mountain maryland – Jay's Real Estate Blog

The 5 Best Maryland Lakes For Swimming

What’s better than swimming to get great exercise while having fun and staying cool with your family and friends during the summer? Swimming is not only a fun activity, but it is a great way to exercise the entire body and improve your fitness. Swimming is also an activity all ages can find ways to enjoy, especially if you visit the best Maryland lakes for swimming!

There are over 100 lakes within the state of Maryland today. Each one of those lakes is, however, a man-made reservoir (either for recreation, utility, or both). Deep Creek Lake, for example — with its nearly 4,000 acres of lake water — powers a hydroelectric dam that has operated since 1925, but also offers recreational activities for residents and vacationers.

So, let’s take a look at five of Maryland’s lakes that are the best lakes for swimming!

Greenbrier Lake
Deep Creek Lake
Lake Habeeb
Cunningham Falls
Kilgore Falls

Deep Creek Lake (Deep Creek Lake State Park)

Most Maryland lakes are much smaller than Deep Creek Lake, with many covering less than 50 acres. Deep Creek Lake, on the other hand, is known for being the largest lake in Maryland. It covers nearly 4,000 acres! The park gets its name from the lake. The Youghiogheny Hydroelectric Company created a 1,300-foot-long dam in the 1920s for a hydroelectric project.

So why go swimming at Deep Creek Lake? Is it more than just a hydroelectric dam project? Yes!

With its mile-long shoreline and two swimming beaches, along with 20 miles of trails for hiking and biking, campgrounds, and an enormous Discovery Center, Deep Creek Lake State Park offers year-round activities for everyone.

The natural beauty of Deep Creek Lake is only matched by its diverse wildlife and stunning scenery. With deer, bald eagles, ospreys, black bears, and more, visitors can expect to see a wide range of nature’s creatures while they swim and explore.

It’s a Maryland State Park, so the lake’s water is well-kept, and convenience factors are much more amenable. There are public restrooms, places to stay overnight that are close by, and convenience stores.

7 Most Beautiful Lakes In Maryland

World Atlas

As is the case all over the world, the lakes of Maryland are a popular destination for locals and tourists looking to relax. They are a focal point for outdoor recreation, fishing, and enjoyment of the natural world. Unlike many places, though, not a single one of the lakes in Maryland was formed naturally. Most natural lakes are formed by glaciers, but during the last Ice Age, glaciers didn’t reach the area that is now Maryland. Other lakes are caused by faulting, volcanic activity, or landslides, which again didn’t happen in that area.

There are now over 100 artificial lakes in Maryland, and though they were the result of human development, especially due to the need for hydroelectric energy, nature has made good use of them. Some of the most beautiful of these lakes have become an important part of the area’s ecosystem and are now part of larger parks. The land, plants, and animals have adapted to the lake’s presence, so these parks have become important habitats for fish, birds, and animals large and small.

Deep Creek Lake

As the largest lake in the state, Deep Creek Lake is also perhaps the most well-known of Maryland’s lakes. It can be found near Oakland, in Deep Creek Lake State Park, which sits high on a plateau in the Allegheny Highlands. Created as the result of a hydroelectric dam, it has been an important source of energy for the area since 1925.

The lake itself covers approximately 3,900 acres and is surrounded by 69 miles of shoreline, some of which is sandy beach. The lake is a popular spot for fishing and boating of all types. Nearby, the state park offers cabins, camping spots, and over 100 miles of trails from which to try to spot elk or mule deer. But the park is also home to bobcats and black bears, so caution to all hikers is recommended. Also in the park is a 6,000 s6,000-square-foot Discovery Center with an aviary that features rescued eagles and ospreys.

“George Fund” to Support Economic Development in Western Maryland

Maryland Association of Counties

The new Senator George C. Edwards Fund will provide grant or loan funding to capital infrastructure projects and business development projects that improve the economic conditions in the region.

In the 2022 Legislative Session, the Maryland General Assembly passed Senate Bill 474, sponsored by Senators George Edwards, Paul Corderman, and Katie Hester. The legislation called for the creation of the “George Fund” and established the Western Maryland Economic Future Investment Board to review, evaluate, and rate applications for funding from the program. It also made this program a part of the Tri-County Council of Western Maryland, which supports the board and administers the fund.

