Local business news for Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs and Morrisville.

Rise Biscuits Donuts is set to officially open at 7 a.m. Saturday, March 18, at 169 Grand Hill Place in Holly Springs Towne Center on N.C. 55. The first 75 to like the new store’s Facebook page will get a free biscuit or doughnut during a preview event from 7-10 a.m. Friday, March 17. This is the eighth Triangle location of the popular doughnut and biscuit restaurant. facebook.com/RiseHollySprings, risebiscuitsdonuts.com

First Watch has opened its first Cary restaurant at 1325 Bradford View Drive, next to the Bradford apartments. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and brunch with an emphasis on healthy options. This is the franchise’s third Triangle location. firstwatch.com

Portuguese steakhouse/barbecue restaurant Lume Grill is scheduled to open in April at the site of the former Pita Bon restaurant at 1207 Kildaire Farm Road. lumegrill.com, facebook.com/LumeGrill/

Ground was broken recently for Homewood Suites by Hilton Raleigh Cary I-40, 555 Crossroads Blvd., Cary. The hotel, owned by Parks Hospitality Group of Raleigh, is scheduled to be completed in early 2018. parkshotels.com

Peak Charter Academy has opened a temporary office at 1513 Walnut St., Suite 215, Cary. The academy, a free public charter school for students in kindergarten to sixth grade, plans to open in August. peakcharteracademy.org

Vendor and exhibitor registrations are being accepted through April 30 for the 13th annual Ritmo Latino Festival May 13 in downtown Cary. Nonprofit Diamate Inc. is accepting applications from businesses, corporations, nonprofit organizations, art merchants, food vendors and more. For more information and to apply, go to bit.ly/2mFlVPR. diamanteinc.org

Morrisville Innovation Foundation holds HOTTovation information sessions from 1-2 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, at the Frontier, 800 Park Offices Drive, Research Triangle Park. Free and open to the public; no reservations required. For more information: morrisvillechamber.org.

Cary Assistant Police Chief Toni Dezomits discusses “For Women - Safety First” at the Cary Chamber of Commerce’s Business of Women program noon to 1:15 p.m. Thursday, March 16, at Prestonwood Country Club, 300 Prestonwood Parkway, Cary. To register: carychamber.com.

Members of the Cary Chamber of Commerce travel to Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz., March 22-25 for the chamber’s annual Intercity Visit. carychamber.com

The monthly Coffee and Connections with a Shot of Espresso is 7:30-9:15 a.m. Thursday, March 23, at the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce, 260 Town Hall Drive. morrisvillechamber.org

The annual Day of Service for area nonprofits, sponsored by the Cary Chamber of Commerce, is Tuesday, March 28. To register: carychamber.com.

The Cary Chamber of Commerce’s Education Golf Tournament is noon to 5 p.m. Thursday, March 30, at MacGregor Downs Country Club, 430 St. Andrews Lane, Cary. Shotgun start at 1 p.m. The event is a fundraiser for the chamber’s education programs. To register: carychamber.com.

Morrisville Innovation Foundation is accepting applications for it’s annual HOTTovation percolator program for technology-focused entrepreneurs. Deadline to apply is 5 p.m. March 31. For more information, go to bit.ly/1SUkiCV.

The Morrisville Chamber of Commerce’s Spring Golf Classic is 8 a.m. Monday, April 3, at Prestonwood Country Club, 300 Prestonwood Parkway, Cary. Shotgun start at 9:30 a.m. For more information and to register: 919-463-7155, bit.ly/2lisecH, morrisvillechamber.org.

Jeff Higginbotham, co-owner of 5Star Awards Inc. in Cary, has earned the national Certified Recognition Specialist designation for awards professionals.

Teresa Kriegsman was promoted to creative director of S&A Communications in Cary.

Kathy Uhorchak was named branch leader of Allen Tate Co.’s new Apex office. The real estate company’s office, which plans to open in Apex this summer, is temporarily at 1750 NW Maynard Road, Suite 100-101, Cary.

Ivy Cottage Collections, 2017 NW Cary Parkway, won a Best of Houzz national award for customer service. ivycottagecollections.com

Morrisville’s East Meets West Festival was selected a finalist for the National League of Cities City Cultural Diversity Awards for municipalities with less than 50,000 residents. Awards will be announced Monday, March 13, in Washington, D.C.

The Holly Springs Police Department received the Top New Agency award for raising more than $21,000 last year for the North Carolina Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. The department was ranked among the top 20 agencies statewide participating in the event for the first time.

Waltonwood Cary Parkway is seeking donations of iTunes gift cards to purchase music for residents in its Music and Memory program. Card donations can be dropped off at the front desk in the memory care area. For more information, call Shantel Hernandez at 919-275-0983. The senior living community recently received a grant for the program from the Holly Springs Rotary Club.