Back to School, A Proposed Data Center, and... A Bakery

👋 Good morning, Apex! Today is Thursday, August 21, 2025 and this is the 33rd weekly issue of The Peak Weekly.

It’s back to school time (for those on the traditional calendar like mine). It has been quite the eventful summer but I have to say… I’m ready to get back into the school grind. Our two youngest (👦 👧 twins) kick off their freshman year on Monday and I’m admittedly a bit nervous but also very excited for them.

We had a pretty fun but low-key summer. We got out to some Apex events, checked out some of the cool new spots in Sweetwater, spent July 4 weekend in Pinehurst, I turned 41, I got a brand new utility meter… all equally exciting.

One other thing that I’m excited about is that I taught myself how to code and deploy a custom web app.

I don’t know if you have ever spent any time trying to use the Apex Project Development Map or other similar tools… They have really good data, but really bad user experience. In fact, most of them are practically unusable on mobile.

Fortunately, all of the data is publicly available so I learned how to tap into that data and created my own project development tool, and it’s now available to use!

You can access this any time on The Peak Weekly’s new website, The Peak Way. View the Apex Project Development Dashboard here.

It might still have a bug or two but I’ll work those out in the coming days. Please share any feedback that you have! More content and more tools like this coming soon.

🚌 Anyway, back to what I was saying a moment ago. School is back on Monday. Traffic is always extra crazy that first week so be careful out there.

And for those at AFHS, enjoy that new stoplight! Especially those of you crossing over from Miss Annie’s parking lot. 😉 

Miscellaneous:

🏆️ Award-Winning Senior Center
The Apex Senior Center was recently honored with the Community Impact Through Design Merit Award! This award recognizes built architectural projects that have catalyzed, reimagined, and advanced communities in the United States for the purpose of serving the general public.

🏈 The 100th Apex vs. Cary Rivalry Game
The rivalry between Apex HS and Cary HS football - dubbed the “Old Wake Rivalry” - was first played in 1925. This Saturday will be the 100th Anniversary game. Cary holds the all-time series bragging rights with a 50-29-3 record. But… Apex has won the last three. Get your tickets here.

📚️ Friendship Community Library
A new library is coming to the Friendship area at Humie Olive & Old US Hwy1 (diagonal corner from Vicious Fishes). This past Monday, Wake County commissioners voted to purchase the 7.5 acres for $2,451,800. Design and construction are currently scheduled for 2028 with anticipated opening in 2029.

🏢🏢🏢🏢 (Proposed) Apex Data Storage Facility
On Tuesday, developer, Fox Rothschild, held a neighborhood meeting at the New Hill Community Center regarding a proposed 190-acre data facility at 4232 Shearon Harris Rd. They are proposing a 250 megawatt data center, with 80 diesel generators (each 4MW), across four large 70-foot tall, 200,000 sq. ft. buildings. This neighborhood meeting is a required step prior to filing for zoning. If they do proceed with that next step (seems likely), it would then be heard by the Town Council.

A nuclear power plant, a sewage treatment plant, and a data center all in one place! This proposal has already gained quite a bit of opposition in the community and the signatures on the change.org petition are growing quite quickly.

🍁 Fall Fun Days Track Out Camps
There are still a few openings left for upcoming track-out camps with the Parks and Rec. View and enroll here.

✂️ School Supply Drive
Elementary school supply donations can be dropped off today and tomorrow from 12-5pm at Regal Choice Barber Shop (617 Tingen Rd). Supplies can also be dropped off on Saturday from 10am-2pm; Apex PD will be there at that time with donuts and coffee! Donations will then be delivered to Apex Elementary and other local schools.

🐕️ Hunter Street Dog Park Closure
This got delayed since last newsletter. Now expected to be closed for renovations from August 25-29. The small dog side will remain open and usable during this time, as well as the Apex Nature Park dog park.

📝 Wake School Board Member Resigns
Lindsay Mahaffey of Apex was elected to the board in 2016 and was recently re-elected this past November to another four-year term. Mahaffey represents District 8, which includes parts of Apex, Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina. On Tuesday, she announced her resignation, effective August 31. No reason for the resignation was given. The board will appoint a replacement to complete her term, which expires in November 2028.

Things to Do This Weekend in Apex:

Saturday, August 23

🧑‍🌾 Apex Farmers Market
8am - 12pm | The Depot

🎶 Rhythm & Reels: Blue Cactus
7pm | Nature Park Amphitheatre

🏈 Apex vs. Cary Old Wake Rivalry Game
7:30pm | WakeMed Soccer Park

🦋 Moth Night at Crowder Park
8pm - 10pm | Crowder Park

Sunday, August 24

🍨👮 Chill with a Cop
2pm - 4pm | Mama Bird’s Ice Cream

Local Business Updates

🐸 sweetFrog Premium Frozen Yogurt

Now open at 1754 Olive Chapel Rd. They are HOPPY to serve 14+ froyo flavors, ice-cream, sorbets with over 60+ toppings & freshly made Waffle Cones!! Initial Google reviews look great! Website

🥋 Kim’s Yong-In Martial Arts

Now open at 2701 Lawnview Ln., Suite 115. Master Kim is a 6th Dan Black Belt and a proud graduate of Yongin University in South Korea—a university world-renowned for its martial arts and sports education. Master Kim’s mission in opening Kim’s Yong-In schools is simple but powerful: to use Taekwondo as a tool to empower individuals of all ages physically, mentally, and emotionally.

We spoke with Master Kim and got all the great details which you can read here.

