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.

Friday Night on White returns to downtown tonight (Friday, July 15) at 6 p.m. with Love Tribe.

The following food and dessert trucks will be onsite for tonight's concert (Click on the name of the respective food/dessert truck to view their menu options): Bulkogi Korean BBQ, Charlie's on Wheels, Cousins Maine Lobster, Goodberry's Frozen Custard, Kona Ice, La Katrina Tacos, Lumpy's Ice Cream, MoonRunners, The Naked Empanada, Not Just a Fry Guy, Southern Fried Lumpia Co. and the VFW Chuck Wagon.

This year's remaining concert schedule features The Brickhouse Band (August 12) and Crush (September 9).

The Town of Wake Forest is in the process of updating its Noise Ordinance, and we need your input.

Wake Forest residents and business owners are invited to visit Engage Wake Forest and complete an online survey on the proposed ordinance.

The survey also seeks feedback on “quiet hours” and the Town’s noise permit process.

Available through Friday, Aug. 12, the survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete.

The Human Relations Council is soliciting youth and adult nominations for the 13th Annual Good Neighbor of the Year Award. The award recognizes Wake Forest residents who work to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods without seeking recognition for their efforts.

Nominees are sought in two divisions: adult (ages 19 and older) and youth (ages 10-18). To qualify, a nominee must be a Wake Forest resident who has made a significant contribution to the community between Sept. 1, 2021, and Aug. 31, 2022.

Completed nomination forms must be submitted by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31.

The Town of Wake Forest is partnering with WakeMed to host a free webinar, Mental Health Care - Recognizing & Treating Mental Illness, on Thursday, Aug. 11, from 6-7 p.m.

The webinar will feature a presentation by Dr. Micah Krempasky, Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health & Well-Being, WakeMed Health & Hospitals, who will review common symptoms of mental illness and discuss resources available to loved ones who may be suffering from untreated and undertreated mental illness. The session will also include a 30-minute question-and-answer period.

Community members are asked to register in advance. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Registrants will have the opportunity to submit questions in advance and during the webinar.

On Tuesday, the Town of Wake Forest unveiled a new downtown mural at Unwined on White, 153 S. White St. The wall painting is the second in downtown made possible by a $10,000 matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The first, declaring “Life is Sweet in Downtown Wake Forest,” was installed in December 2020 at property owned by W&W Properties & Investments, LLC, 352 S. White St.

Created by local artist Tony Ramsi, the new downtown mural is comprised of four panels, each displaying a different letter that collectively spells out WaFo. Each of the panels reflect the character of Wake Forest, including the fourth which also underscores Ramsi’s love of dogs.

The PRCR Department will host an online esports gaming tournament featuring "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" Saturday, July 23. Open to players ages 10 and older, the online tournament is free to play and will be live streamed on Twitch.tv.

Registration is open through Wednesday, July 20.

Participants will compete in a one-on-one, single-day, double-elimination tournament to be run in conjunction with "Bull City Gaming." Matches will be best of three the championship match being best of five.
In the event more than 32 participants register, the tournament will expand to two days with the qualifying rounds taking place on July 23 and the top eight participants battling it out in the finals on Sunday, July 24.

The PRCR Department is hosting a free, monthly outdoor movie series through August at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. The next Family Movie Night at Joyner Park will feature the film “The Little Mermaid” on Saturday, July 23, at 8:30 p.m.
 
Each Family Movie Night also includes a movie-related pre-show activity for kids beginning at 7:15 p.m. The theme for the July 23 activity will be “Sea Shells & Princess Ariel.” Children and their families are invited to Make seashell necklaces and enjoy a visit from princess Ariel.

The PRCR Department will host a Virtual Bass Fishing Tournament August 8-31 for ages 13 and older and a Virtual Youth Fishing Tournament for ages 12 and under (non-competitive). Over this 23-day period, local anglers can visit any public fishery in Wake or Franklin County to try and catch the biggest fish.

Participants in the Youth Fishing Tournament may catch any species of fish, while anglers in the Bass Fishing Tournament will be limited to bass only.

Online registration for both tournaments is available through Thursday, July 21. The cost to participate is $10 for the bass tournament and $5 for the youth tourney.

