Village Green/Town²

  Howard County celebrates Pride twice and I’m a fan. Once in June and and again in October. Today, from 12 - 5 pm, is OEC Pride's Sixth Annual Pride Festival: Exist, Persist, and Love! Visit the HoCo Pride FB page for a site map and information on parking. That’s where I learned that the trolley will be adding a stop at the Courthouse Lot just for Pride - - expanding their usual route to give attendees more options for parking.  The event is free. Click here to register. The following statement is both reassuring and depressing to me: Huge shout out to AfterHourz Security who will be protecting us throughout our event!! We know they have our backs so we can have yours! Everyone attending the event deserves to be safe. The fact that additional security is necessary in Howard County in the year 2026 makes me sad.  I couldn’t find OEC Pride on FB Events or Visit Howard County Events, the Columbia Mom events listing, Columbia Inspired, the Columbia Scoop newsletter events l...

  My mother-in-law checks the news on her iPad each morning. It’s rare that she finds anything there that doesn’t depress her or make her angry.  I know exactly how she feels. “Isn’t there any good news?” she asked me the other day.  “There probably is, but that’s not what the news outlets are feeding you,” I suggested. “They’re highlighting the stories that they think will make you click.” Isn’t there any good news? Her plaintive request gnawed at me. I started looking. You can do a Google search for “good news stories today.” I got about a page of websites to check.  One of them, the Goid News Network, put me onto stories like the following: Bruce Springsteen Celebrates His New Center for American Music Opening Soon with All-Star Concert for the Ages Heartwarming ‘Sock-er’ News: Arsenal Donates Old Football Socks to Sick Horses and Donkeys US Nonprofit Again Wipes Out Millions in Hospital Bills–This Time for 97,000 Residents of Connecticut I don’t really know much ...

  It’s not a secret. But it isn’t exactly front page news, either. Where I usually learn about upcoming county special events: County Executive FB account HoCoGov FB account Local FB events page Instagram accounts of the above Local media  Where I learned about the opening tomorrow of a new skatepark facility at Blandair: Columbia Reddit , which linked to  hoco.skateboarding on Instagram I finally broke down and searched the County website. Here it is: Ribbon Cutting & Special Event Blandair Park Phase 6 If you look carefully you’ll see that this isn’t just about skateboarding. Phase 6 also includes pickleball courts and (long-awaited) basketball courts. I would have mentioned this earlier but I was looking for confirmation from an official source.  Rec and Parks has a ton going on this time of year - - just check out their Instagram . The skate park opening at Blandair may not be at the top of their list for social media publicity, I get that. But, for HoCoLoca...

 Where to begin? The Columbia Association is often thought of as the Pools, Parks, and Pathways people. I see they are not done with the alliteration game. Apparently they held a People, Plants, and Purpose event last Friday. Any guesses as to what snappy alliteration will be next? CA is doing a membership study of some sort. I’m curious as to how they will select participants and whether they can get a representative sampling by only offering two dates midweek for their focus group sessions. But, hey, if they choose you and you participate, you’ll get a gift card. There’s an entire ode to the pathway system on Reddit right now, including a cool view of the pedestrian bridge over Route 29. It’s fun to read if you’re tired of the current political grind and need some cheering up.  Love the Columbia Pathway System , Columbia Reddit  Remember when I noticed that The Metropolitan was no longer the Metropolitan?  Guess what? Ten M Flats is now Versa Merriweather. True co...

I’m not sure that I’ve ever sent you over to read something at Business Monthly. Today’s the day.  I have to admit I sometimes forget they are there. Glancing through their website this morning, I realize I need to bookmark it for a more regular look-through. If you’re curious about this local publication, here’s some background information:  The Business Monthly covers the business, government and people of Howard and Anne Arundel counties, the BWI Business Corridor, and Laurel. We report on local companies, economic development, and the people building businesses in our region : monthly in print and more frequently online at bizmonthly.com. They’ve been in business since 1993. Want to know more? Here’s a piece on their founding and history by Len Lazarick. I’m strongly recommending a piece by Howard County’s own Lisa Markovitz, who is asking a question I think more people should be asking:  Why did a Columbia community center become a campaign issue? Here is is. Go rea...

  Three Things I Wish I Could Do Today: Howard County Government is again inviting the community for a flag raising to celebrate the beginning of Pride Month. I was there last year and it was a much-needed reminder to me of what good people are doing in community. This evening at the Main Library branch: Scribble is holding a hangout - - all art styles, all levels - - in the Maxine White Warfield Room from 6-8 pm. One of these days I’m going to be able to make one of their events. Third thing: hanging out with my spouse, a rarity these days. But summer is coming soon, right? If you are a teacher: hang in there! Speaking of which: Have a great Monday.  Village Green/Town² Comments