The opinion came in response to a July 31 statement from the college’s board of trustees expressing that body’s full confidence in Willis and her leadership, according to a letter sent by the faculty forum’s constituency committee to the board.

Trustees appointed Willis, 41, as fifth president of the college in November 2021. She is the first Black president to lead the college, based in Columbia.

“In 2025, the Faculty Forum Constituency Committee sadly expresses no confidence that Dr. Willis’ leadership of Howard Community College positions the College to match its recently attained levels of performance excellence, or to fulfill its mission of ‘providing pathways for success’ to residents of Howard County,” the letter states.

The letter alleges that there has been “extraordinary turnover at every level of administration” since Willis took the helm of the college, as well as retaliation against dissent and general uncertainty about the security of faculty members’ positions. The letter also called Willis’ oversight of human resources and financial operations “troubling.”

Mismanagement has become common, the letter alleges, with errors in IT and human resources, issues with the bookstore system and faculty not receiving teaching assignments or other documents. Financial mismanagement has also occurred under Willis, while the “will and wishes of the faculty have been repeatedly undermined” and the decision-making process has become “opaque,” the letter states.

Jeffrey Moore, a professor at HCC and member of the subcommittee that organized the vote, said that some members of the faculty had been discussing a vote of no confidence for around 18 months. As time passed, it grew clearer that senior leadership didn’t want to work with faculty on salary or benefit negotiations and improved working conditions, he said. Leadership was hostile, and with so much overturn, he said, many faculty didn’t know who their supervisors were.

“We have attempted multiple times in multiple ways to get the administration to speak with us, and we either get silence, or we get incorrect information, or we just get a run around, you know, pass the buck to the next person. So we’ve attempted to reach out to the Board of Trustees in the past, they have not been willing to talk to us,” Moore said.

In October, the faculty forum formed a subcommittee to collect faculty grievances and draft a letter to the board of trustees, Moore said. When presented with different options of who to hold a vote of no confidence against, including the board, senior leadership, the president and other options, faculty voted to hold the vote against Willis, Moore said. The subcommittee spent a significant amount of time crafting the letter, he said.

Moore loves his students and teaching at HCC, but in the past few years he hasn’t had resources or support, he said.

“You know, these things have a direct impact on the students, which means that they have an impact on my ability to teach. And it doesn’t have to be this way. It wasn’t this way until Daria Willis came to campus,” Moore said.

A vote of no confidence is a symbolic statement that a group no longer supports a leader. The vote by the faculty forum comes after the college saw labor disputes ahead of the newly formed faculty union ratifying its first contract. In August, the college admitted that it might have “inadvertently” broken a rule when removing pro-union signage and posters from faculty offices.

Howard Community College didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a post on the Howard Community College Pathways Substack page, Jarrett Carter, vice president of external affairs, communications, and advancement, wrote that the college is aware of the vote from “an undisclosed number of faculty members” against the administration. With votes of no confidence occurring at institutions across the country, Carter said it reflects the challenges facing institutions of higher education. HCC remains committed to fostering dialogue with faculty about their concerns, Carter wrote.

“This is evident in our regular communications and open public Board of Trustees meetings, where we address issues and welcome constituent feedback. We also recognize the remarkable work our community has accomplished together,” the post stated.

Anna Lee, an HCC professor and a member of the subcommittee that organized the vote, said faculty resent that statement because it was an organized group, the faculty forum, that voted, and the votes of no confidence aren’t a trend.

Many were “frozen in fear” of retaliation to speak out about the issues, until recently with safeguards in place under the union contract, Lee said. Lee said the faculty is optimistic that the board will listen to their concerns because they’ve used the proper channels of communication.

“We hope that the Board of Trustees will listen to what the entire faculty, full-time and adjuncts, have laid out for them to deem a vote of no confidence,” Lee said.

Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com or @KierstenHacker on X.

