Is anyone aware of any meet ups in the area for deaf/Hoh kids? My son is 4 and we’re looking to get involved more and make friends, but having trouble finding something near-ish to us. We’re actually in Lillington but I don’t mind driving a bit, and we‘re in the Fuquay/Holly Springs area often.

And yes, a human reviewed this on second appeal and agreed with the bot that banned me.

The town of Fuquay Varina installed 16 license plate reader cameras in 2023 without public debate, public comment, or public vote.

These cameras are opted into a national network of 120,000 cameras, used by 600,000 individually credentialed users, and that take 20 billion photographs each month.

Every resident, guest, and traveler passing through our beautiful, safe town is photographed several times every drive.

I'm trying to encourage the conversation that the Town never allowed. Make your voice heard!

Cast a vote. Share your opinion. And meet me at Town Hall on Sep 8th to share your thoughts on ALPR as a resident, guest, or traveler of Fuquay Varina.

See you there.

We just moved here from Pennsylvania for a job. I’ll be working in Fayetteville. Only a couple days a week, and I want to stay in Wake county! Luckily, I’m going in the opposite direction of RTP so I don’t think traffic will be as bad in the morning? Since we’re currently running, we’re looking to buy. I would like to be under 550k.. My kids are at Willow Springs high school and Fuquay middle, so I would prefer if possible, not to have to switch it up! But multiple developments have kids go into a middle school 8 miles away? It’s very unpredictable? It seems that’s mostly in the Willow Springs area. Why is it that they shift those kids further out? Anyway, so I’m recommendations would be great and yes, I know traffic is bad going north mostly.

Hello my wife and I recently moved to the Fuquay Varina Area in a townhome. We have a concrete patio slab in our backyard that we are thinking of expanding with pavers. Are there any companies that may be able to do a good job for a decent rate?

I met with Fuquay-Varina Police Chief Smith yesterday to understand how Flock is actually used here.

I came away MORE confident in FVPD, and also MORE deeply opposed to Flock’s surveillance architecture.

🟢 The Good 🟢

1. Chief Smith was candid and generous with information. I trust him and the officers of FVPD. There is a reason that FV is consistently rated as one of the safest towns in all NC, and he’s a big reason why.
2. He personally reviews outside-agency requests for FVPD data. Users must identify themselves and provide a case/incident number. FVPD policy requires documented law-enforcement purposes, audits, and, critically, says a Flock hit cannot by itself justify a stop, detention, or arrest. Officers must independently verify the information and establish reasonable suspicion or probable cause.
3. Chief Smith also showed me substantial evidence of Flock-associated public-safety results. I’ll share with whomever would like to see that report. 
4. Data is automatically deleted after 30 days, with discussion at Flock Safety corporate level of further reducing this to 7 days. However, FVPD retains the right to conduct a “Preservation Request” which can then preserve ALPR data for up to 365 days.
5. Fun fact I learned today: cops have continuing education and accreditations just like many of us civilians have. In fact, Fuquay Varina is one of just two agencies in the entire state of North Carolina to be triple certified by CALEA, NCLEA, and NCLM (Risk Review Award). If police departments were Olympians, we have Michael Phelps.

🟡 The (Potentially) Bad 🟡

1. Flock is far more than a license-plate reader. FVPD can search private and other law-enforcement ALPR systems, and the system supports searches by vehicle characteristics, location and time. In military terms this is called “establishing pattern-of-behavior” and we use it to take action against (ahem, bang bang) military targets (aka, human beings).
2. As a former Army Captain and signals intelligence officer, I recognize surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition, pattern-of-behavior analysis and intelligence collection. Flock automates, systematizes, and aggregates surveillance activities that, in my former profession, fell squarely within the broader ISR mission.
3. That means FVPD is bringing capabilities historically associated with military intelligence operations against hostile parties into ordinary civilian life, where the overwhelming majority of people being observed are lawful citizens doing nothing wrong. This is not inherently a negative or a positive. It depends on your worldview. (My worldview says: Palpatine and Sauron would approve. Dumbledore and Captain America would not.)
4. Fun Fact I learned today: FVPD is discussing how/whether to implement DFR (“Drone-As-First-Responder”) technology alongside ALPR. (But not through Flock subsidiary Aerodome) Again, worldview. This is either “an obvious step in the right direction” or else “marching further down the dark path”.

