Modine, who starred in films such as “Full Metal Jacket,” “Memphis Belle,” and “Oppenheimer,” will appear at Howard Community College on Sept. 14 for a screening, reception and audience Q&A alongside the film’s director, Stephen Wallis.

“The Martini Shot” is described as an existential comedic drama that follows an ailing film director as he begins to shoot what he believes to be his final work of art. The event is set for 6 p.m., Sept. 14, at the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center.

That film is one of 55 that will be shown during the weeklong film festival, Sept. 9-15. Local, national and international films from a range of genres and styles including documentaries, features, shorts, special themes, local-based films and world cinema as well as works by student filmmakers will be shown in person and can also be screened online.

Founded in 2016 by filmmaker and producer Robert Neal Marshall, the festival aims to introduce local audiences to the best in local, national and world cinema. Marshall said he created the film festival when he worked as a consultant with the Columbia Festival of the Arts. The festival occurred under the nonprofit for two years on a virtual platform during the pandemic, and was relaunched independently as the Columbia Maryland Film Festival after he retired from the nonprofit.

Marshall said the festival was inspired by his background as an actor, director and writer and his love of film.

“I had worked in the [film] industry in various capacities and I thought there are festivals like the Annapolis Film Festival, which is a wonderful film festival that has been around for many years and that there is room in Columbia in Howard County for a really solid film festival,” he said.

Marshall said he hopes the festival will expose audiences to different types of films.

“It’s a unique perspective for people who enjoy movies to see that it’s not just these mainstream mega hits that are in the large theaters,” he said. “Film is a beautiful art form of its own that can change people and the world for the better by opening people’s eyes to things that they never thought about.”

Audiences can view the films online through the film festival’s website now through 11:59 p.m., Sept. 15, and pay per view or purchase an all-access pass.

Aside from “The Martini Shot” screening and reception, there will be two other live events as part of the festival. On Sept. 12, at the Maryland Innovation Center, the documentary film, “Filmmakers on the Frontline” will be shown, with a pre-screening reception and post-screening Q&A. The film tells the story of four filmmakers who immortalized the fateful summer of 1944 and the D-Day Normandy landings via their films. And on the closing day of the festival, Sept. 15, short films by Maryland filmmakers will be screened live at Howard Community College.

For more information, and to purchase passes, go to colmdfilmfest.eventive.org/welcome.

Acevedo is the author of “The Poet X,” released in 2018, which won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, among other awards. During the upcoming lectures, she will discuss her book, “Clap When You Land,” described as “a novel-in-verse, brimming with grief and love, as she tells the story of forgiveness, loss and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives,” according to a news release from the college.

“Clap When You Land” was selected as the Howard County Book Connection title this year. The program, held annually since 2003, encourages the entire county to read a selected book and participate in a variety of activities during the college’s academic year related to the title.

Following Acevedo’s speech, journalist Celeste Doaks will moderate an in-depth discussion of Acevedo’s book.

“We are so proud to offer our students and community the experience of learning from two outstanding writers whose stories deepen our collective understanding about how ideas of family, gender, nationality, culture and sexuality intersect and inform our experiences,” Tara Hart, professor of English, department chair of humanities and world languages and co-chair of HoCoPoLitSo Board of Directors said.

A Washington, D.C. resident, Acevedo earned a bachelor’s degree in performing arts from George Washington University and a master of fine arts in creative writing from the University of Maryland.

Doaks said it is paramount for stories like “Clap When You Land” to be shared and discussed.

“It’s important to have diverse voices, especially voices of women of color who are writing these stories that oftentimes you really don’t get enough of in the literary space,” she said. “Elizabeth is building that legacy and history around extolling and lifting up Latina women in her stories and that’s the part, for me, that we really need in this area and in the United States.”

Acevedo will give two lectures, one at 12:30 p.m., which will be live-streamed and presented in person, and another at 6 p.m., presented in person only, at the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center in the Monteabaro Recital Hall at Howard Community College, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia.

Both are free and open to the public. For more information or to view the livestream, go to howardcc.edu/discover/arts-culture/lectures-talks/bauder-lectures/.

