This could not have been accomplished alone, and I want to thank our first responders, healthcare workers, volunteers, and State partners who have worked tirelessly on the front lines since December to get shots into arms.

These metrics indicate what we all know – when times are tough, our community comes together to take care and support each other.

Our team has worked incredibly hard to get our population vaccinated, in July alone approximately 15,000 doses were administered. With the increasing presence of the delta variant, we're reviewing all our options to encourage more of our residents and employees to get vaccinated and keep our community safe. 

At this time, Howard County does not plan to mandate masks or require vaccinations. As of August 1, our positivity rate is 2.76%, among the lower third of jurisdictions in Maryland. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Howard County has a moderate level of community transmission.  

For our residents who feel more comfortable wearing marks, they should do so. At this time, we’re reaching out to those who still have not received their shot and have 16 clinics this week around the region. The single most effective way to reduce your chance of hospitalization or death from COVID-19 is to get vaccinated.  

Our community is disheartened by the vandalism that occurred this week inside the Harriet Tubman School. As we work to renovate and create an impactful cultural center that will enrich our whole community, this act of violence is frustrating and upsetting. This site is where many Black Howard County residents received their education and is foundational to our strong legacy of public education here in Howard County. 

The Howard County Police Department is actively investigating this incident with significant resources, including their patrol team, criminal investigations detectives, crime lab and outreach officers who monitor hate bias incidents. I was briefed today that our ongoing investigation has led us to obtain evidence at the scene which may help identify the person or people responsible. 

This incident is extremely troubling to our community and the many who have advocated for this Cultural Center for decades. I have confidence in our Howard County Police Department as it conducts its investigation. Hateful violence has no place here in Howard County. We strongly encourage anyone with any knowledge of who was behind this vandalism to call 410-313-2200.

Friday marked the five-year anniversary since the devastating 2016 flood in Ellicott City. We will never forget the two lives lost that evening, and the outpouring of support from our County, our State, and beyond as the town recovered and rebuilt. It reinforced the need for us to do all we can to preserve and protect Main Street’s rich heritage.  

Since that night, Ellicott City has endured another flood and a global pandemic that caused great hardship for our businesses and residents. Through every challenge, the people of Ellicott City have persevered with grit and determination, ensuring that the town not only continues to survive but thrive in the face of adversity. 

We could not be more proud of this town and will continue to work tirelessly every day to protect Ellicott City and ensure that it will be safe and sound for another 250 years.

As the pandemic continues to affect households’ ability to make timely rent payments, the State of Maryland and Howard County continue to have laws in place that prevent landlords from evicting tenants who cannot pay their rent due to loss of income.

If you are unable to pay your rent and can show evidence that you continue to suffer from a significant loss of income due to the pandemic, the following resources are available for you to seek financial help. Please share this resource with friends and neighbors who may be in need.

It's National Farmers Market Week!

 

It's the perfect time to show our farmers markets how much we value and appreciate them. To kick-off this celebration, I stopped by the Oakland Mills Farmers Market to pick up some amazing farm fresh, local items. 

All week long, I encourage residents to come out, shop local, and support our farmers markets across the county. Learn more about our farmers markets here.

We’re calling all Wizards and Muggles to join us for the Major League Quidditch (MLQ) season-ending championship, in partnership with Visit Howard County, at Troy Park on Aug. 21-23. The 12 best real-life quidditch teams from across the U.S. will gather for a multi-day tournament to compete to win the prized Benepe Cup. 

Howard County and researchers from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) are looking for Howard County residents to help us understand how COVID‐19 has impacted our community.

It has been difficult for researchers to fully understand the impact of the virus on our community since some people had COVID-19 but didn’t show any symptoms. Even if residents didn’t show any symptoms, their bodies made antibodies in response to a COVID-19 infection.

In coordination with Johns Hopkins University, we are conducting a Serology study to determine if antibodies are present in Howard County Residents. This study will look for antibodies in the general population's saliva to better understand the scope of the virus in Howard County.

Those interested in being a part of the study must be a Howard County Resident. For more information please visit our website here.

Head Start provides vital early childhood education and enrichment for our young residents. Providing accessible early childhood education is critical to the preparation and success of our children. This wonderful opportunity will help in closing the academic achievement gap by promoting school readiness, providing family engagement, offering mental health and nutritional counseling, and much more to help our neighbors thrive.

