Howard County Executive Calvin Ball has announced the Spending Affordability Advisory Committee (SAAC) for Fiscal Year 2026. The SAAC is a non-partisan body charged with providing policy advice to the County Executive on fiscal planning.

Twenty-nine new beds will be added to the emergency shelter, growing capacity by more than 55 percent.

Recycle trees at hardware store, parks and the landfill.

Howard County Government offices, courts, 50+ centers, animal shelter, Alpha Ridge Landfill, Cedar Lane and Schooley Mill Activity Rooms, Gary J. Arthur, North Laurel and Roger Carter Community Centers, Meadowbrook Athletic Complex, Robinson Nature Center, Harriet Tubman Cultural Center, Kiwanis-Wallas Hall, Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum, and county historic sites will be closed on Wednesday, December 25th in observance of the Christmas holiday. Also, as there will be no curbside trash, recycling, yard trim or food scrap collection on Christmas Day, the County’s holiday "slide” schedule will be in effect.

For it’s quarterly Local Emergency Planning Committee meeting on January 16th, the County's Office of Emergency Management will be joined by representatives from the County’s Department of Community Resources and Services and the Maryland Commission on Caregiving to discuss emergency preparedness for caregivers. 

Howard County Government offices and more will be closed on Wednesday, January 1st in observance of the New Year’s holiday. Also, as there will be no curbside trash, recycling, yard trim or food scrap collection on New Year’s Day, the County’s holiday "slide” schedule will be in effect the remainder of the week.

Deadline to apply is Thursday, January 30th.

The County's Department of Public Works will hold a community outreach meeting on Monday, January 27th to discuss plans to install a new sidewalk and upgrade a portion of the water main along North Laurel Road. 

Columbia achieves a perfect score of 100 for the third year in a row.

A Howard County construction project to install 240 linear feet of eight-inch PVC water pipe to extend public water line along the 6200 block of Race Road and provide service to 6264 Race Road in Elkridge, is expected to begin on or about Monday, January 20th. Weather permitting, the project is expected to be completed by late January.

County to launch working group that will inform future zoning in Columbia