Vice Chair of the Board of Appeals Lynn Foehrkolb confirmed her resignation during a public work session Thursday. Following her resignation, Chair Gene Ryan and Felita Phillips also filed their resignations from the five-member board, citing political pressure and mistreatment by County Council members.

The board has a heavy responsibility when making decisions about development in a county where the land left to develop is sparse. Many families are attracted to Howard County for its highly rated public schools and its proximity to Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, and the board’s land-use decisions can impact residents’ property rights.

Howard County Council Chair Liz Walsh calls the Board of Appeals the county’s most important board, causing her to pay more attention to it compared with other bodies.

“The harm that the board has done is immeasurable,” Walsh said at the Nov. 10 monthly County Council meeting.

Ryan said residents pay a high price to live in the county with “visions of raising your family in a utopia,” and he understands why they may be upset with land-use decisions.

Both Ryan and Phillips say they don’t want to serve as a “rubber stamp” for decisions sought by council members.

“They’re putting political things into something that’s not political. We’re just here for someone to get a shed in their backyard,” Phillips said. “I mean, it doesn’t matter if you’re Republican, a Democrat, we’re just here for the community.”

All resignations are effective Dec. 31, which coincides with the end of the County Council’s legislative session.

“There are a lot of troubling behaviors at this council. They’re trying to manipulate the outcome of cases, and in the process, are literally making our lives so difficult through the personal attacks and the bias and the unlawful behavior,” said Ryan, a Republican who announced a run for County Council’s District 5 seat in mid-October. That seat is currently occupied by the council’s sole Republican, David Yungmann, who is not running for reelection.

Ryan said he chose to resign from the Board of Appeals to stand with Foehrkolb and show “enough is enough.” The board works hard to apply the law fairly, he said, and he’s become “exhausted” by repeated verbal attacks and at least one instance of residents protesting at his home.

He said County Council members Deb Jung and Walsh have become improperly involved in Board of Appeals cases. Both Jung and Walsh are Democrats running for county executive in 2026.

In her resignation, Phillips said that the behaviors of Jung and Walsh have crossed lines ethically and professionally. The Board of Appeals’ integrity has been compromised as politics takes precedence, she said.

Walsh has said the Board of Appeals is not operating as it should and she believes the board’s rules and procedures need to be revised.

“Gene Ryan shouldn’t be on that board; I voted [Nov. 3] not to reappoint [the District 2] representative [Phillips], and given the opportunity, I would vote against [the District 4 representative, Foehrkolb],” Walsh told The Baltimore Sun. “Those three have demonstrated a complete abdication of what you would expect to see a Board of Appeals do, and it’s to the complete loss of any constituent who has the misfortune of having to appear before that body.”

Ryan said that most of the board’s decisions have been upheld by the Howard County Circuit Court.

Robbyn Harris, the District 3 Board of Appeals member, said she will stay on the board for now, but she will be watching carefully at the County Council level to decide her next steps.

“If the other new board members have an agenda to vote how their council members want them to vote, what does my vote matter when I am following the law as I interpret it?” Harris said.

Harris said turmoil in national politics is trickling down to the local level, calling it “appalling” that council members would mimic the “madness” to undermine the Constitution. The county should operate with respect and professionalism, Harris said.

The Howard County Board of Appeals consists of five residents, each appointed by a County Council member. They serve overlapping, five-year terms and can be paid a maximum of $27,250 per year, which includes a $5,000 stipend plus $220 payment per official public session, and reimbursable expenses.

It handles administrative appeals regarding land use and certain zoning matters in the county. The quasi-judicial board has recently heard several high-profile land-use cases that have garnered community attention, with many residents leaving disappointed.

The three expected vacancies come months after several contentious cases. All involved separate neighbor disputes — with W.R. Grace & Co. in Columbia, a stone quarry in Jessup, and a Western Howard County man who built a go-kart track for his son without obtaining permits.

