Author: Jay Ferguson
Who I Am
My name is Jay Ferguson, and I am a lifelong resident of the Deep Creek Lake area. I am also co-owner of the real estate side of Taylor Made. I have been in the real estate business for 21+ years now and I LOVE what I do! I have to say, my career really took off when I co-founded the real estate side of Taylor Made in 2014. Its been an amazing experience, building a real estate company from the ground up and achieving so much so quickly! In August 2016, we purchased Long & Foster Real Estate Deep Creek, where I had started my career in 2000. In 2018, we on-boarded virtually every agent from Coldwell Banker Deep Creek Realty as they closed up shop and the real estate family grew even more! We now have over 40 sales agents and have expanded to West Virginia and Pennsylvania, as well. Taylor Made is the #1 vacation rental company at Deep Creek with over 475 vacation rental homes, and over one hundred thousand yearly visitors. Its amazing what we have accomplished using the principles of honesty, teamwork and customer service!
Personally, my wife Jessica and I enjoy traveling and especially spending time in the outdoors, hiking and exploring the many diverse areas that Garrett County is naturally blessed with. We have raised two wonderful children here, Kayleah (22) and Noah (13). In the summer, we love spending time on the water with friends & family and enjoying the lake life! We are both active in our church, our community & local school activities, and we fill our schedule with plenty of volunteer efforts. I currently serve on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity. I am proud to say that I was named Deep Creek Time’s Favorite ‘Community Champion’ in 2019. I was also named Garrett County Realtor of the Year in 2018-19, as well.
I really enjoy promoting my hometown. I am very proud of the resort area that has developed over my lifetime and look forward to growing the area even more! Deep Creek Lake has been described as ‘The Lake Tahoe of the east', and I think that speaks volumes about the potential to own property here! Deep Creek Lake isn't really a town or city by itself; it's comprised of three towns: Oakland, Swanton & McHenry, Maryland. I am very passionate about my hometown and am impressed with how many people know about it as we travel around the country. Deep Creek Lake is an amazing place to visit and even better place to live! During the pandemic in 2020, our market exploded and more and more people left their primary residence in the city to live here permanently. With distance learning in schools and tele-commuting becoming the ‘norm’, many more people were drawn to the area to ‘live where they love to play’.
Why You Want Me Working for You: In addition to being an owner, I am consistently one of the top-producing agents in the entire area and the Associate Broker of record for Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales. I have 21+ years of experience and I am a problem solver. There aren’t many situations that I have not encountered and I have a strategy for almost every scenario that you may encounter. I
have extensively trained in all areas of real estate & emerging technologies, and also have trained as an appraiser, as well as served as a full-time Broker. I have a strong knowledge of the industry, as well as many trusted local contacts & affiliations that allow me to perform at a very high level and deliver results. I have a great deal of respect for my peers in this industry and have strong working relationships that I would love to put to work for you.
Call me to discuss your situation - I know I can be of great service to you & others you care about!
Honesty. Integrity. Results.
Public comment, hearings announced for US 219 Project
MEYERSDALE, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) in partnership with the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA), and in coordination with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE), are issuing a notice of availability for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), as well as, notice of a hearing to provide members of the public the opportunity to comment on the project for consideration in review of the Department of the Army’s (DA) 404 Permit Application, MDE’s Nontidal Wetlands Waterways Permit Application (24-NT-3200), and the MDE 401Water Quality Certification request (24-WQC-0043) for this project.
The 45-day comment period on these documents began Nov. 8 and extends through Jan. 11. The purpose of the public hearings is to 1) provide interested individuals, community associations, citizen groups, and government agencies an opportunity to offer spoken or written comments on the DEIS, and 2) allow the USACE to receive comments on the DA’s Section 404 Permit Application and allow MDE to receive comments on the Nontidal Wetlands and Waterways Permit Application and the 401 Water Quality Certification request for this project.
The project team is proposing a new 8-mile long, four-lane, limited access facility for US 219 from the end of the Meyersdale Bypass in Pennsylvania to the newly constructed portion of US 219 in Maryland, which opened in May 2021. Of the eight (8) miles, six (6) are in Pennsylvania and two (2) are in Maryland.
Pennsylvania Public Hearing
Purpose: This hearing is intended for the public and interested persons/stakeholders to provide formal testimony and/or comment on the DEIS and the DA’s 404 Permit Application (Permit # 2014-523).
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 11
Time: 4–8 p.m.
- Open House Plans Display: 4–5 p.m.
- Formal Public Hearing: 5–8 p.m.
Location: Salisbury Volunteer Fire Department Station 618 Fire Hall
385 Ord Street
Salisbury, PA 15558
Link: To participate in the hearing online, log in after 4:45 p.m. at https://bit.ly/US219-PA-Hearing-Dec11. The hearing begins promptly at 5 p.m.
Maryland Public Hearing
Purpose: This hearing is intended for the public and interested persons/stakeholders to provide formal testimony and/or comment on the DEIS, the DA’s 404 Permit Application (Permit # 2014-523), the MDE’s Nontidal Wetlands and Waterways Permit Application, and the 401 Water Quality Certification request for this project.