The Bauder Lecture Series is funded by a grant from Lillian Bauder, of Columbia, who also funds the Don Bauder Awards, which will be given to two Howard Community College students who have read the book and reflect on it via an essay or other creative format. The awards honor the memory of Bauder’s late husband who was a champion of civil rights and social justice causes, according to the college.

New lighted stop signs have also been distributed to all crossing guards to improve visibility and the safety of guards and students, according to a police news release. The signs were funded by fines collected through the police department’s automated enforcement programs.

Increased traffic patrols will be in place on roadways surrounding schools for the first three weeks of the school year, according to the release. Officers will focus on distracted drivers, those who fail to stop for pedestrians and are speeding in those areas. They will also be checking for child safety seat and seat belt use.

Buses serving the Howard County Public School System have been outfitted with external cameras to discourage motorists from illegally passing buses. The state’s fine for illegally passing a school bus is $250.

The number of external bus camera citations decreased from 9,792 during the 2022-2023 school year to 9,554 during the 2023-2024 school year, according to the police department’s website.

During the first week of school, speed cameras are located on Cedar Lane at Swansfield Elementary, Cradlerock Rock Way at Cradlerock Farm Court, Gray Rock Drive at Sunlit Passage, Great Star Drive at Western Star Run, Ilchester Road, Kilimanjaro Road, Mission Road at Ridgely’s Run Road, Montgomery Road, Old Annapolis Road at Whitworth Way, Tamar Drive at Autumn Ridge and Whiskey Bottom Road at Phillips School, according to the police department’s website.

The speed camera program is designed to encourage drivers to slow down in school zones and has fines set at $40, according to the release. The cameras are rotated among various school zones in the county, which are posted in advance and updated every week on the police department’s website.

Seth Hoffman, public information officer for the police department said the department’s school bus safety programs will help ensure a safe school year.

“The hope is increased visual patrols and school bus cameras deter dangerous driving and speeding near schools and anywhere buses are stopping to pick up/drop off students,” he said.

DUI arrests in the county went from 266 in 2021 to 171 in 2022 to 121 in 2023, according to sheriff’s office statistics.

The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Hampstead Police Department, Maryland State Police, Mount Airy Police Department and Westminster Police Department are partnering to conduct a sobriety checkpoint this weekend in an undisclosed location in the county, as part of traffic safety initiatives, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.

The checkpoint will be clearly marked with lights, signs and uniformed officers, according to the news release.

The department conducts checkpoints throughout the year, as part of the Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign, funded in part by a grant from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office.

“[We’re] trying to take a proactive approach and prevent any fatal crashes occurring in the county that day,” said Sgt. Russell Tourangeau, of the sheriff’s office. “Hopefully it’s a night or a weekend that no one drives impaired on the roadways because they know we’re going to be out there.”

At 5:21 p.m. Sunday, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the 1400 block of East Mayberry Road for a suspicious vehicle with a person lying down in the driver’s seat, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies found a black Toyota Sienna partially in the roadway in front of the entrance to St. Mary’s Evangelical Lutheran Church.

A deputy approached the vehicle and found the driver leaning back in the driver’s seat with his eyes closed, according to the sheriff’s office. The deputy also found two open containers of beer in the cupholders and the vehicle’s engine running.

The deputy woke the driver by knocking on the window, but the driver then put the vehicle in drive, ignoring the deputy’s commands to stop, according to the sheriff’s office. The driver drove through the church parking lot, through the grass and back onto Mayberry Road.

The deputy was able to identify the driver as 36-year-old, Steven Lee Rankin, according to the sheriff’s office.

A short time later, another call was received stating that the Toyota Sienna had returned to the parking lot of the church, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies arrived and ordered Rankin to step out of the vehicle, but he accelerated and struck the deputy’s patrol vehicle. Rankin drove off with deputies pursuing, however, the deputies called off the pursuit after the driver crossed into Pennsylvania.

