TOGETHER WITH
Good morning, Annapolis. Did you know octopuses have three hearts? Yep. One “normal” heart and a heart in each gill. The normal heart actually stops when they swim because swimming is so energy intensive for them. Which is why they prefer to walk on the seafloor. And yes, octopuses is the correct plural because octopus comes from a Greek word, not Latin. Thanks for tuning into biology Friday. Enjoy the rest of the Scoop.
In today’s Naptown Scoop:
National Merit Semifinalists
New Barnes & Noble
Severn River Bridge Work
Let’s get to it.
— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, Duffy Perkins

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THE DIGEST
Most clicked stories of the week 🏆
Monday: High school football preview 🏈
Tuesday: Registration Open for 2026 Maryland’s Best Expo
Wednesday: World-famous Chris Dugdale works magic in Annapolis 🪄
Thursday: Annapolis Vintage Market
8 AACPS semifinalists for National Merit Scholarship 📚
$26 million is a lot of money — and about 6,900 students across the country will get some part of that in the form of the National Merit Scholarship when finalists are announced in February. For now, 8 seniors from Anne Arundel County Public Schools are among the 16,000 semifinalists to be considered for the prestigious prize:
✏️ Evan Crockett, Severna Park High School
✏️ Madeleine Hardisty, Arundel High School
✏️ Zachariah Jackson, Broadneck High School
✏️ Elyse Katolin, Crofton High School
✏️ Maya Kirshtein, Severna Park High School
✏️ Christopher Lowman, Severna Park High School
✏️ Selah Sutton, Meade High School
✏️ Nathaniel Weinbaum, Broadneck High School
Congrats, semifinalists!
⚠️ Nighttime lane closures on Severn River Bridge ⚠️
Bridges don’t fix themselves — they need regular maintenance, and the Severn River Bridge along Rt. 50/301 is due for TLC this fall. Starting on Monday, the Maryland State Highway Administration will do work on the Severn River Bridge every Sunday-Thursday night through November (weather permitting, so it could take a little longer). Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to cross the bridge. Just expect double-lane closures between 9 PM and 5 AM the next morning. Watch for portable variable message signs and barrels marking lane closures. Work will start on the eastbound lane first.
🔎 What work is being done? Specifically, maintenance will include bridge deck drains, joint seals at the bridge abutments, asphalt approaches, and the bridge navigation lights that guide boats.
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NAPTOWN SCOOP LOCAL BUSINESS IS POWERED BY. . .
Foodie Friday: Best Diner 🥞🥓
Reader’s Digest recently published “The Most Iconic Diner in Every State” and gave Double T the honor in Maryland. And while we love Double T – we even ranked their crabcake #6 in Annapolis – we’d like to name our own honorable mention – Chick & Ruth’s Delly.
Aside from friendly staff and delicious food, the DTA institution of 60 years has drawn elected officials with menu items named in their honor and even celebrity sightings. Don’t forget about the Colossal Challenges: devouring a 6 lb milkshake and 1 ½ lb sandwich that even drew the attention of the Travel Channel’s ‘Man vs. Food,’ plus the daily Pledge of Allegiance (weekdays at 8:30 AM; weekends at 9:30 AM).
Our favorite dishes? Biscuits & Sausage Gravy, Eggs Benedict, Crab Omelet, and The Larry Hogan (Annapolis Cheese Steak with American cheese and grilled onions). Oh, and of course they have a great crabcake, too.
Barnes & Nobles Opens 2nd Location In Anne Arundel County
We’ll be honest: the jury’s still out on the new Barnes & Nobles, which recently opened its second Anne Arundel County location up just across the borders (IYKYK) of Severna Park. Around the Scoop, we’re huge fans of local and independent booksellers - and we’re lucky to have some of the best in the country with Park Books, Old Fox, and Wyrd. But we also love the sheer volume of books in a Barnes & Nobles store. We’d rather buy a book from a nice human than have a drone deliver it.
In reading about the new store opening, one thing caught us: the company is asserting that this corporate tiger has changed its stripes. Instead of having a cookie cutter experience across all stores, now “individual stores and their booksellers tailor their own book curation for their particular market and customer; also deciding on in store displays, table configuration of books, (and) window displays.” Kinda like being an independent bookseller.
So we’re interested in what you think - are you excited for the new store? Or are you now even more passionate about supporting your local bookstore? And finally, how much attention do you really give to Barnes & Nobles tablescapes?
New Barnes & Noble in Severna Park: what’s your vibe?
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.

