The North Carolina General Assembly has cancelled primary elections for judges this year and has been debating plans to either reconfigure (gerrymander) judicial districts or just do away with judicial elections altogether and appoint political friends to the bench. There is substantial pushback to those plans. The Wake Forest Fair Courts Town Hall-style meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at the Wake Forest Town Hall on Brooks Street. The meeting in the ground floor meeting room best reached from South Taylor Street is hosted by Democracy North Carolina, the NC NAACP, NC Voters for Clean Elections, Progress NC and You Can Vote. Local legislators and experts have been invited to address community concerns about our judicial elections. The organizers say, “We’ll provide the latest ways to help you fight back for fair courts.” The 90-minute meeting is free and open to all but you are invited

The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Food Lion for a Community Raffle with a top prize of $10,000 in cash and 15 other prizes. The money raised will benefit the chamber, and Tri-Area Ministry Food Pantry will receive a $5,000 donation. Only 1,500 tickets – which are $50 each – will be sold. The drawing will be held May 5. You do have to be 18 or older to participate. You can purchase tickets online at https://go.rallyup.com/wfcommunityraffle or in person at the Wake Forest Chamber office at 350 South White Street or at B&W Hardware at 232 South White Street. The prizes apart from the $10,000 in cash are $5,000 AAA Travel Voucher Full Set of Braces/Invisalign ($5,000 value) or $2,000 cash presented by Bumgarner & Martin Orthodontics $2,000 Triangle Town Center Gift Card $1,000 Food Lion Gift Card $1,000 B&W Hardware Gift Card $1,000 Wake

The Wake Forest Woman’s Club will host its first annual Shamrockin’ Casino Gala on Friday, March 16, 2018 at Cross & Main in Youngsville from 7 to 11 p.m. Funds raised will go to many of the charities the club supports, including The Purple Heart Foundation, Note in the Pocket, Safe Space and Meals on Wheels. Tickets are $65 each, which includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, two drink tickets, one raffle ticket and $5,000 play money. The $65 tickets are available now at three downtown Wake Forest locations: Parler Properties, Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce and Ollies Gifts, all on South White Street.

Urban Forestry Specialist Julie Canavin will lead an introductory class on proper tree care practices on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Wake Forest Town Hall Ground Floor Meeting Room, 301 S. Brooks St. The meeting room is most easily accessed via the facility’s Taylor Street entrance. Geared to the homeowner, the one-day class will cover such topics as proper tree selection, planting, pruning (including proper pruning of crape myrtles) and mulching. This workshop provides an alternative to the Tree Steward workshop for residents who are unable to commit to volunteer service. The cost is $15 per person and geared towards area residents ages 18 and older. Preregistration is required by Wednesday, Feb. 21, at wakeforestnc.recdesk.com. For more information, contact Urban Forestry Coordinator Jennifer Rall at 919-435-9565 orjrall@wakeforestnc.gov.

The 2018 Koinonia Cares Charity Auction will be held where The Koinonia Foundation began, the Wake Forest Baptist Church, on Saturday, March 24, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Formed in 1990 by the Koinonia Sunday School Class at Wake Forest Baptist to help the disadvantaged in the community, The Koinonia Foundation of Wake Forest has grown to be an interdenominational non-profit providing financial support for organizations that address human needs which are not otherwise adequately funded and periodically to individuals demonstrating a critical need. The event features a full dinner and a silent and live auction of unique items and valuable services donated by local businesses, artists and individuals. Tickets are $20 per person and only 175 will be sold. Tickets may be purchased online at www.koinoniaWF.org or at these downtown Wake Forest locations: Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce, 350 South White Street Ollies Café & Gifts, 213 South White Street