Did you know that 1 in 30 baby boomers has Hepatitis C and most don’t know it?  In fact, people born from 1945 to 1965 are five times more likely to have Hepatitis C than other adults. Hepatitis C may not cause symptoms for years or even decades while slowly damaging the liver. By the time symptoms appear, liver damage is often significant. Left untreated, Hepatitis C can cause cirrhosis, cancer and even death. It is also the leading cause of liver transplants. “The good news is Hepatitis C can be treated,” said Dr. Kimberly McDonald, medical director at Wake County Human Services. “The first step is to get a simple blood test. Once a diagnosis is made, residents can be connected with the right care and medications to be cured.” Wake County offers free Hepatitis C testing at several convenient locations: Eastern Regional Center in Zebulon: Call 919-404-3900 for

The Rockin’ the Forest music series continues with 6 String Drag on Friday, March 24, at 8 p.m. in the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre on Brooks Street. After 16 years in hibernation, 6 String Drag is back to remind us a few things about real rock ‘n’ roll. In the late ‘90s, the Carolina quartet stood out as pioneers of the nascent alt-country movement. Their Steve Earle-produced LP, High Hat remains an undisputed classic of its era. Now battle-scarred and road-wizened, today’s 6 String Drag is the sound of kindred souls reunited, letting their own histories as human beings mingle freely around their shared love of classic, bygone sounds. Their exhilarating new recording, Roots Rock ‘N’ Roll, welds Kenny Roby and Rob Keller’s trademark harmonies to surging rhythms. Cut mostly live to tape, the effort is equal parts slap-back swagger and openhearted honesty – a triumphant return that celebrates rock’s first golden age

The Town of Wake Forest is inviting residents and visitors to explore the town’s Local and Downtown Historic Districts through two new online virtual tours. Accessible from the town’s website and app, these virtual tours provide users a unique historical perspective of both historic districts through the use of a laptop, tablet or smartphone. Structured around interactive maps of each historic district, both tours feature photos of significant houses, buildings and other landmarks. Each point of interest also includes a brief description and professionally voiced audio clip that users can play at their own pace as they move through the respective historic district. The Historic Preservation Fund awarded the Wake Forest Historic Preservation Commission a matching grant to complete the narration portion of each virtual tour.  Financed in part with federal funding from the National Park Service and Department of the Interior, the grant was administered by the North Carolina

There are empty seats on two of the Wake Forest advisory board, the Historic Preservation Commission and the Human Rights Council. Anyone who lives in town or in its small extraterritorial jurisdiction may apply, but candidates for the historic preservation board must live in the North Main historic district. Professionals with historic preservation expertise are greatly urged to apply for the HPC, which is also the sponsor of the biennial historic holiday tour in December. Applicants are expected to attend the next meeting of the advisory board to which they applied to introduce themselves to the current board members and explain why they wish to serve on that board. The human relations council meets next on Thursday, March 23, at 6:30 p.m. in conference room 015 on the ground floor of town hall, and the historic preservation commission meets next on Wednesday, April 12, at 7 p.m. in the ground

Area residents are invited to the Cougar Walk of Champions on Saturday, March 25, at 1 p.m. This one-of-a-kind community celebration will honor the 2016 Wake Forest High School football team, winners of last season’s 4AA state championship. The team’s championship appearance marked the fourth time in six seasons the Cougars advanced to the finals as the 4AA eastern regional champions and its football state title is the first for a Wake County school since 1987. The Cougar Walk of Champions will recognize the team for its consistency on the field, highlight the school’s place in the town’s history, and demonstrate the collective sense of pride shared by the Wake Forest community. A walking parade made up of the Wake Forest High School football team and coaching staff, marching band and varsity cheerleading squad will kick off the afternoon festivities. The procession will depart the Depot Parking Lot on South

Area residents are invited to attend the 17th Wake Forest Memorial Flag-Raising Ceremony on Monday, April 3, at 11 a.m. The program will take place in Centennial Plaza in front of the Wake Forest Town Hall and usher in the 2017 Wake Forest memorial flag-raising season. The April 3 service will honor Sgt. James Steffins, who served his nation in the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II. Members of Steffins’ family will 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. Marine Corps service flag will be raised in recognition of the military branch in which Steffins served. Both flags will fly in Centennial Plaza throughout April. Photographs and other remembrances of Steffins will also be displayed in Centennial Plaza during the ceremony, then in the town hall lobby through

If you are between the ages of 23 and 45, join the Wake Forest Young Professionals group! Their monthly networking lunch is scheduled for Tuesday, March 14, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. at San Jose Mexican & Tequila Bar, 11201 Galleria Avenue, Raleigh. Register online. * * * * There may be a couple tickets unsold for this year’s Reverse Raffle at The Sutherland on March 17 and you can find them at the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce office on South White Street. The tickets are $125 each and admit two to the party. Only 300 tickets will be sold, giving you an excellent chance to win the Pot o’ Gold Grand Prize — your choice of a Nissan Leaf electric car or $10,000 cash! Thank you to our Pot ‘o Gold sponsors: Chris Leith Automotive, Wake Electric Membership Corp., and Wake Forest Power. Also, donations from many

The Northern Wake Senior Center will be enlarged soon, and center members are invited to be part of one or both focus sessions that will help aid the design. On Tuesday, March 14, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. the group will discuss the needs of the fitness, dance and movement classes. Then on Tuesday, March 21, the discussion will focus on the arts – painting, writing, crafts and ceramics – and their needs. Circle your calendar for Sunday, March 12, when Daylight Savings Time begins. You don’t want to be late to any of the center’s programs. Irish or just like to wear the green? You will want to party at the St. Patrick’s Day covered dish social on Friday, March 17, from 10 a.m. to noon. There will be fun and entertainment. Bring a dish to share. Please sign up by March 14. If you are interested in Wake

*The Wake Forest Farmers Market will be held in Renaissance Plaza on Brooks Street Saturday, March 11, from 10 a.m. to noon. See its Facebook page for vendors. *Monday Night Bingo at The Factory is hosted by the Wake Forest Kiwanis Club in the Mill Room from 7 to 9:30 p.m. every Monday night. All profits support the club’s projects for children. Visit www.wakeforestbingo.com for more information. *Overeaters Anonymous meets on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the Wake Forest United Methodist Church, 905 South Main Street. Enter through the back by the office. No dues, fees or weigh-ins. Everyone welcome! Contact Jennifer at 928-225-5236. *Tri-Area Ministry Food Pantry at 149 East Holding Avenue is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for food distribution and serves about 700 families in Wake Forest, Youngsville, Rolesville and their surrounding areas. Call 919-556-7144 for information about receiving food, volunteering and

* 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.com or 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 919-880-1915 for the location and time. * The Kiwanis Club of Wake Forest meets at The Forks Cafeteria every Thursday at 7:15 a.m. There are speakers at each meeting except the first meeting of the month, which is devoted to business. Call Thomas Walters at 919-606-9108 or