Our educators have gone above and beyond to ensure all our students can thrive. They have managed the demands of switching from virtual to hybrid modes of instruction, all the while caring for the health and safety of their own families. 

In recognition of the critical role these dedicated individuals have and continue to play in serving our community, today I’m committing $8 million of our American Rescue Plan allocation to provide bonuses to our educators, subject to our approval of the bonus structure utilized to support school system employees. 

Please watch my full statement and our efforts to support our educators. Read more about this allocation here.

The current East Columbia 50+ Center serves a diverse and vulnerable community that includes approximately 86% who are 60 years or older, 7% below the poverty level and 35% who live alone. This expansion project, which will increase the center from 3,800 square feet to 29,600 square feet, has been a long time coming and is an urgent priority.

We want our residents to feel welcome here, to feel safe, and to connect with their community – and the namesake of this new building has demonstrated those values through their leadership.

This brilliant public servant has contributed so much to Howard County government over the years, on the school board, the Council, as Executive, and to Howard Community College. He never thought of himself as a politician but as a community advocate, which is why we will be naming our newest center the Dr. Edward L. Cochran, East Columbia 50+ Center.

Read more about the groundbreaking here.

For many of our residents, it’s a beloved holiday tradition to walk or drive around our neighborhoods and view the festive holiday lights. Howard County is full of holiday spirit, and we want to share that joy with everyone.

Last week, we launched "HoCo Holiday Lights," - a new interactive map to help our community find homes, businesses, and other lights throughout our county. It also provides an opportunity for our neighbors to flaunt their joyful decorations, and our residents to support local businesses who have also joined in on the holiday spirit.

As we enter the second holiday season in a pandemic, let's do what we can to help spread holiday cheer.

Visit the map and/or register your home or business at howardcountymd.gov/lights

During the holidays, as we approach the end of the year, and more of us are gathering indoors, we strongly encourage residents to remain cautious and take preventative measures to mitigate COVID-19. We are seeing a concerning rise of cases and hospitalizations across the State of Maryland. Following the cyber-attack of the Maryland Department of Health, we have not received data specifically pertaining to Howard County’s positivity and average case rates since December 3rd. However, Maryland’s 7-day average positivity rate is 10.27%, which is an increase from 5.48% on December 4th. 

This is a serious cause for concern as we are unsure how fast this variant is spreading. The CDC continues to recommend that everyone 2 years of age or older who is not fully vaccinated should wear a mask in indoor public places. The Howard County mask mandate in all Government buildings is still in effect. 

The best action to take ahead of the holidays is to get vaccinated and boosted. That is the very best way to protect yourselves, your loved ones, and our community against COVID-19. If you are not yet vaccinated, please roll up your sleeve and get your shot. If you are vaccinated, please get your booster shot, as soon as you are eligible, per CDC guidelines and advise of your doctor.

To find a COVID-19 vaccine clinic near you, including those offering booster and children’s shots, visit vaccine.howardcountymd.gov, call 410-313-6284, or contact your medical provider.

In case you missed it: The CDC approved COVID-19 booster shots for our youth 16 and 17 years-old. At this time, those who fall in this category can receive the Pfizer booster at least 6 months after their second dose.

There is no better time to get a booster and/or COVID-19 vaccine. The Howard County Health Department has appointments available for residents who wish to receive any form of a COVID-19 vaccine. To schedule your appointment, please visit vaccine.howardcountymd.gov

With the holiday's around the corner, 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.

It was my pleasure to join the Korean Society of Maryland for the inauguration of incoming President Mrs. Helen Won. She’s an incredible partner and community advocate who truly serves as a helping hand for our Korean American community.

Thank you to the leadership of the outgoing President Tae Soo Lee. I look forward to our continued partnerships to ensure every member of our community feels heard, respected, and valued.

For six years, Howard County Toys for Tots has provided thousands of free toys to children and families in our community. This year, we distributed nearly 10,000 toys to more than 1,200 families in Howard County.

A huge thank you to Kim Pruim, Director of Constituent Services and Community Partnerships, and Howard County Recreation and Parks for their coordination in today’s event. Thank you to every person who contributed, donated, and volunteered this year. It’s a testament to our values in fostering a better community for all. 

Special thank you to TGI Fridays for not only helping collect donations, but for also donating food for our hardworking volunteers. 

Together, we will ensure every child can have a merry, bright, and happy holiday!

The holidays are a special time for everyone, and after a tough year, it’s important that members of our community have the resources needed to thrive. I was pleased to join Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services for their Annual Holiday event to distribute nearly 400 gift cards to residents in need at the Long Reach Village Center, North Laurel MultiService Center, and the Elkridge 50+ Center.

