Latest news with #EllicottCity
CBS News
31-07-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Howard County enacts parking restrictions in Ellicott City as flash flooding is expected
Howard County is taking steps to protect Ellicott City residents from flash flooding on Thursday as severe weather is expected. The historic community is known to experience heavy flooding during rain events. In 2011, 2016, and 2018, heavy rainfall led to deadly flooding in the city. Since then, leaders have put several measures in place to ensure neighbors and businesses stay safe. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for most of the Baltimore region, including Howard County, until early Friday, August 1. Parking restrictions will go into effect at 1 p.m. in Ellicott City on Thursday, leaders said. Parking will be prohibited along Main Street between Ellicott City Mills Drive and the Patapsco River Bridge, and along Maryland Avenue. Parking Lot D, behind the Howard County Welcome Center, and Parking Lot E off of Court Avenue will be closed. Drivers have until 2 p.m. to move their vehicles to the recommended Historic Circuit Courthouse parking lot. Vehicles left in restricted areas will be towed to the parking lot at no cost, leaders said. Main Street could be shut down temporarily if there is significant rainfall. Howard County has put several flood mitigation projects in place over the past few years, many of which are part of the Ellicott City Safe and Sound Plan. Under the plan, crews remove debris from waterways in the county anytime there are two or more inches of rain within 24 hours. In March, county leaders said nearly 100,000 pounds of debris had been removed from the watershed since the plan launched in 2018. Removing the debris prevents blockages in the waterway that can exacerbate flooding. The county has also constructed two retention ponds since the plan launched. The goal is to create five ponds. A third retention pond is expected to be completed in the fall of 2025, and a mile-long North Tunnel project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2027.
CBS News
14-07-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Parking restrictions implemented in Ellicott City as severe weather in Maryland brings flood risk
Parking restrictions are in effect for parts of Ellicott City Monday evening as severe weather could cause flooding in Maryland. The restrictions for the flood-prone area come as about 2 to 3 inches of rain are predicted to fall in the county during Monday evening. A Flood Watch is in effect for parts of Howard County through midnight. Parking restrictions in Ellicott City Starting at 1:30 p.m., parking is prohibited along Main Street from Ellicott Mills Drive to the Patapsco River Bridge and along Maryland Avenue. Parking Lot D, behind the Howard County Welcome Center, and Parking Lot E off of Court Avenue are closed, county leaders said. Drivers have until 3 p.m. to move their cars. Leaders recommend that vehicles be relocated to the Historic Circuit Courthouse parking lot. Vehicles that are not moved by 3 p.m. will be towed to the courthouse parking lot with no cost to the owner. County leaders said Department of Public Works crews are also securing county-owned outdoor furniture. Residents and business owners are urged to do the same. Ellicott City flood prevention Ellicott City has been impacted by deadly flooding on several occasions in recent years, including in 2011, 2016, and 2018. The historic city is prone to severe flooding. This has prompted county leaders to launch the Ellicott City Safe and Sound Plan, which aims to mitigate flooding by removing debris from waterways after heavy rain. Under the flood mitigation plan, the county has worked on seven flood control projects, including two completed retention ponds. The North Tunnel project, which is still under construction, will be able to collect 26,000 gallons of water per second and divert it away from Ellicott City's Main Street. The project is expected to be complete in fall 2027. Severe weather in Maryland Severe storms are expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds to Maryland on Monday in the afternoon and evening, according to WJZ's First Alert Weather Team. Thunderstorms are expected to become more widespread during the evening hours and could be capable of torrential rainfall and flash flooding. Maryland has experienced several days of heavy rains in the past week, meaning today's rainfall could quickly lead to flooding on roads during the evening commute.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
School notes: Oakdale Elementary student wins state chess title
A second grade student from Oakdale Elementary School won the Third Grade and Under Maryland State Scholastic Chess Championship. Shlok Srivastava had four wins and a draw in April at Hammond High School in Ellicott City. The Oakdale Elementary chess team was crowned the state primary champions. The team members are Srivastava, Kavish Kelam, Advaith Kalluri and Gopal Komatlapalli. Srivastava said it felt great to be named the state champion. 'This feeling got even better when my contribution helped my school team win the first position,' he wrote in an email response to questions. Srivastava said his goal is to become a better chess player 'by learning new tactics and strategies.' 'I practice every day to improve my game,' he wrote. Daniel Weissbarth, the chief operating officer of the Silver Knights Chess Academy, wrote that Srivastava started in Oakdale Elementary's after-school chess club. Silver Knights coach Uthra Pakkirisamy has been coaching Srivastava. Weissbarth wrote that Srivastava, 'a model student,' moved up to the Silver Knights' Online Academy program where he 'trains weekly with hundreds of kids from all over the country.' 'Shlok is such a nice kid and a great chess player,' Weissbarth wrote. 'It's gratifying to be in a position to introduce him to chess and then help him grow his skill set.' Mount St. Mary's faculty appointments Mount St. Mary's University has announced some appointments and promotions for faculty members. Barbara Marinak, the former dean of the School of Education, was promoted to interim provost for a two-year period beginning July 1. Boyd Creasman, who was provost for seven years, decided to return to the classroom as a university professor for the Department of English. Mount President Gerard 'Jerry' Joyce said in a press release that Marinak's 'dedicated work on the Strategic Planning Committee is one of many factors that will make her a strong interim provost.' Stacey Brown-Hobbs, the former chair and director of teacher education at the university, will replace Marinak as dean of the School of Education on July 1. Angela Mucci-Guido was promoted to chair and director of teacher education. Joyce said in a press release that Brown-Hobbs and Mucci-Guido 'are creative leaders who will continue to train exceptional educators and confidently explore new opportunities.' Hood College bioscience workshop The Hood College