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HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Calendar adjustments have been made to the current school calendar to compensate for the use of five inclement weather days and four late openings, which has caused the high schools to end up two hours short of the state requirement for classroom time.

Barring any additional inclement weather days, the last day of school for HCPSS students now will be Thursday, June 18.

The Howard County Board of Education approved the following calendar adjustments for the Howard County Public School System's calendar at its Feb. 26 meeting:

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Officials announced Tuesday that Howard County earned the highest possible credit rating, AAA, from all three bond rating agencies – Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investor Services and Standard & Poor’s.

For 2026, Howard County again ranks among the top two percent of counties nationwide to earn the ranking.

"While federal impacts and tough fiscal realities and uncertainties continue to loom across our great state and country, Howard County stands as the ‘Gateway to opportunity’ having once again earned a AAA bond rating from all three credit rating agencies this week. From our expanding international opportunities, booming local economy and spurring new job growth, the state of Howard County remains strong thanks to the strategic decisions we continue to make to secure our present and future," said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.

After evaluating financial criteria including economy/tax base, finances, management and debt/pensions, each agency issued a report that highlights Howard County’s strengths.

Fitch cited, “Howard County's financial resilience is driven by the combination of its ‘high’ revenue control assessment and ‘midrange’ expenditure control assessment, culminating in a ‘high midrange’ budgetary flexibility assessment.”

Moody’s highlighted, “The stable outlook reflects the likelihood that the county's financial position will remain healthy, supported by steady revenue growth and strong management.”

Standard & Poor’s noted, “The county is a desirable, affluent community, with a very strong economy supported by a well-educated population, wealthy property tax base, high household incomes and direct access to the Baltimore and Washington metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). In our opinion, these factors, along with surplus financial operations and comprehensive financial management policies and practices have allowed the county to weather economic downturns, experience good tax base and revenue growth, and underpin the ‘AAA’ rating.”

Learn what's open and closed on President's Day Monday in Howard County, along with the services available.

COLUMBIA, MD — Presidents Day on Monday is a federal holiday, but that doesn’t mean every government office in Howard County will automatically be closed.

President's Day is legally known as Washington’s Birthday, which was celebrated on Feb. 22 until it was moved to the third Monday in February under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which took effect in 1971.

Although the name of the holiday was never officially changed, it became known in the 1980s as Presidents Day, a celebration not just of a single president but of the office of the presidency. Many people also regard it as a holiday honoring both Washington’s birthday on Feb. 22 and President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on Feb. 12.

Howard County and city government offices will be closed Monday in observance of President's Day, as will banks, the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq and bond markets along with the U.S. Postal Service.

The court system, 50+ centers and the animal shelter will be closed.

There will be regular Monday trash, recycling and food scrap/yard trim services collected and the Alpha Ridge Landfill will be open.

County parks, the Gary J. Arthur, North Laurel and Roger Carter Community Centers, Cedar Lane and Schooley Mill Park Activity Rooms, Meadowbrook Athletic Complex and Kiwanis-Wallas Hall will be open Monday.

However, the Robinson Nature Center, Belmont Manor & Historic Park, Firehouse Museum, Patapsco Female Institute and the Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum will be closed.

The Regional Transportation Agency will operate on a regular weekday schedule. All parking regulations and fees will be in effect.

The 9-1-1 Center, police and fire departments remain staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For emergencies, call 9-1-1; for non-emergencies, call 410-313-2200.

The Howard County Library System will be closed Monday for President's Day.

Many public schools are closed on Presidents Day. Howard County Public School System buildings and schools will be closed Monday, too.

If you need to run to the DMV or take care of any other government business, you may find the doors locked and lights off. Most states, including Maryland, make Presidents Day a holiday for workers, with exceptions including those who perform essential services. Even in states that recognize Presidents Day as a holiday, not all counties and cities give workers a day off.

Banks, the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, and bond markets will be closed. So will the U.S. Postal Service. Unless they’re typically closed on Mondays, most retail stores will be open as usual. The same goes for restaurants and bars. Some non-retail businesses will be closed, including Patch Media.

