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🍦How’s the county budget looking?

🍦How’s the county budget looking?

Pepper Place on Main Street, Summer Lectures at St. John’s, $1M Milestone for Parole Rotary...

Naptown Scoop
June 11, 2025

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Annapolis. Great news. Dilly Dally the sea turtle is back in the ocean after a flipper amputation following a shark bite down in Florida. Never pay attention to the odds, Dilly Dally.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Pepper Place on Main Street
Summer Lectures at St. John’s
$1M Milestone for Parole Rotary

Let’s get to it.

— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, Duffy Perkins, & Ryan Sneddon

Brad Kappel’s Home of the Week: A Private Retreat on Brewers Creek

Tucked away on 11 acres with 157 feet of shoreline, 3399 Pocahontas Drive offers a rare blend of space, privacy, and quiet waterfront living.

The 5,000+ sq ft home has been thoughtfully refreshed throughout and features five bedrooms, an inviting kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, and a gracious dining room — perfect for gathering with ease. The upstairs primary suite includes a spa-like bath, dual walk-in closets, and a private balcony with serene views.

Outside, enjoy summer days by the pool, cookouts under the pavilion, or a relaxed afternoon on the water from your private pier with deep-water access. A barn with horse stables and a chicken coop allows you to house animals of all kinds, and a guest apartment with 2 bedrooms adds flexibility for guests or extended family.

Offered at $2,695,000.

To experience this rare Edgewater retreat, contact Brad Kappel for your private showing.

THE DIGEST

Paca Girlfriends Party 🥂🪷

One of the most anticipated events of the year blooms in the William Paca House & Garden tonight. It’s the 17th annual Paca Girlfriends Party from 6–9 PM (VIP entry is at 5 PM). Guests will enjoy bubbly and culinary creations from top local chefs — all while fundraising for Historic Annapolis. Stroll the idyllic garden as you shop, network, and indulge in bits and beverages. 21+ only. General and VIP tickets are sold out (they go faster than a new Lilly Pulitzer line), but Sparkling VIP tickets remain. The garden party extraordinaire is held rain or shine.

Western Shore Veterinary Hospital offers your pets the finest wellness care, state-of-the-art diagnostics, dental treatment, and surgery ranging from spays/neuters to sophisticated treatments. You can find them online, by phone at 443-936-0660, or at 910C Bestgate Road, Annapolis, MD 21401.

Dog of the Week: Meet Baby 🐾

With a name like Baby, you might be expecting a teeny-tiny little dog instead of a terrier-pitbull mix. But it sounds like Baby gets his name not from his size but instead of his sweet, playful nature — the team at the SPCA describes him as “one of the cutest goofballs you’ve ever met.” He’s 5 years old and has been at the SPCA for most of his life, since August 2021, but he’s an active, adventurous partner for anyone who loves running or hiking. It’s best to start with a few meet-and-greets. Baby can be iffy about new people.

Maryland DNR shows decline in oyster production is expected

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recently reviewed the annual drop in oyster production, specifically in oyster bushels. While the commercial fisheries reported roughly 700,000 bushels of oysters in 2024, 2025’s numbers are looking closer to 300,000. But 2024 was considered an outlier of a year, with 2025 staying on track for the annual numbers over the last 20 years.

🦪 Where’s your favorite place to slurp oysters?

Parole Rotary marks $1 million milestone

This morning, members of the Parole Rotary Club are celebrating a huge milestone: the group has distributed over $1 million in grant giving among local agencies. More than 25 agencies will be on hand to showcase the work that the Parole Rotary Club’s funding has supported, with the Club giving distinctions to organizations that have shown outstanding support to county families and organizations. Thanks for giving back!

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LOCAL BUSINESS

Pepper Palace: a hot topic in the downtown biz scene 🌶️

Is Annapolis getting its own Pepper Palace? The national chain known for its hot sauce has a sign up at 133 Main Street (where Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt used to be). But here’s where the story gets a little spicy — there’s a stop work order from the City of Annapolis for lack of permits to renovate the interior. An opening date is still TBA and hiring is still in process. We’ll be sure to share any hot details as soon as they become available.