At 7:27 p.m. Sunday, deputies were notified that Rankin was back in Carroll County, according to the sheriff’s office. As a deputy approached the Toyota and ordered Rankin out of the vehicle, he accelerated forward and struck the deputy vehicle’s side mirror. Rankin drove down a gravel access road and into a cornfield where deputies were able to stop the vehicle in the fields behind the 3900 block of Littlestown Pike.

Rankin refused to comply with instructions from deputies and was removed from the vehicle, according to the sheriff’s office. When he continued to resist attempts to place him into custody, a Taser was discharged and he was handcuffed and medics were requested.

Rankin was transported to Carroll Hospital Center for evaluation, according to the sheriff’s office.

It was later determined that Rankin did not have permission from the owner to drive the Toyota Sienna and he was driving with a suspended and revoked driver’s license, according to the sheriff’s office.

A warrant was obtained charging Rankin with two counts of first- and second-degree assault, resisting/interfering with arrest, three counts of failing to obey reasonable/lawful order, unauthorized removal of a motor vehicle, trespassing on cultivated land and numerous traffic citations including reckless driving, attempting to elude law enforcement, consuming alcoholic beverages in a vehicle, driving under the influence and driving a vehicle not equipped with an ignition interlock as required by a program, according to the sheriff’s office.

Rankin was arrested and transported to Carroll County Central Booking Tuesday where the warrant was served.

Situated at 255 Baltimore Boulevard, the store will expand the city’s access to fresh and healthy foods, according to a news release.

Sprouts is one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country and offers customers a one-of-a-kind grocery experience featuring an open layout with fresh produce at the heart of the store, according to the release. The new store is the sixth location in Maryland and is bringing 82 full and part-time career opportunities to the area.

The new store will be holding a grand opening celebration weekend, Aug. 30-Sept. 1, featuring exclusive offers, free samples, music and more, according to the store’s website. Shoppers will also have the chance to get 20% off or win a $500 Sprouts gift card if they sign up for a Sprouts account.

“I am excited to have a Sprouts open in Westminster; Sprouts offers a range of fresh, healthy, and natural products that might not be as readily available locally,” Mona Becker, Mayor of Westminster said in a statement. “Their focus on organic produce, natural foods, and unique grocery items can be a big draw for those interested in healthier eating or for those with specific dietary needs. Having a new store can be a boost to local shopping variety and convenience; Sprouts also has a strong sense of community engagement. For all these reasons and more I am thrilled to welcome Sprouts to Westminster at the end of this month.”

Columbia Association is one of the organizations in the county hosting events for residents to attend.

Holding more than 60 free events, including Lakefront Live Concerts and Lakefront Live Movie Nights, residents can listen to several regional, national and international performers and watch a variety of film titles at the lakefront, according to its website.

Dannika Rynes, senior manager of communications and media relations at CA said the Lakefront Live events serve as a way to celebrate the community’s diversity.

“Lakefront Live is essentially an extension of a decades-long tradition at Columbia Association,” she said. “We are the proud maintainers and stewards of that lakefront space and have been for decades and part of making sure that we are serving the community and welcoming our diverse community in that space is programming it and making sure that we’re activating it in ways that engages the community.”

Rynes said she hopes the events make people feel welcome in the community.

“We’ve seen time and time again, particularly post COVID-19, that people are craving connection,” she said. “Getting people outside is huge and making sure that they feel that sense of belonging when they’re down there and feel as though we’re mixing it up and providing some new opportunities and constantly evolving to meet the needs and desires of our community.”

Below is a list of events taking place around the county this month:

Aug. 8, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 and 31

Lakefront Live Concerts

Downtown Columbia Lakefront, 10275 Wincopin Circle, Columbia

Aug. 9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 30

Lakefront Live Movie Nights

Downtown Columbia Lakefront, 10275 Wincopin Circle, Columbia

Aug. 10

Rockburn Open Car Show

Rockburn Branch Park, West 6105 Rockburn Branch Park Road, Elkridge

Aug. 12-Sept. 2

Clarksville Sunflower Festival

Mary’s Land Farm, 4979 Sheppard Lane, Ellicott City

The event took place at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and saw participation from 49 teams representing the United States, Canada, China and Singapore, according to a news release.

