Welcome to our weekly e-newsletter - What's Up in Wake Forest. Here you'll find information about Town programs, services, activities, projects, special events and more! If you haven't already, tell your friends and neighbors to visit our E-Notifier page to learn about our full array of free email offerings.
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UPDATE - Show Some Love, #KeepWFclean
Since then, volunteers have checked out 116 litter kits; logged 489 hours; collected nearly 10,500 lbs. of trash and 1,625 lbs. of recyclables; and cleaned 47 miles of streets, 19 sections of roadway and 17 sections of waterway.
We developed the infographic below to highlight our progress and express our thanks to YOU - our awesome community volunteers!
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Bright Star Touring Theatre, a national professional touring theatre company based in Asheville, NC, will offer a free performance of Jackie Robinson on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 11 a.m. at the Alston-Massenburg Center, 416 N. Taylor St.
Jackie Robinson’s number “42” has come to symbolize the triumph of the human spirit over incredible odds. This biographical tale follows the life of Jackie Robinson, the first black baseball player to cross the color lines in the Major Leagues. A real-life hero and a tribute to the power of persistence and determination in the face of adversity, see why Jackie Robinson has inspired so many people both in and out of sports!
This production is part of the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre’s "Arts For All" free community performance series, which is supported by United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County.
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The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department is partnering with Wake Forest native Ronald “Skip” Parker to host a Black History Expo on Sunday, Feb. 13, from 1-4 p.m. at the Alston-Massenburg Center, 416 N. Taylor St.
Free and open to the public, the expo will feature on display many of Parker’s unique and authentic antiques and collectibles from the mid-1800s through the mid-1900s, including an 1842 wooden washboard, a vintage 1954 DeLaval stainless steel milk can, antique dolls depicting Rosa Parks, Ida B. Wells, Ella Fitzgerald, Katherine Johnson, and Maya Angelou, and much more.
For more information, email Community Center Supervisor Garrett Bryant.
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The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department will host virtual public meetings at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 15, and Thursday, Feb. 17, to solicit input from residents concerning the future of Holding Park, 133 W. Owen Ave.
You can join the session of your choice from your computer or smartphone by clicking here.
Each interactive session will include a brief presentation, followed by an open discussion where attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and share suggestions. Town staff and representatives from Barrs Recreation, playground designer, will be on hand to answer questions and gather public input.
Discussions will focus on reconstructing the Holding Park playground and how to achieve the appropriate balance between the renovation and maintaining the park’s historical character. Information gathered during the sessions will help identify and develop the future park redesign.
In the meantime, residents are invited to complete a brief “Picture Holding Park” survey via Engage Wake Forest.
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Fewer than 10 tickets remain available for the 2022 State of the Town Address & Dinner. Presented by the Wake Forest Rotary Club, the event will take place Monday, Feb. 21, at 6 p.m. at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St.
All area residents are invited to attend this special occasion. Advance tickets are $15 per person and include a catered meal, dinner music by the Heritage High School Jazz Ensemble, a presentation by the Wake Forest Rotary Club, and Mayor Vivian Jones’ State of the Town Address. During her remarks, Mayor Jones will highlight the Town’s key accomplishments in 2021 and outline the goals Wake Forest will strive towards in 2022.
Tickets can be purchased online with a Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit card. A processing fee will be added to the cost of any ticket purchased online with a credit card. Tickets may also be purchased at the Renaissance Centre Box Office with cash, check, or credit card. Please note: Tickets will not be available for purchase at the door. Dress for the occasion is business casual.
Anyone wishing to attend the after-dinner portion of the program only is not required to purchase a ticket. Non-ticket buyers are invited to arrive between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. The mayor's address typically begins around 6:45 p.m.
Mayor Jones’ State of the Town Address will be recorded and replayed on Wake Forest TV 10 throughout March. It will also be available in streaming video on the Town website.
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Make plans now to attend the 2022 Wake Forest Film Festival on Friday and Saturday, March 4-5, at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St.
Entitled “A Light in the Forest,” the two-day festival will engage film enthusiasts with more than 30 films of all lengths and genres, including short and full-length, documentary, horror, animation, and student. Intended for both the general public and film professionals, the film festival is an opportunity for filmmakers to showcase their films in a unique location to a discerning audience.
