🍦County breaks ground on Cradlerock Park

Good morning, Columbia. A baby sea lion was found about a block from the shore in San Francisco last week in what has to be the cutest case of vagrancy on record. When asked why he was so far from the water, the sea lion said nothing, but a quick Google shows that the very highly rated Hook Fish Co. was only a block further inland. Case closed.

In today’s Columbia Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Michelle Sinclair

You know that big stretch of grass next to the East Columbia library? It's about to become an actual park.

County officials broke ground Thursday on Cradlerock Park at 6600 Cradlerock Way — 16.5 acres that Rec & Parks has technically maintained since 1992, but that Howard County didn't formally buy from Howard Hughes Holdings until October 2023 (price tag: $415,000, paid with state Program Open Space funding).

The park shares a parking lot with the East Columbia 50+ Center and the library's East Columbia branch — walk a bit farther and you'll hit Howard County's first youth cricket pitch at Lake Elkhorn Middle School, or the trails to Owen Brown Village Center.

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County Executive Calvin Ball revealed his $432.6 million FY27 capital budget on April 1. No joke. The package fully funds the school system's capital request for a fifth straight year ($98.6 million in local dollars, the highest in more than 25 years), allocates another $34.4 million for the new Elkridge Community and 50+ Center, and commits $37.2 million to keep pushing the Ellicott City Safe and Sound Plan.

But capital dollars only buy buildings and bridges. The operating budget, the part that pays teachers, cops, EMTs, rec programs, and library staff, is what comes next, and it's Ball's final one as County Executive. He’s presenting his FY27 operating budget at 6:15 PM today before the County Council meeting at 7 PM.

Also on the agenda:

Six board and commission appointments round out the night. See the full agenda.

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🎈 = family-friendly events

🌱 Native Gardening Hangout - Local native gardeners gather to share knowledge, resources, and good conversation over dinner at Facci Wood Fire Pizza.

🎭 Toby's Dinner Theatre Presents: The Wizard of Oz - There's no place like Toby's for this beloved musical classic.

🍵 Therapeutic Herbal Tea Tasting + Blending Workshop - Taste medicinal teas and create your own custom blend with Clinical Herbalist Erin Antosh Rudzinski.

🌱 Earth Day Clean-Up - Join the Elkridge 50+ Center staff for a morning of giving back to the planet.

🎨 🎈 Art Together - A Journey of Discovery - New preschool art class at Columbia Art Center for ages 3-6 and their caregivers.

🎤 3rd Thursdays Open Mic Night - Monthly open mic night at Busboys and Poets Columbia, hosted by E-Baby.

💡 BRITE: Design Thinking Series - Interactive workshop for founders on empathizing, ideating, and prototyping solutions.

🍺 Bourbon 201 Tasting Class - Learn why bourbon is uniquely American with a Whiskey University instructor at K-9 Coffee.

🐣 Adult Flashlight Egg Hunt (21 yrs +) - Grown-up egg hunt fun in the dark with Howard County Recreation & Parks.

🎈 MYFest: Merriweather Youth Festival - Free teen arts festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion, by teens for teens.

🎈 Charmed Farm Festival at Manor Hill - Storybook world of magic with live music, character meet-and-greets, and a real live unicorn.

🏠 Belmont Manor Spring Open House & Venue Showcase - Explore Elkridge's hidden gem with garden strolls and manor house tours.

🎶 Maryland Winds - America 250: Through the eyes of John Williams - Free outdoor concert celebrating America's 250th anniversary with iconic John Williams compositions.

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💦 Splashy swap: Columbia Association wants a full-scale splash park (sprays, jets, and fountains on dry ground) and has $350,000 penciled into its FY27 budget for the design. The catch: one of CA's 23 outdoor pools would have to close to make room. CA says the idea came from how packed the Merriweather splash pad gets on hot days — but which pool gets drained is still TBD, and the whole thing only moves forward if a village signs off.

🚲 Harpers hearing: Howard County wants your take on a Complete Streets makeover for Harpers Farm Road between Cedar Lane and Little Patuxent Parkway — new bike lanes, pathways, and crosswalks. Swing by the Bain 50+ Center on Tuesday, April 21 from 5–7 p.m. for an open house with OoT staff. Can't make it? An online survey opens after the meeting and runs through Friday, May 8.

🧺 Fresh in Fulton: The Milk Lady Farmers Market cut the ribbon Friday on the historic farm at Maple Lawn, meaning Fulton finally has a weekly source of produce, baked goods, and ready-to-eat favorites. Catch it at 11788 Scaggsville Road on Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., through November 21.

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54 🌡️ 31 | 🌧️ | 3% ☔ | 💨 NW 15 mph

54 🌡️ 31 | 🌧️ | 3% ☔ | 💨 NW 15 mph

71 🌡️ 50 | 🌧️ | 52% ☔ | 💨 W 9 mph

77 🌡️ 53 | ☀️ | 2% ☔ | 💨 NW 6 mph

Collective Encore | The 1974 | 7:30 PM | Tickets

Bare Bones | Dan Ingham | 7 PM
The Morgan Inn | Ginger & The Protest | 6 PM

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