🍦Bring on the food trucks

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Annapolis. Don’t forget to wash all the salt off your car once the snow melts. That stuff is corrosive.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

• B Boutique goes online-only

• AACPL’s giving away Chromebooks

• Sock Burning date

Let’s get to it.

— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, & Ryan Sneddon

P.S. Happy birthday to Sue Weber! 🍰

SPONSORED BY BRAD KAPPEL
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
TTR SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE

Looking back on 2023

What a year. In 2023, I’m honored and grateful for all of my clients that made me the #1 Real Estate Agent in Maryland by volume and Sotheby’s International Realty Top 100 Worldwide for the second year in a row. What’s the secret?

• Industry-leading marketing

• Professional staging included with every listing

• One-on-one white glove service at every step of the way

If you’re thinking of listing your home this Spring, now’s the perfect time to reach out. We can make a plan to prepare your home to get Top Dollar and I can put you in touch with the best contractors to execute it. Make Your Move with Maryland’s #1 Real Estate Agent in 2024.

— Brad Kappel

THE DIGEST

Judge keeps affirmative action in place at Naval Academy

USNA is one place of higher ed where affirmative action is staying in place — for now, at least. You might remember last year the Supreme Court ruled affirmative action policies at colleges and universities were unconstitutional but said military academies (like USNA) could keep their processes in place.

Student for Fair Admissions, the same activist group that filed cases against Harvard and UNC, filed a lawsuit in October against the Naval Academy and West Point. But Judge Richard D. Bennett stiff-armed the group’s request for a preliminary injunction, meaning USNA gets to operate business as usual while litigation continues.

FWIW, the Naval Academy says racial considerations during its admissions process are limited and nondeterminative. The Department of Defense says diversity makes for a better military. ($)

AACPL’s giving away Chromebooks

Digital divide? AACPL’s hoping to make that a thing of the past. Eligible Anne Arundel County households can take home a Chromebook laptop to keep in the coming weeks. Eligible residents must be:

• 18 or older

• Anne Arundel County residents

• A low-income household

One Chromebook per household. If you’re eligible or know someone who is, get all the details here. The first giveaway is tonight in Linthicum. This grant is made possible because of a MD Department of Housing and Community Development grant to Anne Arundel County.

National Community Survey results are in

Good news: It turns out Annapolis residents like living here. And why wouldn’t we? We’ve got great crabcakes. Nearly 500 respondents chimed in on a Polco survey last fall and here are some highlights:

• 80% think Annapolis is a good or excellent place to live.

• 85% think of Annapolis as a good or excellent place to visit. That explains all the tourists.

But there’s always room for improvement. Respondents pointed to residential development, affordable housing, and crime prevention as areas where we can do better. So what’s the City of Annapolis going to do with this info? Budget season is coming up and it’s always helpful for city officials to know what residents think about public safety, transportation, parking, recreation opportunities, and much more.

Want to see the full results? Read the full 30-page report.

Stories with ($) require a third-party subscription.

@NAPTOWNSCOOP

📸 @maryland.aerials | 📍Chesapeake Bay Bridge

Tag @NaptownScoop to get your photos in the Scoop!

LOCAL BUSINESS

Fresh Green Annapolis Grand Opening 🥗

Lettuce celebrate Fresh Green Annapolis’ grand opening is this Saturday (1/27) from 11 AM–8 PM. There’s a one-day special: buy one salad, get one 20% off. So bring a friend! I don’t know about you, but I always love seeing another convenient, healthy salad spot in town. The Annapolis Harbour Center (2574 Solomons Island Road) is the perfect home for the new clean eating option. —LBM

Publisher’s note: As for me though, I’ll be at Crumbl Cookies (right next door).

Bring on the food trucks

Unanimous decisions are a rarity in government, but every member of the Annapolis City Council agrees food trucks should have fewer restrictions. Per an ordinance passed Monday night, food trucks can now park on any private, nonresidential property, or on almost any public property as long as they have the right permits and permission.

