🍦Saving PAWS at the Mall

Good morning, Annapolis. McDonald’s New Zealand just rolled out a mullet-inspired cheeseburger where it’s a normal burger on one side and an extra slice of cheese hangs out the back. All I have to say about that is if Annapolis were a mullet, Eastport would definitely be the party in the back.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Our favorite Mother’s Day tradition
The circus is in town
Annapolis FY2027 budget hearings

Let’s get to it.

— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, & Duffy Perkins

COMMUNITY

Zachary's Mother’s Day Jewelry Design Contest Winners 🥹

Courtesy of Zachary’s Jewelers

Forget flowers — these kids gave Mom something far more creative (and permanent) just in time for Mother’s Day.

The premise? The annual Zachary’s Jewelers Mother’s Day Jewelry Design Contest invites local fifth graders to dream up a one-of-a-kind jewelry piece that celebrates what makes their mom (or caregiver) special. Three winning designs are brought to life as REAL jewelry for Mom. Winning entries were judged on creativity, an original handwritten story, and how closely it could match the design.

Nearly 300 kids entered. 30 were named semifinalists. Three designs — and stories — rose to the top. And the winners are . . .

🦋 Hannah of St. Anne’s School of Annapolis designed a necklace featuring birthstone-colored butterflies to represent her family and a mother’s protective love.

🌼 Eliana of Two Rivers Elementary honored her mom's birth country of Ethiopia and the significance of daisies in their lives.

🌻 Chelsea of Cape St. Claire Elementary designed a bracelet honoring her mother’s strength through illness.

In addition to fabricating each student’s design, Zachary’s donated $500 to each winning student’s school art department.

From all of us at Naptown Scoop (three of whom are moms), we wish you a Happy Mother’s Day this weekend.

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EVENTS

What we’re up to this weekend

Cirque de Paris

🎈 = family-friendly events

All weekend

🎈🌱 William Paca Garden Plant Sale - Over 8,000 native plants and gardening expertise from Historic Annapolis volunteers. Saturday and Sunday. HA members get early access and 10% off.

🎈🎪 Cirque de Paris - Europe’s most famous circus family is back under the big top at Annapolis Mall. 2 shows Friday, 3 on Saturday, and 2 on Sunday!

🔮 Annapolis Crystals Grand Reopening - Grand reopening weekend with walk-in readings, shop tours, and downtown scavenger hunt.

🎈🐮 Anne Arundel County Farmers Market - Fresh local produce, meats, dairy, and crafts at Truman Parkway. Saturday and Sunday

🎈 Disney's 'The Lion King JR' at Children's Theatre of Annapolis - The Circle of Life comes to CTA's main stage with beloved songs and characters.

🎭 CP presents Poor Clare - Colonial Players' medieval comedy about a woman in the Italian city of Assisi who has it all but can’t stop thinking about this guy Francis who gave up all his stuff to be poor. Only one more weekend to catch this show!

Friday

🎈🍽️ Food Truck Fridays - 12+ food trucks at Truman Parkway with free admission and something for everyone.

🎶 AACC Symphony Orchestra - Titans Rising - AACC's spring symphony concert.

⛵ Annapolis Sunset Cruise with Live Music - Pretty Big Deal's acoustic duo on a scenic Watermark cruise.

Saturday

🎈🛍️ Mad Cute Market - Vintage lovers' paradise with 30+ woman-owned small businesses, Y2K clothing, and handmade treasures.

🎈🐑 Baby Lamb and Goat Cuddles - Cuddle newborn lambs and goat kids at Hollywood Farm's 126-acre spread.

📚 Book Signing with Author Elizabeth Liechty - Meet the author of "The Story of Hope" from the Blue Elephant and Friends series.

🎷 AACC Big Band Jazz - AACC's spring jazz concert.

Sunday

🎶 AACC Concert Band and Clarinet Choir - "Echoes of Time and Place" spring concert.

Trivia schedule 🙋‍♀️
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LOOKING BACK

🏛️ What’s on the agenda for Monday’s City Council meeting?

City Council kicks off the public portion of Monday's meeting at 7 PM at City Hall (160 Duke of Gloucester).

The headliner: public testimony on the FY27 budget, fees, fines, and the position/pay plan. Final vote comes at the all-day budget hearing June 1.

A few other things on deck:

Fire department recognition for the 65+ firefighters who responded to the March 27 two-alarm blaze at Fast Signs on Margaret Avenue.
First readers include a charter amendment expanding the Board of Supervisors of Elections from three to five members and a measure shrinking the Human Relations Commission from 15 to nine.

Want in? Show up at 7 (or 6:30 to sign up for in-person testimony), watch on YouTube, or submit testimony online.

In other news. . .

🪕 Take your pick – The Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival revealed who’s playing on each day and launched single day tickets. Saturday (September 19) is headlined by Little Feat & Yonder Mountain String Band. Sam Bush & Béla Fleck have got Sunday (September 20) covered.

🐱 Paws off – The new owner of Annapolis Mall, Macerich, released a statement yesterday saying that they did not initiate the termination of the SPCA’s PAWS at the Mall’s lease and are actively working to find a new space for the SPCA. Our story yesterday implied that the lease change was a product of the acquisition when in fact it was just coincidental timing.

🗓️ Time to plan vacation – AACPS approved the 2027-2028 calendar on Wednesday. First day of school: Monday, August 30. Last day? ~~Not soon enough~~ Wednesday, June 14.

📝 We’ve got a deal – Back in January, the Secretaries and Assistants Association of Anne Arundel County (SAAAAC) was at an impasse with AACPS. Now, they just became the first of AACPS’ four bargaining units to strike a deal for Fiscal Year 2027. It includes a step increase, 3% cost-of-living bump, and access to AACPS’ four-day summer work week.

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EXTRA SPRINKLES

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