The complete two-day schedule, including movie titles and times, is provided on our website.
All-access screening passes are on sale for $15 each and will allow unlimited access to the schedule of films throughout the two-day festival. Tickets may be purchased online in advance. Tickets may also be purchased at the Renaissance Centre Box Office, 405 S. Brooks St.
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The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre will welcome the Sons of Mystro on Thursday, March 24, at 7 p.m. These incredibly talented brothers play over 10 different genres of popular music, using the violin instead of their voices to express a song's lyrics.
Reflecting their Caribbean roots, the Sons of Mystro have graced the same stage with reggae and dancehall veterans such as Marcia Griffiths, John Holt, Ken Boothe, Dobby Dobson, Freddie McGregor, Frankie Paul, Barrington Levy, and artists from the now generation such as Mr. Vegas, Beenie Man, Romain Virgo, Etana. Many of these artists have expressed amazement at the depth and variety of their musical selections and their innovative and artistic arrangements.
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The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department is issuing a “Call to Artists” for a Joyner Park Community Center (JPCC) gym wall mural. The goal of the initiative is to promote local artists while connecting the JPCC to the community it serves.
To be eligible, artists must reside in Wake Forest or it’s ETJ, be a high school student (grades 9-12) living in Wake Forest, or be a member of the Wake Forest Guild of Artists. As part of this initiative, qualified applicants are invited to submit one to three pieces of original art. There is no entry fee, and the application deadline is Monday, April 4.
All artwork must be an original piece presented in either landscape or portrait style. The art should be related to or reflect the Wake Forest community. Selected pieces of artwork will need to have the capability to be scanned into an electronic image, then transferred into vinyl to be applied to the half wall in the JPCC gymnasium.
An Artist Selection Committee comprised of members of the Wake Forest Public Art Commission, PRCR Director Ruben Wall, and Recreation Center Manager Shawn Monday will select the winner who will receive an honorarium of $100 and have their mural displayed on the JPCC gym wall for up to three years.
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The Wake Forest Fire Department has a new four-legged recruit. Marshall, a 16-month-old black Labrador from Bogota, Colombia, has joined the department as its new ignitable liquid detecting canine. In this role, he will help determine how fires may have started by using his sense of smell to find flammable liquids once a fire has been extinguished. His first day on the job was Monday, Feb. 7.
Marshall’s handler is Battalion Chief Jeremey Blake, a certified fire investigator.
In addition to working cases in Wake Forest, Marshall and Blake will assist other agencies across the state in determining the origin and cause of fires. Marshall will also participate in community outreach events. For more information, email Chief Blake.
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The Town of Wake Forest welcomes the return of Friday Night on White in 2022 and is pleased to announce a power-packed band lineup for this year’s concert series. Bands scheduled to perform include The Magic Pipers (April 8); Sleeping Booty (May 13); The Soul Psychedelique (June 10); Love Tribe (July 15); The Brickhouse Band (August 12); and Crush (September 9).
FNOW is typically offered along South White Street in downtown Wake Forest from 6-9 p.m. on the second Friday night of each month from April through September. Due to Independence Day falling this year on the same week as the second Friday in July, the July concert will take place on the third Friday. The remaining concerts will occur on the second Friday of the month.
A special thanks to our 2022 FNOW sponsors: White Street Brewing Company, Gladwell Orthodontics, McPherson Family Eye Care, Mitchell Heating & Cooling, Foxy 107/104, The Pace at Holding Village, Capital Chevrolet, OrthoNC, Capital Powersports, Triangle Family Dentistry, Saving Grace Animals for Adoption, The Wake Weekly, Wells Family Dental Group, CIRCA Magazine, Orthopedic Physical Therapy, B & W Hardware, Co., Birkner Insurance, Ting Internet, Burn Boot Camp Wake Forest, Bumgarner & Martin Orthodontics, NuImage Surgical & Dental Implant Center, Elan Dental, Avance Care, Saving Grace Supply Company, Sole Dimensions, Coastal Credit Union, Chick-fil-A, Fidelity Bank, LINE-X of Raleigh, Hope Lutheran Church, WakeMed, Emerald Family Dentistry, American Ballroom, Inc., ProAudio & Video, Civic Federal Credit Union, Wake Forest Federal Savings & Loan, Carolina Regenerative Health, 1st Choice Customized DJ Services, and Westgate Kia.
