Epping Forest, Inc., the organization that administers the Epping Forest special community benefit district, an added fee on top of taxes collected by Anne Arundel County for reasons agreed upon by the district, wants to take out a loan to pay for the upgrade.
Both sides presented their cases to the Anne Arundel County Council on July 21, and at that meeting, Epping Forest President Stacy Korbelak said a vote held in the neighborhood ended 115 for the marina and 64 against.
Later, resident Delia Deschaine said there are more than 400 properties in the neighborhood and the vote does not necessarily represent its will. Mitch Glazier, another resident, later said it was one of the highest voting turnouts the neighborhood has ever had. According to the Epping Forest website, there are “nearly 300” homes in the special community benefit district.
Korbelak, when contacted, declined to comment on the grounds of pending legal action against the neighborhood, though as of Friday afternoon no such case appears in the Maryland Judiciary Case Search.
To pay for the enhancement, the neighborhood corporation would have to take out a loan for $1.5 million and pay it off with equal amounts from each household over 10 years. Due to amortization, the neighborhood would be responsible for roughly $500,000 over that period, while the other $1 million is meant to be offset by marina boat slip fees.
Jeff Stockdale, who spoke at the meeting, said SCBD funding should be put toward fixing the neighborhood’s water supply — a wellwater system in disrepair operated by volunteers. Stockdale also said the new marina would extend nearly 140 feet into the river, potentially blocking the view of the private beach.
“The SCBD is meant to support shared community services. It’s not to subsidize luxury recreational infrastructure for a few, but if this bill passes, one-third of our annual SCBD budget will be tied up repaying this loan,” Stockdale said. “We are facing real infrastructure needs.”
Stockdale was one of a few people who spoke out against the project at the meeting.
“I appreciate all the concerns that were raised, but they were also raised within the community, within the process that was established. And at the end of the day, a vote was taken, and that vote ended up being two to one,” Glazier said at the meeting.
“The Boat Club has gone to large lengths to explain their program, their vision for the marina, and I think that there is a very small, few disgruntled people that don’t like the way the vote went, and they’re engaging in shenanigans and lawfare to try and delay, derail and kill this project, and I think it’s shameful,” said Denise Peterson, another resident.
District 6 councilmember Lisa Rodvien, who represents the neighborhood, called for the vote to be pushed to a meeting on Sept. 2 so she can review the situation. The postponement passed, with only District 2’s Allison Pickard dissenting and saying delaying the vote would harm the project.
Have a news tip? Contact Benjamin Rothstein at brothstein@baltsun.com, 443-928-1926.
]]>Here’s where the Compass is pointing for the next year:
“Annie” (Sept. 19 to Oct. 19 at Maryland Hall)
The first showing of the season is the theater classic “Annie,” which follows an orphan taken in by a rich man. It won seven Tony awards when it debuted in 1977.
Compass Rose’s rendition will be directed by Tracy Adler, a former Howard County high school teacher turned director. Music direction will be done by Barrett Johnson, who played Chiffon in “Little Shop of Horrors” for Compass Rose earlier this year.
Casting is complete and rehearsals are underway. Jules Kanarek will play Annie while James Toler will be Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks. The show will also make use of an animal actor for Annie’s dog Sandy, who will be played by a pup named Sequel. Barbara Webber, Compass Rose’s executive director, said Sequel has already met with the cast.
“Sequel is going to steal everyone’s heart. We’re already well aware of that,” Webber said. “If Annie wasn’t already going to steal it, Sequel is going to be a close call in the running.”
“Pride and Prejudice” (Nov. 14 to Dec. 14 at Maryland Hall)
After “Annie” comes “Pride and Prejudice,” specifically a version by U.K.-based playwright Emma Whipday adapted from the classic Jane Austen novel. It will be directed by artistic director Austin, who plans to helm a show every year.
Austin said she has been working with Whipday to tweak the script in an effort to make it Compass Rose’s own. She said she saw a version of Whipday’s adaptation at a theater in Virginia.
“It was hilarious and funny, but also true to the language, true to the storytelling, but it had a slightly sharp take on [it], and it was adapted so beautifully,” Austin said.
This year also marks Austen’s 250th birthday, another reason Austin picked the show.
“Rent” (Feb. 6 to March 8 at Anne Arundel Community College)
After the new year comes the Jonathan Larson rock musical “Rent,” though this time at Anne Arundel Community College as Maryland Hall begins renovations in early 2026. Stephen Emery will direct, previously directing “Proof” for Compass Rose, while musical direction will be done by Paige Rammelkamp, a music teacher and director.
