Keeping The Lights On

Carolina Power & Light Company is intensifying its streetlight maintenance program through an agreement with an outside contractor to regularly patrol and repair Cary streetlights. Asplundh’s Streetlight Division crews will regularly patrol scheduled routes that will cover all streets within the Cary limits at least once per month. During these patrols, the streetlight technicians will fix any routine streetlight repair orders received that day as well as repair any outages discovered on their route. Same day repair will occur for lights reported by 3PM. Defective underground cable and/or storm damage, both of which may take additional time to make repairs, will cause some exceptions to this repair time.

Cary citizens should call the CP&L Customer Service Center (CSC) at 508-5400 to report lights that are not burning, or those not operating properly. CSC hours are 7AM – 9PM, Monday through Friday, and 9AM – 2PM on Saturday. Although not required, the pole identification numbers—located on yellow tags--are helpful in pinpointing the exact lights requiring maintenance. Observed problems and location directions are also extremely helpful.

The Countdown Is On For Census 2000!

It’s time to stand up and be counted. In March, residents of Cary will receive Census forms for the 2000 count. It’s very important that you return your completed form—long or short—immediately after CENSUS DAY—April 1^st. Most of us will receive the short form. This form will be simpler than in previous years--only seven questions. A longer, 52-question form will go to one-sixth of American households to provide in-depth data.

In addition to being mailed to you, Census forms will be placed in public places--grocery or convenience stores, libraries, post offices, check-cashing stores, churches--to further increase participation. The forms will be printed in English, Spanish, Chinese, and three other languages constituting 99% of all languages spoken in the U.S.; and assistance manuals will be available in more than 30 other languages.

Remember--it’s important to Cary’s future that everyone completes and returns the Census 2000 form. Getting an accurate count in Cary is critical to the Town’s long-range planning efforts as well as getting the appropriate amount of state and federal revenues that help provide critical services. Please don’t delay. If you have questions, call Cary’s Planning Division at 469-4082 or visit our website.

Anti Fire Ant Action

The NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has expanded the state quarantine area for the imported fire ant in a continuing effort to combat this pest. This area now includes the Town of Cary.

Businesses and individuals in the quarantined areas need to obtain a certificate or permit to move certain materials such as sod, soil, hay and straw, nursery plants, logs, pulpwood and soil-moving equipment before they can be moved through or to non-quarantined areas. This certificate or permit can be obtained by contacting the NC Dept of Agriculture at 733-6932.

The imported fire ant is an aggressive pest considered a nuisance and health concern to humans, livestock and wildlife due to its painful sting. Although the stings of these ants are painful, they are not fatal for most people.

The imported fire ant is a native of southern Brazil and entered the US in Alabama in 1918. It made its way into the southeastern part of North Carolina, in Brunswick County, in 1957. Since its introduction, it has spread north and west to additional areas of the state. The ants expand naturally and steadily into new territory because of their high reproductive rate. Mild winter weather has accelerated their movement.

The imported fire ants are reddish to dark brown and measure from 1/8 inch to about 1/3 inch long. They construct their homes, called mounds, in the soil. If the mound is disturbed, ants swarm out and sting the intruder.

Encounters with fire ants can be expected not only outdoors but indoors as well. Fire ants prefer oily and greasy foods and may travel indoors to find food. They also feed on other insects.

Treatment: The objective of treating fire ants is to kill the queen, because she is the only ant in the colony capable of laying eggs. Insecticide treatment is used to eliminate fire ants in areas where the risk to people is high and to reduce infestations to acceptable levels. Label directions should always be followed when applying any fire ant insecticide. You can contact the NC Dept of Agriculture at 733-6932 for advice on suitable insecticides or visit the following web site for additional information on the red imported fire ant: visit http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/TurfFiles/pubs/insects/ag486.html.

April Events

Applause! Cary Youth Theatre presents a full production of the classic children's tale "Winnie-the-Pooh." Performances featuring Cary's own talented young people will be presented on Friday, April 7 & Saturday, April 8. Call 469-4061 for more information.