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WHAT’S HAPPENIN’
What we’re up to this weekend
FRIDAY
Parole | Food Truck Friday | Half a dozen food trucks post up because you didn’t want to cook anyway | 4–8 PM
SATURDAY
Severna Park | Severna Park Farmer’s Market | Saturday mornings are for farmer’s markets | 8 AM to Noon
Parole | Household Hazardous Waste Drop | Safely get rid of oil-based paints, solvents, pool chemicals, and more | 8 AM – 2 PM
Downtown Annapolis | Keels & Wheels | Classic cars, boats, and motorcycles on display at the Annapolis Yacht Club (open to public) | 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Crownsville | Wildberry Fall Field Market | Dozens of local vendors at an outdoor market | 9 AM – 12 PM
Back Creek | Capital SUP warehouse sale | Deep discounts on shallow draft watercraft like kayaks, SUPs, and accessories | 10 AM – 1 PM
Admiral Heights | 35th Annual Kunta Kinte Heritage Festival | Live music, lots of food, arts and crafts, and children’s activities | 10 AM – 7 PM
Parole | Greetings From Naptown Pop-up Market | HERE. a pop-up shop and Stronger Together Collective host local vendors at Annapolis Town Center | 10 AM – 3 PM
SUNDAY
Quiet Waters Park | Annapolis Run for The Light House | I know it says run but the 5K and half-marathon are sold out so the only option left is to walk 1 mile | 9 AM
Admiral Heights | 9/11 Heroes Run | Run or ruck a 5K or 1 mile to honor heroes of 9/11 and support the Travis Manion Foundation | 11 AM
Parole | Annapolis Vintage Market | Vintage Vibe Finds and Artfully Acquired team up to host 15 curated vendors plus a food truck | 11 AM – 5 PM
ALL WEEKEND (PLUS THURSDAY)
Crownsville | Anne Arundel County Fair | Ride the rides, see the animals, eat the food. There’s no week like fair week
Downtown Annapolis | Annapolis Songwriter’s Festival | Dirty Heads, Steep Canyon Rangers, and dozens more singer-songwriters. Many concerts are free
ALL WEEKEND
Parole | Anne Arundel County Farmers’ Market | Everything tastes better when it’s local
Sandy Point State Park | Maryland Seafood Festival | Loads of seafood, local shopping, live music, and so much more (like BMX stunts)
Greenbury Point | Washington Capitals Rookie Camp | 23 of the Caps’ most promising players practice at the Naval Academy’s ice rink
Sold out:
🐴 Maryland Renaissance Faire
🥒 Annapolis Pickleball Club Bay Capital Mortgage Open
Secret Movie screening at Landmark Theaters
You know those “Blind date with a book” packages? This is kind of the movie theatre version of that. For just $5 you can see an as-of-now unreleased movie on Monday night at Landmark Theater in Annapolis Harbour Center. It’s a first look at a PG-13-rated film and you won’t know what’s playing until after the previews. Some people would pay $5 just to watch previews, when you think about it. We think this is worth it for the mystery alone. 7 PM on Sept. 15 at Landmark Theater.
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.
CIVIL NEWS
County Council Meeting
Anne Arundel County Council is expected to cover the following orders of business during the next County Council meeting on September 15 at 7 PM.
📜 Bill No. 65-25: Modifying the calculation of the Homeowners Property Tax Credit Program
📜 Bill No. 67-25: Concerning Floodplain Management, Erosion and Sediment Control, and Stormwater Management — for the purpose of defining “pruning” and “clearing”
📜 Bill No 68-25: Adding animal rescue as a home occupation
📜 Bill No. 70-25: Regarding Equity and Human Rights — Reasonable Accommodation
📜 Bill No. 71-25: Concerning Public Campaign Funding
📜 Bill No. 72-25: Zoning requirements for Conditional Uses
Find details for watching, listening, and submitting testimony. The meeting will occur at the Arundel Center (44 Calvert St).
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NAPTOWN SCOOP WEATHER IS POWERED BY. . .
