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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The Wake Forest Police Department (WFPD) is encouraging area residents, businesses, neighborhood groups, and homeowners’ associations to show their support for police-community crime prevention partnerships by participating in Wake Forest’s National Night Out (NNO) on Monday, Oct. 4. The event will take place from 5-7:30 p.m. in the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre parking lot, 405 S. Brooks St.
NNO promises something for everyone, including a DJ, games, food, special prize drawings, and fire, police, and EMS vehicle displays, along with a variety of booths highlighting crime prevention and safety.
Wake Forest Police officers will be on hand distributing information on topics such as vehicle security, home security and personal safety. The police department will also offer a K-9 demonstration and D.A.R.E. presentation and share information on Neighborhood Watch, Special Olympics and more.
Although NNO is offered nationally on the first Tuesday in August, the WFPD schedules its event each year on the first Monday in October to take advantage of cooler temperatures.
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The Town's annual loose leaf collection program will begin Monday, Oct. 4, and continue through Friday, March 11, 2022. Residents are reminded that the Town provides bi-monthly loose leaf collection service which calls for crews to service Wake Forest streets twice each month.
When preparing leaves and yard waste for collection, residents are urged to follow these guidelines:
- Rake leaves into piles behind the curb, so they do not interfere with traffic or drainage.
- Do not mix sticks, rocks, pine cones, limbs or other debris with loose leaves. The Town’s vacuum equipment is only designed to pick up loose leaves. Your cooperation will help prevent mechanical breakdowns and collection delays.
- Place limbs and brush behind the curb in a pile separate from leaves.
- Limbs and brush larger than one inch but smaller than six inches in diameter must be no longer than six feet. Limbs and logs larger than six inches in diameter must not exceed two feet in length. Logs must not exceed 10 inches in diameter.
- Keep brush away from other objects such as, fences, walls, water meters, utility poles, mailboxes, fire hydrants and cars.
- Keep debris free of animal waste. Animal waste should be bagged and placed in rollout garbage carts.
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Ligon Mill Road railroad crossing to be closed Thursday for improvements
NCDOT crews will close for repairs the railroad crossing on Ligon Mill Road between Burlington Mills Road and US 1A/South Main Street on Thursday, Oct. 7, from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The closure is necessary to replace the timbers at the crossing, which will result in a much smoother drive.
A signed detour will use Burlington Mills Road, US 1/Capital Boulevard and US 1A/South Main Street to get around the closure.
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The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce will host a Candidates Forum on Thursday, Oct. 7, from 6-8 p.m. at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 301 S. Brooks St.
Candidates running for the Wake Forest Board of Commissioners and for Wake Forest Mayor have been invited to participate. Each candidate will be given time to briefly explain their views on local issues. After a moderated question and answer session, attendees will have an opportunity to speak one-on-one with each candidate to learn more about their positions on issues of interest.
“The Chamber is pleased to organize this event,” said Ann Welton, president. “All elections are important, but local races are especially significant. Our intention is to give all Wake Forest area residents the opportunity to meet and talk with candidates before they cast their votes.”
Candidates who have committed to the event are Vivian Jones, Bridget Wall-Lennon, Liz Simpers, Patrick Griffin, Mike Molinaro, Keith Shackleford, and Nick Sliwinski.
Registration is not required; however masks are required inside the Renaissance Centre. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and residents are invited to arrive any time before the program begins at 6 p.m. For more information, call the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce at 919-556-1519.
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The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department will sponsor a Halloween Boo Bash on Thursday, Oct. 21, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. Presented by Capital Chevrolet, the Halloween Boo Bash is a free, family-oriented festival for children ages 12 and younger.
This year’s festivities will include a variety of ghostly games and activities, along with free pumpkin giveaways - while supplies last. Costumes are optional, but best costumes will be featured on the Town’s website and social media pages.
In addition to Capital Chevrolet, the following local businesses have generously contributed to this year’s Halloween Boo Bash: Triangle Family Dentistry, Passanante’s Home Food Services, Wells Family Dental Group, Elan Dental, and McPherson Family Eye Care.
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The Town of Wake Forest often receives inquiries concerning when families should go trick-or-treating. Since Halloween is always October 31, that’s the day the Town encourages families to go door-to-door in costumes for candy and fun – regardless of the day of the week on which it falls.
