Good Bunny & Wingstop

👋 Good Morning, Apex! Today is Thursday, February 5, 2026 and this is the 57th consecutive weekly issue of The Peak Weekly.

Happy Black History Month!

Follow @apexjuneteenth for awesome stories about black history in Apex.

Real quick, can you help me build the Apex Community App?

I mentioned it briefly last week but want to see if I can pick your brain a little bit more. The goal is to put everything you could ever want to know or need regarding apex right into your pocket. I plan to have it in the app stores in about a month for you to download.

You can help out in 2 ways:

1. Use the App
It’s not an official “app” yet and it’s obviously a work in progress, but you can actually access it via the web. Here is the link

It will work on your computer but it won’t look great; it’s designed really just to be seen on your phone. You can access it in any browser and you can even save it to your home screen just like an app.

In addition to the current weather, important alerts, and daily events shown right at the top, here are the tools that it currently has. You can access them all from the above link but ill include direct links to the tool below as well.

• Development Map - This is a recreated version of Apex’s development map that is more user-friendly and actually works on mobile. Because maps can be tricky on mobile with all the different little areas to click on, I made the primary view the “List View” but you can toggle over to “Map View”. You can also search and sort by project type. And then click the button to see the full documents if you want to know more.
  

• Development Tracker - This probably needs a better name. Similar to the development map, but different - this tool shows things that are pre-construction site plans (not quite ready for the development map) or annexation and zoning filings. It’ll tell you the status, dates, etc. It’s sorted by most recently updated. And because this pulls from the API, and not the document center, items often appear here before they even appear on the website.
  

• Flock Camera Map - This shows user-generated inputs on the location of the flock cameras. The Town doesn’t share it so this comes from user data from deflock me. There are 3 additional cameras with location unknown.
  

• Vote Tracker - Keeps track of every item voted on during Town Council meetings and tells you who voted yes or no. (begins tracking at the start of the new council in Dec)
  

• How Do I? - This is the page that answers common FAQs. I think I want to turn this into an interactive chat where you type your question and it auto-responds.
  

• Parks & Recreation - Find all of the parks in Apex. Filter by amenity. Want to know which parks have bathrooms? Which ones have pickelball? Quickly find it here.
  

• Restaurant Inspections - Going out to eat? Check the restaurant’s latest inspection and see any violations.
  

• Gas Prices - Pulls in gas prices of the 10 lowest priced gas stations in Apex via the GasBuddy API.
  

• Salem Street Stories - This is the one I am most excited about, but takes the most work. This is built, not just to be a directory of downtown businesses, but to give them access to their profile to share updates, stories about themselves and their staff, and/or even post special deals and offers to help keep us all engaged in supporting the folks that keep downtown thriving through the construction. (If you’re one of those business owners seeing this, let me know and I will get you a login)

So one way you can help, if you’re so inclined, would be to just use these tools and let me know how it goes. Find any glitches? Ideas to make any of the tools better?

2. The Second Way
The other way you can help, is to take this brief survey.

It’s 2 questions. Anonymous. Share any ideas you have for new tools that you would love to have access to. We can build pretty much anything into.

Let me know!

Miscellaneous Info:

🐰 Good Bunny
Pluto the Good Bunny filled in for Silvia the Armadillo to see if we’ll get an early spring. Unfortunately, for those ready for warmer weather, Pluto saw his shadow which means six more weeks of winter.

🎓️ Apex Peak Academy
This free 14-session, interactive program gives you a behind-the-scenes look into town programs and operations. Applications are now open through February 28.

🌳 Salem Street Renovations
As you likely know, this project is now in full swing. Businesses are still open with barricades creating a dedicated walking area on both sides of the street.

🏆️ Think Apex Awards
Do you know a business, individual, non-profit, or youth that has uniquely given back or positively impacted the Apex community in 2025? Help shine a light on those community members by nominating them for a Think Apex Award now through March 13, 2026!

❤️ National Wear Red Day
Every 34 seconds heart disease claims the life of someone in our country, making it the leading cause of death nationwide. This February, Wake County is taking action by launching a month-long campaign for American Heart Month, aimed at raising awareness and empowering residents to take charge of their heart health. The first activity is National Wear Red Day tomorrow, Feb 6.

