You may have already seen the public service announcement we are airing on Fox45 news. If not, watch the video and help us reduce opioid misuse in our community.

Department of Community Resources and Service

I envision a Howard County that fully values every student’s abilities and provides diverse college, career and community opportunities to help them achieve individual success. Together, with the help of the Commission for Transitioning Students with Disabilities, we can promote opportunities for students and young adults with disabilities to exercise self-determination, achieve independence and become fully included in our community. If you share my vision, I encourage you to apply today for the Commission. The Commission is currently seeking a student with a disability and agency provider who serves individuals (a transitioning student) with disabilities to fill current vacancies. To learn more about the Commission and how to apply, click HERE .

Back-to-school supplies are needed for the Howard County MultiService Center’s upcoming backpack and school supplies give away. The MSC is partnering with Southeastern Howard Laurel Chapter Continental Societies, Inc. and Neighbor Network to prepare our students for school. Donations can be dropped off between now and August 19 at the MultiService Center, 9900 Washington Blvd., Suite I in Laurel, 20723, or at the Department of Community Resources and Services, 9830 Patuxent Woods Drive in Columbia, 21046. All donations are greatly appreciated –

Here’s a list of suggested items:

Backpacks 

Pencil case (canvas/fabric with zipper)

Black or blue pens 

Pencil top erasers

Pencil sharpener

#2 pencils (8, 10 or 12 pk)

Pink eraser 

Colored pencils (8, 10, or 12 pk)

Crayons (24 pk)

Glue sticks 

Highlighters 

Magic markers (8-10 pk)

One or two inch (3-ring binder)

Spiral notebooks (1 subject)

Marble composition books

3x5 index cards

Loose-leaf Notebook paper (college or wide-rule)

Rulers

Scissors

If you are interested in giving back to the more than 20,000 veterans and their families who call Howard County home, I encourage you to apply today for the County’s Commission for Veterans and Military Families. Established in 2011, the purpose of the Commission is to assure that the issues of our county’s veterans and military families are addressed effectively and efficiently, and needs met. To learn more about the eligibility requirements and how to apply, click HERE . Deadline to submit your application is Friday, August 23, 2019.

In this week’s FREE summer cooking class, participants will learn how to make acai bowls. Geared towards kids age 8 to 17, participants learn how to cook and healthy cooking basics. Hosted by Healthy Little Cooks and held in partnership with DCRS’ and the East Columbia 50+ Center, classes are held every Wednesday (through August 21) from noon to 2:00 p.m.at the East Columbia 50+ Center in Columbia. With just two weeks left, there is still time to register your child/teen for the final classes. To register and/or for more information, email [email protected] .

 

Together, we can promote healthy eating habits one dish at a time.

With just two weeks left for this summer’s “Weekend Warrior Snack Packs” program, Howard County youth, ages 18 and younger, can still grab their FREE snack pack this Friday, August 16 ^th and next, August 23 ^rd , at the following locations:

 

For more information, contact James Zoller at 443-745-1058 or email [email protected] .

Department of Fire and Rescue Services

In case you missed it in last week’s newsletter , this Friday, August 16, 35 new recruits will join their Department of Fire and Rescue Services (HCDFRS) brothers and sisters as Fire Academy Class 31 is set to graduate. The graduation ceremony will take place at 2:00 p.m. at Grace Community Church in Fulton. CONGRATS Class 31.

Then, next Monday, August 19 ^th , HCDFRS will officially open Station 14, our county’s newest, and our smallest, fire station. Located at 6025 Symphony Woods Way in Downtown Columbia’s Merriweather district, Station 14 will rightfully be known as the Merriweather Station. Located at the bottom of a parking garage, the Merriweather Station house an engine and ambulance. I hope you’ll join me for the grand opening of our 13 ^th fire station on the 19 ^th at 11:00 a.m.

