Bright Star Touring Theatre, a national professional touring theatre company based in Asheville, will visit the Renaissance Centre Thursday, Feb. 18, and perform their musical production of “Freedom Songs.” This musical revue provides an energetic and engaging approach to learning about Black History. There will be two performances at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m., and it is a free event. Tickets are $7 each. From songs which carried the secret messages needed to navigate the Underground Railroad, to the powerful anthems of the Civil Rights Movement, to the Beale Street Blues, music has long been an integral part of American history which is celebrated in this production. Bright Star’s professional actor/singers take audiences on a musical tour through hundreds of years of history, sampling songs that spread across centuries and continents, and explaining the history behind these famous ballads, hymns and musical styles. Freedom Songs is best appreciated by audiences in grades

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts welcomes the return of the Neck of the Woods performance series on Friday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 each. Presented and sponsored by Wake Forest ARTS, Neck of the Woods is a variety performance series featuring emerging local artists. Each show is different and may consist of several performing arts acts, including actors, dancers, musicians, comedians, writers and spoken word artists. The Feb. 19 installment of Neck of the Woods will feature teen singer/songwriter Cameron Cokas; the progressive rock trio My Mountains; poet Alice Osborn; and singer Hope Marasco. For complete information, go to www.wakeforestnc.gov/renaissance-centre.aspx  

The Wake Forest Inspections Department issued permits in January for 21single-family homes and 10 townhouses. Also approved were plans for a shell building at 12616 Capital Boulevard (Wake Forest Crossing shopping center) and an amenities center for the Reynolds Mill subdivision at 247 Forbes Road. The department inspected the fit-ups for: retail space at 12616 Capital Boulevard; Vision Martial Arts at 3624 Rogers Road; Engine Masters at 1243 Capital Boulevard; Puremix Studio at 3204 Heritage Trade Drive, Suite 100; office space at 5107 Unicon Drive, Suite B; and Super Cuts at 932 Gateway Commons Circle. Of the ten townhouses, six will be built by Capital City Homes at 1849 Grandmaster Way in the Bishops Grant subdivision and four will be built by CH Construction on Blue Bird Lane in the Caveness Farms Apartments complex. Together the units paid $51,897.51 in fees to the town and will add $1,347,790 to the

With a nationwide jury duty scam reaching area residents, Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern North Carolina is warning consumers and offering tips on how to avoid being taken advantage of. The scam, which begins with a caller impersonating a law enforcement officer claims that the resident has missed jury duty and must pay a fine in order to avoid jail time. Residents are urged to get a reloadable debit card, provide a bank account number or wire money to the scammer. “It has been recently reported that these scammers have been using intimidating language, but it is important to know that these people are professionals. Some will choose to do the opposite of intimidation and pretend to play nice in order to get what they want,” said Mallory Wojciechowski, President and CEO of BBB Serving Eastern NC. “All consumers should always remember a legitimate law enforcement agency will never call

*Freedom Songs: The Music of Black History  will be presented by Bright Star Touring Theatre on Thursday, Feb. 18, at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. in the Renaissance Centre on Brooks Street. *Neck of the Woods will return to the Renaissance Centre Friday, Feb. 19, beginning at 7 p.m. for a variety performance featuring local artists. *The Wake Forest Farmers Market will be open in Renaissance Plaza on Saturday, Feb. 20, with its usual winter hours, 10 a.m. to noon. *A Relay for Life team rally supporting the American Cancer Society will be held Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 6:30 p.m. at The Factory on South Main Street. *A Night of Comedy will be presented by the Wake Forest Rotary Club and the Wake Forest High School Band Boosters on Saturday, Feb. 27, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre. See information about tickets and attractions in this