📫 Leaf Pickup Schedules | Don’t Want to Cook on Thanksgiving?| School System Moving Forward with New Rules📍

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Hello friends!

Wishing you a Thanksgiving filled with countless blessings, the warmth of family and friends, and hearts overflowing with love and peace. May your day be filled with laughter, gratitude, and all the little moments that make life truly special. I am so grateful for each of you and for the wonderful community we share here in Wake County.

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃💛

See you out there in beautiful Wake,
Diane

—Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

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📍 Today’s Chuckle 📍

What do you get when you cross a turkey with a ghost?
A poultry-geist! 👻🦃

📍 Trivia 📍

• Football Tradition: Thanksgiving and football go hand-in-hand. The Detroit Lions played the first NFL Thanksgiving game in 1934, and the Dallas Cowboys followed in 1966.

• Cranberry Sauce: Cranberries are one of the few fruits native to North America. Early settlers likely learned to use them from Native Americans.

• Largest Feast: Americans consume around 46 million turkeys every Thanksgiving, along with 7 million pumpkin pies!

🎄 Discover the Holiday Charm of Highlands & Cashiers, NC ❄️

If you’re dreaming of a holiday getaway that combines mountain beauty, cozy charm, and festive cheer, look no further than Highlands and Cashiers, North Carolina. Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, these neighboring towns transform into a winter wonderland each holiday season, offering the perfect mix of relaxation, adventure, and seasonal magic.

Highlands and Cashiers are famous for their stunning mountain landscapes, crisp winter air, and charming small-town streets lined with boutique shops, galleries, and gourmet restaurants. During the holidays, the towns sparkle with twinkling lights, seasonal decorations, and warm community events that make every visitor feel welcome. It’s a destination that perfectly blends natural beauty with festive spirit.

• Scenic Drives & Mountain Views: Take a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway or the surrounding mountain roads for breathtaking vistas of snow-capped peaks and frosted valleys. The scenery alone is a holiday postcard come to life.

• Shopping & Local Crafts: Explore the quaint downtown areas for handcrafted gifts, unique art, and specialty items perfect for holiday shopping. Many local shops offer festive events, tastings, or special holiday displays.

• Festive Dining: From cozy mountain inns to elegant restaurants, Highlands and Cashiers offer a variety of dining options where you can enjoy seasonal menus and warm fireplaces.

• Winter Outdoor Fun: Hike scenic trails, enjoy birdwatching, or explore nearby waterfalls dusted with winter frost. The fresh mountain air makes for invigorating and memorable holiday adventures.

• Community Events: Keep an eye out for holiday markets, tree lighting ceremonies, and local concerts — events that bring the towns together and fill the season with cheer.

Highlands and Cashiers are more than just scenic mountain towns — during the holidays, they become a magical escape. Whether you’re sipping hot cocoa by a fire, wandering festive streets, or marveling at panoramic mountain views, this destination is the ultimate combination of cozy, charming, and celebratory.

This holiday season, treat yourself to the beauty, charm, and joy of Highlands & Cashiers, NC, and experience a getaway that will leave you with memories to cherish for years to come.

 Senior Discount of the Day: Publix 

Senior Wednesday Discount
5% off for customers age 60+ every Wednesday.

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Don’t Want to Cook on Thanksgiving?

So go ahead—cancel the 4 a.m. turkey anxiety, silence the group chat about “who’s bringing rolls,” and let someone else baste the bird this year. Your only job on November 27 is to show up hungry, hug the people you love, and maybe sneak an extra slice of pie.

You’ve earned it. Happy (stress-free) Thanksgiving, friends. ❤️

Click Here For A List Of Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving meals!

🍂 Leaf Pickup Schedules for Wake County Towns

Apex
Weekly yard-waste service the day after your trash/recycling pickup.
Check dates: _{https://www.apexnc.org/563/Yard-Waste-Collection}

Cary
Three loose-leaf rounds: early Nov., early Dec., and early Jan.
Check dates: _{https://www.carync.gov/services-publications/garbage-recycling-yard-waste/yard-waste/loose-leaf-collection}

Fuquay-Varina
Leaf season runs mid-October through mid-February.
Check dates: _{https://www.fuquay-varina.org/558/Yard-Debris-and-Loose-Leaf-Collection}

Garner
Bi-weekly loose-leaf pickup Nov. 1–Feb. 28.
Check dates: https://www.garnernc.gov/departments/public-works/solid-waste-services/loose-leaf-collection

Holly Springs
Leaf collection runs by zones with rotating pickup weeks.
Check dates: _{https://www.hollyspringsnc.gov/1762/Leaf-Season-Zone-Collection}

