The Wake Forest Police Department is urging residents to guard against becoming the victim of fraud following recently reported phone scams involving Apple Pay. Residents who were recently involved in a traffic accident have reported receiving calls from someone posing as a Wake Forest Police officer who claims they owe money for missing a subsequent court date. The caller says a warrant has been issued for their arrest, or soon will be, but they can pay a fine now via Apple Pay and avoid being arrested. The WFPD does not make these types of calls and would never ask anyone to make a payment via Apple Pay or any other payment app. These types of scams are designed to exploit fear and pressure victims into making payments to scammers. Scammers often use official-sounding language to intimidate victims. They may even use information obtained via public databases to sound credible by

The Town of Wake Forest and DHIC, Inc. (formerly Downtown Housing Improvement Corporation) are partnering to offer free homeownership counseling services to Wake Forest residents earning less than 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). Designed for residents finding it difficult to purchase a home or make payments on a home, the free counseling services include: Again, these services are free and available to Wake Forest residents earning less than 80 percent of the AMI. To learn more or find out if you qualify, contact Planner I Antione Jordan at ajordan@wakeforestnc.gov or 919-435-9581. ###

The Urban Forestry Division is celebrating Arbor Day this year by again offering a contest for tree lovers across Wake Forest. From now through Sunday, March 31, the UFD is accepting nominations from residents for the Wake Forest 2024 Tree of the Year award. Trees may be nominated for their size, species, historic significance, personal meaning, community benefit or general notoriety – but they must be located within the Wake Forest town limits. To submit your choice, visit http://bit.ly/WFTreeofYear, complete the nomination form and upload a photo of your tree. Finalists will be selected by Town staff, then voted on by the community during the week of April 8. The tree that receives the most votes will be announced as the winner during Forest Fest on Saturday, April 20. The person who submits the winning tree will receive a certificate crowning their tree as the Wake Forest 2024 Tree of the

The Wake Forest Public Art Commission is partnering with the Northeast Community Coalition to issue a Call for Artists at https://bit.ly/WFPAC_CallforArtists for a community engagement mural to be applied to the exterior of the Alston-Massenburg Center, 416 North Taylor Street.  The theme of the piece is open to the artist’s discretion but should reflect themes of family and history. Only artists that have applied for and been accepted into the PAC’s Pre-Qualified Artist Registry are eligible. To learn more and/or apply, visit https://bit.ly/WFPACPreQualifiedArtistRegistry. A selection committee comprised of members of the Wake Forest PAC and Northeast Community Coalition, and other relevant parties will jury all submissions and select the winning artist who will enter a contract with the Town of Wake Forest. The selected artist will be responsible for initiating the design of the artwork, engaging community feedback on design, and completing the artwork in conjunction with the community. Selection criteria include the applicant’s proven ability to

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department and the PRCR Advisory Board are updating the 2015 PRCR Master Plan through “Play It Forward Wake Forest,” a campaign to raise awareness about the initiative and encourage community participation in the process. Citizen input is the cornerstone of “Play It Forward,” so we want to hear from you. You’re invited to visit https://engagewakeforest.org/parks-recreation-master-plan-update and complete Community Survey #3 to rate your satisfaction with Wake Forest parks and facilities. You may also complete the survey at the following PRCR facilities during normal operating hours:Alston-Massenburg Center,416 N. Taylor St.;Flaherty Park Community Center, 1226 N. White St.; and Joyner Park Community Center, 701 Harris Road. The comprehensive survey is available through Friday, March 22, and takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The PRCR Master Plan reflects the Town’s vision of a vibrant community that responds to the needs and desires of its residents and