🍦What was all that smoke?

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Annapolis. No matter how long you live in Maryland, the ole it’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine, it feels like Death Valley with 100% humidity, and now it’s kinda cool again always sneaks up on you.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

• Eastport a Rockin’

• Five great 🆓 events

• POLL: Would you use a bike lane on the Bay Bridge?

Let’s get to it.

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

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THE DIGEST

What was all that smoke?

Annapolis was hazier than a New England IPA on Saturday. The AQI (air quality index) peaked between 150–175 which is unpleasant for everyone and unhealthy for people with lung diseases like asthma. It’s currently back down to around 50 where it is expected to stay this week.

• The Mines Sprung wildfire in New Jersey was the culprit.

It started Friday and spread to almost 6,000 acres. As of 12 PM yesterday, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service reported that the fire was 80% contained.

Anne Arundel County Council Unanimously Approves FY26 Budget

Good news! The Anne Arundel County Council has unanimously voted to adopt County Executive Steuart Pittman’s 2026 $2.4 billion budget. Pittman first introduced the budget on May 1 with the theme “Protecting Our People.” The plan maintains a strong fiscal foundation, reduces the property tax rate, and makes new investments in education, public safety, health and human services, affordable housing, and infrastructure. AACPS is getting a record $52.28 million increase in their operating budget, and first responders are getting a raise.

More perks:

• $1.5 million for the Anne Arundel County Food Bank

• Recurring funding for the Health Ambassadors and Healthy Communities Programs

• Funding for violence interruption programs in Eastport and Severn

• Increased support for crisis response mental health services

To check out the full story, click here.

A bike/pedestrian lane on the new bay bridge? 🚲

Ever found yourself sitting in Bay Bridge traffic thinking, “I could walk across the bridge faster. . . ”? You aren’t alone. Bike AAA and Bike Maryland are co-leading a letter signed by 56 organizations (including local, regional, and national groups) asking for a designated bike and pedestrian lane when a new Bay Bridge is built. As they point out, having a way to cross the bridge on foot or bicycle would:

✅ give people alternative transportation options
✅ connect Anne Arundel County’s trails with Queen Anne’s County’s

This got us thinking — would you be up for walking or riding your bike across the Bay Bridge? Scoop publisher Ryan’s biked across SF’s Golden Gate Bridge and thinks it would be awesome. And Scoop writer Dylan does the Bay Bridge Run every fall and would love the option to do it whenever he wants. So, do you agree with them?

Third candidate joins County Executive race

District 1 democrat Pete Smith recently (and quietly) announced his bid for Anne Arundel County Executive, meeting with constituents on Saturday and declaring his candidacy. Smith is in his third term representing District 1, is an intelligence officer with the Marine Corps Reserves, and is employed at the NSA in Fort Meade. So don’t ask him what he does.

Although he’s a registered democrat, he’s often considered a swing vote. “I don’t look at legislation necessarily through a lens of politics,” he told the Capital Gazette. “I look at it through a lens of what is in the best interest for citizens of Anne Arundel County. Sometimes that may be something that doesn’t align with my party but I’m always willing to do what is in the best interest of the citizens and the businesses because they’re who I work for.” $

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@NAPTOWNSCOOP

📸 @motoxdms | 📍 Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse

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WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

Coming Up This Week 🗓️

We’re taking it easy on your wallets. Five out of seven events are 🆓

TUESDAY

🥾 Scenic Rivers' 36th Anniversary Hike. Celebrate 36 years of conservation with a 🆓 all-ages guided two-mile hike through the Bacon Ridge woods 6–8 PM. Space is limited. Register.

🌊 🎶 Tunesday. Listen to Kristi Allen on this edition of a 🆓 floating concert on Back Creek. 6–8:30 PM

WEDNESDAY

⚽️ 💙 Annapolis Blues vs. Virginia Beach United. Kick it at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium as the men take on Virginia Beach United at 7:30 PM. Score tickets.

