u/AndreaJournalist

I’m the News & Observer reporter who wrote this story.

Apex is considering ending curbside grass-clipping collection because officials say they can’t find a nearby processor willing to take its volume over the long term.

I compared Apex with Cary, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina and Morrisville. Fuquay-Varina handles yard waste very differently: service is available by request, grass clippings go in rigid containers, and the town uses three vendors rather than relying on one long-term disposal contract.

Fuquay-Varina collected 2,480 tons of yard waste last fiscal year.

Read the story for free: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article317470931.html?giftCode=e27b1db80d97fc6a694c4cb5af6e36110c4b1ce838fe51e66842a4687f0b232b

For Fuquay residents: how well does the current yard-waste system work for you?

The N&O obtained these records. I am one of the N&O reporters who covered this story.

The records show Cary staff discussing whether a building near RDU could be used for an ICE-related office with daytime detention space. Three council members told us they had not known about the inquiry.

Free link: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article317440531.html?giftCode=26fc50295f282effbbb4b376e68edff47d1f690c3cc548157b4ac5f9b19e22db

I reported on Hyatt’s newest Unscripted conversion in Cary, NC.

Hive House opened independently in 2025 before CMC Hotels considered Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt. Hyatt told me the physical conversion required only limited construction.

And the confusing part: despite the name, Unscripted Durham is still a JdV by Hyatt property. Hive House is the first North Carolina property actually in the Unscripted by Hyatt portfolio.

Free story:
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article317445658.html?giftCode=f435c159e9ade30929d29f47771700ffaadb0bff3124d986a4270f49b40118fe

Alston Commons along NC 55 could include 500–625 multifamily homes, offices, shops and a car wash. The interesting part is what changed after the project failed to win approval in March: a 500-unit minimum and stronger phasing tied to the car wash.

Staff still said the car-wash portion does not fit Cary’s Destination Center vision on its own.

Curious what people who live or drive around this part of Cary think about the revised plan.

I reported this for The News & Observer and wanted to share a free link because this has been a long-running Cary development case: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article317414223.html?giftCode=a677c8481435c12beca7da6abd030cabc245e2822df0a50d99b06c3d946c86b6

I cover Western Wake for The News & Observer. What started as a funny Cary Animal Services call turned into a story about people across the Triangle mistaking wildlife decoys for actual animals.

One Cary resident called a school. A North Raleigh couple turned their car around to rescue one. And near Apex, geese were peacefully grazing about 50 yards from another fake coyote.

Has one ever fooled you?

Free link: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article317385921.html?giftCode=f4505688e62b8d9447123409871a6ca4b3c7d9f1bab96146e4a665171369b417

I reported this for The News & Observer after seeing students speaking at Cary, NC council meetings in May, June and September.

The policy effort actually started before the students' first appearance, but Mayor Pro Tem Lori Bush told me their examples “made a difference.”

Cary now has a specific proposal headed for a Sept. 24 vote. The story gets into what it would — and wouldn't — prohibit.

Read the story here: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article317297991.html?giftCode=da28bfbb8e84042f13f2f668229b3c14963bd4e598ad6454586891c7e78eb7e7

What part of the proposal do you think deserves the most discussion before Thursday's vote?

I reported this case from Cary, NC, and would be interested in the emergency-management perspective.

The town knew early that a pressure advisory would be necessary, contacted state environmental regulators at 2:45 a.m., contacted county emergency management about ReadyWake at 4:19, and the mass alert went at 6:28.

My reporting also obtained the alert-delivery figures and looked at the limits of an opt-in notification system.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article317258478.html?giftCode=7323c4b653028b70b1c3c667b62369ad67d2a69afbf1b1b67028fc349722e554

For EM professionals: what would you consider the appropriate relationship between utility-customer databases and an opt-in county alert system?

I’m the News & Observer reporter who dug into the revised deal.

Morrisville expects the expansion to bring 180 jobs and millions in new property-tax revenue. But as Novartis increased its investment, the town nearly doubled its incentive while lowering the wage requirement and the taxable-value requirement tied to it.

I also looked at what current Novartis job postings show about pay and whether the subsidy actually changed the company’s plans.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article317221481.html

Would you consider this a good deal for the Triangle?

Morrisville dropped fireworks from this year’s Diwali celebration. The mayor then explored private sponsors and drone-show vendors — including proposals for a 150- or 300-drone show — before council members pushed back over the process.

I reported on what happened, including an FAA request that was later canceled.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article317181995.html

I’m the News & Observer reporter who wrote this story about the Salem Street streetscape project.

I spoke with downtown merchants about what months of construction have meant for their businesses. The project is intended to improve downtown, but business owners say they have lost customers while the work continues into the holiday season.

I’m especially interested in hearing from people who actually use downtown Apex: Has construction changed how often you shop, eat or spend time there? If you work or own a business downtown, what has the impact been?

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article317130074.html

Cary Town Council unanimously approved an 18-month pause on new large-scale data-center applications while the town writes permanent rules around water, power, noise, land use and other impacts.

An interesting part of the discussion was that council members repeatedly said the moratorium isn’t necessarily anti-data-center. Several talked about using the pause to create rules that could allow the right projects later.

There was also disagreement among residents: most speakers supported the pause, while one Cary resident who works in IT and has built data centers called it “silly.”

I reported on the meeting for The News & Observer. Curious what Cary residents think: What should the town require if it eventually allows large data centers?

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article317039408.html

I’m the News & Observer reporter who wrote this story.

I spoke with Toni Kenion, a former WakeMed ER nurse and Barrington HOA director, about WakeMed’s proposed site on Burlington Mills Road.

Kenion supports bringing more health care to Rolesville but opposes this location. WakeMed has also confirmed that the planned Healthplex could become part of a proposed 45-bed acute-care hospital on the same property.

What do you think about the proposed location and the tradeoffs between neighborhood impacts and closer emergency and hospital access?

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article317092142.html

I’m the News & Observer reporter who wrote this story.

I spent the week talking with Scott, students and parents, Apex officials and WCPSS. It’s a parking dispute, but it also raises questions about growth, school capacity, property rights and local zoning across the Triangle.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article316992156.html

Apex already operates police drones, but a proposed agreement with Axon would add DroneSense software, including live-video sharing with officers at a scene and better tracking of drone flights.

After residents raised concerns about privacy, drone use and oversight, Council Member Sue Mu asked that the agreement be pulled from routine approval and sent for additional review.

I’m the N&O reporter who covered this. I also looked into what Apex says its drones are used for, previous drone spending and the town’s plans for a “Drone as First Responder” program.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article316954454.html

I’m the News & Observer reporter who covered this.

Apex Police Chief Ryan Johansen told me that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted three nationwide searches tied to an embezzlement case while Apex’s Flock license-plate reader data was included in the searchable network.

The story also gets into how nationwide Flock searches work, the town’s 30-day retention policy, interagency sharing and the safeguards police say they use. Residents are now pushing local officials to reconsider the program.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article316753971.html

More than 150 people attended the Tuesday Town Council meeting, and a petition seeking to keep Station 1 operating as an active firehouse has collected more than 1,300 signatures.

The story looks at why the station matters to former firefighters and longtime residents, what supporters believe would be lost if the engine and crew leave downtown, and why the Town Council is in favor of this move.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article316857308.html

Amy Baird Kamm was a Duke nurse before becoming the lead singer of Raleigh band New Reveille. After she died in a house fire in Rolesville, NC, I spoke with her former bandmates about her life, music, and the years they spent performing together.

Sharing here because New Reveille was part of Raleigh's Americana/alt-country scene. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article316833300.html