Author: eastbaltco

Pizza John’s Products Now Available at Kingsville Store


Pizza John’s in Essex has had to follow the same protocol as all restaurants across the state by closing its dining room down since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The popular pizza site on Back River Neck Road still offers carryout, but they have provided another opportunity for customers to bake their own Pizza John’s pizza at the comfort of their home.

Pizza John’s announced that their pizza and sauce are now for sale at a Kingsville store.

“We are excited to announce our large and small Bake-At-Home pizzas along with our pasta sauce are now available at Greene’s Family Butcher Shop!!! Located in Kingsville,” said a statement on the Pizza John’s Facebook page.

Greene’s is located at 12037 Belair Road in Kingsville.

Bel Air Motorcyclist Killed in Carney Sunday Crash


Police are investigating a fatal crash on northbound Harford Road and East Joppa Road in Carney Sunday afternoon.

The preliminary investigation revealed that at 3:04 p.m. a Harley Davidson motorcycle driving north on Harford Road attempted to pass another vehicle, also traveling north on Harford Road, and collided with the passenger side of a Dodge Durango that was crossing Harford Road eastbound. The operator and passenger of the motorcycle were ejected.

The operator of the motorcycle, Bryan Eric Yarworth Sr. (62) of the 1600 block of Dogwood Lane, of Bel Air, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The passenger of the motorcycle was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. The driver and passenger of the Dodge were uninjured and remained at the scene.

The Baltimore County Crash Team is working to determined all of the factors involved in the fatal crash.

Marks & Henn Ask Gov. Hogan for School Funding in Letter


Fifth District School BCPS Board Member Julie Henn and 5th District Councilman David Marks have written a letter to Gov. Larry Hogan asking him to continue to support the Build to Learn Act. Henn and Marks are asking for funding for the new Northeast Elementary School at Ridge Road, the new Northeast Middle School, and a renovation / expansion of Pine Grove Middle.

“We are writing to ask for your continued assistance. The Build to Learn Act of 2020 will provide $2.2 billion in school construction funding and help ensure our children have access to modern comfortable classroom for genereations to come,” said a portion of the letter.

The Maryland General Assembly passed the funding for the construction money for the projects, but Gov. Larry Hogan said he was not going to sign any spending bills into law as a result of an unexpected economic downfall as a result of COVID-19. Some believe that the $400 million in Baltimore County school construction funding could be denied and Henn explained that is why the letter was sent.

“Today, Baltimore County Councilman David Marks and I wrote to Governor Hogan asking him to support the Built to Learn Act of 2020. This legislation provides funding that would allow several critical school construction projects in the northeast to move forward,” Henn said in a statement about the letter. The full letter is above.

County to Offer Internet at Selected Library Parking Lots


As Baltimore County continues to identify ways to assist residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski today announced new exterior Wi-Fi resources at Baltimore County Public Library branches to support students and other residents without high-speed internet access.

“This crisis has upended life in countless ways, and it requires us to find creative solutions to the challenges we face,” Olszewski said. “We hope these new Wi-Fi resources will hope narrow the access gap as we continue to work around the clock to identify additional resources to support Baltimore County families during these trying times.”

The County has installed external Wi-Fi capacity at 9 new library branch locations. Previously, the Towson branch already had external Wi-Fi capacity, bringing the total number of branches to 10. Residents can now access free Wi-Fi in the parking lots of 10 branch locations across the County:
• Catonsville Branch, 1100 Frederick Road, Catonsville, MD 21228

• Essex Branch, 1110 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, MD 21221

• Hereford Branch, 16940 York Road, Hereford, MD 21111

• Lansdowne Branch, 500 Third Avenue, Lansdowne, MD 21227

• North Point Branch, 1716 Merritt Boulevard, Dundalk, MD 21222

• Randallstown Branch, 8604 Liberty Road, Randallstown, MD 21133

• Rosedale Branch, 6105 Kenwood Avenue, Rosedale, MD 21237

• Towson Branch, 320 York Road, Towson, MD 21204

• White Marsh Branch, 8133 Sandpiper Circle, Baltimore, MD 21236

• Woodlawn Branch, 1811 Woodlawn Drive, Woodlawn, MD 21207

Residents will be required to remain their vehicles or otherwise adhere to all social distancing guidelines. These requirements will be strictly enforced.

“Access to the internet is critical, not just for work and homework, but also for our residents’ personal lives: checking in on friends and families is important to everyone right now,” said Baltimore County Public Library Director Paula Miller. “Our internet usage within our buildings is typically very high, so we know that there are many residents who may not have access at home. We are thrilled with this solution that enables us to utilize our parking lots to continue to provide internet service.”

