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September 24, 2023

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

News Maryland News

State Police Deploys Troopers to Quash Super-Spreader Events Over the Holiday

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As the state’s COVID-19 positivity rate climbs higher and  the holiday season approaches, public health officials are pleading with Marylanders to skip large gatherings — and are throwing extra muscle behind the effort.

“The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is often a night where kids come home from college. They go out to bars to drink and socialize before then celebrating the holiday — sometimes with older family members,” Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) said at a news conference Monday. “I cannot stress enough how reckless that behavior would be this year.“

Because of this Thanksgiving’s unusual circumstances, Hogan is deploying state and local police departments to ensure that reckless behavior remains in check.

In addition to the traditional ramped-up policing efforts that come with the holiday season, Hogan has launched a “wide-scale, all-hands-on-deck compliance, education and enforcement operation,” deploying extra state police officers to each of the 24 jurisdictions to respond to local complaints and quash any super-spreader events.

These extra units will be deployed to high-traffic and popular areas in each county beginning Wednesday evening.

As of Tuesday morning, Maryland State Police spokesman Greg Shipley did not know the exact number of excess troopers to be deployed but said that some of them will be working overtime and others will be officers who are already scheduled to be at DUI checkpoints and conducting other extra enforcement duties traditionally performed around the holidays.

Units have already been scheduled to deploy in high-traffic areas in Baltimore City and Harford, Montgomery, Baltimore and Wicomico counties.

“However, in each county, troopers will be prepared to respond to calls related to COVID prevention,” Shipley said.

But it won’t be state police alone.

Calvert County Assistant Sheriff Dave McDowell said that local police agencies in his county will largely serve in supporting roles to the Maryland State Police.

“We’re not going to drive around looking for [violations], but if a deputy is somewhere and they see a large gathering, of course they’re going to inquire,” McDowell said. “We have a responsibility ― like everyone else in this community ― to do what we can to stop the spread of this virus.”

McDowell said the sheriff’s office receives occasional calls about noncompliance with the governor’s public health orders, but for the most part residents and businesses are abiding by the guidance.

Shipley said that state troopers’ first priority is voluntary compliance, stating that the objective is to contact business owners to work towards that goal.

“If further action is necessary, it will be taken in coordination with local health officials, local law enforcement and the state’s attorney in that jurisdiction,” he said.

Policing of private homes?

At his news conference this week, Hogan said that 57% of registered COVID-19 noncompliance complaints stem from restaurants, bars and retail businesses.

“Especially now, it is critically important that we stay vigilant in this fight,” he stressed. “We can’t let a few bad actors spoil it for the others who have been doing such a great job.”

As such, Shipley said that the state’s focus is not on policing homes “where a large turkey has been purchased.

“Rather, it will be on establishments that have large numbers of people gathered, which some might describe as having ‘super-spreader’ potential,” he said.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler (R) is of the same mindset.

“We’re not going to be charging people if they have 12 people over for Thanksgiving dinner,” he said. “We’re not going to be doing any policing of people’s private homes.”

In fact, Gahler said he was just talking to the state’s attorney to see if there was anything in Hogan’s crowd size order that would lead to a criminal charge if there were violations — they decided that there probably weren’t.

But Gahler said he was preparing his deputies for possible calls about crowd sizes, even neighbors calling about neighbors, since that’s what Hogan requested.

“We go to everything,” he said of calls the department responds to. “If there’s a dog with a broken toe nail, we respond. What we do when getting these calls is another matter.”

Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins (R) said that his department also won’t be monitoring large gatherings in people’s homes, and encourages “people not to be concerned about what other households chose to do.”

“This whole issue of people calling in violations on each other creates a backlash of anger and potentially volatile situations between neighbors and families,” said Jenkins. “These types of actions are fueling the anger and resentment. The public has been repeatedly told what the recommendations and best practices are, and at this point to continue drilling these orders into the population may be doing more harm than good.”

Gahler said that since the pandemic, his department has arrested two people for violating travel restrictions in March, along with the person who refused to put on a mask during early voting. That’s been it so far.

But not all noncompliance calls are as nonviolent.

Hogan said at the Monday press conference that Anne Arundel County Police made arrests when several individuals who refused to wear masks assaulted two Coldstone Creamery employees in Edgewater.

“They will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Hogan stated.

Education is key

“There are penalties [for breaking the compliance orders], but at this time, we’ve been advised to not put any charges against the violators,”  Capt. John Bollinger, the  administrative commander of Talbot County Sheriff’s Office, said, adding that county residents have been complying so far.

Talbot County officers who respond to complaints about possible violations to COVID-19 restrictions are to follow up with the local health department.

If law enforcement and rowdy business owners can’t reach voluntary compliance in Worcester County, the complaint is referred to Kristen Heiser (R), the state’s attorney.

But Worcester County Sheriff Matthew Crisafulli (R) said that voluntary compliance through education is his preferred tactic.

“We strive to help our businesses and residents understand the impact of this pandemic,” he told Maryland Matters in an email. “The guided education has worked well in our county.”

According to Charles County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Diane Richardson, COVID-19 education has also been a successful plan of attack.

“Overall, almost everyone we have had contact with regarding these types of calls have been very positive and responsive with no action needed,” she said in a statement. “As in the past, each case will be handled according to what we find once we are on the scene. Our primary focus is the safety of the community.”

Jessica Milligan, the public information officer for the Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff, said the department has seen very few complaints and is proud of its residents for their compliance.

Lt. Michael Holmes of the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office said the county also sees a high level of voluntary compliance. The agency has received “virtually no” calls about pandemic-related violations lately, Holmes said.

Over the holiday weekend, “if a deputy sees something on patrol and feels like they need to take action, they will,” Holmes said. “…If we are contacted, we will go out and investigate and take action if necessary.”

By Hannah Gaskill. Reporters Bruce DePuyt, Danielle E. Gaines, Josh Kurtz, Bennett Leckrone and Elizabeth Shwe contributed to this report.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

As Md. Moves Into Its Second COVID-19 Surge, Hogan Lays Out A Slew Of Emergency Actions

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Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) issued a series of COVID-19 restrictions Tuesday afternoon, following the state’s quick entry into the pandemic’s second surge.

“This virus has been with us for so long that too many of us have become numb to the staggering, spiking numbers that are being announced every day,” Hogan said at a Tuesday news conference. “It does not matter how well we have done for all these months. If we falter now and if we fail to take this seriously, we will look just like all those other states and this deadly virus will strengthen its grip on our state and our nation.”

Effective 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20, every establishment that serves food and alcohol, including bars and restaurants, will be unable to perform indoor dining services from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Bars must continue to prohibit standing and crowding. Restaurant and bar patrons are still required to stand six feet apart, and no more than six people may be seated together at a table.

