🍦County Council just gave themselves a raise

Good morning, Annapolis. Did you know there are five other places in the US named Annapolis? There’s also an Annapolis Junction (up in Howard County), a county in Canada’s Nova Scotia province, and Anápolis, which is a city of about 400,000 in Brazil.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Ryan Sneddon

As summer winds down & school gets back in session, it’s the perfect time to get back into your normal routines—including routine dental cleanings & personal health habits. Whether you’re getting the kids ready for back-to-school or simply resetting your own schedule, make sure that maintaining your beautiful smile stays on the list! 

With convenient appointments from 7 AM–8 PM & on Saturdays, we can work around your schedule & make sure that your smile gets the treatment it deserves. We offer $0 cleanings for most insured patients & great in-house coverage options for uninsured patients. 

Schedule today to learn if a custom sleep apnea appliance is right for you! Book online or call us at 443-603-9000. Morabito Family Dental is proud to care for the smiles of our Annapolis neighbors. We look forward to your visit!

The Anne Arundel County Council sat for five hours Tuesday night and still didn’t finish.

The part everyone’s talking about: councilmembers approved their own raise, 4–3. Pay goes from $45,402 to $53,400 when the next council is sworn in this December, then climbs to $59,400 by December 2029 – roughly 30% over three years.

Chair Julie Hummer, who sponsored the bill, said council pay has fallen far behind comparable counties. Nathan Volke, Amanda Fiedler, and Shannon Leadbetter voted no. Lisa Rodvien voted yes and said the financial strain of the seat made it impossible for her to keep serving.

The council also voted 7–0 to condemn Patriot Front as a white nationalist organization, after nearly an hour of testimony from the NAACP, the teachers association, and residents.

Then came Article 18, the first full rewrite of the county zoning code since 2005. The council worked through 22 amendments before Hummer announced it was midnight, which ends the legislative day. Everything left waits until Sept 21.

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Team Naptown Scoop Coast 2 Coast 4 ALS progress: $13,223/$20,000

Key School broke ground last week on the Gateway Building.

The private PreK–12 school in Hillsmere says the new building, going up next to the Smith House, will hold classrooms for its growing Lower School, a new entrance for visiting families, and office space for faculty and staff.

The school expects to finish construction next fall and open the doors to students for the 2027–28 school year.

Key hasn’t put a price on it but says the project is paid for with a mix of donations and long-term financial planning. Its advancement office is still talking with donors about naming opportunities.

Some context for the 665 students and 118 faculty who use the place: Key moved to the old Smith estate on Hillsmere Drive in 1961, and the main campus now consists of 16 buildings across 15 acres, plus the 70-acre Fusco Athletic Park down the road.

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As the seasons change, it’s a good time to get ready for the cooler months starting with your home’s exterior.

Whether you’re updating siding, replacing windows or doors, or adding new trim, 84 Lumber Annapolis has materials to fit your style, project and budget. Our team is here to help along the way, from choosing the right products to bringing your project together.

Visit our Annapolis store or our Andersen Windows & Doors Showroom to find the materials you need.

Have questions or want a free estimate? Contact store manager Bill McDonald at 724-831-6856 or [email protected].

🎈 = family-friendly events

🎶 Annapolis Songwriters Festival – Four days of songwriters start today, with 115+ artists playing free sets at bars, restaurants, and galleries downtown through Sunday. The ticketed rounds are below.

🏛️ The Influence of the Declaration of Independence on the Gettysburg Address – A free 7 PM talk at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold on how one document shaped the other.

🎨 Creative Circle Monthly Meetup – This month’s surprise art challenge at ArtFarm Studios, 6:30 to 8:30 PM, $45.

🇺🇸 Anne Arundel County 9/11 Memorial Ceremony – The county gathers at its memorial outside police and fire headquarters, 8495 Veterans Highway in Millersville, at 9 AM. Free. It’s the 25th anniversary.

🦪 Maryland Seafood Festival – The 60th-anniversary festival opens at Sandy Point with a 9/11 tribute night, 5 to 9:30 PM, and discounts for military and first responders. Tickets from $25, kids 12 and under free, parking $12 online.

🎹 Naval Academy Chapel Organ Recital – Peter Richard Conte, grand court organist of Philadelphia’s Wanamaker Organ, plays the Main Chapel at 7 PM, doors at 6:30. Around $22, $10 for kids 11 and under, free for mids. Check usna.edu/visit for what you need to get on the Yard.

🎶 Songwriters In The Round – Three rounds at Rams Head on Stage from 7 PM, doors at 6, with Jeffrey Steele solo at 9.

🌻 Providence’s Fall Plant & Pottery Sale – Mums, asters, perennials, and seasonal pottery in Arnold, 9 AM to 1 PM Friday and Saturday, free to shop.

♻️ Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off – Clear out the oil-based paint, pool chemicals, and old gasoline at the Heritage Office Complex on Riva Road, 8 AM to 2 PM, free with a county license and registration.

🦪 Maryland Seafood Festival – Sandy Point, 11 AM to 7 PM. Crab soup cook-off at 11:30, oyster shucking at 1:45, crab cake eating at 3:15, crab picking at 5:30. Skipjack Heritage Days is included with admission.

⚔️ Maryland Renaissance Festival – Myth & Magic Weekend at Revel Grove, 10 AM to 7 PM, $31 for adults. Tickets are online only, and nothing is sold at the gate.

🎈⚽ Drug Education & Awareness Sporting Festival – Free soccer and basketball clinics, a moon bounce, free food, and a Drug Free All-Stars vs. One Annapolis kickball game at Griscom Field, 11 AM to 5 PM.