At the Nov. 3 council legislative session, Jung introduced legislation nominating land-use attorney Andrea LeWinter to the Board of Appeals. At that meeting the council had not been made aware of Foehrkolb’s resignation, Walsh said. She did not understand how Jung was trying to nominate a candidate without a vacancy.

Phillips’ seat was also up for a vote on the Nov. 3 meeting. Walsh moved to vote on Phillips’ reappointment separately, voting against her in a 4-1 council decision.

Council member Christiana Rigby called out Walsh’s action, saying she wanted to note a pattern for the record: “I have a lot of concern [about] this resolution before us. This is the third time that an appointee who is a woman of color has been pulled out to be voted upon separately.”

Phillips, who is Black, said she has been singled out by members of the public because of her race, which she called offensive, unacceptable and intolerable. Phillips said her qualifications were questioned when she was first appointed and again at the vote for reappointment.

“This isn’t for me. Maybe it’s for somebody else. Let them go run amok or let them completely remove the board,” Phillips said. “I wanted to fight for the community. That’s what I wanted to do.”

Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com. Contact April Santana at asantana@baltsun.com.

“It was just kind of unbelievable that they would know about our work and recognize our work,” said Meg Boyd, executive director of the Howard County Conservancy. “Having never met them or interacted with them — the fact that they had heard about us, and all the work that our students are doing, was just kind of mind-blowing.”

The organization received an email about the donation through the contact form on its website over the summer, Boyd said. The office was divided about whether the message was real or a scam, but after reaching out through all the “appropriate channels,” it was confirmed, she said.

Eilish, 23, whose hits include “Birds of a Feather” and “Ocean Eyes,” announced that she’d donate $11.5 million of the revenue from her latest “Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour” to organizations focused on food equity and climate change. During The Wall Street Journal Innovator awards, she urged billionaires to use their money “for good things” and give it to people who need it.

“If you’re a billionaire, why are you a billionaire?” Eilish said during the awards. “No hate, but yeah, give your money away.”

The Youth Climate Institute is a program offered through the Howard County Conservancy as of 2020; it began in response to students’ requests to stay engaged with “environmental education and climate action” during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the institute’s website. Its aim is to prepare students to become “effective environmental stewards, pursue green jobs and combat the climate crisis,” according to a news release.

The program has worked with more than 700 high school students; they were “ecstatic” to hear the news of Eilish’s donation, Boyd said. She noted how critical it was to have “young important voices” like Eilish support and talk about climate change.

“Having Billie Eilish support our work is incredibly meaningful; she’s an icon for our generation, and her recognition shows young climate activists that we’re not alone in this fight,” said Sarah Kc, a YCI Certified Ambassador with Honors and recent high school graduate. “It gives me hope that together we can create the change our planet needs.”

Students who participate in the Youth Climate Institute learn about climate change science, its impact, solutions and communication strategies through interactive workshops and community action projects. They can achieve two certification levels, Certified Ambassadors and Certified Ambassadors with Honors.

In the first year, the institute had 15 chapters, Boyd said. The program has expanded to 54 chapters across 10 states. Boyd hopes to use the donation to grow the program and “bring in new chapters and new communities.”

“These young climate leaders are so engaged,” she added. “This is their future, and they are just really incredibly motivated to make the world a better place. … We really focus on having a positive message and make sure that we infuse hope into all of our conversations.”

Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com or @KierstenHacker on X. Contact April Santana at asantana@baltsun.com or at 443-834-7525.

Fulton, Centennial Lane, Northfield and Worthington elementary schools and Mount View Middle lost five-star status, falling to four stars this year. Marriotts Ridge High, the only high school to receive five stars last year, also dropped to four stars. That brings the total number of five-star schools in Howard County to 10, down from 12 last year.

While nine schools lost a star, 10 gained one. In total, 21 schools earned three stars, 43 earned four and 10 schools earned five. Most Howard schools maintained the same number of stars earned in the 2023-2024 Maryland Report Card.

