🍦Sandy Pony Donuts hits the big screen

Good morning, Annapolis. Pretty cool to see Sandy Pony Donuts making headlines for showing up in Pluribus. Apparently the show’s creator really does his homework and wanted a local company for a scene involving donuts in Annapolis.

Sandy Pony’s enjoying the spotlight. Their website now has a banner saying, “Yep, that’s us in Pluribus” and they’ve made merch with orders as far away as Europe.

Pluribus currently has a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Sandy Pony has a 99% rating with Naptown Scoop.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, Duffy Perkins

Get ready to make your holiday shopping extra special — Small Business Saturday is almost here at Annapolis Mall. Skip the ordinary and discover the extraordinary in our local shops. From handmade gifts to festive décor and treats you can’t find anywhere else, there’s something for everyone on your list.

Shopping local means more than gifts. Every purchase supports neighbors, families, and entrepreneurs right here in Annapolis. It’s a day to explore, celebrate creativity, and feel good about giving back to your community while ticking off your holiday list.

Make it a festive outing — shop, discover, and soak up the holiday spirit with local businesses that bring heart and personality to the season. Your holidays just got a little brighter and a lot more memorable.

Learn more about Small Business Saturday.

🏈 Navy upset #24 USF on Saturday to keep American Conference Championship hopes alive.

🅿️ Annapolis renamed the Hillman Garage the Mills Hillman Garage after civil rights pioneer Walter Mills.

🏫 The Board of Education adopted a redistricting plan on Wednesday night. More on that below.

Monday: Train displays at Homestead Gardens 🚂
Tuesday: Annapolis’ new public water access plan 🌊
Wednesday: Navy reveals Army-Navy game uniforms
Thursday: Shop Local Holiday Gift Guide 🎁

Before an audience numbered in the hundreds, the Anne Arundel County BOE moved last night to approve its final redistricting map, which will ultimately affect the families of roughly 750 Crofton-area students. The board spent roughly two hours deliberating the proposals, considering motions, and questioning district staff to determine rates of over-utilization and under-utilization before casting their final votes. This plan will go into place during the 2026-27 school year, but there is a legacy plan in place to allow seniors to stay in their original school as long as they can provide their own transportation. To see if your student is shifting schools, click here. ($)

Stories with ($) require a third-party subscription.

As a kid, I always had a cookie in hand. Now that I’m older, not much has changed. What can I say? I’m a Cookie Monster who relies on these Annapolis spots.

Sweet Hearts Patisserie | 1410 Forest Dr | Yes, a macaron is a cookie. I’ll take one in every color of the rainbow, please. Closed Mondays.

Black Market Bakers | 7074 Bembe Beach Rd | I’m going classic Chocolate Chip Cookie at this popular spot. Open Wed–Sun, 8 AM to 2 PM.

Main & Market | 914 Bay Ridge Rd | If I can trust them for my wedding cake, you bet your bottom Snickerdoodle, I’ll chomp on their White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie Bars or Lemon Ricotta Cookies.

Crumbl | 2576 Solomons Island Rd | Giant cookies from the Annapolis Harbour Center for the win! Trust me — try the Peanut Butter Cup Skillet Cookie featuring REESE'S.

P.S. Lauren was here. 🍪

How’s Anne Arundel County doing these days? Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation recently released its numbers for October 2025 to give us a tangible idea. Here’s what they show:

🧑‍💼 Our county’s unemployment rate was 3.7% in August, lower than the U.S. unemployment of 4.3% but up from last year’s 3.1% (when U.S. unemployment was 4.2%).

🛠️ There were 287.6K people employed in Anne Arundel County during Q1 of 2025, up from 283.7K in 2024. The highest-employed industry? Trade, transportation, and utilities, with 53.8K workers.

🏠 Home prices are going up — there was a 5.1% increase from 2024 to 2025, with the average sold price of this past September being $597.5K. That’s based on a total of 641 homes sold.

🏬 Commercial real estate vacancies vary. Office space vacancies are about the same, whereas industrial vacancies are up and retail and flex spaces are down compared to last year.

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.

Annapolis | Season to Season Open House | Grab a cup of cocoa and check out Season to Season’s magnificent wreaths and garlands, or make a custom wreath to take home. 9 AM to Noon, 2 Womack Drive.

Sandy Point State Park | AACSPCA Lights and Leashes | Take your pup for a two-mile walk through some of the most beautiful holiday lights around. Food trucks, treats, and drinks on-site. Through Saturday, 5–9 PM.

Luminis Anne Arundel Medical Center | Jingle & Mingle | The Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce creates a winter wonderland with a North Pole shopping experience, food and drink from Vintage Views, silent auction, and much more. Winter white attire is encouraged. 6 PM in the Doordan Institute. Don’t forget the codes SCOOP and SCOOPVIP for $15 off tickets and $25 off VIP tickets.

Edgewater | Bookish Friendsgiving | Wyrd Bookstore has a fun night planned for those who would rather be on the couch with a cup of tea reading. 5–7:30 PM.

SATURDAY

Davidsonville | Grand Illumination | Homestead Gardens knows how to get the lights twinkling. From the opening of the beer garden to the arrival of Santa, head out for a day of fun. Noon - 9 PM at Homestead Gardens, Davidsonville.

Maryland Hall | AACO Day of Acknowledgement | A day devoted to education and equity. 10 AM to 2 PM.

SUNDAY

Sandy Point State Park | Lights on the Bay | The pets are gone the iconic drive-thru light display is open for business.

MARKETS

Crownsville | Fall Field Market at Wildberry | Celebrating the golden season. 9 AM to Noon.

Deale | SoCo’s Thanksgiving Holiday Market | Farmers, bakers, all-round merry makers. 10 AM to 2 PM.

