Maryland Gov. limits travel to essential purposes only, requires out-of-state travelers to quarantine or provide negative test

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) held a press conference late this afternoon, announcing several executive orders and coronavirus protocol directives. Hogan announced he is lowering the state's public gathering limit from 25 people to 10. The governor also issued an emergency order limiting travel to essential purposes only. Travelers from out-of-state (or Marylanders returning from out-of-state) must self-quarantine for 10 days, or provide a negative Covid-19 test, upon arriving in the state. 

Mandatory telework has been proscribed for all state employees who can. Hogan said that starting December 21, front-facing government offices will be temporarily suspending all in-person interactions with the public for two weeks.

Echoing New Zealand's exemption for the Easter Bunny earlier this year, Hogan exempted Santa Claus, elves, and reindeer from travel restrictions. He said Dr. Anthony Fauci told him in a Zoom conference earlier today that Santa Claus has immunity to Covid-19.

Hogan said the state will provide $30 million in assistance for restaurants, and $15 million more for entertainment venues, hurt by the pandemic. He also announced $40 million being added to the Temporary Assistance Program, and $40 million to care providers for the developmentally disabled.

The governor asked residents to do their part to reduce the spread of the virus, and to look forward to "a better, healthier and happier 2021."

Hogan issues order prohibiting blanket closure of private schools by Montgomery County

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has issued an emergency order prohibiting Montgomery County from closing private schools this fall. The order, which applies to all counties, states that opening and closing decisions during the pandemic are to be made by local education authorities. Hogan's order asserts that private and parochial schools have the same authority to determine their ability to open, and that Montgomery County Health Officer Travis Gayles exceeded his authority in issuing his order late Friday evening.

"Over the last several weeks, school boards and superintendents made their own decisions about how and when to reopen public schools, after consultation with state and local health officials," Hogan wrote in a statement accompanying his emergency order. “Private and parochial schools deserve the same opportunity and flexibility to make reopening decisions based on public health guidelines. The blanket closure mandate imposed by Montgomery County was overly broad and inconsistent with the powers intended to be delegated to the county health officer."

After initially stating his opposition to Gayles' order over the weekend, Hogan has now taken action, entering what has become a contentious fight between private school parents and Montgomery County. The Republican governor, who has had to navigate a majority-blue state political sphere for two terms, is widely expected to be a candidate for president in 2024.

Montgomery County won't join rest of Maryland in Phase 2 reopening Friday

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has put Montgomery County officials on the hot seat again, announcing that he will move the state's reopening from coronavirus lockdown to Phase 2 on Friday, June 5, 2020 at 5:00 PM. Montgomery only entered Phase 1 three days ago, long after most of the state did. That led to many complaints from the business community and residents who argue the damage to their livelihoods and the economy is worse than the risk of contracting coronavirus. With County Executive Marc Elrich making clear he once again will be taking a more cautious approach than Hogan, those critics are livid.

By Friday evening, most of the state will be permitted to reopen businesses the governor had termed "non-essential." Churches, hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, massage parlors, tanning salons and tattoo parlors will be allowed to reopen at 50% of capacity inside. But not in Montgomery County. Elrich said on Twitter that he and other officials are evaluating if any of the loosened criteria lines up with Montgomery's Phase 1 guidelines.

Even Hogan did not escape criticism Wednesday, as his executive order still does not allow gyms, movie theaters, indoor malls, amusement parks, bowling alleys, or sporting events. One Twitter critic said the governor was "social distancing from reality."

Still others remain afraid to venture out to businesses just yet, and are in no hurry to loosen restrictions. By the middle of next week, we should know whether or not the Memorial Day weekend Ocean City boardwalk crowds caused a spike in infections or not. If so, leaders will be in quite a pickle. If not, they'll still be under fire, as there will be even more demand to reopen at the county and state levels.

4 Montgomery County coronavirus cases confirmed, as businesses adjust to new abnormal

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in the White House
Situation Room with Vice-President Mike Pence

MCPS knocks down rumor of

Richard Montgomery HS student

testing positive for covid-19 as

Hogan warns seniors: "stay home"

The number of Montgomery County residents exposed to the coronavirus is steadily growing, but the actual number of confirmed cases has so far remained small. Four MoCo residents have tested positive for covid-19 so far. While that leads the state by far, there are now single cases in Harford and Prince George's counties as well.

