Allana Haynes

A man is in critical condition following a shooting near Cedar Lane Park in Columbia late Wednesday night, according to the Howard County Police Department.

Carroll County Public Schools reported 946 positive COVID-19 cases Wednesday. It was the first time case numbers dropped below 1,000 in nearly four weeks. Positive cases include 74 staff members and 872 students, according to the CCPS COVID-19 dashboard.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball and Howard County Public School System Superintendent Michael Martirano on Tuesday announced an agreement for the county government and county school system to jointly provide $16.1 million in bonus money to public school employees.

A compilation of crime items from the Towson and Cockeysville precincts of Baltimore County Police.

A compilation of crime items from the Wilkens precinct of Baltimore County Police.

A racist epithet was written on a wall inside Lime Kiln Middle School in Fulton, and school leaders responded Wednesday by saying that the incident was “beyond disappointing and devastating to us,” especially in light of two other recent incidents of racist slurs being used at the school.

A compilation of crime items from the Towson and Cockeysville precincts of the Baltimore County Police.

A compilation of crime items from the Wilkens precinct of the Baltimore County Police.

Thousands of Howard County Public School System parents and students signed an online petition urging school officials to return to virtual learning amid a surge in COVID-19 cases locally and nationwide.

Nearly 1,200 positive COVID-19 cases were reported in Carroll County Public Schools this week, according to the CCPS COVID-19 dashboard, which is updated every Wednesday when schools are in session. Positive cases reported include 1,125 students and 72 staff members.

As the first snow of the year blanketed Howard County on Monday, the Howard County Public School System closed all schools, offices and the Digital Education Center, and government offices were also closed.

The Carroll County Health Department alerted the community this week about multiple suspected opioid overdose incidents in the county.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball on Monday committed $8 million in American Rescue Plan funding to bonus pay for Howard County Public School System educators.

A compilation of crime items from the Towson and Cockeysville precincts of Baltimore County Police.

As the NAACP Howard County calls for charges to be filed against a Howard County Public Schools System employee who punched a Howard High student in the head during a Dec. 2 incident in the school’s lunch room, Howard County police confirmed Friday that the 17-year-old male student from Elkridge was charged with three counts of misdemeanor assault related to the altercation.

Howard County officials on Monday discussed salary increases for public school teachers, among other budget issues related to state mandates in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Act.

Howard County school Superintendent Michael Martirano said Tuesday that school system staff are working with police to investigate what he has called an “alarming” video showing staff members at Howard County High School holding down and hitting a student in the cafeteria on Dec. 2.

As the Maryland State Board of Education continues to modify masking protocols to meet shifting conditions during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Howard County Public School System board members and area residents are also trying to determine the best approach moving forward.

A sampling of crime items for the Laurel area.

A compilation of crime items from the Towson precinct of Baltimore County Police.

A compilation of police reports from the Wilkens precinct of Baltimore County Police.

Gregory J. Der will assume the role of Howard County Police Chief on Jan. 1, replacing current Chief Lisa Myers, who announced her retirement earlier this month. The appointment was announced Monday by Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.

A sampling of Howard County police reports from Nov. 12 to 19.

Howard High School junior Poppy Swallow is working to support and comfort children in her community by creating distraction kits for those receiving their COVID-19 vaccines.

A sampling of crime items from the Towson and Cockeysville precincts of the Baltimore County Police.

A sampling of crime events from Wilkins precinct of Baltimore County Police.

The Howard County Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday evening to approve amendments to transportation contracts to provide financial incentives for school bus drivers and attendants to address the shortage that has affected the school system since the start of the academic year.

After 32 years at the Community Action Council of Howard County — 11 of those as CEO and president — Bita Dayhoff will be retiring from the organization.

A sampling of Howard County police reports from Nov. 5 to 12.

A compilation of crime reports from the Towson precinct of the Baltimore County Police.

According to data from the Maryland Department of Health, 1,285 Howard County kids ages 5 to 11 have been vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Tuesday morning, a county spokesperson said.

A sampling of Howard County police reports from Oct. 29 to Nov. 5.

The Howard County Public School System said it is working toward a proposal to provide bus contractors and drivers with additional pay as schools grapple with driver shortages, the need to double some routes and the continued pressures of the coronavirus pandemic.

A sampling of police reports at the Wilkens precinct of Baltimore County police.

Howard Community College has appointed Daria Willis as the fifth president of the college in Columbia, making her the first African American to lead the college in its 51-year history.

Visiting from Murray Hill Middle School in Laurel, a group of sixth grade students on Oct. 27 were among the first in the county to participate in the Howard County Public School System’s new climate change curriculum, “Climate Xpedition.”

The Howard County Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday evening to modify the 2021-22 academic calendar to create six three-hour early dismissal days during the remainder of the school year.

Howard County Public School System Superintendent Michael Martirano announced Tuesday that the Howard County Health Department plans to hold COVID-19 vaccination clinics for children ages 5 to 11 at Howard Community College beginning Friday, Nov. 5.

A sampling of Howard County police reports from Oct. 22 to 29.

A complication of Baltimore County police reports from the Towson and Cockeysville precincts.

A compilation of crime reports from the Wilkens precinct of Baltimore County Police.

What’s the best part of winter in Howard County?

A sampling of Howard County police reports from Oct. 15 to 22.

A sampling for Baltimore County police reports for the Towson and Cockeysville precincts.

A sampling for Baltimore County police reports for the Wilkens precinct.

St. John’s Jewelers, a family- and woman-owned business that has been operating in Ellicott City for 48 years, is using its influence to help the next generation of small-business owners.

This month, Howard County-based Chasing Childhood Cancer will be holding its second annual virtual 5K from Oct. 20-27 to raise support for the Claudia Mayer/Tina Broccolino Cancer Resource Center at Howard County General Hospital.

A 27-year-old man was arrested after a pedestrian died following a hit-and-run incident in Edgewood on Monday afternoon, Maryland State Police said Tuesday.

A sampling of Howard County police reports from Oct. 8 to 15.

Howard County police say a Laurel man with a gun was taken into custody outside The Mall in Columbia on Friday night.