I was so excited to join Lori Lily with Howard EcoWorks, Nina Basu with Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, and the Columbia Association to highlight this important conservation landscaping project. This team is planting more than 4000 native plants and shrubs in conservation landscaping, which supports Howard County as a Bee City. 

This nearly 7,000 square feet of new landscaping also improves our local environment and provides workforce opportunities for our young adults. Special thank you to our young residents and their commitment to improving Downtown Columbia. This partnership exemplifies our shared values for supporting environmental restoration and beautifying our community for generations to come.

I was thrilled to join members of the Oakland Mills Village Board to welcome Talento Latino Hair Salon to our cOMmunity! This salon is dedicated to providing customers with excellent and quality beauty services. Thank you for choosing Howard County as your home, and we wish you many years of success.

During the last few months, I have visited dozens of restaurants where the owners say they are still facing setbacks from the losses suffered during the pandemic. By allowing them to continue offering outdoor seating, we hope they can begin to recover and provide additional options for customers. This is a common sense measure and I'm thankful our Howard County Council voted to extend outdoor dining through November.

As Howard County Business Appreciation Month came to an end, I was thrilled to join Jennie Kwon for the grand opening of Blowfish Poke’s new location in Marriottsville. We’re so appreciative to have more than 10,000 businesses in Howard County, and Blowfish Poke is one example of their incredible resilience and dedication.

Please, continue to support our new and existing businesses throughout the year. Learn more about Blowfish Poke here.

All our students and educators deserve the best teaching and learning environment to thrive, which is why school construction has been one of my top priorities. The need for an elementary school in Turf Valley was identified in 2015, and the intent to purchase this land was announced in 2017.

After years of delays, we will finally acquire this property and build on our substantial investment in critical school construction projects. Read more about our progress on this project here.

All over the world, we have seen the impacts of climate change; from devastating weather events to elevated temperatures. I remain committed to prioritizing and analyzing the long-lasting actions we can take to reduce the detrimental impacts of climate change right here in our backyard. 

As a community, we must work together to invest in creating an adaptable and renewable environment while expanding resources for our children and future generations.

Last week, Howard County became the first county in Maryland to reach 80% eligible residents fully vaccinated. Howard County continues to lead the state with 85.4% of eligible residents 12+ who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 80.4% are fully vaccinated, according to the Maryland Department of Health. 

Let's keep up the great work, Howard County! Vaccinations are widely available and free. Encourage your family and friends to visit vaccine.howardcountymd.gov to find a clinic nearby.

Howard County students in need of school supplies for this coming school year and invited to join our Department of Community Resources and Services (DCRS) on Saturday, August 21^st for its school supply giveaway event. This grab ‘n go event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to noon outside at the following locations:

Please note, advance registration is required. To register, visit https://HoCoschoolsupplies.eventbrite.com; the registration deadline is 5:00 p.m., Friday, August 13^th. Families may register up to four children to reserve a bag of school supplies (one per child). When registering, please choose the same pickup location for each child (ticket) as there will be a limited quantity available at each location. When selecting your pick-up time, keep in mind, supplies not collected within 30 minutes of scheduled pick-up time will be forfeited.

If you have any additional questions and/or seek more information about this year’s event, please call 410-313-6325 (English) or 410-313-2273 (Spanish) or email vmathis@howardcountymd.gov.

Tenga en cuenta que es necesario registrarse con anticipación. Para registrarse, visite https://HoCoschoolsupplies.eventbrite.com; la fecha límite de inscripción es el viernes 13 de agosto a las 5:00 p.m. Las familias pueden registrar hasta cuatro niños para reservar una bolsa de artículos escolares (uno por niño). Al registrarse, elija el mismo lugar de recogida para cada niño (boleto), ya que habrá una cantidad limitada disponible en cada lugar. Al seleccionar su hora de recogida, tenga en cuenta que los suministros que no se recojan dentro de los 30 minutos de la hora de recogida programada se perderán.