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The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department will partner with the Wake Forest Pickleball Club to host the Luck of the Green Pickleball Benefit Tournament Friday-Sunday, March 11-13, at the Flaherty Park Pickleball Courts, 1126 N. White St.
The entry fee is $45 per player, plus $10 for each additional event. No registrations will be accepted on the day of the tournament.
Tournament proceeds will be used to make improvements to the Flaherty Park Pickleball Courts.
Complete tournament details, including registration information, is available on the Town website. The registration deadline is Monday, Feb. 28.
A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact Sandy Brasseale at 501-772-7439.
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Tickets on sale for North Wake Theatre’s “Forever Plaid: The Musical” March 19-20
North Wake Theatre will present three performances of Forever Plaid: The Musical Saturday-Sunday, March 19-20, at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St. Showtimes are Saturday at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.
“Forever Plaid” is one of the most popular and successful musicals in recent memory chock-full of classic barbershop quartet harmonies and pitch-perfect melodies.
Once upon a time, four guys (Sparky, Smudge, Jinx and Frankie) discovered that they shared a love for music, then got together to become their idols – The Four Freshman, The Hi-Lo's and The Crew Cuts. Rehearsing in the basement of Smudge's family's plumbing supply company, they became "Forever Plaid." Tragically, on the way to their first big gig, the "Plaids" are broadsided by a school bus and killed instantly. It is at the moment when their careers and lives end that the story of Forever Plaid begins.
Singing in close harmony, squabbling boyishly over the smallest intonations and executing their charmingly outlandish choreography with overzealous precision, the "Plaids" are a guaranteed smash, with a program of beloved songs and delightful patter that keeps audiences rolling in the aisles when they're not humming along to some of the great nostalgic pop hits of the 1950s.
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You can make a difference in our community by applying to fill one of two vacancies on the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). One opening must be filled by a candidate who resides in the town’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). The other seat is open to anyone who lives in Wake Forest or its ETJ.
Professionals with historic preservation expertise are especially encouraged to apply.
The online advisory board application is available through Monday, Feb. 28. Anyone without access to a computer is invited to complete the application by using a computer kiosk in the lobby of Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St. Hard copies are available upon request by contacting Executive Assistant Cathi Pope at 919-435-9467.
Candidates will be expected to attend the March 9 HPC meeting to introduce themselves to current members and explain why they wish to serve. Following the interviews, the HPC will review its slate of candidates before submitting its recommendation to the BOC.
The selected applicants will volunteer for a three-year term and advise the Board of Commissioners on a variety of topics related to historic preservation. For more information, contact Cathi Pope.
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Pre-registration is required for each tour by completing the online sign-up form. Space is limited to the first 15 participants to sign up for each tour.
Led by staff from Historic Preservation Planning and the Wake Forest Historical Museum, the tours include Olive Branch Baptist Church, Alston-Massenburg Center, the newly restored Ailey Young House, the African American Cemetery, and more. Along the way, each group will discuss the developmental and architectural history of the area, along with the significant men and women who shaped the Northeast Community. Tours are outside only and do not include the inside of individual homes or buildings.
Each tour is approximately 90 minutes and begin at Taylor Street Park, 416 N. Taylor St., proceed south to East Spring Street, west to North White Street, north to East Juniper Avenue and east back to Taylor Street Park.
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Paper bag mandate for yard waste begins March 14
Beginning Monday, March 14, the Town of Wake Forest will no longer collect any plastic bags for disposal of yard waste, including compostable plastic yard waste bags. Instead, residents must use paper yard waste bags or reusable containers weighing no more than 50 pounds for their yard waste.
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Have you ever wondered which household waste items belong in your trash receptacle and which can be recycled? Have you ever been unsure about how to properly prepare your yard waste or position your rollout carts? Do you know where to go on the Town website to schedule a bulk waste pickup or find out about solid waste service during holidays?
For more information, contact the Public Works Department at 919-435-9570 or [email protected].
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The Wake Forest Area Chamber Foundation is sponsoring a new initiative which has been created specifically for area residents aged 55+. Connect Wake Forest is a four-part program with one-day sessions from March to June. It’s designed to connect residents with like-minded peers, while they learn about the history and growth of Wake Forest, discover ways to get involved in the town, and become more civically aware. At the end of the program, participants will be given opportunities to volunteer with existing organizations and launch new community initiatives. Connect Wake Forest is open to both residents and non-residents of Wake Forest. Applications are being accepted through March 9.
