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🍦Fight Night in Annapolis
Foodie Friday: Restaurant Week Edition, save our trees, Eddie McKinnon joins the Anchors Aweigh Podcast...
Naptown Scoop
February 21, 2025
TOGETHER WITH
Good morning, Annapolis. 68% of y’all said you liked our graphics yesterday so my ego is intact. Even though that means 32% of you said they sucked. We’ve got a real fun one in the boxing story today.
In today’s Naptown Scoop:
Foodie Friday: Restaurant Week Edition
Save our trees
Eddie McKinnon joins the Anchors Aweigh Podcast
Let’s get to it.
— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, Duffy Perkins, & Ryan Sneddon
SPONSORED BY ANNAPOLIS MALL
Big Changes, Bigger Shopping: Annapolis Mall welcomes new General Manager
Annapolis Mall is excited to welcome Mariah Michaud as our new General Manager! With 18 years of experience in commercial real estate and a passion for creating top-tier shopping destinations, Mariah is ready to bring fresh energy and exciting updates to our mall. From enhanced experiences to new stores, she’s here to make every visit better than ever.
Speaking of shopping — have you checked out the incredible lineup of stores? Whether you're refreshing your wardrobe at Zara, Free People, or Lululemon, upgrading your tech at Apple, or finding the perfect home essentials at Crate & Barrel and The Container Store, there’s something for everyone. Plus, with DICK'S House of Sport and Dave & Buster's on the way, the best is yet to come!
Come shop, dine, and experience the future of Annapolis Mall — it’s only getting better from here!
THE DIGEST
The biggest stories we covered this week
🥐 Great Harvest Bread Company isn’t closing. Naval Academy grad Joe Kirby will act as its new GM until he buys it from Frank Dembia later this year.
💰 Michael Taylor (another Naval Academy grad) donated $15 million to the Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation. Get it? These are the biggest stories we covered this week.
Most clicked stories of the week 🏆
Wednesday: Annapolis Restaurant Week: Grab your reservations now!
Thursday: New ownership for Great Harvest Bread Co. 🍞
BOE Approves $1.82B Operating, $204.7M Capital Budget Requests 💰
The Board of Ed is making BIG money moves this week. They adopted a $1.82 billion operating and $204.7 million capital budget request for FY2026. The Board approved 18 of Superintendent Dr. Bedell’s 22 amendments, adding $8.8 million. The operating budget, $138.4 million higher than last year, creates 239 new positions focused on employee compensation, special education, early literacy, multilingual learners, and student wellness. The capital budget funds building upgrades, a new bus facility, security improvements, and the final phase of the Old Mill Master Plan’s 3 schools
The requests now go to County Executive Steuart Pittman, with public hearings before the County Council finalizes the budget by June 15. The Board will adopt the final budget on June 18, 2025.
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@NAPTOWNSCOOP
📸 @dogsofannapolis | 📍Downtown Annapolis
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LOCAL BUSINESS
Foodie Friday: Annapolis Restaurant Week edition 🥗
Scoop writer Dylan. I’m looking through the menus for Annapolis Restaurant Week. As your friendly vegetarian Annapolitan, I’m always happy to give tips on the best places to score a plant-based bite around the city — but the good news is that there are also plenty of options for the omnivores and carnivores out there. Restaurant Week starts this Saturday and runs through next Sunday, during which time participating restaurants all over Annapolis will have prix fixe menus for pretty much every meal of the day, plus a few bonus specials. After looking through the menus, I have my eye on:
🍄 The roasted portobello mushroom sandwich on the lunch menu at Annapolis Market House
🍆 The roasted eggplant lasagna with vegan (!) cheese on the dinner menu at Metropolitan Kitchen & Lounge
🧆 The falafel rice bowl on the lunch menu at Severn Inn
Be sure to check out the full list of all restaurants to see what catches your fancy!
20 years of the softest clothes on Main Street 🦙
If you’ve ever met an alpaca on Main Street, Zia Boccaccio is the reason why. She founded Alpaca International right here in Annapolis back in 2004. Since then, she’s opened stores in Park City, UT; Juneau, AK; and Cusco, Peru. The City Council will be presenting Zia with a citation congratulating her on 20 years in business on Monday. We’d also like to congratulate Zia and thank her for make alpacas on Main Street a beloved Midnight Madness tradition.
P.S. Yes, I know that’s a llama emoji. There’s no alpaca one and they’re both part of the camel family.
Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.
SPONSORED BY ST. ANNE’S SCHOOL
It may only be February, but summer camps are certainly in sight! And St. Anne’s School offers a camp for young explorers that always delights. So, if you’re on the camp hunt for your tiny tot, Summer Explorers camp is your one-stop shop. From extra special visitors to Fun in the Sun Fridays, your young adventurer is in for a summer of surprises. Take a peek at what all they have in store, and send your camper off to learn, play, and explore!
WHAT’S HAPPENIN’
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s fight night in Annapolis. Midshipmen across about 15 different weight classes will go mano a mano tonight in Alumni Hall to crown the finest boxers at the Naval Academy. In a world where finfluencer, metaverse, and cryptojacking are getting added to the dictionary, Brigades (as it’s often shortened) is an awesome night of old school sport. That’s why we made the old school poster.
Entry is free. Shuttles run from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium to Alumni Hall from 6:30–10:30 PM. Pro tip: Civilians can’t drive onto the Naval Academy campus, so shuttling is your best bet.
