🍦Wine Bin owners plans new cocktail bar

Good morning, Columbia. If someone asks if you're celebrating Bicycle Day this weekend, you should probably know that Bicycle Day is when people take LSD and ride bikes to celebrate Albert Hofmann's discovery of the drug in 1943. World Bicycle Day (June 3) is when people celebrate the actual bicycle.

In today’s Columbia Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Michelle Sinclair

Dave Carney, the man behind Ellicott City's Wine Bin, is opening a restaurant and cocktail bar called Vesper at 8210 Main St. in mid-June — just down the block from his shop. The space has seen some turnover (Pure Wine Cafe held it down for 13 years, Revel & Main quietly tapped out three years ago), but Carney's been dreaming up this concept for ages. The historic building is in full construction mode right now, getting a new HVAC and a warm makeover in earth, rust, and navy tones.

Running the kitchen will chef Rachel Bindel, a D.C. private chef with stints at Michelin-starred joints like Tail Up Goat and Gravitas. Vesper is her first suburban gig, and she's aiming for elevated-but-unfussy — no white tablecloth energy here.

Vesper will be open Wednesday through Sunday. Carney's words: "I'm looking forward to the next step and putting more roots down." As to when? We’ll keep you updated.

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🎈 = family-friendly events

🎈🎨 Young Artists in Process - Opening reception celebrating 3rd-5th grade artwork from Bollman Bridge Elementary students.

🍽️ Laud Shawarma Ribbon Cutting - Welcome the sister-owned authentic Nigerian shawarma spot to The Common Kitchen in Clarksville.

🎈🚴 GELC St. Jude Trike-A-Thon - Kids ride their trikes to raise money for children battling serious illnesses at St. Jude.

🎈🌱 Earth Day at Color Burst Park - Free family celebration with yoga, sustainable maker's market, DIY succulent workshops, and native tree seedlings.

🎈🌳 SpringFest in Historic Ellicott City - "A Tribute to Mother Earth" theme brings 7,000+ visitors for live music, artisan vendors, food trucks, and eco activities.

🎈🐮 Pointers Run Elementary Yard Sale - First annual community yard sale with vendor spaces and Kona Ice on site.

🍺🐮 Gentle Giants at Manor Hill - Meet friendly rescue horses while enjoying farm-brewed beer and Kolsch release celebration.

🌱 "Halfway To Maryland Vegan Fest" - Plant-based tastings, sales, and live music at Roots Market's popular annual pop-up.

🏃 5th Annual Cover Girls Brunch - Great food and important conversations supporting women in our community.

🎈🚴 SCA Spring Park Clean Up - Volunteer to clean Savage parks and trails with the Savage Community Association.

🏃 Discover Downtown Columbia 5K/10K - Columbia's largest foot race starting and finishing at Colorburst Park, showcasing downtown and Lake Kittamaqundi.

🎈💃 Holi: Festival of Colors - Free celebration at Symphony Woods with vibrant colors, dance party, and cultural performances.

🎈🐐 Goat Yoga at Manor Hill - 60-minute yoga class with baby goats followed by drinks and live music with DT Huber.

🎈🍵 Tea Party Etiquette in the 1800s - Learn the art of conversation while engaging in a proper Victorian tea party.

🎨 Painting Life by Stacy Lund Levy - Watercolor artist's everyday life inspirations on display at Artists Gallery in Ellicott City.

🍺 Suburban Maryland Spring Home Show - Meet home improvement companies and discover new ideas at the Howard County Fairgrounds.

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The Columbia Association's Board of Directors just extended President & CEO Shawn MacInnes's contract through April 2031 — four extra years beyond his original 2027 expiration date. Since landing the top job in 2024, MacInnes has rebuilt the leadership team, modernized how residents plug into CA programs, and lined up the board's Strategic Plan with day-to-day operations.

Board Chair Collin Sullivan called MacInnes's leadership "thoughtful and steady," which in CEO-speak is roughly equivalent to a standing ovation.

What's next? MacInnes is rolling out a four-pillar game plan — governance, finance, community engagement, and operations — at the April 23 board meeting.

