Congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their historic election victory. Thank you for exhibiting leadership and patience as election officials worked diligently to preserve the integrity of our Democracy by ensuring that every voice mattered and every vote was counted. Even during a global pandemic, record turnout across our County, State, and Nation highlighted the most diverse electorate to date, which is a reflection of the everchanging landscape of our Country as well as the collective desire for us to move forward together.

As we prepare to transition from the Trump-Pence Administration to a Biden-Harris Administration, it is my hope that there will be a peaceful transfer of power and the ability to coalesce around moving our Country forward. Now is the time that we the people work to find common ground in order to advance and strive towards the idea of "a more perfect union," as our Founding Fathers declared in our Constitution.

Howard County embraces the ideals of inclusion, civility and diversity of thought and identity. These ideals have shaped us and made our county one of the best places to live in our Nation and the world. It is my sincerest hope that these ideals will guide the decisions of our national leaders as they work to collaborate, heal and unite our country so that we all can have the best opportunity to become our best selves and live our best lives.

Howard County is home to more than 22,000 veterans, who served our country with conviction and courage. Our veterans deserve our support and appreciation every day of the year, especially as many of our veterans may be more isolated this year during the pandemic.

I was honored to join the The Howard County Veterans Foundation, Inc. and the Columbia Association to give thanks to our veterans for their sacrifices and dedication to the betterment of our community and country. Thank you for your partnership to ensure all our veterans have adequate access to resources, and special thank you to the Gillette family for their continued support.

Nearly eight years ago our first cricket fields were established here at Schooley Mill Park, and since then we’ve seen a growing sport flourishing, expanding and thriving throughout our communities. Over the weekend, we joined Howard County Recreation and Parks, Howard County Cricket League, and Howard County Heroes to formally open the expanded field and cricket pitch at Schooley Mill Park.

This expanded pitch and multi-use field will allow for more adult and youth players to continue to grow this sport and allow for more people to enjoy and play cricket here in Howard County.

The HoCo By Design General Plan Guidelines provide a roadmap for engaging stakeholders, highlighting the value of data-informed decision making, and providing transparency to the community throughout the process. I encourage residents to attend our second round of BYOQs, Bring Your Own Questions, events to share your thoughts and ideas on this plan.

These live listening sessions are an opportunity for residents to virtually meet the consultants, hear project updates, ask questions, and offer general input for HoCo By Design.

Sign up for one of the two BYOQ events by clicking the link(s) below:

Tuesday, November 10th, 4:00pm – 5:30pm – Register here.

Tuesday, November 10th, 7:00m – 8:30pm – Register here.

In recognition of National Apprenticeship Week, I invite businesses and entrepreneurs to join us for our Virtual Apprenticeship Forum with Howard County Office of Workforce Development. At this event, individuals will learn how registered apprenticeships contribute to the growth and retention of Howard County businesses.

To learn more and to register, please click here.

Hatch Exhibits is a Howard County based exhibit design and fabrication company that creates visually impactful custom exhibits, events, and retail environments that effectively communicate their client’s brand. I was so glad to join Tracey and Chris McCormick, founding partners, for the expansion of their business and thank them for their quick response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Within days, they reinvented themselves, reopening and repurposing their facilities to manufacture face shields and protective equipment for healthcare workers amid supply shortages.

As we continue to embark through this COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important that we continue to shop local and support our small businesses.

Over the summer, several of our Historic Ellicott City businesses were featured on Good Morning America where Shark Tank's Barbara Corcoran surprised the business owners with a private consultation! Last week, GMA was back in Ellicott City to follow up with the businesses and see how they were putting the Shark’s advice to work. Watch the segment here.

Thanks again to GMA for featuring our historic town. Let’s continue to support our small, local businesses across Howard County, especially as we enter the holiday season.

On August 31st, the Maryland Public Service Commission prohibited utility service terminations through Sunday, November 15th, 2020. This ruling affirms that residential customers in arrears would have 45 days from receipt of notice to work out a payment plan or apply for energy assistance programs. Customers who take either action will not have service disconnected.

To file a complaint involving utilities or energy supplies, please click here.

Join transportation officials and me on Wednesday, November 18th at 6:00 p.m. for a Transportation Town Hall. Topics to be discussed include transportation safety, complete street, transit, and more.

Residents may watch live on our Facebook page or through WebEx here.

Ask questions in advance at TownHall@HowardCountymd.gov

Congratulations to Walker’s Tap & Table on their one year anniversary. We are so grateful for our local restaurants who contribute greatly to Howard County’s diverse culinary scene. As our restaurants and businesses are getting back on their feet, I encourage us all to continue supporting our small restaurants and businesses.