Carryout food and alcoholic beverage services are still permitted.

“This order carries the full force of the law and it will be enforced,” Hogan asserted.

Also effective Friday at 5 p.m., all retail businesses, religious institutions, bingo halls, bowling alleys, roller and ice skating rinks, fitness centers, pool halls and social clubs will only be allowed to function at 50% capacity. Masks, sanitization and distancing guidelines are to be enforced.

Additionally, sports fans will no longer be allowed to sit in the stands at racetracks or collegiate and professional stadiums.

Hogan stressed that the state’s mask mandate remains “in full force and effect” at all public indoor facilities including grocery stores, pharmacies, gyms, retail establishments, in public places of public and private businesses and on public transportation.

“This very simple step of wearing masks continues to be the single best mitigation strategy that we have to fight the virus,” he said. “This is not a political issue ― it’s not a limitation on your right to infect other people ― but it is the best way to keep you and your family members safe, to keep people out of the hospital and to save lives.”

‘We are in a war right now’

“The sad reality is that all across America, more people are getting infected with COVID-19,” said Hogan.

And Maryland is no exception.

According to the governor, the state has consistently seen over 1,000 newly confirmed cases in the last 13 days, with this past Saturday documenting the most confirmed cases ever seen in one day. Maryland’s seven-day positivity rate has shot up to 6.85% ― well over a 5% warning threshold ― and 20 of the state’s 24 jurisdictions have followed that trend.

Hospitalizations are on the rise, too.

Tuesday, the state saw 1,046 people hospitalized for the virus, 255 of which are in the ICU. That is the highest hospitalization rate since June 7.

Nearly 20 hospitals across the state have reached over 90% capacity. Hospitals in western Maryland have already reached their full capacity.

“Even with the additional 6,000 beds that we provided for in our hospital surge plan, Maryland hospitals are now reaching capacity,” the governor said. “All of this requires additional, immediate actions to prevent the over-burdening of our healthcare system and to stop more Marylanders from dying.”

To protect healthcare workers and slow the spread, the Maryland Department of Health issued an emergency order Tuesday barring hospital visitors except for the parents or guardians of minors, those in compassionate care, obstetric services and supporters of people with disabilities. The agency has also advised hospitals to avoid performing non-urgent or elective surgeries if possible.

Additionally, the Department of Health has issued an order allowing hospitals nearing or at their full capacity to transfer patients to hospitals with vacancies and appropriate resources.

Dr. Tom Scalea, physician and chief of shock trauma at the University of Maryland Medical Center, said at the Tuesday news conference that hospitals who needed to go “critical care bed shopping” generally looked inward at their own hospital systems for help, “ignoring available beds that maybe exist actually relatively close to them.”

“Now a single phone call will give them access to the appropriate level of critical care services,” he explained. “This is, of course, based on a principle that everybody’s going to cooperate [and] play ball.”

“I’m sure that will be the case.”

In an effort to protect more vulnerable populations, Hogan has restricted visitation to nursing homes. Indoor visits will now only be allowed for compassionate care patients, and all visitors must provide documentation of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their visit.

“I realize this is very difficult, especially at this time of year,” Hogan explained, “but please know that by refraining from visits at this time, you are helping keep them safe and to save the lives of our most vulnerable.”

Additionally, the Department of Health will begin to require nursing home staff to be tested twice a week. Residents will be tested once a week.

Pensively, Hogan recalled a press conference early on in the pandemic when he announced the state’s first COVID-19 related death.

“I’ll never forget back on March 19, when it was my sad duty to report the very first coronavirus death in our state,” he remembered.

Now Maryland reports 4,186 deaths ― 26 of which occurred on Monday, alone.

“That’s more than one [person] dying every hour in Maryland,” said the governor, adding that more Marylanders have died of COVID-19 this year than one year’s worth of people lost to “car accidents, gun violence and the flu combined.”

Hogan addressed members of the public who may choose not to believe reports from news outlets or the Department of Health about the gravity of the pandemic.

“Regardless of all the disinformation that’s being spread all over social media, this is not the flu,” he said. “It’s not fake news. It’s not going to magically disappear just because we’re all tired of it and we want our normal lives back.”

“We are in a war right now, and the virus is winning.”

By Hannah Gaskill

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

As COVID Cases Rise Into ‘Danger Zone,’ Hogan Tightens Restrictions

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As the number of Marylanders with COVID-19 continues to rise and the state crossed warning thresholds set by the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization, Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) reduced dine-in capacity for bars and restaurants, issued new guidance to avoid out-of-state travel, encouraged telework and asserted that a coronavirus surge could be in Maryland’s future.

Maryland has had seven straight days with more than 1,000 new cases. The state has crossed over into a “danger zone,” Hogan said.

“Too many residents and businesses have COVID fatigue, and they began letting their guard down. Too many Marylanders are traveling out of state to unsafe locations, hosting large gatherings, crowding in bars, attending house parties, and refusing to wear masks. Too many businesses are failing to comply with the state regulations and orders. And counties with the primary responsibility for ensuring compliance of the law and enforcing public health regulations are in some cases failing to do so,” Hogan said during a State House news conference Tuesday evening. “Sadly, as a result, the virus has returned to our state in a big way.”

On Monday, for the first time since June 25, Maryland’s 7-day statewide positive COVID-19 test rate crossed over a 5% benchmark ― one of several metrics that can be used to monitor the spread of COVID ― set by the CDC and WHO.

Ten Maryland counties and the city of Baltimore had positive test rates above that benchmark on Tuesday. The counties are: Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Charles, Dorchester, Garrett, Harford, Queen Anne’s, Somerset and Washington.

Several jurisdictions are also in the federal government’s “red zone” for COVID-19 case rates. There are more than 20 cases per 100,000 residents in seven jurisdictions: the city of Baltimore and Allegany, Washington, Baltimore, Harford, Anne Arundel and Somerset counties.

On Tuesday morning, the state reported 1,338 new COVID-19 cases. At least 761 Marylanders ― an increase of 54 people since Monday ― were hospitalized, including 176 patients in intensive care. Nationwide, coronavirus hospitalizations surged to a record high on Monday with more than 59,000 patients.

The state reported 12 deaths on Tuesday morning. At least 4,084 Marylanders have died from the virus since March.

