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August 13, 2020

The Talbot Spy

The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community

News COVID-19

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update Aug. 9

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Key points for today

• Talbot County cases increased by 5 to 402, according to the county health department.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 3.83%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 95,503, an increase of 922 in the last 24 hours.

• Of the state’s 3,448 deaths, 8 were in the last 24 hours.

The Spy obtains information for this chart between 12 and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m. Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

* Maryland and Cecil County report the total released from isolation.

** For Kent County deaths, The Spy reports its own tally based on the number of state-reported deaths within Kent County facilities and the number of non-facility deaths. For Queen Anne’s County deaths, The Spy reports the total deaths listed on the county’s website. There are discrepancies among state and county statistics concerning total deaths and facility deaths.

Key metrics

• The number of COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Maryland increased by 10 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 525 people hospitalized — 397 in acute care and 128 in intensive care.

• Of the 40,473 test results received on Aug. 8, the average positivity rate was 2.72%; the 7-day average was 3.75%.

For additional COVID-19 graphics and links to resources, click here.

Additional information

• A total of 1,438,739 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Maryland. The state reports 943,842 total negative test results.

• Of the state’s 95,503 cases, 13,177 patients have ever been hospitalized for treatment; 5,910 have been released from isolation.

The graph below shows the total cases, total ever hospitalized, and total deaths statewide.

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update Aug. 8

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Key points for today

• Talbot County cases increased by 2 to 397, according to the county health department.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 3.84%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 94,581, an increase of 775 in the last 24 hours.

• Of the state’s 3,440 deaths, 11 were in the last 24 hours.

The Spy obtains information for this chart between 12 and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m. Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

* Maryland and Cecil County report the total released from isolation.

** For Kent County deaths, The Spy reports its own tally based on the number of state-reported deaths within Kent County facilities and the number of non-facility deaths. For Queen Anne’s County deaths, The Spy reports the total deaths listed on the county’s website. There are discrepancies among state and county statistics concerning total deaths and facility deaths.

Key metrics

• The number of COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Maryland decreased by 13 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 515 people hospitalized — 388 in acute care and 127 in intensive care.

• Of the 20,807 test results received on Aug. 7, the average positivity rate was 4.34%; the 7-day average was 4.03%.

For additional COVID-19 graphics and links to resources, click here.

Additional information

• A total of 1,398,266 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Maryland. The state reports 924,942 total negative test results.

• Of the state’s 94,581 cases, 13,105 patients have ever been hospitalized for treatment; 5,899 have been released from isolation.

The graph below shows the total cases, total ever hospitalized, and total deaths statewide.

The BLM Murals: A Different Perspective with Freedom of Speech Expert Jim Astrachan

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The Black Lives Matter and We Can’t Breathe street mural proposals will be presented to the Chestertown Town Council on Monday, August 10th, at 7:30 pm.

For several weeks the proposals have dominated discussions throughout the community and have garnered widespread support and criticism.

One concern especially has been brought to the fore: what are the legal ramifications of a painted mural on a town street, and does it open a Pandora’s box of claims for equal representation by other organizations?

As with most cases in Chestertown, an expert in first amendment rights was just around the corner.

The Spy has turned to attorney and Chestertown resident Jim Astrachan to frame the mural proposal in a town law and Constitutional context. He neither promotes nor dismisses the idea, but offers scenarios using the legal principle of government speech doctrine. In other words, the Free Speech Clause of the 1st Amendment does not restrict government speech.

Consequently, the Town could accept the mural proposals and make the BLM murals a government statement. But where does a street mural fit into legal precedents, and if the mural was to become government speech, what legal challenges could be presented?

During a more extended overview of Constitutional issues, Astrachan offers some insight into how the mural project might proceed, its potential challenges, and an interesting alternative.

Jim is a partner at Astrachan Gunst Thomas in Baltimore and professor of Law at Baltimore University and speaks nationwide on intellectual copyright, property topics, including advertising law, branding, trademark protection and copyright protection. He is the author of The Law of Advertising and Mass Communications.

This video is approximately six minutes in length

The BLM Murals: A Different Perspective with Freedom of Speech Expert Jim Astrachan

by Leave a Comment

The Black Lives Matter and We Can’t Breathe street mural proposals will be presented to the Chestertown Town Council on Monday, August 10th, at 7:30 pm.

For several weeks the proposals have dominated discussions throughout the community and have garnered widespread support and criticism.

One concern especially has been brought to the fore: what are the legal ramifications of a painted mural on a town street, and does it open a Pandora’s box of claims for equal representation by other organizations?

As with most cases in Chestertown, an expert in first amendment rights was just around the corner.

