Maryland Attorney General Consumer Alerts Consumer Alert: Per Governor’s Order, Maryland Registered Vehicles Cannot Be Towed for Expired Registrations

Consumer Alert: Per Governor’s Order, Maryland Registered Vehicles Cannot Be Towed for Expired Registrations

In an effort to control and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Governor Hogan declared a State of Emergency in Maryland on March 5, 2020. This declaration affected the operations of many state agencies, including the Motor Vehicle Administration. On March 12, 2020, Governor Hogan ordered that expired vehicle registrations, and those that would otherwise expire during the State of Emergency, will remain valid until at least 30 days after the emergency has been ended.

This means that if a vehicle displays a registration that has expired, it may NOT be towed solely due to the expired registration.

If your vehicle is towed, or you are being threatened with a tow, solely due to an expired registration, please contact your county’s towing board, or you can file a complaint with our Consumer Protection Division. Online complaints can be filed through www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov by clicking on the red “File a Consumer Complaint” button on the top left of the page.

Corona Virus-Health Insurance Speical Enrollment

250 People At Playground Leads HoCo Officials To Shut Park Gates

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — As the increasing number of new coronavirus cases prompts Maryland authorities to ask people to practice social distancing, the Howard County Recreation and Parks Department has shut down all county park gates. However, people wanting fresh air and a stroll in nature are allowed in the parks via access walking paths, the department said.

"Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming popularity of our parks these past couple of days, the decision was made yesterday evening to close all county park gates. Over the last two days, recreation and parks staff have been monitoring our parks to see how they are being used. What we have observed is that while enjoying our parks, the social distancing practices we've been instructed to follow by federal, state and local health officers are not being followed," the department posted on its Facebook page.

In fact, at one point, recreation and parks staff found more than 250 people on and around a playground, an estimated 50 people on a basketball court and the parking area at Centennial Park South almost full.

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HERE WE GO: Idiots Participate in New “Coronavirus Challenge” and Start Licking Airplane Toilet Seats (VIDEOS)

Eating Tide Pods is so last year.

The kids went from chomping on Tide Pods to licking public toilet seats in a new “Coronavirus challenge.”

A 21-year-old young woman from New Jersey named Ava Louise licked a toilet seat on an airplane and posted the footage to Tik Tok.

She said that Coronavirus is for “poor people” and she hopes it will take her out so she doesn’t get old and ugly, RT reported.

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Irish company create coronavirus testing kit which can confirm infection in 15 minutes

Assay Genie, a Reagent Genie brand invented by Colm Ryan and Seán Mac Fhearraigh, uses technology from pregnancy tests for rapid results, and has been tipped as being a "clinical weapon" against coronavirus.

As reported by The Irish Independent, the rapid testing kit measures one drop of blood, and while it is currently in the pilot phase, the creators believe it could be released in just seven days in order to tackle the spread of the virus.

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Interpretive Guidance

People are putting their Christmas lights back up as a sign of hope amid coronavirus fears

With home isolation increasing, social distancing in place, restaurants and venues partially or temporarily closing, events being canceled, some cities in total lockdown, and people sadly dying from the virus, people in every corner of the world are being impacted by COVID-19.

The need for a light at the end of the tunnel is especially significant, which is why a call to get the Christmas lights back out is taking the internet by storm. And it seems like the nation is embracing a return to festive decor. Well, if you're going to be stuck in your home, you might as well make it look pretty.

Like Twitter user @lanegrindle suggests, if everyone put their lights up, driving around to look at Christmas lights is a safe activity to enjoy while social distancing. Plus, it's a great distraction for kids who are not at school.