Date: Thursday, Dec. 12
Time: 4–8 p.m.
- Open House Plans Display: 4–5 p.m.
- Formal Public Hearing: 5–8 p.m.
Location: Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department’s Social Hall
178 Springs Road
Grantsville, MD 21536
Link: To participate in the hearing online, log in after 4:45 p.m. at https://bit.ly/US219-MD-Hearing-Dec12. The hearing begins promptly at 5 p.m.
An open house plans display is scheduled for 4-5 p.m. prior to each of the Hearings. The public can ask questions during this time; however, those informal questions will not be part of the public record.
The formal public hearings will begin at 5 p.m. with a formal presentation and testimony by PennDOT and/or SHA. The MDE (Dec. 12 hearing only) and the USACE will only be accepting testimony on the waterway permit applications. The public will have an opportunity to provide public and private testimony to a court reporter and/or written testimony after the presentation. There will be no response to comments by PennDOT, SHA, MDE or the USACE given during the formal testimony portion of the hearing.
Registration slips for both in-person private and public testimony will be available at the registration table on the day of the event. Public virtual testimony will be accepted following the live formal presentation. To provide virtual testimony, register in advance no later than Monday, Nov. 9, by 5 p.m. by contacting: Brionna Marks, KCI Technologies, Phone: 717-668-0413, Email: Brionna.Marks@kci.com.
There are three options for providing written testimony, which include:
- Filling out a written testimony form at one of the Public Hearings.
- Mailing in testimony using one of the self-addressed envelopes at the hearing registration table at either of the Public Hearings.
- Sending an email to Brionna Marks, KCI Technologies to the email above.
A Public Hearing Brochure is posted on the project website and at the local public viewing locations listed below. The brochure provides an overview of the project, including a summary of information in the DEIS and instructions on how to provide testimony.
The DEIS is available for review at the following locations:
Meyersdale Public Library
210 Center Street
Meyersdale, PA 15552
Phone: 814-634-0512
Ruth Enlow Library of Garrett County – Grantsville Branch
102 Parkview Drive
Grantsville, MD 21536
Phone: 301-895-5298
Mary S. Biesecker Public Library
230 South Rosina Avenue
Somerset, PA 15501
Phone: 814-445-4011
PennDOT District 9-0
1620 North Juniata Street
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
Phone: 814-696-7250
Somerset County Library
6022 Glades Pike, Ste. 120
Somerset, PA 15501
Phone: 814-445-2556
FHWA – Pennsylvania Division
30 North Third Street, Suite 700
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone: 717-221-3461
Allegany County Library System – Frostburg
65 East Main Street
Frostburg, MD 21532
Phone: 301-687-0790
FHWA – Maryland Division
George H. Fallon Federal Building
Federal Highway Administration
31 Hopkins Plaza, Suite 1520
Phone: 410-962-4440
MD SHA – District 6
1251 Vocke Road
LaVale MD 21502
Phone: 301-729-8400
The DEIS and Public Hearing Brochure is also available on the project website at www.penndot.pa.gov/US219meyersdalesouth.
Go Huskies!
The Lady Huskies advanced to the Maryland 1A State Semifinals after a dominating 10-0 win against Surrattsville this past Friday.
Their semifinal game will be this Friday, November 8, at 5:00pm against Liberty High School. The game will be at Tuscarora High School, 5312 Ballenger Creek Pike, Frederick, MD. Make plans now as the Lady Huskies need your support, so get your friends and family and head to Frederick this Friday!
October 2024 Stats
🛑Burn Ban🛑
Garrett County continues to face unprecedented drought conditions and the wildfire threat has increased significantly in the last 2 weeks. Please refrain from burning at this time.
To reduce the risk of wildfires, the Garrett County Health Department, in coordination with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service and Garrett County Emergency Management, is instituting a ban on outdoor burning effective immediately. This burn ban extends to all regulated burning.
Campfires are not classified as regulated burning, but caution should be taken to lower overall fire risk. The public is encouraged to minimize potential factors for fire risk until environmental conditions improve.
Tips to reduce risk include:
🔹Do not leave campfires unattended.
🔹Utilize a fire ring or other containment device.
🔹Extinguish the fire when you are finished.
The ban will remain in effect until the county receives an adequate amount of precipitation or a ground cover of snow. Questions can be directed to Environmental Health of the Garrett County Health Department by calling 301-334-7760 or by emailing environmental.health@maryland.gov.
Northern Lights at Deep Creek Lake, Maryland.
September 2024 Stats
August 2024 Stats
GC Women Poised For Strong Second Season
McHenry, MD – A year ago, the Garrett College women’s soccer team had no home field, no experienced players, no bench to speak of, and no idea what they would be facing in NJCAA Region 20 competition.
What a difference a year makes.
Second-year head coach Brandon Jackson had built a 2024 squad that features nine sophomores and 14 freshmen, providing plenty of depth and experience. The Lady Lakers will also get to play a full home season on their turf field, which was only available for their final three home games last year upon field completion.
