🍦Our favorite May Day baskets

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Annapolis. I’m gonna make a bold statement this morning. Last night’s sunset was the best of 2024 so far and it’s not close.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

• Pittman proposes FY25 budget

• Two new businesses

• Are drive-thrus history?

Let’s get to it.

— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, & Ryan Sneddon

SPONSORED BY HISTORIC ANNAPOLIS

Rubble to Roses 🌹

“A charming town with brick-lined streets and structures dating back centuries.”

That’s what Condé Nast Traveler thinks about Annapolis. No wonder we’re a Top 10 Small City in the USA. But Annapolis isn’t beautiful by chance. . . .

We can thank Historic Annapolis (HA) for that.

The William Paca Garden is a most magnificent example of a colonial inspired urban oasis downtown. But it wasn’t always a garden.

At one point, the garden vanished beneath Carvel Hall Hotel and a parking lot. HA lovingly restored it to its 18th century glory in the 70s and has stewarded it for the past 50 years. But they need our support to protect Annapolis.

Come to the 50th annual William Paca Garden Plant Sale on May 11 & 12. It’s always super popular, so here’s a local secret. HA members get early access at 9:30 am on Saturday and 10% off. It’s worth joining for that alone! Here’s all the info.

See you at the plant sale!

THE DIGEST

We definitely got our 10,000 steps yesterday. Trying to see every May Day basket in town is hard work! Unfortunately for the flowers, it was toasty yesterday so many wilted before we arrived for photos. But we still did the best we could and have 49 photos of beautiful baskets for you. Congratulations to all Blue Ribbon winners! Enjoy the May Day Tea and remember, pinky out doesn’t actually make you look more sophisticated. 🫖 

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LOCAL BUSINESS

Grand Opening of Punk & Boone Bridal 👰‍♀️

The ribbon cutting announcements continue with another Severna Park business this Saturday (5/4) at 12:30 PM. Come meet Punk & Boone Bridal owner Logan Burnett and see her spectacular new space. Logan’s the “Punk” half of the brand, courtesy of her childhood nickname. As for who Boone is, you’ll just have to go to the ribbon cutting to find out. Punk & Boone Bridal is located at 572 Ritchie Highway, Suite E, Severna Park, MD 21146.

GLO30 coming to Harbour Center this summer

This is the summer you start taking better care of your skin. No, seriously — you have the perfect opportunity. Because GLO30’s latest franchise is in Annapolis. The affordable skincare center is scheduled to open in the Harbour Center at the beginning of the summer under the ownership of tech professional Ashley Glendening. Why’s it called GLO30? Because the idea is that you visit every 30 days for a cleansing, exfoliating, and hydrating facial. And that privilege only costs $89 per month. Learn more about GLO30 here.

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.

A MESSAGE FROM ST. ANNE’S SCHOOL

Does Your Child Skip into School?

At St. Anne’s School of Annapolis, we know how critical it is for a child to feel emotionally safe and happy at school. Feelings of joy and security create a sense of belonging that research shows is imperative to a child’s academic success. If a child isn’t happy at school, they will never reach their full academic potential. Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, Director of the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education, states, “Emotion is essential to learning, and should not be underestimated or misunderstood as a trend…Emotion is where learning begins…” Social Emotional Learning isn’t just a sidenote at St. Anne’s School, it’s woven directly into the curriculum. It’s why our students come to school happy and leave our school happy, matriculating on to their choice of high schools and achieving success far beyond our campus walls. So, skip on over and schedule a tour with our Director of Admissions Haley DeMaria.

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

Weekend Preview

Books, Irish pride, Latin pride, opera — it’s a busy weekend ahead of us. If you don’t already have plans, we’re here to help. Or paralyze you with too many choices.

📚 BIG Books Sale: Books for International Goodwill has its quarterly used book sale this weekend on Friday from 3–5 PM and Saturday from 8 AM–2 PM. 451 Defense Highway, Annapolis, MD 21401.

🍀 Annapolis Irish Festival: Celebrate the culture of the Emerald Isle on Saturday from 11 AM – 9 PM with live music, themed vendors, and family-friendly activities at the County Fairgrounds — 1450 Generals Highway, Crownsville, MD 21032.

🪅 MD Fiesta Latina: What better day to celebrate Latino culture than Cinco de Mayo (this Sunday, May 5). Add in tacos, tequila, and Latin dance classes and I’m not sure there’s a better way to spend a Sunday. Just like the Irish Festival above (which is hosted by the same fine folks, ABC Events), this is at the County Fairgrounds — 1450 Generals Highway, Crownsville, MD 21032.

🎶 Annapolis Opera Vocal Competition. Hear the most talented rising stars in the classical vocal world on Sunday at 3 PM at Maryland Hall in a competition that dates back to 1988. Some variation of soprano has won the last three years in a row. A tenor hasn’t won since 2016. Is this the year a tenor takes back the top spot? — 801 Chase Street, Annapolis, MD 21401.

