Van service to replace buses on Oct. 1

Beginning Tuesday, Oct. 1, the Town of Wake Forest will introduce a town-wide microtransit pilot program called “Go Wake Forest.” Microtransit is a ridesharing transit service that operates similarly to Uber and Lyft, connecting riders directly to destinations from their doorstep. Riders will be able to schedule rides through the official Go Wake Forest smartphone app, scheduled for release in late September 2024, and by calling a hotline number which will coincide with the app release. Additional details, including operating schedules and a list of Frequently Asked Questions, will be posted on the Town website prior to launch. During the pilot phase of the new microtransit service, Town officials will work to resolve any issues through rigorous testing and rider feedback. To offset any potential inconveniences, Wake Forest will offer the service to riders at no cost. In addition, the Town will provide an online feedback form, which will allow

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9/11 memorial to be held at senior center

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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UDO Update Open House Sept. 4 and 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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The steps to a successful CROP Walk

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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The Growth Rate

The Growth Rate Based on the July 2024 Monthly Development Report, WF Planning Updated August 6, 2024 With new staff members, the Wake Forest Planning Department has been able to catch up with the monthly reports, and the latest is for July 2024. The only change in the July report is the removal of #33, the White Street project for commercial and residential use in one building that was denied by the Wake Forest Town Board.  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, moving into newly-built houses, townhouses or apartments and a few existing houses that were for sale. Projects under review 1. 418 Jones Dairy Road SP-23-11 is a request by David Williams Sr. to rezone 5.61 acres on the south side of Jones Dairy

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UNCHealth to build hospital on SEBTS land

UNCHealth plans to build the UNC Health Rex Wake Forest Hospital on 51 acres it is purchasing from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, land behind the Wake Forest Crossing Shopping Center. There is access by Agora Drive. The hospital is expected to cost about $462.13 million when it is built and will be an acute care hospital with up to 50 beds and two operating rooms. Alan M. Wolf, the director for news and media relations at UNC Health Rex, said UNCHealth Rex has a letter of intent to purchase the 51 acres, part of 146 acres lying between the seminary and the shopping center, which is also on land formerly owned by the seminary. As for when we will see the hospital, Wolf wrote in an email: “On Aug. 15, we submitted a proposal with the state’s Certificate of Need office, part of the N.C. Department of Health and Human

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Jim Crow shaped neighborhoods

100 years of history by Carol Pelosi In 1937, there were two facts of life: the Depression and Jim Crow. Neither was particular to Wake Forest, but both shaped lives and neighborhoods. In most, not all but most, areas of Wake Forest, the streets were paved and some even had sidewalks. Most had street lights. Most families had installed electricity, lights and appliances along with indoor plumbing.   None of that was true in the northeast part of town, the black, Negro, African-American section. Streets were dirt and remained so up through the 1980s. There were no street lights, only a very few water lines and no sewer lines. Without water lines, there could be no fire hydrants. Fire was a daily risk in wood homes where wood stoves provided the only heat and means of cooking. Because segregation kept people from knowing each other, few white people knew the black

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Grease in leaky sewer line leads to algae in pond

First the water turned red and stinky. It was a red algae bloom, and Director of Communications Bill Crabtree was sending out advisories last week for anyone visiting E. Carroll Joyner Park to avoid the pond and keep dogs away because they could become very ill drinking the water. On Monday Crabtree announced Raleigh Water had located a leaky sewer line that was causing the color and odor – all because of a build-up of household grease in the line. “Mitigation efforts in and around the Joyner Park Pond are expected to continue for the next several days,” the advisory said. The pond and the adjacent trail remain closed. Signage and fencing have been posted to inform the public of the pond’s closure. Joyner Park visitors are urged to obey the signs and avoid the area. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available. For more information, contact Stormwater

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Note in the Pocket needs money and help

The editor knows that many Wake Forest residents support Note in the Pocket. Hurricane Debbie damaged its transformer and it needs help right now.Dallas Bonavita wrote this week:It is with a heavy heart that I share some recent struggles we are facing at Note in the Pocket. This could not have happened at a worse time with children beginning a new school year.Hurricane Debby caused a leak in the roof at our Wake location on Thursday, August 8th, resulting in a damaged transformer. We have been without consistent power since. Today, Monday, August 26, is the 16th day we have been unable to consistently process clothing donations and build wardrobes for our children headed back to school.August is the beginning of Note in the Pocket’s heaviest clothing request time. Last August we received 1557 clothing requests and numbers will remain high through the end of the year. We have suffered the

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Local candidates debate Sept. 11

Many eyes are focused on the big national and state races, but the Nov. 5 ballot will also have a host of state and county races. The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce will fill that gap early in September with a candidate debate. The Government Affairs Committee chaired by Brian Pate has set the debate for Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, and admission is free. It is sponsored by UNC Health. The races covered and their candidates are: This debate offers a unique chance to hear directly from the candidates vying to represent our community. As a chamber dedicated to fostering connections between business and local government, we’re excited to facilitate this important dialogue. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to UNC Health for their generous sponsorship of this event. Their support enables us to bring this crucial forum to our community, underscoring

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