John E. Wooten Jr., who served his country in the U.S. Merchant Marine, will be honored Monday, Oct. 3, at 11 a.m. during the 16tth Wake Forest Memorial Flag-Raising Ceremony in Centennial Plaza at 301 Brooks Street. Members of Wooten’s family have been invited to participate in the ceremony which will include patriotic songs, special remarks, a memorial wreath laying, and the ceremonial flag-raising. Following the raising of the American flag, the U.S. Merchant Marine service flag will be raised in recognition of the military branch in which Wooten served. Both flags will fly in Centennial Plaza throughout October. Photographs and other remembrances of Wooten will also be displayed in Centennial Plaza during the ceremony, then in the town hall lobby through the end of October. Presented by local veterans’ organizations to honor the sacrifices of deceased Wake Forest veterans and their families, memorial flag-raising ceremonies are held in Centennial

The Town of Wake Forest and Wake Forest Power are joining more than 2,000 not-for-profit utilities in celebrating Public Power Week Oct. 2-8. As part of this annual week-long celebration, the town and Wake Forest Power will offer several special events and activities: Public Power Week Crossword Puzzle Contest – From now through Wednesday, Oct. 5, Wake Forest Power residential electric customers can enter to win free electricity in October by participating in the Public Power Week Crossword Puzzle Contest. Three winners will be announced during the evening Energy Expo on Thursday, Oct. 6. To download the crossword puzzle and registration form, visit the town’s website at www.wakeforestnc.gov/crossword-puzzle-contest.aspx. Savings for Seniors Bingo – Wake Forest-area seniors are invited to enjoy a special morning of bingo outdoors on Tuesday, Oct. 4. From 10 a.m. to noon, Wake Forest Power will host “Savings for Seniors Bingo” in Centennial Plaza, in front of

The Wake Forest Historic Preservation Commission and the Wake Forest Woman’s Club will present their biennial Christmas Historic Home Tour on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 1 to 7 p.m. Advance tickets will go on sale for $18 including tax beginning Saturday, Oct. 1. Tickets will be available for purchase online at www.wakeforestnc.gov/christmashometour.aspx and at several area locations. There are only 2,000 tickets to ensure the best possible experience for everyone and may not be available for purchase on the day of the tour. Well-mannered children under the age of 12 will be admitted free. Offered only in even-numbered years, the Christmas Historic Home Tour is a self-guided tour featuring several Wake Forest homes and other properties decorated for the holidays and open for viewing. This year’s event will also offer wonderful Christmas music and more. Android and iPhone users can have a handy pocket guide to this year’s Christmas Historic Home Tour in the

Excited by this year’s election? Debating and arguing about it with friends? Well, are you ready to vote? Are you registered? You have until close of day Friday, Oct. 14, to register to vote, which is almost painless though it does take some time. You do have to show identification to register, which can be either a driver’s license or a rent or mortgage statement showing your name and address. It does not have to be a photo ID. Also a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit reversed North Carolina’s law requiring photo ID to vote. You can find a voter registration form at the North Carolina State Board of Elections (www.ncsbe.gov) or at the Raleigh office (www.wakegov.com/elections) and the last date to register is Friday, Oct. 14. Voter registration forms are also available at public libraries, public schools, DMV offices and Wake County

Wake Forest and Rolesville residents will be able to vote early on two Sundays, three Saturdays and all weekdays at convenient locations for the two weeks of early voting in October. Voters can go to the Wake County Northern Regional Center on East Holding Avenue in Wake Forest for the first and second weeks of voting – Thursday,  Oct. 20 through Saturday, Nov. 5. During the second week – Thursday, Oct. 27 through Saturday, Nov. 5 – voters can go to New Bethel Baptist Church on East Young Street in Rolesville. There are also early voting sites in Wendell and Zebulon. It did not begin that way. In September, after a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit found in late July that North Carolina’s 2013 voting law intentionally restricted the voting rights of African American voters, the three-man Wake County Board of Elections voted