Women's Clothing Boutique Near Me Knightdale, NC

Something of a secret restaurant is brewing behind one of the Triangle’s top new barbecue joints.

In the evenings three days a week, Prime Barbecue in Knightdale becomes Primo, a backyard fusion of Puerto Rican, Tex Mex and Peruvian dishes helmed by pitmaster and owner Chris Prieto.

Primo is a nighttime food truck/backyard party behind Prime BBQ in Knightdale, stretching out over artificial turf, picnic tables and strings of lights. There are seats for about 150 people and a small stage for bands.

“In Puerto Rico you always eat outdoors,” Prieto said. “We had more of a story to tell.”

Primo officially opens Wednesday, July 5 at 5:30 p.m. and plans to serve Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights until 10:30 p.m. or all the food is sold out.

Prime opened at 403 Knightdale Station Run in 2020 in the first few months of the COVID pandemic. Since then it has been a leader in North Carolina’s new wave of barbecue restaurants, drawing long lines for weekend lunches and even earning praise from a top Texas barbecue writer.

The menu at Prime hits on the modern barbecue obligations, serving pork and spare ribs and, most importantly, brisket. But within those barbecue traditions, Prieto expressed his Puerto Rican roots, serving a whole hog lechon that blends the oldest North Carolina barbecue style with Latin America.

“We realized this is the food we’re feeding ourselves in the back each and every day,” Prieto said. “There’s still more of our story to tell, but I didn’t want to inundate the Prime menu.”

With Primo, Prieto said he’s looking to flip that and give more space to Latin dishes.

“This is the alter ego of Prime,” Prieto said. “At Prime I weave the Latin cuisine into barbecue. Here wanted a place where I could weave in the barbecue side into Latin cuisine.”

Prieto said he wanted to pay tribute to the Tex Mex tacos he ate growing up in Texas, and the many wonderful North Carolina taquerias. He started working on a flour tortilla made with brisket fat, the rich, chewy vessel for a thick slice of brisket, guacamole and a smear of charro beans.

“It’s one slamming taco,” Prieto said. “It became an obsession. We got a custom (tortilla) press from Mexico, I switched the beef fat to olive oil to make it vegetarian friendly.”

The taco offerings at Primo will be the brisket taco and a chicken version of al pastor, marinated in the same peppery sauce, then grilled.

“My favorite taco is al pastor, but this marinade, I love it in chicken better,” Prieto said.

Other possible dishes include empanadas, a tostone relleno made by pressing mashed plantains into a bowl, frying it and filling it with skirt steak and other fixings.

Primo is also working on a version of Peruvian chicken, where highly seasoned chickens are smoked over coconut wood.

“All last year I had a custom pit built in Peru, and have been seasoning it over the winter and summer,” Prieto said. “We want to serve the best Peruvian chicken ever.”

For the sweet side, Prieto said Primo could serve what he calls dessert nachos, which are churros topped with Chantilly cream and a pico of kiwi, pear and strawberry.

Despite some whispers on social media and agreeing to an interview, Prieto plans to keep Primo a bit under the radar. There won’t be a separate website or social media account. He’s tipped off some regulars, he said, and the word is already starting to spread.

“We just want this to be a natural organic process,” Prieto said. “Just getting together in the back. We told 25 people and 75 showed up. Last Friday we sold out in 90 minutes in the rain.”

Prieto built Prime BBQ for years and then a global pandemic dashed the opening he always dreamed of, forcing him to open his doors starting with takeout. He said he’s embraced that and built Primo as an ode to restaurants of decades ago that had to amass their following meal to meal, not on social media.

“I had to open in this somewhat special way and I love that,” Prieto said. “I want that feeling of people having to find out what’s great and interesting to eat near them. We used to have to just figure out what’s good and now it’s all on Yelp and I miss that. I wanted it to be organic again.”

This story was originally published June 30, 2023, 7:00 AM.

A motorcycle trooper with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) collapsed on Monday due to a heat-related illness, and witnesses used his radio to call for help.

After 11 a.m., witnesses told WRAL News a trooper collapsed in Knightdale outside the Poor Boy General Store and Grill and Exxon station at Poor Boy Farm Road and S. Smithfield Road.

"He was riding a bike and then fell over," said Marvin Ascencio. "I was trying to make sure someone was calling 911.”

Witnesses told WRAL News that several witnesses unsuccessfully tried to call 911.

David Holden said he walked outside to see the trooper on the ground.

"We had a couple workers inside that tried to call 911 two or three times," Holden said. "Nobody picked up. It’s scary. That terrifies me."

"He had a lot of gear on. Bullet proof vest, a jacket, long-sleeved shirt ... first thing I thought of was heat exhaustion because it is hot.”

A spokesperson from State Highway Patrol confirmed that one of the bystanders used the unresponsive trooper's radio to call for help.

The illness was heat-related, NCSHP confirmed. The trooper was transported to a local medical center and is in good condition.

A heat advisory was in effect Monday between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. for triple-digit heat index numbers.