Based on Italian opera “La Bohème,” “Rent” follows a New York neighborhood and explores themes of the AIDS epidemic, the LGBTQ community and poverty.
Austin, who teaches at Anne Arundel Community College, said putting on the show at the school has allowed the two organizations to collaborate. Department of Performing Arts students are encouraged to get involved so they can gain experience with a professional theater company.
She said the collaboration could open the door to similar arrangements in the future, even after Maryland Hall renovations are complete.
“Compass Rose Cabaret” (April 10 to 26 at Unity by the Bay church)
The season will close with a cabaret show to celebrate the theater’s 15th anniversary, directed by Jack Benedict, who has done musical direction for Compass Rose previously.
The show will have food, drinks and a selection of songs from musicals throughout the theater’s history, although specific pieces have not been announced.
Compass Rose, a nonprofit, aims to give those interested in the theater industry professional experience.
“We’ve created a welcoming space for professional actors and people who are interested in theater, because that’s what we want to grow here is more theater lovers and more opportunities for actors and behind-the-scenes folks and creatives to create great theater in Annapolis,” Webber said.
Have a news tip? Contact Benjamin Rothstein at brothstein@baltsun.com, 443-928-1926.
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The four-acre development is also home to Aldi, Honeygrow and Quickway Hibachi, which opened in March.
The chain says its first brick-and-mortar location opened in 2018 and now has more than 50 nationwide, which they want to make 60 by the end of the year. There are locations in Bowie, Odenton and Glen Burnie.
Naz’s specializes in halal classics like gyros and bowls with a choice of meat. It also offers some American dishes like burgers, wings and fries.
In a visit to the new location on Tuesday, the interior remains unfinished though signage has been posted for months. Kitchen equipment and chairs are still iwrapped and no decorations have been put up. Anne Arundel County permit signage indicates construction work is being done inside, as well as the installation of a grill hood.
A final opening date has not been announced. The chain did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Have a news tip? Contact Benjamin Rothstein at brothstein@baltsun.com, 443-928-1926.
]]>The move comes almost exactly a year after the change was first announced. The airline’s open-boarding model was one of its defining features and has been in place for more than 50 years.
“Our customers want more choice and greater control over their travel experience,” Tony Roach, executive vice president of customer & brand at Southwest Airlines, said in a news release Monday. “Assigned seating unlocks new opportunities for our customers — including the ability to select extra legroom seats — and removes the uncertainty of not knowing where they will sit in the cabin.”
The new assigned seat model offers three different types of seats: extra legroom, which are toward the front of the cabin and around exits, preferred, between two extra legroom sections, and standard, in the back half of the cabin.
Along with the three designations for seat types are four fare bundle tiers, with each having a different combination of the type of seat included, the type or refundability for tickets, priority boarding, included in-flight internet and more.
Southwest recently downsized its staff at BWI while several other carriers have departed the airport permanently; however, at the same time, Southwest is increasing the number of routes available from the airport. According to one University of Maryland expert, the increase means the carrier remains strong at BWI, possibly even being the reason for some other airlines’ departures.
Have a news tip? Contact Benjamin Rothstein at brothstein@baltsun.com, 443-928-1926.
]]>Garrity said when she took the job about a year ago, the position was always meant to be temporary. Garrity, who is also campaign manager for Annapolis mayoral candidate Jared Littmann, said she might work in his administration if he is elected. She will officially leave PlayAnnapolis once a new executive director is hired.
The organization supports sports and recreation programs across the city with scholarships, which are of various amounts and cover equipment and season registration fees, and advocacy. It also has some of its own programming such as its sports fair. The organization was founded in 2023.
Bess Langbein, PlayAnnapolis’ board chair, said she could not give an exact number, but a good number of applications were received before July 15 when the application process closed.
At the center of the organization is the PlayAnnapolis playbook, the strategies and goals the new executive director will be asked to put into practice.
“We heard from over 300 families, including many of whom have children who are served by the Title I schools in the city, as well as those for whom Spanish is their primary language or native language, and through that data collection, we’re able to lift up some of the those voices to identify what the needs were in the city, and then use that data and the knowledge of our coalition crew to create a playbook,” Langbein said.
The new executive director will also have to build relationships with partners and the community, in addition to ideas they bring to the organization.
Langbein expects to hire someone by the fall in time for sports season.