The Wake Forest Police Department also recommends that little ghosts and goblins trick-or-treat between the hours of 6 and 8 p.m.
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Disclaimer: We know! It's only October! If you prefer not to think about the holidays until after Halloween, please proceed to the next article. If - on the other hand - you like to plan ahead, please continue reading.
You can stay current on all our holiday events by visiting and bookmarking the Christmas in Wake Forest portal on the Town website. It provides easy access to event dates, times, locations, and more, so “tis the season” to mark your calendars, so you don’t miss a thing.
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The Town of Wake Forest and Wake Forest Power (WFP) are joining more than 2,000 not-for-profit utilities in celebrating Public Power Week October 3-9. Although this year’s Energy Expo and other in-person customer appreciation activities have been canceled due to COVID-19, Wake Forest and WFP will commemorate Public Power Week by offering a special online trivia contest and utilizing the Wake Forest Power Facebook page to celebrate the benefits of public power and salute the folks who keep our lights on. In anticipation of Public Power Week, WFP customers are encouraged to “Like” Wake Forest Power on Facebook.
Wake Forest Power residential customers can enter to win free electricity in October by participating in the Public Power Week Trivia Contest. All of the answers to the trivia questions can be found on the Town website. Every customer that answers all 10 questions correctly will be entered into a drawing for free electricity. On Friday, Oct. 8, at 3 p.m., the names of three winners will be announced via Wake Forest Power’s social media sites. The deadline to enter is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6.
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On Monday, Oct. 11, Town crews will implement a new traffic pattern along South College Street and West Owen Avenue. The new design will reverse the current one-way system from south and east to west and north. As a result, drivers will be able to access West Owen Avenue from South Main Street/US 1A but prohibited from turning onto South College Street from South Avenue.
As part of the traffic reversal initiative, crews will also install three ADA compliant ramps into Holding Park, stripe new angled parking spaces, and erect new signage along the roadway. Weather-permitting, the work will be completed by Friday, Oct. 15.
Approved by the Board of Commissioners on September 21, the new traffic pattern is intended to provide easier access to Holding Park, Holding Park Aquatic Center, and the Wake Forest Community House – all located at 133 W. Owen Ave. Holding Park will remain open and accessible throughout the week of October 11. Park visitors are encouraged to park in the gravel parking lot across the street from the Community House.
Electronic message boards announcing the new traffic pattern will be set up during the week of October 4 to help alert motorists.
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From Reggae to Motown and Salsa to Jazz, there’s something for all music lovers at this year’s Six Sundays in Fall concert series.
Sponsored by the Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department and ARTS Wake Forest, our concerts continue Sunday, Oct. 3, at 5 p.m. with Tea Cup Gin (Indie Jazz).
The PRCR Department is pleased to partner with ARTS Wake Forest to offer this autumn version of "Six Sundays in Spring." Featuring free, live, outdoor entertainment – rain or shine - Six Sundays in Fall will feature a variety of local and regional performers in the spacious E. Carroll Joyner Park Amphitheater, 701 Harris Road.
Six Sundays in Fall concludes October 10 with Chatham Rabbit (Americana).
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The Public Art Commission, Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources, and ARTS Wake Forest are partnering to host a special Community Celebration of the Arts on Saturday, Oct. 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Alston-Massenburg Center and Taylor Street Park, 416 N. Taylor St.
Open and free to the public, this family-friendly event will include food, music, and a variety of indoor and outdoor arts activities for children of all ages, including rock painting, chalk art, and “do it yourself” kits to assemble on-site or take home.
The occasion will also highlight the public art murals and sculptures installed throughout Wake Forest and included in the Virtual Public Art Tour available on the Town website and Town app. The PAC will recognize the talented artists responsible for these works of art during a ceremony at noon in Taylor Street Park.
Throughout the event, food will be provided by Crumbstruction at no cost while supplies last, and a local DJ will be on site playing popular tunes for fun and dancing.
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A specialized law enforcement program, the CIT is a partnership between 17 Wake County law enforcement agencies, Wake County Human Services and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The initiative is designed to develop a more effective, compassionate and safer approach to interacting with people suffering from a mental illness or developmental disability crisis.