Teams competed across five areas – aquatic studies, forestry, soil science and wildlife and delivered an oral presentation on this year’s special topic, “Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future,” according to the release. North Harford’s team excelled, securing a spot among the top three for their oral presentation.

The team consisted of returning members, Blake Carberry, Madalyn Caiazzo and Anna O’Leary, along with Frank DeLucia, a senior at North Harford and Jonathan VanBuskirk, a new member and senior at North Harford, according to the release. This year’s achievement surpasses their previous 10th-place finish at last year’s event in New Brunswick, Canada.

“I couldn’t be prouder of this exceptional group of students,” Laura O’Leary, North Harford Envirothon advisor said in the release. “They combine hard work and serious training with a great deal of fun. Securing third place in an international field is truly an outstanding achievement.”

“Being in the top three was our goal, but hearing our team announced felt surreal,” Caiazzo said in the release. “All our training and preparation had finally paid off, but it took a uniquely bonded team to get there.”

The North Harford Envirothon team is eager for the county and state contests in 2025 and hopes to compete in the international competition in Alberta, Canada, according to the release.

Featuring 41 restaurants and craft breweries, the two-week event is a celebration showcasing the exceptional culinary expertise of the county’s local restaurants, according to Visit Howard County.

The concept of Restaurant Week originated in New York City in the early nineties, according to Visit Howard County. In 2008, Howard County introduced its own version of Restaurant Weeks to support and uplift its locally-owned and operated restaurants during their slower seasons, which typically occur after the winter holidays and around summer vacations.

During restaurant weeks, restaurants have the freedom to create bundles of appetizers, combos and family-style meal options as part of their offerings, which will allow all residents to partake in the culinary festivities, according to Visit Howard County. Additionally, residents can enter to win a $100 gift card from one of the participating restaurants.

Eric Teisch, senior director of business development at Visit Howard County said the weeks serve as a way to bring residents back into restaurants during a slower time of the year.

“We determined that there are times throughout the year where restaurants could really benefit from having increased exposure, increased marketing support and an opportunity to bring in more diners,” he said. “During the summertime, people tend to go elsewhere to travel for vacation, so [restaurant weeks] is a way to bring them back in.”

Teisch said he encourages residents to try new restaurants during restaurant weeks.

“There’s 41 plus participating locations, try a new one, check it out and try different aspects of the county,” he said. “There’s something for everyone and we encourage everyone to try something new.”

For more information and a list of participating restaurants, visit visithowardcounty.com.

From concerts to festivals to fundraisers, there are plenty of opportunities for the community to spend time outdoors.

Action for Kindness is one of the organizations in the county hosting an event this month.

Holding its second annual Kindness Stroll Aug. 19-Sept. 29, residents can take a walk around Downtown Westminster and vote for their favorite hand-painted “Be Kind” sign to support local nonprofits, according to its website.

Tina Thomas, executive director at Action for Kindness said the event is a fundraiser to support the nonprofit as well as other nonprofits in the community, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Carroll County, the Carroll County Arts Council and Find Your Purpose Inc. and PTA’s and PTO’s including the William Winchester Elementary PTA, the West Middle School PTO and the Westminster Elementary PTO.

“The signs will be categorized to support each of the nonprofits, so when you vote for a sign a portion of all proceeds go to this partner nonprofit,” she said.

Thomas said the event will serve as a way for residents to spread kindness this summer.

“Residents can help inspire kindness by making it part of the conversation with their kids and with their neighbors and then allowing that conservation to inspire action for us to be kind to ourselves and others,” she said. “Perhaps part of that action is supporting the other nonprofits in the stroll and the sponsored businesses and locations who are participating.”

Below is a list of events taking place around the county this month:

Aug. 17

Secret Garden Weekend Music, Arts and Wine Festival

Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 South Center St., Westminster

Aug. 19-Sept. 29

Action for Kindness Kindness Stroll

Downtown Westminster

Aug. 24

Maryland Summerfest 2024

Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 South Center St., Westminster