Cary Spotlight | Issue #522

Cary-Area Job Market Feels Pressure, UNC and Duke Clash Today, Not the Same Thing!

In this Cary Spotlight Issue…

💭Spotlight Hook

🧭 Discover Cary: Pineapple Sol

📰 Cary-Area Job Market Feels Pressure Amid Biotech and Factory Reductions

📰 UNC and Duke Clash as Wake County’s Young Stars Watch and Dream

📰 Seal vs. Sea Lion: Not the Same Thing!

😀 Meme of the Day

☀️ Cary NC Weather

🏛️ Support Cary Local Businesses

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

Question: Who was the first woman to fly solo around the world?

(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.)

😋 Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine | Offering tasty and healthy dishes (see menu)

“We love Pho, so we were so excited to get their Steak Pho, their Signature Banh Mi, Chicken Dumplings, Rocket Shrimp and Pho with Steak and Meatballs! And, what we also loved, is that they are at a great price point and really is the perfect spot for busy moms to grab a meal for the family when they just don’t feel like cooking for a night” - Megan

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. You can read their Business Spotlight | Order Online | Catering Options

Partner with us to reach our local audience in Cary, NC.
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Credit: Pineapple Sol

Pineapple Sol

Pineapple Sol is one of the local food places nominated by Cary Spotlight’s readers for our Discover Cary project. If you had a chance to sample their food, feel free to share your opinion below.

Pineapple Sol — A trendy café with creative brunch dishes, fresh pastries, and vibrant tropical vibes.

Check out their menu on their website: Pineapple Sol

Address: 302 Colonades Way #109, Cary, NC 27518 | Get Directions

Pineapple Sol

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-Area Job Market Feels Pressure Amid Biotech and Factory Reductions

More than 2,300 jobs have been cut across North Carolina so far in 2025, with the Cary area and Research Triangle Park bearing a significant share of the impact. Major institutions once seen as economic anchors — including RTI International, Resilience, and Charles River Laboratories — have filed notices with the state indicating large-scale layoffs and closures.

RTI’s layoff of 525 permanent positions, set to take effect May 1, marks one of the region’s most significant workforce reductions in recent memory. Resilience will cut 120 jobs by year’s end, and Charles River Laboratories is closing its RTP facility this week, affecting another 31 employees. These developments reflect mounting pressure on biotech and research institutions in a landscape reshaped by budget shifts and strategic realignments.

Outside the Triangle, factory closures in the Triad are further contributing to the statewide trend. A Panera Bread production facility in Greensboro will permanently shut down in May, eliminating 80 positions, while IBM is preparing to lay off 72 workers at its Winston-Salem site.

Other well-known employers, including UPS and Walmart, also appear on the state’s 2025 WARN Notice Summary. Although the WARN Act requires companies to file notices ahead of large layoffs, the steady drumbeat of job losses is sparking concern across North Carolina communities.

For those in and around Cary, these layoffs are more than statistics—they represent a deepening unease about the direction of the regional economy and the resilience of industries long considered reliable. Read Full Report

How concerned are you about the wave of layoffs and closures announced across central North Carolina?

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UNC and Duke Clash as Wake County’s Young Stars Watch and Dream

Women’s basketball is having a moment—and in Wake County, that momentum is deeply personal. At Fire Ball Basketball Academy in Wake Forest, young athletes are training hard, inspired by the growing visibility of the sport and the success of college stars like Juju Watkins. For players like Eva Evora, Amani Bridges, and Kyla Hendrick, the court is where discipline, ambition, and future dreams take shape.

The rising interest in women’s basketball isn’t just national—it’s local. This afternoon at 2:30 p.m., in a historic NCAA Tournament first, Duke and North Carolina will meet in the Sweet Sixteen.

The two rivals have played close games all season, but today’s matchup in Birmingham brings new stakes—and new visibility—to a rivalry familiar to so many in the Triangle. Players and coaches alike have spoken about the significance of the moment.

For local girls in the game, this isn’t just exciting—it’s affirming. What was once a sport overlooked is now center stage. And for the athletes grinding it out in Wake County gyms, the gap between watching and becoming has never felt closer.

Just curious…

Women's College Basketball: Which is your favorite?

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Seal vs. Sea Lion: Not the Same Thing!

Credit: Science Acumen

If you thought seals and sea lions were just different names for the same cute beach blob, you’re not alone—I did too. But it turns out they’re different animals with totally different moves.

Here’s your crash course in flipper fashion, walking styles, and vocal vibes:

👂 The Ears Say It All

  • Seals have tiny ear holes—no flaps.

  • Sea lions have visible ear flaps, like little elf ears.

🐾 On Land: One Walks, One Waddles

  • Sea lions use their front and back flippers like limbs, walking with surprising grace (hello, Yoga Pose).

  • Seals? Not so much. They can’t rotate their flippers and end up belly-flopping their way across land (Banana Pose in action).

🧤 Flippers and Fashion

  • Seals have fur-covered flippers and plenty of claws—very "arctic chic."

  • Sea lions have sleek, skin-covered flippers with teeny-tiny claws.

🔊 Sound Check

  • Seals grunt softly.

  • Sea lions bark like your neighbor’s dog when the mail comes.

So next time you spot one sunbathing on a rock or making a ruckus, now you can say with confidence: “Ah yes, a sea lion—very bendy, very barky.”

Want to Learn More? Check out this National Ocean Service article

What Surprised You Most?

We broke down the key differences between seals and sea lions—but we’re curious…

What fact surprised you the most (or what didn’t you know before)?

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Meme of the Day.
Brought to you by Cary's Daily Newsletter.

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.

Who else do you know in Cary who might also want enjoy reading the Cary Spotlight?

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Support Cary Local Businesses

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.

March 28th (Friday)

March 29th (Saturday)

March 30th (Sunday)

March 31st (Monday)

  • TBA

The Answer to the Cary Spotlight Hook Question 👇👇👇

Jerrie Mock, the First Solo World Flight by a Woman Credit: National Air and Space Museum

Jerrie Mock became the first woman to fly solo around the world in 1964, completing her historic journey in a single-engine Cessna 180 named Spirit of Columbus. The trip took 29 days, covering over 23,000 miles and spanning 21 stops across several continents. At a time when aviation was still a male-dominated field, Mock’s bold feat captured public imagination and earned her a place in history. Her accomplishment is often overlooked but remains a significant milestone in both aviation and women’s history.