🎶 Young the Giant w. Daisy Grenade – The Songwriters Festival’s big outdoor show on the Calvert Street Stage, 6 PM, doors at 5. Resale seats are running $100+.

🎈🐮 Anne Arundel County Farmers Market – Produce, meats, dairy, baked goods, coffee, and crafts off Riva Road, 7 AM to noon, free.

🏃 9/11 Heroes Run – The Travis Manion Foundation 5K steps off from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium at 11 AM, with a one-mile Brendan Looney Loop for walkers and families. Registration runs $21 to $50 depending on the distance.

🦪 Maryland Seafood Festival – Last day at Sandy Point, 11 AM to 6 PM, with one more crab cake eating contest at 4:30.

🎶 Songwriters In The Round – The Sunday matinee at Rams Head, 11 AM, doors at 10, with Maggie Rose, David Ryan Harris, Lost Saints, and more.

🎶 Valerie June – The festival’s closing show at Maryland Hall, 8 PM, doors at 7, $50 to $75.

⚔️ Maryland Renaissance Festival – Day two of Myth & Magic at Revel Grove, 10 AM to 7 PM.

🎭 CP presents Our Town by Thornton Wilder – Colonial Players’ 2 PM matinee of the Wilder classic, $21 to $26.

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🏆 Hall pass: Six local legends are joining the Anne Arundel County Sports Hall of Fame in November. The four from Annapolis: Brian Burlace, a St. Mary’s/UMD grad who was D1 lax’s best defenseman in 1992; Harry Dobson, the A-High grad/St. Mary’s b-ball coach who notched 306 victories; Pat Owen, Navy’s 32-year golf coach; and Bill Wagner, Capital Gazette sports reporter since 1987. ($)

🏒 Ice ice baby: The Washington Capitals hold rookie camp at the Naval Academy’s McMullen Hockey Arena Sunday through Tuesday. Every on-ice session is free and open to the public. Goalies take the ice at 10:30 AM and full practice runs 11 AM to 12:30 PM all three days. Skaters include first-round picks Lynden Lakovic and Terik Parascak.

⛴️ Hey there, harbormaster: Annapolis has named Tim Jacobs its new Harbormaster following longtime Harbormaster Beth Bellis’s retirement in July. His first day with the new title is today after three years as Annapolis’ Waterside Operations Supervisor. Before that, Jacobs served in the Coast Guard for 22 years.

🧪 Clean sweep: Anne Arundel County’s penultimate household hazardous waste drop-off of the year is this Saturday. This is for (almost) all the stuff you know you’re not supposed to chuck in the trash can but usually do anyway. Antifreeze, fire extinguishers, motor oil, non-rechargeable batteries, and propane tanks aren’t accepted. 8 AM to 2 PM at 2662 Riva Road. Be prepared to show an Anne Arundel County driver’s license and registration.

🎃 Straw poll: Registration is open for the fifth Annapolis Scarecrow Stroll, which lines West Street, Main Street, Maryland Avenue, and State Circle with homemade scarecrows from Oct 24 through Nov 2. Entry is $25 per scarecrow, the deadline is Oct 18, and check-in is Oct 22 outside the Annapolis Collection Gallery. Seven categories this year, including one for America’s 250th. Readers vote by QR code.

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88 🌡️ 69 | ⛅ | 30% ☔ | 💨 W 10 mph (9 knots)

80 🌡️ 68 | ⛅ | 29% ☔ | 💨 N 10 mph (9 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 80ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

🌳🎵= Outdoor concert

49 West | The Annapolis Round Up | 7:30–10 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Ryan Webster & Dollar Store Fire | 7–10 PM
🌳🎵AMM September Sunsets | Reverend Smackmaster & The Congregation of Funk | 6–8 PM
Beacon Waterfront Galley | Bridgette Michaels | 6 PM
Beer Farm | The Devaney Brothers | 5–8 PM
Brian Boru | Ciaran Quinn | 6–9 PM
Killarney House | Sophie Bernitt | 6–9 PM
Market House | Daphne Eckman | 6–9 PM
Mother’s Peninsula Grille | Gretna Green | 7 PM
Pirates Cove | Jason Bishop | 6–9 PM
The Point | Dan Haas | 5–8 PM

49 West | Songwriters Festival | 11 AM–4 PM
49 West | Papa Presents The Roustabouts | 7:30–10 PM
49 West | 1st Fridays With Tom Mitchell & Mike Noonan | 8–10 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Honey Sol | TBA
Annapolis Smokehouse & Tavern | Rick’s Revolving Door | 8:30 PM
🌳🎵Annapolis Sunset Cruise | Songwriters On The Severn | 7–8:30 PM | Tickets
Beer Farm | Michael McHenry | 4–7 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Dana B | 4 PM
Brian Boru | Aidan & Bryan | 7–10 PM
Captain’s Daughter | TBA | 5–7 PM
The Choptank | Anthony Hurley | TBA
Coconut Joe’s | Jeremy Robinson | 5 PM
Great Frogs | Noah Booz | 5:30–8:30 PM
Killarney House | Pete Best | 7:30–10:30 PM
Market House | Faith and the Faithful | 7–10 PM
Middleton Tavern | Sidewalk Soul | 10 PM
Pirates Cove | Doc Lohn | 7–10 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Songwriters In The Round - Friday | 7 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | BroRoy | 8 PM
Reynolds Tavern | Mike Heuer | TBA
Stan & Joe’s Riverside | Tim Atkinson | 4 PM

Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with the person who still has half a can of deck stain in the garage from 2004 because “I might need it someday.”