📣 School Spirit
Lufkin Road Middle School Spirit Night is Monday, Feb 9 from 3pm-9pm. Mention LUFKIN (or use the code online) at Chick-fil-A on Hughes St and 10% will go to the PTA. Then, on Wednesday the 11th, stop by Sweet Frog for the Apex High School Band Spirit Night. Mention them and… I don’t know it doesn’t say but probably something goes to support the band! 5:30-8pm.

Things to Do This Weekend in Apex:

Today, February 5

🎬️ Thursday Night Movie
7pm - 9pm | The Halle

🔡 Music Bingo
8pm | The Backyard Bar

Friday, February 6

🐕️ Pints & Puppies
5pm - 8pm | Southern Peak Brewery

🌕️ Moonlight & Melodies Gala and Silent Auction
6:30pm | The Halle

🎙️ Joe’s Cousin Live
8pm - 11pm | Peak of the Vine

Saturday, February 7

🥞 Scouts BSA Troops 205 & 2051 Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser
8am - 11am | Olive Chapel Baptist Church

🧑‍🌾 Apex Farmers Market
9am - 12pm | The Depot

🕺 Dance with Me Date Night (parent/child experience)
4pm - 5:30pm | Academy for the Performing Arts

🎨 Paint Your Partner Challenge
4:30pm - 6pm | The Halle

🕯️ Candle Making & Paper Wisteria Workshop
1pm | Bear Hands

Sunday, February 8

🍷 Bootcamp & Bubbly
10am - 11am | Southern Peak Brewery

⚱️ Valentine’s Day Pottery Painting
1pm - 2:30pm | Southern Peak Brewery

📜 Breach of Peace Play (rescheduled)
6:30pm | The Depot

Tuesday, February 10

🖋️ Gallentine’s Modern Calligraphy Class
6:30pm - 8pm | Cloer Family Vineyards

🧠 Trivia Night
8pm | Rudy’s Pub

Wednesday, February 11

💘 Valentine’s Day Vendor Market
6pm - 8:30pm | Bottle Theory

Local Business Updates

🍪 Now Open:
Apex Oven Micro Bakery
A new micro bakery in Apex serving small-batch, handcrafted baked goods, including the 2025 NC State Fair blue ribbon winning chocolate chip cookies, is now open! Weekly menus are posted online with local pickup near downtown Apex. Check it out at Apexoven.com.  

💉 Vanguard Utility
Based out of Connecticut, Vanguard Utility is investing $70M at Cash Corporate Center (2100 Production Drive) where they will make generic injectable medicines used in emergency care, painkillers, cancer drugs and other products. The expect to launch their first product from the facility in Q4. They currently have 15 employees but plan to grow to about 100 over the next few years, most of which being highly-skilled positions.

🍗 Wingstop in Beaver Creek
The GNC in Beaver Creek closed down but in its place we are getting a Wingstop! I don’t know dates yet but they’ll be open 11am til Midnight. Hot Honey + Ranch - if you know, you know.

✂️ Ribbon Cutting
They’ve been open for a while now, but the official Chamber Ribbon Cutting for Kim’s Yong-in Martial Arts is today at 1pm.

🐶 Sweetwater Animal Hospital
A land purchase has been made in Sweetwater for a 2,780sqft animal hospital which is currently in pre-construction. Unsure of the name but the land was purchased by the same doc at Hope Crossing Animal Hospital in Pittsboro which has phenomenal reviews.

🐔 Super Bowl Chicken Wings
Apex Wings is offering 10% off on take-out orders on Sunday up until 3:30pm. Shearon Harris + Blue Cheese - if you know, you know.

🍫 Milk Chocolate Heart Box
Valentine’s Day is in 9 days; grab an edible, hand-crafted Heritage Milk Chocolate Heart Box from Kilwins.

Misc. Civil News:

💰️ Budget Public Hearing
During this Tuesday’s Town Council Meeting, the first public hearing for our 2026-27 fiscal year budget will take place.

Quick Commentary on this: The Town of Apex put out a resident survey asking for feedback on the Capital Improvement Projects. They were essentially asking which of the projects were most important to you. The population of Apex, NC right now today is 84,815. A total of 459 people participated in the survey. If you take away the roughly 30% under the age of 18, that’s a 0.8% response rate.

Based on feedback that I’ve read, a lot of people were confused since the Town was running a survey and then one single council member was also running a survey. He said it was just a personal survey. The Town Attorney told me it’s official business and public record (obviously public record since all the data was leaked on the internet anyway). Just a recommendation but if we can look past these other shadow government tools that are actually data-gathering tools for campaigning disguised as surveys and just participate in official Town-sponsored interactions, we might be able to get a little better representation when these big decisions are being made.