Quiet Waters Park | Holiday Artisan Market Reception | Gorgeous gifts you won’t find anywhere else. 1:30–3:30 PM.

Harry S. Truman Pkwy. | Anne Arundel County Farmers Market | Grab a loaf of sourdough and all the fresh stuff you’ll need for the week ahead. Saturday and Sunday.

Not to be all Game of Thrones but . . . winter is coming. Here are ways to survive the colder temps, DST, and Thanksgiving break.

🥧 Kaleidscope Workshop | Edgewater | Scroll their classes for Thanksgiving Mixed Activities, Apple Pie Workshops, Little Creators, and more hands-on fun next week and all winter long!

⛺️ Be With Me Playseum | Annapolis Mall | Kids can pretend they’re dentists, barbers, campers, and princesses during imaginative play. No reservations or memberships required. Admission covers the whole day: $15/person ages 1-100; under 1 free. While you’re there, hit Build-A-Bear, the library, or even just window shop.

📚 Chesapeake Children’s Museum | Annapolis | Join Mrs. Spears and Puppy the puppet for great stories, songs, and art activities on 11/24 at 10:30 AM.

🤸 Rolly Pollies | Severna Park | Open Play on 11/24-11/26 at 12:30 PM and 4 PM, plus 11/28 at 12:30 PM, so kids can get their wiggles out.

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.

54 🌡️ 50 | 🌦️ | 34% | 💨 SSE 6 mph (5 knots)

54🌡️ 40 | 🌦️ | 56% | 💨 N 9 mph (8 knots)

53 🌡️ 42 | ☀️ | 5% | 💨 WSW 7 mph (6 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 51ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

49 West | Justin Trawick | 7:30–10:30 PM
Annapolis Smokehouse & Tavern | The Slugs | 8:30 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Dana B | 4–7 PM
Blackwall Hitch | TrioSonic | 9–12 PM
Brian Boru | Ciaran Quinn | 7–10 PM
Captain’s Daughter | TBA | 5–7 PM
The Choptank | Christopher Dean | 8 PM
Great Frogs | Joe Bryan | 5:30–8:30 PM
Killarney House | Kevin Pollock and Doghouse Blue | 7:30–10:30 PM
The Lodge | Andrew Bell | 5–8 PM
Market House | Faith and the Faithful | 7–10 PM
Maryland Hall | Keb' Mo' w/ Anthony D'Amato | 8 PM | Tickets
Middleton Tavern | Shatners | 10 PM
Mother’s Peninsula Grille | Rommel Miranda | 5–8 PM
Pirates Cove | John Luskey | 7:30–10:30 PM
Rams Head On Stage | The Martin Sexton Abbey Road Show | 8 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | Scott Voorhees | 8 PM
Rams Head Tavern | Aidan Ewald | 9 PM
Romilo’s Restaurant and Bar | Wild Grey Hairz | 7 PM
Severna Park Taphouse | Guava Jelly | 8 PM
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Simba Band | 9:45 PM
Studio 333 Collective | Shana Oshiro & Friends and SoulJourners | 7:30 PM

49 West | Cameron Mae & David Augustus | 7:30–10 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Bravenoise | 9 PM
Brian Boru | Blake & Co. | 7–10 PM
The Choptank | Patrick Donovan | 8 PM
Coconut Joe’s | Drivetrain | 9 PM
Dark Horse | Rock Creek Revival | 9 PM
Great Frogs | Mike Heuer | 1:30–4:30 PM
Great Frogs | Meg Murray | 5:30–8:30 PM
Killarney House | Nicky Stacy | 7:30–10:30 PM
Middleton Tavern | Pretty Big Deal | 10 PM
Mother’s Peninsula Grille | Goat Charmers | 7–10 PM
Pirates Cove | Kurt Gibbons | 7:30–10:30 PM
Rams Head On Stage | The Brit Pack | 8 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | Sandra Dean Band | 9 PM
Rams Head Tavern | Bob Quinlan | 10 PM
Romilo’s Restaurant and Bar | Kick Back Classics | 7 PM
Severna Park Taphouse | Creekview Blues | 8 PM
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Trio Sonic | 9:45 PM

49 West | Joe Holt, Sharon Sable & Beth Mcdonald | 7–9 PM
Brian Boru | Big Brothers Porch | 4–7 PM
Galway Bay | Richard Hayward | 4–8 PM
Great Frogs | Dana B | 1:30–4:30 PM
The Lodge | Eugene Chapman | 11 AM – 2 PM
Market House | Laura Brino | 5–8 PM
Pirates Cove | Catey Peters | 3–6 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Live Dead and Brothers | 8 PM | Tickets
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Hyland Brothers | 9 PM

Navy’s head football coach Brian Newberry is in good company among Ohio State, Indiana, and Texas A&M coaches. He’s one of 24 semifinalists for the 2025 George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, presented yearly by the Maxwell Football Club. The Maxwell Football Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels of the game. Newberry became head coach in December 2022 and after a bumpy 2023 season (5-7), he righted the ship in 2024 (10-3) and we all know how things are going in 2025 (8-2 so far).

Finalists will be announced on December 8, and the winner on December 30, with a formal presentation on March 14, 2026, in Atlanta. See the full list of Coach Newberry’s competition.

Women's Basketball (4-0)
11/23 @ Richmond | 2 PM

Men's Basketball (2-3)
11/22 vs. NJIT | Noon

Men’s Hockey (8-8)
11/22 @ Temple University | 5 PM

Women's Volleyball (13-13)
11/21 @ American (PLT-SF) | 6:30 PM
11/23 vs. Colgate / Army (PLT-F) | 3 PM

Stories with ($) require a third-party subscription.

Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with your friend who has the best-equipped first aid kit.