Our goal is to keep our residents safe, reduce the amount of flood water in historic Ellicott City, and preserve the historic nature of our town. Our work has led to where we are today, breaking ground on the first of several upcoming flood mitigation projects as part of my EC Safe and Sound Plan.

Last week, I joined Governor Larry Hogan, Senator Katie Fry Hester, Delegates Courtney Watson and Mark Chang , Howard County Council Member Liz Walsh, Ellicott City Partnership Executive Director Chris Pineda, and others for the groundbreaking of the H7 pond. This project will reduce the amount of water that runs off the site by more than 30% in a 100-year storm, keeping more water from flowing to Historic Ellicott City during a severe weather event.

Read more about our announcement here.

To date in Howard County, we’ve had 20,489 cases of COVID-19 and 259 deaths. As of 9:00am today, our 7-day average positivity rate is 3.15% and our 7-day average case rate per 100,000 of our population is 11.36. There are currently 13 COVID-19 patients in both ICU and Acute Care units.

Case rates in Howard County have increased since the end of July and the vast majority of new cases are among unvaccinated persons. Howard County recently met the threshold for “substantial” community spread according to the CDC. At this time, public health officials recommend everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wears masks in public indoor settings. As of Saturday, August 14th, individuals must wear masks in all Howard County Government buildings.

According to the Maryland Department of Health, 87.2% of Howard County residents 12+ have received at least one dose and 81.9% are fully vaccinated. Howard County continues to lead the state with our vaccination progress, but we are still working to ensure everyone who wants a vaccine can receive one. 

Getting vaccinated is the single most effective way to prevent hospitalization or death from COVID-19. Today, the Pfizer vaccine received full approval from the FDA, replacing the previous Emergency Use Authorization. This approval puts the vaccine on par with other vaccines we receive. 

If you haven't already received your shot - now's the time. Encourage your family and friends to visit vaccine.howardcountymd.gov to find a clinic nearby. Let’s protect ourselves and our loved ones.

If you have:

I strongly encourage you to get tested as soon as possible. As we see the rise of the Delta variant, please remember that it is possible to have COVID-19 and not have any symptoms.

Additionally, in order to prevent further spread of COVID-19, it’s important that residents who have tested positive work cooperatively with our contact tracers to keep our community safe. We've slowed the spread before, and we can do it again by working together, and taking the precautions we know are effective.

For more information, please click here.

Magic is in the air!

Howard County was thrilled to host the Major League Quidditch championships at Troy Park over the weekend. Quidditch is about the community, good sportsmanship, and fun. This was the perfect event to bring our community together after 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank you to the Major League Quidditch, Amanda and Ethan, and the Howard County Recreation and Parks for your collaboration to bring this tournament to Howard County.

BoCa Flavor was established to share bold Caribbean flavors with the world. Those who are bringing the traditional and nostalgic feel of the Caribbean flavors are best friends Suzanne and Jelece who are adding a modern twist to their food. They’re on a mission to awaken the world to the everyday goodness of Caribbean fare on mouthful at a time.

Throughout the month, please continue to support our small, local black-owned businesses across the county. Learn more about BoCa Flavor here.

While our children and educators are busy preparing for the start of another school year, we’ve been busy working to build new and better schools for their future. We prioritized increased funding for school construction and have successfully moved the top three priority projects for our school system into the construction phase; Hammond High School, Talbott Spring Elementary School, and High School 13. 

I joined Howard County Public School System Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano to provide a comprehensive update on our school construction projects. Watch this video to learn more.

The gateway to a world of dreams comes from education. As our educators returned to the classroom last week. I wish them the best for the new school year. Our teachers have remained resilient through the COVID-19 pandemic, and have kept our safety and learning opportunities for our students at the forefront.

May the new school year bring you newer opportunities to shine!

Howard County is the perfect home for the new Busboys and Poets. We’re preparing to welcome the largest of their locations to our growing Merriweather District in Columbia, a central place for so many of our residents and visitors.

I recently joined Andy Shallal, owner of Busboys and Poets to tour the site as they prepare to open this fall. Watch this video for a behind the scenes preview of their progress!

