Spies on acid - Obscure CIA & Deep Creek Lake reference
Beginning after World War II and escalating through the early 1950s, the U.S. government launched a multimillion-dollar series of experiments in mind control and behavior modification.
It wasn’t until the mid-1970s that Americans learned of such programs, which went by the names of Bluebird, ARTICHOKE and, most notably, MK/ULTRA. That’s when a commission led by then Vice President Nelson Rockefeller and a subsequent Senate investigation revealed what our government had been up to…..
…”Almost everything that I wrote about,” he responds, but the words are specifically a quote from Olson. “He came home from the Deep Creek Lake meeting where he was dosed with LSD nine days before his murder, and his wife knew something was wrong, and the only thing he would say to her was that he had made a terrible mistake and he said he’d speak to her later about it… The event at Deep Creek Lake was really his interrogation using drugs and probably LSD to find out with why he was talking about Pont-St.-Esprit and other experiments. He had decided to leave the CIA and the Army and re-school himself as a dentist, but Olson was an arrogant, outspoken sort of guy, and the last two or three months before his departure he started talking about what he had done over the past three years under contract with the CIA, and that was just a no-no.”
Read the full article here.
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Hiring freeze will affect Garrett Roads
Megan Miller
Cumberland Times-News
Oakland — OAKLAND — Garrett County’s hiring freeze means the county roads department will be down 16 roads workers through at least spring 2011.
The department lost 16 employees through retirements, and those employees cannot be replaced because of the freeze. On top of that, two other employees will be absent because of military leave, bringing the total to 18.
“The optimum thing would be to hire employees, but understanding that we have the hiring freeze … we’re going to work something out here to do the best we can,” department Superintendent Jay Moyer told the county commission Tuesday.
Moyer outlined a plan to shuffle workers from the Oakland garage to the Grantsville garage to try to cover staffing gaps at Grantsville, which had the highest number of retirements with eight.
Two operators and one foreman will move from the Oakland garage to Grantsville. The Oakland garage will also take over road service for Pine Hill Road to the top of Spring Lick Road, an area normally serviced by the Grantsville garage.
Commissioner Fred Holliday, whose district is the Grantsville area, expressed concerns that fewer roads workers means roads will go unplowed for long periods during the winter.
“With losing a minimum of four drivers — four plows — that’s four routes that aren’t going to get done,” Holliday said.
But Moyer said that won’t be the case.
“You’re saying a route won’t get done. It will,” he said. “But this is going to take some public cooperation and understanding that it won’t be exactly like it was in the past in a major snow event.”
“The best we can do is hope for a mild winter this year,” Moyer added.
Moyer said summer maintenance work, such as mowing and cleaning ditches and shoulders, might actually be harder to accomplish with fewer employees.
“The public needs to understand that we will continue to operate as we have in the past, but with a shortage of manpower it may be difficult to do the same schedule that we did in the past,” he said. “But we will work at getting things done as quickly as we can.”
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!
Lakefront Price Reduction - 914 Stockslager Rd
An incredibly well built home in a quiet setting near the Deep Creek Dam. The sellers have reduced the price to $1,149,000 (a $50k reduction) and are offering to pay buyers closing costs with a firm contract by 9-15-10. Take a look at the photo gallery here.
GA7294960 – 914 Stockslager Rd – $1,149,000 – 4BR, 3BA, built 1992, remodeled, 2,800+/- sq ft
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!
Park Quest 24/7, the end - Outdoors Girl
She did it! Congrats Candy Thomson!
From her blog:
I started at sun up at water’s edge one week ago in Garrett County and ended minutes ago at the Atlantic Ocean.
In between, I visited some of Maryland’s prettiest public lands — 24 parks, all different, all worth seeing — in seven consecutive days.
During Park Quest 24/7, I met some tremendous public servants and volunteers.
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!
Garrett could make sprinkler system decision later this month
Just two contractors working in county authorized to install
Megan Miller
Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — The Garrett County Commission could decide as early as July 27 whether new homes built in the county should be required to contain automatic sprinkler systems.
The sprinkler requirement is included in the 2009 International Residential Code, adopted by the state of Maryland, which applies to one- and two-family homes. Counties can choose to adhere to the code as-is or to adopt it with local amendments.
That means it’s up to the commission to decide whether to adopt or opt out of the sprinkler requirement, which would go into effect Jan. 1, 2011.
The commission heard public comment on the proposed change during its meeting Tuesday, but only a few individuals spoke on the issue, including contractor Roger Sines of Roger Sines Construction Inc.