When a person goes into Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), his or her survival depends on immediately getting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from someone nearby. Eighty eight percent of all cardiac arrests occur at home or at work, so the chances of you knowing the person are very high. However, according to the American Heart Association, nationwide less than one-third of those who suffer cardiac arrest at home, work or in a public place receive CPR often because bystanders simply don’t know CPR!

 

Help change that number and save a life by taking part in HCDFRS’ FREE Hands-Only CPR Training . Offered throughout the year, participants will learn how to perform Hands-Only CPR on adult’s victims, CPR for children and infants, along with AED training and the proper techniques for choking relief. A 12-year-old girl recently learned the importance of CPR as Master Dispatcher Jeremy Sparks assisted her in performing the life-saving technique to revive her mother who had stopped breathing.

Department of Fire and Rescue Services Office of Emergency Management

Comprised of representatives from local government, private businesses, non-profit organizations and residents, the County’s Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) strives to enhance Howard County’s preparedness and response to hazardous material incidents by working together to plan and prepare for such scenarios. The LEPC generally meets quarterly to provide updates related to the County’s emergency management and preparedness, and discuss topics of interest to the preparedness community. This month’s meeting (August 15 ^th ) will focus on Critical Incident Stress Management and discuss strategies for building personal resilience, as well as ways of responding to the psychological needs of those impacted by an event. To learn more about this month’s meeting and/or to RSVP, visit https://augustLEPC2019.eventbrite.com .

Health Department

Suicide was the LEADING CAUSE of death among youth, ages 15 to 19, in Howard County between 2014 and 2016. In fact, one in five middle schoolers has seriously contemplated suicide, while one in seven high schoolers has made a plan. To address this public health emergency, the Howard County Health Department has launched a new program to eliminate youth suicide and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues.

 

Now through September 5, all Howard County movie theaters will be running a suicide prevention PSA in hopes to spread the message that it’s okay to ask for help and ask others if they are okay.

 

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or contemplating suicide, please contact the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center at 410-531-6677 and/or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

In case you missed it, a little over a week ago, our Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) announced it had released a study on the fiscal impact of the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO). The Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) Howard County Spending Affordability Advisory Committee had previously recommended that Howard County conduct a fiscal impact analysis to study the effects of 2018 amendments to APFO. An independent fiscal and economic consulting firm, Urban Analytics, was selected to conduct the fiscal study. You can view Urban Analytics’ full report HERE .

This coming Thursday, August 15, the Planning Board will be holding a meeting in the George Howard Building’s Banneker Room starting at 7:00 p.m. to hear the following items:

 

1.        SDP-79-086 Columbia Horse Center Redline 445 - Approval to add two detached dwelling units, a roofed arena entrance. ADA compliant parking and arena access on 79.49 acres. Planning Board Role: Decision-Making ( Rules of Procedure Section 1.106 )

2.        Master Plan for Water and Sewerage, Amendment - For recommendation to the County Council on the 2018 Amendment to the Master Plan for Water and Sewerage.

 

3.        PB 445—(SP-19-002) Lawyers Hill Overlook / Land Design & Development LLC - Approval of Preliminary Equivalent Sketch Plan SP-19-002 for Lawyers Hill Overlook, a 17 lot and one open space lot subdivision, consistent with Section 107.0.F. of the Howard County Zoning Regulations. Development in the R-ED District requiring a Preliminary Equivalent Sketch Plan must be approved by the Planning Board, applying Section 1.105 of their Rules of Procedure. Planning Board Role: Decision-Making ( Rules of Procedure Section 1.105 )

General Plan Update - Request for Expressions of Interest

The Department of Planning and Zoning has initiated the process to update our General plan . The General Plan is the comprehensive long-range plan for all of Howard County. It guides decisions related to development, land preservation, changing demographic and employment trends, neighborhood sustainability, capital projects, County services and other key issues.

To start the process, DPZ has posted a Request for Expressions of Interest to solicit interest from a consulting firm or multidisciplinary professional team with expertise, experience and resources to rewrite and update the General Plan. The County seeks to develop an award-winning General Plan,

which will focus on the character and quality of infill development, redevelopment, and environmental protection. Firm and/or multidisciplinary professional teams are encouraged to apply.

