🍦Best places to watch the Super Bowl

Good morning, Columbia. Good news. The forecast doesn’t show any more single-digit lows for the next week. They’re still all in the teens, but hey, a win’s a win.

In today’s Columbia Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Michelle Sinclair

If homes won Oscars, this one would sweep the sustainability category.

The Gaddy House isn’t just a place to live — it’s a bold blueprint for what homes should be. Designed by architect Miche Booz for Ed Gaddy, a former NASA engineer turned environmental trailblazer, this sleek, modern rancher blends beauty and brains in every inch of its 2,176 square feet.

From the sculptural solar array to the triple-glazed windows and ultra-insulated walls, this home was built to outsmart the elements. It’s LEED Platinum certified, Living Building Challenge Petal Certified, and holds Passive House status. Translation: you’ll live in comfort year-round, spend less than your neighbors on energy, and breathe some of the cleanest indoor you’ve ever breathed.

The layout flows effortlessly, with light-flooded rooms and a kitchen that rivals any gourmet chef’s dream. Step outside and you're greeted by edible landscaping, native plants, and a butterfly-friendly backyard that doubles as a masterclass in urban agriculture.

The particulars: 2,176 square feet. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. $825,000. Listed with Gary and Kathy Ahrens @ Keller Williams.

After a full week off last week, Howard County Public Schools are opening two hours late today and tomorrow. With Friday’s closing, HCPSS isn’t just out of snow days, but one over the limit, meaning the school year might be extended. Although, the board of ed could also turn a planned holiday into a make up day like last year. They’ll decide how to make it up in the spring.

Five Howard County PD officers protected a 77-year-old Ellicott City resident last Thursday morning not from criminals, but from a treacherous driveway. In between calls, they shoveled his driveway so he could pick up an important prescription. That’s what we love to see!

I’m a homebody so I will always choose to watch the Super Bowl in my own home with my own snacks. But if you love watching with a crowd, here’s where we recommend watching in HoCo.

🏆 MVP: Reckless Shepherd Brewery | Lots of reasons to put this atop the list. Lots of screens (including a huge one). The optional buffet sounds delicious and is only $30. Commercials are just as important as the game to them. And great beer. Get tickets.

🥈Ale House. 50+ TVs. That number alone earns a spot on this list.

🥈HoCo Brew Hive. New England clam chowder, fish and chips, meatball subs, and $1 wings. 11 TVs.

🥈Collective Encore. Big screen viewing, $30 buffet, and specialty team cocktails. Get tickets.

🥈The Main Event. Plenty of TVs (including a massive screen) but also tons of activities to keep everyone (especially kids) occupied. Tickets include a meal voucher and $10 game card.

🥈Looney’s Pub Maple Lawn. While traditional Irish pubs don’t have TVs, Looney’s has more than we can count and we really aren’t that bad at counting.

🥈The Greene Turtle. You can’t write about watching football in Maryland without mentioning The Greene Turtle.

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Columbia’s about to get a double dose of island flavor. Blowfish Poké Hawaiian Grill and L&L Hawaiian Barbecue are teaming up for a joint restaurant opening soon at 8765 Centre Park Drive — the former Oh! Poke space. Co-owner Jennie Kwon hopes to welcome customers the week of February 9, pending one last county inspection. Expect a bright menu of poke bowls, kalua pork, and loco moco, all served fast-casual style. ($)

Beloved Filipino food truck Namit Filipino Barbecue is closing temporarily as it preps for its first brick-and-mortar restaurant, expected to open this spring at 9200 Old Annapolis Road. Co-owners Maria Carmel Tabligan and Paolo Penalosa, both from the Visayan region of the Philippines, plan to expand their Ilonggo-style menu with lechon belly, batchoy, and the award-winning Bangus ala Pobre. The food truck has served its last meals for now. But once the restaurant is running, expect Namit’s smoky skewers to roll back out for festivals and lunchtime pop-ups. ($)

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

🎈 = family-friendly events

All week long

Rock of Ages @ Toby’s Dinner Theatre | Dinner and a show. All in one place. At the same time. Featuring the best music of the 1980s.

Wednesday

Paint Your Pet @ Bark Social | Paint Your Pets are all over right now. But how often can you actually bring them as a live model???

Thursday

Even Keel Spa’s Grand Opening Celebration | Mini massages, gift bags for the first 25 guests, demos, and more | 5425 Lynx Lane, Suite 130

Trivia, Bingo, Karaoke, and Open Mic Nights

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

On the agenda for tonight’s County Council meeting:

See full agenda. Tonight’s meeting is at the George Howard Building at 7 PM and is open to the public. However, you can also stream online.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball announced he will introduce emergency legislation at tonight’s county council meeting to block privately-owned detention centers after months of speculation surrounding a warehouse renovation in Elkridge. The 28,000-square-foot building at 6522 Meadowridge Road is nearly ready for occupancy, with permit filings describing spaces for processing and detention.

While the county says it hasn’t confirmed any agreements with federal agencies, a 2023 real estate document lists ICE as the tenant, and the renovation was approved for detention-related work. ICE, for its part, says it has no new centers to announce but is expanding capacity nationwide.

A Howard County judge has convicted 19-year-old Emmetson Zeah of first-degree murder in the 2025 shooting deaths of two teens outside the Mall in Columbia. Zeah, then 18 and on home detention, was wearing an ankle monitor when he shot and killed 15-year-old Blake McCray and 16-year-old Michael Robertson near the mall’s bus stop.

The case sparked major policy changes, including the shutdown of a private monitoring firm and the creation of a downtown police patrol. Zeah was found guilty on 13 charges. He’s scheduled to be sentenced May 22.

Federal officials have identified the man pulled from a car and detained by ICE agents in Columbia on Jan. 24 as David Genaro Aguirre Aguirre, a Salvadoran national living in the U.S. without legal status. Aguirre has filed a writ of habeas corpus in federal court, seeking a bond hearing. A judge has ordered the government to show cause for his detention. DHS says he’ll receive full due process. His lawyer did not respond to a request for comment. ($)

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34 🌡️ 18 | ☀️ | 4% ☔ | 💨 11 mph

40 🌡️ 28 | ⛅ | 11% ☔ | 💨 11 mph

36 🌡️ 19 | 🌤️ | 7% ☔ | 💨 9 mph

34 🌡️ 17 | ☀️ | 5% ☔ | 💨 8 mph

Cured 1821 | Dwayne Adell | 6 PM
Judge’s Bench | Rotating Irish band | 7 PM

Collective Encore | Birds of Fire | 7:30 PM | Tickets 
Cured 1821 | Noah Dion | 6 PM 

Cured 1821 | John Waller | 6 PM 
Collective Encore | Bostyx | 7:30 PM | Tickets 
Morgan Inn | The Fog Acoustic Trio | 6 PM

Howard High senior Darius Moore capped off his high school career with a bang — and a bunch of tackles. The longtime Lion, who started as a running back and safety, transitioned to outside linebacker this season and wreaked havoc on opposing offenses. He racked up 86 tackles (23 for loss), a pick-six, two forced fumbles, and delivered in clutch playoff moments. Moore’s versatility, football IQ, and leadership earned him the 2025 Howard County Defensive Player of the Year — and cemented his legacy as one of the best to wear a Howard jersey. ($)

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Thanks for reading Columbia Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who watches the Twilight movies every winter.