“I think it’s going to hurt the construction industry,” Sines said. “People are going to say, ‘I’m not going to do that.’ ”
Sines and other opponents of the change have argued that the added cost of a sprinkler system will deter people from building new homes in the county.
But proponents of the measure say it will make homes safer for occupants and firefighters, and could lower the cost of homeowners’ fire insurance.
Dennis Mallery, president of the Allegany-Garrett Counties Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association, wrote to association members in June that the sprinkler issue comes down to a question of safety.
“There should be no debate over this issue,” Mallery said in his letter to firefighters. “The WMHBA (Western Maryland Home Builders Association) continues to voice their concern that it is not the right time economically to require residential sprinklers in new 1-2 family homes. When is there a ‘right’ time? After a family member or firefighter is injured or killed?”
The cost of such a system could add anywhere from $8,000 to $20,000 to the cost of a new home, Sines estimated.
Previous estimates have figured sprinklers at a cost of between $1.60 and $2 per square foot of space, meaning that a system for an average 2,000-square-foot home would cost between $3,200 and $4,000.
But many factors can drive up that cost. For example, homes relying on a private well could also be required to install a reservoir and fire pump to drive the sprinkler system. Even homes on public water could need a pump if the water pressure is not adequate to meet the required sprinkler output.
The revised code requires a minimum of two sprinkler heads to spray 26 to 30 gallons of water per minute for a 10-minute period, for a total of 260 to 300 gallons of water.
To complicate matters more, only contractors licensed by the State Fire Marshal’s Office can install the sprinkler systems — and only two such contractors have been operating in the county, according to Jim Torrington of the Garrett County Department of Planning and Land Development.
Torrington said his office had received only one written comment on the issue as of Tuesday, a letter from the Home Builders Association of Western Maryland requesting implementation of the sprinkler requirement be postponed to 2012. That would allow more time for homes now under construction to be completed as planned.
The commission will consider the sprinkler issue along with other building code changes adopted at the state level, including one that reduces the maximum steepness allowed for stairs in new homes.
The public comment period for the county ordinances will remain open until July 27. can be submitted to the Department of Planning and Land Development.
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on www.DeepCreekAlive.com!
Pump station malfunction blamed for sewage spill
From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — An electrical malfunction at a pump station caused 42,000 gallons of sewage to overflow near the shore of Deep Creek Lake early Sunday morning.
The incident occurred near the intersection of Garrett Highway (U.S. Route 219) and Lake Shore Drive at about 7 a.m. Sunday, according to Linda Lindsey, director of Garrett County’s Department of Public Utilities.
Lindsey said electricians are working to determine the cause of the malfunction, which is unclear. An electrical short apparently prevented a generator from supplying backup power to the pumps.
“This was very unusual,” she said. “This does not happen on a regular basis.”
Access to the spill area was restricted and the area was disinfected, Lindsey said. A public service announcement was broadcast on the radio to notify the public of the hazard.
The county also notified Maryland Department of Natural Resources officials of the spill.
The area remained restricted as of Tuesday afternoon. Lindsey said officials will conduct daily testing and water-quality monitoring there until e. coli counts fall to acceptable levels.
Those counts have already declined significantly, she said.
The county health department recommends that people avoid swimming in that area of the lake until it is cleared, Lindsey added.
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on www.DeepCreekAlive.com!
Maryland wind farm draws protests
Environmental groups have threatened to sue Constellation Energy Group Inc. for risking protected bats at a planned Western Maryland wind farm, but the company says it will honor endangered species laws.
Save Western Maryland and the Maryland Conservation Council gave Constellation notice June 23 that they plan to attempt to block its Criterion wind project on Backbone Mountain in Garrett County. They argue the project puts at risk Indiana bats and Virginia big-eared bats, both federally protected as endangered species. Federal endangered species law requires 60 days’ notice before filing such a lawsuit.
But Constellation officials said they are in the process of applying for what is called an “incidental take permit,” which allows private entities to undertake projects that could harm or kill endangered species if they work with federal fish and wildlife officials on a conservation plan. Constellation is going through that process, spokesman Aaron Koos said.
The Criterion wind project is a major one for Constellation and Maryland. The company spent $140 million in April to buy it from Clipper Windpower Inc., including wind turbines and plans that had already been crafted. That came on top of $90 million Constellation committed to spending on solar projects in 2010. The Garrett County project will put 28 wind turbines on ridges around 3,360-foot-high Backbone, the state’s highest mountain.
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on www.DeepCreekAlive.com!
Park Quest 24/7: Nearing the finish line - Outdoors Girl
This morning I pulled the last T-shirt from my duffel bag. It’s red, for stop.