Pong’s Orchard is a small unique orchard/nursery operating on 26 acres where they grow Asian pears, apples, cherries, figs, persimmons and plums. The farm also has a wide variety of fruit and citrus trees for sale which they will show you not to grow. Pongs Orchard sells their products at several local farmers markets including the Clarksville Commons Farmers Market on Saturday’s between 10 AM – 2 PM.

For more information on Pong's Orchard, click here.

Interested in testing for COVID-19 Antibodies?

COVID-19 has killed over 250 Howard County residents and infected more than 19,000 people in our community. We want to understand the effects of the disease on Howard County residents. An antibody test, also called a serology test, typically checks for antibodies in your blood or saliva, which shows whether you might have been infected in the past with COVID-19. Howard County and researchers from the Johns Hopkins University – Applied Physics Laboratory are looking for Howard County residents to help us understand how COVID-19 has impacted our community.

Results from the test will be mailed to participants within 4-6 weeks. Residents of all ages are eligible to participate, and it will be a saliva test.

Find more FAQS and information regarding this study here.

As the Maryland Association of Counties Summer Conference was underway last week, I was reminded of our collaboration to establish the Diversity Caucus. This Caucus was created as an innovative opportunity to unite and empower people of color to create positive change in our communities.

It’s important for those who represent communities of color to have a dedicated forum to address specific issues and I’m grateful for how far this caucus has come since we initially launched in 2012. I’m proud to be here with members of my senior staff and cabinet, the most diverse in Howard County history.

Read more about our efforts here.

From the Maryland Department of Health, 87.2% of Howard County residents that are 12 and older have received at least one does and 81.9% are fully vaccinated. Howard County continues to take the lead in the vaccination progress within Maryland and remains the only jurisdiction within the state to have more than 80% of eligible residents fully vaccinated. 

The most effective way to prevent hospitalization or death from COVID-19 is through vaccination. Encourage those who haven’t taken the vaccine yet to visit vaccine.howardcountymd.gov to find a clinic nearby

Here in Howard County, we remain committed to addressing the needs of persons with disabilities, to ensure they are able to thrive in all facets of life in our community. That is why I am seeking applicants, specifically those who have a disability, are relatives of a person with a disability, members of the general public or are board or staff members of an agency providing services to persons with disabilities, to serve on the County’s Commission on Disabilities. Comprised of 15 members, this Commission plays a vital role working towards this goal, addressing challenges with housing, transit, recreation, and more so that people of all ages and abilities feel welcome and empowered in Howard County. If you are interested in serving on this Commission, I encourage you to click HERE today to learn more about the eligibility requirements and details on how to apply. Please note, the DEADLINE to apply is this Friday, August 27^th.

Howard County is working towards becoming a more age-friendly community and that important work starts with valued input from our residents. If you are 55 and older and are interested in helping us promote successful aging for older adults and make Howard County the best place to live, no matter your age, I encourage you to apply today for our Commission on Aging. Comprised of 15 members, Commissioners participate in community activities, research and advise the County Executive on policies, programs and practices that impact the health and wellbeing of older adults and their families, and provide advice and support to county agencies, non-profits and other stakeholders working to create an equitable, livable and accessible community for all older adults in Howard County. For more details on this Commission and how to apply, click HERE. Note, the DEADLINE to apply is next Friday, September 3^rd.

Save the Date for September 11^th Remembrance Ceremony

I invite all of Howard County to join me, my fellow elected officials and command members from our Police and Fire Departments and Howard County Sheriff’s Office, as we honor and pay tribute to all who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, including the four victims from Howard County, with a remembrance wreath laying ceremony on Saturday, September 11^th. The ceremony will begin promptly at 8:46 a.m., marking the time the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center, and will take place in the Garden of Hope, located across from the white outdoor amphitheater at Centennial Park, South.

The Howard County Health Department (HCHD) is now providing third doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to those considered moderately to severely immunocompromised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A complete list of those currently eligible for a third dose under this new guidance can be found on the CDC's website.