The purpose of the Fund is to provide grant or loan funding to capital infrastructure projects and business development projects that improve the economic conditions in the region. A total of $50 million has been allocated for economic development projects over the next four years. The first round of funding is for $20 million to support projects in Garrett, Allegany, and Washington Counties.
The Western Maryland Economic Future Investment Board solicited applications and has been evaluating the projects that could make the most substantial economic impact, bring significant employment opportunities, and/or increase the tax base.
Requests for funding in Garrett County alone totaled over $8.7 million and would create over 200 jobs in the next year and over 300 new jobs in the next three years. Project awards are expected to be announced soon.

Senate Bill 474 also designated the positions which are represented on the Board. One representative from the Department of Commerce, appointed by the Secretary of Commerce; one commissioner from each member county, appointed by each member county’s respective commissioners; one representative of an economic development organization in each member county, appointed by each member county’s respective commissioners; one representative from Chamber of Commerce from each member county, appointed by each member county’s respective Chamber of Commerce; and one representative from the Maryland Municipal League, appointed by the Executive Director of the League.
For additional information visit https://senatoredwardsfund.org.

Forever Maryland Awards 2023 Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants Totaling $92,000

The BayNet

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Forever Maryland announces that 31 grants totaling $92,000 have been awarded to support environmental education, community cleanup, and beautification projects through the Keep Maryland Beautiful program. The annual grants are funded by the Maryland Environmental Trust, Forever Maryland, and Maryland Department of Transportation.

The grants are administered by Forever Maryland; it is the oldest program of the Maryland Environmental Trust, a unit of the Department of Natural Resources.

“Since its inception, the Keep Maryland Beautiful grants program has awarded grants to engaged citizens and land trusts that are developing innovative solutions to local environmental problems,” said Forever Maryland President Wendy Stringfellow. “I’ve been involved with this rewarding program for the past decade, and have seen its enormous impact. Thank you to the sponsors and the awardees for your contributions to Maryland!”

This program is administered by Forever Maryland and is the oldest program of the Maryland Environmental Trust, a unit of the Department of Natural Resources.

“The Keep Maryland Beautiful Program builds a strong partnership between our communities and state, in our shared goals of cleaner water and access to green space for all Marylanders,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. “Funding these efforts also increases stewardship in every corner of Maryland.”

“Keep Maryland Beautiful grants demonstrate the power of partnership to create cleaner, greener communities for all Marylanders,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “The Maryland Department of Transportation is proud to join with other state agencies, schools, nonprofits and individual citizens to protect and enhance our state’s natural beauty and inspire a passion for environmental stewardship in future generations.”

Keep Maryland Beautiful recipients included schools, nonprofit groups, municipalities and land trusts in 12 counties and Baltimore City. Many of these grants focus on developing and supporting communities, families, youth and students who take personal responsibility for the health of their communities, protecting nature in their backyards and seeking ways to help reduce or resolve environmental challenges.

Awards this year included:

One Aileen Hughes award totaling $5,000, awarded to an individual representing a Maryland land trust for outstanding leadership, partnership and innovation in a conservation project. The grant is awarded to the Maryland land trust in recognition of the individual’s efforts and good work. The grant is given annually to honor the late Aileen Hughes, a leader in the conservation movement.
21 Citizen Stewardship awards totaling $37,000, given in honor of Bill James, who drafted the legislation that founded Maryland Environmental Trust, and Margaret Rosch Jones, former executive director of the Keep Maryland Beautiful program. The Citizen Stewardship grants are awarded to schools, nonprofits and other community organizations whose missions are centered upon directly engaging community members in environmental education and stewardship. These grants also support organizations that demonstrate active engagement as defenders of the environment by developing innovative solutions to local environmental problems.
9 Janice Hollmann Grant awards totaling $50,000, given to Maryland land trusts to increase capacity, support community programming and innovation and foster stronger, better connected land trusts. All grants require a 100 percent match from the land trust of in-kind services and privately raised funds. The grant is given in memory of Janice Hollmann, who exemplified citizen leadership of local land trusts in Maryland.

2023 recipients of Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants include:

Anne Arundel County

Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park

Scenic Rivers Land Trust Inc.

Baltimore City

Baltimore Green Space – A Land Trust for Community Managed Open Space Inc.