Residents can also visit the BaltCo Go-Online Map to find the closest available free internet service throughout the County. Users can search for locations closest to where they live.

Additionally, in the interest of ensuring as many residents as possible have access to internet service, Baltimore County wants residents to know that Comcast has made a number of resources available in its service areas:
• Free “Internet Essentials” Service: Low-income families who live in a Comcast service area can sign up for 60 days of complimentary Internet Essentials service if you apply by May 13, 2020. To sign up, applicants can simply visit www.internetessentials.com or by calling 1-855-846-8376 for English and 1-855-765-6995 for Spanish.
• Free Public Wi-Fi Hotspots: Any resident can now access hundreds of Comcast public Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the County. Locations available at: https://wifi.Xfinity.com

COVID-19 Eastern Baltimore County Numbers for April 19


The Maryland Department of Health released a new set of stats on the outbreak of COVID-19 that included more of a breakdown to include zip codes last week. Stats are released everyday at 10 a.m.

According to the state’s daily numbers for April 12, the highest level of the cornavirus is still in the 21215 zip code in Arlington, which encompasses both western Baltimore City and Baltimore County. There have been 265 coronavirus cases recorded in the 21215 zip code after there were a reported 137 cases last week. That is an increase of 93.5 percent since Sunday, April 12.

Eastern Baltimore County
After a seven-day period, here is the latest cases in the eastern Baltimore County zip codes since Sunday, April 19 at 10 a.m. Every zip code that had a reported cases last week all saw an increase in cases over the week, but some areas had higher increases than other zip codes.

* The 21234 Parkville zip code was reported last week with the highest coronavirus cases in eastern Baltimore County with 109 cases. Parkville still has the most in the area with 169 cases. That is a 55 percent increase.

* The 21224 zip code had 84 cases as of last week and that has grown to 136 COVID-19 cases. It is still important to point out that a majority of that zip code is in Baltimore City with a portion of Baltimore County that includes the Eastwood and Colgate communities.

* The Overlea 21206 zip code saw a jump from 89 to 124 cases over the week. That was a 39.5 percent increase over last week.

* The Dundak area (21222) went from 55 to 83 COVID-19 cases. That was an almost 50 percent increase.

* It appears that the 21237 Rosedale zip code nearly doubled in reported cases as it went from 37 to 71 cases in just one week. That was a 92 percent increase over that week.

* The 21220 Middle River zip code saw a 64 percent increase as cases went from 36 to 59.

* The 21236 Nottingham zip code (not to be confused with the 21128 Perry Hall zip code) had a report of 40 cases and only saw an increase of 42.5 percent to 57 cases.

* The 21128 Perry Hall zip code was reported with 16 cases last week and had a reported four more cases to bring the total to 20 cases.

* Essex coronavirus cases went from 35 to 54 in the 21221 zip code.

* The 21219 Edgemere/Sparrows Point area zip code remained low from nine to 12 cases over the week.

* There still has not been any reported cases in White Marsh (21162) or Kingsville (21087) of COVID-19.

These rankings and cases were based on the amount of people that tested positive for the coronavirus. Baltimore County had 1,392 cases as of Sunday morning. There have been 44 deaths in Baltimore County, but there is no zip code breakdown of deaths as a result of COVID-19 at this time.

For the full listing, go to coronavirus.maryland.gov

County to Provide Session on Small Business Relief Resources


The first “Baltimore County Business Forum—COVID and Beyond,” will be presented live via Cisco WebEx on Tuesday, April 21 at 1 p.m., and webinar access information will be posted on the County website at baltimorecountybusiness.com. Recorded video of the completed webinars will be posted on the webpage.

The 60-minute session will be moderated by Baltimore County Director of Economic and Workforce Development Will Anderson and will feature an expert panel with a live question and answer session with local subject matter specialists. The panelists include experienced legal and financial professionals who are advising clients every day on COVID-19 issues, and are themselves members of the Baltimore County small businesses community.

John Fiedler, CPA, Wolfe & Fiedler, PA
Charles R. Kassouf, Attorney, Managing Member of The Law Office of Charles R. Kassouf, LLC
David Miller, CPA, Partner at Kenneally & Company
Carla Nelson Chambers, Managing Principal of The Nelson Ideation Group, LLC

“It can be overwhelming to figure out what local, state and federal stimulus programs you qualify for and which programs may be most helpful given individual circumstances,” said Baltimore County Director of Economic and Workforce Development Will Anderson. “This first webinar will provide an overview, plus offer business people the chance to ask specific legal and financial questions of our expert panel.”

The Department of Economic and Workforce Development (DEWD) has compiled an overview of resources and assistance available to affected employers and employees. This information is available on the department’s website and updates are posted on Facebook.