Have you always dreamed of playing with the symphony? "Play With The Pros," is a unique program of collaboration between the Town and the North Carolina Symphony. It gives talented area musicians the chance to perform with a professional orchestra. Enjoy this free performance on Thursday, April 13 at 8PM at the Cary Community Center.

The hilarious antics of SPORT returns to Cary! Enjoy a fun-tastic night of theatre for the whole family as these guys fumble their way through a wide array of sports from tennis to basketball, from skiing to boxing. Friday, April 14 & Saturday, April 15 at 7:30PM at Sertoma Amphitheatre in Bond Park. Call 469-4061 for more information.

Celebrate Spring on April 29 at the Town's 7th Annual Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival. This community springtime bash features local artisans, great food, live entertainment and a special juried art show at the Page Walker Arts & History Center.

Space Heaters

Home Heating is the Third Leading Cause of Residential Fire Deaths

• Keep portable space heaters at least 3 feet away from combustibles.

• Unplug space heaters after use or when leaving the room.

• With fuel-burning space heaters:

  • use the correct fuel

  • don’t overfill

  • never fill while heater is hot or burning

  • provide adequate ventilation

• Never spray aerosols while smoking, near a space heater, range, or other ignition source.

For more information, contact the Cary Fire Department at 469-4056.

Getting Around Town

A new, 14-member, Council-appointed, citizen task force is researching and recommending transportation options for those who, because of age or disability, cannot drive in Cary. The group meets again on Thursday, March 23^rd in the Town Council Chamber. Meetings are cablecast live on cable channel 11 and repeated on Friday at 7:30AM and Saturday at 7:30PM. Learn more about the group by coming to the meetings, watching them on TV, or visiting the Town’s website.

Buy Local

Don’t leave Cary for the best, locally-grown fruits, vegetables, plants, and flowers. The Cary Downtown Farmers' Market will begin its 7th season on April 1^st. Located on the west side of the Cary Depot parking lot, the market operates from April through November on Saturdays from 8AM- 12:30PM, and on Tuesdays from 3-6PM. Also at the Cary Market are the best in homemade breads, desserts, jams & jellies, dog treats, all-natural soaps & skin care products, organic produce and honey. All items are grown or produced within a 50-mile radius of the market. This year, the market will also feature a variety of special events including master gardeners and on-site demonstrations from Chef and TV personality, Don Mauer, as well as other "special guests" throughout the market season.

Trail Workdays

(Attention volunteers, scouts, clubs, office groups….)
Saturday, March 18 1:00-3:00 PM Free!
Saturday, April 8 1:00-3:00 PM Free!
(Light refreshments will be provided.)

Looking for a volunteer experience, community service, or a conservation project? Well, look no further! Help maintain the trails at the Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve that so many have grown to love. Pre-registration is requested but not required; however, workdays will be cancelled if there is not enough interest expressed prior to the scheduled workday. Participants should bring gloves, rakes, and wheelbarrows if you have them. Call 387-5980 to register yourself or your group for this very worthwhile project.

Conservation Corner

Recycling Tip: To dispose of your household hazardous waste properly, take it to the Wake County Household Hazardous Waste Facility located at the North Wake Sanitary Landfill, 9004 Deponie Drive (856-6186). Common examples of household hazardous waste include antifreeze, pesticides and herbicides, fluorescent light bulbs, pool/hot tub chemicals, aerosol cans, oil-based paints, paint thinner, car batteries, oven cleaner, and propane tanks.

Indoor Conservation Tip: Minimize the number of loads of laundry you do per week. Each load uses between 27 and 54 gallons of water. To save water, use full loads whenever possible or select the appropriate water level for the size of your laundry.

Outdoor Conservation Tip: Delay regular lawn watering during cool weeks of spring. This encourages deeper rooting and makes your lawn healthier and more drought tolerant for the summer. Now is the time to spruce up your sprinklers. Give your automatic irrigation system a "check up" by inspecting all spray heads and valves for leaks. For best results, your system must be running to inspect it for leaks. A broken spray head can waste up to 20 gallons each minute! Make repairs promptly. Experts recommend one inch of water per week, including rainfall.