Civic Works, Inc

Environmental Justice Journalism Initiative

Grow & Eat Inc. aka Harlem Park Community Farm

Lafayette Square Community Development Corporation

Living Classrooms Foundation

Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm

The Sixth Branch

The Urban Oasis

Baltimore County
Gwynn Oak Community Association

NeighborSpace of Baltimore County Inc.

Calvert County

American Chestnut Land Trust Inc.

Charles County

Conservancy for Charles County Inc.

Gale-Bailey Elementary Green Club

Frederick County
Catoctin Land Trust

Garrett County

Crellin Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization Inc.

Harford County
Harford Land Trust Inc.

Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway

Howard County

Glenelg Country School

Patapsco Heritage Greenway Inc.

The Howard County Conservancy

Montgomery County
Amula Foundation (Also known as Rise N Shine Foundation Inc.)

Bethesda Green

Charles Koiner Center for Urban Farming Inc.

Montgomery Parks Foundation

St. Mary’s County
Greenwell Foundation Josh

Talbot County

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

Washington County
Antietam-Concocheague Watershed Alliance

More information on the grants is available online.

First responders, helicopter crew rescue injured mountain biker

Cumberland Times-News

GRANTSVILLE — A man riding a mountain bike on a remote New Germany State Park trail was rescued by first responders and a Maryland State Police helicopter crew after he became stranded following an accident Wednesday.

According to state police, Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department and other rescue personnel found the injured 56-year-old around 5:30 p.m. on the Meadow Mountain Trail, which stretches through New Germany State Park and Savage River State Forest in Garrett County. He reportedly told rescuers he was stranded in the woods for nearly eight hours.

Rescue personnel requested Trooper 5, based at the Greater Cumberland Regional Airport in Wiley Ford, West Virginia, for an aerial hoist mission due to the mountain biker’s remote location, topography, an extended extrication time and the nature of his injuries.

Garrett County rescue personnel provided patient care and stabilized the biker.

Once overhead, the crew from Trooper 5 used the helicopter’s hoist to lower a trooper/flight paramedic into a clearing below. The trooper/flight paramedic, with assistance from rescue personnel, secured the injured mountain biker and he was lifted about 100 feet in the air and flown to J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia, for treatment.

The injured man’s name was not released and there was no word on his condition Thursday.

Click here to find the article.

Maryland Delegation Announces More Than $3 Million for Rural Health Care Facilities

October 26, 2022
Press Release

(Washington, DC) – Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, along with U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.), today announced $3,079,600 in U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development funding for six Maryland health and wellness-based facilities to improve and modernize their services.

Funding comes through the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants Program of the American Rescue Plan Act and will be allocated to the following facilities:

Westminster Rescue Mission Inc., $998,400 – To hire additional staff for its Addiction Healing Center, upgrade the Mission’s building and purchase more COVID-19 tests and resources for staff and patients.
Garrett County Regional Medical Center, $802,700 – To provide equipment for Garrett County Memorial Hospital that will help hospital staff assess patients over 65, who are at greater risk of contracting a more serious case of COVID-19, and replace equipment that has been exhausted during the pandemic.
Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center, $459,000 – To establish the “Eastern Shore Delmarva Farm to Freezer Project” – a produce processing and aggregation facility that will increase the availability of locally processed produce, increase opportunities for local farmers and provide a wider access to a variety of foods in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester Counties.
Minary’s Dream Alliance Inc., $374,900 – To fund the staff and their travel expenses, along with the purchase of food, packaging supplies and equipment for the Alliance’s “Feed the Elderly Program,” which was established during the pandemic to provide food to low-income seniors in Kent County.
Brook Lane Health Services Inc. in Washington County, $268,100 – To reimburse lost revenue caused by the pandemic. Over the past three years, Brook Lane was forced to remove some of its inpatient beds to limit the spread of COVID-19.
End Hunger in Charles County, Maryland Inc., $176,500 – To establish a food distribution facility in Indian Head, Maryland by investing in a building, trucks, walk-in freezers and bulk food. Indian Head has a population of 3,844 people, over 12 percent of whom live in poverty. This will serve as the first fresh food source in the town since 1999.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on Maryland families in every corner of our state, exacerbating challenges that have been building up in the health care system for years. That’s why we must keep working to ensure that everyone has equitable access to health services they need, regardless of their zip code,” the lawmakers said. “These federal funds will support the health and wellbeing of people across our state, especially targeting rural areas that are often under-served. We will continue to support these health care facilities and work to increase access to health care in all of our communities.”

