Howard County Earns Triple-A Credit Rating — 2026-06-14

Sunday morning: partly sunny then chance showers and thunderstorms, high near 94 degrees. South wind 6 to 15 mph.

Good morning. Sunday, June 14. Howard County earned the highest AAA credit rating from all three major rating agencies. Afternoon thunderstorms are in the forecast, on top of the continuing heat advisory. And library programs are running across the county today, from Elkridge to Glenwood. This is your morning brief for Howard County.

Howard County has earned the highest AAA credit rating from all three major rating agencies. The full announcement is posted on the county Finance page at howardcountymd.gov. The triple-A rating directly affects what the county pays to borrow for capital projects.

The Howard County Health Department has a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist available at the Elkridge Branch library today, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The program is listed on the Howard County library calendar at howardcounty.librarycalendar.com.

The Elkridge Branch library is running a Pride Button Making program this evening from 5:30 to 7, for ages six and up. It's part of the branch's Pride Month programming.

Coming up this week. Voting in the Manga for Mayor program at the Glenwood Branch library runs through Wednesday, June 18. Today at the East Columbia Branch: Little Learners Collage Art at 2 p.m. for ages 3 to 5 with an adult, then Teen Afterschool Programming from 3:30 to 5:30. And Family Watercolor Paint Night runs at the Savage Branch this evening from 6 to 7.

Also today. The county Health Department's heat advisory remains in effect, with afternoon thunderstorms expected. County Executive Calvin Ball broke ground earlier this week on Howard County's first Bus Rapid Transit stop. The county dedicated a bocce court this week to Grace Kubofcik, a senior-recreation advocate. Howard County joined the Dementia Friendly America Network this week, posted on the Aging and Independence page. Phase Six of Blandair Regional Park opened this week — full release at howardcountymd.gov. Two Howard County schools had extra police presence Friday after online threats, per CBS News; the schools were not named in the CBS report. The county Finance Department updated information on residential tax credits at howardcountymd.gov slash finance. Howard County Finance also rolled out Property Tax Digital Communications for residents. The Aging and Independence office posted updated Housing Resources for older adults. The Age-Friendly Howard County program page was updated on the Aging and Independence site this week. WBAL's Dalencia Jenkins forecast strong Sunday storms across the region. At the Elkridge Branch, Play Partners storytime for infants to 23 months ran this morning at 9:30. Also at Elkridge, Cuentos en Español y Tiempo de Juego ran at 11:30 — bilingual storytime, ages 0 to 5 with an adult. And the Savage Branch AV Studio is open from 3 to 5 today for creative tech projects.

Here's what I'm watching today. Howard County earning the AAA rating from all three agencies is the kind of civic-finance story that doesn't show up in headlines but matters for what the county can afford to borrow and build. Afternoon thunderstorms in the forecast, on top of the continuing heat advisory, means a slow Sunday for outdoor plans. I'll be watching for storm cleanup updates from the county tonight. Back tomorrow morning.

That's today's brief. Full edition at hocobrief.com — newsletter, archive, send tips. I'm at the desk. Back Monday morning with what landed overnight. Stay dry, Howard County.