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NOI - Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum - Arrest - St. Michael's

NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION Date: March 15, 2020 Time: 2:28 pm Location / Address:  Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum,                                    109 Mill Street, St. Michael's, Talbot County Type of Incident:  Fire Description of Structure / Property: Personal Property Fire Owner / Occupants: Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Injuries or Deaths: None Estimated $ Loss: Property Value: $500.00 Smoke Alarm Status: N/A Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: N/A Arrests(s):  One 11 year old male and one 12 year old male Primary Responding Fire Department: St. Michael's Volunteer Fire Department # of Alarms:  1     # Of Firefighters:    20 Time to Control:  10 minutes Discovered By: Passerby Area of Origin: Outside property of museum  Preliminary Cause:  Incendiary Additional Information: An outdoor fire was discovered at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum by a passerby and extinguished by the St. Michael's Fire Department. Investigators from the State Fire Marshal's Office and St. Michael's Police Department determined two juveniles (11 and 12 years old) were responsible for setting lumber on fire on the property of the museum. On March 17th, both juveniles were charged with Malicious Burning Under $1,000 and Malicious Destruction of Property, and subsequently released to their parents.

Canada, U.S. closing border to non-essential traffic: Trump

Canada and the United States have reached an unprecedented deal to close the shared border to non-essential travel, as both countries try to restrict the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to U.S. President Donald Trump.

"We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected," he tweeted Wednesday morning. "Details to follow!"

As reported by CNN on Tuesday night and confirmed by CBC News, Canada and the U.S. were working to finalize a deal last night and into this morning.

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Md. woman who stole crab legs guilty of assault for trying to run over grocery worker

A jury convicted a Sykesville woman of assault after she nearly hit a grocery store employee with her car after stealing food in August, according to a news release.

Shana C. Frundt, 27, was convicted Friday of first-degree assault, according to a Monday release from the Carroll County State’s Attorney. Prior to the trial, she pleaded guilty to theft and failing to stop after a property damage vehicle accident. Judge Fred S. Hecker sentenced Frundt to six years, suspending all but 18 months. She will also undergo three years of probation following her release.

On Aug. 14, Frundt took approximately $230 worth of merchandise from Martin’s Food in Eldersburg, the release reads. While Frundt was putting the items in her car, she saw a store employee trying to take photos of her license plate, according to the release. She tried to take the employee’s phone, reached into his pocket, then got in her vehicle and made a sharp turn in the parking lot driving rapidly toward the employee, who ran out of the way to avoid being hit, the release states.

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Maryland to Postpone Presidential Primary Election

Maryland will postpone its presidential primary until June to protect citizens from the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The primary will be held on June 2 instead of April 28, Gov. Larry Hogan said Tuesday.

The Maryland State Board of Elections has until April 3 to propose a voting plan that will protect the public, Hogan said. A special election for the state's 7th Congressional District, represented by Rep. Elijah Cummings before his death in the fall, will move forward in April under a vote by mail system.

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Comptroller's Office Suspending Enforcement of Craft Alcohol Carryout Purchase Limits Temporary move puts manufacturers on level playing field with liquor stores and aims to help them survive business downturn ANNAPOLIS, Md. (March 18, 2020) - In an effort to help Maryland’s craft alcohol manufacturers keep their businesses afloat through the COVID-19 pandemic, Comptroller Peter Franchot today announced that his office is temporarily suspending its enforcement of limits imposed on customers purchasing beer and distilled spirits. Current state law restricts how much product a Maryland-based craft brewery and craft distillery can sell to its customers for carryout and off-premise consumption.  For breweries that possess a Class 5 production license, that limit is 288 ounces - the volume equivalent of one case. For Class 1 distilleries, the maximum is 2,225 milliliters (2.25 liters) of spirits - the volume equivalent of three regular-sized bottles of vodka, gin, whiskey or rum. “In light of the public health and economic crisis that our state is experiencing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and the severe financial losses that are being incurred by our local, independent businesses that can no longer serve customers on their premises, our agency is suspending its enforcement of these laws for the duration of Governor Hogan's state of emergency,” Comptroller Franchot said. “Like restaurants, our state’s flourishing breweries and distilleries greatly depend on customers visiting their taprooms and tasting rooms to make ends meet. Given the necessary shutdown of these establishments, we’re lifting these arbitrary limits to generate more dollars so they can persevere during these tough times.” This action, which takes effect immediately, puts local manufacturers on a level playing field with Maryland's package stores, which are not bound by the same sales limits. It also could preserve jobs for brewery and distillery employees who may otherwise have been laid off during the state of emergency. “It's my hope, and that of my team, that this will provide at least a small measure of relief and opportunity for local businesses that have done so much to create jobs, investment and revitalization in communities across Maryland,” Franchot said. “If these manufacturers are forced to close as a result of the pandemic’s impact, the economic effect – in terms of lost jobs, lost revenue and lost community investment - would be devastating.” Editor's note: This is the official press release from Comptroller Peter Franchot