The CIT provides 40 hours of specialized training to sworn law enforcement officers. The training helps officers identify individuals in a mental health crisis and utilize effective techniques to deescalate crisis situations. As a result, there are fewer incidents of incarceration of persons with mental illness for misdemeanor charges, and fewer injuries to both officers and individuals with mental illness. In Wake County, more than 500 officers have been certified.
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The Town of Wake Forest, the Northeast Community Coalition, Rebuilding Together for the Triangle, and a network of community partners are recruiting volunteers of all ages for Make a Difference Day - Northeast Neighborhood Renewal on Saturday, Oct. 23, at Taylor Street Park, 416 N. Taylor St.
Volunteers are needed from 9 a.m.-noon to assist with a range of efforts in the Northeast Community, including litter pickup, leaf sweeping and collection, storm drain stenciling, bulk waste removal and more. Local civic groups and community organizations are especially encouraged to participate, along with local students interested in earning community service hours.
Anyone planning to volunteer is urged to register. Everyone under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or adult. Waiver of liability forms are required for all participants and included in the online registration form.
On the day of the event, volunteers are urged to dress appropriately for being outdoors by wearing protective clothing, sunscreen, insect repellent, hats, work gloves and appropriate close-toed shoes (no sandals or flip-flops).
Make a Difference Day will conclude with a hotdog lunch for everyone that volunteers from noon to 1 p.m.
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You're invited to enjoy the vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows of autumn while also learning about native trees during a series of "Fall Foliage Tours" in early November at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road.
Urban Forestry Coordinator Luke Devores will offer the free, one-hour tours “rain or shine” on Wednesday, Nov. 3, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 6, at noon and 2 p.m.
Parents and children of all ages are welcome, and no registration is required.
Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to assemble in front of the Joyner Park Community Center.
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One of the southeast’s most popular beach music bands and a 1997 Beach Music Hall of Fame inductee, the Band of Oz returns to the Renaissance Centre on Saturday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m. VIP and reserved seating are sold out, but general admission tickets are still available for $15.
The Celtic Angels, Celtic Knights, and Angel Dancers with Trinity Band Ensemble of Dublin will perform three shows over two days at the Renaissance Centre Friday-Saturday, Dec. 10-11. Friday’s performance is at 7:30 p.m., while Saturday’s shows are at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Reserved seats for all performances are $25.
Finally, brothers Christopher and Taylor will be joined by the Malpass family to share their traditions in story and song on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 7:30 p.m. Reserved seats are $25.
Don't miss your chance to see these favorites live and in person as these shows are expected to sell out. To purchase your tickets, visit our website or contact the Renaissance Centre Box Office at 919-435-9458.
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Forest Moon Theater will present The Odd Couple Friday-Sunday, Oct. 22-24, at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St. Showtimes are Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday at 3 p.m.
From stage to film to television, Neal Simon’s “The Odd Couple” has proven to be one of America’s most beloved, enduring stories of mismatched roommates. Join us for the fun when we present our take on this classic comedy, which opens as a group of the guys assemble for a poker game in the apartment of divorced Oscar Madison. (And if the mess is any indication, it's no wonder that Oscar’s wife left him.)
Late to arrive is Felix Unger, who has just been separated from his wife. Fastidious, depressed, and none too tense, Felix seems suicidal, but as the action unfolds, Oscar becomes the one with murder on his mind when the clean freak and the slob ultimately decide to room together with hilarious results.
Advance tickets are $15 plus tax for adults and $13 plus tax for students and seniors. These prices reflect a savings of $3 per adult and student/senior on “day of” admission tickets.
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The cost is $5 per player. Teams comprised of five players each will compete in the tournament which will run in conjunction with "Bull City Gaming." The top three teams in the Battle in the Forest will receive a variety of prizes and awards, including scholarships from Barton College Esports.
League of Legends is an online battle arena esports game produced by Riot Games. Since its initial release date in October 2009, it has been one of the most popular eSports games worldwide.
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From November 22-December 5, the Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department will host a Virtual Bass Fishing Tournament for ages 13 and older and a Virtual Youth Fishing Tournament for ages 12 and under.
