The Community Foundation of Howard County has awarded more than $78,000 in grants to local nonprofits in support of the Ellicott City Main Street flood recovery effort.

According to county officials, grants were awarded to the Community Action Council of Howard County, Preservation Maryland, Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park and the Ellicott City Partnership.

Community Action Council of Howard County received $60,000 for food donations for business owners and residents affected by the flood.

Preservation Maryland received a $5,000 grant for the Ellicott City Preservation Resource Center to maintain historic structures.

Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park received a grant of $4,000 to assist in the Patapsco Valley State Park's Orange Grove and Avalon area cleanup, including debris removal as well as trail and riverbank restoration.

And the fourth grant of $9,600 went to the Ellicott City Partnership, which distributes funds to Ellicott City merchants and residents.

County set to remove ash trees from public roadways

Officials with Howard County's Department of Public Works say emerald ash borer infestation will prompt the removal of ash trees along county-owned roadways in Clarksville, Columbia, Ellicott City, Glenelg and Jessup beginning late fall/early winter.

Weather permitting, the trees — including stumps — will be removed by the end of winter.

All the trees will be replaced, where appropriate, by next spring or fall, officials said.

Officials noted that ash trees are the most common type of landscaping tree used in the United States.

The emerald ash borer is an invasive insect that feeds on and can cause significant damage and death to ash trees. The insect is not harmful to humans.

The county will not remove any trees located on private property.

The roadways included in this round of tree removal are:

Clarksville: Golden Harvest Court, Lilac Bush Lane, Meadow Wood Way, Morning Dew Court.

Columbia: Audubon Drive, Barley Corn Row, Bluecoat Lane, Cedar Lane, Dark Hawk Circle, Darting Bird Lane, Distant Rock Path, Dovecote Drive, Dry Barley Lane, Dry Stone Gate, Eden Brook Drive, Etta Court, Fire Cloud Court, Foreland Garth, Freetown Road, Frostwork Row, Herding Row, High Hay Drive, Kindler Road, Longlook Lane, Loventree Road, Little Patuxent Parkway, Millbank Row, Millet Seed Hill, Moonfall Way, Old Columbia Road, Parallel Lane, Quarterstaff Road, Roan Stallion Lane, Saddle Drive, Sea Light Lane, Sea Water Path, Second Time Lane, Seneca Farm Road, Shaker Drive, Short Wheel Way, Single Wheel Path, Sleep Soft Circle, Stevens Forest Road, Stray Camel Way, Summer Cloud Way, Swansfield Road, Tamar Drive, Tree Top Circle, Twin Rivers Road, Vollmerhausen Drive, Windstream Drive, Young Buck Circle.

Ellicott City: Bright Rocket Way, Columbia Road, Michaels Way, Northbrook Court, Paul Mill Road.

Glenelg: Headplay Court.

Jessup: Guilford Road, Savage-Guilford Road, Wild Grass Court.

County officials said signs of the emerald ash borer infestation can include death of twigs and branches at the treetops, discolored leaves and D-shaped holes in the bark where the larvae emerge.

Residents who spot signs of infestation on their ash trees are asked to contact Maryland Department of Agriculture at 410-841-5920.

For more information on the emerald ash borer, go to mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Pages/eab.aspx.

For questions or to communicate concerns about the ash tree removal, contact Lisa Brightwell, at 410-313-3440 or publicworks@howardcountymd.gov.

—Baltimore Sun Media Group

Association selling bricks for anniversary

Columbia Association is holding a buy-a-brick program for the first time in five years as part of a plan to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Columbia in 2017.

The association will place the bricks around a paver, engraved with the words “Columbia Maryland 50,” at the plaza at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront, 10221 Wincopin Circle.

For more information, call Christina Pierre at 410-423-4102 or go to Christina.Pierre@ColumbiaAssociation.org

— John Fischer, Baltimore Sun Media Group

Foose receives foreign language education award

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages has presented county schools Superintendent Renee Foose with its 2016 National Network for Early Language Learners Award for Outstanding Support of Early Language Learning.

The award goes to a person who is not a foreign language teacher but nevertheless demonstrates a commitment to promoting the teaching of languages.

The council noted Foose's support of foreign language education among young students and for taking actions — such as expanding the system's program to bring foreign language instruction to elementary schools — as a way to create more opportunities for students.

—John Fischer, Baltimore Sun Media Group

Wilde Lake Middle hosting goodbye tour

Wilde Lake Middle School is holding an open house and tour of its current building, 10481 Cross Fox Lane, Columbia on Dec. 12 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. before it closes at the end of December.

Visitors can buy commemorative T-shirts and order engraved bricks that will be set on the front walkway of the new building.

The new Wilde Lake Middle School building will open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 8, 2017 at 1 p.m., followed by guided tours until 4 p.m.

The new school is located behind the old one, and will retain the same address, 10481 Cross Fox Lane, Columbia. For information, call 410-313-6957.

—John Fischer, Baltimore Sun Media Group