Cary Spotlight | Issue #459

2025 Cary Art Daze Grant Winners, Cary Man Wins $110,000 Jackpot, Local High School Basketball Showdown

In this Cary Spotlight Issue…

💭Spotlight Hook: Thursday Tongue Twisters

😀 Meme of the Day

❤️ You’re So Sweet: Thank You, Sondra!

📰 Cary Announces 2025 Art Daze Grant Winners

📰 Cary Man Wins $110,000 Jackpot With $1 Lottery Ticket

📰 Panther Creek and Cary Face Off in High School Basketball Showdown

🧭 Discover Cary (Eat & Drink): Kababish Cafe

☀️ Cary NC Weather

🏛️ Support Cary Local Businesses

📅 Lots Of Events This Week (The Week at a Glance)

Question: What phenomenon causes the apparent backward motion of planets like Mars in the night sky?

(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.)

Discover Bee Banhmi, a local business sponsor of Cary Spotlight. They do catering, online ordering, home delivery and in-store. Great food made with quality ingredients.

“Dined with you today and had forgotten how fresh your ingredients are and how tasty the food is! Thanks for making me feel like I am visiting Family when I come in to eat. Friendly staff welcomes you in and eagerly share their knowledge about the choices to ensure you get exactly what you want/need! Love Bee BanhMi!” ~Lorraine Cross

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How $11 Can Bring Joy to Someone’s Day in Cary, Apex or Morrisville
Small acts make a big difference. For just $11, MOM Wishing Widows Well hand-delivers bouquets to brighten the day of widows, seniors, and those facing loneliness for Valentine’s Day.

Cary Announces 2025 Art Daze Grant Winners

Cary has unveiled the recipients of its 2025 Cary Art Daze Grants, celebrating organizations that enrich the local arts scene. These grants are part of the town’s ongoing commitment to fostering creativity and providing arts-focused programming for the community.

The selected organizations will use the funds to support a variety of programs and projects aimed at inspiring residents, strengthening connections within the community, and enhancing the cultural fabric of Cary. From educational workshops to public art installations, the grant-supported initiatives promise to bring vibrancy and innovation to the town’s arts offerings.

This year’s recipients exemplify the values of artistic excellence and community engagement, continuing a tradition of empowering local talent and organizations to make a meaningful impact. The 2025 Cary Art Daze Grants reaffirm Cary’s dedication to making the arts accessible and integral to the town’s identity.

The 2025 Cary Art Daze Grant recipients are: 

  • Asian Focus Corporation (AF): Asia Fest 

  • ATA-NC: Children's Day Festival 

  • Cary Art Loop: Final Fridays 

  • Cary Community Choir: Annual Messiah Concert 

  • Cary Downtown Farmers Market: Music at the Market 

  • Cary Players: Everyone Can Play  

  • Cary Town Band: Silly Prize Concert Series 

  • Concert Singers of Cary: The Sea, the Sky, the Abyss: Alzheimer’s Stories 

  • Esteamed Coffee, Inc: The EsTEAMers Program at Esteamed Coffee 

  • Fine Arts League of Cary: Wake Teen Exhibition 

  • Friends of the Page Walker: Children's Sensory Garden at the Page-Walker

  • GiGi's Playhouse: GiGi’s Playhouse Arts Program 

  • Graceful Expressions Dance Company: Connections 

  • Hum Sub Inc.: Basant Bahar 2025 

  • International Ballet Company Boys: Ballet Summer Intensive  

  • North Carolina Storytelling Guild: Old North State Storytelling Festival 

  • Oak City Sound: Barbershop Harmony Cultural Appreciation 

  • Raleigh Camerata: Le trésor du romantique 

  • The Carying Place: Self-expression through art 

  • Triangle British Brass Band Ltd: Carolina Brass Band Festival 

  • Triangle Wind Ensemble: Heroes and Villains: Epic Music from TV, Film, & More 

  • Triangle Youth Music: String Orchestra & String Sinfonia 

  • United Strings of Color: Emancipation Day Celebration 

  • YMCA of the Triangle Area, Inc.: YMCA Camp Excel Arts & Crafts 

The Cary Art Daze Grant Program underscores Cary’s dedication to supporting the arts and fostering creative initiatives that enhance Cary’s cultural landscape. 

For more information about the Cary Art Daze Grants and upcoming cultural events, visit carync.gov/lazydaze.

Just curious…

How interested are you in attending arts-related events or activities in Cary?