Knightdale
Loose-leaf pickup follows scheduled townwide collection dates.
Check dates: _{https://www.knightdalenc.gov/government/departments/public-works/yard-waste}

Morrisville
Yard waste is collected twice monthly; leaves must be bagged or containerized.
Check dates: _{https://www.morrisvillenc.gov/services-forms/garbage-recycling-and-yard-waste/yard-waste-collection}

Raleigh
Citywide loose-leaf collection begins in mid-November with multiple passes.
Check dates: https://raleighnc.gov/public-utilities/leaf-collection

Rolesville
Loose leaves collected during the town’s fall leaf season.
Check dates: _{https://www.rolesvillenc.gov/public-works/yard-waste-leaf-collection}

Wake Forest
Season runs from early October through mid-March.
Check dates: _{https://www.wakeforestnc.gov/public-works/solid-waste/leaf-collection}

Zebulon
Bi-weekly leaf pickup in two zones.
Check dates: _{https://www.townofzebulon.org/public-works/yard-waste-collection}

Wake County School System Moving Forward with New Rules

The Wake County Public School System is moving forward with tougher rules on smartphone and social‑media use. Under the proposed policy, students would have to keep cell phones turned off or in airplane mode during instructional time, with exceptions for emergencies, health plans or teacher‑approved use. Social media access would largely be restricted unless specifically allowed for class purposes, and private hotspots or unsanctioned recordings of classmates/staff could be banned. The move comes in response to new state law and concerns about distraction, well‑being and inconsistent current practices. In fact, the board recently declined to include a complete video‑ban of student recordings, citing concerns about limiting evidence of bullying. Read more in the full article from WRAL News: “Wake school board nixes proposal to ban students from making videos of each other without permission” wral.com

Soldiers’ Lunch, Paid with Heart

Fayetteville, North Carolina – November 12, 2025

It was just past noon on a sunny Wednesday when brothers Jonathan and Stephen Full sat with their little boys—Jackson (6) and Eli (4)—at the Chick-fil-A on Skibo Road, right outside the gates of Fort Liberty. The place was buzzing with the usual lunch crowd when the door swung open and eleven soldiers in crisp ACUs walked in, fresh from training, dusty boots and tired smiles.

Jonathan froze mid-bite. Something deep inside him stirred. He leaned over to Stephen and whispered, “That’s them. I’m doing it.” For years the brothers had carried a quiet promise: if they ever had the chance, they would honor the men and women in uniform in memory of their youngest brother, Joshua Full, an Army specialist who took his own life in 2018 after returning from Afghanistan with invisible wounds.

Jonathan stood, walked straight to the register, and told the teenage cashier, Hannah, “Whatever those eleven soldiers order—drinks, fries, everything—it’s on me.” Then he handed over his card before anyone could argue.

While the soldiers waited in line, Jonathan asked the manager if he could speak to them for just a moment. One by one, the troops—Specialist Ramirez, Sergeant First Class Thompson, Private First Class Lee, and the rest—turned around, curious.

Jonathan’s voice cracked as he began: “My baby brother Joshua wore the same uniform you’re wearing. He came home… but he didn’t really come home. We lost him to PTSD seven years ago. If you’ve got a battle buddy who seems a little too quiet, a little too far away, please—just check on him. A phone call, a text, a knock on the door. That’s all I’m asking. Lunch is on us today because you’re still here carrying the load he couldn’t. Thank you for your service, and thank you for watching out for each other.”

The restaurant went still. A couple of the younger soldiers wiped their eyes. Sergeant Thompson, a tall man with kind eyes and a Carolina accent, stepped forward first, clasped Jonathan’s hand, then pulled him into a long, tight hug. One by one, every soldier followed—eleven hugs, eleven murmured “thank yous,” eleven promises to look out for their own.

Stephen stood back snapping photos through tears, then posted the moment online with the simple caption: “Today my brother kept a promise to our Joshua. Fort Liberty Chick-fil-A, 12 November 2025. Never forget to check on your people.”

By evening the post had been shared thousands of times. Veterans across the country started texting old buddies they hadn’t spoken to in years. Strangers dropped gift cards at that same Chick-fil-A for the next group of soldiers. And somewhere, Jonathan and Stephen hope, Joshua was smiling—knowing his story just helped save someone else’s.

One lunch, eleven meals, countless hearts reminded that gratitude and grief, when shared, can become the softest, strongest light in the darkest places.

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
— Galatians 6:9 (ESV)

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How Can You Cut Back on Alcohol?

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Check out our online calendar for more events and local activities!📌

We strive to make sure that all information is accurate. However, we always recommend check all details with the event organizer.

There are so many events happening in and around Wake County, NC that we have gone to a seperate page to list events. Please click this button to view all of the area’s great events!👇

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