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.
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.”
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.
Garrett County Government is urging all residents to participate in an important inventory of water service line pipes connected to our public water systems. This initiative aims to identify and replace any lead pipes.
Your involvement is essential for several reasons. Completing this inventory will allow the government to apply for the necessary funding to replace any hazardous lead lines that may be discovered. This proactive approach is crucial for maintaining the health and safety of all residents and meets Federal and State government requirements.
Please check for lead pipes within your home. Guidance on how to identify pipe materials, including lead, is available here:
Locate Your Water Service Line: Check the lowest level of your home—this could be the on the exterior, basement, a utility closet, or a crawl space. Look for a pipe entering through the floor or low on the wall.
Test with a Magnet:Â Hold a magnet near the pipe. A magnet will not stick to lead pipes, but it will stick to galvanized steel, which is a different material.
Penny Scratch Test:Â If the magnet did not stick, scratch the pipe with a penny. If the scratched area reveals a shiny silver metal, it may be lead. Lead is a soft metal and scratches easily.
Complete the Survey:Â Visit this link to access and complete the online survey:Â GarrettCountyMD.gov/WaterLine. Please provide information about the types of pipes present in your home, regardless of the material.
Your participation is vital and will directly impact the improvement of our public water infrastructure.
For more information or for any questions, please contact Siera Wigfield at swigfield@garrettcountymd.gov or 301-334-7477.
Governor Wes Moore today announced the launch of the Higher Education Clean Energy Grant Pilot Program, a $9.2 million competitive pilot opportunity to support clean energy transitions within Maryland’s colleges and universities. The program will promote both workforce development and Maryland’s climate goals by funding solar installations, comprehensive campus clean energy planning, and specialized renewable energy sector academic programming.
“We need to prepare the next generation of Marylanders to lead industries of the future. Today, our administration takes an important step toward doing exactly that by investing in programs that will arm students with the skills they need to compete for jobs in clean energy,” said Gov. Moore. “Together, we are demonstrating how climate action builds new pathways to work, wages, and wealth.”
The pilot program is open to all of the state’s accredited two- and four-year colleges and universities. Participation must support workforce development programs that design courses and curricula focused on skills for careers in the renewable energy industry, in addition to internships that encourage hands-on student involvement in campus sustainability and workforce development projects.
The pilot provides funding for several key clean energy initiatives, including solar panel installation on Maryland’s campuses to boost onsite renewable energy production. Participating intuitions have the option to use or sell the renewable energy they generate. Funding will also support creation of campus clean energy master plans, which outline strategic paths for campuses to reduce energy consumption, integrate renewable energy, and reach sustainability goals.
“Maryland’s higher education institutions have a key role to play in reducing the state’s carbon footprint, while fostering the next generation of clean energy professionals,” said Maryland Energy Administration Director Paul G. Pinsky. “This pilot program empowers campuses to lead by example, creating cutting-edge energy solutions and providing students with essential opportunities in the booming green economy.”
Colleges and universities have until October 30 to review program guidelines and submit applications for consideration.