🚀 Improving Public Records Software
During the work session last week, Council authorized the reallocation of the election budget savings to repurpose approximately $30,000 for technology enhancements and public records software (with the remaining $28k going back into the general fund).

🔋 EV Charging Stations
The EV Chargers downtown at the Saunders Lot are now online. It has 6 dual-port EV charging station connect to twelve parking spaces.

🏭 Data Center Update
The data center research presentation concluded last week with staff recommending the formal adoption of a data center definition and supplemental standards into the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). The Town Council plans to hold a joint public hearing to vote on the new data center UDO amendments and the specific New Hill Digital Campus rezoning simultaneously.

Let me just put on my tin foil hat for a second because this feels weird:

• The data center presentation was presented to us, the residents, as a general data center conversation; not about any specific data center proposal. But, it wraps up by talking about the specific data center proposal and stating that they want to vote on the UDO amendment during the same meeting as the specific data center proposal because they are on “parallel tracks.” But like… you guys put them on parallel tracks…
  

• Our Town Manager comes to Apex from Stafford, VA where a very similar process played out and he was able to grandfather in 5 existing data center proposals who didn’t have to follow the UDO amendments. And it all happened right before the annual budgeting too…
  

• Then I find out, you can’t even spell “Randy” without NDA. While in his role as County Administrator for Highlands County Florida, Manager Randy Vosburg’s team passed a resolution explicitly authorizing himself to execute nondisclosure agreements. Then, in his role at Stafford, VA, within 4 months of taking that position, they establish a public facing FOIA policy amendment that reflects granting himself authority to execute NDAs. And now his team is presenting research that is recommending we pass a data center UDO while he has an NDA with an unknown party that they seem to really not want us to know about. It just feels orchestrated when you look at his history with data centers and NDAs.

🗓️ Upcoming Town Meetings

Monday, February 9
Planning Board Meeting
RE: Apex Baptist Church Rezoning
4:30pm | Town Hall

Tuesday, February 10
Town Council Meeting
6pm | Town Hall

Wednesday, February 11
Peak Plan 2055 Task Force Meeting
6-8pm | Electric Utilities Dept.

A Look Ahead

February 11
Galentine’s Girls Night | Rose & Lee Co

February 23 - March 1
Apex Restaurant Week

Thursday, February 12
Black History Month Trivia | Senior Center

Sunday, February 15
JazzLive | The Halle

Thursday, February 19
Learning Lunch w/the African American Heritage Commission | Senior Center

Friday, February 20
Apex Community Dance | The Halle

Saturday, February 21
Spades Tournament | Senior Center

Thursday, February, 26
CommUniversity: Preparing Youth to Lead and Thrive | Senior Center

Saturday, February 28
United Strings of Color: Partnership in Black Music | The Halle

In Case You Missed it

🏃 Run the Peak
The Apex Chamber’s 5th Annual Run the Peak event will be the biggest and best one yet! This is a great opportunity for walkers and runners of all ages. There will also be a Fun Run for kids led by WakeMed and the YMCA. The race will take place at Apex Town Hall on March 7th, with the 5K/10K races beginning at 7:30am. The Fun Run will begin at 9:30am. There will also be a health fair with a variety of vendors located around the Town Hall parking lot. Register here.

🎨 Apex Public Art Guide
The Town published a new "Apex Public Art Guide" that maps and describes publicly accessible sculptures and murals across downtown, greenways, parks, and other community spaces. See it here.

🍝 Restaurant Week
Apex Restaurant Week is less than a month away (Feb 23 - March 1). A list of participating restaurants has been published, though more will likely be added between now and then.

🧿 Marbles Expansion
Wake County has partnered with Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh on the largest expansion in its history. On the ground floor, an existing courtyard will be enclosed to create Futuropolis, a 2,895-square-foot exhibit focused on career exploration in industries such as construction, transportation and manufacturing, all within a fun and futuristic city. The second floor will add 2,986 square feet, including a rooftop courtyard with a kid-size racetrack for play and hosting events. Read more here.

🍣 Now Open for Lunch & Dinner: Taki Sushi Bar & Grill
Located in Sweetwater, Taki Sushi is now open. They are closed on Tuesdays, but open every other day. And they are now open for lunch too! 11:30-2:30 for lunch, and then 4:30-9. See what’s on the menu here.

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... 😘