Salutations
Hot Fun in the Summertime!
Fourth of July, cookouts, outdoor concerts, travel, swim team, dining al fresco and more: there is so much about summer to enjoy. I have tried to take advantage of all of those things (except swim team -- I don't miss those 6am Saturdays!). I participated in the Longfellow Fourth of July parade and a reception hosted by County Executive Calvin Ball at the Columbia Lakefront that evening, attended concerts at the Chrysalis and Merriweather , and traveled to Clarke County, NV, for the annual National Association of Counties (NACo) conference. There, I attended seminars on how to deal with flooding and the rebuilding of infrastructure, understanding a County's role with regard to legal cannabis, and generating new revenue for counties, among other topics. After returning from the conference, I wanted to see how the Boundary Adjustment process was proceeding. I went to the meetings held at Atholton and River Hill high schools. The parents and guardians were divided into groups of six people at each table and were asked to respond to a series of seven questions. It was great to see so many people talking about this emotional subject with thoughtfulness, showing respect to the others in their group, and focused on best outcomes for all students. It may be summer but there is still a lot happening in the County. Check out Councilmember Walsh's bill: the Patapsaco Lower North Branch Bill ( CB38-2019 ) . This bill will provide much needed protection to the Tiber Branch Watershed. Look for the public hearing in September on this bill, as well as some other important bills that will be introduced on August 23rd.
Welcome K-9 Sowell
On July 18, the Office of the Fire Marshal swore in K-9 Sowell who will team up with Lt. Matthews identifying the crime of arson in the Howard County area. K-9 Sowell will assist investigators by sniffing out ignitable liquids used to start fires.
State's largest outdoor kinetic sculpture installed in Columbia 
The sculpture is the largest outdoor kinetic piece in Maryland and was named after a character in C.S. Lewis ' fantasy novel The Chronicles of Narnia . It was created in collaboration over the past several years with the Walla Walla Foundry in Washington and it overlooks Symphony Woods and Merriweather Post Pavilion. 

Click here for more.
Keeping Up with Deb
Below are some of the events and meetings I have recently attended. Let me know about your community activities so I can stop by, if my schedule allows.

07/04 - Longfellow 4th of July Parade
07/04 - July 4th VIP Reception
07/09 - Howard County Chamber Legislative Affairs Committee Meeting
07/09 - Hackground, STEM programs
07/09 - BWI Roundtable Meeting
07/11 - NACo Conference-Clarke County
07/16 - Public Input Meeting on School Boundary Readjustments
07/17 - Columbia Downtown Housing Commission Board Meeting
07/18 - Florence Bain Renovations Meeting
07/18 - Public Input Meeting on School Boundary Readjustment
Left: Swearing-In Ceremony for K-9 Sowell, Hackground, NACo conference panel on Partnerships in National Regional Water Resiliency & Innovation; Right : Longfellow 4th of July Parade, Howard County 4th of July Reception, Boundary Adjustment meeting at River Hill High School
Community Affairs
Urgent Pantry Needs
Can You Help?

HopeWorks’ Emergency Pantry accepts in-kind donations to help our clients meet their needs. Because of the generosity of our community we work to keep our pantry stocked throughout the year with essential non-perishable food items, personal-care, and household products.
 
The Emergency Pantry serves our crisis shelter residents, including women, men, and children impacted by sexual and intimate partner violence, as well as the clients of our advocacy, legal, clinical, and community engagement departments.

*****Items Urgently Needed!*****

·    Toilet paper (packs of 4 or 6 units)
·    Paper towels
·    Canned tuna/chicken
·    Cold cereal
Deliver to:
inside the Nonprofit Collaborative
9770 Patuxent Woods Drive, Suite 300, Columbia
(410) 997-0304
July is Parks and Recreation Month

Click here for more information
click here for more info
July 26th - 27th
A celebration of multi-cultural independent film in Columbia, Maryland. This event will bring the artistry and excitement that only cinema can bring.
With the beautiful area of Downtown Columbia as the backdrop, film enthusiasts will have the opportunity to experience over 40 new independent multicultural narrative features, documentaries, animation, web-series, short films and studio preview screenings
click here to see the full movie schedule
Be a part of the Lakefront Film Fest from the first scene until the final credits!
Fri, July 26 Bumblebee (PG-13) Mon, July 29 Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns (PG)
Senior Day at the Fair
Tuesday, August 6, 10am - 3pm
Howard County Fairgrounds, West Friendship

Free fair admission for all age 62+

Exercise demos, healthy aging information, Games and entertainment in the 4-H Building.
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Concert season has begun!
Check out the full 2019 calendar of live music for an endearing Howard County tradition.
Click here for the calendar.
Chrysalis Events
More outdoor shows, more intimate setting. Columbia is blessed with fine arts and cultural performances.
Click here for the calendar.
FOLLOW US