Have you noticed the new planters filled with flowers along downtown South White Street? This is a joint project spearheaded by Louise Howard and the Wake Forest Garden Club, Downtown Wake Forest and the Town of Wake Forest. The garden club contributed 65 percent of the cost of the planters, Downtown Wake Forest contributed 35 percent and the town will pay its landscaper to fill the planters with flowers, maintain and water them. Also, Alan Brown – should we call him Downtown Alan Brown because of his promotion and backing of our downtown and its shops and activities? – has produced a new segment about downtown Wake Forest for “North Carolina Weekend,” which will air on WUNC-TV (Channel 4) at 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, and again on Friday, Aug. 22, at 8:30 p.m. Brown filmed it, he said, in bits and pieces during the last half of July and

Applications are now being accepted for participation in the 2014 Wake Forest Christmas Parade. Applications are available online at www.wakeforestnc.gov/wake-forest-christmas-parade-1.aspx and at the Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St. Interested participants should submit their application by mail to Wake Forest Christmas Parade, c/o Wake Forest Downtown, Inc., P.O. Box 78, Wake Forest, NC 27588. Entries postmarked by Tuesday, Oct. 15, will be considered for inclusion based on the number of entries needed for each category. Accepted entrants will be notified via email by Friday, Oct. 31. Payment for entry must be received by Friday, Nov. 14, to secure a position in the parade. Parade packets for accepted participants will be mailed Wednesday, Nov. 26. The packet will include vehicle passes, parking information and other pertinent details for the event. Sponsored by PowerSecure and presented by Wake Forest Downtown, Inc., this year’s Wake Forest Christmas Parade is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 13, at 1

Whenever a major story dominates the news, scammers take advantage of the public’s interest with online photos, stories and social media links that claim to offer sensational details. This tactic is called “click baiting.” Unfortunately, the bait that is being used right now involves the death of Robin Williams. BBB warns consumers about clicking on links, downloading pictures or purchasing commemorative souvenirs, unless you are on an established website with built-in buyer protections. Con artists exploit tragedies in these ways: Impersonating victims or family members on social media. Selling memorabilia, often promising that some or all of the proceeds will go to charity Posting teasers for sensational video footage or photos Any of these tactics can lead to downloading malware on your computer or smartphone, sharing personal information that can lead to identity theft, or providing information that can be used for additional spamming. Scammers also post sensational or emotional

*The Wake Forest Farmers Market will be open its regular summer hours, 8 a.m. to noon, on Saturday, Aug. 23, in the parking lot behind CVS. *The Wake Forest Guild’s Tour of Artists will take place Sept. 6 and 7. Go to www.wakeforestguild.com for details including the names of the 61 participating artists and maps for the studios. *The Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the 25th Annual Tar River Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, in downtown Louisburg.

Many of the clubs and organizations listed below have recently elected new presidents or representatives. Plea.se help in keeping this list current by sending the names and contact information about the new people to the editor at cwpelosi@aol.com. * American Legion Post 187 meets the second Thursday at 7 p.m. in the American Legion Hall at 225 East Holding Avenue. The dinner begins at 6 p.m. and costs $5. For information and membership, call Commander Dave Goetze at 569-0471 or visit www.alpost187.org. * American Heritage Girls (AHG) meets at 6:30 p.m. at Hope Lutheran Church on Rogers Road on the second and fourth Thursdays. Contact Amy Minor at chrisnamy34@hotmail.comor see the website, www.hopelutheranwf.org. * The General James Moore Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution meets the third Tuesday but does not meet in June, July and August. Call 880-1915 for the location and time. * The Kiwanis Club