For those that received the J&J/Janssen vaccine, as noted on the CDC’s website under its “Frequently Asked Questions” section, the FDA’s recent Emergency Use Authorization amendment only applies to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, as does the CDC’s recommendation. Emerging data have demonstrated that immunocompromised people who have low or no protection following two doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines may have an improved response after an additional dose of the same vaccine. However, there is not enough data at this time to determine whether immunocompromised people who received the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine also have an improved antibody response following an additional dose of the same vaccine.

Before making an appointment with HCHD for your third dose, HCHD says the most important first step is TALKING TO YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER about your condition and whether a third dose is appropriate for you. If you meet the CDD third dose eligibility requirements and your healthcare provider advises getting the dose, you can then schedule an appointment for any HCHD COVID-19 vaccination clinic online or by calling 410-313-6284. While HCHD will not require proof or doctor's note for a third dose, individuals will be asked to self-attest that they meet one of the CDC eligibility recommendations to make sure vaccines get to those identified as needing this dose.

Misplaced you 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.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a new order temporarily halting residential evictions in certain counties due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and the rise of the Delta variant. As noted by the Maryland Attorney General’s Consumer Alerts notification, because residential evictions can result in homelessness and an increase in shared living spaces, which in turn puts individuals at higher risk for contracting COVID-19, this new CDC order specifically targets counties that currently have a substantial or high level of community transmission. The latest data from the CDC shows that COVID-19 community transmission in Howard County has reached the “Substantial” level.

Set to expire October 3, 2021, this new order provides some targeted and limited protections that will extend beyond those contained in the Maryland Executive Order limiting residential evictions for non-payment of rent, which expired on August 15^th. For more information, please click HERE.

If you are in need of assistance with paying past due rent and/or utility bills, please keep in mind, as I announced earlier this month, financial assistance is still available through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program grant from the U.S. Treasury. I strongly encourage tenants impacted by the COVID-19 to contact one of the County’s partner agencies to apply for assistance. If you have already received assistance from one of our partners agencies and are still in need of additional assistance, please contact same partner for further assistance. Please, household income limits apply.

Landlords, if you are not aware, Howard County has also partnered with The United Way’s STEP (Strategic Targeted Eviction Prevention) program with $4.6 million in rental assistance funds from the state. These funds are paid to landlords directly on behalf of tenants with past due rent balances.

For more information regarding available assistance, please click HERE or contact our Department of Housing and Community Development at 410-313-6318 or email housing@howardcountymd.gov.

Your voice matters! This month, our Office of Human Rights and Equity (OHRE) Equity and Restorative Practices Unit is conducting a community equity audit to help us identify institutional and structural practices that produce inequities in services, policies and access. Focused on three key areas: (1) racial and social equity, (2) opportunity and (3) quality of life, this audit matters because every resident – child, youth, family, individual – in Howard County matters. To participate and share your voice with OHRE, click HERE today to complete the audit survey (available in English, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin and Traditional Chinese).

OHRE’s Outreach Unit’s Humanity Matters Dialogue Series is set to return Wednesday, October 20^th (please note this new start date from what was previously announced). Through this award-winning series, participants learn how to authentically interact with people from different races and cultures through the sharing of dialogue, historical and socio-economic data, all while gaining effective communication skills with the intention of creating a more inclusive and supportive community. To register for this five-part series, click HERE. For questions and/or more information about this or future workshops and training opportunities, please contact OHRE at 410-313-6430 or email OHRoutreach@howardcountymd.gov.

In case you missed it, today is the last day to submit applications for Howard County Police Department (HCPD) 2021-2022 Teen Court session. Geared towards high school students in grades nine to 12 and under the age of 18, Teen Court is a real justice program for teens by teens. Teen Court volunteers serve as members of a peer jury in real first-time juvenile offender misdemeanor cases, such as theft, disorderly conduct, destruction of property, alcohol possession and other non-violent offenses. Volunteers then render dispositions for the offenders, which may include community service, educational programs, essays and apology letters. Teen Court allows these offenders the opportunity to accept responsibility for their misdemeanor crimes without having to incur a criminal record. The program has proven successful in reducing rates of repeat offenders in other jurisdictions.

To apply, download the application HERE and return it to Katie Turner, Teen Court Coordinator, via email before the end of the day today, August 23^rd. For questions and more information, email kturner@howardcountymd.gov.