The Maryland State Department of Education assesses schools on factors such as academic progress and achievement, English language proficiency, student success, school quality, graduation rates and post-secondary readiness for success each year to produce the Maryland School Report Card. Schools can earn up to 100 points, with those that gain 75% or more of all possible points receiving a five-star rating.

However, the system could change next year, as MSDE looks to enhance its accountability system while also working to transition to new state assessments after the 2026 Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program exams.

The report card data serves as an “easy way” to see a “snapshot” of data for each school, Director of Communications and Engagement Brian Bassett said in a statement, but the school system also evaluates other data from schools and classrooms.

“Our strategic plan places great emphasis on measuring progress and implementing strategies and resources that make a positive difference in the outcomes of all students — but particularly those who are not yet achieving high levels of success,” the statement said.

River Hill High gained a star this year, bringing it back to its five-star status from 2022-2023. It was the only high school to receive five stars, while six elementary schools and three middle schools earned the same status. Rockburn Elementary, Pointers Run Elementary and Lime Kiln Middle also earned five stars, moving up from four last year.

The share of five-star schools in Howard is 13%, which is on par with Harford, Frederick and Anne Arundel counties. Baltimore and Calvert counties saw the highest percentage of five-star schools at 14%.

Most schools that gained stars moved from three stars to four, including Murray Hill Middle and Jeffers Hill, Talbott Springs, Ducketts Lane, Deep Run and Stevens Forest elementary schools. All of the elementary schools jumping to four stars are Title I schools, aside from Jeffers Hill.

Some schools were on the cusp of a star change, but didn’t earn enough points with the criteria considered. Burleigh Manor Middle was one point away from achieving five-star status, while Hammond High and Elkridge Landing Middle were one point from reaching four stars.

The two lowest-ranked schools were the Cedar Lane School, a school for students ages 3 to 21 with multiple disabilities or autism; and the Homewood Center, an alternative school for students in sixth through 12th grades focused on individual needs through restorative practices and social-emotional learning. The Cedar Lane School maintained one star, while the Homewood Center maintained two.

The 2024-2025 report card is the third year chronic absenteeism has been considered in the rating system since it was added back as a criterion after it was removed when classes were online during the COVID-19 pandemic. The median percentage of students chronically absent across the state has improved, with a median of 83.7% of Howard students not chronically absent for all school-grade span combinations.

Baltimore Sun editor Steve Earley contributed to this article.

Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com or @KierstenHacker on X.

Longtime friend and former employee Nathan Sowers has purchased the business at 8293 Main St., and plans to open a new restaurant serving artisanal pizzas, desserts, and brunch, with fresh pasta and crepes likely, too, though the menus aren’t finalized, he said. The food will have a French influence, Sowers said, using French principles such as balance, precision and seasonal inspiration. The Italian bistro format will feature food with local ingredients, sauces made in-house, and a finish with “French-style finesse.”

Part of the negotiations for the sale included that the Tersiguel family would retain the name Tersiguel’s French Country Restaurant. So, Sowers said his bistro is expected to adopt the name River House on Main Pizzeria Bistro, but it hasn’t been finalized.

In early October, Michel and Angie Tersiguel announced via a post on social media that the restaurant would close in December. Sowers and his wife, Kimberly Kepnes, will take over the space, giving it a new life while seeking to maintain the same warmth.

“So, I think it’s a perfect solution, and it’s something that we didn’t take lightly, but the more I look into it, [I thought] this can’t be any more perfect than what we’re doing right now,” Tersiguel said.

Tersiguel’s father, Fernand Tersiguel, came to the U.S. from France and settled in Ellicott City. He and his wife, Odette, opened a restaurant called Chez Fernand in 1975, and then about nine years later, a fire took out the building. Chez Fernand opened for a stint in Baltimore before Fernand Tersiguel returned to Ellicott City to open Tersiguel’s French Country Restaurant in 1990. Michel Tersiguel officially took over in 2005.

