If you’re racing to somewhere in Cary and run a red light in the future, you’ll risk getting an unpleasant memento of your trip.

An elderly woman lost her life and more than 30 people lost their homes after a fire in February at an apartment complex in Raleigh.

The tragedy was one of at least 100 fires since 1992 that have been blamed on lamps with halogen bulbs.

Lamps such as the 6 or 7-foot torch style lamps are popular. But halogen bulbs in them can reach 1,000 degrees. So be careful how you use them.

Don’t place lamps in high-traffic areas where they can get knocked over.

Check the dome for dust. Don’t leave the light on for prolonged periods. And remember to check your smoke detectors.

For more tips, call Cary firefighters at (919) 469-4056.

In the middle of spring, that is. Applause! Cary Youth Theatre presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare’s tale of star-crossed lovers, overly ambitious clowns and misdirected fairies.

Performances will be Thursday—Saturday, May 9-11, at 7:30 p.m. amid the forest and fog at Sertoma Amphitheater in Bond Park. Ticket sales begin April 8 at Town facilities—$3 for children under 13, $5 for adults.

Call (919) 469-4061 for details.

Applause! theater features local actors ages 10 to 18.

Like you, we could use a day off.

So Town government offices will be closed Monday, May 27, in observance of Memorial Day.

Folks 55 and over can celebrate Senior Citizens’ Day on May 15 from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Cary Senior Center. The event will feature entertainment, lunch and door prizes. The fee is $6 per person. Pre-registration is required. For more information, call the senior center at (919) 469-4081. For the safety of people and pets, please remember to keep your dog or cat on a leash whenever it is off your property. For more information, call the Town’s Animal Control officers at (919) 319-4517. The Town no longer regulates the number of dogs per household, but focuses on whether an animal is a nuisance.

You may never see them. You’d rather not need to call them.

But in an emergency, they become the voice of reassurance that help is coming.

Those who staff Cary’s communications, or 911, center never know what the next telephone call will bring. That’s part of the attraction.

" I think you have to be that kind of person to last the first year," said Lynett Seagroves, a Cary telecommunications staff member with more than 16 years experience.

A caller with a barking dog complaint may be on one line while on another line, someone is having a heart attack.

In a dimly-lit room at Cary police headquarters, two or three telecommunicators staff the center around the clock. The center may handle more than 300,000 calls this year.

The second week of April is National Public Safety Telecommunications Week. The purpose is to recognize those who provide a lifeline in crisis.

Cary staff members have helped deliver babies. The worst cases are crimes and tragedies involving kids.

For calls about barking dogs, loud music and similar annoyances, call the non-emergency number, (919) 469-4012 at any hour.

Humor helps staff members handle dealing with distress and tragedy day in and day out.

"This is not a job where people call throughout the day saying

they’re having a great day," said Riley Godley, a supervisor in the Cary communications center.

"It’s usually the opposite."

It’s important to remember what, and who, matters most.

That’s the point behind Youth Matter to Cary Day and JamFest 2002, a teen band competition.

The events allow families, school groups and congregations to enjoy a festival environment with music, food and entertainment.

The celebration of Youth Matter to Cary Day will be from 11 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. in the Amphitheater at Regency Park. Band competition will be from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., with awards at 4:30.

Sponsors of the celebration are the Town’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department, Creating Assets Reaching Youth (C.A.R.Y.), Cary Police and the Cary Teen Council.

For more information call Jeff Lee at the Herb Young Community Center at (919) 460-4965.

backwater barricade
ensuring one-way traffic for wastewater

A sewage backup can create a costly mess in your home.

So it’s important to know whether your home needs a backwater valve to keep wastewater out of your home during regular sewer system maintenance or inadvertent backups.

Backwater valves can at least minimize damage from backups. The valves allow flow only in one direction.

The state Building Code requires a backwater valve if the plumbing fixtures are below the top of the first upstream manhole on the street. To find out if you have or need a backwater valve, check your plumbing plans or talk to your builder or a professional plumber.

Towns are not liable for damages when a needed backwater valve has not been installed. For details, call Cary Inspections and Permits at (919) 469-4340.

The houses on large, heavily-wooded lots on Walnut Street look like they could provide refuge for quiet, country living.

But take a quick glance around. Cary Towne Center is practically across the street. The busy Buck Jones Road area is just down the road. Beyond the bridge is the Crossroads commercial area.

At a planning retreat in February, Town Council members viewed computer simulations of how Walnut Street might look some day between the mall and Kingston Ridge Road, near Buck Jones.

They liked what they saw. Examples of the simulations included a median-divided Walnut Street, sidewalks and new low-intensity commercial buildings in a residential style. A park is another possibility for the area.

See the presentation yourself on townofcary.org. Check out Walnut Street Corridor District under Walnut Street Initiatives for the simulations.

But remember, these are just examples of how the area could change over time. We’ll have to see how the plan takes shape.

Recycling Tip: Last year people in Cary sent more than 5,800 tons of yard waste to the Raleigh Yard Waste Facility. This cost the Town over $222,000 in hauling and disposal. Save us all money by beginning a compost pile today. Compost is free and reduces the need for fertilizer and pesticides. For more information on how to start backyard composting, call (919) 469-4090.