Over this two-week period, local anglers are encouraged to 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, Nov. 4. The cost to participate is $10 for the bass tournament and $5 for the youth tourney. Participants in the bass tourney will receive a fishing scale to be used in the competition, while contestants in the youth tournament will receive an “Early Fisherman” packet.
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Mark your calendars for a cinematic tour de force! The Third Annual Wake Forest Film Festival is scheduled for Friday-Saturday, March 4-5, 2022, at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St. Tickets are $15 (for both days) and go on sale Monday, Nov. 1.
Entitled “A Light in the Forest,” the Wake Forest Film Festival will spotlight passionate, creative and thought-provoking movies by some of today's most promising and accomplished local, national and international filmmakers. The two-day film showcase will engage audiences with films of all lengths and genres, including short and feature, documentary, horror, animation and student (high school and college). 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 Renaissance Centre is accepting film submissions via FilmFreeway through Wednesday, Oct. 13. The website includes film screening fees and submission requirements. It also includes the following stipulations: 1) all submitted films should have a plot that “reveals” or “sheds light” on a topic or issue; and 2) foreign films must include subtitles.
In addition, the Renaissance Centre is seeking volunteers to judge submitted films. Selected judges will be given a link to view the films, then asked to provide feedback and scores. To learn more, email Renaissance Centre Manager Debbie Dunn.
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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.
Monday-Friday, Oct. 4-8
Town crews will reduce to one lane with alternating two-way traffic a portion of Hogan Drive between Purnell Road and McGowan Court Monday-Friday, Oct. 4-8, from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. each day. The periodic lane closures are necessary to allow crews to repair curb and gutter and asphalt.
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.
Monday, Oct. 4 - Monday, Oct. 11
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.
Thursday, Oct. 7
NCDOT crews will close for repairs the railroad crossing on Ligon Mill Road between Burlington Mills Road and US 1A/South Main Street on Thursday, Oct. 7, from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The closure is necessary to replace the timbers at the crossing, which will result in a much smoother drive.
A signed detour will use Burlington Mills Road, US 1/Capital Boulevard and US 1A/South Main Street to get around the closure.
Monday-Friday, Oct. 11-15
On Monday, Oct. 11, Town crews will implement a new traffic pattern along South College Street and West Owen Avenue. The new design will reverse the current one-way system from south and east to west and north. As a result, drivers will be able to access West Owen Avenue from South Main Street/US 1A but prohibited from turning onto South College Street from South Avenue.
As part of the traffic reversal initiative, crews will also install three ADA compliant ramps into Holding Park, stripe new angled parking spaces, and erect new signage along the roadway. Weather-permitting, the work will be completed by Friday, Oct. 15.
Approved by the Board of Commissioners on September 21, the new traffic pattern is intended to provide easier access to Holding Park, Holding Park Aquatic Center, and the Wake Forest Community House – all located at 133 W. Owen Ave. Holding Park will remain open and accessible throughout the week of October 11. Park visitors are encouraged to park in the gravel parking lot across the street from the Community House.
Electronic message boards announcing the new traffic pattern will be set up during the week of October 4 to help alert motorists.
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The Town of Wake Forest is in the process of developing an Affordable Housing Plan to help better analyze and mitigate housing conditions within our community. As a first step in that process, the Town is inviting residents to complete a brief survey. Designed to help the Town better understand the housing experiences and challenges of the Wake Forest community, the questionnaire takes approximately five minutes to complete.
Once completed, the Wake Forest Affordable Housing Plan will examine existing local housing conditions, determine housing needs, establish a vision and goals, and recommend community housing policies to help achieve this vision.
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The Wake Forest Police Department (WFPD) is accepting monetary donations through Saturday, Nov. 20, as part of its 15th Annual Turkey Drive. Area residents can support this worthy cause by submitting online donations via PayPal.
Cash and checks written to the Wake Forest Police Department are also accepted. Anyone wishing to contribute cash or check to this year’s Turkey Drive should email Officer K. Abshire.
Officials are considering several options for safely distributing the turkeys this year. Additional information will be provided once plans are finalized.
The WFPD organized its first Turkey Drive in 2007. Since then, the department has distributed nearly 10,000 turkeys to needy families in our area, including over 800 last year.
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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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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 may 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 are encouraged to 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.
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The Town of Wake Forest has 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.
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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.
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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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