• 🧠 Trivia Challenge: Spotlight Hook
• 💡 News: Microsoft Outlook Outage Hits Wake County and NC Agencies
• 📰 Scrollback: Keys or Bus Pass? Cary Readers Weigh In
• 😄 Meme of the Day – Start Your Day with a Smile
• ❤️ Some stories are worth revisiting: Thank You For Your Gift
• 📅 Events: Weekend Events Preview (Top Picks)

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Question: What is Abyssinia known as today?

(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.)

A widespread Microsoft 365 outage affected government agencies across North Carolina on November 12 and 13, disrupting Outlook email, Microsoft Teams and SharePoint. Wake County employees began experiencing intermittent problems Thursday afternoon, with services starting to recover early Friday morning. The disruption lasted approximately 17 to 19 hours before recovery began, although the severity varied by platform and user.

Wake County officials reported that essential services continued operating despite the technology problems. Emergency responders remained available, libraries and parks stayed open, construction inspections proceeded, and public health and human services remained accessible. The City of Raleigh also experienced an outage lasting approximately 12 hours but reported no significant effects on municipal operations.

Several state agencies confirmed using Microsoft Outlook, including the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Transportation. Health officials reported improvements by Friday morning, while the Department of Transportation referred broader questions to the state's information technology department. Microsoft attributed the outage to a network infrastructure problem involving a previous capacity upgrade and a subsequent network change. The company said the issue was unrelated to a cyberattack or AI systems and promised a detailed post-incident report.

Technology experts say the disruption highlights the importance of preparing for outages involving widely used cloud services. Organizations that depend heavily on one technology provider may face multiple communication problems when connected systems fail. Experts recommend regularly testing backup communication methods and maintaining contingency plans to protect essential operations.

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We’re rewinding the feed to spotlight a standout moment, story, or snapshot from Cary’s past. Let’s scroll back and see…

GoCary is teaching Cary seniors to ride the bus, one field trip at a time. Fifteen older adults recently started at Cary Depot, rode Route 5 down Kildaire Farm Road, practiced with the GoCary app and finished the trip with coffee at Esteamed Coffee. Demand has been strong. There are 56 residents on the waiting list, and more trips are planned for winter and spring. So we asked readers what would make them more likely to use GoCary. Your answers lined up closely with what this program is already doing.

Issue #1103 — "What would make you more likely to use GoCary?"

🚗 I prefer driving or using my own transportation: 24%
🎓 Free hands-on classes to learn how to ride: 21%
🗺️ More bus routes connecting neighborhoods and popular destinations: 18%
⏰ More frequent buses and shorter wait times: 15%
🚏 More convenient and accessible bus stops: 12%
📱 Easier trip planning and real-time bus tracking: 6%
✏️ Other: 3%

Driving came out on top, which won’t surprise anyone who has sat at the Kildaire and Cary Parkway light at 5 p.m. The bigger story is the other 76%. About three out of four voters picked something that would get them on a bus.

Free hands-on classes finished a close second. That’s a strong signal for the program GoCary is running right now. It suggests that for many residents, what keeps them off the bus is not knowing how to start, not a lack of interest. Nobody wants to be the person at the stop who can’t figure out the fare.

The next two answers were about the service itself: more routes to the places people go, and shorter waits. Together they made up about a third of the votes. Real-time tracking came in near the bottom. That could mean readers who already ride think the GoCary app works fine, or that most people haven’t tried it yet.

This was a small poll, so read it as a snapshot and not a mandate. Still, the message is consistent: show people how it works, take them where they want to go, and some of them will leave the car at home.

If you’ve been meaning to try GoCary, GoCary.org has route maps and trip-planning tools. And if a ride on Route 5 ends at a coffee shop, that’s a pretty good first trip. 🚌☕

What are your favorite places to eat in Cary?

Cary’s food scene keeps growing, and we want to hear from the people who know it best: Cary Spotlight readers.

Take our quick Cary Restaurant Survey and tell us your favorite local spots, from date-night restaurants and hidden gems to pizza, burgers, coffee and more.

Your answers will help us create a reader-powered guide to some of the best food Cary has to offer.

What’s faster than word of mouth? Cary Spotlight! Keeps you updated on what is going on locally and connects businesses to our vibrant community.

Outdoor events may be changed due to weather, so click the links to see latest event information. Here are a few great ways to enjoy the weekend:

• Saturday: Cary Farmers Market 9AM-12PM
• Saturday: Yoga 9AM-10AM
• Saturday: Ceremonial Groundbreaking: GoCary Bus Operations & Maintenance Facility 10AM-10:59AM
• Saturday: Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra 7:30PM-9PM
• Sunday: ACC Women’s Soccer Championship 12PM-3PM
• Sunday: Grateful for Good Dogs: Dog Obedience 2PM-3PM
• Sunday: ACC Men's Soccer Championship 4PM-7PM
• Monday: Stretch and Refresh 10AM-11AM

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