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🧭 Here’s what’s in today’s issue:
• 🧠 Trivia Challenge: Spotlight Hook
• 🧭 Discover Cary: CapriFlavors
• 📰 News: NC State Turns Parking Tickets Into Food Pantry Donations
• 📰 News: NC Early Voting Opens Strong as Thousands Head to the Polls
• 😉 Meme of the Day – Start Your Day with a Smile
• 🎁 Support the businesses that support Cary: Show your support
• 📅 Events: Upcoming Events (Top Picks)
👉 Browse the highlights. Click your favorites.
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Question: What is the second most abundant element in the known Universe?
(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.)
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You Pay Them Every Month. Now It's Your Turn to Get Paid.
Every time you fill up or open your power bill, an energy company gets paid. Gas prices just set an October record. Iran is firing on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, and Russia's oil exports are getting choked off by attacks on its tankers and oil infrastructure.
Then there's AI. Data centers are pulling power off America's grid faster than anyone can build it, and tech giants are signing deals for entire power plants just to keep their servers running.
So the best performing sector of 2026 isn't tech, and it isn't AI. It's energy, up around 40% this year while most investors were busy chasing chip stocks.
We've found the #1 energy stock to end 2026 strong. Get it free, and we'll text you the name.
CapriFlavors
CapriFlavors is one of the local food places nominated by Cary Spotlight’s readers for our Discover Cary project. If you’ve had a chance to sample their food, feel free to share your opinion below.
CapriFlavors is a family-run Italian market in the Bass Pro shopping center where you can grab a fresh panini on homemade focaccia, stock up on imported pastas, cheeses and cured meats, and browse a deep selection of Italian wines, all rooted in a family story that starts on the island of Capri.
Check out their menu on their website: CapriFlavors
Address: 867 Bass Pro Ln, Cary, NC 27513 | Get Directions
CapriFlavors
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NC State Turns Parking Tickets Into Food Pantry Donations
North Carolina State University has launched Ticket to Table, a program that allows students, faculty and staff to exchange eligible parking fines for donations to the Feed the Pack Food Pantry. The initiative is a partnership among Pack Essentials, Student Government and the university's Transportation department.
The program covers parking citations of $60 or less. Each eligible item purchased from the pantry's Amazon wishlist provides $5 in ticket forgiveness, meaning a $60 citation requires 12 donated items. Purchases must be made through standard Amazon delivery using the pantry's designated shipping address.
After purchasing the supplies, participants must submit their receipts through an online Google Form. Student Government verifies the donations before sending the information to the Transportation department, which processes the citation forgiveness.
The initiative is designed to support students facing food insecurity while offering the campus community an alternative way to resolve parking fines. The deadline to submit donations is October 31, 2026.
Additional information and participation instructions are available on NC State's official program page.
What do you think about NC State allowing parking fines to be forgiven through food pantry donations?
- ❤️ Love it! It's a creative way to help students in need
- 👏 Great idea! More universities should offer this
- ⚖️ Support it, as long as donations match the value of the fine
- 💰 I'd rather pay the fine and donate separately
- 🚫 Parking fines should be paid, not exchanged for donations
- 🤔 Interesting idea, but I'd like to see how well it works
- Other (please specify)
NC Early Voting Opens Strong as Thousands Head to the Polls
Early voting for North Carolina's 2026 general election began Thursday, Oct. 15, with more than 27,000 ballots cast during the first few hours. All 370 early voting locations opened as scheduled, and state election officials expect significant participation before Election Day on Nov. 3.
Early voting has become increasingly popular in North Carolina. State election officials reported that approximately 74% of voters participated during the early voting period in the 2024 general election, compared with 53% in 2022. Gov. Josh Stein and First Lady Anna Stein were among those who voted on opening day at Chavis Community Center in Raleigh.
Although some polling places experienced lines and minor equipment problems, election officials reported that voting was generally proceeding smoothly. Backup procedures allowed voters to submit ballots when a tabulator temporarily stopped accepting them. Officials also clarified that authorized markings made by election workers do not invalidate ballots.
Wake County residents can vote at any early voting location in the county through Oct. 31. Cary-area options include the Cary Senior Center and Herbert C. Young Community Center. Eligible residents who missed the Oct. 9 registration deadline may register during early voting with proof of residency. Voters should also bring an acceptable photo ID or follow the state's ID exception procedures.
For additional information about voting procedures, registration and identification requirements, visit the North Carolina State Board of Elections
Just curious…
What matters most to you when choosing where and how to vote?
- 📍 A convenient polling location close to home or work
- ⏰ Flexible voting hours that fit my schedule
- 🚶 Short lines and minimal wait times
- 🔒 Secure voting procedures and accurate ballot counting
- 📋 Clear instructions about voter ID and registration requirements
- 📬 The option to vote by mail instead of in person
- Other (please specify)
Silver Has Beaten Gold Before. It's Doing It Again.
From 1974 to 1987, silver more than doubled gold's returns. After 2008, it beat gold five-fold in three years. Since March 2020, silver is up 402% against gold's 186%. Our research team's free playbook explains why, and how the team would position.
Meme of the Day.
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🎟️ 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:
• 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: Helium
The second most abundant element in the known universe is helium. Helium makes up about 24% to 28% of the ordinary (baryonic) matter in the universe. Hydrogen is the most abundant element, making up roughly 70% to 75% of the universe. Together, hydrogen and helium account for roughly 98% to 99.9% of all matter.
For more information, Helium