Lazy Daze

Over 26 years, the Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival has become one of the South's premier festivals. On the fourth Saturday in August, an estimated 60,000 people head to downtown Cary for handiwork of the best artists and crafts people in the country.

The festival will be from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Aug. 23. The rain date is Aug. 24.

The easiest way to get to the free festival is to take one of the shuttle buses (also free) from Cary Towne Center . Each spring a jury of experts reviews approximately 600 applications for the coveted 400 spaces with a variety of original works.

Lazy Daze also features live entertainment on three stages. Check out Kid’s World, an interactive place with handcrafted toys, face-painting, puppets, clowns and magicians.

Fifty non-profit groups from the area form a civic expo to explain their causes.   And bring your appetite for barbecue, vegetarian foods, funnel cakes, ice cream, etc. Proceeds from Lazy Daze go to a variety of community organizations and programs.

For more details, see the Recreation section of townofcary.org or call (919) 469-4061. 

How to Make a Bundle

Debris from storms last winter is still making its way to the curb throughout Cary .   We’re asking you to help us by cutting and bundling tree limbs properly for yard waste pickup.

Limbs should be no more than 4 feet long or 4 inches in diameter. Tie them in bundles with string or twine. It will help crewmembers gather debris safely and get around town faster.

Put leaves, grass clippings, pine straw, etc., in paper bags or in reusable containers, but not plastic bags.  Have yard waste at the curb, not in the street, by 7 a.m. on Mondays. We skip yard waste during holiday weeks so crews can reach everyone’s garbage.

Give Public Works & Utilities a call at (919) 469-4090 if you have questions.

Hoops Scoop

Hot Hoops 3-on-3 street ball tournament returns for the 15th consecutive year Sept. 6-7 in Walnut Street in front of Cary High School .

It’s the oldest and largest continuously running 3-on-3 street ball tournament in North Carolina . 

For registration or more details, visit www.hothoops.net or call (919) 469-4062.

Load & Lock

Cary ranks as the sixth safest city in the country.  Let’s work to keep it that way.

Thieves are on the lookout for easy targets. Make things tough for them with a few precautions.

Lock your car, even when it’s at home. When you’re shopping, put packages in the trunk or out of sight. Remember to lock the doors, even if you’re out of the car only momentarily.

Vile West Nile - Avoiding Mosquito Problems

After such a wet spring, mosquitoes seem to be everywhere.

Lessen chances of getting bitten by wearing pants and long-sleeves. Use repellents while following label instructions carefully. 

Reduce mosquito-breeding areas by eliminating sources of standing water outdoors. Clean clogged gutters. Change water in pets’ bowls at least weekly.

In June, Cary Animal Control officers resumed collecting dead birds of a few types. Collection and testing cease with confirmation of the virus in that species.

Get more details on prevention and procedure in the West Nile Virus section of townofcary.org under Site Index.

Bud Bits

Automatic bank drafts enable you to pay your utility bill without writing a check. 

This free service automatically deducts the amount of your utility bill from your checking or savings account on the actual due date each month, saving time, a check and postage. 

Find a bank draft authorization form on the Web site under Site Index or call the Finance Department at (919) 469-4050 or (919) 469-4052.   

Take a bite out of crime and join the Cary Police Department for National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 5. For more information, call (919) 469-4324.

For the latest news, sign up for our e-mail service. There’s no charge. See Shortcuts on the home page of the Web site, townofcary.org.

Tips for When Folks Take a Dip

Visits to the pool, lake or beach are a great way to beat the summer heat.  But tragedy can occur in seconds if kids are unattended.

It is recommended that every child over the age of 3 have swimming lessons.

Here are more safety tips for kids and adults:

·  Obey lifeguards’ instructions.

·  Swim with a friend.

·  Never jump or dive in unless the lifeguard says it’s OK.

·  Don’t eat candy or chewing gum while swimming.

·  Get out of water right away if there’s thunder or lightning.

·  Never swim at night.

·  On a boat, everyone needs a seat and floatation device. Children using air-filled  aids should be within reach of an adult.

Call Cary Fire Department at (919) 469-4056 to learn more.

Protection for Pennies

An emergency telephone access charge of 25 cents per month will begin appearing on Cary residents’ phone bills in August.

This will enable Cary ’s 911 center to upgrade its system as needed to ensure that we continue getting help to you quickly in an emergency.

While state law approved this fee in 1989, Cary has been able to hold off until now. The statewide average is 94 cents. For more information, call (919) 460-4922.

Election Connection

Campaign season is upon us. Candidates file in July for Town Council elections this October.

We’ve got a new way for all candidates to get messages out.

The Cary Community Candidate Forum will replace several smaller forums of previous years to better inform voters in a way that is even-handed and dignified.

The Town has selected the League of Women Voters to manage the forum in 2003. The league will tape their live, unedited statements and responses for Cary TV, our government access channel on cable channel 11.

During August, you can submit a question for the forum to the league.

The forum will be taped in September and aired until Election Day. For more on the candidate forum, see the Town Government section of the Web site.  

Caller EMD - Crisis Quiz

If you call our 911 center with a medical emergency, a dispatcher may ask a number of questions while another team member is sending help.

These questions are part of Emergency Medical Dispatch, a national program using protocols that emergency room physicians update yearly.

This doesn’t delay response, but helps ensure the right one.

If someone is having chest pains, for example, age and gender help assess the likelihood of heart attack. Is the person awake? Is the person breathing normally? Is there a history of heart trouble?

The 911 center staff provides short presentations on EMD.  Call Tracy Thomas at (919) 469-4012 or e-mail her at tracy.thomas@ci.cary.nc.us.  

Our Team - Engineering

The Engineering Department designs and manages Town capital improvements projects.

This includes streets, sidewalks, utilities, parking lots, buildings and parks. 

The department also addresses community issues related to such things as flooding, traffic signals and roadway safety.

Engineering has more than 50 positions for engineers, inspectors, administrative support and other functions.

If you or someone you know is considering a career in Engineering, go online to our Town job opportunities list regularly to see if there are openings or call (919) 319-4500, ext. 283.

Conservation Corner

Recycling Tip: Is there a white line down the middle of the road in front of your house? Maybe someone did not dispose of their paint properly.  Set latex paint in the sun for several hours to dry if there's only an inch or two in the bucket. If there's a half-gallon or more, mix it with kitty litter, sawdust or sand.  Once dry, set latex paint at the curb by 7 a.m. on your garbage collection day. The lid must be off.  Oil base paint is household hazardous waste and should be taken to the Wake County collection site. Call (919) 287-8051 for more information on household hazardous waste.  

Storm Water Tip: Properly designed and installed storm drains should not cause flooding or erosion problems for neighbors. Legally, water can be discharged from one uphill property to another downhill as long as there is no property damage. However, neighbors should work together to find effective drainage solutions. For technical assistance, call (919) 469-4076.  

Water Conservation Tip: If rainfall has been ample, don't drown the ground.  Almost all turf and landscape plants grow best in soil that is a combination of approximately 50 percent soil, 25 percent water and 25 percent air.  Over-watering prevents plant roots from getting the amount of air they require for optimum health, causing 80 percent of plant problems.  Use a soil probe or screwdriver to check moisture before irrigating. Call (919) 469-4090 for more.  

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