Information sessions to share all the program details are being scheduled. Attendees will learn what to expect and have the opportunity to ask questions. Refreshments will be served.
The program kicks off on Tuesday, March 15, at the Wake Forest Historical Museum. The day’s topic will be the history of Wake Forest. Subsequent programs feature town government, local businesses, and community involvement. During each session, participants will be introduced to community and business leaders. Every session includes lunch and a facilitated conversation on how to get involved in the Town of Wake Forest.
The cost is $150 per person and includes all materials and meals. Scholarships are available. To apply, or for a complete schedule and detailed information, visit our website. Questions may be directed to Corey Hutcherson, Wake Forest Area Chamber, 919-556-1519.
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Young Entrepreneurs Fair applications accepted through Tuesday
Budding business owners will again be showcased at the Wake Forest Area Chamber Foundation’s Young Entrepreneur’s Fair. Sponsored by The Gather Group, the fair is scheduled on Saturday, May 7, as part of this year's Meet in the Street. The Young Entrepreneurs Fair gives students from age 9 to 14 an opportunity to manufacture, market, and sell their handmade products.
As part of its mission to support both entrepreneurship and youth programming, the Wake Forest Area Chamber Foundation invites students to participate at no charge.
Once again this year, there will be two workshops scheduled prior to the fair to help students develop their business and marketing plans. The workshops will be offered at Wake Electric in downtown Wake Forest on Thursday, Feb. 24, and Thursday, March 24, from 6-7:30 p.m.
Applications will be accepted through February 15 and can be accessed by visiting wakeforestchamber.org, calling the Chamber at 919-556-1519, or clicking here.
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Provided below are announcements about projects that will impact Wake Forest motorists over the next several weeks. Please use the information to help plan your route and move safely through the affected areas.
Tuesday, Feb. 15, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Expect delays along southbound South Main Street/US 1A in the vicinity of Alberbury Commons Court Tuesday, Feb. 15, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Mastec, a contractor working on behalf of Dominion Energy, will reduce the roadway to one lane by shifting southbound traffic to the center turn lane. The traffic shift and lane reduction are necessary to allow crews to connect the gas main on Alberbury Commons to the gas main along South Main Street/US 1A. This work was originally scheduled for February 8.
Flaggers, signage and cones will be in place to manage traffic flow and safely direct motorists through the work area. Again, delays are expected, so motorists may wish to avoid the area if possible and take an alternate route.
For more information, contact Dominion Energy’s Reid Miller.
January 31-July 31
Wellons Construction, Inc., a private contractor, has closed the portion of Averette Road from Jack Jones Road to Mill Dam Road. Scheduled through late summer, the closure is necessary to allow crews to widen and realign this portion of Averette Road. Signed detours are in place directing traffic around the work area.
Ongoing
Fred Smith Company, a contractor working at the future Legacy at Heritage, will periodically reduce to one lane with alternating two-way traffic the portion of Heritage Lake Road from Dr. Calvin Jones Highway/NC 98 Bypass to Friendship Chapel Road daily from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. The periodic lane closures are necessary to allow crews to widen the road and install a storm drain and curb and gutter.
Signage and flaggers will be in place to manage traffic flow and safely direct motorists through the work area. Delays are expected, so motorists may wish to avoid the area and take an alternate route.
Ongoing
Fred Smith Company, a contractor working on the Holding Village subdivision, will initiate lane reductions along eastbound and westbound Dr. Calvin Jones Highway/NC 98 Bypass in the vicinity of the South Franklin Street intersection daily from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. The lane reductions are necessary to allow crews to extend South Franklin Street and convert the intersection to a Reduced Conflict Intersection, also known as a superstreet.
Signage and cones will be in place to manage traffic flow and safely direct motorists through the work areas. Delays are expected, so motorists may wish to avoid these areas if possible and take an alternate route.
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This is an example of a QR ("Quick Response") code. QR codes are like the barcodes you see on retail products, but they can contain a lot more information than a simple item number.
