Hydroponics, Mom & Part II

👋 Good Morning, Apex! Today is Thursday, May 7, 2026 and this is the 70th consecutive weekly issue of The Peak Weekly.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday - to all the great moms out there, you’re appreciated. Happy Mother’s Day!

Just a quick message on the lengthy article that I published last week, $61 Million, a Children's Hospital, and a Deal Made Without You.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read it. I had no intention of creating a Part II. But, as with pretty much anything I say that’s remotely critical of town operations, a certain council member has continued his assault on my credibility with his “misinformation” narrative. And since no one else from the Town has stepped up to address the substantive questions, a Part II is in order.

The Part II follow-up can be read here.

Please note: this story is told through direct quotes, general statutes and public records - all easily verifiable. The original article invited anyone who recognized anything factually inaccurate about my reporting to reach out to me so that I could correct it. In the seven days since that was published, I have received zero correction requests from any council member, staff member, or legal representative.

Have an amazing week!

Miscellaneous Info:

🏗️ Apex Development Report
Want to know the latest on population growth, density, pending annexations, current residential projects, commercial developments, and rezoning cases? There’s no better place than the Apex Development Report, updated April 30.

🌊 Splashlantis Opening Day
Splashlantis splash pad at Pleasant Park will reopen for the 2026 season on Saturday, May 23rd! Operating hours are 10 am – 6pm.

🍣 Sushi & Sumo
In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Town is hosting Sushi & Sumo today from 6pm - 8pm at Apex Community Park. Raijin Sumo, a North Carolina based non-profit and recreational sports club that teaches and trains in the art of Japanese Sumo Wrestling, will perform live sumo demonstrations and share the history behind the sport. Tombachi Food Truck will be on site serving hibachi and sushi.

❤️‍🩹 55+ Health & Wellness Fair - Vendor Apps
The event takes place September 12 but applications for vendors is open now. Apply by July 17 for advanced consideration.

👔 What Being Mayor Actually Means
Earlier this week, The Line published a Q&A with Mayor Gilbert which you can read here.

📸 Flock Camera Video Explainer
The topic of 10 Flock cameras placed around Apex (potentially more by private entities), has been a hot topic lately. Indy Week published a good explainer on Flock Cameras, as well as some specific information related to Apex. Worth nothing: the April 14 Town Council Meeting Agenda listed “Automated License Plate Reader Program Update” as a special presentation, but it was then removed from the agenda and has not yet re-appeared.

🏄‍♂️ Worth Watching: Shore Surf
A surf park has been in talks with Veridea. Some initial research shows that the water consumption tied to these surf parks is in the ballpark of 1 million gallons to initially fill the wave pool, plus 100,000 gallons per day for evaporation replacement. Looking forward to hearing more about this in open session should the project continue to move forward.

Things to Do This Weekend in Apex:

Friday, May 8

☕️ Mother’s Day in Stars Hollow
5pm | Mad Splatter

🎭️ “Suite Surrender” Spring Play
7:30pm | The Halle

🎤 Live Music: Something Special
8pm | The Exchange Lounge

Saturday, May 9

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

🏃‍♀️ Run Club Apex
Meet at 9am | Foxtail Coffee

🎭️ “Suite Surrender” Spring Play
7:30pm | The Halle

🎸 Live Music: Maskell Freeman Band
8pm | Peak of the Vine

🎤 Rudy’s Karaoke
9pm | Rudy’s Pub & Grill

Sunday, May 10

🎭️ “Suite Surrender” Spring Play
3pm | The Halle

Local Business Updates

Not a ton of new information this week. So, here are some reminders of recent activity:

💿️ Hunky Dory Now Open
Hunky Dory buys and sells records. Now open downtown above the antique store Thursday to Sunday, 12-8pm. @hunkydoryapex

🥃 Aqua Vitae Now Open
The liquid luxury bar in Sweetwater is opening soon. Their website countdown timer suggests they will be open next Wednesday. They will be open daily 5pm until midnight.

☕️ Foxtail Sweetwater
The second location of Foxtail Coffee is now open in Sweetwater. They are open daily from 6:30am until 7pm at 1451 Richardson Road in Suite 126.

🍺 The Local
Formerly Vicious Fishes, The Local is now open. Lunch and dinner food truck every day along with coffee, smoothies, soda, dirty sodas, beer, wine, selzer and more.

👱‍♀️ Blo Bar Dry Bar
Blo Bar believes that blow outs have the power to uplift you and enhance your day. But beautiful hair is just the beginning: they also offer makeup and other luxurious services, too. Now open, located between Mr Dumpling and Doherty’s Irish Pub.

🥐 Popovers Cafe
Fresh baked popovers, signature Turkish tea and French press coffee are now being served at Popovers Cafe in downtown Apex. Located in the old Villa19 location at 219 N Salem Street, Suite 103 - pop in and see them!

🫐 A Health Conscious Eatery
Taking the place of Tandoori Trail, which is now closed, this summer Grain & Berry, a health-focused cafe, will open at 2017 Creekside Landing in Beaver Creek. Grain & Berry’s menu includes flatbreads, toasts, salads, acai bowls and smoothies with a focus on high protein, lean meat and other nutritious supplements like turmeric and ginger shots.

