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 |
Edward Ng Earns Second in N.C. State Poster Contest
Edward Ng, a fifth-grade student at Green Hope Elementary in Wake County, earned second place in North Carolina's state poster competition and received $100 at the state level, $100 for regional first place and $50 for district first place.
| May 24, 2026 at 11:00 AM | Gov |
Apex Town Council weighs funding for DA's office staffing
Apex, N.C. — The Apex Town Council discussed a request to fund additional staffing for the Wake County District Attorney’s Office but did not include the funding in the FY26-27 budget, with Council member Terry Mahaffey saying the issue should be studied and potentially pursued regionally later this year.
| May 24, 2026 at 10:00 AM | Political |
Wake County Compost Bin Sale Under Way at 50% Off
Wake County officials in Raleigh, North Carolina, say their annual backyard compost bin sale is ongoing, offering the Earth Machine at 50% off for orders placed by May 31, with assembly required and a how-to video available online.
| May 24, 2026 at 9:00 AM | Gov |
Apex educator Matin Maani named 2026 Teacher of the Year
Wake County Public Schools in Apex, N.C., celebrated Matin Maani of Apex Friendship Middle as the district’s 2026 Teacher of the Year, marking a red-carpet welcome with a hallway parade, student cheers, signs, confetti and a crown, plus a prize Chevy from Capital Chevrolet.
| May 22, 2026 at 4:16 PM | School |
YMCA Holds Fort Worth Citywide Camp Staff Training
Fort Worth, Texas — The YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth held its annual citywide camp staff training at YMCA Camp Carter, highlighted by Amber Garner’s leadership as the 13 camps prepare to open in a week and serve thousands of children and families this summer.
| May 18, 2026 at 9:00 AM | YMCA |
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 |