WICOMICO COUNTY COUNCIL PUBLIC NOTICE SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION

COVID-19 Update March 18, 2020: Public Health Announces 9 Additional Positive Cases

DOVER (March 18, 2020) – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is providing an update on the number of positive cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reported in the state.

There have been 26 total laboratory-confirmed cases in all three counties in the state since March 11. This includes nine additional cases since yesterday. Of the Delawareans diagnosed with COVID-19, 20 are from New Castle County, three are from Kent County, and three are from Sussex County.

Of these cases, 14 are male and 12 are female. The individuals range in age from 18 to 80. Three individuals are currently hospitalized; one is critically ill.

To protect personal health information, DPH will not be disclosing additional information about the individuals. DPH cannot confirm specific information even if other entities choose to make their own announcements.

“All Delawareans are part of our team. We need you to help us stop the spread of the virus,” said DPH Medical Director Dr. Rick Hong. “It is important for everyone to start taking this virus seriously and practice social distancing. If you are sick, please stay home.”

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Governor Carney's State Of Emergency Second Update

This is an evolving situation, and we need everyone’s cooperation in order to protect the health and safety of Delawareans, especially our most vulnerable neighbors. We know our small business and restaurant communities are among those most seriously impacted by the restrictions put in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus, and we’re looking at ways to assist them. But our priority is the health and safety of Delawareans, and limiting the number of Delawareans who come in contact with this virus.

Starting tonight at 8:00pm, any restaurant, brewpub, tavern or taproom with a valid on-premise license can sell alcoholic beverages as part of transactions for take-out or drive through food service.
• Alcohol sales cannot exceed 40% of the total sales transaction.
• Alcoholic beverages cannot be consumed on-site, neither indoors nor outdoors.
• All other rules and regulations regarding the take-out of alcoholic beverages apply, including that containers must be securely closed.

Starting tomorrow at 8:00 a.m, bowling alleys, concert events, movie theaters, sports facilities, fitness centers, and health spas must cease operations to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Delaware.

We've also temporarily lifted regulations to expand access to telemedicine.

These are difficult decisions, and we will constantly reevaluate the guidance.

Read more: https://news.delaware.gov/…/governor-carney-issues-second-…/

Poison control center urges residents to not drink bleach to protect against coronavirus

A poison control center in central Virginia is warning people not to drink bleach in an attempt to keep themselves from contracting the coronavirus.

"There is a lot of confusing, incomplete, and just plain inaccurate information circulating about how to prevent the COVID-19 virus (“coronavirus”) from spreading," a letter from the Blue Ridge Poison Center obtained by CBS19 read. "The Blue Ridge Poison Center at UVA Health warns that drinking bleach will not prevent COVID-19 infections and could cause serious injury."

The center told the station it has been receiving reports of people drinking cleaning products to protect them from the COVID-19 virus.

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WCSAO: Drew Carter Sentenced To Twenty Five Years

Gas prices could hit 99 cents in some states due to coronavirus, supplies expert says

Gas prices have been trending sharply downward for the past few weeks, but could go much lower according to GasBuddy.com.

