On a lovely spring morning, city and county officials welcomed Gov. Larry Hogan to Salisbury, where he began a full day of events, from congratulating graduates to announcing transportation projects to cutting a ribbon at the Shorebirds Stadium.

After lunch at EVO, he traveled south to Princess Anne for a visit to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore School of Pharmacy, before going to Crisfield for a tour of Somers Cove Marina.

Looking healthy and relaxed, the governor, wearing brown slacks, an open-collared white shirt and navy jacket, traveled with his wife and thanked supporters for their prayers as he recently battled cancer.

“It really worked. I feel great,” he said, smiling and shaking hands.

Thursday morning, the Republican governor joined Kelly M. Schulz, secretary of labor, licensing and regulation for the state at Toroid Corporation/Arcon Welding.

CEO Katarina Ennerfelt welcomed him to a ceremony for 12 graduates who completed the Employment Advancement Right Now program, known as EARN.

Arcon Welding Equipment received a state EARN grant as part of a partnership between Wor-Wic Community College, Toroid, the Lower Shore Workforce Alliance, Quality Staffing Services and employer partners, according to information provided by Hogan’s office.

Hogan and Dr. Ray Hoy, president of Wor-Wic, congratulated the second graduating class of 11 men and one woman for completing “13 hours of rigorous training.”

Ennerfelt praised the community effort for “giving people the opportunity to train for good-paying jobs."

From Arcon, Hogan traveled to a grassy mound near Red Lobster, at The Centre At Salisbury, where he announced $23.8 million to rehabilitate 11 bridges between Business Route 13 and Parker Pond.

They will improve safety, increase the life span of the bridges and allow heavy loads to travel on the eastern half of the Salisbury bypass.

He also announced a $2.3 million investment to rehabilitate one of Maryland’s 69 state-owned structurally deficient bridges.

Before lunch at EVO, Hogan went to a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Shorebirds Stadium. Improvements to the minor league Class A Baltimore Orioles affiliate were announced.

“I am thrilled to stand here today and see for myself the hard work that will help assure that the Delmarva Shorebirds call this beautiful stadium home for at least the next 20 years.

“The state, the Wicomico County government and the Shorebirds worked together to make these facility improvements, showing the great success we can achieve when we work hand-in-hand with the private sector,” the governor said.

Improvements include modernizing the club house, adding new lighting to the field and restoring the turf, for a cost of $4.25 million. Of that, $2.03 million was provided by the state.

Not yet complete is upgrading seating and replacing the video board, all to increase annual income at the stadium.

The stadium opened in 1996.

Hogan also proclaimed April 24-30 Zika Virus Awareness Week in Maryland and urged residents to protect themselves by wearing long, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing; applying  insect repellent; and avoiding mosquito-infested areas.