As of 9:00 a.m. this morning and according to the Maryland Department of Health, Howard County’s positivity rate is 27.8% and our 7-day average case rate is 185. This is a record high and means that about 1 in 4 individuals who test are receiving a positive result. We have seen an increase of 4,121 cases of COVID-19 in the last week, which again is a major increase and likely to continue increasing. 

Howard County has high vaccination rates with 79% of our total population being fully vaccinated and 58% of residents 18+ have received a booster dose. However, with Omicron’s virility, this leaves the unvaccinated at greater risk for hospitalization. Studies show that fully-vaccinated individuals are still at risk of being infected with the Omicron variant. However, vaccines and boosters are working by significantly reducing hospitalization and even death. 

There are currently 44 COVID-19 patients in both the ICU and Acute Care units at Howard County General Hospital. Please remember that emergency rooms are for emergencies only. Seeking testing at an emergency room — without an urgent or emerging medical need — diverts critical, life-saving resources from people who are truly experiencing an emergency. 

As many families return from the holidays, we must practice the mitigation strategies we have all become accustomed to: stay home if you are sick, get tested, wash your hands frequently, and please get vaccinated and boosted if you haven’t already. Find a vaccine near you at vaccine.gov.

The past year had moments of grief and despair, but it also included moments of hope, love and community. As we start a new year, we must remember what we’ve always known – our community is stronger together and we can make progress through adversity. Here’s to a renewed sense of hope, light, health, and prosperity for all.  

Happy New Year!

I recently signed an Executive Order mandating residents and visitors to wear face coverings in Howard County when in all indoor public spaces, retail stores, businesses or riding public transportation, now in effect.

At the time of signing the order, Maryland’s testing positivity rate had climbed to nearly 13 percent, and statewide hospitalizations have surpassed 1,500. Currently, Maryland's positivity rate rests at 26.8% and Howard County's is at 27.8%. With the rapidly multiplying number of COVD-19 cases due to the Omicron and Delta variants, positivity rates in double digits, and increases in hospitalization, this is a necessary step to further protect our residents and visitors.

Let's take care of one another and StayCOVIDSafe. Read more here.

44% of eligible Howard County residents STILL need to get boosted.

Schedule your booster shot today to protect yourself at vaccine.gov.

With families returning from spending the holidays together, we understand that many residents are trying to get a tested and the number of tests administered have significantly increased nationally. As such, we have over 16 testing sites in Howard County, not including all pharmacies and local providers, where you can get tested. Please note, there may be increased wait time when getting tested and we request all residents to please plan accordingly.

As we continue to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, I strongly encourage you to get tested as soon as possible, especially if you are showing symptoms. Please remember that it is possible to have COVID-19 and not have any symptoms.

For more information, please click here.

After months of negotiations, I’m excited about our recent an offer of $6 million to purchase Camp Ilchester from the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. If our $6 million offer for Camp Ilchester is accepted, we will keep a potential 40 developable lots out of the development pipeline and utilize the property to expand recreational program offerings to residents across the county and state. 

With our offer of $6 million to the Girl Scouts of central Maryland, we are reinforcing our commitment to promote green infrastructure and preserve open space for generations to come.

Please watch my statement for more on our promise to preserve land for environmental and agricultural purposes. 

Our educators have served as a lifeline to our students and their families through the pandemic, managing the demands of switching from virtual to hybrid modes of instruction, all the while caring for the health and safety of their own families. For our teachers and support staff, these past two years have been especially grueling and I believe we must retain those committed educators that make our school system among the best in the nation.

Read more in this Baltimore Sun Article.

Improving the health of Howard County’s waterways is critical to our commitment to protecting our environment for current and future generations. Since December 2018, we have advanced more than 30 stream restoration projects totaling more than 10 miles of improvements on Howard County streams and tributaries. 

In addition to improving water quality, these projects help keep the aquatic ecosystem healthy by improving habitats for the animals that live in and around our streams. Stream restoration projects often also result in planting large number of trees, which bring immeasurable benefits to our air quality and environment as a whole.

The restoration of the Little Patuxent River in Ellicott City is just one example of how these critical projects are working to improve our community.

Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA) has been named a finalist by the U.S. Economic Development Administration in its $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge. As a finalist, the Authority received a $500,000 grant to support its Maryland Cyber Workforce Solutions proposal to expand access to the cybersecurity industry and build a robust pipeline to fill the more than 19,000 job openings in the field. 

We’re ecstatic to have the Maryland Cyber Workforce Solutions selected as a finalist and are confident that our strategy for regional growth and infrastructure will be transformative for our community. Special thank you to Senator Katie Fry Hester for her efforts to push this forward for our community!

