🍦Down to the wire 🏀

Good morning, Columbia. Did you know roughly two thirds of emails never get opened? That’s why we want to thank you for opening this one 🙂

In today’s Columbia Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Michelle Sinclair

Howard County Library System is terminating 55 on-call positions — mostly shelvers working as needed up to 10 hours a week — and ending its HiTech teen STEM program to close a $300,000 budget gap tied to a recent wage settlement with the library’s union. Affected workers were notified Monday and given two weeks’ notice; three full-time HiTech staff will shift to other roles.

Library leaders called the cuts “necessary” to preserve core services and regular staff jobs. The union, which organized in 2024, is looking into how it can push back on this decision even though the staffers aren’t part of its bargaining unit. ($)

Yuki’s name means “good fortune.” Which makes perfect sense the Dogecoin mascot. Yuki is a 30-pound, three-year-old shiba inu that’s ready to join a family. He’s high-energy so you gotta be ready for that. He’d love a home that has another dog who can chase him around a fenced backyard. Kids are cool, too. He’s also potty-trained and crate-trained. Always a plus.

That said, shiba inus aren’t really for first-time dog owners because they’re very stubborn (probably cause they’re so smart). Some people say they’re dog hardware running cat software.

Yuki is at Almost Home Dog Rescue in Ellicott City.

Always felt like congress was your true calling? HCPSS needs community volunteers to judge simulated congressional hearings for fifth graders from May 1–June 9. These hearings are a big deal for them as they’re the culmination of their social studies instruction. The program focuses on issues related to the constitution but you don’t need a constitutional law degree from Yale to participate. You’ll get all the training you need the morning of your session. Learn more and apply.

As the school board votes today on its FY27 budget request, County Executive Calvin Ball has warned that Howard County could face a $67.1 million shortfall despite projected revenue growth. In a letter sent days before the vote, Ball said the school system’s cost drivers would consume over 80% of revenue growth and asked for alternative funding scenarios.

Superintendent Bill Barnes’ $1.278 billion proposed budget requires $78.1 million in new county funding while the county’s projected revenue growth is $96.7 million. The board votes tonight. Stay tuned.

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🎈 = family-friendly events

All weekend long

🎈 Maryland Sporting Dog Association Spring Show | Hundreds of sporting dogs with shows, obedience and rally trials, fetch testing, and more | Howard County Fairgrounds

🎈 US Quadball National Qualifier | College teams from across the country compete for a playoff spot in a sport you’ve never heard of. It’s quidditch (from Harry Potter) but they can’t call it that because of trademark stuff. | Troy Park | Tickets

Rock of Ages @ Toby’s Dinner Theatre | Dinner and a show featuring the greatest hits of the 80s. Contains adult language and situations | Tickets

Saturday

🎈 Black Business Bazaar | Support local entrepreneurs at this vibrant marketplace | Maryland Innovation Center | 12–3 PM

Capitoline Center Grand Opening & Open House | The former courthouse opens as an 80,000 square-foot center to arts, culture, and history after a three-year renovation. Home to the Howard County Arts Council & Asian American and Pacific Islander Cultural Center | 3–5 PM

Sunday

🎈 Bigfoot Endurance Trail Races | Choose a 5-mile, 10-mile, or 2-person 10-mile relay. A perfect first trail running race. Our favorite team names: Wigg Parentals & Wigg Spawn. We’re rooting for the parentals. No offense, kids. Registration deadline: 11:59 PM 2/26 | Rockburn Branch Park | 9 AM

Trivia, bingo, karaoke, & open mic night

Both the boys and girls county basketball championships came down to the wire on Tuesday. Coincidentally, both games were decided by just two points. And it was a tough night for Oakland Mills.

Marriotts Ridge beat Oakland Mills 40-38 with a dominant second half for their second county crown in five years. In the game before, Reservoir erased a 6-point deficit entering the final quarter to win 39–37, earning their first county crown in the school’s 24-year history.