To see Walker’s menu and to order carry out, please click here.

With flu season on the horizon, Neighbor Ride has launched a "Get Your Flu Shot Early" Campaign. Neighbor Ride will provide free rides to Howard County seniors (60+) who would like to receive their flu vaccination at a local physicians office, pharmacy, or community event.

As we continue to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important that all our residents are healthy and thriving, especially one of our high-risk populations. To schedule a ride, please visit www.neighborride.org/freeride/ or call (410) 884-7433.

Please note, this picture was taken prior to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

As more people spend time indoors with approaching cooler weather, we must remain vigilant against the spread of the virus. This year is full of firsts, and hopefully lasts, when it comes to how we celebrate holidays.

Please avoid large family gatherings this Thanksgiving, and instead celebrate with those within your immediate family. Our ability to prevent large outbreaks this winter hinges on adhering to the recommendations from institutions like the CDC and public health officials.

If we all work together – even when we’re apart – we can avoid COVID-19 surges in Howard County and keep one another safe.

To read the CDC's guidance, please click here.

There is an immediate need for legal assistance to support tenants in demonstrating substantial loss of income-related to COVID-19. At the recommendation of Attorney General Brian Frosh’s Access to Justice COVID-19 task force, Howard County has provided funding for Maryland Legal Aid to assist residents facing eviction and other legal challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We’ve seen more than 46,000 residents file for unemployment since March, and there are many of our neighbors who are unable to afford private attorney assistance on top of their daily needs.

Read more here.

For more information, please click here.

Since the beginning of this pandemic, more than 46,000 Howard County residents have filed for unemployment or pandemic assistance, it’s clear access to food and groceries is one of the most urgent needs our residents are facing.

We’ve seen our community organizations, non-profits, and neighbors step-up to support one another, and we saw an opportunity to make it easier for folks to find what they need. This map clearly shows the daily options for groceries, food pantries, and meal pickups, and will hopefully reduce the stress for many people trying to figure out where to find the resources they need.

Visit the map today here.

Today (November 9th) is your last day to grab your ticket for this year’s "A Grateful Lunch" event. Instead of its traditional Thanksgiving dinner (cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic), this year, our Department of Community Resources and Services’ (DCRS) Office on Aging and Independence (OAI) is hosting a lunchtime Thanksgiving celebration on November 17^th. For the event, OAI will provide participants with a traditional Thanksgiving meal to enjoy from the comfort of their own home. While eating their meal, participants can join OAI for a virtual celebration, featuring Six Words of Gratitude and The Iris Project, presented by the Candlelight Concert Series.

The cost is $17 for participants under the age of 60, while participants 60 and older are encouraged to make a donation. Anonymous donation envelopes will be available at the meal pickup sites, the East Columbia 50+Center and the Elkridge 50+Center. Meals are being catered by Putting on the Ritz and must be ordered in advance.

Tomorrow, November 10th, I invite you to join DCRS and our Commission for Women at 6:00 p.m. for the second topic in their Women's Empowerment Speaker Series: "Your Mental Health is Your Physical Health." Led by Kaymisha Knights, Coordinator of the Howard County Health Department's Prevention Outreach and Overdose Response Program, Ms. Knights will discuss why one’s mental health and physical health are both important to one’s overall health. To participate in tomorrow’s virtual Speaker Series via Webex, click HERE (Meeting Number: 172 580 1394, Password: Ygxvp22qyJ3).

For questions and/or more information about tomorrow’s event, contact Stephanie Adibe, DCRS Deputy Director, at 410-313-6556 (voice/relay) or email sadibe@howardcountymd.gov.

Our Commission for Women promotes the economic, social and political equality of women. 

Artists young and old are invited to participate in DCRS’ and Commission on Disabilities 2020 Art Contest, launched in celebration of the 30^th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Artists may submit up to two pieces of original artwork that depicts some aspect of the contest theme: “ADA30 · Disability · Equity · Inclusion · One County · Accessible to All.” The theme commemorates this landmark piece of legislation guarantees people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in all aspects of American life. To learn more about this Art Contest and for complete contest rules and entry form, check out www.howardcountymd.gov/ADA today. All artwork and entry forms must be received by no later than 11:59 p.m., Monday, November 30th. 

While holiday celebrations will likely be smaller for many this year, the need for assistance is greater than ever. Help us provide a holiday meal for local families in need, by donating to DCRS’ Thanksgiving Food Drive. Now through November 18^th, DCRS is collecting non-perishable food items, baskets and gift cards/cash at drop-off locations set up throughout the county. Please note, if you are looking to donate a gift card/cash, please hand deliver these items to the DCRS’ MultiService Center at 9900 Washington Boulevard, Suite I in Laurel. For a list of items in need and drop-off locations, click HERE.

