Several local churches and community organizations will honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during a free, public celebration on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. at Friendship Chapel Baptist Church, 237 Friendship Chapel Road. The evening’s theme will center around one of Dr. King’s messages: “Be the peace you wish to see in the world.” In the spirit of the event theme, the Wake Forest MLK Committee will offer creative performance, writing, and art competitions for students in Wake Forest and Rolesville-area schools. Complete contest rules and information, along with the online contest entry form, are available at http://bit.ly/WFMLKCelebration. The competition winners will be recognized during the January 18 program. The keynote speaker will be the Rev. Sarah Phelps, the pastor at St. John Episcopal Church in Wake Forest. The Wake Forest MLK Committee is accepting monetary donations from the community to help fund the

The Wake Forest Police Department (WFPD) is reminding residents to report crime and suspicious activity to law enforcement before posting the information on social media. Due to the popularity of Facebook and other social media, many people use those platforms to discuss suspicious activity and crime. The problem is that not all who describe such activity online also report it to the police. Simply put – tagging the WFPD on a social media post is not reporting a crime. Not even close. By calling 9-1-1 or 919-556-9111 and reporting the proper way, WFPD can establish credible, official records of what’s going on or what’s happened, along with the sources of the information. It’s also easier than chasing down what are sometimes dubious or fake social media posts. “We understand that most people who post warnings and similar kinds of information on social media are trying to look out for their friends

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts, 405 S. Brooks St., will present “Mesmerizing Magic” featuring Jason Hudy on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m. Mystery. Intrigue. Comedy. Bewilderment. These are only a fraction of the qualities Jason Hudy delivers in every performance. Guaranteed to amaze and amuse the entire family, “Mesmerizing Magic” will transport you into the intricate world of magic and illusion. Promising to leave you breathless, this spellbinding one-of-a-kind performance will redefine your idea of what a magic show is! Advance tickets are $25 plus tax and can be purchased online at https://bit.ly/WFRenCenTix, in person at the RC Box Office, or by calling 919-435-9458. For more information, visit www.wakeforestrencen.org/ or call the Renaissance Centre Box Office at 919-435-9458.

 Just in time for the holidays, The Town of Wake Forest is again offering “Connections…100 Years of Wake Forest History” for $30 each. Authored by Wake Forest resident and “Wake Forest Gazette” Publisher Carol Pelosi, “Connections… 100 Years of Wake Forest History” was written and released in 2009 to commemorate Wake Forest’s Centennial Celebration. Jean MaCamy and Stephanie Kaeberlein had begun work on the book before they asked me to write it, and they are responsible for the wonderful array of original art and pictures as well as the layout of the pages. A treasure trove of pictures, original artwork, and stories recording the people, places, and events of Wake Forest’s first 100 years, the photo-filled hardcover book chronicles the town’s rich history and details its growth from a small college town to a thriving community of more than 50,000 residents. Connections may be purchased online at www.wakeforestnc.gov/marketplace with credit card or debit card

The Wake Forest Inspections Department issues a monthly report about all new building permits and new businesses.   In November 2023, there were 28 permits issued for single family dwellings, 15 for townhouses and 5 for accessory structures. There were no new commercial building permits issued. There were the following fit-ups for new businesses: Happy Healing at 744 Merritt Capital Drive, 104 Wells Family Dental at 911 Gateway Commons Drive, 104 Taza Grill at 1898 S. Franklin Street, 110 Soo Café at 12281 Capital Boulevard Super Homes Services (lawn care) at 741 Merritt Capital Drive, 113 There were the following pre-occupancy inspections for new business: The Makery at 327 East Roosevelt Avenue Wake Forest Natural Hair Salon at 10520 Ligon Mill Road, 116 Visible Motorsports at 745 Merritt Capital Drive, 105 ###

Based on the October, 2023 Monthly Development Report, WF Planning Updated November 29, 202 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 bestpections current estimates are that between seven and eight people move to town each day. New plans on the list Item #1 on the list for at least two years has been White Street townhomes SP-21-06 requested by the landowner David Smoot with The Nau Company drawing the plans. The planning board members recommended 7 to 0 it not be approved, and instead the town board sent it back to the planning department and the owner for revisions. Since then

Speeding, lack of attention and distracted driving cause most The Wake Forest Police Department recently announced the top six high-risk intersections in Wake Forest based on the number of accidents that occurred in these areas from 2021-2023: Failure to reduce speed, inattention, and distracted driving were the most often cited contributing factors in these accidents. Police officials are taking this opportunity to urge motorists to be alert and proceed with caution through these and all intersections. To try and make the intersections safer, officers will continue conducting enforcement campaigns in and around these areas. ###