Calvin Ball

The Simulated Congressional Hearings (SCH) are back and better than ever! It was a pleasure to keynote at Gorman Crossing Elementary School this year as Howard County celebrates our 22nd year of this incredible civic learning tradition.

I stopped by HCC to meet with students from the Student Government Association, Howard PRIDE, Ambiciones, and the Parent Scholars Program Thank you to Dr. Daria Willis and all of the student leaders for the incredible work you're doing to build a more successful campus community

The 32nd annual Wine in the Woods was one for the books! Year after year, this Howard County tradition and the largest wine festival in Maryland brings together the very best tastes of our region. This year’s record-breaking festival welcomed approximately 13,000 attendees!

We signed two important pieces of legislation into law that move Howard County forward on two key priorities: expanding affordable housing and advancing thoughtful redevelopment along Route 1.

We hit the track for one of Maryland’s most treasured traditions: the 151st Preakness Stakes! Preakness is a long-held celebration of Maryland’s rich equestrian heritage. This year, we were honored to help host the Preakness at Laurel Park while Pimlico undergoes renovation.

Please join me in congratulating Cradlerock Elementary’s very own Dan Notari for being named Howard County Public School System 2026 Principal of the year!

Howard County has an exceptional school system, in large part, due to our educators. Join me in congratulating our HCPSS 2026 Teachers of the Year! Samantha Mathis at West Friendship Elementary School and Kacy Valentine at Lake Elkhorn Middle School.

Please join me in congratulating Susan Starr as our Elementary English Language Development Teacher of the Year, Sarah Lynch as our Secondary English Language Development Teacher of the Year, and Samantha Filipiak as our English Language Development Administrator of the year!

We had another exciting Market Pulse Pitch competition at the Maryland Innovation Center. Congratulations to our winners, 1st Place: Aidar Health, 2nd Place: Aingens, and 3rd Place: Dasion. We are excited to see where your innovations go next!

For more than 22 years, Howard County’s Recovery Court has helped transform lives by addressing the root causes of substance misuse through accountability, treatment, and support. Congratulations to every graduate on this extraordinary achievement.

Congratulations to Withum on opening their doors in Howard County! Their investment in Howard County, including 80 jobs and $5 million in capital investment, reflects the strength of our business community and the many advantages of growing in the Baltimore-Washington corridor.

The Howard County Veterans and Military Families Monument is officially open! It now stands as a place of recognition for our 20,000 veterans, our military families, the more than 1,000 HCPSS students with a parent on active duty, and to every military hero in our community.

It was another great one at the 7th annual fish fry with the men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Tau Pi Chapter This event continues to be a tradition that brings people together while supporting mentorship, service, and programs that help uplift our next generation of leaders.

We joined veterans, military families, community members, and our partners at Belmont Manor to celebrate the 250th anniversaries of the United States Army, Navy and Marine Corps!

We are so excited to announce the expansion of the Howard County Conservancy’s Nature Preschool at Belmont Manor & Historic Park.

We had a blast stopping by the new Fulton Farmers Market at Maple Lawn! Open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through November 21, the market has created a new space for residents to support local growers and makers while enjoying fresh food and goods close to home.

I'm honored to announce a historic investment in the Howard County Public School System and in the students, educators, and families who count on them every day. Read about our full announcement at howardcountymd.gov/News042026.

We joined our federal, state, and local partners for an announcement at the future home of the Performing Arts Center and Artists Flats in Downtown Columbia. Together, we celebrated more than $6.2 million in federal investment for four critical Howard County projects this year.

It was delightful to connect with students for this year’s Ag Awareness Day celebration at the Howard County Fairgrounds! Many of our incredible 7th graders from Ellicott Mills, Hammond, and Mount View Middle Schools explored the many ways agriculture shapes our daily lives.

Congratulations to Laud Shawarma on being the newest addition to the Clarksville Commons! Thank you to owner Kozy Fawehinmi for your vision and for sharing the rich flavors of Nigerian cuisine with our community.