One month countdown: Oyster Roast & Sock Burning 🦪🧦
Around Annapolis, the surest sign that spring is here is the putrid smell of burning socks – a tradition dating all the way back to the ‘70s. And as of this weekend, the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s Oyster Roast & Sock Burning is officially one month away. Be sure to stop by the museum on March 22 from noon – 4 PM to welcome in barefoot/boat shoe season by tossing those winter socks into the bonfire, slurping some oysters, and raising a toast to the warm weather coming our way. VIP tickets are sold out, but you can still get general admission (for now).
Save Our Trees! (from English ivy)
Have a couple of hours to save local forests from invasive destruction? Of course you do! Save Our Trees is working with the Germantown-Homewood community to remove a patch of English ivy that’s threatening a Brewer Hill forest, and they need volunteers this Saturday. You don’t need to be a environmentalist or master gardener to help: they’ll show you everything you need to know. Meet at the end of Brewer Ave. at noon and bring a pair of gloves, a water bottle, long sleeves, and maybe even a friend. Sign up in advance. Because saving the world (one tree at a time) is a communal effort.
Talent Machine auditions: The Addams Family 🪦
Give a hand (disembodied or otherwise) to the Talent Machine Company — they put on great shows every summer, and they’re auditioning for the first show of their 2025 season, The Addams Family, on March 2 and 7. Performers age 14–18 are welcome to try out, no previous experience necessary:
March 2: 3-5:30 PM
March 7: 6:30-8:30 PM
Callbacks March 8: Time TBD
Never auditioned before? Or just want to get comfortable for the audition process? An optional free pre-audition workshop is this Sunday 10 AM – noon. The workshop and all auditions will be held at Stageworkz (1035 Benfield Blvd, Millersville). Get details and sign up.
Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.
CIVIL NEWS
⚖️ City Council Meeting
Monday’s (2/24) City Council Meeting has a hefty agenda to cover. The Special Meeting will take place in the Mayor John T. Chambers, Jr. City Council Chambers at 7 PM. Highlights include: Speed Monitoring Cameras, naming of Thompson Street Park, parking and towing regulations, AACPS’ elimination of early dismissal days if state requirement of hours is met, among other topics.
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WEATHER
Friday
36 🌡️ 22 | ☀️ | 1% | 💨 NW 17 mph (15 knots)
Saturday
40 🌡️ 28 | 🌤️ | 4% | 💨 WSW 7 mph (6 knots)
Sunday
46 🌡️ 31 | 🌤️ | 4% | 💨 W 6 mph (5 knots)
💧🌡️ Water temperature = 35ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication
LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN
Friday
49 West | Soul Sirens | 7:30–10:30 PM
Annapolis Smokehouse & Tavern | Dave Chappel | 8:30 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Dana B | 4–7 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Rich Russman Band | 9 PM
Brian Boru | 120hz | 7–10 PM
The Choptank | Kieran Lally | 8 PM
Killarney House | Meg & Angie | 7:30–10:30 PM
The Lodge | Aaron Hawkins| 8–11 PM
Middleton Tavern | Shatners| 10 PM
Old Stein | Dan Haas | 7–10 PM
Pirates Cove | The Hyland Brothers | 7:30–10:30 PM
Rams Head Roadhouse | Bob Quinlan | 8 PM
Reynolds Tavern | TBA | 7 PM
Romilo’s Restaurant and Bar | Remedy | 7 PM
Severna Park Taphouse | Michael Miller | 8 PM
Saturday
49 West | Carly Winter & Meagan Griffith | 7:30–10:30 PM
Blackwall Hitch | FessUP | 9 PM
Brian Boru | Peter James | 7–10 PM
The Choptank | Joel David | 8 PM
Dark Horse | Troll Tribe | 9 PM
Great Frogs | Jess Marie | 12:30–3:30 PM
Killarney House | Levi Stephens | 7:30–10:30 PM
Pirates Cove | Lost & Found | 7:30–10:30 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Benjie Porecki | 1 PM | Tickets
Rams Head On Stage | LILIAC | 8 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | The Birddaddy Project | 9 PM
Reynolds Tavern | TBA | 7 PM
Romilo’s Restaurant and Bar | Blue Line | 7 PM
Severna Park Taphouse | The Crayfish | 7 PM
Sunday
49 West | The Apostles | 7:30–10 PM
Brian Boru | Big Brothers Porch | 4–7 PM
Galway Bay | Mike Tony Scoglio | 4–8 PM
Great Frogs | Madisun Bailey | 12:30–3:30 PM
Pirates Cove | Joe Hickey | 3–6 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Eddie 9V | 1 PM | Tickets
Rams Head On Stage | Foreigners Journey ft. Constantine Maroulis | 7:30 PM | Tickets
he Anchors Aweigh podcast is proud to welcome aboard our Navy Men's Lacrosse Insider. Former Navy men's lacrosse standout and 2002 academy graduate Eddie McKinnon will join the pod periodically during the season to talk Navy men's lacrosse. In our interview segment, we talk to Navy radio play-by-play announcer Joe Miller about the Army-Navy basketball doubleheader. Listen.
Upcoming games
Baseball (0-3)
2/21 vs. Air Force | 6 PM
2/22 vs. Air Force | 2 PM
2/23 vs. Air Force | 12:30 PM
Women's Basketball (15-10)
2/22 @ Holy Cross | 2 PM
Men's Basketball (10-18)
2/23 vs. Holy Cross | 2 PM
Women's Lacrosse (3-0)
2/23 vs. Harvard | 11 AM
Men's Lacrosse (3-0)
2/22 @ Penn State | 1 PM
Men's Rugby (10-1)
2/22 vs. No. 1 California | Noon
Women's Soccer (9-10-2)
2/21 vs. Georgetown | 7 PM
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THANKS!
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