Bioscience Research and Education Center is scheduled to host an immersive two-day workshop titled 'From Science to Startup: The Entrepreneurial Journey.' The workshop is designed for students interested in exploring a business career in the biosciences, according to a press release. The workshop is scheduled for June 26 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and June 27 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Hood's campus. It is sponsored and supported by entities such as Kite, Frederick County Economic Development, and Federal Lab Consortium. There will be lectures and a networking social. Registration costs $349. Go to to register. Lucy School boat race The arts-based Lucy School held a cardboard boat race for students, a longtime tradition for the school that has evolved over the years. Students work in teams to create boats out of cardboard and duct tape. Students raced in those boats last month across Willow Pond on Lucy School's campus. The students were not graded on the effectiveness of their boats and were instead graded on how well they listened to their peers and worked as a team. Dan Buck, head of school for Lucy School, said in an interview that the fastest boat crossed the pond in one minute, 13 seconds. He added that older students partnered with the younger students. 'They had an amazing time,' Buck said. Frederick Classical Charter places at global competition The Frederick Classical Charter School middle school Destination Imagination team placed seventh at the global competition. The global competition was held last month in Kansas City, Missouri. Teams from across the United States, China, Korea, Mexico and other countries competed. The team, whose name is Teh Piepol Hoo Cayn Spel, competed against 23 other teams in their service-learning division. The Frederick Classical Charter team was the only Destination Imagination team from a public school in Frederick County to attend the global competition. The team's service-learning project featured the students organizing a trash clean-up in Baker Park in February and creating a presentation about environmental hazards. Send school-related news to Esther Frances at efrances@
CBS News
04-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Maryland Gov. Moore to announce support for flood mitigation projects in Howard County
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is expected to announce support for flood mitigation projects in Howard County through a state loan fund Wednesday. Additional support would be provided through the Maryland Department of Emergency Management's Resilient Revolving Loan Fund. Flood mitigation in Howard County Parts of Howard County experienced deadly flooding in 2011, 2016 and 2018, prompting an aggressive effort to prevent similar events in the future. After eight inches of rain turned Ellicott City streets into rivers and damaged more than 70 businesses, the county launched the Safe and Sound plan to address flooding issues with retention ponds in four areas. The plan dictates that debris be removed from waterways after weather events that bring two or more inches of rain within 24 hours or after strong winds. Before the plan was enacted, the waterways were inspected on a quarterly or semi-quarterly basis. Between 2018 and March 2025, Howard County's Department of Public Works removed more than 100,000 pounds of debris. There are a total of seven projects under the Safe and Sound Plan. So far, two of four retention ponds have been built, and a third is expected to be done by fall 2025, according to county officials. In Ellicott City, several flood safety measures have also been implemented, like signage pointing to high-ground access and a tone alert system. Federal funding cuts spark concerns The funding for all of Howard County's flood mitigation projects was secured, Executive Calvin Ball said in February. However, the proposed state budget and the Trump administration's federal spending cuts sparked concerns. The Safe and Sound Plan costs about $250 million, and a third of that is supported by federal funds, according to Ball. The county's flood mitigation plan is supported in part by a $75 million WIFIA loan from the Environmental Protection Agency and $20 million in funding from FEMA. "Uncertainty about federal funding places Howard County in an extremely precarious position, assuming tremendous financial risk," Ball said in March.
CBS News
31-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Pepper House serves up top Chinese food in the nation with authentic Sichuan flavors
Pepper House serves up top Chinese food in the nation with authentic Sichuan flavors Pepper House serves up top Chinese food in the nation with authentic Sichuan flavors Pepper House serves up top Chinese food in the nation with authentic Sichuan flavors Pepper House, a local Chinese restaurant in Ellicott City, is attracting people from all over after getting national recognition as one of the county's top restaurants. Nestled along Route 40 in an office complex, Pepper House offers authentic Sichuan flavors. When Yuan Shen and her husband Frank Liang opened the restaurant during the pandemic in 2020, they never imagined making it on the national map. "Both me and my husband were teachers," said Shen. "We know nothing about restaurant. We never ran [a] restaurant before. But just one day, he said, 'Could we make real Sichuan food for American friend?' " Recently, Pepper House earned the 11th spot on Yelp's 2024 list of top 100 Chinese restaurants in the U.S., encouraging many supporters to come out and congratulate them. The ranking is now attracting people from all over, including Pennsylvania, Virginia, D.C., and more. What exactly is Sichuan cuisine? With over 200 reviews and a stellar 4.7-star rating on Yelp, customers praise Pepper House for its spicy, fragrant, and flavorful dishes that capture the essence of Sichuan cuisine, mostly known for its numbing effect from Sichuan peppercorns. "The flavor is incredible, and she's right, it's the flavor more than the spiciness," said Ryan, a customer who was dining inside Pepper House. "Everything blends together so well." Their secret is that everything is made from scratch and with love. "Our chili oil sauces, and dumplings, and noodles all are handmade," said Shen. "It's very tasty, yeah, it's different." That's what brings customers like Vineeth Garnepudi and Jack Ragonese returning for more. "We really like Sichuan food," Vineeth exclaimed. "I had to give it a try," said Jack. "I loved it the first time, so I had to come back." Both say they're proud to see Howard County represented at the national level. When Shen and Frank are not running their restaurant, they're singing opera. As a professional opera singer, Frank still teaches students sometimes at the restaurant, and when it's not busy, he plays the piano. It's music to your ears and food for your soul. "We want more and more people, all the country, all the people from everywhere to try this because it's good!" said Shen.
