Good morning Cary! Appreciate you all taking full use of the tip line form last week, I’ve combined it with the town updates section down below, hope you enjoy the addition.

Anyway, here’s what you can expect in Today’s issue:

— Mason from Cary Digest

If you've walked the new stretch of the Higgins Greenway or driven by Cary Elementary, you've passed two wooded lots at 600 and 604 Kildaire Farm Road. They total about 1.6 acres and they're the latest chapter in the town manager audit story.

The former town manager bought both lots in 2024 for about $1 million, right around their 2023 appraised value. The problem at that time was the process. According to WRAL the State Auditor found the purchase was split in two parcels to stay under the $1 million limit that would have needed the town council's approval.

Last month, it was proposed that the town sell the land to get that money back. However, after a neighborhood petition was made to push back on that (it now has over 1,350 signatures), the opinions have been split.

The petition focuses on preserving the wildlife in the area, keeping in spirit of the new greenway right next door, and a push to preserve history. That history, the petition author says, is home to the remnants of Cary's first African American church.

Council has been discussing what to do with the land this week, and it's the a decision that needs a vote at a regular meeting to be final. We'll share where it lands once it's official. In the meantime, the petition is open down below if you want to weigh in:

Updates since the audit: the town manager can now only buy land up to $300,000 without council's approval, unless it's part of a project council already funded.

There's a new restaurant on the way to 1080 Darrington Drive (off Cary Pkwy, north of Bond Park) and according to their latest Instagram post, it's just a few weeks out!

Ala Rahi is bringing a mix of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and South Asian cooking to Cary, blending traditions from all three into one menu. They hope to combine these three dishes into a family location where everyone is welcome.

Check out their Instagram or visit their webpage below to stay updated on the opening!

I’d love to bring more focus to the community effort of staying informed, so I will be answering a few submissions from last week to keep the ball rolling:

Kim shared with us that the Fall Leaf schedule was announced and reminds residents to look towards the “Cary Collects” app on your phone to stay updated. Look for the app store buttons midway down this page for those links.

Closed sessions can sound mysterious, but under law the town council can have one for a select few reasons as stated in the special meeting notice. They may include:

This may be as simple as a new hire, performance reviews, or a legal issue that council needed to weigh in on. This came off the back of the water main break but unless we hear further, we may not get an answer on this.

I have not driven down this week but a reader shared the following:

“There are changes at High House Rd and Bond Park. There is a new light at the entrance to Bond Park and St. Michael’s is in operation. There is a new median at Maury ODell and High House and only a right turn there now.”

Vanessa shared with us that this neighborhood pet store offering grooming and treats is opening up soon near Trader Joes. Google lists the location as opening on October 29th.

We’ll be doing some event submissions soon but until then, here is what we’ve found going on this weekend:

Friday, September 25th: Final Fridays Art Crawl - 6PM · Downtown Cary galleries and local businesses open their doors for Cary Art Loop's monthly crawl, with live music and dance around downtown. See the full programming at the link above.

Friday, September 25th: Live Music from Police & Thieves - 7PM to 10PM · Fortnight Brewing Company hosts a Raleigh band covering The Police, The Clash, Talking Heads, and other early-80s staples.

Friday, September 25th: Oktoberfest at Abbey Rd - 7PM to 10PM · Abbey Road Tavern & Grill throws its annual free Oktoberfest event with Sam Adams, a stein hoist competition, and live music on the patio.

Friday, September 25th: Cary Players presents The Prom - 7:30PM · Cary Arts Center Four washed-up Broadway stars crash a small-town prom to save their careers. The Drama Desk winner for Best Musical, staged by Cary's own community theater troupe. Also includes a few upcoming dates at the link.

Saturday, September 26th: Organic Gardening - 9:30AM · Good Hope Farm experts cover bed types, plant selection, and growing through every season. Registration required and be mindful to prepare for this outdoor class.

Saturday, September 26th: The GRL Market September - 11AM to 2PM · Waverly Place hosts a market for local, women-owned brands. Pet friendly with food vendors onsite. Free to attend.

Saturday, September 26th: American Dance Festival: Made in NC Encore Performance - 7:30PM to 9PM · Downtown Cary Park Great Lawn becomes home for the night to four world-premiere modern dance artists from North Carolina.

Saturday, September 26th: Manhattan Shorts 2026 - 8PM · The Cary Theater screens the ten finalists in the 29th Annual Manhattan Short Film Festival, running in over 500 venues worldwide. You get a ballot to vote for your favorites upon entry.

Sunday, September 27th: Battleship Potemkin - 3PM · The Cary Theater screens the 1925 silent film classic with its original Meisel orchestral score. One of the most influential films ever made, featuring the iconic Odessa Steps sequence.

Sunday, September 27th: Bluegrass Jam with the Eastside Ramblers - 4PM to 7PM · Bond Brothers Eastside hosts the Eastside Ramblers for an hour-long set who then hand the stage to everyone else for an open bluegrass jam from 5 to 7. Great spot to hang out with a beer as well, no instrument needed.

Monday, September 28th: Fortnight Run Club - 6:30PM to 7:30PM · Fortnight Brewing Company hosts the weekly run club, all levels.

Heading into Raleigh instead? Check out our sister newsletter at The Raleighwood Inbox for a full list of things to do over there as well.

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