Michel Tersiguel said he always thought of the restaurant as his parents’, and he just kept it going with his style. The warm, welcoming atmosphere of being “family French,” not “fancy French,” has led to deep connections with the community and a variety of memories.

He remembers customers pouring in after the Sept. 11 attacks, seeking the comfort of the restaurant and its food. It “chokes me up,” Tersiguel said, thinking that the restaurant was a safe space for people.”

The community feel is something Sowers hopes to continue. Sowers started at Tersiguel’s after he saw an ad to work at the restaurant as an apprentice and learn the skills normally taught at culinary school. He was a former aircraft mechanic and stay-at-home dad, crafting a unique schedule to take care of his children while pursuing his love for cooking.

As Sowers worked to expand his skills, he started baking bread. His French loaf won the approval of Fernand Tersiguel, and the restaurant started serving Sowers’ bread. Sowers also sold his creations at Little French Market across the street.

In addition to Little French Market, Sowers and his wife have embarked on several projects, rehabbing old buildings, like a stone river house and the Inn at Mt. Ida, and opening businesses. He’s excited to return to the tight-knit community in Old Ellicott City, opening a bistro in the current Tersiguel’s location.

“So the people are good, the farmers’ markets are fun, it’s just, there’s excitement in the town, you know, and you can feel that, it’s hard to find, I mean, in most places,” Sowers said. “So I think, yeah, we’re trying to get back in there as fast as we can.”

Though Michel Tersiguel will be taking a break, Sowers plans to welcome him and his family back for some wine dinners and other events. Drawing inspiration from the foundation Fernand Tersiguel built, he hopes to run a strong business, but also share the love of the community.

“And a lot of it resorts back to that conversation with myself that I just wasn’t going to be scared,” Sowers said. “So, I mean, that’s really important to me to like remind myself of that and just not being, you know, you only get to do this once. I love cooking, I have a dream, and I want to make sure that I at least try.”

Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com or @KierstenHacker on X.

“I’m just afraid and trying to not be afraid, because my kids don’t need to feel this. They’re [too] young to be feeling what’s going on in the world politically,” McGriff said. “They have nothing to do with this, so taking food out of their mouths for a political move is insane.”

The Howard County Schools substitute teacher works full time and picked up extra work hours to gear up for a potential suspension of SNAP benefits by the Trump administration amid the federal government shutdown. Her SNAP benefits help her provide food for her two sons, and while food banks and community resources help, the benefits allow her the freedom to shop specifically for her children’s unique needs.

The federal government shut down Oct. 1 after elected officials failed to pass a bill funding its operations. Approximately 1 in 9 Marylanders would have been affected as funding for SNAP was set to expire Nov. 1. President Donald Trump’s administration said Monday that it would partially fund SNAP for the month, but uncertainty remains for December if the government remains in shutdown, according to The Associated Press.

The administration’s decision follows judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ruling on Friday that SNAP benefits must be paid for, at least partially, using contingency funds. The government will use a $4.65 billion contingency fund, though the benefits cost about $8 billion per month. It remains unclear when payments will be received and how much will be given to recipients.

In Howard County, more than 18,000 residents are enrolled in SNAP, with about 7,000 of those served being children.

Community organizations in Howard County have seen an increased demand from residents needing assistance one month into the government shutdown, and they anticipate more.

Shoppers filled a room at the Community Action Council of Howard County’s food bank Thursday, completing paperwork and lining up to select food from the shelves. In the room sat 74-year-old Denise Nickens, who receives $50 per month in SNAP benefits. She’s never had to worry about when her next meal would come, but now she must decide whether to eat or pay bills.

“I’ve never experienced food insecurity before, and I feel like I’m just going to die, because that $50 was very helpful in helping me eat,” said Nickens, a Columbia resident. “And then, you know, my credit is good, but my credit is about to plummet, because do I not pay one of the bills that I have?”

