🧭 Here’s what’s in today’s issue:
• 🧠 Trivia Challenge: Spotlight Hook
• 📰 News: NC State Researchers Warn of Gaps in Autonomous Vehicle Safety
• 📰 News: Arctic Blast Hits Thursday; Snow Possible Sunday in Central NC
• 📰 News: GLOW 2026 Brings Light, Art, and Community to Downtown Cary
• 😄 Meme of the Day – Just for Laughs
• 🎁 Support the businesses that support Cary: Make your gift
• 📅 Events: Upcoming Events (Top Picks)
👉 Browse the highlights. Click your favorites.
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Question: Which have longer snouts - alligators or crocodiles?
(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.)
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NC State Researchers Warn of Gaps in Autonomous Vehicle Safety
Winter returns to central North Carolina with a noticeable drop in temperatures beginning Thursday, January 15. After mild weather earlier in the week, a cold front will bring highs in the upper 30s and lows near 20 degrees, the coldest since mid-December.
The weekend brings a temporary warm-up before another cold front moves in. Forecasters are watching a coastal low that could interact with the new cold air, potentially producing snow by midday Sunday, January 18. Major forecast models show mixed signals, with 37 to 42 percent of ensemble runs predicting snow.
While it’s too early to confirm snowfall, residents should stay alert to changing forecasts through the weekend.
How comfortable would you feel riding in a fully self-driving car?
Arctic Blast Hits Thursday; Snow Possible Sunday in Central NC
A cluster
What’s your ideal winter weather outcome this weekend?
GLOW 2026 Brings Light, Art, and Community to Downtown Cary
Downtown Cary is glowing again this winter with the return of GLOW, a temporary outdoor exhibition of light-based art installations presented by Academy Street Artwork Projects (ASAP). Running from January through March 2026, GLOW aims to brighten the coldest months of the year with creative, interactive displays that transform everyday spaces into moments of wonder.
The event kicked off Saturday, January 10 with Cary’s annual Lantern Parade, where hundreds gathered at Downtown Cary Park with glowing lanterns in hand. The community-powered parade set the tone for the weeks ahead, as installations continue to roll out across town.
This year’s GLOW features work from six artists and collectives:
Bryant Holsenbeck – A Gathering of Moons (Post Office)
Built with recycled monofilament line collected by the Duke Marine Lab, Holsenbeck’s sculpture reflects the environmental impact of waste while glowing like the moons that inspired it.Brittney Flood – The Persistence of Almost (Parking Deck)
Using illuminated tubing, Flood’s large-scale floral sketches scale the deck walls, symbolizing growth and quiet perseverance.Julia Gartrell – Quilted Windows (First UMC & Academy Pavilion)
Transparent, illuminated quilt blocks reimagine traditional patterns to warm public spaces and celebrate hidden histories of craft and care.Robin Vuchnich – Phantom Spring (Ivey-Ellington House)
A 3D projection mapping installation overlays bursts of springtime color onto the historic Gothic Revival building, evoking nature in winter’s depths.Helen Seebold – Lighted Labyrinth (Ivey-Ellington Lawn)
A glowing blue labyrinth invites meditative walks and offers a moment of stillness in the middle of downtown.Erik Beerbower – Find Your Happy Place (Downtown Cary Park near Library)
This colorful, music-filled light sculpture creates a playful, interactive space to reflect and connect.
Each installation encourages the public to engage with Cary’s evolving downtown landscape in new and unexpected ways. Whether through interactive walks, glowing artwork, or shared community experiences, GLOW continues to light up winter with art and imagination.
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:
• Thursday: Art Cart 12PM-3PM
• Thursday: Zumba 6PM-7PM
• Friday: New Year, New Laughs: Kiki’s Comedy Club Showcase 7PM-9:30PM
• Saturday: Cary Farmers Market 9AM-12PM
• Saturday: 2026 Annual MLK Dreamfest Cultural Celebration 6PM-8:30PM
• Sunday: Soma Breath Energized Breathwork 2PM-3:30PM
• Sunday: MLK Dreamfest Weekend Events 3PM-4PM
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: Crocodiles
Crocodiles generally have longer, more pointed, V-shaped snouts, while alligators have shorter, wider, U-shaped snouts, making crocodiles the species with the longer snout overall, designed for their diet in brackish/saltwater, compared to freshwater-dwelling alligators.
Learn more about Alligators vs. Crocodiles