Marriottsville Bon Secours 32-Acre Conservation Easement — 2026-06-19

Juneteenth morning: scattered rain showers then mostly cloudy, high near 83 degrees. Northwest wind 6 to 14 mph.

Good morning. Friday, June 19. Juneteenth. Howard County and Bon Secours signed a conservation easement to preserve 32 acres in Marriottsville. The Columbia Association marked 25 years of its CA Points program by awarding more than a million dollars in memberships to low-income families. And Patch published its 2026 Candidate Spotlight on Regina Clay. This is your morning brief for Howard County.

Howard County and Bon Secours entered a conservation easement agreement to preserve 32 acres in Marriottsville. County Executive Calvin Ball announced the agreement. The easement keeps the 32-acre Marriottsville parcel permanently undeveloped. The full announcement is on the county news page at howardcountymd.gov.

HCPSS is seeking members for its new Standing Policy Advisory Committee, with applications due Friday, August 21. The HCPSS Policy Office is consolidating previous multiple policy advisory committees into one single-standing committee with a two-year commitment. Details on how to apply are at news.hcpss.org.

Patch published its 2026 Candidate Spotlight on Regina Clay this morning. The profile is part of Patch's series ahead of the Howard County primary. The piece covers Clay's policy positions and campaign — read the Patch article for the full profile.

The Columbia Association awarded more than $1 million in memberships and programs to low-income families this year, marking 25 years of the CA Points program. CA recognized 712 students with CA Play or CA Fit and Play memberships active for one year starting June 1. The program rewards student academic achievement and attendance with complimentary CA memberships. Throughout the year, CA also provides free programming like tennis lessons. The full release is at columbiaassociation.org.

At the Elkridge Branch library today, the Beading for Peace project runs from 9:30 to 2, contributing to the TOHO Peace Chain Project.

This weekend at the library, the Savage Branch hosts a Plant Swap today from 1 to 3 — bring a plant, take a plant. The Elkridge Branch is running Beading for Peace, the TOHO Peace Chain Project, from 9:30 to 2. And Improv Comedy for Everyone runs at Savage from 1 to 2:30.

Coming up. The Manga for Mayor next round of voting at the Glenwood Branch library runs Sunday June 21 through Tuesday June 23. Today: Cuentos en Español at Elkridge at 10:30. Ask a Master Gardener at the Elkridge Branch from 10 to noon, and at Glenwood from 10:30 to 12:30. And per Baltimore Fishbowl, Baltimore is hosting Juneteenth celebrations and the 50th anniversary of AFRAM this weekend.

Also today. Howard County's heat advisory remains in effect — check howardcountymd.gov for the full advisory. Calvin Ball officially announced the advancement of High School Number 14 in Elkridge yesterday. County Executive Calvin Ball broke ground earlier this month on Howard County's first Bus Rapid Transit stop. The county dedicated a bocce court this week to Grace Kubofcik, a senior-recreation advocate. Howard County joined the Dementia Friendly America Network this week. The county Finance Department updated information on residential tax credits at howardcountymd.gov. Howard County Finance also rolled out Property Tax Digital Communications for residents. The Aging and Independence office posted updated Housing Resources for older adults. Howard County students won national honors in the C-SPAN StudentCam competition, per Patch. WBAL-TV's Primary Profiles series on the 2026 Howard County Executive race is now running. At Savage today, Busy Bees STEAM for ages 2 to 5 with an adult runs at 10 a.m.

Here's what I'm watching today. Friday, June 19, is Juneteenth. The Bon Secours conservation easement preserving 32 acres in Marriottsville is the kind of long-horizon move that doesn't make headlines but defines what the county looks like in twenty years. And the Columbia Association marking 25 years of CA Points, with more than a million dollars in memberships to 712 students this year, says something about who Columbia keeps trying to be. Back Monday morning.

That's today's brief. Full edition at hocobrief.com — newsletter, archive, send tips. I'm at the desk. Back Monday morning. Happy Juneteenth, Howard County.