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Cary Man Wins $110,000 Jackpot With $1 Lottery Ticket

A Cary man turned a $1 lottery ticket into a life-changing prize. The North Carolina Education Lottery announced on Thursday that he won the $110,000 jackpot from a Cash 5 ticket he bought at Wilderness Eagle Mart on Old Apex Road.

The ticket matched all five numbers in the drawing, beating the incredible odds of 1 in 962,598. This big win shows how exciting and unpredictable the lottery can be, as people across the state continue to try their luck.

When he went to the lottery headquarters to claim his prize, he received $78,925 after taxes were taken out. The win is a great way to end his year and proves that even a single dollar can lead to something amazing.

Wilderness Eagle Mart in Cary is now known as one of the lucky places where dreams can come true. Read Full Report 

Panther Creek and Cary Face Off in High School Basketball Showdown

As Friday approaches, basketball fans are gearing up for an exciting showdown between two local high school teams, the Panther Creek Catamounts and the Cary Imps. The game tips off at 6:00 p.m. at Panther Creek, promising an evening of intense competition as both teams seek to assert dominance on the court.

Panther Creek has enjoyed a decade-long winning streak against Cary, with their last meeting in December 2024 resulting in a 68-59 victory for the Catamounts. However, the Catamounts enter this matchup on the heels of two consecutive losses, including a recent 80-63 defeat against Holly Springs. Despite the setbacks, standout performances from players like Camden Hill, who scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds, and Andre Richardson, who added 13 points, show that Panther Creek remains a formidable opponent.

On the other hand, Cary comes into the game with renewed momentum after a thrilling 67-63 home win against Apex Friendship last Friday. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak at home and brought their season record to 8-8. Cary’s success was fueled by strong contributions from Jonathan Peery, who tallied 15 points with an impressive shooting performance, and Stone Holcombe, who matched Peery’s 15 points and added six rebounds.

Offense will likely take center stage in this matchup, as both teams boast some of the highest scoring averages in the league. Cary edges out Panther Creek with a season average of 61.1 points per game compared to Panther Creek’s 58.2 points. Fans can expect a fast-paced, high-scoring contest where every possession could make the difference.

With Panther Creek looking to extend their dominance and Cary seeking to flip the script, this game has all the ingredients of a must-watch local rivalry. Whether history repeats itself or new stories are written, Friday’s game is sure to deliver excitement.

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Credit: Kababish Cafe

Kababish Cafe

La Farm Bakery is one of the local restaurants nominated by Cary Spotlight’s readers for our Discover Cary project. If you’ve experienced the food and service at La Farm Bakery firsthand, we’d love to hear your recommendations.

Kababish Cafe in Cary, NC, is a cozy restaurant offering a flavorful fusion of Indian, Pakistani, and Mediterranean cuisine, known for its vibrant dishes and welcoming atmosphere.

Learn more about the their menu on their website.

Address: 201 W Chatham St #103, Cary, NC 27511

Kababish Cafe

Click to share 3 things you love about this place or recommend an item people should try on their menu.

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🚀 Cary Business Owners: Let’s Share Your Story! 🎙️

Hi, I’m Chris Coetzer, founder of Cary Spotlight—your go-to hyperlocal newsletter and podcast showcasing the incredible businesses and charities that make Cary special.

Our daily email reaches over 5,700 engaged readers who trust us for local recommendations—and now, I want to feature YOU!

Join me on the Cary Spotlight Connect Podcast for FREE:
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✅ Answer your top 3 FAQs.
✅ Connect with Cary residents who are eager to support local businesses like yours.

Spots for 2025 are limited, so don’t wait! Click the button below to secure your spot and put your business in the spotlight. 💡

Upcoming Local Events

Looking ahead to events happening in Cary, NC for the rest of the week.
Outdoor events may be changed due to weather, so click the links to see latest event information.

January 24th (Friday)

January 25th (Saturday)

January 26th (Sunday)

January 27th (Monday)

The Answer to the Cary Spotlight Hook Question 👇👇👇

Retrograde motion is the apparent backward movement of a planet like Mars as observed from Earth. This optical illusion occurs because Earth, traveling in its orbit closer to the Sun and at a faster speed, overtakes the outer planet.

As Earth passes the slower-moving planet, the planet appears to reverse direction temporarily before resuming its normal eastward movement. Retrograde motion was a key observation that helped shape our understanding of planetary orbits.

For more details, explore NASA's explanation of retrograde motion.