QR codes can also be used to display other text, such as contact information or menu options. QR codes can be placed on anything from signs and flyers to A-frame signs/sandwich boards and business cards. They provide an easy way for you to get more information about a subject, without having to remember or type anything.
To use QR codes, you simply need a phone that has a camera and a QR reader app. Many modern smartphones come with a reader app (such as “Barcode Scanner” for Android or “BlackBerry Messenger” for BlackBerry), or you can install a free reader app by searching for “QR” in your phone’s online app store.
Wake Forest uses QR codes in a variety of ways. For example, codes on A-frame signs help you find info about our Christmas events, complete event surveys, and sign up to receive notifications about Town programs and services. If you have any feedback about our use of QR codes, please be sure to let us know!
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Fall is here and so are the cooler temperatures! The Town of Wake Forest is inviting individuals, families, churches and civic clubs to embrace autumn and join the “Show Some Love, #KeepWFclean” campaign by picking up trash in their neighborhoods and along local streets and roadways. The initiative allows volunteers to pick up litter on a one-time or ongoing basis. Participants may also choose the area they wish to clean or request direction to high need areas around town.
To aid the effort, volunteers may reserve litter kits at no charge by completing the online reservation form. Each litter kit includes reflective vests, gloves, buckets, grabbers, trash bags, data collection sheets, hand sanitizer and litter education materials. A special thanks to B&W Hardware for donating the litter kits.
Once reserved, litter kits may be picked up at the Public Works Operations Center, 234 Friendship Chapel Road, Monday-Friday, between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and must be returned within one week, unless otherwise requested. For complete details, email Sustainability Coordinator Jeanette Johnson.
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Loose trash in trucks creates litter along Wake Forest roadways.
Help keep Wake Forest roadways clean by securing any trash in your truck bed. When you throw trash in the back of your truck, it inevitably blows out and becomes litter on the roadside. In fact, half of all litter is blown, not thrown! Roadside litter costs millions of dollars to remove, decreases property values and has a negative impact on tourism.
The NC Department of Public Safety reports that an even bigger problem is unsecured loads in the back of trucks. At high speeds, even large items can fly out and hurt or startle other drivers causing accidents. Put trash into built-in containers. Use tarps, cargo nets and tie-downs to secure any loads. #KeepWFclean
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The following monthly meeting schedule is now in effect:
Board of Commissioners Work Session
First Tuesday/month - 6 p.m.
Joint Public Hearings
First Tuesday/month - 7:30 p.m.
Planning Board Meeting
Second Tuesday/month - 6 p.m.
Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting
Third Tuesday/month - 6 p.m.
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View Town meetings live & on demand
Planning Board and Board of Commissioners meetings can be viewed both live and on demand by visiting our Public Meetings Portal. Meetings are available in streaming video for several years after their original air date and featured in a convenient scroll-down menu.
These meetings are also shown live on Wake Forest TV 10 - the Town of Wake Forest’s government access channel - then re-broadcast daily for two weeks at 9 a.m., 3 p.m., and 9 p.m.
Although WFTV 10 is available only to Wake Forest residents and businesses that subscribe to Spectrum Cable TV service, WFTV 10 is also provided online in real-time streaming video.
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The Town of Wake Forest has launched a comprehensive public education campaign on proper recycling behaviors.
#RecycleRightWF introduces and emphasizes a series of easy-to-understand messages aimed at simplifying the recycling process and improving the quality of materials residents place in their rollout recycling carts.
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The Northern Wake Senior Center, 235 E. Holding Ave., offers adults age 55 and older a full schedule of recreational activities. Programming at the center is provided by Resources for Seniors, Inc. The organization serves senior and disabled adults in Wake County by providing home and community-based services and information, thereby allowing them to maximize their choices for independence, comfort, safety, security and well-being.
Check out Jennie's Weekly Jots, the senior center's weekly newsletter, for information on current programming and initiatives.
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You have received this e-mail because you are subscribed to E-News – part of the Town of Wake Forest’s e-mail subscription service. E-News keeps you up-to-date on Town of Wake Forest news, information, events and services. If you believe you have been subscribed in error, or would like to cancel your subscription to The Week Ahead, you may unsubscribe below.
If you have questions or comments about the Town of Wake Forest website or E-News, please contact Bill Crabtree by email or call 919-435-9421.
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