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.

Two days’ worth of family-friendly fun and excitement await you at Wake Forest’s 2021 Independence Day Celebration.

This year’s festivities get underway with the Fireworks Spectacular on Saturday, July 3. Free and open to the public, our community’s most popular summertime event will take place on the campus of Heritage High School, 1150 Forestville Road.

Gates to Husky Stadium will open at 7:30 p.m. Access to other on-campus viewing areas and most parking lots will be permitted throughout the day. The fireworks show will begin at approximately 9:30 p.m.



Fireworks Spectacular Pre-Show
Due to limited planning time, the Town will not offer concessions or live entertainment as part of this year’s fireworks festivities. Instead, at 9 p.m. the Town will share on its Facebook page, website, and WFTV 10 an Independence Day video hosted by Talbot the Town Crier. Featuring Uncle Sam, Lady Liberty and the Board of Commissioners, the video will include a brief performance by the Band of Oz and a hilarious installment of “Kids Say the Cutest Things about the 4th of July.” The Town will then livestream the fireworks show via Facebook before posting the full Band of Oz concert.

Children's Parade
The revelry continues Sunday, July 4, with the popular Children’s Parade. Hosted by the Wake Forest Optimist Club, the event offers area youngsters the opportunity to hop on their bicycles and be a part of their very own “walking parade.” The lineup begins at 1 p.m. at the intersection of North Main Street and West Juniper Avenue, near the Wake Forest Historical Museum, 414 N. Main St. The procession will get underway at 1:30 p.m.

The parade route will extend from North Main Street, south through the campus of the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and west onto South Avenue, before turning south on South College Street and ending at the Wake Forest Community House, 133 W. Owen Ave.

Participation in the Children’s Parade is free, but bicyclists are encouraged to wear their helmets. Please note: Wake Forest Police will be on hand to manage traffic and help ensure the safety of the parade participants. Volunteers are needed to help ensure the safety of the parade participants. For more information about the Children’s Parade, email Dawn Nakash.

Art in the Park
The Independence Day festivities will conclude with Art in the Park. Sponsored by the Wake Forest Woman’s Club, free arts and crafts activities will take place from 2-4 p.m. inside the Community House, including the creation of various patriotic-themed crafts for all ages, cupcake decorating and more. For more information about Art in the Park, email Tracy Mahl.

Participants are also invited to experience and enjoy Holding Park and Holding Park Aquatic Center, both of which are located adjacent to the Community House.
Special Thanks
A very special thanks to Dawn Nakash, the Wake Forest Optimist Club, a group of incredible volunteers, and the Wake Forest Police Department for making this year's July 4 Children’s Parade possible.
 
A sincere thank you also to the Wake Forest Woman’s Club for once again sponsoring Art in the Park.

The Wake Forest Town Hall and other administrative offices will be closed Monday, July 5, in observance of the Independence Day holiday. Yard waste collection will also be suspended, but curbside trash, recycling and bulk waste collections will not be affected.
 
Yard waste collection will resume Tuesday, July 6, at 7 a.m. Crews will follow the normal collection schedule beginning with Monday’s route. Collection of the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday routes will occur throughout the remainder of the week until all routes have been completed.
 
To ensure that all neighborhoods are serviced properly, please leave your normal yard waste at the curb by 7 a.m. on July 6. As always, please avoid placing items on or near mailboxes, utility boxes, utility poles or other fixed objects.
 
Residents are reminded that they may schedule up to two free bulk waste collections per year. After that, collections will be billed at $50 each.

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As Americans prepare to celebrate Independence Day, the Wake Forest Police Department is reminding area residents that the possession or discharge of most fireworks that explode, spin, fly, jump in the air, or leave the ground in any way are prohibited by North Carolina law. Illegal explosives include but are not limited to firecrackers, ground spinners, Roman candles, bottle rockets, and mortars.

The law is stipulated in North Carolina General Statutes 14-410 and 14-414. Violation of this State Law is a Class 2 Misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 and/or 30 days to six months in jail. Prosecutors enhance charges when the fireworks cause physical damage to people or property. In such cases, there is a maximum six-month jail term.

Residents are also reminded that explosive fireworks, which are sold legally in South Carolina and several other states, are illegal in North Carolina.
In North Carolina, fireworks that are available for personal use are marked as 1.4G. Novelty items, including sparklers, caps for toy pistols, snake and glow worms that emit a snake-like ash when burning, and trick noisemakers, are legal but still can cause injury if not properly handled. In all cases, these items should be kept away from young children and pets.

While illegal and legal fireworks always pose a serious property and life safety hazard, the threat is even greater when the weather is hot and dry. Houses and businesses composed of wood frame construction, surrounded by combustible landscaping, can contribute to fast moving fires caused by the negligent use of fireworks. Significant brush fires and injuries to persons may also occur as a result of fireworks use.

