In December 2023, the Town of Wake Forest purchased 8.3 acres of land adjacent to Devon Square and E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. On March 2, the Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department will host the second public meeting to solicit input from residents concerning the proposed construction of a skate park, pump track, and basketball court on this property. The Saturday, March 2, meeting is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in the Walker Room at the Joyner Park Community Center (JPCC), 701 Harris Road. The Walker Room is located on the second floor of JPCC. Both meetings will have the same format and content. Each will include a brief presentation, followed by an open discussion where attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and share suggestions. Town staff, members of the PRCR Advisory Board, and representatives from Kimley Horn will be on

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department is partnering withPlay4Life Comics to host a Comic Book & Toy Expo Saturday, March 16, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Flaherty Park Community Center, 1226 N. White St. Free and open to everyone, the expo will feature over 20 vendors of your favorite pop culture nostalgia offering for sale vintage comics, rare action figures, popular Pokemon cards, and more. The PRCR Department has scheduled future Comic Book & Toy Expos on June 19 and November 9. For more information, email Community Center Supervisor Grayson Pridgen at 919-554-6726 or gpridgen@wakeforestnc.gov.

The Rotary Club of Wake Forest announces its 2nd annual Cars and Carnivores Street Festival featuring a steak cookoff competition, car show, vendors and food booths on Saturday, March 23, 2024, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. in historic downtown Wake Forest.   Following last year’s success, the free street festival on Brooks Street and Owen Avenue combines a love for classic cars with the passion for grilling while raising funds to pay off past-due medical bills for local cancer patients.   “Our inaugural event raised enough money to erase the medical debt of 26 local cancer patients through our partnership with WakeMed Health & Hospitals,” said Johnny Whitfield, Wake Forest Rotary club president. “We believe alleviating financial stress for cancer patients and their families during difficult times is important in our community. By entering the car show and steak cookoff, becoming a sponsor, attending our free street festival and buying lunch from our

Wake Electric members are invited to the electric cooperative’s annual meeting at 7 p.m. Friday, March 22, in the auditorium at Louisburg College. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. Join other Wake Electric members in reviewing the business of your co-op, receive free gifts and get a chance to win $1,000. Wake Electric’s business is providing electricity, but our heart is empowering our members and building the communities we serve. Cooperative businesses are not-for-profit and exist to provide exceptional service to members, rather than to make a profit. At Wake Electric, we: ** Provide payment assistance to members in need. ** Award $70,000 in teacher grants each year. ** Support local nonprofits with quarterly grants through the member-funded We Care Foundation. ** Award scholarships for local students to attend basketball camps at NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill. ** Hold three gift card drawings annually for students who make at least one

Wake Electric members are invited to the electric cooperative’s annual meeting at 7 p.m. Friday, March 22, in the auditorium at Louisburg College. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. Join other Wake Electric members in reviewing the business of your co-op, receive free gifts and get a chance to win $1,000. Wake Electric’s business is providing electricity, but our heart is empowering our members and building the communities we serve. Cooperative businesses are not-for-profit and exist to provide exceptional service to members, rather than to make a profit. At Wake Electric, we: ** Provide payment assistance to members in need. ** Award $70,000 in teacher grants each year. ** Support local nonprofits with quarterly grants through the member-funded We Care Foundation. ** Award scholarships for local students to attend basketball camps at NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill. ** Hold three gift card drawings annually for students who make at least one

On March 3, 2024 women who are active duty or veterans of the United States Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast  Guard and National Guard will be honored at a reception hosted by the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 187 of Wake Forest. The Salute begins at 2:30 p.m. at the American Legion Post 187, 225 E. Holding Avenue, across the street from the Wake Forest Post Office. The servicewomen will be greeted by a saber team from the Wake Forest High School JROTC. The event will include entertainment, refreshments, swag bags, door prizes, recognition of your service to the people of the United States and camaraderie with fellow servicewomen. For further information, contact the Auxiliary at unit87alaux@gmail.com or through Facebook at American Legion Auxiliary Unit 187. ###

The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the 2024 Meet in the Street. The 42nd anniversary of Meet in the Street, presented by Allison Caudle with Southern Lux Living and coordinated by the Wake Forest Area Chamber, will be held Saturday, May 4, 2024 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm in downtown Wake Forest.  This premier arts & crafts, music and food festival will include more than 100 artisan booths featuring handmade items for sale, dozens of food trucks, live music throughout the day on two different stages, a children’s village filled with activities for kids, and more. Admission is free. Interested in being part of this event? The application window is NOW OPEN for 2024! Click the appropriate application below to download a fillable PDF application. Arts & Crafts VendorsFood VendorsNonprofits (Chamber member exclusive)Festival Business Booths & Sponsorships ###

The Wake Forest Inspections Department issues a monthly report about all new building permits and new businesses. In January there were 35 permits issued for new single-family dwellings and nine permits for townhouses. There was one new commercial building approved, a Char-Grill at 145 Crenshaw Corners Drive. There were three fit-ups: two for retail space vanilla box at 12243 Capital Boulevard and one at 12247 Capital Boulevard as well as  Jersy Mike’s Subs at 1040 Forestville Road, Suite 140. There were two pre-occupancy inspections: Wakefield ATV (Auto Truck Van) at 745 Merritt Capital Drive, Suite 108 and Barlow Photography at 745 Merritt Capital Drive, Suite 106. ###

Based on the January, 2024 Monthly Development Report, WF Planning Updated February 14, 2024 The updated Wake Forest population as of July 1, 2023 was 56,681. That figure included the new homes which were approved for occupancy. When all the current approved apartments, townhouses and single-family homes are built the population will rise to 69,956. The town keeps a running tally of approved projects with counts of those completed. The best inspections current estimate is that between seven and eight people move to town each day. Plans NOT on the list There are a number of plans, large and small, that have been on this list and have now disappeared. Some of the plans have before the planning and the town board, and large subdivisions such as the Reserve at Dunn Creek require detailed plans after approval by the town board, detailed plans the planning department staff have to examine,

Below is a list of groups – and if your group is not included and should be – please send a note with the information to cwpelosi@aol.com. If the information about your group is wrong or out of date, please send a note with the corrections to that same email address. Aren’t we lucky to have so many groups that benefit our town and its residents? Last updated on July 1, 2023. *American Legion Post 187 meets the second Thursday at 7 p.m. in the American Legion Hall at 225 East Holding Avenue. The dinner begins at 6 p.m. and costs $5. For information and membership, call Commander Doug Doster at 1-603-660-6948. *American Heritage Girls (AHG) meets at 6:30 p.m. at Hope Lutheran Church on Rogers Road on the second and fourth Thursdays. Get in touch with Amy Minor at chrisnamy34@hotmail.com or see the website, www.hopelutheranwf.org. *The General James Moore