🍦How many Howard Counties are there?

Good morning, Columbia. Did you know that the Soviet Union was so dominant in the Olympics that if you sum all medals ever earned (summer and winter), it still ranks second even though it hasn’t competed since 1988? You already know who owns first all time 🇺🇸.

In today’s Columbia Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Michelle Sinclair

MD’s Attorney General released body cam footage on Tuesday from a fatal crash on Route 29 in the wee hours of the morning on January 17. The video shows an unmarked HCPD vehicle trying to stop a 2010 Honda Accord for speeding around 2 AM.

The driver, a teen girl, didn’t stop and lost control of her car and crashed into the woods where her car flipped over and caught fire.

Tragically, she died at the scene. Her identity has not been released because of juvenile privacy laws. The AG’s office continues to investigate and will release a full report within 30 days of finishing.

Warning: This footage is graphic. Click to watch the video.

I know, I know. Y’all live here. You don’t need a Visitor’s Guide. But hear me out. Everyone can learn something from the visitor’s guide. Like what’s going on for America’s 250th birthday. Or one big calendar with every annual festival in HoCo. Or where you can shop with your dog. It’s a lot of fun and we highly recommend you read it.

Howard County Public Schools’ 22nd National History Day Competition is Saturday, March 21 and your help is needed. The district needs judges for five categories: historical paper, exhibit, documentary, performance, and website. The time commitment is roughly 8 AM – 1 PM on competition day. Depending on the category, you may get advance access to review materials. If this sounds like fun, apply here by February 23.

Spoiler alert. The answer is below.

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There are seven Howard Counties in the United States. Of course there’s this one. Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas also contain a Howard County.

That’s enough to rank just outside the top 50 most common county names. Washington takes the cake with 31 appearances. Now here’s a hard question. The top 6 are all named after men, but only one wasn’t president. Who is he?

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Ben Franklin

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🎈 = family-friendly events

Friday

An evening of Jazz, Rock, and Pop with DIY Jazz Quartet and South Hill Revival @ Carroll Baldwin Hall | $10 suggested donation at the door supports Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services | 7 PM

Pizza Trolley Grand Re-opening @ Manor Hill Brewing | Back after a winter break | Noon

Saturday

🎈 Mardi Gras on Main Street in Ellicott City | Scavenger hunts, mask decorating, a carnival, and more | 1–6 PM

Howard County Community Dance Festival @ Howard Community College | Classes all day (kids and adults) followed by the student showcase in the evening | 7 PM (student showcase) | Registration & tickets

Home Improvement Material Auction @ Howard County Fairgrounds | Don’t miss the on-site sneak peek on Friday from noon to 6 PM. Two log cabin kits with all materials included will be auctioned at noon | 9 AM (registration opens at 7:30 AM)

Sunday

🎈 Winter Games @ Columbia Ice Rink | Didn’t qualify for Italy? Participate in the Olympics’ most iconic winter sports right here instead | 1:15 PM

🎈 Black History Gospel Fest @ Bethany United Methodist Church | Celebrate faith, culture, and community through music | 3 PM

Howard County Historical Society annual meeting @ Miller Branch Library | Hear from local preservation leaders about the revitalization of three iconic historic structures | 1 PM | Register

All weekend

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

Trivia, Bingo, Open Mic Nights, & Karaoke

Rec & Parks just made an exciting announcement. The Howard County Inline Hockey League is launching at Alpha Ridge Park this spring.

Games will be played on Sunday evenings starting April 19. The regular season will include eight games followed by single-elimination playoffs. All skill levels are welcome and if you want to learn more, we recommend going to one or both pre-season drop-in sessions.

Click here to register (18+).

Haven’t done a tasting since your wedding? Now’s your moment.

HCPSS is hosting its annual Regional Taste Test on Friday, March 20, from 6–7 PM in the cafeteria at Hammond High School. Students, staff, and families can sample new menu items, share honest feedback, and help shape what lands on trays next year. You’ll also snag info about school meal programs.

However, capacity caps at 300, so register by March 4.

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.

We believe community participation is the backbone of a community. Plus, we also love to say you don’t get to complain about something if you didn’t try to change it. So we’re creating this new weekly feature to share all the upcoming community meetings we can find. If you know about one that we don’t, reply to these emails anytime to let us know.

Loudon Avenue Traffic Calming Open House | County public works staff will share plans to add traffic calming features like speed humps and hear community feedback on Loudon Avenue safety improvements. | Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department Event Hall — Monday, February 23, 5–6:30 PM

Seneca Farm Road Stormwater Pond Repair Meeting | Howard County Stormwater Management will discuss proposed repairs to the Seneca Farm Road pond, including replacing key infrastructure and answering questions. | HCLS East Columbia Branch (Martin Thomas Room) — Wednesday, February 25, 6 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.

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41 🌡️ 37 | 🌧️ | 95% | 💨 10 mph

47 🌡️ 38 | 🌦️ | 58% | 💨5 mph

48 🌡️ 33 | 🌤️ | 10% | 💨 9 mph

37 🌡️ 29 | 🌨️ | 72% | 💨 7 mph

Collective Encore | The Flying Ivories | 8 PM | Tickets
The Morgan Inn | Red Sky Dawn | 6 PM

Bare Bones | Shake the Room | 8 PM
Blackwall Barn & Lodge | Brandt Dunn | 8 PM
Collective Encore | Don’t Back Down | 8 PM | Tickets
Cured 1821 | Tim Andrulonis | 6 PM
HoCo Brew Hive | The Have Nots | 7 PM
Kelsey’s Restaurant & Irish Pub | The Bard & The Bird | 6 PM
Looney’s Maple Lawn | Tripwire | 9 PM
The Morgan Inn | Crackinbush | 7 PM
Oversea Distillery | Tom Starr & Friends | 7 PM
Reckless Shepherd | The Reagan Years | 9 PM | Tickets
Smashing Grapes | Cynthia Marie | 8 PM
Union’s Jack | Mike Newberry | 8 PM
White Oak Tavern | Kenny Arbuckle | 8 PM

Bare Bones | Film at Eleven | 8 PM
Blackwall Barn & Lodge | Andrew Bell | 8 PM
Collective Encore | U2topia | 8 PM | Tickets
Cured 1821 | Dwayne Adell | 6 PM
Kelsey’s Restaurant & Irish Pub | The O’Mcpub Band | 6 PM
Looney’s Maple Lawn | Turning the Tide | 8 PM
The Morgan Inn | Random Logic | 2 PM
Reckless Shepherd | Swarm of Bees | 9 PM
Smashing Grapes | Jordan Mills | 8 PM
Sonomas | Twenty Dollar Prophets | 7 PM
White Oak Tavern | Mercy Creek | 6 PM

Blackwall Barn & Lodge | Stephen Henson | 11 AM
Cured 1821 | Rodney Kelly | 5 PM
Manor Hill Brewing | John Benjamin | 2 PM
The Morgan Inn | Soul Family Band | 2 PM
Oversea Distillery | Dan Ingham | 7 PM
Smashing Grapes | Patrick Cooper | 11 AM
White Oak Tavern | Jazz Brunch | 10 AM

Thanks for reading Columbia Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who went to or is at this year’s Olympics.