For the past several months, DCRS OAI has been working hard to offer our older residents the resources they need to remain active and engaged during the COVID-19 pandemic. From exercise, cooking, social engagement and lifelong learning classes, there is something to help everyone get moving, get cooking and stay social this 2020. Check out OAI’s November Virtual Offering Guide for this month’s activities or visit OAI’s website to learn more about its services. For questions, contact OAI at aging@howardcountymd.gov

Help DCRS’ spread some holiday cheer this year by dropping off a new, unwrapped gift at one of three convenient locations set up throughout the county, now through December 7^th. DCRS’ OAI is collecting new gifts to present to and help brighten the holidays for our low-income seniors and our Office of Children and Families is gathering new gifts for families with children ages 0 to 5 years old in need. The wish list for children and adults includes: body lotion; body wash; books (ages 0-5); deodorant; hair brushes; hair conditioner; scarves; shampoo; shaving cream; slipper socks; socks; toothbrushes; toothpaste; toiletry gift sets; throw blankets; and toys (ages 0-5). Financial donations are also being accepted. For more information, click HERE. We sincerely thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity. 

Be the DIFFERENCE between life and death, by joining our Department of Fire and Rescue Services’ (HCDFRS) for one of its upcoming FREE virtual Hands-Only CPR and AED training classes. For a sudden cardiac arrest victim, immediately receiving Hands-Only CPR increases their survival rate by more than 40 percent.

REMINDER: HCDFRS’ Education and Training Bureau is currently conducting weekly training exercises across the county. During the month of November, HCDFRS will be conducting these exercises every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. These training exercises are not expected to impact traffic flow in the training area and will involve theatrical smoke. NO actual fire will occur during each exercise. For more information about these training exercises, including time and location, be sure to follow HCDFRS’ Facebook page and Twitter handle.

Hey parents, if you have not already, be sure to check out HCDFRS’ Safety Squad’s latest life safety video, “Get Low and Go.” Geared towards our youngest residents, these quick three-to-five-minute videos teach kids about preventative safety measures. The Safety Squad’s latest video teaches youngsters how to safely exit their home in case of an emergency. To accompany the video, HCDFRS’ Safety Squad has also put together a family activity sheet for your family to complete after watching “Get Low and Go.”

Through its Life Safety videos, HCDFRS hopes kids will learn how to be prepared and how to play a role in keeping their family and home safe. Check out HCDFRS’ Safety Squad website to learn more and to find past videos.

Per the most recent data from the Maryland Department of Health, Howard County as experienced its second highest number of daily cases (82) of COVID-19 last week. Our highest daily case number, 83, was recorded back on May 23^rd and a large number of these cases were associated with a nursing home outbreak. However, these newer cases are predominantly younger patients, and fewer are associated with nursing homes or assisted living facilities.

The Howard County Health Department and I understand residents are feeling "pandemic fatigue;" however, this drastic uptick in positive cases should serve as a wake-up call and reminder for us all that this virus is NOT GONE. We all need to make sure we are doing what we can – wearing a face covering, practicing physical distancing and wash our hands frequently – to protect ourselves, our fellow community members and to slow the spread. In fact, on Thursday, Governor Hogan announced that his statewide masking order remains in full effect. Under the Governor's order, all Marylanders over the age of five are required to wear face coverings in the public spaces of all businesses across the state. Face coverings are also required in outdoor public areas, whenever it is not possible to maintain physical distancing. For questions and/or more information about this order, including exceptions, click HERE.

In addition, on Thursday the Governor renewed the out-of-state travel advisory issued by state health officials. Under this advisory, Marylanders are strongly advised against traveling to states with positivity rates of 10 percent or higher. Anyone traveling from these states should get tested and self-quarantine while awaiting results. Marylanders should also avoid non-essential travel of any kind outside of the region.

If you believe you may have possibly been exposed to the virus or have participated in a higher risk activity, such as travel out of state or gatherings outside your household, I encourage you to get a COVID-19 test. For a list of COVID-19 testing locations in Howard County, click HERE. Also, remember, if you see "MD COVID" or (240) 466-4488 on your caller ID, please answer the call or return the missed call. While contact tracers continue to reach out to all residents who test positive for COVID-19 and their contacts, a good proportion of contacts are NOT picking up the phone. By not answering or returning the call, you may be spreading the virus among those in your household, workplace and community. Patient information and the information of those contacted is kept CONFIDENTIAL. To learn more about contact tracing, click HERE.

