A proposal to broaden a community of biking and climbing trails by way of western Maryland has triggered intense opposition amongst hikers, whitewater rafters and different outside fans who may in any other case cheer the concept.
Maryland
The ‘wildest place in Maryland’ is under threat — from biking trails
![The ‘wildest place in Maryland’ is under threat — from biking trails The ‘wildest place in Maryland’ is under threat — from biking trails](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/HQHHGVQYBUI63OMYWKVWR5MENA.jpg&w=1440)
Supporters — together with Garrett Trails, a nonprofit group led by resort, lodging, native authorities and different leisure enterprise pursuits — say the Youghiogheny canyon path would deliver higher public entry to a beautiful piece of Appalachian panorama and increase the area’s struggling financial system, particularly as soon as it’s linked to the Nice Allegheny Passage rail-trail working from Cumberland to Pittsburgh. Ultimately, the Youghiogheny path would additionally hook up with a deliberate Japanese Continental Divide Loop in western Maryland.
“I can’t kayak that river anymore — I’m previous my prime having the ability to take pleasure in that — however I will surely take pleasure in climbing up and down that river, and I believe lots of people would,” stated Rob Hammond. Hammond, a safety techniques guide, stated when he was residing in Cleveland, he used to run the Youghiogheny rapids as soon as a month or so and got here to like the world a lot he moved to Garrett County.
“It is a public river,” he stated, “and we should always have entry to it.”
Opponents say the proposal would violate a landmark 1968 Maryland legislation that led to the designation of the Youghiogheny (pronounced YOCK-uh-gain-ee) because the state’s solely wild and scenic river. Additionally they argue that constructing sturdy two-lane trails alongside the Yough, because the river is commonly identified, for multitudes of tourists will inevitably destroy the primitive magnificence that has survived till now exactly due to its rugged, secluded nature.
“I really feel that it will make an financial impression as a result of it will undergo an incredible space. Nonetheless, that tremendous space can be modified ceaselessly,” stated Eric Tougher, the nonprofit Mountain Watershed Affiliation’s Youghiogheny Riverkeeper. “A wild and primitive place is someplace that’s inaccessible to regular human visitors.”
The talk comes because the nation’s state and federal parks have strained to deal with enormous crowds pushed open air in the course of the pandemic. And it’s taken on extra urgency after the Maryland Basic Meeting tucked $4.7 million in venture funding into the Division of Pure Assets’ (DNR) finances in what opponents say was deft legislative maneuvering by the venture’s backers with little transparency or public remark.
“I’ve numerous questions, and I really feel like my largest concern with that is the misinformation or lack of know-how from the get-go,” stated Molly Rikhye, who owns property within the river valley and voiced her opposition at a current city corridor. “This was simply form of sprung on everyone all of sudden.”
The controversy additionally has raised not solely acquainted questions on open public entry to pure sources whereas nonetheless preserving them, but in addition questions on the that means of phrases resembling “pure” or “primitive.”
“They’ve gone after the wildest place in Maryland,” stated Steve Storck, a former government director at Garrett Trails who left the nonprofit in a dispute with its government board over working a path by way of the Yough hall. “That’s the problem.”
Storck has additionally turn into his former employer’s largest critic, saying Garrett Trails has operated on behalf of companies and native governments that will revenue from the path community with out the requisite transparency that public entities require.
Michael M. Dreisbach, the nonprofit board’s president, says it’s no secret that the group has been pushing for trails within the Youghiogheny River for about 15 years.
“There may be nothing that precludes a path within the Yough river canyon, interval,” stated Dreisbach, who along with his spouse owns the Savage River Lodge, a resort embedded inside state forest land the place cabins go for as a lot as $315 an evening. In addition to the lodge, which was listed on the market for a time for $7.9 million, the Dreisbachs personal different companies, too, together with the Cornucopia Cafe in Grantsville. Dreisbach stated that, if something, a number of opponents, resembling rafting guides and property house owners, have a vested curiosity in protecting individuals out.
“And at this level, it’s virtually a moot story anymore since you solely acquired a pair individuals which are always against all the pieces you do,” stated Dreisbach, a self-described Blue Canine Democrat who can be on the poll this 12 months for a seat within the Maryland Senate.
The Youghiogheny River is the one western Maryland river that doesn’t movement south — therefore, its Algonkian title that means “stream flowing in a opposite course.”
The river runs 135 miles from its supply on Spine Mountain in West Virginia, dropping into steep rocky canyons over a 4-mile stretch in Maryland earlier than emptying into the Monongahela River outdoors Pittsburgh. Its course contains Maryland’s largest waterfall and twisting whitewater rapids that rank among the many most troublesome within the japanese United States.
