Good morning, Annapolis. This is the last newsletter run by the writers while Ryan’s out on vaca. Basically, the mice need to stop playing . . . 😜

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, & Duffy Perkins

Last week, we shared resources to help those in need as SNAP benefits were projected to run out. Thanks to our readers, we’re highlighting a major oversight — the Anne Arundel County Food Bank. They offer an interactive map of food and baby pantries, soup kitchens, and a mobile pantry serving areas with limited food access. Support their mission by volunteering, donating food or money, or hosting a food drive. Food donations are accepted Monday–Friday, 9 AM—noon and 1—3 PM at 120 Marbury Dr., Crownsville. 🥪

🍝 One pantry not on the map? The St. Andrews UMC Thrift Store (4A Wallace Manor Rd, Edgewater) collects and distributes food Monday-Thursday, 12–4 PM; and Saturday, 7–11 AM.

🥕 Another reader pointed out Food Friday, a program providing weekly boxes of fresh produce, pantry staples, and frozen foods to Annapolis residents in need. Sign up for a Food Friday box. Email Alderwoman Karma O’Neill at [email protected] to help pack boxes at Pip Moyer Rec Center or make deliveries. 📦

🙏 News update: Governor Moore declared a State of Emergency and allocated $10 million in emergency food assistance statewide. Marylanders in need can also visit 211 Maryland to find the nearest food pantry or food bank.

Looking for a mindful way to help your kids slow down and reset? Kids Movement & Meditation at Yoga Factory is a 45-minute class for ages 5–12 filled with movement, breathwork, and fun.

Kids will stretch, play, and learn simple mindfulness tools to support focus, balance, and emotional well-being. It’s yoga, storytelling, and calm all rolled into one.

Saturday, November 8 | 2–2:45 PM | Yoga Factory Arnold

Sign up on the Yoga Factory app.

Anyone who’s had to file permitting paperwork with the city knows it can be a lengthy, often challenging process. And last Tuesday, candidates for mayor and Ward 1 alderman presented their ideas on how to speed up the issue. The responses were creative.

Mayoral candidates Republican Bobby O’Shea and Democrat Jared Littmann showed different approaches to the issue. O’Shea stated that the problem is not necessarily with the process but with the people. He said, “[W]e need to make it so that the employees in the city are the professionals they’re supposed to be.” Littmann pushed that there needs to be one person leading the permitting office and that examples of pre-approved projects should be available on the website.

In Ward 1, Harry Huntley wants to be able to track his permit’s progress like he does his Domino’s pizza order. And Tom Kriek wants to use AI to speed up the initial review process.

The meeting also discussed merging city services (everything from Police to Parks and Rec.) with the county to save money. Alderman candidates agreed that while some services make more sense to merge than others, any action would need to be discussed thoroughly beforehand and take city employees as well as those impacted into consideration. ($)

🗳️ Don’t forget: Voting happens Tuesday.

October was a busy month for commercial real estate in Annapolis. We’re trying to keep up with all the sales. And in case you missed or forgot about any of the big ones, here’s a quick recap:

✅ Main Street: A two-story historic retail property on Main Street sold for the first time since the 1960s. Real estate investment firm Gibson LLC bought it for a competitive price of $850K (it needs some repairs). Current tenant Tyler Boe still has a few more years on their lease.

✅ West Annapolis: Make Your Move LLC (aka the Brad Kappel team of Sotheby’s) is moving to West Annapolis. They just bought the three-story office/retail space at 103 Annapolis Street in the heart of the West Annapolis commercial corridor. They plan to open up their flagship administrative office there in the spring.

✅ Annapolis Town Center: This was big news. Federal Realty Investment Trust acquired the Annapolis Town Center in mid-October for $187 million. Federal Realty handles retail properties across the country, and Annapolis Town Center is the latest of its nearly 20 shopping centers in Maryland.

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Okay, real quick — before we let go of the Halloween spirit, let’s look back at some stellar costumes spotted around town. We saw minions, vikings, and even historical figure Mary Carroll. Those NICU babies in hand-knit costumes at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center gave us all the feels. 🥺 And Scoop writer Lauren’s family had a Halloween rite of passage: daughters branching out from the group theme. That’s why they’re the Disney crew (Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy) + Barbie + KPop Demon Hunter Rumi. We love to see creative, youthful independence.

Tag @NaptownScoop to get your photos in the Scoop!

We know Annapolis isn’t exactly the entire world, but we do have a World of Beer coming to our little part of the universe. This restaurant-bar chain specializes in craft beers paired with high-quality pub grub favs. Its third Maryland location (in addition to Bethesda and Owings Mills) will start pouring just in time for NYE — on December 31 — at 2141 Generals Highway near the Annapolis Mall.

👉 And in the “Some jobs have more perks than others” category, they’re hiring for the new location. Apply by emailing [email protected].

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.

School board votes. Local events. Issues that matter to your daily life.

The Baltimore Banner brings you clear, trustworthy local news about the people and stories shaping Annapolis.

Your neighborhood. Your news.
TheBaltimoreBanner.com

Quiet Waters Park | Art by the Bay 2025 | Dozens of artists work to capture the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay region. Through November 16.

Crownsville | Fall Field Market at Wildberry | With dozens of vendors, great shopping, and fun offerings, this market is one of our favorite places to launch the holiday season. Saturday, Nov. 8, 9 AM—Noon.

