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Jess Nocera

Jess

Jess Nocera is a regional reporter covering Howard County. She previously worked for The Richmond-Times Dispatch, The Baltimore Sun and The Bristol Herald Courier. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a double major in multi-platform journalism and government & politics in May 2017. When not reporting, Jess enjoys practicing yoga, running and antique shopping. Jess lives with her boyfriend and their two adorable kitties.

The latest from Jess Nocera

Howard County school bus drivers could strike
Zūm School Bus Services drivers, who handle roughly a third of the Howard County Public School System’s routes, authorized a strike Thursday.
Oct 2, 2025
Zum, a California based tech company, will handle 230 of Howard County Public School's roughly 500 school bus routes for the next three years.
Howard County schools cancel vaccine clinics, leaving students to seek shots elsewhere
The Howard County Public School System canceled its free flu and COVID vaccine clinics due to a lack of grant funding.
Oct 2, 2025
A student receives an injection during a Vaccine Clinic offered at BCPS Fest held at New Town High School on August 16th, 2025 in Owings Mills, MD.
7 things to do in Howard County, from a Serendipity Wild Walk to festivals galore
Seven things to do in Howard County from Thursday, Oct. 2, to Wednesday, Oct. 8.
Oct 2, 2025
Celebrate the rich culture and traditions of the county’s Hispanic community at Color Burst Park.
Howard County schools superintendent scales back redistricting plan
Howard County Schools Superintendent Bill Barnes released a widely anticipated redistricting plan that tackles overcrowding at one elementary school but stops short of addressing swelling enrollment at another.
Sep 26, 2025
School system superintendent Bill Barnes attends a Howard County Board of Education Meeting at their headquarters in Ellicott City, Md. on Friday, May 9, 2025.
Some Howard County students are getting moved again. Here are 5 things to know.
Before Bill Barnes, Howard County’s schools superintendent, presents his redistricting proposal to the county Board of Education on Sept. 25, here’s a refresher on the redistricting process.
Sep 25, 2025
Community parents, Cindy LaFollette, left center, and Bena Zeng, right center, protest ahead of the school board meeting against the redistricting proposals outside of the Howard County school board offices on July 17, 2025. The group says that the district’s “short-sighted” decision to place pre-K programs at over-capacity schools is causing the problem.
CVS closing another pharmacy in Baltimore
This marks at least the third CVS to close in Baltimore this year.
Sep 23, 2025
FILE - The CVS Pharmacy logo is displayed on a store on Aug. 3, 2021, in Woburn, Mass. Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford announced on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, his office secured $152 million over the next decade in a settlement against CVS in opioid claims, the largest sum that the state has brought in by itself in opioid-related litigation.
7 Things to do in Howard County, from the Festival of India to celebrating grandparents
Seven things to do in Howard County from Thursday Sept. 18 through Wednesday Sept. 24.
Sep 18, 2025
Youth performers pose for pictures on stage before performing during the Festival of India at the Howard County Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024 in West Friendship, MD.
Peach and eggplant sculptures stir unexpected drama in Ellicott City
In Ellicott City, the placement of a peach sculpture has sparked controversy, while a nearby eggplant sculpture was accepted by the Howard County Historic Preservation Commission.
Sep 18, 2025
The peach sculpture by Jan Kirsh, currently on display outside of Georgia Grace Cafe on Main Street in Ellicott City.
A backpack of teenage angst: Some Howard County middle schoolers don’t like new rules
Select Howard County middle schools aren’t allowing students to carry backpacks from class to class. The teenagers have thoughts.
Sep 11, 2025
The backpacks of middle school students in class at Nottingham Middle School hang on their chairs on the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Rosedale, MD.
Can’t afford to buy a home in Howard County? New census data offers some clues why
New data released by the U.S. Census Bureau suggests a harsh reality: it’s never been harder for young families to move to Howard County.
Sep 11, 2025
Julius Warren Jr., Black-owned barbershop owner, was an institution in Howard County
Julius Warren Jr., who owned what is believed to be the first Black-owned barbershop in Howard County, dies at 87
Sep 9, 2025
Julius Warren, Sr. poses for a portrait in Elkridge, October 2, 2024. Warren opened Howard County’s first Black-owned barbershop.
After 54 years, Howard County Police identify woman in county’s oldest cold case
Howard County Police have identified their Jane Doe in a 1971 cold case as Sarah Sharkey.
Sep 4, 2025
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball speaks Thursday at a news conference outside the county police station about the department's identification of a woman in a 1971 cold case.
7 things to do in Howard County, from spooky ghost tours to the Columbia Film Festival
Seven things to do in Howard County from Thursday Sept. 4 through Wednesday Sept. 10.
Sep 4, 2025
The Columbia Maryland Film Festival returns Monday, Sept. 8 through Sunday, Sept. 14.
‘Rabbits deserve better’: A look inside a bunny rescue in a Columbia home
Friends of Rabbits, a large animal rescue, recently took in 60 abandoned bunnies from a farm. Many of the bunnies gave birth.
Sep 4, 2025
A young bunny explores its surroundings during exercise time at Friends of Rabbits in Columbia.
Howard High School closed Wednesday due to power outage
Howard High School is closed to students and staff on Wednesday because the building has no power.
Updated Sep 3, 2025
Howard High School was closed on Sept. 3 because the building had no power.
Howard County schools’ top 10 on state English and math assessments
The top 10 performing Howard County schools for the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) English and math tests.
Aug 29, 2025
Lime Kiln Middle School was one of the Top 10 performing schools on the English language arts assessment.
Howard Community College’s faculty secures 3-year contract
The Howard Community College board of trustees and its faculty union have ratified an inaugural bargaining agreement.
Aug 29, 2025
Dr. Alejandro Muzzio, an HCC faculty member, holds the hands of his children after delivering a list of the faculty’s demands of the HCCC administration following a rally to support Howard Community College faculty on the school’s quad in Columbia, Md. on Monday, July 28, 2025.
4 things to know about Howard County’s MCAP scores
Howard County Public School System elementary and middle school students once again outperformed state averages in the annual reading and math exams.
Aug 28, 2025
7 things to do in Howard County, from farm yoga to a sunset sunflower spectacular
Seven things to do in Howard County from Thursday, Aug. 28 to Wednesday, Sept. 3.
Aug 28, 2025
Roam through the sunflowers during Mary’s Land Farm’s Sunset Spectacular this Tuesday evening.
Howard County Police charge mother in last year’s death of 3-year-old
Howard County Police charged a mother in the November death of her 3-year-old child. At the time, the mother and child were living in Columbia.
Aug 21, 2025
A 3-year-old’s mother has been charged in the child’s November death by Howard County Police.
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