Si tiene preguntas adicionales y / o busca más información sobre el evento de este año, llame al 410-313-6325 (inglés) o al 410-313-2273 (español) o envíe un correo electrónico a vmathis@howardcountymd.gov

Governor’s Moratorium on Residential Evictions Set to Expire August 15^th

DCRS’ Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) is reminding residents that the Governor’s Executive Order prohibiting residential evictions for non-payment of rent is set to expire Sunday, August 15^th. At that time, Maryland courts will be able to order evictions in cases filed since the temporary prohibition was ordered in March 2020, even if the residential tenant has suffered a significant loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

information about residential evictions in Maryland, including the CDC eviction moratorium that expired this past Saturday, July 31^st, click HERE.

If you are currently behind on their rent, you may qualify for rental assistance. Howard County residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible for assistance to pay up to 15 months of past due rent, utility bills and mortgage payments to prevent eviction or foreclosure. Household income limits for rental and mortgage assistance programs vary. For more information and a list of resources for Howard County tenants in need of assistance, view the Howard County COVID-19 Relief Rental and Utility Assistance fact sheet.

about free and low-cost legal help, please contact the Maryland Legal Aid – Howard County Office at 410-972-2700 to or visit www.mdlab.org to apply for services.

Finally, for help with other landlord-tenant issues, please contact OCP at 410-313-6420 or email consumer@howardcountymd.gov, or check out OCP’s Guide for Landlords and Tenants.

For more excessive heat weather tips and information, check out the National Weather Services’ "Heat Watch vs. Warning" website today.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of children dying in hot cars, either because they were left or became trapped, has gotten worse, not better. In 2018 and 2019, a record 53 children died of vehicular heatstroke each year. The United States regrettably saw its first vehicular heatstroke car death this year in April, when a five-month old baby in North Carolina lost her life after being left alone in a hot car … it was only 70 degrees outside that day. Even with the windows cracked an inch or two or rolled down or the air conditioning on, the temperature inside a vehicle can quickly rise. Also, shady spots offer little protection on hot days as the shade moves with the sun. On an 85-degree day, it only takes 10 minutes for the inside of your car to reach 102 degrees. A child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's, and a body temperature of 107 degrees is fatal.

If you are interested in honoring and preserving our past as we grow and change as a community, I encourage you to apply today for the County's Historic Preservation Commission. Comprised of seven members, at least one of whom is a resident or property owner from Ellicott City and one from Lawyers Hill, the county’s historic districts, the Commission is responsible for providing advice on historical resources and reviewing applications for alterations to historic structures, among a list of other responsibilities. To learn more about the Commission, eligibility requirements and how to apply, click HERE today. Note, the application deadline is Friday, August 13^th.

The County’s Department of Planning and Zoning’s (DPZ) Planning Board will be holding a VIRTUAL meeting this Thursday, August 5^th at 7:00 p.m. to hear the following item:

Please note, the Board has revised its Rules of Procedures with changes in accordance with the Virtual Public Meeting setting, particularly to the Board’s registration and document submission deadline process.

As this is a work session only for the ZB 1127M case, no further testimony will be heard. To watch the meeting, click HERE.

A five-member board, the Planning Board makes recommendations to the Zoning Board or County Council on matters related to planning and zoning and renders a final decision on selected development proposals. Before recommendations or decisions are made, the Board holds a public meeting or hearing to provide interested persons the opportunity to provide comment. For details about procedures for testifying at a Planning Board meeting, click HERE. To learn more about Howard County’s Planning Board and upcoming meeting dates, click HERE.

Additionally, this Thursday, August 5^th, DPZ’s Historic Preservation Commission will be holding a VIRTUAL meeting starting at 7:00 p.m. The meeting agenda and instructions on how to join/participate in Thursday’s meeting can be found on the Commission’s website. Please note, those who wish to provide oral testimony are required to sign up online by noon on August 5, 2021.

National Night Out 2021 Set for August 3^rd

Mark your calendars and join Howard County Police Department (HCPD), your neighbors and the thousands of communities across America on August 3^rd for the 38^th annual National Night Out. This annual community-building campaign promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie in an effort to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live.

For more information and/or to register your neighborhood event or block party, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/police/community-outreach.

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.

For questions, concerns and/more information about this project, click HERE or contact SHA at 410-545-0303.

