A local athlete is returning home with a silver medal from the 2023 Special Olympics.
We’re flipping out (!) over our very own Raleighite and Special Olympics athlete, Erin Cagle, who jetted to to Germany’s cap city and repped the USA in the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 in late June. After competing in an array of events—including vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise, plus the all-around competition—Cagle is coming home with a silver medal in vaulting (!) plus a slew of other placements worth noting (4th in the all-around competition, 5th in balance beam and uneven bars and 7th in floor).
And this wasn’t her first rodeo, either. The 43-year old artistic gymnast has been competing in the Special Olympics since 2008. (Fun fact: She also dabbles in Alpine skiing and tennis!).
“I like gymnastics because it keeps me strong and healthy,” Cagle said in an interview with SONC. “I like it when I am more flexible. I have a few favorites; I like the floor exercises and the balance beam.”
To prep, Cagle trained twice a week at Sonshine Gymnastics in Holly Springs with her coach, Brenda Candland and the constant support of her dad.
“It’s always been a lot of fun for me,” said Cagle’s father, Greg, of his daughter’s athletic endeavors. “I get a lot of enjoyment from watching her compete. This whole idea of competing for her country in the Special Olympics World Games, it just couldn’t get any better than that.”
To boot, Philip Blount (of Mecklenburg County) nabbed the gold medal in shot put and placed 5th in the 100m and 6th in the 4×100 meter relay. And sports-seeking spectators could also catch Special Olympics USA reps competing in watchworthy events such as badminton, cycling, kayaking, field hockey, swimming, sailing, volleyball and more. Gold stars all around! sonc.net
Barbecue, strawberries, cake—oh, my! Like with most holidays, fab food and bevs are at the center of Juneteenth (June 19). From delicious fall-off-the-bone ribs to red beans and rice to red velvet cake to hibiscus sweet tea, the fare surrounding this cultural celebration never disappoints. And in case you didn’t notice, all of the aforementioned foods are red—and with good reason.
According to Unpeeled Journal, the tradition of eating red foods on Juneteenth is possibly linked to the enslaved West African tribes Yoruba and Kongo, who were brought to Texas in the 19th century. In these cultures, the color red symbolizes spiritual power and transformation. Hey, we’ll nosh to that! Here, the rundown on Juneteenth dishes and where to dine around town to honor the freedom of African Americans in the U.S.
Soul food is, ahem, good for the soul! Naturally, you should load up on seafood dinners (catfish, flounder, shrimp, etc.) and/or soul food selects like chicken gizzards, BBQ chicken, beef ribs and more.
If your taste buds are hurtin’ for a jerkin’ this Juneteenth, Lee’s Kitchen won’t disappoint. Try out the food truck’s BBQ chicken and baby back ribs boasting a flavorful Jamaican twist.
If you’re in search of strawberry cake or red velvet cake, look no further than this local bakery touting “heavenly goodness in every bite.” Sign us up!
Sharing is caring—and this uberpopular DTR restaurant and lounge is known for dishes that can be shared among friends and family. We rec the NY strip steak, smoke lamb ribs or cast iron picanha—or heck, all three!
You’re gonna wanna belly up to Fat Boys Kitchen’s recently opened brick-and-mortar for an array of flavorful fare, from burgers and sandwiches to seafood platters and boils to seafood and chicken gumbos. Just be sure to save room for the red velvet cake (!).
Birthday cakes, cupcakes, wedding cakes… You name it, Bestow Baked Goods can bake it. Choose from its many types of red cakes, or create one of your own. Bakers gonna bake!
It’s bon! First and foremost, order the red beans and rice. And don’t sleep on the rice bowls, fritay bowls or handhelds either from this traditional Haitian cuisine food truck rollin’ its way around town.
With a variety of flavors and creations, this ice cream shop takes your average scoops to the next level. Ask for the strawberry cheesecake milkshake—and thank us later.
