July 6th, 2021
Dear friends,

This past year, as we confronted a deadly pandemic, we were reminded how important our health is, how we cannot take it for granted, and how foundational it is to our quality of life. Our efforts have not gone unnoticed.

I’m honored to share that Howard County was ranked Top Ten in the nation, ranking 8th, on the U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 Healthiest Communities. We’ve not only improved, previously ranking 20th in 2018, but Howard County is also the only jurisdiction in Maryland ranked in the top ten.

This recognition means a lot to our community of partners who have advocated and invested in public health and health equity for many years. Special thank you to our partners at the Howard County Health Department, Howard County General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Horizon Foundation, and Howard County Local Health Improvement Coalition for their incredible work over the year.
Community Updates
Howard County Cooling Centers

With the heat index expected to reach 100 degrees or higher today, please be sure to stay indoors when possible and stay hydrated. I encourage you to check in with friends and neighbors during this heat spell, especially our older neighbors and those with serious health issues. 

If you need to escape the heat, Howard County Recreation and Parks' Gary J. Arthur, North Laurel, and Roger Carter Community Centers, Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services 50+ Centers, and Howard County Library System branches are open and operating as cooling centers. 

Remember, extreme heat can be dangerous after long periods of exposure if proper precautions are not taken.
COVID-19 Update

To date in Howard County, we’ve had 19,475 cases of COVID-19 and 251 deaths. As of 9:00am today, our 7-day average positivity rate is 0.56% and our 7-day average case rate per 100,000 of our population is at 1.23. These metrics have continued to remain low as more of our residents are fully vaccinated. There are currently no COVID-19 patients in both ICU and Acute Care unit.

According to the Maryland Department of Health, 83.1% of Howard County residents 12+ have received at least one dose and 77.8% are fully vaccinated. Howard County continues to lead the state with our vaccination progress, but we will continue to reach out to those who have not yet received a vaccine. 

If you haven't already received your shot - now's the time. Recent data shows 90% of cases are among unvaccinated persons and 100% of deaths are among unvaccinated residents. Encourage your family and friends to visit vaccine.howardcountymd.gov to find a clinic nearby.  
Upcoming Vaccine Clinics

While Howard County continues to lead the State in our vaccine efforts, it's important that we continue to ensure all eligible residents are vaccinated as safely and efficiently as possible.

The Howard County Health Department is offering vaccine clinics across our county. For more information, and to register for an appointment, please click here.

Additionally, Howard County General Hospital is also offering vaccine clinics to residents. For more information on their efforts, please click here.
Celebrating Our Independence

Independence Day is a time for us to celebrate our nation, freedom, and what it means to be an American. On Sunday, we celebrated all which unites us.

It was so great to see Howard County residents together again to spread the cheer at the River Hill, Longfellow, and Laurel Independence Day parades. Thank you to all the volunteers who coordinated these events.
Another Hidden Gem

The Chrysalis at Merriweather Park, a stunning work of futuristic urban art and concert stage, is one of Howard County’s proud hidden gems. At this open-air venue, residents and visitors of all ages can attend all kinds of concerts and cultural events.

Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods will continue to be a place where arts, culture, and community come together for decades to come.

Watch more about this Hidden Gem on WMAR News here.
Mall in Columbia Mass Vax Site - Closed

The State mass vaccination site at the Mall in Columbia is now closed. The site has been incredibly successful, administering nearly 50,000 shots. We’re thankful to all the staff who have been doing the important work day in and out to make sure our residents are vaccinated and protected.

Howard County has led the state in vaccination progress, and it’s in no small part due to the outreach and work of this mass vaccination site.

Read more here.
Best of Howard County 2021

The Best of Howard 2021 voting is now open!

This is your chance to vote for your favorite Howard County restaurants, attractions, businesses, blogs, and all the things which make Howard County the best place to live, work, play, and grow for all. Make your voice heard, and vote for your Howard County favorites today.

Voting ends July 15th at 5:01 p.m., so please be sure to vote today!
National Youth Cricket League

Our improved and expanded cricket facilities at Schooley Mill Park are part of our efforts to make Howard County a national destination for the great game of cricket. I was thrilled to welcome the National Youth Cricket League tournament, the largest in the nation, to Howard County. In total, 350 teams are participating with nearly 1,750 players.

Thank you to our partners at Howard County Recreation and Parks and the Howard County Cricket League for helping us pull this event together. To those who love cricket in Howard County, I want to assure you this is only the start.
Outdoor Seating Updates

The last 15 months have been very difficult for everyone in our county, particularly for the restaurant industry. As the statewide emergency order is still legally in effect, the expiration of restrictions on July 1st will have no impact on the current temporary outdoor seating permits that have been issued by the Howard County Department of Licenses, Inspections, and Permits. These permits will be valid at least through August 15th. 

We understand the importance of maintaining the current outdoor seating structure at least through the summer months, which is why we are in the process of determining an additional grace period beyond August 15th that would allow outdoor seating to continue. More guidance will be forthcoming.
Creating a Green Fleet

Howard County is ahead of the curve adding new electric and hybrid vehicles to our fleet. I’m proud to announce Howard County is assigning 111 Hybrid vehicles to the Howard County Police Department and Howard County Sheriff’s Office. With these additional vehicles, Howard County has the largest number of police and sheriff patrol hybrids in any jurisdiction in Maryland.