Through executive order and directives, the Hogan administration on Tuesday re-imposed or reinforced public health restrictions in an effort to curtail an ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases:

  • Effective Wednesday at 5 p.m., the capacity for indoor operations at bars and restaurants will be reduced to 50%, with service only for customers who are seated and socially distanced, plus other precautions.
  • The health department issued a new public health advisory strongly warning against any indoor gatherings of 25 people or more.
  • The health department expanded an advisory against all out-of-state travel. Marylanders are strongly advised to avoid all nonessential travel to any state with a positivity rate above 10% or an average case rate of 20 cases per 100,000 residents. Thirty-five states have a case rate over 20, and eight states have a positivity rate over 10%.
  • Effective immediately, all state employees who are approved to telework must once again do so. Private employers are encouraged to increase telework and do everything possible to increase distancing among employees who must be physically present.
  • The state health department is also activating the next level of planning to increase hospital surge capacity by adding space in temporary hospital facilities and providing additional staffing support to nursing homes.
  • New guidance from the health department says that all visitors to nursing homes should be tested for the virus, that gatherings should be avoided and that nursing homes should create stockpiles of protective equipment.

Hogan said contact tracing data continues to show that gatherings of family and friends are the most common source of viral spread, with increasing numbers of newly infected Marylanders indicating they recently ate in a restaurant or work outside of the home.

Hogan did not move back from “Phase 3” in the state’s recovery plan, which allows all businesses to be open with some restrictions. For now, the additional steps and stronger enforcement of existing precautions reflect the state’s infection and contact tracing data, but more restrictions could become necessary if cases continue to rise, Hogan said.

“We do not want to take actions that will further burden our struggling small businesses, or actions to shut down our economy,” Hogan said. “Our primary goals continue to be keeping our hospitals from overflowing and stopping more Marylanders from dying.”

Counties are able to move more slowly in the reopening plan, based on local conditions, and some have.

Over the weekend, the leaders from Maryland’s six largest jurisdictions sent Hogan a letter urging a statewide tightening of restrictions.

“Our residents do not live their lives confined within the borders of our counties – so our efforts to contain this deadly virus should not either,” the leaders wrote. “We want to partner with you in the effort to crush the curve and beat this virus.”

But, the leaders wrote that as recently as Oct. 22, Hogan criticized them for not moving forward with lifting Phase 3 restrictions and that he had not participated in a statewide conference call with county leaders in 169 days.

At the press conference, Hogan said the same county leaders had not raised their concerns during meetings held every-other-week with his state leadership team. And Hogan noted that some of those leaders, all Democrats, have higher political ambitions.

Hogan also said that it is the counties that need to do more to help curb the spread, including by more strictly enforcing capacity limits at bars and restaurants.

Some jurisdictions have recently implemented stronger precautions, including Montgomery and Allegany counties and the city of Baltimore.

Cases in the rural Allegany County are escalating at a rate that is nearly three times the state average. A state testing site will begin operating in the county on Wednesday.

The Allegany County Board of County Commissioners announced that they would impose additional restrictions, including reducing capacity of bars, restaurants, fitness and recreation centers and other retail businesses to 50 percent. The county office building will be accessible by appointment only.

In Baltimore City, Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young moved the city back into Phase 1, the most restrictive phase of  economic closures after case rates and positive test rates in the city more than doubled in the past two weeks.

Statewide, there have been two peaks in COVID cases so far ― on April 30, when there were 1,711 hospitalizations, and on Aug. 1, when there were 592 hospitalizations.

A third rise began in mid-October.

Baltimore County Executive John A. Olszewski Jr. (D) issued a statement in response to Hogan’s press conference saying that “statewide solutions remain the most effective public health actions” and that the county will follow metrics to determine if any additional actions are needed.

Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) tweeted that he strongly supported the plan to reimpose public health measures to stop the spread.

“Virus increasing too quickly. All of us must take action to keep all of us safe,” Ferguson tweeted. “Our regular reminder ― public health = economic health.”

During the Tuesday press conference, Hogan also confirmed that Maryland Department of Health Secretary Robert R. Neall will retire from state government, effective Dec. 1.

Hogan described Neall as “a long-time friend for decades and who’s done an incredible job leading a wonderful team of people throughout this crisis.”

The retirement was announced at an emergency cabinet meeting Tuesday. Hogan said he could offer no further details Tuesday evening.

Fran Phillips, the state’s longtime public health chief, retired during the summer.

By Danielle E. Gaines

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Talbot Outlines Phase 3 Recovery

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Gov. Larry Hogan announced at his press conference on Sept. 1, 2020, that the state would be entering
the third phase of Maryland’s Recovery Plan for COVID-19 beginning 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4.

Phase three allows theaters to open at 50% occupancy or up to 100 people. Retail businesses and religious
facilities can move from 50% to 75% occupancy. Restaurants, personal services establishments, indoor
recreation venues, fitness centers, and gaming facilities remain at 50% occupancy.

Venues in Maryland at which live performances occur or where motion pictures are shown outdoors and at
which entry is limited to ticketed customers, may open with 50% of 0utdoor maximum cccupancy of the
venue or 250 persons, whichever is less. Senior Centers remain closed.

Masks On Maryland

The mandate on face covering did not change. The previous executive order requires anyone over the age of
five years to wear a face covering when indoors where the public is permitted, outdoors when six foot
distance can’t be maintained, on public transportation, in healthcare offices and facilities, and when engaged
in work in any area where interaction with others is likely or food is prepared or packaged. The same
exceptions are listed for mask wearing.

“As reopening continues, the risk of infection with COVID-19 will increase and an increase in cases will almost certainly occur,” said Health Officer Dr. Fredia Wadley. “Masks and social distancing will be even more critical to keep infection rates low.”

Adult Sports Reopen Sans Fans

A new directive and order was issued by Secretary Neall of Maryland Department of Health to
supersede the Directive and Order Regarding Community, Recreational, Leisure, Cultural and Sporting
Gatherings and Events, dated June 12, and June 10, 2020.

All adult sports gatherings may open without spectators. High school and college athletics may resume sports gatherings and events without spectators and with contact sports modified following CDC guidance.

All people within an indoor sports facility are to maintain six feet social distancing whenever possible, and wear a face covering when social distancing is not feasible.

CDC guidance provides a range of sports conditions that equate to four risk levels with contact sports
competition games being the highest risk. However, the CDC guidelines are vague about what level should be
allowed according to the level of transmission of the virus in the area. Health officers have posed many
questions to the Maryland Department of Health for guidance relative to the new executive order and the
secretary’s directive.

Non-School Related Youth Sports Allowed

On Aug. 3, 2020, the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA), in consultation
with the Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), and the
Public School Superintendent Association of Maryland (PSSAM), decided to postpone the 2020 high school fall and winter competition season during the first semester.

Youth sports gatherings and events outside of public schools have been allowed to open since the Governor’s
Executive Order in June 2020 and these events can have parents and family as spectators with appropriate
social distancing.

The secretary’s directive reads, “For contact sports (wrestling, basketball and football) play should be modified to safely increase the distance between players following CDC guidance.”