Over time, the Yough valley additionally has supported logging and mining, together with an outdated small-gauge railroad whose path mattress has been principally reclaimed by nature. Its forests shelter 15 plant and 11 animal species that the DNR says are thought of threatened or endangered.
In 1968, Maryland’s Basic Meeting handed the Scenic and Wild Rivers Act — co-sponsored by Home Majority Chief Rep. Steny H. Hoyer when he was a state senator — that originally listed 5 rivers. Ultimately, the Youghiogheny grew to become the primary and just one to obtain the designation, with a portion between Miller’s Run and Friendsville gaining additional safety as a “wild river” in 1976. (Congress additionally thought of including the Yough to the federal roster of untamed and scenic rivers however didn’t.)
By legislation, DNR has accountability to handle and shield the Yough, together with sections the place rules require that its “primitive” pure state stay intact and “inaccessible besides by path.”
However what constitutes a “path” can be key to the talk. Opponents of the Yough canyon path argue that solely a rudimentary foot path suits inside the legislation’s intent; supporters say a sturdy path — maybe coated with gravel and in a position accommodate two-way visitors for bicycles, hikers and maybe even wheelchairs — would qualify, too.
To that finish, Sen. George C. Edwards and Del. Wendell R. Beitzel — who secured funds for the Yough path after consulting with Garrett Trails — stated authorized counsel with the Basic Meeting’s Division of Legislative Companies suggested them that the path proposed by Garrett Trails wouldn’t violate the legislation. Each stated the opinion was not obtained in writing.
The 2 lawmakers additionally known as a city corridor earlier this month to clarify their efforts to acquire the $4.7 million in funding to construct two trails from Sang Run to Kendall Path and from Swallow Falls to Sang Run.
About 60 individuals attended, all however three of whom spoke towards the venture.
“Personally, I’m for trails,” stated Roger Zbel, proprietor of Precision Rafting who’s been main teams by way of the river’s whitewater for 42 years. “I mountain bike, I hike, I do all of it. However I’m actually towards a path going up within the wild and scenic hall.”
Others argued that, particularly at a time when local weather change has proven the highly effective impression of human exercise on the atmosphere, there must be locations crowds of individuals shouldn’t go. Some recommended that preservation can deliver its financial advantages. A number of expressed hope that DNR Secretary Jean Haddaway-Riccio would reject the Yough path as her predecessor, Joseph P. Gill, did in 2014.
Gill, in a letter dated June 12, 2014, and addressed to Beitzel and Edwards, stated Garrett Trails’ plan, which included giant bridges, would harm the Yough’s scenic canyon, violate its protecting legislation and doubtless run afoul of different state and federal environmental legal guidelines.
Haddaway-Riccio, noting that neither the governor nor DNR had requested the path funds, recommended that her company would take a really cautious take a look at the plan.
“We’re not against exploring and contemplating enlargement of trails within the area,” Haddaway-Riccio stated in an announcement offered by a DNR spokesman, including that the company would additionally must bear in mind the river’s protected standing.
“The availability of the legislation, together with terrain challenges, will possible end in the necessity to modify the situation of the paths and develop design options that will work on this hall or search options for these trails outdoors the hall,” she stated.
Tougher, the Youghiogheny Riverkeeper, stated a brand new biking and climbing path that extends the bigger western Maryland community however runs outdoors the Yough canyon can be the way in which to go.
“We’re not anti-trail — we truly handle our personal bike path,” Tougher stated. “We simply suppose that is the incorrect location for it.”
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
Maryland
Michigan State football opens as sizable underdog vs Maryland
![Michigan State football opens as sizable underdog vs Maryland Michigan State football opens as sizable underdog vs Maryland](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4256,h_2394,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/137/01j6q8yb7r3y04b36mbn.jpg)
Who’s ready for Big Ten play to begin? In all honesty, I am not. I really wish Michigan State football had more tune-up games after seeing them struggle against Florida Atlantic and only win 16-10. But unfortunately, that is not how the schedule unfolds for Michigan State this season.
The Spartans will hit the road for an early Big Ten game as they face Maryland on Saturday at 3:30 pm. Going into the season I thought Michigan State and the Terps were on a pretty level playing field, but after seeing both teams play week one that doesn’t appear to be the case.
And Vegas agrees.
Michigan State opens as a 7.5-point underdog next week at Maryland. My guess is that grows to 8, 8.5.
— Graham Couch (@Graham_Couch) September 1, 2024
As you all know, Michigan State only beat Florida Atlantic by six and did not look very impressive, especially on the offensive side of the ball. So it’s no surprise that MSU will be the underdog next week. But 7.5 points feels like a lot, and according to the Lansing State Journal’s Graham Couch, it likely will only go up from there.