Let’s continue to support each other and ensure that our community has a happy and healthy holiday.

Do you hear the sleigh bells ringing? 

There's only a few days left to mail your letters to Santa with our Howard County Library System. Visit one of our six branches across the county, look for the red mailbox, and mail your letter to Santa by noon on Thursday, December 23rd. 

Let's do our part to make it a merry, bright, and happy holidays for all!

Throughout this pandemic, businesses and organizations have faced challenges with employee turnover and recruitment. We’re seeing this issue across industries, including transportation. To continue ensuring excellent service to our community – so that many of our residents can get to work, to the grocery store, and to their doctor's appointment, we must recruit and retain drivers.

Our goal has always been to increase the reliability and accessibility of transportation here in Howard County for people of all abilities – and the efforts we’ve outlined are a step forward to address this driver shortage.

We know from our riders that they need a reliable transit system to get to work, shop for groceries and reach medical providers. These wage increases, and bonuses, are vital to not only attract – but retain our drivers and, through the provision of reliable service, improve the lives of others.

Read more about our wage increases here.

The need for additional school capacity has been a pressing issue for years. Last week, the County Council approved my legislation to transfer land acquired by the County for the future Turf Valley Elementary School to the Howard County Public School System. 

The need for this site was identified in 2015, but little progress was made until 2019. Now, this will be the 44th elementary school in Howard County and will help address school overcrowding in the area. 

We look forward to continued partnership to prepare and support ready and successful students by ensuring all our children and educators have the best teaching and learning environment possible

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.

County Government offices, 50+ centers, courts, animal shelter and Recreation & Parks’ Cedar Lane and Schooley Mill Activity Rooms and Meadowbrook Athletic Complex will be closed this Friday, December 24^th in observance of the Christmas holiday. While open on the 24^th, the Alpha Ridge Landfill will close early at 2:00 p.m. and Recreation & Parks’ Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum and Robinson Nature Center will close at 3:00 p.m. and Gary J. Arthur, North Laurel and Roger Carter Community Centers will close at 5:00 p.m. The county historic sites closed for the season yesterday, December 19^th.

There will be regular Friday curbside trash, recycling, yard trim and food scrap collection on December 24^th. However, for residents who live in Historic Ellicott City and its nearby communities who normally receive Saturday trash collection, the Bureau of Environmental Services will be sliding these households Saturday trash collection back one day. That is, Saturday, December 25^th collection will take place on Friday, December 24^th.

Additionally, the County’s Alpha Ridge Landfill and Recreation & Parks’ Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum, Cedar Lane and Schooley Mill Activity Rooms, Gary J. Arthur, North Laurel and Roger Carter Community Centers, Meadowbrook Athletic Complex and Robinson Nature Center will be closed on Saturday, December 25^th. While County park gates will be open on the December 24^th and 25^th, there will be no staff on duty. 

The Regional Transportation Agency (RTA) buses will operate on a limited schedule on December 24^th and will not operate on December 25^th. For more information on RTA, call 1-800-270-9553 or visit www.transitrta.com. Also, parking fees will not be enforced on December 24^th and 25^th. 

County operations will resume on Monday, December 27^th at regular business hours. As a reminder, all employees and the public are currently required to wear masks upon entry to county government buildings, and throughout common areas, including elevators, stairwells, and/or meetings with other employees or visitors.

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.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration-authorized Azova COVID-19 Saliva PCR at-home testing kits are now available for pick-up at HCHD testing and vaccine clinics. More comfortable than traditional nasal swab, these take home test kits allow for testing on your schedule. To learn more, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/covid-19-testing.

I invite you to join myself, our Office of Human Rights and Equity’s (OHRE) and the County’s Department of Recreation & Parks on Tuesday, December 28^th at 6:00 p.m. for a virtual Kwanzaa Celebration. With inspirational speeches and musical performances, we will explore the creativity, self-determination and faith of Black people during this annual holiday celebration. If joining us in person, we ask that your please register as seating is limited; however, if you will be joining us virtually, you can watch the program live on OHRE’s Facebook page.

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.

Beginning this month and running through February 1, 2022, Howard County’s Department of Public Works (DPW) will be conducting a survey of septic system owners within the County’s Water and Sewer Planned Service Area. This voluntary survey will evaluate septic owners’ interest in connecting to public sewer and the information collected will only be used to help the County plan future projects. To learn more about this survey, click HERE.

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.