Some parents want these youth leagues to require masks and other restrictions so there will be less risk for
COVID-19 infection for their youth, but not all parents hold this view. The vagueness around contact sports
guidelines will not likely be resolved with further guidance from the state.

“Needless to say, no one has found a way to maintain distance between youth in a wrestling match or during
tackle football,” Dr. Wadley said. “My recommendation now is that parents carefully consider the risk for
their child and make their own decisions about whether they are willing for their child to play contact sports
when masks and social distancing will be almost impossible to maintain.”

Open With Caution

“Most of our businesses in Talbot County have stepped up and are working hard to keep their customers
safe,” said Director of Emergency Services Clay Stamp. “But it’s more important than ever that we try to
achieve a balance between reopening and curtailing the spread of the virus.”

Once again, personal responsibility seems to be the key to getting more businesses and activities safely
opened.

“While our individual decisions and behavior to protect ourselves seem trivial in the big picture of a pandemic, they can be very effective, and they are all we have,” said Dr. Wadley. “Just because big gatherings are allowed doesn’t mean we should go. When businesses are not safe, don’t spend your money there. Further, since wearing masks and social distancing decreases the spread of COVID-19, let’s at least do that so our businesses can reopen and our children may get back to their classrooms again.”

Where to Find More Information

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Letter to the Editor: It’s Our Town, Too

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Dear Mr. Prager,

This is our town, too. 

As someone who has lived in the town and county for twenty years, I’ve seen the ups and downs, the changes – not all for the better, in my opinion – and the voicing of competing opinions and interests over the evolution and development of the town. Never, however, have I seen one individual so transparently self-motivated attempting to control and manipulate the views and actions of the Mayor, Council, business owners and citizens.

I have read your manifestos posted on social media under the banner of one of your businesses, and published online by the Talbot Spy website. I won’t take the time to pick apart each and every argument, complaint and logical fallacy that you have offered as an attempt at justifying your position and more importantly, obfuscating what I believe are your true motives. To break down each distractor, red herring, straw man, irrelevancy, exaggeration, personal insult and misogynistic statement would be petty and small. And while it would give me great personal satisfaction to do so, it would be wholly unproductive. The irony, in case you miss it, is that you are doing that very thing to each and every proposal and solution offered by our duly elected and appointed officials, and the result is predictably unproductive.

Your efforts, while somewhat successful at slowing the process or scaling back plans, have been productive for your goals, but not for the community. You have made enemies where none existed. You have not forged alliances nor proffered solutions. You have enumerated every reason, and created dozens of others, why a one or two block area of a single street should not be temporarily close to create a vibrant area for citizens to, safely and responsibly in the context of the health crisis, enjoy the downtown area and bring much needed patronage to all local businesses. 

You closed your Facebook diatribe with the expression ‘a rising tide floats all boats.’ A truer statement does not exist. Which leaves a citizen to wonder, why are you attempting to drain the harbor? You decry the lack of business acumen of others who oppose your efforts, and you climb on a high horse of business and financial success in an attempt to discredit competing viewpoints as invalid. Ironically again, truly successful businesspeople and entrepreneurs do not act this way. They do not create obstacles where none exist. They do not enlarge blockers and make mountains of molehills. They do not simply point out (real or fabricated) inadequacies in the plans of partners and stakeholders. If this has been your mode of operation during your self-described “lucky” business ventures, then truly luck has been on your side. True business professionals pride themselves on being problem solvers, removers of obstacles, agile thinkers, and with an ability to create alliances that benefit all stakeholders. The only reason to create obstacles to a plan desired by the large part of the town’s citizens, officials and business owners is that such obstacles work to your benefit.

A curious citizen may ask, ‘what benefit would Paul Prager get’ from opposing the closure of Washington Street for an open-air promenade? While it would be engaging in speculation, you have opened that door by speculating as to the motivations of council members and interested citizens in your public statements. Therefore, I believe it is fair to make some educated guesses regarding your motivations. The article about your investment in the town published online in Forbes states that, at the time of publication you owned forty percent of the downtown real estate and wanted more. It also states that you didn’t care if your businesses made money. You built them as places that your family and clients could visit, and you offer the idea that you truly care about the town’s development. I ask you: what good is development if there is no revenue generated? Isn’t it in the town’s interest to have successful ventures exist? What good is development and refurbishment to the town if no one patronizes the businesses? Surely good growth takes time, but for the time being, you’ve built a façade of success. One that may fool the casual onlooker or inattentive elected official, but more importantly, what you’ve done is gather power that you now use to intimidate and threaten town officers, philanthropic organizations and competing businesses. 

For a man who avers his goal to “own more” of the town, I can’t help but wonder why you wouldn’t want to own the most prized locations directly across from the courthouse in the very center of town. You’ve developed on the side streets. Anyone with an eye for business can look at the map and say that these are prime locations. If you can tell us that you don’t want that property, and you don’t want those businesses to become “distressed” as were the other properties you purchased; if you can tell us that contrary to your Forbes statement and your bombastic Facebook dissertation , you don’t aim to ‘help’ the poor, struggling banks by asking them to turn the screws on struggling businesses and property holders so that you can play the hero and write checks to save the financial institutions – if you can say those things, maybe you’d have a shot at credibility. Instead you play your hand by diminishing these businesses as “little,” and insignificant, as if no one should want to visit them anyway. In this Shakespearean tragedy you’ve created, methinks the gentleman doth protest too much. We see through your veil of condescending remarks about those businesses.

You complain out loud about having your reputation attacked, but you’ve done more work than anyone of destroying what credibility you might have had. You whine about a poor UPS driver who was briefly confused. Give the driver credit for having some skill and intellect. Don’t condescend to him. Don’t condescend to us. Part of the delivery driver’s job description is navigating road closures, construction, weather conditions, parking, and obstacles in every town and jurisdiction. To say that this eight-square block downtown area is too much for him to handle is a distractor intended to make those who support a road closure appear insensitive and mean. Framing this non-issue in that way is “spin” of the worst kind, and it’s insulting to the collective intelligence of your reader and the driver. Let the man do his job. I trust in his abilities without needing you, Mr. Prager to look out for his interests. 

To argue that traffic, emergency access and parking will be nightmarish and unmanageable is equally insulting to the officials who are responsible for those services. While those officials should be consulted during the planning process, to throw their lack of ability to adapt to changing circumstances and needs in the community is once again a show of hubris and condescension that you repeatedly use as a way to intimidate and distract. We close most of the downtown for four days in the fall, and they manage that situation with expertise and experience. Please allow them to handle a closure of one block of one street in the same way. 

