Two southwest Wake County Schools will benefit from Pepsi's Refresh Project grant program thanks to support from the community.

Panther Creek High School in Cary and Baucom Elementary School in Apex are set to receive $25,000 each. Both have been named finalists in the December/January cycle of the program. Finalists usually receive the grants once the applications are verified, the last step in the process.

The official winners will be named at noon Jan. 23.

Panther Creek's Marching Band applied for $25,000 for new band equipment. Baucom Elementary School's Parent Teacher Association applied for $25,000 to build a state-of-the-art play area for third- through fifth-graders.

The target installation date is August 2012.

Baucom is also raising money by collecting coins in every classroom until May 2012 and selling engraved bricks at www. bricksrus .com .

Apex wants budget input

From staff reports

The Town of Apex is beginning to develop its budget for Fiscal Year 2012-13 and wants feedback from the public. The town will host a pre-budget hearing 7 p.m. Jan. 17 at Apex Town Hall, 73 Hunter St. in Apex.

Up for consideration are programs that should be added, services that should be expanded or reduced, programs that should be discontinued and priorities for the upcoming fiscal year.

Email comments or suggestions to annual. budget @apexnc .org , or mail them to Annual Budget, Town of Apex, P.O. Box 250, Apex, NC 27502.

Youth tennis gets boost in F-V

From staff reports

FUQUAY-VARINA The town received a $450 grant from the United States Tennis Association to develop a program for children aged 10 and younger. The money will be used to buy new equipment for the upcoming spring season.

Nominate firms for biz award

From staff reports

If your company is an up-and-comer, the CED wants to know.

The Triangle-based nonprofit, which provides support for entrepreneurs, began accepting nominations for the third annual North Carolina Companies to Watch awards on Tuesday. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 27.

To qualify, companies must be privately held with between six and 99 full-time employees and 2011 revenue between $750,000 and $50 million. Companies must be headquartered in North Carolina, and those that have received the CED award in the past are ineligible.

Twenty-five companies will be chosen from the list of nominees.

The ideal nominees will be able to show employee and revenue growth and possess a competitive advantage. Last year's 25 award recipients collectively enjoyed a 32 percent jump in annual revenue from 2007 to 2010 and added employees at a 36 percent annual clip.

CED has partnered with The Edward Lowe Foundation, a Michigan-based nonprofit, on this year's awards. Nominations can be made online at http:// north carolina. companies towatch .org .