The Spy has turned to attorney and Chestertown resident Jim Astrachan to frame the mural proposal in a town law and Constitutional context. He neither promotes nor dismisses the idea, but offers scenarios using the legal principle of government speech doctrine. In other words, the Free Speech Clause of the 1st Amendment does not restrict government speech.

Consequently, the Town could accept the mural proposals and make the BLM murals a government statement. But where does a street mural fit into legal precedents, and if the mural was to become government speech, what legal challenges could be presented?

During a more extended overview of Constitutional issues, Astrachan offers some insight into how the mural project might proceed, its potential challenges, and an interesting alternative.

Jim is a partner at Astrachan Gunst Thomas in Baltimore and professor of Law at Baltimore University and speaks nationwide on intellectual copyright, property topics, including advertising law, branding, trademark protection and copyright protection. He is the author of The Law of Advertising and Mass Communications.

This video is approximately six minutes in length

Easton Rotarians to Begin Idlewild Park Project

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Town of Easton Engineer Rick VanEmburgh, Town of Easton Parks & Recreation Director Lorraine Gould, and Rotary Club of Easton member George Corey of Wye Tree Landscapes.

The Rotary Club of Easton, Maryland is fulfilling Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self” in preparation for its centennial in 2021 with the launch of an improvement project and new construction at Easton’s Idlewild Park.

The pavilion renovations and creation of a new Rotary Centennial Flags for Heroes Court are being done in recognition of the Rotary Club of Easton’s centennial in 2021. The Rotary Pavilion was the Club’s gift to the town’s residents when the club celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1996.

The Rotary Pavilion has become a gathering spot for community members and faith organizations to use for numerous occasions since its installation in 1996. The pavilion’s six columns represent Character Counts’ Six Pillars of Character, which are trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.

This is the first initiative in a year-long commemoration of the Club’s centennial, with a formal dedication of the completed project planned to take place in 2021.

The project addresses poor drainage issues around the current pavilion and adds a new, lighted flag court that includes a new paved area, memorial bricks, and benches. The new features will be located in the area stretching from the pavilion toward the existing flags at Idlewild.

The project is made possible through charitable donations made in recognition of Easton Rotary’s centennial. Donors include Rotary Club of Easton members, Flags for Heroes donors, Easton Rotary’s Youth & Community Fund, Rotary District 7630, local businesses, and other generous individuals.

Easton Rotary is working in partnership with Town of Easton Engineer, Rick Van Emburgh, and the Town of Easton’s Parks & Recreation Director, Lorraine Gould for this project.

“Professional landscape architect and Rotarian George Corey is volunteering his services and heading the project on our end,” said Easton Rotary Centennial Chair Ron Flohr. “And we’re very grateful for the in-kind donations from organizations including Willow Construction, who helped provide supplies so that many of our freshman Rotarians could paint the pavilion late last year.”

A centennial time capsule of Rotary memorabilia collected since the Club’s 1921 beginning in Easton is planned for the new flag court.

Construction of the new Rotary Centennial Flags for Heroes Court and pavilion improvements are set to begin Sept. 1, 2020, and continue through the end of the month.

The Rotary Club of Easton, Maryland is the world’s first Rotary Club in a town of fewer than 10,000 people, with nearly 100 members committed to the Rotary motto of “Service above Self.” Easton Rotarians are part of a global network of more than 1.2 million Rotarians who are changing lives in their communities and around the world. The Rotary Club of Easton currently holds Zoom meetings each Thursday at noon, with the meetings posted live on Easton Rotary’s Facebook page. For more information, please visit eastonrotary.org.

Washington Street Closure Rejected by Downtown Business Owners

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This video is about seven minutes long.

Downtown business owners overwhelmingly rejected the closure of Washington Street for a pedestrian promenade.

Easton Mayor Robert Willey gave the town council a brief report Monday night about a meeting hosted July 23 by the Easton Economic Development Corporation.

About 70 people attended the meeting — half in person and half through videoconferencing, he said.

“The closure of Washington Street surprised many people because it was thoroughly rejected by most of the people there,” Willey said. “They didn’t want to have that street completely closed.”

Attendees supported the idea of “parklets” — blocking off parking spaces to provide for outdoor dining or other uses — but the closure of Washington Street was thoroughly rejected by most, he said.

Business owners also agreed that any plan that is developed should help all downtown businesses and not just restaurants, according to the mayor.

A formal report from the EEDC is expected before the next town council meeting, he said.

The town council voted Monday night to extend the weekend closures of parking spaces along Washington Street in front of the Washington Street Pub, Doc’s Downtown Grille, and Scossa Restaurant and Lounge, through Monday, Sept. 7, when the board next meets.

Inner Courtyard

As business groups and the town consider options to increase activity downtown, a plan proposed decades ago by then town engineer has gained new life.

