🧭 Here’s what’s in today’s issue:
• 🧠 Trivia Challenge: Spotlight Hook
• 📰 News: Wake County Offers Up to $35,000 in Home Repair Grants
• 📰 News: Wake County Among Areas Hit by Tornadoes
• ⚽ Sports: Courage Add Former Duke Star as Eight Players Earn National Team Calls
• 😄 Meme of the Day – Just for Laughs
• 🎁 Your gift fuels local fun: Show Your Support
• 📅 Events: Upcoming Events (Top Picks)
👉 Browse the highlights. Scroll or Skip to your favorites.
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Question: What is a body's resistance to changes in motion or speed called?
(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.)
THE SPOTLIGHT IS ON CARY ✨
Anniversary Month
October 1 → October 24
IT STARTED WITH AN IDEA…
Tell Cary's stories.
This October, we're celebrating Cary Spotlight.
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Together with 
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The Inheritance You Leave Your Kids? Surprisingly Public |
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What you leave your kids and grandkids doesn't stay private. |
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What you had. Who received it. Filed with a court, open to anyone who looks. |
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But there's one asset that stays off it. No bank, no brokerage, nobody to notify. |
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And the best part? You can buy it inside your retirement account, tax-deferred and penalty-free. |
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See what it is: |
| Read the Full Story |
Wake County Offers Up to $35,000 in Home Repair Grants
Wake County has launched a new program to help lower-income homeowners pay for essential repairs, offering grants of up to $35,000 per household.
The initiative, called Resilient Homes, is designed to help residents remain safely in their homes when expensive repairs become difficult to afford.
The county is partnering with the nonprofit Preserving Home to administer the program, and online applications are now open.
However, there is an important geographic restriction: homes within the city limits of Cary and Raleigh are not eligible.
🔨 What Repairs Are Covered?
Resilient Homes focuses on repairs that improve a home's safety, accessibility and long-term condition.
Eligible projects may include:
🏠 Roof repairs: Addressing damage that could lead to leaks or structural problems.
⚡ Electrical and plumbing: Repairing unsafe wiring, faulty plumbing and outdated home systems.
🌡️ Heating and cooling: Fixing or replacing failing HVAC equipment.
♿ Accessibility improvements: Making homes safer for residents with mobility limitations, including modifications to stairs and other access points.
🌿 Weatherization: Improving a home's ability to withstand weather and maintain comfortable indoor temperatures.
🛡️ Hazard reduction: Addressing radon and lead-based paint hazards.
The program is intended to preserve existing affordable housing by helping homeowners address problems that might otherwise become too expensive to fix.
💰 Who Qualifies for Assistance?
The program has specific income, asset and property requirements.
To qualify, homeowners must have a household income below 50% of the area's median income.
The stated income limits include:
Household size | Income limit |
|---|---|
2 people | $52,950 |
4 people | $66,150 |
Applicants must also meet several additional requirements:
Have less than $25,000 in assets, excluding the value of their home.
Own a home built on a permanent foundation in Wake County.
Live outside the city limits of Raleigh and Cary.
Be current on property tax payments.
These restrictions mean that some homeowners in surrounding communities may qualify, while homeowners whose properties are inside Cary or Raleigh city limits cannot participate in this particular program.
🏡 Helping Homeowners Stay in Their Homes
The program is managed through Wake County's Housing Affordability and Community Revitalization Department.
County officials say major home repairs can place considerable financial pressure on residents who have already invested years in their properties.
For homeowners living on limited incomes, a damaged roof, failing heating system or serious plumbing problem can create expenses that are difficult to manage.
Resilient Homes aims to reduce that pressure by providing financial assistance for necessary improvements before maintenance problems threaten a homeowner's ability to remain in the property.
Wake County Commissioner Tara Waters emphasized the importance of protecting the investment residents have made in their homes and preventing costly repairs from becoming a barrier to continued homeownership.
📋 How to Apply
Wake County has combined its existing home repair assistance efforts into the new Resilient Homes program, increasing the maximum assistance available to qualifying households.
Applications are open online through the program's nonprofit partner.
Learn more and apply: Preserving Home
Homeowners should review the eligibility requirements before applying, particularly the income limits, asset restrictions and exclusion of properties within Cary and Raleigh city limits.
For eligible Wake County residents, the program could provide substantial help with repairs that are necessary to keep their homes safe and livable.
Just curious…
What type of home repair assistance do you think Wake County residents need most?
- 🏠 Roof repairs and structural improvements
- ❄️ Heating and air conditioning repairs
- ⚡ Electrical and plumbing upgrades
- ♿ Accessibility improvements for seniors and people with disabilities
- 💰 Financial assistance to make essential repairs affordable
- 🏡 Expanding repair assistance to more homeowners, including Cary residents
- Other (please specify)
Wake County Among Areas Hit by Tornadoes
Central North Carolina experienced a tornado outbreak on Sunday, Oct. 11, as the remnants of Hurricane Isaias moved inland. Although the storm's center was more than 300 miles away in Kentucky, severe weather continued across the region, prompting 14 tornado warnings between 10:05 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
The National Weather Service has initially confirmed seven tornadoes, including touchdowns in northeast Raleigh, Clayton, Louisburg, Fayetteville, Candor, Harrells and the Jordan Lake area. Five were rated EF-1, with estimated winds of 86 to 110 mph, while two were rated EF-0, with estimated winds of 65 to 85 mph.
