Good morning, Columbia. Did you know there’s a guy out there whose full-time job is coaching kids for the Scripps National Spelling Bee? His name is Scott Remer. He coaches 13% of this year’s finalists. And he charges $180 per hour plus 10% of your cash prize if you finish top 10.
In today’s Columbia Scoop:
Plot twist: detention center ban
UBI
ER or urgent care
Let’s get to it.
— Michelle Sinclair
GOVERNMENT FINANCE
Ball's final budget passes — now about that water bill
Howard County's $2.5 billion FY27 operating budget and $435.6 million capital budget were unanimously approved by the County Council on May 20 — Calvin Ball's last budget as County Executive. The Board of Education signed off on its $1.286 billion school budget the next day, applying $6.8 million from its fund balance to fully fund its request after the County covered 99.3% of it. The new fiscal year starts July 1.
The big-ticket items previewed in April all made it through: $5 million for the Hopkins observation unit, $2 million for the county's first non-congregate homeless shelter, $9.3 million more for police, $5.6 million more for Fire & Rescue, $15.2 million for nonprofits, $1.5 million in reserve for federal worker fallout, and no property or income tax increases. The BOE's final vote also locks in 95.7 new full-time school positions — focused on Special Education, multilingual learners, student safety, and prekindergarten. The county's AAA bond rating holds for the eighth straight year.
The wrinkle. Howard County buys its water from Baltimore City, which is in the middle of multi-year rate hikes. The county is only passing along a 6% increase to residents this year — which leaves a $12 million gap in the Water and Sewer Operating Fund. ($)
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GOVERNMENT
An asterisk on Howard County's detention center ban
Howard County spent February passing emergency legislation to block an ICE detention center in Elkridge. Last week, the county told a federal court that the legislation doesn't apply to that ICE detention center.
In a letter filed in federal district court, the county's Office of Law confirmed that Council Bill 16-2026 won't apply to the Elkridge facility at 6522 Meadowridge Road because the General Services Administration — a federal agency — is the lessee. In other words: it's not "private." The county still maintains a separate argument that the developer skipped the required public notice and comment process, so the lawsuit continues. But the headline ban that triggered February's protests, four-hour public hearing, and unanimous council vote? It's no longer the thing standing in the way.
Reactions ranged from "told you so" to "embarrassing." Council member Liz Walsh — who's running for county executive — called the move "embarrassing and bad" and asked why the county "walked away from one of two defenses." Republican David Yungmann said he never agreed the project should be classified as private to begin with: "The real estate is owned by a private entity, which is how GSA has always done things."
Genesis, the developer suing the county, says the reversal doesn't change anything: the permit was still "unconstitutionally revoked." A ruling on the pending motions is expected in coming weeks. ($)
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EVENTS
Weekend Preview
Photo: Howard County Government
🎈 = family-friendly events
Friday
🌱 Lake Elkhorn Community Planting - Help plant native, pollinator-friendly species at Lake Elkhorn's new Walkable Pollinator and Rain Garden—all equipment provided.
Saturday
🎈🎉 2026 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Festival - The 5th annual AAPI Festival returns to Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods with cultural performances, food vendors, and interactive activities celebrating the diversity of AAPI cultures.
🎈🌱 Summer Block Party feat. Tap Band - Kick off Lakefront Live season with free kids' activities, food trucks, free ice cream, and a performance by Tap Band at the Columbia Association Lakefront.
Sunday
🎈🎉 America@250 Celebration: 250 Years of Freedom, Culture, and Belonging - The Indian Cultural Association presents a vibrant, community-centered celebration of the United States' 250th anniversary at the Horowitz Center.
All weekend
🎈🎭 Toby's Dinner Theatre Presents: The Wizard of Oz - Follow the yellow brick road to Toby's for their production of the classic tale, complete with buffet dinner.
🎨 Maryland Show - Original art celebrating Maryland themes from local gallery artists at Artists' Gallery in Ellicott City through May 31.
More
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In other news. . .
💰 GBI, take two – Howard County is taking applications for the second cohort of its Guaranteed Basic Income pilot. Approved families get $500/month for a year, plus another $500/month into a savings account they can access in July 2027 after completing a financial literacy program. Apply here.
🚌 Route 29 is getting Flashy – Howard County broke ground last week on its first-ever Bus Rapid Transit station, kicking off a long-awaited Flash BRT line from Downtown Columbia to Silver Spring (a joint project with Montgomery County). Service begins this fall — a decade after the project was first floated.
🎓 Got a class idea? – HCPSS is taking suggestions from staff, students, families, and community members for new middle and high school courses. Submit your pitch by Friday, June 26. Fair warning: it's a long road from idea to syllabus (proposal, evaluation, budget, piloting, the works). Submit here.
🍺 A new pub heads to Highland – George Strott — former manager of Kings Contrivance staple Michael's Pub — is opening Ironwood Kitchen at Highland Crossing, in the space last occupied by Highland Local. No opening date announced yet but they already have the liquor license. ($)
🏥 ER or urgent care? Howard County's new SmartER tool shows real-time emergency department capacity at the county's only hospital and lists nearby urgent care options. For non-life-threatening issues, it'll often direct you to a much shorter wait. Check before you go.
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WEATHER
Thursday
78 🌡️ 53 | ☀️ | 4% ☔ | 💨 N 12 mph
Friday
77 🌡️ 57 | ☀️ | 0% ☔ | 💨 NW 7 mph
Saturday
76 🌡️ 51 | ☀️ | 1% ☔ | 💨 NW 10 mph
Sunday
73 🌡️ 55 | ☀️ | 5% ☔ | 💨 NW 7 mph
Monday
76 🌡️ 55 | ⛈️ | 18% ☔ | 💨 W 7 mph
LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN
Thursday
Bare Bones | Albie Stepowany | 7 PM
Cured 1821 | Kevin Howard | 6 PM
The Morgan Inn | Garrett Mabe | 6 PM
Friday
Bare Bones | Doc Holliday| 8 PM
The Barn & Lodge | Mark Scott | 8 PM
Cured 1821 | Tim Andrulonis | 6 PM
Kelsey’s Restaurant & Irish Pub | Crossin’ T’s | 6 PM
Looney’s Maple Lawn | Social Drinking | 9 PM
The Morgan Inn | John Haywood | 8 PM
Reckless Shepherd | Crash the Limo | 9 PM
Smashing Grapes | Jordan Mills | 8 PM
White Oak Tavern | Daphne Eckman | 8 PM
Saturday
Bare Bones | Shake The Room | 8 PM
The Barn & Lodge | Rainy Day Matinee | 8 PM
Cured 1821 | Damon Foreman | 6 PM
Kelsey’s Restaurant & Irish Pub | West City | 6 PM
Looney’s Maple Lawn | Starcrush | 9 PM
Reckless Shepherd | Child’s Play | 8:30 PM
Smashing Grapes | Brch Cobb | 8 PM
Sonoma’s | Angels On Fire | 7 PM
White Oak Tavern | Brandt Dunn | 8 PM
Sunday
The Barn & Lodge | Jennifer Schimpf | 8 PM
Cured 1821 | Sidestreet Duo | 5 PM
Manor Hill Brewing | Mike Finazzo | 2 PM
Sonoma’s | Scotty P | 3 PM
White Oak Tavern | Jazzy Brunch | 11 AM
THANKS!
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