For those of you keeping track of the saga of the Wake Forest Fire Department’s Station #4, there will be a public hearing about the design of the proposed building at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, in the ground floor meeting room of Wake Forest Town Hall before the Design Review Board.
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Yes, there will be an election as we all know because of the constant hail of political ads. It will be Tuesday, Nov. 4, and there will also be early voting in Wake Forest at the Northern Regional Center on East Holding Avenue during October.
Wake County’s early voting will be held from Thursday, Oct. 23, through Saturday, Nov. 1. Voters can cast ballots from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the week days; from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the two Saturdays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1; and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26. Voters in this election do not have to show any ID.
Whether the other provisions in the voting law approved by the General Assembly in 2013 will be in force for the November election will depend on whether the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agrees to block a number of those provisions. The court will hear arguments on Sept. 25.
In place of a candidate forum this year, the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce will host a meet and greet for everyone from the candidates for the U.S. House down through to district attorney and, we guess, county commissioner. Kay and Thom were apparently not invited. It could get crowded in the Renaissance Centre on Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. The event is free but you can pay $20 per person for a dinner. The chamber has not announced yet which candidates have accepted the invitation; the Gazette will keep you updated.
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The town is interviewing for the second urban forester because the first, Evan Keto, resigned for personal reasons. When hired, Parks and Rec Director Ruben Wall has told members of the Wake Forest Garden Club that his/her first priority will be to provide the town’s part in increasing and protecting habitat for bees, including honey bees, and Monarch butterflies. The populations of both have sharply decreased in recent years due to herbicides and lack of habitat. The garden club will promote pollination – must have native plants – and habitat.
During the interim before a new forester is hired, two town employees – Peggy McNaughton and Dave Klemp – and the volunteer and trained Tree Stewards are taking care of the seedling tree nursery. Eagle Scout candidate Sam Perry is installing an irrigation system and shade structure.
