If you have been wondering if townhouses would begin to outnumber single family homes, you might think that day is dawning with the permitting numbers for April where there were 37 townhouses permitted versus 58 for single-family houses. Not a majority yet, but gaining. The Wake Forest Inspections Department reported that DR Horton will build 16 townhouses along Treetop Meadow Lane and Sunshade Creek Drive in a new section of the Traditions subdivision called Orchards; Dan Ryan Builders is planning 11 townhouses in the Shearon Farms subdivision on a street called Tain Burgh Court; Terramor Homes will build four townhouses in the Siena Townhomes subdivision on Brunello Drive; and Forest Park Construction will build six townhouses in the Franklin Street Townes on Townes Park Street. Together those new homes will add a little more than $4 million to the tax base by the developers’ estimates and the town gained $67,541.00

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts and the Women’s Theatre Festival (WTF) are hosting an around-the-clock 24-hour event called “Occupy the Stage.” The event will take place from 7 p.m. Saturday, June 30, through 7 p.m. Sunday, July 1. Geared to women ages 16 and older, “Occupy the Stage” will feature “staged” readings from across the country, along with a host of workshops, such as “Marketing 101” and “How to Run a Lighting Board.” The event will also offer several discussion panels and devised theatre pieces, including local playwright and poet Debra Kaufman workshopping “The Illuminated Dresses.” Founded in 2016 to create, produce and promote extraordinary theatre by women, the WTF encourages women to aspire to leadership roles in the theatrical field. During “Occupy the Stage,” WTF members can participate in a “VIP Track” that features the best theatrical practitioners in our area offering guidance on several specialized

The Town of Wake Forest will offer area residents two opportunities to share their transportation-related issues and concerns on Wednesday, May 23. As part of the process of developing the 2018 Comprehensive Transportation Plan, the own will host back-to-back public meetings at the Wake Forest Historical Museum, 414 North Main Street. Scheduled from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m., the two sessions will have identical formats, so area residents have the option of attending at the time they prefer. Both will include interactive presentations that encourage attendees to identify and discuss transportation challenges and concerns in Wake Forest. Following the presentations, participants will be invited to visit several workstations where they can share their ideas and opinions on a variety of topics, including safety, intersections, roadway congestion, technology, walking, biking and transit. Community input is the cornerstone of the 2018 Comprehensive Transportation Plan, which will address all

Wake Electric is once again offering the Bright Ideas education teacher grant program. From now through Sept. 12, educators can submit an application for Bright Ideas grants of up to $3,000 for innovative, hands-on classroom projects that would not otherwise be funded. Educators can learn more and apply online at www.ncbrightideas.com. There are also more details on Wake Electric requirements and past grant recipients atwww.wemc.com under Community Programs. The Bright Ideas grant program seeks to encourage teacher originality and student engagement by funding projects that take a creative approach to learning. Wake Electric expects to award $50,000 in Bright Ideas grants this year to teachers in Durham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston, Nash, Vance, and Wake counties. The grants are available to K-12 teachers for projects in any subject, and educators can apply individually or as a team and should apply online. Applications will be accepted through Sept. 12.  Teachers who submit their applications by

During Wake Forest’s best spring time, after the pollen and before the blistering heat, is a wonderful time to be outdoors. Enjoy it even more every Thursday during May when the town recreation department sponsors the delightful Music at Midday concerts in Centennial Plaza in front of the Wake Forest Town Hall on Brooks Street. The free concert series gives everyone a change to eat lunch outdoors – a bagged lunch from home or something from a nearby restaurant – while enjoying different musical artists each week. Each concert runs from noon to 1 p.m. This year the musicians are Honey Magpie on May 10; the Freddy Greene Trio on May 17; DRL Band on May 24; and Big Bang Boom on May 31. Assorted dessert trucks will be onsite for each concert selling desserts and sweet treats. The free series is cosponsored by the Wake Forest Parks, Recreation &

From rock and blues to salsa and jazz, there’s something for all music lovers at this year’s Six Sundays in Spring concert series. Sponsored by the Town of Wake Forest and Wake Forest ARTS, the performances continue this Sunday, May 6, with Caribe Vibe. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2018, Six Sundays in Spring is an annual concert series featuring free, live, outdoor entertainment. Scheduled on consecutive Sundays from April 29 through June 3, Six Sundays in Spring offers area residents an opportunity to enjoy a variety of local and regional performers and an enriching cultural experience. All concerts are scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. in the E. Carroll Joyner Park Amphitheater at 701 Harris Road. Other acts scheduled to perform are Melissa Reaves on May 27; and the John Brown Quartet on June 3, which is co-sponsored by PineCone, the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, Inc. To view the

The Wake Forest Community Youth Orchestra will present a free spring concert at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 26, in the Wake Forest Baptist Church Fellowship Hall at 113 South Avenue. The community is invited, and free tickets are available at www.wfcyo.org.

Update May 16, 2018 – See Technical Review Committee Future projects–Technical Review Committee When the technical review committee met on April 19, members reviewed the following plans: *An additional five units at The Townes at Gateway Commons in which Wetherill Engineering proposes to add 0.84 acres to the project off Friendship Chapel Road and Gateway Commons Circle. *Plans for a Bank of America submitted by H&T Consultants for a 3,951-square-foot bank with drive-through at 919 Gateway Commons Circle. When the technical review committee met on March 8, 2018, the members reviewed the following plans: *Powerhouse Row, two- and three-story buildings on the west side of South White Street next to Elm Avenue combining retail on the first floor with residential on the upper floors. The request was filed by JDavis Architects. *A commercial building to be located at 907 Gateway Commons Circle. The request was filed by Gateway Forest LLC.

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts will celebrate its grand re-opening on Saturday, June 2, at 7:30 p.m. with Beach Music & BBQ featuring The Band of Oz. If you love great food and great beach music, then don’t miss this one-of-a-kind summertime celebration in the heart of downtown Wake Forest. The Band of Oz, one of the southeast’s most popular beach music bands and a 1997 Beach Music Hall of Fame inductee, will headline the grand re-opening, which will also feature a delicious barbecue dinner provided by Papa Jack’s Catering. The occasion will also include a cash bar serving beer and wine. Dress for this event is summer casual. Ticket are selling fast and may disappear soon. Tickets may be purchased online atwww.wakeforestnc.gov/tickets-events.aspx with a Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express credit card. Tickets may also be purchased at the Renaissance Centre box office with cash, check or

Members of the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce are reminded that this month’s Business After Hours will be held Thursday, May 17, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Fidelity Bank on South White Street. There will be food and drink from local businesses. Bring your business cards for a raffle. * * * * Schmoozapalooza is returning! Join other chamber members for this mega networking event on Friday, June 1, at The Mill Room at The Factory. Schmooza features fast-paced networking rounds so you’ll meet more prospects than you can count in a short period of time. We’ll start the event with a networking tips and tactics talk from Stephen Hand, president of BNI International. The cost is $20 per Chamber member and $25 per non-member. Call the chamber of register. * * * * The Dental Van is coming to Hope House on Friday, July 14, from 9 a.m. to