Read more here.

The almost 6-acre site at 7777 Washington Boulevard in Jessup will house our new Waterloo Fire Station, which is taking shape! 

It is urgently needed to support the growth of residential housing in the area and provide the best possible emergency response time. 

The station is strategically located to improve response times to all emergencies in the areas of Waterloo, Jessup, East Columbia, and surrounding communities.

Since our first round of CARES Act Funding in 2020, our team has worked diligently to get funding into the hands of our most vulnerable residents and we have distributed 51% of funding for County managed assistance programs. Our distribution method is one of the most efficient and effective in the nation – and most importantly, more of our residents are able to stay safely housed during a pandemic.

We're so grateful for our partners at Howard County Housing & Community Development, Luminus, Community Action Council of Howard County, Springboard Community Services, and Friends of Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center for their efforts to get this vital funding into the hands of those who need it most.

If you or someone you know needs help with housing costs, funding is still available to pay rent and utility expenses. To learn more and apply, please click here.

Curbside collections will slide and be made one day later this week. Scrap metal collections will remain as scheduled and will not slide. Alpha Ridge Landfill will be OPEN today, Monday, January 3.

The Regional Transportation Agency (RTA) is suspending service today due to deteriorating road conditions.

Highway crews have received several calls about trees being down partially or fully across roadways. We are responding to those concerns as they are reported. All roadways in Howard County heave been treated with salt, but due to the below freezing temperatures, roadway conditions have deteriorated.

Back by popular demand, our Department of Community Resources and Services’ (DCRS) Office of Children and Families (OCF) will host its annual Child Care Fair on Saturday, January 22^nd from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the North Laurel Community Center; masks are required. While admission is FREE, attendees are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item or unopened pack of diapers or wipes to donate to the Howard County Food Bank.

Though not required, pre-registration is highly recommended so event organizers can contact attendees in case of inclement weather on the day of the event. For more information about the Fair, contact the OCF at 410-313-1940 or email children@howardcountymd.gov. To request a sign language interpreter or other accommodations to participate, call at least one week in advance.

Howard County residents of all ages and backgrounds working together, giving of their time, talents and energy to make their community better, will be the foundation of a successful Age-Friendly Howard County. This January 2022, I invite all our residents to learn how, where and when they can help implement the action steps to make Howard County a great place in which to grow up and grow older by reviewing our Age-Friendly Action Plan to find out how you can get involved.

DCRS’ Office on Aging and Independence (OAI) is a proud sponsor of the Beacon Virtual 50+EXPO, an online event which features an interactive website with information and resources geared to older adults. Now through January 31^st, visitors can access content on demand 24 hours a day from https://beacon50expo.com/. Log on anytime to visit more than 100 exhibitors and sponsors, including OAI's Bronze-level sponsors, Lorien Health and Maryland Vascular Specialists; engage with speakers; attend online classes; and enjoy a wide variety of entertainment.

Second installment of real property tax bills have been mailed; however, given the current USPS delays, property owners may receive their bill a little later than usual. If you have not yet received your second installment bill in the mail, billing and payment details can also be viewed on our Department of Finance's Citizen Self Service portal. Payment is due by December 31^st.

Misplaced your COVID-19 Vaccination Card? Never fear! You can easily request your vaccination records the Maryland Department of Health’s “Maryland MyIR” website. Maryland MyIR is a free website service that allows residents to view and print copies of their official vaccination records directly from ImmuNet, Maryland's immunization information system. ImmuNet is used by healthcare providers to securely maintain vaccination records for Maryland residents of all ages.

If you or someone you know is still in need of their flu vaccine, visit HCHD’s "Seasonal Flu" website today for details regarding its flu vaccination clinics.

The Howard County Office of Human Rights & Equity offers a quarterly certification in Bystander Intervention and Cultural Awareness. This is an excellent training that will help you learn how to protect and promote the humanity of those who are being targeted or harassed in your presence. On Thursday, January 13th the training will be offered virtually. If you’re interested in earning this certificate for professional or personal development be sure to click on the registration link and sign up today.

The Howard County Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission is hosting a High School Food & Diaper Drive in support of the Howard County Food Bank. The Commission is encouraging county high schools to donate to the Food Bank (located at 9385 Gerwig Ln J in Columbia) now through January 7^th and the high school the largest donation of items will be recognized on January 16^th at the County’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration. The Food Bank is currently in need of: canned and dried vegetables; canned and dried beans; canned and dried fruit; soup; fruit juice; pasta; rice; tuna fish; peanut butter; baby food, diapers and baby wipes.