TeamMaryland fought to pass the historicAmerican Rescue Plan Act with unified Democratic support.

The Emergency Rural Health Care Grants were first made available in August 2021. The grants provide assistance to health care facilities, tribes and communities looking to expand health care services and nutrition assistance in rural areas.

Article link click here

Outdoors Maryland Set to Return for its 33rd Season on Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Southern Maryland News Net

Maryland Public Television’s (MPT) award-winning original series Outdoors Maryland returns for its 33rd season on Tuesday, November 9 with four new half-hour episodes airing throughout the month. Produced in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Outdoors Maryland presents thought-provoking stories that capture the state’s beauty as well as its diverse collection of ecosystems, people, and places.

Outdoors Maryland airs Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. on MPT-HD and via MPT’s livestream at mpt.org/livestream. Episodes are also available to stream on-demand at video.mpt.tv and on mobile devices via the PBS Video App.

Segments premiering during the November 9 episode are:

A Family Affair (Dorchester County): Eastern Shore trapper Justin Aaron demonstrates the long legacy of muskrat trapping in his family as they prepare for the 2020 National Outdoors Show, a celebration of survival skills and crafts. DNR biologist Donald Webster outlines the trapping program in Maryland and educates viewers on the lifecycle and habits of muskrats.
Feel the Burn (Allegany County): For the first time in decades, fire is being used for forest management at the Sideling Hill Creek Nature Preserve in Little Orleans. With eyes towards the future, DNR and Nature Conservancy experts observe and share the ecological benefits of the introduction of flames to the landscape just months after a carefully controlled burn.

New segments airing on November 16 are:

A Much Anticipated Emergence (statewide): Millions of cicadas took to the skies of Maryland and the East Coast during the spring of 2021. University of Maryland entomologist Mike Raupp and Baltimore artist Michael Brown, creator of Cicada Parade-a, offer their unique takes on the Brood X spawning through science and art.
To Catch a Catfish (St. Mary’s County): The invasive blue catfish is threatening the delicate balance of life in the Chesapeake. While DNR researchers work alongside the U.S. Geological Survey in tracking these fish to manage their population, officials are encouraging greater fishing of the invasive species to help curb its rise.
An Epoch Unearthing (St. Mary’s County, Calvert County): Dr. Stephen Godfrey from the Calvert Marine Museum has discovered several fossils of ancient marine life in the area of Calvert Cliffs, hinting at a different Chesapeake than people know today. Meanwhile, in Laurel’s Dinosaur Park, paleontologist JP Hodnett has uncovered the fossil-rich area’s latest find: Astrodon, Maryland’s State Dinosaur.

Segments premiering during the November 23 episode are:

Off the Beaten Path (Garrett County): Designed with both recreation and stewardship in mind, the newly formed Wolf Den Run State Park has breathed new life into a swath of land affected by mining and logging. Off-road vehicles are encouraged on the trails while other areas are cordoned off so certain species – such as the endangered Allegheny Woodrat – can return.
A Fledgling Enterprise (statewide): As the arrival of an exotic bird – the Painted Bunting – excites birders and scientists with its colorful plumage, it sparks conversation about the future. As rising sea levels and temperatures cause birds to change their nesting and migration habits, the Maryland Bird Atlas – a years-long effort that enlists bird watchers as citizen scientists – aims to catalogue the state’s avian population.
Iron Mountain (Frederick County): Adjacent to picturesque Cunningham Falls State Park lies the ruins of a booming iron foundry called Catoctin Furnace. The furnace heavily employed the use of slave labor and has now become a landmark for preserving Black history. Through research, historians understand more of the culture brought by enslaved Africans and have even reconstructed the visage of some of those who were buried on the property.

The fourth new episode of the 33rd season, airing Nov. 30, will feature fan-favorite classic content including profiles of landscape painter Kevin Fitzgerald and photographer David Harp as well as students raising horseshoe crabs in their classrooms.

In January 2022, Outdoors Maryland will deliver two more new episodes highlighting topics from the mysterious Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay to the continent-spanning migration of birds and more.

