Mayor Vivian Jones will deliver her 2018 State of the Town Address on Monday, Feb. 19, at 6 p.m. during the 10th annual State of the Town Address and Dinner. Presented by the Wake Forest Rotary Club, the event will take place at the Wake Forest Presbyterian Church, 12605 Capital Boulevard. During her remarks, Mayor Jones will highlight the Town’s key accomplishments in 2017 and outline the goals Wake Forest will strive towards in 2018. All area residents are invited to attend. Tickets are $15 per person in advance and $20 on the day of the event and include a catered meal. Dress for the event is business casual. Tickets can be purchased online with a Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit card at www.wakeforestnc.gov/state-of-the-town.aspx. Tickets may also be purchased at the Renaissance Centre Box Office with cash, check or credit card. A processing fee will be added to the cost

The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce is teaming with the Wake Forest Rotary Club, Wake Technical Community College, and the Town of Wake Forest to “Launch Wake Forest.” The free program mirrors one in Raleigh in which entrepreneurs are provided training, resources, and mentors to help them start or grow a business. The coalition will provide eight weeks of classes (one evening per week). The curriculum has been developed by Wake Tech’s Entrepreneurship Initiative. At the end of the training, students are paired with experienced businesspeople who will act as mentors for another six months. Students will also have access to microloans and possibly investments. The program is aimed at entrepreneurs who have a great idea but don’t know where to start, as well as those who are already in business and need to learn how to get to the next level. At the end of the sessions, students

The American Public Power Association (APPA) has chosen Wake Forest as the site of the 2018 Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo. The event will take place on Saturday, April 28, 2018, at 8 a.m. on property just north of Wake Forest’s Holding Village at the end of South Franklin Street. On that day, hundreds of electric lineworkers from public power utilities across the United States will descend on Holding Village to compete in timed contests to showcase their skills and knowledge in the craft of line work. Teams of lineworkers will climb poles, build overhead construction, pull up wire and hang transformers, all within a set time limit. Events will be judged on safety, work practices, neatness, ability, equipment handling and speed.   The event will be free and open to the public. Area residents who live in the vicinity of Holding Village will likely notice increased activity in the area in

The Wake Forest Inspections Department issued permits for 48 single-family homes and 15 townhouses during November, and also permitted the new Capital Chevrolet (formerly Bobby Murray Chevrolet) at 9820 Capital Boulevard. Choate Construction is building the new car dealership and paid $102,276.89 in fees for the 60,387 square foot building that will add an estimated $6,932,317 to the town’s tax base. Of the 15 townhouses, Terramore Homes is building three townhouses on Brunello Drive in the Siena Townhomes subdivision; Dan Ryan Builders is 12 townhouses in the Stonegate at St. Andrews subdivision, six on Windsnap Drive and six on Sweet Basil Street. Together the builders paid $84,495.25 in fees for homes that will add an estimated $1,384,240 to the tax base. The inspections department also inspected the following fit-ups for new businesses: Heritage PS at 616 Dr. Calvin Jones Highway, suite 100; Experience Salon Studios at 3117 Rogers Road, suite

*The Wake Forest Farmers Market will be open from 10 a.m. to noon (winter hours) Saturday, Jan. 13, in Renaissance Plaza on Brooks Street. Local farmers and artisans will offer meats, seasonal vegetables, bread and baked goods and other local wares. See the market’s Facebook page for information about the 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. *Tri-Area Ministry Food Pantry at 149 East Holding Avenue is now open from 9 to 11 a.m. every third Saturday along with its regular hours on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for food distribution. It serves about 700 families in Wake Forest, Youngsville, Rolesville and their surrounding areas. Call 919-556-7144 for information about receiving food, volunteering