Five fully electric vehicles will replace old gas-powered cars in the county operations. As we increase our Green Fleet, we’re looking at cost-savings of more than $200k a year and reducing our fuel consumption by more than 85,000 gallons per year.

We’re so thankful for Robert Phillips and our entire Fleet team, Josh Feldmark and his team at LiveGreenHoward, and Assistant CAO Janssen Evelyn for their partnership in ensuring our environment is clean and sustainable for generations to come.
Agricultural Innovation Grants

Applications are now available for Howard County's Agricultural Innovation Grant! 
This grant encourages Howard County’s agricultural producers to expand or diversify their business operations. Grant values range from $1,000 up to $10,000 for research and development, production buildings, major fixtures, processing facilities, and other permissible expenses.  

This is a competitive grant program and awards are given on the basis of project impact to grow and diversify the business. Applications are due July 15th, but I strongly encourage agricultural producers to apply today! 

For more information, please click here.
Vaccinating Residents 12+

Howard County leads the State with 83.1% of eligible residents 12+ who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 77.8% are fully vaccinated, according to the Maryland Department of Health. Howard County is the only jurisdiction in the State to have more than 80% of residents 12+ vaccinated with at least one dose.

I continue to urge residents to stay safe and remain vigilant. Hope is on the horizon, and if you haven't yet been vaccinated, find a clinic near you at vaccine.howardcountymd.gov 
Government Updates
Department of Community Resources and Services
2021 Parent’s Guide to Howard County Now Available Online
 
The 2021 edition of DCRS’s Office of Children and Families’ (OCF) Parent's Guide to Howard County is now available online. The Parent's Guide provides easy access to key resources, including quality child care, early learning and behavioral supports for children, and supports for parents to help children pivot from virtual to hybrid learning environments.
 
To discuss individual needs, parents/guardians are encouraged to contact OCF’s early childhood experts through its CARE line at 410-313-CARE today.
Office of Emergency Management
Hot Weather Safety Tips
 
As we continue to enjoy the warm summer months, be sure keep these hot weather safety tips in mind from our Office of Emergency Management. It’s especially important to remember these tips when forecasters are calling for extreme heat or a heat wave.
 
Extreme heat is a period of high heat and humidity with temperatures above 90 degrees for at least two to three days. Extreme heat can occur quickly, and humidity increases the feeling of heat as measure by a heat index. Whereas a heat wave is a period of abnormally hot weather generally lasting more than two days, occurring with or without high humidity.
 
During an extreme heat or heat wave event, try to stay inside, stay hydrated and be sure to check in on your surrounding family, friends, and neighbors. If you must head outdoors, be sure to wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing, sunscreen and drink plenty of fluids. By properly planning ahead, you can make sure you and your family are able to safely beat the heat!
Department of Fire and Rescue Services
Cast Your Vote Daily to Help Sowell Win the 2021 American Hero Dog Award!
 
Have you voted yet for Sowell? Sowell is our four-legged co-worker and he’s competing for highest honor in all the canine world, the American Humane's 2021 American Hero Dog award! Our Department of Fire and Rescue Services' (DFRS) accelerant detection canine, Sowell has made it through to the next round of this year’s awards. By casting your vote daily, now through July 15th, you can help us show everyone how great Sowell is and how much he means to DFRS, our community and Maryland.
 
And in case you need a little convincing on why Sowell deserves this awesome honor, here's a little background information on our furry friend. In 2019, K-9 Sowell met HCDFRS Captain Craig Matthews and they bonded instantly. Since then, Sowell has been hard at work, responding to more than 70 fire scenes (including fatal fires, homicides involving fire and building and vehicle fires) a year across Maryland. With his keen sense of smell (one might say he has the nose for the job), Sowell is able to sniff out a wide variety of ignitable liquids often used to accelerate a fire. Thanks to his scent discrimination abilities, Sowell is able to quickly identify evidence within a few minutes compared to the countless hours his human fire investigator friends would spend digging through fire debris to locate evidence at a fire scene. When not working a scene, you can find Sowell training, making public appearances to raise awareness on fire safety to deter the crime of arson, playing ball or enjoying a good old belly rub.
Howard County Health Department

Request COVID-19 Vaccination Records

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.
Department of Planning and Zoning
HoCo By Design Survey
 
Everyone is invited to share their thoughts on the illustrative design concepts for New Town/Columbia—be part of the design process and give feedback for transformative opportunities in Columbia.