“The biggest difference this year is having my first-ever returning class coming back,” said Jackson. “It’s also nice to know that the returners have all experienced the first-year challenges and can take on a leadership role in helping our freshman class.”
The Lady Lakers have two returning all-NJCAA Region 20 players, including second-team defender Cheyenne Zack (Niles, Ohio) and honorable-mention midfielder Sydney Weeks (Oakland). The remaining returners are goalkeepers Sara Tabuena (Sitges, Spain) and Johnna Collins (Deer Park), midfielder Allison Harrold (Rockwood, PA), and forwards Cara Stout (Morgantown, WV), Natalie Warne (Oakland), and Courtney Milner (Huddersfield, England).
The ninth sophomore – Nevaeh Hambosky (Connellsville, PA) – played her freshman season at Potomac State College of West Virginia University in 2022.
“I expect Nevaeh to be a goal-scoring threat for us,” said Jackson, noting Hambosky scored 14 goals during the season with the Catamounts.
Jackson’s 14 freshmen include four international players. Combined with Milner and Tabuena, that gives GC six international players on its 2024 squad.
“There’s a lot of competition when it comes to international players,” said Jackson. “I worked to sell them on our vision and told them I’m a holistic coach. I care about them as players, as students, and making sure they also enjoy their experience.”
The best of the bunch among the international students may be Austrian Victoria Kovazh, whom Jackson described as “a phenomenal left winger with a lot of speed.”
Defenders Ruby Molloy (Manchester, England) and Sofia Mesrobian (Mississauga, Canada), and midfielder Chloe Mccaul (Cork County, Ireland) round out the international contingent.
The Lady Lakers have also added goalkeeper Kayla Moore (North Marion, WV).
“Kayla comes from a very small school, but she’s 5-9 and super-athletic,” said Jackson. “I think she’ll be a tremendous goalkeeper.”
Other newcomers include midfielders Katelyn Leaman (Millersville, PA), Madison Jones (Kansas City, Kansas), Skye Leasure (Williamsport), Jacquelyn Jeffreys (Uniontown, PA), and Laci Slick (Inwood, WV); forward Danielle Brobst (Oakland), defenders Izzy Shafer (Preston, WV) and Alissa Breeding (Mount Savage), and central defender Jorjalyn Ward (Philippi, WV).
The Lady Lakers travel to CCBC-Essex on September 3rd to open their season with a 3 p.m. game against the region’s reigning champion. Essex nipped the Lady Lakers, 1-0, in the region quarterfinals last year.
GC plays at region rival Allegany College of Maryland on September 5th in a 4 p.m. contest.
GC opens its home season September 12th with a 3 p.m. match against Anne Arundel Community College.
Jackson heads into Season 2 confident the Lady Lakers are ready to make a statement.
“I would not be shocked if we finish in the top four in the region this year,” said Jackson. “We’d like to make a nice splash and let the region know that Garrett College women’s soccer is here to stay.”
Garrett College Hosts ‘Active Shooter’ Training
State Police, Sheriff’s Office, Oakland PD, DNR all participate
Multiple law enforcement agencies teamed up with Garrett College last Wednesday and Thursday to offer “active-shooter” training.
The training, led by the Maryland State Police (MSP) and its Emergency Response Team, included both classroom and live-scenario components. A total of 35 officers from MSP, the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and the Oakland Police Department participated in the training.
“The classroom training helped familiarize our employees with what an active shooter situation might look like and how to respond,” said Chris Painter, Garrett College’s director of facilities, capital projects, and security. “The live-action scenarios, with our employees as role players, helped them understand what law enforcement expects of them in those situations.”
Painter – a former assistant special agent in charge of the Federal Air Marshal Service’s VIPR Teams, which trained extensively on active-shooter events and scenarios – said hosting the training at GC permitted local law enforcement to become more familiar with the campus.
“By training at the College, local law enforcement will have a better understanding of the campus layout should they ever have to respond to an active-shooter situation,” said Painter.
A total of 49 Garrett College employees – including GC President Richard Midcap – participated in the activities.
“You would like to think that an active-shooter situation can’t happen here – but that’s just not the case,” said Midcap, recalling the 2015 mass casualty event at Umpqua Community College in rural Oregon that left 10 dead. “The best way to prevent or minimize a situation like that is to train for it.”
The training emphasized the Avoid, Deny, Defend (ADD) – also known as Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) – options available to individuals involved in an active-shooter situation. Presenters noted that each active-shooter situation is different, and individuals have to determine in the moment what strategy provides their best option for success.
MSP also provided an Emergency Stop the Bleed training. The training was designed to provide individuals with the basic skills to effectively assist a victim with a serious bleeding injury, including applying a tourniquet to extremities when a wound is “spurting or squirting” blood.
“A significant bleed can bleed out in 4-6 minutes unless it’s treated,” said MSP Sergeant William Jansen, who serves as a flight paramedic and tactical paramedic. Jansen demonstrated how to apply a tourniquet and use other emergency equipment contained in a basic Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK).
Garrett County Public Schools also provided EMS and first-responders with a training on how to deal effectively in emergency situations with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The training was led by Dr. Chelsie Manges, GCPS director of the Department of Special Education.