The Community Action Council saw its busiest day at the food bank on record Wednesday, with 137 shoppers, President Tracy Broccolino said. Usually, the organization serves an average of 80-100 people each day. The first few weeks of the shutdown were slow, Broccolino said, but now there’s an increase in federal workers and contractors each day.

The CAC is “seasoned” in crisis response due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Broccolino said, so it was bringing back some practices in preparation for the SNAP cessation. Aside from expanded eligibility for the Howard County Food Bank and longer hours on Thursday, the organization is ensuring that other community partners have emergency food bags, coordinating food drives, and sharing calls to action and communicating with lawmakers.

It “makes your heart hurt” to see working families struggling, she said.

“At the same time, we’re seeing community members from all corners saying, ‘What do I need to do to help my neighbors?’ And that is the most beautiful thing, that is what makes us a community,” Broccolino said.

On Monday, Gov. Wes Moore announced that the state will release $62 million to ensure SNAP benefits are fully paid for November to beneficiaries across the state. Previously, Moore had declared a state emergency and announced $10 million in state food assistance allocated to food banks, faith-based organizations, school pantries and mobile food units. While Broccolino was grateful for the support, the funding “won’t go very far with 668,000 Marylanders,” she said. The $62 million will supplement the $10 million.

Columbia Community Care has seen a 30% increase in residents coming to its food distribution sites on Saturdays, Executive Director Erika Chavarria said. The organization usually serves around 300-400 families a week between the in-person sites and delivery, but September was the busiest month for deliveries. She’s been receiving “phone call after phone call” from federal workers who need assistance, and she’s expecting the numbers to increase Saturday.

Columbia Community Care has received an influx of donations and support from the community, but it’s just enough to keep up with the demand, Chavarria said. On Nov. 25, the organization will hold a food truck fest and food giveaway for Thanksgiving at the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center. The group is also working to spread information and partner with other organizations doing similar work.

Chavarria encourages people to find organizations they align with and donate, volunteer or spread the word while advocating with local leaders and supporting one another’s well-being.

“There’s a lot of advocacy work that people can do, putting pressure on our legislators, both federally and locally, statewide and even locally, to step up to meet the need and to try to stop this,” Chavarria said. “So be courageous.”

Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com or @KierstenHacker on X. 

The 96-acre farm includes a plant that was used to bottle water from a Cockeysville Marble spring water aquifer on the property. Also located on the property is a mansion house in disrepair, vacant apartments, a cottage and a dilapidated barn with tenant units, according to court documents.

The auction will occur with bidding from Nov. 12 to 18. Then the U.S. Bankruptcy Court will determine the highest bidder and enter an order confirming the sale of the land during a hearing on Nov. 20.

In April 2024, Meghan McCulloch filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as the representative of the estate of Thomas Taro, Sr., who was the sole shareholder of Taro Investment Corporation at the time of his death in 2021. Previous representatives of the estate were removed for malfeasance, according to documents filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland.

Brick House Farm was one of the original tenant farms on Doughoregan Manor, according to a document from the Maryland Historical Trust. Charles Carroll had acquired the land from his grandfather, and upon his death in 1862, the manor was divided into seven parts. Although the house cannot be precisely dated, it was likely built in the early 19th century. The brick barn on the farm dates back to around the 1840s or 1850s.

Taro purchased the property in the 1970s and began bottling water from the rare natural alkaline water spring on the property and selling it through local distribution, said Ronald Schwartz, an attorney representing the debtor, Taro Investment Corporation. After Taro’s death, there were arguments over his will, the license for the bottling plant went into disuse and the first personal representatives of the estate were removed, Schwartz said.

While the plant wasn’t operating, it wasn’t earning income to pay taxes owed to Howard County and allegedly to the IRS. So, the bankruptcy sale is the best way to remedy the situation, Schwartz said.

Funding from the sale of the land will be used to implement an amended Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan, which was filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland in September. According to the plan, the water bottling plant operated within a local distribution network for about 20 years until 2022.

