The Deep Creek Blog

State Approves Slots at Rocky Gap

The Baltimore Sun reports,  Rocky Gap Resort has been approved for a casino license.

New Germany State Park to Feature Old-Time Jams

Beginning in May, New Germany State Park will be hosting Old-Time Jams, providing an opportunity for musicians and spectators of all ages to share and enjoy traditional folk, bluegrass and other celebrated Appalachian music.

“The Old-Time Jams have become a unique tradition at New Germany over the past several years,” said Ranger Erin Thomas. “Whether you choose to play an instrument, sing, dance, or just sit back and enjoy the music, the jams are a great way to unwind and feel connected to our local Appalachian heritage.”

The events will be held at the New Germany Lake House, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on the following days:
• May 4 and 18
• June 1 and 16
• July 6 and 20
• August 3, 17 and 31

There will be no charge for admission. Refreshments and gift items will be available for purchase at the Lake House. More information is available by calling the Ranger Station at 301-895-5453 or emailing park-new-germany@dnr.state.md.us.

Two For One Garrett County Restaurant Promotion Underway

The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a 2 for 1 restaurant promotion at area restaurants this week and next, April 22 – April 26, and Sunday – Thursday, April 29 – May 3, 2012. Participating restaurants include Brenda’s Pizzeria, DC’s Bar & Restaurant, The Deer Park Inn, The Four Seasons Dining Room at Will O’the Wisp, Jearbryo’s HOOKERS Seafood & Grill, Mountain State Brewing Company, Santa Fe Grille, Sorellees and Zip’eez.

Offers range from 2 for 1 appetizers, entrees, desserts, pasta dinners, pizzas, ice cream and Double Dinner Deals..

“This promotion is a great opportunity for area businesses to showcase their menus, while allowing area residents to enjoy specially priced dining items,” said Nicole Christian, President/CEO of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce.

Tax, gratuity, beverages & alcohol are excluded from all restaurant offers. Specific hours may apply. Specific menu items and detailed offer information for each restaurant is available at www.visitdeepcreek.com. 

For more information about the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, please call 301.387.4386 or head to www.visitdeepcreek.com.

Wildfire Risk Remains High

Continuing dry conditions across the State have led to an increase in the number of wildfire occurrences and a higher risk of fire danger. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) urges citizens to use caution when participating in any outdoor activity that could spark a wildfire and recommends that all open-air burning be postponed at this time.

“Currently, the combination of warm temperatures, low humidity, high winds and dry forests have caused many wildfires to quickly burn out of control,” said DNR Fire Supervisor Monte Mitchell. “Elevated fire conditions in Maryland have been in effect for more than a week and are expected to continue through the weekend.”

Outdoor burning remains the leading cause of wildfires in Maryland, accounting for more than 30 percent of incidents. Other causes include arson, children playing with fire and equipment use. Lightning is the only natural source of fire ignition, but accounts for less than 2 percent of wildfire starts in Maryland.

The Department currently recommends that all outdoor burning be postponed until after a significant rainfall of at least one inch. Even then, it should only occur on low fire danger days in accordance with DNR’s Open Air Burning Regulations for all activities in or near woodlands, located at dnr.state.md.us/forests/fire/firenotes.asp.

Homeowners also have a responsibility to ensure they are prepared for a wildfire. Creating an area of clear and open space at least 30 feet surrounding the home and outbuildings serves as a safety zone around the structures. Within this space, plants should be controlled and the area should be free of dead debris, leaves and flammable vegetation to prevent a wildfire from spreading from the forest to the structure. Maintaining a green space landscaped with fire resistant vegetation improves the safety zone. All households should also prepare a disaster plan.

More information on wildland fire management is available at dnr.state.md.us/forests/wfm.asp

Native Plant Sale

The Savage River Watershed Association (SRWA) will sponsor two native plant sales this spring to help gardeners create eco-friendly landscapes around their homes, schools and businesses. A variety of plants native to Allegany and Garrett Counties will be available for purchase including: grasses, ferns, wildflowers, shrubs and trees. All proceeds will benefit SRWA.
 