As students prepare to return to school on August 30th, HCPD is working to ensure that children, parents and teachers all arrive safely. Through its continuing back-to-school program H.A.S.T.E. (Helping Arriving Students Through Enforcement), HCPD will focus on enforcing speed, seat belt and child safety seat laws in school zones. Traffic patrols will be in place on roadways surrounding elementary, middle and high schools for the first two weeks of the school year. Officers will be working to identify drivers who are speeding in those areas, as well as checking for seat belt and child safety seat use to ensure all occupants are properly restrained.

HCPD will also be utilizing its speed camera in school zones to encourage drivers to slow down with fines set at $40. The cameras are rotated among various school zones throughout the county, which are posted in advance and updated every week.

Additionally, HCPD is reminding motorists that buses serving the Howard County Public School System are outfitted with external cameras. Launched this past March, the purpose of the program is to ensure student safety by discouraging motorists from passing buses.

HCPD’s Financial Crimes Unit is continuing to investigate hundreds of Unemployment Insurance fraud claims that have been received through its online reporting (Coplogic) system. Understandably, many of those reporting a fraud claim prefer not to provide certain personal information due to concerns of further identity theft. However, in order to track a person's claim, the Maryland Department of Labor requires certain information be provided. Those falling into this category will be receiving an email from HCPD with instructions on how to proceed, to include contact information for the investigating detective and how to provide their information directly to a uniformed HCPD officer, if preferred. Please DO NOT call 911 to provide the requested information. For questions and/or to speak to someone further regarding this matter, please contact HCPD directly at 410-313-3200.

HCPD’s Coffee with a Cop is back! This outreach program offers residents the opportunity to come meet face-to-face with officers in an informal and neutral place to discuss issues, ask questions and build relationships one cup of coffee (or any beverage of your choice) at a time. As always, coffee and conversation are on the house. For upcoming dates, times and locations, stay tuned HCPD’s social media (Facebook and Twitter) accounts. For more information and/or questions, contact HCPD's Community Outreach Division at 410-313-2207.

Our Office of Procurement and Contract Administration’s Local Business Initiative strives to promote the growth and success of local businesses and to increase the percentage of County procurement dollars flowing to local businesses. However, through frank conversations with residents, businesses and the Chamber of Commerce to understand the challenges our business community faces, we have learned we can need to do more to increase opportunities for procurement within the County and the flow of procurement dollars back into our community. That is why I recently signed an Executive Order (EO) that establishes new rules for awarding procurement dollars to local businesses that further strengthens our Local Business Initiative. The EO contains the following updates:

If you have questions and/or for more information, feel free to contact DPW's Bureau of Highways at 410-313-7450 or email highways@howardcountymd.gov.

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.

Don’t forget Howard County, the upcoming Labor 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 September 6^th due to the holiday. The County's holiday "slide schedule" will therefore be in effect the week of Labor Day, with Monday's pickup sliding to Tuesday, Tuesday to Wednesday and so forth.

Want the latest Department of Recreation & Parks events and activity news delivered straight to your inbox? Then I encourage you to sign up today for Recreation & Park’s mailing list by clicking HERE.

Registration for our Department of Recreation & Parks’ 2021 Fall Activity Guide is now OPEN for Howard County and non-county residents. With new and returning special events, programs, sports leagues, adult classes and more, there is something for everyone in your household this up and coming season. The Fall Activity Guide is available for viewing online and online, mail-in, phone-in or in-person registration is available.

Thank you to everyone who joined our Department of Recreation & Parks last Saturday, August 14^th for its annual Rockburn Open Car Show at Rockburn Branch Park. I would also like to extend a special CONGRATULATOINS to all the 2021 winners! If you were not able to join us for the show, you can photos from this spectacular event online HERE.

If you are interested in volunteering with our upcoming archaeological explorations, please contact Kelly Palich at kpalich@howardcountymd.gov for more information.

Tickets for Recreation & Parks 2021 Truck or Treat are now on sale! Set to take place Saturday, October 30^th, this fan favorite event is once again bringing the family friendly spook and a "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. Please note, tickets are limited, so be sure to purchase yours today before they sell out. For the latest updates, be sure to check and stay tuned to Recreation & Park’s event Facebook page.