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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Here we go again! With weather forecasters calling for the possibility of frozen precipitation later today, the Town of Wake Forest is fully prepared should wintry weather affect our community.
A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for Wake County through 7 a.m. Saturday. Anywhere from two-to-five inches of snow is expected.
Here's the latest on how the weather is affecting Town operations:
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The Town of Wake Forest will host Community Plan Open House workshops on Tuesday, Feb. 1, at 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the Flaherty Park Community Center, 1226 N. White St. Each two-hour drop-in session will give residents, business owners, and stakeholders the opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions on Wake Forest’s long-term vision, vitality, and sustainability as captured in the draft Community Plan and Future Land Use Map. The draft plan reflects the considerable public input shared throughout the community engagement process.
Both workshops will have an informal, open house-style format, along with the same content, so residents may drop in anytime from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. or 6:30-8:30 p.m. No formal presentation will be given. Each session will engage participants in discussions regarding key issues and priorities for the Board of Commissioners to consider as part of the updated Community Plan.
In anticipation of the workshops on February 1, residents are invited to respond to a series of questions that will be posted every Tuesday between now and then on Engage Wake Forest.
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Postcard coming about paper bag mandate for yard waste
Be on the lookout for a special delivery from the Town of Wake Forest. Over the next few days, we will mail postcards (shown above) to every solid waste customer about our new paper bag mandate for yard waste.
Beginning in March, the Town will no longer collect any plastic bags for disposal of yard waste, including compostable plastic yard waste bags.
Starting Monday, March 14, residents must use paper yard waste bags or reusable containers weighing no more than 50 pounds for their yard waste.
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Friday Night on White returns to historic downtown Wake Forest on April 8 and continues the second Friday night of each month through September. Please note: The July concert will take place on the third Friday due to the Independence Day holiday.
Friday Night on White (FNOW) brings the entire community together for six Friday nights of free, family entertainment. Concertgoers are treated to a diverse lineup of premier bands from across our region playing rock and roll covers from classic to modern rock, with a little funk and original music thrown in.
A variety of sponsorships are available for this popular concert series which drew well over 50,000 people to downtown Wake Forest in 2019. Each sponsorship is guaranteed to bring attention and recognition to local businesses through on-site exhibit space; assorted radio and television ads; printed posters, flyers, and banners; social media posts; email announcements and more.
Attendance at each concert in 2019 ranged from 8,000 to 12,000, and organizers expect this year’s shows to draw even larger numbers due to the series’ two-year hiatus, along with its incredible popularity throughout Northern Wake County and beyond.
To view a detailed list of FNOW sponsorship opportunities and benefits, email Marketing & Business Relations Specialist Anna Bolton.
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"Only a handful of people are available to dive at any given time,” said Fire Chief Ron Early. “Waiting for divers to assist with underwater searches adds to the trauma of drowning victims’ families. Plus, diving is one of the most dangerous aspects of search and rescue. Since the ROV can be used by more people, it allows us to increase our level of safety and accelerate our rescue and recovery efforts.”
Early says the ROV will be used in, and around, Wake County and throughout North Carolina.
Members of the WFFD are currently being trained on how to maneuver the ROV and operate its computer system and controllers. Equipped with sophisticated sonar and navigation, the ROV can operate in dark murky waters in depths up to 1,000 feet.
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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?
Wake Forest solid waste customers can expect their copy of the guide to arrive in the mail as early as next week. Digital versions of the booklet are also available on various pages of the Town website at wakeforestnc.gov.
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With the number of breakthrough COVID cases on the rise due to the Omicron variant, employees and visitors to the Wake Forest Town Hall and other Town facilities will again be required to wear face masks or coverings - regardless of vaccination status.
Until further notice, visitors and staff will be required to wear a mask or face covering inside Town Hall and all other Town facilities, including the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre and all indoor parks and recreation facilities (Joyner Park Community Center, Flaherty Park Community Center, Alston-Massenburg Center, and Wake Forest Community House).
Town officials will continue to monitor COVID-19 and make adjustments to protocol as conditions warrant.
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The Wake Forest Human Relations Council (HRC) is celebrating Black History Month in 2022 by once again offering residents the chance to recognize local African Americans who have made a difference enhancing and improving the quality of life in their community, family, church, business, organization or other group.
From now through Saturday, Jan. 22, the HRC will accept nominations for Wake Forest residents to be recognized for their contributions.
Wake Forest residents, former residents, and business and community stakeholders that identify as African American are eligible. Nominees should demonstrate leadership and integrity and be respected by their peers. In addition, potential nominees may be recognized for one or more of the following actions:
- Helping neighbors and fellow Wake Forest citizens;
- Demonstrating hospitality and/or concern for others;
- Supporting local businesses and charities;
- Promoting a sense of community in their neighborhood and beyond;
- Serving the community through their school, church, business or community organization.
PLEASE NOTE: The HRC endeavors to recognize as many Wake Forest African Americans as possible. In order to achieve this goal, nominees that were highlighted in 2021 will not be considered this year. For more information and to view the full list of 2021 honorees, visit our website.