Wake County opened cooling stations on Monday to help people without access to air conditioning escape the dangerous heat.

In response to the 911 calls, a spokesperson from the city of Raleigh said, "We are aware of and looking into this situation. We had two 911 calls from that area just after 11 a.m. One of the callers hung up. The second call was answered and the dispatcher sent help."

According to the city of Raleigh, the 911 Emergency Call Center was fully staffed Monday morning.

Everyone is asked to be aware of heat exhaustion and serious heat illness and know the signs, including headaches, excessive sweating, no sweating, rapid pulse, dizziness, nausea, muscle cramps, confusion, fever and fatigue. Seek medical help immediately if you experience any of these symptoms.

KNIGHTDALE, N.C. — A new inclusive playground opened at the beginning of May, and it can be found at Harper Park. The addition includes a sensory-rich play environment, which can help children develop physically, socially and emotionally.

What You Need To Know

Inclusive playgrounds are designed to ensure that kids of all abilities can play together. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said recent estimates in the United States show that one in six children, ages 3 through 17, are living with one or more developmental disabilities.

One local family that likes to visit different parks in the area says this playground is important for the community.

“It’s kinda cool to see how different parks have different things, but yeah, we love going to different parks,” Jenna Desrosiers, a Raleigh community member, said.

Desrosiers said her 4-year-old son, Isaac, is on the autism spectrum, so she knows how inclusive playgrounds can make a difference.

“I think that the fact that they have things that help kids with sensory differences too, like these types of swings are really great because regular swings are kind of tough for kids on the spectrum, they are not always necessarily the best at physical stuff,” Desrosiers said.

Accessibleplayground.net has a list of playgrounds that are labeled inclusive and accessible in North Carolina. In a 2018 National Recreation and Park Association Survey, nearly 9 in 10 Americans said communities should offer all-inclusive play options at playgrounds.

Desrosiers said Isaac really enjoys repetitive motions, like swings and spinning, so it helps when these parks have that type of equipment. She says he likes to climb too. She explained that playground equipment that has a repetitive motion can help regulate Isaac’s emotions.

Overall, Desrosiers said she is very impressed with the park system in our state, but she does think it would help to have even more inclusive parks in the Raleigh area. She also likes when inclusive parks have a fence around the playground for safety purposes.

“I mean one thing I’ll say is that it would be nice if they had like a fence around the park because transitioning from things are hard, especially when its time to leave the park,” Desrosiers said. “He sometimes will have a meltdown and not want to leave or there’s been times where he tries to run away.”

Jenkins MBA

McLauchlan Fellow and Town of Knightdale Mayor Jessica Day shares about her journey into town council, her personal growth in the Jenkins MBA program and her belief that leadership is learned – not inherent.

By Samantha Beavers

Eight years ago, Jenkins MBA student and McLauchlan Fellow Jessica Day stepped into her first town council meeting. A Knightdale, North Carolina native, she attended Southeast Raleigh High School, obtained a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) and launched a career in the agrochemical industry. After several years working in purchasing, supply chain and financial sales, Day decided to break into real estate and move back to her hometown – and soon made her way into Knightdale’s town hall.

“I figured that if I wanted to learn more about the area and what was happening on a deeper level, I needed to start attending town council meetings. And because I’m not the type of person to sit silently in the back of the room, I started asking questions,” Day explains. “Very quickly, I realized questions like, ‘Why don’t we do this?’ are usually met with, ‘Why don’t you do it?’ So I stepped up and got involved, joining and leading different boards in the community.”

She never planned to run for town council, but as her involvement in the community increased, North Carolina House Rep. James Roberson – Knightdale’s town mayor at the time – pulled her aside and encouraged her to consider it. She immediately refused, but through Roberson’s mentorship, Day began to see how she could leverage her skills to transform the community – and decided to go for it. She became the first African American female to be elected to the Knightdale Town Council in 2017, became mayor pro tem in 2019 and was elected mayor in 2021.

For Day, having someone see potential in her proved to be a pivotal moment that launched her into leadership – and it’s pushed her to be the best leader she can be. Upon entering the Jenkins MBA program in spring 2021, then, she decided to pursue the Business Leadership Certificate as well as the McLauchlan Leadership Series – and she credits both with providing her with a wealth of practical knowledge that she can put into practice.

“Every single class that I’ve taken as part of the Business Leadership Certificate program has been phenomenal and has transformed me in some way, shape or form – and I’ve taken away something from each of them that I could use immediately. The McLauchlan Series has taken that to another level and has really helped me learn the essential components of leadership,” she says.

In addition to the Business Leadership Certificate program and her time as a McLauchlan Fellow, Day has found that the university’s Think and Do mentality – as well as the opportunity to learn from other MBA students – has made her a more effective leader.

In all of my classes, I’ve been challenged to think differently and I’ve been pushed tremendously – far beyond what I thought my abilities were.