April 28th
New Germany State Park from 10 am to 1 pm.
SRWA volunteers will be available to answer your questions about native
plants, conservation landscaping and backyard wildlife habitat practices.
 
May 19th
Elk Ridge Native Plant Preserve from 10 am to 2 pm.
Starting promptly at 11 am and 1 pm, visitors will be able to take a free
guided tour of the wildlife habitat garden to see a variety of conservation
landscaping and wildlife habitat practices that can be used to enhance
biodiversity.

The Savage River Watershed Association invites everyone to “go native” and experience the joys of conservation landscaping: a garden filled with bees, birds, butterflies and beautiful plants. For more information about either of these events contact Liz McDowell, SRWA native plant sale coordinator, at 301-895-3686 or lmcdnativeplants@hughes.net For general information about SRWA contact SRWAdirector@gmail.com or 301-689-7156. The SRWA is a non profit charitable organization. Donations may be sent to: Savage River Watershed Association, PO Box 355, Frostburg, MD 21532

SHA Resurfaces Oakland Drive

Motorists Urged to Use Caution During Flagging Operations
 
The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) will mill and resurface one mile of MD 825B (Oakland Drive) just east of US 219 in Mountain Lake Park beginning Monday night, April 16.  Work includes milling, patching, resurfacing and restriping Oakland Drive between MD 135 (Maryland Highway) and Deer Park Avenue.
 
Work will take place Sunday through Thursday nights from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m.  During these hours, flagging operations may occur and reduce travel to one lane.  Weather permitting, work is expected to be complete mid-May.
 
On average, more than 1,250 vehicles travel this stretch of Oakland Drive each day.  As crews strive to keep work zones safe, SHA asks each driver to actively modify his or her driving style to help prevent crashes. Stay alert – look for reduced speed limits, narrow driving lanes and highway workers. Slow down and don’t follow too closely. 
 
Call 511 or 1-855-GOMD511 or visit www.md511.org for current travel information. Sign up to personalize travel route information through MY511 on the website. Remember to use 511 safely - Maryland law prohibits hand-held mobile phone use and texting while driving.
   
 

Handmade Paper Workshop Offered in May by GCAC

A one-day course entitled “From Plant to Paper” is being offered in May by the Garrett County Arts Council and artist Annie Morris Simcoe. The class will be held Saturday, May 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Simcoe’s ABPH Studio.

“From Plant to Paper” is a workshop on the basics of making paper using readily available materials.  Students will prepare plant fibers, form sheets, and work with inclusions.  There will be plenty of time allowed for experimentation.  Each student will take home the papers he or she makes.

 Simcoe has been making hand crafted paper for more than ten years.  She draws inspiration from her love of the outdoors, incorporating plant materials she grows or gathers from the natural landscape into the paper pulp.  The pulp is then pressed and dried to form sheets.  Simcoe turns those sheets into framed art, journals, or note cards using a stitching process.  Her work includes landscapes, florals, water scenes and abstracts.  She has been a full-time artist since 2009 and can be found at various art festivals around the region.  In addition, ABPH Studio is open to the public on select weekends in the summer or by appointment.

No previous experience is needed for the workshop and young students are welcome with an accompanying adult student.  The cost per person is $50 and includes all needed materials.  Class size is limited and registration is required.  The deadline to register is May 1.  ABPH Studio is located along Rock Lodge Road in the Bittinger area of Garrett County.  For more information and to register, call Garrett County Arts Council at 301-334-6580.

 

 

Focus on Pawpaws at Next Maryland Native Plant Meeting

The Western Mountains Chapter of the Maryland Native Plant Society will hold its regular meeting at the Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg on Tuesday April 17th at 7:00 pm. The guest speaker will be R. Neal Peterson, plant breeder. His presentation titled “A Native American Species Becomes a New Fruit Crop” will begin immediately following a brief chapter meeting. The public is welcome to attend.

