Breasts are among the most talked about and medically researched parts of the human body, yet many of us are embarrassed to discuss our breast health openly. 

Allure Perspectives, a new podcast hosted by Allure editor-in-chief Jessica Cruel, spends its first season exploring how breasts intersect with beauty, health, identity, sexuality, and culture. Episodes feature Olivia Munn on the test she says to take even if your mammogram is clear, sex educator Ericka Hart on reclaiming her body after breast cancer, and a Beverly Hills surgeon on why GLP-1s are driving a surge in breast lifts. All episodes available now.

Listen wherever you get podcasts.

Here’s a number worth tossing a cap for: Wake County Public School System’s 2026 four-year graduation rate reached 91.4%, topping North Carolina’s finalized 89.0% statewide rate by 2.4 percentage points. That means more than nine in ten students in Wake’s graduation cohort earned their diplomas within four years.

How does Wake compare nationally? The National Center for Education Statistics reports a U.S. public school four-year graduation rate of 87% for 2021–22. Wake’s 2026 result is higher, although the different reporting years mean this isn’t a same-year comparison.

Behind every diploma is a student’s effort—and the families, teachers, and school staff cheering them on. Congratulations, Wake graduates! Your next chapter is our community’s bright future.

Wake County has 1.5 billion reasons to feel optimistic. In his 2026 State of the County address, Commissioners Chair Don Mial reported 45 new or expanding companies and $1.5 billion in committed economic development investments—a substantial vote of confidence in our community’s future.

As those plans take shape, they could create opportunities for local workers, suppliers, and small businesses. These are investment commitments, so the benefits will unfold as projects move forward.

What keeps drawing businesses here? Mial pointed to Wake’s quality of life—the same mix of community, opportunity, and everyday enjoyment that makes us proud to call this place home. That’s something worth buzzing about!

A leaking roof or failing furnace shouldn’t mean losing the comfort of home. Wake County’s new Resilient Homes program, offered in partnership with nonprofit Preserving Home, provides eligible homeowners with up to $35,000 in grant funding for essential repairs. Assistance can cover roofing, heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical problems, and improvements that make homes safer and more accessible.

To qualify, homeowners must have household income below 50% of the area median income, less than $25,000 in assets excluding their home, and current property tax payments. The home must be on a permanent foundation in Wake County, outside Raleigh and Cary city limits.

Know someone who could use a helping hand? Share this opportunity. Start the application process through Preserving Home, where staff review eligibility and available funding. Some programs have waiting lists.

Football brings a town together. At Holly Springs High School, that togetherness recently took the shape of roses.

After halftime at a Friday night game, players approached Meredith Furth, wife of Coach Robert Furth, and handed her flowers one by one. Meredith is facing breast cancer, and the team had a message to deliver through a simple act of kindness: We’re here for you.

According to WRAL’s October 24 report, many players also wore pink in her honor. In the video, Meredith smiles from her seat near the field as the flowers arrive and applause surrounds her. Her husband adds a kiss to the tribute.

For the young people on that field, it was a chance to put compassion into practice. For the rest of us, it’s a lovely reason to pause and appreciate the neighbors we’re raising.

Well done, Golden Hawks. Those roses carried something special.

Watch the touching moment in WRAL’s video.

Grab your shopping tote and bring your curiosity! For a relaxed family outing Tuesday, November 3, or Wednesday, November 4, explore Raleigh’s State Farmers Market at 1201 Agriculture Street. Browse North Carolina produce, plants, and local shops—and let the kids help choose something for dinner. Retail shopping is recommended 9 a.m.–5 p.m. daily, with free on-site parking.

Prefer a park day? Downtown Cary Park, 327 S. Academy Street, offers seven acres to explore, with gardens, a Great Lawn, and play spaces. Save the nearby Cary Farmers Market for Saturday!

Plan your market visit or explore Downtown Cary Park.

Looking for an evening with a little extra sparkle? The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival returns to Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, November 21, 2026–January 10, 2027, with all-new, larger-than-life illuminated displays crafted by Chinese artisans and nightly cultural arts performances.

Make it a hand-in-hand stroll, a family adventure, or a night out with friends—just leave room on your phone for photos!

Evening hours are 6–10 p.m., with holiday exceptions; the festival is closed Christmas Day. Want to catch the transition from golden hour to glowing lanterns? Twilight tickets offer entry beginning at 4:30 p.m. Children 2 and under enter free.

Explore ticket options and plan your glowing getaway.

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