By Carol Pelosi On January 6, 1941, two years after the European war that would become World War II and eleven months before the attack on Pearl Harbor that brought America into the war, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave a speech, now referred to as his Four Freedoms Speech, which laid out his vision for America and the rest of the world. “The basic things expected by our people of their political and economic systems are simple. They are: equality of opportunity for youth and for others. Jobs for those who can work. Security for those who need it. The ending of special privilege for the few. The preservation of civil liberties for all. The enjoyment of the fruits of scientific progress in a wider and constantly rising standard of living. “[W]e look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and

The Town of Wake Forest is accepting applications for the 2018 Wake Forest Planning Board Academy through Friday, Jan. 5. The Planning Board Academy is a comprehensive training program designed to prepare residents of the town and its extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) to serve as members of the Wake Forest Planning Board. Applications may be completed and submitted online by visiting www.wakeforestnc.gov/planning-board-academy.aspx. Applications are also available at Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St. Academy participants will be expected to attend one training session one evening per month from February through May 2018. The session dates are Feb. 12, March 12, April 9, and May 14. Each session is scheduled from 6-9 p.m. at Town Hall and will include dinner. Class size is limited, and pre-registration is required. Session instructors will be provided by the law firm of Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP. Only residents of Wake Forest and the Town’s ETJ are eligible

The second edition of a guide designed to help inform citizens about the town’s financial condition is now available. For the second consecutive year, Wake Forest has prepared the Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR). Also known as the Citizens’ Financial Report, the document is an abbreviated summary of the town’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). Offering financial and operational information in a summarized format, the 12-page report provides an overview of the town’s financial results in a manner that is easy to understand by those without a background in public finance or accounting. In addition to providing financial data, the PAFR highlights information about Wake Forest’s demographics, elected officials, ongoing initiatives, and the Town’s strategic plan. The PAFR aligns with Goal 4 of the town’s strategic plan: Enhance Fiscal Strength; Objective A: Maintain public trust in the sustainability of the Town’s financial system. “We are very excited to present the

The Town of Wake Forest is encouraging residents to make recycling a holiday tradition by recycling their Christmas trees. Beginning Thursday, Dec. 28, the Town will collect and recycle live Christmas trees from residential homes according to its normal yard waste collection schedule. The trees will be ground into mulch, which will be used at the site of the 2018 Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo, scheduled for Saturday, April 28. All Wake Forest residents whose yard waste is collected by the Town may participate in the “Treecycling” program. To recycle your Christmas tree, please remove all decorations, tinsel, nails, stands and bags from the tree and set it behind the curb for collection. Residents are reminded that artificial trees cannot be recycled. By recycling Christmas trees, Wake Forest saves valuable space at the landfill. For more information about Christmas tree recycling, contact Administrative Assistant Betty Pearce at 919-435-9570 or bpearce@wakeforestnc.gov. For more

The Town of Wake Forest will suspend loose leaf collection during the week of Dec. 25, so crews can focus their efforts on collecting Christmas trees. The break will also allow the Fleet Services Division to make much-needed repairs to the Town’s leaf collection equipment. Also, due to the Christmas holiday, yard waste collection will be suspended Monday-Wednesday, Dec. 25-27, but will resume Thursday, Dec. 28, at 7 a.m. Crews will follow the normal collection schedule beginning with Thursday’s route. Collection of the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday routes will occur beginning Tuesday, Jan. 2. To view a map of the weekly yard waste collection schedule, visit www.wakeforestnc.gov/yard-waste.aspx. Officials are reminding residents to follow these tips to prepare yard waste debris for quicker pickup: Place yard waste within six feet of the curb and at least four feet away from other collection items (including other yard waste) and obstacles such as mailboxes, phone poles and