What, to me, (aside from the patently offensive way you show your disdain for women in positions of authority) is the most galling and offensive of your man-in-the-high-castle arguments is the threat to pull all of your investment and philanthropic support from the town if you don’t get your way. This alone proves that Paul Prager invests and donates for the benefit of Paul Prager and his accumulation of wealth and power. You claim to take great care of your employees, but you are willing, over a supposed disagreement over parking places, to shutter your businesses and leave them without jobs. Perhaps you intended to add that you’ll pay them a year’s salary while they wait for the town to find businesses to fill the void? Or perhaps they’re on their own? Let us know your plan for them if and when you leave.

 And never fear: the local baseball league survived before Paul Prager. As did every other charity and non-profit, employee and customer. We’ll all survive if you follow through on your threat. We respect your bank account, but we as citizens, operators of charity organizations, and elected officials need not be in awe of it. We are not required to come kiss your ring and beg for the help. Don’t mistake asking for your help for requiring your help. We ask because you have the ability to help, and we’d like to think you have both a business interest in doing things (such as decreasing tax liabilities), and a true spirit of helpfulness.

Yet we find in your writings, no humility whatsoever; no true selfless spirit. Statements that even approach those themes are bookended with boasts about how you didn’t have to do things, self-righteous claims about how you’re better, smarter, and more civic-minded than anyone, all followed by the threat to stop producing your theater of civic-duty and carefully choreographed humanitarianism if you don’t get your way. 

If you truly don’t know how to be selfless, giving, and to use your wealth and influence to make a distressed neighborhood better, I offer the example of Jose Andres, a restauranteur who got his start in Washington, D.C. Mr. Andres has built an empire of fine food and community service, earning him an estimated net worth of over $50 million. It’s my guess that your net worth value begins with the letter “b” and not “m.” It’s not my place to say what you should do with your money. But with his tiny empire, Mr. Andres has founded World Central Kitchen, a non-profit dedicated to providing food after natural disasters. He has founded Think Food Group, “to tell stories and push creativity forward in the hospitality industry, philanthropy, and beyond,” a model that, if emulated in Easton could make Bluepoint Hospitality a highly respected contributor. During the Covid pandemic, Mr. Andres has supported struggling restaurants in Washington D.C., not lobbied against measures to help them. His team serves meals to restaurant workers, finds funds to pay salaries of competitor’s employees, and works tirelessly with the mission of keeping the industry alive in the city. It’s just my assumption, but I don’t envision World Central Kitchen opposing a one-block street closure that would help some fellow businesses succeed. I think he’s smarter and better than that. Mr. Andres truly understands the words “a rising tide floats all boats.”

Finally, because this is an open letter, a bit of long-term thinking. Some of which you’ve likely done, but just in case other readers haven’t, it’s worth some more speculation. A small community in which one man owns enough property to control the decisions of policy makers with threats of leaving the town destitute and empty is toxic to all other potential business owners. This is America, and you are free to buy as much as your bank account allows. I have no issue with that concept. I say this as a vision of what could become if our officials do not fulfill their role of executing a long term plan; in case they haven’t undertaken their stewardship duties with their eyes on the town twenty, thirty, and fifty years after their tenure. If our Mayor and Council cannot find a way to see through your bluster, claims of victimhood, self-superior attitude and large hollow ball of red tape, and deal with your threats in a judicious and confident manner,  no entrepreneur or developer who does any research will bring themselves to Easton. Sure, some will come, but only after they’ve been given the blessing and are put under the thumb of you, Mr. Prager. If they are your tenants or subcontractors, the town will remain a well-crafted stage set, acted out by amateur thespians, devoid of value to the residents, unless that value also benefits Mr. Prager, the theater owner. Let’s call it like it is. With your wealth these properties could remain in the hands of your descendants for generations. The council and citizens should see that possibility and act accordingly in the best interests of the majority, not the one person with the majority of the money. The role of government is to provide equal opportunity, and in allowing one individual, regardless of whether he owns forty percent or one percent of the town, to block progress without offering or facilitating solutions that produce the desired ends, is a dangerous precedent to set. 

I want my family to be here for generations, living in and around Easton, not Pragerville. 

It’s our town too.

Scott Harris
Easton

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Health Officer Eyes Action on Restaurants as Talbot Council Drafts Emergency Bill on COVID-19

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With COVID-19 cases on the rise in Talbot County, the county’s health officer is warning local restaurants refusing to comply with state and county directives that their food service licenses are on the line.

In a July 14 letter and in a Wednesday afternoon press conference, Gov. Larry Hogan urged local officials to take action against non-compliant businesses.

The letter specifically noted reckless behavior at some of the state’s bars and restaurants and expressed concern that cases in the 20- to 40-year-old age group are rising even as Maryland’s COVID-19 metrics have stabilized.

“This tends to be the age of people who have to go to work every day,” Talbot County Health Officer Dr. Fredia Wadley said Wednesday in a statement. “They are often on the front lines, working in positions where they come into contact with the public, and they are more likely to be out socializing after hours and on weekends.”

Wadley met Tuesday with the Talbot County Council, which was sitting as the county’s Board of Health.

She asked elected officials to consider a local mandate to limit the size of gatherings, to require facial coverings for people inside public and retail facilities, and to impose civil penalties on those cited for violations.

Wadley told the board that at least one restaurant has been warned four times about violating the state restrictions.

“We have to recognize that we only have social distancing, facial coverings and hand hygiene to help prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Wadley said in the statement. “And to ignore these proven practices while this pandemic burns through our country with higher rates every day would be a sign of negligence on the part of any health officer.”

The council voted to have the county attorney draft emergency legislation to provide civil penalties against businesses that fail to comply with COVID-19 orders. That legislation is expected to be considered at the council’s July 28 meeting.

“We are not trying to hurt the business community, but we’re trying to keep people safe,” Council President Corey Pack said in the statement. “Many businesses are operating appropriately, and we want to continue to encourage and work with them. Unfortunately, there are some businesses that are not doing all they can, and we are going to have to address those businesses.”

Education has been the Talbot County Health Department’s first line of defense, according to the Wednesday statement. But as the summer heats up and people become weary of the measures used to curtail the spread of the virus, officials are beginning to consider more stringent measures.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased dramatically since the Independence Day holiday. For several days last week, Talbot County led the state with a positivity rate over 8%, a number that indicates the percentage of the total number of people who were tested and found to be positive for the COVID-19 virus.

Wadley, in the Wednesday statement, noted she has the authority to suspend food licenses of any business with conditions deemed an immediate health threat.

She said restaurants not complying with the governor’s executive order will get a compliance letter warning of a food license suspension.

The order says no one can be served at a bar, patrons must be seated to receive service, and six-foot distancing is required.

Restaurants that continue to violate the order would then have the license suspended.