In a recent column in the Talbot Spy, Bob Greenlee suggested the time is right to develop the “Inner Courtyard,” the interior of the block surrounded by Washington, Goldsborough, Harrison, and Dover streets.

Bob Greenlee is the managing director and senior advisor in the Chesapeake office of SVN-Miller Commercial Real Estate and president of the Greenlee Group, specializing in asset management, valuation, and economic consulting.

“Bill Corkran was the first to promote this vision in the 1940’s and coined the phrase,” Greenlee wrote.

William H. Corkran Jr. was the town engineer of Easton from 1946 to 1976 and was instrumental in maintaining the town’s historic look.

“Mayor Willey has recently spearheaded a public/private partnership to dust off Mr. Corkran’s old plan, one that will hopefully include a strong retail partner and a commitment to high quality. If so, this is a concept that will define Easton’s Town Center for years to come….,” Greenlee wrote.

“Others have also stepped up recently, importantly including Matt and Peg Fitzgerald who bought the old Shannahan-Wrightson building (the birdcages), which has frontage on both Washington and Harrison Streets, and who are willing to cut through and open up the courtyard to Dover Street. Paul Prager is on board for Goldsborough Street.

 

 

Spy COVID-19 Daily Update Aug. 7

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Key points for today

• Talbot County cases increased by 14 to 395, according to the county health department.

• The county’s 7-day average positivity rate is 3.74%.

• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland is now at 93,806, an increase of 801 in the last 24 hours.

• Of the state’s 3,429 deaths, 14 were in the last 24 hours.

The Spy obtains information for this chart between 12 and 2 p.m. Statewide data is updated about 10 a.m. each day; counties may update data throughout the day until 5 p.m. Hopkins updates its data throughout the day.

* Maryland and Cecil County report the total released from isolation.

** For Kent County deaths, The Spy reports its own tally based on the number of state-reported deaths within Kent County facilities and the number of non-facility deaths. For Queen Anne’s County deaths, The Spy reports the total deaths listed on the county’s website. There are discrepancies among state and county statistics concerning total deaths and facility deaths.

Key metrics

• The number of COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Maryland decreased by 7 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 528 people hospitalized — 393 in acute care and 135 in intensive care.

• Of the 28,579 test results received on Aug. 6, the average positivity rate was 3.23%; the 7-day average was 3.9%.

For additional COVID-19 graphics and links to resources, click here.

Additional information

• A total of 1,377,459 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Maryland. The state reports 913,018 total negative test results.

• Of the state’s 93,806 cases, 13,047 patients have ever been hospitalized for treatment; 5,838 have been released from isolation.

The graph below shows the total cases, total ever hospitalized, and total deaths statewide.

End of an Era: Md.’s Toll Roads, Bridges to Remain Cashless

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Maryland stopped accepting cash at its toll plazas in mid-March, when Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) pulled toll-takers off the job in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time, the Maryland Transportation Authority said it would stop accepting cash “until further notice.”

On Thursday, the governor made the switchover permanent, announcing that the state will become the fifth in the nation to go all-cashless.

In a news release, Hogan said the change will save motorists time and money.

“By combining innovation, safety, and savings, this truly is a win-win for the state government and for everyone who travels in our great state,” he said.

The announcement means even after the pandemic passes, toll-takers will not be returning to the Fort McHenry Tunnel, the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, the I-95 toll facility in Cecil County, or the Nice/Middleton Bridge along U.S. 301 in southern Maryland.

The switch means drivers will have two options — register for an E-ZPass account or go through the toll facility without a transponder and get a bill in the mail, which the state calls “video tolling.”

Because cash hasn’t been an option in nearly six months, Thursday’s announcement will likely go unnoticed for the majority of Maryland motorists.

But for people who use toll routes sparingly and for out-of-state motorists, there may be confusion, because toll plazas will remain in place until the MdTA can replace them with toll gantries, the overhead devices that scan for a vehicle’s E-ZPass transponder.

It is not uncommon, for example, to see drivers approaching the Bay Bridge from the Annapolis area tap the brakes out of habit, even though the toll plazas on the western shore have been replaced by toll gantries east of the span.

Transportation officials have two messages for the public — get an E-ZPass account if you don’t already have one, and when you approach a toll plaza, keep moving. There is no one behind the glass to take your money.

“Since March 17, when we went to the all-electronic tolling, we have had this type of messaging on the overhead dynamic message signs along the interstates,” said Kelly Melhem, director of communications for the authority. “There are signs telling motorists to keep moving, you will receive a bill in the mail.”

Electronic toll collection systems were developed two decades ago, and most states utilize one. But only four — Massachusetts, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Washington State — have done what Maryland has done.

Some motorists believe electronic collection systems represent a form of government surveillance of their travel. In addition, thousands of workers have lost their jobs to technology.