Friday
79 🌡️ 62 | ☀️ | 5% | 💨 NE 8 mph (7 knots)
Saturday
79 🌡️ 63 | 🌤️ | 12% | 💨 SSE 8 mph (7 knots)
Sunday
82 🌡️ 65 | 🌤️ | 6% | 💨 SE 6 mph (5 knots)
💧🌡️ Water temperature = 74ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN
🌳🎵 = Outdoor Concert
Friday
49 West | Jeff Muller & Friends | 7:30–10:30 PM
Annapolis Smokehouse & Tavern | Wildflowers | 8:30 PM
Annapolis Songwriters Festival | See lineup | All Day
Blackwall Hitch | Dana B | 4–7 PM
Blackwall Hitch | The Wet Cowboys | 9–12 PM
Brian Boru | Aidan and Bryan | 7–10 PM
Calvert Street Stage | Dirty Heads w/ Ballyhoo! & Wheeland Brothers | 5:45 PM | TicketsCaptain’s Daughter | TBA | 5–7 PM
The Choptank | Shelby Blondell | 8 PM
Coconut Joe’s | Neel Madan | 5–8 PM
Coconut Joe’s | Sister Midnight | 9 PM
Great Frogs | Charles Kavoossi | 5:30–8:30 PM
Killarney House | Pete Best | 7:30–10:30 PM
Libbey’s Coastal Kitchen | Dave Hawkins | 5–8 PM
The Lodge | Grayson Moon | 8–11 PM
Market House | Wake Zone Music | 8:30–11:30 PM
Middleton Tavern | The Noelle & Jeff Band | 10 PM
Old Stein Inn | Ryan Keith & Thomas Coster | 7:30–10:30 PM
Pirates Cove | Kurt Gibbons | 7–10 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Jeff Middleton, Dylan Altman, Chris Canterbury, Ronnie Bowman, Anthony Smith, Nick Norman, Jeffrey Steele | 7 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | Music Room | 9 PM
Romilo’s Restaurant and Bar | Shift Work | 7 PM
Severna Park Taphouse | Mac Heat Band | 7 PM
Stan & Joe’s Riverside | Ryan B duo | 4–8 PM
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Desert Shade | 9:45 PM
Saturday
49 West | Robert Redd & Sue Matthews | 8–10 PM
Annapolis Songwriters Festival | See lineup | All Day
Blackwall Hitch | Red Betty & The Ruckus | 9 PM
Brian Boru | Lauren and Rusty | 7–10 PM
The Choptank | Tim Atkinson | 8 PM
Coconut Joe’s | Mark Desrochers | 2–5 PM
Coconut Joe’s | Sugar Jack | 9 PM
Galway Bay | Annapolis Songwriters Festival | 8–12 PM
Great Frogs | Danah Koch | 1:30–4:30 PM
Killarney House | Ciaran Quinn | 7:30–10:30 PM
Maryland Hall | Al Jardine and The Pet Sounds Band | 8 PM | Tickets
Middleton Tavern | Troll Tribe | 10 PM
Mike’s Crabhouse | The Fuses | 4–8 PM
Pirates Cove | Frank, Elvis & Raines | 6:30–10 PM
Rams Head On Stage | 10,000 Maniacs | 8:30 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | Mike Miller | 8 PM
Romilo’s Restaurant and Bar | Stillbound 2.0 | 7 PM
Severna Park Taphouse | ZGK/Warren Drive Band | 2 PM
Stan & Joe’s Riverside | Nate Finn | 4–8 PM
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Sidewalk Soul | 9:45 PM
Sunday
49 West | Dede Wyland & Big Howdy | 7–9 PM
Annapolis Songwriters Festival | See lineup | All Day
Coconut Joe’s | Dave Tieff | 2–5 PM
Galway Bay | Annapolis Songwriters Festival | 12–4 PM
Galway Bay | Scoglio Duo | 4–8 PM
Great Frogs | Ray Weaver | 1:30–4:30 PM
🌳🎵 Hatton-Regester Green – Severna Park | Guava Jelly | 4–6 PM
Market House | Casey McConville | 5–7 PM
Pirates Cove | Aaron Hawkins | 3–6 PM
Rams Head On Stage | 10,000 Maniacs | 7:30 PM | Tickets
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Steve & V | 9 PM

Upcoming games
Football (2-0)
9/13 @ Tulsa | 8 PM
Women's Rugby (1-1)
9/13 @ Lindenwood | 12 PM
Men's Rugby (1-0)
9/13 vs. Mary Washington | 11 AM
Women's Soccer (6-3)
9/13 vs. Le Moyne | 1 PM
9/ 14 vs. UMBC | 5 PM
Men's Soccer (1-2-3)
9/13 vs. Holy Cross | 1 PM
Women's Volleyball (2-4)
9/12 vs. Gardner-Webb vs. Le Moyne | 3 PM
9/12 vs. Gardner-Webb | 7 PM
9/13 vs. Hampton vs. Garner-Webb | 4 PM
9/13 vs. Hampton | 7 PM
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THANKS!
Thank you for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who has taken their dog to a waterpark.