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You’re invited to join Mayor Vivian Jones for the 2022 State of the Town Address & Dinner on Monday, Feb. 21, at 6 p.m. Presented by the Wake Forest Rotary Club, the event will take place at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St.
During her remarks, Mayor Jones will reflect on the successes and challenges of the Wake Forest community over the past year. She will also outline the goals the town will strive towards in 2022.
Advance tickets are $15 per person and include a catered meal and dinner music by the Heritage High School Jazz Ensemble. Tickets can be purchased online with a Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit card. Tickets may also be purchased at the Renaissance Centre Box Office with cash, check or credit card. A processing fee will be added to the cost of any ticket purchased with a credit card. Please note: A limited number of tickets are available, so the event is expected to sell out. Dress for the occasion is business casual.
Anyone wishing to attend the program portion of the event only - without eating dinner - is not required to purchase a ticket. Non-ticket buyers are invited to arrive between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. at the conclusion of the dinner portion of the program. The mayor's address typically begins between 6:45 and 7 p.m.
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The Wake Forest Film Festival (WFFF) has announced its 2022 program lineup scheduled for Friday-Saturday, March 4-5, at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St. Click on the image (left) to view this year's playbill.
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.
To view the complete two-day schedule, including movie titles and times, visit 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, along with question-and-answer sessions with industry professionals on Friday, March 4, at 9:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 5, at 3:30 p.m.
Advance tickets may be purchased online and at the Renaissance Centre Box Office, 405 S. Brooks St.
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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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Applications now accepted for Young Entrepreneurs Fair
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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Economic Development Forum February 3
The Wake Forest Area Chamber and Wake Forest Business & Industry Partnership will host the 2022 Economic Development Forum with keynote speaker Ted Abernathy on Thursday, Feb. 3, from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St.
Abernathy will examine what the Triangle will be like in 20 years while also addressing how far we have come, the talent pipeline, and business adaptation. A Q&A session will follow the keynote presentation. Questions may be emailed in advance to Liz Simpers.
Ted Abernathy is the managing partner of Economic Leadership LLC, a consultancy that is currently working in more than a dozen states to develop economic and workforce strategies. He has 35 years of experience in directing economic development and workforce development programs, and his current projects include developing economic and workforce strategies in more than a dozen states and regions across the country. Ted speaks to groups across the country and internationally on many topics including the economy, the future of work, trendspotting the future and organizational leadership.
Tickets are available at https://tinyurl.com/edforum2022. The cost for Wake Forest Chamber members is $25 and $30 for on-Chamber members.
Breakfast and coffee will be provided as well as a time to network with area businesses, government officials, and community leaders.
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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-Wednesday, Jan. 25-26
Wake Forest Power tree crews will close the portion of East Spring Street from North Franklin Street to North Taylor Street Tuesday-Wednesday, Jan. 25-26, from 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. each day. The temporary road closure is necessary to allow crews to remove a declining tree out of concern for public safety.
Detour signs and flaggers will be in place directing traffic around the work area. Delays are expected, so motorists are encouraged to use an alternate route if possible.
Town officials plan to donate the tree’s usable wood to Warmth for Wake, a seasonal energy assistance outreach program sponsored by Wake County Health & Human Services. The goal of the program is to provide fuel to low-income residents of Wake County during the coldest winter months.
Through early February
Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 18 and continuing through early February, Town crews will periodically reduce to one lane with alternating two-way traffic portions of Jones Farm Road west of Jones Dairy Road daily from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. The periodic lane reductions are necessary to allow crews to safely repair the sidewalk.
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 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 from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. 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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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.
Tickets are now on sale for $12 each.
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The Town of Wake Forest is pleased to announce the relaunch of Engage Wake Forest - a comprehensive community engagement platform where citizens can engage, collaborate, and provide feedback on Town programs and initiatives.
The goal of Engage Wake Forest is to encourage area residents to learn about Town initiatives, ask questions, and participate in the planning process for a variety of projects. Along the way, the Town will post surveys, polls, and forums to generate new ideas and solicit feedback.
Developed by Bang the Table, the interactive platform allows Wake Forest to communicate important messages without the distraction of off-topic or uncivil comments.
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The Town of Wake Forest is bolstering its communications outreach efforts by offering residents the opportunity to receive text messages about time-sensitive issues and matters of community interest, including police advisories, traffic alerts, holiday operations and special events.
Since 2015 Wake Forest has utilized Blackboard Connect to communicate with residents via telephone, email and text message. Although the system has been used primarily to deliver personalized telephone messages, surveys suggest that phone calls are many residents’ least preferred means of receiving information. In response, the Communications Department is refocusing its efforts on utilizing Blackboard Connect to share information via cell phone text messages.
For anyone interested in receiving occasional text messages from the Town, opting in is easy. Simply visit our website, click on the “Sign Up Now” Blackboard Connect logo, and enter your contact information, including your cell phone numbers and email addresses.
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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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UPDATE - Show Some Love, #KeepWFclean
In late January, we launched our Show Some Love, #KeepWFclean anti-litter campaign. Since then, volunteers have checked out 89 litter kits; logged 216 hours; collected over 5,000 lbs. of trash and 1,280 lbs. of recyclables; and cleaned 30 miles of streets, eight sections of roadway and 13 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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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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