Harris Lake County Park spotlighted as Wake Parks mark 50th
Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space is marking its 50th anniversary in 2026, with monthly spotlights on its 12 parks. May's feature is Harris Lake County Park, a 680‑acre park that opened in 1999 on a peninsula of the Shearon Harris Reservoir.
The park offers a range of activities, including 10.5 miles of mountain bike trails, more than 5 miles of hiking trails, and an 18‑hole disc golf course that will expand to 27 holes with the addition of a 9‑hole Junior Disc Golf Course as part of a bond improvement project. Partnerships with Triangle Off‑Road Cyclists, North Carolina Adapted Sports and the Capital Area Disc League have supported programming over the years.
Signature feature: a 60‑acre Longleaf Pine Restoration Area. The park hosts a public wagon ride program in the fall and offers a fishing pier with lake views.
Hidden gem: the Womble Interpretive History Trail mobile tour allows visitors to learn about one of the families that lived on the property before it became a park, including the remnants of the Womble family homesite and a restored wash house.
Photo op: the fishing pier or the lake shoreline at sunrise or sunset.
Best time to visit: fall and winter mornings at park opening for a sunrise over the lake, or spring evenings to hear the frog chorus and the call of a Chuck‑will's‑widow.
One‑word vibe: Vibrant. Insider tip: parking fills up quickly, so come early, and check trianglemtb.com for mountain bike trail status before you come.
Upcoming fun: a Longleaf Ramble event in September featuring information about the iconic Longleaf Pine and a guided wagon tour.
Harris Lake County Park is located at 2112 County Park Drive in New Hill.
#WakeParks50 and #TeamWake. Source: Wake County Government, Raleigh, North Carolina.
| May 15, 2026 at 9:34 AM | Gov |
Wake County promotes home composting; bins on sale for $60
Wake County government in Raleigh is promoting home composting, urging residents to start now with discounted $60 compost bins and information at WAKE.GOV/COMPOST and the compost-bin sale site wakecompostersale.company.site.
| May 16, 2026 at 1:46 PM | Gov |
Wake County Principal Named N.C. Principal of the Year
Dr. Mariah Walker, principal of Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy in Apex, was named the 2026 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year and will serve as a statewide ambassador for about 2,700 principals through a two-year advisory with the State Board of Education and a seat on the North Carolina Public School Forum board, with the ceremony held at The Umstead Hotel & Spa earlier this afternoon.
| May 15, 2026 at 2:22 PM | School |
Panther Creek DECA teams top international competition
Panther Creek High students excelled at the DECA International Career Development Conference, competing against more than 15,000 students worldwide and placing multiple teams in the top 20 nationally, including a top-10 finish, a second-place win in a challenge and a team taking first place overall.
| May 14, 2026 at 12:52 PM | School |
Wake County to hold final FY 2027 budget hearing Monday
Wake County commissioners will hold their final budget public hearing on the FY2027 budget Monday, May 18, at 2 p.m. at the Wake County Justice Center, 301 S. McDowell St., Raleigh, 2nd Floor Board Chambers, with residents able to sign up an hour before the hearing and allotted up to three minutes to speak; written comments are due by noon on May 20 at wake.gov/budget.
| May 14, 2026 at 12:00 PM | Gov |
Willow Spring High students collaborate on Cinco de Mayo crafts
Wake County Public Schools in Apex, North Carolina, said Willow Spring High's Spanish 2 Honors students joined with Ms. Stone's and Ms. Peters' special education students for the second straight year to learn about Cinco de Mayo and the art of making paper flowers (flores de papel), a Mexican folk-art tradition.
| May 14, 2026 at 8:47 AM | School |
Wake County to Hold First Budget Hearing Monday
Wake County will hold the first of two budget public hearings Monday, May 11, in Raleigh from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Wake County Commons Building, 4011 Carya Dr., Raleigh, to gather input on next year’s budget, with residents able to sign up an hour before and speak up to three minutes; the second hearing is Monday, May 18, at 2 p.m. at the Wake County Justice Center, and written comments may be submitted before noon on Wednesday, May 20, at wake.gov/budget.
| May 11, 2026 at 9:12 AM | Gov |
Wake County Offers Free Pre-K for 4-year-olds
Wake County Public Schools said eligible families with a child who will be 4 by Aug. 31 may qualify for free Wake Pre-K, with an in-person application event May 21, online applications available anytime, and a June 12 deadline for Title I preschool eligibility.
| May 10, 2026 at 9:00 PM | School |
Wake County Public Schools honors moms on Mother's Day
Wake County Public Schools in Apex, N.C., posted a Mother's Day message praising moms for being there from kindergarten through graduation.
| May 10, 2026 at 2:00 PM | School |
Wake County hosts virtual event on foster, adopted boys
Wake County Government in Raleigh, North Carolina, is hosting a free virtual Lunch & Learn session titled "Raising an adopted, foster or kinship young man?" led by Dr. Adam Anthony to explore the emotional realities faced by adopted and foster boys—especially boys of color—from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday, May 12; registration is online and questions can be emailed to postadoption@wake.gov.
| May 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM | Gov |