Restrictions still remain in the city’s Historic District, so don’t get your hopes up about seeing a food truck on Main Street any time soon. Oh, and if you’re worried about generator noise, there’s an app amendment for that. The trucks can’t use fossil fuel generators as their primary power source. ($)

B Boutique goes entirely online

If you noticed that B Boutique’s location on Main Street has closed its doors for good, don’t panic. Yes, this popular women-owned business has gotten rid of its brick-and-mortar store but it’s still going strong online. Check out their latest inventory and place your orders at bboutiqueshop.com.

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.

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

GreenScape Scheduled for April 20 🌷

DYK Earth Day is April 20? 🌎 And we know just how to celebrate. GreenScape 2024. That’s when Mayor Buckley and Rec & Parks Director Roslyn Johnson invite Annapolis residents to beautify our little city. Plant materials, mulch, trash bags, and gloves are all provided to volunteers. In 2023, more than 350 people planted 1,775 perennials, 94 trees and shrubs, and 314 herbs and vegetables. So, get those green thumbs ready. Get the scoop on how to pre-register for plants and meeting details.

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.

EXTRA SPRINKLES

Transform Your Kitchen With Blue Star Paint

After a long day in the snow all you want is the perfect cup of hot chocolate. Having the perfect kitchen can make that hot chocolate taste even better. Blue Star can make that happen. We can renovate your kitchen this winter while you spend quality time in the snow. So many memories can be made in your kitchen, why not make it one of your favorite rooms in the house. Visit Blue Star’s website to set up a free estimate for your kitchen renovation*

A Vinyl Record Show is Coming to Town!

Finally Coming to Annapolis! The first-ever Naptown Vinyl Record Show will be hosted at Maryland Hall on April 28, 2024. Save the Date and spread the word. A family-friendly full day for enthusiasts, collectors and curious Annapolitans, with live music, food trucks and surprises! Currently accepting Vendors and Sponsors. Learn more here or contact Maria Abreu at [email protected].*

*indicates sponsored advertising content.

WEATHER

Wednesday

47 🌡️ 45 | ☁️ | 24% | 💨 ESE 5 mph (4 knots)

Thursday

58 🌡️ 56 | 🌧️ | 85% | 💨 S 8 mph (7 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 37ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN

Wednesday

49 West | Dave Chappell and Friends | 5–7 PM
Brian Boru | Larry Lay | 6–9 PM
Galway Bay | Irish Trad Music Session | 8 PM
Killarney House | Jason Bishop | 6–10 PM
Middleton Tavern | Michael Waskey | 6–9 PM
Mother's Peninsula Grille | Mallo Hill| 7–10 PM
O’Loughlin’s | Nate Finn | 6–9 PM
Pirates Cove | Joey Fitz | 6–9 PM
The Point | Jordan | 5–8 PM
Reynolds Tavern | TBA | 7 PM
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Chris Dean | 9 PM

Thursday

Brian Boru | Ray Wroten | 6:30–9:30 PM
Copper Creek Pub & Ale House | Open Mic Night | 8–10 PM
Killarney House | Loose Change | 6–9 PM
Pirates Cove | Jason Bishop | 6–10 PM
The Point | Bryan Ewald | 5–8 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Cris Jacobs | 7:30 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Tavern | Nate Finn | 4:30 PM
Reynolds Tavern | Kavoossi | 7 PM
Severna Park Taphouse | Open Mic Night | 7 PM
Vibe | Open Mic Night | 7–11 PM

SPORTS

Broadneck and Old Mill take track & field champ titles

The track teams from Broadneck and Old Mill are probably icing down some sore legs after impressive showings at the Anne Arundel County Indoor Track and Field Championships on Monday night. Broadneck’s girls and Old Mill’s boys claimed champion titles. The Bruins’ Casey Gish and the Patriots’ Tsedeke Jakovics racked up some serious points (Gish 108 points, Jakovics 95 points).

Both athletes earned triple individual titles – Gish won long jump, triple jump, and high jump; Jakovics won the 800, 1,600, and 3,200-meter runs. ($)

Upcoming Navy games & matches

Women's Basketball (5-12)
1/24 vs. Bucknell | 7 PM

Men's Basketball (8-9)
1/24 @ Bucknell | 7 PM

Men's Squash (11-8)
1/24 @ Drexel | 5:30 PM
1/25 @ Haverford | 6 PM

Stories with ($) require a third-party subscription.

THANKS!

Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with your favorite travel agent.