Gas Buddy analyst Patrick De Haan said on Monday that the national average could soon hit $1.99, with $1.49 on the horizon and some stations potentially pricing a gallon of regular as low as 99 cents.

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https://www.foxnews.com/auto/gas-prices-could-hit-99-cents-in-some-states-due-to-coronavirus

Government figures show ICE arrested illegal immigrants responsible for over 1,500 murder convictions in 2019

Illegal immigrants arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the United States for 2019 included individuals responsible for more than 1,500 homicide convictions.

In total, illegal immigrants in ICE custody were connected to 1,549 homicides, according to figures published in a report by the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general.

The number is down from figures collected in 2018, when ICE identified illegal immigrants responsible for 1,641 murder convictions.

In 2017, which was the first year ICE publicly published the numbers, the agency arrested illegal immigrants responsible for 1,531 murders, bringing the total over the last three years to 4,721.

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Thousands attended Miami gay festival; several later tested positive for coronavirus

As the coronavirus continues to spread and disrupt life worldwide, one festival is finding the memory of its celebrations tinged by the outbreak.

The Winter Party Festival, an annual, weeklong LGBTQ event held in Miami, drew thousands from across the country when it kicked off earlier this month. But though it ended March 10, in the week following the event several attendees have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to festival organizers.

“We know there are many places people could have been exposed before and after Winter Party as this virus has developed, but we wanted to make this information public as soon as possible,” Rea Carey, executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, which organized the festival, said in a statement Monday. “The health and safety of anyone who participates in any Task Force event is of great importance to us.”

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Republican congressman calls on Trump to make China forgive US debt over coronavirus crisis

Rep. Jim Banks thinks China needs to pay the United States for the spread of the coronavirus.

The Indiana Republican told Fox News’s Tucker Carlson Monday night that the U.S. needs to hold China accountable for the crisis the coronavirus has caused stateside, which could including making the communist country forgive a chunk of America's debt.

Carlson said during the segment: “The coronavirus is a Chinese virus, no matter what they are telling you. It originated in China and was able to spread to the rest of the world because the Chinese government hid the truth of what was happening early in the outbreak from the rest of the world. They lied about it, and that caused the terrible consequences we are watching now. You can blame China for that.”

Banks responded that holding the country responsible should be in a financial manner.

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Most of Outer Banks shuts down to visitors

Richard Gusler’s wife has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She sometimes has trouble breathing.

Afraid of the coronavirus, he drove her up from Raleigh to their beach house in Rodanthe to get away from the crowds.

On Tuesday, Dare County officials moved to ensure those crowds get even smaller. As of 2 p.m., the county closed its border to tourists in response to the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines to avoid discretionary travel.

“I am glad about the restrictions," he said as he placed groceries in his car at a store in Rodanthe. "This makes it a lot safer here.”

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BREAKING: Franchot Suspends Limits On Craft Beer & More

BREAKING: Comptroller Franchot has just suspended enforcement of statutory limits on taproom and tasting room sales of Maryland craft beer and distilled spirits for carry-out and off-premise consumption, for the duration of Governor Hogan's state of emergency.

Current law limits 'Class 5" brewery sales for carry out and off-premise consumption to 288 ounces - the equivalent of a case of beer. For "Class 1" distilleries, that limit is 225 milliliters - the equivalent of three regular-sized bottles. Given that these businesses depend heavily upon on taproom and tasting room sales for sustainability, the closure of all such facilities in the State of Maryland has had a crippling effect on their ability to survive. Should they be forced to close, the economic effects - in terms of lost jobs, lost business and lost community investment - would be catastrophic.

There's still more to be done - much more - but we're hopeful that this will give these community-based businesses at least a small measure of relief and opportunity through a traumatic time.

Portland lawyers dispute claim that police used excessive violence against antifa

Lawyers in Portland, Oregon, are encouraging a judge to toss a lawsuit alleging that the city's police force used excessive violence against antifa.

