🍦Buzzes then booms

Good morning, Columbia. Russian rooftoppers Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau got engaged yesterday. Normally that wouldn’t make any headlines but Ivan popped the question after the pair illegally climbed to the top of the Empire State Building (204 feet above the observation deck) and unfurled a pro-peace banner. And yes, they got arrested.

In today’s Columbia Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Michelle Sinclair

For everyone who wishes muggle fireworks were more like the shapeshifting ones Fred & George Weasley invented in Harry Potter, this is your year.

Sky Elements (as seen on America’s Got Talent) is doing a drone show just before the fireworks over Lake Kittamaqundi.

The rest of the night at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront is the tradition you know. Gates and food trucks open at 5 PM, Chasing Straights plays at 6, and Americana star Dom Flemons & The Traveling Wildfires take over at 7:30. It's all free. New this year: you can't lay a blanket until 3 PM (they're protecting the grass), and rain pushes the fireworks to Sunday if needed.

Ever watched a crime show where the nerd at HQ guides the field team through an op with all sorts of technology? Howard County PD has that now. It’s called the Real-Time Information Center.

Further down the line, police officials say residents and businesses will be able to register their cameras (without live access) to aid investigators. Anne Arundel County has a similar program for its RTIC which allows live access for business cameras, but not residential ones.

The police say the RTIC will speed up investigations, find missing people, and aid in locating suspects. Indeed, Anne Arundel County reported significant drops in several key crime categories after launching its RTIC in February 2025.

Legal experts worry about Fourth Amendment implications (the amendment that gives us a “reasonable expectation of privacy”). One camera or license plate reader? Probably nothing to worry about. Hundreds connected to powerful computers that can easily assemble a picture of who you are, what you do, and where you go? That’s where they say it gets dicey.

Police leadership say there are clear guidelines and oversight in place to prevent misuse.

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🎈 = family-friendly events

🎈🎶 Summer Sounds Series at River Hill Village Center - Liberty & Lemonade themed night with live music from Chasing Straights and family activities.

🎈🍺 4th of July Weekend at Manor Hill - Live music, brick-oven pizza, and the return of Grisette Belgian farmhouse ale at the farm all weekend.

🎈🎆 Howard County's July 4th Celebration - The big one, free at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront. Food trucks roll in at 5 PM, Chasing Straights plays at 6, and Americana star Dom Flemons & The Traveling Wildfires take the stage at 7:30, with fireworks bursting over Lake Kittamaqundi around 9:15 and a drone show right before.

🎈🐮 Old Ellicott City Farmers Market - Fresh produce, pasture-raised meats, cut flowers, and artisan foods on historic Main Street.

🎈🎶 Summer Sounds Series at Harpers Choice Village Center - Liberty and Lemonade themed afternoon with live music and family-friendly activities.

🎈🍺 4th of July Weekend at Manor Hill - The Ellicott City farm brewery caps its three-day Independence Day run with live music from Evelyn Acht, farm-brewed beer, and brick-oven pizza.

🎈🎭 Toby's Dinner Theatre Presents: Mean Girls - The hit musical paired with a buffet dinner at Toby's in Columbia.

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🐻 Unexpected Guest – Cameras caught a black bear strolling through an Elkridge backyard last weekend. Wildlife officials say early summer is peak season for bear movement, and this one's likely a young male looking for new territory. Their advice: give it space, and take down bird feeders and secure the trash until it moves along.

🥫 Take What You Need – Howard County's Pocket Pantry program keeps three community refrigerators stocked with free food, 24/7, no questions asked. You'll find them at Long Reach Village Center in Columbia, Elkridge Christian Community Church, and Heritage Realty Services in Lisbon. With about one in five county residents facing food insecurity, anyone can take what they need, or drop off a few items to help restock.

🦆 Pond Fix – Crews start repairs on the Mount Hebron stormwater pond near 2731 Thornbrook Road in Ellicott City on or about July 8. The work replaces the pond's spillway and outlet structure and patches its berm, running weekdays 7 AM–5 PM through late November. Expect signs and some construction noise if you live nearby.

🎸 Vendors Wanted – Old Ellicott City's Main Street Music Fest returns to historic Main Street this fall, and organizers are taking vendor applications now. Got a booth-worthy business — food, crafts, or otherwise? The Ellicott City Partnership wants you in the mix. Apply here: Food Vendors | Artisan Vendors

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101 🌡️ 78 | ☀️ | 0% ☔ | 💨 NW 6 mph

102 🌡️ 78 | ⛈️ | 18% ☔ | 💨 W 8 mph

99 🌡️ 74 | ⛈️ | 43% ☔ | 💨 NW 8 mph

95 🌡️ 72 | ⛈️ | 66% ☔ | 💨 S 6 mph

92 🌡️ 71 | ⛈️ | 57% ☔ | 💨 NW 7 mph

Collective Encore | Key Lime Pie | 7:30 PM |  Ticket
Cured 1821 | Rodney Kelly | 5 PM
The Morgan Inn | David Phenicie & Paula Richardson | 6 PM

Bare Bones | Crush | 8 PM
The Barn & Lodge | Jake Canapp | 8 PM
Collective Encore | Carpool | 8 PM | Ticket
Cured 1821 | Aiden Interrante | 6 PM
Kelsey’s Restaurant & Irish Pub | Ciaran Quinn | 6 PM
Looney’s Maple Lawn | Thunderhall | 9 PM
Manor Hill Brewing | Billy & Berl | 5 PM
The Morgan Inn | John Haywood | 8 PM
Smashing Grapes | Shelby Blondell | 8 PM
White Oak Tavern | Angie Miller | 8 PM

The Barn & Lodge | Joe Matayus | 8 PM
Looney’s Maple Lawn | Fire Kite | 9 PM
Manor Hill Brewing | Frank Florence | 2 PM
The Morgan Inn | Blue Line | 8 PM
Smashing Grapes | Kevin Howard | 8 PM

The Barn & Lodge | Sean Bera| 11 AM
Cured 1821 | Bob & Aiden | 5 PM
Manor Hill Brewing | Evelyn Acht | 2 PM
The Morgan Inn | The Soul Family Band | 2 PM
White Oak Tavern | Jazzy Brunch | 11 AM

Collective Encore | Canyon Lights & Handsome Jack | 7:30 PM | Tickets

Thanks for reading Columbia Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who looks forward to getting a new Old Navy American flag tee all year just for this weekend.