All design concepts found in the survey are based on the feedback heard at the May meetings. View the survey to see how these broad concepts could be applied to Village Centers, commercial corridors, and employment centers.
Planning Board

On Thursday, July 8, the Planning Board will hold a virtual meeting using WebEx starting at 7:00 p.m. to hear the following items:
  • ZB1127M G&R Maple Lawn – 11788 Scaggsville Road, Fulton, MD.
  • Request to amend Maple Lawn Farms Preliminary Development Plan to increase residential density for Single Family Detached areas; change land use of Maple Lawn West District; to increase permitted dwelling units on the Maple Lawn West District; to adjust number of dwellings/acres in each land use category and decrease square footage allowed in retail centers.
  • Draft Rules of Procedure

Register for the virtual meeting by 7:00 pm on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 here.
Police Department
Keep Your Packages Safe from “Porch Pirates” All Year Long
 
Reports of “porch pirates,” or thieves who steal packages right off your front doorstep, are all too common not only during the holidays, but all year long. To protect your deliveries from these thieves, HCPD is offering these five tips:
 
  1. Consider installing a doorbell camera to be notified whenever someone comes to your door.
  2. Track your shipments and try to be home when they are scheduled to arrive. If you won’t be home, ask a trusted neighbor or friend to take the package inside until you get home.
  3. Request that the delivery service leave the package in a less-obvious location, like a side or back door, that can’t be seen from the sidewalk.
  4. Ask your employer if you can have the shipment delivered to your workplace.
  5. As always, report suspicious activity in your neighborhood to HCPD by calling 911 or the non-emergency number at 410-313-2200. One call could help your neighbors from being victimized.
Department of Public Works Construction Report

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.
Department of Public Works Bureau of Environmental Services

Holiday Slide Schedule in Effect Week of Independence Day
 
Don’t forget Howard County, the Independence Day holiday is one of the six holidays that affects County provided curbside trash, recycling, food scraps and yard trim collection. As a result, there will be no Monday collection on July 5th due to the holiday being observed that day. The County's holiday "slide schedule" will therefore be in effect the week of Memorial Day, with Monday's pickup sliding to Tuesday, Tuesday to Wednesday and so forth.
Department of Recreation and Parks
July is Park and Recreation Month!

Did you know that July is NRPA’s Park and Recreation Month? 

Join Howard County Recreation & Parks as we celebrate with our Park and Recreation Month Bingo game and Once Upon a Park story scavenger hunt! 

To play our Park and Recreation Month Bingo game, click here beginning July 6 to download and print the official game sheet or visit the Roger Carter, Gary J. Arthur or North Laurel Community Centers. Complete five activities across, vertical or diagonal and turn it in at one of our three community centers to receive a prize (while supplies last).  

Looking for even more of a challenge? Beginning this Tuesday, discover the story of Howard County with our Once Upon a Park story scavenger hunt. Participants visit three Howard County parks and search for word clues revealed via unique QR code videos. Fill in the blanks on our Park and Recreation Month story and submit your answers here for your chance to win cool prizes.  

To get started, use the clues below to find the first park (beginning July 6): 
  • You will start your journey at a familiar location 
  • A Center of Community is your destination 
  • The opposite of South will be your first clue 
  • The next rhymes with “floral” and named one of our gnomes too 
  • Near the front entrance you will find what you seek 
  • Look high and look low then you might get a peek 

For more info on July’s Park and Recreation Month, visit our website here. 
STX National High School Lacrosse Showcase Tournament

Last week, the St. Paul’s School for Girls Gators were victorious during a 14-7 Girls Championship match against ABC (Archbishop Carroll from Pennsylvania) held at Blandair Regional Park as part of the STX National High School Lacrosse Showcase. In last Friday’s championship game, St. John's College High School took home the title against the McDonogh Eagles.

For our full NHSLS tournament photo gallery, please click here.  
Schoolhouse Theater Camps with Howard County Recreation & Parks

It’s not too late to sign up for Schoolhouse Theater Camps! Beginning July 12, these unique camps emphasizes art and performance skills while encouraging fun and creativity. Programs are geared toward children as young as three and as old as 17.

To register, please click here.
Holiday Mart 2021

Calling all crafters!

Howard County Recreation & Parks is seeking crafters and artisans for our 2021 Holiday Mart juried arts & crafts show on Saturday, December 4. For this year’s event, we are back in person at the Gary J. Arthur Community Center and tickets to the event will be available for purchase beginning August 4. To apply online, please click here. 
New Water Fountain at Centennial Park

Thank you to Heil Plumbing for their donation of a new water fountain to Centennial Park. This fountain includes a bottle filler, dog bowl, and two additional fountains at different heights. For more information on our Water Fountain Donation Program, visit our website here.
Office of Transportation
 
RTA to Host Virtual Public Meeting to Discuss Proposed Service Changes
 
The Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland (RTA) is holding a virtual public meeting on Thursday, July 15th, starting at 6:00 p.m., to discuss proposed service changes this fall. The RTA is proposing adjustments and modifications to certain routes in order to improve reliability, expand travel options and service connectivity, and decrease transfer times between core routes. The September 2021 Service Update largely focuses on better utilizing current resources to make more residential and commercial areas accessible to our services, including Catonsville, Beltsville and Muirkirk.

Considerable attention has been paid to maintain hourly frequencies in the network where they exist, but to also better time route arrivals and departures from major locations so that connections and transfers are shorter and more dependable. If approved, the proposed changes would take effect on Sunday, September 5, 2021. For more information, including how to attend and/or to submit written testimony, visit www.transitrta.com/fall2021/.