How to Order Butterbeer at Starbucks

It's not on the menu, but customers can give baristas a special recipe that will produce a drink similar to the beverage enjoyed by the fictional witches and wizards from the Harry Potter books.

The Week's Best Good News

Here's our roundup of the most uplifting and feel-good stories from Patch towns across the country.

ICYMI: The Week's Best Good News

We rounded up the most uplifting stories trending across the country.

High School Student with Down Syndrome Scores Touchdown [VIDEO]

A football dream comes true for a high school senior in New York.

1,000 Births for Columbia Midwife: ‘It’s All Such a Miracle’

A Columbia nurse midwife has for more than a decade helped deliver babies in cars and homes -- wherever the little ones decided to be born, including that of the author.

Courage After the Navy Yard Shooting, Saying No to Drugs and New Life for an Old Mill Site: Best of Patch Bloggers

Check out some of the Local Voices blog posts from Patch sites in Maryland.

Ellicott City Native Wins Gold at 2013 Dwarf Games

Stephanie Vrettakos was kept from the pool for seven years after a surgery, but after getting back into swimming in May, she was at the top of her game.

Guide to Ellicott City Fall Fest 2012

What do you hope to do at this year's Fall Fest?

Students Learn About the Faces of Poverty in Howard County

Howard County students are learning about the poor and homeless people right in their backyards, and helping the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center.

CPR Training Coming to Ellicott City

A trainer from the fire department is teaching the art of hands-only CPR to residents around the county.

Where in Ellicott City is this Road?

Did you get a sip of bubbly the day it closed?

Tuesday: National Cheeseburger Day 2012

In honor of the holiday, here is a round-up of need-to-know cheeseburger news in Howard County.

Flower Show, Flea Market, Bike Tour, Health Fair and More in Howard County this Weekend

Looking for something exciting to do this weekend? Check out some of the fun things going on around town.

Fences Erected After Train Derailment

The Howard County executive says it's 'tough to stop' people from getting on the tracks.

Bob Ballinger Was Not Robbed

And the candidate for Howard County Board of Education isn't in Spain, either. But he is out of town.

Ellicott City Beautification Fund Gets Underway

Blossoms of Hope has awarded a kick-off grant for beautification projects.

Maryland Ranks High in Charitable Giving

But other states rank higher. Does being a "blue state" have something to do with it?

PHOTOS: Route 29 Batman Sports New Batmobile

Lenny Robinson's new car is a replica of the original 1966 Batmobile.

Whiz Kid: Elizabeth Watson

This Ellicott City native is getting help to pursue a career helping others.

Ellicott City Honors

See what former Ellicott City residents are up to as they make their way in academia.

PHOTOS: Painting Ellicott City

Artists are taking to the streets this weekend to paint their favorite scenes of downtown Ellicott City.

State Seeks Input on Potential Removal of Bloede Dam

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will hold two meetings at the Catonsville Library this week for public input.

Scouts Remember Fallen Veterans

The 25th annual "We Remember" tribute on Friday, May 25 at Baltimore National Cemetery

Memorial Day: What's Open, What's Not

Memorial Day is on Monday, May 28. Find out which services you can access and which ones are on vacation.

Patience Required on HoCo Roads This Weekend

With a bevy of events in Columbia and Ellicott City, expect traffic, detours and road closures.

Enchanting Weekend at the Miller Branch Library

Pizza and herbs are just a taste of what the Enchanted Garden at the Miller Branch Library has to offer.

Childhood Brain Cancer Brings 3 Ellicott City Mothers Together

Three Ellicott City youngsters died of brain tumors in just over a year. Three mothers have taken up the cause, raising money, awareness.

Half Marathon Honors Last Year's Dogged Hero

Fans of Dozer, the goldendoodle, will have the chance to meet him in May.

GreenFest 2012: Solar Telescope, Farmers Market, Animals and More

The Howard County GreenFest 2012 will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, at Howard Community College.

40 Years After Agnes

At a special meeting of the Patapsco Heritage Greenway, guests remembered Tropical Storm Agnes, its destructive power and its aftermath.

WATCH: Locals Discuss Trayvon Martin

"We need an independent investigation and we are going to get it" -Sen. Ben Cardin.

Whiz Kids: Edgar Bonilla, Julen Rodriguez and Zachary Bowers

These three know the importance of community involvement.

Howard County Ranked Healthiest in State

Fewer adults smoke, are physically inactive and get in deadly crashes in Howard County than elsewhere in Maryland or in the nation.

Post an Event on Ellicott City Patch

Want to promote your event? Post it on Patch. For free. In minutes.

Did You Miss Her? Jodi Picoult in Ellicott City

On March 16, best-selling author Jodi Picoult discussed researching and writing her novel, "Lone Wolf."

Ice Cream Truck to Relieve Dog Days of Summer—For Dogs

A doggie ice cream truck is headed to Ellicott City.

St. Patrick's Day in a Flash

A flash mob of Irish step dancers put on a show at Westfield Annapolis Mall.

‘Zaching,’ ESPN and Fame for Ellicott City Teen Fighting Cancer

‘If my team was as tough as Zach, we’d be a lot better.’ – Maryland Head Coach Mark Turgeon

Whiz Kid: Kevin Roche

Kevin is a whiz when it comes to connecting people, places, trends and politics. That's why he's heading to the National Geographic State Bee.

Filling Up in Ellicott City? Prepare to Pay

Gas prices in Ellicott City are more than 30 cents higher than they were this time last year.