Beginning Monday, Dec. 11, Wellons Construction, Inc., a contractor working on the Friendship Chapel Road (FCR) Eastern Extension on behalf of JPM South, will temporarily close a portion of the Dunn Creek Greenway in the vicinity of Wilts Dairy Point (see attached map). The closure is necessary to allow crews to extend Friendship Chapel Road from Heritage Hills Way to Remey Avenue effectively connecting FCR from South Main Street/US 1A to Jones Dairy Road. Signage and barricades will be posted to inform the public of the closure, as well as the signed detour directing trail users around the closure via Wilts Dairy Point, Friendship Chapel Road, and Heritage Lake Road. Construction is expected to be completed in early summer 2024. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/FCREasternExtension or contact Assistant Stormwater Engineer Nick Nolte at 919-435-9449 or nnolte@wakeforestnc.gov. The Dunn Creek Greenway begins at the Smith Creek Soccer Center, 690 Heritage Lake Road, and extends north to

In 2021, the Town of Wake Forest launched #RecycleRightWF, a comprehensive public education campaign on proper recycling behaviors. Through a series of easy-to-understand messages, the initiative attempted to simplify the recycling process and improve the quality of materials residents place in their rollout recycling carts. Thanks to the invaluable cooperation and efforts of residents, Wake Forest recorded a significant decrease in recycling contamination over the next year. In recent months, however, officials have noticed a steady increase in the number of contaminated recyclables in recycling carts throughout Wake Forest. As a result, the Town is reintroducing #RecycleRightWF. The effort will address contamination by providing Wake Forest households with direct mail pieces, social media messaging, and concentrated feedback. Messaging will consistently remind residents who recycle to “Stick with These 6” – plastic bottles, jugs, and jars; metal cans; paper; and cardboard, and “Never These 9” – plastic bags, food waste, cups, to-go containers, paper towels, tiny

In October, the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) approved reaccreditation for the Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department through the fall of 2028. In 2018 the PRCR Department joined the ranks of elite parks and recreation agencies across the US by earning CAPRA accreditation. Such recognition is the only national accreditation for parks and recreation agencies and is a measure of an agency’s overall quality of operation, management, and service to the community. This mark of distinction indicates that an agency has met rigorous standards related to the management and administration of lands, facilities, resources, programs, safety, and services. As part of the reaccreditation process, the PRCR Department was required to demonstrate compliance with more than 150 recognized standards, while documenting all policies and procedures. Often the process helps identify efficiencies and heighten areas of accountability, all of which translate into higher quality service and operation to

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts, 405 S. Brooks St., will present “Mesmerizing Magic” featuring Jason Hudy on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m. Mystery. Intrigue. Comedy. Bewilderment. These are only a fraction of the qualities Jason Hudy delivers in every performance. Guaranteed to amaze and amuse the entire family, “Mesmerizing Magic” will transport you into the intricate world of magic and illusion. Promising to leave you breathless, this spellbinding one-of-a-kind performance will redefine your idea of what a magic show is! Advance tickets are $25 plus tax and can be purchased online at https://bit.ly/WFRenCenTix, in person at the RC Box Office, or by calling 919-435-9458. For more information, visit www.wakeforestrencen.org/ or call the Renaissance Centre Box Office at 919-435-9458.

 Just in time for the holidays, The Town of Wake Forest is again offering “Connections…100 Years of Wake Forest History” for $30 each. Authored by Wake Forest resident and “Wake Forest Gazette” Publisher Carol Pelosi, “Connections… 100 Years of Wake Forest History” was written and released in 2009 to commemorate Wake Forest’s Centennial Celebration. Jean MaCamy and Stephanie Kaeberlein had begun work on the book before they asked me to write it, and they are responsible for the wonderful array of original art and pictures as well as the layout of the pages. A treasure trove of pictures, original artwork, and stories recording the people, places, and events of Wake Forest’s first 100 years, the photo-filled hardcover book chronicles the town’s rich history and details its growth from a small college town to a thriving community of more than 50,000 residents. Connections may be purchased online at www.wakeforestnc.gov/marketplace with credit card or debit card