You can make a difference in our community by applying to fill the vacancy on the Technology Advisory Board (TAB). All residents of Wake Forest and its extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) are eligible to apply.

The purpose of the TAB is to advise the Town in all areas related to technology. It also endeavors to spur economic development through technological growth by collaborating with business, industry, non-profits, public institutions and citizens.



Applicants will be expected to attend the next scheduled TAB meeting on Monday, July 26, to introduce themselves and discuss why they wish to serve. The board will convene at 6:30 p.m. in the Wake Forest Town Hall Ground Floor Meeting Room, 301 S. Brooks St. The room is most easily accessed via the building’s Taylor Street entrance.

Following the interviews on July 26, the TAB will review its slate of candidates before submitting its recommendation to the Board of Commissioners (BOC). The Board will announce the new appointment during its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 17. The selected applicant will fill the vacated seat and their term will commence immediately.

Online registration for Men’s Fall and Open Co-Recreational softball is underway and continues through July 31. Registration information is also available at the Joyner Park Community Center, 701 Harris Road.
 
The Men’s Fall Recreational Softball League is limited to Class E teams and lower. League play is scheduled to begin in mid-August and continue through mid-October with games played on Monday and Wednesday evenings. The entry fee is $550 per team.
 
The Open Co-Recreational Softball League is also scheduled from mid-August to mid-October, with games played on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. The entry fee is $550 per team.
 
Anyone interested in participating who does not have a team can sign up as a free agent, then assigned to a team in need of players. Register as a free agent by completing the online registration form. For more information, email Recreation Specialist KP Kilpatrick.
 
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.
 

The July/August 2021 edition of Our Town is now available. Click on the cover image on the right to view the latest issue in digital format.
 
Our Town is Wake Forest's free bi-monthly newsletter. Published every other month, Our Town is mailed to every home in the 27587 zip code and residents of Wakefield. If you live in one of these areas, you should have already received the latest edition in your mailbox. The cover of the current issue is shown.

PLEASE NOTE: The November/December 2021 edition of Our Town will mark the end of a 12-year run for the official Town newsletter. Beginning in 2022, Our Town will no longer be produced or published in any format. Residents can stay informed about Wake Forest programs, services and events in a variety of ways, including email and Facebook. To view a complete listing of all the ways you can stay informed about what's happening in and around Wake Forest, visit us online.

In January the Town of Wake Forest announced that residents can schedule up to two free bulk waste collections per year. After that, collections will be billed at $50 each.

On July 1, the Town started implementing the two free bulk waste collections per year policy. Any bulk waste collections scheduled and performed prior to July 1 will be counted.

Again, residents may schedule up to two free bulk waste collections per year. After that, collections will be billed at $50 each. Residents are encouraged to maximize their free bulk waste collections by including several items in each scheduled pickup. 

Public Works officials wish to remind residents that bulk waste is collected weekly from 7 a.m. Tuesday to approximately 5 p.m. Wednesday. Anyone who schedules a bulk waste collection whose bulk waste has not been picked up by 5 p.m. Wednesday should complete and submit the Missed Collection Report form.

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Mark your calendars! The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre will begin selling tickets for the 2021-22 fall and winter season on Monday, July 19, at 8 a.m.
 
Popular performers, including Legacy Motown Revue, Band of Oz, and Celtic Angels, will return to the Renaissance Centre stage later this year. Don't miss your chance to see your favorites live and in person as many of these shows are expected to sell out fast.
 
Be the first to know what’s going on by following us on social media, visiting our website and signing up for E-Notifier

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Due to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, the Town of Wake Forest relaxed a number of temporary sign enforcement activities over the past year as a means of supporting local businesses during the pandemic. Now that conditions are improving and North Carolina’s restrictions have been lifted, the Town has resumed all temporary sign enforcement regulations.

A key component in the effort to ensure signage does not become a public hazard, public nuisance, or traffic hazard, signage enforcement also serves to protect and enhance the overall appearance of Wake Forest. Information related to permitted sign types are outlined in Chapter 11 of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).

Also during the pandemic, many businesses introduced temporary creative solutions to increase their outdoor seating capacity, create customer pick-up zones, or address other needs. Starting today, Planning staff will begin contacting these businesses and property owners to discuss transitioning away from these temporary measures.

Businesses or property owners wishing to make such changes permanent are urged to contact the Planning Department at 919-435-9510 to determine whether modifications are possible and, if so, initiate the approval process. The process typically takes several weeks to complete, so anyone considering making temporary changes permanent is urged to begin the process now.

For more information about the sign permitting and approval processes, review the UDO or email Emma Linn, Planner I-Development Services. For more information about the site modification process, contact Senior Planner Patrick Reidy.
 
