>May Bird Count Set For May 14; Counters Needed
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May. 5, 2011
The annual county-wide May Bird Count, sponsored by the Maryland Ornithological Society (MOS), will be held in Garrett County on Saturday, May 14, during the entire 24-hour period (midnight Friday to midnight Saturday).
According to count coordinator Fran Pope, birds may be counted during any portion of the count period and in any part of Garrett County. Results of the count will appear in Maryland Birdlife, a publication of MOS.
Novice and experienced birders alike are welcome to participate, Pope said. Count participants may count birds either at their bird feeders or in a favorite spot in the county. To avoid duplication of effort and assure the best coverage of the county, interested persons should are asked to contact Pope prior to next Wednesday, May 11, and let her know where they would like to count. She can be reached via telephone at 301-334-4908.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Hart For Animals To Break Ground For Adoption Center
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After four years of raising funds for its Animal Adoption Center, HART for Animals will hold its groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, May 14, at the Bumble Bee site in McHenry (located near the Bumble Bee Road refuse and recycling center).
The ceremony, which will take place at 11 a.m., will be by invitation only and will feature a dog “breaking ground” with her paw to start the day. Some of the invited guests include state and local officials, the former and current commissioners, and other local government officials who have been instrumental to HART’s progress, the HART board of directors, volunteers, donors, and supporters. After the ceremony, guests will be served a light lunch.
The HART Adoption Center represents a unique concept – compassion supported by a business framework – that is gaining popularity among U.S. animal welfare communities, according to Mercedes Pellet, HART development director.
“As government budgets shrink in a tight economy, homeless animals often become first-line casualties when local shelters have to close for lack of funding,” she said.
To avoid that outcome, HART will operate two major revenue-producing businesses, with the profit used to pay for the operation of the adoption (shelter) area. The two core businesses are a boarding spa and a veterinary clinic, supported by grooming, training, and retail services that will also produce revenue for the shelter.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>William B. Grant Will Speak At GC Commencement
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William B. Grant, chief executive officer and president of First United Bank and Trust, will deliver the commencement address to Garrett College students during the graduation ceremony scheduled for Saturday, May 14, at 10:30 a.m.
A native of Garrett County, Grant has 32 years of banking experience, which includes serving as a director of the First United Corporation and the bank since 1995. He also has legal expertise gained through the practice of law.
Grant holds a bachelor’s degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College and a law degree from Duquesne University. In addition, he is a graduate of Stonier Graduate School of Banking and Northwestern Trust Graduate School.
A past chairman of the Maryland Bankers Association, Grant is currently on the board of directors of the Baltimore branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and is a member of the American Community Bankers Council of the American Bankers Association.
Grant’s commitment to his community is reflected in his current and past membership and service in numerous organizations, including the Oakland/Mtn. Lake Park Lions Club, the Garrett Choral Society, the Garrett College board of trustees, the Garrett County Memorial Hospital Foundation, the Southern Mat (Youth Wrestling) Club, Southern Garrett Athletic Association, Southern High School Improvement Team, Southern Garrett High School Alumni Association, the Greater Cumberland Committee, the board of trustees of West Virginia Wesleyan College, and the board of directors of Leadership Maryland. He is an active member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Oakland.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Proposed Ridgeline Protection Language Is Now A Dead Issue
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May. 5, 2011
A proposal to add language to the Garrett County Comprehensive Plan identifying certain mountain ridgelines as sensitive areas in need of protection from development is a dead issue, at least for the near future. The Garrett County commissioners and Planning Commission held a public hearing on the proposed amendments in March, and the issue has been batted back and forth between them since then.
After reviewing public commentary from the hearing, the Planning Commission on April 6 voted three to two in favor of forwarding the proposal to the commissioners, who were to make the final decision about including the amendments into the plan on May 3.
Shortly after the April vote, however, Director John Nelson, GC Department of Planning and Land Development, reviewed state law and local procedures about transmitting the commission’s public record to the commissioners. According to Maryland’s Section 3.07(c) of Article 66B, Nelson determined, the Planning Commission’s approval of a proposed plan amendment requires the affirmative votes of not less than the majority of all its membership, not just the majority of the members present at a meeting.
Four commission members, therefore, would have needed to vote in favor of the amendment in order for the proposal to be correctly forwarded to the commissioners for their approval/disapproval.
Upon learning about Nelson’s assessment of the provisions, the county commissioners referred the proposed plan amendment back to the Planning Commission for its further review and consideration at its May 4 meeting.