The pawpaw, Asimina triloba, is North America’s largest edible native fruit – not to be confused with the papaya, also known as pawpaw in the tropics. Native in 26 States across most of Eastern North America, the pawpaw is largely forgotten today, but in centuries past it was a common part of the seasonal diet for settlers and native people. This talk recounts the pawpaw’s history, biology, early efforts at domestication, and recent domestication conducted by Peterson. These newest breeding efforts are bringing a distinctively American fruit into the arena of horticulture, not only in America but also in other humid temperate regions of the world.

Neal was born and raised in southern WV. As a teenager he spent many happy days tramping the woods for miles behind his town, and this is where he became a lover of the Appalachian flora and fauna, a self taught naturalist. He fell in love with the pawpaw while in graduate school at WVU where he was studying plant genetics. Over the years they became his life’s mission to domesticate them and bring them the popularity they deserve. After doctoral study at Michigan State University in agricultural economics, he became an economist for the USDA from1980 to 1998. During those years he pursued his calling of breeding better pawpaws. After 30 years of work, he selected some great varieties, which he has released to the public. Although he is no longer president of the PawPaw Foundation, he continues to promote the pawpaw to farmers and scientists. However, he is happiest communing with plants of all sorts (not just pawpaws) in gardens, woods, and fields.

Directions: From I-68 take exit 33 (Braddock Rd & Midlothian Rd). Follow Braddock Rd ~ .2 miles to the entrance to the Appalachian Lab on the left side of the road (301 Braddock Road).  There is plenty of parking in front of the building. 


The Maryland Native Plant Society uses education, research, and community service to increase awareness and appreciation of native plants and their habitats leading to their conservation and restoration. Membership is open to all who are interested in Maryland's native plants and their habitats. Preserving Maryland's natural heritage, increasing knowledge about native plants, and helping to further the Society's mission are our goals. MNPS sponsors monthly meetings, workshops, field trips, and an annual fall conference. For more information, visit www.mdflora.org

The Western Mountains Chapter has formed to expand the efforts of MNPS on the Allegheny Plateau and Ridge & Valley physiographic provinces of the central-Appalachians. Residents of western Maryland, nearby Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and anyone else interested in learning more about and conserving the native plants of this region are invited to join. For more information contact Liz McDowell, Chapter Coordinator, at 301-895-3686 or lmcdnativeplants@hughes.net

"The Nature of Summer" Photography Exhibit on Display

The Gallery Shop in downtown Oakland is now featuring the work of local photographer Michael Petersheim in a special one-man exhibit.  “The Nature of Summer” is the title of the display showcased in the newly renovated Backroom Gallery.

Petersheim is a native of western Maryland and grew up on farm just south of Oakland.  He developed a love of photography in 2004 while living and studying at the University of Queensland in Australia.  The different environment and lifestyle he encountered inspired him to pick up a camera and capture the images.

“I strive to create landscape or nature images containing beauty or meaning.  My aim is to create pieces of art that I am happy to hang on my walls and share with others” says Pertersheim.  The current collection features local scenes as well as images taken while on vacation in the Palouse region of the northwestern United States and Banff National Park in Canada.  The images are mounted in a traditional manner as well as on wood, canvas or metal.

The artist will be honored at an open-to-the-public reception on Friday, April 13 from 5-7:00 pm.  The exhibit will be on display until May 18 and is open during normal Gallery Shop hours of 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday.

The Gallery Shop is a project of Garrett County Arts Council.  GCAC is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to the cultivating of a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.  An agency of the Department of Business and Economic Development, MSAC provides financial support and technical assistance to non-profit organizations, college and universities for arts activities.  Visit www.garrettarts.com or call 301-334-6580 for more information.

Last Minute Tickets for he Tamburitzans Available

Tickets are still available for The Duquesne University Tamburitzans, peforming as part of the GLAF season on Friday, April 20th at 7:30 pm in Garrett College Gymnasium.  Visit www.artsandententertainment.org to purchase.