Presidents Day is the first free-admission day for national parks of 2026. The day kicks off a revised, more “patriotic” schedule of free entrance days for the year, with notable exceptions of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth. Flag Day on June 14, which is also President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, was added to the schedule of fee-free admission days. Under another change this year, only U.S. citizens and residents.

The National Park Service manages more than 430 designated sites, including national parks, monuments, battlefields, historic sites, lakeshores and recreation areas.

Next Day Access, a leading provider of accessibility solutions, announces the launch of Next Day Access Columbia, Maryland, owned and operated by Tal Shachar.

/ — Next Day Access, a leading provider of mobility and accessibility solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of Next Day Access Columbia, Maryland, owned and operated by Tal Shachar.

“When she introduced me to Next Day Access, I immediately knew this was it; everything aligned perfectly,” Tal said when he was introduced to Next Day Access by his franchise consultant. After 15 years of experience in product management, Tal was ready to pursue business ownership, and with additional experience through service and relationship building, he knew partnering with Next Day Access was the right choice.

Tal’s biggest inspiration, however, is his father. “My father has been in a wheelchair for the past eight years, and I’ve witnessed firsthand how the right accessibility solutions – the very products and services Next Day Access provides – can restore independence and dignity.” Over the eight years, Tal and his father have seen what works and what doesn’t for him, and he understands that accessibility isn’t a one-size-fits-all proposition. “I’ve witnessed how the right modification can transform someone’s daily life, and how poor service or inadequate solutions can cause frustration and even danger,” Tal says. “I’m not just bringing professional expertise – I’m bringing empathy, technical capability, and a personal commitment to treating every client the way I want my own father to be treated – no runaround, no surprises, just straightforward help when you need it most.”

He looks forward to both the technical and emotional fulfilment of providing solutions for his communities, developing solid working relationships with those who serve the same individuals. “I want to be known as a trusted resource – the person they call when a family needs help. Being part of the local business community and contributing to our neighbors’ ability to stay in their homes safely is something I take seriously,” he said. He strives to see the humanity in each person, acting as though he were serving his loved ones. “When I look back a year from now, I want to know that I’ve made a genuine difference in people’s lives, one installation at a time.” His opening day is January 20, 2026.

About Next Day Access Columbia, Maryland Next Day Access Columbia, Maryland, provides accessibility and mobility solutions to individuals of all ages in the greater Columbia area and surrounding communities. They sell, deliver, and install solutions such as wheelchair ramps, stairlifts, wheelchair & platform lifts, grab bars, and more.

To learn more about Next Day Access Columbia, Maryland, contact their team at 410-941-3999 or visit .

About Next Day Access

Next Day Access is a national leader providing accessibility and mobility solutions to residential and commercial customers. With a network of franchises across North America, Next Day Access is committed to offering the best solutions and services to help increase independence and maintain safe access.

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HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Howard County Public Schools buildings will be closed for Friday, officials stated. Offices will be open with liberal leave in effect.

All afternoon and evening activities involving HCPSS students and staff are canceled.

All community-sponsored programs in HCPSS buildings are canceled.

If Howard Community College is open as scheduled, HCPSS students who are enrolled at HCC and cannot attend due to a lack of transportation should notify their professors immediately using their MyHCC email or Canvas. HCC’s operating status can be found online.

Decisions regarding closings due to inclement weather will be made no later than 5:30 a.m., the school district stated. Two-hour delays will be called by 5:30 a.m. and reevaluated for closure no later than 7:30 a.m., officials noted.

When there's an emergency/school closing, information will be shared with the community through the following:

Parents/guardians and community members must opt into receiving HCPSS text message alerts. If you are unsure if you have already opted in, text the word “YES” to 67587 from the cell phone number on file in HCPSS Connect. For community members without students in the school system, text the word “YES” to 67587 from the cell phone number that you signed up with.

HCPSS does not use local media outlets, schools-out.com or e-schoolnews.com for any notifications, the district stated.

If schools are closed, or closed early due to weather conditions, all after-school and evening activities, both school and non-school, scheduled in school facilities are canceled. If schools are closed, or closed early due to weather conditions, all evening activities in schools, both school-sponsored and community-sponsored, are canceled. This includes high school athletic practices and games. All aftercare programs, sponsored by the Columbia Association and the Department of Recreation and Parks in Howard County public schools, are canceled, the school district stated.