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June 6, 2024

Minutes from the Mayor

Newsletter

Summer Starts Soon!

Hello, Knightdale! May was so busy in our town, and I'm super proud of all we were able to accomplish. What's more, I'm excited about all we plan to do in June! I wanted to share highlights of some events that have happened recently in Knightdale, as well as a few things going on with our citizens and community.

Knightdale Youth Take Center Stage At Town Council Meeting

At our May Council Meeting, we were privileged to have the Pledge of Allegiance led by students from Forestville Road Elementary School! These wonderful students are in Mrs. Rhesia Mitchell's class--and if you didn't know, Mrs. Mitchell is Forestville Road Elementary's Teacher of the Year! Her students who attended our meeting are a group of hardworking children who have met the challenges of learning a new grade level curriculum. Not only do they succeed in the school setting, but many of them have won awards in their personal lives, as well. 

We were also happy to host the winners of the "Firefighters In Action" art contest! These Knightdale area elementary school students submitted some seriously creative and colorful drawings that will be housed in Fire Station No. 1. Fire Chief Loren Cone was thrilled, and so was I!

We're extremely proud of you ALL! Thank you for your service!

Congratulations to the 2024 Class of Knightdale High School!

Knightdale Celebrates Its Latin American Community

Knightdale has another festival in the books! We partnered with La Grande NC Radio to host the Latin American Festival, and it was nothing short of a success. The crowd enjoyed various Latin and Spanish food trucks, performances, and dancing for hours!

Our Knightdale Police Department, Parks and Recreation Department, and I were honored to receive the 2024 Grande Supporter Award in recognition of our "dedication and unwavering support of the Latino community." As a municipality, we strive to celebrate diversity throughout our town, and La Grande Radio has been an excellent partner to help us achieve that. Thank you so much! 

Special thanks go out to Andrew Wilkins and the Knightdale Parks and Recreation team for coordinating a great event at Knightdale Station Park!

Quadra's Doors Are Officially Open in Knightdale!

Quadra Soccer has officially opened its doors!

There are so many reasons why we're excited the Quadra soccer facility is in Knightdale. First, the owner, Pedro Veríssimo, is a graduate of our LaunchKNIGHTDALE program! Second, the facility is "dedicated to providing a platform for players of all ages," which is great for community engagement. Also, Quadra Soccer believes in fostering a culture of inclusivity, sportsmanship, and excellence. This aligns perfectly with the "Connected and Inclusive" pillar of our Strategic Plan, and I couldn't be more excited about that.

Congratulations, Pedro! We can't wait to catch the next tournament!

Welcome, Wake Tech East!

Wake Tech is a beacon of light and a symbol of academic excellence in Wake County, and they've extended that legacy to our region. I, along with Mayor Pro Tem Latatious Morris and members of the Knightdale Community Relations, Fire and Police departments, attended the grand opening of Wake Tech East recently. The campus will provide even greater opportunities for our communities in eastern Wake County. 

I was honored to share the stage with several key dignitaries and community partners at the event: Dr. Saundra Williams, Wake Tech Board of Trustees; Dr. Scott Ralls, President of Wake Tech Community College; Shinica Thomas, Chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners; Machelle Baker Sanders, Secretary of the NC Department of Commerce; and Dr. Robert Taylor, Superintendent of the Wake County Public School System.

Wake Tech's mission is to reach students in every part of Wake County and rally around them to go as far as their dreams, talents and resilience take them. This extension of the Wake Tech campuses seeks to further cement this goal throughout the county. We in the east couldn't be happier or more excited about it. Welcome to the neighborhood, Wake Tech East!

Wake Tech IGNITE Celebrates "Heroes in the Hallway"

It is always a pleasure attending the Wake Tech IGNITE program each year. The event highlights Wake Tech and its mission of transforming lives. This year's theme, "Heroes in the Hallway," focused on ways in which students, faculty, staff and partners in the community make a difference every day. I felt like a superhero during the event--well, partly because Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert and I got to wear our "secret identity" outfits!

Another highlight for me was seeing the addition of the Ryan Hayworth Award in the Wake Tech Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program. The award was created in Ryan's honor to recognize cadets who, like Ryan, exhibit leadership, integrity, courage, a willingness to help others, kindness, empathy, generosity, humility, honesty and faith. Past winners included Knightdale Police Department officers, and this year the award was presented to Fabienne Pierre, a member of the NC State Highway Patrol.

This award is truly a testament to the character of Officer Hayworth, and we are so proud of his continuing legacy in Wake County. Thank you to Wake Tech BLET for supporting such an honorable commendation.

Mayor Pro Tem Morris Speaks to Minority Women In Business

I love when the Town Council and I can get into the community and see the great things our citizens are doing. Mayor Pro Tem Latatious Morris got to spend some time with a group of minority business women at the NC Circle Success Social. She spoke to them about the importance of networking and Knightdale's focus on creating connected and inclusive communities that have thriving local businesses. 

Thank you for speaking to this driven group of ladies, Mayor Pro Tem Morris!

Welcome Back, Walmart!

Walmart store 1816 in Knightdale has been closed for some time as the company worked to remodel its interior. It is now open, and the store managers allowed me to speak to the eager crowd on the Town's behalf to express our sincere gratitude for all this store does to help our local communities. It was a great time!

Special thanks to Fire Chief Loren Cone and our Community Resource Officers for supporting me and this event. We're all excited you're back, Walmart!

Upcoming Events

We're so excited to present our second annual African American Festival on Saturday, June 15, from 4-9 pm. There will be a host of music artists, dancers, vendors, food trucks...it's going to be a day of festive fun and cultural appreciation. Don't miss it!