Have a news tip? Contact Benjamin Rothstein at brothstein@baltsun.com, 443-928-1926.
]]>Adams met Chang at Gov. Wes Moore’s Buy Local Cookout at the Maryland Department of Agriculture on Wednesday, he said. Naptown Scoop first reported the news.
Details are scarce, but Adams said the location will be at 918 Bay Ridge Road, which is south of Eastport betweenGeorgetown Plaza and Chase Bank. It used to be home to Fitzsimmons Design, which has since moved to Forest Drive. Founder Gina Fitzsimmons told the Capital Gazette on Monday that the building was sold in November. It sold for $1,775,000, according to Rosso Commercial Real Estate. Fitzsimmons said there would be a chef’s kitchen with private seating in the property’s back building.
Chang has nearly a dozen restaurants across Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, serving Chinese favorites like Peking duck and kung pao chicken. He credits the scallion bubble pancake, created by his wife, Lisa, as contributing to his restaurants’ success.
Chang hails from Wuhan, China, and studied cooking in Chengdu, which is in the Sichuan province. He moved to the United States about 30 years ago as a Chinese ambassador to the U.S. before pursuing a career in restaurants.
He did not respond to a request for comment.
Have a news tip? Contact Benjamin Rothstein at brothstein@baltsun.com, 443-928-1926.
]]>Suresh Acharya, academic director of the business analytics master’s program at the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business, said BWI’s focus on passengers looking for bargains is what has allowed BWI and Dulles to coexist. Dulles offers more premium carriers, like Qatar Airways or Virgin Atlantic.
“Airports, including Washington Dulles International, have people who work hard to provide robust air service options to meet customer demand while fueling their regional economies,” Robert Yingling, spokesman for Dulles operator Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, wrote in a statement.
“BWI Marshall Airport has an aggressive air service development effort. We work closely with existing and new airlines to boost service for travelers in this market,” Jonathan Dean, spokesperson for BWI, wrote in a statement. “We are working to include the local business community and our customers in helping to drive air service development.”
Acharya said Dulles has and will continue to be seen as a more premium option, but as long as Southwest is fine, so is BWI.
“The barometer is Southwest, right? So, others can come, others can go,” Acharya said. “Southwest continues to be very strong out of BWI, including expansion — maybe not tons of it, but healthy.” Acharya has spent over 20 years working in statistics and optimization, including in the airport industry.
Southwest did cut its staff by around 120 employees in March, but Acharya says that adding the routes means it’s going strong.
“]Allegiant’s departure “is likely a function of the strength of Southwest — Frontier is to be monitored. They seem to still be very stable,” he said. Indeed, Frontier, another budget airline like Allegiant, maintains a presence at BWI.
A real sign of trouble would be if Southwest began to reduce its service, but that seems unlikely.
“Our peak summer schedule at BWI, one of our cornerstone markets, features more than 230 departures depending on day of week,” Chris Perry, spokesperson for Southwest, wrote in an email last month. “We recently opened a new maintenance hangar at BWI and have many of our redeye operations from locations in the Mountain and Pacific time zones arriving at BWI.”
Dean wrote: “Southwest has served this market for more than 30 years. BWI Marshall is the largest Southwest airport in the east, and among their largest nationwide. Southwest is evolving as an airline, and we look forward to new opportunities with the carrier in coming years.”
Acharya argues that the biggest loss for BWI from these airline departures comes from ones providing low-cost service to Europe, like PLAY or Condor. In the case of Air Canada, he said its native travelers have recently shown a reluctance to travel to America, which could contribute to its delayed return to the airport after its departure last year.
When it comes to travelers, Acharya said that there is a risk of fares going up, but he predicts that other low-cost carriers will come in to fill the void.
“Might there be price pressure upwards, given that Southwest and others dominate? Perhaps,” he said. “But this might also be a softer travel season. Will these all realign and work out again soon? I think so.”
Acharya said the size of the carriers that left means that the economic effect outside of the airport is negligible, but he said he expects it to even out.
Have a news tip? Contact Benjamin Rothstein at brothstein@baltsun.com, 443-928-1926.
]]>According to Anne Arundel County permit signage posted on the building, the store will be in the building that used to be Wendy’s at the Market at South River Colony. It will open in November, according to Naptown Scoop.
Owner Jerry Osuna named the restaurant for his son, Nico, who died by suicide in 2018. Proceeds from some bagels go toward the Nico’s Hope for Life Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Osuna that raises awareness of mental health issues. Osuna declined to comment on the new location.