THURSDAY

🌊 🎶 Tides and Tunes. Sweet Leda brings rock, soul, and funk to Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park (7–9 PM). 🆓 ($10 donation is appreciated).

🌊 🎶 Carr’s Beach Reunion. Need Juneteenth plans? 🆓 concert on 2 stages (Elktonia Beach and Annapolis Maritime Pavilion) with tunes from Voices of Motown Philly, Clones of Funk, and more. 3–7 PM

💐 Garden Ramble. Let the good thymes roll. Live music from the Celtic Piper Jones Band, pollinator-inspired mead, and beautiful blooming gardens at Historic London Town.

SATURDAY

✊🏾 5th annual Annapolis Juneteenth parade. (Steps off at St. John’s College, 11 AM) and festival (2–10 PM at Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds). Festival has food, games, live performances by international and local artists, exhibits, vendors, a Children’s Village, and fireworks at 9:15 PM.

SUNDAY

✊🏾 Annapolis Juneteenth festival. Day ✌️ continues from 2–8 PM.

Save the date: Eastport a Rockin’ 2025 🎸

Annapolis’ favorite home-grown music festival returns June 28 (11 AM–8 PM) with 35+ local bands on 4 stages by Back Creek and Second Street in Eastport. Enjoy rock, folk, bluegrass, reggae, and more — plus local eats, drinks, and waterfront vibes. Leashed dogs and strollers welcome, but leave outside food and drinks at home. Bands donate their time, with proceeds benefiting local charities: The Annapolis Maritime Museum, the Annapolis Musicians Fund for Musicians, the Eastport Volunteer Fire Company, and Eastport Elementary and Annapolis Middle Schools.

🎟️ Tickets: GA: $30 advance / $40 day-of; VIP (21+): $125 advance / $175 gate with drinks, views, and perks. Kids 12 and under are free, but still need a ticket.

Save the Date: Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse Anniversary 🛟

An iconic landmark is turning 150. And we know just what the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse wants for its birthday. Your presents (oops, we mean presence) at its party on Saturday, August 9 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Scoop is a sponsor, so you know it’ll be a great time. Enjoy live music from the Eastport Oyster Boys, dinner, door prizes, and a special video by the late Jimmy Buffett. Local historian and author David Gendell emcees, with appearances by Governor Moore and Mayor Buckley. The event supports efforts to raise the lighthouse above rising sea levels. Grab your tickets.

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

Annapolis City Council will be meeting tonight at 7 PM. On the agenda is the standard business followed by items covering Carr’s Manor, the Transit Development Plan, and a look at the city-supported special events we can expect to see in 2026. To get involved by either speaking or attending virtually, click here. 7 PM at 160 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis.

County Council Meeting ⚖️

The County Council will meet tonight at 7 PM at the Arundel Center(44 Calvert Street, Annapolis). On the agenda: a proposed transfer of funds in the Anne Arundel Community College budget, new zoning rules for tiny home community development, and an emergency ordinance affecting how nonpublic schools are handled in subdivision and development processes.

• View the full agenda

• Sign up to speak in person or submit testimony online here.

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WEATHER

Monday

70 🌡️ 67 | 🌦️ | 41% | 💨 ENE 9 mph (8 knots)

Tuesday

77 🌡️ 72 | ⛅ | 24% | 💨 SE 9 mph (8 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 75ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN

Monday

49 West | Eli Lev | 7:30–10 PM
Rams Head On Stage | In The Vane of Jimmy Buffett | 7 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Tavern | Jack Rimel | 10 PM

Tuesday

49 West | Unified Jazz Ensemble | 7–9:30 PM
The Point | Kavoossi | 5–8 PM
Pirates Cove | Justin LaFave | 6–9 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Raynes w/ Blank Page | 8 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | Faith & Faithful | 6 PM

THANKS!

Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who’s survived the Badwater Ultramarathon.