Good morning, Columbia. Do you know how many cities have served as the capital of the United States? Nine. And to add to your trivia knowledge. . .
Philadelphia has been the capital five separate times (about 15 years total)
Three of the nine are in Pennsylvania
Lancaster, PA has the shortest tenure (at just 1 day)
NYC, Philadelphia, and Washington DC are the only cities to be capital for over a year
In today’s Columbia Scoop:
Baltimore seafood staple is Columbia bound
Election info
where to watch the late World Cup match
Let’s get to it.
— Michelle Sinclair
DECISION DAY
Your cheat sheet for Tuesday's Maryland primary in Howard County 🗳️
Maryland primary election polls open tomorrow. And in Howard County, several of the biggest races may be settled before the general election even rolls around.
Polls are open 7 AM to 8 PM (Tuesday, June 23). It's a closed primary, so you can only vote in the party you're registered with. Same-day registration is available with a MD license, permit, or ID plus proof of address. One catch: you must vote at your assigned polling place, or you'll be handed a provisional ballot. Find yours.
The local ballot:
County Executive (CE) – No incumbent, with Calvin Ball term-limited after two terms. No Republican filed, so the Democratic primary likely decides it.
Democratic candidates: Vanessa Atterbeary (attorney and state delegate), Bob Cockey (restaurauteur), Deb Jung (county council member and attorney), and Liz Walsh (county council member and civil engineer turned lawyer).
County Council – Columbia sits across Districts 2, 3, and 4. Districts 1 and 4 are open seats, with Walsh and Jung giving them up to run for the county’s top job.
District 2 Democrats: Arinze Ifekauche (communications director) and Jessica Nichols (high school teacher).
District 3 Democrats: Amir Naviwala (small business owner) and Christiana Rigby (incumbent).
District 4 Democrats: Linfeng Chen (engineer) and Regina Clay (self-employed).
Sheriff & State's Attorney – Democratic incumbents Marcus Harris (sheriff) and Rich Gibson (state's attorney) are both running unopposed, so there's no primary contest in either.
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EXTRA TIME
Where to catch the U.S. World Cup match in HoCo — well past bedtime ⚽
The U.S. is back in action Thursday, and the only catch is the clock: kickoff is 10 PM.
That's late enough that some kitchens will already be wiping down the fryers, so plan around the spots most likely to keep the TVs and the taps going. These three are confirmed open for the late game per websites and social media.
Ale House Columbia – 50+ TVs and a track record of staying open late for U.S. games.
Union Jack's – Shows every match, big screen included.
Looney's Maple Lawn – Takes the tournament seriously, down to a full World Cup food-and-drink menu.
Also solid: HoCo Brew Hive (11 TVs), Reckless Shepherd, and, of course, The Greene Turtle.
One note for a 10 PM kickoff: call ahead to confirm your spot is staying open, and keep an eye on the Howard County Eats Facebook group, where last-minute watch parties tend to pop up.
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EVENTS
Coming up this week
Photo: Getty Images
🎈 = family-friendly events
Wednesday
🎈🍽️ Food Truck Wednesdays in the Merriweather District - Rotating food trucks at Merriweather Row Plaza through October—this week it's Islington Kitchen and EC Diner.
🎈🎨 Fireflies Paint Party - Paint bright fireflies at The Greene Turtle with materials and instruction included for $35.
Thursday
🌳 🎈 Fiddlers & Fireflies - Bring a picnic and watch fireflies rise in the orchard while listening to folk music and storytelling, plus crafts for kids.
🎨 Sip & Sculpt Pottery Workshop - Create handmade pottery while sipping drinks at The Mall in Columbia.
🏊 🎈 World's Largest Swim Lesson - Free community swim lesson for all ages at Faulkner Ridge Pool, focused on water safety and basic swimming skills.
Friday
🩰 Dancin' Under the People Tree - All-ages dance fitness session under the People Tree sculpture at the Columbia Lakefront.
🎶 Freezer Burn - Free live music at Clarksville Commons—this local band plays blues, classic rock, and original tunes.
Weekend
🎨 B'more Blended - Works by Baltimore Watercolor Society - A juried exhibition of 72 watercolor artists fills The Meeting House Gallery through July 25.
🎶 Classical Music for People with Short Attention Spans - The Columbia Orchestra performs a concert of short classical pieces designed for newcomers on Saturday.
🩰 🎈 Fiddler on the Roof - Howard County Summer Theatre's 50th production features live orchestra and full cast, with a Sunday matinee at 2 PM.
🎶 An Evening With Goose - Improvisational rock band performs at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Sunday.
🎶 Jack Johnson: SURFILMUSIC Tour 2026 - Jack Johnson brings surf vibes to Merriweather Post Pavilion on Friday.
🎶 The Strokes - Reality Awaits North America - The Strokes perform at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Saturday.
More
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In other news. . .
🦞 Sea Change – Luna del Sea, a steak-and-seafood mainstay on Baltimore's West Pratt Street for more than two decades, is opening a Howard County location. It's moving into the former Periodic Table space at 8808 Centre Park Drive in Columbia, a spot that's sat empty since last fall. The county liquor board reviews the restaurant's license application at its Tuesday meeting — the same one where Hot Garage Pizza is up for its own.
🍑 Peachy Keen – The fruit stays. A Howard County Circuit Court judge ruled last week that the Historic Preservation Commission overstepped when it ordered the removal of the peach sculpture outside Georgia Grace Cafe on Old Ellicott City's Main Street. The peach — and an eggplant down the block at The Wine Bin — had drawn anonymous complaints that the produce looked a little too suggestive. Judge Harry Storm found the commission's authority doesn't reach to public art.
🌳 Land Banked – Howard County just locked in a little more green space. County Executive Calvin Ball announced a conservation easement with Bon Secours that permanently protects 32 acres in Marriottsville from development. The wooded parcel is now off the table for builders for good.
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WEATHER
Monday
90 🌡️ 65 | ⛈️ | 83% ☔ | 💨 S 13 mph
Tuesday
81 🌡️ 60 | ⛈️ | 28% ☔ | 💨 NW 10 mph
Wednesday
84 🌡️ 63 | ☀️ | 1% ☔ | 💨 NW 5 mph
Thursday
87 🌡️ 66 | ⛈️ | 39% ☔ | 💨 S 9 mph
LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN
Monday
Collective Encore | Bachelor Boys Band & Sound Society | 7 PM | Ticket
Tuesday
Cured 1821 | Kevin Howard | 6 PM
Wednesday
Collective Encore | The Flying Ivories | 7 PM | Ticket
Cured 1821 | Dave Leoni | 6 PM
Thursday
Collective Encore | Kanin Wren | 7:30 PM | Ticket
Cured 1821 | Joe DeCara | 6 PM
THANKS!
Thanks for reading Columbia Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with the friend who's going to text you Thursday at 9:30 PM asking which bars are showing the game.
