Howard Library System Goes Fine Free
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County News / Education / News You Can Use / Now Hear This
Howard Library System Goes Fine Free

As of August 1, the Howard County Library System wiped all accounts clean of existing overdue fines with exception for items in the DIY and art collections. Libraries that have eliminated overdue fines have found that return rates increase due to removing the threat of accumulating fines, which account for just two percent of Howard County Library System's budget. From the media release: Why fine free? It removes a barrier to access: Being fine free is…

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August 5, 2020
Hogan Exempts Schools from Local Health Orders Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
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Coronavirus / County News / Education / General Assembly News / News You Can Use / Now Hear This
Hogan Exempts Schools from Local Health Orders Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Today, Governor Larry Hogan issued an Executive Order prohibiting "blanket school closures" in Maryland. Hogan amended a prior emergency order that authorizes Local Health Officers to close any facility deemed unsafe according to community health metrics. Today's order prohibits Local Health Officers from closing schools and instead grants public and private schools complete authority over the reopening of facilities for in-person instruction based on public health guidance. Section 1.(e)(i) removes schools from the list of…

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August 3, 2020
Revised CDC Isolation Times a Reminder for Non-Static HR Policies
County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use / Now Hear This
Revised CDC Isolation Times a Reminder for Non-Static HR Policies

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised its guidance for determining when non-hospitalized individuals with COVID-19 may end home isolation and return to work. Previously, the CDC referenced a timeline of 14 days for employees to quarantine from the workplace after testing positive for COVID-19, new guidance is not a 'one-size-fits-all rule.' According to HR Dive, the updated guidance states that those with COVID-19 symptoms directed to care for themselves at home may…

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July 31, 2020
Clarence Crawford Elected President of the Maryland State Board of Education
Education / Now Hear This / School Construction and Capital Budgets
Clarence Crawford Elected President of the Maryland State Board of Education

The Maryland State Board of Education unanimously voted to elect Clarence Crawford as president and Jean Halle as vice president for the 2020-2021 term. President Crawford was appointed as a board member in 2019 and currently serves as an adjunct professor at American University.  He "is a recipient of the Meritorious Presidential Rank Award, the African American Federal Executive Association’s Ebenezer Bassett Award, and is an elected NAPA Fellow. He earned his MPA in Finance and…

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July 30, 2020
Hogan Expands Mask Order, Issues Out-Of-State Travel Advisory
Coronavirus / County News / Economic Development / General Assembly News / News You Can Use / Now Hear This
Hogan Expands Mask Order, Issues Out-Of-State Travel Advisory

Governor Larry Hogan today held a press conference to provide an update on Maryland's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and expand public health advisories in the state. Governor Hogan announced that while Maryland has not been identified as one of the 21 'red zone' states due to increasing virus diagnoses per capita, the state is at a "fork in the road" in terms of  managing the virus' ongoing spread. According to Governor Hogan, the statewide…

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July 29, 2020
MACo Signs Joint Letter Detailing Unemployment Insurance Concerns
Coronavirus / County Budgets / County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use / Now Hear This
MACo Signs Joint Letter Detailing Unemployment Insurance Concerns

MACo signed on to a joint letter, addressed to Maryland Secretary of Labor Tiffany Robinson, detailing concerns about second quarter billings already being sent out to reimbursors for unemployment insurance (UI), despite the recent passage of S. 4209 Protecting Nonprofits from the Catastrophic Cash Flow Strain Act. Signed by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, Inc., Maryland Nonprofits, The Y in Central Maryland, and MACo, the…

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July 27, 2020
Howard Introduces Electric School Bus Pilot Program, Supports Environmental Commitment
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County News / Education / Now Hear This / Transportation and Public Works
Howard Introduces Electric School Bus Pilot Program, Supports Environmental Commitment

Howard County Public School System is introducing two electric buses in a pilot program supported by a grant from the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) and in partnership with bus contractor MBG Enterprises and BGE. The two zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) school buses and charging stations will replace current diesel powered vehicles in Howard County. The $812,377 pilot grant is supported by an MDE grant as well as funds from project partners MBG Enterprises, an…

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July 1, 2020
Join Garrett in Webinar Addressing Food Insecurities
County News / Health and Human Services / Now Hear This
Join Garrett in Webinar Addressing Food Insecurities

Garrett County will be hosting a webinar Thursday, June 25, from 8:00 am - 9:30 pm to talk about how the community is working together to address food insecurities. Join Garrett County Health Planning Council for a virtual meeting this Thursday to hear from agencies and volunteers about how to address food insecurities in the community. From the press release: "We each have our own ideas about what it means to be healthy, what we…

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June 24, 2020
Carroll Ranked Fifth-Best County in the Nation for Protecting and Providing for Kids
County News / Education / Health and Human Services / Housing and Community Development / Now Hear This
Carroll Ranked Fifth-Best County in the Nation for Protecting and Providing for Kids

The Childhood Report produced by Save the Children ranks Carroll County fifth of more than 2,600 counties based on how well they protect and provide for children. The Childhood Report is the first-ever ranking of United States counties where children are most and least prioritized based on four factors: child hunger, poor education, teenage pregnancy, and early death due to ill health, accident, murder, or suicide. Maryland ranks 10th out of the 50 states with…

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June 23, 2020
Hogan Expands Phase 2 to Include Deluge of Reopenings – Including Indoor Dining, Schools, Casinos, and Malls
Coronavirus / County News / Economic Development / News You Can Use / Now Hear This
Hogan Expands Phase 2 to Include Deluge of Reopenings – Including Indoor Dining, Schools, Casinos, and Malls

Governor Larry Hogan held a press conference today to announce more reopenings in Stage Two of the "Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery." “Because of the early and aggressive actions taken, we have not only flattened the curve, we have actually crushed the curve in Maryland. Every one of the important metrics in our state has continued to drop across the board in every single jurisdiction.” said Hogan. He announced that the state positivity rate for…

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June 10, 2020
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