Debby dawdles, but it will hit Wake Forest

Town officials are monitoring the threat posed by Tropical Storm Debby which could bring up to 10 inches of rain to central North Carolina between today (Wednesday) and the end of the week. Community members are encouraged to monitor weather forecasts and be prepared for changing weather conditions. Town Operations All Town facilities are expected to remain open and operate according to their normal schedules. Town officials are following the storm’s track and speed to assess whether any closings or other schedule changes may become necessary.  In the meantime, Public Works personnel will soon begin clearing obstructions from storm drains along local streets and roadways. You can assist in this effort and help prevent flooding by clearing debris from storm drains along your streets.  Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources PRCR maintenance crews are rolling up and securing the netting at all Town-owned batting cages. Crews will also temporarily remove the

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Fire station contract is with Edifice LLC

After asking for qualifications and interviewing the top three candidates, the Town of Wake Forest has chosen Edifice LLC from Charlotte to manage the design and building of Fire Station #6 on Wait Avenue. The contracts were announced Tuesday night during the town board work session. The total cost for the building is unknown. “Since this will be a design build project, it will be several months before we have an estimated price. With the continued escalation in cost, I wouldn’t feel comfortable even estimating,” Town Manager Kip Padgett said via email. The last station built, Station #4 on Jenkins Road, was completed in 2016 before the fire department transitioned into the town. Assistant Town Manager/Chief Finance Officer Aileen Staples wrote in her email that the town used $2.8 million in fire impact fees to pay the bill. The town also used the fire impact fees to pay $1.5 million

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‘Brother, can you spare a dime?’

Very few people had a dime in their pockets in Wake Forest or anywhere in the country in the early part of the 1930s. Between four and five million people in the United States were without jobs. In Wake Forest, Royall Cotton Mill President Don P. Johnston could either run the mill and lose money or not run the mill and lose the workers, if they could find a place to go. In 1931, a spinner worked 55 hours a week and made $7.94 while a ply spooler could work the same hours and take home $15.51. Johnston had to reduce the pay scales later. “If the figure of 95 families you give me is proper,” Johnston wrote to the mill superintendent, G.H. Greason on Jan. 19, 1933, “this means $5.00 per family per week during this period.” Over on Faculty Avenue, the pickings were just as slim. When Dr.

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We must never forget 9/11

This September 11th, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., there will be a 9/11 Remembrance Special Event at the Northern Wake Senior Center at 235 E. Holding Avenue, Wake Forest. The event also serves as a fundraiser for the 200 Club of Wake County, to provide immediate financial assistance to the surviving families of fallen First Responders in Wake County. The event will feature:*Law Enforcement and Fire vehicle displays*K9 demonstration*Honor Guard and presentation of the American and Freedom Flags*Display of steel from the Twin Towers*Invocation*Proclamation*Video Memorial and Tribute to our First  Responder Heroes*12 piece Bagpipe and Drum band*Silent Auction*Raffles*Live music*Food , ice cream, and beverages available All are welcome and admission is free.###

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ComiCon returns to RenCen August 17

Warning: The article in last week’s Gazette was old. This is the 2024 ComiCon article.) Whether you’re a serious collector, or just someone who enjoys the art, characters, and costumed cosplayers of the comic book scene, the 2024 Wake Forest Comic-Con is the place to be. This year’s “con,” as they’re known, is Saturday, Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre. The cost is just $5, and free for kids under 12. The event features over 35 vendor tables, with 100,000 comic books, anime figurines and vintage toys, Pokémon cards, D&D stuff, books, art, T-shirts and trinkets, and all things cute and creative. There’s a supervised kids area for coloring and crafts as well. Attendees run the gamut: youth, teens, and adults all find something of interest at the con. “There’s lots to see, costumes, fun stuff to buy or just check out,”

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UDO Update Open House Sept. 4-5

The Town of Wake Forest will host UDO (Unified Development Ordinance) Comprehensive Update Open House sessions at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St., Wednesday, Sept. 4, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and Thursday, Sept. 5, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.  Both drop-in sessions will give community members the opportunity to review the completed UDO draft, learn more about potential changes to zoning districts and development standards, and provide feedback. Both sessions will have an informal, open house-style format, along with the same content, so community members may drop in anytime to view displays, ask questions, and share comments. No formal presentation will be given.   Feedback will be incorporated into a final draft that will be presented to the Planning Board and Board of Commissioners for approval. Community input is the cornerstone of the UDO Comprehensive Update. Following the update and adoption of several comprehensive plans, including the 2022 Wake Forest Community

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Enjoy the Concerts in the Park

Spend a couple Sunday evenings in September with family and friends at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road, while enjoying some foot-tapping, finger-snapping good times during the 2024 Concerts in the Park. “Throwback Collaboration Band” will headline the first concert on Sunday, Sept. 1, followed by “The Breakfast Club” on Sunday, Sept. 8.  Throwback Collaboration Band will play your favorite old-School funky music. With the rich melodies they create, you would think they are a group of 12, but they are merely composed of six brilliant musicians. The Breakfast Club is the longest running, most recognized ’80’s tribute band in the United States. The group embodies the enigmatic, creative, and buoyant spirit of music and live performances of the original MTV generation of the 1980s. Free and open to everyone, these performances are scheduled from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Joyner Park amphitheater. Attendees are invited to bring a picnic,

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Steps to a successful CROP Walk 2024

Dear friends of CROP Walk, For many years, YOU have come together and raised money to support local and global hunger needs through the Wake Forest CROP Hunger Walk. Coming together as a community has changed lives! Today, the vulnerable among us continue to struggle to keep their families healthy and safe. Communities worldwide need us now more than ever. The good news is that you can still be part of our ‘making a difference’ tradition! STEP #1: Go to www.crophungerwalk.org/wakeforestnc and register today. If you are part of a team, you can join your team or simply make a donation to support any team. STEP #2: Attend the Team Captain Rally on Saturday, August 10th from 10am – 12:00 pm at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 834 Durham Road, Wake Forest, NC 27587. Be informed about the Walk, Pick up packets, brochures, bulletin inserts, and other walk promotional materials.  Missed the meeting

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‘Dinktoberfest’ here Fri.-Sat. Oct. 4-6

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department is partnering with Pickles and Play to host the 2024 Wake Forest Fall “Dinktoberfest” Pickleball Tournament Friday-Sunday, Oct. 4-6, at the Flaherty Park Pickleball Courts and Tennis Complex, 1226 N. White St. Registration is underway at https://bit.ly/WFPickleball and continues through Monday, Sept. 30. The entry fee is $45 per player, plus $10 for each additional event. Complete tournament details, including registration information, are also available at https://bit.ly/WFPickleball. For more information about the Fall “Dinktoberfest” Pickleball Tournament, email Tournament Director Lisa Groeschner at Egroeschner@gmail.com.  ###

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PRCR host Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department will host an online Esports gaming tournament featuring the game “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” on Saturday, Aug. 24. Presented by Ting, the Battle in the Forest is open to players ages 10 and older and free to play on all consoles and PCs. The online tournament will be live streamed on Twitch.tv.  Registration is open through Wednesday, Aug. 21, at https://wakeforestnc.recdesk.com/Community/Home. Please note: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is rated e10+. Participants will compete in a one-on-one, single-day, double-elimination tournament to run in conjunction with “Bull City Gaming.” The matches will be best of three, while the championship match will be best of five. In the event more than 32 participants register, the tournament will expand to two days with the qualifying rounds taking place on August 24 and the top eight participants battling it out in the finals on Sunday, Aug. 25.

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