Maryland Department of Labor – Updates on Fraud Investigation

Maryland Department of Labor (Labor) Secretary Tiffany Robinson has announced that Maryland has been awarded $2,430,000 in funding from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) to support Maryland’s ongoing efforts to prevent and detect unemployment insurance fraud. The initial fraud investigation announced has been completed, with nearly 95% of claims initially investigated determined to be…

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MD Indoor Dining Capacity to 75% Beginning Monday with Start of MD Restaurant Week

Governor Larry Hogan today marked the beginning of the state’s first-ever Maryland Restaurant Week by announcing expanded capacity for indoor dining. Effective Monday, September 21 at 5:00 p.m., capacity for indoor operations at restaurants may increase from 50 to 75 percent, with appropriate distancing, and following strict public health requirements consistent with the CDC, FDA,…

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Revised Fall Sports Plan Approved by Del. Board of Ed.

Fall sports play on in Delaware. The Delaware State Board of Education met for hours before voting 4-3 in favor of a proposal approved last week by the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association to start practice and competition for fall sports. Earlier, both boards had voted to delay fall sports until the winter months. Practice will…

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Worcester Co. Schools Set Goal For In-Person Instruction

Worcester County Public Schools will proceed with its ‘responsible return model’ and a virtual-learning-for-all model as the new school year starts. Governor Larry Hogan’s recent announcement that all Maryland school systems were authorized to safely plan for in-person instruction does not change Worcester County’s plans, but Superintendent Lou Taylor said it affirms them. Taylor said…

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Md. Budget Supports Addiction Resources Locally

Local programs that see first-hand the effects of the opioid addiction and overdose crisis are getting support in the Maryland fiscal year 2021 budget. Allocations include nearly $184,000 to support the legal needs of children and families who have been impacted by the opioid crisis. Nearly $179,000 will go towards a behavioral health coordinator, youth…

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Worcester Co. COVID-19 Positivity Rate Is Highest In Md.

Maryland’s statewide positivity rate for COVID-19 reaches a new low, and while the rate in Worcester County has begun to level off during the first weekend of August, it remains a concern. Governor Larry Hogan announced Sunday that the state’s seven-day positivity rate for COVID-19 had dipped to 3.75-percent. Hospitalizations for coronavirus had also reached…

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COVID-19 Drive-Up Testing Available In OC This Weekend

Maryland has scheduled several large-scale COVID-19 Testing Events, including a drive-through testing program at the Ocean City Convention Center this weekend. Appointments for a test can be made through the Worcester County Health Department by calling 410-632-1100, then pressing 8. Additional testing clinics are also being planned for select weekends in August and September. A…

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Gov. Hogan Announces Open Enrollment for MD Dept. of Housing & Community Development’s Assisted Housing Relief Program

Governor Larry Hogan today announced open enrollment for the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) Assisted Housing Relief Program, which will provide a four-month rent rebate voucher for renters living in DHCD-financed properties who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “One of the first actions I took in response to this unprecedented crisis…

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“Massive” Unemployment Insurance Fraud Uncovered In Md.

Massive and sophisticated fraud has been uncovered in Maryland. Governor Larry Hogan announces that more than 47,500 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims have been uncovered, and that the criminal enterprise totaled more than $501,000,000. Hogan says the Labor Department investigation also helped federal authorities uncover related illegal activity in other states. The investigation continues to identify…

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It’s Tax Day! Here’s What You Should Know:

The three-month extension to file your 2019 tax return is coming to an end. The normal deadline to file of April 15th was extended until July 15th this year due to complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Today’s deadline applies to federal taxes as well as taxes in Delaware and Maryland. Tax payments and the…

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MD Positivity Rate for Coronavirus at New Low

Five weeks after the state entered Stage Two of recovery, Maryland’s key COVID-19 health metrics continue to trend in a positive direction. The statewide positivity rate has fallen to a new low of 4.34%, and ICU beds have dropped to their lowest level since March 30. State health officials continue to monitor the spikes and outbreaks in…

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Congresman Harris: Keep School Reopen Decisions Local

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What will school look like when the 2020-21 academic year starts? Congressman Andy Harris of Maryland (R- 1st) says that should be up to local jurisdictions. Harris is an original co-sponsor of a resolution in the House that urges that local factors guide decision-making about the reopening of schools during the pandemic. Harris says a…

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MD Gov Hogan Proclaims Today “Freedom of the Press” Day

Governor Larry Hogan has proclaimed June 28 “Freedom of the Press Day” in honor of the five Capital Gazette employees who were murdered in the newsroom on June 28, 2018: Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith, and Wendi Winters. “Two years ago today, five Marylanders lost their lives to a heinous and unthinkable…

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Worcester Co. Announces Grants For Small Businesses, Farmers Impacted By Pandemic

Worcester County small business owners and farmers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic will be able to apply for grants. Applications through the Workforce Back to Business COVID-19 Assistance Grant Program will be accepted online for two weeks starting July 8th. An independent review panel will evaluate the applications. Grants will be awarded in increments of…

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MD to Begin Allowing Nursing Home Visits

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has announced a plan to allow limited outdoor visits to the state’s nursing home facilities.  It also allows for limited communal dining and small group activities to resume with proper precautions in place.  Following universal testing of nursing homes, state health officials will require weekly retesting of nursing home staff.  Residents…

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BJA Grants Awarded to Help Public Safety Agencies Respond During Pandemic

The Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Department of Justice has awarded supplemental funding to help public safety agencies respond to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. The finding is part of the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) program. This grant funding can be used to hire personnel, pay overtime, cover protective equipment and…

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