The city's attorneys responded to complaints filed by three antifa protesters who claimed that police assaulted them during a summer 2018 outburst.

“That the city somehow condones or sympathizes with fascists is simply an outrageous claim that should be properly stricken,’’ Deputy City Attorney Michael Jeter argued to U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman. “It unnecessarily impugns the character of the city and its officers. It’s scandalous and has no business being in the lawsuit," he continued.

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Today's Drink Special

Rick Scott Calls for Closing U.S. Borders, Mobile Testing by Friday

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) called on Tuesday for closing the U.S. borders and putting a coronavirus mobile testing site in every county by the end of the week.

Scott, a former hospital association executive, released a statement on Tuesday calling on every American to come together and stop the coronavirus epidemic.

Scott said that the country should:

• Close the U.S. borders and end travel from any foreign country except for American citizens and legal permanent residents.
• Solve the testing issue by establishing a mobile testing site in every county in the country by Friday.
• Call upon National Guard units and active duty military to help support the mobile testing sites.
• Enforce social distancing measures. He added that national quarantine is challenging to enforce and serves as a waste of resources.
• Protect supply chains for protective equipment for healthcare workers and first responders. 

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Trump invokes Defense Production Act as coronavirus response

President Trump announced Wednesday he will invoke the Defense Production Act, which would allow the administration to force American industry to ramp up production of medical supplies that are in short supply in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Hospitals and states have pleaded with the administration for more supplies to protect doctors and nurses on the frontlines of the pandemic.

“There’s never been an instance like this where no matter what you have it’s not enough,” Trump said at a White House briefing with reporters.

“If we need to use it, we’ll be using it at full speed ahead.”

Many health workers have said they are quickly running out of personal protective equipment, like masks and gowns, that are crucial to ensuring they don’t get sick.

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Mexico Is Dangerously Unprepared For The Inevitable Wuhan Coronavirus Outbreak

As much of the world goes into various stages of lockdown because of the Wuhan coronavirus, Mexico is in denial. The government’s response thus far has been to downplay the risks and carry on with life as normal. Mexican officialdom has taken almost no steps to contain the virus or prepare for an outbreak, despite a warning last week from the deputy health minister that a widespread outbreak is inevitable and that community transmission could begin there in a matter of weeks.

When that happens—not if, when—things are going to deteriorate very quickly in Mexico. The outbreak will almost certainly affect the entire country, cripple the economy, and threaten to bring down an already weak and corrupt government.

As of Saturday, there were only 41 confirmed cases in Mexico, where the disease was first detected at the end of February, about a month after it was detected in the United States. But there are likely many more infections across the country. Francisco Moreno Sánchez, head of internal medicine at the ABC hospital in Mexico City, said last week “there must be many more cases” in Mexico and that the government is taking the risk of an outbreak too lightly. The effects of an undetected outbreak, he added, will be “brutal.”

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Barr: 'Severe' consequences if foreign government behind HHS cyberattack during coronavirus outbreak

Attorney General William Barr vowed there would be “severe” consequences if a foreign country was behind the cyberattack against the Health and Human Services Department's website on Sunday or behind the false coronavirus rumors swirling in recent days.

The HHS website was hit by a denial-of-service cyberattack on Sunday night, apparently designed to disrupt efforts to combat the spread of the growing COVID-19 outbreak in the United States.

“When you’re dealing with something like a denial-of-service attack on HHS during a pandemic, that’s a very grave action for another country to take,” Barr told the Associated Press on Tuesday. “So, if it is another country doing this, I’m sure the ramifications will be severe.”

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In coronavirus border shutdown, a reminder that national sovereignty matters

The coronavirus pandemic reminds us of why national sovereignty is so important. In the end, democratic nation-states are best placed to provide for their people.

Nowhere is this more clear than in the juxtaposition between China's handling of the coronavirus outbreak and the United States's efforts to secure its borders.