What’s the Columbia Association? CA is a nonprofit community services corporation funded mostly by annual property assessments on Columbia homeowners. It maintains 90+ miles of paths, over 3,500 acres of open space, lakes, parks, and lots more. Think part HOA, part parks and rec department. All without officially being a city government organization.

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✍️ Young poets, this one's for you: Howard County is searching for its 2027 Youth Poet Laureate — a student ambassador who'll represent literacy and civic life at readings and events all year. The program is run in partnership with the Howard County Arts Council and HoCoPoLitSo. Applications are open through April 30. Full details at hocoarts.org.

🚧 Heads up, west county drivers: Starting this Sunday, April 19, MD 851 (West Friendship Road) will be closed overnight — 7 PM to 5 AM — from MD 32 to the Carroll County line near Sykesville. It's a State Highway Administration road improvement project, and they expect to wrap up by Friday morning, April 24, weather permitting. Detour signs will be posted.

📱 Text me: The county has expanded its GovDelivery text alert system, so you can now get real-time updates on weather emergencies, water outages, boil water advisories, trash schedule changes, and snow removal straight to your phone. Opt in at howardcountymd.gov/county-executive/text-alerts.

🌱 Got compost? This Saturday, April 18, Howard County's Bag-It Days are back at Alpha Ridge Landfill (2350 Marriottsville Road). Swing by 9 AM–3 PM to grab locally made HoCoGro compost and mulch for $2 a container. It's self-serve, so bring your own shovel, gloves, and bags. More at howardcountymd.gov/BagIt2026.

📚 TARDIS has landed: Howard County's traveling Little Free Library — yes, the one shaped like a TARDIS — has a new home at Rockburn Branch Park West in Elkridge, near the historic Clover Hill house. Take a book, leave a book. Enter via the West entrance at 6105 Rockburn Branch Park Road.

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90 🌡️ 67 | 🌤️ | 26% ☔ | 💨 SW 9 mph

82 🌡️ 59 | 🌧️ | 29% ☔ | 💨 NW 8 mph

83 🌡️ 51 | 🌤️ | 45% ☔ | 💨 E 10 mph

65 🌡️ 39 | 🌧️ | 57% ☔ | 💨 NW 15 mph

55 🌡️ 35 | ☀️ | 14% ☔ | 💨 NW 14 mph

Bare Bones | Scotty Pips & Mike Vance | 7 PM 
Collective Encore | Abacab | 7:30 PM | Tickets
The Morgan Inn | Red Sky Dawn | 6 PM

Bare Bones | KittyBack | 8 PM
Blackwall Barn & Lodge | Brandt Dunn | 8 PM
Collective Encore | Crack The Sky | 8 PM | Tickets
Cured 1821 | Dwayne Adell | 6 PM
Hoco Brew Hive | The Have Nots | 7 PM
Kelsey’s Restaurant & Irish Pub | Ciaran Quinn | 6 PM
Looney’s Maple Lawn | Tripwire | 9 PM
The Morgan Inn | Sara's Sand Box | 6 PM
Oversea Distillery | Lee Allen | 7 PM
Reckless Shepherd | My Chemical Bromance | 9 PM
Smashing Grapes | Cynthia Marie | 8 PM
White Oak Tavern | Ruben Montoya | 8 PM

Bare Bones | Junction Band | 8 PM
Blackwall Barn & Lodge | Grayson Moon | 8 PM
Collective Encore | Crack The Sky | 8 PM | Tickets
Cured 1821 | Tim Andrulonis | 6 PM
Kelsey’s Restaurant & Irish Pub | The Bard & The Bird | 6 PM
Looney’s Maple Lawn | Doc Marten & The Flannels | 8 PM
The Morgan Inn | Generations Apart | 8 PM
Reckless Shepherd | The Reagan Years | 9 PM
Smashing Grapes | Andrew Bell | 8 PM
Sonoma’s | Code Red | 7 PM
White Oak Tavern | Mercy Creek | 8 PM

Blackwall Barn & Lodge | Jamie Bishop | 11 AM
Cured 1821 | Rodney Kelly | 5 PM
Collective Encore | Crack The Sky | 12 PM | Tickets
Manor Hill Brewing | DT Huber | 2 PM
Smashing Grapes | Kevin Howard | 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 would find the confusing of Bicycle Day and World Bicycle Day highly amusing.