Summer is for music

Here’s the plan for these almost summer evenings: Get outside and enjoy some live music. Maybe even bring a picnic. Sound like a great idea? Here are two upcoming concert series where you can do just that:

• Annapolis Town Center Summer Concerts are the first and third Friday of every month through September, 6–8 PM at ATC’s Boathouse Pavilion (next to P.F. Chang’s). Upcoming performers include Fantasm (May 3) and Michael Henry Tribe (May 17). Full schedule.

• Hatton-Regester Green Spring Concerts are every Sunday evening in May from 4–6 PM along the B&A Trail between miles 4.5 and 5. Upcoming performances include Guava Jelly (May 5) and Josette & Bill (May 12). Full schedule.

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

Pittman proposes Anne Arundel’s FY25 budget

County Executive Steuart Pittman just proposed a $2.3 billion budget to the County Council for FY2025. That’s higher than last year’s $2.14 billion, notably because it includes funding for three new public schools and significant pay raises for police officers. To offset the cost, Pittman proposed increasing permit and 911 fees. And possibly your taxes.

• For single filers, the first $50k in income would still be taxed at 2.7%. Any income between $50k–400k would be taxed at 2.94% (instead of 2.81%). Anything above $400k would remain at 3.2%.

• For joint filers, the first $75k in income would still be taxed at 2.7%. Any income between $75k–480k would be taxed at 2.94% (instead of 2.81%). Anything above $480k would remain at 3.2%.

County Council will deliberate on the budget at several meetings we will of course keep you informed on. In the meantime, you can read the official Budget in Brief (26 pages) or the whole darn thing (429 pages) on the county’s website.

No more drive-thrus?

“Pull up to the first window” might be words you’ll hear less often around Annapolis if City Council moves forward with a new piece of legislation. They’re currently considering a bill that would prohibit new drive-thrus in town. It’s based on the idea that drive-thrus are built for driver-centric cultures, not pedestrian-friendly ones. Critics of the bill pointed out the negative effects this could have on populations like the elderly or disabled.

City Council also discussed banning plastic bags (like Anne Arundel County already did) on Monday night. Megan Loock analyzed both bills in the Capital Gazette after the meeting. ($)

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WEATHER

Thursday

86 🌡️ 64 | ☀️ | 8% | 💨 SSW 9 mph (8 knots)

Friday

70 🌡️ 54 | ⛅ | 3% | 💨 E 14 mph (12 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 64ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN

Thursday

49 West | Jeff Antoniuk & Helluvaband | 7:30–10 PM
Brian Boru | Ted Garber | 6:30–9:30 PM
Dark Horse | b.en & the b.and | 9 PM
Killarney House | Chris Durm | 6–9 PM
Market House | Suzy and Alex | 6–9 PM
Mother's Peninsula Grille | The Devaney | 7–10 PM
Pirates Cove | Jason Bishop | 6–10 PM
The Point | Kavoossi | 5–8 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Margaret Glaspy w/ Ryan Lerman | 7:30 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Tavern | Victoria & Steve | 4:30 PM
Reynolds Tavern | TBA | 7 PM
Trophy Room | Sparks & McCoy | 7–10 PM

Friday

49 West | Tom Mitchell | 8–10:30 PM
Annapolis Smokehouse & Tavern | Rickshaw Lizard | 8:30–11:30 PM
Annapolis Town Center Summer Concert | Fantasm | 6–8 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Dana B | 4 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Michael McHenry Tribe | 9 PM
Brian Boru | Lost and Found | 7–10 PM
The Choptank | Clint Szafader | 8 PM
Coconut Joe's | Dave Bell | 5–8 PM
Coconut Joe's | Tension | 9 PM
Great Frogs | Black Rhinoceros | 4:30–7:30 PM
Jalapeños | Tom Lagana | 7:30–10:30 PM
Killarney House | Ciaran Quinn | 8–11 PM
Market House | Scott and Alex G Lee | 7–10 PM
Market Space | James Von Lenz | 6–9 PM
Metropolitan Rooftop | b.en | 8–11 PM
Middleton Tavern | Off the Hook | 10 PM
Mother's Peninsula Grille | Mallow Hill Trio | 8–11 PM
Old Stein Inn | TBA | 8–11 PM
Pirates Cove | Ferro & Friends | 7–10 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Vanilla Fudge | 8 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | Mike Miller | 8 PM
Rams Head Tavern | Alex Peters | 5 PM
Rams Head Tavern | Michael K | 10 PM
Romilo’s Restaurant and Bar | Genghis Kahn | 7 PM
Severna Park Taphouse | Nate & Jim | 6–9 PM
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Tommy McGee Band | 9:45 PM
Watermark Annapolis Cruise | Troll Tribe | 7:30–9 PM | Tickets

NAVY SPORTS

Past results

Baseball (25-19)
5/1 @ #11 Virginia | L 10–0

Upcoming games & matches

Women's Lacrosse (14-3)
5/2 vs. Holy Cross | 7 PM | Patriot League Semifinal

Men's Lacrosse (9-6)
5/3 vs. Lehigh | 7 PM | Patriot League Semifinal

Women's Tennis (24-6)
5/3 @ North Carolina | 6 PM

Women’s Track & Field
5/3–4 @ Patriot League Outdoor Championship

Men's Track & Field
5/3–4 @ Patriot League Outdoor Championship

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THANKS!

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