🍦Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse turns 150

Good morning, Annapolis. On this date in 1866, James Plimpton opened the word’s first roller skating rink in Newport, RI. Which is yet another thing the tiny Rhode Island city can hold over Annapolis’ head.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

• 12th Annual Halal Food Festival

• Navy adds to football broadcast team

• What candidates think about preservation

Let’s get to it.

— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, & Duffy Perkins

THE DIGEST

Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse turns 150

The Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse is the perfect picture of a lighthouse. It has stood watch on the Bay for 150 years this year and is the last screw-pile lighthouse in its original location on the Chesapeake Bay. In honor of this milestone anniversary, local photographer Rick Brady created a special birthday collage with 150 pictures of our famous lighthouse. You’ll notice some even contain the old Fresnel lens.

In case you missed it

You probably get a lot of emails. We do, too. So we can’t blame you for not opening every Naptown Scoop. So just in case you missed something last week, here are some things we think you might want to know about.

🇮🇹 An Italian restaurant called Positano will be filling the vacancy left by Agave in West Annapolis. Opening date is unknown.

🥒 An indoor pickleball franchise called Dill Dinkers is coming to the old Kmart in Edgewater. Opening date is expected to be Fall 2026.

🧀 Charcuterie spot Graze Craze is also coming to Annapolis soon although we don’t know where and we don’t know when.

🧑‍⚖️ The Senate confirmed the Naval Academy’s new superintendent, Micheal Borgschulte.

🚁 Anne Arundel County PD is expanding its drone program to include patrol usage.

🛥️ The 122-foot superyacht LoveBug sank in the West River last summer due to two open watertight doors which flooded the hull of the boat.

Keenan Reynolds and Mike James Join Navy Football Radio Network 🏈 ⚓️

Former Navy QB legend Keenan Reynolds and longtime Navy football beat writer Mike James will join the Navy Football Radio Network this fall. The Navy grads will fill the huge gap left by beloved broadcaster Pete Medhurst, who passed away way too young after a battle with brain cancer. Mike will be lead analyst for all 12 games, with Keenan joining for home games, the Army-Navy Game, and pregame shows.

They’ll work alongside play-by-play announcer Joe Miller, sideline reporter Keith Mills, and studio host Scott Wykoff. Keenan, Navy’s all-time winningest QB and former NFL player, and Mike, publisher of TheMidReport.com and co-host of the Anchors Aweigh podcast, aim to honor Pete’s legacy.

🎙️Catch broadcasts on WBAL Radio (1090 AM, 101.5 FM) or WNAV 1430 AM.

Navy football season approaches; team holds first public practice

Navy’s football team is hard at work prepping for what is hopefully, a second consecutive winning season. On Saturday, the team completed its longstanding tradition of a training camp open practice. They also completed what has unfortunately become a secondary tradition. According to longtime Navy sports writer Bill Wagner, practice was sloppy, mostly on the offense side. Head coach Brian Newberry agreed.

Luckily, the home opener is just under 3 weeks away so there’s time to improve. Tickets for August 30’s matchup against VMI start at $27 on SeatGeek.

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SPONSORED BY ANNAPOLIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Pops in the Park Is Almost Here

Pops in the Park is the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra’s gift to the community — a free outdoor concert filled with classic, patriotic and movie tunes, and the kind of summer magic that only live music in the park can bring.

Pack a picnic, grab your lawn chairs, and bring the whole family for these FREE concerts (parking is free too!). You’ve got two chances to catch the show:

🎶 Downs Park: Saturday, August 30th, at 11:30 AM - Please arrive after 10:30 AM for free entry into the park.

🎶 Quiet Waters Park: Sunday, August 31 at 5:30 PM - Be on time, parking can take a minute.

No tickets required, but register now for prizes, like tickets to ASO concerts!

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

Coming up this week

Tunesday floating concert series. Shelby Morgan plays a 90-minute set on the stern of a Chronic Sailing catamaran anchors on Back Creek. Come on your boat, paddleboard, kayak, or even watch from Elle O Moyer Park. August 12, 6–8:30 PM.