🔴 The Ugly 🔴

1. FVPD is  clearly not corrupt. Yet ALPR is a powerful system, and eventually powerful systems encounter corrupt people, careless people, bad data, machine error, and simple human error. We've already seen recent cases in Charlotte, Mooresville and elsewhere involving unauthorized searches, stalking, false hits and innocent people subjected to police action. There is a reason that Hillsborough, Pittsboro, Asheville, Pittsboro, Hillsborough, Greenville, Leeland, UNC Wilmington, Davidson County and Chatham County are shredding their contracts with ALPR providers. Nationally over 100 jurisdictions have cancelled their ALPR contracts including the entire state of Florida and Texas.
2. Chief Smith's safeguards reduce that risk locally. He runs a fine department. He cannot eliminate these risks across a massive, interconnected network.
3. Over 5,000 LEO departments, over 7,000 agencies, over 120,000 cameras, and over 600,000 individually credentialed users have access to this Flock Network which collects over 20 billion photographs of law abiding Americans every month (Though agencies can only search the networks they have been approved to search). Expecting Chief Smith to vet every single one of them and to prevent national abuse, misuse, and human error from bleeding into our town is like expecting one man to read the entire Library of Alexandria. It is an impossible task.
4. Fun fact I learned today: Flock OS offers Fuquay Varina a “Vehicle Fingerprint Search” that “Search footage using Vehicle Fingerprint™ technology*. Access vehicle type, make, color, license plate, state, missing / covered plates, and other unique features like bumper stickers, political identifiers, decals, and roof racks.*” Our vehicles are literally being fingerprinted without warrant and with no reasonable, articulable suspicion of any crime.

👉 Conclusion 👈

So my position after meeting him is clearer: I trust FVPD. I can never trust ALPR. 

And I don't believe “good cops operating it responsibly” answers the first-principles question:  “Should government systematically collect, make searchable, and distribute nationally information about the movements and characteristics of innocent citizens conducting lawful behavior?”

My firm answer remains: absolutely not.

Effective policing has a history stretching back to the first professional police force (the London Marine Police Force) and even further 3000 years before Flock Safety to the Medjay of Egypt’s New Kingdom. Effective policing can continue that fine tradition without the Pandora’s box of ALPR.  

Notes:

• Join me at the next FV Town Board Meeting on Sept 8th at 7 PM. Love Flock? Hate Flock? Come, make your voice heard. All are welcome.
• Town contracts, FVPD policy docs, NC ALPR statutes and Flock Safety policies compiled and available to view/download here.
• I asked Chief Smith to review this post before I published it. I am anti-ALPR, but I am doing my very best to misrepresent nothing and present the facts as honestly and accurately as possible. He approved this post and it's veracity.

150 driving around town , with the big American flag on the back? How does that pass inspection, with the whole cab completely cut off? ​​​​​

I know, I know. This is r/FuquayVarinaNC and I’m about to tell everyone to go spend money in Holly Springs, but they are doing their first restaurant week through Saturday which I thought was pretty cool. Here are some deals:

• My Way Tavern: $15 throwback sandwich menu + wedge fries
• Mamma Mia: $35 three-course Italian dinner
• Pimiento Tea Room: $30 “Tour of Pimiento” menu
• Nightingale Rooftop: $65 four-course dinner

There are also specials at Fable Books & Café, Local Time, JT’s Creamery, Wine 100 and a bunch of other downtown spots.

Some of the “deals” are definitely better than others, but overall I thought it'd be worth letting y'all know. I think Fuquay should definitely do something similar eventually.

I broke down the ones that looked most worthwhile in this week’s First Sip if anyone wants the details:

https://www.firstsipfuquay.com/p/restaurant-week

We’ll return to our regularly scheduled Fuquay propaganda next week.

How would you compare these two sub developments? Do you think one is better than the other? Why? I’m asking for a family with three kids, ages 13, 10, and 5. Looking to make friends and be neighborly.

I just started digging into this, and honestly, what the hell are we doing?

Fuquay-Varina currently has 16 Flock license-plate-reader cameras according to the latest available data. That's up from 11 in 2024. These aren't ordinary security cameras. They photograph passing vehicles, identify plates and vehicle characteristics, record where and when the vehicle was seen, and put that information into a searchable law-enforcement network. You are surveiled constantly and BEFORE you do anything wrong.

And before anyone says "If you're not doing anything wrong, who cares?" here's what has actually happened with this technology right here in North Carolina:

• Mooresville: A police officer was arrested this month after allegedly using Flock 31 times to track her boyfriend's ex-wife. The abuse was discovered through an audit.

• Charlotte: A CMPD officer was arrested after an investigation into an allegedly unauthorized Flock search. CMPD didn't even own the cameras (!) the officers accessed the network through a data-sharing agreement.

• New Hanover County: Public records show 2.98 MILLION Flock searches over the period examined. The county redacted the identities of the agencies and officers performing those searches.

The rest of the Old North State isn't waiting around.

Hillsborough canceled. Pittsboro canceled. Chatham County canceled. Macon County voted 5–0 to defund its program. Apex's contract (up for renewal in Jan 2027) is on life support, God bless 'em.