The plan update will be a multi-year process, beginning with development of planning guidelines in the fall of 2019, followed by a project kick off in early 2020. The update will include numerous opportunities for the community to become involved, beginning with the development of plan guidelines.



A community engagement plan will be developed at the outset and will use a broad range of approaches to notify stakeholders about ways they can become involved so that all voices are heard. Once this process is underway, there will be multiple opportunities for community input. Join our email list to receive updates on how to get involved in the process and stay tuned!

Think you have what it takes to take on one officers, like PO Vivican or PFC Sagel , in a game of hoops? Then be sure to stop one of the locations listed below this week as Howard County Police Department’s (HCPD) Community Athletic Programs’ Mobile Rec Center takes its final spin around the county this summer.

 

No need to register in advance. Just show up for some good, old fashion fun.

CONGRATULATIONS to Master Dispatcher Jeremy Sparks , who recently won the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch call of the week! Sparks had received a call from a 12-year-old girl who said that her mother was choking and had stopped breathing. He calmly walked the girl through the Heimlich maneuver and instructed the girl how to perform CPR. Thankfully, the mother began breathing again and emergency responders arrived shortly thereafter. It was thanks to Sparks’ early CPR instructions and the daughters quick thinking that saved the patient's life.

 

Are you interested in becoming a 911 dispatcher in Howard County? We are testing in September for a start date in early 2020! Click HERE for more information.

Bike with a Cop is back! Kids (5 to 12 years old) and parents, come bike around the Columbia with HCPD on Wednesday, August 28 ^th . Meet up at the Oakland Mills Village Center satellite office at 5:00 p.m. for a bike safety lesson before the ride. For questions and/or more information, contact HCPD’s Community Outreach Division at 410-313-2207 or email [email protected] .

Calling all Howard County high school students, gain extra service hours and boost your college applications by becoming a member of HCPD’s Teen Court. A real justice program, by teens, for teens, Teen Court volunteers serve as members of a peer jury in real juvenile misdemeanor cases and render dispositions to first-time offenders. HCPD is now accepting applications for its 2019 fall session of Teen Court fall session. The fall session will consist of one evening a month, the third Thursday from September thru December, as well as a mandatory training night on September 12. Applications are due by August 19, so apply today. For questions and/or more information about this program, contact HCPD’s Teen Court Coordinator Katie Turner at [email protected] .

Did you know, between 2004 and 2016, an estimated 10,125 people were killed in crashes related to red-light running according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2017 alone, 880 people were killed and an estimated 132,000 were injured in crashes involving red-light running. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that about half of red-light running crash deaths involve pedestrians, cyclists and occupants in vehicles struck by the red-light runners. Together we can stop these crashes by stopping on red, staying alert and staying alive.

Take a look at some near misses on county roads so far this year when motorists ran a red light.

This coming Saturday, August 17, HCPD will host its first Women in Law Enforcement Career Fair. Geared towards women seeking a career in law enforcement, the event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the County’s James N. Robey Public Safety Training Center, 2200 Scott Wheeler Drive in Marriottsville and will feature police training demonstrations, a panel discussion, tours of the Training Center and more. In addition to HCPD, personnel from Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Montgomery County, Baltimore City, Mount Rainier and University of Maryland police departments, Charles, Frederick and Howard County sheriff offices, Maryland-National Capital Park Police, Maryland State Police and Maryland Transportation Authority Police will also be in attendance. For questions and/or more information about this FREE event, contact HCPD recruitment at 410-313-4273 or email [email protected] .

Attention golfers, join Howard County Police Foundation on August 26 ^th at Turf Valley Resort for its first-ever Howard County Police Officer’s Charitable Golf Tournament. Held in partnership by three unions representing HCPD officers and in collaboration with the Howard County Branch NAACP #7020 , the tournament affirms the cooperative relationship between HCPD officers and the NAACP. In today’s world, where division is becoming more and more prevalent, strong relationships are crucial to counter the forces that divide.

