Howard County, MarylandSaturday, July 18, 2026
HoCo Brief

The five-minute morning brief · Columbia · Ellicott City · Elkridge

Friday, June 26, 2026

Ellicott City Peach Sculpture Stays — 2026-06-26

14 slots · 10 delivered · 4 no-story · generated via claude-mobile

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quick-weather

Today's forecast: partly sunny then scattered showers and thunderstorms, high near 90 degrees. North wind 1 to 5 mph.

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  • NWS forecast card with high / low / conditions

Cold Open

Human voice

Good morning. Friday, June 26. A Howard County judge ruled the Peach sculpture on Ellicott City's Main Street can stay. HCPSS is seeking members for new Curriculum Advisory Committees with a deadline of August 1. And Hot Garbage Pizza is opening in Ellicott City. This is your morning brief for Howard County.

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  • Host at desk
  • Lower-third date Friday June 26
  • Quick cuts: EC Main Street streetscape / HCPSS logo / pizza

Top Story

A judge ordered that the Peach sculpture on Ellicott City's Main Street can stay, per WMAR 2 News Baltimore. The court ruling settles whether the sculpture remains in place. The full coverage and the case background are on WMAR.

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  • File footage — EC Main Street streetscape
  • WMAR News logo
  • Lower-third: 'Peach Preserved — EC Main Street'

HCPSS Watch

HCPSS is seeking new members for its Curriculum Advisory Committees. The committees serve as a forum for sharing ideas, information, and concerns, and for suggesting initiatives for continuous improvement and academic excellence in HCPSS. The interest form deadline is August 1. Details on how to apply are at news.hcpss.org.

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  • HCPSS logo
  • HCPSS Board of Education building
  • Lower-third: 'Curriculum Advisory — apply by Aug 1'

community-spotlight

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Permit of the Week

Hot Garbage Pizza is opening in Ellicott City, per Patch. The opening date, address, and menu details are in the Patch article — link in the brief description.

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  • File footage — pizza oven / pizzeria interior
  • Patch logo
  • Lower-third: 'Hot Garbage Pizza — Ellicott City'

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sports-beat

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hoco-moment

At the Savage Branch library today, I Spy in the Library runs from 11:30 to 12:15 for ages three to seven.

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  • Savage Branch library exterior
  • File footage — library kids program
  • Lower-third: 'Today, 11:30 AM — Savage'

coming-up

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What to Do This Weekend

This weekend at the library: the East Columbia Branch hosts Outsider Inn — The Lady Afterwards, Episode 3, today from 2:30 to 4:30. Celebrating Pride: All Together Now family storytime runs at Savage today at 10. And Indoor Recess for ages 6 to 11 is at Savage today from 3:30 to 4:30. Next Friday, July 3, the Manor Hill Brewing Pizza Trolley returns to the brewery in Ellicott City.

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  • Library calendar screenshot
  • Branch logos: East Columbia / Savage
  • Manor Hill Brewing Pizza Trolley file footage
  • Pride flag overlay

quick-hits

Also today. WMAR's follow-up piece on the Peach sculpture ruling runs under the headline 'Peach preserved.' At East Columbia, the Teen Summer Programming Block runs today from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Also at Savage, the Celebrating Pride Picture Book Parade with Craft runs at 10 a.m. for ages 2 to 5. At East Columbia, Open Sewing Lab runs today from 10 to 11:30. At Elkridge, Canva Intro: Flyers runs today from 10 to 11. The Baltimore Banner's Howard County 2026 primary election results page is still online — link in the brief description. Columbia Association awarded more than $1 million in memberships through its CA Points program this year, marking 25 years. HCPSS also has applications open for the Standing Policy Advisory Committee, deadline August 21. At Elkridge today, Toddler Play & Learn and All Together Now both run at 9:30 a.m. Also today: Little Learners Preschool Skills at East Columbia at 10, Storybook Friends at 10:30, and Play Partners at Glenwood at 10.

Shotlist (9)
  • WMAR News logo
  • East Columbia Branch library exterior
  • Pride flag overlay
  • Open Sewing Lab file footage
  • Canva logo
  • Baltimore Banner logo
  • Columbia Association building
  • HCPSS logo
  • Library branch logos rotating

Editor's Take

Human voice

Here's what I'm watching today. The Peach sculpture ruling means one of the more recognizable pieces of Ellicott City's Main Street stays put. Small story, but the kind that defines what a downtown looks like. Hot Garbage Pizza is the kind of name you remember — I'll be watching for the opening date. Storms in the forecast tonight may push some weekend plans inside. Back Monday morning.

Shotlist (3)
  • Host at desk
  • Soft transition
  • Howard County skyline still

Sign-off

Human voice

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

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Shorts

A judge says the Peach sculpture on Ellicott City's Main Street can stay.

A Howard County judge ruled that the Peach sculpture on Ellicott City's Main Street can stay, per WMAR 2 News Baltimore. The court ruling settles whether the sculpture remains in place. The full coverage is on WMAR. Plus today: HCPSS is recruiting members for new Curriculum Advisory Committees with applications due August 1, and Hot Garbage Pizza is opening in Ellicott City per Patch. Full brief on the channel.

Full brief on the channel.

YouTube description

A Howard County judge ruled that the Peach sculpture on Ellicott City's Main Street can stay, per WMAR 2 News Baltimore. In today's brief: a judge orders the Peach sculpture on Ellicott City's Main Street can stay; HCPSS is seeking members for new Curriculum Advisory Committees with applications due August 1; Hot Garbage Pizza is opening in Ellicott City per Patch; Friday weather brings scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon with a high near 90; weekend programming at the library including Outsider Inn Episode 3 at East Columbia, Pride: All Together Now at Savage, and Indoor Recess at Savage; the Manor Hill Brewing Pizza Trolley returns next Friday July 3 in Ellicott City; plus quick updates on the HCPSS Standing Policy Advisory Committee, the Baltimore Banner's HoCo 2026 primary results page, and the Columbia Association CA Points 25-year milestone. #HowardCountyMD #ColumbiaMD #EllicottCityMD #PeachSculpture #HCPSS #HotGarbagePizza #Pride #HoCoBrief

Thumbnail: PEACH · Stays on Main