Good morning, Annapolis. Today is Veterans Day. Thank you to every veteran reading this morning. And thank you to the families who support you still.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Charlie Szold

This week begins with gratitude.

As Thanksgiving approaches, we are reflecting on the clients, friends, neighbors, and local businesses who continue to support the Brad Kappel Team and our efforts to give back throughout the year.

From Wellness House of Annapolis to our recent participation in Fish For A Cure, supporting the community we call home remains central to who we are.

If charitable giving is part of your Thanksgiving tradition, visit our website for a list of local organizations and causes close to our hearts.

Thank you for supporting our team, our community, and the organizations making a difference across Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay.

Brad Kappel Team | www.BradKappel.com

There are so many veterans to highlight in Annapolis, but we’re proud to honor a few here, courtesy of our readers:

Amy Pantoja, a Marine Corps veteran and a single mom. Once her daughter grew up and moved out, she learned to sail. Now she lives aboard her own boat, Xena, on the Severn and helps other women veterans find their way onto the water.

Mike Pestorius, a 1990 graduate from the Naval Academy. He coached young swimmers for 15 years, co-hosts his class tailgate at every Navy home game, and sings the National Anthem just about anywhere, even without a microphone.

Sean Price, a Marine officer and Navy lacrosse player. Service runs in the Price family. His dad's a veteran pilot too.

Read all three stories here.

We'll share more veterans' stories on our Instagram later today.

Eric Smith drew five cartoons a week for The Capital Gazette for 35 years – roughly 9,100 cartoons!

He makes his Naptown Scoop debut today.

Eric grew up on Long Island and graduated from Georgetown in 1967 as an Army second lieutenant. He married JanElaine that December and left for Vietnam six months later. He spent 1968–69 as an Army intelligence officer in the northern part of South Vietnam, running a small unit that handled captured enemy documents and interrogated prisoners.

He came home, finished Georgetown Law on the GI Bill, and talked The Capital into a tryout. He drew and wrote there until semi-retirement in 2007.

Thank you for your service, Eric. On a personal note, you won’t find a better couple to talk books with than Eric and Jan.

Always Faithful Dog Training of Annapolis helps dogs and puppies become calm, confident, and well‑mannered through leadership‑based, real‑world training. We specialize in private, in-home training of leash manners, obedience, behavior issues, and puppy foundations. Without treats, clickers, shock collars or gimmicks. Start your dog’s transformation today! Call 240-363-4432 or visit www.alwaysfaithfuldogs.com/annapolis.

Meet Sugar, a five-year-old Belgian Malinois and Labrador mix at the SPCA of Anne Arundel County. Sugar came to the shelter on September 30 when her military family had to transfer.

The military trusts Malinois with some of its toughest jobs. Sugar would rather work lap duty. The shelter says she'll climb right into your lap and calls her "kind and gentle and a very experienced companion."

She's still getting used to shelter life, and she's a big girl, so she needs a home without small kids.

🐶 Want to meet Sugar? Here's the adoption process. The SPCA is open for walk-through visits Tuesday–Sunday from 12–4 PM.

🍨 Gelato – Baltimore’s Pitango Gelato will fill the old Bitty & Beau’s spot on Dock Street in spring 2027. Pitango makes Italian gelato with organic milk and whole fruit sorbet. And, of course, it’ll serve espresso to create Italy’s best invention of the 20th century – affogato!

📰 Wags in the Hall – Capital Gazette sportswriter Bill Wagner goes into the Anne Arundel County Sports Hall of Fame tomorrow night. The Annapolis native has worked for the paper since 1989. He's been its sailing editor since 1991 and has covered Navy athletics for more than 20 years. It’s a deserved honor after 37 years of telling everyone else's stories. Read more here ($).

🍎 Principal's Office – Eastport Elementary's Jim Whisman is one of 11 AACPS principals nominated for the district's Principal of the Year honor. He didn't make the four-person final cut, but all 11 will be recognized at the Excellence in Education Awards. Eastport earned four out of five stars on the state's 2025–26 report card.

🎄 Early Xmas – We'll be honest. We think it's too early for Christmas. But Galway Bay is the best and can do no wrong, so we’ll drop it. The Maryland Avenue pub lit its biggest holiday display in nearly 28 years on Sunday. It’s worth taking a look here. Then stop in to see it in person and grab a pint.

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

Crisp fall weather calls for a day outside. Maryland’s Best Helmets & Harvest pairs local trails with farms, wineries and more through November 15. The free pass features stops like the BWI Trail, LEO Annapolis and other locations across the state. Check in at each stop to earn free prizes!

63 🌡️ 51 | 🌤️ | 0% ☔ | 💨 S 7 mph (6 knots)

62 🌡️ 40 | 🌧️ | 62% ☔ | 💨 SW 9 mph (8 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 60ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

Residential Rug Care is a local family-run business with over 100 years of rug cleaning history. They clean Oriental, Persian, antique, and other area rugs, remove stains and pet odors, and offer new padding & fringe. Rugs are cleaned at their 20,000-square-foot facility, with free pickup and delivery throughout Anne Arundel County.

🌳🎵= Outdoor concert

49 West | Pam & Paula Classical Happy Hour | 5–7 PM
49 West | Songbird Collective ft. Davonne D’Neil, Tyler Moonlight, Black Assets | 7:30–10 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Kevin Koa | 7–10 PM
Brian Boru | Nate Finn | 6–9 PM
Galway Bay | Irish Trad Music Session | 8 PM
Killarney House | Jason Bishop | 6–9 PM
Middleton Tavern | Aiden | 6–9 PM
Pirates Cove | Ciaran Quinn | 6–9 PM
Rams Head Tavern | Mike Heuer | 9 PM
Reynolds Tavern | Unified Jazz Ensemble | 6:30–9:30 PM
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Ground Rent | 9 PM

49 West | The Annapolis Round Up | 7:30–10 PM
49 West | Songbird Open Mic | 7:30–10 PM
The Admiral’s Cup | Mike Sharp | 7–10 PM
Beer Farm | Anthony Frijia | 4–7 PM
Brian Boru | Ciaran Quinn | 6–9 PM
Copper Creek | Open Mic with Paul Cortese and Uncle Bill | 7 PM
Killarney House | Brandon & Thordis | 6–9 PM
Mother’s Peninsula Grille | Jonathan Sloan | 7 PM
Pirates Cove | Jason Bishop | 6–9 PM
The Point | Dan Haas | 5–8 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Jim Messina | 8 PM | Tickets
🌳🎵Rams Head Tavern | Nate Finn | 5–8 PM

Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with a veteran drinking a pint at Galway.