With Christmas and New Year’s falling on a Saturday this year, DPW’s Bureau of Environmental Services will be sliding Saturday trash curbside collection back one day instead of forward for residents in Historic Ellicott City and nearby communities who normally receive Saturday trash collection. That is, Saturday, December 25^th collection will take place on Friday, December 24^th and Saturday, January 1^st collection will take place on Friday, December 31^st. There will be REGULAR Friday trash, recycling, food scrap and yard trim collection for all other residents who normally have Friday collection on Christmas Eve. The Alpha Ridge Landfill will also be open on the 24^th; however, it will close at 2:00 p.m. on Friday. The Landfill will be closed on Christmas Day.

For questions and/ore more information about Historic Ellicott City curbside collection, check out the Bureau’s new “Historic Ellicott City Trash & Recycling” webpage or contact the Bureau at 410-313-6444 or email help@howardcountyrecycles.org. 

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.

Recreation and Parks' Wincopin Trail, located at 9299 Vollmerhausen Road in Jessup, is now closed through Thursday, December 23^rd to allow crews the opportunity to safely remove hazardous trees and branches from the trail. Weather permitting, the trail will reopen at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, December 24^th.

If you are looking for an activity for your child to partake in during their winter break, I encourage you to check out Recreation & Parks winter break programs and activities, ranging from LEGO to basketball to cooking to theater and more! For the full list of programs and/or to register, click HERE. Please note, some sections are already full.

This holiday season, I invite you to stop by our Baltimore and Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum and Gary J. Arthur Community Center for this year’s train garden spectacular displays!

The train garden at the Baltimore and Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum will feature train models set up throughout the museum, including in the museum’s year-round exhibit in the Freight House. This free event is open to all ages from November 26^th through January 2^nd, during museum hours.

After visiting the Baltimore and Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum’s train garden, I invite you to stop by the train display at our Gary J. Arthur Community Center, brought to us by train enthusiast Dennis Moore. This year’s layout features four, continuously operating trains through an 8 x 8 foot scenic garden. Visitors of all ages can enjoy an interactive exhibit of accessories and sounds. This train garden is also free to all and open during the center’s operating hours from November 29^th through January 7^th.

Shake, rock and roll those winter blues away with Recreation & Parks’ on Saturday, January 8^th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at its annual Snowflake Ball at the Gary J. Arthur Community Center. Children and parent, or special adult, are invited to an evening of dancing, games, crafts, live DJ and ice cream sundae bar. Geared towards children age four to 12, to purchase your ticket for this wonderful event before it sells out, click HERE. 

Dad’s or special adults are invited to escort their little princess(es) to the County’s Roger Carter Community Center on Saturday, January 23^rd for a memorable evening of dancing and fun at this year’s Sweetheart Dance. There will be dancing, a live DJ, light refreshments, crafts, a souvenir photo and an ice cream sundae bar. Children four to six years old will dance the evening away from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., while the dance floor will open up to seven- to 11-year-old from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. To reserve your spot on the dance floor, click HERE.

Moms and sons, dads, daughters, and loved ones, all are invited to this year’s Valentine’s Dance, a fun-filled evening jam-packed with dancing, games, refreshments, a live DJ, a souvenir photo and a sweet treat. Geared towards kids age three to 12, this year’s dance will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 5^th at the County’s North Laurel Community Center. With just a few spots remaining, be sure to snag your dance tickets today before it’s too late.

Our Department of Recreation & Parks is seeking your input Howard County for its Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan (LPPRP), a comprehensive plan produced every five years that guides the department on key issues, trends and plans for managing and enhancing the systems of preserved public lands, parks and recreation facilities. To learn more about the LPPRP or to provide your input, click HERE.

Last week, I announced new incentives to recruit and retain bus drivers for the Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland (RTA), which is facing a driver shortage. RTA has struggled to maintain the required level of bus operators – particularly those supporting fixed route service with a Commercial Driver’s License, despite previous efforts. The new efforts include:

RTA is also partnering with our Office of Workforce Development to drive the recruitment push and expand outreach by attending virtual and in-person job fairs and hosting an RTA job fair in January.

Due to the driver shortage, RTA has already planned to institute a service reduction on low ridership routes from February to April, or until enough drivers are hired. We are hopeful these new efforts will assist RTA in quickly hiring the necessary drivers in order to prevent these service reductions from occurring and return RTA’s transit operation to its pre-pandemic levels.

To learn more about employment opportunities, please visit RTA’s web page at www.transitRTA.com/employment or email HR@transitrta.com.

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.