Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly’s 2025 State of the County address to the business community is planned for Jan. 23.

Cassilly will recap the past year and discuss plans for 2025 during the event, sponsored by MedStar Health and hosted by the Harford County Chamber of Commerce. The event begins at 11 a.m., with networking, followed by a luncheon. Cassilly is scheduled to give remarks at 12:20 p.m., at the Water’s Edge Event Center, 4687 Millennium Drive, Belcamp.

Cost to attend is $50 in advance or $75 on the day of the event for chamber members. For non-members the cost is $60 in advance or $85 on the day of, according to the Harford County Chamber of Commerce. Register at https://business.harfordchamber.org/events/register/15134.

Harford County Public Library hosts Genealogy Week programs

Harford County Public Library celebrates Genealogy Week Jan. 27-30 by hosting three virtual programs:

  • DNA: Just Beyond the Basics – Adding to Your Solid Foundation, Jan. 27, 6:30-8 p.m.
  • Walk Where Your Ancestors Walked: Virtual Heritage Travel Using AI & Online Resources, Jan. 28, 6:30-8 p.m.
  • Using FamilySearch: A FREE Genealogy Website, Jan. 30, 6:30-8 p.m.

In addition to those programs, genealogy discussion groups meet at the Bel Air Library on the first Monday of the month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and at the Jarrettsville Library on the fourth Thursday of the month from 6:15 to 7:45 a.m. Topics vary by month and location. Researchers are invited to share and learn about resources, techniques and tips.

“Genealogy Week is one of the most anticipated weeks of the year for many of our customers. The library offers so many resources to genealogists, from those just beginning their search to those who have explored and investigated their family histories for many years. This year’s programming offers something for everyone, and we are very excited to explore how AI is being used in research during the January 28 program,” Library CEO Mary Hastler said in a news release.

HCPL also offers several genealogy databases, including Ancestry Library Edition, Heritage Quest Online, ProQuest Historical U.S. Newspapers and Fold 3. The Maryland Room at the Bel Air Library houses an array of genealogy and local research materials in addition to Harford County’s Living Treasures Oral History Collection. The Bel Air Library is also an affiliate library for FamilySearch, a program with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that houses a catalog of 2.4 million rolls of microfilmed genealogical resources worldwide and access to millions of digital records. For more information, visit https://hcplonline.org/genealogy.php.

HCPL also offers access to the Harford Heritage Digital Archives, containing hundreds of documents, images and Harford County local history resources at https://hcplonline.org/localhistory.php.

Harford Community College presents Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live

Harford Community College will present Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live on Feb. 1 at 3 p.m. in the Amoss Center in Bel Air.

The event guides families on a tour that begins in prehistoric Australia. Families will meet and observe a collection of lifelike dinosaurs and other creatures in a theatrical performance. Ticket prices start at $20. For more information, visit harfordevents.com.

Historical Society of Harford County presents author James Foster

Learn more about the harrowing history of the Chesapeake Bay and winter’s impact on its shores during a virtual presentation by James Foster, Jan. 14, sponsored by the Historical Society of Harford County.

Foster will share stories from his book on the Chesapeake and the disasters and pitfalls large and small that came with the coldest winters.

When portions of the Great Shellfish Bay iced up, the flow of commerce was seriously impeded. At the turn of the 19th century, with the center of the new nation’s government establishing its arms, a frozen bay meant that the United States’ emergence to a status on par with the world’s foremost nations could be painfully slow. The bay’s history is a paramount factor in the nation’s development and makes an incredible story. Register for this free event at harfordhistory.org.

Have a news tip? Contact Allana Haynes at ahaynes@baltsun.com.