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🧭 Here’s what’s in today’s issue:
• 🧠 Trivia Challenge: Spotlight Hook
• 🧭 Discover Cary: Big Mikes BBQ
• 📰 News: Free Duke Energy Home Assessments Can Help Cut Summer Cooling Costs
• 📰 News: Experts Urge Produce Safety as Cyclospora Cases Rise
• 😉 Meme of the Day – Start Your Day with a Smile
• 🎁 Support the businesses that support Cary: Show your support
• 📅 Events: Upcoming Events (Top Picks)
👉 Browse the highlights. Click your favorites.
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Question: What animal has the highest blood pressure?
(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.)
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Big Mikes BBQ
Big Mikes BBQ is one of the local food places nominated by Cary Spotlight's readers for our Discover Cary project. If you've had a chance to sample their food, feel free to share your opinion below.
Big Mikes BBQ smokes its pork, brisket, and chicken low and slow, then serves them alongside homemade sides and a rotating selection of local craft beer in a laid-back, counter-service setting.
Check out their menu on their website: Big Mikes BBQ
Address: 1222 NW Maynard Rd, Cary, NC 27513 | Get Directions
Big Mikes BBQ
Free Duke Energy Home Assessments Can Help Cut Summer Cooling Costs
With summer temperatures driving up air conditioning use across the Triangle, Duke Energy is encouraging customers to take advantage of free in-home energy assessments designed to help lower monthly utility bills.
During the assessment, a Duke Energy advisor inspects the home for areas where energy may be escaping or equipment may be operating inefficiently. The review includes windows, doors, attic access points, HVAC systems, air filters, furnaces, and other common sources of energy loss.
In many cases, advisors can install energy-saving items at no cost during the visit, including weatherstripping, smart power strips, showerheads, and furnace filter whistles. Customers may also qualify for rebates or bill credits on smart thermostats through Duke Energy programs, which can help reduce energy use by automatically adjusting indoor temperatures.
According to Duke Energy, heating and cooling account for roughly half of a typical home's energy use, with air conditioners working especially hard during the hottest months to remove both heat and humidity. The utility also offers bill assistance programs for eligible customers who need help managing energy costs.
Click here for those programs and here for the Frequently Asked Questions about scheduling an energy assessment
Just curious…
What's your biggest electric bill saver during the summer? ☀️💡
Experts Urge Produce Safety as Cyclospora Cases Rise
Health officials are monitoring a seasonal outbreak of cyclosporiasis in North Carolina, with Wake County reporting the majority of the state's confirmed cases.
The illness is caused by Cyclospora, a microscopic parasite that can contaminate food or water. Since May 1, North Carolina has recorded 145 cases, including at least 85 in Wake County.
Experts say infections are most common during the summer, when people consume more fresh fruits and vegetables. The parasite has previously been linked to produce such as basil, cilantro, parsley, romaine lettuce, raspberries, and other fresh items. Officials have not identified the source of the current outbreak.
Symptoms can include watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and low-grade fever. The illness may last for several weeks if left untreated, though it can be treated with antibiotics. Health experts recommend thoroughly washing produce and scrubbing firm fruits and vegetables, such as cucumbers and melons, with a clean produce brush before eating.
Doctors also advise seeking medical care if symptoms become severe or if young children show signs of dehydration, as they are more vulnerable to complications.
Just curious…
How do you usually clean fresh fruits and vegetables before eating them?
The best HR advice comes from those in the trenches. That’s what this is: real-world HR insights delivered in a newsletter from Hebba Youssef, a Chief People Officer who’s been there. Practical, real strategies with a dash of humor. Because HR shouldn’t be thankless—and you shouldn’t be alone in it.
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:
• Friday: Bands, Bites, and Boats 6PM-8PM
• Friday: NC Symphony Summerfest: Sidecar Social Club 6PM-8:45PM
• Friday: Speed Puzzling in the Park 7PM-9:30PM
• Saturday: Cary Farmers Market 8AM-12PM
• Saturday: Yoga 9AM-10AM
• Saturday: Kiki's Comedy Showcase: Sunsets & Standup 7PM-9PM
• Sunday: Sunday Sound Bath 4PM-5:30PM
• Monday: North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre Trip 4PM-10:45PM
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: Giraffe
The giraffe has the highest blood pressure of any animal. To pump blood up their two-meter necks against gravity, their powerful hearts generate a systolic pressure ranging between 200 and 300 mm Hg, over double that of humans.
For more information, Giraffes Have High Blood Pressure