Incidents in 21043

Business burglaries

Arrests reported

Business Burglary · 21043

Smoke Capital broken into overnight — 8100 block of Main Street, Aug. 23 around 3:05AM. A window was broken to gain entry; merchandise was taken.

Business Burglary · 21043

Tobacco King broken into overnight — 9200 block of Baltimore National Pike, Aug. 23 around 3:45AM. Same method — a window broken to gain entry — 40 minutes after the Main Street break-in.

Safety Tip · Business Burglary

Both break-ins happened within 40 minutes of each other, suggesting the same suspect(s) hit both. No arrests yet. Business owners: motion-sensor lighting and window alarms are the cheapest deterrent against a smash-and-grab.

📊 My trained Zillow-scrolling eye keeps landing on price cuts — all four of our listings this week got one. Late-summer real estate data confirms a cooling housing market where a rising number of sellers are cutting prices to attract hesitant buyers.

Mortgage rates are still parked around 6.7%. If the Fed does start cutting later this year, the classic play is "marry the house, date the rate" — buy now while sellers are motivated and there's room to negotiate on price, then refinance down the road if rates ease.

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

A parcel along Route 40 sold for $2.6 million, clearing the way for a new retail strip on the corridor. Tenants haven't been announced yet.

They got their liquor license approved in July and are clearing the way for their sixth location — at 10039 Baltimore National Pike. The Baltimore-area pizzeria, named one of America's 50 Best for 2025, is targeting late summer/early fall for opening.

Paint pottery alongside adoptable puppies from Small Miracles Rescue. $15 donation gets you in.

📍 The Pottery Stop, 9050 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City · Tue Sep 1 · 6PM

A four-course pairing menu with bourbon and cigars out on the patio.

📍 UNO Pizzeria & Grill, 4470 Long Gate Pkwy, Ellicott City · Thu Sep 3 · 6PM

A commemorative evening marking five decades of the museum inside America's oldest surviving railroad station.

📍 3711 Maryland Ave, Ellicott City · Thu Sep 3 · 7PM

Part of the county's 250th anniversary celebration, hosted by Recreation & Parks — see this week's Did You Know for why this particular estate matters.

📍 6555 Belmont Woods Rd, Elkridge · Thu Sep 3

An autumn-themed outdoor family event among the old Enchanted Forest storybook statues.

📍 Clark's Elioak Farm, 10500 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City · Sat Sep 5 · 10:30AM

Farm-brewed beers and a pet-friendly outdoor vibe for the holiday weekend.

📍 Manor Hill Tavern, 3733 Old Columbia Pike, Ellicott City · Sun–Mon Sep 6–7

An acoustic set from the Maryland Music Entertainment Hall of Fame singer-songwriter.

📍 Little Market Café, 3731 Hamilton St, Ellicott City · Fri Sep 11 · 6PM

🚘 Worth the drive

Two big ones back to back: Empire of the Sun Friday, Kehlani (rescheduled from Aug. 27) Sunday.

📍 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia · Fri Sep 4, 7:30PM · Sun Sep 6, Gates 5:15PM

Late Summer Restaurant Recommendations

Here is a roundup of the best local restaurants, drinks, and patios to hit before summer's officially done:

TREAT YOURSELF! 👏

"Saw a house on my street with a full pumpkin display up already. It's 89 degrees. I respect the commitment and I'm also concerned."

Overheard in 21043

📜

Belmont Manor

A 1738 plantation house turned conference center — hosted a four-day gathering in February 1976 on human subjects research and modern medical ethics.

What came out of it, published in 1979, was the Belmont Report: the document that still sets the ground rules (informed consent, weighing risk vs. benefit) for every clinical trial and research study done in the U.S. today.

The Smithsonian owned the estate at the time; Howard County now runs it as a public park.

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