Nico’s menu features a variety of classic bagel flavors but uses them to come up with some nontraditional recipes, like peanut butter and jelly on a bagel, pizza bagels, and the weekends-only “Crabby Bagel,” which is topped with crabmeat, Old Bay and cheddar. Nico’s also sells Bagel Dunks, bite-sized bagel pieces dreamed up by Nico.
Sharing a parking lot, Timber Pizza opened in Edgewater recently.
Have a news tip? Contact Benjamin Rothstein at brothstein@baltsun.com, 443-928-1926.
]]>The menu includes combinations like garlic butter with cheddar and worldwide-inspired toppings, including chicken curry, Cuban chicken, and spinach, feta and roasted garlic.
“The fillings are all something that has American flavor to it, the whole American continent. So, we have a Cuban potato, a Caribbean potato, a Texas salsa, a pulled pork. And those are all things that we get on this continent somewhere,” said Barbara Ripani, Potato Valley’s co-owner. She estimated that the business goes through nearly 30,000 potatoes every year, or 80 a day.
Ripani and her husband, Andy Ekbladh, bought into the Swedish franchise back in 1995, and the Annapolis location remains the only one in the United States. Ekbladh is from Sweden and said he worked to Americanize the menu when the restaurant opened.
Ripani, who is also a therapist, said she has seen downtown Annapolis grow and change over the past three decades. State House and other government employees have been a constant since the beginning, but the restaurant eventually began to attract tourists and St. John’s College students.
“It used to be so quiet when we first opened … people used to always ask us, ‘Why is there nobody walking around this town?’ Now it’s a little bit too much of a party atmosphere,” Ripani said, though she later added she still loves running the business and doesn’t see herself retiring anytime soon.
She said that not expanding beyond the one location was a conscious decision, based on wanting to be able to put all of her focus on one place. A bonus bonus, she said, is that it keeps people coming back from all over.
Government employees, like Marquita Lewis, who works for Secretary of State Susan C. Lee, are some of the business’s biggest supporters.
“I’ve been working there since 2015, and I come here every day. Anytime I’m at work, I come here, and maybe two, three times I went somewhere else, and that’s only because [Potato Valley] was closed,” Lewis said.
Lewis, an admitted potato enthusiast, was excited that the restaurant had reached the 30-year milestone.
“Coming to Potato [Valley], that’s the main reason why I come to work,” she said. “Not too many people are doing things like [opening] a baked potato restaurant.”
On Wednesday, Potato Valley will be holding a 30th anniversary event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., complete with free raw Idaho potatoes for the community to take home, cake, and champagne.
Have a news tip? Contact Benjamin Rothstein at brothstein@baltsun.com, 443-928-1926.
]]>It specializes in a variety of wood-fired pizzas, like best seller and co-owner Chris Brady’s favorite, The Bentley, that is topped with pepperoni, chorizo, soppressata, Peruvian sweet peppers and spicy honey. There are also empanadas, salads and ice cream courtesy of Always Ice Cream, another area chain quickly expanding its footprint.
Brady, who spent part of his childhood boating on the South River, said the restaurant’s expansion strategy focuses on “great markets and great people,” and is fueled by its ongoing franchising program, though the Edgewater location is Brady’s own. The next place he wants to go, he said, is the Severna Park area.
Though the business is expanding with permanent storefronts, Brady said its trucks and mobile ovens are still in use at events all over the county, like May’s West Annapolis Spring Festival. Coincidentally, Black Market Bakers, which also started as a food truck, has an outpost on South River Colony Main Street, steps away from the new Timber Pizza.
“When a brand catches on through doing that, naturally, they’re looking to get a foothold and establish a brick-and-mortar in the community as well,” Brady said.
The restaurant has been decorated with area imagery and flags, transforming it from the Squisito Pizza and Pasta that was in the space before. Part of the decor is a mural of a boat speeding on the South River by artist Liza Love, a student at St. John’s College and Timber Pizza Annapolis employee. She started out designing the restaurant’s chalkboards, but when Brady came to her to ask her opinion on who should paint the piece at the new Edgewater location, she insisted it had to be her.
“I’ve never done a project like this by myself,” Love said. “I got started maybe three weeks ago, sketched it up [on the wall], started painting. It’s taken a lot longer than I anticipated.”
Have a news tip? Contact Benjamin Rothstein at brothstein@baltsun.com, 443-928-1926.
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