BCPS Adds Meal Distributions & Makes Changes to Service


The Baltimore County Public Schools’ Office of Food and Nutrition Services (with assistance from the BCPS Office of Transportation) is making changes to the Mobile Meal Program’s distribution times and locations effective Monday, April 20.

Beginning April 20, students will receive a breakfast, lunch, and snack on Monday through Wednesday. On Thursday, students will receive two breakfasts, two lunches, and two snacks for Thursday and Friday. Meals will no longer be distributed on Friday.

Meals will be distributed from the following 58 locations. While students are encouraged to be present when picking up meals, accommodations will be made for students who are unable to be present. New sites are listed in bold. Please note the specific distribution times for each location. Times have been changed for some locations. Here are the locations in eastern Baltimore County:

Battle Grove Elementary School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Berkshire Elementary School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Carney Elementary School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Chesapeake High School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Cove Village Apartments, Essex, in front of rental office, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Deep Creek Middle School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Dundalk Elementary School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Dundalk High School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Dunfield Apartments, 55 Insley Way, 21236, in front of leasing office, from 11 – 11:50 a.m.

Elmwood Elementary School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

General John Stricker Middle School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Hawthorne Elementary School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Johnnycake Elementary School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Logan Elementary School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Middle River Middle School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Oakleigh Elementary School, from 11 – 11:50 a.m.

Parkville High School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Pine Grove Elementary School, from 12:10 – 1 p.m.

Rosedale Library, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Saddle Brooke Apartments, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Sandy Plains Elementary School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Seneca Elementary School, from 11 – 11:50 a.m.

Sollers Point Multipurpose Center, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Sparrows Point High School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, Eastern Ave., from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Stemmers Run Middle School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Sussex Elementary School, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Whispering Woods Complex, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

BCPS sites have also been added to the map feature at mdsummermeals.org, which includes all state meal sites.

Dundalk Heritage Festivities Still Scheduled for July


The Dundalk Heritage Fair Association released a statement on their Facebook page stating that all their events are still taking place for now despite the COVID-19 outbreak.

“All Heritage Fair festivals are still plans for 4th of July weekend,” said a statement on their page.

This announcement was released a day after the Fullerton Fireworks Committee cancelled their event on July 4 and a few weeks after Kingsville cancelled their Independence Day Parade.

The Dundalk Fair said it will continue to evaluate the situation as it gets closer to summer.

“We are monitoring the situation and consulting with local government officials. If any adjustments to the planned dates are necessary, we will announce it here and on our website”

The Dundalk event is a combination of the Heritage Fair, Parade and Fireworks.

County Announces Online Planning Board CZMP Hearings


Due to the public gathering restrictions associated with the coronavirus, Baltimore County Planning Board’s CZMP 2020 public hearings were canceled. On Tuesday, April 21 the Planning Board will live-stream a meeting summarizing the comments and materials that were submitted for issues in each Council District prior to April 10.

Beginning Wednesday, April 22, the Planning Board will begin holding the CZMP 2020 Planning Board work sessions. The work sessions will also be live-streamed. Traditionally, the work sessions have had very limited public input, with the virtual setting the public may only observe the Planning Board’s discussion.

Reports listing comments received by the Planning Board are posted online.

To access the upcoming live meetings:

Planning Board Public Meeting

View the live-stream
Call in to listen: 1-415-655-0001, access code 471 583 921
Tuesday, April 21
6 p.m.

Work Session Districts 1 and 2

View the live-stream
Call in to listen: 1-415-655-0001, access code 474 064 966
Wednesday, April 22
5:30 p.m.

Work Session Districts 3 and 4

View the live-stream
Call in to listen: 1-415-655-0001, access code 479 484 160
Thursday, April 23
5:30 p.m.

Work Session District 5

View the live-stream
Call in to listen: 1-415-655-0001, access code 473 038 030
Tuesday, April 28
5:30 p.m.

Work Session Districts 6 and 7

View the live-stream
Call in to listen: 1-415-655-0001, access code 476 277 517
Wednesday, April 29
5:30 p.m.

Work Session Wrap Up

View the live-stream
Call in to listen: 1-415-655-0001, access code 475 328 418
Thursday, April 30
5:30 p.m.

Police Investigating A Late Night Rossville Shooting


Baltimore County Police investigating a shooting in Rossville on Friday night

Police responded to an area hospital around 9 p.m, after the victim, an adult man, responded there with a gunshot wound to the lower body. The preliminary investigation indicates the shooting occurred in the area of Kimbark Court and Brushfield Road, a section of Rossville.

Detectives from the Baltimore County Police Violent Crimes Unit are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the shooting. Anyone who may have seen or heard anything unusual in that area last night is asked to contact detectives at 410-307-2020. Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward when submitting tips through Metro Crime Stoppers.