Taro Investment Corporation believes the real value of the land rests on the bottling plant, which is estimated to be more than $4 million based on previous offers, documents said. However, according to the documents, the total value of the company’s assets is listed as $2,146,700. The water rights are included in the plan.

“It’s a farm, you know, it has water rights that a buyer could potentially reopen the plant. And, the water is an important asset,” Schwartz said.

In 2014, Taro granted an agricultural easement to the county for the land to be used for agricultural purposes in perpetuity, according to the court documents. There were several plots of land on the property sold to individuals, but one that hadn’t been sold was reabsorbed into the farm when the easement was granted, Schwartz said.

A buyer has agreed to purchase the roughly 1-acre piece of land that adjoins a subdivision with homes on it, Shwartz said. According to court documents, the buyer will go through a process to remove the land from the easement and divide it from the rest of the property. The sale of the land will be private, separate from the bankruptcy auction.

SVN Auction Services will conduct the online auction from Nov. 12-18.

Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com or @KierstenHacker on X.

Howard County Police responded to a call at 5:10 p.m. Oct. 25 reporting two goats found roaming on Main Street. Their owner, who lives close to the business district, was eventually located, police said, and no human or animal was injured.

In a video posted on the social media platform X, an officer is met with “baaas” as he leaves his patrol vehicle to ask where the goats might have come from. After the officer poses for a photo with the goats, their owner arrives.

“You guys are so bad,” the owner said to the goats.

Police helped walk the goats back to their home with their owner.

One of the passersby posted on Facebook, saying that she had achieved a new accomplishment of “goat wrangling.”

The goats had run out in front of her car, so she got out to chase them while someone else stopped traffic, the post said. She called the police department while another person canvassed the area to find the owner of the goats, named on the post as Fiona and Kate.

Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com or @KierstenHacker on X.

“This memorial is a testament to that strength to overcome. It ensures that we never forget those we lost, never take for granted those who stepped up and never stop striving for a future that honors both,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said during an unveiling event.

Individuals pulled away a black curtain to reveal a towering stainless steel and bronze sculpture among already installed benches, trees and a water element. The sculpture depicts a stem of bronze native bay forget-me-not flowers flowing from a stainless steel base to symbolize hope, empathy, remembrance and strength of the human spirit.

“It uses materials chosen for their beauty, public safety and durability against Maryland’s changing seasons, much like life’s changing seasons,” Ball said. “Here in Howard County, we have always been strong and a united community, and through the trials of the pandemic, we leaned on one another, we endured, we supported, and we’re healing.”

In 2023, the county broke ground on the memorial in Ellicott City’s Meadowbrook Park, stating it would consist of three elements: a grove of trees, a water fountain and the sculpture.

The county chose to plant 44 river birch trees in the grove because they are well-suited for Maryland’s climate, as well as their symbolism of growth and renewal, Ball said. A polished piece of black granite, with water flowing over its top, reflects the trees, with seating nearby. Upon the completion of these two elements, the county opened the memorial in September 2024.

Florida-based artists Jim Benedict and Lily Kuonen were commissioned to complete the sculpture after a review of more than 40 proposed designs. The piece honors the lives lost during the COVID-19 pandemic and honors health care personnel, essential workers and community members who worked to support the county “through some of our darkest days,” Ball said.

In Howard County, there have been thousands of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, said Antigone Vickery, deputy health officer of the county’s Health Department. The pandemic also reminded individuals about the importance of mental health with the isolation, grief and economic stress it brought with it, Vickery said.

Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com or @KierstenHacker on X.

Community members from an Ellicott City neighborhood filled the front rows of seats at the board meeting wearing neon yellow shirts stating: “Reshape the plan, not the kids. Polygon 173” with “173” on the back. That number represents their polygon, or the geographic area for school attendance. With the new plans presented, the polygon would go untouched.

