Cary Spotlight | Issue #549

Wake Schools Debate Cell Phone Rules, Herbfest Returns to Cary, Cary Residents Weather Surprise Hailstorm

In this Cary Spotlight Issue…

💭Spotlight Hook Trivia

🧭 Discover Cary: Lugano Ristorante Review

📰 Wake Schools Debate Cell Phone Rules as Policy Nears Final Draft

📰 Herbfest Returns to Cary with Spring Gardens, Demos, and a Butterfly Release

📰 Cary Residents Weather Surprise Hailstorm with More Rain on the Way

😀 Meme of the Day

❤️ Thank You, Curtis!

🏛️ Support Cary Local Businesses

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

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Question: Which day of the week is statistically most common for heart attacks?

(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.)

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Credit: Lugano Ristorante

Lugano Ristorante Review

Lugano Ristorante is one of the eateries that was nominated by the Cary Spotlight’s readers for our Discover Cary series. If you had a chance to sample their food, feel free to share your opinion below.

Lugano Ristorante in Cary, NC, offers comfortable, casual Italian dining, striving to provide each guest with a memorable experience.

Here are the results from our reader poll and readers feedback (see below). Check out their menu on their website: Lugano Ristorante

Address: 1060 Darrington Dr, Cary, NC 27513 | Directions | Reserve a Table

Reader Poll Results

Lugano Ristorante (40 Votes)

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Love this place! (32)
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 😊😊😊 I have never been there but I might give it a try (8)

 

Cary Spotlight Reader’s Feedback:

“Best Italian food in the area.”

“Never a bad meal and excellent service!”

“Food & service are fabulous!!!!”

“This is my favorite restaurant. The food is terrific, the service is top notch and the atmosphere relaxed. We’ve never been disappointed! ”

Lugano Ristorante

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

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Wanna Recommend a Place
to eat in Cary, NC?

We want to hear about it! Cary Spotlight readers are always on the lookout for delicious local gems, and your recommendation could be the next must-try spot in town. Whether it’s a cozy café or a brand-new restaurant with flavors worth sharing, let us know!

Share your favorite finds and help fellow food lovers explore the Cary’s dining scene.

Wake Schools Debate Cell Phone Rules as Policy Nears Final Draft

The Wake County Board of Education is in the final stages of shaping a policy that aims to regulate students’ use of phones and personal devices in schools. While acknowledging that these devices help families stay connected, board members also expressed concern about their impact on classroom learning.

This week’s session focused on several outstanding issues: What counts as an emergency? Should schools be liable if a phone is damaged while confiscated? Can students simply silence their phones, or must they turn them off? And how should confiscation be managed when rules are broken?

Board members reviewed multiple options, including definitions of emergency use, protocols for returning confiscated devices, and delegation of enforcement to individual schools. Some emphasized the need for system-wide consistency, while others advocated for flexibility at the classroom level.

The policy is being crafted in anticipation of upcoming state legislation that is expected to require stricter rules in public schools. A revised draft is scheduled to be reviewed by the policy committee on April 29. Read Full Report

How do you feel about students having cell phones during school hours?

Click to cast your vote and see live results

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Herbfest Returns to Cary with Spring Gardens, Demos, and a Butterfly Release

Herbfest, one of Cary’s most cherished springtime events, is set to take place on Sunday, May 4, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Page-Walker Arts and History Center. The festival celebrates both local gardening culture and the town’s historic roots.

Visitors can explore educational and pollinator gardens, shop from plant and craft vendors, and learn about herbs through cooking, gardening, and wellness demonstrations.

A variety of vendors will offer garden-related products, including perennials, herbs, soaps, and treats. Children’s activities, a bake sale fundraiser, and food truck fare round out the family-friendly atmosphere. The festival concludes with a butterfly release — a serene and symbolic nod to the season’s renewal. Learn more

Cary Residents Weather Surprise Hailstorm with More Rain on the Way

Near Cary Academy and the Veterans' Memorial on 22 Apr 2025. (Credit: Amber Leigh)

Tuesday’s storm brought a dramatic burst of severe weather to the Triangle, with residents across Cary witnessing heavy hail accumulation, gusty winds, and scattered damage. Images from neighborhoods near Cary Academy and the Veterans’ Memorial showed hail covering patios and piling up around outdoor furniture — some measuring nearly two inches deep.

The hailstorm was triggered by a cold front that swept through central North Carolina Tuesday afternoon. As the front now lingers south of the Triangle, it continues to create conditions for scattered showers and storms through the end of the workweek. Although daytime highs will remain warmer than average, overcast skies and intermittent rain should keep temperatures from reaching extreme levels.

A second front arriving this weekend is likely to bring additional rainfall and the possibility of more intense storms on Saturday, leaving residents to navigate a pattern of warm, wet spring weather as the region moves toward May.

Just curious…

Hail, Wind, and Spring Surprises: Did Tuesday’s hailstorm hit your neighborhood?

Click to cast your vote

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Meme/Thought of the Day.
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Featured Event

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.

April 24th (Thursday)

April 25th (Friday)

April 26th (Saturday)

April 27th (Sunday)

April 28th (Monday)

The Answer to the Cary Spotlight Hook Trivia Question 👇👇👇

Statistically, Monday is the most common day of the week for heart attacks. Researchers believe this may be due to a combination of stress related to the start of the workweek, changes in sleep patterns over the weekend, and the sudden surge in cortisol (the stress hormone) that occurs on Monday mornings. This “Monday effect” has been observed in multiple studies across various countries and age groups.