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 Wake Forest Fire Department (WFFD) will commence its year-long Centennial Celebration with a special flag-raising ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 4, at 11 a.m. The commemoration will take place in Town Hall’s Centennial Plaza, 301 S. Brooks St.

The highlight of the ceremony promises to be the unveiling and installation of the fire department’s new centennial flag by members of the WFFD Honor Guard. The occasion will also include brief remarks by Mayor Vivian Jones and Fire Chief Ron Early.

Following the ceremony, the public is invited to an Open House and Hot Dog Luncheon at Fire Station #1, 420 Elm Ave., from noon-2 p.m. During the festivities, WFFD personnel will serve free hot dogs, chips, and beverages (while they last) and host free tours of the fire station.

The fire department will also showcase an array of photos, documents, equipment and other memorabilia that illustrate the service and commitment of Wake Forest firefighters since 1921.

Plans for the flag-raising ceremony and open house are still being developed and additional information will be provided in the coming days. For updates, visit our website.

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The Public Works Department is reminding residents to bag your trash, but not your recyclables. Officials say all trash should be bagged before being placed in the rollout cart to prevent flyaway litter as the trash cart is emptied into the trash truck.
On the other hand, recyclables should not be bagged or bundled before being placed in the recycling cart. Recyclables should be dropped loosely into the cart which helps when the items are being sorted at the recycling facility.

Finally, officials encourage residents to reference the “Waste Wizard” whenever they are uncertain as to whether an item is recyclable. Available on the Town website and as a function of the Town app, the Waste Wizard allows users to type in key words related to disposable household materials and receive valuable disposal tips. From aluminum cans and phone books to popcorn bags and plastic beverage bottles, the search tool helps residents determine which items can be recycled and which ones should be thrown away.

Waste Wizard also allows users to sign up for personalized trash and recycling collection reminders, download collection schedules and access online service request forms for bulk waste pickup, brush pickup and missed collections. For more information, email Sustainability Coordinator Jeanette Johnson.

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The Town of Wake Forest is accepting applications for the 2021 Citizens Planning Academy through 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 2.

The Citizens Planning Academy (CPA) is designed to educate residents of Wake Forest and its extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) about the Town’s planning processes and practices. CPA topics will emphasize public hearings procedures, legislative and quasi-judicial decisions, the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), transportation planning, historic preservation, architectural review and more.

Applications must be completed and submitted online. 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. Only residents of Wake Forest and the Town’s ETJ are eligible to participate.

Academy participants will be expected to attend four training sessions on the following Mondays: September 13, September 20, September 27, and October 4. In the event one of the classes is canceled due to inclement weather or for some other reason, a make-up session may be offered on Monday, Oct. 11. Each session will be scheduled from 6-8 p.m. at the Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St., and will include dinner starting at 5:30 p.m. Sessions will be taught by the Planning Department staff and guest speakers.

Class size is limited, and pre-registration is required. Selected applicants will be notified no later than Friday, Aug. 13. For more information, email Senior Planner Patrick Reidy.

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department will host an online Esports gaming tournament featuring "Fortnite" on Saturday, July 24. Free and open to players ages 12 and older, the “Battle in the Forest” will be played online and live streamed on Twitch.tv. Registration is open through Wednesday, July 21.

Teams comprised of two players each will compete in what is scheduled to be a double-elimination tournament to be run in conjunction with "Bull City Gaming." In the event more than 32 teams register, the tournament will expand to two days with the qualifying rounds taking place on Saturday, July 24, and the top eight teams battling it out in the finals on Sunday, July 25.

Developed by Epic Games and released in 2017, Fortnite is a free-to-play Battle Royale game with numerous game modes for every type of game player. For more information, email Community Center Supervisor Grayson Pridgen.  
 
North Carolina's original celebration of Purple Heart heroes returns Saturday, Aug. 7, with a Reunion Picnic in Wake Forest.

The 12th annual tribute hosted by the Wake Forest Purple Heart Foundation invites the public to honor those wounded in defense of this country. The "Reunion Picnic" is 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at Richland Creek Community Church's soccer field, 3229 Burlington Mills Rd, Wake Forest.

In addition to Purple Heart Medal recipients and their families, the event is open to all veterans, military families and the public. The most recent celebration in 2019 saluted 80 Purple Heart recipients from around the Triangle. (The banquet was not held in 2020 due to COVID restrictions.)
    
The guest speaker is 1st Lt. Patrick "Clebe" McClary, USMC (retired) of Pawleys Island, S.C. While serving in Vietnam, McClary was severely wounded – losing his left arm and left eye – but continued to lead his platoon. He is recipient of three Purple Hearts, the Silver Star and the Bronze Star among others.
    
