoder, interim dean of Continuing Education and Workforce Development.
“Many of the courses will lead to industry-recognized certification. Classes to be offered at the CTTC this fall include Welding I, Welding II, Welding III, Adult Basic Education and GED preparation, Introduction to Lab View, Lab View II Rookie to Robotics, AutoCAD, Certified Nursing Assistant and Residential HVAC System Design,” Yoder said.
The renovated 16,000-square-foot space in the former Phenix Technology building houses a welding lab, electronics and automation lab, three classrooms, a conference room and administrative space.
A second phase of the project is scheduled to begin in the fall with classrooms to accommodate alternative energy, technology and automation, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, carpentry and masonry courses. The courses will be implemented on a cyclical basis based on work force demand and interest.
Employers will be able to use the space to conduct in-house training programs.
The new occupational scholarship is for students pursuing training opportunities that lead to an industry-recognized certification rather than a degree.
Students in the 2010 graduating class of Northern or Southern high schools are eligible as well as students who completed a home-school program approved by the Garrett County Board of Education or adults earning a GED during the current year.
To apply for a scholarship, call Garrett College at 301-387-3069 or log on to www.garrettcollege.edu
July 2010 Real Estate Market Update - Residential
The average list vs. ORIGINAL sales price was 82.50%, down from last month (88.88%).
The ADJUSTED list vs sale price is 89.53% – also down from last month (93.22%).
The current number of active/for sale residential listings (minus timeshares) is 791 as of today, up from last month. We are still gaining more inventory than we are selling and this will continue to drive down prices from a supply and demand standpoint. With current state of affairs, this is a number that is unlikely to come down anytime soon. That’s a 30 month supply of homes available, which is a very challenging stat to overcome. Looking beyond those numbers will lead you to the understanding that we are at least a 50% or so vacation home market and our sales are seasonal, unlike Florida or Arizona where the weather is nice almost all year long. But still, 30 month supply is a lot.
Average Sale Price: $321,685 (last month $448,350) – the $3.5 million dollar sale tweaked this last month
Average Days on Market: 150/302 (last month 177/241) (days on market with current broker/total days on market)
Community Calendar - weekend of August 6, 2010
The fair is coming to town! I saw the ferris wheel today – setup and ready to go. Funnel cakes, Lions Club chicken dinners and Rotary fries can’t be far behind….stop by and visit me at the Railey Realty booth Wednesday night, I’ll be there from 6-9pm!
Here are some happenings for this weekend:
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Friendsville Days
Town of Friendsville
08/06/2010 – 08/07/2010
Friendsville MD. Fri. 6:00pm-10:00 pm, Sat. 12:00 pm-10:00 pm. Friday: food, games and music. Saturday: noon parade, day long activities, food entertainment, car show, fireworks and crafts. Contact 301.746.5933.
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Glass, Glorious Glass… An Art Tour of Garrett County
Snowbird Creations Glass Studio
08/06/2010 – 08/08/2010
Garrett County, 10 am – 5 pm. 3 glass studios, Galleries: Snowbird Creations Glass Studio- Fused Glass, Simon Pearce- Blown Glass, Lou DiCarlo – Stained Glass. www.snowbirdcreations.com , 301.387.4624
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Open Canoe Slalom National Championships
Adventure Sports Center International
08/06/2010 – 08/08/2010
Adventure Sports Center International. www.adventuresportscenter.com , 301.3873250.
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Little Yough Summer Music Festival
Town of Oakland
06/18/2010
7 pm, Oakland Town Parking Lot/ Mountain Fresh Farmers Market. Bring a lawn chair and listen to the tunes!
August 6 Mateo Monk
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Annual Sidewalk Sale
Town of Oakland
08/06/2010 – 08/07/2010
Annual Sidewalk Sale – Downtown Oakland – Huge Discounts and Bargains!
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5th Annual Deep Creek Chili Splash
Wisp Resort
08/07/2010
Wisp Resort, Chili heads unite, live music, official games of chili, prizes and giveaways. This Year will be hotter than ever. 301.387.4911, www.wispresort.com .
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Garrett County Fair
Garrett County Agriculture Fair
08/07/2010 – 08/14/2010
Garrett County Fairgrounds, McHenry. Truly an agricultural fair! Nightly musical entertainment; tractor pull, mud bog, demo derbies, 4-wheel pickup pull. Carnival rides and games-something for everyone. $. www.garrettcountyfair.org .
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Mountain Fresh Farmers Market – Oakland
Mountain Fresh Farmers Markets
07/07/2010
Join us in downtown Oakland for a homegrown farmers market including fresh produce, baked goods, jams & jellies, crafts, personal care items, goat cheeses, and more!
Wednesdays & Saturdays 10 am to 1 pm
Aug 7th
Starts at 10:00 am , Lasts 3 Hours
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Lakeside Grill Menu
Lakeside Grill. I’ll have to check it out and report back to you, but if
Smiley owns it, you know the food is going to be great!
Western Md. Hosts N. American Canoe Championships
MCHENRY, Md. (AP) ― Some of the best paddlers from the United State and Canada are squaring off in the North American Open Canoe Slalom Nationals and North American Championships in western Maryland.
The event runs Friday through Sunday at the Adventure Sports Center International near McHenry.
Open canoe racing involves boats that resemble traditional canoes instead of the kayak-like vessels used in Olympic canoe slalom events.
This is the first open canoe race at the whitewater complex near Deep Creek Lake. The center hosted Olympic-style slalom canoe and kayak national championships in 2007 and 2008.
Residents concerned about Deep Creek Lake's future
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MCHENRY — — Something’s killing the fish at Deep Creek Lake. The die-off appears to be weather-related, but some people wonder if it’s an omen for the future of this mountain resort, as the “crown jewel” of rural western Maryland becomes increasingly crowded with vacation homes, boaters and tourist attractions.
Over the past couple of weeks, about 1,000 yellow perch, walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, catfish and bluegill have been found floating belly-up on the 3,900-acre manmade lake. Though the fish kill is small compared with die-offs around the Chesapeake Bay, it’s the largest here since the state Department of the Environment began keeping track.
“This is too depressing,” said Barbara Beelar, 68, as she piloted her outboard boat among dead perch scattered across the water near her lakefront home. A retired community organizer who began summering here in her childhood, she worries that the dead fish are “canaries in the coal mine,” harbingers of an ecosystem increasingly stressed by all the people drawn to the lake to live, work and play.
Two years ago, thick mats of bright green algae formed on the southern end of the lake, prompting Beelar to form the Friends of Deep Creek Lake. She and other residents say they’re concerned about polluted runoff from farms and vacation homes, about leaking septic tanks, sewage leaks and about shoreline erosion muddying the water and filling in the coves. The number of homes there has grown by 50 percent in the past 25 years and is projected to nearly double in the next two decades.
Garrett Cooperative Ministry, Inc. - Christian Crossing Thrift Shop
Christian Crossing Thrift Shop Phone: (301) 334-6339
Paul Shogren, President
2 West First Avenue E-mail: shogren@verizon.net
Loch Lynn, MD 21550
http://www.ilovedeepcreek.com/blog/index.php/site/garrett_cooperative_ministry_christian_crossing_thrift_shop/
Christian Crossing Thrift Shop meets various needs of residents of the Garrett County community by operating a facility to collect and distribute donated furniture,
furnishings, appliances, clothing and housewares.
