Wake County has almost completed the 2020 reappraisal of all residential and commercial property and will send notices to all property owners on Jan. 14 about the new value of their property. There is good news for the Town of Wake Forest where officials have long hoped for a better balance between residential and commercial property, somewhere close to 75 residential and 25 commercial. At the last reappraisal in 2016, the town was 77 percent residential and 23 percent commercial; in 2020 those numbers are 76 and 24 with a tax base of $5.8 billion. Countywide, commercial real estate makes up 32 percent of the tax base, which is $162.2 billion. Marcus Kinrade, the county’s tax director, briefly described the revaluation process for the Wake Forest Town Board Tuesday evening, saying the process “reestablishes the fairness of the tax burden” by updating real property values to reflect the market prices

ARTS Wake Forest will present the Holiday Artisans Market on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. both inside and outside the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre at 405 South Brooks Street. The Holiday Artisans Market is a unique shopping experience featuring a variety of arts and crafts in a wide range of prices. The market has grown sizably over the past few years and will feature more than 50 vendors. Conceived as a showcase for area craftspeople and artisans, this juried market features handmade items from potters, fine artists, photographers, woodworkers, fiber artists, jewelry artists and more. The market is free and open to the public; donations at the door are appreciated. Donations along with proceeds from a 50/50 will support ARTS Wake Forest programming including Six Sundays in Spring concerts, Music at Midday concerts, Neck of the Woods variety show and the Wake Forest Dance Festival. The

Kick off the holiday season and discover historic downtown Wake Forest’s unique array of shops and restaurants during the Downtown Holiday Open House this Saturday, Dec. 7, beginning at 10 a.m. Sponsored by the Downtown Business Alliance and presented by Wake Forest Downtown, Inc., the Downtown Holiday Open House will include special offers and complimentary refreshments at participating shops and restaurants, and fun-filled activities for kids and families. A variety of events and activities will be offered from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at The Cotton Company Event Gallery, 306 S. White St., including face painting and Pictures with Santa (sponsored by Ting Wake Forest). The Downtown Holiday Open House is free and open to the public. Special thanks to B & W Hardware, Co., The Cotton Company, Duvall & Co., Unwined on White and Wake Forest Coffee Company for helping make this event possible

Registration forms became available Friday, Nov. 29, online at http://bit.ly/WFCallsfromSanta and at the Joyner Park Community Center, 701 Harris Road, and Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St. Completed forms must be submitted online or received at the Joyner Park Community Center or Town Hall by 5 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 5. Telephone registrations will not be accepted. There is no charge for the event, but all calls must be local. #  

Bright Star Touring Theatre, a national professional touring theatre company based in Asheville, will offer a free performance of “Cratchit Family Christmas” on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 3 p.m. at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 South Brooks Street. We know what happened during the Christmas that Old Ebeneezer Scrooge was visited by three spirits – but what about the next Christmas? With heartwarming excitement, we find out how the Cratchit family has fared in the year that has passed since old Scrooge learned the true meaning of the season. This tale is sure to delight young and old alike. Attendees are invited to wear their pajamas and bring their favorite toy and cuddly blanket as they watch the story come to life on stage. This production is part of the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre’s “Arts For All” free community performance series, which is supported by United Arts Council of