For questions and/or more information about this Drive, please contact OHRE at 410-313-6430 or email mlk@howardcountymd.gov.

Together with the Harriet Tubman Foundation of Howard County, the County’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission will be hosting a Pop-Up Food Pantry event on Monday, January 10^th from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. at the Ridgely Run Community Center, located at 8400 Mission Road in Jessup. on Monday, January 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. if you need free food. If you or someone you know needs food, I encourage you to attend this pop-up event.

To mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Thursday, January 27^th, OHRE has partnered with the Howard County Library System (HCLS) and Jewish Federation of Howard County to host a book discussion group on Nobel Peace Prize winning author Elie Wiesel’s novel Night. Night is a candid, horrific and deeply poignant autobiographical account of Wiesel’s survival as a teenager in the Nazi death camps.

Join OHRE, HCLS and the Jewish Federation as they gather at the Central Branch at 6:30 p.m. to reflect on and discuss the importance of protecting and promoting the human rights of all people by remembering the human rights violations of Jews during the Holocaust.

To register for this free event, click HERE.

Howard County Police Department (HCPD) is warning residents about an increase in reports of gift card scams the department is seeing, with victims in Howard County reporting a loss of at least $153,000 since October. While these thieves often target the elderly, ANYONE can receive a call. The scam starts when a victim receiving an unsolicited, threatening phone call demanding money to resolve an issue. The caller will request the victim purchase gift cards and then ask for the number and PIN on the cards; the caller DOES NOT need the physical card to use it, just the number and PIN. The suspect will then drain the card instantly, leaving the victim no way to recover the money.

To learn more about these scams, what to look for and how to avoid being a victim, visit the Federal Trade Commission's website.

To learn about DPW projects currently underway, visit https://bit.ly/2V6K5B6. Searchable by project category and street name, from this site you’ll find additional project details, including news releases about the project. You can also contact DPW’s Customer Service Office at 410-313-3440 or email publicworks@howardcountymd.gov for further assistance.

If you have questions or are interested in finding out about a State road (numbered roadway) project in your area, visit the Maryland State Highway Administration’s (SHA) “Project Portal” website.

This holiday season, the Bureau of Environmental Services is once again offering residents a variety of FREE holiday tree recycling options through it’s “Merry Mulch” program. Beginning this Sunday, December 26^th and continuing through Saturday, January 15^th, holiday trees may be recycled seven days a week, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the drop-off sites listed in the image below. One exception to the above days and times is the Alpha Ridge Landfill, which is open Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

While the Bureau’s regular Saturday Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) schedule has ended for the season (to resume the first Saturday of April), the Bureau will host three SPECIAL HHW collection days this winter: Saturday, January 8^th, Saturday, February 5^th and Saturday, March 5^th. One these three days, County residents can properly dispose of HHW items at the Landfill. For more information on this program and what is accepted/not accepted, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/HHW.

Start 2022 off on the right foot by walking the hills of Old Ellicott City. Join us all month long for our wellness challenge and earn some awesome rewards! All participants in the month of January will receive a free day pass to Roger Carter Community Center. Participants with the most steps will be entered into weekly drawings to win a FREE 6-Month Membership to RCCC.

At the end of the month, the participant with the most steps will win a FREE 1-Year Membership to RCCC. To learn more about Walk About EC, visit our website here.

Public hearing to discuss developing plans for improvements to the Patuxent Branch Trail from the Guilford Quarry Pratt Through Truss Bridge to Vollmerhausen Road. The Howard County Department of Public Works, Howard County Office of Transportation, and the County’s engineering consultant, RK&K, will be in attendance to hear comments and answer questions. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, starting at 7:00 p.m. at the Recreation & Parks Headquarters (7120 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia, MD 21046).

Learn more here.

On January 9, the Robinson Nature Center opens early for these events, which are designed for families with kids, teens, and adults with sensory processing differences, autism spectrum disorder, or developmental disabilities. Enjoy activities led by Howard County Park Rangers and Robinson Nature Center educators. Families can also explore the exhibits (lights/sounds adjusted), Discovery Room, nature trails, outdoor NaturePlace and a themed-sensory pathway. Sensory alert maps, sensory backpacks and quiet areas available. Info: 410-313-0400.

As part of the development of its Transportation Demand Management Plan for Downtown Columbia (DTC), the Office of Transportation is working with the Downtown Columbia Partnership to survey those who live, work and play in DTC. The purpose of the survey to develop a better understanding of the transportation needs and assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel patterns of those who live, work and play and this area. Your responses will help Transportation design new transportation options and strategies to address current needs as well as into the post-COVID period. To take the survey, click HERE.