Coat Drive For Howard County Students Planned For Next Week

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Donations of new and gently used clean coats, hats and gloves of all sizes are being sought for the annual coat drive led by Howard County Public School System PTAs. Donations for the coat drive will be accepted Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Howard County MultiService Center, 9900 Washington Blvd., Suite 1, Laurel.

Any family in need may receive items in October that are gathered during the coat giveaway. No registration or proof of need required. The coat giveaway will be held Oct. 10 from 10 a.m. until noon or until supplies last. The giveaway will be held at the North Laurel Community Center, 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel.

The Farmers' Almanac calls its forecast the "winter of the Great Divide" with "cold and snowy conditions in the North, drought in the West and everything crazy in between." Marylanders are in for a "winter wild card," the publications says. Areas around the Tennessee and lower Ohio River valleys, north, and east up through New England will see a mix of intense weather systems that will keep delivering a wintry mix of rainy, icy and/or snowy weather throughout the season.