Yoga in the Garden. Lindsay Cook teaches a 60-minute all levels Vinyasa class in Fig + Flower’s Eastport backyard. Bring your own mat. August 13, 6–7 PM*. 413 Fourth Street*.

Tides and Tunes. A Classic Case rocks the classic Eastport summer series at the Annapolis Maritime Museum. August 14, 7–9 PM. 723 Second Street.

Halal Food Fest. In Arabic, halal translates to “permissible” and mostly refers to food that is permissible for Muslims to eat according to Islamic law. This weekend, a massive collection of halal vendors descends on the Anne Arundel County fairgrounds for the 12th Annual Halal Food Festival. August 16, 12–10 PM. 1450 Generals Highway.

Save these dates

🐕 🌊 SPCA Puppy Plunge: After treats and fetch, swimming ranks high on a dog’s list. Well, except for mine. The SPCA’s Puppy Plunge invites all pups to take a dip while their humans enjoy live music, food trucks, games, puppy contests, and more along the Chesapeake Bay. Proceeds benefit the SPCA of Anne Arundel County, helping save lives and finding fur-ever homes for homeless animals. Bark twice if you want to add a tail-wagging good time to your calendar.

🗓️ Sunday, August 24, 11 AM—2 PM, Camp Letts

🤝 35th annual Kunta Kinte Heritage Festival: We’ve all walked by the Kunta Kinte–Alex Haley Memorial at City Dock dozens of times. Like the statue, the festival (which drew 10,000+ people last year) celebrates the perseverance and cultural heritage of Africans, African Americans, and Caribbean people of African descent. This year’s event promises great entertainment, children’s activities, and food vendors. Admission is free.

🗓️ Saturday, September 13, 10 AM—7 PM (gates open at 9 AM), Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

Candidate forum on preservation

With a city as historic as Annapolis, preservation is always bound to be at the forefront of politics. Want to know what this year’s mayoral and Ward 1 candidates think about the issue? Historic Annapolis is hosting a forum on August 27 at the William Paca House and not only can you attend, you can send in questions. Early RSVPs are recommended because of limited space and questions must be sent by August 22.

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

Murder on the Waterfront: A True Crime Cruise Aboard the Wilma Lee

Step aboard the historic Skipjack Wilma Lee for Murder on the Waterfront, a chilling two-hour cruise through Annapolis’s most notorious true crime tales. Local storyteller Melissa Huston weaves suspenseful stories of scandal and murder as you enjoy themed fare from Bread and Butter Kitchen, perfectly paired with beer, wine, and canned cocktails. Adults only- mystery, maritime history, and macabre intrigue await.

🎟️ Food & drinks included. 9/3 5:30–7:30 PM*

*indicates sponsored advertising content.

WEATHER

Monday

83 🌡️ 72 | ⛅ | 15% | 💨 SSE 8 mph (7 knots)

Tuesday

85 🌡️ 75 | 🌤️ | 13% | 💨 SSE 9 mph (8 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 82ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN

🌳 🎵 = Outdoor Concert

Monday

49 West | Leslie Webber | 5–7 PM
49 West | 2nd Monday Songwriters Showcase | 7:30–10:30 PM

Tuesday

49 West | Seth Mitchell & Friends | 7:30–9:30 PM
🌳🎵 Chronic Sailing’s Tunesday | Shelby Morgan | 6–8:30 PM
Maryland Hall | The Wood Brothers w/ Mason Via | 6:30 PM | Tickets
Middleton Tavern | Annapolis Songwriters Showcase | 6–9 PM
The Point | Kavoossi | 5–8 PM
Pirates Cove | Chapter3 | 6–9 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Donavon Frankenreiter w/ Christina Holmes | 8 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | Suzy & Shaun | 8 PM

THANKS!

Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who summers in Newport, RI and tell them to come back home.