On the one side, China continues to lie in defense of its grotesque mishandling of the epidemic. Led by Chinese information warfare specialists, Beijing is telling the world to thank it for the chaos it has spread. On social media, Chinese officers and bots are promoting a narrative that we are all in this together.

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MSDA Recommends Dentists to Suspend Non-essential and Non-urgent Dental Care

Florida kills Bernie's fire with young Latinos

The past month already sealed the coffin on Bernie Sanders' second presidential bid, but his catastrophic loss among his supposedly revolutionary coalition in Florida provided it the devastating ending it deserved.

From his short-lived successful streak in Iowa and New Hampshire to the disastrous Super Tuesday, the young voters Sanders claimed would save his campaign with record turnout never actually materialized. The Vermont senator did manage to increase his support margins with Latino voters from 2016, but as Florida proved, his best efforts simply were not enough.

The writing was on the walls for weeks before Tuesday's primary, with polling giving presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden a vast margin among Latino voters in the Sunshine State. Sanders did best with HIspanics in most other states -- though not nearly as dominant as Biden has been among black voters. But when brought before one of the most diverse Latino communities in the country, Sanders failed. And badly -- the results tallied in the early evening point to a rout.

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China adopts war footing to control COVID-19 narrative, expels American journalists

The Chinese Communist Party is fighting the coronavirus information war like an actual war, going so far as to expel American journalists from China, Hong Kong, and Macau.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims the expulsions are a "reciprocal" response to American hostilities. But the timing, the weak stated rationale, and the fact that the expulsions are not, in fact, "reciprocal" suggest that this is more about China's broader effort to avoid blame for COVID-19.

“[I]n response to the U.S. slashing the staff size of Chinese media outlets in the U.S.,” the Chinese government announced Tuesday, “which is expulsion in all but name, China demands that journalists of US citizenship working with the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post whose press credentials are due to expire before the end of 2020 notify the Department of Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within four calendar days starting from today and hand back their press cards within ten calendar days.

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POTOMAC MAN ‘CONFRONTED’ POLICE BEFORE BEING FATALLY SHOT

Attorneys for the Potomac man who was fatally shot Thursday by a member of the Montgomery County Police Department Tactical Unit said the man and his girlfriend were asleep when the shooting began and that police “murdered” him.

However, the police believe that is not what happened and said they are investigating the incident.

According to police, “During the warrant service, the suspect confronted the officers and was fatally shot by an officer assigned to the Tactical Unit.”

Members of the MCPS’s Special Operations Division – Tactical Unit were in the process of serving what they called a “high-risk warrant” related to firearms offenses at that address when the shooting occurred, according to a news release from the police department.

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Colby Johnson Arrested For Allegedly Inappropriately Touching Teen At Hammond High School

COLUMBIA, Md. (WJZ) — A 20-year-old Columbia man was arrested Friday after police said he inappropriately touched a 14-year-old girl at Hammond High School.

Police said the incident happened around 4:30 p.m. on Friday. A man later identified as Colby Christopher Johnson allegedly entered the school and approached the girl before grabbing her and trying to kiss her. He then fled.

Using school surveillance video, police identified Johnson as the suspect. They determined he had no reason to be at the school and arrested him.

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NYT columnist predicts soaring firearms sales amid coronavirus outbreak will lead to more murders and suicides

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof predicted a nationwide surge in gun sales during the coronavirus outbreak will lead to more deaths across the country.

"One way in which the coronavirus will lead to more deaths," Kristof tweeted. "It is leading to a rush to buy guns, which will lead to more murders, suicides and accidents."

The veteran columnist shared a New York Times story reporting an uptick in the sales of guns and ammunition in stores across the country in recent weeks.

“We attribute it mainly to the virus scare,” said Larry Hyatt, a gun shop owner in North Carolina, who told the Times he has seen sales increase 30% to 40% since late February. “People have a little lack of confidence that if something big and bad happens, that 911 might not work. We saw it with Katrina."

