June 18, 2003: Water/sewer increases delayed Tuesday night Wake Forest’s commissioners pared a penny and gave the fire department 1 cent of the 2 cents it had requested, raising the town’s property tax rate from 52 cents to 53 cents. Citing public safety needs, the board members said the additional $110,000 on the fire contract should be used for personnel, in particular full-time staffing of Station 2 on Ligon Mill Road. There is a paid staff at Station 2 on weekdays, but after 6 p.m. during the week and on weekends it is staffed with on-call volunteers. Fire and first-responder calls are sent to Station 1 on East Elm Avenue, which has round-the-clock paid staffing, although the volunteers also respond. “I’m very appreciative of what they did with the penny,” Fire Chief Jimmy Keith said Wednesday. “Everybody saw the need.” He vowed he would return to ask for the second

*Neck of the Woods Performance Series returns to the Renaissance Centre Friday, June 19, from 7 to 9 p.m. See details in this week’s issue. *The Wake Forest Farmers Market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon in Renaissance Plaza on Brooks Street this Saturday, June 20. *The Classic & Antique Charity Car Show will be held Saturday, June 20, in downtown Wake Forest. * The Malpass Brothers will take to the stage at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts on Saturday, June 27, at 7 p.m. *The Wake Forest Fourth of July Celebration will be held over two days, the Friday and Saturday of July 3 and 4. The stadium and fireworks show will be held in Trentini Stadium on the campus of Wake Forest High School on Friday evening, July 3, and the children’s parade and activities in Holding Park afterward will be held Saturday,