Incidents this week

Vehicle crimes

Arrests reported

Vehicle Theft · 21043

2020 silver Acura ILX stolen — 3100 block of Burgess Mill Way, overnight Sept. 5–6. Tags MD/5GA7803.

Theft From Vehicle · 21043

Cash and credit cards stolen — 2500 block of River Ridge Trail, overnight Sept. 9–10.

Theft From Vehicle · 21042 (Nearby)

Two vehicles hit, various items taken — 3600 block of Macalpine Road, overnight Sept. 10–11.

Vehicle Break-In · 21043 · Evening

Two vehicles entered, nothing reported stolen — 8800 block of Town and Country Boulevard, Sept. 5, 10:40–10:50PM.

Median home value

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Median days on market

📈 Mortgage rates just hit a one-year high (6.78% on a 30-year fixed as of Sept. 9), and the Fed's Sept. 16–17 meeting is now leaning toward a possible hike, not the cut everyone was banking on this fall.

Howard County will clean and paint the Snowden River Parkway southbound bridge over Robert Fulton Drive in Columbia starting on or about Monday, Sept. 21, wrapping in early October. Vertical clearance under the bridge drops to 13.5ft, so any taller vehicles will need an alternate route.

SHA's resurfacing of four northbound I-95 bridges near Columbia (Middle Patuxent River, Little Patuxent River, and both MD 32 spans) is now well into its run. Double-lane closures continue Sunday–Thursday, 9PM–5AM, weather permitting, with the project still targeting an October wrap.

Wine, craft beer, and local food samples with live bluegrass music and a silent auction, benefiting the Conservancy's education programs.

📍 Howard County Conservancy, Woodstock · Thu Sep 17 · 5–8PM

Opening reception for two new gallery exhibits, part of the county's Road to the Arts weekend showcasing Howard County's visual arts scene. Live music and light refreshments.

📍 Capitoline Center, 8360 Court Ave, Ellicott City · Thu Sep 17 · 6–8PM

This year's designer showcase house opens for tours, running through Oct. 11 — a fundraiser for Historic Ellicott City Inc.'s preservation work.

📍 1575 Marriottsville Rd · Opens Thu Sep 17 · Thu 10AM–8PM, Fri–Sat 10AM–4PM, Sun 11AM–5PM (through Oct 11)

Live music across multiple stages up and down Main Street, artisan vendors, raffles, and family activities.

📍 Main Street, Ellicott City · Sat Sep 19 · 12–8PM

A celebration of Indian culture — music, dance, jewelry, fashion, and food from vendors across the community.

📍 Howard County Fairgrounds, West Friendship · Sat Sep 19, 12–8PM · Sun Sep 20, 11AM–7PM

🚘 Worth the drive

The band celebrates a decade together on the Merriweather stage.

📍 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia · Fri Sep 18 · Gates 7PM, Show 8:30PM

Reset your thermostat schedule now, save real money this winter

With mornings and evenings cooling off, it's the perfect time to update your thermostat's fall/winter schedule instead of just cranking the heat when it feels chilly. the U.S. Department of Energy says turning your thermostat back 7–10°F for 8 hours a day (like overnight, or while you're at work) can save you up to 10% a year on heating and cooling costs. If you've got a programmable or smart thermostat, this takes five minutes to set up. If you don't, this is the tip that makes the case for one.

"Ravens season started and suddenly every dad on my street remembered how to use a grill."

Overheard in 21043

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Patapsco Valley State Park was Maryland's very first state park.

It started small: in 1907, a Catonsville resident named John Glenn donated 43 acres of his Hilton Estate to Maryland's State Board of Forestry. The state forester began promoting it as a recreation spot in 1910 — a novel idea at the time — and by 1916 it already had about 75 campsites drawing hundreds of campers a year.

That 43-acre gift eventually grew into today's park: roughly 14,000 acres stretching 32 miles along the Patapsco River, right through our backyard, and still one of the most-visited state parks in Maryland.

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