So here's my question:

Why does Fuquay-Varina need a searchable record of where innocent residents' cars have been?

I'm not anti-police. I'm not anti-investigation. If there's a murder, stolen car, missing child, etc., investigate it. Use every legitimate tool available.

But there's a massive difference between:

"We have a crime. Let's investigate it."

and

"Let's record everyone's movements and search the database later if someone becomes interesting."

I think Fuquay-Varina should be the former.

I've contacted the Town Board and am meeting with a few of the commissioners directly next week (Adcock, etc.) I'm planning to speak at the September 8 Town Board meeting.

If you're a Fuquay-Varina resident and this bothers you too, come with me. I'd love to have 5, 10, 50 people standing there asking the same basic question:

What exactly did we buy, who can search it, who can share it, how long is our data retained, and why do we need it at all?

The NC records repository is here if you want to dig into the actual documents yourself:

https://deflockilm.org/nc-records-repository/

It's time to find out what the town used our money to buy, and what ROI we are getting on that investment. I suspect it may be negative.

Looking for someone to install security cameras on my house. Hard wire cameras is what I’m looking for. Any recommendations will be useful.

For anyone in Wake County who hasn’t seen this yet, the county is asking for feedback about what should happen after the South Wake Landfill reaches capacity, including whether Wake County should build a new landfill.

They’re gathering feedback through August 31, so figured I’d share before it ends!

Here’s the virtual room: https://gather.cdmsmith.com/v/KNj9ZVa4qxB

Does anyone have any good recommendation that won’t cost me my annual salary? My toiled bowl appears to have some sort of leak as it will begin to run about ten minutes after a flush. Then last night, my toilet began gurgling water as the washing machine went to spin and drain mode. A quick google search suggested blockage or vent restriction.

We are relocating from Tennessee and are having trouble finding a place for my mom to rent.

Looking for a one bedroom apartment or small house for elderly mom. Anyone know of anything for rent in any of the surrounding areas?

She is on a fixed income so she is limited to 1k per month. The issue we are running into is that most of the big complexes are requiring 3x the rent and she won’t qualify with her income. She pays rent on time, been in the same place for the last 6 years no issues with paying rent.

Any help is greatly appreciated

UPDATE — winners picked! My kids drew random numbers for each bundle. PS4 bundle goes to u/jackstiem and the Xbox bundle goes to u/spooky29. Thank you to everyone who commented — the response was way bigger and way nicer than I expected. If I clear out more stuff, I’ll post again.

Free PS4 Pro + games, and a separate stack of Xbox One games — Fuquay only

No catch, no money, not a trade. This stuff has been collecting dust and I'd rather it end up in a living room where it gets played. **Two separate lots, two separate winners** — pick whichever one you can actually use.

---

LOT 1 — PlayStation

- PS4 Pro (1TB) with power + HDMI cable

- 2 DualShock 4 controllers (one is the Last of Us Part II edition) + charging cable

- The Last of Us Remastered

- The Last of Us Part II

- Ghost of Tsushima

- Marvel's Spider-Man

- Spider-Man: Miles Morales

- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

LOT 2 — Xbox One games (discs only, no console)

You'll need an Xbox One or Series X/S already. All 11:

- Cyberpunk 2077

- Grand Theft Auto V

- Mortal Kombat 11

- Metro Exodus

- Resident Evil Village

- Watch Dogs Legion

- The Callisto Protocol

- Ghost Recon Breakpoint

- LEGO Marvel Super Heroes

- Black Ops Cold War

- Call of Duty Vanguard

Most of these are rated M. The Spider-Man games and LEGO Marvel are the kid-friendly ones.

---

How this works: I'm not asking anyone to explain their situation or compete over who has it worse. If money's tight and this would mean something to your household, just comment "PS4" or "Xbox" below — whichever you can use. I'll draw one name for each lot Sunday night and DM you to set up a handoff somewhere public here in Fuquay.

Comment for the one you'd actually play. If you're doing fine and just want free stuff, please sit this one out.

Happy to answer questions in the comments.

Hey all, looking to play some music with people who might not be the best musicians, but are willing to learn and practice and have fun! Looking to meet maybe once every 2 weeks-ish. I play (poorly but here we go) guitar, bass, and am working on drums.

Looking to play the general genre of indie rock, and just getting a pulse. If you have practice space, that’s a plus! 😂 otherwise we can figure something out.

Got a laugh out of this. Spotted at the Sheetz at 401, someone thought they could climb the berm? Thankfully everyone is fine, no one hurt, just some dignity lost and I’m sure a tow and a ticket 😂

Anyone have an independent nail tech in Fuquay or the surrounding area that they love? Bonus points if they do builder gel. I am new to the area and looking to get my nails done!

The closer to downtown the better!

Thanks!