I’m in my final day of Park Quest 24/7, a personal challenge: visit all 24 state parks across the state participating in the state’s annual Park Quest contest in seven consecutive days.
I’ve been wearing a different color shirt each day, partially to remind me that I’ve turned a page and partially to ensure that, well, I remain nominally presentable.
On Day One in Garrett County last Wednesday, the shirt was green for go. Then it was cream, purple, light blue, pink and yellow.
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on www.DeepCreekAlive.com!
$30,000 ARC grant puts Garrett Trails step closer to goal of connecting recreational paths
Megan Miller
Cumberland Times-News
Oakland — OAKLAND — Advocates for construction of a Garrett County trail system have received major funding support in the form of a $30,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission.
The funds will go toward planning efforts for a countywide trail network, approximately 150 miles long, that will connect many of the county’s towns to the Great Allegheny Passage.
“Back in 2002 there was a master recreational trail plan done,” said Paige Teegarden, spokeswoman for the nonprofit volunteer organization Garrett Trails. “Last year we took a look at that plan and said, so how can we tie some of these different ideas together into a whole that takes advantage of the environment today?”
Teegarden said the project, with the working title “Garrett Loop,” will connect to the Passage and create a “spine of good trails” suitable for hybrid bikes to ride throughout the county.
Though the loop’s exact route hasn’t been established, it will run roughly from Meyersdale, Pa., to Grantsville, to Deep Creek Lake, and through Mountain Lake Park, Oakland and Friendsville.
Garrett Trails Vice President Mike Dreisbach said in May that he believes the project could bring a major economic boost to the county.
“It’s an expensive trail … but at the same time, if you look at the impact of the Great Allegheny Passage, this trail could be easily a $75 (million) to $100 million-per-year tourism generator,” he said.
It would also give county residents the option to travel from point to point by trail instead of highway, Teegarden said.
The ARC grant, announced July 6, will fund preliminary planning for trail routes and investigation of property ownership, she said. In addition to ARC funds, Garrett Trails will provide $20,000 and Maryland Program Open Space will provide $10,000.
Teegarden said she hopes grant money will be available for construction to begin on some segments as early as 2011.
The ARC grant award was announced by the offices of U.S. Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin.
“Garrett County is one of Maryland’s top tourist destinations and strengthening its trail system will make it even more attractive to visitors,” Cardin said in a prepared statement. “Garrett County has more publicly owned land than any other in the state and this funding will strengthen Mountain Maryland by connecting the Great Allegheny Passage to the growing network of trails in Garrett County.”
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!
Illegal dump seems water pollution culprit - Friends of Deep Creek Lake
Join or Donate to Friends of Deep Creek Lake – find out more here
Deep Creek site cleaned up twice after tests showed poor quality
Megan Miller
Cumberland Times-News
Oakland — OAKLAND — An illegal garbage dump located on private ground in Garrett County could be the cause of ongoing water quality problems in Deep Creek, according to local officials.
The dump site is located off Mayhew Inn Road east of the intersection with Sang Run Road. Water from nearby Deep Creek flows directly into the Youghiogheny River just below Swallow Falls.
The organization Friends of Deep Creek Lake discovered water quality problems in Deep Creek through sampling and testing conducted in 2004, and repeated in April 2009. Both rounds of testing showed the creek’s water quality to be very poor. Director Barbara Beelar attributed the testing results largely to contamination from the dump site.
“Volunteers found everything from old tires, microwaves, batteries and household items to multiple animal carcasses at the site,” Beelar said. When the organization discovered the garbage dump, members reported it to county officials.
A cleanup crew removed one refrigerator, 13 tires and an additional 1,940 pounds of trash from the site this spring. That cleanup followed less than one year after a similar project at the site in summer 2009, in which an unknown amount of trash was removed.
Both cleanups were organized by county officials and the work was done by local inmates, with assistance and equipment provided by the county roads department.
This spring the county also took steps to prevent more trash from being dumped in the future, by blocking a pull-off area near the dump site with a row of large rocks.
The water sampling was conducted as part of a Maryland Department of Natural Re-sources program called Stream Waders, in which trained volunteers take water samples from streams throughout the state. The samples are analyzed in an Annapolis lab.
The water’s quality is determined by the types and numbers of tiny aquatic animals found living in it, since certain organisms can only live in healthy streams while others typically live in poor-quality water.
“This is an excellent example of collaboration among many parts of Garrett County government and the local watershed group,” Beelar said. “We will resample the water next spring and expect there will be major improvements.”
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!