Since four Planning Commission members, a majority, cast affirmative votes yesterday to let the commission’s April decision, which was not a majority, stand, the ridgeline proposal cannot be forwarded to the county commissioners for them to vote on its possible inclusion into the plan.
A motion was also made at yesterday’s Planning Commission meeting to reconsider the amendments and reinitiate the public hearing process on the proposal. But that motion failed by a three to four vote.
The Planning Commission received more than 100 oral and written regarding the now mute proposal during the public hearing process in March. About 90 opposed the measure, while 38 were for it. Several of the letters supporting the amendments, however, were from groups representing multiple members.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>FIRST Robotics Team Garners International Inspiration Award
>May. 5, 2011
Garrett County’s FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition (FRC) Team 1629, which is made up of students from both Northern and Southern high schools, landed an international award last weekend at St. Louis, Mo., where the team competed in the 2011 FIRST World Championships.
Team 1629, nicknamed “GaCo” – short for Garrett Coalition – was presented with the 2011 Championships Engineering Inspiration (EI) Award, recognizing “outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within a team’s school and community.”
This is the second most prestigious award a team can receive from FIRST at the World Championship. Team 1629 was up against more than 350 teams from the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, and Asia in competition for this honor.
The local teenagers competed in the Archimedes Division at the event, and achieved a 7-3 record. Their robot’s performance earned the team the 19th rank out of 88 teams in their division.
Before achieving the opportunity to take part in the St. Louis event, the team competed in the Pittsburgh and Buckeye Regional events. The Pittsburgh Regional was the first competition of the year, where Team 1629 garnered a 5-8 record and lost in the quarter finals round of the competition. At that event, the team won the Rockwell Automation Innovation in Control Award, which recognized an innovative control system or application of control components to provide unique machine functions.
At the Buckeye Regional held in Cleveland, Ohio, the team had a 6-3 record and then lost in the semi-finals. At this contest, Team 1629 received the Xerox Creativity Award and the Regional’s Engineering Inspiration (EI) Award. The regional EI award qualified the team to compete in the St. Louis world championships.
There were four other Garrett County teams at the world event, and all fared well. FIRST Tech Challenge Teams Techno Clovers, G-Force, and FIRST Lego League (FLL) were all in comptition, with Clovers and G-Force achieving finalist positions in their divisions for being finalists in their division, and Team NeXT GEN which received the third place Strategy and Innovation Award. A report about these teams will be published in next week’s issue.
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If you or someone you know is considering 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! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Building Lot for Sale - Mosser Road McHenry - GA7588229
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MOSSER ROAD
MC HENRY, MD 21541
Your very own mini-park! 2.48 acre building lot surrounded by towering pine trees and moss covered boulders – just 3 miles from Deep Creek Lake. Mature timber, level.
Contact Jay Ferguson @ 301-501-0420 or DeepCreekLaker@Gmail.com for more information or to setup a private showing for this property.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>State police honors McHenry Barracks Pritts Brick
>From Staff Reports
The Cumberland Times-News Thu May 12, 2011, 10:43 PM EDT
— MCHENRY — The Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack has announced Cpl. James Pritts as its 2010 Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year and Tfc. Delmas Brick as 2010 Trooper of the Year.
Pritts is a 16-year veteran of the department who has been assigned to the McHenry Barrack as a corporal since February 2008.
“Corporal Pritts’ performance by his subordinates was exemplary for 2010,” said Capt. James R. Pyles, MSP Western Troop commander. “The work group that he commands out-performed all the other groups in overall performance. The troopers under his command consistently go above and beyond in traffic performance and criminal apprehensions. His subordinates received the McHenry barrack Trooper of the Year the past two years. This is a direct reflection on his ability as a supervisor.
Pyles said that Pritts demonstrates excellent time management skills and always volunteers to help in any way possible. “Through Corporal Pritts’ initiative, insight and leadership, he is commended for representing the barrack, the department and the community with the highest of moral values and dedication to serve, exemplifying why he is one of ‘Maryland’s Finest,’ ” said Pyles.
Pyles also commended Brick as Trooper of the Year.
“Tfc. Brick has demonstrated through a tireless work ethic and determination that he is more than deserving of this honor. Tfc. Brick has proven to be a valuable asset to the McHenry barrack and the Maryland State Police,” said Pyles.
Brick has spent his entire career in the Field Operations Bureau working at the Frederick and McHenry barracks. In 2010, he managed the highest criminal case load of any trooper at the McHenry barrack and ranked No. 1 at the barrack in criminal arrests. He also made 1,355 traffic stops in 2010.