10th Annual Ice Fishing Contest Winner Announced

The annual winner of the Garrett County Ice Fishing Contest, sponsored by Deep Creek Outfitters Hardware and Bait House and the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce is Lenny Yommer from Grantsville who caught a Northern Pike, 10 lbs. 8 ozs., 34”. 

The winners are awarded certificates for the season’s largest catch of bluegill, brown trout, chain pickerel, crappies, largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, rainbow trout, walleye and yellow perch.  Though the 10th Annual ice fishing contest has concluded for the year, the 52nd Annual Fishing Contest begins on May 1st. 

 

Garrett Mentors Night at McDonalds

Tomorrow night,  April 12th,  show support for Garrett Mentors by dining at McDonald's in Oakland between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m.  McDonald's will donate 15% of all proceeds to Garrett Mentors.

Garrett Mentors is a non-profit organization with about seventy five volunteer mentors that assist needy elementary students in Garrett County coming from a difficult family situation.

Next Chamber Business After Hours at Builder's Way

Chamber Hosts Next Business After Hours at Builder’s Way Lighting & Plumbing Showroom on April 11

The Garrett County Chamber announced that Builder’s Way Lighting & Plumbing Showroom will be hosting the next Business After Hours on April 11th from 6 pm – 8 pm. Enjoy  food and drink as you mingle with fellow Chamber members and Chamber staff at this monthly networking event.

Builder's Way is a registered Kohler showroom offering a complete line of Kohler products; Progress, Quorum, Murray Feiss and Seagull lighting and ceiling fans and Kingsman fireplaces.

The cost is $6.00 for members paid in advance and $10 for non-members and members paying at the door. Register online at visitdeepcreek.com or contact Charlotte Sebold by April 9th by emailing charlotte@garrettchamber.com or calling 301.387.6171.

Garrett County 3-2-1 Promotion

The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce is advertising a 3-2-1 promotion for a spring visit to Deep Creek Lake.   Stay three nights for the price of two plus one activity. The offers are valid only from April 1, 2012 - May 16, 2012, unless otherwise stated, are not valid with any other promotion or discount and are not retroactive.   Visit www.visitdeepcreek.com for more information.

Volunteers Needed to Plant Red Spruce in Savage River Watershed

The Savage River Watershed Association (SRWA) is looking for adult volunteers to help plant red spruce trees this spring on Sunday April 15th from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm and on Monday April 16th from 9:00 am to noon. Red spruce is being planted along high quality streams in the Savage River State Forest in an attempt to maintain conifer cover.

By shading streams evergreen trees such as hemlock, pine and spruce help keep water temperatures low, a critical factor for native brook trout survival. Unfortunately native hemlocks, Tsuga canadensis, are being killed by an exotic invasive insect called the Hemlock woolly adelgid. These native red spruce seedlings will ultimately fill in gaps where hemlock trees are lost.

This is the fourth year that SRWA has planted red spruce in the Savage River State Forest for a total of 4,000 trees to date. SRWA used money raised from native plant sales to purchase the 500 trees being planted this spring. Wade Dorsey, Savage River State Forest manager, is assisting with tools and logistics. Frostburg State University students from Dr. Sunshine Brosi’s Plant Taxonomy class will be assisting with additional plantings. Lowe’s Home Improvement of LaVale donated buckets for the planting project.

To volunteer, please contact Ron Boyer, SRWA red spruce planting coordinator, at 301-895-3686 or rbiodiversity@hughes.net  For general information about SRWA contact SRWAdirector@gmail.com, visit www.SavageRiverWatershed.org or call 301-689-7156. SRWA is a non profit charitable organization. Donations may be sent to: Savage River Watershed Association, PO Box 355, Frostburg, MD 21532.

"Tsuga" unofficial mascot of the SRWA red spruce planting project, performs a quality control check on a recently planted red spruce.