“In all of my classes, I’ve been challenged to think differently and I’ve been pushed tremendously – far beyond what I thought my abilities were. Many times I’ve gone into my classes trying to discover the right answer – and about halfway through I’ve realized that it’s not really about having the right answers. It’s about the thought process. In the business world, the right answer might be different tomorrow than it is today – and so rather than focusing on finding the right answer, I have to focus on continuous improvement. That mindset shift has really helped me grow,” she says.

“The opportunity to build my network and connect with other leaders in my classes has also been extremely beneficial. Hearing students’ different perspectives and having discussions with them has stretched me and made me a more critical thinker,” she continues.

The Jenkins MBA has impacted her outside the classroom, too.

“I recently talked to a group of students who were just starting the MBA program and I encouraged them to take advantage of everything the program offers – especially career services. The conversations I’ve had with my advisor have really helped and challenged me, and they’ve been so supportive throughout the program,” she says. “I’m also looking forward to studying abroad in South Africa this summer and think that will be a really transformative experience.”Beyond her personal growth as a leader, Day says that her time in the Jenkins MBA program has also clarified her passions and inspired her to develop other leaders through speaking engagements, leadership training programs and executive coaching.

“When I first started the Jenkins MBA program, I thought I wanted to do financial planning and work with business owners. But somewhere along the way, I realized it’s not the financial piece I’m most interested in. I’m much more interested in helping individuals and businesses identify who they are, what they value, what goals they have and what their mission is – and then working with them to form a strategy and develop leaders to execute that mission,” she explains.

Unfortunately, Day says, most people tend to believe that only certain kinds of people are suited for leadership – which can keep them from investing in themselves and others. Thinking back on her own life, she sees how this mindset led her to avoid leadership roles rather than pursuing them.

If you want to be a great leader, you have to work and learn and get better – and developing those skills takes time. Leadership is ultimately something that’s learned.

“If you want to be a great leader, you have to work and learn and get better – and developing those skills takes time. Leadership is ultimately something that’s learned. But I think most of us believe that people are either born leaders or they’re not. That was true for me. I never saw myself as a leader,” she says.

Day might not have seen herself as a leader – but others certainly did. Her willingness to ask questions, solve problems, think differently and influence others pushed her into leadership roles – from receiving the sportsmanship award on athletic teams in high school to serving as president of UNCG’s campus activities board in college to her favorite leadership role yet: giving back to her hometown as mayor of Knightdale.

“The sense of community that we have and that we’re building here in Knightdale is the thing I’m most proud of. Knightdale used to be a place where people moved for more affordable housing, but now we offer so much more. I think about the restaurants we have, the parks we’ve built and the growth that’s here – and it brings me so much joy. It’s been amazing to play a part in it,” she says.

Looking ahead to a lifetime of leadership, Day knows that there are many doubts and obstacles she’ll face in the future – but a glance back at how far she’s come, the growth she’s experienced in the Jenkins MBA program and the support she’s received along the way encourages her to keep going.

“Right before I started as mayor, I really doubted myself and thought, ‘I’m not ready. I don’t have the ability to do this.’ But one of my mentors gave me this piece of advice that I thought was fantastic. He said, ‘You don’t think you can do it because you’ve never done it. You’re never going to know how to do it until you do it.’ So I realized that I had to just take the next step forward,” she says. “I’ve also held onto my faith in this journey because God has done so many things and put so many people in my life to remind me that I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.”

To learn more about the Jenkins MBA program at NC State’s Poole College of Management, click here.

KNIGHTDALE, N.C. (WNCN) — Five people were displaced after a house fire broke out in Knightdale on the Fourth of July, according to officials.

On Tuesday at 6:22 p.m., Knightdale fire units were dispatched to the 4300 block of Stony Falls Way for a reported structure fire. Fire officials said Engine 133 arrived on scene two minutes and five seconds after the call came in.

The actual address was updated to the 1000 block of Whispering Creek Court. After arriving, firefighters saw heavy fire showing from the roof and side of the house. Crew initiated an attack and Fire Chief Loren Cone arrived and took charge of the incident.

The fire was under control at 6:37 p.m. with extensive damage throughout the roof and second floor of the home. Officials said fire crews worked to salvage valuables for the family of five. They were able to save several electronic devices. No one was injured.

The American Red Cross responded and is helping the family with a relocation plan. Officials believe the fire started in a trash can on the exterior of the house and burned up the wall and into the attic.

The fire remains under investigation.

A GoFundMe was started Wednesday morning for the family. The fundraiser has a goal of $10,000. As of 10:22 p.m. on Wednesday, it has collected $3,590.

The post for the fundraiser follows:

On July 4th, our family-a loving family of 5, both parents are educators loss their home and all of their belongings to a house fire. They spent almost the whole year prior prepping for their move into their beautiful new home. Thankfully, no one was injured; all were able to make it out safely. This loss feels devastating as they will have to start over from scratch. Thank you for your support as they work to find rental resources, furnishing, supplies, etc. Thank you to neighbors, friends/family, and fire departments for helping them get through this time. Please keep our family in your prayers.