The CARE Center for Child and Adolescent Resources provides free information to Howard County parents to find services and programs in the community for children and teens. Staff will help families identify their needs and give information to find solutions to their problems. Resource and referral information can cover areas such as community services, recreation and sports, financial assistance, support groups, drug or alcohol abuse, youth development, child care programs and others.
Information: 410-313-2273 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Recycle old TVs
The Howard County Bureau of Environmental Services reminds residents who have decided not to continue using their analog TVs to recycle instead of throwing them away. Options available:
* The Alpha Ridge Landfill Resident's Convenience Area, 2350 Marriottsville Road, is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday and accepts TVs, computers, keyboards, printers, scanners, laptops, VCRs, radios and other electronics.
* Best Buy's Customer Take-Back Program allows customers to bring in their old TVs (32 inches or smaller) at no charge. Limited to two televisions per person per day. Console televisions are not accepted.
Call 410-313-6444 or go to Howardcountyrecycles.org for more information.
Reverse mortgage help
The Howard County Office on Aging, through Maryland Access Point (MAP), is offering counseling to Maryland residents ages 62 and older who are considering a reverse mortgage. The counseling is targeted to seniors who may be able to pay their everyday expenses but are struggling to cover the costs of health care, home repairs, increased property taxes and unexpected expenses. There are four specialists trained as reverse mortgage counselors. Seniors who receive the counseling through MAP will not be charged a $125 fee unless they apply for a reverse mortgage and secure a loan; then the fee becomes part of the closing costs. The fee will be waived for those who are facing financial challenges such as foreclosure and those with incomes under $20,000 for single homeowners and $30,000 for couples. Call 800-506-5806 to schedule a counseling session and for more information.
New library hours
All Howard County Library branches will open one hour later Mondays-Saturdays. New hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Central and Miller branches are open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays year-round.
All branches resume Sunday hours Sept. 13. Call 410-313-7890.
'Talkin' Baseball'
Regular meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday at Brighton Gardens Assisted Living, 7110 Minstrel Way in Columbia. Speaker will be Donald Jensen, author of Time-Line History of Baseball. All are welcome. 410-740-1145.
