Ellicott City Tex-Mex Takeover: 2026-08-06

Thursday morning: sunny, high near 91 degrees. Southwest wind 5 to 9 mph.

Good morning, it's Thursday, August 6th, and this is the HoCo Brief. Here's what we've got today. A Tex-Mex restaurant is taking over the old Glory Days spot in Ellicott City. Howard County broke ground on its first regional pre-K facility at Faulkner Ridge. And Elkridge is finally getting its community and 50 plus center, shovels are in the ground. Plus a packed round of quick hits, from the Preakness moving to a Sunday to the Orioles creeping up on a wild card spot. Let's get to it.

A Tex-Mex restaurant is taking over the Glory Days location in Ellicott City. The Capital Gazette reported the change Wednesday. The new restaurant's name and an opening date haven't been announced yet. It's a notable swap at one of the better known casual dining addresses in town, and we'll pass along the name, the menu, and the timeline as soon as they're public.

Howard County broke ground on its first ever regional pre-kindergarten facility. Leaders unveiled the project Wednesday. The new center will be housed at the Faulkner Ridge Center, and it's the first facility of its kind in the county, a dedicated regional home for pre-K.

A Howard County school employee and their family are rebuilding after a fire destroyed their Ellicott City townhome. Patch shared the family's story this week as they work to get back on their feet. The full story is linked in the description if you want to read more or find ways to help.

County Executive Calvin Ball broke ground this week on the Elkridge Community and 50 Plus Center. The county has billed it as one of its most anticipated projects, bringing a community space and a dedicated senior center to Elkridge. No completion date was included in the announcement.

Today's pick: the Pizza Trolley at Manor Hill Brewing in Ellicott City, running Friday. It's a restored trolley from Old Ellicott City serving Neapolitan style pizzas baked in a custom brick oven, from cheese and pepperoni to more creative pies. Pair one with a Manor Hill beer and call it dinner.

Trevor Rogers pitched the Orioles to a 5 to 2 win over the Angels, backed by three home runs, and Baltimore took the series. The O's have won back to back games since the trade deadline. They're 56 and 58, one game out of the final American League wild card spot.

This evening in Elkridge, the Howard County Arts Council hosts the Arts for All Community Open House. You can meet the artists and help shape Elkridge's new public artwork. And through August 23, the Paint It! Ellicott City open paint exhibit is on view at the Howard County Welcome Center in Ellicott City, Tuesday through Sunday, 10 to 5.

Also today. HCPSS parents, verify your child's Family File emergency information, it's required for every student, every school year, and it's open now for 2026 2027. Maryland voters will decide a redistricting question on the November ballot after a three day special session wrapped in Annapolis. Ten years after the Ellicott City flood, some flood mitigation projects are still unfinished. In Elkridge, a road construction project has traffic down to one lane, so build in extra time. Next year's Preakness Stakes moves to a Sunday for the first time since 1873, one week later than normal, Governor Wes Moore announced. The DNR closed more of Cunningham Falls State Park after a second beaver attack while it investigates a possible rabies outbreak. The National Guard deployment in Washington is expected to cost taxpayers more than 1.4 billion dollars in additional funds through 2029. Next door in Baltimore County, a parent group wants to cut how much time students spend on classroom laptops. A Columbia family law firm awarded 1,000 dollars to the first ever winner of its Legacy of Education Scholarship. In Annapolis, a free ice cream giveaway handed out 10,000 scoops and raised 20,000 dollars for Chesapeake Bay conservation. And the Patuxent Jazz Band closed out the Sunset Serenades season with a free lakeside concert at Centennial Park.

Market Beat, from Westbridge. On Reddit this week, a thread asked about moving to Woodstock. The read from locals: horse country feel, quick access to 70 and 95, and prices that run lower than the Howard County side of the line, with schools cited as the tradeoff. One commenter remembered riding horses to the Woodstock Inn. And for homeowners, Howard County's Finance department now offers digital communications for property tax bills. Details are on the county website.

Here's what I'm watching: Elkridge. In one week, shovels went in the ground for the community and 50 plus center, residents get a say tonight in the neighborhood's new public artwork, and there's even a road project squeezing traffic to one lane. East county has waited a long time for this kind of attention, and it's all landing at once. If you live out there, tonight's open house is your chance to put a fingerprint on what the neighborhood looks like next.

That's the brief. Everything lives at hocobrief.com, the newsletter, the archive, and a place to send tips. I'm Sibo. See you Friday.