“We have worked with a number of restaurant owners who are trying to do the right thing,” Wadley said in the statement.  “But we still see people standing shoulder to shoulder in bar areas, tables packed with customers, and people refusing, or simply forgetting, to wear masks.”

Wadley and a team of interagency partners have come together to examine the problem and consider what tools they currently have to address ongoing problems.

The Maryland Code authorizes the local health officers, with authority delegated by the Secretary of Health, to suspend the food license of a facility that has conditions that offer an immediate health threat.

The Maryland Department of Health has encouraged local health officers to have their restaurant inspectors use a COVID-19 checklist on their routine inspections and when they investigate restaurant complaints.

Restaurants that are not in compliance with the Governor’s Executive Order concerning restaurants and bars will receive a compliance letter notifying them that if they do not come into compliance that their food  license will be suspended.

The COVID-19 checklist provided by the state will be placed on the Talbot County Health Department website as well as the Talbot COVID 19 website.

Public events that require a temporary license agreement must also be approved by the county health officer.

While outdoor events are 18 times safer than those held indoors, Wadley said, allowing large crowds to gather where social distancing is impossible or unlikely will contribute to the spread of the virus.

The third option for action is that when complaints are received by the county liquor board and the liquor board inspector finds that bars are not following the governor’s executive order, the liquor board could consider suspending the facility’s liquor license.

Emergency Services Director Clay Stamp agrees that it is time to take action.

“Your Emergency Operations Center opened in response to this virus in March, and we have seen amazing things from this community in the face of this public health emergency,” he said in the statement. “But we also recognize that there is an economic component to this problem, and we needed to get our businesses open.

“We want our businesses to be successful. We need them to be successful,” Stamp said. “No one is interested in shutting businesses down, but the fact is we have some businesses that are not in compliance. We need to step forward in a unified way and make some adjustments to maintain a balance between public safety and economic stability.”

For more information about Talbot County’s COVID-19 response, visit talbotcovid19.org.

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Easton to Continue Weekend Parking Closures for Washington Street Restaurants

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Parking spaces in front of three Washington Street restaurants will be closed the next two weekends as Easton awaits other proposals to help downtown businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The town council voted unanimously Monday night to continue the “experiment” of closing off 10 parallel parking spaces along Washington Street. With the spaces closed this past weekend, the Washington Street Pub, Doc’s Downtown Grille and Scossa Restaurant & Lounge offered additional outside dining and saw increased business.

Easton officials would like to see one change — if handicapped accessibility allows: Use the blocked off parking spaces for pedestrian traffic with the extra outside tables on the sidewalk, not the parking spaces.

As the town continues with the weekend closures, downtown business and property owners will meet Thursday morning to discuss strategies for increasing business during the pandemic.

The closures have already given a bump to the three restaurants, Ross Benincasa, executive director of Discover Easton, said Monday.

Compared to the prior weekend, the Pub reported a 130% increase on Friday, 115% on Saturday, and 75% on Sunday, he said.

The numbers were smaller for Scossa and Doc’s, Benincasa said, noting the Pub normally does not have any outside dining.

Scossa saw a 35% increase in table “turns” on Friday compared to the prior weekend and a 20% increase on Saturday, but had a small decrease on Sunday, he said. However, the restaurant did not use the additional outside dining space on Sunday.

Doc’s reported about 40% more business between Friday and Sunday compared to the previous weekend, Benincasa said. Business there also had increased when Washington Street was entirely closed to traffic between Monday, July 6, and Wednesday, July 8.

That closure stemmed from the town’s earlier plan to shut down the street to create a pedestrian promenade on Washington Street beginning Thursday, July 9. During a special July 8 meeting to address concerns about the street closure, town council members voted to halt the promenade idea.

The council later approved the closure of the parking spaces during a Tuesday, July 14, special meeting.

Benincasa, during Monday night’s meeting, said Discover Easton acknowledged communications issues related to the promenade plan.

Asked by newly appointed Councilman Rev. Elmer Neal Davis Jr. to explain, Benincasa cited three issues:

• the organization focused on speaking with restaurateurs and retailers about the plan and should have included service businesses as well;

• not all businesses were made aware of changes in the plan before the public meeting and initial approval; and

• businesses within a larger geographic zone, particularly Harrison Street, should have been included in the initial discussions.

“There was certainly a haste to this plan” in an effort to aid downtown businesses affected by pandemic closures and restrictions, Benincasa said.

Officials heard concerns from two people about safety, he said. One was from a downtown business owner who thought the initial full street closure was safer; the other was from an outside diner who felt the dining tables in the parking spaces put people “very close” to traffic.

Benincasa suggested the town modify last weekend’s setup to direct pedestrians into the parking spaces, which is the method Rehoboth has adopted for its expanded outside dining.

During Monday night’s meeting, Ward 2 Councilman Don Abbatiello initially proposed that the town continue the closure of the parking spaces from this Friday through Monday, Aug. 3, when the council next meets.

That suggestion drew opposition from Ward 1 Councilman Alan Silverstein and Davis.

Silverstein noted that the parking spaces were in use during the day Monday, while Davis said he needed to hear additional information.

“I’m more concerned about safety,” Davis said. “It’s only going to take one incident and all that will be shut down.”

Abbatiello withdrew his motion and Silverstein proposed closing the parking spaces the next two weekends, with pedestrians using the parking spaces as long as there is no accessibility issue.

His motion was approved 5-0.

During public comments, Paul Prager — who owns significant sections of downtown Easton and operates several restaurants — said his businesses and building tenants have about 150 employees working downtown and he currently has about 52 contractors working on many projects in his buildings.

He said he also had tried to get other businesses to move downtown, but parking was a major concern for those owners.

Closing the street for the promenade concept eliminated more than 20 parking spaces on Washington Street, which would have been detrimental to downtown businesses, Prager said, largely reading from a prepared statement.

“The Promenade makes no sense,” he wrote. “It should have been dead on arrival, given our town’s construct, architecture, traffic, parking and this horrible pandemic.”

Prager also took aim at Council President Megan Cook and others who he felt had targeted his businesses after he opposed the promenade.

Read his complete written statement below:

Bluepoint LTR to Easton Town Council 7-20-20

Four other people also spoke on the issue, including two with no business interests downtown.

Scott Eglseder said numerous cities had adopted concepts similar to the initial promenade.

He suggested an expanded closure beyond just the one block of Washington Street, with streets closed after 5 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and completely closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

Noah Matten said the coronavirus threat will not be abated within the next 12 months and suggested more permanent barricades for any street closures.

“The idea of changing traffic patterns consistently increases risk for a pedestrian strike,” he said. Traffic studies show the greatest risk for pedestrian strikes occurs in the first few days after a change in traffic patterns.

Matten suggested the town close the northbound lane of Washington Street and urged Easton to ensure appropriate traffic barriers are used.

