State capacity limits on dining in Maryland are being lifted at 5 p.m. on Friday.
But during a news conference Tuesday, Gov. Larry Hogan said that restaurants and bars will still be limited to seated and distanced service only.
The state is also lifting capacity limits on retail businesses, religious facilities, fitness centers, personal services and indoor recreational establishments. Quarantine requirements and other out-of-state travel restrictions are being lifted, too.
“The time is right,” Hogan said.
Mixed reaction
Hogan’s action does not preclude counties from keeping their existing health restrictions in place, and the announcement surprised at least three county officials. A spokesperson said Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman “found out about the major new policy change at the same time as the rest of Maryland.” They declined further comment.
Howard County is seeking options for how to reuse the historic Ellicott City courthouse complex as the move to the newly developed Circuit Court building in Columbia quickly approaches.
Howard County looks to reuse Ellicott City courthouse spaces ahead of move to new Columbia building capitalgazette.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from capitalgazette.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
One year after celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay visited historic Ellicott City, 100 volunteers joined Howard EcoWorks for an annual cleanup of the Tiber River watershed on Saturday.
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball received his Johnson & Johnson shot at St. John Baptist Church on March 8, 2021. (Courtesy Howard County)
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball rolled up his sleeve for a shot of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine Monday, aiming to boost confidence in the new single-shot option and to showcase the county’s efforts to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are distributed equitably by launching small clinics at churches and other community spots.
“With expanded eligibility and increasing supply, we must do more of the hard work of ensuring that communities of color, our more vulnerable residents and people who have limited access to online registration can get their vaccine,” Ball said shortly before receiving his single shot of the vaccine at St. John Baptist Church in Columbia, Maryland, on Monday morning.