🦷 The Loop Dental Care

Now open at 620 Chessie Station in the Villages of Apex near downtown is a new full-service dental care provider, The Loop Dental Care.

Sue’s (who interviewed the doc and wrote this article) daughter works there so they’ve gotta be Peak Weekly fans!

So if you’re due (or overdue) for a cleaning or that tooth is aching a little bit, give them a call and let them know the Peak Weekly sent you. Maybe he’ll let you pick him up!

We spoke with Dr Papademetriou and got all of the great details which you can read here.

Closing / Coming Soon

Closed: The Cranky Yankee

The NY-Style, Italian inspired bakery on the corner of Chatham & Salem has officially closed. Many of you have been asking what might replace it.

Well… I have the answer.

Ready?

🥁 

A bakery!

I don’t know which one or anything else at this time. But this will be the fourth bakery in a row to give it a shot at that location. (more to come)

Coming Soon: Spice & Tea Exchange

Some readers have let me know that it appears that The Spice & Tea Exchange of Apex at 104 A North Salem looks like it’s about ready to open.

Their last social media post indicated opening the first week of September. So, keep an eye out for that!

Civil News:

🌈 The More You Know
Did you know that you can email the Town Council all at once? Questions, comments, concerns, etc. can be sent to all council members by emailing [email protected]

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Community Town Hall
Next Thursday, August 28, join local town elected officials for a Community Town Hall from 6pm - 7pm at the Apex Senior Center. The purpose of this event is to create an opportunity for open, informal dialogue and engagement.

🚲️ Hunter Street Bike Park
The Town is creating a bike park and skills area at Hunter Street Park. This space would be designed for riders of all ages and skill levels to enjoy off-road cycling, practice their biking skills, and have fun outdoors. Learn more about this and take a short survey at this link.

📬️ Utility Billing Updates
On Tuesday, the Town Council had a special meeting on the subject of utility billing. Here are some of the key items from that meeting:

• From the initial sample of 100 accounts, the Town staff stated that just 1% of accounts were overbilled. They have now audited about one-fifth of those accounts who requested a recalculation. The overbilled amount from that sample is 12%.

• They expect to complete the audit of all accounts that requested it by the end of this month, will communicate the results in September and will then adjust those accounts in October.

• The Town transitioned to a new utility billing system, Millsoft. The transition to the new system has caused some issues, such as missing meter reads, meters not being in the system's inventory, and configuration problems. As a result, some bills may have a longer-than-normal billing period (e.g., around 40 days instead of the usual 30).

• To address these issues, the town plans to document key processes, provide cross-functional training to staff, and review policies to align with the new system's capabilities.

• The town plans to return to normal operations by November, when it will reinstate late fees.

• In February, the town plans to resume disconnections for unpaid services.

🗓️ Important Upcoming Dates

Today, August 21
CommUniversity: Asset Mapping
6pm - 8pm | Senior Center

Today, August 21
Environmental Advisory Board
6pm | Town Hall

Friday, August 22
Finance Committee
9am - 11am | Town Hall

Tuesday, August 26
Town Council Meeting
6pm | Town Hall

Wednesday, August 27
Parks & Rec Advisory Commission
6pm | Town Hall

A Look Ahead:

August 28, 2025
On The Steps Concert Series
7:30pm | The Halle

August 29, 2025
Apex Night Market
5pm-9pm | Ionna Rechargery

September 4, 2025
Brown Bags to Building Bridges
12pm - 1pm | The Halle

September 6, 2025
Peak City Fitness Festival
9am - 4:45pm | Town Hall Campus

September 11, 2025
Patriot Day Ceremony
9:30am | Saunders & Salem

September 19, 2025
Apex Community Dance
7pm - 9pm | The Halle

September 20, 2025
Festa Italiana
11am - 7pm | Town Hall Campus

September 25, 2025
Explore S’more
6pm - 7:30pm | Nature Park Amphitheater

In Case You Missed it:

🏚️ Tunstall House
Site work is set to begin on September 2nd, with work on the house itself starting in October. The Apex Senior Center parking lot will be closed for the duration of the project. The handicapped parking spaces in front of the Senior Center, the Go Apex bus stop, and the covered drop-off will not be impacted. 

🅿️ Saunders Lot (Phase I) Now Open
Phase 1 of the Saunders Lot reconstruction project is now complete! This phase, located across the street from the Apex Police Station unlocks over 150 parking spaces for downtown visitors. Phase 2 is now underway which will double the previous amount of parking spaces previously in the gravel lot.

🌳 Trees for the Triangle
Tickets are now on sale for this year's Cary Environmental Symposium. Four amazing weeks featuring guest speakers from all walks of life as they discuss hands-on ways we can confront climate change and mitigate environmental issues. Get more info and grab tickets here.

📖 StoryWalk® at the Park
The latest StoryWalk® is at Apex Community Park. You’ll find it on the short wooded trail across from the large shelter. The book is “Summer Color”, written by Diana Murray.

🛂 Get Your Passport Ready
Now through September 2, grab a Local Spot Passport and fill it with signatures from 6 different Sip Stops and 6 different Shop Stops. Submit the completed passport at The Depot to receive a Peak of Good Living branded wine tumbler or pint glass, as well as one entry into a raffle. Get all the details here.

🐶 Clear the Shelter Extravaganza
Now through August 31, adoption fees for all pets at the Wake County Animal Shelter will be waived.

A Final Note:

Thank you for taking time out of your day today to read this week’s edition of The Peak Weekly.

As always, if you have any ideas of how to make this newsletter better, want to nominate a local business or organization to be featured, or anything else, please respond to this email or email me directly at [email protected]

See you next Thursday... 😘