HoCo Opens Blandair Park Phase 6 — 2026-06-09

Tuesday morning: partly sunny, high near 82 degrees. South wind 2 to 10 mph.

Phase Six of Blandair Regional Park opened this week. Tuesday, June 9th. Also today: a Howard County teacher just won a Touchdown for Teachers award from M&T Bank and the Baltimore Ravens. The county dedicated a bocce court to Grace Kubofcik. Construction on the Ellicott City flood tunnel kicks off this summer. And executive-race candidates are making their final push to voters. Here's the brief.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball celebrated the grand opening of Phase Six of Blandair Regional Park on Monday. The county confirmed the opening in a release dated June 8. Blandair Regional Park is located in central Columbia and is one of the largest in the Howard County park system. Phase Six is the latest in a long-running, phased buildout of the park. Previous phases of Blandair added athletic fields, playgrounds, trails, and open space across multiple expansions. The release confirms the grand opening ceremony and Calvin Ball's attendance. Specific new amenities included in Phase Six are not detailed in the public-facing text we have. Today's Blandair news comes alongside a second Calvin Ball ribbon-cutting from the same news cycle. Ball also dedicated a new bocce court to community advocate Grace Kubofcik, known locally as the Queen of Bocce. Both releases went out together as part of the county's Monday programming. Howard County residents near Blandair will see Phase Six open and available for use beginning this week. For the full Phase Six feature list, hours, and access points, refer to the Howard County Recreation and Parks announcement linked in the description. We will follow up if the county releases additional details on what the new phase includes.

A Howard County teacher was surprised with a Touchdown for Teachers award from M&T Bank and the Baltimore Ravens, according to WBAL-TV. The award was reported June 5. The Touchdown for Teachers program is run by M&T Bank in partnership with the Baltimore Ravens and recognizes Maryland educators each season. The teacher's name, school, and full surprise-presentation details are in the linked WBAL-TV story. Howard County educators have placed in the program in past seasons. The WBAL-TV story is linked in the description, and we will update if HCPSS publishes a follow-up.

County Executive Calvin Ball dedicated a bocce court Monday to community advocate Grace Kubofcik, known locally as the Queen of Bocce. The county announced the dedication in a Monday release. Kubofcik has been a longtime community advocate in Howard County. The bocce court bearing her name is the county's recognition of her years of community work and her connection to the sport of bocce. The release confirms the dedication ceremony and Ball's attendance. Additional details on the court's location, hours, and dedication remarks are in the linked county announcement.

Construction on the Ellicott City flood tunnel kicks off this summer, according to WTOP. The project is the next major phase of the Ellicott City Safe and Sound plan, designed to reduce flooding in historic Ellicott City. The flood tunnel is the largest single piece of infrastructure in the plan. Specific construction start dates, route detail, and equipment timelines are in the WTOP report linked in the description. The project has been in planning and early construction for several years prior to this summer's milestone.

Manga for Mayor voting runs all day through June 18 at the Glenwood Branch of the Howard County Library System. The poll asks Glenwood patrons to vote on which manga character should be Mayor. The library hosts the campaign as a branch-wide, all-day event. Voting opened May 26 and closes June 18. The Howard County Library calendar is linked in the description.

Coming up this week at Howard County Library System branches. The Howard County Health Department has a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist available at the Glenwood Branch from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. today, free for residents. Beaded Pride Bracelets is at the Elkridge Branch tonight from 6 to 7. Teen Live! runs at the Savage Branch from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. today. And Pajama Time Under the Stars is at the East Columbia Branch tonight from 6:30 to 7, for kids birth through age 5 with an adult. Full library calendar is linked in the description.

Also today. Howard County executive candidates are making their final push to voters, according to CBS News. County Executive Calvin Ball broke ground on the county's first Bus Rapid Transit stop, capping a decade of planning. Howard County earned the highest AAA credit rating from all three major rating agencies, the county finance department announced. The Howard County Department of Finance posted updated information on resident Tax Credits — eligibility and applications are on the finance department website. The Finance Department also rolled out new Property Tax Digital Communications, with sign-up for digital tax bills on the finance site. Calvin Ball's age-friendly legislation, which expands the Senior Tax Credit and extends the Aging in Place Tax credit, is on the books. Teen Afterschool Programming runs at the East Columbia Branch from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. today. A Google Docs class runs at the East Columbia Branch from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Little Learners Summer of STEAM is at the Elkridge Branch from 10:30 to 11 a.m. for ages 3 to 5 with an adult. Little Learners Painting Booker is at the East Columbia Branch from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Movie Magic Cosmetics runs at the East Columbia Branch from 4 to 5 p.m. In real estate this week, 9005 Constant Course in Columbia 21046 is listed on Realtor.com. And 10391 Resort Road unit M in Ellicott City 21042 is also listed on Realtor.com.

Two ribbon-cuttings in the same news cycle from Calvin Ball — Phase Six of Blandair, and a bocce court for Grace Kubofcik. The county is also breaking ground this summer on the Ellicott City flood tunnel after years of planning. And executive candidates are making their final push as the election approaches. The end of one Ball term and the start of the next is sitting alongside a stack of capital projects coming to a head. Watch how the candidates talk about what they would continue, change, or stop. That's the question this election turns on.

That's your Tuesday brief. More at hocobrief.com — newsletter, archive, send your tips. I'm your host. See you tomorrow.