So does Vegas have it right or are they underrating Michigan State?
Looking at Maryland’s week one game against UConn it appears Vegas has this line right. The Terps were up 23-0 at halftime and never looked back and went on to win in dominant fashion 50-7. UConn and FAU are very similar in terms of what level they’re at in college football, so that drastic of a difference in the final score is very scary.
So Vegas probably could’ve gotten away with Maryland being even bigger favorites in this one.
But maybe Vegas saw what I did and thinks a lot of Michigan State’s mistakes on Friday are easy to fix. Maybe they think Aidan Chiles will be much better next week. The Spartan’s defense was also fairly dominant so there isn’t much of a chance Maryland scores 50 points next week either.
I tend to not bet on Michigan State games, but even if I did this would be a line that I would avoid because who knows how much Jonathan Smith’s squad will improve by next week, and who knows how much Maryland might struggle against a Power Four opponent.
Maryland
University of Maryland reverses decision to allow anti-Israel protest on October 7
The University of Maryland on Sunday reversed its decision to allow an anti-Israel protest on the first anniversary of the October 7 Massacre, following backlash from local Jewish groups.
UMD Students for Justice in Palestine and UMD Jewish Voice for Peace had been set to hold their October 7 vigil for Gazans killed in the Israel-Hamas War at the campus’s Mckeldin Mall, but the University System of Maryland (USM) said in a statement that on the day of the Hamas-led pogrom it would limit campus events requiring permits or approval to those supporting “a university-sponsored Day of Dialogue.”
“From the beginning of the war, we have come together as a University System to urge that we use this moment to encourage conversation, compassion, and civility; to engage with one another across our differences and draw on our shared humanity and our shared values to bridge what divides us,” said USM. “These dialogues aren’t new. Many of our universities have been hosting this kind of programming for several months. Reserving Oct. 7 gives us a chance to continue these urgent conversations and to mark this solemn anniversary in a way that gives students—all students—the time and space to share and to be heard.”
USM said that its intent was not to infringe of the free expression and speech of students, but to be sensitive to the needs of students as October 7 was a “day of enormous suffering and grief for many in our campus communities.”
UMD Jewish Student Union, Maryland Hillel, Terps for Israel, and Israeli American Council Mishelanu at Maryland welcomed the USM decision and thanked UMD leadership in a joint social media statement on Sunday.
“October 7, the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, is a day of mourning for the Jewish and Israeli community,” said the UMD JSU. “We are relieved that SJP will no longer to be able to appropriate the suffering of our family and friends to fit their false and dangerous narrative.”
The Jewish groups said that it was distraught that the decision to only hold university-sponsored event had to be made at all, and wished to used the campus space to “grieve together as a community” to promote unity at the university. The unideal situation was necessary, according to the Jewish groups, to ensure the physical and psychological safety of students on the day of mourning.
UMD JVP and SJP attacked the decision to cancel the event, claiming that the vigil for Palestinians killed since the October 7 Massacre was attacked without familiarity of the content. The anti-Israel groups said that the discourse was “the continuation inherently racist, Islamophobic, and dehumanizing rhetoric surrounding Palestinians.” JVP and SJP said that the actions against their event were an attempt to paint “Muslim, Arab, and anti-Zionist Jewish students as barbaric.”
The anti-Israel groups asserted that their vigil for Palestinians who died in the war was no threat to the campus’s Jewish community, but conflation of Zionism and Judaism did threaten UMD and the Jewish community.
“To claim that Palestinians cannot hold a day of remembrance in mourning one year of genocide, or lay claim to that date is an insult to every life lost in the Zionist entity’s genocidal campaign,” UMD SJP and JVP said on Instagram on Sunday. “The disproportionate scale of suffering experienced by the Palestinians over the past year necessitates their remembrance and our solidarity on this day. The suffering of all innocents killed must not be monopolized and necessitates a fair and just representation.”
SJP and JVP demanded the right to organize and exercise their right to free speech, accusing Zionists of attempting to stifle Palestinian voices.
The organizations indicated on their Sunday Instagram post that they still planned to hold their all-day event at Mckeldin Mall, and on Monday a link to register still active and listing the campus building as the rally location.
UMD Jewish groups said that they would be holding their own event to memorialize the victims of the October 7 pogrom at the Maryland Hillel.
Maryland
Sunshine for your Labor Day in Maryland
![Sunshine for your Labor Day in Maryland Sunshine for your Labor Day in Maryland](https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2024/09/02/44f70b16-36c5-418b-a083-913b44ccccef/thumbnail/1200x630/35894c49deb7bc01bace1597e72e5c6f/354a4da6cd4b544ff5da5921dfff7e33.jpg?v=25685eaa472b1a5dbb5bd46ae506d232)
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