After receiving two new concepts for redistricting late in an Oct. 9 meeting, the board requested additional options that balance the concentration of poverty at Bryant Woods Elementary while not impacting Centennial Lane Elementary. The two concepts followed the superintendent’s recommendation presented in September, which faced criticism from some community members and individuals on the board.

“Houses are where the houses are, families are where the families are, and schools are where the schools are. And there’s always … they’re all trade-offs,” Superintendent Bill Barnes said. “And if there’s a perfect plan, we would’ve landed on it already.”

The concepts presented Thursday provide varying combinations for overcrowding relief, demographic balance and student impact, according to James Cooper, GIS analyst at Cropper GIS, which is working with the school system. The plans could affect anywhere from about 81 to 467 students, with Columbia students getting shifted and Centennial Lane students staying put.

“So I’m kind of frustrated by the predicament that we’re in. Because yes, we want to [alleviate] Bryant Woods, but we don’t want to relieve Bryant Woods temporarily and then put burdens on other schools to have higher capacities where there are more needs,” said Jacky McCoy, an at-large board member.

The Board of Education voted to begin the redistricting process in February to address overcrowding at Bryant Woods Elementary and Centennial Lane Elementary, which are projected to reach 151.9% and 117.9% capacity utilization by 2036, respectively. Other elementary schools in the scope of the boundary review included Running Brook, Swansfield, Longfellow and Clemens Crossing. Wilde Lake, Harper’s Choice and Burleigh Manor middle schools and Wilde Lake and Centennial high schools were also included to adjust feeds from the lower grades.

In July, officials released three scenarios for redistricting that shifted Centennial Lane and Bryant Woods students. The plans raised concerns from members of the Centennial community, some of whom formed the Alliance for Neighborhood Schools to find creative solutions.

A few months later, Superintendent Bill Barnes released a proposal that would shuffle students in Columbia while deferring redistricting for Centennial until a renovation that adds seats is complete at Dunloggin Middle. But those plans drew criticism for increasing the concentration of poverty in Bryant Woods, with one parent calling it segregation.

After receiving feedback from the board, Cooper presented two new concepts for redistricting that worked to improve the socioeconomic balance in the schools. Both concepts again moved Centennial Lane students.

The two concepts expanded the number of students impacted, potentially moving between about 600 to 700 students, while the superintendent’s plan would shift only 253. The plans also included polygons that weren’t previously affected, leaving some parents in shock as they scrambled to inform their neighbors and organize their feedback.

Of the new concepts, Concept III would have the largest transportation cost, adding three buses for about $300,000. The plan reassigns students at Bryant Woods, Running Brook, Clemens Crossing and Swansfield while preserving walk zones. It has limited transportation impacts and “improves parity,” Cooper said, but drawbacks are a small feed from Harper’s Choice Middle to Atholton High and potential future crowding at Running Brook.

Cooper called Concept IV “one of the least disruptive scenarios” as it moves about 122 students and mostly maintains neighborhood continuity. The plan adjusts the boundary between Bryant Woods and Swansfield with minimal disruption and improved demographics, he said, but it impacts some walkers at Bryant Woods who’d now ride a bus to Swansfield.

Concept V affects the fewest lstudents — approximately 81 — and doesn’t impose any transportation changes, but it creates a “satellite” attendance area around Bryant Woods.

Board members asked questions about transportation costs, the potential “noncontiguous” boundary around Bryant Woods and other concerns. Meg Ricks, board member for District 1, said there’s a narrative that some communities are listened to and others aren’t, but she just wants to see the most optimal plan in place.

“I just want to come up with the best plan and to do this in a way that’s going to make sense, and that is going to be better for students, hopefully, and not add to spending our very limited dollars on more buses,” Ricks said.

The board voted to consider all five scenarios and the superintendent’s plan as preliminary plans to be discussed at the public hearing scheduled for Nov. 6. Following that hearing, no new geographic areas can be considered for reassignment. A straw vote will be held Nov. 13, with the final vote set for Nov. 20.

Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com or @KierstenHacker on X.