Annapolis | Comic and Music Fair | Art Farm has a fun event planned for comic creators and collectors. Saturday, Nov. 8, 11 AM—3 PM.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge | Bay Bridge Run | Run or walk 10K over the Chesapeake Bay in this epic event. Sunday, Nov. 9, 8 AM.

Annapolis and Eastport | Annapolis Jazz & Roots Festival | 10 events over two weekends (Nov. 7-16) make this one of the best music festivals in the city. Get your tickets now.

Timonium | 51st Annual Maryland Irish Festival | The Timonium Fairgrounds host this fun festival with the food, music, and dancing from the world’s greatest island. Friday through Sunday.

Halloween’s in the rearview, but November’s bringing plenty to look forward to. These events are brightening up our calendar this month.

🪢 Nov. 8: Don’t miss the MRE Tug of War between Annapolis and Eastport. Usually held across Spa Creek, this event’s happening on Second Street in Eastport this year because of City Dock construction. The tug starts at the crack o’ noon and festivities continue throughout the day.

🏺 Nov. 9: Be there for the first-ever Naptown Flea Market in DTA, featuring all kinds of vintage goods.

🥘 Nov. 9: The Inner West Street Association hosts the Taste of Fall, where you can sample the best of what local restaurants have to offer.

🏈 Nov. 12: The Anne Arundel County Hall of Fame induction banquet honors outstanding local athletes in a variety of sports with a ceremony at the Double Tree Hotel.

🍪 Nov. 22: Entries in the Great Annapolis Gingerbread Houses go on display at the Annapolis Visitors Center on West Street. (Contest winners announced at the Annapolis Chocolate Binge Festival on December 7.)

💡 Nov. 23: Lights on the Bay opens its dazzling drive-through lights display at Sandy Point State Park (and runs through January 1).

🎄 Nov. 30: Close out Thanksgiving weekend with the Grand Illumination Tree Lighting in Downtown Annapolis, when the City Dock tree lights up for the first night of the season.

Annapolis Town Center announced plans for its annual tree lighting ceremony, with the Greater Annapolis Ballet, a DJ, and (of course) Santa Claus all making an appearance. It’s time to brush up on the lyrics to “The Twelve Days of Christmas” in time for the festivities on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 5 PM.

‘Tis the season! Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and what better way to work up an appetite than with a fun run 5K? You can sprint, or you can walk — either way, you’ll be making memories and helping raise money for a good cause. Lace up your shoes and choose your race:

👟 The Greater Annapolis Y in Arnold Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov. 27) 8:30 AM. Take a scenic loop through Anne Arundel Community College’s campus to raise money for Y Fresh Mart food pantries. All-ages event.

👟 Fleet Feet Downtown Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov. 27) 9 AM. Start and finish at Fleet Feet’s original Eastport location while enjoying a downtown course to raise money for Girls on the Run Greater Chesapeake. All-ages event.

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.

The County Council meets tonight at 7 PM at the Arundel Center (44 Calvert Street, Annapolis). On the agenda is amended legislation from past meetings. This includes a bill regarding snow/ice removal on sidewalks, air conditioning in apartments, county-owned gas-powered leaf blowers, and AACPS construction projects. See the full agenda for details on any legislation. Submit testimony online or sign up to testify in person.

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Come join us at AMM's Park Campus on November 12, 24 & 25. Camp runs from 9 AM to 4 PM for grades K-5. Aftercare is available from 4 PM to 5 PM. We pack each day with nature exploration, hands-on environmental education, and FUN! Click here to learn more.*

*indicates sponsored advertising content.

62 🌡️ 48 | ⛅ | 24% | 💨 NNW 8 mph (7 knots)

62 🌡️ 45 | 🌤️ | 1% | 💨 W 13 mph (11 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 59ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

49 West | SKRIBE & Friends | 7:30–10:30 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Ketch Secor | 8 PM | Tickets

49 West | Unified Jazz Ensemble | 7–9:30 PM
Brian Boru | PJ & Neal | 6–9 PM
Captain’s Daughter | TBA | 5–7 PM
Middleton Tavern | Annapolis Songwriters Showcase | 6–9 PM
The Point | Kavoossi | 5–8 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Micky Dolenz Of The Monkees | 8 PM | Tickets

Navy’s perfect football season slipped away in a 31–17 loss to North Texas (8-1), and it hurts. The Mids, chasing their first 8-0 start in nearly a century, were run over by the Mean Green’s Caleb Hawkins, who rushed for 197 yards and four touchdowns. North Texas QB Drew Mestemaker added 234 passing yards in front of 26,516 fans at DACU Stadium in Denton. The loss snapped Navy’s 10-game winning streak — their first defeat since Nov. 16, 2024.

Navy quarterback Blake Horvath ran for 112 yards and a touchdown but threw two interceptions as the Mids committed three turnovers and eight penalties. Snipe Brandon Chatman added 67 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Eli Heidenreich caught six passes for 68 yards. Navy trailed 21-10 at halftime and couldn’t recover after Hawkins’ fourth touchdown late in the third quarter.

Now 7–1, Navy’s quest for a statement win lives on — but next week’s test at No. 12 Notre Dame looms large. Watch Nov. 8 at 7:30 PM on NBC. ($)

Men's Basketball
11/3 @ Presbyterian | 7 PM

Men's Soccer (3-7-7)
11/3 @ American | 1 PM

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Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone with mice roommates (pet or uninvited). 🐭