He said the rented barricades met town standards, but fencing borrowed from the Easton Police Department to complete the blocking off of the 10 parking spaces did not.

Steven Mangasarian, who owns restaurants downtown, said he had been dismayed by the tone of rhetoric surrounding the issue and suggested the animus against Prager was more personal and not related to his opposition to the Washington Street Promenade.

“I’m opening myself up to it also because unless it’s absolutely personal against Mr. Prager I too am opposing the Washington Street closure,” he said. “I own restaurants downtown, if somebody wants to boycott me, so be it. So we’ll do an experiment, it is just personal or is it just because I oppose that?”

He also noted that this past weekend had been a modified Plein Air weekend, which drew additional customers.

“There were a lot of extra people in town,” Mangasarian said. “Banning’s felt it, Breakfast in Easton felt it, so we all were lifted a little bit.”

He said he had not heard any good argument for how the street closure would help businesses, particularly restaurants, noting he had owned and operated restaurants in downtown Easton longer than all but one other restaurateur.

“I’ve been in the restaurant business 45 years,” Mangasarian said. “I’ve owned 10 restaurants, all of them successful — nobody really asked me what I thought about all this.”

“Do I think seating is a problem? I really don’t. Do we need more tables? No, not really. Granted people are seating outside, but is that at the expense of seating inside?

“We feel at Banning’s people just don’t want to seat inside, they’d rather sit outside,” Mangasarian said. “Whether it’s fear of the virus or whatever, they do want to seat outside. Is outside seating a good idea? Sure. But is closing Washington Street the solution?”

He said there are 27 parking spaces in the block of Washington Street in front of the courthouse and closing those spaces would make it difficult for customers to find parking.

Promenades “have been undeniably successful” in some places, Mangasarian said. “It’s been tried elsewhere and it’s failed.”

He said the successful ones had vibrant downtowns, nearby customers, well-planned parking and traffic, an anchor, and retail stores and restaurants.

Mangasarian also said there were longtime issues in downtown Easton, including parking and a reluctance among retailers to open on Sundays and later into the evening.

Those issues have been discussed for decades and nothing has happened, he said.

“Let’s take the time to plan it right and not just come up with semi-permanent solutions,” Mangasarian said.

The ugly reality of restaurants is that the businesses live and die on cash flow, he said. The best way to help restaurants as a result of the pandemic would be financially, whether through tax breaks or other measures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Easton OKs Limited Promenade for Weekend Dining

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The town council voted 3-1 Tuesday to try a very limited version this weekend of the downtown promenade that was halted in a reversal last week.

Easton will use rented barricades to close off the parallel parking spaces along Washington Street in front of Scossa Restaurant & Lounge, Doc’s Downtown Grille, and the Washington Street Pub. Both lanes of traffic will remain open.

Closing the parking spaces will allow the restaurants to expand outdoor dining, creating the opportunity for additional revenue for businesses closed for a time due to the COVID-19 pandemic and currently operating at 50 percent capacity due to continued emergency restrictions.

The parking spaces will be blocked off early Friday morning and the barricades will be removed early Monday.

The vote came Tuesday afternoon following a 90-minute special worksh0p meeting at which the council heard from several officials, but did not take public comment despite several business owners being in attendance.

Council President Megan Cook led the push to take some action in time for the weekend. Councilman Don Abbatiello made the motion to close the parking spaces for the weekend and Councilman Ron Engle voted in favor.

Councilman Al Silverstein opposed the effort, saying the town needed to properly study the plans and talk to downtown business owners after rushing the initial decision to close down the block of Washington Street between Dover and Federal streets.

Instead of closing parking spaces this weekend, Silverstein suggested the businesses take advantage of language in the mayor’s executive orders allowing restaurants to place tables — with permission of adjoining businesses — beyond the restaurant’s storefront.

It was unclear if any restaurants had sought to extend outside dining areas under that provision.

He said the town needed to look at the cost of the street closures and should determine whether a grant program would be a more effective use of the town’s funds.

Silverstein also expressed concern about social distancing as confirmed COVID-19 cases climb in Talbot County and elsewhere.

Easton Mayor Robert Willey had urged action before the vote, noting additional delays could push the issue to the end of summer and restaurants would get little benefit.

“We’re now into the third week talking about this, we’re talking about setting up a meeting next week,that may be two weeks after that, you’re into August, rapidly going into Labor Day,” Willey said. “Before you know it, the summer’s going to be over and we might as well talk about next year because we’ll be too late into the process to get something done.”

Ross Benincasa, executive director of Discover Easton, presented three options for the council to consider:

• Entirely closing the block of Washington Street, but only on weekends

• Closing the parallel parking spaces and the adjacent northbound lane of Washington Street

• Closing the parallel parking spaces and leaving the road open to traffic

Benincasa said the restaurant owners were hoping to have a plan in place for the weekend.

Town Engineer Rick VanEmburgh said the town had rented 10 barricades for the initial plan to close the block to all vehicular traffic and would be able to get 30 barricades by the weekend to close off some of the parking spaces in front of the three restaurants; closing that entire stretch would require 50 barricades.

However, the barricades also may be connected with steel bars and chains, rather than interlocking together, he said.

VanEmburgh said he was concerned about putting up the barricades on Friday afternoons after the courthouse closes.

“How do we move all those vehicles out of the space and then put the barriers in place and then the restaurants get the tables out to the street?” he asked, noting it took town crews several hours to erect the 10 barricades across Washington Street last week.

The town engineer also said he met with a consultant to discuss a traffic study for the street closure, but was told it would take 8-12 weeks and cost $30,000 to $40,000.

VanEmburgh said he also spoke with the state transportation secretary and the state would be willing to look at any planned street closures.

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Hogan Easing More Restrictions on Businesses and Public Gatherings

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Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) announced Wednesday that he is easing the state into the “completion” of his administration’s “stage one recovery plan” from the COVID-19 outbreak, allowing restaurants to serve customers outdoors and expanding recreational activities in the state.

At a late afternoon State House news conference, Hogan said he was comfortable taking additional steps to reopen the state’s economy and lift certain restrictions on Marylanders’ movements and activities because key metrics — including the state’s COVID-19 testing capacity, hospitalization rates and number of patients in intensive-care units — are “trending in the right direction.”

Hogan emphasized that the ultimate call for restricting activities in the state rests with local leaders. He pointed out that officials in 23 of the state’s 24 jurisdictions — with the exception of Montgomery County — have taken steps to reopen their economies and ease travel restrictions, or have announced their intention to do so.