Giant makes a delivery at
The Chase condos in Bethesda

Montgomery County retailers have already seen traffic falling since the first county residents tested positive for coronavirus. Residents and businesses alike are now adapting to the new abnormal of a society in pandemic crisis. Grocery stores are emphasizing their curbside pickup and delivery services, for example. Drug stores like CVS Pharmacy at 7809 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda, 11190 Veirs Mill Road in Wheaton, 15600 Columbia Pike in Burtonsville, and at Rockville Town Square and 20 Upper Rock Circle in Rockville, offer drive-thru prescription pick-up.

Anglo Dutch Pools & Toys in the Westwood Shopping Center in Bethesda says it is disinfecting surfaces inside the store throughout the day, and keeping hand sanitizer at the counter. For customers who are staying indoors, Anglo Dutch is now offering to bring orders out to customers' cars, in addition to its existing in-store pickup and online delivery options.

Rumors continue to plague Montgomery County Public Schools on social media during the outbreak. Ongoing speculation over potential school closures has even included specific dates, all of which have been smacked down by MCPS, which has stated schools will remain open at this time. One new online rumor about a Richard Montgomery High School student testing positive for covid-19 is also fake news. "We are deeply disappointed that someone would create and distribute misinformation about such an important issue.," RMHS Principal Damon Monteleone said Monday.

While Rockville is the only county "hot spot" for the virus identified by elected officials, only by virtue of an early coronavirus patient who visited and exposed many at the Villages at Rockville retirement community, the city's large Asian community has made those who were pointing discriminatory fingers early on look rather foolish. Not only have none of the county's cases so far been related to China, but there have been no outbreaks at all in our Asian community. As for people claiming coronavirus is a Chinese bioweapon: while the virus could well be man-made, it almost certainly was not engineered by China. It has caused massive damage to the Chinese economy, which was already reeling from its first downturn and contraction in decades under President Trump's trade and tariff policies. Such an outcome is the last thing Chinese leaders would have sought at this time.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan yesterday advised residents over 60, or with compromised immune or respiratory systems, to "stay home as much as possible to avoid large crowds and gatherings"  They are at "a significantly higher risk of contracting the disease with morbidity and mortality rates that are three-to-five times higher," Hogan said. The governor announced he is putting nursing homes on high alert statewide to monitor coronavirus symptoms in patients and staff. Hogan is also assembling a "coronavirus response team," comprised of health and emergency management experts.

Republican Hogan gave Maryland a seat at the table in the GOP White House - literally. The governor was seated at Vice-President Mike Pence's left hand in the Situation Room, as Pence briefed the nation's state leaders on the coronavirus response. While Hogan has feuded with Trump, he and former Indiana governor and GOP peer Pence have a better working relationship, which bodes well for Maryland getting federal coronavirus aid priority. But given the bleak pandemic picture being painted by some, Pence might want to have coffee with former Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, who could tell him of the political pitfalls of being made the public face of a challenge like this.

Top photo: Andrea Hanks/The White House

Hogan follows Trump in creating new Christmas Eve holiday

Days after President Donald Trump surprised federal workers with a new holiday designation for Christmas Eve, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan provided the same Christmas Eve bonus to state workers. Today, December 24, 2019, is now an official state holiday. Maryland state government agencies and offices will be closed today in observance of Christmas Eve.

“I am declaring Christmas Eve a state holiday this year to give our dedicated employees more time to spend with their families and loved ones,” Hogan said in a statement. “We hope that our hardworking state workers, and all Marylanders, have a merry Christmas and a safe and happy holiday season.”

Interesting trivia: The last president to give federal workers a full holiday on Christmas Eve was Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Hogan to fund long-awaited Watkins Mill/I-270 interchange in Gaithersburg (Photo)

The transportation funding announcement last Thursday by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) got a lot of attention for its support of the Purple Line light rail project. But it contained many highway projects equally or more important, such as the long-postponed I-270 interchange at Watkins Mill Road.

Hogan is providing $150 million for the construction of the interchange. The project is critical for several reasons.

First, it will provide some congestion relief for drivers clogging current east-west routes that cross the I-270 corridor. Just from a practical standpoint, things you currently try to reach on MD 355 by exiting at Montgomery Village Avenue - only to drive and drive on 355 once you exit - will now be more accessible from the Interstate.

Second, it will finally bring the Watkins Mill Town Center development to fruition, as that mixed-use development straddles the interstate but has not yet been joined as a whole. Watkins Mill Road will do just that, as planned, with this interchange.

The biggest congestion relief component of this project will be when the Midcounty Highway Extended (M-83) is constructed in the upcounty between Montgomery Village Avenue and Clarksburg. This interchange will function as the off-ramp to that new highway, diverting traffic headed upcounty from the interstate. That will free up capacity on the interstate at some of its worst chokepoints.