 

Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Police Foundation and youth initiatives of the Howard County Branch NAACP. To learn more, click HERE .

Department of Public Works

REMINDER: DPW hold a public meeting tomorrow, August 13 at 7:00 p.m. at Howard County Library System’s Elkridge branch , to present the plans for a repair project at the Calvert Ridge stormwater management pond, located adjacent to 7078 Calvert Drive in Elkridge. The project will improve water quality treatment of stormwater and to improve the functionality and maintainability of the stormwater management system. Construction is expected to begin in summer 2020. To learn more about this project (Capital Project D-1177) and this meeting, click HERE .

Department of Public Works Construction Report

Below are details regarding new Capital Projects and maintenance projects. For a full list of previously announced projects, please refer to the August 5, 2019 newsletter.

 

Sykesville

 

To learn more 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 [email protected] 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.

 

Also, be sure to follow the County’s Facebook and Twitter pages every Monday morning for upcoming maintenance projects happening that week, weather permitting. On these social media pages, you’ll also find information regarding the county’s street sweeping schedule, which generally begin in the months of January, April, July and September.

Maryland State Highway Administration US 1 Roadwork

 

In an effort to enhance the safety of pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) has reduced the speed limit and begun intersection improvements along US 1 (Washington Boulevard) in Howard County.

 

The speed limit on US 1 between Whiskey Bottom Road and Hicks Road in Laurel, and between Montevideo Road and Ducketts Lane in Elkridge, has been reduced to 45 miles per hour, down from 50, bringing consistency throughout the nine-mile corridor.

 

In addition, SHA has begun a project to enhance safety and operations at the US 1/Kit Kat Road intersection. SHA crews will convert the existing flashing signal to a full traffic signal with accessible countdown pedestrian signals, will install a new crosswalk at the intersection and will add ADA-compliant sidewalks within the project limits. Work also includes roadway widening to extend the right turn lane along northbound US 1 to Kit Kat Road and the construction of a new entrance for the flea market along US 1. While most work will take place behind concrete barrier, motorists can expect single lane closures Mondays through Fridays, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Weather permitting, this project is expected to be completed by summer 2020.

 

While the State and its transportation partners work hard to maintain safe traffic mobility in work zones, drivers are reminded to stay alert and look for reduced speed limits, narrow driving lanes and highway workers. Please slow down and don’t follow too closely when traveling through a work zone. Remember, work zone safety is in your hands.

 

For questions, more information and/or to speak to someone further about this projects, please contact SHA at 410-545-0303 or 301-624-8100. In addition, for a list of all major SHA projects, visit SHA's " Road Ready Projects " website.

Department of Public Works’ Bureau of Environmental Services

 

The County’s curbside food scrap collection program is expanding to the eastern edge (see outlined portion of map) this fall! Residents in this area of the County who receive curbside trash and recycling curbside collection provided by our Bureau of Environmental Services, will soon be able to participate in the our “Feed the Green Bin” program. If you have not already, you should be receiving a mailer from the Bureau soon with details about the program and how you can sign-up. In the meantime, to learn more about our Feed the Green Bin, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/feedthegreenbin or call the Bureau at 410-313-6444.

With Maryland’s tax-free holiday underway, remember to go GREEN this school year with these tips from our Bureau of Environmental Services:

The large dog area in the lower section of Worthington Dog Park will be closed from August 12 to September 6 for renovation. Howard County Recreation & Parks asks patrons to use the upper plateau area of the park during this time.

Fall activity registration for Howard County Recreation & Parks’ programs has opened! Visit https://apm.activecommunities.com/howardcounty/ to create an account and sign up for educational classes, special events, sports leagues, 55+ activities, and more.

Howard County Recreation & Parks recently replaced the eight foot tall outfield fence at Field #2 at Cedar Lane Park with a 30 foot tall fence. This new fence will protect participants playing bocce from fly balls. The fence design is two 10-foot-tall sections of black chain link fencing with a 10 foot tall section of netting on top.