Coffee in hand, Columbia? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Safety & The Disability Community and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What do evil hens lay? 🤔 (Answer below!)
• New Acting Police Chief Named For Howard County (patch.com) — Howard County residents, including those in Columbia, will see a new face leading local law enforcement as Acting Colonel Antonio Thomas steps in as acting police chief under the county charter's 60-day limit. Named by County Executive Calvin Ball, Thomas brings two decades of public safety experience and recent oversight of deputy chiefs, technology, and staffing as the county awaits appointment of a permanent chief.
• Multi-State Retail Theft Ring Dismantled by Federal and State Authorities (radiofreehubcity.com) — This summary may be inaccurate; visit RadioFreeHubCity.com for the full article. A multi-state retail theft ring allegedly hit a national chain's Columbia store among others, with losses topping $48,000. Federal and state prosecutors say coordinated thefts across several states led to indictments, with defendants presumed innocent until proven guilty. This article may be copyrighted content from Radio Free Hub City, and should not be reproduced or summarized without a valid license agreement.
• Disparate Impact Shift Puts HR in a Compliance 'Gray Area' (shrm.org subscription) — A Columbia–based HR expert helps unpack how shifting federal enforcement of disparate impact discrimination law is putting employers in a legal gray area, especially around AI hiring tools. While Washington debates guidelines, companies are urged to keep validating tests, monitoring data, and documenting business reasons to avoid discrimination risks that still very much apply in Maryland and beyond.
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Ok Columbia! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Deviled eggs (Thank you Karla H. for sending it in!)
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