Now, everyone’s setting their sights on the Maryland state tournament. Both county champions have a bye and await the winners of tomorrow’s round 1 games. The tournament concludes with the state championship games in the second week of March at UMBC’s arena.

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.

Calvin Ball is nearing the end of his second term and since county executive is a term-limited position, he’ll be looking for a new gig. Here’s who’s looking to replace him. The primary is June 23.

Old Washington Road Traffic Calming Open House | Howard County DPW will present plans to add speed humps, warning signs, an overhead flashing beacon and pavement markings along Old Washington Road in Elkridge. | Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department Event Hall — Thursday, Feb. 26, 5–6:30 PM

FY27 Residents’ Budget Hearing | County Executive Calvin Ball invites residents to give virtual testimony and comments on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget. | Online via Webex — Tuesday, March 3, 6 PM

BikeHoward Master Plan Update Workshops | The Office of Transportation will hold a series of public workshops to gather feedback on the Bicycle Master Plan update.

💁 Know about a community meeting we haven’t listed? Reply and let us know!

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43 🌡️ 27 | ☁️ | 24% | 💨 5 mph

51 🌡️ 30 | ☀️ | 6% | 💨 6 mph

59 🌡️ 37 | ☀️ | 7% | 💨 5 mph

50 🌡️ 24 | 🌥️ | 24% | 💨 11 mph

The Morgan Inn | Ginger & The Protest | 6 PM

Bare Bones | Streamline | 8 PM
Blackwall Barn & Lodge | Mark Scott | 8 PM
Collective Encore | The New Romance | 8 PM | Tickets
Cured 1821 | Unified Jazz Ensemble | 6 PM
Kelsey’s Restaurant & Irish Pub | Scotty Pip & Mike Vance | 6 PM
Looney’s Maple Lawn | Here’s To The Night | 9 PM
The Morgan Inn | Guilty as Charged | 8 PM
Oversea Distillery | Brendan Lane and the Sugar Packets | 7 PM
Reckless Shepherd | Doc Marten and the Flannels | 9 PM | Tickets
Smashing Grapes | Marissa Zechinato | 8 PM
Union’s Jack | Rod Sebastian | 8 PM
White Oak Tavern | Red Sky Dawn | 8 PM

Bare Bones | Reflex Band | 8 PM
Blackwall Barn & Lodge | Grayson Moon | 8 PM
Collective Encore | The New Romance | 8 PM | Tickets
Cured 1821 | Ian Trusheim | 6 PM
Kelsey’s Restaurant & Irish Pub | Brandt Dunn | 6 PM
Looney’s Maple Lawn | Mad Decent | 8 PM
The Morgan Inn | Streamline | 8 PM
Oversea Distillery | John Decesare | 7 PM
Reckless Shepherd | Radar Rocks Metal Fest Featuring Daedric | 9 PM | Tickets
Smashing Grapes | Jennifer Schimpf | 8 PM
Sonomas | School of Rock | 4 PM
Sonomas | Hightest | 7 PM
White Oak Tavern | Solid Maybe | 8 PM

Sunday

Manor Hill Brewing | Frank Florence | 2 PM
The Morgan Inn | Soul Family Band | 2 PM
White Oak Tavern | Jazz Brunch | 11 AM

Long Reach has hired Isaac Murray as its new varsity football coach, replacing Jamie Willis, who stepped down after 14 seasons to spend more time with his family. Murray spent the past seven years on Westminster’s staff and served as offensive coordinator the last two, where his offense averaged 32.8 points per game in 2025. Murray is a Howard County native and Atholton graduate who played under one of Maryland’s hottest coaches, Kyle Schmitt (Atholton ➡️ Spalding ➡️ UMD). In an interview with the Baltimore Sun, Murray hinted that he’d very much like to make the Long Reach Lightning Howard County’s first state champion football team since River Hill won back-to-back 3A championships in 2011 and 2012. ($)

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