Hogan’s announcement comes as the death toll from the coronavirus topped 2,200 in Maryland Wednesday. But the governor said the state has just hit its goal of conducting 10,000 COVID-19 tests a day, and that 334,000 tests have been taken overall. He said the rate of tests that come back positive, along with the number of COVID patients in hospitals and ICU units, have dropped dramatically over the past month.

Hogan said that even in the state’s coronavirus hot spots — Prince George’s and Montgomery counties — the percentage of positive tests is declining significantly.

“I understand — some people believe we’re moving too quickly, other people believe we’re moving too slowly,” Hogan said. “I understand there’s going to be criticism on both sides and we’re not going to make everybody happy.”

Hogan said polls have suggested that about 80% of Marylanders believe restrictions are being lifted at about the right pace.

Two weeks ago, Hogan announced the first phase of his stage one plan to ease restrictions in the state. He reopened state parks, playgrounds and beaches, and said certain retail outlets could open if they employed self-distancing practices and emphasized curbside pickups.

Under the new order, beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, restaurants — many of which have relied on takeout and delivery orders, if they haven’t shuttered altogether — can begin serving patrons on decks, patios and other outdoor settings. Hogan said he was also encouraging local governments to “find innovative ways” to enable restaurants to expand their outdoor seating capacity, by closing certain streets to vehicular traffic.

Under Hogan’s guidance, no more than six people can sit together at an outdoor table, and patrons must be spaced at least six feet apart. Restaurants — along with VFW halls and social clubs, which are also covered by the order — must adhere to strict sanitation and safety practices as laid out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hogan said all restaurant workers must be screened daily for fever.

Business owners and the groups that represent them were cautiously optimistic about Hogan’s announcement, but also wondered how quickly local governments would adopt Hogan’s guidance.

“Restaurants operate on the thinnest of margins under normal circumstances, so giving us more opportunities to get our customers back is very much appreciated,” said Andrew Fox, owner of two Annapolis restaurants, Fox’s Den and Vida Taco Bar.

Mike O’Halloran, Maryland director of the National Federation of Independent Business, called Hogan’s announcement “welcome news.”

“But serious concerns remain with how this will play out in each jurisdiction and if restaurateurs will be able to staff up appropriately,” he said.

In a Facebook post, state Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot (D) said he was “exceedingly pleased” with Hogan’s announcement.

“This action is essential to the survival of Maryland’s hospitality industry, which is responsible for nearly half a million jobs in our state,” said Franchot, whose office has run one of its patented social media campaigns to urge Hogan to allow restaurants to serve customers outdoors.

Also beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, outdoor swimming pools will be allowed to reopen at 25% capacity, Hogan said. Children’s day camps can reopen for outdoor activities only, with a limited number of participants. Youth sports leagues can resume “low contact” outdoor practices. All children and staffers must be checked regularly for COVID-like symptoms.

Hogan said that if COVID-19 public health trends continue, and if his latest moves to reopen the state prove successful, he’ll consider activating Phase Two of his reopening plan next week, which would enable businesses deemed nonessential to reopen.

Still no movement in Montgomery County

Even as Prince George’s County, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia take tentative steps on their first phases of reopening, Montgomery County Executive Marc B. Elrich (D) told a media briefing Wednesday, about five hours before Hogan spoke, that the first steps in his jurisdiction’s reopening probably won’t come until early next week.

“I feel pretty good about the numbers being where they are,” Elrich said — but he added that he was worried about a possible spike in cases following a big turnout on the beach and boardwalk at Ocean City during the Memorial Day weekend.

Hogan was asked several times at his news conference about the resistance of certain large counties to follow his guidelines on reopening, and replied, “I don’t want to criticize the local leaders.” But he did suggest at one point: “The county leaders aren’t paying attention to the state metrics. They seem to be making up their own plans.”

In a statement, Patrick Moran, president of AFSCME Council 3, a public employee union, criticized Hogan’s move.

“With the Governor’s latest public announcement, it would seem the Governor has turned to taking cues from those groups demanding to ‘open Maryland’ versus public health experts,” Moran said.

He expressed concern that Hogan was jeopardizing the health of government workers — and in turn, their ability to operate and maintain state facilities.

“The Hogan administration has still failed to protect state employees, which in turn is a failure to protect the public,” Moran said.

By Josh Kurtz

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Liquor Board Discusses Hogan’s Order on Carryout Alcohol Sales, OKs Licenses for 3 Restaurants

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The Talbot liquor board, meeting Monday by video conference, discussed off-premises sales under an executive order and gave conditional liquor license approval to three restaurants.

The Board of Liquor License Commissioners of Talbot County also answered questions from license holders stemming from Maryland’s state of emergency and Gov. Larry Hogan’s executive orders allowing restaurants to sell beer, wine and alcohol for carryout and delivery.

During the state of emergency, any future liquor board meetings should be held only for a pressing matter, Gary Royer, liquor board chairman, said.

“We are under restrictions. This is not an emergency,” Royer said. “If we’re over the emergency, we can have a meeting on (April 13). If not, I don’t think this is necessary.”

Royer, Vice Chairman John Gottschalk, Assistant County Attorney Mary O’Donnell, and Board Secretary Patricia Finneyfrock were present in the same room for the meeting; Commissioner William Rolle participated by video conference.

“There may be additional curfews,” Gottschalk said.

The liquor board members would be able to meet by video conference using their home computers to maintain social distancing, O’Donnell said.

O’Donnell said staff members would discuss any potential items for the April 13 agenda; as of Monday, there were none.

Off-premises sales during state of emergency

Chris Agharabi, who owns and operates several restaurants in Maryland, including Ava’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar and Theo’s Steakhouse in St. Michaels, sought clarification on whether or not those restaurants could sell cocktails for carryout.

While the restaurants have liquor licenses allowing for off-premises sale of beer and wine, sales of liquor are limited to on-site consumption.

Being able to sell additional items for carryout and delivery would enable him to bring more employees back to work, he said, noting that the restaurant closure order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic had forced him to lay off 85 people.

Gov. Larry Hogan also issued an executive order allowing for restaurants and bars to sell beer, wine and alcohol for delivery and carryout during the state of emergency since those establishments have been ordered closed for dining.

“Whatever you have the ability to do on premises, you can do off premises,” O’Donnell told Agharabi, referring him to a recent letter from the liquor board.

“I apologize for not seeing it,” Agharabi said. “We’ve been trying to run the business.”

Licenses approved for three restaurants

The liquor board gave conditional approval to licenses for three restaurants — Rude BBQ (the former BBQ Joint) at 216 E. Dover St. in Easton, Corah’s Corner at 105 N. Talbot St. in St. Michaels, and Hammy’s Hideout at 209 S. Talbot St. in St. Michaels (former site of the Blackthorn Pub).

All three establishments have additional approvals and/or paperwork to provide to the liquor board office before a license will be issued.

 

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