General local news
Mayor Ben Clapsaddle delivers his inaugural State of the Town address, centered on the theme “We Move Forward Together.” The phrase is a translation of the motto Katchi Kapshida, which he adopted from his time as a strategic planner with the Third Republic of Korea Army. On Monday night, the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre was […]
An oil painting filter was applied to a photograph of the Wake Forest Town Hall. (Image altered using AI) The Wake Forest Board of Commissioners convenes this Tuesday, February 17, at 6 pm at Town Hall (301 S. Brooks Street). A close analysis of the agenda reveals a pivotal moment of transition. The Town is
The Wake Forest Planning Board convenes this evening (Feb 10) at 6:00 PM. The agenda highlights the complex balance between supporting local business growth and preparing for the federally funded S-Line Rail Project. Here is your briefing for the meeting at Town Hall. An aerial view of the intersection at South Main Street and West
The agenda for Planning Board dated Tuesday, 10 February 2026 has been archived. Access it here: https://wake-forest.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=1926 Tom Baker IVTom Baker IV is the publisher of Wake Forest Matters, Wake Forest’s only independent local newsroom. A Wake Forest native, Navy veteran, and intelligence professional, Tom launched Wake Forest Matters to bring serious accountability journalism to
Happy Monday, Wake Forest! We have some fantastic news to kick off your week. If youâve been missing our local book haven, the wait is finally over. The Wake Forest Community Library officially reopened its doors today, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. For those who have walked past 400 E. Holding Avenue recently, you might have
The snow had largely retreated by Tuesday evening, leaving behind the grey, slushy evidence of a winter storm that had paused the pulse of Wake Forest for the better part of a week. The roads were clear, the power was on, and the town was slowly waking up from its icy hibernation. But as the
For the first time in over two decades, the Wake Forest Board of Commissioners is preparing to fill a vacancy that will not just complete a term, but cement a new political order. With Ben Clapsaddleâs landslide victory in the mayoral race last November, ousting 24-year incumbent Vivian Jones by a stunning 41-point margin, his
If you drive down Ligon Mill Road today, the changes are impossible to ignore. Just across the street from Chesterfield Village, the woods have been strip-cut and the heavy machinery has arrived. Now, a new set of flyers appearing in mailboxes this week suggests that Chesterfield Village itself might be next. Residents of Chesterfield Village
This is a victory for the Wake Forest right to know. Last week, a judge in Franklin County, North Carolina, dismissed a no-contact order filed in connection with my reporting in âNo Fear, No Retreat, No Surrender.â The court reviewed the facts and determined that the allegations did not meet the legal statute, finding no
To the uninitiated observer, the agenda for the Wake Forest Board of Commissioners (BOC) meeting on January 20th might appear to be a standard procedural list, a collection of contract approvals, ordinance tweaks, and routine annexations. A superficial reading suggests a municipality simply keeping the lights on: paying for traffic signals, updating parking rules, and
An excerpt from the Board of Commissioners Work Session packet regarding the upcoming Annual Board Retreat. The slide confirms the session is scheduled for January 16, 2026, and notes that, unlike standard meetings, it will not be live-streamed on WFTV 10 or the Public Meetings Portal. On Friday, January 16, 2026, the Wake Forest Board
A demonstrator holds a handwritten sign warning that the targeting of individuals like “Renee” today could lead to “You or Me” tomorrow. Out of the many signs held high up and down South Main Street this past weekend, one small one stood out to me. On a simple sheet of printer paper, a mother had
The weight of the oath sits heavy under the shadow of the Capitol. Five years later, the broken glass is gone, but the cracks in our foundation remain visible. In 2010, I was deployed to Baquba, Iraq, during the parliamentary elections. By dawn, the city was already shaking. Insurgents were striking polling stations and election
As Wake Forest enters 2026, the first Board of Commissioners (BOC) work session of the year serves as a critical junction for the townâs governance, infrastructure, and fiscal policy. Scheduled for January 6th at 6:00 PM, this session focuses on leadership transition and the expansion of the townâs âGrowth Machine.â The meeting will be broadcast
Happy New Year, Wake Forest. It is January 1, 2026. We have officially entered a monumental year. As we march toward July 4th, the United States will turn 250 years old. I didnât spend last night watching the ball drop in a crowded bar or at a loud party. I spent it sitting with my
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