Gallagher, a global insurance brokerage, risk management, and consulting services firm, recently recognized the Town of Wake Forest as a 2022 High Performance Employer and Strategy Award winner. The recognition is based on organizational culture, strategy, results, and resilience.

According to Gallagher, the Town of Wake Forest is as an organization that “engages and retains top talent at the right cost and centers on strategic investments in employee physical and emotional health, financial wellbeing, and career growth. It utilizes data to gather insights and apply best practices that promote a positive employee experience and enhanced wellbeing, employee engagement, and growth.”
Registration continues for Men’s Fall Softball & Open Co-Rec Softball

Registration is underway for Men’s Fall Softball and Co-Recreational Fall Softball and continues through Sunday, July 31.
 
Men’s Fall Recreational Softball is comprised of two leagues – one competitive and one recreational. League play is scheduled to begin in mid-August, and games will be played on Monday and Wednesday. The entry fee is $550 per team.
 
The Open Co-Recreational Softball League will also begin in mid-August, with games 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 be assigned to a team in need of players.

The Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Advisory Board will host an Art in the Park Painting Class for people of all ages and skill levels on Saturday, Aug. 27, at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road.

Two classes will be offered according to the following schedule:

  • 9:30-11:30 am - Children, ages 6-11
  • 1:30-3:30 pm - Youth/Adults, ages 12 and older

Online registration is open to the first 60 people to register via RecDesk (search Art in the Park). 

For nearly 20 years the Town of Wake Forest has been introducing ways for residents to stay up to date on its programs, services, and events. Those offerings range from our website, email notifications via E-Notifier, and various social media platforms to our text/phone notification system and Town app.

Despite our best efforts, there are still some who complain about not knowing what is happening in our community. That's why we thought it might be useful for Talbot the Town Crier to again offer his "olde school" overview of all the ways you can stay informed.

Thanks to everyone who took part in our 2022 Wake Forest Independence Day Celebration presented by Capital Chevrolet! If you want even more proof of what makes our community so special, check out our roughly two-minute highlight video that perfectly captures the spirit and charm of Wake Forest!
WFTV 10 is off the air - except during live meeting broadcasts

WFTV 10 is off the air (except during live meeting broadcasts) due to malfunctioning equipment that controls scheduled video playback.

Officials are in the process of ordering a replacement but experiencing significant delays due to supply chain issues.

Until the new equipment is received and installed, Channel 10 broadcasts will continue to be limited to live meetings.

In the meantime, residents are urged to visit our Public Meetings Portal to watch replays of Town meetings.

The Wake Forest Bus Service Park and Ride Lot has relocated from the former SunTrust building, 353 S. White St., to a rear portion of the Northern Wake Senior Center parking lot, 235 E. Holding Ave. The new park and ride lot is most easily accessed via Brooks Street.

In addition, a new stop has been added in front of the Senior Center, while the former stop along Elm Avenue has been moved across the street. For more information on these changes, email Planner II Dylan Bruchhaus.

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.


Through 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.


Related

Holding Park Aquatic Center (HPAC) is open for the 2022 season. To help ensure an enjoyable experience for everyone, patrons must register and pay online in advance. No walk-ins will be allowed. Pre-registration opens 14 days in advance, and closes when full, or within one hour of the session. For example, a patron must register by 7:59 a.m. for a 9 a.m. session. 

Taylor Street Park Sprayground, 416 N. Taylor St., is open for the season.

Free and open to the public, the sprayground now operates according to the following schedule:

  • Monday-Saturday, 10 am-8 p.m.
  • Sunday, 1-8 p.m.

To view the full 2022 schedule, visit our website.

The Town of Wake Forest is inviting individuals, families, churches and civic clubs to 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.
 
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
The Town of Wake Forest is celebrating the return of warmer weather by hosting a wonderful array of outdoor events and activities for the entire family. From our Memorial Flag-Raising Ceremonies and the Easter Egg Hunt to Friday Night on White and Family Movie Nights at Joyner Park, spring and summer in Wake Forest are jam-packed with fun-filled outdoor events guaranteed to help you forget “Old Man Winter.”

To help inform area residents about all these events, the Town offers Wake Forest Outdoors. The webpage provides detailed information all in one place about our area’s most popular springtime and summer happenings.
Talbot Talks Friday Night on White
 
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.

Related
 

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.

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.
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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.