Last week at the preserved Hopkins Family Farm in Lothian, I signed Bill 55-26 to modernize our county’s agricultural preservation program.

Before I took office, county reviewers were often in the habit of passing out modifications (the fancy term for waivers) to our environmental laws.

Applications for Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation’s Empire Towers Disaster Recovery Grant are due by this Friday, July 24, at 5 pm.

Weekly Letter #178 - Ag Preservation, Green Infrastructure, and Brandon Shores The air is hot and thick with the smoke of Canadian forest fires, but the county workforce just keeps on delivering.

Today the county received an updated timeline regarding the remediation work at Empire Towers. The owner is working with a licensed structural engineering firm that has evaluated the site, and their contractor plans to begin remediation soon.

Yesterday morning, I joined Arundel Community Development Services, Inc. (ACDS) to announce that 69 local nonprofit organizations received a combined total of $2 million in funding through the Anne Arundel County Community Support Grant (CSG) Program.

This morning, Anne Arundel County has adjusted road closures around the Empire Towers area, maintaining the safety perimeter while creating a detour for businesses that are located outside the collapse zone but have been impacted by road closures.

ICYMI: Anne Arundel County has created a webpage to provide continued updates regarding the structural integrity incident at Empire Towers - a privately owned office building that was conducting unpermitted construction work on the underground parking garage.

To assist businesses currently unable to operate due to the structural integrity issue at Empire Towers, the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation (AAEDC) has launched the Empire Towers Disaster Recovery Grant.

Anne Arundel County has launched a webpage to provide continued updates on the structural integrity incident at Empire Towers (7310 Ritchie Highway).

This morning I joined Arundel Community Development Services, Inc. (ACDS), Councilmember Julie Hummer, the Maryland Jockey Club, and community leaders to celebrate the distribution of $317,190 in community grants to 12 local organizations.

Anne Arundel County is strongly advising all residents to avoid the area surrounding Empire Towers at 7310 Ritchie Highway, following an assessment of the ongoing structural integrity incident.

Anne Arundel County was featured as one of Maryland’s best managed counties in the Business View Publishing Magazine June edition for our focus on smart growth policies, economic opportunity, and investing in our residents’ wellbeing.

Weekly Letter #177 - Declaring Independence Wednesday night at 6 pm, I read the Declaration of Independence aloud to about fifty Anne Arundel County residents in the William Brown House at Historic London Town and Gardens.

Following yesterday’s structural integrity incident at Empire Towers, Anne Arundel County officials are providing an update on the coordinated, multi-department response.

This afternoon, Anne Arundel County Fire Department crews responded to a structural integrity issue in the underground parking area of Empire Tower on Ritchie Highway. Thanks to the quick action of our first responders, all occupants were safely evacuated, and no injuries have been reported.

We are just a few days away from our next River Days Festival on Saturday at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis.

Happy Independence Day to all, and happy 250th birthday to our country. I hope you will join me today in reflecting on the role all of us have to play in bettering our country, our county, and our communities. Please celebrate safely and have a fun holiday weekend.

Earlier this week, I joined Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth, Mayor Jared Littmann, and other local leaders to celebrate another round of Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) federal earmark checks that will benefit our communities.

Weekly Letter #176 - Trauma-Informed Public Service On Tuesday morning, my first stop was the Edgewater Senior Center. Karrisa Kelly, the Director of the Department of Aging and Disabilities (DOAD) had invited me to address their all-staff, all-day meeting to share some thanks and encouragement.

With high temperatures forecast later this week and the long holiday weekend ahead, Anne Arundel County encourages our residents and visitors to remember the importance of water safety.

Anne Arundel County, in partnership with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Maryland Sustainable Growth Subcabinet, is proud to announce that the Cromwell Light Rail Station has received the State Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Designation.

We started off the week with a ribbon cutting for a very exciting housing development - The Willows at Forest Drive, which will provide 58 new affordable housing units to families in the Annapolis area.

For over 45 years, the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks has provided our county’s children with disabilities with an inclusive summer camp option at Mayo Beach Park.

Maryland will feel a dangerous heat wave starting tomorrow and lasting through the holiday weekend with highs over 110 degrees. Prepare yourself and your loved ones to beat the heat by following these best practices from the Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management.

Last week, the Anne Arundel County Department of Health held its 3rd Annual Help, Healing, and Hope Summit with health professionals and community partners dedicated to suicide prevention strategies and practices.

Just in time for summer, we hosted the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the county’s first Splash Pad at the North County Aquatic Center, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Aquatic Center.

Our next River Days Festival of the summer is Saturday, July 11, from 11 am - 3 pm, at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis.

Weekly Letter #175 - The Contested Primary Y’all know that I am a bit fanatical about community engagement, about empowering people and communities to mobilize and stand up for their interests.

Last year’s wet and freezing winter weather created many challenges, including the formation of new potholes. To address this, the Fiscal Year 2027 Approved Budget provides a one-time boost of $458,000 for the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works Bureau of Highways’ road repair fund.