Our Housing Opportunities Master Plan Task Force was created to identify Howard County’s housing affordability issues and offer holistic and sustainable strategies to address them. Beginning this Wednesday, November 4^th, the Task Force invites you to review its draft recommendations. On the 4^th, the Task Force will share a summary of its draft recommendations, well as a survey for participates to use to provide feedback. All materials will be available online at www.howardcountymd.gov/HousingTaskForce. Participants can also share their comments with the Task Force by emailing housingtaskforce@howardcountymd.gov.

In addition to the survey, the Task Force will also be hosting two virtual Open House meetings to offer participants the opportunity to ask the Project Team questions about the draft recommendations. The Open House meetings will take place Tuesday, November 10^th from noon to 1:00 p.m. (and Wednesday, November 18^th from 7:00 to 8 p.m. For Zoom and dial in information, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/housingtaskforce.

For questions and/or more information, contact Housing at 410-313-6318 or email housingtaskforce@howardcountymd.gov.

This November, our Office of Human Rights (OHR) has partnered with local business Nava Be Diné, to honor Native American Heritage Month (NAHM) and pay tribute to the rich ancestry, cultures and traditions of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Together, the two will host a month-long celebration, providing residents with the opportunity to learn how to hoop dance, cook Navajo Frybread and Mohawk Akwesasne Corn Soup, and more. The NAHM celebration will conclude on November 30^th with a “We Are Still Here” panel discussion, featuring Native American equity workers, artists and community leaders conversing about Native American cultural resilience, civil rights and the survival of Indigenous communities. For a complete NAMH schedule of events, click HERE. 

For questions and/or more information about NAMH, contact OHR at 410-313-6430 or email OHRoutreach@howardcountymd.gov.

CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of the Human Rights Commission’s 2020 Human Rights Award: Jumel Howard, Erika Strauss Chavarria, Charmaine Y. Yuan (winner of the inaugural Human Rights Student Award) and The Horizon Foundation. These three individuals and community organization were recognized for their exemplary citizenship, dedicated leadership and outstanding achievement in eliminating or eradicating discrimination, all while advancing human rights for all who call our great county home. To read more about this year’s award recipients, who were recognized during a virtual ceremony last month, click HERE.

Join our Office of Human Rights’ LGBTQ+ Workgroup this Thursday, November 12^th for a “Getting to Know Your LGBTQ+ Neighbor” virtual panel discussion featuring four members of our LGBTQ+ community who will be sharing their stories. Moderated by Dr. Juls Gilliama, the panel discussion will begin at 7:00 p.m. To register to participate, visit https://tinyurl.com/howardcountylgbtq. 

In case you missed it, back on October 29th, I launched the 21-day public comment period for our Howard County Forest Conservation Manual draft. This “how-to” guide describes in detail how forest conservation should be accomplished before, during and after the development process, so that planners and developers have the same standards to reference, resulting in better communication, time saved and positive forest conservation outcomes. Additionally, this manual implements the Forest Conservation Act, which I recently updated in order to ensure County compliance with State law, increase forest retention and replanting, reduce use of fee-in-lieu, and improve safeguards for the environment.

To review the manual and provide, please visit our Department of Planning and Zoning’s (DPZ) public comment portal; for instructions on how to provide comments through the portal, click HERE. Additional information is also available on DPZ’s “Environmental Planning” website or if you have questions, please contact Ms. Susan Overstreet with DPZ at 410-313-4345 or email soverstreet@howardcountymd.gov.

Our Howard County Police Department (HCPD) is seeking the public's help to locate a dark-colored sedan, small SUV or crossover vehicle with front-end damage, including the driver’s side headlight, that investigators believe struck a 17-year-old girl around 1:36 a.m. on Sunday, November 1^st on MD 108 just east of Phelps Luck Drive in Columbia. Sadly, HCPD has learned that the victim had succumbed to her injuries and passed away. 

If you spot this car or have seen one in your area, HCPD is asking that you please note the license plate and contact police immediately at 410-313-STOP or HCPDcrimetips@howardcountymd.gov. This investigation is ongoing and HCPD is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for any information in the case.

Tomorrow, November 10^th, our Department of Public Works (DPW) will hold a virtual public meeting to present plans for an outfall stabilization project along Carrigan Drive in Ellicott City. Improvements to the site will include the repair of approximately 265 linear feet of a severely eroded storm drain outfall channel located between 9945 and 9949 Carrigan Drive to reduce erosion and sedimentation in the Little Patuxent River. The County plans to construct approximately 170 linear feet of storm drain pipe and a series of rock grade control structures along the channel to reduce the water velocity. This project is expected to begin winter 2020.