Since debuting in 1988, MPT has produced more than 700 Outdoors Maryland stories on topics ranging from science-oriented environmental issues to segments about unusual people, animals, and places around the state. The series has earned more than 50 awards over more than 30 years of production, including several Emmy® Awards from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Chamber unveils new logo

The Garrett County Republican

McHENRY — The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce announced Tuesday an update to its visual identity to better reflect the organization’s mission statement and help combat misperceptions.

The new Chamber logo is an evolution of the organization’s previous logo (itself an update of an earlier design). Although the graphic and colors remain the same and the typeface is similar, the text emphasizes the words “Garrett County Chamber of Commerce” rather than “Deep Creek Lake Area.”

Understanding the importance of Maryland’s largest inland body of water, the new logo still proudly proclaims “Home of Deep Creek Lake.”

“The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to present our newly worded logo,” said Andrew Fike, chairman of the Chamber’s board of directors.“We, as a board, feel this new logo better represents all Garrett County businesses.

“It’s a small, but meaningful, change,” said Nick Sharps, membership development manager for the Chamber. “We are excited to move forward under this new logo and recommit ourselves to organizing, supporting and representing Garrett County’s business community.”

Kendall Ludwig, president & principal designer of local web and graphic design firm CurlyRed Inc., completed the work on the project.

Dove Center receives Purple Ribbon Award

The Garrett County Republican

OAKLAND — The Dove Center has been named a recipient of a Theresa’s Fund 2021 Purple Ribbon Award in the category of Program/Shelter of the Year.

Winners are chosen across 28 categories, as judged by a national panel of respected professionals from the domestic violence field.

The Purple Ribbon Awards are the first comprehensive awards program honoring the heroes of the domestic violence movement, including advocates, programs, shelters, survivors and members of the community support system. Winners include entries from the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Winning entries received a certificate signed by Theresa’s Fund founder Preston V. McMurry Jr. and an official Purple Ribbon Award medallion that combines a purple ribbon and custom circular gold medal engraved with the winner’s category.

All other entries received an honoree certificate “because everyone’s heroic efforts to help victims of domestic violence deserve acknowledgment and applause.”

The Dove Center, Garrett County’s comprehensive domestic and sexual violence program, received the award for Program/Shelter of the Year in recognition of its innovative, resilient expansion of programs, including the new Transitional Housing units, pet sheltering program, trauma informed educational efforts, school and campus counseling program, JEWELS group, and more.

Each entry was scored by three judges and each judge scored each entry on a 1-25 scale across four factors: Challenge & Impact (the scope of the challenge faced and overcome), Creativity & Originality (the inventiveness of the nominee in their endeavor), Submission Excellence (the caliber of the materials accompanying the entry) and Overall (the overall performance of the entry relative to other entries).

The scores for an entry were averaged and up to the three highest scores in a given category received a Purple Ribbon Award.

To ensure parity, entries were classified into one of three groups based on the size of a nominee’s organization: Less than $500,000, Between $500,001 and $2,000,000 and Greater than $2,000,000, and entries were judged within the size classification within each category.

In other words, there were three separate competitions within each category to provide organizations the opportunity to be reviewed among their peers.

To read the full article click here.

Military March promotion offered

From The Garrett County Republican

McHENRY — The Deep Creek Lake area and Garrett County salute the nation’s heroes with a Military March promotion.

The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce is offering discounts for military members on its website, visitdeepcreek.com. The promotion runs from March 1-31, non-holidays.

Nineteen businesses are participating in the promotion offering military discounts on dining, shopping, lodging, party and event rentals, heating & cooling, veterinary services and products, flooring, printing services and wireless services.

“The Military March promotion is a terrific way for military members to save on a trip to the Deep Creek Lake area and Garrett County,” said Sarah Duck, vice president of tourism & marketing for the chamber. “We are proud to honor our nation’s heroes with discounts from a wide variety of our area’s businesses.”

The Military March Promotion includes offers from Advanced Heating & Cooling; Bear Creek Traders; Blue Moon Rising; Cashmere Clothing Co.; Christmas Chalet; HART for Animals; Joint Training Facility; Long Branch Saloon & Motel; Master Craft Printers; MoonShadow; Mountain State Brewing Co.; Perkins Restaurant & Bakery; Riggleman’s & Sons Flooring; Savage River Lodge; Ski Cove #3; Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales; the Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille; The Tourist Trap; and US Cellular.