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Study: 86 Percent Infected with Coronavirus in Public Are Undetected

A study released on Monday from the journal Science shows that a shocking 86 percent of people in public settings could have “stealth” cases of the coronavirus, showing no symptoms but infecting others.

“It’s the undocumented infections which are driving the spread of the outbreak,” study co-author Jeffrey Shaman of Columbia University Mailman School said, according to GeekWire.

The New York Post reported on the study:

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Bernie Sanders wants to double Andrew Yang's universal basic income idea to combat coronavirus

Bernie Sanders said he believes giving every household in the country $2,000 will help ease financial pain caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

"We need to provide a direct emergency $2,000 cash payment to every household in America every month for the duration of the crisis to provide them with the assistance they need to pay their bills and take care of their families," Sanders said during a 50-minute policy address Tuesday.

The Vermont senator's speech, coinciding with polls closing in Florida, did not refer to how the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate is on the ballot in the Sunshine State, as well as Arizona and Illinois. He faces decisive defeats in all three primary contests at the hands of Joe Biden, the two-term vice president and the party's presumptive nominee.

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Major Changes at Trimper's Rides...the Granville Trimper Family Steps Aside.

For over 125 years, the Trimper Family has been putting smiles on the faces of children of all ages. As we prepare for the 2020 season, we have undergone a change in management here at the park. The Granville Trimper Family will be stepping aside to allow a different branch of Trimpers to take Trimper’s Rides into a new decade. It has been our distinct pleasure to bring happiness and joy to all who walked through our doors for over 125 years. We would like to thank you all for letting us be a part of your family’s memories and we wish all the best to the new management team on their future!

-The Granville Trimper Family

Philadelphia police stop some arrests to manage jail crowding during coronavirus pandemic

Philadelphia is the latest city to limit the number of arrests during the coronavirus pandemic.

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said Tuesday that police will delay arrests for nonviolent crimes, including drug offenses, theft, vandalism, and prostitution.

According to the new guidelines, officers should temporarily detain the offenders to confirm their identity and prepare necessary paperwork. Once completed, the offender should be released. Arrest warrants will be served at a later time, she said.

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Maryland Income Tax Deadline Extended to July 15, 2020

No interest of penalty for late payment to be imposed if 2019 tax payments made by July 15, 2020 ANNAPOLIS, Md. (March 17, 2020) - Following today’s press conference from the White House where it was announced there would be a 90-day extension of the April 15th deadline for federal income tax payments, Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot has announced that Maryland business and individual income taxpayers will be afforded the same relief. No interest or penalty for late payments will be imposed if 2019 tax payments are made by July 15, 2020. “Right now, Maryland taxpayers and businesses must stay focused on their health and keeping their lights on, both in their homes and businesses,” Comptroller Franchot said. “Extending the due date for Maryland state individual and business income tax payments helps us keep cash flowing in our economy and into employees’ bank accounts.” Taxpayers who take advantage of the federal extension to file their return, which is separate from the relief granted today to pay their taxes, will continue to be automatically granted an extension on their Maryland tax filings. No additional extension forms are required. Fiscal year filers with tax years ending January 1, 2020, through March 31, 2020, are also eligible for the July 15, 2020 extension.

Political Memes

Wednesday Morning Funnies

Coronavirus Study: One Traveler from China Infected 39 People in Washington State

A single traveler from China infected 39 people in Washington state with China’s coronavirus, according to virus expert Trevor Bedford.

“Thanks to sequencing by @UWVirology @CDCgov and @seattleflustudy we have genomes for 39 viruses sampled from WA,” he tweeted Tuesday. “Importantly 35 of these 39 viruses (90%) fall into a single genetic cluster indicating a single ~Jan introduction from China and subsequent local spread.”

Bedford runs a research laboratory Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

His tweets show how similar mutations in China’s “#SARSCoV2 / #HCoV9 virus” — can be used to track the passage of a particular virus from one individual to others. The chart marks the original carrier and the subsequent victims in red.

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