For more information about this meeting and how to participate, click HERE.

As announced in last week’s bulletin, DPW will be holding a virtual public meeting on Thursday, November 12^th to present plans for the installation of a mid-block crossing on Main Street in Ellicott City. The project will include the construction of an ADA-compliant pedestrian crossing with related signage improvements near the Caplan’s building at 8125 Main Street. Weather permitting, the project is expected to begin in February 2021 and be completed in April 2021.

To learn more about this meeting and how to participate, click HERE. PLEASE NOTE, the meeting number/access code for this virtual Webex meeting has changed, it is now 172 313 9199. The password is still “password.” 

To learn about DPW Capital 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 website and search by “County” to learn more about State road projects in Howard County.

Last night (Sunday, November 8^th), the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) began overnight pavement repairs to two bridge decks on northbound I-95 in Columbia. One bridge is located on the eastbound MD 32 (Patuxent Freeway) exit ramp to northbound I-95 and the other is over Guilford Road. As part of the work, SHA crews will be closing the eastbound MD 32 exit ramp and one left lane of northbound I-95 at 8:00 p.m. each night. A second left lane of northbound I-95 will also be closed starting at 9:00 p.m. Motorists on eastbound MD 32 traveling to northbound I-95 will be detoured to the US 1 interchange and then westbound MD 32 to reach their destination. All lanes will reopen by 5:00 a.m. the next day. The repairs will be done Sunday night through Friday morning and are expected to take two weeks to complete, weather permitting.

REMINDER: While Howard County Government offices will be CLOSED this Wednesday, November 11^th for the Veterans Day holiday, the County’s curbside collection holiday slide schedule will NOT be in effect. There will be regular Wednesday curbside trash, recycling, food scrap and yard trim collection on the 11^th as the Veterans Day holiday is NOT one of the six holidays that affects curbside collection. The six holidays that do affect curbside collection are: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. To learn more about the County's holiday slide schedule, check out www.howardcountymd.gov/holidayschedule.

Face coverings are one our vital tools we have to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, our Department of Recreation & Parks’ RecZone child care locations were gifted with free face coverings for its staff and participants by the Million Mask Challenge. A craftivist-led initiative, the Million Mask Challenge is a volunteer network comprised of more than 4,000 craftivists who sew and make items to donate in the fight against COVID-19. I liked to extend a thank you to tis group of crafters for this generous donation.

There’s a mystery afoot in Old Ellicott City this month with “ClueDunit” in town. The Premise: Recreation & Parks has received an award-winning sculpture to put on display in downtown Ellicott City. While Recreation & Parks staff placed the sculpture in a location between the Patapsco Female Institute and the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum, it’s gone missing! Help Recreation & Parks locate this missing sculpture by taking part in this family-friendly scavenger hunt along Ellicott City’s Main Street, seeking out clues to help you crack the case and catch the caper. For a game map, checklist, complete contest rules and more, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/cluedunit.

Once done, be sure to submit your findings to Recreation & Parks so that your team will be entered to win prizes drawn randomly each week. 

On November 21^st, Recreation & Parks’ Robinson Nature Center’s popular shopping event, Mistletoe at Midday Makers Mart, returns for another holiday season! Meet local artisans and shop for handmade and sustainable wares at physically distanced vendor tables outside and inside the Nature Center. The center gift shop will also be offering a 10 percent discount on all items. To learn more about this year’s mart and/or to purchase a vendor space, click HERE.

Thank you to everyone who participated in Recreation & Parks’ first annual Great Outdoors Initiative! Forty-four participants have been randomly selected as recipients of some of Recreation & Parks’ awesome prizes offered by these great sponsors: Dick’s Sporting Goods; Shadowland Laser Adventures; Ledo Pizza in Columbia; Robinson Nature Center and Recreation & Parks’ Adventure & Outdoor Programs. To find out if you are winner, check out Recreation & Parks’ #AtHomewithHoCoRec website and under “Online Programs” click on the “All Ages” tab. Thank you again and I hope you enjoyed getting outdoors this October and will continue to enjoy our great outdoors all year long. 

Be sure to join myself, transportation staff from our Office of Transportation, DPW and HCPD, and the General Manager for the Regional Transportation Agency next Wednesday, November 18^th for a Transportation Town Hall event. Set to start at 6:00 p.m., we will be discussing transportation safety, complete street, transit and more. Residents can watch the Town Hall live from my Facebook page or through WebEx. You can also submit transportation questions in advance to TownHall@HowardCountymd.gov.