N.C. Department of Transportation contractors plan to close a segment of Moores Pond Road on Wednesday, June 2, for 30 days. At 9 a.m., about 500 feet of Moores Pond Road just north of the U.S. 401 intersection will close to allow crews to construct the new intersection. Northbound drivers on Barham Siding Road (the road name changes to Moores Pond Road north of U.S. 401) will be detoured south on U.S. 401, north on N.C. 96 and east on N.C. 98 to get to Moores Pond Road. Southbound drivers will follow the same route but in reverse. Traffic on U.S. 401 will not be impacted. Drivers should allow extra time for the detour and pay extra attention while driving near the work zone. This work is part of a project to widen and improve six miles of U.S. 401 between N.C. 96 and Flat Rock Church Road/Clifton Pond Road. This project

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department is selling 40 “Family Mystery Movie Night” take-home kits on RecDesk for $5 each. Each kit includes everything you need to enjoy a fun-filled Family Movie Night at home. For just $5, you can register for a kit that includes a family-friendly movie (the movies are G or PG-rated and suitable for all ages), a popcorn bucket, popcorn, and candy. Pre-registration is required at https://wakeforestnc.recdesk.com/Community/Home. The program is titled “Family Mystery Movie Night Kit.” Pickups will be available every Thursday in June from 4-6 p.m. at Joyner Park Community Center, 701 Harris Road. For more information, contact Special Events Recreation Specialist Suja Jacob at sjacob@wakeforestnc.gov or 919-435-9558. #  

There will be a large event on Saturday, June 5, to bag 40,000 pounds of sweet potatoes.  These will be distributed to more than 30 food pantries and feeding programs ranging from Wake County to Greensboro.  This event is sponsored by the Society of St. Andrew who coordinates bagging and gleaning activities in 25+ states. The event will be in the parking lot at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church, 520 West Holding Street, Wake Forest.  Check-in will start at 8:30 am followed by a prayer at 8:50 am.  The bagging is expected to begin at 9:00 am and should take an hour or so. This is a great family event for the young from 5 years old and up.  As the event will be capped at 250 volunteers, please register in advance at: https://endhunger.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/?id=46849 Please email George Shaw at g0b07shaw@gmail.com if you have any questions. #

The threat of severe weather forced the cancellation of the inaugural Spring Artisan Market, but organizers have rescheduled the outdoor event for June 5, 2021, in historic downtown Wake Forest. The Spring Artisan Market, presented by The Wake Forest Guild of Artists, ARTS Wake Forest and Wake Forest Downtown Inc., will be held along South White Street on Saturday, June 5, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the event of severe weather, the rain date is the following weekend on Saturday, June 12, same time, same place. The art event will feature more than 40 artisans who specialize in a variety of work including painting, printmaking, 2-D art, photography, candle making, ceramics, needlework, home decor, jewelry, edibles and more. Visitors can view the art in each booth and show their support by purchasing items. “Outdoor events can be difficult to plan because of unpredictable weather, but we’re happy to reschedule the Spring Artisan

The Wake Forest Area Chamber Foundation is sponsoring a new initiative which has been created specifically for area residents aged 55-plus. Connect Wake Forest is a four-week program designed to connect residents with like-minded peers while they learn about the history and growth of Wake Forest, discover ways to get involved in the town, and become more civically aware. At the end of the program, participants will be given opportunities to volunteer with existing organizations and launch new community initiatives. Connect Wake Forest is open to both residents and non-residents of Wake Forest. Applications are being accepted now. The program kicks off on Wednesday, July 14, at the Wake Forest Historical Museum. The day’s topic will be the history of Wake Forest. Subsequent programs feature town government, local businesses, and community involvement. During each session, participants will be introduced to community and business leaders. Every session includes lunch and facilitated

In an effort to bring life-saving COVID-19 shots closer to communities, Wake County has opened a vaccination clinic in Wake Forest at the Northern Regional Center on East Holding Avenue, and people do not have to make appointments. The new site will offer free vaccines five days a week and will have evening and weekend hours. Most people are familiar with the regional center because it offers a lot of county services in a convenient location. Just walk in during clinic hours to get your shot. It’s not always easy for people to go to Raleigh to access county programs and services like mass vaccination clinics, and that’s exactly why these regional center exist – to bring those services to residents in communities where they live,” Ross Yeager, director of the Northern Regional Center, said. “Dozens of people already come here to vote, to get a copy of a birth

Wake Forest Coffee Company hosts first live poetry since COVID By Antino Art • @RaleighisforRonin Live poetry returns to Wake Forest on Saturday, June 5 in a show billed as The Quarantined Poets Supper Club. The show will be hosted by the Wake Forest Coffee Company in collaboration with local poets. Located in historic downtown Wake Forest, the indie coffeehouse became an epicenter for spoken word poetry in the Triangle. Where Unheard Voices Howled It was the year before COVID. The cafe began hosting poetry nights every month in their second-story artist loft — a hideaway of wooden floorboards and dimmed recess lights, back-set by the easels and canvases of local painters. Soon, the cafe built a marquee name in the scene. Poets from all over the Raleigh-Durham area would converge with their favorite caffeinated drink in hand, and howl their truths into a mic in front of standing room

Sponsorships, duck adoptions supporting local youth nonprofits are now available  Ducks will race again during the Wakefield Rotary Club’s third annual Super Duper Duck Splash, on Saturday, July 24, 2021, at WRAL Soccer Park at 7700 Perry Creek Road in Raleigh, parking lot #5. Proceeds from the charity fundraiser benefit local youth initiatives. Rubber ducks are currently available for adoption on Wakefield Rotary’s Super Duper Duck Splash website, www.ncducksplash.com and can be purchased until the race begins at noon on the day of the event. For a chance to win a first-place cash prize of $1,500, second place $1,000 or third place $500, participants can purchase a single duck adoption for $5 or groups of ducks at a discount. Proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit local youth-based nonprofits Note in the Pocket, Wake Forest Boys & Girls Club, Kerr Family YMCA and NC Football Club Youth. This year, there are

The Wake Forest Fire Department will kick off a year-long centennial celebration on August 4 – the date the department was created 100 years ago. Planning is underway for a series of events and activities over the following 12 months to honor the past, celebrate the present and look ahead to the future. The complete schedule will be announced no later than early July. In the meantime, the fire department is inviting residents and businesses to participate in the commemoration by sharing photos, documents, stories, equipment and other memorabilia that can be used to celebrate the centennial and recognize the service and commitment of Wake Forest firefighters since 1921. Long independent, the Wake Forest Fire Department became a part of the Town of Wake Forest last year. Anyone wishing to share photos, documents, stories or even compliments and best wishes is encouraged to complete and submit the online submission form at www.wakeforestnc.gov/fire/centennial-celebration. For more

People who live and work near Wake Forest have a convenient way to get tested for COVID-19. Wake County is contracting with clinical laboratory Radeas, located at 907 Gateway Commons Circle, to provide free, drive-thru testing Monday-Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Note the time change. The service is free, and no appointment is necessary. The testing typically takes about seven minutes, and results are usually provided in seven to nine hours – but can take up to 24 hours. Tests are reserved for those who: Have COVID-like symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, and loss of smell; Have been in close contact with a known positive case of COVID-19; Are healthcare workers or first responders; Work in high-risk settings like long-term care facilities, correctional facilities or homeless shelters; Are 65 years old or older; Have underlying health conditions; Are a member of a vulnerable