🚜 The Peak Weekly Farm Series (Part 6)

🥬 Peak City Farms

This article was written by The Peak Weekly’s amazing content contributor, Susan McGrath

Peak City Farms, located at 1933 Olive Chapel Road in Apex, is a family-owned urban hydroponic farm dedicated to supplying fresh, organic produce to the local community. Everything is grown right on-site in their giant state-of-the-art greenhouse using sustainable methods that work in harmony with nature.

They grow a wide range of produce, including different types of lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, bell peppers, jalapeños, red potatoes, blueberries, green beans, and pumpkins. They also offer farm-fresh eggs and homemade scones in many flavors, including cranberry white chocolate, key lime,
cookies and cream, chocolate chip, and more.

A highlight of the farm is their microgreens. Microgreens are nutrient dense, flavorful, and packed with vitamins and antioxidants. Some of their favorite ones to grow are broccoli, radish, pea, and sunflower.

The microgreens are grown hydroponically in trays with water, clay pebbles, and carefully balanced nutrients under calibrated grow lights that deliver the optimal light spectrum for crisp, vibrant sprouts. Microgreens are a great way to add a fresh, flavorful, healthy boost to just about any meal. Peak City Farms even offers bulk orders for local restaurants and shops.

If flowers are more your thing, Peak City Farm has plenty to choose from, including hibiscus, lantana, zinnias, marigolds, hydrangeas, and more. They also sell perennial plants with a focus on native species. Though the nursery is closed for this season, it will be restocked in the fall.

They’ll soon be opening their “Peak City Farms Urban Market,” located on Holly Springs Road, every Wednesday–Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. “Peak City Farms” at Olive Chapel Road is open Saturdays 9a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also find them at the Apex Farmers Market every other Saturday.

They’ll be there this coming Mother’s Day weekend (May 9), and on May 23, and June 6. So make sure to stop by either Peak City Farms shop to get fresh, organic produce, flowers, eggs, scones, microgreens, and more!

Open every Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Peak City Farms
1933 Olive Chapel Rd
Apex NC 27502
919-561-0368

[email protected]
Instagram @peakcityfarms

Apex Farmers Market:
Every other Saturday April through October

Civic News:

🥪 Upcoming B4 Series
The Brown Bags to Building Bridges (B4) Series is a quarterly lunchtime discussion featuring various Town representatives. The next one is June 4th and will feature the Town of Apex’s Department of Organizational Excellence. More details here.

🛝 KidsTowne Playground Survey
Share your feedback on the upcoming renovations of the playground at Kelly Rd Park by taking this survey.

🌎️ Environmental Priorities Survey
The Environmental Advisory Board wants to learn about your environmental priorities and get your ideas on how we should preserve our natural environment. Take that survey here.

🛣️ Hughes Street Site Planning & Design Survey
A 13-acre site at the corner of S Hughes Street and Perry Road is being developed through a Town-led initiative. That survey is here.

Friday, May 8
Town Council Budget Work Session
12pm - 5pm | Town Hall

Monday, May 11
Planning Board Meeting
3:30pm - 5pm | Town Hall

Tuesday, May 12
Town Council Meeting
6pm | Town Hall

Wednesday, May 13
Multimodal Transportation Advisory Board
4:45pm - 6:45pm | Town Hall

A Look Ahead:

Thursday, May 14
Learning Lunch: National Police Week | Senior Center

Thursday, May 14
Apex Amplified Concert | Town Hall Campus

Saturday, May 16
March 1000 | Town Hall Campus

May 15, 16 & 17
“Suite Surrender” Spring Play | The Halle

May 21
CommUniversity: Caring for Your Mental Health | The Halle

May 26
Memorial Day Ceremony | Downtown Service Memorial

In Case You Missed it

📷️ Fujifilm Hall
A major new anchor is coming to the Veridea area following Wake Technical Community College's recent application for a significant expansion of its Conlon Western Wake Campus. The project, situated on 34.16 acres north of Technology Drive and east of NC Highway 55, features a prominent five-story building named "Fujifilm Hall". Spanning approximately 114,000 square feet, this "Major Site Plan" represents a high-density institutional addition to the southern corridor, likely aimed at supporting the region's growing biotechnology and manufacturing workforce.

🚛 Landfill Study
Wake County has officially launched the "Beyond the South Wake Landfill Study" to plan for the future of waste management as the existing South Wake Landfill nears the end of its operational life. A new project website and a three-month public survey have been introduced to gather community feedback on environmental, financial, and operational priorities.

🏠️ Property Tax Relief
Low-income seniors, veterans or those with a permanent disability may be eligible for programs to assist with property taxes. The application for the Property Tax Relief Programs closes June 1, 2026.

🏣 Post Card Project
The Postcard Project is North Left’s year-round love letter to Apex and the people who make this town feel like home. Each season, they design and curate locally inspired postcards that anyone can pick up for free, fill out, and send to someone who needs a little encouragement. No rules. No purchase required.

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... 😘