188 Main Street has sold for $3.3 million

Downtown Annapolis is celebrating a big sale this week: 188 Main Street, the building that houses Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls among other businesses, has sold for the first time in almost 40 years. The 11,468-square-foot building, which is a mix of restaurants, retail storefronts, and office space, was represented by the Hyatt Commercial team of Cecil Cummins, John Gallagher, Eric Pinkett, and Justin Mullen. “Properties like 188 Main don’t trade often — it’s a cornerstone of downtown Annapolis with a proven track record,” said Cecil Cummins, Executive VP of Hyatt Commercial. “It offers investors both stability and upside in one of the most iconic commercial blocks in the state.”

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’

Dublin 5 at Annapolis Maritime Museum’s Tides & Tunes 🌊 ☘️

T-minus ☝️ day until the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s Tides & Tunes kickoff. Dublin 5, one of Annapolis’ most beloved local bands, will perform June 12 from 7–9 PM. Admission is free, but $10 donations are appreciated. Whether you’re traveling by kayak, boat, or car, remember it’s a zero-waste event — so BYO cup. No outside alcohol is allowed; spirits and food available for purchase. The forecast looks sunny and warm. But you can always check AAM’s Instagram or Facebook at 4 PM on Thursdays for weather updates/cancellations.

Summer learning with St. John’s 🤓

You’re never too old to learn, especially when the world is changing so much so quickly. Which is why you might want to mark your calendars for Wednesday evenings this summer. That’s when St. John’s College Graduate Institute is holding its summer lecture series, this year themed “Liberal Education in the Age of the LLM” (that’s large language model, aka the AI that can understand and generate human language — highly relevant). The lectures, which start at 7:30 PM, are free and open to the public at McDowell Hall (60 College Avenue). You can also stream online. Curious about what’s specifically being discussed each week? See the full schedule.

🔎 Beyond Annapolis: You probably already know St. John’s has another campus in Santa Fe, New Mexico. They’ll have their own lecture series as well, and thanks to the power of streaming, you can watch their lectures online as easily as you can watch the ones in Annapolis.

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

How’s the county budget looking? 👀

As of yesterday, we’re three weeks out from next year’s county budget going into effect (the start of Fiscal Year 2026 is July 1). And as that deadline gets closer, the county council is doing a final round of scrutiny on where to spend and where to save. Council members put forth 54 amendments to the budget at Monday’s meeting, and although some were rejected or withdrawn, many were approved. In addition to the $100K saved based on these amendments, the council also voted to cut funding for the public campaign finance system and for refurnishing the state’s attorney’s office. Pittman gave his final supplemental amendments yesterday, and the council has a scheduled vote on Friday to approve the final budget. ($)

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EXTRA SPRINKLES

Schools out means new chances to explore your hometown

Everyone in the family can learn about Annapolis and its 400-year history at the Museum of Historic Annapolis. From a hotbed of revolutionary ideas (and Declaration signers) to the Civil War, the Civil Rights movement and more, see the people, events and history that shaped our beautiful town, and our country. Fully accessible, and a Blue Star Museum – explore on your own or take a guided tour. Full details on our website.*

*indicates sponsored advertising content.

WEATHER

Wednesday

83 🌡️ 68 | ☀️ | 3% | ENE 7 mph (6 knots)

Thursday

87 🌡️ 72 | ☀️ | 5% | 💨 SSW 8 mph (4 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 73ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN

Wednesday

Thursday

NAVY SPORTS

Matt Fluhr Named Navy Heavyweight Rowing Head Coach 🚣‍♂️

Matt Fluhr — a 2012 USNA grad and former Navy rower — has been elevated to the Tom & Candy Knudson Navy Heavyweight Rowing Head Coach after serving as associate head coach last season. A veteran both on the water and in service, Fluhr previously coached under Steve Gladstone at Navy and Yale. This is his first collegiate head coaching role. As a Mid, he stroked the first varsity boat for three years and earned the Rusty Callow Award twice — Navy heavyweight rowing’s top honor. He also served six years as a Surface Warfare Officer. Fluhr is ready to keep Navy rowing full speed ahead!

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THANKS!

Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who wanted to be a marine biologist growing up. Which should be just about every girl you went to middle school with.

🍦How’s the county budget looking?

Pepper Place on Main Street, Summer Lectures at St. John’s, $1M Milestone for Parole Rotary...

TOGETHER WITH

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