Media reports on the trend often profile toll-takers who said they enjoyed interacting with customers, providing directions, offering motel and restaurant information, and getting to know regular commuters by name.

But proponents of technology say it makes no sense for cars to be queuing up to pay a toll, wasting gas and fouling the air in the process. Safety advocates say it’s unwise to have cars that have E-ZPass zipping past traffic that has come to a complete stop.

States that have transitioned away from cash tolling have saved millions of dollars in salaries and benefits.

In addition to E-ZPass and video tolling, Maryland plans to roll out a third option, Pay-By-Plate, in late summer. Motorists who sign up for Pay-By-Plate will register their credit card with the state for the tolls they incur.

Toll rates in Maryland vary based on the payment system drivers choose.

To pay the lowest possible toll, motorists must use E-ZPass, the state’s preferred system. Customers who use Pay-By-Plate, the middle-priced option, will save at least 20% off video tolling, which is the most expensive option.

By Bruce DePuyt

Rep. Harris Seeks Federal Probe of Montgomery Co. Decision Delaying Private Schools Opening

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Maryland’s lone Republican member of Congress is calling for the federal government to investigate Montgomery County’s decision to delay in-person learning at private and parochial schools.

In a letter sent Thursday to Dr. Robert R. Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Rep. Andrew P. Harris (R) blasted the county’s decision, announced late last Friday, to prevent private schools from opening their buildings to students in the first weeks of the academic year.

The decision by County Executive Marc B. Elrich (D) and his health director, Dr. Travis Gayles, prompted swift and significant outcry. Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) this week amended an emergency order in order to prevent local governments from forcing private and parochial schools to stay shuttered.

Montgomery County Public Schools, like many other school districts in the state, is staying with remote learning until at least January due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Gayles issued an additional order Wednesday seeking to counter Hogan’s edict.

Harris suggested that Montgomery County’s move is part of “a long-fought campaign against private primary and secondary education.”

The congressman’s 1st congressional district takes in the Eastern Shore and northern parts of Harford and Baltimore counties, and comes nowhere close to Montgomery County.

In his letter to Redfield, Harris — an anesthesiologist — argues that Montgomery County’s COVID-19 positivity and hospital rates remain relatively low.

“It is not appropriate for a county health officer to preemptively impose a blanket mandate that no school can safely open, regardless of circumstance,” Harris wrote to Redfield. “…With these current metrics as a backdrop, I fear that Montgomery County, through Dr. Gayles’ repeated attempts to preemptively foreclose the prospect of any schools reopening (county public schools having already decided not to reopen), is using public health as a stalking horse to further a long-fought campaign against private primary and secondary education.”

Harris argued that a federal investigation of Montgomery County’s actions would be appropriate “[g]iven the large sum of federal funds that flow into county health departments, particularly during the present COVID-19 pandemic.”

“I respectfully request that CDC or the appropriate
authority within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigate the particular situation within Montgomery County, to ensure that all decisions are being made exclusively with our children’s best interest and public health in mind,” Harris wrote. “Anything less would be an abuse of their authority, a dereliction of duty, and a misuse of our federal public health funds.”

Harris’ letter came as Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr.’s (R) administration reiterated its authority over county officials on Thursday, stating that any “blanket” restrictions on in-person learning in private and religious schools goes against state policy.

“At this time, it is the health policy of the State of Maryland that non-public schools not be closed in a blanket manner,” Maryland Health Secretary Robert R. Neall wrote in a memo sent to all local health officers.

Citing Hogan’s executive order, Neall echoed that every school, public or private, should have the power to decide their own reopening plans, as long as they align with CDC recommendations and the Maryland State Department of Education’s recovery plan.

“Those determinations should be made in close consultation with the affected schools and local health departments with Maryland Department of Health guidance,” he wrote.

The memo came in response to Gayles’ order, prohibiting nonpublic schools in Montgomery County to reopen in-person through at least Oct. 1.

Over the last week, the county and the state have been disputing over who has the authority to decide when and how private schools should reopen.

In his letter to the CDC, Harris expressed concern about the detrimental behavioral effects on children if they continue to stay at home during the next school year.

“The continued rise in suicide and opioids death, coupled with the recognized mental health consequences of keeping children isolated, are of great concern to myself, Maryland’s First Congressional District, and the country at large,” he wrote.

Harris said the appropriate role of a local health officer should “to inspect the school to ensure proper guidelines are in place and being followed, not to override decisions made by a school or school system in compliance with the best available science and guidance.”

Harris wasn’t the only member of Maryland’s congressional delegation to weigh in on the controversy.

When asked Thursday what he thinks about the clash between Montgomery County and the state, U.S. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D) wrote in an email, “We all want schools to reopen but it has to be done safely.”

By Elizabeth Shwe

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