This year's reunion also features a picnic lunch, music, games for kids and patriotic tributes.
    
Order tickets ($25 each) online or via email. If you'd like to donate the cost of a ticket for a veteran's guest, contributions may be made payable to Wake Forest Purple Heart Foundation, P.O. Box 168, Wake Forest, NC, 27588.
    
Sponsors are needed to make this tribute possible. Sponsorship levels are Gold ($2,000+), Purple ($1,000), Blue ($500), White ($250) and Red ($100). For details, visit the website or call 919-760-3520.

The Town of Wake Forest recently launched a comprehensive public education campaign on proper recycling behaviors. Over the next year, #RecycleRightWF will introduce and emphasize 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.

“Recycling is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do,” said Sustainability Coordinator Jeanette Johnson. “#RecycleRightWF represents a major step forward for recycling in our community. We know our residents want to recycle the right way. Through this campaign, we plan to help them do just that.”

Over the past few years, Town officials have witnessed a steady increase in the amount of contaminated recyclables in recycling carts throughout Wake Forest. To some degree, the surge is the result of confusing guidelines which can lead to mistakes, apathy, and skepticism about recycling. While the national contamination rate is just under 20 percent, Wake Forest is joining a growing number of municipalities working to combat the problem through its new public education campaign.

#RecycleRightWF will provide Wake Forest households with direct mail pieces and social media messaging, as well as concentrated feedback efforts that address contamination. Messaging will consistently remind residents who recycle to “Stick with These 6” - plastic bottles, jugs, and jars; metal cans; paper; and cardboard, and “Never These 9” - plastic bags, food waste, cups, to-go containers, paper towels, tiny things, plastic packaging, Styrofoam and gloves/masks.

The Town of Wake Forest is encouraging residents to stay informed about trash, recycling and yard waste collection by signing up for the “Waste Wizard.” The Waste Wizard is a free interactive tool that allows users to sign up for personalized trash and recycling collection reminders, download collection schedules and access online service request forms for bulk waste pickup, brush pickup and missed collections.

But that’s not all. The Waste Wizard also allows users to type in key words related to disposable household materials and receive valuable disposal tips. From aluminum cans and phone books to popcorn bags and plastic beverage bottles, the search tool helps residents determine which items can be recycled and which ones should be thrown away.

What makes Wake Forest such a wonderful place to live, work and play? Check out our new video for just a few of the reasons so many people love calling Wake Forest "home."

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.

Traffic Alert - Retail Drive
Wednesday, July 7
Weather permitting, on Wednesday, July 7, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Horizon Construction will reduce to one lane with intermittent two-way traffic a portion of Retail Drive in the vicinity of Chick-fil-A, 11730 Retail Dr. The temporary lane closure is necessary to allow crews to install curbing along the middle of the roadway.
 
Signage and cones 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 if possible and take an alternate route. 


Ongoing
Fred Smith Company, a contractor working at the future Regency at Heritage, is periodically reducing to one lane with alternating two-way traffic the portion of Forestville Road from Foxwild Lane to Song Sparrow Drive daily from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The periodic lane closures are necessary to allow crews to perform roadway widening and frontage improvements.

Signage and cones are in place managing traffic flow and safely directing motorists through the work area. Delays are expected, so motorists may wish to avoid the area and take an alternate route.

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Booze It & Lose It: Operation Firecracker
With the holiday weekend, comes the potential for an increase in drunk drivers.

Now through July 4, law enforcement officers from all 100 counties are increasing check points and patrols to remove impaired drivers from the roads. This effort is part of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program’s annual Fourth of July Booze It & Lose It campaign known as Operation Firecracker.

Drivers caught impaired could face jail time, lose their driving privileges and pay fines. 


Fourth of July Travel
To ensure the most efficient travel for drivers over the July Fourth holiday, NCDOT has suspended most road construction projects with lane closures on major routes across the state. NCDOT has reopened closed lanes where possible through Tuesday, July 6. There are some locations where lane closures remain for safety reasons.

Drivers can check the status of their route in advance by going to DriveNC.gov.

NCDOT encourages drivers to:
  • Leave early;
  • Stay alert;
  • Be patient; and
  • Don’t drive drowsy or distracted.


Don't Litter - Secure Your Load
Whether or not you are traveling this holiday weekend don’t litter and make sure to secure your load. For more information on litter prevention, visit ncdot.gov/donttrashnc.

Kids Say the Cutest Things is back, and this time they're talking about the harmful effects of litter. Please join these kids and the Town of Wake Forest in the fight against litter by properly disposing of your trash and encouraging others to do the same!

In the words of one of these kids, "Be a good citizen," and #KeepWFClean.

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.
Stay In Touch
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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.