North Carolina’s decision to lift capacity restrictions and end mask and social distancing requirements has paved the way for the return of the July 4 Children’s Parade and Art in the Park. The Wake Forest Optimist Club will coordinate and manage this year’s Children’s Parade on Sunday, July 4. The lineup will begin at 1 p.m. at the intersection of North Main Street and West Juniper Avenue, near the Wake Forest Historical Museum, 414 North Main Street. The procession will get underway at 1:30 p.m. and conclude at the Wake Forest Community House, 133 West Owen Avenue. There, the afternoon festivities will continue at 2 p.m. with Art in the Park. Hosted by the Wake Forest Woman’s Club, the event will offer children of all ages the opportunity to create a variety of colorful arts and crafts projects inside the Community House. Volunteers are critical to the success of the

Starting Wednesday, June 9, the Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department will partner with Resources for Seniors to offer residents 55 and older free blood pressure checks and medication management classes on the second Wednesday of each month. Dr. Casey Baldwin of Resources for Seniors will conduct the blood pressure checks from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the Alston-Massenburg Center, 416 North Taylor Street. Then, from 12:15 to 1 p.m., she will lead a free medication management class. Dr. Baldwin will also offer the blood pressure checks and medication management class at the Northern Wake Senior Center, 235 East Holding Avenue, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the following days each month: First Monday and Thursday Third Friday Fourth Tuesday Again, the blood pressure checks and medication management classes are free, and no registration is required. For more information, email Dr. Casey Baldwin at caseyb@rfsnc.org. #

Layer by layer, through the years, we can see the Northeast’s history Tuesday evening, May 25, Michelle Michael, a senior planner at the Wake Forest Planning Department, and others unveiled a project two years in the making that will be added to and enhanced for years, the Northeast Story Map. A brilliant description of the historic African American area of Wake Forest, it uses aerial photography, GPS, historical maps and documents, oral histories and other means to describe the properties, over 500 individual platted properties, in the area. You can see – by moving a marker – how a house appeared and then disappeared. You can read about the families who lived there and what is known of their lives. It is available now for every one in Wake Forest to explore by going to the Wake Forest website – www.wakeforestnc.gov – and typing in “Northeast Story Map” in the

Updated June 9, 2021 Proposed residential and commercial projects Villas at Wake Forest Crossing is being planned for 62 affordable apartments for seniors on a combined 4.88 acres made up of properties currently owned by Sarah Bridges and Donna Pace on a section of Wake Union Church Road just north of Jenkins Road. The land was rezoned for conditional residential mixed use in April 2018. On April 19, 2021 the Wake County commissioners said they will spend $10.3 million on six potential affordable housing projects, and they will contribute $666,000 to this project if it is approved for tax credits by the N.C. Housing Finance Agency. Halcon Companies is the contractor/builder for the project. Traditions Grande Care Facility on Gilcrest Farm Road between Del Webb at Traditions and Hawthorne at Traditions is one of the two residential care facilities in planning stages in Wake Forest. Traditions Grande Care Facility will

The Wake Forest Optimist Club presents the first annual Kars for Kids Charity Car Show. The charity car show will be held on Saturday, September 11, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  at The Market of Wake Forest shopping center located at Business 98 and Capitol Boulevard. This is a fun family-friendly event and admission is free to spectators. Antique, Pony, Trucks, Muscle, Rods, and Custom Cars and Trucks will be on display. Everything from mild to wild – vintage to modern. The Grand Sponsor of Kars for Kids is Ted Wilder Agency State Farm Insurance. Mr. Wilder is also an avid antique car enthusiast and collector. Gold Sponsors are Wegmans, Wake Forest Partners Group, Zapolski Real Estate Property Management Company, Johnson Hyundai, Charlie’s Kabobs, and Sam’s Express Car Wash. Silver Sponsors are Fidelity Bank, PIC Publications, Lumpy’s Ice Cream and State Farm Insurance – Wesley Wilder. Admission is

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. #

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 Area Chamber of Commerce members are invited to the After Hours outdoor networking event at the chamber on Thursday, June 17, sponsored by The Sutherland. It will happen in the front courtyard, and there will be light refreshments and drinks provided by Pour Bar Services. As part of the event, you will also be provided with the annual State of the Chamber update and a sneak peek at plans for the next fiscal year. * * * * Need employees? As a benefit of your Chamber membership, you can post your job openings at absolutely no cost to you on our jobs website, htpps://wakeforestworks.com.  You can also search for candidates to interview. That’s free too. WakeForestWorks.com showcases local jobs and local talent. Only Wake Forest Area Chamber members can post jobs, so your openings will be seen front and center by applicants who want to live and work