Have a remodeling project underway and not sure what do to with those leftover, reusable building materials? DPW’s Bureau of Environmental Services has just the solution for you with its “Reusable Building Material Donation” event this Saturday, August 7^th from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at its Alpha Ridge Landfill. Habitat for Humanity ReStore will be setting up a trailer at the entrance of the Landfill to collect reusable items such as cabinets and vanities, windows, lumber and trim, tile, tools and more. Please note, materials must be in good condition. For a complete list of acceptable materials, click HERE.

If you cannot make it this Saturday, now worries. Habitat for Humanity ReStore at its Columbia location. For other donation options, consider The Loading Dock in Baltimore or Community Forklift in Hyattsville.

Tubs, cups, frozen food trays, reusable containers, takeout containers and even clamshells, marked with the #5 recycling symbol, can now be placed out for recycling in your blue bin! Like all other recyclables, these items should be empty, clean and dry before setting out for collection.

To learn more about the County’s recycling program, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/recycling.

Registration for our Department of Recreation & Parks’ 2021 Fall Activity Guide begins this week for Howard County residents, with online registration kicking off Wednesday (August 4^th) evening at 6:00 p.m., followed by mail-in, phone-in and in-person registration the following day. Registration for non-Howard County residents begins the following week, with online registration kicking off at 6:00 p.m. on August 11^th and mail-in, phone-in and in-person the following day.

If you have not done so already, I encourage you to check out our Fall Activity Guide to learn more about all the fun activities, programs and events Recreation & Parks’ has planned for our residents and beyond this up and coming season. From sports, dance and cooking classes, and take home and online programs, to what to do when school's out, there is something for everyone in this guide.

Congratulations to Coach Nicole Meek and the 12 members of her Kangaroo Kids team who are currently down in Houston, Texas competing at the AAU Junior Olympics. Before they left for Houston, I stopped by the County’s Meadowbrook Athletic Complex to wish the Coach Meek and her team the best of luck, as well as congratulate Coach Meek one being named one of 25 National Award winners for the AAU Positive Coaching Alliance Double-Goal Coach Award! You can watch the teams send off on Fox45 News.

Want to jump in on the fun? Sign up your child for an upcoming Kangaroo Kids summer camp or fall program by going to https://tinyurl.com/HCRPKangarooKids2021 to register (keep in mind, online registration for fall activities begins this Wednesday for Howard County residents.

Every kid deserves the chance to play sports. That is why I am pleased to thank the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation’s for its generous support of Every Kid Sports, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, assisting qualifying families cover their child’s player registration fees for by a youth sports organization, such as our Recreation & Parks sports programs. To learn more about this program, for eligibility requirements and/or to apply, visit www.sportsmatter.org/registrationfees/. Applications are taken throughout the year and approved applications are granted on average, within seven to 14 days. 

On Tuesday, August 10^th, join Recreation & Parks for its latest 55+ Speaker Series lecture, Creating Gig Volunteerism Opportunities. During this online workshop, participants will learn how to become a freelance volunteer by creating short-term opportunities that leverage their skills, expertise and time through civic engagement. To register for this workshop, visit https://tinyurl.com/GigVolunteerHCRP today.

Join Recreation & Parks and the Elkridge Adult Athletic Association next Saturday, August 14^th for the return of the Rockburn Open Car Show at Rockburn Branch Park West! Bring out the family and come get a close up at an array of classic and modified cars. Food and beverages will also be available for purchase on site. For more information on this FREE event, click HERE.

SAVE THE DATE, our Department of Recreation & Parks has announced it will hold its annual Truck or Treat this year on Saturday, October 30^th. This fan favorite event is once again bringing the family friendly spook and "wheely fun" day back to the County’s Gary J. Arthur Community Center to celebrate Halloween. Come dressed in your favorite costume to trick-or-treat at all of the trucks, tractors, emergency vehicles and more, while meeting some of your hometown heroes. Take pictures, participate in an "I Spy" scavenger hunt and more!

A limited number of tickets for the event will go on sale online starting at 9:00 a.m. on August 4^th. For the latest updates, be sure to check and stay tuned to Recreation & Park’s event Facebook page.  

Calling all crafters! Recreation & Parks is seeking crafters and artisans for its 2021 Holiday Mart juried arts & crafts show, set to take place on Saturday, December 4^th. This year’s event will be back in person at our Gary J. Arthur Community Center and tickets to the event will be available for purchase beginning August 4^th. To learn more and/or to submit a jurying application for this year’s event, click HERE.