“Tfc. Brick is a well-rounded trooper, with a work ethic that is second to none,” said Lt. Mitch Frey, McHenry barrack commander.
“Tfc. Brick maintains a high morale as evidenced by his statistical performance and he gives new meaning to the phrase ‘eight hours of work for eight hours of pay.’ He is never heard complaining and is the definition of a consummate professional. He assists his work group and shares information that may assist other barrack troopers and allied agencies in their investigations.”
The work performed by Pritts and Brick is supported by the 40 personnel assigned to the McHenry barrack, who made 14,310 total traffic stops and made 233 total arrests last year.
“Their dedicated efforts help save lives by reducing traffic crashes and interdicting individuals attempting to further their criminal enterprise by traveling in or through Garrett County,” said Frey.
“The McHenry barrack consists of an excellent group of men and women with whom I am honored to work beside daily. Whether you live in Garrett County, are visiting here, or are just traveling through, all of us in the Maryland State Police are committed to serving and protecting you.”
If you or someone you know is considering 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! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Appropriate controls needed for gas drilling
>Gazette.net
Twice in a month, columnists from The Gazette promoted natural gas drilling in western Maryland at the expense of the facts (“Fracking gives O’Malley gas,” April 8, and “Narrow thinking limits energy options,” April 22), so here are a few.
Both authors inaccurately characterized the Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Act as a ban on natural gas fracking. In fact, this innovative common-sense legislation would have done three things: committed the state to a robust two-year study on the safety of drilling in our state; secured funding for this study from the same industry that stands to profit enormously, and created a nonpartisan advisory commission composed of scientists, industry, local governments and residents to make recommendations on the scope of the study, permitting process, and regulatory changes.
State agencies, which have said they currently have neither the expertise nor the resources to move forward with permitting, would have had time to ensure they could protect homes, businesses and farms in our communities before any drilling began.
Our concern is not abstract. Recently, a company lost control of a well in Pennsylvania for days, spilling thousands of gallons of chemically treated water into a tributary of the Susquehanna River and prompting the evacuations of several families. Gas companies in our northern neighboring state average nearly three safety and environmental violations per day.
Read the full article here.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Garrett school board will meet Tuesday
>Cumberland Times News
OAKLAND — The Garrett County Board of Education will hold a special meeting Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Central Office, 40 S. Second St., for the presentation of the superintendent’s proposed fiscal 2012 budget and personnel recommendations.
Frankfort Middle concert Thursday
SHORT GAP, W.Va. — The Frankfort Middle School music department will present its annual Spring Concert on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the school gymnasium.
The free concert will feature the chorus, directed by Staci Calder, and the bands, conducted by Fred Kesner. Teal Steel will entertain before the concert begins.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>April 2010 Residential Real Estate Sales - Market Update
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April has come and gone and left behind another month of real estate sales in Garrett County & at Deep Creek Lake. There were 21 total sales, down one from last month and up 4 sales from April 2010.
I’ve been warning for months that the inventory is coming…and here it is. There are now 701 available properties on the market. I recall one day getting an update of 17 new homes – I believe last Monday. That number is up 103 from last month. Not surprising, as this is the time of year people like to start looking for their summer purchase. Homes show better in the warmer weather & the fresh landscaping/green grass helps a lot. The large portion of those ‘new’ listings are re-listed homes that didn’t sell last year.
Let’s take a look at the stats:
There are 43 homes under contract (38 last month).
The average list vs. ORIGINAL sales price was 81.62%, down from last month (83.51%).
The ADJUSTED list vs sale price was 87.31%, down from last month (89.63%).
The current # of active/for sale listings in MRIS (minus timeshares) is 703, up from last months 598. We have a 33 month supply of homes available (minus timeshares) based solely on the April sales numbers. This number is up from last month’s 27 mont supply.
Random observations:
•4 ‘newer’ home sold in March (5 years old or less)
•It appears that 11 or so of these sales were vacation homes
•14 homes sold under $300,000 (last month was 15)
•15 homes sold under $400,000
•2 homes sold over $ 1 million (same as last month)
•0 homes sold for higher than full price or at full price (last month was 4)
•One house sold for 52.63% of asking price – 139 Frederick Circle
•The oldest home that sold was 93 yrs old
•The average age of the homes that sold was 28 years (37 last month)
•3 condo/townhouse properties sold (3 last month)
Here are the statistical breakdowns:
Average Sale Price: $320,310 (last month $297,427)
Average Days on Market: 273/378 (last month 205/290) (days on market with current broker/total days on market)
Here’s a little something extra – more in depth stats by price range, from our friends at RBIntel.
If you or someone you know is considering 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! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
