Published: January 29, 2010 09:44 am

O'Malley talks economy at PACE breakfast

Announces Gary A. Yoder Fish Management Area

From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News

ANNAPOLIS -- Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley is keynote speaker at the 34th annual Mountain Maryland PACE legislative breakfast at Loews Annapolis Hotel this morning.

O'Malley arrived approximately 25 minutes later than his planned 8:15 a.m. start time. After a few jokes with Maryland Department of Planning employee and Allegany County historian Albert Feldstein, O'Malley turned serious.

He called the current economic climate "most definitely tough times" but said the good news is that it is coming to an end.

"We are starting to see a few glimmers of hope," O'Malley said.

An audience of more than 250 people included elected officials from Allegany and Garrett counties as well as many state cabinet leaders - education, natural resources and planning among them.

The state's chief elected officer talked of the need for fiscal responsibility and said Maryland is doing better than many other counterparts across the country.

"This recession will end," O'Malley said. "Our best days are in front of us."

O'Malley also announced the creation of the new Gary A. Yoder Fish Management Area on the former Dixon property along the North Branch of the Potomac River. O'Malley said Yoder, who died Nov. 29, spent more than 30 years protecting the wildlife in Garrett County in his position with the state Department of Natural Resources.

Read the complete article by staff writer Cory Galliher in Saturday's Cumberland Times-News.