Additional storm surveys are scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 13, in Harnett County and western Wake County. If investigators confirm tornadoes in both locations, the regional total could rise to nine. The final count will depend on the results of those damage assessments.
Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, on Friday, Oct. 9, as a Category 2 storm before weakening and moving inland. Its remaining circulation continued to contribute to severe weather across central North Carolina, illustrating how tropical systems can produce tornadoes well away from their centers.
Just curious…
After Sunday's tornado outbreak in central North Carolina, how prepared do you feel for severe weather?
- 🏠 Very prepared. I have an emergency plan and supplies
- 📱 I rely on weather alerts to stay informed
- 🎒 I have some supplies but need a better plan
- ⚠️ I know where to shelter but haven't prepared much else
- 😟 Not very prepared. I need to take more precautions
- 🤔 I'm not sure what I should do during a tornado warning
Courage Add Former Duke Star as Eight Players Earn National Team Calls
The North Carolina Courage made headlines during the international break, adding former Duke standout Ella Hase while celebrating national team call-ups for eight players. With the NWSL playoff race heating up, the Cary-based club is building for the future while its stars represent their countries around the world.
⚽ Former Duke star returns to North Carolina: The Courage acquired defender Ella Hase from Racing Louisville for $35,000 in transfer funds and signed her through the 2029 season. Hase has made 44 NWSL appearances in two seasons. During her final college season at Duke, she recorded three goals and 13 assists, helping the Blue Devils reach the NCAA semifinals.
🇺🇸 Sanchez returns to the national spotlight: Ashley Sanchez earned a return to the U.S. Women's National Team for October friendlies against Spain. Sanchez is enjoying a record-breaking season with 20 goals, tying the NWSL single-season scoring record and leading the Golden Boot race. After Saturday's opening meeting, the teams are scheduled to meet again today, Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. ET.
🌍 Courage stars represent their countries: Uno Shiragaki (Japan), Erica Meg Parkinson (England), Kailen Sheridan and Carly Wickenheiser (Canada), Evelyn Ijeh (Sweden), and Vilde Bøe Risa (Norway) also received international call-ups. Their assignments include friendlies and important 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying playoffs. Several players have their second international matches scheduled for today, Oct. 13, while Canada's second match against Denmark was scheduled for Monday.
⭐ Jackson earns another U-23 opportunity: Riley Jackson joined the United States U-23 National Team for two friendlies against the Dominican Republic. The Georgia native has recorded three goals and two assists in 23 Courage appearances this season. Her second U-23 match is scheduled for today, Oct. 13, at noon ET.
With international talent shining and a familiar Duke standout joining the roster, the Courage are giving Cary soccer fans plenty to celebrate as the club prepares for the final stretch of the NWSL season.
Meme of the Day.
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Oct 13 - Oct 19, 2026
🎟️ Upcoming Events (Top Picks)
Outdoor events may be changed due to weather, so click the links to see latest event information. Here are a few ideas for the week, so plan ahead:
• Today: Art Cart 10AM-1PM
• Today: Music BINGO 7PM-9PM
• Wednesday: Tai Chi: Downtown Cary Park 6:30PM-7:30PM
• Thursday: Live at Lunch: Chris Overstreet 11:30AM-1:30PM
• Thursday: Zumba 6PM-7PM
• Thursday: Frightfully Beautiful Mini Frame 6:30PM-8:30PM
• Friday: ITA Carolina Regional Men's Tennis Championships All Day
• Friday: Cary Night Market 5PM-9PM
• Saturday: ITA Carolina Regional Men's Tennis Championships All Day
• Saturday: Good Hope Farm Monthly Workday 9AM-11AM
• Saturday: Cary Farmers Market 8AM-12PM
• Saturday: Blood Cancer United Light The Night Walk 5:30PM
• Saturday: CaryLIVE! Harvey Street 7:30PM-9:30PM
• Sunday: ITA Carolina Regional Men's Tennis Championships All Day
• Sunday: Tricks & Treats: Dog Training 2PM-3PM
• Sunday: Jazz’d Up Sundays: Kobie Watkins 6:30-8PM
• Sunday: Trampled by Turtles 6:30PM
• Monday: Drop-in Puzzling and Puzzle Swap Meet 1PM-7PM
But wait! There’s more. To save space in your inbox, we’ve moved the full list of events online — now you can plan ahead: See Full 2-Week Calendar
The Answer to the Cary Spotlight Hook Trivia Question 👇👇👇
A: Inertia
A body's resistance to changes in its motion or speed is called inertia. It is the natural tendency of an object to stay at rest or keep moving at the same speed and in the same direction unless an outside force acts on it.
This property is the basis of Newton's First Law of Motion, sometimes called the law of inertia
Learn more, Newton's First Law of Motion