Poised to grow some good is Produce Purpose, a new 501(c)(3) planting its roots in Raleigh. The sustainably focused org has entered into contract with William Peace University to carry out its mission of facing myriad social problems simultaneously—from special needs unemployment rates and climate change to arable farmland crises and campus nutrition issues.
“Produce Purpose provides desperately needed meaningful employment to people with special needs through on-campus hydroponic farming,” explains Executive Director Matthew Harvey. “In doing so, it promotes healthy nutrition for on-campus dining, a multitude of immersive learning opportunities for the academic curriculum, and appreciation for the special needs community within the greater campus culture.”
The nonprofit operates through hydroponic farms—essentially growing plants sans soil—which translates to hands-on tasks that lend well to the special needs community, whose work leads to fresh and healthy fare heading to campus dining halls and onto students’ plates. … Everybody wins!
For Harvey, this organization’s MO is personal—his brother Gregory has autism, leaving Harvey to be his eventual sole caregiver. So, Harvey operates the nonprofit with a goal of providing for his brother’s future, along with others in the special needs community.
Looking ahead, Produce Purpose plans to continue partnering with more schools throughout the Triangle. To boot, keep your eyes—and appetite!—out for the org’s first harvest this fall (fingers crossed for September).
“Produce Purpose is a true nonprofit that strives to make a profound impact not only on the lives of those with special needs and their families, but also all members of the William Peace University academic community,” says Harvey. “It is our hope that like-minded people who are committed to such important social issues will support this endeavor.”
Industrious coworking space to leave Wells Fargo building in DTR—Highwoods taking over with its own brand, The Commons.
Highwoods Properties can now add coworking alternative The Commons 150 Fayetteville to its Raleigh roster. In a super-strategic move, sources tell us Highwoods Properties has reached an agreement with Industrious to directly lease and operate the 27,000-square-foot coworking offices on the third floor of its 150 Fayetteville St. tower (aka Wells Fargo Capitol Center).
According to a current coworking tenant, “everything will remain the same, just new branding—so, same luxury coworking and great snacks”—NTM adaptable spaces via dedicated desks, private offices, shared common areas, conference rooms and thoughtful amenities Industrious has been known for. And bonus for Highwoods tenants, “as they build out all their buildings, if things aren’t quite ready for tenants, they can use The Commons,” he adds.
Photo courtesy of Industrious Raleigh
Highwoods purchased 150 Fayetteville in 2021 and has been making noticeable improvements to both the interior and exterior of the building along the 100 block of Fayetteville Street (including the Alexander Square parking deck) since its acquisition.
The Commons 150 Fayetteville bulks up Highwoods’ rich Raleigh portfolio of Class A office offerings, which will now include a full array of office and mixed-use options for businesses and entrepreneurs—from the flexibility of coworking offices and spec suites to the long-term stability of highly amenitized professional offices across its 45+ Triangle-wide buildings.
Hot—er, cold!—off the presses… juices are on trend—and, no, it’s not 2012. … If you thought the trend was so 10 years ago—you’re right—and it’s clearly packed with staying power. The main squeeze has now gained global popularity for its myriad health benefits and on-the-go ease—NTM a host of celebs reach for ’em (s/o to that green juice Gwyneth Paltrow brought to court). Thanks to its immune-building, well, building blocks, the potable potion continues to rank high in beverage market trends. In fact, according to Market Data Forecast, “the cold-pressed juice market size is expected to reach $1.05 billion by the end of 2027 in terms of value, with a compound annual growth rate of about 7%.” No surprise, given the immune system takes the cake—er, juice—for health goals at 66%, followed by digestion at 56%, heart health at 53%, and so on, according to FMCG Gurus. Add to that the bang for your buck—read: not having to buy all the expensive low-shelf-life fruits and veggies and press them yourself—and, well, it’s sort of a no-brainer that this liquid gold is likely here to stay. And if you’re lookin’ to up your flavor game, Flavorman predicts a tropical lean for 2023 (hey, pineapple, mango, grapefruit!)—and that’s a vibe we can get behind. Here, the juices that have us sippin’ into summer.
