Good people of Cary,

In case you missed the last couple issues, I’ve been out of the country on my honeymoon for the past two weeks. While it is bittersweet that it’s over, it is good to be back in our wonderful town.

You’ll notice that this newsletter looks a little different. This redesign has been planned for a while, and I kept waiting for it to be perfect before actually updating the template.

I finally realized that, if we waited for it to be perfect, it would never roll out.

So here it is. The goal is to mimic the feel of a physical newspaper while combining the elements of an online newsletter. There will be some other changes that will roll out in the next couple of weeks, but the content will remain the same.

Please let me know what you think of the new design! I’m always looking for feedback to make this the best newsletter that Cary has.

Beyond the internal news, we have lots to discuss for this issue. We have many upcoming events, markets, and local updates.

Thank you for continuing to support local,

James

A 40-year-old Cary man was arrested this past Sunday at Charlotte Douglas International Airport after being charged with stealing $16,000 from a Jones County family by pretending to be a federal agent.

Christopher Aaron Murray was taken into custody by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police on April 26 following a month-long investigation by the NC State Bureau of Investigation. The case started on March 18 when the Jones County Sheriff's Office asked the SBI for help with a reported scam targeting a local family.

The scheme was a classic "phantom hacker" setup. Murray allegedly called the victim claiming the family's bank account had been compromised, then demanded payment to fix the problem. According to the arrest warrant, he identified himself as "FBI Special Agent Brian Blauser" (a real FBI agent who works financial crimes in Denver, Colorado) and also posed as a Wells Fargo representative.

Murray faces four charges: felony conspiracy, obtaining property by false pretenses, felony exploitation of an elderly or disabled person, and impersonating a law enforcement officer. He posted a $7,500 bond.

The SBI says the investigation is ongoing and there may be additional victims. If you or someone you know thinks they may have been targeted, contact the Jones County Sheriff's Office at (252) 448-0035 or the SBI Coastal District office.

Additional reading: WCNT, CBS17

Cary voted down the parks and recreation bond in November 2024. That bond would have funded a $300 million sports and community center at South Hills, the old shopping center on Buck Jones Road near I-40.

A project is still moving forward there, but it will look pretty different.

Here is what is actually happening now. A company called LODEN is converting a 70,000 square foot former car dealership at 1300 Buck Jones Road into a mixed-use arts and retail space. The anchor tenant is Carolina Ballet, which is buying roughly half the building. The ballet plans to move its studios, school, administrative offices, costume storage, and a new 300-seat black box theater under one roof there. The project is called Starline at South Hills and is expected to open in 2028.

For the ballet, this is a big deal. Right now they are spread across multiple locations, trucking costumes and sets around the Triangle. The new space consolidates everything. They are also projecting a 20 percent bump in annual attendance once they have a more visible, accessible home.

The broader South Hills development still includes plans for hotels, residential, office space, and over 100,000 square feet of retail and restaurants. Construction on the first phase is expected to start next year.

Additional reading: INDY, WRAL

Each month, we showcase all of the big upcoming events. More details will appear in each weekly issue.

The Cary Town Band kicks off the month with a free spring concert at the Cary Arts Center. Doors open before 7:30 PM. Free admission, no tickets needed.

📍 Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Avenue Learn more

When Painted Tree Boutiques shut down all 61 stores nationwide on April 14th, dozens of local vendors were left scrambling overnight. This weekend pop-up is their response. Former Cary and Raleigh vendors are coming together to sell inventory and keep their businesses alive. Saturday runs 10 AM to 4 PM, Sunday runs noon to 4 PM. Worth the trip to Raleigh.

📍 8808 Running Oak Dr., Raleigh, NC 27617

B Corps are businesses certified for meeting high standards of social and environmental accountability. This spring market brings Triangle B Corp companies together for an evening market from 6 to 8 PM. Local and values-driven.

Get tickets

One of the best free festivals downtown puts on all year. The Ritmo Latino Festival, presented by Diamante Arts & Cultural Center, takes over Downtown Cary from 11 AM to 6 PM with live music across two stages, food vendors, dance performances, a KidZone, and even dance lessons for adults. The music spans salsa, merengue, bachata, cumbia, and more. Free, family-friendly, and always a great time.

📍 316 N. Academy St., Downtown Cary Learn more

The monthly Night Market returns to Downtown Cary Park on the third Friday of the month. 45 to 50 local artisans, food trucks, and vendors from 5 to 9 PM. Free to attend. If you have never been to one of these, this is a good month to start — the weather in mid-May is usually perfect for it.

📍 Downtown Cary Park, 327 S. Academy St. Learn more

Downtown Cary's annual car show rolls back onto Academy Street for a full morning of classics, muscle cars, hot rods, and exotics. Free to attend. There's also a Touch-A-Truck area, live music, food, and a Hagerty Youth Judging program where kids get to pick their favorite car. The show runs 10 AM to 2 PM. If you want to enter your own car, registration closes May 2 online — after that you can register day-of starting at 7 AM, while space lasts.

📍 N. Academy Street, Downtown Cary Learn more

Interested in partnering with us? Reach out at [email protected] and let's find something that works for you.

Cary Town Band Spring Concert May 1 | 7:30 PM | Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Avenue

Free admission. The Cary Town Band closes out April with a spring concert downtown at the Cary Arts Center.

Learn more

Former Painted Tree Vendor Market Saturday, May 2 (10 AM – 4 PM) & Sunday, May 3 (12 – 4 PM) | 8808 Running Oak Dr., Raleigh

When Painted Tree shut down all 61 stores on April 14th, it hit dozens of small business owners overnight with no warning. Former Cary and Raleigh vendors are coming together this weekend to sell their inventory and keep their businesses going.

Triangle B Corp Spring Market Friday, May 8 | 6 – 8 PM | Cary Founded | 167 E Chatham St

B Corps are businesses that meet certified standards for social and environmental responsibility. This spring market brings Triangle B Corp companies together for an evening market. Shop permanent jewelry, body oils, baked goods, art, and more!

Get tickets

If you have lived in Cary for a while and somehow still have not been inside the Cary Arts Center, fix that.

The building at 101 Dry Avenue has been standing since 1939. It started as Cary Public High School, the state's first state-funded public high school, built with federal Public Works Administration money during the New Deal era. The architect was William Henley Dietrick, a prominent Raleigh designer.

It is a Colonial Revival building, red brick, sitting at the end of Academy Street, and it has stood in that corner of downtown for almost 90 years.

The Town of Cary purchased the property and converted it into the Cary Arts Center in 2010 after a major renovation. The 48,000 square foot facility now houses a 431-seat theater, visual arts galleries, ceramics studios, dance studios, classrooms, and rehearsal space. It is the home of Applause! Cary Youth Theatre, the Cary Town Band, the Concert Singers of Cary, and a rotating calendar of performances and exhibitions.

It’s completely free to enter and explore (though some shows may require tickets). The rotating exhibits make it worthwhile to pop in every once in a while to see what is on display.

Classes run year-round for kids and adults across visual arts, ceramics, performing arts, and dance.

Walking through the building, you can spot old Cary High School class pictures, jerseys, lockers still lining the walls, and other artifacts.

It is a two-minute walk from Downtown Cary Park. There is no good reason not to know this place.

Address: 101 Dry Avenue, Cary, NC 27511

Phone: (919) 469-4069

Hours: Mon-Thu 9AM-10PM | Fri-Sat 9AM-10:30PM | Sun 1-6PM

Visit the Cary Arts Center

Thanks for reading! If you liked or disliked this issue, feel free to reply and let me know! I love hearing from you.

P.S.

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